AN EXPOSITION OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL SCRIPTURES USED in our English Liturgy.  
TOGETHER WITH A REASON why the Church did choose the same.  
By JOHN BOYS Doctor of Divinity.  Proverbs 1. 8. My son hear thy father's instruction, and forsake not thy mother's teaching. August. epist. 118. cap. 5. Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis, etiam quae adiwat utilitate, perturbat novitate. 
AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON, and are to be sold by William Aspley, at the sign of the Parot in Paul's Churchyard. 1610.   

TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, RICHARD BANCROFT, LORD Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, Chancellor of the University of Oxenford, and one of his majesties most honourable privy Counsel; my very good Lord.  
AS Christ, 
a Tertullian, uti M●ldonat. in 6. joan. 44.  so the Church, and as the Church, so the Liturgy of the Church is crucified between two malefactors: on the left hand Papists, on the right hand Schismatics; the one cannot say wherein it is truly 
b Letter of Pius 5. to Q. Elizabeth, & Brist●w motive 34  deficient, the other will not say but that it is efficient, under which the Gospel hath so prospered, as that 
c Dod exposit. prefac. Commandments.  England is swept from Babel, and Jerusalem situated in our own country: yet both as at a common Turk shoot bitter arrows against it. And the reason hereof is very plain, because every Pope is an open Schismatik, and every Schismatic a secret Pope. These Foxes (as 
d Prae●●t. Comment. in Gal●t.  Luther speaks) are tied together by the tails, although by their heads they seem to be contrary; combined in faction, howsoever different in faith. Against the Romanist I use a sword, against the Novelist a buckler, against both armour of proof: for these Scholiall annotations in part descry, but my larger expositions of the Gospels and Epistles hereafter shall more fully describe, their malicious or ignorant misconstruing of our Church. In the mean while and for ever I wish all happiness to your Grace: and rest your  
Humble servant to be commanded in the business of God and his Church, JOHN BOYS.   

THE CONTENTS OF THE Tract ensuing.  

1 The Minister's Inuitatorie. page 1  
2 The Confession and absolution of sins. 2  
3 An exposition of the Pater Noster. 3  
4 An exposition of O Lord open our lips. 7  
5 The Hymn of Gloria Patri. 12  
6 An exposition of the 95. Psalm. 13  
7 Te Deum and Benedicite omnia operae. 21  
8 An exposition of the Benedictus. 22  
9 An exposition of the 100 Psalm. 28  
10 An exposition of the Creed. 30  
11 Dominus vobiscum. 48  
12 Cum spiritu tuo, and other Responsories. 49  
13 An exposition of the Magnificat. 51  
14 An exposition of the 98. Psalm. 62  
15 An exposition of the Song of Simeon. 66  
16 An exposition of the 67. Psalm. 76  
17 The Creed of Athanasius and the Litany. 83  
18 An exposition of the Decalogue. 84  
19 The people's offering. 108  
20 An exposition of the words of Paul, 1. Corinth. 11. 28. containing the sum of the Ministers exhortation before the Communion. 109  
21 Sursam corda. 118  
22 Gloria in excelsis. 119  
23 An exposition of the Peace of God, etc. and the Grace of our Lord jesus Christ. 120  
24 Amen. 124    

THE MINISTERS INVITATORIE.  

At what time soever a sinner doth repent etc.  
ALL these texts of holy writ premised, are (as it were the bells of Aaron) to stir up devotion, and to toll all in to God's house. The whole ring consists of 

two notes especially, 

Man's misery.  
God's mercy.      
The which are two chief motives unto 
a Luther. loc. come. tit. de invocat.  prayer, as we find, precept Matth. 6. 9 Prayye after this manner; Our Father which art in heaven. 
b Bernard. ser. de nat. B. Mariae qui inscribitur 〈◊〉 aquae ductu.  Admonens adoptionis divinae, Pater Noster; & peregrinationis terrenae, Quies in coelis; ut simul intelligamus egere nos auxilio, quia peregrini; & fiduciam petendi concipiamus, quia filii dei.  
And pattern Luke 15: want and woe in the lewd son, pity and plenty in the good father, occasioned repentance, never repent. Of the one it is commonly said; 
c Nathan Cbytraeus in viatico.  Oratio sine malis, est quasi avis, alis. Of the other; I will come into thine house even upon the multitude of thy mercy: Psalm. 5. 7. To thee will I sing, because thou art my refuge, and merciful God. Psal. 59 17. In the vulgar Latin; Deus meus misericordia mea. Whereupon 
d I● l●cum Tow. 8. sol. 414. lege plura. Dear beloved.  Augustine; O nomen sub quo nemin● desperandum est.  
Wherefore the Minister out of a due consideration of both, exhorteth his people in an Apostolical style, to confess their sins humbly to the Lord, who is able to hear, because Almighty; 
Almighty and most merciful Father.  and willing to help, because most merciful.   

The Confession of sins.  
THe matter and manner of which Confession all other Liturgies approve, both ancient (as the Liturgies of S. 
e Margarinus Ribl. oth●●. pat. tom. 4▪ col 21.  〈◊〉, of S. 
f Ibidem col. 37.  Basil, of the 
g Col. 65.  Syrians, of the 
h Col. ●▪ 10.  Ethiopians) and modern (as the Scotish, Genevian, 
i Imprinted at Middleburgh 1586.  English admonitioners 〈◊〉 form of common prayer, 
k Discourse of the troubles of Frankford, pag. 7.  Italian, Spanish, Dutch) all which allot Confession of sins a place, and this place principally. The reason hereof is taken out of Gods own book, Proverbs 18. 17. justus in exordi● sermonis accusator est sui. The just man in the beginning of his speech is an accuser of himself: for so read S. Ambrose ser. 4. upon the 118. Psalm. S. Hi●●om. lib. 1. contra Pelagian. Melancthon in loc, and from the practice of Gods own people the jews: as that noble gentleman Philip Mornai notes in lib. 1. de Missa. cap. 3.  
The Novelists only mislike the Minister's absolution, and therefore in the Conference at Hampton Court, jan. 14. 1603. they gained so much as to have it in a more mild term called, Remission of sins. Herein resembling the people of 
l Pimenta de statu rei Christian. in India Orien.  Bengala, who are so much afraid of Tigers, as that they dare not call them Tigers, but give them other gentle names. Ne si propriam nomenclatur am tribuant, continu● dilacerentur. Concerning absolution, see the Gospel Dominic. 19 post Trin.   

The Pater Noster.  
THis Prayer excels all other in 
m Bellarmin. de bonis op●ribus in particular. lib. 1. cap. 4.  many respects, as being the 
n Tertull, lib. de orat. cap. 1.  Gospel's Epitome, compiled by Wisdom itself, so 
o Cyp●. ser. de orat. Dom.  large for matter, so short for phrase, so sweet for order, as that it deserveth worthily to have both the Best and the Most place in our Liturgy. The 
p T●rtull. ubi supra.  First, as guide to the rest: the Most, as a necessary 
q Hooker Eccles. polit. lib. 5. §. 35.  complement to supply whatsoever is wanting in other: and therefore it is used at the end of the Litany, at the end of the Communion, at the end o● Baptism, at the end of other sacred actions: (as 
r Durandus rational▪ ●iuin. ●ffie. lib. 5. cap. 〈◊〉 §. 17.  one fitly) Tanquam sal omnium divinorum officiorum.  

It hath three parts: 

1. A poem; Our Father, etc.  
2. A petition; Hallowed be thy name, etc.  
3. A conclusion; For thine is kingdom, etc.     

In the first note those three things required in an absolute agent: 

1. Will, because he is ours: for every one wisheth well unto his own, and he that doth not is worse than an Ins●del: 1. Tim. 5. 8  
2. Skill, because a father. Your father knoweth whereof you stand in need: Matth. 6. 8.  
3. Power, because in Heaven. Strength cometh from heaue●▪ 1. Macchab. 3. 19     
So that if we ask, we shall have; if seek, we shall find; if knock, it shall be opened unto us: because God is a father, Our father, our father in heaven.  
Our] Admonisheth us of 
s Cyp. ubi supra & Ambros. lib. 5. cap. 4. desacram●ntis.  mutual love; for without love, there is no true faith, and without true faith, no true prayer: Rom. 14. 23. As the Serpent doth cast up all his poison before he drink, so we must degorge our malice before we pray.  
Father] Used here rather 
t ●r●inus Cat. tit. de precat. & Magdcburg. cent. 1. col. 139.  essentially, then personally. So, God is a father in creation: Deut. 32. 6.  
In education, Esai. 1. 2: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 
Germanus Patriarc. Constant. exposit. oral. dom.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; happily more fitly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  

In instruction, 

Inwardly by his Spirit: Rom. 8. 26.  
Outwardly by his Preachers: Matth. 10. 20.     
In compassion: Psal. 103. 13.  
In correction: Heb. 12. 6. 
x Glossa in loc.  Quiexcipitur è numero flagellatorum, excipitur è numero filiorum.  
In years: Dan. 7. 9  
But a father in respect of his adoption 
y Cyp. August. Ambros. etc.  more principally: Rom. 8. 15. 16.  

In Heaue● 

Mystical: as 
z Lib. ●. de s●r. dom. in monte. tom. 4. fol. 81●.  Augustine and 
a ubi sup. coelum est ibi ubi cessat culpa.  Ambrose construe it: in holy men of heavenly conversation. Who are his proper 
b 1. Cor. 3. 16.  temples and 
c Heb. 3. 6.  houses in whom he will dwell: joh. 14. 23.  
Material: as other generally: for albeit he be present ever where, yet he doth manifest himself to blessed souls and Angels in heaven, and to us in glory from heaven especially: Psal. 19 1. Gen. 19 24. 1. Thess. 4. 16.      

Petition.  
THe petition in the judgements of 
d Calvin. Instit. lib. 3. cap. 20 §. 35. Maldonat & lansen. in loc.  neotericall authors hath six branches: whereof three concern our love, wherewith we love God in himself, and three wherewith we love ourselves in God: in 
e Caictan. c●m. in 22ae. Thom. q. 83. art. 9  sign whereof the pronoun Thy, is affixed to the three first, thy name, thy kingdom, thy will: but the pronouns Us, and Ours, to the rest. Our bread, our trespasses, lead us not &c.  

Or (as 
f Albertus & Gorran. in Matth. 6.  other divide) the petition is, 

Precatio bonorum.  
Deprecatio malorum.     

A request for good things, whereof the 

First concerns God's glory, Hallowed be thy name.  
Rest our good, 
g Gorran. Guido manipul. curate. vel ut alij summum, medium, infimum.  of 

Glory; Thy kingdom etc.  
Grace; Thy will etc.  
Nature; Give us this day our daily bread.       

A deprecation of evil, which is of 
h Tertull. lib. 2. cont. Martion. cap. 14.  two sorts: 

Malum culpae, an evil which is sin 

Past, Forgive us our trespasses etc.  
To come; Lead us not into temptation.    
Malum poena, an evil which is a punishment, for sin, Deliver us from 
i Agreeable to the Church's exposition in the common Catechism: & Melanct●on loc. come. tit. invocat.  evil 

Internal, and hellish conscience.  
external, bodily dangers.  
Eternal, everlasting death.       
In one word, from all that thou seest evil for us 
k Bellarm. Cat. cap. 4. , be it prosperity, or adversity: so we pray in the Litany; Good Lord deliver us in all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, etc. 
l August. epist. 121. cap. 11.  Nondum enim sumus in eo bono, ubinullum patiemur malum.  

m 〈◊〉 rational. divin. lib. 4. cap. 47. §. 8.  Other affirm that the first three petitions are concerning the life to come: the last three concerning the life present: that which is in the middle, Give us this day our daily bread, concerning both.  
These seven (if we make so many petitions) are 
n Beauxamis ●ar. evang. tom. 2. fol. 220.  correspondent to the seven gifts of the blessed spirit, Esai. 11. 2. and seven beatitudes, Matth. 5. 
o Durandus ubi supra §. 9  against the seven capital sins: 
p De religione Christian. lib. 3. cap. 3.  Ramus hath observed that this prayer answereth the Decalogue.  
God is our father: Ergo, we must have no other gods.  
In heaven: Ergo, no graven Image, etc.  
Hallowed be thy name: Ergo, not take his name in vain.  
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done: Ergo, we must sanctify the Sabbath, and worship him according to his word.  
Give us this day our daily bread, that having sufficient, we may be rather helpful, Honour thy father, etc. then hurtful, by wronging our neighbour, in deed, Thou shalt not kill, not commit adultery, not steal: In word, Thou shalt not bear false witness, etc.  
Lead us not into temptation: Ergo, not covet our neighbour's house, nor his wife etc.  
Forgive us our trespasses: Ergo, bound to keep the whole law: which occasioned 
q Loc. come. tit. de invocat.  Luther to say, Docet oratio dominica nos esse quotidianos peccatores, & totam vitam esse poenitentiam: all our life to be nothing else but a 
r Bernard. ser. 3. de jeiunio quadrages.  Lent to prepare ourselves against the Sabbath of our death, and Easter of our resurrection.   

Conclusion.  
SOme cavil at our Service book for omitting this clause; yet 
s Institut. lib. 3. cap. 20. §. 47.  Calvin doth acknowledge that it is not extant in any Latin copies: of which 
t Annot. in locum.  Erasmus and 
u jansen. & Maldonat. in loc. D. Fulke answer to Rhem. praefa. sect. 38.  other Divines have sundry conjectures. Howsoever, the Church is blameless, seeing our 
x Matth. 6. 13.  Bible, which is judex quo, receiveth it, and the Minister, which is judex qui, the speaking book, doth usually repeat it: and so saying it, in their opinion we do well: and not saying it, according to the pattern of all the Latin, and some of the Greek Fathers, and of S. Luke himself, not ill.  

It contains 

A Reason of our prayer; for thine is kingdom, etc.  
A testification of our assurance that God will hear our prayer, Amen.     
Thine is] Earthly Prince's have kingdom, power, and glory from God, Dan. 2. 37. but God hath all these from, and in himself: 1. Chron. 29. 11. Seeing he hath interest in all things, it is our duty to come unto him for every thing: and as he hath right to all, so power to dispose of all: and therefore we cannot do any thing we desire, but by power received of him. And if his be power and kingdom, than it followeth necessarily, that his is all glory. Therefore we must invocate his holy name, that hereby we may give him his due. This one duty is Alpha, and Omega, the first thing we must beg, hallowed be thy name: and the last we must perform, Thine is glory: for ever] 
y Genebrardus in ●lt. Psalm.  It is a Rabbi●icall conceit that the last Psalm hath thirteen Hallelujahs answering thirteen properties in God, specified, Exod. 34. 6. 7. Now in that the Prophet doth begin and end with Halleluiah, stirring us up in every verse of that Psalm, and in every sentence of every verse, to praise the Lord, he doth insinuate that this one is our only service: for whereas after twelve Hallelujahs a thirteenth is added, it doth signify, that when we have done all, we must begin again with God's praise, that as his mercy is from everlasting, to everlasting, from everlasting predestination, to everlasting glorification; so our praise for ever and ever: here we must begin the Psalm of glory, but because God hath appointed in this short life, that we should not sing in Longs, but (as musicans speak) in briefs and semibriefes, it must be continued in the quire of heaven hereafter, or in this world for ever and ever 
z 〈…〉  intentionally, though not actually. For as the wicked 
a 〈…〉 compend. lib. 7. cap. 21.  if he could live for ever, would sin for ever; so the good man, if God should suffer him to breath on earth for ever and ever, he would not cease to serve him ever and ever.  
Amen.] The which word is the 
b Hieron. in 6 Matth.  seal of all our petitions, to make them authentical: importing 
c Church Cat. Musculus, Vrsinus, etc.  both assent, and assurance that our requests shall be granted. And therefore (as 
d Perkins upon the Lo●ds prayer.  one notes aptly) this ●men, is of more value than all the rest, by how much our faith is more excellent than our desire: for it is a testification of our faith, whereas all the petitions are only testifications of our desire. 
e De vita Christi part. 1. cap. 37.  Ludolphus hath comprised all in this short paraphrase.  
PAter noster: Excelsus in creatione, suavis in a more, dives in haereditate; qui es in coelis: speculum aeternitatis, corona iucunditatis, the saurus felicitatis. Sanctificetur nomen tuum: ut nobis sit mel in over, melos in aure, iubilum in cord. Adueniat regnum tuum: non illud modò potentiae, quod nunquam evertitur, sed istud gratiae, quod saepius avertitur: adveniat ergo jucundum sine permixtione, tranquillum sine perturbatione, securum sine amissione. Fiat voluntas, non nostra, sed tua, sicut in Coelis ab Angelis, sic etiam in terra ab hominibus: ut omnia quae non amas, odio habeamus; quae diligis, diligamus; quae tibi placent, impleamus. Panem, doctrinalem, sacramentalem, victualem, nostrum: sed ne putetur a nobis, dicimus da n●bis: quotidianum, qui sufficiat nobis. Et dimit nobis debita nostra. Quae cunque contra te commi●●●mus, aut contra proximos, aut contra nosmet ipsos. Sicut & nos ●●●●ttimus debitoribus nostris, qui nos offende●unt, vel in verbis, vel in personis, vel in rebus. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem; mundi, carnis, Diaboli. Sed libera nos à malo, praesenti, praeterito, futuro. Haec potes, quia tuum est regnum & potentia; haec vis, quia tua gloria, nunc & in secula, Amen.   
Psalm. 51. 15. Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 
AS man is a little world in the great, so the tongue a great world in the little. 
f Hieron. poster. exposit. in Psal. 119. 〈…〉  Nihil habet medium, aut grand malum est, aut grand bonum. If good (as Eunapius said of that famous Rhetorician) a walking library, a whole University of edifying knowledge: but if bad (as 
g Cap. 3. 6.  S. james doth tell us) a world of wickedness. No 
h Plutarch. Aesop.  better dish for God's 
i Pars optima digna quae sit hostia. Prudent. him. de R●man. marty●●.  public service, when it is well seasoned: again, none worse when ill handled.  
So that if we desire to be doorkeepers in God's house, let us entreat God first to be a doorkeeper in our house, that he would shut the wicket of our mouth against unsavoury speeches, and open the door of our lips, that our mouth may show forth his praise. This was David's prayer, and aught to be thy practice, wherein observe three points especially:  
Who: the Lord.  
What: open my lips.  
Why: that my mouth may show thy praise.  
For the first; man of himself cannot untie the strings of his own stammering tongue, but it is God only which openeth a 
k Colos. 2. 3.  door of utterance. When we have a good thought it is (as the school doth speak) gratia infusa; when a good word, gratia effusa; when a good work, gratia diffusa. Man is as a lock, the spirit of God as a key, 
l Apocal. 3. 7.  which openeth and no man shutteth; again, shutteth, and no man openeth. He did open the heart of Lydia to conceive well, Acts 16. the ears of the Prophet to hear well, Esay 50. the eyes of Elishaes' servant to see well, 2. Kings 6. and here the lips of David to speak well. And therefore whereas in the former verse he might seem too peremptory, saying, my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness; he doth as it were correct himself by this latter edition, and second speech: O Lord, I find myself, of myself, most unable to sing or say, but open thou my lips, and touch thou my tongue, and then I am sure my mouth shall show thy praise.  
This doctrine showeth in general our dependence on God, in 
m Acts 17 28.  whom we live, and move, and have our being; from whom only cometh 
n james 1. 17.  every good and perfect gift.  
Man is God's image: Gen. 1. 26. Some 
o Did●●us de la Vega. con. 7. super Psal 4. penitential. & Oleaster in cap. 1. Gen.  translators use the word which signifieth a shadow. Now as an image or a shadow doth only move as the body whereof it is a likeness; when the body doth stretch forth an arm, the shadow presently hath an arm; when the body doth put forth a leg, the shadow hath a leg. So man in all his actions, as a shadow depends on God, as the sole foundation of all his 
p Dan. 5. 23.  being.  
In more particular, this overthroweth all 
q Locus contra Pelagian●s, uti Genebrardus in loc.  workemongers, and (if I may so speak) babbling word-mongers. If a man cannot open his own lips to praise God, much less direct his own heart to please God: if not able to tune his tongue, let him not presume to turn his soul.  
And if a man cannot open his mouth aright, let him not pick it with a false key, but rather pray with David in the 141. Psalm: Set a watch O Lord before my mouth, and keep the doors of my lips. As it is absurd in building to make the porch bigger than the house; so, monstrous in nature, when we commit burglary, breaking the doors and pulling down the 
r Ecclesiasticus ●8. 24.  bars of our mouth, that the narrow passage may be made wide for our big words, and high conceits. A foul fault when our words are either too many, or too mighty: Ecclesiastes 5. 1.  
2. Point what: Open my lips.  
David 
s Psal. 14. 5.  elsewhere thinks our mouth too much open, and S. 
t Cap. 3. 8.  james that our tongue is too glib and unruly. Lingua facilè volat, & ideo facile violate (saith 
u Serm. de Triplici custodia manus, linguae, cordis.  Bernard.) In old age, when all other members are dull and stiff, the 
x Erasmus come. de lingua▪ & August. lib. 10. Confess. cap. 37. quotidiana ●ornax est humana lingua.  tongue notwithstanding is quick and nimble. What need any than pray for opening their lips? I answer with the Prophet jeremy, chap 4. vers. 22. They are wise to do evil, but to do well they have no knowledge. Men have tongue enough to speak ill, an open mouth to blaspheme God, and slander their neighbour; but like Pliny's Astomis, no mouth, no lips, no tongue, possessed with a dumb devil when they should speak well.  
Hierome, 
y In locum.  Basil, Euthymius, and other ancient Doctors observe, that natural corruptions, and actual sins are the very rampires which stop this free passage. So David himself doth expound himself, vers. 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. His unthankfulness did cry: his adultery cry: his murder cry unto the Lord for revenge: but alas, himself was mute, till God in exceeding great mercy did stop the ●outhes of his clamorous adversaries, and gave him leave to speak.  
Here we note the great wisdom of the Church assigning this place to this versicle in this book: namely, before the Ps●●●es, Lessons and Collects: and yet after the Confession and absolution of our sins, insinuating that our mouths are silenced only by transgression, and opened only by God: and therefore when we meet together in the Temple to be thankful unto him, and to speak good of his name, we must crave first, that according to the multitude of his rich mercies; he would pardon all our old sins, and then put into our mouth a new song: that, as the service is holy, the time holy, the place holy; so we likewise the 
z Pulchra non est la●s in ore 〈◊〉. Hieron. in. loc.  persons holy, who sing, Holy, holy, holy, etc.  
Deus faciat t●m commodum, quam Ecclesia fecit accommodum. Our fathers in this imitated the learned Hebrew Doctors, enjoining that this verse should be said at the beginning of every prayer, in 
a Genebrardus in locum.  tractatu Berachoth: that is, their Liturgy, being the first part of the Talmud, as Pet. Galatinus lib. 1. cap. 5. do Arcanis: & Saxtus Sene●sis Bibliothec. lib. 2 pag. 121.  
My lips] A part for the whole, sufficient ability to praise God: Ex abundant●a 
b Mat. 12. 34.  cordis os loquitur. He doth entreat God then, as before, for a clean heart, and a right spirit, that his 
c M●sculus in locum.  old joys of conscience may be renewed, and all the whole man thoroughly repaired, a good 
d Luc●s Lossius in locum.  desire to begin, a ready will to continue, a constant resolution to end in Gods holy service.  
The key of the mouth ought not to stand in the door of the lips, but to be kept in the cabinet of the mind.  
For 
e Ecclesiasticus 21. ●6.  the heart of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart. David therefore doth desire first a new 
f verse 10.  soul, than a new so●g. The tongue is ambassador of the mind; as often as we speak without meditation before, so often the messenger runneth without his errand. And idle words are not little sins, of which one day we shall give great 
g Mat. 12. 36.  account.  
The mind then and the mouth must go together: in civil communication, he that will not speak idly, must think what he speaks; and he that will not speak falsely, must speak what he thinks. In holy devotion, God must be praised upon w●ll 
h Psal. 150. 5.  tuned Cymbals, and loud Cymbals, in his quire: first tune well, a prepared 
i 〈…〉  heart, than ●ound well▪ a cheerful tongue like the 
k Psal. 45. 2.  pen of a ready writer. Albeit mental prayer at sometime, and in some place, be sufficient: yet 
l Thom. 22 ●. qu●st. 83. art. 12  vocal, in God's public worship, is necessary, to stir up and blow the coals of zeal both in ourselves and others. Open lips in open service.  Why: 3. part. 
That my mouth may show thy praise. That as of 
m Rom. 11. 36.  thee, and through thee, and for thee are all things; so to thee may be praise for evermore. See Pater Noster.  
God is of himself, and in himself so great, so good, as that we cannot any way detract or add to his glory. Nec 
n August. in Psal. 134. Non 〈◊〉 benedictione, nec in●●uitur maledict. nostra. Id. ● in Psal. 66.  ●elior si 〈◊〉, nec deterior si vituperaueri●. I answer, though we cannot make Gods praise greater in it self, yet we may make it sleme greater unto other; it is our du●ie to she●forth his praise in all our words and actions too: for albeit we cannot make a new God, and a new Christ, (as the Papists d●e) yet o●r good example, and gracious speech, may make l●t●le Christ a grea● Christ; occasion all those with whom we converse to magnify the Lord now, who little regarded him before. See the 〈◊〉.  
This annunciation of praise consists of often repetition and particular enumeration of God's especial goodness towards us. 
o In locum tom. 8. fol. 339.  Augustine therefore doth gloss the text thus: La●dem tuam, qu●a creatus s●m. Laud●m t●am, quia ut consi●erer iam monitus sum. La●dem tuam. quia peccans non derelictus sum. Laudem tuam, quia ut secur●s essem mundatus sum.  

p Hugo Cardinal. ●n. Luc. cap. 10. 27.  Hugo c●mprehends all, which concerns us all, in four words: God is to be praised, qui Creator 〈◊〉 esse, Conseruator in esse, Recreator in 〈…〉 Glorificator in optimo esse: qui 
q August. de lib. arbitrio lib. 3. cap. 15.  non reddit Deo faciendo quod debet, reddet ei, patiendo quod debet.  
The whole text doth teach all men generally the language of Cana●n 
u Esay 19 18. , that is, what and how to speak, that their mouth may glorify God, and edify their brethren. Especially Pastors to 
x Esay 50. ●.  minister a word in time to the weary; so to tune their notes, as that they may be like apples of 
y Prou▪ 25. 〈◊〉.  gold 〈…〉 of ●iluer. In all their sermons to preach jesus for jesus. hunting not after their own, but his glory Lord open my lips that my mouth may show not My praise, but Thy praise, saith David.   

Gloria Patri.  
THis Hymn is of good credit, and great antiquity. 
z De religiare Christian. 〈…〉 cap. 19  Ramus acknowledgeth ingenuously both. It is a paraphrastticall exposition of that excellent spe●ch, Rom. 11. 36. 
a Ex notat patrem●pe● filium: in spir sanct. Lombard. lib. 1. s●●t dist. 36. & Augustin. de Trin. lib. 6. cap 10.  Of him▪ and through him, and for him are all things, to him be glory for ever, Amen: used in the Church to manifest our sound judgement in matter of doctrine concerning the sacred Trinity. We must (saith 
b Epistol 78. & Melanct. exposit. symbol, Nice●. tom. 1. fol. 403.  Basil) as we have received, even so baptise, and as we baptise, even so believe, and as we believe, even so give glory. Baptizing we use the name of the Father, of the Son, of the holy Ghost: confessing the Christian faith, we declare our belief in the Father, and in the Son, and in the holy Ghost: ascribing glory to God, we give it to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Ghost. And howsoever anabaptistical Antipodes, out of their ambitious humour to contradict all other, and hear themselves only speak, would have thrust out of the Church all solemn set forms of holy service: yet Gloria Patri stands still, and like a true Martyr doth show the greatest countevance in lowest estate.  
For antiquity, such as look lowest affirm that it was ordained first by 
c Alcuinus lib. de office divin.  Damasus, ann. Dom. 
d Florilegus fol. 104.  376. Others, that it was enacted in that famous Council of Nice, consisting of 318. Bishops under Constantine the Great, an. 
e Magdeburg. Cent. 4. col. 617.  320.  
●aebadius in lib. adversus Arrian. insinuates, that it was used in the Church long before. The curious in this point may further examine 
f De Missa lib. 2. cap. ●6.  Bellarmine, and that Oxenford of learning, Master Richard 
g Ecclesiast. polit. lib. 5. § 42.  Hooker.   

Venite exultemus Domino.  
IT is evident, not only by 
h August. lib. 10. Confess. cap. 33. & prooe●. in Psal. 118. Tertullian. lib. de Velandis virginib. cap. 7.  Church history, but also by the Scripture, that Psalms have always taken up a great room in divine service. 
i Scaliger de emendat temp. lib. 6. pag. 273. edit. 1593.  Mat. 26. 30. 1. Cor. 14. When you come together, as every one of you hath a Psalm.  
Let not any than wonder at our often Psalmody both after, and before the word expounded, and read: and sometime interlaced between both. A custom continued in all other reformed Churches of Scotland, France, Flanders, etc.  
Above all other Psalms, 
k Master Deering Lect. 15. upon the Epistle to the Hebrews.  our Church hath fitly chosen this, as a whetstone to set an edge upon our devotions at the very beginning of public prayers in the Temple: teaching plainly for what matter, and after what manner, it behoveth us to serve God in his Sanctuary. For it consists of two parts:  

1. An exhortation to praise God, in the 1. 2. 6. verses.  
2. An allegation of causes why we should do this, and they be taken either from his 

Mercies, 

In general; for creating and ruling the whole world: 3. 4. 5.  
In particular, for electing his Church. 7.    
judgements, in the 

8. 9 10. 11. setting before their eyes a fearful example, and that in their own Fathers, for, omitting this excellent duty.       

