but the conscience is pricked and oppressed so muche with feare doubtfulnesse of Gods ire for sinne that he thinketh God can be mercifull vnto other but not vnto him And thus doth his knowlege for the time of temptation rather trouble him then ease him bicause his heart doth not or rather can not consent vnto the knowledge yet would he rather then his life he could consent vnto God loue God hate sinne be Gods altogether although he suffered for it al y e paines of the worlde I haue knowne in many good men and many good women this trouble and heauinesse of the spirit for the time as though God had cleane hid him self from the afflicted person and had cleane forsaken him yet at length the day of light from aboue and the comfort of the holy spirite hath appeared that lay couered vnder the veile and couert of bitter cogitations of Gods iust iudgements against sinne Therefore séeing that faith at al times hath not like strength in man I doe not speake to discomfort such as at all times finde not their faith as strong as Dauid did in this Psalme for I know in the holy Saints them selues it was not alwayes like but euen in them as in others And although we can not compare with them in all things in the perfection of their faith yet may they compare them selues with vs in the weakenesse of our faith as ye may sée by the scriptures In this Psalme and in many other ye shall perceiue that Dauid by the constancie and suretie he felt in the promises of God was so strong so ioyfull and comfortable in the middest of all daungers and troubles of death that he did not only contemne troubles and death but also desired death and to be dissolued out of this world as Saint Paule and others did At an other time ye shall perceiue him to be strong in faith but not so ioyful nor yet the troubles so easie vnto him but that he suffered great battell and conflict with his troubles and of the cause of all troubles sinne and transgression of Gods lawes as ye may sée in the sixt Psalme whereas he cryed out and saide Lord chasten me not in thy furie nor punishe me in thy wrath my soule is sore troubled but how long Lord wilt thou deferre help And of such troubled consciences with conflictes ye shall finde oftentimes in the booke of Psalmes and in the rest of Gods scriptures yet shall ye finde the end of the temptation to be ioyfull and comfortable to the weake man that was so sore troubled For although God suffer a long fight betwéene his poore souldier and the diuell yet he giueth the victorie to his seruant as ye may sée in king Dauid When he cryed out that both his body and soule was wearied with the crosse of Gods punishment yet he saide at the last Discedite à me operarij iniquitatis quoniam exaudiuit Dominus vocem fletus mei Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie for the Lorde hath heard the voyce of my weeping And in other of his Psalmes ye shall perceiue his faith more weake and his soule troubled with such anguish and sorrowe that it shal séeme there is no consolation in his soule nor any shewe of Gods carefulnesse towardes him In this state ye may sée him in the 13. Psalme where as a man in manner destitute of all consolation he maketh his complaint saying How long wilt thou forget me The same may ye read also in the 43. Psal. where he sheweth that he his most iust cause and the doctrine that he professed was like altogether to haue bene ouercome so that his spirite was in manner all comfortlesse Then he said to his owne soule Quare tristis es anima mea quare conturbas me Why art thou so heauie my soule why doest thou trouble mee Trust in the Lord c. And in the 42. Psalm he setteth foorth wonderfully the bitter fight and sorrowfull conflicte betwéene hope and desperation Wherin he complayneth also of his own soule that was so much discomforted and biddeth it trust in the lord Of the which two places ye may learne that no man had euer faith at all times like but sometimes more strong sometimes more weake as it pleased God to giue it Let no man therefore despaire although he finde weaknesse of faith for it shall make him to humble him selfe the more and to be the more diligent to pray to haue helpe when he perceiueth his owne weakenesse and doubtlesse at length the weake man by the strong GOD shal be brought to this point that he shal in al troubles aduersities say with the Prophet If I should goe through the shadowe and daungers of death I would not feare what troubles soeuer happen And he sheweth his good assurance in the text that followeth which is the sixt part of this holy and blessed Hymne ¶ The sixt part of the Psalme Whereby the troubles of Gods elect be-ouercome The fourth verse continued and the fift verse expounded For thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe comfort me Thou shalt prepare a table before me against thē that trouble me thou hast annoynted my head with oyle and my cup shall be full SEeing thou art with me at whose power and will all troubles goe and come I doubt not but to haue the victorie and ouerhand of them howe many and daungerous so euer they be for thy rod chasteneth me when I goe astray and thy staffe stayeth me when I should fall Two things most necessarie for me good Lord the one to call me from my fault and errour and the other to kéepe me in thy trueth and veritie What can be more blessed then to be susteined and kept from falling by the staffe and strength of the most highest And what can be more profitable then to be beaten with his merciful rod when we goe astray For He chasteneth as many as he loueth and beateth as many as he receiueth into his holy profession Notwithstanding whilest we be here in this life he féedeth vs with the swéete pastures of holsome herbes of his holy word vntill we come to eternall life and when we put off these bodies and come into heuen and knowe the blessed fruition and riches of his kingdome then shall we not only be his shéepe but also the guestes of his euerlasting banquet The which Lorde thou settest before all them that loue thée in this worlde and doest so annoynt and make glad our mindes with thine holy spirite that no aduersities nor troubles can make vs sorrie In this sixt part the prophet declareth the old saying amongest wise men Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri that is to say It is no lesse maistrie to keepe the thing that is wonne then it was to winne it King Dauid perceiueth right well the same and therefore as before in the Psalme he said The Lorde turned his soule
haue his desire and cogitations in the law of God both day and right And to preserue the people from this horrible impediment of ignorance God spake by his prophet Esaie these wordes My spirite which is in thee and my woordes which I put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy seede saith the Lord from henceforth for euermore And in the same Prophesie Christ prayeth the heauenly father to seale his word in his disciples wherby the daungerous impediment of mans saluation which is ignorance might be eschewed auoyded The same remedie against ignorance commandeth Almightie God also by Moses in Deut. and by S. Paul to the Ephesians whereas the fathers and the mothers be not bound themselues alone to knowe the lawe of God but also bound to teach it to their children that by ignorance they offend not God Of the second impediment whiche is feare and dred of Gods iustice commeth trembling and terror of the conscience and many times also the extremest euil of all euils very desperation that neuer looketh who can helpe neither yet trusteth to find any helpe But of these fruites of terror and feare and also of their remedies how they may be cured and holpen it shalbe shewed hereafter in the Psalme as it followeth whereas both terror of conscience and tranquillitie of the same be meruellously and diuinely set foorth Onely vntill I come to those pointes I doe note that this feare and terror of conscience in the faithfull be the very hunger and thirst that Christ saith shalbe quenched and they that féele them shalbe replenished with grace and consolation as the blessed Virgin the mother of Christ saith and they that féele them not shall departe emptie without grace And the cause of this terror and feare is the spirite of God that worketh the knowledge of our sinne by preaching reading or thinking of Gods Lawe that openeth and detecteth how wretched and sinnefull we be by nature in the sight of God But of this matter is better occasion ministred afterwardes in the Psalme then in this place ¶ The second part ¶ How a man should vse himselfe towards him in whome he putteth his trust in the time of trouble 2 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord my hand I held vppe all night and it was not wearie my soule refused comfort IN this part is taught vs both by doctrine and by example howe we should vse our selues in the time of trouble When we know there is no helpe nor helper but God alone it is not ynough for a man to know that God can helpe but also we must beléeue constantly that he hath as prompt a will to helpe as a sufficient power able to helpe and then béeing assured that he both can and will helpe we must call vppon him for helpe according to his commaundement vnto vs Call vppon mee in the dayes of trouble c. But of this place we may marke and learne what an intollerable burthen and vnspeakeable sorrowe the terrour and feare of sinne is and how gréeuous a thing the sight and contemplation of Gods displeasure and iust iudgement is against euery sinner for his sinne and transgression of Gods most holy Law The text saith That the Prophete when he felt the displeasure of God against sinne cryed out with a lowde voyce vnto the Lord. Whereby we learne that the conscience of man admonished by the word of God of the filthinesse and abhomination of sinne bringeth all the bodie into a trembling and feare lest God should vse rather iustice and iustly punishe sinne then mercie and mercifully forgiue sinne And thus béeing made afrayde thoroughly of sinne the mind is occupied with sorrowfull and heauie cogitations and the tongue by vehemencie of the spirite brought into clamours and cryes As we may sée commonly by examples left vnto vs in the word of God that where sinne is throughly felt in the conscience the feeling sinner is not onely troubled within in spirite but also outwardly in all the members and partes of his bodie as it is to be séene most manifestly in king Dauid In what a sea of heauines was king Dauid in his conscience when he spake to his owne soule Why art thou so heauie and sorrowfull ô my soule and why dost thou thus trouble mee Againe How long wilt thou forget mee ô Lord for euer And in other Psalmes