ARGUMENT

ARG. THOMAS. That CHRIST, having overcome death, put on the glory of the Resurrection. The Voice of the Church concerning the Kingdom of CHRIST. Of the Nativity of CHRIST, and His first Advent. Concerning belief.

VEN. BEDE. A Song in praise of the Godhead; For David is suitably applied to CHRIST. The question is raised how he can say that the earth was stablished on the day before the Sabbath, that is, on the sixth day of the week, seeing that we read in Genesis that the dry land appeared on the third day; but here we must understand earth to be man, to whom is said, Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt go. And as he was made on the sixth day by GOD the Creator, so too in the sixth age of the world he was stablished from the seed of David by the same GOD the Creator, for then was the earth stablished, when belief in Him was confirmed for mankind. And therefore the Praise is of His holy Incarnation, which is sung in the course of this Psalm.

The first passage describes His beauty, The Lord is King, &c. Then His strength, The Lord is clothed with strength. Thirdly, His works, He hath made the round world, &c. Fourthly, His might, Thy seat hath been prepared. Fifthly, the praises of the Universe, The floods have lift up. Sixthly, His truth, Thy testimonies. Lastly, the praise of His house, which it befits to rejoice with everlasting gladness. Some copies have On the day before the Sabbath, when the earth was inhabited, which seems to agree better with the history, because the earth was stablished before, but on the sixth day of the week it was perfected by the flocks of animals and the indwelling of man himself; and on this day also the LORD restored man by the wood of the Cross to Paradise, where He had put him at the beginning, To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.

EUSEBIUS OF CÆSAREA. A Hymn of the Kingdom of CHRIST, touching His first Advent.