An Exposition of the Last Psalme | Page 8

occasion I thus
ouerpasse it, and hast to that other exposition interpreting these words
(as our Church readeth) of Gods noble acts.
[Sidenote da: _Vulgar Latine Castalio._]
[Sidenote db: _Pagnin._ In fortitudinibus.]
[Sidenote dc: _Vatablus Munster._]
[Sidenote dd: _Turrecremat. & Raynerius in loc._]

[Sidenote de: _Heb. 1. 14._]
Now the workes of God are of two sorts, ad intra & _ad extra_: some
be confined within himselfe, other extended towards vs: works of the
sacred Trinitie within it selfe (as that the Father begets, and the Sonne
is begotten, and the holy Ghost proceeds from both) are wonderfull acts
of such an high nature that it is our dutie rather simply to adore, then
subtilly to explore them: all his acts extended toward vs are summarilie
reduced vnto two, namely the works of creation and redemption.
[df]The worke of creation is attributed in the Masse of the matter to
God the Father, in the disposition of the forme to God the Sonne, in the
preseruation of both to God the holy Ghost. So likewise that of
redemption, in election vnto God the Father, in the consummation vnto
God the Sonne, in the application vnto the holy Ghost, all which are
very noble acts, and God is to be praised in them according to his
excellent greatnesse. The worke of creation is so mightie, that none
could bring it to passe but the Father almightie: that God should haue
nothing but nothing, whereof, wherewith, whereby to build this high,
huge, goodly, faire frame; is a principle which nature cannot teach, and
Philosophie will not beleeue. The worke of redemption is of farre
greater might and mercy, for the making of the world was (if I may so
speke) onely lip-labour vnto God, _he spake the word and it was done,
he commanded and it stood fast_, Psalm. 33. 9. but Christ in redeeming
the world said many words, and did many wonders, and suffered also
many wounds. It is true that the least ake of his least finger is _infiniti
meriti, sed non definiti meriti_, that is of an infinite merit, yet not that
determined ransome for the sinnes of the whole world. It cost him more
to redeeme soules, [dg]he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our
iustification, hee suffered for vs and that death, and that a violent death,
and of all violent deaths the most accursed death on the Crosse.
[Sidenote df: _Aduancement of learning lib. 2. pag. 116._]
[Sidenote dg: _Rom. 4. 25._]
The worke of sanctification is a noble act also, for euery man if you
rightly consider his making is a wonder, I am saith our [dh]Prophet
fearfully and wonderfully made: but a good man if you consider his

new making is a wonderfull wonder, as [di]Paul speakes a spectacle to
men and Angels, as the vulgar Latine runnes in the 68. Psalme, at the
last verse, mirabilis deus in sanctis, O God wonderfull art thou in thy
Saints.
[Sidenote dh: _Psalm. 139. 13._]
[Sidenote di: _1. Cor. 4. 9._]
But Dauid [dk]here meaneth especially the valiant acts of God in
gouerning & garding his people from their enemies, [dl]O come hither
and behold the workes of God, how wonderfull hee is in his doing
toward the Children of men, he turned the sea into drye land so that his
people went on foot thorough the middest of the sea, the [dm]waters
were a wall vnto them on the right hand and on their left; but the waues
of the Sea returned and couered the chariots and horsemen euen all the
hoast of Pharaoh that pursued them. Almighty God raigned hailstones
out of heauen vpon the cursed Amorites at Bethoran, and they were
more ([dn]saith the text) that dyed with the haile, then they whom the
Children of Israell slew with the sword. And when Duke Iosua prayed,
_Sunne stay thou in Gibeon, & thou Moone in the valey of Aialon_: the
Sunne abode and the Moone stood still vntill the people auenged
themselues vpon their enemies. When Zenacherib and his innumerous
hoast came to fight against Hezekiah King of Iuda, Gods Angell in one
night slew an hundred eighty and fiue thousand Assyrians. 2. Kings 19.
[Sidenote dk: _Placid. Parmen and the english Com. dedicated to M.
Herlakinden._]
[Sidenote dl: _Psalm. 66. 4._]
[Sidenote dm: _Exod. 14. 29._]
[Sidenote dn: _Iosua 10._]
And vndoubtedly (beloued) there is no nation vnder the cope of Heauen
hath had greater occasion to praise God in this kind then England, the
preseruation of the most illustrious princesse the Lady Elizabeth vnder

the fiery triall of her vnkind sister Queene Marie was a noble act, and
the seminary of much happinesse vnto this kingdome for many yeares
after, and so much the more noble because Philip King of Spaine hath