we may sée into what trembling and feare outwardly he was brought by the knowledge and féeling of his sinne In one place he saith The feare of his sinnes did not onely ouerlay his conscience but also crushed and in maner all to broke his bones And in another place His visage was all defaced with wéeping teares and so abundantly they gushed out of his eyes that he watered or rather ouerflowed his bed with them where he lay Into what horrible cryes and waylings many times he fell for feare of sinne this Psalme and many other doe declare The like horrour and feare also of the sight and féeling of sinne we sée to haue béene in Saint Paule when he cryed out vppon him selfe Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie subiect vnto death And Marie Nagdalene with the sight and féeling of Gods displeasure against her sinne made teares and wéepings enowe to washe the founteine of mercies féete Iesus Christ. But blessed is that conscience feared by the Lawe whose feare by the swéete promises of the Gospel is turned into mirth and blessed be those teares and wéepings that end in consolation and happie is that troubled bodie whose end is immortalitie in the resurrection of the iust Further as we sée here king Dauid a sinner for feare of Gods iudgement breake out into lowd cryes for helpe and preseruation the same anguish and trouble of minde and of bodie for feare of Gods punishment for sinne towardes man was likewise in Christ without sinne which said My soule is heauie vnto death and in such an agonie was his bodie that he burst out and swett both water and bloud So that of this second part first we learne that such as be truely vnseignedly brought to a knowledge féeling and repentance of their sinnes haue it with great heauines of minde terrour of conscience and trouble also of the bodie many times that no sicknesse nor troubles may be compared to the trouble of the conscience for feare of due and condigne punishment for the sinne perpetrated and committed against Gods lawes The second doctrine that we be taught out of this second part is to declare what difference there is betwéene the penitent Christian in aduersitie and the desperate person that looketh for no helpe or els the presumptuous person that contemneth helpe The penitent afflicted calleth vnto the Lord and although he finde his burden neuer so intollerable doe wéepe and
vnspeakable wisedome and iustice maketh them for their sinnes aliue and in securitie of conscience to goe to hell As Pharao whilest he followed the Israelites in persequution into the red sea soudenly was drewned Chore Dathan and Abiron whilest they were doing their sacrifices God killed them in opening the earth that swallowed them aliue downe into hell Nowe this inwarde discomfort although it eude not in ioye but onely in such as beléeue their sinnes to be forgiuen in the death and passion of Christ yet we sée by the examples of the scripture that both good and bad suffer and féele this that their spirite will take no comfort But nowe as concerning outward and externall discomfort which is felt as well of such as haue the word of God as such as haue not the word of God but only the lawe of nature As we may sée in the time of the lawe of nature how Noah shewed the discomfort of all men and the destruction of the world for sinne but this discomfort did not enter into the spirites of the hearers Christ complaineth of the same that the people had both discomfort and comfort preached vnto them and yet they receiued none of them both To whome saith Christ should I compare this generation It is like boyes that sit in the streates and cry vnto their fellowes and say We haue played vpon our tymbrels to you and you haue not daunsed we haue soung mourning songs vnto you and ye haue not wept God by his Prophete Esaie saith the same All the day long haue I extended foorth my hand vnto an vnfaithfull and intractable people Meaning that what so euer he threatened or gently offered vnto the Iewes it came no further then the outwarde eare Whereof both the Prophets and Christ him self gréeuously complaine in this sort They haue eares and heare not and they haue eyes and see not Saint Paule rebuketh men also that by the lawe of nature knewe good whereof they should haue reioyced and euill whereof they should haue lamented and yet did not And to leaue off the examples of our fathers mentioned in the scriptures we may sée the same by daily experience amongest our selues We reade in the booke of God we heare by preaching we knowe in our owne consciences the displeasure and anger of God against vs for our sinnes God outwardly sheweth vs the same with many horrible plagues as by sicknesse warre sedition scarsitie enimitie and hatred by the deliuerance and surrender of a whole realme to the vtter destruction thereof into the handes and rule of a straunger and by the deliuery and giuing ouer of Christian soules into the hands and rule of the Antichristian Pope and his wicked Cleargie and yet this discomfort commeth no further then our outward eare If Asaph the authour of this Psalme were amongest vs he would say His spirite would take no consolation And this is an horrible plague that wéekely this Psalme is read amongest the Popish Cleargie and yet it bringeth their spirites to no sorowe nor féeling of God displeasure Wherefore our owne experience teacheth that there is an inward and an outwarde discomfort in this Psalme and in the rest of Gods most holy word The one penitent sinners féele and by it amend their liues and the other some wicked men féele and yet despaire but of the most part of the world it is not felt at all Whereof commeth the contempt of God the loue of our selues and of the world and the losse of our sinfull soules in the world to come Let vs therefore marke the scripture that teacheth this discomfort and pray to God that as we sée it in the letter so we may féele it in the spirite Of the two maner of consolations it shall be saide in the next verse and of the brightnesse and darknesse also in the Psalme hereafter Nowe in the trouble of the spirite is an other thing to be considered whereof the text also maketh mention that is howe the discomfort of the spirite had continuaunce all the night Whereof is to be gathered the greatnesse of discomfort For as the night is a very image of death and the bed a very similitude of the sepulchre and graue euen so is the discomfort of the spirite in the night that will not suffer the body to take rest but to be vnquieted with it selfe The which vnquietnesse of the spirite is a very similitude and image of eternall discomfort in the world to come that both body and soule whiche were created first to inherite the heauenly blisse after the fall of Adam should rest by night as king Dauid saith and after this life for sinne vnforgiuen should for euer be disquieted in the vnquenchable fire of hell Here may we learne the circumstances and causes how the trouble of the Prophet Asaphes spirite was increased It was trouble ingendered by sinne the occasion onely of al mens miseries opened and reuealed vnto the conscience by the law condemned by iustice to eternall fire and it continued al night yea how much more the scripture declareth not In the which night the darknesse thereof represented vnto his eyes outwardly the horrour of hell prison and also his bed the graue and sepulchre wherein al flesh is clad after the spirite departeth The shéetes of mans flesh after this life be nothing but earth aboue and earth vnderneath as whilest it liueth it is clad with such vaine thinges as grow vpon the earth This whole night in discomfort of the spirit declareth two notable things First howe earnestly God is angrie in déede with sinne that putteth man to such long paine for it And the next howe gratious a God he is that will not yet suffer the discomforted spirite to despaire in his discomfort as it followeth meruellously in the next verse 3 When I am in heauinesse I wil thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine Sela. Whilest Asaph was thus troubled in spirite he remembred the Lord and called vnto him for helpe First out of this verse it is to be considered that nothing can quiet the comfortlesse spirit but GOD alone But for as much as it séemeth by the partes of this Psalme that followeth that this verse came in by occasion rather then to shewe a full remedie for the Prophetes trouble I will not write what I thinke thereof but deferre the remedie against trouble to such other verses as follow bycause the Prophete saide before that his spirite could take no consolation and that a great many of troubles followe as the Psalme declareth It sheweth that he was not able to beare the troubles of the minde alone without the inuocation and helpe of God Wherefore before he expresseth by writing al his troubles he writeth also howe in the middest of them he did remember and put his trust in the Lord. Out of this we learne howe necessarie it is
calleth after the phrase of the scripture arrowes and dartes These remembraunces may be comfortes to the hearers and to the readers two manner of wayes First in this that God when he punisheth punisheth iustly as he did the whole world for sinne Whereof the Prophete gathereth If sinne iustly merited doe trouble all the generation of man it is no great meruell though sinne trouble me that am but one man and a vile sinner If sinne brought all flesh vnto death sauing those that were in the ship is it any meruell though sinne make me to tremble quake Againe If God when he gaue the lawe of Moses and to the people spake out of thunder declaring what a thing it was to transgresse that lawe in so much that al y e people were afraid to heare the Lord speake and desired that Moses might supplie his roome what meruell is it that my conscience trembleth féeling that my soule hath offended the lawes of God And if Pharao and his realme were sore afraid of Gods outward plagues what cause haue I to feare the inwarde dread and sorrowfull sight of sinne shewed vnto me by Gods lawe So that we may take this cōsolation out of this place that God is a iust Iudge to punish sinne and not a Tyrant that punisheth of affection or wilfull desire And so saide Dauid When so euer or howe so euer thou punish let men say and iudge as they list thou art iust and righteous be all thy doings The other consolation is that in the middest of all aduersities God preserued penitent and faithfull sinners As in the time of the vniuersall floud the water hurted not Noah nor suche as were in the ship In the time of Pharaos plagues the Israelites tooke no harme At the giuing of the lawe the Israelites perished not with lightening and thunder Euen so