In the first part two points are remarkable: 

Who must praise; Let us sing, let us come, let us worship.  
How 

Where; Before his presence.  
Whereto; Sing to the Lord.  
Wherewith; with our voice:       
Let us sing: with our heart, heartily: with hands and knees, O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker.  
For the 〈◊〉: 
l For he made this Psalm.  〈…〉 content alone to praise God, but exciteth all other about him to do the ●ame: O come let us sing. 
Heb. 4. 7.  Now David may be considered 

As a 

Private man.  
Public person, 

Prince.  
Prophet.        
Here then is a threefold pattern in one: An example for Masters to stir up their family; an example for Preachers to exhort their people; an example for Princes to provoke their subjects unto the public worship of the Lord. It becometh great men, especially to be good men: as being 
m Greg. Naz●an.  vnprinted statutes, and 
n Arist.  speaking 〈◊〉 unto the rest. This affection was in 
o Gen. 18. 19  Abraham, 
p 1 Cor. 9 22.  Paul, 
q josua 14 15.  josua, and aught to be in all, 
r Heb. 3. 13.  exhorting one another while it is called to da●.  
You hold it a good rule in worldly business, not to say to your servants, Come ye, go ye, arise ye: but, let us come, let us go, let us arise. Now, shall the children of this world be wiser in their generation, than the children of light? Do we commend this course in mundane affairs, and neglect it in religious offices? Assuredly if our zeal were so great to religion, as our love is towards the world; Masters would not come to Church (as many do) without their servants, and servants without their masters; parents without their children, and children without their parents; husbands without their wives, and wives without their husbands: but all of us would call one to another, as 
s Esay 2. 3.  Esay prophesied; O come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of jacob, he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. And, as David here practised, O come let us sing to the Lord, let us heartily re●oice in the strength of our salvation.  
How First where; 
Where.  before the Lord, before his presence, vers. 2. 6. God is every where; 
t Psal. 139. 7.  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I go from thy pre●ence?  
True▪ God is a circle, whose Centre is nowhere, Circumference every where: yet is he said in holy Scripture to dwell in 
u Mat. 69.  heaven, and to be present in his Sanctuary more specially; manifesting his glory from heaven, his grace in the Church principally. For he said in the 
x Exod. 20. 24.  Law, In all places where I shall put the remembrance of my name, I will come unto thee: and in the 
y Mat. 18. 20.  Gospel, Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them. Albeit every day be a Sabbath, and every place a Sanctuary for our private devotions, according to the particular exigence of our occasions; yet God hath allotted certain times, and certain places for his public service: Leuit. 19 30. Ye shall sanctify my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary.  
God is to be worshipped ever, and every where. Yet the seventh of our time▪ and the tenth of our living, must more specially be consecrated to that honour which he requires in the Temple. And therefore 
z Comment. in locum.  Calvin is of opinion that David uttered this speech upon the Sabbath: as if he should say, Come let us sing to the Lord, not in private only, but let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. As in the 100 Psalm: Go your way into his gates, and into his courts with praise.  
The consideration of this one point, that God is in every place by his general presence; in this holy place by his especial presidence, may teach all men to pray not hypocritically for fashion, but heartily for conscience; not only formally to satisfy the law, but also sincerely to certify our love to the Lord our maker, giving unto 
a Mat. 22. 21. Si Caesar in Nummo quaerit imaginem suam Deus non quaerit in homine Imaginem suam? Augustin. eager. ●uius Psalmi.  Caesar the things which appertaeine to Caesar, and unto God the things which belon● to God. That we may not only praise where we should, but, as it followeth in the division Whereto: 
Whereto.  Let us sing to the Lord; let us rejoice in the strength of our salvation, let us show ourselves glad in him.  
Every one in his merry mood will say; Come let us sing, let us heartily rejoice: But as good never a whit as never the better. Silence is a sweeter note than a loud, if a lewd sonnet. If we will needs rejoice, let us (saith 
b Philip. 4. 4.  Paul) rejoice in the Lord: if sing, saith David, let us sing to the Lord.  
Vain toys are songs sung to the world; lascivious ballads are songs sung to the flesh; Satirical libels are songs sung to the Devil; only Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs are 
c Coloss. 3. 16.  melody for the Lord. P●e debes Domino exultare si vis securus mundo insultare, saith 
d Tom. 8. fol. 730.  Augustine upon this text: we may not exalt but insult over the world, the flesh, the devil; our exaltations and exultations are due to God only.   

Venite exultemus Domino.  
LEt us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker: not before a Crucifix, not before a rotten Image, not before a fair picture of a foul Saint: these are not our makers, we made them, they made not us. Our God, unto whom we must sing, in whom we must rejoice, before whom we must worship, is a great King above all gods: he is no god of lead, no god of bread, no brazen god, no wooden god; we must not fall down and worship our Lady, but our Lord; not any Martyr, but our Maker; not any Saint, but our Saviour: O come let us sing unto the Lord, let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.  
Wherewith: 
Wherewith.  with voice, Let us sing; with soul, let us heartily rejoice; with hands and knees, let us fall down and kneel, 
Comely gestures in the Church.  with all that is within us, with all that is without us; he that made all, must be worshipped with all, especially when we come before his presence.  
Here let us make a stand, and behold the wise choice of the Church, assigning this place to this Psalm, which exciteth us to come to the Temple quietly and jointly, Come let us sing; and when we are come, to demean ourselves in this holy place cheerfully, heartily, reverently. I would fain know of those who despise our Canons, as not agreeable to the Canon of holy Bible, whether their unmannerly sitting in the time of divine service be this kneeling; whether their standing be this falling down; whether they give God their heart, when as they will not afford him so much as their hat; whether their lowering upon their brethren, be singing to the Lord; whether their duty required here, be to come in, to go out, to stay in the Temple, without any respect of persons, or reverence to place.  
I would such as do imitate the Turks in 
e Sum. conser. pag. 27.  habit, would likewise follow them in humble comportment while they pray: 
f Augerius Busbequius legate. Turcicae epist. 3.  Magna cum Ceremonia, & attentione sacris suis intersunt Turcae: nam si vel digito scalpant caput, perisse sibi precationis fructum ●rbitrantur: quid e●im si cum Bassis sermo tibi habendus, ergo multo magis si cum Deo. Think of this ye that forget God, he will not be mocked, his truth is eternal, heaven and earth shall pass, but not one ●ot of his word shall pass: if an Angel from heaven, or devil on earth, if any private spirit shall deliver unto you rules of behaviour in the Church, contrary to this Canon of Gods own spirit, let him be accursed, Anathema. Let us sing, let us worship, let us, who fear God and honour the King, fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker.  
Thus much of David's exhortation to praise God. The reasons why we should praise, follow, Set down  
First briefly, God is our Creator; therefore let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker, vers. 6. He is our Redeemer; therefore let us sing unto the Lod, let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation: vers. 1.  

Secondly, more at large from his 

Mercies in general: vers. 3. 4. 5.  
judgements.     
For the Lord is a great God:] Most mighty, almighty, able to do whatsoever he will, and more than he will too. See the Creed.  
In himself so great, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, much less any barren brain inwombe him: and therefore David here being not able to set down the least piece of his greatness in the positive degree, comes to the comparative, showing what he is in comparison of other: A great King above all gods.  
As being more excellent and mighty than any thing, or all things that have the name of God,  

Whether they be Gods in 

Title, 


g Elo●im. Psal. 8. 5.  Angels in heaven.  

h Psal. 82. 6.  Princes on earth.    
Opinion, 

As 
i Coloss. 3. 5.  gold is the covetous man's god, 
k Philip. 3. 19  bellicheere the Epicures god, an 
l Psalm. 96. 5.  Idol the superstitious man's god.       
Now the Lord is the King of all gods in title, for he made them: of all gods in opinion, for he can destroy them. 
m Heb. 1. 14.  Angels are his messengers, and 
n Prou. 8. 15.  Princes his ministers, all 
o Rom. 13. 1.  power is of the Lord. The manner of getting kingdoms is not always of God, because it is sometime by wicked means; yet the power itself is ever from God, and therefore styled in 
p Psa●m. 50. 1.  scripture, the God of gods, as the 
q Ecclesiast. 5. 7.  Wise man saith, higher than the highest: for religion and reason tell us, that of all creatures in heaven an Angel is the greatest; of all things on earth, an 
r Tertullian ad Scapulam: Omnibus maior dum solo deo minor.  Emperor is the greatest: but the Lord (as you see) is greater than the greatest, as being absolute Creator of the one, and maker of the other: 
s Augustin. in locum.  Quantus Deus est qui Deos facit! How great a God is he that makes gods, yea & mars them too at his pleasure! surely this is a great God, & a great king above all gods. And therefore in what estate soever thou be, possess thy soul with patience, rejoice in God, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: fear no man, no devil, no other god, he that is greater than all these shall be thy defence; he will perform whatsoever in his word he did promise concerning this life & the next.  
In his hand are all the corners of the earth] A reason to prove that God is a great King above all gods: he is a great God, because a king of gods: and he is a King of gods, because in his hand are all the corners of the world, subject to his power and providence.  
The most mighty Monarch on earth is king as it were but of a molehill, a Lord of some one angle: but in God's hand are all the corners of the earth, and the strength of the hills. i. of most puissant potentates, in comparison of whom all other are low valleys; I say the strength & height of the hills are his.  
Antichrist doth extol himself 
t 2. Thess. 2. 4.  above all that is called God: and the Pope doth make himself Lord of Lords, usurping the 
u Harding confut. of jewels Apolog. part. 2. cap. 3.  whole world for his diocese: yea he hath a triple kingdom, according to his triple crown; Supernal, extended to heaven, in canonizing Saints; Infernal, extended to hell in freeing souls out of Purgatory; Terrestrial, extended over the whole earth, as being universal Bishop of the Catholic Church. But alas, vain man, he is but a ●ox in an hole, many corners of the earth are not his; England (God be praised) is not his, Scotland, Holland, Denmark not his, a great part of France, the greatest part of Germany none of his; many thousands in Portugal, Italy, Spain, none of his; the great Cham, the Persian, the Turk, the least whereof is greater than himself, none of his. And albeit all the Kings of the earth should be drunken with his abomination, yet should he be pastor universal of the Church, but as the devil is 
x job. 12. 31.  prince of the world; not by his own might, but by others weakness, as Saint 
y Rom. 6. 16.  Paul said, He is our master to whom we give ourselves as servants to obey.  
So likewise the gods of the superstitious Heathen have not all the corners of the world: for, as themselves ingeniously confess, some were gods of the water only, some of the wind, some of corn, some of fruit, 
z August. de civit. lib. 4. cap. 8.  Nec omnia commemoro, quia me piget quod illos non pudet. As Heretics have so many Creeds, as heads: so the Gentiles (as 
a Lib. 1. adversus Symachum.  Prudentius observed) had so many things for their god, as there were things that were good.  quicksands quid humus, pelagus, coelum, mirabile gignunt: id dux●re Deos, colles, freta flumina, flammas. 
So that their god is not as our God, 
b Deut. 32. 31.  even our enemies being judges. Other hold some parcels of the earth under him, and some lay claim to the whole by usurpation. But all the corners of the world are his by right of creation, as it followeth in the next verse.  
The sea is his, for he made it.] An argument demonstrative, to show that all the world is subject to his power: and therefore in the Creed, after Almighty, followeth instantly, Maker of heaven and earth.  
If any shall demand why David nameth here first and principally the Sea, before all other creatures: answer may be given out of 
c Lib. 32. nat. hist. in prooem. Ipsa se natura vincit numerosis modis.  Pliny; God, who is wonderful in all things, is most wonderfully wonderful in the Sea. Whether we consider (as 
d Psalm. 104.  David elsewhere:)  

The 

1. Situation of it.  
2. Motion.  
3. Innumerable creatures in it.  
4. Wonderful art of sailing on it.     
Yet God in the beginning 
e Gen. 1. 9  made this unruly foaming fuming beast, and ever since ruled it at his beck: for he 
f Psal. 65. 7.  stilleth the raging of the Sea, and the noise of his waves; 
g job. 38. 8.  he shutteth up this barking cur in the channel, as in a kennel; he layeth up the deep, as in a 
h Psalm. 33. 7.  treasure house, saying to the waters, 
i job 38. 11.  Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall it stay thy proud waves.  
Hitherto concerning the greatness, and goodness of God in general. Now David in the seventh verse proceeds, intimating that the Lord of all in common, is our God in special. He is the Lord our God, as being the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hands: that is, himself doth feed and favour the Church in a more particular sort, committing this charge to none other. See preface of the Decalogue.  
The last reason is from judgement: for God useth all means to win men unto him. The sum whereof is, that we must not harden our hearts, and obstinately settle ourselves in sin, as our forefathers in the wilderness: but rather hear the voice of the Lord speaking unto us out of his word all the day long, the whole time of our life generally, but on the Sabbath day more specially, le●t in his anger he swear that we shall not enter into his rest. Read this history, Numb. 14. Exod. 17: for, as 
k 1. Cor. 10. 11.  Paul doth teach, these things are written for our ensample, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Lege histori●m, ne fias historia. The judgements of God are like thunder claps, poena ad unum, terror adom●es. As in a Commonweal, places of execution are public, ad terrorem populi, because (as Plato said) Nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est, sed ne peccetur. And another ancient Philosopher to the same purpose: Malefici non pereunt ut pereant, sed ut pereundo alios deterreant. That the 
l Seneca lib. 1. de Ira. cap. 6.  State which had no benefit by their life, should make use of their death. In like manner, almighty God in this huge Theatre of the world, doth make some spectacles unto other, all of us being either actors, or spectators: and so by consequence must take example by other, or else make example to other. See Epist. Dom. 9 post Trin.   

Te Deum.  
THat Hymns accurately framed by devout men according to the word, may be sung in the Church with the Psalms of David, and other spiritual songs taken out of the word; we can allege precept, and example: Precept, Colos. 3. 16. Admonish yourselves in Psalms and Hymns, etc. 
m In loc. & Calvin. Instit. lib. 3. cap. 20. §. 32.  Marlorat doth construe this of singing in the Church: and Haymo, that Hymns were godly songs, invented by the Christians of that age. For God's holy Church hath used this custom from the 
n Eus●bius hist. l●b. 2. cap. 7. D●onysius de divin. nom. c. 4. Concilium Tolet an. 4. can. 12.  Primitive times, even unto this present day.  
Concerning Te Deum in particular: it is approved by 
o Bellarm. de bon●s o●cribus in particular. lib. 1. cap. 12. & 14.  Luther, and held by our 
p Fox Martyr. fol 799.  Martyrs a good Creed: (as it is thought generally) composed by those two great lights of the Church, Ambrose 
q Vigner answer to Barronius. pag. 17.  who was the most resolute Bishop, and Augustine 
r Perkins Treat. Conscience. c. 2.  who was the most judicious Doctor of all the Fathers.  
It is reported by Dacius, a reverend Bishop of Milan, that in his time, who lived under 
s Greg. lib. 3. Dialog. cap. 4. Magd●burg. Cent. 6. col. 702.  justinian, 
t Barron. tom. 7. fol. 294.  anno 538. this Hymn was received and used in the Church: which argueth it of greater antiquity, than upstart Popery. The Novelist (as 
u Con. Faustum lib. 22. cap. 34.  Augustine writes of Faustus the Manichee) Velure non intell●gend● repre●endit, vel reprehendendo non intelligit: Either too much passion, or else too little knowledge.   

Benedicite omnia opera.  
TH●● Canticle is a rhapsody, gathered here and there from diu●●s Psalms of David, as the 
x of the Church Bible.  marginal notes indigitate: cited often by the learned and ancient 
y Cyp. serm. de lapsis & orat. Dom.  fathers, and not censured for it by the Lutheran Historiographers. Cent. 5. colum. 219.  
Imprinted at M●●elburgh with the Davidicall Psalms in English meeter: 
August. de Ci●it. lib. 11. cap. 9 & de natura boni, cap. 16. Chrysost. hom. 4. ad pop.  an honour denied unto the Church Psalter in prose. In a word, I find this Hymn less martyred than the rest, and therefore dimisse it, as Christ did the woman, john 8. Where be thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? no more do I: go thy way.   

Benedictus. LUKE 1. 68  
THe Benedictus, Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis, are said in the Church daily, whereas other Psalms of David, Asaph, Moses, are read but monthly. The reasons hereof are manifest, and manifold; I will only name two:  
First, these most excellent Hymns (as 
z Hooker Ecclesiast. pelit. lib. 5. § 40.  gratulations wherewith our Lord and Saviour was joyfully received at his entrance into the world) concern us so much more than the Psalms of David, as the Gospel more than the Law, and the new Testament more than the old. For the one are but prophecies of Christ to come, whereas the other are plain discoveries of Christ already present.  
Secondly, these songs are proper only to Christianity, whereas other Psalms are common to the jews, as well as to the Christians, wherewith they praise God in their Synagogue, so well as we praise God in our Church. A jew will sing with Asaph and David that the Messias of the world shall come, but he cannot, he will not acknowledge with Zacharias and Simeon that he is come. So that the Novelist herein misliking the Church's custom, doth seem to play the jew; which I rather ascribe to the lightness of his folly, then to the weight of his malice. Sententiam Ecclesiae non intelligit, 
a August. confess. lib. 12. cap. 25.  sedamat suam, non quia vera est, sed quia sua est.  
It is fitly placed after the second Lesson, as an Hymn of praise to magnify God for the comfort we receive by the sweet tidings of the Gospel: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for visiting and redeeming his people.  

It hath two principal parts: 

1. Concerning Christ and his kingdom.  
2. Touching john the Baptist and his office. vers. 76. etc.     
It is very remarkable, that Zacharias who was dumb, vers. 20, doth now not only speak, but also prophecy. He was made speechless, because he was faithless: but now believing, his lips are opened, and his mouth doth show forth God's praise: saying, Blessed be the Lord.  
Let no man in his affliction despair: for (as 
b Lib. 2. in Luc. cap. 1.  Ambrose notes) if we change our manners, Almighty God will alter his mind. Nec solum ablata restituit, sed etiam insperat● concedit: He will not only restore that which was taken a way, but also give more than we can expect. 
c job 24. 12.  So he blessed the last days of job more than the first: for whereas 
d job 1. 3.  he had but 7000 sheep, 3000 comels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 she asses: afterward the Lord gave him 1400 sheep, 6000 camels, 1000 yoke of oxen, and 1000 asses. In the second of joel; If you will turn to me (saith the Lord) with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning, I will render unto you the years which the grasshopper hath eaten, the canker worm, and the caterpillar. And moreover, I will power out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophecy, etc. In the 9 of Matth. when Christ saw the faith of the palsy man, he did not only cure the sores of his body, but also the sins of his soul; Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.  

In the first part two points are to be considered especially: 

1. Who to be blessed; the Lord God of Israel.  
2. Why: first for promising, then for performing redemption unto the world.     
Blessed] That is, praised, as Psalm 18. 47. Matth. 22. 39 So that Zacharias here remembering a great benefit, begins his Hymn with thanks, Benedictus Dominus. Hereby signifying, that it is our first and chief duty to be thankful, to bless God, who doth so wonderfully bless us in all the changes and chances of this mortal life, to say with 
e job 1. 21.  job; The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord. God be praised, and the Lord be blessed, is the language of Canaan: whereas unthankfulness is the devils text, and the blasphemies of wicked men are Commentaries upon it.  
The Lord] For, as 
f Lib. 1. Ethic. cap. 12.  Aristo●le said; Praise is only virtues due: but none is good, 
g Mark 10. 18.  except God. Other are to be praised in him, so fa●re forth as they have received any gift or good from him, only the Lord worthy to be praised in and for himself.  
God of Israel] So called in 
h Beauxamis in loc.  two respects: first, in regard of his love towards them, as being his peculiar encloser out of the Commons of the wholeworld: Deut. 7. 6. Psalm 76. Esay 5.  
Secondly, in regard of their service to him, he 
i Euthymi●s  is God of other, will they nill they. Psal. 99 1. The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient; he sitteth between the Cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet: but Israel willingly submitted herself to serve him cheerfully with all her heart. The Devil is prince of the world, because the wicked of the world be ready to give place to his suggestions: but the Lord is God of Israel; that is, of all good men, because they resist Satan, and yield to his government, desiring daily that his kingdom may come, and his will be done in earth as it is in heaven.  
He doth use this title, 
k Maldonat. in lecum.  rather than another, in general, to describe the true God, and to distinguish him from the gods of the Gentiles, who were not gods, but 
l Psal. 96. 5.  〈…〉: that is, Devils (as 
m In Psalmum praedic.  Euthym●●s observes.) In particular▪ this title did best fit his occasion, because Christ the redeemer of the world, was promised unto the 
n Rom. 9 4. 5.  jews, Abraham and his seed for ever: and therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel.  
Why? First for promising: then for performing.  
The promises of God touching the Messias, are 
o jansenius concord. cap. 5.  twofold:  
1. Made by himself, to Adam, Abraham, Isaac: vers. 72. 73.  
2. Made by his servants: As he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been since the world began: vers. 70.  
He spoke] The Prophet is but the voice: God himself is the speaker, as john Baptist said; I am the 
p job 1. 23.  voice of him that crieth in the wilderness.  
By th● mouth] In the singular number: for 
q Gorran. & Beauxamis in locum.  albeit they were many, yet they spoke but one thing, from one spirit, as it were with one mouth.  
Which have been since the world began] For 
r Acts 3. 24.  all the Prophets have foretold of these days. 
s Matth. 17. 3.  In the transfiguration, Moses and Elias are said to talk with Christ: signifying hereby, (saith 
t Hom. 6. in cap. 8. Leuit.  Origen) that the Law and the Prophets, and the Gospel agree all in one. And therefore Peter was unwise to make three Tabernacles for one. 

Holy Prophets: holy by 

Place, 
u Calvin. in loc.  separated from the profane vulgar, and consecrated to this high calling.  
Grace, for being hallowed and elected to this office, they     spoke by the 
x 1. Pet. 2. 21.  holy Ghost: endued also with gifts of sanctification; in so much that Prophets, and holy men, heretofore were voces convertibiles, as it is 
y Cyrillus & Maldonat. in joan. 9  observed out of the old Testament, Gen. 20. 7. and new, Luk. 7. 16. joh. 9 17.  
This may teach the Prophets in our time to be walking Sermons, Epistles and holy Gospels in all their carriage toward the people. Praedicat viva voce, qui praedicat vita & voce. He doth preach most, that doth live best.  
As it is said of john the Baptist, 
z Maldonat. in cap. 11. Mat.  Cum miraculum nullum fecerit, perpetuum fuit ipse miraculum: So a good man doth always preach, though he never comes in pulpit. Whereas such a Minister as is no where a Minister but in the Church, is like 
a 2. Sam. 17. 23.  Achitophel, who set his house in order, and then hanged himself. The word preached is as Aaron's rod; if in the Preachers hand, it is comely: but if he cast it from him, it will happily prove a Serpent. That which God hath joined together, let no man put asunder, Holiness and Prophecy. O Lord endue thy Ministers with righteousness, that thy chosen people may be joyful.  
As God is merciful in making, so faithful in keeping his promise: for he visited and redeemed his people.  
Visited] In the better part: for visitation in mercy, not in judgement, as Psal. 8. 4. Gen. 21. 1.  
If Christ did visit us in our person, let us visit him in 
b Mat. 25. 36.  his members. All of us are his 
c Luke 16. 1.  stewards, and the good things he hath lent us are not our own, but his; either the goods of the Church, and so we may not make them Impropriations: or else the goods of the Commonwealth, and we may not enclose them. He is the best subject that is highest in the Subsidy book; so he the best Christian that is most forward in subsiaijs, in helping his brethren with such gifts as God hath bestowed upon him.  
The whole world (saith S. 
d 1. Epist. 5. 19  john) lieth in wickedness, sick, very sick unto 
e Rom. 6. 23.  death. All wickedness is weakness, every sin is a sore; Covetousness an insatiable dropsy; Pride a swelling tympany; Laziness the Gentleman's gout: Christ therefore the 
f Gorran. in locum ex Augustino.  great Physician of the world, came to visit us in this extremity: we did not send for him, he came of his own love to seek and save that which was lost. It is a great kindness for one neighbour to visit another in sickness, but a greater kindness to watch and pray with the comfortless: yet the greatest kindness of all is to help and heal him. Even so, and much more than so Christ loved the world; he came not only to see it, but to save 
g 1. Timot. 1. 15  it; not only to live among men, but also to die for men: as to visit, so to redeem. The Lord did endure the cross, that the servant might enjoy the crown: the Captain descended into hell, that the soldier might ascend into heaven: the Physician did die, that the patient might live. 
h Liber de Senten●ijs.  Bernard pithily: Triplici morbo laborabat genus humanum, principio, medio, fine: idest, nativitate, vita, & morte. Venit Christus, & contra triplicem hunc morbum, attulit triplex remedium. Natus est, vixit, mortuus est: eius nativitas purgavit nostram, mors eius destruxit nostram, vita eius instruxit nostram. As S. 
i Rom. 4. 25.  Paul in two words; He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification: that is, (saith 
k Sum. 3. part. quaest. 53. art. 1.  Aquinas) he died to remove from us all that which was evil, and rose again to give us all that which was good. All is enfolded in the word Redeem, the which (as Interpreters observe generally) doth imply that we are delivered from the hands of all our enemies, and they be principally four: 

The 

World.  
Flesh.  
Devil.  

l 1. cor. 15. 26.  Death.      
Christ overcame the world on earth, the flesh on the Cross, the devil in hell, death in the grave: now being the Church's head, and husband, he took her dowry, which was sin, (for she had nothing else of her own) and endowed her with all his goods. 
m Cant. 6. 2.  I am my well-beloveds, and my well-beloved is mine. So that Christ was borne for us, and lived for us, and died for us, & rose again for us: and therefore though the devil cry, ego decipiam; the world cry, ego deficiam; the flesh cry; ego inficiam; death cry; ego interficiam: it makes no matter in that Christ crieth, 
n Mat. 11. 28.  ego reficiam, I will ease you, I will comfort you, I will visit and redeem you. See Gospel on whit sunday.  
His people] The jews, as sent to them 
o Mat. 15. 24. Act. 13. 46.  first, and principally, whom he did visit in his own person, whereas all other dioceses of the world were visited by Commissaries: I say first, for afterward all people were hi●●●ople: Visita●it omnes gentes, quomam omnes egentes. In 〈◊〉 we are all one, there is neither jew nor Grecian, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female: Gal. 3. 28.  

p In Psal. 148.  Augustine sweetly: The believing Gentiles are more Israel, than Israel itself: for the jews are the children of Abraham according to the flesh only, but we are the children of Abraham after the spirit: they be the 
q john 8. 39  sons of Abraham, who do the works of Abraham. But what was Abraham's chief work? The 
r Gen. 15. 6.  Scripture tells us, Abraham believed, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. So that as 
s Gal. 3. 29.  Paul concludes, all believers are true Israelites, Abraham's seed and heirs by promise. See Nunc dimittis.  
But shall we now sin because grace doth abound? God forbid. He hath delivered us from the hands of all our enemies, that we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. 
t Gorran. in loc.  Sine timore inimici, non sine timore domini. Behaving ourselves in this present 
u Tit. 2. 12.  world religiously towards God, righteously towards our neighbour, soberly towards ourselves.  

Examine these five circumstances exactly: 

1. Who did redeem; The Lord God of Israel, 
x August. ser. 27. de temp.  factor ●errae, factus in terra, yea fractus in terra.  
2. Whom: Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. His 
y Rom. 5. 10.  enemies, 
z Ephes. 2. 12.  aliens from his common wealth, and open traitors to his kingdom.  
3. From what: From the hands of all our enemies.  
4: With what: With his own 
a 1. Pet. 1. 19  precious blood, the least drop whereof had been meriti infiniti; yet his death only, was meriti definiti.  
5. For what: 
b 1. Pet. 2. 24.  That being delivered from sin, we should live in righteousness.     
Consider these points, and think not this Hymn too much used in our Liturgy: but sing with Zacharias daily, Benedictus Dominus: and say with 
c Psal. 116. 11.  David; Quid retribuam domino, pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi? 
d August. serm. 151. de temp.  Primò nihil eram, & fecit me: per●eram, quaesivit me: quaerens invenit me; captiwm redemit me, emptum liberavit me, de servo fratrem fecit me. We owe our souls, ourselves to God for creating us, more than ourselves for redeeming us.  
Concerning john Baptist, and his office, which is the second general part of this excellent song; see the Gospel Dominic. 3. & 4. Aduent.   

jubilate Deo. Psal. 100  
THe Church doth adjoin this Psalm to the Benedictus, as a parallel: and that not unfitly, for as the one, so the other, is a thanksgiving unto God, enforced with the same reasons and arguments: in so much as Zacharias is nothing else but an expounder of David, or Moses. As 
e Quaest 73. super Exod.  Augustine wittily; The new Testament heath hidden in the old, and the old is unclasped in the new.  
f Paulinus in 1. Leuit. uti Magdeburg. Cent. 5. col. 90.  Lex antiqua novam firmat, veterem nova complete: in veteri spes est, in novitate fides. 
O be joyful in the Lord, (saith the Prophet) blessed be the Lord God of Israel (saith our Evangelist) Why? because the Lord hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. That is, he hath visited and redeemed his people. For 
g In locum.  Augustine, Hierome, Calvin, Turrecrematensis, other old, and new writers interpret this of our Regeneration, rather than of our Creation. According to that of 
h Ephes. 2. 10.  S. Paul: We are his workmanship, created in Christ jesus unto good works, etc.  
The Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting.] That is, he promised evermore by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us.  
His truth endureth from generation to generation.] That is, he did in due time perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, he remembered his holy covenant, and kept that oath which he swore to our father Abraham, and his seed for ever.  
To what end? That we might serve God with gladness, as David in his text: that is, serve him all the days of our life without fear, as Zacharias in his gloss.  
God 
i August. lib. 2. de serm. Dom. in mont. tom. 4. fol. 812.  insinuated himself to the jews, as a Lord: Exod. 20. 2. but to the Christians, as a father, Mat. 6. 9 And therefore seeing we are translated from the 
k Galat. 4. & 5. cap.  bondage of servants, unto the liberty of sons; 
l Hieron. in loc.  having in stead of the Law, which was exceeding 
m Acts 15. 10.  grievous, a burden which is 
n Matth. 11. 30.  light, and a yoke which is easy, let us serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song: Non in amaritudine murmurationis, sed in iocunditate dilectionis, as Augustine upon the place.  
The whole Psalm doth afford many profitable doctrines and uses, in that the Prophet doth double and treble his exhortation: O be joyful in the Lord: serve him with gladness: with a song: Go into his gates with thanksgiving: into his courts with praise: be thankful: speak good of his name; he doth insinuate our sloth and dullness in that behalf: and therefore it behoveth all men, especially teachers of men, in season and out of season to press this duty.  
It teacheth all people to praise God with a good heart cheerfully: vers. 1.  
Not in private only, but in the public assembly also for public benefits received of the Lord: vers. 3.  
Our bodily generation, and ghostly regeneration, are not of ourselves, but only from God: vers. 2. See Epist. Dom. post. Pasc.  
Who is always the same in his truth and goodness towards us abeit we be variable in our loves and promises one to another; vers. 4. See Nunc Dimittis.   

The Creed.  
THis Apostolical Creed is pronounced after the Lessons, and the Nicene Confession after the Gospel and Epistle: because faith (as Paul 
o Rom. 10. 17.  teacheth) is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We must first hear, then confess▪ for which cause the Church● of 
p Scot Liturgy praters after Serm.  Scotlana also doth usually repeat the Creed after the Sermon.   

I believe in God, etc.  
Albeit the Creed be not protocanonical Scripture, yet (as 
q Serm. 38.  Ambrose speaks) it is the key of the Scriptures: and (as 
r Serm. 115. de temp. Breviter complexaregula fidei ut mentem instruat, nec oneret memoriam. Idem. ser. 119. de temp.  Augustine) a plain, short, absolute sum of all holy faith. 
s Thom. 22ae. quaest. 1. art. 9  Other Confessions, as the Nicene, and Athanasian are received of the Church not as new, but rather as expositions of this old 
t B●llarm. de justificat. lib. 1. cap. 9 . For as the four Gospels are indeed but one Gospel; so the three Creeds are in substance but one Creed. And therefore I thought good in my passage thorough the whole Service book to touch upon it a little, giving you rather a brief resolution, than a full absolution thereof.  

Observe then in it the 

Title: The Creed of the Apostles.  
Text: I believe in God, etc.     

