a complaint Verse 5. VVoe is me that I remaine in Mesech and dwell in the tents of Kedar Hitherto the Prophet hath declared the daungers both of him selfe and of the church with prayer to be deliuered from the same Now he addeth hereunto a complaint for that the church of God being in the middes of her enemies is continually vexed on euery side and true doctrine assailed with power subteltie As though he should say Being in this distresse and daunger this is all that I am able to doe faithfully to teach feruently to pray and paciâ—ntly to suffer To this ende I teache that the worde may be publikely mainteyned and kept I pray that the word may preuaile and haue the victory and till it shall ouercome I must paciently abide what trouble or affliction soeuer shall happen He that will not thus doe is but a shrinker and his fall will be fearefull In like maner haue we bene troubled in these our dayes with Epicures Libertines Anabaptistes c. We haue sustained the cruel oppression of the word by the power and subtelty of the Papists that cursed seede of Cain amongst vs there is also no smal number which fearing neither God nor deuill doe not onely contemne the ministery but would wish it to be vtterly abolished These are heauy crosses to the godly when they must be compelled both to see them and suffer them and yet can finde no remedie for the same This forceth vs to say with Dauid VVoe is me that I remayne in Mesech c. By Mesech and Kedar he meaneth two sorts of people inhabiting neare vnto the Iewes of which the first came of Iapheth as Moises teacheth and the seconde of Ismael Both of them were barbarous cruel and without all humanity dwelling in tents By these he meaneth such as were of his owne nation being no lesse cruell and spitefull against Gods people then these were like as in an other place the corrupt degenerate Iewes he calleth GeÌ„tiles And that he might the more sharpely reprehend Gods enemies and his of purpose he nameth those people which the Iewes knew to be most cruel and barbarous meaning that if he dwelt in Mesech Kedar he could not be amongst more cruel enemies As if he should say I am compelled to comfort my self with hope and pacience and would be glad that the churches were in peace quietnes and the pastors and rulers thereof in a godly vnity but this wil not be Wherfore I wil commit the whole cause of God by prayer teach the word faithfully In the meane season we must beare these offences that by the good we may ouercome the euill Thus we se then that the office of teaching is a miserable kind of life For besides other calamities which the preachers teachers of Gods word must suffer at the hands of the vnfaithful this also must nedes be vnto them a great crosse to see the word of God and true doctrine miserably corrupted and the Church disquieted by false brethren But for the Lords cause these things we suffer and we say with Dauid VVoe is me that I remayne in Mesech and dwell in the tents of Kedar barbarous and cruell people Verse 6. My soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace Here he sheweth plainly whom he meaneth by Meâ—ech Kedar to wit those wicked Israelites which forsaking the wayes of their godly fathers became spitefull and cruell against the faithfull amongst whom he was compelled to dwell a long season and to suffer great iniuries and cruelty at their hands And this is the subteltie of the malignant spirite that whom he can not ouer come by the multitude and greeuousnes of tentations those he goeth about to weery with tediousnes long continuance therof Wherfore many being unskilful of this spiritual warfare fight valiantly at the beginning but in the ende they faynt and cowardly giue ouer This daunger Dauid did foresee complained therof Long haue I dwelt sayth he amongest those that hate peace that is which continually trouble disquiete the church of God and neuer will be at peace with it thinking by importunitie and long coÌ„tinuance at the length to get the victory So Iob with one kind of calamity was not discouraged but wheÌ„ one messenger followed an other and one calamitie likewise came vpon an other then his minde by litle and litle began to be troubled And this is the malignity and malice of Satan Wherefore let vs cast away all hope of peace so long as we liue here and let vs assure our selues that if this day we ouercome one kinde of tentation to morrowe Satan will set vpon vs againe with an other And here behold the craft and subtelty of the worlde The holy Ghost calleth them heretikes which are haters of peace and concord and this name they spitefully apply vnto vs Thou say they art he that troublest Israel Thus they which trouble the Church in deede accuse the true Church and call them selues the louers of peace and concord This must we also suffer and so content our selues with the testimony of a good coÌ„science which shall cleare vs before God that we seeke the peace of the church wherunto they are vtter enemies