sorrowes and anguish diffidence and weaknesse of faith they are plagues and punishments for all men by reason of sinne yet penitent sinners by reason of faith in Christ take no hurt nor damnation by them As it appeareth by this Prophete that was troubled in the spirite and in the body as meruellously as could be but yet in Christ escaped the daunger as all men shal do that repent and beléeue Whereof we learne that as the rayne falleth generally and yet bettereth no earth to bring foorth her fruite but such as is apt to receiue the rayne stonie rocks and barren ground being nothing the better euen so doth the plagues and rayne of Gods displeasure plague all mankinde but none be the better therefore but such as repent and bewayle their sinnes that gaue GOD iust occasion thus to punishe them The same is to be considered also of the verse that followeth which is this 18 The lightening shone vpon the ground the earth was moued and shooke therewithall By these manner of speaches The lightening shone and the earth quaked the Prophete setteth foorth the strength and might of Gods power and willeth men to loue him and to feare him For he is able to defend and preserue his faythfull and to punish and plague the wicked And the like he sayth in the verse following 19 Thy way is in the sea and thy pathes in the deep waters and thy footsteps are not knowne He taketh comfort of this miracle that GOD brought the Israelites through the red sea in this that the waters knewe the Israelites gaue place vnto them that they might drye footed goe through them But when king Pharao and his people would haue followed in the same path persequuting Gods people the sea would make no way for him nor yet shew the steppes where the Israelites troade but ouerwhelmed them in most desperate deaths So in the seas of temptations suche as put their trust in the Lorde passe and neuer perish by them whereas such as put not their trust in the Lorde perish in temptations as Pharao and his armie did by water And the next verse that concludeth the Psalme sheweth by what meanes the Israelites were vnder God saued in the red sea by the handes of Moses and Aaron as it appeareth 20 Thou leadest thy people like sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron Of this verse the afflicted may learne many consolations First that the best people that be are no better able to resist temptations then the simple shéepe is able to withstande the brier that catcheth him The next that man is of no more abilitie to beware of temptations then the poore shéepe is to aboyd the brier being preserued only by the diligence of the shéepheard The thirde that as the shéepheard is carefull of his intangled and briered shéepe so is GOD of his afflicted faithfull And the fourth is that the people of Israel could take no harme of the water bycause they entered the sea at Gods commaundement Whereof we learne that no daunger can hurt when God doth commaund vs to enter into it and all daungers ouercome vs if we choose them our selues besides Gods commaundement As Peter when he went at Gods commandement vppon the water tooke no hurt but when he entered into the Bishops house vppon his owne presumption was ouercome and denied Christ. The Israelities when they fought at Gods commaundement the perill was nothing but when they would doe it of their owne heades they perished So that we are bound to attend vppon Gods commaundement and then no daunger shall destroy vs though it paine vs. The other doctrine is in this that God vsed the ministerie of Moses and Aaron in the deliuerance of his people who did commanded them to do nothing but that the Lord did first bid Whereof we learne that such as be ministers appointed of God and doe nothing but as God commaundeth are to be followed As S. Paule saith Followe mee as I followe Christ. And these men can by the word of God giue good counsell and great consolation both for bodie and soule as we perceiue this Prophet in marking Gods doinges vnto the Israelites applied by grace the same wisedome and helping mercie vnto himselfe to his eternall rest through Iesus Christ in the world to come To whome with the father and the holy Ghost be all laude and praise world without end Let all Christians say Amen FINIS ⧠A table declaring as well the generall as the speciall contentes of this whole Booke ¶ The figures note the number of the leafe A. the first side B. the second ⧠The argument of the 23. Psalme fol. 9. A. ¶ Of this Psalme there are seuen partes ibid. B. 1 Who it is that hath the cure and charge of mans life and saluation 10. A. 2 Wherein the life and saluation of man consisteth 14. B. 3 How a man is brought to the knowledge of life and saluation which part sheweth what man is of himselfe and how he is brought into his life and to feede in the pleasaunt
God c. Vnquietnes of the spirite is a veri image of eternall death Psal. 104. The cause of al trouble is sin Psal. 39. Rom. 5. 7. 8 The night representeth hell prison The bed representeth the graue The sheets of mans fleshe is earth Two thinges to be noted No cōfort to the afflicted but GOD alone Gene. 3. Note Gene. 4. 2. Samu. 12 1. Samu. 31 Matth. 27. What maner of mā Asaph was 1. Paral. 6. Luke 9. Note Psal. 42. 43 Two kindes of consolations in the worde of God Gene. 4. Who be the childrē of Abraham Consolation offered vnto England in K. Edwardes dayes Iudas Phariseis Prayer Man in trouble without Gods presence is miserable Note What sinn worketh in man A peaceable conscience precious iuel Psal. 25. 121. Psa. 123. 131 Psal. 132. Psal. 119. Prou. 17. Num. 11. Psal. 35. 39. 71. Psal. 6. 12. 14. 140. Psal. 51. Note Rom. 7. 8. 12. Vnto what vse the eys eares of man were created Rom. 10. Iacob 19. 1. Cor. 15. Esaie 66. Matth. 25. Consolation in trouble Gene. 12. 13. 15. 16. 17 Num. 14. Mich. 5. Matth. 2. Matth. 27. Mark 15. Luke 20. Iohn 19. Iohn 6. Luke 4. Matth 7. Luke 12. Genes 3. Actes 9. Abacuc 2. Rom. 1. Matth. 15. Luke 7. Matt. 20. 7. Luke 11. The inward obscuritie Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 12. 1. Cor. 10. 11. Actes 3. Coloss. 3. Psalm 48. The troubled spirite is ouerwhelmed with greeuous cogitations The remēbrance of Gods iustice for sinne is greater paine then the death of the bodie Rom. 8. A godly consolation Iohn 6. 10. Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 15. 2. Tim. 4. Genes 3. Psalm 42. 43. Iob 3. Matth. 26. Nothing can hurt him that is in Christ Iohn 6. Note Iob. 3. 42. Matth. 27. Marke 15. Luke 22. Iohn 19. Psalm 34. Actes 14. The trouble of the minde is the greatest 1. Peter 4. Prouer. 12. Heb. 12. God hideth his consolation for a time to trie vs. Esaie 54. Genes 3. Rom. 5. Rom. 7. 8. Ephes. 2. Psalm 53. Rom. 8. Iohn 3. Phil. 1. 2. Galath 2. Psalm 77. Psalm 75. Matth. 26. Marke 14. Esaie 66. Matth. 25. Prouerb 3 Apoca. 3. Heb. 12. The Prophet maketh no mention of the griefe of the body Note Rom. 7. Gal. 2. 3. 1. Reg. 16. 1. Reg. 24. 2. Reg. 16. 15. 2. Tim. 4. Matth. 26. Actes 7. 1. Reg. 31. 1. Reg. 16. Genes 4. A wicked iudgment Matth. 27. 26. Psalme 10 and 73. A whole man can giue good counsel to the sicke but being sicke himselfe cannot apply the same to his comfort 1. Cor. 3. Rom. 1. Matth. 10. 28. Act. 16. Prou. 21. When we heare or reade gods promises wee ought to pray Mark 9. Luke 17. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Reg. 15. Luke 18. Exod. 34. Deut. 5. 7. Psal. 33. 51. 56. 85. Psal. 130. 143. Matth. 14. Note Two maner of mercies mentioned in the scripture Gene. 3. Rom. 8. Psal. 18. Psal. 42. 43 Rom. 2. Mat. 10. 27 Psal. 62. Psal. 41. 43 Psal. 73. 77 Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 12. Rom. 12. 8. 2. Cor. 6. Gala. 5. Ephes. 5. Matth. 11. To such as haue wrestled with sin and in Christ got the vpper hand Gods preceptes be easie sweete Rom. 7. Iohn 21. We can praise other men for wel doing but we be loth to put it in experience our selues Iohn 21. Matth. 26. Rom. 7. Osee. 13. Rom. 8. The occasion of mans help is Gods right hand Prou. 18. True confession of sinne is in manner an induction to the remission thereof Psal. 74. Psal. 32. Rom. 7. 1. Samu. 15. 2. Samu. 12 Matt. 5. 18. Iacob 5. Luke 7. Matth. 27. Mark 15. 1. Samu. 15. Psal. 77. Psal. 32. Luke 18. Sual wold haue Samuel to beare his sinne 1. Samu. 31. Matth. 9. Luke 5. Mark 2. 2. Samu. 12 Psal 51. 2 Samu. 12. Esai 63. Ecclesi 9. 3. Reg. 8. Papisticall confession 1. Samu. 15 Oh blasphemie 1. Iohn 1. Psal. 130. Esai 1. Ezech. 18. 1. Iohn 1. Exhortation to prayer Esaie 65. Rom. 10. Esaie 6. Iohn 12. Psalme 3. Psalme 23. Psal. 6. 38. Psal. 42. 43 Psal. 8. 19. 148. Psal. 38. Psalme 88 Iob. 1. 2. Iob. 6. Iob. 2. Iob. 3. Esaie 29. Matth. 15. Rom. 10. Three sortes of people cōdemned Note well Esaie 56. Nichodemes Matth. 10. Wherein doth our profession consist We ought not to be ignorant of any booke in the scripture Deut. 4. 6. 31. Prouerb 4 Psalm 51. Consolation Iob. 6. Psalme 13. Ierem. 20. Passur Ierem. 19. Rom. 9. Potter God is the doer of wonders Three doctrines Rom. 1. Genes 7. Exod. 14. Note The true Christians take consolation themselues of gods miracles wrought vppon others Iacob and Ioseph Iohn 6. Euery man must beleeue for himselfe Matth. 15. Repentance Notable doctrine Note Psalme 18. To whom God is mercifull and to whome seuere Rom. ◠A wicked iudgment of Gods doinges Oh horrible blindnesse Lokewhat preeminence God obteineth of man the same place hath man with God A stronge fortresse Two consolations Whome God loued he always corrected Euery Christian member hath an Egypt and a Babylon The greatest consolation in trouble From the greater to the lesser Sela. Vnto insensible thinges be attributed sensible qualities Three doctrines The first doctrine touching God Gene. 1. Time The second doctrine touching the insensible creature Psal. 29. Psal. 77. Psal. 114. The third doctrine touching man Oh rebellion of man Insensible creatures shall be a condemnation vnto man Marke most diligently The diuell man be only disobedient vnto God Oh take heed miserable man Consolation Deapthes A goodly similitude Exod. 14. Iosua 3. Oh the mercifull goodnesse of God towards man inscrutable Noah Gene. 7. Exod. 19. Note Exod. 5. 6. 7 8. 9. 10. 11. God punisheth iustly for sin Exod. 19. God is no tyrant Psal. 51. 10. 119. God alwayes preserueth pemitent sinners Rom. 8. Hebr. 6. 10. The Israelites were conducted by God through the red sea Pharao his were drowned Exo. 14. Psalm 121. 125. 13. 46. 54. 71. The best is not able of himself to resist temptations Sheephearde They that doe thinges at Gods commaundement can take no harme Math. 14. Math. 16. Num. 14. Such as be ministers of the Church ought to attend only vppon the voyce of God 2. Cor. 11.