In the title note the 

Work: Creed.  
Authors: Apostles.     
It is called in English, Creed, of the first word Credo: as the Pater Noster is of the two foremost words, Our Father: in other languages, Symbolum; the which hath three significations: 

1. A shot.  
2. A badge.  
3. A ring.    
A 
u Ruffin. exposit. Symbol. & August ser. 115. & 181. de temp.  shot: because every particular Apostle conferred his particular article to this spiritual banquet, at least the whole doth arise out of their 
x Euseb. Emissen. hom. 1. de Symbol.  common writings.  
2. A 
y Ruffin. ubi sup. & Erasmus explan. Symb.  badge. For as a soldier is known in the field by his colours and coat to what Captain he doth belong: so the Christian is distinguished by this Creed from all unbelievers, and misbelievers. In token hereof, by good order of the Church, we stand up at the Creed, openly to manifest our faith and allegiance to Christ jesus our General.  
3. A 
z Plin. nat. hist. lib. 33. cap. 1.  ring. The 
a Angelus del Pas praeamb. ad Symb. cap. 4.  metal whereof is digged out of the rich mines of the Bible, refined with the fire of God's holy spirit, and accurately framed by the blessed Apostles.  
It is the very wedding ring wherewith the Minister in our Baptism married us unto Christ, when as in the public congregation Christ for his part solemnly protested by the mouth of his Minister that he would be our God: and we likewise vowed for our part, by Godfathers and Godmothers, that we would be his people. The Creed than ought to be respected as the signet on our right hand, and as the marriage Ring on our loves finger.  
Now for the authors, it is said to be the Apostles (as some think) made by 
b Hieron. epist. ad Pammachium, tom. 2. fol. 173. & Magd●burg. cent. 1. lib. 2. col. 66.  themselves after they had received the holy Ghost, and that before they departed out of jerusalem to preach the Gospel unto all nations: 
c Baronius annal. tom. 1. fol. 317.  Anno Christi 44. Imperatoris Claudij, 2. julij 15.  

d Anglican. Confess. art. 8. & Calvin. Instit. lib. 2. c. 16. §. 18.  Other, that it is the Apostles, as being consonant to their doctrine; theirs for the matter, but not for the manner.  
All agree that it is the Gospel's abrigement, which Christ taught his Apostles, the Apostles the Church, and the Church hath delivered unto us in all ages: and therefore though it be not the scripture of God, yet it is the 
e Perkins exposit. Spmbol.  word and truth of God: of greater authority than other Ecclesiastical traditions, whether they be Confessions of particular Churches, or writings of private men.   

The Text.  

The text hath two parts: 

Articles.  
Assent: Amen.     


f Lexicon Theolog. Altenstaig. in verb. articulus.  Articulus ab arctando 

Passive, quia quiddam est arctatum in se.  
Active, quia alios arctat ad credendum.     
In the profession, or whole body of articles, two points are remarkable: 

The 

Act  
Object  
of faith.     

Act: I believe. Where note the 

personality: I.  
Formality of faith: believe in.      
Howsoever one must pray for another, saying Our Father; yet every one must believe for himself: I believe: Habacuck 2. 4. See Gospel on S. Thomas day.  

Formality: Believe in. For (as 
g Ser. 181. de temp.  Augustine and 
h Lib. 3. sent. dist. 23.  Lombard teach) there is great difference between 

Credere deum, to believe there is a God.  
Credere deo, to believe God.  
Credere in deum, to believe in God.     
Multi & mali, many bad men, yea the 
i james 2. 19  Devil himself doth believe that there is a God: but a Christian ought to believe in 
k john 6. 29.  God: that is, 
l August. tract. 29. in johan. tom. 9 fol. 167.  Credendo amare, credendo in eum ire, credendo ei adhaerere. Confessing God to be his God, in whom he puts all his trust and confidence, manifesting his faith in 
m james 2. 18.  deeds, as well as in words: according to that of 
n Lib. 4. cap. 14.  Irenaeus: To believe, is to do as God will.  

The matter or object of the Creed concerneth 

God 

Essentially in 

Name: God.  
Attributes, 

Almighty: Maker of heaven and earth.      
Personally 

Father.  
Son.  
Holy Ghost.    
Church.       
Concerning the name, 
o De doctrine. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 6.  Augustine saith it is impossible that four letters and two syllables, Deus, should contain him, whom the heaven of heavens could not contain: 
p Dionysius de divinis nom. cap. 1.  Dei nomen mirabile nomen, super omne nomen, sed sine nom●●e.  
For 
q Granat. dux p●e●●s. cap. 1.  if all the land were paper, and all the water inke● every plant a pen, and every other creature a ready writer: yet they could not set down the least piece of his great greatness. De Deo cum dicitur, non potest dici. No name can express his nature fully: yet he doth vouchsafe to be praised in our words, and by our mouths, or rather indeed by his own words, and own spirit; for he must be called and called upon, as he hath revealed himself in Scripture, where he is known by the name 
r Exod. 15. 3.  jehova, or God: and therefore this name is not properly communicable to any creature, though 
s 1. Cor. 8. 5.  analogically given to many.  
In God.] Not gods, as the Nicene Creed, in one God. For God (as 
t Lib. 5. Considerate. ad Eugenium.  Bernard said) is unissimus, the most one: 
u Tertull. lib. 1. adversus Martion. cap 3.  si non est unus, non est, either one or none.  

Attributes: 

Almighty.  
Maker of 

Heaven.  
Earth.       
God is able to do whatsoever he will, and 
x Thom. 1. part. quaest. 15. art. 5.  more than he will too: more by his absolute power, than he will by his actual: Matth. 3. 9 ●6. 53.  
He can neither lie, nor die: Dicitur enim 
y August. de civit. Dei, lib. 5. cap. 10.  omnipotens faciendo quod vult▪ non patiendo quod non vult.  
Creator.] His almightiness doth prove that he is God, and the creation of the world that he is almighty, jerem. 10. 11. Let any make a world (saith Augustine) and he shall be God. Angels, men, and devils can make and unmake some things: but they cannot make them, otherwise then of some kind of matter which was before: neither can they unmake them, but by changing them into some other thing which remaineth after. Only God made all things of nothing, and can at his good pleasure bring them again to nothing.  

z Du Bartas 1. day, 1. week, fol. 8.  Nothing▪ but nothing, had this Lord almighty, whereof, wherewith, whereby, to build this City.  
Of heaven and earth.] And all that therein is: Exod. 20. 11.  


a 2. Cor. 12. 2.  Heaven is threefold, where 

Souls are, the glorious, or heaven of heavens: 1. Kings 18. 27.  
Fowls are, the airy heaven: Gen. 1. 30.  
Stars are, the firmament: Gen. 1. 17.     
Earth containeth land and sea: Psal. 24. 1. Nam omnipotens 
b August. Soliloqui. cap. 9  van eademque manus dei crea●●t in coelo angelos, & in terra vermiculos: non superior in illis, non inferior in ist is.  
Thus (as 
c Ramus de religion. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 9  one said) almighty God is known, ex postico tergo, lic●et non ex antica fancy: by his effects, ad extra, though not in his essence, ad intra. Seculum est speculum: The creation of the world is a glass, wherein (saith 
d Rom. 1. 20.  S. Paul) we may behold Gods eternal power and Majesty: which the divine 
e Du Ba●tas ubi s●p. fol. 6. 7. 58.  Poet paraphrastically:  
The world is a school, where in a general story,  
God always reads dumb lectures of his glory.  

f In Tim ●o.  Plato called it God's epistle: the renowned Hermit 
g Tripar●. hist. lib. 8. cap. 1.  Antonius, a book, wherein every simple man who cannot read, may notwithstanding spell that there is a God. It is the shepherds Calendar, and the Ploughman's Alphabet.  
This appertaineth essentially, and generally to the whole Trinity: for the Father is not only Creator, and Almighty, but the Son, and holy Ghost.  
The creation in the mass of the matter, is attributed to God the Father: in the disposition of the form, to God the Son: in the preservation of both, to God the holy Ghost.  

It is said of God personally: 

Father.  
Son.  
Holy Ghost.     
The Father is the first, not in any priority of nature, or honour, or time, but 
h Perkins upon the Creed.  order: or (as the 
i Pater est priucipium, non de principio: filius principium à princip. Thom. 1 parti sum. quaest. 33. art. 4.  school) Prioritate originis: according to that of Athanasius in his Creed, The Father is of none, the Son is of the Father alone, the holy Ghost of both. I will send (saith 
k joh. 15. 26.  Christ) from the Father, even the Spirit of truth. Ego mittam à Patre spiritum, 
l Augustin. de Trinit. lib. 4. cap. 20.  Ostendens quòd pater est totius divinitatis, vel si m●lius dicitur deitatis principium. Adore simply, rather than explore subtly, this ineffable mystery. Scrutari temeritas est, credere pietas est, nosse vitaest, Bernard, de considerate, ad Eugenium, lib. 5.  

He 
m Durandus rationali diuinor●m, lib. 4. cap. 48. §. 2.  is father of 

Christ by nature, singulariter.  
Good men, by adoption, specialiter.  
All men, and all 
n Omnipater, ut Prudentius. Hymn de Eulalia Virgin.  things, by creation, generaliter; as the work is appropriated unto him in regard of his power.     
And in jesus Christ his only Son our Lord.  
That which concerneth the second person is more largely set down then all the rest, teaching us hereby, that as we should respect other doctrine, so this in more special sort, as being the centre of all the Creed and Scriptures circumference: 1. Cor. 2. 2.  

This person is described by his 

Titles: 

1. jesus.  
2. Christ.  
3. His only Son.  
4. Our Lord.    
Estate of 

Humiliation, 

Incarnation,  
Passion.    
Exaltation.       
1. jesus is his 
o Tertull. lib. advers. Prax. & Thom. 2. part. quaest. 37. art. 2.  proper name, given him by the 
p Luke 1. 31.  Angel. Other, if any have the 
q Consul Pet. Galatin. de Arcanis lib. 3. cap. 20. jansen. concord. cap. 7. Pagnin. interp. nom. Hebraic.  very name, were typical saviours only. jesus Nave, the figure of Christ as a King: jesus Sydracke, the figure of Christ as a Prophet: jesus josedecke, the figure of Christ as a Priest. 
r Contra Faustum. lib. 12. cap. 36.  Augustine, 
s Lib. 1. de demonstration. evang. cap. 29.  Eusebius, and generally all expositors upon the 3. of Zucharie.  
This sweet name contains in it a thousand treasuries of good things, in delight whereof S. Paul useth it five hundred times in his Epistles, as Genebrardus observeth.  
2. Christ] His appellative 
t Caietan. & Aretius in 1. Matth. Calu. Catecbis.  title of office and dignity. Concerning these two titles, jesus and Christ, see the Gospel Dom. 1. post Nativit.  

3. His only Son; which implieth that he is 

God: john 1. 1.  
A distinct person from the Father: Mat. 28. 19     
God, because he is a son, not as other by favour, but 
u Ruffin. in Symbol.  by nature: whatsoever the Son receiveth of the Father, he receiveth it by nature, not by grace, & he receiveth not as other, apart, but all that the Father hath, saving the personal propriety.  
Only son] Called the 
x Mat. 1. 25.  first begotten, in respect of his mother and human nature: 
y john 3. 16.  only begotten in respect of his Father, and divine nature. For the holy Spirit is not begotten, but proceeds (as the Scripture doth distinguish) 
z M●lancthon exposit Symbol. Nicen. ●om. 1. fol. 403.  Nasci est à potentia intelligente, quia filius cogitatione nascitur, & est ●mago patris: at procedere est à voluntate, quia spiritus sanctus est amor, etc. I believe: Lord help mine unbelief.  
The conjunction, And, proveth that the Son is equal with the Father, as concerning his Godhead: and yet a distinct person. 
a August. de 〈◊〉 lib. 11. cap. 10. & Lombard. 1. sent. dist. 25.  Alius personaliter, nowaliud essentialiter. I believe in God the Father, And in jesus Christ.  

Our Lord, as our 

Creator.  
Redeemer.  
Governor, as head of the Church: Eph. 4. 5.     

b In vita cius.  Suetonius observeth that Augustus refused the name of lord 
c Lib. 6. cap. 22. uli Platina in vita Christi.  Orosius notes that it was at that time when Christ was borne, that all Lordship might be given unto him. See Epistle Dom. 17. post Trinit.  
Christ's incarnation is Israel's 
d Luke 2. 25.  consolation: 
Incarnate.  for all sound comfort stands in happiness, all happiness in fellowship with God, all fellowship with God is by Christ: who for this cause being very God, became very man, that he might reconcile God to man, and man to God: he became 
e Tertull. lib. 2. contra Marc.  little, that we might be great; the Son of man, that we might be the 
f Cyp. ser. de El●●mosyna.  sons of God.  

His incarnation hath two parts: 

Conception.  
Birth.     
Conceived by the holy Ghost.] Works of power are attributed to the Father, of wisdom to the Son, of love to the holy Ghost. Wherefore 
g Maldonat. in 1. Mat. & August. Enchirid. cap. 37.  because this was a work of highest love in God toward mankind, it is ascribed especially to the holy Spirit: Luke 1. 35. The holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee 
h Calvin. in loc. . Signifying hereby that this mystery cannot be seen clearly, therefore not to be examined curiously. S. 
i Fides matris, non libido conceperat. Enchirid. cap. 34.  Augustine calls it a sweet conjunction, where speech is husband, and ear wife. Meaning, that as soon as the blessed Virgin assented to the Angel's message, she conceived.  
Birth] I make Christ's incarnation a part of his humiliation, because there can be no greater abasement, then that he, who thundered in the clouds, should cry in the cradle; 
k Bernard. ser. 1. in 〈◊〉. Dom.  swaddled in a few rags, whom the heaven of heavens could not contain; that the eternal Word should become an 
l August. ser. 5. de temp. Lambit ubera regens siaera● acet, ut verbum est. Idem de sym. lib. 4. cap. 4.  infant; that he who was the father of Mary, should be now the son of Mary.  
The Scripture tells us, how man comes four 
m Idem. ser. 20. de temp.  ways into the world.  
1. By the help of man and woman, as all are usually borne.  
2. Without any man or woman, and so the first man was created.  
3. Of a man without a woman, and so was Eva made.  
4. Of a woman without a man, and so was Christ borne.  

Of the Virgin Mary.] Where the mother of Christ is described by her 

Name, Mary.  
Surname 
n Baronius annal. tom. 1. fol. 45. & Epipbanius Haeres. 78. , Virgin.     
The new jesuits, and old Friars, have many wonderful extravagant conceits of this 
o Lexicon Theolog. verb. Maria.  name: let it suffice that it is added in the Gospel, and Creed, to show that Christ came of the lineage of David: and that therefore he was the true Messias, as God had promised and prophesied by the mouths of all his holy servants.  

Virgin] A 
p Perkins refor. Catholic. Tit. tradition, & Reza confess. cap. 3. art. 23.  perpetual Virgin 

Before  
In  
After  
Christ's birth.     

Before his birth against 

1. jews.  
2. Gentiles.  
3. Cerinthians.     
Unto the first we say with 
q Cyril. Hierosol. Cat. 12. Augustin. lib. 3. de Symbol. cap. 4.  Cyril: Pariet Aaronis virga sine semine, & non pariet virgo sine semine? aut utrumque negate aut utrumque concedite.  

Against the second, we have 

Ficta: 
r Ruffin. & Cyril. ubi supra.  Qui enim è iovis cerebro Mineruam, & ex eiusdem femore Bacchum, falsò prognatum esse fabulamini: quomodo ex utero virginali Christum nasci dicitis impossibile?  
Facta: Quoniam animalia multa 
s Lactant. instit. lib. 4. cap. 12. Augustin. de mirabil script. lib. 3. cap. 2. Ambros, Hexam. l. 5. cap. 20.  sine commistione generantur. And Plutarch in the life of Numa, spoke like an 
t Luke. 1. 35.  Angel: Incredibilo non est, ut spiritus Dei cum muliere coeat, eique sobolis quaedam principia ingoneret.     
3. The 
u Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 25.  Cerinthians, 
x Cl●mens Rom. instit. lib. 6. cap. 6.  Ebionits', and 
y Iremaeus lib. 1. cap. 24.  Carpocratian Heretics held that Christ was the natural son of joseph: & verus. & merus h●m●. Contrary to text, Mat. 1. 25. Luk. 3. 23. See the Gospel Dom. 1. post Epiphan.  

In his birth against 


z Augustin. de Haeresib. cap. 82. & contra julian. lib. 1. cap. 2.  jovinian.  

a Swar●z tom. 2. in 3. Thom. disput. 5. sect. 2.  Durandus.     
Unto these that of Esay 7 is opposed: Ecce 〈…〉, & pariet filium. The which words are to be construed in censu composito, non diviso: scilicet integra perman●e●● & conceptura, & paritura: nam quale signum vel prodigium esset ut quae fuit virgo conciperet, & corrupta pareret 
b August. epist. 3. ? Hic si ratio quaeritur, non erit mirabile. Si poscitur exemplum, non erit singular. Demus Deum aliquid posse, quod nos fateamur investigare non posse. 
c Idem ●pist. 146 & Enchirid. cap. 34. Si v●l per nasccutem corrumperetur eius integritas, non iam ille de virgine nasceretur, uti tota confitetur Ecclisia.  Fides adsit, & nulla quaestio remanebit. See the Gospel of the purification.  

After his birth against the 

Old 
d Hieron. lib. adue●s. Heluid. & Augustin. ●aeres. 84.  Heluidians.  
New Antidicomarianits, holding it a point of zeal to disgrace this holy Virgin: whereas it is our duty 
e Master Perkins upon this article.  rather highly to reverence her, as being the Mother of our Lord; a Prophetess on earth, a Saint in heaven, (as the 
f August. ser. 15 de temp. Fulgent. ser. de lau●ib. Mariae.  Fathers usually) the window of heaven, through which it pleased the light of the world, to illuminate such as fit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Of such estimation in the Church, that whereas the 
g Nicen.  first general Council was assembled against Arrius, to maintain the honour of the Son, and so by consequence of the Father: The 
h Constantinopolitan.  second against Macedonius, to maintain the honour of the holy Ghost: The 
i Ephesi●.  third was assembled against Nestorius, to 
k Swar●z praes. disp●●, t●m ●. in 3. Thom. Magdeburg. ce●t. 5. col. 889.  maintain the dignity of the blessed Virgin. And therefore let not us give her too little, though the Papists have given her too much. See Gospel on the Annunciation.      

Passion.  

Christ's passion is set down 

First summarily, 

Suffered under Pontius Pilate.    
Then particularly, 

Crucified,  
Dead,  
Buried.       
All which our Saviour did not endure for himself, but for us. He 
l Esay 53 5.  was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities. In 
m Ambros. de fide ad Gration. lib. 2. cap. 3.  me, & pro me doluit, qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret. O Domine jesu doles non tua, sed v●laera mea. He 
n 1. Pet. 2. 21.  suffered for us, leaving us an example, 
o August. ser. 8. de temp.  that his passion might deliver us from sin, and his actions direct us to virtue; teaching patience, humility, obedience, charity. Greater patience cannot be found, then for the author of life, to suffer an ignominious death injustly; no greater humility, then for the Lord of all Lords to submit himself to be crucified among thieves; nor greater obedience, then to be willing rather to die, than not to fulfil the commandment of his Father; nor greater charity, then to lose his life, to save his enemies. For love is more showed in deeds, then in words, and more in suffering then in doing. See Gospel on Sunday before Easter, and Epistle 2. Sunday after Easter.  

p Augustin. de doctrine. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 14.  Nos immortalitate malè usi sumus, ut moreremur:  
Christus mortalitate bene usus, ut viveremus.   

Exaltation.  
Note the Creeds order answerable to the Scripture. For Christ 
q Luke 24. 26.  first suffered, and then entered into glory. Teaching us hereby, that we must first bear with him the Cross, before we can wear with him the Crown. Christianus, as 
r Loc. Com. tit. calamit.  Luther said, is Crucianus. As a lily among the thorns: so is my love among the daughters: Cant. 2. 2.  

Christ's exaltation hath four parts: his 

1. Triumph in hell.  
2. Resurrection.  
3. Ascension.  
4. Session.     
I make Christ's descending into hell a part of his advancement, rather than abasement, because this general Creed, of the whole Church, and the particular confession of our 
s Art. 3.  Church, make it a distinct article following Christ's Suffering, Death, Burial: and therefore cannot aptly be construed of his agony in the garden before his death, nor of his tortures on the Cross at his death, nor yet of his burial after his death: Ergo, Credendum est Christum ad inferos in genere: credibile ad inferos damnatorum in specie, triumphandi gratia secundùm animans realiter, & localiter descendisse. That as he did overcome the world on earth, and death in the grave: so likewise he did triumph over Satan in the courts of hell his own kingdom. For my own part, I rest myself in the judgement of the Church wherein I live, and hold it enough to believe that Christ did so much, and suffered so much, as was sufficient for all: efficient for me: praying with the Greek Fathers in their Liturgy; By thine unknown sorrows and sufferings felt by thee: but not distinctly manifest to us: have mercy on us, and save us. O 
u Bonavent. diaeta salutis, cap. 26.  graceless peevishness, we scantly follow Christ to heaven: albeit we believe that he went for us into hell.  
Christ's resurrection is the 
x Church Hom. for Easter day.  lock and key of all our Christian religion and faith: on which all other articles hang. See the Gospel on S. Thomas and Easter day.  

In Christ's ascension 3. points observable: 

Place: Mount Olivet.  
Time: When he had taught his Disciples, and while they beheld him.  
Manner: A cloud took him up out of their sight: Act 1. 9 See the Epistle for Ascension day.     

Christ's Session is set forth by the 

Place: Heaven: that is, 
y Ephes. 4. 10. Acts 7. 56.  Heaven of heaven.  
Effect: Coming to judgement.     

To 
z August. in Enchirid. cap. 55.  judge the quick & the dead 

Spiritually: The good which live with the spiritual life of grace. The bad, which are spiritually dead in sin.  
Corporally: Because at that day most shall be dead, and many shall be found alive, who in the twinkling of an eye shall suddenly be changed, as S. 
a 1. Cor. 15. 51. 52.  Paul tells us. Origen thinketh that the Priest had bells in the lower part of his robe, to put us in mind of the end of the world. Our good God hath prepared such 
b 1. Cor. 2. 9  things for us, as eye hath not seen, neither ear hath heard, neither came into man's heart. 
c August. de Symb. ad Cate●. lib. 3. cap. 11.  Si in cor hominis non ascendit, cor hominis illuc ascendat. Seeing the judge shall come from heaven, let us before send thither our hearts to meet him: and in the mean while thence to look for him, Philip. 3. 20. He hath said it, who is truth itself: Surely I come quickly, Amen, even so come Lord jesus.     
I believe in the holy Ghost.] The 
d Ramus de Religion. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 19  Godhead of the Father is especially manifested in the Law, the Godhead of the Son especially manifested in the Gospel, the Godhead of the holy Ghost especially manifested in the Creed: intimating so much in four words as the whole Bible contains of this argument; namely, first, that the holy Ghost is 
c Acts 5. 3. 4.  God, otherwise we might not believe in him. Secondly, that he is a 
f Matth. 28. 19  distinct person from the Father, and the Son: I believe in the Father: in the Son: in the holy Ghost. And thirdly, that he proceedeth from the 
g john 15. 26.  Father, and the Son, enfolded in the Title, holy Ghost. For albeit the Father is holy, the Son holy, the Father a Spirit, and the Son a Spirit, in respect of their nature: yet only the third person is the holy Spirit, in regard of his office. The holy, because beside the holiness of nature, his special office is to make the Church holy. The Father sanctifieth by the Son and by the holy Ghost: the Son sanctifieth from the Father by the holy Ghost: the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the Father and the Son by himself immediately. As we believe that the Father is our Creator, the Son our Redeemer; so likewise that the holy Ghost is our Sanctifier.  
Again, the third person is termed the Spirit, not only in regard of his nature, which is spiritual, but because he is spired, or breathed from the Father and the Son: in that he proceeds from them both. How, I cannot say, you need not search, only believe. For as the 
h Esay 53. 6.  Prophet said of the Son, Who shall declare his generation? so the most judicious Doctor 
i Cont. Maxim. lib. 3. cap. 14. ●om. 6. ●ol. 507.  Augustine, of the holy Ghost, Who shall declare his procession? Inter illam generationem, & hanc processionem distinguere nescio, non valeo, non sufficio. Quia & illa, & ista est ineffabilis. And therefore as the 
k Confess. lib. 12. cap. 5.  same Father in the like case: Dum sibi haec dicit humana cogitatio, conetur eam vel nosse ignorando, vel ignorare noscendo. See the Gospel Dom. post Ascension.  
The holy Catholic Church.] The second part of the Creed concerns the Church: for as 
l Enchirid. c. 56  Augustine observeth, the right order of a Confession did require, that after the Trinity, should be joined the Church, as the house for the owner, and city for the founder. 
m Idem lib. 4. desymbol. ad Catech. cap. 10.  Again, the Creed doth end with the Church, as it did begin with God; to put us in mind that except we have the Church for our mother, we never shall have God for our father.  
The Church is described here by properties, and prerogatives.  

Her properties are three: 

1. Holy.  
2. Catholic.  
3. Knit in a communion.     

Her prerogatives are likewise three: 

1. In the soul, remission of sins.  
2. In the body, resurrection of the flesh.  
3. Both in body and soul, life everlalasting.     
The word, Credo, must be repeated in this article: but the preposition 
n Ruffi●. & Thomas 22●. quaest. 1. 〈◊〉. 9  (In) omitted, by which the Creator is distinguished from the creatures, and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men. It is said, I bel●eue in God, in the Son, in the holy Ghost: but in all the rest, where the speech is not of the Godhead, (In) is not added. I believe there is an holy Church, as a company gathered to God, not in the Church as God. So the best copies and the 
o Cat●chis. Concil. Trident. Bellarm. ledisma.  worst too, read.  

Church is used in a sense 

Civil, for an ordinary assembly: Acts 19 32. 39  
Ecclesiastical, for 

Holy places, 1. Cor. 14. 34. 〈◊〉  
Holy persons, 

Seuera●●; for every faithful person is the Church of God, 1. Cor. 3. 16 loyntly, gathered together.         

In 

One house: Rom. 16. 5.  
One eitie or country: the Church of Sardi, Ephesus: Apocal. 3.  
The whole world; as in this article. 〈…〉     
For all men and Angels elected to life everlasting, and made one in Christ.  
It hath the name both in Greek and Latin of 
p Ecclesia Augustin. exposit. epist. ad Rom. ●om. 4. fol. 833.  calling out and severing from other, as being indeed a 
q 1. Pet. 2. 9  chosen and peculiar people: 
r Bucanus loc. cem. tit. eccles. & Melchior. Can●s loc. ●om. lib. 4. cap. 2.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quas: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Not Churches, but Church. Because all the congregations of the faithful in the whole world make but 
s Cant. 6. 8.  one only Church. For as a kingdom divided into many shires, and more towns, is called one, because it hath one and the same King, one and the same law: so the Church is one, 
t Ephes. 4. 5.  because it liveth by one and the same spirit, and is ruled by one and the same Lord, and professeth one and the same faith: not one as tied unto one place, much less unto one person; as the Papists injuriously confine it: for as all of them make the Catholic Church to be nothing else but the Roman Church; so some of them have made the Roman Church nothing else but the Pope. Papa virtualiter est tota ecclesia. saith 
u B. jewel. 6. part. defence of apolog. fol. 610.  Haruaeus in lib. de potestate Papae, cap. 23. As the tumultuous Anabaptists had framed a Church like 
x Lib. 7. cap. 2. Na●. hist.  Pliny's Acephali, all body and no head: so the Romish parasites have built a Church like the 
y Plautus in Triwm act. 4. sc. 2.  Toadestoole, all head and no body. See Epistle Dom. 17. post Trinit.  
Holy.] There are many wicked in the Church, and the best men have some faults; how then is it holy? 
z Loc. come. tit. ecclesia.  Luther answereth in a word: If I look upon myself, or my neighbour, I cannot perceive that the Church is holy: but if I look upon Christ, who took away the sins of the world, than I see it all holy. It is said well, I believe: for we cannot see this holiness overshadowed with manifold infirmities outwardly, though the King's 
a Psal. 45. 14.  daughter is all glorious inwardly.  

b Ephes. 5. 26.  Sanctified by the washing of water through the word, that is, made clean from all sin by the precious blood of Christ, which is daily presented unto us both in the Word and in the Sacraments.  

The Church than is holy three ways in respect: 

1. Of her 
c Rom. 1●. 5. Ephes. 1. 23.  head: which is most holy; like as one that hath a fair face is said to be a fair man, albeit he have some crooked finger, or gouty toe.  
2. Of her faith: which is holy, formaliter & effective: an 
d Psal. 19 7.  undefiled law converting the soul, in itself holy: which forbids nothing but that which is evil, and doth not enjoin any thing but that which is good, and making other holy: being the 
e Rom. 1. 16.  power of God unto salvation.  
3. In regard of her life: which is holy, 
f Calvin. Catechis.  free from sin 
g 1. Epist. john 3. 9 Re●elus non facit peccatum, quia patitur potius, uti Bernard.  reigning and condemning: even in this world made holy by sanctification partially: by imputation of righteousness perfectly.     
This must be construed of the Church invisible, the triumphant part whereof is most holy, the militant more holy, than Infidels, jews, Turks, Heretics, and other out of the Church, who cannot enjoy the gift of sanctification: I say more holy, because in this life we receive (saith 
h Rom. 8 23.  Paul) but the first fruits of the spirit, not the tenths of the spirit, saith 
i Vbi supra.  Luther: and therefore 
k Idem ibidem tit. de profectu in Christianismo.  Christianus non est in facto, sed in fieri; not 
l Church of Sect. in exposit. of the Creed.  so perfect, but that he need to stoop under mercy.  
Now for the Church visible: that is a field wherein are tars as well as wheat, and both must grow together until the great harvest, Matth. 13. compared to the Moon, Revel. 12. 1. sometime decreasing, sometime increasing: but when it is in the full, it hath some spots: and therefore Brownists and Anabaptists obtrude more perfection upon the Church then God requires.  
Heaven hath none but good, Hell none but bad, Earth both good and bad. 
m Calvin. adversus Anabaptist. art. 2.  Cum subspecie s●udij perfectionis, imperfectionem nullam tolerare possamus, aut in corpore, aut in membris ecclesiae; tun● di ibolum nos tumefacere superbia, & ●●●poerisi seducere moneamur.  
Catholic.] This word is used some for Orthodoxal; in which sense 
n Baronius annal. tom. 1. fol. 310.  Pacianus said, Christian is my name, Catholic my surname. So Rome was, England is, a Catholic Church. But it properly signifieth universal, as here: because 
o chrysost in 4. ad Ephes.  extended to all places, and all times, and all persons, not only those who are now living, but also those who have been from the beginning, and shall be to the end of the world. So that to say the Roman Catholic Church, is like the byword of Kent and Christendom: all one as to say, the particular, or the special general Church.  
From this natural acception ariseth that other borrowed, as in the Creed of Athanasius: Haec est fides Catholica: that is, 
p Vincentius ●winenis contra haeres. cap. 3.  quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est. The Catholic faith is that which is taught 
q Melchior Canus loc. come. lib. 4. cap. ult.  all men: Matth. 28. 19 Mark. 16. 15. in all places, Rom. 10. 18. at all times, 2. Cor. 1. 19 And Psal. 119. Thy word O Lord endureth for ever, and thy truth also from generation to generation.  

r August. tract. 40. in johan.  Fides est vides in us quae non vides, an 
f Heb. 11. 1.  evidence of things not evident. So that the Church we must believe is Catholic; not sensible, subject to view: but invisible, an object of faith.  
Communion of Saints.] The Churches third property which 
t Erasmus in Symb.  expoundeth the two former: I believe the Catholic Church 
u Church of Scot expos. of the Creed. , to wit, the communion of Saints. If a communion, than Catholic; if Saints, then holy.  

