ouer the Psalme ¶ The LORDE is my shepherde I shall lacke nothynge FYrst of all the prophet and euery faythfull hart calleth God hys shepherde Nowe though the scripture geueth God many louynge names Yet thys whiche the Prophete geueth here vnto God is a much more swete and gracyous name where he calleth hym a shepherde and sayeth A swetâ— name The LORD is my shepherde It is very comfortable whan the scripture calleth God our hope oure strength oure stonye rocke our castell our shelde our coÌ„forte our deliuerer our kynge c. For verely he declareth the thynge so styll in dede vnto his owne that he is euen so as the scripture describeth hym But excedynge coÌ„fortable is it that he is called here and many tymes els in the scripture a shepeherde For in this only word Shepe herde is almost all compreheÌ„ded together what good and comfortable thynge so euer is spoken of God The cause the moâ—ed the prophet to cal God his shey herds Therfore doth the prophete speake thys worde wyth a ioyfull and sorowlesse hart whych is full of fayth and for very great gladnesse coÌ„forte exceadeth And sayeth not The LORDE is my streÌ„gth castel c. Whiche were a maruaylous comfortable sayenge But the LORD is my shepherde As yf he wolde say Yf the LORDE be my shepherde and I his shepe then am I wonde rous well prouided for both in body soule he shall get me a competent lyuynge he shall defende me kepe me fro mysfortune he shal care for me he shall helpe me out of all trou ble he shall confort me he shall strength me c. Summa he shall do for me what so euer a good shepherde ought to do All these benefites and mo doth he coÌ„preheÌ„de in this onely worde Shepherde as he expoundeth it hymselfe immediatly where he sayeth I shall lacke nothynge Besydes this some of the other names which the scripture ascribe vnto God sounde partly to glorious and to hye brynge in a maner a feare with them whaÌ„ men heare theÌ„ to be named As whaÌ„ the scripture calleth God our LORDE Kynge Maker c. Of such a nature is not this worde Shepherde but soundeth very frendly and vnto theÌ„ the be godly it bryngeth in a maner a confidence coÌ„forte and trust with it whaÌ„ they reade or hear it lyke as this worde Father and other mo whaÌ„ they be appropriated vnto God A vâ—â—â—y coÌ„fortaâ— le similitâ—de Therfore is this one of the most louyng and coÌ„fortable similitudes yet very coÌ„meÌ„ in the scripture that it lykeneth the maiesty of god to avertuous faythful or as Christ sayeth a good shepherde and vs poore weake and wretched synners to a shepe Now can not thys coÌ„fortable louynge similitude be better vnderstande thaÌ„ to go into the creatures themselues wherout the prophetes toke thys such other lyke similitudes and to learne diligently thereby what the condicioÌ„ and property of a naturall shepe is and the office labour and diligence of a good shepherde Who so taketh good hede therunto maye not onely wyth ease vnderstande this and other similitudes in the scripture concernynge the shepherde and the shepe but also they shal be vnto him exceadynge swete and comfortable A shepe must lyue only by the helpe de fence and diligeÌ„ce of hys shepherde The condicion of a shepe as soone as it leseth hym it is compassed about with all maner of parell and must nedes perysh for it can not helpe it selfe For why it is a poore weake and innocent beast that can nother fede nor gyde it selfe nor fynde the ryght waye nor kepe it selfe agaynst ony vnhappynesse or misfortune Sauynge this that of nature it is fearfull flyeth goeth astraye And yf it go but a lytle out of the waye and come from hys shepherde it is not possible for it selfe to fynde hym agayne but runneth euer farther and farther from him And though it come to other shepherdes and shepe yet is it nothynge helped therwith For it knoweth not the voyce of strauÌ„ge shepherdes therfore flyeth it from them and runneth so longe astraye tyll the wolfe rauysh it or tyll it perysh some other wayes Neuerthelesse as weake a beaste as it is yet hath it thys condicion The propertie of a shepe that wyth all diligeÌ„ce it bydeth with his owne shepherde and seketh comforte at hys helpe and defeÌ„ce And how or whether so euer he leadeth it it followeth And yf it can but be with hym it careth for nomore nother feareth it ony maÌ„ but is carelesse and mery for it lacketh nothynge It hath