so doeth sinne and death both appeare and be felt by the spirite of God shewed vnto vs in the lawe This order also fawe the holy Prophet when he saide The Lorde conuerteth my soule and leadeth me into the pathes of righteousnes This is a wonderfull sentence and much and déepely to be considered and weighed of the Christian man The Lorde conuerteth my foule saith Dauid He féeleth in him selfe that as long as the diuell and sinne haue the rule and kingdome in man the soule of man being Gods creature is deformed foule horrible and so troubled that it is like vnto all things more then vnto God and vertue whervnto it was created but when the wicked diuel deformed sinne be by the victorie of Christ ouercome expelled the soule waxeth faire amiable swéete louing pleasant like vnto God againe and cōmeth into order obeisance vnto his creatour so brought into y e pathes of righteousnes féedeth with the rest of Gods well ordered flocke vppon she pastures and foode of his holy worde to doe his blessed will Oh that we would in the glasse of Gods worde looke vpon our owne soules when they be in the tyrannie of the diuell vnder the kingdome of sinne as this king did we should more loathe and detest our owne soule and the companie that our soule is accompanied withall then if we should for all our life time be put into sties with hogges and alwayes be bound during our life to liue with them féede as they féede sléepe and wake as they do and be as they be in all things Looke in the Gospel of Saint Luke and there shall ye sée a man by sinne so foule so disordered so accompanied with swine so hungerbaned so rent and torne so beggerly so wretched so vile so loathsome and so stinking that the very swine were better for their condition then he was But sée howe the heauenly shepheard behelde from his heauenly throne the place of the euerlasting ioyes this poore strayed shéepe féeding not amongst shéepe but amongest swine and yet could not be satisfied therewith And no meruell for swine féede not vpon the meate of shéepe nor yet doe shéepe fill them selues with hogges draffe and swillinges but this shephearde vsed his olde wonted clemencie and strake the heart of his shéepe making him to wéepe and bewayle his condition a man to come to suche dishonour to be coupled and matched with swine to féede like swine eate like swine such meate as swine eate remembring that the worst in his fathers house was a Prince and noble King in comparison respect of him then also being persuaded of his fathers mercy he returned his father brought him into his pleasant swéete pastures gaue him his old fauor accustomed apparel againe as a man to kéepe companie with men no more with adulterous men and vncleane swine howbeit he came not to his old honour againe till the Lord had practised in him that he practised in this Prophete king Dauid Ammam meam conuertit He conuerted and turned my soule It is but a follie for a man to flatter himselfe as though he were a Christian man when his hart and soule is not turned vnto the Lord. He shal neuer féed in the pastures of life but be an hypocrite all the days of his life as the most part of the world be that professe Christes name at this present day They say they be conuerted from the world to God when there is nothing within the pastures of Gods word but that they wil contemne rather then to haue as much as an euil looke of the world for it They say they be conuerted to God when they be contented with the world to honour that for God that is but bread and wine in the matter and substance as the scripture of God and the holy Church of Christ haue taught and beléeued these thousand and fiue hundreth yeares and more Oh Lord be these men turned to thée Be these the men that shall dwell with thée in thy holy mount of Sion and stand in thy holy place Nay doubtlesse for they be not turned to thée but from thée be not with thée but against thée They speak with thée and yet their déedes dishonour thée they talke of trueth and practise lies What good Lord shall thy simple poore vnlearned shéepe do Where shall they séeke thy trueth For the shéepeheards say and sing this Psalme euery wéeke and at euery dirige for the dead and yet they be not conuerted in their spirits to thée that thou mightest lead them into the pathes of righteousnes But Lord there is no man nowe in manner that dare accuse them they destroy themselues and thy shéepe and no man can be suffered with Gods word to remedie it Notwithstanding good Lord although in this world none may accuse them yet they in the world to come shal haue king Dauid whose Psalmes they daily reade and in whom they most glorie to accuse them both of heresie and blasphemie as Moses shall accuse the wicked Iewes whome they most glorie of For as the Iewes read the scripture of Moses and yet were neuer the better so these priests of Antichrist reade the holy scripture yet neither the people nor they themselues are any thing the better And in this they passe y e abhomination of the Iewes Turkes for they were and yet be content that their bookes of religion shal be vsed in their churches in the vulgar and common tongue but these enimies of God and man would not haue the word that God hath appointed for all mens saluation to be vsed in any tongue but in the Latine The God therefore of peace that brought againe from death to life the great shéepheard of the shéepe by the bloud of the euerlasting testament our Lord Iesus Christ conuert the soules and heartes of all those that cause the shéepe of God thus to eate and féed vppon the carrine and infected pastures of mens traditions Amen Nowe as king Dauid in this text hath wonderfully set foorth y e miserable nature of al Gods shéepe and put himself for an example that the nature and condition of all men is corrupt wicked and damnable so that it cannot be partaker of Gods benediction and euerlasting grace except it be borne a newe amended restored and instructed so likewise he sheweth that none conuerteth the soule of man but the heauenly father the great shéepeheard that both séeth the loste state of his shéepe and willeth of his mercie the saluation and calling of the shéepe home againe and then he procéedeth further and sheweth what the heauenly shéepeheard will doe with his shéepe He saith Hee will lead them into the pathes of iustice Wherein the Prophete declareth that it is not onely God that conuerteth the man from euill but also he alone that kéepeth him in goodnes and vertue And therein is shewed a wonderfull miserie and wretchednesse in the soule and
feare Therefore in this pointe the prophete correcteth the foolish opinion of man that woulde liue as one of the shéepe of God in this world without troubles It is contrarie both to the person that professeth God and also to the religion that he is professed vnto for in y e worlde both shall be as Christ sayth hated of which hatred commeth persecution and troubles so that the people of God shal whether they will or will not passe through many daungers and no lesse perillous then the shadowes and verie image of death as here King Dauid sheweth in this wholesome and blessed Hymne And as he séeth right well that the state and condition of Gods people and shéepe is to be troubled for Christe and his worde euen so did Zacharie the prophet speake of Christe and his people howe that not onely the shéepe should be troubled and scattered abroade but also the shéepehearde should be stricken with the sworde that both shéepe and shéepehearde shoulde be condemned in this worlde But nowe as Dauid and Zacharie declare that the life and condition of Christe and his shéepe be troublous in the world so do they both declare that whatsoeuer the troubles be they be both knowen and appointed vppon whom they shall fall and in what time they shal trouble the shéepe of God so that they can come no sooner then God appointeth nor do any more harme then the heauenly shéepeheard shall appoint them to do And this we may sée and learne as wel in Christ as in his shéepe Howe many times did the Priestes and Phariseis conspire Christes death Yet because his time was not come they had not their purpose but when the time of God was come Christ said to his shéepe Ye shalbe all troubled this night for my cause for the sheepeheard shall bee stricken and the sheepe shalbe scattered abroade Then as God had appointed the time it could be no longer deferred And because they should not misse of him whose death they sought he came and met them and offered himselfe vnto them and said that He was the same man Iesus of Nazareth whom they sought And when they had taken him and vsed as much crueltie towards him as their wicked malice and diuellishe hatred could deuise they killed him and made him to passe not onely the shadowe and image of death but also death it selfe They thought then they had him where as they would and said He hath saued other let him now saue himselfe if he can When he was layed in the graue with his fathers they thought to execute their plagues and tyrannie towardes him being dead purposing that as they had brought him to death and killed him so likewise they woulde kéepe him downe still that he shoulde neuer sée life againe but rotte in the earth like a wretche vntill wormes had eaten him And for the performance of this purpose to doe all their whole willes to the vttermost they came to Pilate and said that The deceiuer of the people that lay in the graue made his bost whiles he was aliue that the third day after his death he would rise againe but if it should be so it would be worse with them after then it was before Appoint therefore souldiers said they and watchmen to kéepe the Sepulchre till the thirde daye be past Whiles they yet minded to lay as much euil and contempt vppon Christ our shéepheard as they ment vnto him came the heauenly father that suffereth no more ignominie to fall vpon his nor will suffer them to continue any longer then him pleaseth with this inhibition and stay of further procéedings in dishonouring and persecuting his onely sonne and said I am redijt lux tertia surge sepulte meus That is as much to say Nowe is come the thirde day arise mine owne deare sonne buried And then was the sorrowe contempt of this our persecuted shéepeheard not onely ended but also turned into endlesse vnspeakable ioyes he passed with his forefather Dauid most bitter paines and also most vile death but he feared not because God was with him The same appointment also hath the heauenly father made with al dangers and troubles that shall happen vnto vs his poore and afflicted shéepe taken daily as it were to the shambles to suffer what Gods enimies can deuise But the heauenly shéepeheard doth sée all their doings out of heauen and mocketh them to scorne for they shall neuer do as much as they would against Christ and his people but as much as God will suffer them Dauid afterwardes in his 37. Psalme teacheth vs the same with meruellous woordes and diuine sentences Commite Domino viam tuam spera in eum c. Laye saith he thy care vppon the Lord and trust in him and he shall helpe thee It is most necessarie therefore for euery troubled man to knowe in his minde and féele in his heart that there are no troubles that happen vnto man whatsoeuer they be come they by chaunce or Fortune as many men say and thinke but that they come by the prouidence of God yea the very winds of the aire tempestes in the cloudes trembling of the earth rages in the sea or any other that come howe soudaine or howe vnlooked for soeuer they appeare as ye may read in the 29. Psalme of this Prophete wherein be wonderfull tempestes and troublesome thinges spoken of as well done in the wators as vppon the drie land But here alas is our nature and knowledge much to be lamented and complained vppon for as the knowledge we haue of Gods fauour and gentlenesse towardes vs in Christ for the most part consisteth in the vnderstanding of the minde and talke with the mouth but the vertue strength and operation of the same fauour of God is not sealed in our heartes and consciences euen so be the troubles and aduersities which God threateneth for sinne spoken and talked of with the tongue and knowen in the minde but they be not earnestly nor féelingly sealed in our conscience and heart And of this commeth it that we neither loue God nor reioyce in his promises as we ought to doe when we heare or read them neither yet hate sinne nor be sorrowfull for Gods displeasure as sinne and Gods displeasure should be sorrowed and mourned for of Christian men Hereof also commeth it dearely beloued that we loue no further then in knowledge and tongue nor hate vice but in knowledge and tongue But alas how miserable is this our state and condition that knoweth neither life nor death vertue nor vice trueth nor falsehood God nor the diuel heauen nor hell but halfe as much as they ought of Christian men to be knowen Read you therefore and marke the 37. Psalme and you shall knowe that it is not ynough for Christian men to vnderstand and speake of vertue and vice but that the vertue must be sealed in the conscience and loued and the vice