This communion hath two parts: fellowship 

Of the members with the head, because every Christian hath interest in all the benefits of Christ, who is not a garden flower private for a few, but 
x Cant. 2. 1.  the Rose of the field common to all: and therefore S. Jude calls his grace, the Common salvation.  
Of the members one with another: and it is either of the 

Living with the living.  
Dead, with the living.       
As in the natural body: so in the Church, Christ's mystical body, there is a perpetual sympathy between ethe parts, 
y 1. Cor. 12.  if one member suffer, all suffer with it; if one be had in honour, all rejoice with it.  
Martin Luther said well and witt●●y, 
z Loc. come. tit. de Christiano.  that a Christian is a freeman, and bound unto none. And again, that he is a diligent servant and vassal unto all. Vere vir omnium h●rarum, omnium operum, omnium personarura: becoming all things unto all men, that he may win them unto Christ. As that Antichristian in style, so the Christian is in deed: Ser●us servorum Dei.  
There is a knot of fellowship also between the dead Saints and the living. They pray to God for our good in 
a Apocal. 6. 10.  general: and we praise God for their good in particular. I say we praise God in his 
b Laudate deum in sanctis. Psal. 150. 1. ut Augustin. Hieron. etc.  Saints particularly, for giving Mary, Peter, Paul, such eminent graces on earth: and now such unspeakable glory in heaven. In affection and heart we 
c Phil. 3. 20. The Churches first prerogative.  converse with them, always desiring to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.  
Remission of sins] All of us are borne in sin, orius damnati, quam nati, (saith Bernard) and after increasing we grow from evil to worse, until our sins are remitted by God's grace, conveyed unto us in the Church by his holy word and Sacraments: it is a remission, not a satisfaction; a work not of our merit, but of God's mercy, who beholding us in Christ, reputes our sins as no sins. I 
d Esay 44 22.  have put away thy transgressions as a cloud, & thy sins as a mist, so remitted as if they never were committed. Agaus D●i qui tollit peccata mundi, 
e Lomb. sent. lib. 4. dist. 18.  dimittendo quae facta sunt, & adiwando ne fiant, & perducendo ad vitam ubi emnino fieri non possunt.  
Sins in the plural, be they never so many for quantity: never so grievous for quality. Say not with Cai●e 
f Gen. 4. 15. , My sin is greater than can be pardoned; but with 
g Rom. 8. 28.  Paul, All things work for the best unto them who love God. Remember (saith 
h Loc. come. tit. de ubieribus conscien.  Luther) the speech of God to Rebecca: Maior seruiet minori: The greater shall serve the lesser. Our spiritual enemies are stronger, and our sins are greater than we; yet they shall serve for our good: the greater shall serve the lesser, I believe the remission of sins. A very great benefit, because this pardon is our soul's life.  

Where the 
i Rom. 6. 23.  wages of sin is death of 


k Rom. ●. 12.  Body, which is the temporal  

l T●●. 5. 6.  Soul, which is the ●●●rituall  

m Eze●h. 33. 11.  Body & soul, which is eternal  
death.     
See the Epistle Dom. 7. post Trinit.  
Resurrection of the body.] The whole Creed in gross, and every parcel argueth a resurrection: as 
n In symbol.  Erasmus aptly. This one article is the Basis of all the rest: 
o Ath●nagoras lib. de recur. 〈◊〉 The second prerogative.  for if there be a God almighty, than he is just; and if just, than another reckoning in another world, where good men shall be rewarded, and evil condignly punished. If a jesus Christ who is our Saviour, than he must 
p 1. joh. epist. 3. 8.  dissolve the works of Satan, which are sin and death: if an holy Ghost, than all his hallowed temples, who did glorify him here, shall be glorified of him hereafter. If a Church which is holy, than a remission of sins, a resurrection of the body, a life everlasting, that all such as have been subjects in his kingdom of grace, may likewise be Saints in his kingdom of glory: 
q Io. Combis compend. Theolog. lib. 4. cap. 1. The third prerogative.  for as God is principium effectiwm in creatione, refectiwm in redemptione: so, perfectiwm in retribution.  
Life everlasting.] The chief good, and last end which we gain by being in the Church. All men on earth have life, but not everlasting; the damned in hell endure that which is everlasting, yet not a life, but an eternal death, as being perpetually tied unto torments, enforced ever to suffer that they would not, neither can they do any thing that they would: only the Church elected by the Father, redeemed by the Son, sanctified by the holy Ghost, shall enjoy life everlasting; not by purchase or inheritance, but by 
r Luke 12. 32.  donation and frank almain. The spiritual hand which apprehends this deed of gift is faith: and therefore begin well with I believe in God, and continue well in being a member of his Holy Catholic Church, and thou shalt be sure to end well with everlasting life.  
Amen.] Our assent to the Creed, signifying hereby that all which we have said is 
f 2. Cor. 1. 20.  true and certain.  O Lord increase our faith.  

Ruth 2. 4.  
THe Novelists have censured this, and other like Suffrages, as 
t T. C. lib. 1. pag. 138 & lib. 3. pag. 210.  short cuts or shred, rather wishes, than prayers. A rude speech, which savoureth of the shop, more than of the school: for our Church imitated herein the meek 
u Luke 18. 13.  Publican, O God be merciful to me a sinner: and the good woman of 
x Matth. 15. 22  Cannon, Have mercy on me O Lord: and devout 
y Mark. 10. 48.  Barti●●us; O son of David take pity on me. These short shred and lists are of more value than their Northern broad cloth: the which (as we see) shrinks in the wetting: whereas our ancient custom hath continued in the Church above 1200 years: for Augustine writes, 
z Cap. 10. ciusdem.  epist. 121, that the Christians of Egypt used in their Liturgy many prayers, every one of them being very short, raptim quodammodo 
a Huiusmodi quid Bernardus etiam ser. 16. in Psalm. Qui habitat.  e●aculatas, as if they were darts thrown out with a kind of sudden quickness, lest the vigilant and erect attention of mind, which in devotion is very requisite, should be wasted and dulled through continuance, if their prayers were few, and long. Nam plerumque hoc negotium plus gemitibus quam sermonibus agitur, plus fletu quam afflatu, saith the same Father in the same place. Peruse that learned epistle, for it is a sufficient apology both for the length of our whole service, as also for the shortness of our several prayers. If Augustine now lived, and were made umpire between the Novelists and us, he would rather approve many short prayers in England, than those two long prayers, one before, and the other after sermon, in Scotland and Geneva.  
For this particular Dominus vobiscum, it is taken out of the second chapter of Ruth: an usual salutation among God's people: judg. 6. 12. Luke 1. 28.  
And therefore the like among us, as God save you: God bless you: God speed, etc. are not idle compliments, or taking Gods holy name in vain: but Christian and commendable duties. See Gospel Dom. 6. post Trinit. and Gospel on the Annunciation.  
This and the like salutations or benedictions in the time of divine service between the Priest and people, are of great antiquity, and good use. For in the Liturgies of S. james, Basil, chrysostom, and that of the 
b Bibliothec. pat. tom. 4. col. 111.  Aethiopians, I find that the Priest was wont to say, Pax vobis: and the people replied, Et cum spiritus tuo. In that old Liturgy of Spain, called 
c Ibid. col. 108.  Mozarabe, because the Christians were mingled with Arabians, it is enjoined that the Priest should say, Dominus vobiscum, as in our book; and the people, as ours, answered, Et cum spiritu tuo. Again, Adiwate me fratres in orationibus vestris, and the whole company replied, Adiwet te Pater, filius, spiritus sanctus. It is reported by 
d Lib. 2. de Missa, cap. 16.  Bellarmine and 
e Lib. de scriptor. Ecclesiast. fol. 51.  Tritenhemius, that one Petrus Damianus hath written an whole book of this argument, entitled, Dominus vobiscum: in which (as it should seem) sundry needless questions are discussed; he lived in the days of William the Conqueror, therefore thought probable that it was used in the Latin Church ever since their Liturgy was composed by Damasus, about the year 376: deduced out of the Greek Churches into the Roman, as 
f Annot. in Tertull. de Corona militis.  Beatus Rhenanus, and Master 
g Acts and Monuments, fol. 1274. 1275.  Fox conjecture.   

Cum spiritu tuo.  
THe people's answer, Cum spiritu tuo, is taken out of the second 
h Cap. 4. ver. 22.  Epistle of Paul to Timothy: The Lord jesus Christ be with thy spirit. It answereth the reapers answer to Boaz; The Lord bless thee. These mutual salutations 
i Durandus rational. divin. lib. 4. cap. 14. §. 5  insinuate sweet agreement and love between the Pastor and parishioners: it is the Ministers office to begin, and the people's duty to correspond in good affection and kindness: for love is the adamant of love. When the Minister is a Paul, the people must be Galatians, if it were 
k Galat. 4. 15.  possible, willing to pull out their eyes, and to give them for his good: 
l Calvin. in loc. ad Galat.  not only to reverence his place, but also to love his person.  
A Pastor cannot use to the people a better wish then, The Lord be with you. For 
m Rom. 8. 31.  if God be with them, who can be against them? and the people cannot make a fitter reply, then, with thy spirit. For (as Plato divinely said) every man's soul is himself.  
Again, forasmuch as God is a spirit 
n job. 4. 24. , and aught to be worshipped in spirit; it is meet we should perform this spiritual service with all earnest contention and intention of spirit. See Magnificat.  
Christ promised, Matth. 18. to be with us in our devotion, in the midst of us, when we meet to pray. But, 
o Ser. de eo, ubi duo aut tres.  as Eusebius Emissenus observeth, how shall God be in the midst of thee, when as thou art not in the midst of thyself? Quomodo erit deus in medio t●i, si tecum ipse non fueris? If the advocate sleep, how shall the judge awake? No marvel if thou lose thy suit, when as in praying thou losest thyself.  
Prayer is the Christians gun-shot (saith 
p Loc. come. tit. invocat.  Luther) Oratio, bombardae Christianorum. As then a bullet out of a gun: so prayers out of our mouth, can go no further than the spirit doth carry them: if they be 
q Bernard. ser. 4. de jeiunio & orat.  Timidae, they cannot fly far: if Tumidae, not pierce much; only fervent and humble devotion hitteth the mark; penetrating the walls of heaven, albeit they were brass, and the gates iron.  
The Church hath placed these mutual responsories at the very beginning of our prayers after the Lessons and Confession of saith: because 
r john 15. 5.  Christ said, Without me ye can do nothing. Wherefore the Church, as I have showed, begins her prayers at the first with, O Lord open thou our lips: and here praying afresh, The Lord be with you; begins, I say, with, The Lord be with you, and ends with, through jesus Christ our Lord. Signifying hereby that Christ is 
s Apocal. 1. 8.  Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, without whom we can neither begin well, nor end well. And this is the reason why the Church after this interchangeable salutation, enjoins us to pray, Lord have mercy upon us: Christ have mercy upon us: Lord etc. using an earnest repetition (as I conjecture) rather to press this one point, than (as 
t Belethus lib. de Divinis officij●, cap. 36.  other write) to notify the three divine persons.  
And it is worth observing, that we conclude these short Suffrages, as we began: for as in the first we desire the Lord to be with us and our spirit; so likewise in the last, that he would not take his holy spirit from us, but accompany the whole Church unto the end and in the end.  
I am occasioned in this place justly to defend the people's answering the Minister aloud in the Church. The beginning of which interlocutory passages, is ascribed by 
u In vita Damasi.  Platina to Damasus Bishop of Rome; by 
x Lib. 2. hist. cap. 24. Magdeburg. cent. 4. col. 897.  Theodoret to Diodorus Bishop of Antioch; by 
y Lib. de rebus Eccles. cap. 25. alludens forsitan ad Hexam. Amoros. lib. 3. cap. 5.  Walafridus Strabo to S. Ambrose Bishop of Milan: all which lived 1100 years before the Church was acquainted with any French fashions: and yet Basil, epist. 63. allegeth that the Churches of Egypt, Libya, Thebes, Palestina, Phoenicians, Syrians, Mesopotamians, used it long before. 
z Ecclesiast. hist. lib. 6. cap. 8.  Socrates and 
a Vbi supra.  Strabo write, that Ignaetius, a scholar unto 
b Hieron. catalogue. script. Eccl. in vita Ignat. Muscul. in Mat. 26. 30. thinks that Christ and his Apostles used it.  Christ's own scholars, is thought to be the first author hereof. If any shall expect greater antiquity and authority, we can fetch this order even from the quire of heaven: I saw the Lord (said 
c Cap 6. 3.  Esay) set on an high Throne, the Seraphims stood upon it, and one cried to another saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, all the world is full of his glory.  
Blessed spirits in praising God answer one another interchangeably: though unhappy scornful spirits unmannerly term this custom, 
d T. C. lib. 1. pag. 203.  Tossing of service. But it may be said of them, as 
e Lib. contra Heluidium in initio.  H●erome wrote of helvidius: Existimant loquacitatem esse facundiam, & maledicere omnibus bonae conscientiae signum arbitr●●tur.   

The Magnificat.  
LUKE 1. 46. My soul doth magnify the Lord.  
THis Hymn is nothing else, but a grace, for grace: great thanks, for great things received of the Lord. Wherein observe the 
* Modus & causa, Gorran. in locum.  manner and matter of the Virgin's exultation: or a thanksgiving in the two former verses: and a reason in the rest, For he hath regarded etc.  
I purpose to ●ift every word of the former part severally: and because there is (as 
* Com. in 1. Galat. vers. 4. My.  Luther saith) great Divinity in pronouns, I will first examine the pronoun My: my soul, my spirit, my Saviour. It is not enough 't other pray for us, except ourselves praise God for ourselves. He that goeth to Church by an attorney, shall go to heaven also by a proxy.  
There is an old 
f Mensa philosophica sab. de mercator.  Legend of a Merchant, who never would go to Mass: but ever when he heard the Saint's bell, he said to his wife, Pray thou for thee and me. Upon a time he dreamt that he and his wife were dead, and that they knocked at heaven gate for entrance: S. Peter the porter (for so goeth the tale) suffered his wife to enter in, but thrust him out, saying, Illa intravit pro se & te: as thy wife went to Church for thee, so likewise she must go to heaven for thee. The moral is good, howsoever the story be bad: insinuating that every one must have both a personality of faith, my Saviour: and a personality of devotion, my soul, my spirit. 
g Ambros. lib. 1. de officijs, cap. 8.  Officium is efficium, it is not enough that the master enjoin his family to pray, or the father hear his child pray, or the Teacher exhort his people to pray: but as every one hath tasted of God's bounty, so every one must perform this duty, having oil of his 
h Matth. 25. 4.  own in his own lamp, saying and praying with the blessed Virgin, My soul, my spirit.  
Soul. 
Soul. ] As if she should thus speak, Thy benefits O Lord are so good, so great, so manifest, so manifold, 
i B●da in loc.  that I can not accord them with my tongue, but only record them in my heart. It is truly said, he loves but little, who tells how much he loves: and so surely he praiseth God but little, who makes it a tongue-toile and a lip-labor only. Mark. 7. 6. This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. God who gave all, will have all, and yet above all requireth the soul. 
k Prou. 23. 26.  Son give me thy heart: for that alone commands all other members, as the 
l Matth. 8. 9  Centurion did his soldiers. It saith to the foot, go, and it goeth; unto the hand, come, and it cometh; unto the rest, do this, and they do it. It doth bend the knees, and join the hands, and lift up the eye, composeth the countenance, disposeth of the whole man: and therefore as that other 
m Luke 10. 42.  Mary chose the better part, so this Mary bestowed upon God her best part, her soul did magnify, her spirit rejoiced.  
Some Divines expound these words jointly, some severally. The word spirit is used in the holy Scripture sometime for the whole soul. 1. Cor. 7. 34. The woman unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, that is, 
n Ambros. come. in loc.  in soul.  
So S. Augustine thinks that these two words here signify the same, because the latter phrase, my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour, is nothing else but an exegesis of the former, my soul doth magnify the Lord: insinuating by this repetition, my soul, my spirit, that her devotion was not hypocritical, but cordial and unfeigned. It is observed in nature, that the Fox doth nip the neck, the Mastiff the throat, the Ferret the liver, but God especially careth for the heart: being (as Ambrose speaks excellently) Non corticis, sed cordis deus.  
And therefore Mary was not content to praise the Lord from the rind of her lips only, but also from the root of her heart. So 
o Psal. 103. 1.  David did pray, Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name. So 
p Coless. 3. 16.  Paul would have us pray: Sing to the Lord with a grace in your hearts. And so the Church doth desire that the Priest (who is the mouth of the people) should pray, The Lord be with you, saith the Minister, and the whole congregation answereth, And with thy spirit. 
q Caroliu magnus fragment. de ritibus eccls veteris, Cassander Liturgica, cap. 21.  Hereby signifying, that this holy business ought to be performed with all attention and intention of spirit.  
Divines interpreting these two severally, distinguish between soul and spirit: and so doth the Scripture, 1. Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit. Soul is that by which we live naturally: spirit is that, by which we live through grace supernaturally. Or (
r Calu. in loc.  as other) soul signifieth the will, and spirit the understanding: as Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is lively and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth thorough, even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit: that is, 
s Beza in loc.  of the will and understanding.  
So that Mary saying here, my soul and my spirit, doth intimate that she did praise the Lord with attention in her understanding, and devotion in her affection. They praise God with half an heart, who either having devotion, want understanding: or else endued with understanding, want devotion: and so while men pray with the soul without a spirit, or with the spirit, without a soul, their heart is divided (as the Prophet 
t Ose 10. cap. 2.  Ose: Divisum est cor eorum:) and God hath but one part, happily the least piece.  
The line then to be drawn from this example is, first that we pray with our heart: secondly, with our whole heart, with all our soul, with all our spirit.  
Doth] 
Doth.  In the present. For as a gift to man, so glory to God, is most acceptable when as it is seasonable: not deferred, but conferred in time. 
Aus●nius epigram. 84.  Gratia quae tarda est, ingrata est gratia. 
x Seneca lib. 2. de beneficijs cap. 5.  Proprium est libenter facientis, citò facere.  
Magnify] 
Magnify.  The word signifieth highly to commend, and extol: Magnum facere, to make great. Now God is optimus maximus, already most great, and therefore cannot be made more great in regard of himself: but all our vilifying and magnifying the Lord, is in respect of others only.  
When we blasheme the most holy name of God, as much as in us lieth, we less●n his greatness: when we bless his name, so much as in us is, we magnify his glory, making that which is great in itself, to be reputed great of other. As 
y Lexie. Theol. verb. magnificati●.  one fitly, Magnificare nihil aliud est nisi magnum significare.  
This magnifying consists in our conversation especially. Noli (saith 
z In Psal. 133.  Augustine) gloriari quia lingua benedi●is, si vita maledicis. 
a 1. Pet, 2. 12.  Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that they which speak evil of you, may by your good works, which they shall see, glorify God in the day of the visitation.  
God is magnified of us (as 
b Com. in Luc. lib. 2. cap. 1.  Ambrose and Origen note) when as his image is repaired in us. 
c Gen. 1. 26.  He created man according to his likeness: that is, as 
e Ephes. 4. 24.  Paul doth interpret it, in righteousness & holiness. So that the more grace we, the more glo●y God: he doth appear greater in us, albeit he cannot be made greater by us. He doth not increase, but we grow from grace to grace, from virtue to virtue: the which ought principally to stir us up unto this duty, for that ourselves are magnified, in magnifying him: as Mary showeth here, My soul doth magnify the Lord, vers. 46. And, The Lord hath magnified me, vers. 49. 
f August. in Psal. 66.  Qui maledicit domino, ipse minuitur, qui benedicit, angetur: prior est in nobis benedictio domini, & consequens est, ut & nos benedicamus domino: illa plwia, iste fructus.  
The lord 
The Lord. ] Lord is a name 
g 1. Cor. 8. 6.  of might, Saviour of mercy. Marry then (as Augustine and 
h Maldonat. in loc.  other observe) praiseth him alone, who is able to help, because the Lord; and willing, because a Saviour.  
And my spirit 
Spirit. ] 
i Calvin. & Marlorat. i● loc.  Such as distinguish between soul and spirit, make this a reason of the former verse: My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, and therefore my soul doth magnify the Lord: according to that of S. 
k james 5. 13.  james; Is any merry? let him sing. So that this exultation of Mary, caused her exaltation of God.  
Inward rejoicing in spirit, is a great sign of a good conscience, 
l Prou. 15. 15.  which is a continual feast. The wicked are often merry, sometime mad merry: but all is but from the t●eth outward. For (as 
m Prou. 14. 13.  Solomon speaks) even in laughing the heart is sorrowful, and the end of mirth is heaviness. But the good man (as the Virgin here) rejoiceth in spirit: all worldly merriments are more talked of then felt, but inward spiritual rejoicing is more felt then uttered.  
It is (as the 
n Zach. 9 9  Scripture calls it) a jubilation, an exceeding great joy, which a man can neither suppress, nor express sufficiently. 
o Anonymus in Psal. 46.  Nec reticere, nec recitare: for howsoever in the Court of Conscience there be some pleading every day; yet the godly make it Hilary Term all the year. See Gospel Dom. 1. Aduent. & Dom. 9 post. Trinit.  
In God] 
In God.  Happily the spirit of the most wicked at sometime doth rejoice, yet not in God, nor in good: but in villainy, and vanity. Prou. 2. 14. They rejoice in doing evil, and delight in frowardness: whereas in the good man the joys object is always good, goodness itself, God himself. David delights in the Lord, Mary rejoiceth in God. And this is so good a joy, that 
p Phil. 4. 4.  Paul saith, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. We may rejoice in our friends, in our health, in our preferment, in our honest recreation, in many other things, praeter Deum, beside God: yet in all, propter Deum, for God, so far forth as they shall increase our spiritual rejoicing in the lord God forbid (saith 
q Galat. 6. 14.  Paul) that I should rejoice in any thing but in the cross of Christ. In any thing in comparison of this, in any thing which might hinder this, and yet in all things for this. See the Epistle Dom. 4. Aduent.  
Saviour] 
Saviour.  To consider God as a severe judge, would make our heart to tremble: but to consider him in Christ, in whom he is well pleased, is of all ghostly comfort the greatest. And therefore if we desire to rejoice in spirit, let us not behold God in the glass of the Law, which makes him a dreadful judge: but in the glass of the Gospel, which shows him a merciful Saviour.  
In every Christian there are two contrary natures; the flesh, and the spirit: and that he may be a perfect man in Christ, he must subdue the one, and strengthen the other: the Law is the ministry of death, and serveth fitly for the taming of our rebellious flesh: the Gospel is the power of God unto life, containing the bountiful promises of God in Christ, and serveth fitly for the strengthening of the spirit. It is 
p Luke 10 34. The Law as wine to search, the Gospel as oil to supple.  oil to power into our wounds, and water of life to quench our thirsty souls. As in name, so in nature, the Goodspell, or the Ghosts spell, that is, the word and joy for the spirit. Marry than had good cause to 
q Calvin. in loc.  add this epithet Saviour, unto God: My spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour.  
My Saviour] We note two conclusions out of this pronoun: the first against some Papists; the second against all Papists. 
r Swarez tom. 2. in tertiam Thom. disput. 3. & 4.  Some Popish writers affirm, that Mary was conceived and borne without original sin, and that she lived and died without actual sin: contrary to the scripture, Rom. 3. 9 Gal. 3. 22. So 
s D. Fulk annot. in Mat. 1.  that in honouring the feast of her conception and nativity, with the singular privilege of Christ, they worship an Idol, and not her. For an Idol (as 
t 1. Cor. 8. 4.  Paul disputes) is nothing in the world: and so is that man or woman conceived without sin, except Christ, who was conceived by the holy Ghost: as none other ever was, or shall be.  

u Lombard. 3. sent. dist. 3. Bellar. de amissione gratiae, lib. 4. cap. 15.  They ground this assertion upon a place of Augustine: 
x De nat. & gratia, contra Pelagianos, cap. 36. tom. 7. fol. 506.  Excepta sanctae virgine Maria, de qua propter honorem domini, nullam prorsus cum de peccatis agitur, habere volo quaestionem. Answer is made, that Augustine elsewhere concludes all under sin (though he did in that place forbear to rip up the faults of the mother in honour of her son) for in lib. 5. 
y Tom. 7. fol. 742.  cap. 9 against julian the Pelagian, he doth intimate that Mary's body was sinful flesh, concluding peremptorily; 
z fol. 743.  Nullus est hominum praeter Christum, qui peccatum non habuerit grandioris aetatis accessu: quia nullus est hominum praeter Christum, qui peccatum non habuerit infantilis aetatis exortu. So likewise, 
a Tom. 6. fol. 561  lib. de sancta Virginitate, cap. 3. Beatior Maria percipiendo ●idem Christi, quam concipiendo carnem Christi: nihil enim ei materna propinquitas profuisset, nisi foeliciùs Christum cord, quam carne gestasset. And in his 
b Tom. 3. fol. 164  Treatise, De fide ad Petrum (for the Papists admit that book) Firmissime crede, & nullatenus dubites, omnem hominem qui per concubitum viri & mul●eris concipitur, cum peccato originali nasci, & ob hoc natura filium irae. Thus Augustine expounds, and answers Augustine.  
Now for holy Scriptures, if there were no more texts in the Bible, this one is omnisufficient, to accuse Marie of some faults, and the Papists of much folly: My spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. He that hath no sin, wants not a Saviour: but Marie rejoiced in a Saviour, therefore she was sorry for her sin. The whole need not a Physician, saith 
c Matth. 9 12.  Christ: but Marie calls for a salve, therefore surely she had some sore: and if any sin, than she cannot be our Mediatrix, or Advocate. Si peccatrix, non deprecatrix. 
d 1. Epist. john 2. cap.  Our Advocate is our propitiation for sin: 
e 2. Cor. 5. 21.  but the propitiation for sin, knew no sin. Ergo, quae egebat, non agebat advocatum. And therefore Marry, who needed a Saviour herself, could not be a saviour of other.  
Again, we gather out of this pronoun my, Maries particular apprehension and application of Christ's merits against all Papists; who 
f Bellarm. lib. 1. de justific. cap. 7  tea●h that a general confused implicit faith, is enough without any further examination of Scriptures, or distinct belief. Contrary to the practice of Christ, who prayed in our nature and name.  

g Matth. 27. 46.  Deus meus, Deus meus. Of 
h Psal. 118. 28.  David, Thou art my God: of Thomas. 
i joh. 20. 28.  My Lord: of Mary, My Saviour.  
The second part of this Hymn containeth a reason why she did magnify the Lord, namely for his goodness.  

Toward 

Herself. He hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid; he hath magnified me. From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  
Other.     

Regarded.] 
Regarded.  God is said in Scripture to regard three ways, (as Augustine notes upon this place) secundum 

Cognitionem,  
Gratiam,  
Iudiciu●.     
1. His eye of knowledge regardeth all things. Heb. 4. 13 There is not any creature, which is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto him.  
2. His favourable countenance and gracious eye is upon them 
k Psal. 33. 18.  who fear him, and upon them who trust in his mercy.  
3. God in judgement will only regard his elect. For he will say to the reprobate, 
l Matth. 25. 12.  Verily I know ye not. God regarded here Mary with his gracious eye, vouchsafeing to make her both his child, and his mother. The one is a benefit obtained of very 
m Matth. 7. 14.  few: the other denied unto all. It was only granted to Mary to be the mother of Christ, 
n Hugo Lincolniensi● uti Surius in eius vita.  whereas it was denied unto all men, to be the father of Christ.  
This was so great a grace to Mary, that as in this Hymn herself doth prophecy: From henceforth all generations shall account her blessed.  
An Angel of heaven said that she was 
o Luke 1. 28.  full of grace: Gratia plena in se, non àse; in herself, but not of herself. And therefore her soul did magnify the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour; not in regard of her own greatness, but in respect of his goodness. For so she saith, He hath regarded.  
The lowliness] 
Lowliness.  
p Marlor. in loc.  God cannot look above himself, because he hath no superior: nor about himself, for that he hath no equal: he regards only such as are below him; and therefore the lower a man is, the nearer unto God, the more exposed to his sight who looks from above. 
q Psal. 113. 5, 6.  Who is like unto the Lord our God that hath his dwelling so high, and yet humbleth himself to behold the things in heaven and earth? He taketh up the simple out of the dust, and lifteth the poor out of the mire. And Psal. 138. vers. 6. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but as for the proud, he beholdeth them a far off. The most high than hath especial respect to such as are most low.  