also thys good vertue in it whiche is well to be marked for Christ doth specially prayse the same in hys shepe thys vertue I saye it hath that it wyll be earnest and sure to heare and knowe the voyce of hys shepherde and ordreth it selfe therafter and wyl for nothynge go from it but followeth strayght the same Agayne it regardeth no straunge shepherdes voyce And though they call and whistle vppon it neuer so frendly yet careth not it therfore much lesse doth it followe them Agayne The office of a shepherde this is yâ— office of a good shepherde that he doth not only prouyde for his shepe pasture and other mo thynges that belonge therto but defendeth them also that no harme chaunce vnto them Besydes this he taketh diligent hede that he lefe none Yf ony go astraye he runneth after it seketh it and fetcheth it agayne As for such as be yonge feble and sicke he dealeth gently with them kepeth them holdeth them vp and caryeth theÌ„ tyll they be olde stroÌ„ge whole c. Euen thus goeth it also in the spirituall shepfolde that is to saye How it goeth in the shep folde of Christ in the flocke of Christ Loke how lytle a naturall shepe can kepe gyde rule saue or defeÌ„de it selfe against daunger and mysfortune for it is a feble and wapenlesse beast So lytle caÌ„ we poore weak and miserable people kepe rule our selues spiritually walke and endure in the ryght waye or of our owne streÌ„gth to defeÌ„de vs agaynst all euel and to get vs helpe and comforte in trouble and distresse For how shulde he haue skyll to gyde hym selfe after a godly fashion The misery of oure nature that knoweth nothynge of God that is conceaued and borne in synne as we all are and of nature the chylde of wrath and the enemye of God How shuld we fynd the ryght waye and coÌ„tinue therin seynge that as the prophet Esay sayeth we can do nothynge but go astray Howe is it possible that we shulde defende our selues from the dyuell which is a prince and lorde of this worlde whose presoners also we be euery one seynge that with all oure power and myghte we can not do so muche as to hynder a smale leafe to hurte vs or a poore flee from greuynge vs Why wyll we poore wretched people boaste so muche of
A very excellēt swete exposition vpon the XXII Psalme of Dauid called in Latine Dominus regit me c. ¶ Translated oute of Hye Almayne into Englyshe by Myles Couerdale Anno MDXXXVIII The .xxii. psalme of Dauid called in Latine Dominus regit me et nihil i The LORDE is my shepeherde I shall lacke nothynge ii He fedeth me in a grene pasture and leadeth me to the fresh water iii He quyckeneth my soule and bringeth me forth in the waye of ryghteousnesse for hys names sake iiii Though I walke in the valley of the shadowe of death yet feare I no euell for thou arte wyth me Thy staffe and thy shepehooke do comforte me v Thou preparest a table before me agaynste myne enemyes thou anoynteste my head wyth oyle and fyllest my cuppe full vi Oh let thy louynge kyndnesse and mercye followe me all the dayes of my lyfe that I maye dwell in the house of the LORD for euer ¶ An exposition vpon the .xxii. Psalme The effect of this Psalme IN this Psalme doth Dauid and euery christen hart geue thankes prayse vnto God for his most principal benefit namely for the preachyng of his dear holy word wherby we are called accepted and nōbred amonge the multitude which is the cōgregacion or church of God where onely and in no place els the pure doctrine the true knowlege of Gods wyll and the ryght seruice of God is founde and had But this same noble treasure doth holy Dauid prayse and extol maruaylous excellently with goodly swete fayre pure wordes yee that with lykenesses borowed out of the Gods seruice of the olde Testament Fyrst he lykeneth hymselfe to a shepe whom God hymselfe as a faythfull diligent shepherde doth wonderous well take hede vnto A shepe fedeth hym in a pleasaunt grene pasture whiche stōdeth full of good thicke grasse where ther is abundaunce also of freshe water no scarcenesse Item he lykeneth God also vnto suche a shepherde The shepherde as with his staf leadeth bryngeth the shepe the playne right way that it cā not go amysse and defēdeth hys flocke so wyth the shepehooke that the woolfe can not break in After thys doth he make hymselfe a geste A geste for whom God prepareth a table where he fyndeth both strength and comforte refreshynge