with anguish or heauinesse for sinne immediately the tongue saith He was borne vnder an euill Planet or in an euill houre and so findeth fault with the worke of God which God made excellent good Thus may ye sée where as the soule of man wayteth not vppon God the impatient man accuseth God and all his workes both in heauen and in earth But the godly féeling the rodde of God for sinne and iniquitie as GOD neuer punisheth withoute iuste cause he firste accuseth him selfe and acknowledgeth his owne offences and then sayeth with the Prophete Micheas I will suffer the indignation of God for I haue deserued it To this wayting vpon the Lorde without quarelling and desperate lamenting exhorted Ieremie the prophete the children of Israel for the time of their being in seruitude and captiuitie of Babylon bidding them to plante and grafte trées and so to prouide for themselues vntil the time were expired of their affliction and captiuitie Men may mourne and lament their sinnes and troubles that they suffer for sinne as we may sée howe the Psalme of the Prophet conteineth the bewailing and wéeping of the people that sate heauily and lamentably by the riuer side in Babylon And the like may ye reade in the Lamentations of Ieremie But this mourning was without desperation and quarelling as the letters and bookes do recorde Besides these thinges the cause of their bewailing and lamenting whiles their soules waited vpon the Lorde differeth from the moste forte of mourners and bewaylers nowe a dayes For we may sée nowe a dayes if the wife bewaile the death of her husbande it is moste commonly because she hath taken from her a louing head and gouernour If the husbande lament the departure of his wife it is because he is bereaued of a faithfull healper If the sonne mourne for the death of his father it is because there is taken from him not onely his father but also his patrone and defender If the parentes be sorrie for the taking away of their children it is because they want their daliaunce sport and pastime with them or such other worldly affections If the prince take gréeuously the calling away of his subiecte from this worlde it is because he lacketh a trustie souldier a faithful capteine a wise counseller or profitable officer If the subiect lamente the death of his prince it is because he hath lost his aduauntage authoritie or estimation If the seruaunt wéepe for his maister it is because with his maister is departed his commoditie and trust of wordly riches and friendship If the maister mourne for his seruaunt it is because there is taken from him a skilfull a diligente or a faithfull doer of his businesse And such like causes as men gréeuously of euerie sort féele and lament If the Parson lament his parishioner it is most commonly because he séeth the breach of an honest housholde decayeth his tenthes and profite And if the parishioner mourne for his pastour most commonly it is because he loss a good companiō or profitable friend If the Bishoppe bewaile the death of suche as dy in his diocesse it is most commonly because he is destitute of suche a one as fauoured much affection to set fourth and doe suche thinges as he worldly desired shoulde goe forewardes or else perchaunce such manner of one as coulde excuse him what negligence or faulte so euer he shoulde perpetrate or committe for the time he were in office If the diocesse be sorrie for the death of the Bishoppe it is because the one parte which is the Clergie doth feare leaste there shall come another that wilbe more diligent and quicke in doing his office and sée that they shall do the same The other partie called the Temporaltie lamente because they haue loste such a one as peraduenture fedd well their belies with bread and béefe or else was so remisse that he woulde suffer all sinne vnpunished and rather be a bearer of the euill then a mainteiner of the good Nowe this is suche béewayling and mourning as Ethnickes Publicanes and Infidels may haue But wherefore the Christian soule that wayteth vppon the Lord without quarell or desperation doth wéep lament reade you the Psalme before named and the lamentations of Ieremie and there shall you finde in the Psalme these words We sate by the riuers of Babylon and wepte when wee remembred thee ô Sion The chiefest cause of their wéeping was because the worde of God was not preached the sacraments ministred nor the Almightie God lauded and praised in the temple of Hierusalem as God had commaunded by his worde This is a moste iust also a moste worthie cause to wéepe for whiles God punisheth vs that for our sinnes not onely our quietnesse wealth but also the worde of God whiche is greater is taken away and his due honour giuen vnto idols For the children of Israel perceiuing that Gods honor was defaced for their sinns they wepte as often as they remembred it as God giue vs grace to doe the same The like did Saint Peter He lamented not because he leafte all his goods for Christes sake but wept that by his deniall of Christe he felte him selfe not constant in the faith and loue of his Maister So did Marie Magdalene bewayle that she hadde offended Christ and not because the world knewe her to be a sinner Saint Iohn Chrysostome hath a notable saying He that feareth more hell then Christ is worthie of hell And that ment the prophet when he cryed out What is there in heauen or in earth that I preferre before thee O Lord. As though he had saide There is nothing can make me as gladde as thy loue towardes me nor any thing so sorrie as thy displeasure good Lorde Thus doth the soule of the verie Christian waite vpon the Lord in all troubles and aduersities and patiently doth beare the punishmentes of sinne and not only beare patiently the paine but also considereth what is the greatest losse that may happen vnto him by reason of troubles Not the losse of worldly richesse landes and promotions nor the losse of health of bodie by sicknesse neither the lesse of the bodie it selfe by death ne yet the losse of the soule into eternall paines But the greatest losse that he weigheth is the losse of the good will of him that made him and of greate mercie redéemed him and with much kindenesse alwayes nourished him That is to be séene in the prodigall sonne whiche when he had spent all his goodes lecherously and brought him selfe to moste miserable pouertie to such extreame famine that he would haue bene glad to haue eaten the meate prepared for the pigs besides the great heauines of hart that weighed the time of prosperitie and conferred it with his estate of so extreame miserie yet nothing made him so sorie and pensiue as the calling to his remembrance howe vnreuerently he had vsed his moste gentle louing
Christ and his church Winchester fell into such a trembling and feare that with all hast he wrote his purgation in a booke named True obedience and Boner set an epistle before it both they crying our against the Pope as against a tyrant and false vsurper of authoritie in this Realme although they thought nothing lesse Thus we may sée how incōstant trembling and quaking these tottering wicked persequuters of Gods word be I could declare more of their religion to be of the same conditions but because these two and Tunstal the bishop of Duresme be knowen openly to y e world by their bookes to be such I speake onely of them When the prophet hath declared that the persequuters of the godly shall soudenly perish he telleth the cause why they shall perish Because they deuise how to put him downe saith he whome God will exalt And after that the Prophete hath shewed that the cause of their fall and punishment is their conspiracie against Gods elect he setteth foorth by what meanes the wicked vse to depose persequute tumble downe the people of God By lies saith the Prophet and by imagining of falshod and vntruth And when he hath declared that the wicked do purpose to bring their case and matter against the godly with lies he sheweth after what sort and fashion lies by wicked men be vsed To bring mischiefe to purpose This is the letter of the Psalme concerning the third part of it Now there is in euery of these sentences profite to be gathered by the reader or hearer of it First is to be noted the conspiracie and treason of the wicked against God If it please the Lord to fauour and aduaunce one the nature of the wicked is as much to deface that God would haue honoured as may be As God bare fauour and aduaunced Abel Cain wrought treason and killed his brother for the loue that God did beare him The Lord appointed Samuel to rule the wicked people misliked that which God best approued God would exalt Dauid Saule Absolon and Achitophel would prefer themselues Againe the Lord appointed Noah to teache the people to beware of the vniuersall floud the people preferred liers vnto whom God neuer gaue his holy spirite God elected Ieremie the true prophete the people aduaunced Passur the false prophete The Lord exalted his deare sonne and willed the world to learne of him the people preferred the Pharisées desired the Iudge to hange Christ. God commanded his word onely to be taught but the world plucketh it so downe that either they cleane refuse the word or els they will haue it none other wise then it is authorized and made true by man God saith That which is wisedome before the world is foolishnes before him The world recompenseth most arrogantly God with the like accompteth all his wisedome and learning foolishnes in respecte of worldly wisedome counsell and religion But what saith the Prophet Asaphe shall become of these Nemrods and controllers of God They shal saith he quickly fall and be destroyed as a tottering wall Here we sée howe controlling and amending of Gods workes at length spéedeth and what is the end of these persecuting Giants of Gods afflicted They fight they fare foule they moue heauen and earth to alter the purpose and minde of God but He that sitteth in heauen laugheth them to scorne And they themselues that thus wickedly vse Christe and his members fal downe and come to nought as old rotten and dustie walles And in the other part that these shameles tyrants conspire thus against Christ and his people by lies and falshoode is declared the filthines of their conscience that be so farre past shame and honestie that they care not so they may obteine their wicked purpose howe craftily or falsly they lie or calumniate any sayinges or doinges of God or man As the diuel their father when God had exalted man into Paradise he wished him out of it and began