as followeth Verse 7. I seeke peace when I speake thereof they are bent to warre This is the testimonie of my conscience that I loue peare and seke after it Wherof then commeth all this trouble all this deadly warre of me I graunt but not by my default For if I would suffer these disturbers and haters of all godly peace and concord to say and to doe what they list then would they not so rage then woulde they not seeke my hurt as they doe then would they liue in peace But how can we hide those thinges that we haue seene that we haue heard that we are commaunded to speake and declare not in our chambers but on the house toppes For Christ saith God and preach the Gospel to all creatures And againe No man hideth a light vnder a bushel This is the cause that the word is in our mouth as a burning cole which can not be kept in but compelleth vs to open our mouthes Hereof then come all these troubles because they take away the commaundement of God yet would haue vs to holde our peace And here we see it come to passe that Christ saith in the Gospell when a strong man kepeth the house all things are in peace but when a stronger then he cometh then troubles arise This is then our consolation that what troubles soeuer doe arise we rest vpon the testimony of our owne conscience that we do nothing else but speake and declare that we are commaunded It is not our life therfore which they accuse but our doctrine abideth the blame which is not ours but Christes Wherefore let vs not only contemne all peace and concord but let heauen and earth also perish rather then the
body Nowe then shouldest thou be able to gouerne the bodyes and the mindes of other in any one house citie or common wealth As Ieremy sayth The way of man is not in him selfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes So this body which thou bearest about is not in thine owne handes This is the true maner of teaching as touching ciuill and houshold gouernment namely to shew the efficient and the final cause thereof And this doctrine is so much the more necessary for that we are all vnder the one of these two gouernments For although thou be not a married man yet must thou needes be in some part of the houshold gouernment For either thou art a sonne a daughter a seruaunt or thou hast seruants or neighbours or else thou are in some place and calling in the house or in the societie of men Nowe it cannot be auoyded but that many thinges will happen vnto thee in thy vocation both tedious and greeuous Wherefore thou must learne how to behaue thy selfe in these kindes of life also from whence they come and to what ende they are ordayned But of all others they haue most neede of this knowledge which are placed in authoritie or any kinde of life aboue others to whom it belongeth to rule either in the common wealth or to gouerne a family that they may know what is the end of their rule gouernment This Psalme therefore properly pertaineth to Salomons Ecclesiastes and not only conteineth the same doctrine but in a maner the same wordes also In Ecclesiastes he saith I haue seene vanities that is I haue seene that there hath bene no successe eyther in housholde or in politike gouernment but vexation of spirit was in them both VVherefore there is nothing better for a man then to reioyce in God and to doe good in his life as much as he is able This Psalme therefore seemeth to be as it were a briefe summe of that booke whereby he teacheth both what is the efficient cause of politike and housholde gouernment and also to what ende they must be directed He teacheth that we are but Gods ministers and workmen and are not the efficient but the instrumentall cause wherby God worketh these things As Wisdom it selfe sayth By me kings rule So the father is the instrument of generation But God is the fountaine and author of life Likewise the Magistrate is but the instrumeÌ„t wherby God maintaineth peace and politike lawes The husband and wife are the instrumentes whereby both house goods are preserued The knowledge hereof bringeth great consolation For if matters fal out otherwise or if we doe not attaine to the ende whereunto they were appoynted we may sa yt I am but an instrument and these thinges are not in my power but are gouerned of a greater and an higher power Wherfore if my wife dye if my children dye if any other trouble affliction or calamitie happen say These thinges are not in my hand I am but onely as an instrument I doe all that I can I labour and trauel I am carefull and vigilant but the Lord in whose hands all these things are giue good successe or else all my endeuour all my trauell is in vaine For if the first cause be lacking the second cause can doe nothing And thus teacheth this Psalme as touching the efficient cause In like maner it teacheth also concerning the final cause Wherby we may vnderstand that all things are the meere gift of God and perteyne to the glory and the seruice of God not to our own glory and our owne pleasure So that we ought to say thus hath the Lord done ht hath giuen this happy ende To him therefore be praise and glory for euer Amen Verse 1. Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it These are wordes of great force and power whereby he generally condemneth all our labour trauell declaring that it is not the efficieut cause of those commodities for the which we trauell Here view and consider all the histories both holy and prophane of all nations and ye shall see that God gaue such a gift vnto many that they began to rule both common wealthes and families with great commendation But when they sawe that there followed no good successe they were vtterly discouraged often tymes for their great care trauel they gained nothing else but extreme ingratitude Howe many excellent men in the common wealth of Athens howe many emonges the Lacedemonians how many in the common wealth of Rome were condemned cast into exile by vnthankfull citizens Yea this is generally the condition of all men which in their vocation whether it be priuat or publike endeuour to liue vprightly and carefully trauell to doe good in the common weale that they being hindred by the malice deceitful pracâ—ises of others ran neuer bring to passe that they take in hand For Satan deuiseth so many letts stirreth vp so many enemies such hatred conspiracies against them that either they are ouercome with impacience and so cast away all care of the common wealth or being moued with great indignation they become cruel against those whom they see to withstand their proceedings Thus eyther of a desperate mind they forsake all or with crueltie and tiranny they wil rule all But let vs learne to keepe a meane and if God haue called vs to the gouernment of a familie let vs say O Lorde thou hast giuen me a wife house and children Ouer these by thy authoritie I am made a ruler I will doe therefore what in me lyeth that all thinges may be well gouerned If they haue not such successe as I desire I will write Patience But if they come well to passe and take good successe then wil I say thankes and praise be vnto thee O lord It is not my workâ— but thy gift alone And euen so must he doe which is called to any office in the common wealth which hath farre more neede of this holy counsell because of the great troubles and trauells which he must susteyne He that is able thus to doe shall liue quietly in matrimony and in the gouernment of the common wealth and shal enioy the comfort and tranquilitie of heart and conscience in the middes of all daungers and calamities Wherefore this I often teach and this counsell I giue that such as enter into any office in the common wealth or into matrimony should begin with inuocation of Gods holy name and prayer So that who so euer would marry a wife should earnestly call vpon God and craue his helpe that he would not onely giue him a good wife but also that he would gouerne and direct the whole course of his life For when this is neglected he marrieth a wife vpon hope that he shall haue such a one as his new loue doth imagine But afterwards when it falleth out otherwise so that
iudgement of faith God is greater then all our afflictions and calamities Psal. 75. To the flesh God semeth to be no keper but a destroyer God is a keper and still watcheth ouer vs. The kingdom of the deuill Psal. 97. The argument of the Psalme A singuler gift of God to acknowledge how in estimable a benefite it is to haue the word The tabernacle of Moises The meaning of this place is that man knoweth not by these outward things that is by prosperitie or aduersitie whome God doth fauour or hate Eccl. 9. VVhat inestimable benefits the word bringeth The benefits of the second table The benefits of the first table The spirituall giftes which God giueth by his word The word must be continuallâ— taught exercised practised A comparison betwene the Gentiles the Iewes Paralip 17â— What Dauid meaneth by the house of the Lord. Psal. 13â— Standing feete what they signifie 2. Cor. 12. To pluck downe to oppresse the Church is to build it vp Exod. 1. Ierusalem set in the midds of her aduersaries notwithstanding mightely prospered The proper office of God. 4. Kings 5. Ierusalem the holy citie The chiefest seruice of God is to preach the word pray To testifie what it signifieth To giue thankes to the Lord is a fruite of the word The image of the heauenly Ierusalem Colo. 3. Heb. 12. The argument of the Psalme A breife praier in necessity carrieth power with it 4. Reg. 9. 2. Reg. 6. A vehement groning of the hart destitute of all comfort Psal. 2. Psal. 116. Tim 6. Luke 9. God sometimes prolongeth his help in tentation The patience of the faithfull The humilitie of the faithfull The argument of the Psalme The people of Israel as a sheepe amoÌ„g many wolues Note who are most thankfull The snares of Satan Psal. 93. The name of the Lorde is our onely Sanctuary succour in all afflictions The fruite of afflictions The argument of the Psalme The power of the word Psal. 33. Psal 48. To hope and trust in the Lorde is the greatest â—eruice that we can doe to him The nature of faith Ierusalem called holy by the figure Synecdoche where a part is taken for the whole Olde things are passed away behold all thinges are become newe Virgil. The argument of the Psalme Of what maner of captiuitie this Psalme treateth Act. 12. Gen. 45. Psal. 9. 