and ioye and that plenteously And thus the Prophete geueth the worde of God diuerse names The word of God hath many names calleth it goodly pleasaunt grene grasse freshe water the ryght waye a staffe a shephooke a table balme or pleasaunt oyle and a cuppe that is alwaye full And thys he doth not without a cause for the power of Gods worde is many folde For why Lyke as a shepe in a fayre pleasaūt medowe besyde the grene grasse and freshe water in the presēce of hys shepherde which leadeth it wyth the staffe or rodde so that it can not go astraye and defendeth it so with the shepehoke that no harme can happē vnto it hath hys foode pleasure in al safegarde Or lyke as a mā lacketh nothynge that sytteth at a table where ther is plenty of meate and drynke and al maner of cōforte gladnesse So muche more they that be the shepe of thys shepherd wherof thys psalme syngeth lacke no good thynge are rychely prouyded for not only in soule but also in body As Christ sayeth in the sixte of Mathew Seke fyrst the kyngdome of God and the ryghteousnesse therof so shal all these thynges be mynistred vnto you For as they that wante bodely foode lyue in greate straytnesse and pensyfnesse not beynge able to fulfyl the bodyes request in thys behalfe euen so also those that wante thys wholsome and necessarye word of god can not reioyce nor be pacyfyed inwardly Yee euen as bread and wyne refresh a mans fleshy harte and make hym ioyfull euen so the worde of God quyckeneth refressheth a mans soule inwardly The preachynge of gods wod bryngeth prosperite For whan the worde of God is truly syncerely preached loke how many dyuerse names the prophete geueth it here so many commodyties and frutes doth it brynge Vnto them that are diligent and earnest to heare it whom oure LORDE God knoweth onely for hys owne shepe it is a pleasaūt grene grasse a fresh water wherewith they are satisfyed and refreshed It kepeth them also in the ryghte waye and preserueth thē that no mysfortune nor harme happen vnto them Moreouer it is vnto thē a cōtinuall wealth where ther is abūdaunce of meate drynke and all maner of ioye and pleasure That is they are not onely instructe and gyded refresshed strengthed and comforted by the worde of God but euer more more preserued in the ryght waye defended in all maner of trouble both of body and soule And fynally they haue the victory preuayle agaynste all temptacyons and troubles wherof they muste abyde ryghte many as the fourth verse doth specifye Shortly they lyue in all maner of safegarde as they vnto whome no mysfortune can happen for as much as theyr shepherde doth fede them and preserue them The doctryne to be taken of this psalm Therfore shulde we take instruccion out of thys Psalme not to despyse the worde of God but gladlye to heare and learne the same to loue it and to make muche of it to resorte vnto the lytle flock where we maye haue it And agayne on the other syde to flye and eschue those that do blaspheme and persecute it For where thys blessed lyght doth not shyne there is nother prosperite nor health nother strength nor comforte eyther in body or soule but vtter dysquietnesse terroure and dispayre specially whan trouble dystresse and paynfull death is at hande How be it the vngodly as the prophete sayeth haue neuer rest Esaye 57. whether they be in welth or wo. For yf they be in prosperite thā are they presumptuous proude and hyghe mynded forget oure LORDE god vtterly boaste crake onely of theyr owne power ryches wysdome c. And take thought besyde how they maye maynteyn and increace the same and how they may persecute and oppresse other men that lye in theyr wayes But yf the leafe turne aboute with thē as doutlesse it must nedes do at the last For that swete virgin Marye is a very sure prophetisse Deposuit potētes de sede diuites dimisit inanes which yet hath not fayled in hyr songe thē are they of all the moost miserable careful lest people which immediatly fall to despayre and mistrust What ayleth them They knowe not where nor how they shall seke comforte seynge they haue not the worde of God which onely teacheth the ryght waye how to be pacient and to haue a good hope euen in aduersite Roma .xv. Thys thynge ought to warn vs moue vs that we esteme nothynge more excellent nor worthye vpon earth than thys benefyte An ensample for vs. namely to haue that