to worke mans destruction with calumniating and false lying vppon Gods owne word When God had set vp Dauid to reigne Absolon his owne sonne thinking the better to pull his father downe lied falsly vppon him to the people said that There was no Iudge appointed in Israel to heare causes and to end them betwene man and man So slaundered he his father a man of good iustice and aduaunced himselfe that neuer knewe what iustice ment The good Prophet Elias likewise whome God appointed to warne the people to beware of sinne king Achab to disgrace him lied falsly vppon him and said that He was the troubler of the common wealth So Christ whom God had elected to saue the world from death and damnation the wicked sort of the world said Hee hath saued others but he cannot saue himselfe Againe God sent him to be amongest the troubled to comfort them but such as wanted consolation when they sawe him prayed him to depart out of their countrie because with his presence they loste their swine God said that Paule was the chosen vessell to beare the name of him thorough all the Gentiles Tertullus and the other Iewes said He was one that molested all the world Euen so at this time there is neither honest nor vertuous man that God exalteth to speake the trueth but the wicked saith He is an heretique a scismatique a traitour But séeing it is none other then alwayes hath béene accustomed falsly to be layed to such as God loueth it must be borne patiently But nowe the Prophet sheweth how these liers and enuious persecuters vse their lies They giue faire woordes with their mouth saith the prophet but they curse with their heart By these wordes we may learne that there are thrée maner of ways that lies do harme The one when they be openly and plainly vsed The other when open falshoode outwardly is cloked with pretended trueth And the third when they be dissembled outwardly yet in the heart they lie hid tarying for a time when they may be put abroad to do mischiefe to worke the destruction of the godly But for as muche as the diuell the father of all lyes knoweth that such as he inspireth with lyes can not do harme with his lyes except they be vsed as the persons be qualified amongst whom the lyes must be sowen he teacheth his disciples to vse them as opportunitie and occasion shall serue Manifest and vncouered lyes he causeth to be vsed amongest suche as doe not knowe nor loue the trueth For those lyes shall stablishe and confirme the wicked in their errour and wickednesse As for example Absolon and Achitophel tolde the people as many lyes in maner as they did words against king Dauid and when they were by Absolons faire wordes alienated from king Dauid and bent vnto his sonne bicause he
declareth that mans reason is but ignorant and beastly in considering of Gods workes vntill it be illuminated by God and his word And then is made open how vaine all things be that wicked men possesse in this world Verse 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. Neuerthelesse I am alwaye by thee for thou hast holden mee by my right hand c. The eighth part is conteined in sixe verses next following vnto the end of the Psalme and it declareth a wonderfull vnspeakable consolation For althoughe wee be greeuously tempted yet we be not forsaken of God but preserued and lift vppe when else otherwise wee should fall And in this part in setting forth the multitude and number of Gods consolations he draweth neere the ende of the Psalme and concludeth it with this text I wil set forth thy workes Wherwith he declareth that hee will be thankefull vnto God for his great giftes and mercie ¶ The end of the partes and chiefest matters in the Psalme What thinges are to be marked out of these partes and matters of the Psalme ¶ Out of the first part are many thinges to be noted FIrst the nature and condition of God for as much as hée hath prepared for men a place of ioye permanent and euerlasting is not to reward such as be his and ordeined to the life to come with so slender and small a recompense in the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ as these worldy and transitorie thinges be of this world but with riches and treasures that shall not corrupt nor be eaten with vermine nor yet taken from vs by théeues As S. Paule saith He hath made vs to sit with him in the glorie of heauen And as Christ said vnto Peter that became a begger with the rest of the Apostles in this world for Christes sake Ye shall saith Christ sitt vppon the twelue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel We must therefore note out of this place of the Prophets Psalme That God although he whip and scourge vs as we haue most worthily deserued yet he loueth vs and will not take his mercie from vs but once leaue beating of vs and burne the rod and then in Christ reward vs with euerlasting life In any case therefore we must well assure our selues in the dayes of Gods punishmentes that the end of his crosses afflictions be the beginning of euerlasting ioyes For He receiueth none but such as he first correcteth and chasteneth The second learning in this part is to be persuaded that God doth not punish without iust cause for that he delighteth in punishing of his people As the wicked Pharao Nemroth Saule and Iulian the Apostata said When he had drowned all the world with water for sinne the wicked people iudged that God had punished of a parcial and cholericke passion in his furie without iust matter cause And therefore they went about in contempt of God to build a tower so high that God should neuer haue béene able to wreake his wrath vppon them againe So did cursed Pharao he asked What God that should be that could plague him and his realme And in the time of his punishment railed and spake most vnreuerently Wicked Saule also when God for his disobedience punished him he in despite of God sought remedie to withstand the punishmentes of God by witchcraft and Nekromancie And Iulian the Emperour when Christ gaue him in the warres his deathes wound tooke an handful of his owne bloud and hurled it in despite of Christ into the aire and said Thou hast ouercome thou Galilean and so in mockerie he called Christ Christian men Galileans Wherfore in any case this beginning of the Psalme is to be marked and vsed in the time of all mens punishments and to say with heart and mouth vnto the heauenly father whatsoeuer he layeth vpon vs Truely God is louing vnto me c. And so doth king Dauid crie out when God was most seuere and busie in punishing both him and his people saying Thou art iust Lord and right and iust is thy iudgment So did the Emperour Maurice say when his wife and children were killed before his face Thou art iust Lord and thy iudgementes are righteous Iob likewise was of the same minde although his wife and kinsefolke prouoked him to speake vnpatiently and vnreuerently of God yet he said that He and all his were the Lords and that if he had taken them of him why should not he be contented that God should haue them againe at his pleasure These two notes are to be marked and vsed whatsoeuer happen First that God purposeth to bestowe heauenly pleasures and treasures vppon his people and therefore he wil not reward them with the trash and wicked Mammon of this life and transitorie vale of miserie The second when he punisheth his in this world it is of loue and that the person afflicted must both take it so and also saye so with this Prophete Asaphe Truely God is louing vnto Israel that is to say To him that professeth his religion The third note is to marke that God is knowen and felt in the time of punishment and persequution to be louing but of such as be of a cleane heart Whereof we learne that all men that beare the name of Israelites and of Christian religion iudge neither reuerently nor yet patiently of Gods punishmentes but such Christian men as be of cleane heartes Out of this place we may learne the cause why in this troublesome time so many waxe wearie and fall from the trueth of Gods word whiles God is a punishing of vs that haue béene vnthankeful vnto him and did not liue according to his word the Lord forgiue vs. Doubtles now they mislike and starte backe no not starte backe but openly in the face of Gods enemies sweare and stare as Peter did God sende them Peters repentance that they neuer passed nor cared a iote for Gods word And all is because they be not nor euer were of a cleane heart that is to say so persuaded in their heartes that Gods holy word is the onely trueth what punishment soeuer GOD lay vppon them that professe it God giue vs this cleane heart that we may vnfeignedly say Doubtlesse the Lord is louing vnto his word and to them that professe it althoughe he lay thousandes of crosses vppon them in this world Out of this place we be admonished dearely beloued to beware of the greatest and abhominable euill one of them that can be done against God that is to say witchcrafte and calculation by Astronomie and such other like Howe haynous an offence is this when we sée the heauens raine the cloudes wholy bent to stormes and tempestes the windes roaring and in such rage as all should goe a sunder thunder and lighteninges as
lament neuer so sore yet he despaireth not but in aduersitie he hath hope and is not confounded as in prosperitie he hath faith and yet presumeth not The desperate man féeleth all troubles and no consolation is wholy ouercome with mistrust ful of incredulitie and cleane voyd of hope as Saule Iudas and others The contemner of admonition hath hope in prosperitie with al presumption as Cain and Pharao and in aduersitie desperation with all mistrust diffidence The Christian afflicted calleth in faith and hope vppon the Lorde and is heard the wicked afflicted calleth not vppon the Lord but is cleane reiected and comfortlesse by Gods most iust iudgement The Christian afflicted séeth all his sinns lesse then the least mercies of God the wicked afflicted séeth the least of his sinnes greater then the greatest mercies of God The one in trouble by faith glorifieth the Lord and by mercie findeth saluation the other in trouble by mistrust dishonoureth the Lord and by iustice findeth damnation The one by troubles thoroughe faith in Christ is made like vnto the sonne of God and cannot be separated from him in eternall life the other by troubles through desperation of Christe is made like vnto Sathan and cannot be separated from him in eternall death The one in eternall life findeth euerlasting ioyes the other in euerlasting death findeth endlesse paines Almightie GOD therefore graunt vs grace in all our troubles and afflictions penitently and faithfully to call vppon him and to finde him merciful vnto vs his wretched creatures Amen The third thing to be noted in this second part is that Gods nature and mans differ much one from the other For man for the most part is no more seruiceable vnto God nor longer friendly vnto man then Gods condition vppon the earth is fortunate and quiet with the world For if stornies arise for Gods cause and troubles happen where quietnesse erst had place the men of the world alter their loue seruice and reuerence and will neither make nor medle with God nor his cause no althoughe tenne thousand idols be brought in for one God as Englishe men haue séene in former time As long as Christ had a king in this realme to hold of his part and that great liuings gaines friendship and loue of y e world rose for Gods sake they dissembled towards his worde and so long as faire wordes could please God he lacked none but now euen such as God did most for doe knowe neither God nor his word but had rather heare tenne times spoken of the falsest tradition that euer man brought into the Churche then once of Christes most holy Gospel so that now mens natures for aduersities sake be cleane turned from God How