Now lowliness in holy Scripture is used both 

Actively, for humility.  
Passively, for humiliation, baseness and affliction.     
Origen, Beda, Bernard construe this of Mary's humility: but I think with the most, and best, that she meant by lowliness, her base degree: 
r Maldonat. in locum.  For, Humilitas dum prod●●ur, perditur. He that brags of his humility, loseth it. It is (saith 
s Com. in cap. 1. Abdiam.  Hierome) the Christians jewel.  
Now, saith 
t Hom. 27.  Macarius, he is a foolish beggar who when he finds a jewel, instantly proclaims it, inveni, inveni: for by this means he that hath lost it, will demand it again: so likewise when we boast of any good gift, the Lord who lent, will resume it.  
It is improbable then that Mary spoke this of her humility: for (as som● 
u jansenius, Beauxamis, Maldonat. in locum.  Popish writers observe) she did in this song ascribe all her happiness to God's mercy, and nothing to her own merit.  
It is true, that as death is the last 
x 1 Cor. 15. 26.  enemy: so pride the last sin that shall be destroyed in us. 
y Innocentius de contemptu mundi, lib. 2. cap. 31.  Inter omnia vitia tu semper es prima, semper es ultima: nam omne peccatum te accedente commuttitur: & te recidente dimittitur. 
z Epist. 56.  Augustine told Dioscorus, Vitia caetera in peccatis, superbia verò etiam in benefactis timenda. When other sins die, secret pride gets strength in us: ex 
a Pet. Chrysolog. ser. 7.  remedijs generat morbos, even virtue is the matter of this vice: in such sort, that a man will be proud, because he is not proud. But this was not Mary's mind to boast, in that she did not boast: but, as the word and coherence more than insinuate, she did understand by lowliness, her mean estate and quality.  
b Iwencus, lib. 1. evang. hist.  Quod me dignatus in altum, erigere ex humili, celsam. 
So doth herself construe the word, vers. 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek: where humble is opposite to mighty, as in this verse the lowliness of Mary to God's highness. I press this point, because some Papists (as 
c Annot. in loc.  Erasmus affirms) have gathered out of this place, that Mary through her modest carriage, worthily deserved to be the mother of Christ. Whereas (besides the reasons alleged) the words of this verse, and the drift of the whole song, confute them abundantly.  
For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, used by Luke, signifieth properly baseness: whereas humility is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and albeit the vulgar Latin read, respexit humilitatem, yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is aspexit, as in our English Bibles, he looked on the poor degree of his handmaid. And this is not only the critical Annotation of Erasmus, but their own jansenius, and Maldonatus observe the same: for her intent was not to magnify herself, but to magnify the Lord.  
here than we may behold Mary's exceeding great misery, and Gods exceeding great mercy: the good Lady's infelicity, who descended of a noble house, yea a royal blood, was notwithstanding a distressed silly maiden, so poor, that, as we read Luke 2. 24. she was not able to buy a young lamb for an offering. See the Gospel on the Purification.  
Let 
d jerem. 9 23.  not the wiseman glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, neither the rich man glory in his riches, nor the Nobleman of his parentage, for one generation passeth, and another cometh: and 
e 1. Sam. 2. 7.  as we have heard, so have we seen, some who came from the sceptre, to hold the plough; and other who came from the plough, to manage the sceptre. And the reason is rendered in this Hymn; The Lord hath put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted the humble and meek: he hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. This was his exceeding great goodness toward Mary, to raise her out of the dust, so to magnify her, as that all generations account her blessed.  
From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.] In the verse before Magnificat, Elizabeth called her blessed: now the Virgin opposeth all men to Elizabeth, and all times to the present, saying; (as 
f In loc.  Theophylact doth note) that not Elizabeth only, but all men, and women, as at this time, so for ever also shall account me blessed. All generations, that is, all men in all generations (as the School doth usually distinguish) genera singulorum, albeit not singuligenerum, (or as 
g In loc.  Euthymius) all people who believe aright in the Son, shall bless the Mother; not all living, but all believing: for Iewes, and Gentiles, and Heretics, in stead of this honour, revile her. 
h Lib. de haeresibus 56. haeres.  Augustine mentioneth Antidicomarianites, helvidius in Hieromes age was (as 
i Lib. contra Lutherum, fol. 8 in margin.  Roffensis terms him) a Mariaemastix; and in our time some are content to give her less, because the Papists have given her more than is due. Let us not make the Spirit of truth a liar, which saith, All generations shall call her blessed. This shall, is officij, not necessitatis: all aught, howsoever all do not bless this blessed Virgin.  
For he that is mighty hath magnified me.] Magna mihi fecit, hath done marvelous things in me. For it is wonderfully singular, and singularly wonderful, that Mary should be both a virgin, and a mother: of such a son a mother, as was her father: he that is mighty, and none but the Almighty could thus magnify Mary: she was blessed in bearing the 
k Rom. 9 5.  most blessed, in whom 
l Gen. 12. 3.  all nations of the earth are blessed. Unto this purpose 
m Hom. 3. super Missus est angelus Gabriel.  Bernard excellently, Non quia tu benedicta, ideo benedictus fructus ventris tui: sed quia ille te praevenit in benedictionibus dulcedinis, ideo tu benedicta.  
Hitherto concerning the goodness of God toward herself: now she remembreth his mercy toward other. 

His mercy is on them that fear him, etc. 

Generally, 

1. In helping and comforting them: He exalteth the humbl● and meek, filling them with all good things.  
2. In scattering and confounding their enemies: He hath scattered the proud, put do●n the mighty from their seat, and sent the rich empty away.    
More specially, 

1. In promising.  
2. In performing his gracious promise touching       the Messias of the world: Remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers Abraham, and his seed for ever. These points are 
n Cant. 2. 5.  flagons of wine to comfort the distressed soul. For if God, who promised in the beginning that the 
o Gen. 3. 15.  seed of the woman should bruise the Serpent's head, deferred his promise almost 4000 years, and yet at length accomplished the same to the very full: then no doubt, God having promised the resurrection of the dead, and everlasting life, will in his good time bring them to pass. That which is past, may confirm our hope touching things to come: For he remembreth his mercy towards his servant Israel, and it is on them that fear him throughout all generations.   

Cantate Domino. Psalm. 98.  
THe Church hath done well in joining to the Magnificat, Psalm 98: for the one is a perfect echo to the other (all 
p August. Hieron. Euthym. Calvin. Genebrard. in loc.  Interpreters agreeing) that David's mystery, and Mary's history, are all one. Whatsoever is obscurely foretold in his Psalm, is plainly told in her Song: as he prophesied, O sing unto the Lord a new song; show yourselves joyful▪ So she practised: My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. And this (
q john 4. 23.  as Christ teacheth) is a new song: The hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth. The voice doth say, Magna fecit, He hath done marvelous things: and the Echo: Magna mihi fecit He hath magnified, or done marvelous things in me. For it is an exceeding wonder (as 
r 1. Tim. 3. 16.  Paul speaks) a great mystery, that God should be manifested in the flesh, that the father of all, should be the son of Mary. Voice: With his own right hand, and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory. Echo: He hath showed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Voice: The Lord declared his salvation, his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the Heathen. Echo: His mercy is on them that fear him, throughout all generations: he hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. Gentiles esurientes, judaeos divites, as Theophylact expounds it.  
Voice: He hath remembered his mercy and truth towards the house of Israel. Echo: He remembering his mercy, hath holpen his servant Israel.  

In the whole Psalm five circumstances are to be considered especially: 

Who.  
What.  
Whereto.  
Wherefore.  
Wherewith.     
1. Who must sing: All men, all things For the Prophet in the latter end of the Psalm doth incite sensible men, by directing his speech unto insensible creatures: Let the sea make a noise, let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful. All which sing Psalms and Hymns in their kind: only man, for whom all these were made, is unkind. 
s Esay 1. 3.  The ox knoweth his owner▪ and the dull a●●e his master's crib: but Israel hath not known, my people hath not understood.  
2. What: Sing a new song. This is man's end, to seek God in this life, to see God in the next: to be a subject in the kingdom of grace, and Saint in the kingdom of glory. Whatsoever in this world befalleth us, we must sing: be thankful for weal, for woe; songs ought always to be in our mouth and sometimes a new song: for so David here, sing a new song: that is, 
t August. in loc.  let us put off the old man, and become new men, 
u 2. Cor. 5. 17.  new creatures in Christ: for the old man sings old songs: only the new man sings a new song, he speaketh with a 
x Mark. 16. 17.  new tongue, and walks in 
y Matth. 2. 12.  new ways: and therefore doth new things, and sings new songs: his language is not of Babylon, or Egypt, but of Canaan: his communication doth edify men, his song glorify God.  
Or a new song, that is, a fresh song, 
z Hieron. in loc.  nova res, nowm canticum; new for a new benefit. Ephes. 5. 20. Give thanks always for all things. It is very gross to thank God only in gross, and not in parcel. Hast thou been sick and now made whole? praise God with the Leper, Luke 17, sing a new song, for this new salve.  
Dost thou hunger and thirst after righteousness; whereas heretofore thou couldst not endure the words of exhortation and doctrine? sing a new song for this new grace. Doth almighty God give thee a true sense of thy sin; whereas heretofore thou didst draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with cart-ropes, and waste given over to work all uncleanness, even with greediness? O sing, sing, sing a new song for this new mercy.  
Or new, that is, 
a Calvin. in loc.  no common or ordinary song, but as God's mercy toward us is exceeding marvelous and extraordinary, so our thanks ought to be most exquisite, and more than ordinary: not new in regard of the matter; for we may not pray to God, or praise God, otherwise than he hath prescribed in his word, which is the old way, but new in respect of the manner and making, that as occasion is offered, we may beat our wits after the best fashion to be thankful.  
Or, because this Psalm is prophetical, a new song, that is, 
b Augustin. & Turre●rematensis in loc.  the song of the glorious Angels at Christ's birth, 
c Luke 2. 14.  Glory to God on high, peace in earth, towards men good will; a song which the world never heard before: that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpent's head is an old song, the first that ever was sung: but this was no plain song; till Christ did manifest himself in the flesh. In the old Testament there were many old songs, but in the new Testament a new song.  
That unto us is borne a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, in many respects a new song: for whereas Christ was but shadowed in the Law, he is showed in the Gospel: and new, because sung of new men, of all men. 
d Rom. 10. 18.  For the sound of the Gospel is gone through all the earth, unto the ends of the world: whereas in old time God's old songs were sung in jury, his name great in Israel, at Salem his Tabernacle, and dwelling in Zion: Psal. 76.  
3. Whereto] To the Lord. See before Psalm 95.  
4. Wherefore] For he hath done marvelous things: he hath opened his greatness and goodness to the whole world, in his creation, and preservation, in his redemption especially, being a work of greater might and mercy then all the rest: for in the creation he made man like himself; but in the redemption he made himself like man. 
e Granatensis con. 2. Dom. 1. advent.  Illic participes nos fecit bonorum suorum: hîc particeps est factus malorum nostrorum. In making the world, he spoke the word only and it was done: but to redeem the world, dixit multa, & fecit mira, saith the text: Passus est dura verba, duriora verbera. The creation of the world was a work as it were of his fingers: Psal. 8. 3. When I consider the heaven, even the work of thy fingers. But the redemption (as it is here called) is the work of his arm: With his own right hand, and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory.  
So that if the jews observed a Sabbath in honour of the world's creation; how many festivals ought we to keep in thankful remembrance of our redemption? As Diogenes said, every day was an holy day to a good man, so every day should be a Sunday to the Christian man.  
Aquinas excellently: Bonum gratiae unius, maius est quam bonum naturae totius universi: The saving of one soul is a greater work, than the making of a whole world: 12. quaest. 113. art. 9  

5. Wherewith: in a literal sense with all kind of 
f Augustin. in Psalmum ult.  music, 

Vocal: Sing to the Lord.  
Chordall: Praise him upon the Harp.  
Pneumatical: With trumpets, etc.     
In an allegorical exposition (as 
g In locum.  Euthymius interprete it) we must praise God in our actions, and praise him in our contemplation: praise him in our words, praise him in our works: praise him in our life, praise him at our death: being not only temples (as 
h 1. Cor. 3 16.  Paul) but (as 
i In Protreptico.  Clemens Alexandrinus calls us) Timbrels also of the holy Ghost.  Nunc dimittis, or the song of Simeon.  
Luke 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. 

k Ovid epist. Hero. 7. epist.  Sic ubi f●ta vocant, udis abiectus in herbis,  
Ad vada Maeandri conci●it albus olor.  
As the Swanue, so Simeon in his old age, ready ●o leave the world, did sing more sweetly than ever he did before, Lord now lettest &c.  
The which Hymn is a thanksgiving to God, for giving his Son to redeem his servants.  

And it hath two principal parts: in the 

1. He rejoiceth in regard of his own particular: vers. 29. 30.  
2. In regard of the general good our Saviour Christ brought to the whole world: vers. 31. 32.     

In the first note 2. things especially: 

1. His willingness to die: Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.  
2. The reason of this willingness: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.     
Lord] The Papists often in their life, 
Lord.  specially at their death, use to commend themselves and their souls unto the protection of the blessed Virgin: Maria matter gratiae, tu nos ab host besiege, & horamortis susc●pe. This is their doctrine, 
l Lib. de beatitudine Sanctorum, cap. 17.  Bellarmine avoweth it: this is their practice; Father Garnet at his execution used this form of prayer twice publicly. But old Simeon here forgetting our Lady, though she were present, commends his soul to the Lord, who redeemed it, Lord now lettest thou etc.  
Now] Simeon assuredly was not afraid to die before: but because a 
m Luke 2. 26.  revelation was given unto him from the holy Ghost that he should not see death, until he saw the Messias, he was exceeding desirous to live, that he might see the word of the Lord fulfilled. 
n Calvin. in loc.  And therefore men abuse this example, saying they will be contented to die, when such and such things come to pass, when all their daughters be well married, and all their sons well placed. Old Simeon had a revelation for that he did, whereas we have no warrant from God, for many things we fond desire; so that whether God grant them, or not, we must submit ourselves unto his good pleasure, Now and ever ready to depart in peace, when he doth call: taking unto us the resolution of job; The Lord giveth, & the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord.  
Lettest thou] We may not ourselves lose our souls, 
Lettest thou.  but let God let them out of prison. We must seek to mortify the flesh, and to cast the world out of us: but to cast ourselves out of the world, is an 
o Thomas 22ae. quaest. 64. a●t 5.  offence against 

God.  
Our neighbour.  
Ourselves.    
Against God: who saith, Thou shalt not kill: if not another, much less thyself. 
p Luke 10. 27.  For thou must love thy neighbour as thyself: first thyself, than thy neighbour as thyself. The nearer, the dearer. I 
q Deut. 32. 39  kill, and give life, saith the Lord: we are not masters of our life, but only stewards: and therefore may not spend it, or end it, as we please: but as God, who bestowed it, will.  
Against our neighbours: because men are not borne for themselves alone, but for other also: being all members of one commonweal and politic body: so that (as 
r 1. Cor. 12. 26.  Paul saith) if one member suffer, all suffer with it. 
s Arist. Ethic. lib. 5. cap. ult.  Homo quilibet est pars communitatis: Every particular person is part of the whole State. This is the true reason, why the King doth take so precise an account of the death even of his basest subject, because himself, and the whole kingdom had interest in him.  
Against ourselves: Because by natural instinct every creature labours to preserve itself; the fire striveth with the water, the water fighteth with the fire, the most silly worm doth contend with the most strong man to preserve itself: and therefore we may not butcher ourselves, but expect God's leisure and pleasute to let us depart in peace.  
Thy servant] It is not a servile service, 
Thy servant.  but a perfect freedom to serve the Lord. And therefore as the good Empetour Theodosius held it more noble to be membrum Ecclesis, q●●●●caput Imperij: so may we resolve that it is better to be a servant of God, than Lord of all the world. For while we serve him, all other creatures on earth and in heaven too serve us: Heb. 1. 14.  
In choosing a master, every man will shun principally three sorts of men: his 

Enemy.  
Fellow.  
Servant.    
He serveth his greatest enemy, who serveth the Devil: his fellow, who serveth the lust of his flesh: his servant, who serveth the world. It is a base service to serve the world: for that is to become a vassal unto our servant. It is an uncertain service to serve the flesh: this master is so choleric, so weak, so sickly, so fickle, that we may look every day to be turned out of his doors: and that which is worst of all, he is least contented, when he is most satisfied. Like to the Spa●●ard, a bad servant, but a worse master. It is an unthrifty service to serve the Devil, all his wages is death: the more service we do him, the worse is our estate. But he that serves God, hath the greatest Lord, who is most able; and the best Lord, who is most willing to prefer his followers: and therefore let us say with Simeon, and boast with 
t Psal. 116. 14.  David: O Lord I am thy servant, I am thy servant. See the Epistle on Simons and judes day.  
Depart] 
Depart.  Here first note the soul's immortality: Death is not 
u Cyprian serm. de mortalitate.  exitus, but transitus; not obitus, but abitus; not a dying, but a departing, a transmigration and exodus out of our earthly pilgrimage, unto our heavenly home. 
x Ibidem & August. epist. 6.  Fratres mortui, non sunt amissi, sed praemissi: 
y Tertull. lib. de patientia.  profectio est, quam p●tas mortem: A passage from the valley of death, unto the land of the living.  

z 2. Sam. 12. 23.  David said of his dead child, I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 
a Matth. 22. 32.  Christ confirms this: Have you not read what is spoken of God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of jacob? Now God, saith Christ, is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Abraham then is alive, Isaac alive, jacob alive; they cannot be said truly dead: but (as Simeon here) departed.  
The two receptacles of all souls after this life, Hell and Heaven, infallibly demonstrate this point. 
b Luke 16. 22.  Lazarus dieth, and his soul is presently conveyed by blessed Angels unto the bosom of Abraham: unhappy Dives dieth and his soul is setcht and snatched away by foul fiends unto the bottomless pit of hell.  
As God's eternal decrees have an end without a beginning: so the souls of men have a beginning without an end. The soul and body part for a time, but they shall meet again to receive an irrevocable doom, either of, Come ye blessed, or, Go ye cursed.  
Secondly, note that dying is the 
c Theophylact.  losing of our soul from her bonds and fetters: our flesh is a sink of sin, the prison of the mind, 
d Plato in cratylo.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
e Petrarcha de remedies, lib. 1. dialog. 5.  Qui gloriatur in viribus corporis, gloriatur in viribus carceris. And therefore when Plato 
f Ficinus in vita Platonis.  saw one of his school was a little too curious in pampering his body, said wittily: What do you mean to make your prison so strong?  
So that a soul departed is set at liberty: like a bird that is escaped out of a cage.  
The world is so full of evils, as that to write them all, would require another world so great as itself. 
g Petrarcha praefat. in lib. de remedijs utriusque fortunae.  Initium vitae caecitas & oblivio possidet, progressum labour, dolour exitum, error omnia: Childhood is a foolish simplicity, youth a rash heat, manhood a carking carefulness, old age a noisome languishing. Diu 
h Hieron. epist. Paulino, tom. 1. pag. 102.  vivendo portant funera sua, & quasi sepulchra dealbata plena sunt ossibus mortuorum. It may be said of an old man, as 
i Plato in Axioc●o.  Bias of the Mariner: Nec inter vivos, nec inter mortuos: (and as Plutarch of Sardanapalus, and S. 
k 1. Tim. 5. 6.  Paul of a widow living in pleasure) that he is dead and buried even while he liveth: and so passing from age to age, we pass from evil to evil; it is but one wave driving another, until we arrive at the haven of death. 
l Altercatio cum Hadriano Imperat.  Epictetus' spoke more like a Divine than a Philosopher: Homo calamitatis fabula, infoelicitatis tabula. Though a King by war or wile should conquer all the proud earth, yet he gets but a needle's point, a mote, a mite, a nit, a nothing. So that while we strive for things of this world, we fight as it were like children, for pins and points. And therefore 
m Phil. 1. 23.  Paul desired to be loosed, and to be with Christ▪ and 〈◊〉 (as some Divines observe) prayeth here to be dismissed, (as 
n Com. in Lucam lib. 2. cap. 2.  Ambrose doth read) dimit: Lord let loose. 
o Ser. de mort.  Cyprian and 
p Hom. 15. in Lucam.  Origen, dim●●tes, in the future: as if he should say, Now Lord I hope thou wil● suffer me to depart. Howsoever the word in the present, imports that death is a 
q Beauxamis in locum.  goal-delivery: Nunc dimi●●isseruum: Now Lord thou settest free thy servant: as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used, Act. 16. 35. Luke 23. 17.  

r Mantuan. in 1. parthenic. Marian. In peace.  Nam quid longa dies nobis, nis● longa dolorum  
Collwies? longs patientia carceris aets.  

In peace] 
s Lexicon Theolog. verb. pax.  There are three kinds of peace: 

external  
Internal  
Eternal  
Peace of 

World.  
Mind.  
God.       

Or more plainly, peace between 

Man and man.  
God and man.  
Man and himself.     
The last kind is meant here, though assuredly Simeon had all three: for our peace with God, and so far as is possible love toward all men, breeds in us a third peace, the which is the contentation of our mind and peace of conscience: for which every man ought to labour all his life; but at his death especially, that comfortably departing he may sing with old Simeon: Lord now lettest &c.  
I know many men have died discontent and raving, without any sentiment of this comfortable peace, to man's imagination, and yet notwithstanding were doubtless Gods elect children. For, as 
t De doctrina Christiana, lib. 1. cap. 14.  Augustine, many works of God concerning our salvation are done in, and by their contraries. In the creation, all things were made, not of something, but of nothing, clean contrary to the course of nature. In the work of redemption, he doth give life, not by life, but by death, and that a most accursed death. Optimum fecit instrumentum vitae, quod erat pessimum mortis genus. In our effectual vocation, he calls us by the Gospel, 
u 1. Cor. 2. 23.  unto the jews a stumbling block, unto the world mere foolishness, in reason more likely to drive men from God, then to win and woo men to God. And when it is his pleasure that any should depend upon his goodness and providence, he makes them feel his anger, and to be nothing in themselves, that they may rely altogether upon him. And thus happily the child of God, through 
x Acts. 14. 22.  many tribulations, and, to our thinking, through the gulf of desperation, enters into the kingdom of heaven. The love of God is like a Sea, into which when a man is cast, he neither seeth bank, nor feeleth bottom.  

For there is a twofold presence of God in his children: 

1. Felt and perceived.  
2. Secret and unknown.     
Sometime God is not only present with his elect, but also makes them sensibly perceive it, as Simeon here did: and therefore his mourning was turned into mirth, and his sobs into songs.  
Again, sometime God is present, but not felt: and this secret presence sustains us in all our troubles and temptatations: it intertaineth life in our souls, when as to our judgement we are altogether dead, as there is life in trees when they have cast their leaves. And therefore let no man be dismayed, howsoever dismayed: for God doth never leave those, whom he doth love: but his comfortable spirit is a secret friend, and often doth us most good, when we least perceive it: Esay 41. 10 etc. 43. 2.  
According to thy word.] 
According to thy word. ] If God promise, we may presume, 
y Numb. 23. 19  for he is not like man, that he should lie: neither as the son of man, that he should repent. This should teach us to be hoiie, 
z Leuit. 19 2.  as God our Father is holy, 
a Ephes. 5. 1.  being followers of him as dear children. As he doth ever keep his word with us; so let us ever keep our oaths and promises one with another. It is well observed, that aequinocation and lying is a kind of unchastity: for the mouth and mind are coupled together in holy marriage: Matth. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. And therefore when the tongue doth speak that which the heart never thought, our speech is conceived in adultery, and he that breeds such bastard children, offends not only against charity, but also against chastity.  
Men say they must lie sometime for advantage, but it is a good conclusion both in religion, and common experience, that honesty is the best policy, and truth the only durable armour of proof. The shortest way commonly, the foulest, the fairer way not much about. 
b Psal. 15.  Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest upon thine holy hill? even he that speaketh the truth from his heart, he that useth no deceit in his tongue, he that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not.  
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation] I have seen the Messias, 
The reason why Simeon was willing to die.  in whom, and by whom thy salvation is wrought and brought unto us. As Simeon saw Christ's humanity with the eyes of his body: so he saw Christ's Divinity long before with the piercing eyes of faith. He knew that the little babe which he lulled in his arms, was the great God, whom the heaven of heavens could not contain: and therefore believing in the Lord of life, he was not afraid of death: but instantly breaks forth into this sweet song, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have etc.  
Death is unwelcome to carnal men, as 
c Arist. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 9  Aristotle said, Of all Terribles the most Terrible. 
d Philip Morney Treat. of life and death.  They cry out upon the miseries of life, and yet when death cometh, they do as little children, who all the day complain, but when the medicine is brought them, are nothing sick: as they who all the week run up and down the house with pain of the teeth, and seeing the Barber come to pull them out, feel no more torment: as tender bodies in a pricking pleurisy call, and cannot stay for a Surgeon, and yet when they see him whetting his lancet to cut the throat of the disease, pull in their arms and hide them in the bed. And the true reason hereof is want of faith, because they do not unfeignedly believe that Christ jesus 
e Ephes. 4 8.  hath led captivity captive, 
f 1. Cor. 15. 54.  that he hath swallowed up death in victory by his death, and opened unto us the gates of eternal life. 
g Luke 23. 42.  The blessed thief upon the Cross died joyfully, because he saw Christ, and believed also that he should pass from a place of pain to a paradise of pleasure. 
h Acts 7. 56.  S. Stephen died joyfully, because he saw the heavens open, and Christ standing at the right hand of the Father. Here S●meon departed joyfully, because his eyes saw the salvation of the Lord.  
As there are two degrees of faith, so two sorts of Christians; one weak, another strong. The weak Christian is willing to live, and patient to die: but the strong patient to live, and willing to die.  
That a man may depart in peace, two things are requisite:  

1. Preparation before death.  
2. A right disposition at death.   
Both which are procured only by faith in Christ. If a man were to fight hand to hand with a mighty Dragon, in such wise that either he must kill or be killed, his best course were to bereave him of his poison and sting. Death is a Serpent, and the sting, wherewith he woundeth us, is sin: so saith 
i 1. Cor. 15. 56.  S. Paul, The sting of death is sin. Now the true believer understands and knows assuredly that Christ jesus hath satisfied the law, and then if no law, no sin: and if no sin, death hath no sting: well may death hiss, but it cannot hurt: 
k Psal. 32. 1.  when our unrighteousness is forgiven, and sin covered, Christ both in life and death is advantage: Philip. 1. 21.  
Faith also procureth a right disposition and behaviour at death: for even as when the children of Israel in the wilderness were stung with fiery Serpents, and lay at the point of death, 
l Numb. 21. 9  they looked up to the Brazen Serpent, erected by Moses according to God's appointment, and were presently cured: so when any feel death draw near with his fiery sting, to pierce the heart, they must fix the eye of a true faith upon Christ exalted on the Cross, beholding death not in the glass of the Law, which giveth death an ugly face: but in the Gospel's glass, setting forth death, not as death, but as a 
m 1. Cor. 11. 30.  sleep only. Faith is the spear which killeth our last enemy: for when a man is sure that his 
n job 19 25.  redeemer liveth, and that this 
o 1. Cor. 15. 54.  corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality; well may he sing with old Simeon, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: and triumph over the grave with Paul; O death where is thy sting! O hell where is thy victory! The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law: but thanks be given unto God, which giveth us victory through our Lord jesus Christ. And thus much of the reason, why Simeon was not afraid of death: namely, for that he did hold in his arms, and behold with his eyes, the Lord Christ, 
p john 11. 25.  who is the resurrection and the life: he could say with a true heart unto God, 
q Psal 31. 16.  thou art my God: and his soul did hear God saying unto him by his word, 
r Psal. 35. 3.  I am thy salvation.  
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people.] The second part of this Hymn, concerning the general good our Saviour brought to the whole world.  

Wherein two points are to be noted especially: 

1. What are his benefits.  
2. To whom they belong.     
The benefits are salvation, light, and glory. So that the world without Christ, lieth in damnation, darkness, and shame. jesus is a Saviour, 
s Acts 4. 12.  neither is there salvation in any other: he is the 
t john 1. 9 & 8. 12.  light of the world, and sun of righteousness, without whom all men sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, as Zacharias in his song: he is our glory, without whom nothing belongs unto us but 
u Baruch. 1. 15.  confusion and shame. These benefits are so great, that they ought to be had in a 
x Psal. 111. 4.  perpetual remembrance. Christ himself commanded his last supper to be reiterated often, and the Church enjoineth this Hymn to be sung daily, in a thankful memorial hereof.  
But unto whom appertain these benefits? Unto all. So saith the text, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. 
y Esay. 52. 10.  The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the sight of all the Gentiles, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Christ is set up as a 
z Esay 11. 10.  sign to the people, and happily for this cause, among other, he was borne in a 
a Luke 2. 7.  common Inn, frequented by men of all sorts: and the first news of the Gospel was preached in open fields, Luk. 2. as prepared before the face of all people.  
But here we must observe, that albeit salvation pertains to all, yet all pertain not to it: none pertain to it, but such as take benefit by it: and none take benefit by it, no more then by the brazen Serpent, but they who fix their eyes on it. If we desire salvation, light, and glory, we must (as old Simeon) embrace Christ ioyiully, and hold him in our arms of faith steadfastly.  
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles.] If any shall demand why Simeon here calls Christ the light of the Gentiles, and glory of the jews, rather than the glory of Gentiles, and light of the jews: answer is made that there is a twofold darkness: 

sin..  
Ignorance.    
Sin is called in holy Scriptures a work of darkness for divers respects:  
1. Because it is committed against God, 
b 1. Epist. john 1. 5.  who is light, through the suggestion of Satan, 
c Ephes. 6. 12.  who is the prince of darkness.  
2. Because sin for the most part is committed in the dark: 
e 1. Thes. 5. 7.  They that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night.  
3. Because sin deserveth eternal darkness: 
f Matth. 25. 30.  Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness.  
4. Because sin is committed especially through the darkness of understanding: for Satan usually blindeth our eyes of reason, and religion, and makes sin appear not in it own name and nature, but under the name and habit of virtue.  
Now in regard of this kind of darkness, Christ was a light to the jews, as well as to the Gentiles: Esay 60. 1. Arise O jerusalem, be bright, for thy light is come. john 1. 9 Christ doth lighten every man that cometh into the world.  
The second kind of darkness is ignorance: the light of the body is the eye, so the eye of the soul is the understanding: and therefore as Christ saith, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? The jews in this respect were not in such darkness as the Gentiles; having the Law, the Prophets, the sacrifices and exercises of holy religion: In jury was God known, his name great in Israel, at Salem was his Tabernacle, his dwelling in Zion: whereas the 
g Ephes. 2. 12.  Gentiles were strangers and aliens from the covenants of promise, without hope, without God in the world: but now Christ 
h Esay 42. 6.  the light of the Gentiles, yea of the whole world, hath broken down the partition wall, and made of 
i Ephes. 2. 14.  Both, one; all people, God's people. For as the 
k Matth. 5. 45.  natural Sun shineth indifferently upon the good and evil: so the 
l Mal. 4. 2.  Sun of righteousness showeth his glorious saving light before the face of all people; to lighten and open our eyes, that we may turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God: Acts 26. 18.  
Howsoever Christ be the light of all people, yet (as it followeth) he is The glory of his people Israel, unto whom pertained the 
m Rom. 9 4.  adoption, and the glory, and the covenants. He was promised unto them, borne of them, bred up them, he lived, preached, acted his great wonders among them: in all which respects, he may be fitly called Israel's glory.  
Hence we may learn, first, that the Gospel is the greatest honour of a State.  
Secondly, that all our glory depends on Christ our head, who is the King of glory.  
Thirdly, that a good man, especially a good Preacher, is a great ornament to the Country wherein the liveth: Athanaius is 
n Nazianzen ad Herenem.  called the eye of his time; 
o Baronius Annal. tom. 9 fol. 338.  Albinus, England's Library; 
p Bucanus praefat. loc. come.  Melancthon, the Phoenix of Germany; Christ, the glory of Israel.   

Deus Misereatur.  
THe parallel of Nunc dimittis is the 67. Psalm, being a 
q Augustin. Hieron. Hilar. Euthym. etc.  propecie of Christ, who is the 
r Hieron. Euthym. Interlinearis gloss.  countenance of God: Heb. 1. 3. Coloss. 1. 15. For, 
s Bellarm. Cat. cap. 3.  even as when one looks in a glass, presently he produceth an image of himself, so like, as no difference can be found, in so much as it is not only like in shape, but in moving also, yet made without instruments in a moment with one look only: so God the Father beholding himself in the glass of his Divinity, doth produce a countenance most like himself. And because he hath given unto this image all his own being, (which we cannot in beholding ourselves in a glass) therefore that image is the true Son of God, very God of very God: whereas the Psalmist therefore: Show the light of thy countenance. Simeon; Mine eyes have seen thy salvation. The Psalmist, That thy ways may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Simeon; Thou hast prepared salvation before the face of all people. The Psalmist: Let the people praise thee, that is, the 
t Euthymius in locum.  jews, let all the people, that is, the Genttiles: O let the nations rejoice and be glad, etc. Simeon: A light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel.  

In the whole Psalm two points are specially regardable: 

Affectus: A request of the Church in the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. verses:  
Effectus: A grant of God in the 6. 7. verses.     

In the former observe 

Petitions for 

Ourselves, in the 1. 