Dauid se and he rehearseth it for a speciall benefyte to be vnder the custodye of the LORDE whyche shulde not onely fede hym in a grene pasture but also in the heate bryngynge hym to the fresh water c. Shortly his meanynge is to declare the as lytle as a mā can come to the knowlege of God and the truthe to the ryght fayth without the worde of God So lytle can ther ony comforte and peace of conscience be founde without the same Without gods word cā no mās conscience be at rest The worldly haue also theyr comforte and ioye howe be it that endureth but the twinkelynge of an eye Whan trouble and anguysh commeth and specyally the last houre it goeth awaye As Salomon sayeth Pro. 14. After laughter commeth sorowe and after ioye commeth heuynesse But as for them that drynke of this fresshe and lyuynge water they maye well suffre trouble disease in the worlde but they shal neuer lacke the true consolacion And specyally whan it commeth to the poynt the leafe turneth ouer with them whiche is as much to saye as After shorte wepynge cōmeth euerlastynge laughter and after a lytle sorow commeth excellent ioye ii Cor. iiii For they shall not wepe mourne both here and there but as Chryste sayeth Blessed are you that wepe here for ye shall laugh Luce. vi He quyckeneth my soule and bryngeth me forthe in the vvaye of ryghteousnesse for his names sake Spiritual pasture 〈◊〉 water Here doth the prophet declare hymselfe of what maner of pasture and fresh water he spake namely euen of the same the strengtheth and quyckeneth the soule This can be nothynge els but Gods worde But for as muche as our LORDE God hath two maner of wordes the lawe and the gospell the prophete whan he sayeth He quyckeneth my soule geueth suffycienlty to vnderstonde that he speaketh not here of the lawe but of the gospell The lawe The lawe can not quycken the soule for it is a worde that requyreth and commaundeth vs to loue God wyth all our hartes c. and our neyghbour as our selues Who so doth not this hym it condempneth and speaketh this sentence ouer hym Cursed be euery man which doth not all that is written in the boke of the law Deut. 27. Galat. 3. Now is it certayne that no man vpon earth doth this therfore commeth the lawe with his iudgement fearyng and vexynge the consciences And yf ther be no helpe it goeth thorow so that they must nedes fall into dispayre and be cōdempned for euer Of this occasion doth S. Paule saye Rmo. 3. By the lawe cōmeth but the knowlege of synne Item the lawe causeth but wrath Rmo. 4. As for the gospell it is a blessed worde It requyreth none suche of vs The gospell but bryngeth vs tydynges of all good namely that God hath geuen vs poore synners his onely sōne to be our shepherde to seke agayne vs famished and dispersed shepe and to geue his lyfe for vs that he myght so delyuer vs from synne from euerlastynge death and from the power of the deuel This is the grene grasse and the fresh water where with the LORDE quyckeneth oure soules And thus are we made lowse from euell cōsciences and heuy thoughtes Of this shal we speake more in the .iiii. verse He bryngeth me forth in the waye of ryghteousnesse Here sayeth he doth not the LORDE my faythfull shepherde leaue that he fedeth me in a grene medowe leadeth me to the fresh water so quickeneth my soule but he bryngeth me forth also in the right waye that I departe not asyde go astraye so perysshe That is he holdeth me fast to the pure doctrine that I be not deceaued by false spretes To be led in the ryght way what it is and that I fall not awaye by ony other temptacion or offence Item that I maye know how I ought to leade myn outward conuersacion lyfe that I suffre not my selfe to be perswaded by the holynes and strayte lyfe of ypocrites Item what is the true doctrine fayth and seruice of God c. An excellent vertue of Gods worde This is now agayne a goodly frute vertue of the worde of God that they whiche cleue fast there vnto do not onely receaue strength cōforte of the soule therby but are preserued also from vntrue doctrine false holynesse Many mē optayne this treasure but they can not kepe it For as soone as a man is to bolde presumptuous and thynketh hymselfe sure of the matter it is done with hym Or euer he can loke aboute hym he is deceaued For the deuell also can pretende holynesse and transforme hymselfe into an angell of lyght as saynt Paul