2. Tim. 2. Speculation is a naked knowledge without experience and practise Psal. 117. Rom. 1.5 Mens ordinances must onely serue for the exercise of the body not to bind the conscience Iohn 12. Phil. 3. Satans prerogatiue Rom. 7. Philip. 3. If we will be partakers of his glory we must be also partakers of his sufferings 1. Pet. 4. Iohn 16. Psal. 137. The argument of the Psalme Aristotle and others howe and wherein they erre The principal causes of the good gouernment of common wealthes and families Demosthenes Cicero Iulius Caesar The efficient cause of the true gouernment of conmon wealths housholds The abuse of matrimonie and houshold gouernment The burdens of matrimony are infinit The Papists did condeÌ„ne ciuill gouernment matrimony as worldly kindes of life Mark. 6.20 The idle bellied Monkes would haue nothing to doe with ciuill or houshold affaires The Monks could nether teach nor comfort meÌ„ in their necessities Naaman Syrus Prouerb 16. Ierem. 10. Doctrine coÌ„cerning ciuil housholde gouernment This Psalme conteineth the summe and effect of the booke of the Ecclesiastes of Salomon Eccle. 2.12 The finall cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment Many wise and politike gouerners deseruing well of the common wealth haue bene euill vsed condemned and cast into exile We must walke in the midde way and keepe a meane They that enter into any publike office or into matrimonie must beginne with inuocation and calling vpon God. Godly Magistrates and maried folke howe they ought to vse them selues The principall master of the houshold magistrate is God. God the true master of the housholde Dauids houshold gouernment most miserable They labour in vaine that labour without the Lorde To build The building To labour To labour in vayne The good gouernment of housholds and families is the founteyne and headspring of the common wealth Houshold gouernmeÌ„t was begun of God in Paradise Artes and sciences and such other giftes God approueth as necessary for mans life otherwise he regardeth them not therefore man hath no cause to glory in them The words of Cicero Marke what it is to rule and gouerne without God. Martinus Sangerhaufen The true munitions and fortifications of common welths Daniel 4. The cause of the destruction of greate kindoms Monarchies Esay 37. Esay 45. The successe of the wicked To keepe what it signifieth Kings Princes and Magistrates the Prophet calleth keepers To labour in vaine * Industrie is such a labor diligence as is ioyned with a prouident care discretion in obseruing of persons places conuenient times with other circumstances that no labour be spent in vain Labour with out industry hath no good successe Friderike Duke of Saxonie a very wise discrete man. Industrious and prouident men God is still present with his creature The bread of affliction To rise earely c. Rom. 10. Psal. 77.33 Labour is not forbidden but presumption is condemned Eccle. 6. The godly are contented with that they haue Esops dogge which swimming ouer the water with a peece of flesh in his mouth snatched at the shadowe of the flesh shining in the water and so lost both A wise saying of Augustine Wise men some times committe great folly These words fortune chaunce casualty such like are not vsed because any thing commeth otherwise to passe then by the prouidence of God but for that many things fall out otherwise then we looked for the cause thereof we can not see * The song of fooles to say I had not thought or had I wist Wise and mightie men bring not to passe that they go about The whole world riseth earely in vayne The naturall presumption of man to be like vnto God or to be as Gods. The abuse of the giftes of God in the worlde The ministery of Angells about yong children infants Philip. 4. Note the end of those men that are not thankfull to God for their wealth and welfare but attribute all to fortune and chaunce The argument of the Psalme A priuilege as touching continencie and to whom it is giuen Chast matrimony can not staÌ„d with the vnchast and filthy religion of the Papistes * Actiue or passiue that is which either come vnto vs by labour trauel or which we suffer inwardly or outwardly by anye meanes Matth. 9. * That is to liue chast without matrimony 1. Timoth. 4. 1. Cor 7. Matth. 9.12 The argument of the Psalme Cap. 12. Psal. 6. He setteth the similitude of the grasse in the house topp against the similitude of the plowers This iudgement that the enemies are like grasse and therfore shall