Generally: God be merciful & bless us.  
Specially: Show us the light of thy countenance.    
Other, in the 2. 3. 4.    
Repetitions: God be merciful unto us. And again: Be merciful unto us: let the people etc. And again: Let the people, let all the people praise thee.     
God be merciful.] He is the 
u 2. Cor. 1. 3.  father of mercies: Ergo, we must fly to him for mercy. Deus meus misericordia mea, saith David in the 59 Psalm. 
x August. in Psal. 58.  Si dicas salus mea, intelligo quia dat salutem: si dicas refugium meum, intelligo quia confugis ad eum: si dicas fortitudo mea, intelligo quia dat fortitudinem. Misericordia mea: quid est? totum quicquid sum, de misericordia tua est. And therefore seeing God's mercy is the fountain of all goodness, we 
y Hilar. & Felinus in loc.  must first desire him to be merciful, and then to bless us, he that hath enough mercy, shall never want any blessing. 
z Musculus in locum.  The word original signifieth rather favour, than pity; because pity is showed only in adversity, not in prosperity: whereas favour in both: and therefore the vulgar Latin, Deus misereatur, happily not so sufficient, as Deus faveat: Be favourable O Lord, and so merciful as to bless us: that is, not only to deliver us from evil, but also to give whatsoever is good. In more particular, Show us the light of thy countenance.] 
a Augustin. in locum.  Every man doth desire blessing, but the good man only this blessing: 
b Gloss. ordinar. in locum.  all other are blessings of the left hand, common to the wicked with the godly; but this a blessing of the right hand, which only belongs unto Gods elect.  
God looks on the reprobate like an angry judge with a cloudy countenance: but beholds all his adopted children in Christ as a merciful father, with a gracious aspect. Show us thy countenance, that is, endue us with true knowledge of thy word, and a lively faith in thy Son, which is thine own image and countenance, where we may learn to confess with 
c Phil. 2. 8.  Paul, that all other things are but loss, in comparison of the superexcellent knowledge of Christ jesus: 
d john 17. 3.  for it is eternal life to know God, and whom he hath sent jesus Christ.  
That thy way may be known.] As light, so the participation of God's light is communicative: we must not pray for ourselves alone, but for all other, that God's way may be known upon earth, and his saving health among all nations. Thy way, that is, thy will, thy word, thy works. 
e Hieron. in locum.  God's will must be known on earth, that it may be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Except we know our Masters will, how shall we do it? Ergo, first pray with David here: Let thy way be known upon earth: and then let all the people praise thee. God's will is revealed in his word, and his word is his 
f Deut. 5. 32. 33  way wherein we must walk, turning neither to the right hand, nor to the left: or thy way 
g Felinus in locum. , that is, thy works, as David elsewhere, Psalm. 25. 9 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. 
h Aug. Hieron. Hilar.  Or as other most fitly, Thy way, that is, thy Christ, Thy saving health, that is, thy jesus: for I am the way, saith our Saviour: john 14. 6. No man cometh to the Father but by me: wherefore let thy son be known upon earth, thy jesus among all nations.  
At this time God was known in jury: but (saith Hierome) God's way was unknown, his son was not as yet manifested in the flesh: this (as 
i 1. Cor. 2. 7.  Paul speaks) was his wisdom: but now revealed, as S. john in his first 
k Cap. 1. vers. 1.  epistle, We have heard, we have seen with our eyes, and our ha●ds have handled of the word of life. Blessed eyes, happy ears: for 
l Luke 10. 24.  I tell you many Proph●●● and Kings have desired to see the things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things which you hear, and have not heard them.  
Let the people praise thee.] 
m Musculus in locum.  Mark the sweet order of the blessed Spirit: first mercy, than knowledge: last of all, praising of God. We cannot see his countenance, except he be merciful unto us: and we cannot praise him, except his way be known upon earth: his mercy breeds knowledge, his knowledge praise. We must praise God, always for all things, Ephes. 5. 20. but especially for his saving health among all nations. And this is the true reason why the Church in her Liturgy doth use so many Hymns, 
The reason why the Church doth use so many evangelical Hymns in our Liturgy.  and give so much thanks unto God for the redemption of the world. Wherein assuredly she did imitate the blessed Apostles in composing the Creed: the greatest part whereof (as hath been noted) is spent in the doctrine which concerneth our Saviour Christ.  
Let all the people] Some mislike the Litany, for that it hath a petition for all men, and all people: yet we have both a precept, and a precedent out of Gods own book: the Commandment is, 1. Tim. 2. I exhort that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. The practice of God's Church is apparent in this place: let the people, let all the people, which the Psalmographer uttered from the spirit of God, as the mouth of God: and therefore let men construe the Church, as the Scripture, when as the Church doth speak Scripture, lest they wipe out of the Bible many good lessons, (as 
n Lib. 5. advers. Martion. Sinon spongia, lingua tamen & perversa interpretatione.  Tertulli in said of Martion) if not with a sponge, yet with a peevish and overthwart interpretation. And here let the Novelist also remember, that both our 
o Book of the form of Common prayer, imprinted at M●dd●churg. 1586.  English reformers, and the Churches of Scotland, use the same petition for all men, in their prayers after the Sermon.  
O let the nations rejoice and be glad.] 
p Calum. in loc.  It is observed to good purpose, that this clause is inserted fitly between that doubled exclamation, Let the people praise thee: because none can praise God well, except they do it heartily with joy and gladness. For as the Lord loves a 
q 2. Cor. 9 7.  cheerful giver, so likewise a cheerful 
r Psal. 81. 1.  thanksgiver. 
s Musculus in locum.  God is terrible to the wicked, but a God of gladness to such as have seen the light of his countenance: for being reconciled unto God, they have such inward joy and peace, 
t Philip. 4. 7.  that it passeth all understanding.  
For thou shalt judge the folk righteously.] The Psalmist here may seem to contradict himself: for if mercy make men rejoice, than judgement occasioneth men to tremble. Answer is made, that all such as have known the ways of the Lord, and rejoice in the strength of his salvation, all such as have the pardon of their sins assured, and sealed, fear not that dreadful assize, because they know the judge is their advocate. Or, (as Hierome) let all nations rejoice, because God doth judge righteously, being the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the jews, Acts 10. 34. 
u Hieron. Calu. Felinus.  Or, let all nations rejoice, because God doth govern all nations; that whereas 
x Acts 14. 16.  heretofore they wandered in the fond imaginations of their own hearts, in wry ways, in by-ways; now they are directed by the spirit of truth to walk in Gods high way which leads unto the celestial jerusalem: now they shall know Christ the way, the truth, and the life. For judging, is used often for ruling: 1. Sam. 7. 15. 2. Cor. 1. 10. So David here doth expound himself: Thou shalt judge: that is, thou shalt govern the nations.  
Upon earth.] Not excluding things above, but openly meeting with their impiety, who think God careth not for the things below: for 
y Cicero de nature deorum lib. ●.  Epicurus in old time so taught, & Epicures in our time so live, as if almighty God did not mark what were done well or ill upon earth. 
z Psal. 94. 8.  O ye fools when will ye understand? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that made the eye, shall he not see? 
a August. ep. 111  Totus oculus est, quia omnia videt: totus manus est, quia omnia operatur: totus pes est, quia ubique est: as 
b Epist. 41. Lucilio.  Seneca like a Divine: Prope à te est Deus, tecum est, intus est. Ita dico Lucili, sacer intra nos spiritus sedet, malorum bonorumque obseruator & custos.  
Let the people.] This, and other manifest repetitions in this Psalm, may serve for a warrant to justify the repetitions in our Liturgy: but I will answer the Novelist in the words of Paul, Rom. 2. In that thou blamest another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest, dost the same thing.  
The reformers in one of their prayers after the Sermon, use repetition, and that of the Lords prayer, and in such sort, that within a very narrow room it is first expounded paraphrastically, then again reiterated every word particularly. So likewise the Scotish Church in the ministration of Baptism doth enjoin that the Creed be repeated twice. First the father, or in his absence the Godfather propounds it, and then instantly the Minister expounds it. Wherefore that worthy 
c Master Perkins Treat, how to apply God's word: sect. 10.  Divine most truly, there is in England a schismatical and undiscreet company, that would seem to cry out for discipline, their whole talk is of it, and yet they neither know it, nor will be reform by it.  
Then shall the earth.] Literally the earth which was cursed for man's sin, shall, through God's blessing, give her increase. 
d Psal. 56. 14.  The valleys shall stand thick with corn, and our 
e Psal. 144. 13.  garners shall be full with all manner of store. So that if the 
f joel 1. 12.  vine be dried up, or the fig three decayed, if our corn be blasted, or grain so thin, that the 
g Psal. 129. 7.  mower cannot fill his hands, nor he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom: we must remember it is for our unthankfulness and sin. For if all the people praise the Lord, then shall the earth bring forth her increase. See the two first Chapters of joel.  
In a mystical sense: Mary 
h Euthymius & Genebrard. in locum.  shall bring forth Christ: 
i Augustin. in locum.  or, the blessed Apostles by preaching in all corners of the world shall bring forth increase to God, a great harvest. This prophecy was fulfilled, Acts 2. when S. Peter in one sermon converted about three thousand souls: 
k Musculus in locum.  or earth, that is, all men on earth shall bring forth fruit unto God, when as they shall know him, and praise him. Let the people etc. let all the people praise, then shall the earth bring forth increase.  
God, even our own God.] Out of this sentence the 
l Hieron. Euthymius etc.  Fathers, and 
m 〈…〉 Tittelman, etc.  other Interpreters observe generally the Trinity and unity of God: the Trinity in the threefold repetition of the word God▪ unity in the pronoun him, all the ends of the world shall fear him: in the singular, not them, in the plural. It is very remarkable that Christ the second person is called our God: God▪ even our God, as being ours in many respects, as having taken upon him our flesh, living among us, and at length also dying for us. Immanuel God with us, Esay 7. 14. Matth. 1. 23. He bore 
n Esay 53. 4.  our infirmities, and answered for our 
o 1. Pet. 2. 24.  iniquities, our 
p 1. Ep. I●h. ●. 2.  reconcilivion, and our 
q Ephes. 2. 14.  peace, through whom and in whom God is ours, and we are his: Can. 6. 2.  
All the ends of the world shall fear him.] In the 4 verse David desired earnestly that all nations might be glad, and rejoice: now that they may fear: teaching us hereby to serve the Lord in fear, and to rejoice unto him with reverence: Psal. 2. 11. So to fear him, as to serve him with 
r Psal. 100 1.  gladness: and so to rejoice in him, as to work 
s Philip. 2. 12.  out our salvation in fear and trembling: without joy we shall despair, without fear presume.  
The fear of God (as Solomon speaks) is the beginning of wisdom, not only principium, but praecipium; not only primum, but primarium: and therefore as it is called the beginning of wisdom, Prou. 1. 7; so likewise the end of all: Ecclesiastes 12. 13. ●et us hear the end of all, fear God, and keep his commandments.  
This fear is not slavish, a distractive and destructive fear, which overthroweth our assurance of saith, and spiritual comfort: for such a fear God forbids, Esay 35 4. Luke 12. 32. but it is a filial and awful regarding fear, Terrens à malo, tenens in bono: being an inseparable companion of a lively faith, and therefore commanded in God's word, and commended in his servants: old 
t Luke 2. 25.  Simeon a just man, and one that feared God: 
u Acts 10. 2.  Cornelius a devout man, and one that feared God: 
job. 1. 1.  job a just man, & one that feared God: and here God is said to bless the Church, in that all the ends of the world shall fear him.   

Quicunque vult.  
THe learned Athanasian Creed consists of two special parts, unfolding fully the two chief secrets of holy belief: namely, 

The 

Unity and Trinity of God.  
Incarnation and passion of Christ.      
The which are called the principal mysteries of our faith, because in the former is contained the first beginning and last end of man: in the second, the only and most effectual mean to know the first beginning, and how to attain unto the last end. So that Athanasius hath comprehended in a very narrow room both the beginning and middle and end of all our felicity. For this happily called, the world's eye, because he did see so much, and pierce so far into these unsearchable and ineffable mysteries.  
And as this excellent Confession is a key of belief; 
Litany.  so the Litany following, is as a common treasure house of all good devotion. It may be said of the Church in composing that exquisite prayer, as it was of Origen, writing upon the Canticles: In caeteris alios omnes vicit, in hoc seipsam. In other parts of our Liturgy she surpasseth all other: but in this herself.  
These points (I confess) come not now within the compass of my walk: but I purpose pro Nosse & posse to justify them, and all other portions of our Communion book in my larger expositions upon the Gospels and Epistles, as the text shall occasion me justly. The next eminent Scripture to be considered in this Tract is the Decalogue, recorded Exod. 20. 1.   

The Decalogue.  
Then God spoke all these words and said, I am the Lord thy God, etc.  
THe Law was imprinted at the first in man's 
y Rom. 2. 15.  heart: the which is acknowledged even by profane Poets, as well as divine Prophets in general.  

z Juvenal. satire. 13.  Exemplo quodcunque malo committitur, ipsi  
displicet authori: prima est haec ultio, quod se  
judice, nemo nocens absoluitur, improba quamuis  
gratia fallacis praetoris vicerit urnam.  
And 
a Epist. 97.  Seneca notably: Prima & maxima peccantium poena peccasse: Sin is the greatest punishment of sin in particular (as 
b Loc. come. tit. de leg. naturae, tom. 1. fol. 186.  Melancthon observes). Heathen authors have a pattern for every precept, according to that of Paul, Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles having not the law, are a law unto themselves.  
But when the 
c Albinus quaest▪ in Genesin. & Thom. 12ae. quaest, 94. art. 5.  light of it through custom of sin began to wear away, it was openly proclaimed unto the world, engraven in stone, written in a book, kept for record in the Church, as a perfect abridgement of all law, setting down the duties of all men, in all things, for all times.  

In it observe 

Prefaces: 

One, of the Law writer: God spoke all these words, etc.  
Another, of the Lawgiver: I am the Lord thy God, etc.    
Precepts of the 

First table, concerning our love to God.  
Second, touching our love to man.       

In the former preface note: the 

Matter, all these words.  
Manner, 

When.  
Who.       
The matter is: these words, that is, these sentences and all these: for Almighty God spoke not the first Commandment only, nor the second, or third, and left there; but he spoke them all: and therefore the Pope proves himself Antigod in leaving out one, and dispensing with many. God gave so strict a charge to keep every one, as any one: but the Vicar of God abounding with unlimited authority, doth first publish what he list, and then expound them as he list. To leave them, who thus leave God, is our duty, because God spoke them all, to beg of him obedience, and make conscience to keep them all, as one wittily, Totus, Tota, Totum: The whole man, The whole law, The whole time of his life.  
In the manner, I note first the circumstance of time, when God spoke: namely, when all the people were gathered together, and sanctified: as appeareth in the former Chapter, than God spoke. Whereupon it is well observed that all men ought to take notice of the law, whether they be Commoners, or Commanders, high or low, none so mighty that is greater, or so mean that is less, than a subject to God and his ordinances: and therefore 
d Loc. come. tit. Antinomoi.  Martin Luther hath worthily reprehended Antinomian preachers, who teach that the Law need not be taught in the time of the Gospel. Indeed Christ is the 
e Rom. 10. 4.  end of the Law but, as 
f Contra adversar. legis lib. 2. cap. 7.  Augustine construes it, finis perficiens, non interficiens: an end not consuming, but consummating: for, as himself said, 
g Matth. 5. 17.  I came not to destroy the law, but to teach it, and do it.  
Secondly, we may learn by this circumstance, due preparation when we come before God either to speak or hear his word. Auenzoar used to say, that he never gave purgation, but his heart did shake many days before. Let the Physician of the soul then tremble, to think what hurt bad physic may do, when it is administered abruptly, corruptly, without either pains in reading, or reverence in speaking. Unto the 
h Psal. 50. 16.  ungodly said God; Why dost thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant in thy mouth, when as thou hatest to be reform, and hast cast my words behind thee? If hearers of the Law, much more Preachers of the Gospel ought to be thoroughly sanctified. In the Miller's hand we lose but our meal: in the Farriers' hand but our mule: in the Lawyer's hands but our goods: in the physicians hand but our life; but in the hands of a bad Divine we may lose that which surpasseth all, our soul.  
Hearers also being of uncircumcised 
i Acts 7. 51.  hearts and ears, aught to fit and prepare themselves, as 
k Exod. 3. 5.  Moses and 
l josua 5. 15.  josua were commanded, in disburdening their mind, when they come to God's house to hear God speak, not only from unlawful, but also from all lawful worldly business; presenting themselves and their souls in the righteousness of Christ, a 
m Rom. 12. 1.  living, holy, acceptable sacrifice to God: and it is the duty both of speaker and hearer to desire the Lord that he would forgive our 
n Chron. 2. 30. 18. 19  want of preparation, and so to assist us with his holy spirit in handling of his holy word, as that the whole business may be transacted for our good, and his glory.  
The second circumstance noted in the manner is the person, and that is God: Then God spoke these words, in his own person, attended upon with millions of 
o Acts 7. 53. Gal. 3. 9  glorious Angels, in 
p Exod. 19 18.  a flame of fire: so that there is never an idle word, but all full of wonderful wisdom: so perfect a law, that it proves itself to be God's law. For the laws of men, albeit they fill many large volumes, are imperfect; some statutes are added daily which were not thought upon before; many repealed, which after experience taught not to be so profitable: but this law continueth the same for ever, comprehending in a few words all perfection of duty to God and man, enjoining whatsoever is good, and forbidding whatsoever is evil.  
God is author of all holy Scripture, but the ten Commandments are his, after a more peculiar sort: first, because himself spoke them, and said in a sound of words, and a distinct voice, 
q Deut. 5. 24.  that the people both heard, and understood them: in which s●nse S. 
r Acts 7. 38.  Stephen happily calleth them oracula vina, lively oracles: not that they did give life, for 
s 2. Cor. 3. 7.  Paul showeth that the Law was the ministration of death; but lively words, as uttered by lively voice, not of men or Angels, as other Scripture, but immediately thundered out by God himself.  
Secondly, because God himself wrote them after a more special manner: he did use men, and means in penning the Gospels and Epistles and other parts of sacred writ: 
t 1. Pet. 1. 21.  for holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the spirit of God: (as the 
u Theodoret praefat in Psal. & Greg. praefat. in job.  Fathers observe) they were the pens of Gods own finger: but in setting down the Decalogue, Gods own finger was the pen: he made the tables also wherein they were first written, that there might be nothing in them but only Gods immediate work. Since than God had such special regard in delivering the Law, we must hence learn with all humble reverence to receive the same. If King Eglon 
x judges 3. 20.  a barbarous tyrant respected Ehud a man of mean quality, when he brought a message from the Lord; how much more should we with awful respect embrace the Decalogue, which God in his own person uttered? and it should make us exceeding zealous also (notwithstanding the scoffs of Atheists and careless worldlings) in observing and maintaining the same. For what need any fear to defend that which God himself spoke: and whereof 
y Mark. 8. 38.  Christ said, He that is ashamed of me, and my words in this world, I will be ashamed of him before my father in the world to come. As a lively faith is the best gloss upon the Gospel: so dutiful obedience is the best Commentary upon the Law. To conclude with Augustine: Faciemus iubente imperatore, & non faci●mus iubente creatore? 
z 1. Sam. 3. 10.  Yes Lord, speak: for thy servants herare.  
Thus much concerning the first preface. The second is of the Lawgiver: I am the Lord, etc. Containing two sorts of arguments, to prove that he may give a law; and that his people are bound to keep it. The first kind of reason is taken from his essence and greatness in himself: I am jehova. The second from his effects and goodness towards Israel.  

In 

General: Thy God.  
More special: Which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.     
Now whatsoever is said unto them, is said unto all. Almighty God is 
a Heb. 13. 8.  ever the same, 
b Apocal. 1. 4.  which is, which was, and which is to come: who being jehova the Lord, made us of nothing: and therefore we being his creatures, owe obedience to his commands in every thing; especially seeing he doth not only press us with his greatness, 
c Calu. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 8. § 14  but allure us also with his goodness: being our God by covenant in holy baptism, wherein he took us for his adopted children, and we took him for our heavenly father: he took us for his spouse, we took him for our husband: he took us for his people, we took him for our God: 
d Malac. 1. 6.  A some therefore must honour his father, and a servant his master. If he be ours, and we his, as he doth provoke us in bounty: so we must answer him in duty.  
In more special, as God brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: so hath he delivered us from the servitude of Satan, and sin, 
e Calvin. ubi supra, §. 15.  prefigured by that bondage of Egypt and Pharaoh: that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.  

f Ezech. 20. 7.  Egypt was a country given exceedingly to superstition and Idolatry, worshipping the most base creatures, as Rats, Onions, and Garlic: so that to live in such a place was very dangerous to the soul, and bondage to nature's ingenuous, is an estate of all other most grievous to the body. Deliverance then out of both, as benefits in their own nature very great, and in memory most fresh, were good motives unto regardful obedience.  
The Lord hath done so, and more than so for us, he hath freed us from the Romish Egypt, and Spanish bondage, with less difficulty and more ease: for we are translated out of Babel and Egypt, without any travel or journey. Rome is swept away from England, and jerusalem is brought home to our doors. If arguments drawn either from God's infinite might or mercy ought to prevail; let England show the greatest obedience: for England hath had the greatest deliverance.   

The Precepts.  
Love 
Rom. 13. 10.  is the complement of the Law. 
h Mat. ●2. 37. 39  Christ therefore reduced all the ten Commandments unto these two: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart: and thy neighbour as thyself. The which (as 
i Lib. 5. contra Marciou.  Tertullian observes) is not dispendium, but compendium legis: not a curtalling, but a full abridgement of the whole law. Yet I find three sundry partitions of the severals.  

k Antiquit lib. 3. cap. 6.  josephus and 
l Lib. de Decalogo.  Philo part them equally, making five Commandments in each table: the curious and learned may peruse Sextus Senensis Bibliothec. sanct. lib. 2. pag. 59 & Gallasius annot. in Irenaei, lib. 2. cap. 42.  
Lombard out of 
m Quaest 71. in Exod. & epist. 119. cap. 11.  Augustine, and generally the school men out of 
n Lib. 3. sent. dist. 37.  Lombard, in honour of the Trinity, divide the first table into three Commandments, and the second into seven.  
But all our new writers, and most of the old Doctors, ascribe four to the first, six to the second: among the Hebrews, 
o Ramus de religion. lib. 2. c. 3.  Aben Esra: the greeks, 
p In Synopsi.  Athanasius, 
q Hom. 8. in Exod.  Origen, 
r Hom. 49. in Matth.  chrysostom: the Latins, Hierome, Ambrose in epist. ad Ephesios, cap. 6.  
Wherefore being compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses, I follow the Church's order, assigning four concerning our duty to God, and six touching our duty to man.  
The first table than is a lantern to guide us in the worship of God; as 
s Io. de Combis compend. lib. 5. cap. 59  some write, The two first commandments concern God the Father as our Creator: the third, God the Son as our redeemer: the fourth, God the holy Ghost as our sanctifier. Yet so that we worship the Trinity in unity, and unity in trinity, neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance.  
Or as 
t Herma●. Colon. Archiepis. explicat. decalog.  other: the two first Commandments intimate how we must worship God in our heart: the third, how we must worship God in our tongue: the fourth, how we must worship God with both, in sanctifying the Sabbath.  

Or the first table doth set down two points especially: 

1. The having of the true God for our God, in the first, Thou shalt have no other gods but me.  
2. The worshipping of this one God, in the other three.     

The first Commandment is observed in exercising the three theological virtues, 

Faith,  
Hope,  
Charity.     
He that unfeignedly believeth in God, hath God for his God: because he taketh God for the chief verity: and in this unbelievers and misbelievers offend. He that hopeth in God, hath God for his God, in that he takes him for most faithful, most pitiful, and also most potent: as being assuredly persuaded that he can, and will help him in all his necessity. And in this they sin who despair of the mercies of God, or do trust more in men, then in God: or so much in men, as in God. He that loveth God above all things, hath God for his God, in holding him for the chief good: and in this they trespass who love any creature more than God, or equal with God, and much more they that hate God: for it is a sound conclusion in Divinity; that is our God which we love best, and esteem most.  

Concerning the worship of God, note the 

Manner: in the 2. Commandment.  
End: in the 3. Commandment.  
Time and place: in the 4. Com.     
The second doth describe the manner of his worship: Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, etc. forbidding all strange worship, and enjoining pure worship according to his word: 
u Hilarius.  for to devise fantasies of God, is as horrible as to say there is no God. And therefore though we should grant, that Images and pictures of God are as it were the Layman's Alphabet, and the people's Almanac: yet forasmuch as these books are not imprinted Cum privilegio, but on the contrary prohibited; it is unlawful to learn what God is by them, or to worship God in, or under them. And lest any should presume, God hath fenced in this commandment with a very strong reason, I am the Lord, and therefore can punish: a jealous God, and therefore will punish grievously such, as give that honour to another which only belongs unto me.  
The end of God's worship is his glory, provided for in the third Commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.  

The which is done two ways, in our 

Works.  
Words.     
In our conversation: when as our lewd life doth occasion enemies of religion to revile the Gospel, and 
x Rom. 2. 24.  blaspheme God. It is to take Christ's name in vain, when we play the Gentiles under the name of Christians; as Paul to 
y 1. Titus 16.  Titus: professing God in word, but denying him in our works. 
z Saluianus de gubernation. dei, lib. 4.  Hoc ipso Christiani deteriores quô meliores esse deberent: 
a 2. Tim. 2. 19  He that calls on the name of Christ, must depart from iniquity.  
Secondly, we take God's name in vain by speech; and that without an oath, or with an oath: without an oath, when we talk of himself, his essence, titles, attributes, holy word, wonderful works irreverently and unworthily without any devotion, or awful regard of his excellent Majesty.  

We blaspheme God with an oath, by swearing either 

Idly.  
Falsely,     

Idly out of 

Weakness: when in our ordinary talk, through a 
b Basilicon Doron, lib. 1. pag. 17  custom in sin, we fill up our periods with 
c Matth. 5. 37.  unnecessary oaths.  
Wickedness: as when a wretch in his discontented humour shall bind himself with an oath to do some notable mischief. So certain jews, Acts 23. swore that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul: or when he shall despitefully swear to vex the good spirit of God, and to trample the blood of Christ under his feet: if cards, or bowls, or dice, run against him, he will make his tongue to run so fast against God: or when he doth swear by heaven, or earth, or any other creature, 
d Deut. 6. 13. Matth. 5. 34.  in stead of the Creator. An oath is an invocating of God: he therefore that swears by the light, makes light his God: he that swears by the Mass, doth make that Idol his God.     

A man may forswear himself three ways, as 
e Lib. 3. sent. dist. 39  Lombard out of 
f De verb● Apostoli, serm. 28. tom. 10. fol. 264.  Augustine: when he doth swear 

1. That which is false, and he knows it false.  
2. That which is true, but he thought it false.  
3. That which is false, but he held it true.     
The two first kinds are abominable: namely, when a man swears either that he knows to be false, or thinks to be false: but the third in the Court of Conscience is no sin; because it is with forswearing as with lying: Perjury is nothing else but a lie bound with an oath. 
g Aulus Gellius, lib. 11. cap. 11. & Augustin. de mendat. ad Consent. cap. 11.  As then a man may tell an untruth, and yet not lie: so likewise swear that which is false, and yet not swear falsely. 
h jerem 4. 2.  Thou shalt swear in truth, that is, as thou shalt in thy conscience and science think to be true: 
i August. epis●. 154.  for doubtless it is a lesser offence to swear by a false god truly, then to swear by the true God falsely: it is a sin to lie, but a double sin to swear and lie.   

The 4. Commandment.  
THe fourth Commandment doth set down the time and place of God's holy worship: the time expressly, Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day: the which insinuates also the place; for God was publicly worshipped in his Sanctuary, in his Tabernacle, in his Temple. Leviticus 19 30. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary. The Sabbath (as 
k Ramus de relig. lib. 2. cap. 6.  one calls it) is God's schooleday: the Preachers are his Ushers, and the Church is his open schoolhouse.  
This Commandment is hedged in on every side, lest we should break out from observing it: with a caveat before, Remember: and two reasons after, one drawn from the equity of the law: Six days shalt thou labour: As if God should speak thus: If I permit thee six whole days to follow thine own business, thou mayest well afford one only for my service: but six days shalt thou labour and do all thine own work: therefore hollow the seventh in doing my work. Six days shalt thou labour. 
l B. Babington & Calvin. Cat.  A permission, or a remission of God's right, who might challenge all, rather than an absolute commandment: 
m Perkins aurea Cat. cap. 23.  for the Church upon just occasion may separate some week days also, to the service of the Lord and rest from labour. joel 2. 15. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Days of public fasting, for some great judgement: days of public rejoicing, for some great benefit, are not unlawful, but exceeding commendable, yea necessary. Yet this permission is a 
n Perkins treat. of callings.  commission against idleness, because every man must live by the 
o Gen. 3. 19  sweat of his brows, or sweat of his brains: having some profession or occupation or 
p 1. Cor. 7. 20.  vocation, wherein he must labour faithfully.  
Another argument is taken from the lawgivers example: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested the seventh day. God requires no more than himself performed, his own practice is a Commentary upon his law. This may teach all Magistrates, all masters, all superiors who prescribe laws unto other, to become first an vnprinted law themselves. If the Prince will have his Court religious, himself must be forward in devotion: if the father will have his children possess their 
q 1. Sam. 21. 5.  vessels in chastity, than himself must not 
r jer. 5. 8.  neigh after his neighbour's wife. When Sabbath breakers are rebuked, all their answer is, other, and that the most do so. If they will follow fashion and example, let them follow the best: Fashion not yourselves like the 
s Rom. 12. 2.  world: but be ye followers of 
t Ephes. 5. 1.  God: who framed the whole world in six days, and rested the seventh: he rested from creating, not governing; from making of new kinds of creatures, not singular things: he is not (as Epicurus imagined) idle, but always working: john 5. 17. My father worketh hitherto, and I work.  

The Commandment itself is 

First, propounded briefly: Keep holy the Sabbath day.  
Then expounded more largely: showing 

1. What is the Sabbath day, namely, the seventh.  
2. How it must be sanctified: In it thou shalt do no manner of work.       
Keep holy.] This day hath no more holiness in itself then other times: only God hath appointed it to holy uses above other: and therefore we must keep it more holy than other.  

The Sabbath.] There is sabbathum 

Pectoris, of the mind.  
Temporis, of time.     

The sabbath of the mind 
u Tho●. 12●, quaest. 100 art. 5.  is double: 

Internal, peace of conscience in the kingdom of grace.  
Eternal, rest of body and soul in the kingdom of glory.     
When as 
x Apocal. 14. 13.  we shall rest from our labours, 
y Apoc. 7. 17.  all tears shall be wiped from our eyes, and cares from our heart.  

Among the jews the sabbath of time was of 

Days.  
Years.     

Days 

Lesser: every seventh day.  

z john 19 31.  Greater: as when the Passeover fell on the Sabbath: as it did when Christ suffered.     


a Leuit. 25.  Years: 

Every seventh year, a Sabbath of rest to the land.  
Every seventimes seven year: which was 49. and then followed in the 50. year the jubilee.     
This Sabbath is of days, expressly, kept holy the seventh day.  