sayeth And euen so lykewyse can his minysters shewe thēselues as though they were the preachers of ryghteousnesse come ī shepes clothyng amonge the flocke of Chryst but inwardly are they rauenynge wolues Therfore is it good here to watch praye as the prophete doth in the last verse that our shepherd maye kepe vs by this treasure whiche he hath geuen vs. They that do not this certaynly they shall lese it And the ende of that man as Christ sayeth shall be worse then the begynnynge Luce. 11. For they shall afterwarde become the moost poysened enemyes of Christes flock and do more harme with theyr false doctryne then the tyrauntes with the swearde This had saynt Paul well proued by the false Apostles that made the Corinthians Galathians to erre so soone and afterwarde made diuision in all Asia We se it our felues also this daye by the Anabaptistes and other false spretes For his names sake The name of God The name of God is the preachyng of God wherby he is magnifyed and knowen to be gracyous mercyfull longe sufferyng true faythfull c. which notwithstādynge that we be the chyldren of wrath and gyltye of euerlastynge death forgeueth vs all our synnes and taketh vs for his owne chyldrē and inheritours This is his name thys doth he cause to be proclamed by his worde Thus wyll he be knowen magnifyed and honoured And accordynge vnto the fyrste commaundement he wyl euen thus declare hymselfe towarde vs as he hath caused it to be preached of hym Lyke as he doth styll strengtheth and quyckeneth our soules spiritually and kepeth vs that we fall not in to erroure hetteth vs lyuynge for our body and preserueth vs from all misfortune This honoure that he so is as we haue now sayd is geuen hym onely of them that cleue fast vnto his worde these beleue confesse playnly that all the gyftes goodes whiche they haue goostly and bodely they receaue them of God euen of his mere grace goodnesse That is to saye For his names sake not for theyr owne workes and deseruynges For this do they geue thankes vnto hym and declare the same vnto other This honour can not be geuen vnto God of ony presumptuous iusticiaryes
shall smyte the wyth swellynge feuer heate burnynge blastynge drouth c. and shall persecute the tyll he vtterly destroye the and brynge the to naught And certaynly this is the playne truth and the very originall of these plages No man ought to doute theron For thoughe the forsayd natural causes do somwhat also thereto yet is it sure and vndouted that the same causes be sent and steared vp oute of Gods wrath for our synne and vnthank fulnesse And truely that it is euen so the holy scripture declareth not wych bare wordes onely but sheweth it also wyth notable ensamples For in the fourth boke of Moses the fourtenth Chapter whan all the spyes excepte Iosua and Caleb spake euell of the lāde of promyse and made the people vnpaciente and vprourysshe so that they chose them a captayne and thought to go agayne into Egypte and to stone Moses and Aaron which commaunded them the contrarye we reade thus Then appeared the glorye of the LORDE and spake vnto Moses Howe longe doth thys people blaspheme me And howe longe wyll they not beleue me for all the tokens that I haue done vpon them therfore wyll I smytte and destroye them with pestilence and make of the a grater nacion then thys Lykewyse also whan Dauid caused the people to be nombred agaynste Gods commaundemēt he displeased the LORDE God horibly therwith Therfore layed he the punyshment vpon hym so that he was fayne to chose hym selfe whether he had rather haue seuen yeares derth or thre monethes myschaunce in battayl or thre dayes pestilence in the lande And whan he chose the pestilence ther dyed in thre dayes seuentye thousande men as it is wrytten in the laste Chapter of the .ii. boke of Samuel Seynge then that out of the word of God we knowe the very cause of thys horryble plage Namely that it is the defaute of our synnes as vnbelefe disobedience vnthankfulnesse therfore before all thynges it shall be necessary that we refrayne from the same repent and aniende our lyues Yf we wyll els be preserued and delyuered from thys horrible plage For yf God punysh vs because of synne it is good to consydre that we must fyrst knowlege and eschue our synnes in case that he shall withdrawe and take awaychys wrath punyshment from vs. Yf we amēde not God