long the loue of man continueth towardes men daily experience sheweth within one moneth If a man fall into trouble for the most iust cause he that was his friend will not onely alter his loue from him but also all the notes and tokens of the same whereas in prosperitie he was assured both of friendly words and friendly workes in aduersitie he shal find neither words nor workes except words and works of displeasure In prosperitie faire lookes and amiable countenances were as common as the cart way in aduersitie there shall neither looke nor countenaunce be shewed except it be frowning and bending of browes yea and moreouer aduersitie taketh from the dissembling friend all knowledge that euer he had of his friend afflicted that if the poore afflicted although he be euen vnder the nose of his feigned friend with courtesie and all obeisance cannot be knowne Oh God blessed be thy name that withdrawest neither thy knowledge loue nor yet thy helpe from the poore afflicted but hearest them and grauntest them their godly and honest requestes as here this Prophete most godly comfortably writeth of thée For he saith The Lord shall hearken vnto me when I seeke him in the time of my trouble And also the Lord abhorreth not to be present with the afflicted be his troubles neuer so great For I am saith the Lord with him in trouble I will deliuer him and set him in honour c. Of this doctrine we learne two things The one that God hateth not the troubled man for his trouble but for his sinnes Men doe cleane contrarie for the most part For they hate the man for trouble and not for sinne For let the wickedest man aliue haue prosperitie and all wicked men will loue him for his prosperities sake God turneth not his fauour from man for trouble but for sinne The world for troubles sake will not knowe the most deare and honest friend but let the most wicked that liueth by breath haue prosperitie and wicked people will not faile to know him with beck and du-gard if he come into companie Yea rather then faile the most wickedest man aliue shall be narrowly sought out that wicked men may haue acquaintance of him But he that hath God to his friend is sure of a Sauiour as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie as the Prophet here declareth which can in troubles send ease and in quietnes continue ioyes for euer To him therefore be all laude and praise worldes without end Amen The fourth thing to be noted in this second part is the continuance of the faithfull afflicted in prayer vnto God For the Prophet saith that He lifted vp his hands all night and waxed not wearie Of this continuance in prayer we learne two thinges The one perseuerance in prayer and the other patient expectation and willing sufferance vntill God sende redresse and ease To the first the Scripture exhorteth vs that we pray both heartily and continually vnto God not because he is ignorant of our troubles but because we should throughly be brought to vnderstand that there is none can helpe vs out of trouble but hée and also that by continuance in prayer we may the better knowe and more earnestly repent our sinns that be the cause of our troubles thirdly that by often remembrance and diuers rehearsalls of our iniquitie vnto GOD we may the sooner bring both our soules and bodyes into the seruice and homage of Almightie God whome we haue by sinne most gréeuously displeased The second vertue patient expectation in troubles declareth that we be much bound vnto God that chasteneth vs in this life and deferreth not our punishment to the eternall paines in the world to come Also it maketh the minde of man to vnderstand the wisedome of GOD and also the foolishnesse of man that many times for lacke of patient expectation and thankfull sufferance waxeth wearie of his crosse and punishment and also murmureth against God bicause he helpeth not when mans wisedome iudgeth most méete to be holpen But patient expectation prescribeth God no time when to helpe nor yet meanes how to helpe but saith Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen
Also Lord if thou wilt thou canst deliuer me As the Prophete vseth here in this Psalme He called and cryed vpon the Lord all the night and attended patiently when God would helpe leaning altogether to his blessed will and pleasure to doe or not to doe as him best pleased ¶ The third part What great and perillous daungers the man that is troubled shall suffer for the time of his trouble 2 My soule refused comfort 3 When I am in heauinesse I will thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine Sela. 4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so feeble I can not speake 5 I haue considered the dayes of olde and the yeres that be past 6 In the night I called to remembraunce my song and communed with mine owne heart and my spirite searched diligently 7 Will the Lord absent him selfe for euer and will he be no more intreated 8 Is his mercy cleane gone for euer And is his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore 9 Hath God forgotten to be gratious and will he shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure HEre in these verses it appareth what terrible and fearefull thinges a man that is in trouble shall suffer and be vexed withall And the first that the Prophete mentioneth is in the end of the second verse and it is this My soule refuseth comfort Of this aduersitie and anguishe of the soule we may learne many thinges First that as long as sinne appeareth not nor is felt the minde of man is quiet iocund and pleasant and the mirth and pleasure of the minde reioyceth the body and maketh it lustie and pleasant not féeling at all the breache of Gods commanundements neither passing any thing at all of sinne nor euill conuersation but rather delighting in things that displease God then in any vertue or honestie But when trouble sicknesse or death commeth then most commonly though men sée not the horrour of their sinnes to repent yet féele they the horrour thereof to desperation and that once felt in the soule all the ioyes of the worlde can not comfort the troubled person As Adam with all the solace of Paradise could not reioyce when his soule felt the abhomination of his offence towardes God Caine could neuer plucke vp merrie countenaunce for the cruell killing of his brother Abel Peter coulde not stint wéeping for his denyall of Christ vntill Christ looked vpon him Marie Magdalene could not put vp her head from vnder the table for shame of her sinne vntill Christe had forgiuen her nor the poore woman that was taken in adulterie vntil her offences were pardoned Neither yet could this Prophetes spirite take any consolation as long as his sinnes were felt and not pardoned Whereof followeth this saying A small trouble of conscience putteth away all ioy and mirthe of the world Wherefore it is wisedome and also the duetie of all Christian people to auoyde sinne and the enimitie of God which onely troubleth the conscience and to put the body to all paines possible yea and to death it selfe rather then to put the soule in daunger towardes God as Saint Paule writeth to Timothie his disciple and not without cause For as the spirite that contemneth God and féeleth for his contempt Gods displeasure can not take comfort but is full of anguish heauinesse inward and in the outward man full of paine and sorrowe so likewise shal the soule in the life to come inwardly féele vnspeakable grudgings and sorrowes and outwardly the vnquenchable and euerlasting fire of hell And here is to be noted that the very elect and dearest friendes of Christe be not frée from trouble and anguish of minde for their sinnes perpetrated committed against God But this is a consolation that the elect as they finde anxietie and anguish of minde for sinne in this life so in this life is the consciēce that is troubled by grace quieted that it may after this life finde eternall rest And it is a common order and ordinarie way whereby GOD vseth to bring the sinner to acknowledge and repent his sin and so from knowledge and repentaunce to the forgiuenesse of his sinne to shewe and set before the conscience of the sinner his sinne as the example of king Dauid and others do declare My sinne saith Dauid is alwayes before me As though he had said In case I coulde hide mine iniquitie from all the world yet can I not excuse it before God nor hide it from mine owne conscience And euery mans sinnes thus open before God and knowne and felt in his own conscience bringeth the soule into this discomfort and heauinesse that it refuseth all consolation and comfort as this Prophet Asaph sayth meruellously in this second verse of his Psalme There is to be noted out of this comfortlesse spirite of the Prophete Asaph an other most necessarie doctrine for euery Christian creture which is this that there is two manner of discomfortes or two sortes of heauinesse in the word of God that is appointed to leade vs in the time of this wretched life as there is in it also two manner of consolations There is two manner of brightnesse and clearnesse and two manner of darknesse and obscurenesse in it as it shall appeare in the treatise of this Psalme hereafter And bycause the diuersitie is not marked the worde of God doeth many times and in many places and persons no good at all There is a discomfort inwardly and a discomfort outwardly in the scripture The discomfort inwardly is when the sinneful man or woman séeketh and suffereth the same discomfort in his soule that the lawe of GOD doth open and proclame against him for his sinnes committed against God and his lawe so that as the lawe commaundeth after this sort Agite poenitentiam Repent ye so the man that is commaunded by the lawe to be sorie and heauie for his sinnes is sorrie and heauie in déede by the working of Gods spirite as we may sée in Adam what inward feare and discomfort he had when he heard the voyce of God after the doing of his sinne Caine the like Dauid the same with Peter Paule and others in the word of God This discomfort inwardly is felt of al Gods elect that be able to learne and knowe the nature of Gods lawe and the damnation and curse of God vpon sinne For this is a generall commaundement to all fleshe borne and conceiued in sinne Agite poenitentiam Repent ye It is also many times felt of suche as dye and liued wickedly As Saule and Iudas whose spirites in their discomforts refused al consolation and so dyed without comfort in great anguishe and perturbation of minde But that is not generall in all wicked and damned persons for many times they féele no discomfort nor heauinesse of spirite inwardly in this world but God of his