There is 

A natural day, which is the space of 24 hours: a night and a day: Gen. 1. 5.  
An artificial day: the space of 12. hours: as Christ: john 11. 9 from the Sun rising to the Sun setting; of which I think this Commandment is understood. For albeit the jews counted the Sabbath from evening to evening, yet it was but as they reckoned other days; not to sit up and watch all night: but to spend in God's service so much of the natural day, as may be spared without hurting the body.     
The seventh is the Sabbath.] It is the judgement of the most and best Interpreters, that the Sabbath is 
b M●lancthon tom. 1. fol. 6. & tom. 2. sol. 362.  morale quoad genus, but ceremoniale quoad speciem: Ceremonial for the 
c Church h●m. concerning the time and place of prayer.  manner, albeit moral for the matter. I say ceremonial it. regard of the particular: 
d B. Babington.  as the strict observation of the same day and same rest: precisely to keep the Saturday, and strictly to cease from all labour, as the jews did, was a shadow: therefore abrogated by the coming of the body, Christ.  
The blessed Apostles herein led by the spirit of truth, and (as some think) by Christ's own 
e job. 20. 19 28.  example, 
f Acts 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. Apocal. 1. 10.  altered, and so by consequence abrogated the particular day. Consentaneum est Apostolos hanc ipsam ob causam mutassediem, ut oftenderent exemplum abrogationis legum ceremonialium in die septimo: Melanct. tom. 2. fol. 363.  
Whereas therefore the jews observed their Sabbath on the seventh day, we celebrate the eighth. They gave God the last day of the week: but Christians better honour him with the first: they keep their Sabbath in honour of the world's creation; but Christians in memorial of the world's redemption, a work of greater might and mercy: and therefore good reason the greater work should carry away the credit of the day. See the Gospel on Saint Thomas day.  
The particular rest of the jews is 
g Calvin's Cat. Perkins aurea Caten. cap. 23. Ram. ●ereligione, lib. 2. c. 6.  ceremonial also: for it is a type of our inward resting from sin in this life: Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. and a figure of our 
h Caluins Instit. lib. 2. cap. 8. §. 31.  eternal Sabbath in the next: as S. 
i D. Fulk upon Heb. 4. 4. Master Deering lect. 19 upon Heb.  Paul disputes, Heb. 4.  
Yet this Commandment is moral in the general. As for example, we must keep one day in the seven holy to the Lord: wherein we must do no manner of work, which may let the ministery of God's word, and other exercises of piety. We must leave to do our work, that the Lord may bring forth in us his work.  

The duties then required on the Lord's day be principally two: 

Rest.  
And a sanctification of this rest.     
A double Sabbath; rest from labour, and rest from sin: for as 
k Vbi supra.  our Church doth determine, two sorts of people transgress this Commandment especially: 

1. Such as will not rest from their ordinary labour, but drive & carry, row & ferry on Sunday.  
2. Such as will rest in ungodliness, idly spending this holy day in pampering, pointing, painting themselves. So that God is more dishonoured, and the Devil better served upon Sunday, then on all the days of the week beside.    
Thou shalt do no manner of work.] That is, no servile work of thine ordinary calling; which may be done the day before, or left well undone till the day after. But some works are lawful: namely, such as appertain to the public worship of God: as painful preaching of the sacred word, reading of divine prayers, administering of the blessed Sacraments, and every work subordinate to these: as ringing of bells, and traveling to Church, Acts 1. 12. 2. Kings 4. 23.  

And works of mercy toward 

Ourselves: as provision of meat and drink, Matth. 12. 1.  
Other 

Men: our Saviour healed the man with the dried hand on the Sabbath, Mark. 3. 5.  
Beasts: in watering cattle, and helping them out of pound and pit: Luk. 14. 5.       
Works of present necessity: 
l Perkins ubi supra.  Physicians on the Lord's day may visit their patients; Midwives help women with child, Shepherds attend their flock, Mariners their voyage, 
m 1. Mac. 2. 41.  Soldiers may fight, and 
n Esday ●n the 4. Commandment.  messengers ride post for the great good of the Commonwealth.  
Works of honest recreations also, so far as they may rather help then hinder our cheerful serving of the Lord: and the reason of all this is given by Christ; Mar. 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  
Thou.] Thy wife is not named, because she is presumed to be thyself: that whatsoever is forbidden thyself, must also be known to be forbidden thy second self.  
Thy son and thy daughter.] Every man is a 
o Ester 1. 21.  governor in his own house; and therefore must take charge of such as are under him: 
p Augustine.  Adduc eos ad domum dei tecum, qui sunt in domo tua tecum: matter Ecclesia aliquos à te petit, aliquos repetit; petit eos quos apud te invenit, repetit quos per te perdidit.  

Thy man servant.] This is for 

Thy good.  
Their good.  
The common good.     
Thy good: For he that on Sunday shall learn his duty, will be more fit all the week to do his duty: such as obey God with a good conscience, will serve their master with an upright heart, as 
q Gen. 30. 27.  jacob served Laban, and 
r Gen. 39 5.  joseph Pharaoh.  
Again, it is for thy good often to 
s Deut. 5. 15.  remember with thankfulness, that God hath made thee master, and him servant: whereas he might have made thee servant, and him master.  
For their good: that they may 
t john 17. 3.  know God, and whom he hath sent Christ jesus, 
u john 14. 6.  the way, the truth, and the life. Thy servants are men of the same mould with thee: 
x Macrob. saturnal. lib. 1. cap. 11. & Ambros. serm. 33.  jisdem & constant & n●triuntur elementis, eundem spiritum ab eodem principio carpunt, eodem fruun. ur coelo, aequa viwnt, aeque moriuntur, servi, sunt, imo conserui. That is, in the words of scripture, 
y Gal. 3. 28.  Thy servants are all one with thee in Christ: made of the same God, redeemed with the same price, subject to the same law, belonging to the same master: Ephes. 6. 9 Pity then and piety require that thou see them observe the Lords day, for the good as well of their bodies as souls.  
For the common good: 
z Calvin. Cat.  For every man hath just cause to be ready willingly to labour all the week, when as he is assured he shall rest on Sunday.  
Thy cattle.] Hence we may gather much comfort: for if God in his mercy provide for the welfare even of our brute beasts, of which he hath made us Lords; he will assuredly much more respect us his servants and children: he cannot be careless for men, who is so careful for oxen.  
The Commandments are so well known, and often expounded, that as 
a Tract. 50. in jobannem.  Augustine speaks in the like case: Desiderant auditorem magis quam expositorem. I pass therefore from the first table, containing all duty to God, unto the second, teaching all duty to man: I say to man as the proper immediate object of them. Otherwise these Commandments are done unto God also: for he that clotheth the naked, and visiteth the sick, doth it unto Christ: Matth. 25. 40.  

The law then concerning our neighbour is partly 

Affirmative, teaching us to do him all good: Honour thy father and mother, etc.  
Negative, teaching us to do him no hurt: Thou shalt not kill, etc.     
This table begins with honour of our father: 
b Herman. explicat. decalog.  First, because next unto God we must honour those who are in the place of God.  
Secondly, because the neglect of this one Commandment occasioneth all disorder against the rest: for if superiors govern well, and inferiors obey well; how can any man be wronged in word or deed?  

c Bellarm. Cat.  Thirdly, because of all neighbours our parents are most near to us, as being most bound to them, of whom we have received our life. Thy parent is God's instrument for thy natural being: thy Prince God's instrument for thy civil being: thy Pastor God's instrument for thy spiritual being. Wherefore as thou art a man thou must honour thy natural father; as a citizen honour thy civil father; as a Christian honour thy ecclesiastical father.  

Honour imports especially 3. things: 

Obedience.  
Reverence.  
Maintenance.     
Obedience. Children obey your parents in all things: Coloss. 3. 20: that is, as Paul doth interpret himself, Ephes. 6. 1 in the Lord. In all things agreeable to the will of God: otherwise for Christ's love we must hate father and mother, Luke 14. 26. 
d De vita Eremit. ad Heliodorum, tom. 1▪ fol. 1.  Hierome notably: Licèt sparso crine & scissis vestibus ubera quibus te nutrier at m●ter oftendat, licèt in lim●ne pater iaceat, per calcatum perge patrem, siccis oculis ad vexillum crucis evola. The most eminent patterns of obedience to father and mother are the 
e jerem. 35.  Rechabits, 
f Gen. 22.  Isaac, 
g Luke 2. 51.  Christ: 
h Hieron, ●pist. de vitando suspecto con●●bernio, tom. 1. fol. 224.  Venerabatur matrem, cuius ipse erat pater, colebat nutritium quem nutriverat.  
Reverence: Bearing them respect in words, and outward behaviour, though they be never so mean, and we never so mighty. Proverbs 23. 22. Honour thy father that begat thee, and thy mother that bore thee. As if he should say, Be dutiful unto thy parents: not because they be rich and in great place, but because they be thy parents, how base soever they be. 
i Hieron. ubi supra.  Matris angustam domum judicas, cuius tibi non fuit venter angustus: 
k Sen●cade beneficijs, lib. 3. cap. 1.  parents non amare impietas est, non agnoscere insania est. Examples of this virtue, recorded in holy Scriptures are 
l Gen. 26. 27. 28. cap.  joseph and 
m 1. King. 2. 19  Solomon: and in our English Chronicles, Sir 
n Stapleton in eius vita, cap. 1.  Thomas More, who being Lord Chancellor of England, usually did ask his father blessing in Westminster Hall publicly: the which custom of our nation is good and godly.  
Maintenance. If the parent be blind, the child must be his 
o job 29. 15.  eye: if lame, the child must be his foot: if in any want, the 
p Tobit 5. 17.  staff of his decayed age. So 
q john 19 27.  Christ took care for his mother at his death: 
r Arist. Ethic. lib. 9 cap. 2.  for it is great reason that children having received life of their father and mother, should procure to preserve unto them the same life. Nature doth read this lesson. 
s Lib. 5. cap. 4.  Valerius Maximus hath a memorable history of a young woman who gave suck to her mother in prison, and so kept her alive, who otherwise was adjudged to be famished. A pious office, so well accepted of the judge, that he did both pardon the mother, and prefer the daughter. 
t Aristophanes in ●uibus.  Aristophanes affirms also, that the young Stroke doth feed the old.  
There is a duty required of the parent toward the child, as well as of the child toward the parent: yet the law speaketh expressly to the one, and not to the other. That the father being in order of nature & in wisdom superior, might suspect his duty to be written in himself: father and mother are 
u Hieron. ubi supra.  nominapietatis, officiorum vocabula, naturae vincula. The duty then of superiors is enfolded in the word father: a Minister is a father, a Master a father, a Magistrate a father: teaching them to be so well affected to their inferiors, as parents are to their children.  
Again: the love of parents towards their children is so natural and ordinary, that there is less need to put parents in mind of their duty. But chose children are not usually so dutiful to their parents (as the 
x Thom. 12ae. quaest. 26. art. 12. & Aristot. Ethic. lib. 9 c. 7.  School speaks): Amor descendit, non ascendit: benefactor plus d●ligit quam benefici●tus: and therefore it was necessary to admonish them of their love: neither is God content with a bare precept, but hath adjoined a promise, That thy days may be long: for there is no reason he should enjoy long life, who dishonoureth those of whom he received life: but if God shorten the days of dutiful children, and in stead of long life give them everlasting life; he doth not break but keep his promise: for he doth promise long life, not absolutely, but so far forth as it is a blessing; that it may be well with thee: and that thou mayest live long on earth. Ephes. 6. 3.   

The 6. Commandment.  
THe negative part forbiddeth all evil, and that is committed against our neighbour three 
y lo. Combis lib. ●. cap. 59 Aq●inas in 13. ad Rom. lect. 2.  ways:  

In 

Thought.  
Word.  
Deed.     
But because bad deeds are worse than bad words: and bad words worse than bad thoughts, it pleased the God of order first to forbid bad deeds: Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal. Then bad words: Thou shalt not bear false witness. Last of all, bad thoughts: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house, etc.  

All our bad deeds against our neighbours concern his 

Life: Thou shalt not kill.  
Honour: Thou shalt not commit adultery.  
Goods: Thou shalt not steal.     
Thou shalt not kill.] To wit, a man: for to kill other living things is not forbidden: and the reason is plain; because they were created for man, and so man is master of their life. But one man was not created for another man, but for God: and therefore not man, but only God is master of our life: for a magistrate doth not put malefactors to death as master of their life, but as a 
z Rom. 13. 4.  minister of God: and so by consequence not murder, but an act of justice: 
a Mat. 26. 52.  Such as strike with the sword shall perish with the sword: 
b August. cont. Faustum, lib. 22. cap. 70.  that is, such as take the sword upon their own authority: Dominus iusserat, ut ferrum discipuli ferrent, non ut ferirent. But if God put a sword into their hand, than they may, than they must strike. In a word, killing is unjust when either it is done without authority, or by public authority upon private grudge; non amore i●stitiae, sed libidine vindictae, Concerning inward rancour and outward disdain, in deed, word or gesture, see the Gospel Dom. 6. post Trin.   

The 7. Commandment.  
IN this Commandment are forbidden 
c Lombard. 3. sent. dist. 37. Church hom. against adultery, part. 1.  all unchaste lusts, aswell burning 
d Mat. 5. 28. 1. Cor. 7. 9  within, as breaking forth.  

Into 

Allurements, 

Ribald talk: Ephes. 4. 29.  
Wanton looks: Gen. 6. 2. 39 7.  
Lascivious attire: Esay 3. 16.    
Acts of uncleanness.     

Acts of uncleanness unnatural: as 

Committing filthiness with 

A man of the same sex: Rom. 1. 27.  
Abeast: Leu. 18. 23.  

e Paracelsus, iucubis, succubi.  A Devil: as witches do by their own confession.       

Natural, 

Adultery: when both, or one of the parties are married: Deut. 22. 22.  
Fornication between single persons: as 

Deflowering of virgins: Deut. 22. 28.  
Hunting of common whores: 1. Cor. 10. 8.    
Incest: with such as be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity prohibited in law: Leuit. 18. 6.     
Sin in this kind is more dangerous, then in another, because a man can hardly repent heartily for it. The murderer, and swearer, and these become many times exceeding sorrowful after the fact: but the wanton (as 
f Epist. Amando ●om. 3 fol. 135.  Hierome notes) even in the midst of his repentance sinneth afresh: the very conceit of his old pleasure doth occasion a new fault: so that when his devotion ends, he presently begins to repent that he did repent. Example hereof Augustine: who being in the heat of his youth (as himself 
g Confess. lib. 8. cap. 7.  writes of himself) begged of God earnestly the gift of continency: but, saith he, to tell the truth, I was afraid lest he should hear me too soon: Malebam enim explers concupiscentiam quam extingu●. See the Gospel Dom. 15. post. Trin.   

The 8. Commandment.  
THis overthroweth 
h Melancthon Catechis. tom. 1. fol. 17. & tom. 2. fol. 369.  anabaptistical and Platonical community: for if all things ought to be common, and nothing proper in possession, how can one man steal from another? All laws of giving, buying, selling, leaseing, letting, lending are vain, si teneant omnes omnia, nemo suum.  

A man may transgress this Commandment in being a thief. 

To himself, in spending 

Too much.  
Too little.    
To other.     

Too much 

Wasting more than he should in gaming, diet, bravery; such are arrant cutpurses unto themselves.  
Getting less than they should: Ignavi & prodigi sunt fures, saith 
i Tom. 1. fol. 185  Melancthon.     
As a spend-all, so a get-nothing is a thief to his estate: Poverty comes upon him as an armed man: Proverbs 24. 34. An idle person is poverties prisoner: if he live without a calling, poverty hath a calling to arrest him.  
He that spends too little on himself, as the covetous wretch, is a robber of himself also, 
k Innocentius de vilit. conduit. Human. lib. 2. cap. 13.  Corpus extenuat, ut lucrum extendat: He keeps his belly thin, that his purse may be full: he 
l Ambros. lib. de Naboth. c. 4.  cannot afford himself so much as an egg, lest he should kill a chick: whereas a poor man doth want many things, a rich miser wants every thing: like Tantalus up to the chin in water, and yet thirsty. The which (as Solomon calls it) is an evil sickness: Eccles. 6. 2.  

To other 

Openly: which is plain robbery: so little practised, or so much punished in King 
m Lambert's Perambulation of Ke●t, pag. 27.  alfred's reign, that if a man had let fall his purse in the high way, he might with great leisure, and good assurance have come back and taken it up again.  
Secretly: which is properly called stealing. And this offence is manifold: for there is not only theft of the hand, but of the heart, and tongue. Covetous greediness is theft in heart: for howsoever it be a maxim in our law, 
n Meteranus hist. Belgic. lib. 13. pag. 420.  Voluntas non reputabitur pro facto, nisi in causa prod●tionis: sed exitus in maleficijs spectatur, & non voluntas duntaxat: yet it is a breach of this law, covetously to desire that which is not ours: albeit we seek not to get it wrongfully. Their hearts, saith 
o 2. Pet. 2. 14.  Peter, are exercised in covetousness: and 
p In 1 Thess. cap 5. hom. 10.  Chrysostom plainly; The covetous man is a very thief: fur & latro. The 
q Terms of the Law, pag. 97.  fathers of the law write that thieves are called felones, of our ancient word fell or fierce; because they commit this sin with a cruel, fell, and mischievous mind: teaching us hereby that a felonious intent is a principal in thievery.     
There is also theft of the tongue, by 
r B. Balington.  lying, flattery, smoothing, etc. So we read that 
s 2. Sam. 15. 6.  Absalon stole the hearts of the men of Israel: and so false 
t 2. Sam. 16.  Ziba stole the goods of his master Mephibosheth.  
So flatterers and parasites are great thieves in Court and Country: not only dominorum suorum arrisores; sed etiam arrosores: and therefore let a flatterer be in your Pater noster, but not in your Creed: pray for him, but trust him no more than a thief.  
Frauds in buying and selling are reduced to stealing; because he that useth such deceits, secretly taketh of his neighbour more than his due: but oppressions and unjust extortions are reduced by Divines unto robbery; because the cruel tyrant exacteth more than his own manifestly: not to pay debts, is reduced unto both: unto robbery, when a man to the great hindrance of his neighbour can and will not: unto stealing, when he partly will and cannot: I say will partly: for if he desire wholly with all his heart to pay the utmost farthing, God assuredly will accept of votall restitution, aswell as of actual: and it is not a sin though it be a sore.   

The 9 Commandment.  
NExt the prohibition of injuries in deed, follow the wrongs against our neighbour in word: Thou shalt not bear false witness: and that fitly, because 
u Herman explicat. huius pracept.  lying is cozen german to stealing: 
Erasmus come. de lingua.  Da mihi mendacem, & ego ostendam tibi furem: If thou wilt show me a liar, I will show thee a thief.  
This precept condemns all manner of lying: for albeit one is worse than another, 
y Augustin. in Psal. 5.  yet all are nought: The mouth that speaketh lies slayeth the soul: Wi●d. 1. 11. And Psal. 5. 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing. See Gospel Dom. 15. post Trinit.  

Beside lies: every thing whereby the credit of our neighbour is impaired: especially those three sins of the tongue: 

Contumely.  
Detractation.  
Cursing.     
A contumely is an injurious word, spoken with an injurious mind, to the dishonour of our neighbour: I say with an injurious intent; otherwise when it is uttered by way of advice to direct or correct, as a father sometime speaketh to his child, or a master to his scholar, or a Pastor to his people, as Paul: 
z Gal. 3. 1.  Ye foolish Galathians: out of some heat, but yet not out of any hate, than it is no contumely or sin.  
Or in merriment, not in malice: There is a time to 
a Eccles. 3. 4.  laugh: and so by consequence a time to jest: when a witty conceit may profit and administer grace to the hearer. He that said the Duke of Guise was the greatest usurer in France, because he turned all his estate into obligations, hereby gave this honest advice, that if he should leave himself nothing, but only have many followers bound to him for his large gifts, in conclusion he should find a number of bad debtors. He that called his friend thief, because he had stolen away his love, did not wrong, but commend him.  
It is lawful also to jest at the vanities of irreligious men, enemies to God and his Gospel: as 
b 1. King. 18. 27.  Elia did at the soppish idolatry of Baal's Priests. A friend of mine said of an upstart gallant in Court with a jingling spur, that he had a Church on his back, and the bells on his heels.  
Every lay Papist must believe as the Church believes, albeit he know not what the Church believeth: he must also worship the consecrated bread, and yet knoweth not whether it be consecrated or no: 
c Co●. Trident, sess. 7. can 11. Bellarm●n. de sacramentis in genere, cap. 17.  for to the consecration of the host, the Priest's intention is required, which no man knows but God, and himself. So that if a man tell his popish acquaintance that he is a blind buff, to worship and believe he knows not what, it were no contumely; because it did proceed out of zeal to God, and love to him; only to rectify his error, and not to vilify his person.  
The second fault reduced to false witness is detractation, in speaking evil of our neighbour: and it is done by reporting that which is false, and sometime by telling that which is true, but secret: whereby the credit of our neighbour is lessened with those, to whom his sin was not known before: for as a man may flatter in absence, namely, when either the virtue is absent, or the occasion, and so the praise is not kind but forced either in truth, or in time: so likewise a man may slander his neighbour in speaking the truth unseasonably, without discretion out of time and place. A tale tossed from mouth to mouth in creaseth as a snowbal, which being little at the first, groweth to a great quantity.  
Now the backbiter is bound in reason and religion to restore the good name of his neighbour, which he by detraction hath taken away; and that is exceeding hard: for a man's honest fame is like the Merchant's wealth got in many years, and lost in an hour. Wherefore speak well of all men always, if it may be done with truth: and when it cannot, then be silent: or else interrupt evil detractation with other mere and merry communication, as 
d judges 14. 12.  Samson at his marriage feast propounded a riddle to his friends, 
e A●b● os. epist. lib. 9 epist. 70.  hereby to stop the mouths of backbiters, and to occupy their wits another way. Bernard excellently: The tale bearer hath the devil in his tongue: the receiver in his ear.  
The thief doth send one only to the devil, the adulterer two: but the slanderer hurteth three; himself, the party to whom, and the party of whom he telleth the tale. Ter homicide (saith 
f Lo●. come. tit. singua.  Luther) uno ictu tres occidit: 
g Bernard ser. 24. in Cant.  v●us est qui loquitur, & unum tantum verbam profert, & tamen illud unum verbum, uno in momento, mul●itudinis audientium dum aures inficit, animas interficit.  
The third fault is malediction: a grievous 
h Coloss. 3. 8.  offence when it is spoken with hatred and a desire that such evil come upon our neighbour: but when it is uttered upon some sudden disdain, without regard to that we speak, it is less evil, yet for all that always evil: because from the mouth of a Christian, who is the child of God by adoption, nothing ought to pass but 
i 1. Pet. 2. 1.  benediction.   

The 10. Commandment.  
THe former precepts intent thoughts and desires, aswell as act and practise: for the Lawgiver is a spirit, and therefore must be worshipped in spirit: yet lest we should pretend ignorance, God in this Commandment giveth especial order for them. Or as 
k Melancthon, & Calvin. Cat.  other: The former precepts did condemn the settled thought to do mischief: but this even the first inclination and motion to sin, though a man never consent, but snub it in the beginning: Rom. 7. 7. Thou shalt not lust or desire.  

Now we sin three ways in this kind: 

1. By coveting the goods of our neighbour, 

immovable: as his land and house.  
Movable: as his ox and ass, etc.    
2. By coveting his wife.  
3. By plotting treason, and murder.     
To covet his goods is against his profit, which is dear to him: to covet his wife is against his honour, which ought to be more dear: to covet his blood is against his life, which of all worldly things is most dear.  
Whereas it is objected that desire of murder is not forbidden in particular, as the desire of theft and adultery: for the Commandment saith, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife: but it is not said, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's blood: Answer is made, that a man doth not desire any thing principally but that which bringeth him some 
Arist. Ethic. lib. 1. cap. 1.  good, at least in appearance. And so he desireth adultery, because it bringeth delight: he desireth theft for that it bringeth profit: but murder bringeth no good at all: and therefore it is not desired for itself, but only to attain to theft, or adultery, or some such designment.  
So that God havingen forbid expressly the disordinate desires of delectation and gain, comequently forbade desires of murder, which is not coveted b●t for unlawful profit or pleasure. Thus perfect righteousness is fulfilled when we wrong not our neighbour either in deed, or in word, or desire: but chose, do good unto all, speak well, and think charitably of all.  
Now the reason why the Church appoints the Decalogue to be read at the Communion, is evident: namely, because the law is a 
m Gal. 3. 24.  schoolmaster unto Christ; teaching us to 
n Rom. 3. 20.  know sin, and by knowing of sin to know ourselves, and knowing ourselves to renounce ourselves, as of ourselves unable to do any 
o john 16. 5.  thing, and so come to Christ: who doth strengthen us to do all 
p Phil. 4. 13.  things. Almighty God (saith 
q Tom. 1. fol. 1.  Luther) hath written his law not so much to forbid offences to come, as to make men acknowledge their sins already past, and now present: that beholding themselves in the laws glass, they may discern their own imperfections, and so fly to Christ: who hath fulfilled the law, and taken away the sins of the whole world. For (as the 
r Com. Prayer books, tit. Lord's Supper.  reformed Churches of Scotland and Geneva speak) the end of our coming to the Lords table, is not to make protestation that we are just, and upright in our lives: but chose we come to seek our life and perfection in jesus Christ: being assuredly persuaded that the Lord requireth on our part no other worthiness, but unfeignedly to confess our unworthiness. So that (our enemies being judges) it is well ordered that the Commandments are rehearsed in the ministration of this holy Sacrament. Let the Novelists here blush, who 
s For it is inserted elsewhere both in the common Catechis. and in the BB. Bible: Exodus 20. 1. Deut. 5. 6.  calumniously censure our Church for omitting in the 
t Ministers of Devon. and Cornwall reasons, part. 1. cap. 26.  poem of the Decalogue one half line: when as themselves in their own Communion books have left out all the whole law. This indeed occasioned me to remember an observation of 
u Lib. 1. cap. 4.  Cominaeus upon the battle of Montlehery, that some lost their offices for running away, which were bestowed upon other that fled ten leagues further. Hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.   
Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, etc. 
THe Lord's Supper is called a sacrifice by the learned ancient Doctors in four respects:  
First, because it is a representation & memorial of Christ's sacrifice on the cross: 1. Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lords death until he co●e. So 
x Lib. 2. de Virgin.  S. Ambrose: Christ is daily sacrificed in the minds of believers, as upon an altar: Semel in cruse, quotidie in sacramento. saith 
y Lib. 4. sent. dist. 12.  Lombard.  
Secondly, because in this action we offer praise & thanksgiving unto God, for the redemption of the world: and this is the sacrifice of our lips: Heb. 13. 15.  
Thirdly, because every Communicant doth offer and present himself body and soul, a living, holy, acceptable sacrifice to the Lord: Rom. 12. 1. The which excels the sacrifices of the Priests in old time: for they did offer dead sacrifices, but we present ourselves a 
z 1. Collect after the receiving of the bread and wine.  lively sacrifice to God.  
Fourthly, because it was a 
a justin Martyr Apolog. 2.  custom in the Primitive Church at the receiving of this blessed Sacrament to give large contribution unto the poor, a sacrifice well accepted of God: Heb. 13. 16. Now the Church allowing and following this good old custom, stirs up the people to give cheerfully by repeating some one or two choice sentences of scripture best fitting this occasion, as Matth. 6. 19 Matth. 7. 12, etc. 5. 10  
These kinds of oblation are our Church's offertory, and unbloody sacrifices 
b Collect for the whole estate of Christ's Church.  offered by the whole congregation unto the Lord: so far differing from popish sacrificing, as S. Paul's in London is from S. Peter's in Rome.   
1. Cor. 11. 28. 
THe sum of the Ministers exhortation before the Communion, is contained in these words of Paul: Let a man therefore examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup: wherein observe  

Two points: 

A preparation: Let a man examine, etc.  
A participation: and so let him eat, etc.     

In the first note the 

Parties 

Examining: a man, that is, every man.  
Examined: himself.    
Parts.     
Beza translates, and 
c Paraphras. in loc.  Erasmus expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quisque: so the word is used, john 3. 27. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven: and john 7. 46. Never man spoke like this. A man then in this place signifieth every man, subject, Sovereign, Priest, people. The which observation overthroweth utterly 
d Beza annot. in loc.  Romish implicit faith. Every lay man ought to turn confessor, and examiner, endued with sufficient knowledge for this heavenly business: he must look not only thorough the spectacles of the Priest, but also see with his own eyes, able to try himself.  
Himself.] For that is the duty; not another, for that is a fault. We must not be 
e 1. Pet 4. 15.  busy Bishops in other men's Dioceses, but meddle with our 
f 1. Thes▪ 4. 11.  own business: we must not break our neighbour's head with the Pharisee, but smite our own breast with the Publican.  
S. 
g Cousess. lib. 10. cap. 3.  Augustine complained of men in his time that they were Curiosi ad cognoscendum vitam al●enam, desidiosi ad corrigendam suam: and reverend 
h Lib. 5. p. 263.  Hooker, of men in our time, that their virtue is nothing but to hear gladly the reproof of others vice: like Tailors, who measure, like Barber's, who cut all other except themselves. But 
i Matth. 7. 3. 5.  our Saviour Christ would not have us to gaze on the mote in our brother's eye▪ but rather to pull out the beam in our own sight. And his Apostle here, not to pry into other, but to try ourselves; not but that other according to their several charge, must examine other, as parents must examine their children: Exod. 12. 26. 27. and masters must examine their household, Gen. 18. 19 and Pastors must examine their parishioners, as here Paul corrected & directed the Corinthians: and for this cause the names of all Communicants are to be sent unto the Minister, that there may be made trial of all: yet if parents and masters and Ministers omit this examination, every one must be both able and willing to prove himself.  

The parts of examination are concerning the 

Manner.  
Matter.     

For the manner a trial is to be made 

Uprightly.  
Necessarily.     
The former is implied in the word Examine: which notes a diligent and exact inquiry, such as Lapidaries and Goldsmiths use to find out true metal from counterfeit, good from bad. As the 
k 2. King. 4.  Shunamite sought for Elisha, 
l Luke 2.  Mary for Christ, the woman for her 
m Luke 15.  lost groat: so we must search as if we would find, search until we find. Many men examine their bad manners, as they do their bad money, seek as if they would not see, search as if they would not understand. They decline sin through all the cases (as 
n Bigasalutis Dom 8. post Penticost.  one notes) In nominativo per superbiam, in genitivo per luxuriam, in dativo per simoniam, in accusativo per detractationem, in vocativo per adulationem, in ablativo per rapinam: and yet they will not acknowledge their sins in any case. When other men's examination hath found them out, excuses are ready: 
o Bernard Tract. de gradibus humilitat. grad. 8.  Non feci: si feci, non male feci: si male feci, non multum male: si multum male, non mala intention; aut si mala intention, tamen al●ena persuasione. Wherefore as the 
p Esay 21. 12. Si qu●ritis qu●rite.  Prophet said: If ye will ask a question, ask it indeed: so if ye will examine yourselves, examine earnestly, thoroughly, uprightly. For examination must be made necessarily. This we may gather out of the word therefore: whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord: Let a man therefore, etc.  