continueth ī puny shynge For yf we cōtinue in our euell synfull and culpable lyfe certaynly he shal not ceasse with the punyshment but go forth more more tyll he geue and recompence accordynge to our workes But yf we knowlege our synne refrayne frō it repent and axe grace thē shall he also take awaye hys wrath And thys horrible wrath with other heuy burthens as warre derth that lye vpon oure neck shall he mercyfully take away from vs agayne As holy Paule sayeth .i. Cor. xi Yf we iudged our selues we shulde not be iudged But whan we are iudged we be chastened of the LORDE that we shulde not be damned with the worlde And out of all thys maye youre charyte well perceaue howe vnwysely and vnchristenly they do that out of inordinate feare of thys plage leaue theyr callynge and offyce maliciously wythdrawyng the loue helpe faythfulnesse which they out of gods commaundement are bounde to shewe vnto theyr neghbours and so do synne greuously agaynst the commaundement of God For certaynly they do but steare vp the wrath of God more earnestly agaynste themselues that he may the sooner take hold vpon them and pluck them awaye with thys plage For men maye heare on euery syde A pyteous case that some do shone and flye not only the syck but also the whole Yee that yet more foolyshe is euen the platters and candelstyches whiche come out of straūge houses as though death dyd surely styck therin And out of suche fonde chyldyshe feare it commeth that not onely some syck folkes be suffred to dye away with out all kepynge helpe and comforte but the wemen also greate wyth chylde be forsaken in theyr nede or els commeth there vtterly no man vnto them Yee a man maye heare also that the chyldren forsake theyr fathers and mothers and one houshold body kepeth hymselfe awaye from another and sheweth no soue vnto hym Whyche neuertheles he wolde be glad to se shewed vnto hymselfe yf he laye in lyke necessite Howbeyt I suppose ther come not manye such chaunces to passe neuerthelesse I must speake therof that it be done nomore from henceforth For certaynly it is vnwysely vnchristenly handled we nede not thynke that the same is the waye to escape thys plage but rather an occasion that it raygne the more myghtely ouer vs. The more we flye the punishment the farther daunger we rūne in For seynge it is sure as ye haue herde afore that such plage is sent for punyshment of oure synnes and Christe hath geuen vs a new cōmaundemēt that we shulde loue one another as he hath loued vs it followeth that the farther we departe from the loue of our neghboure the more we lade synne vpō vs and deserue thys plage but the more Agayne the more diligētlye that we take hede vnto the loue of oure neghboure the surer shall we be from thys plage No man nedeth to doute therof Noman ought to preasse in the daūger wythout necessite But here wythall wyll I also counsell or compell no man to ony vnuedeful daunger that he is not bounde vnto by his callynge nor by loue but onely warne those whyche for feare leaue that whiche they are bounde to do before God To the intent that for suche naked feares sake they do not transgresse nor omytte the commaundemēt of God hope by synne to escape this plage which neuerthelesse cōmeth because of synne For that were a foolysh vnaduysed counsel yf one wolde go aboute to escape the wrath of God by transgression and by synne to auoyde the punyshment of synne Besydes thys doth experience shewe also that they which be so sore afrayed do cōmunly miscary Agayne they that wayte vpon theyr offyces and serue theyr neghbours be delyuered As it is well sene in the minysters of the churche and other mo that shone not the syck but muste vyset and comforte them wyth Gods worde and prouyde for them wyth the holy sacrament For we se no where that they therfore must also be soone syck and must dye Yee how must the hygher powers of the worlde do which by reason of theyr callynge and for the cōmune profyt regimentes sake abyde also in the ioperdy and must mynystre because of loue Specyally the chefest on one wherof ther lyeth more thē on a thousād of other And yet doth God cōmunly preserue thē also that they be delyuered left styl on lyue and dye in a good quyet age Vnbelefe and mist rust in God is cause of flyenge Therfore certaynly such inordinate feare and flyenge agaynst Gods commaundemēt is nothynge els but a declaryng of a greate and sore