mind he came to y e trust in the Lord. Ye may learne by these Psalmes indited by king Dauid that easily he taught Gods religion and how men should put their trust in the Lord and yet how hard it was to do and practise the thing himselfe that he taught vnto others Asaph also declareth the same For in the 73. Psalme he teacheth what men should thinke and iudge in aduersitie that God would be good vnto Israel But in this Psalme he himselfe being vnder the rod and persequution of God is come to questioning and demaunding Will God absent him selfe for euer Will he be no more intreated Is his mercy cleane gone for euer with many other demaundes declaring vnspeakable troubles and difficulties of the minde before it be brought to a perfect consent and full agréement vnto the promises of God So that we sée the excellent Prophetes and most vertuous organes and instruments amongest sinfull men knewe it was an easie matter to speake of faith vertue and yet a very hard thing to practise true faith and to exercise vertuous liuing Saint Paule sheweth the same to the Romanes to be in him selfe For he had more adoe in Christ to get the victorie of sinne in him selfe then to speake of the victorie vnto others by mouth and more adoe to mortifie and kill the fleshe and to bring it in subiection to the spirite then to practise the death of the flesh in him selfe and to followe the spirit He spake and vttered with his mouth most godly doctrine to the destruction of sinne but with what prayers teares and clamours to God he did the same in him selfe read 2. Corinth 12. The olde saying is Knowledge is no burthen and in déede it is a thing easie to be borne but to put knowledge in experience the body and the soule shal finde paine and trouble And yet Christes wordes where he saith My yoke is light my burden easie be most true to such as haue wrestled with sinn and in Christ got the vpper hand To them I say the precepts of vertuous liuing be easie and swéete as long as the spirite of God beareth the ouer hande in them But when faith waxeth faint and the flesh strong then can not the spirit of God command nor desire any thing but both body and soule be muche offended with the hearing therof and more gréeued with the doing of it S. Peter likewise maketh mention of the same For when Christ bade him followe him meaning that he should dy also for the testimonie of his word he liked not that but asked Christe what Iohn should do being doutlesse in great perplexitie when Christ tolde him that he should suffer the paines of death But here are to be noted two things The one that as long as affliction is talked of generally other mens paines spoken of so long can euery man and woman heare of affliction yea and commend the persons that suffered affliction as we sée at this day All men be contented to heare of y e death of Christ of y e martyrdome of his Saints and of the affliction and imprisonment of his godly members but when the same or like should be experimented and practised by our selues we wil none of it we refuse it and we abhorre it yea so much that where Christ and those Saints whose names be most common and vsual in our mouths suffered the vilest death that could be deuised we will not suffer as much as the losse of a frend or the deceiueable goods of this vnstable and transitorie world so that in the generalitie we be very godly and can cōmend al godly martyrs and sufferers for Gods sake but alas in the particularitie we be very vngodly and will followe no martyr nor suffer at al. Also as long as we be without danger for Christes sake we can speake of great daungers and say that we will suffer all extremitie and crueltie but when it commeth to passe that an enimie to God and his worde shall say in déede Forsake thy religion or else thou shalt dy as Christ said vnto Peter When thou art old an other shall girde thée and leade thée whether thou wouldest not then a litle threatening of an other man stark quayleth this man that said he wold suffer al troubles as Peter said If he shuld loose his life he would not refuse his maister but when an other yea a poore maide but asked him Whether he were one of Christes seruants and made no mentiō at al of losse of life or goods he would not hazard him selfe to beare so much as the name of Christes disciple Thus we sée the vilenesse frailtie of our owne nature how weake we be to suffer in déede when of necessitie we must beare the crosse and can by no means auoyd it How troublesome also it is both to body and soule this Psalme place of the scripture declareth and therfore in the end of these temptations is put Sela. A worde that maketh as it were an outcry against the corrupt nature of man for sin As S. Paule said I know that there dwelleth in my flesh no good thing To admonishe therefore man thereof in déede and to shewe him his owne damnation the word is put there to cause the reader or hearer of the place to marke and bewaile the wretchednesse thereof As the Prophete him selfe doth in the next verse ¶ The fourth part Howe a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble 10 And I said This is my infirmitie but these things the right hand of God can chaunge HEre is life and death and the occasions of both meruellously set foorth He said that it was his infirmitie that caused him to question doubt of Gods mercy Wherein he hath disburdened God and charged him selfe with sinne and doubtfulnesse And so much al men sée and find in them selues that damnation is of our selues and saluation onely of God There is also to be noted in thi◠infirmitie y t it occupieth not only the body but also the soul. For he saith These cogitations and questions as touching the doubtfulnesse of Gods mercy were the deuises and actes of his mind so that both his body and soule were comfortlesse And good cause why for in both of them were sinne and abhomination against God And of these two partes of man the body the spirit came these dubitations of God and of his promises The which fruites of corruption ingender except sinne be forgiuen eternall death And here is the wisedome of the fleshe séene to be very enimitie vnto God working continually the breach of Gods commaundements and the destruction of mans saluation as much as lyeth in it But in the second part of the verse is life the occasion thereof which is a sure trust that God can remoue despaire put in place therof faith hope sure confidence And the
occasion of this helpe is not mans merites but the right hand of God y t is to say Gods power inclined to saue man by mercy Of this doctrine be certeine things to be marked of euery reader hearer of this Psalme First in this verse is declared how man taketh consolation in time of his trouble which is y e 4. part of the Psalme in the same part the Psalme endeth He saith It was his infirmitie that made him to question demaund in his spirit so doubtfull things of God and of his promises Whereof we learne that consolation beginneth where sorrowe and heauinesse is first felt for the spirit can take no solace by Gods promises vntill suche time as it féeleth by Gods lawe how sinnefull it is for the transgression thereof Therfore Solomon saith The iust man is the first accuser of him selfe And so doth the Prophet Asaph in this place confesse that these cogitations and profound thoughts against God came of his owne infirmitie and sinne And the knowlege of a mans owne wickednesse from the bottome of the heart although it be a shame to speake or remember the vilenesse of sinne wherewith sinner hath most gréeuously transgressed Gods commaundementes yet is this knowledge and confession of our sinne and iniquitie very necessarie and is as it were an induction to the remission thereof as it is to be séene in this Prophet and in the Prophet Dauid For here is first confessed that all sinnes in him came of his owne infirmitie and all consolation against sinne came of Gods right hand And the Prophet Dauid sayth whē he was in like trouble for sinne I determined saith he to confesse against my selfe mine owne iniquitie and thou Lord forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne But here is to be noted in this that the confession of sinne is as it were an induction and beginning of consolation that confession of sinne is not the beginning of consolation except he that maketh the confession be assured in his heart of Gods promises in Christe that of mercy in Christes death his sinnes be forgiuen as ye may sée in these two Prophetes The one said It is mine infirmitie the worketh this doutfulnes in my soule And the other saide I determined to condemne my selfe of sinne Thus farre it is death and an increase of diffidence in Gods promises and an induction to desperation to féele sinne to bewayle sinne to speake of sinne and to remember sinne But whereas knowledge and confession hath a certeintie and assurance of Gods forgiuenesse annexed vnto it there is confession and knowledge of sinne partly a beginning of consolation against sinne I call it partly or as an occasion bycause first of all God by his word or by his punishments through the operation of the holy Ghoste openeth the soule of the sinner to sée and know his sinne also to tremble and quake at sinne rather then to hate and abhorre sinne And from these principles and originalls commeth the humble and lowly confession of sinne not to man but vnto God except it be such an open sinne done against man as man knoweth of that the sinne is committed against Then must the offender of man also reconcile him selfe to man that is offended according to the commaundement of God Therefore we must marke what confession and acknowledging of our owne infirmities is For euery confession is not acceptable before God nor the beginning of consolation as these examples declare Iudas saide openly in the face of the court where Christe our Sauiour was arraigned that he had offended in betraying innocent bloud but there followed no faith nor hope of forgiuenesse So that for lacke of faith in Christes bloud desperation and hanging of him selfe ensued his confession Whereby it is euident that confession of sinne without faith is nothing worth but a testimonie of a desperate mans damnation King Saule after long impulsion by the Prophet Samuel was brought to confesse that he had offended in preseruing aliue Agag king of y e Amalekites and the fattest of his cattell I haue offended sayth Saule for I haue broken and transgressed the commaundement of God But what followed Gods right hand can remedie my sinne as this Prophete Asaph saith or God hath forgiuen the iniquitie of my sinne as Dauid sayde er else God be merciful vnto me a sinner as the Publicane sayd No but this ensueth I Pray thee sayth Saule to Samuel beare thou my sinne In this mans confession of sin was not the beginning of consolation but of more sorrowes for his heauinesse from that day more and more increased with his sinnes vntill he was slaine And the cause thereof was this He would that Samuel being but a man should haue pardoned his sinne whereas none can doe it but God as it is notably to be séene in king Dauid For when he sayde he had offended the Lord Nathan the Prophete sayde And God hath taken away thy sinnes Wherein is declared that the minister can but pronounce to the sinner that God in Christe forgiueth sinne So that we sée Iudas confession of sinne was nothing worth bycause he found no fayth nor trust for the remission thereof and Saules confession was of no valure bicause he trusted and desired consolation at mans hand and not at Gods Yet in Saules confession was some thing good in that he confessed although it were long first and in manner wrested out of his mouth by the Prophete Samuel his fault to God and in that point he did as Dauid did who sayde I haue offended the Lord. And this is to be noted bycause nowe adayes men be taught to confesse their sinnes to the Saints departed that knowe not what the outward works of men be vpon the earth much lesse the inward sinfull cogitation of the heart So that in this part the Papists confession is worse then Saules and in the other part it is like For as Saule trusted to the merites of Samuel and would haue him to beare his sinne so do the people trust that the Priestes hand vpon their head the penaunce inioyned them by the Priestes shall be a cleane remission and full satisfaction for all their sinne but before God their sinnes be as much forgiuen them as Saules were that is to say nothing at all But wheras sinne is knowne and confessed from the very hart vnto God although it be a bitter thing and also a shamefull thing to féele and beare Gods displeasure for sin the burden wherof is very death and more gréeuous then death it selfe yet whereas confidence and trust in the mercy of God is annexed with it there followeth great consolation and comfort As it is to be séene in this Prophet that spake with a strong faith boldly The righthand of God cā chaunge these things So that the latter part of this verse hath