Trial of ourselves then is necessary, both in respect of our 

Duty.  
Danger, if we neglect this duty.     
In respect of our duty: for Christ in his first institution used a commanding term; Do this. 
q Luke 22. 19  Do this in remembrance of me: so that it is not in our choice to do it, or not to do it. If any be not fit, he must endeavour to make himself fit: and the way to make fit, is examination: Let a man examine himself therefore etc.  
Secondly, trial is necessary in regard of the danger, if we receive the Lords Supper unworthily.  

Danger in respect of 

The sin: vers. 27.  
The punishment for this sin in 

General: vers. 29.  
Particular: vers. 30.       
For this cause many are weak, and sick, and die. See Epistle for Mandie Thursday.  

Now the matters in which every Communicant must be examined, are summarily two: 

Faith.  
Repentance.     
These two (like Hypocrates twins) must go together hand in hand. For there is no true repentance without faith; nor lively faith without repentance. 
r Serm. 4. before King Edward.  B. Latimer said well; Lady faith is a great state, having a Gentleman Usher going before her, called agnitio peccatorum, and a great train following after her, which are the good works of our calling. He that saith he doth repent, when as he doth not believe, receives the Sacrament ignorantly: and he that saith he doth believe, when as he doth not repent, receives the Sacrament irreverently: both unworthily.  

The parts of faith are 

Knowledge.  
Application.     

Every Communicant aught to know the 3. general points of holy Religion: namely, man's 

Generation: how he was created according to 
s Gen. 1. 26.  God's image in 
t Ephes. 4. 24.  holiness and righteousness.  
Degeneration: how he fell from that estate, and all his 
u Rom. 5. 12.  posterity with him.  
Regeneration: how he was again 
x Eph●s. 2. 5.  restored and recreated by Christ's passion, of which this Sacrament is a sign and seal.     
In more particular, every Communicant must understand the number and nature of the Sacraments. Our Saviour Christ ordained in his Church only two Sacraments, as 
y Com. Catechis.  generally necessary to salvation, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord Baptism is a Sacrament of initiation and insition, assuring the first receiving into the covenant of grace: whereby men are matriculated and 
z Com. book, tit. Public Bap. § We receive this child.  admitted into the congregation, and made members of Christ. For this cause the sacred Font is placed at the very door and entrance into the Church: but the Communion is a sacrament of confirmation, to strengthen our faith, and cherish grace received: and therefore the Lords table by good order is placed in the best & highest room of the Church. 
a Ram. de relig. lib. 4. cap. 8.  Baptism must be received of one but once: because we cannot be borne twice, one beginning in Christianity is enough: but the Lord's Supper often, because we need daily to be nourished in the faith of Christ: once borne, fed always.  
The nature of this Sacrament is made known by the names in holy writ given unto it:  

Whereof I note principally two: the 

Lords 
b 1. Cor. 11. 20.  Supper.  

c 1. Cor. 10. 16.  Communion.     

A Supper in regard of the 


d Matth. 26. 20  Time: being instituted in the night that Christ was betrayed, as his far well token.  
Things: because it is a holy feast (as Augustine said) Non dentis, sed mentis: not so toothsome, as wholesome: not corporal meat, but spiritual Manna.     

The Lord's Supper in three respects: 

1. Because it was ordained by the Lord: 1. Cor. 11. 23.  
2. Because it was instituted in remembrance of the Lord: Luk. 22. 19  
3. Because it was in the Primitive Church usually received on the Lord's day: Acts 20. 7.     
It is called a Communion in respect of the common union among ourselves, having at that time more specially perfect peace with all men: or a Communion in respect of the 
e 1. Cori●. 11. 20. 2●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  public participation, as being a common mess, not a private Mass proper to one, as the Popish priests use it; or a Communion, as being a sign and seal of our communion with Christ: for his graces are conveyed unto us by the preaching of the Word, and administration of the Sacraments.  
Hence the Sacraments (as 
f Lib. de corpore & sanguine Dom. cap. 3. apud Bibliothec. Pat. Tom. 4. fol. 162.  Paschasius observes) have their name. Sacramenta dicuntur à secreto, eò quòd in re visibili divinitas intus aliquid vl●ra secretius efficit. In the words of our 
g Art. 25.  Church: Sacraments are visible signs of invisible grace, ordained of God as badges and sure witnesses of his good will towards us. It is meet every Christian should understand these, and the like plain principles of holy faith: but 
h Church Hom. concerning the Sacrament, part. 1.  exact knowledge to discuss controverted points about the Sacraments is not required: according to that of chrysostom: The table of the Lord is not prepared for chattering ●ayes, but for high towering Eagles, who flei thither where the dead body lieth. It is not for subtle Sophisters, but for simple believers ascending up to Christ upon the wings of faith: and therefore the Communicant must not only know, but apply that in particular, which he believeth in general: as that Christ's body was crucified for him; and his blood shed for him. He that understands, and believes, and applies these things, examineth his faith as he should.  

In our repentance we must examine two points especially: to wit, our 

Contrition for sin past.  
Resolution to prevent, so far as we can, all sin to come.     
For the first, Poenitentia est quasi 
i Reusnerus class. 3. symbol. pag. 155.  punientia. Poenitere (saith 
k De vera & fall. penitent. cap. 19  Augustine) is poenam tenere.  
We must therefore weep with Peter, and water our couch with David, and put on sackcloth with Nineveh: nay we must 
l joel 2. 13.  rend our heart. For a broken 
m Psal. 51. 17.  spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. O 
n Chrysost. hom. De penitent.  magnum donum, quod in poenam dedit, in salutem vertit: peccatum tristitiam peperit, tristitia peccatum contrivit. As the worm bred in the tree devours the tree: so sorrow brought into the world by sin, doth overthrow sin: so good is God to turn curses into blessings, and grief into grace. If thy heart be not thoroughly touched for sin, become sorry because thou art no more sorry: resolve to be more resolved. For (as one wittily) factum infectum, si non sit cor affectum. If joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of Christ in 
o Matth. 27 59  clean linen; how darest thou receive it with an unclean soul? 
p Ch●rch Hom. concerning the Sacraments, part. 2.  If thou wilt not kiss a Prince's hand with a foul mouth, eat not the Lords body with a foul mind. Let a man therefore examine himself. etc. And so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this 〈◊〉. Having thus examined examination, I come now to the participation.  
And so let him eat, etc.] Of which words I purpose to speak first jointly, then severally. Considered jointly they confute three popish conclusions: as first, the reservation, elevation, circumgestation, adoration of the bread. Our Apostle saith here plainly, that the bread must be taken and eaten: 
q Confess. Anglitan, art 28.  Ergo, not to be reserved, nor carried about, not lifted up, nor kept in a box to be worshipped.  
Secondly, to take to eat, to taste, to drink, to do this in remembrance of Christ, are actions of the living, only pertaining to the living: and therefore the Papists are deceived holding the Mass to be a propitiatory sacrifice both for the quick and the dead. How can the dead eat or drink, taste or take? 
r Melancthon in confess. eccle. Saxon. Tom. 1. fol. 135.  Ergo, neither the duty nor the benefit belongs unto them, but only to those alive; who first examine themselves, and after eat of this bread and drink of this cup.  
Thirdly, the conjunction of these two: Let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup abundantly proves, that both parts of the Lords Supper ought to be ministered unto all: Ergo▪ the Papists in denying the cup unto the Laity, wrong both God and his people, by defrauding them of this comfort. As every one must examine, so every one both eat and drink: not only drink, and not eat, or eat and not drink: but both eat, and drink. Christ foreseeing this Papistical error said in his first institution, Drink ye 
s Matth. 26. 26.  all of it: he took the bread and said only, take, eat, indefinitely: 
t Calvin, & Marl●rat in ●oc. Matth.  but when he took the cup, he did add an universal note: Bib●●e omnes: Drink ye, drink all ye.  
We conclude therefore with 
u Epist▪ lib. 1. epist. 8.  Cyprian: Adulterum est, impium est, sacrilegum est, quodcunque humano furore instituitur, ut dispositio divina violetur. Christ is the truth, and the way to the truth: Ergo, 
x Cyp. epist. lib. 1. epist. 3.  non aliud fiat à nobis, quam quod pro nobis prior fecit. Thus much of the words jointly. Now of every one severally.  
And so] Let there be first preparation, and then participation: when a man is thus examined, let him thus eat. Let him eat: The which are not words of permission, only leaving it to his choice whether he will eat or not eat: but they are words of Paul's commission, insinuating that he must eat necessarily, not upon custom, but upon conscience. For it is not said here; let him, if he have no let at home, or occasion of absence abroad: if he be neither displeased with his Pastor, nor angry with the people: but let him without all let examine, and then let him without all let eat of this bread. Eat: 
y Mat. 26. 26.  Christ in his first institution hath, take and eat. First take, then eat: take not only into your mouths, but into your hands: 
z Bucan. loc. come. Tit. coena, Dom. quaest. 34. 35.  hereby representing the soul and faith: for the taking of the bread and wine into our hand, sealeth our apprehension of Christ by the finger of faith: Ioh 1. 12. As many as received him to them he gave power to be the sons of God: even to them that believed in his name. Eating of the bread and drinking of the wine sealeth our application of Christ incorporated into us mystically, 1. Cor. 10. 16. For by the strength of faith we chew the cud, as it were, and make Christ our own. Yet herein observe a great difference between corporal food and this heavenly bread: for the one digested is made like us, but the other received into our soul maketh us 
a Rom. 8. 12. Phil. 3. 10.  like it. This action then of taking is very significant: and therefore I see no reason why the Priest altering Christ's ordinance, should give the bread into the people's mouth only, not into their hand. First, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to take with the hand. Secondly, it is against the rules of common civility, that men of discretion, such as Communicants ought to be, should be fed like children, having their meat put into their mouth. Thirdly, if this taking be not construed of the hand, but of the mouth, there is an idle repetition and plain Tautology in the words of Christ: for eating notes oral receiving: and therefore taking must imply manual receiving. Fourthly, it was the custom of the Primitive Church, as we read in 
b Sixtus Senensis, ubi infrà.  Eusebius and 
c Hierosol. orat. 5 mystagog.  Cyril; How wilt thou (saith 
d Theodoret. hist. lib. 5. cap. 18.  Ambrose to Theodosius) receive the Lord's body with a bloody hand?  
The 
e Sixtus Senensi● Bibliothec. lib. 6 annot. 152.  Papists answer that the Church altered this custom, because some reserved the bread for magical spells, and superstitious uses. A silly shift: for no abuse can take away the use of that which is simply good. The Bible must be read, albeit some 
f 2. Pet. 3. 16.  pervert it to their destruction: the word of God must be preached, howsoever it be unto some the savour of 
g 2. Cor. 2. 16.  death unto death: and so the bread according to Christ's institution must be taken, albeit happily some keep it to wicked and idolatrous purposes.  
This bread] The nice distinguishing of the School is like the pilling of an onion: they pull off so many skins, until at last there is no skin. They turn and toss the words of Christ's institution, Hoc est corpus meum, so long, till they bring all that Christ said and did at his last Supper unto nothing. For so we read in their 
h De consec. dist. 2. §. timorem. Glossa ibidem.  Gloss, that hoc doth signify nothing. Omnipotent creatures, who make of something nothing: and again of this nothing, something; yea Christ who made all things: for by pronouncing of these words, hoc est corpus meum, they make their Maker, a dozen gods at once with one sentence. This, is a pronoun demonstrative, not individuum, vagum, any thing, or a nothing. 
i In his Marc. A●ton. Constant.  Stephen Gardiner herein forgot his Grammar and Logic too. For hoc, doth determine, and must, as Paul teacheth, and the circumstances of the gospel import, be restrained unto the bread. jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks he broke (no doubt the bread) that he took, and gave to the Disciples the self-same that he broke, saying, Take ye, eat ye this that I give you, this is my body. What This could our Saviour mean, but This that he gave, This that he broke, This that he took? which by the witness of truth itself was bread. If the Papists imagine that he took bread, but broke it not; or broke it, but gave it not: they make the Lords Supper a 
k D. bilson's answer to the jesuit apolog. pag 331.  merryiest, where the latter end starteth from the beginning, and the middle from them both. Either they must dissent manifestly from the proposition of Christ, and exposition of Paul, from all the Fathers, and some of their own 
l Gerson contra ●loret. lib. 4. & Gardner. ●o●t. diabolic. sophist. uti Bilson ubi supra pag. 732.  followers: or else admit our interpretation, This bread is my body: and if we resolve the words of Christ so, they cannot be proper, but figurative; This bread is the sign and seal of my body.  
Bread.] It pleased our Saviour to make bread the outward element in this holy Sacrament, for the manifold analogies between it & his body. First, as bread is the 
m Psal. 104. 15.  strength and state of our natural life; so Christ is for our spiritual being 
n 1. Cor. 12. 6.  all in all.  
Secondly, as bread is loathed of the full stomach, but most acceptable to the hungry soul; so Christ is most welcome unto such as 
o Matth. 5. 6.  hunger and thirst after righteousness.  
Thirdly, as bread is usual and daily; so Christ should be to the Christian: feeding on that bread which came down from 
p john 6. 33 35.  heaven, should be the soul's ordinary refection. fourthly, as bread is made one loaf of many grains; so 
q 1. Cor. 10. 17.  we that are many are one bread, and one body, because we all are partakers of one bread.  
r Paulinus uti Magdeburg. Ce●t. 5. col. 359. 395.  unus ubique calix domini, cibus unus, & una mensa, domusque de●. 
Lastly, as corn is cut down with the scythe, threshed in the barn with many stripes, torn in the mil with much violence, then bolted & sifted, last of all baked with extreme heat in the oven; and all this, that it may be fit meat for our body: so Christ in his ripe age was cut down by cruel death, his body was whipped, his flesh rend asunder, his soul was as it were 
s Lament. 1. 13. jerem. 1. 12.  melted in the fiery furnace of God's anger: and all this, that he might become food for our soul; that we might eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. The like resemblances are between the wine and his blood: For as wine doth make glad the heart of man, Psal. 104. 15. so the precious blood of Christ, as 
t Cant. 2. 5.  flagons of wine comforts the sick soul. 
u Magdeburg. Cent. 5. col. 393.  Paulinus sweetly: 
In cruse fixa caro est quo pascor, de cruse sanguis  
Ille fluit, vitam quo bibo, corda lavo.   
In this exhortation having S. Paul for our leader, and the Church of Scotland for our follower: I hope we need not any further examine, why the Church doth use this scripture for this purpose. 
x Epist. 118. cap. 5.  Augustine's observation is good: insolentissimae insaniae est, disputare, an ●d faciendum fit, quod tota facit ecclesia.   

Sursum corda.  
SVrsum corda 
y Cassander liturgic. cap. 21.  seems to be taken out of the Lamentations of jeremy: cap. 3. vers. 41. Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad dominum in coelos: used in the Church at least 300 years before Popery was known in the world. For Augustine who lived within 
z Baron. annal. tom. 5. fol. 13 & flores ●ist pag. ●45.  400 years after Christ, and the blessed Martyr Cyprian, who died 
a Magdeburg. cent. 3. col. 249.  an. 259. make mention of it in their writings often: Cyprian in 
b Fol. 166.  serm. de orat. dominic. Augustine de 
c Tom. 1. fol. 491  vera religione, cap. 3. and epist. 156. and (as 
d Vbi supra.  Cassander observes) epist. ad Dardan. & lib. de bono perseverantiae▪ Sursum corda then is no rag of Rome, no piece of Popery, but used in 
e Perkins reform Cat. tit. ●●all presence.  all Liturgies of the ancient Church; and that which may content the Novelist most, it was borrowed (as Master 
f Acts and mon. fol. 1275.  Fox thinks) not from the Latin, but from the Greek Churches. Howsoever, it is exceeding fit: for Almighty God in his holy service requires our heart principally; 
g Prou. 23. 26.  Son give me thine heart: so that when we come to his Temple, specially to his table, every one must say with 
h Psal. 25. 1.  David, I lift up my soul to thee. For (as the Church of 
i Ministers exhort. before the Com.  Scotland truly) the only way to receive worthily the Lords Supper, is to lift up our minds by faith above all things worldly and sensible, and thereby to enter into heaven, that we may find and receive Christ, where he dwelleth: a point well urged also by our Church: Hom▪ concerning the worthy receiving of the Sacrament: part the first.  
The Papists entertain this clause still in the Roman missal; but it makes against their real presence. For if Christ's body, 
k Io. Combis 〈◊〉 Theolog. l. b. 6. cap. 14  so large in quantity, as it was on the cross, be present, in the Sacrament; what need any man lift up his heart, when as he holds it in his hand? Totum hoc (saith 
l Serm. de temp. 174.  Augustine) fide tenemus, oculis cordis intuemur; dominus ascendit in coelum, ascendat cum illo cor nostrum: His body 
m Acts 3. 21.  must be contained in heaven until the time that all things are restored: it cannot descend down to us, we must ascend up to it. So Nicolaus Cabasila writes in his exposition of the 
n Cap. 26. apud Bibliothec. Pat. tom. 4. fol. 496.  Liturgy; the Priest after some speech to the people doth erect their minds, and lift up their thoughts, and saith, Sursum corda; let us think on things above, not on things below. They consent and say, that they lift up their hearts thither where their treasure is, even to heaven, where Christ sits at the right hand of his Father.   

Luke 2. 14. Glory be to God on high.  
THe Lord's Supper is called an Eucharist, because it is a thanksgiving to God, for giving his Son to die for us: and therefore this Hymn is so fitly sung by men on earth at the commemoration of his death, as it was by the quire of heaven at the celebration of his birth: for our reconciliation and peace with God, is ascribed in holy scripture to Christ's passion especially: Rom. 5. 10. Heb. 9 12. 15.  

Some make 
o Cai●tan. in locum.  three parts of this song (which if you please) call the 

Treble: Glory to God on high.  
Buss: Peace on earth.  

p Eras. annot. in loc.  Mean: Good will toward men.     

Other have divided it into two: 

The first, concerning God's glory.  
The second, touching our good. 
q Calvin. jansen. Arboreus in loc.  For peace on earth, and good will toward men are both one: because our peace with God is not from our good will toward him: but altogether from his good will toward us. It is God (saith 
r Philip. 2. 13.  Paul) that maketh in you both the will and the work: and therefore the Rhemish translation, In earth peace, to men of good will: and the Romish Gloss, that Christ brings no peace, but to such as be of goodwill, are insufficient, and condemned even by their own mouth: as we may read in the Commentaries of Arboreus, Caietan, jansenius, Maldonatus upon the place. Concerning other scholiall, or scholastical observations upon the text, I refer the reader unto Beauxamis, Erasmus, Calvin and other learned expositors; especially to jacobus Perez de Valentia, who compiled a whole treatise on this Hymn.     
It was first used in the Communion (as it is thought) by 
s Walafridus lib. de rebus Ecclesiast. cap. 22. & Marian. Scot Cron. lib. 1. pag. 260.  Thelesphorus a good man, and a 
t Iren●us lib. 3. cap. 3.  glorious Martyr, anno 
u Baron, annal. tom. 2. fol. 120.  254. Ia●uar. 5. That which followeth in our Communion book, We praise thee, we bless thee, was added by that famous Bishop 
x Cassander liturgic. cap. 21.  Hilary: singing it first in his own Church, anno 
y Fox, Acts and Mon. fol. 1274. & Duran●. ra●onal. lib. 4. cap. 13. § 4. 5.  340: and after brought into other Churches by Pope Symmachus, a●. 510: the Churches of Scotland use the like form of thanks at their Communion. And therefore the Novelist can mislike nothing in this Hymn, but that which all other like most, Antiquity.   
2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord jesus Christ, &. 
THe 
z Lut●er. comment. in Galat. cap. 1. vers. 3.  two fiends that torment us, are sin, and a bad conscience: grace releaseth sin: peace doth quiet the conscience. Paul therefore begins his epistles with grace and peace: and the Church ends her devotions either with the grace of our Lord jesus Christ, etc. or with the peace of God which passeth all understanding, etc. But because there can be no peace with God, except we have the grace of Christ: first and chiefly Paul desireth grace, than peace: Rom. 1. 7. Grace be with you and peace. Because (I say) grace comprehends in it every good and perfect gift, 
a 1. Cor. 15. 10.  by which only, we are whatsoever we are; Paul doth not only begin, but end his writings also with this one clause specially, Grace be with you, etc. But above the rest, the conclusion of this excellent epistle is most full: and therefore worthily received of our and other Churches, as the fittest close, to shut up our public prayers. In it observe Paul's affection towards the Corinthians, amplified 

With 

Extension: in regard of the 

Thing: The grace of Christ, the love of God, the communion of the holy Ghost.  
Persons: With you all.    
Intention: Amen.      

The work of our salvation is ascribed in our 

Election, to the love of the Father.  
Redemption, to the grace of the Son.  
Sanctification, to the communion of the holy Ghost.     
So 
b Comment. in loc.  S. Ambrose doth expound this text pithily: Dilectio dei misit nobis salvatorem jesum, cuius gratia saluati sumus: ut possideamus hanc gratiam communicatio facit spiritus sancti: God the Father so 
c joh. 3. 16.  loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son 
d Rom. 4. 25.  to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification: and 
e john 15. 26.  God the Son, from God the▪ Father, sent God the holy Ghost which crieth in our hearts Abba father: applying to our comfort both the love of God, and the grace of our Lord jesus Christ.  
The word, God, is used here personally, not essentially: for the 
f Ambrose, Hierom, Theophylact.  Fathers on this text note the blessed Trinity, that God is 
g Non triplex. Augustin. de Trin. lib. 6. cap. 7 & Lombard. 1. sent. dist. 19  Trinus in numero, unus in numine. S. Hierom thinks that Paul foreseeing the blasphemous Arrian heresy, placed the second person in the first room, God the Son before God the Father. 
h Calvin. & Marlorat. in loc.  Other affirm, that the grace of Christ is named first, because it concerns us most. For albeit the love of God in it own nature go before the grace of our Lord jesus Christ, choosing us before the foundation of the world: Ephes. 1. 4: yet in our view the grace of our Lord jesus Christ goeth before the love of God. Rom. 5. 10 We are reconciled unto God, by the death of his Son: we feel the mercies of the one in the merits of the other.  
It is a fruitful observation of 
i Vbi supra.  Martin Luther, that Christian religion beginneth not at the highest, as other religions do, but at the lowest: it will have us to climb up to heaven by Jacob's ladder, whose feet touch the very earth. And therefore when thou art occupied in the matter of thy salvation, setting aside all curious speculations of Gods unsearchable counsels, all cogitations of works, of traditions, of Philosophy, yea and of God's law too, run strait to the manger, embrace the little babe Christ in thine arms, and behold him as he was borne, sucking, growing up, conversant among men, teaching, dying, rising again, ascending above the heavens, and having power above all things. This sight will make thee shake off all terrors and errors, as the Sun driveth away the clouds. In a disputation with a jew, Turk, Papist, Heretic, concerning Gods infinite wisdom, Majesty, power; employ all thy wit and industry to be so profound and subtle as thou canst: but in the matter of justification, wherein thou dost wrestle with the law, sin, death, and other spiritual enemies; it is the best course to look upon no God, but Christ incarnate, and clothed with thine own nature: to fix thine eyes upon the man jesus only; who setteth himself forth unto thee, to be a Mediator, and saith, 
k Matth. 11. 21.  Come unto me all ●ee that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. To behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world: and so by the grace of Christ thou shalt understand the love of God, thou shalt perceive his wisdom, power, Majesty, sweetened and tempered to thy capacity: thou shalt find the saying of 
l Coloss. 2. 3.  Paul to be most true, that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge: that Christ in our justification is all in all; and therefore good reason he should have the first, and most place in this argument; that his grace should be named first and last.  
The love of God, is the fountain of all goodness (as Divines speak) gratiarum gratia: from which originally proceeds every perfect gift and grace. For almighty God hath not elected us in regard of our works, or other worth: but contrariwise, because God loved us, we do that which is acceptable in his sight. I obtained mercy of the Lord (saith 
m 1. Cor. 7. 27.  Paul) to be faithful; Vt fidelis essem, non quia fidelis eram, as 
n Sent. lib. 1. dist. 41.  Lombard aptly.  
The nature of this short treatise will not endure, that I should wade far into this Abyssus. I remember 
o Rom. 11. 33.  Paul's exclamation; O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his wa●es past finding out! And the gloss of 
p De verbis Apost. serm. 7. tom. 10. fol. 194  Augustine: Volentes disputare de de● profundo, mersi sunt: Or, (as 
q Lomb. ubi supra.  other) Versi sunt in profundum. I come therefore to the Communion of the holy Ghost: a point more comfortable, then ordinarily felt, and yet more felt than can be disputed. It is said, Gal 4. 6. God hath sent the spirit of his Son crying in our hear●s Abba father: he said not calling, but crying: and Rom. 8. 26. he calleth this crying unspeakable groaning. When a man is tempted and afflicted, he feeleth the strength of his enemies, and the weakness of his flesh: he feeleth the fiery darts of Satan, the terrors of death, the wrath of God, all these cry out against him horribly: so that the perplexed soul sees nothing but sin threatening, heaven thundering, the devil roaring, the earth trembling, hell mouth open and ready to swallow him up. But yet in the midst of all these, God's holy spirit crieth in our hearts, 
r Luther. come. in. Gal. 4. 6.  and this cry doth outcry the clamours of the law, the bellows of hell, and howl of infernal fiends: it pierceth the clouds, and ascends up to the ears of God, insomuch that the blessed Angels seem to hear nothing else but this cry. The spirit helpeth our infirmities, and the 
s 1. Cor. 12. 9  strength of Christ is made perfect through our weakness. For Christ is most powerful, when as we are most fearful: even when we can scarcely groan, mark the words of Paul; The spirit maketh intercession for us in our temptation; not with many words, or long prayers, he crieth not aloud with tears, have mercy on me O God: but only gives a little sound, and a feeble groaning, as, ah father: this is but one word, yet notwithstanding comprehends all things. Indeed the mouth speaketh not: but the good affection of the soul crieth aloud after this manner: O Lord God of compassion and father of mercies, although I am grievously vexed on every side with affliction and anguish; yet am I thy child, and thou art my father in Christ. This little word, or rather no word, but a poor thought, conceived aright, passeth all the flowing eloquence of Demosthenes and Tully, yea Tertullian and all the Orators that ever were in the world: for this matter is not expressed with words, but with groan, and these groan are from the blessed Spirit. Thus you see the large extent of Paul's affection, in regard of the thing wished unto the Corinthians: The grace of Christ, the love of God, the communion of the holy Ghost.  
The second extension is in regard of the persons, be with you all: for the Pastor must wish well, not only to the best, or to the worst, but this prayer ought to be made for every one as well as for any one. There is none so bad, but hath received some grace: none so good but hath need to receive more grace. Wherefore pray we still, that the grace of Christ may be with us all.  
The Church of England adds a third extension in regard of the time; for evermore: the which is implied in the text also, for the Corinthians (as we read in the 
t Cap. 1. vers. 2.  former epistle) were Saints by calling, and so doubtless had received already the grace of Christ, and had tasted of the love of God, through the fellowship of the holy Ghost. He doth therefore now desire 
u Phil. 1. 6.  that the good work begun in them, may be perfect: 
x Nicolaus Cabasila exposit. liturg. cap. ●6.  that the grace received may continue with them, and increase daily unto the end, and in the end: that the love of God which cannot be greater secundùm essentiam, may be greater secundùm efficientiam, appearing, growing, abounding in them more and more for evermore.   

Amen.  

Amen is used in holy Scripture three ways (as 
y Lexicon th●oleg. verb. Amen.  Gabriel and Gerson speak) 

Nominaliter.  
Aduerbialiter.  
Verbaliter.     
As a noun, for truth: Apoc. 3. 14. These things saith Amen, the faithful and true witness: and so it is added in the conclusion of every Gospel, and of the whole Bible, as a seal to confirm that which is written.  
In the beginning, is the first, Amen the last word of holy writ: a stately beginning, a strange ending. For what is more stately than antiquity? what more strange than truth? Hereby teaching us that the Scriptures have vetera and vera, which are not together in any other writing. For in human learning many things are uncertainly true, and more certainly untrue: only the word of God is sealed with Amen.  
Secondly, as an adverb, for verily: so Christ often two. the Gospel, Amen, Amen, dico vobis:  
Thirdly, as a Verb, signifying, so be it: Deut 27. 15. Dicet omnis populus, Amen: and so it is used in Paul's prayer expounded before, and in all our Collects: insinuating our earnest desire, that those things which we have faithfully asked, may be effectually obtained. And this custom of answering the Minister in the Church Amen, is ancient, as it appeareth in the 1. Cor. 14. 16. justin Martyr Apolog. 2. Hieron. prolog. lib. 2. in epist. ad Galat. Augustin. epist. 107. Vsum respondendi Amen antiquissimum esse patet, saith Bellarmine, lib. 2. de Missa, cap. 16. Here is open confession, I would the Church of Rome would make open restitution also. For if the people must answer the Priest Amen, than the Priest must pray to the people's understanding: and how shall they understand, except common prayer be said in a common tongue? A conclusion agreeable not only to the Scriptures, as Bellarmine acknowledgeth, and to the practice of the Primitive Church, (as 
z Apolog. 2.  justin Martyr and 
a In 1. Cor. 14. & Aquin. in cundem loc.  Lyra report) and to the patterns of other Liturgies in 
b Eckius loc. come. tit. 37.  South India, 
c Cassander liturgic. cap. 15.  Mosco●ia, 
d Petrus Bellon. de moribus Armen. lib. 3. cap. 12.  Armenia, but even to their own constitutions, and Mass book: for their own 
e Apost. constit. lib. 8. cap. 12. ex emendat. Francisci Turriani. Oremus. Gratias agamus. Quaesumus. Offerimus. Laudamus. Benedicamus. Adoremus.  Clement, and their own missal give order that the people should answer the Priest in many things: and how this can be done well, if the vulgar Liturgy be not in a language vulgar, I cannot tell, Paul cannot tell.  
All may see (saving such as the prince of darkness hath blinded) that their own pens have condemned their own prayers: even the phrases extant yet in their service book: Let us pray, let us give thanks, we beseech, we offer, we praise, we bless, we adore, specially the people's answering Amen, evidently demonstrate that their public devotions at the first institution were common to Pastor and people: not mumbled in a corner alone by the Priest, or chanted only by Clerk and Priest.  
Thus I have briefly surveyed all our English Communion book, the which (as 
f Epist. Paulin. tom. 3. fol. 9  Hierom said of john's Apocalypse) 〈◊〉 habet sacramenta, quot verb●: every 
g Master Deering answer of Hardings epist. to jewel; fol. 5.  tittle is grounded upon scripture, every scripture well applied, every good application agreeable to the most ancient and best reformed Liturgies in all ages.  
I beseech thee therefore (good reader) 
h Rom. 16. 17.  mark them diligently which cause division and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not the Lord jesus Christ, but their own bellies; and with fair speech and flattering, deceu●e the hearts of the simple. So the God of peace shall shortly tread down Satan under our feet, and in fine translate us from this jarring on earth, unto the well agreeing Quire of Heaven, where all sing in unity and uniformity; Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanks, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for evermore. Amen.  
FINIS. Lege & age: vive & vale.