he promyseth you that shal be yee and not naye He wyl abyde faste by his promyse euen as he sayeth hymselfe I will not take away my kyndnesse from hym Psal lxxxviii nor suffre my truth to fayle I wyl not breake my conuenaunte not disanulle the thynge that is gone out of my lyppes ⧠Howe wyfe chyldren and other frendes shal be comforted the husbonde beynge dead SEynge nowe that God hath called your husbonde father or other good frende out of thys mysery into euerlastynge ioye therfore shall ye receaue it wyllyngly for it is hys worke Repyne not therfore at hys worke nother wepe agaynst his wyl cōmitte the cause vnto him take it of his hande as a fatherly prouynge saye with Iobe God hath geuen vs hym hath taken hym agayn the name of LORDE be blessed as it was the LORDES wyll so is it happened God almyghty wyll proue you as be dyd Iob how ye wyll behaue youre selfe as he taketh out of youre syght the thynge that ye loue He wyll admytte well ynough that ye be sorye For it is seldome sene but a man be he neuer so vyle Ther is no membre of the body but it hath hys proper gyfte or of so lytle reputacion hath euer a sondery gyfte wherew t he serued profyted other And the same gyftes were not greatly regarded in a man whyle he lyued for cōmunely we regarde lytle suche thynges as are present but as soone as the man is gone so soone as that vessel is spilte thā begynne we to want the gyftes that were cōteyned therin Therfore is it no maruayle that we be sory for suche a gyfte of God yf it be takē out of our syghte God is displeased wyth mysvsynge of hys gyftes As longe as we use men the gyftes accordyng as they be ordeyned of God for our necessite than do we well and that can God suffre well ynough But that we misvse thē and make an ydost of them that can not God suffre For whan we put oure trust cōforte in man or ony other creature than do we wrōgge misvse the same and the curse cōmeth vpō vs wherof it is wryttē Ierem. xvii Cursed is the mā that putteth hys trust in man For all mans helpe is to be suffred only whā they be presente and that we haue nede of them but as soone as they are gone than must we loke for other helpe namely God lettynge go it that passeth awaye thynkyng it to be tēporal faydynge at the twynklynge of an eye and vanyte that is in thys world We haue here no abydynge thyng but must loke aboute for the thynge to come that endureth for euer God can not abyde that we make much of creatures For thys cause doth God draw pull vs so from the creatures And seynge he is oure true father bridegrome husbōde he can not for he is strōge gelous abyde that we set oure hope loue or trust vpon ony creatur Thys is the cause then that he doth take vs from thē and caryeth vs vpon hym selfe For loke on what creature we haue mooste hope loue and affection that wyll he soonest take out of syght yf he doth loue vs. And whan he hath suche gelousy vpon vs than doth he mooste chefely declare hys loue towarde vs. We ought to call noman father vy◠earth By thys also it commeth that Christe Mathe .xviii. forbyddeth vs to call ony man father vpon earth for we haue onely one father in heauen namely God which wyl nor can suffre vs to call or to haue ony mā vpon earth father that because we shulde depend and hange only vpō hym lokyng for al good of hym For he wyll be the same that we maye hardely truste vnto seynge he can not nor wyll fayle vs that because he is no earthly but an heauenly father For thys cause than is that man blessed and happy that putteth hys trust hope and confidence in the LORDE as the prophete sayeth Psal xxxiii Fynally yf whan nature fulfylleth hyr course Iob. xiii man hath but cōtinual trauayl mysery after that thys course of nature is ended at rest mā is eased of so great trauayl we seme to hate rather thā to loue them that be departed yf we wold wish thē to be in this wretched worlde agayne Moreouer in makyng so muche of oure frendes departed and settyng so greate affection vpon them wysh ynge Gods worke not to be fulfylled vpon them we blame God in hys wyll and workynge as though he knew not better what were best both for them and vs than we Let vs therfore set oure wyll in Gods wyll and suffer hym to worke at hys pleasur For he knoweth best what is both oure frendes and oure soules health FINIS ¶ Printed in Southwarke by me Iames Nicolson