tentations continuing and succeding one after an other one still following vpon an other But what is the ende of this continuance Euen this that they shall possesse eternall ioy and felicitie As the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth notably declare No chastising sayth he for the present time seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous here you heare of teares but afterward it bringeth the quiet frute of righteousnes vnto them which are thereby exercised here you heare that they shall returne with ioy Albeit then that this seede is prolonged and deferred yet is it not so for euer but the ioy that shall follow is euerlasting Thus the kingdom of Christ consisteth not in the power and riches of the world but in eternall redemption which we must attaine vnto through great afflictions and infinite crosses Wherein notwithstanding we are supported by the word and prayer vntill we come to the fulnes of our saluation in the kingdom of heauen The 127. Psalme Except the Lorde builde the house they labour in vaine that build it This Psalme beareth the title of Salomon and in deede it seemeth that Salomon was the author thereof For Salomon in all his books sheweth him selfe to be a politicall teacher and handleth not the principall article of his father Dauid as touching iustification or as touching Christ the heire and ofspring of Dauid but he treateth of those thinges wherein he him selfe was exercised and whereunto he was appoynted of God that is to say of things perteining to ciuill gouernment And this he doth in such sorte as in politicall matters no Philosopher did euer teach For he applieth all ciuill gouernment vnto faith whatsoeuer is done either in the cōmon wealth or houshold affaires the same he referreth altogither to the diuine spirituall gouernment which other writers whether they be Philosophers or Oratours do not For albeit both lawes do teach reason also doth shew by what meanes a cōmon wealth or a family may rightly be gouerned yet doe they not teach from whence the successe therof must be loked for that the things which are well deuised may prosper take good effect For reason knoweth but onely the materiall and the formall cause the finall and efficient cause it knoweth not that is it knoweth not from whence ciuill and houshold gouernment commeth and by whom it is preserued or to what ende it tendeth Aristotle Xenophon Plato Cicero and others although they wrote very well of ciuill gouernment yet doe they not teach the true efficient and the finall cause thereof For they thinke publike peace honestie and glorie to be the finall and the principall cause And the efficient cause they make a wise man or a prudent Magistrate or as they term him a good man or a good Citizen But we shall heare Salomon disputing farre otherwise For they haue and doe follow onely the iudgement of reason but he hath the holy Ghost which teacheth him the finall and efficient cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment He hath also reason and experience for he gouerned both a common wealth and a family Wherefore he is taught not only by the holy Ghost but also by experience to speake as he doth For he was occupied in great affaires and had experience of high and weighty matters And we ought the more highly to esteme of this Psalme for that it is written of so excellent a man concerning true politicall and houshold gouernment Which Psalme although it be but short for it conteyneth but only sixe verses yet is it full of singular doctrine And as for the formall and materiall cause he toucheth them not For he seeth that there are houses already there are common wealthes well ordered and also furnished with good lawes and Magistrates But is that enough No forsoth For the two principall causes are yet lacking For as touching the formall cause it may be that the Gentiles had better lawes then the Iewes And as touching the materiall cause it may be also that some Magistrates among the Gentiles were better then they which were among the people of god But these are but onely the matter and the forme We must goe further therefore and seeke to know the principall causes of common wealthes and houshold gouernment who it is that maketh a common wealth and familie also to what ende he ordeyneth the same These causes the Gentiles naturall reason do not know For reason beholdeth but onely the matter and the forme and because she knoweth not the efficient cause therof she goeth about to gouerne common weales and families according to that ende which she her selfe doth imagine Therefore she is deceaued and all her policies and deuises come to naught So Demosthenes taketh vpon him to rule the common wealth of Athens he maketh him selfe the efficient cause thereof that is he goeth about to gouerne it by his owne wisedom and policie as a wise man To what ende Forsoth to establish publike peace and tranquillitie to winne glory and quietnes to himselfe and his cuntrey and to the ende that all thinges may come to passe as he by his owne policie and wisedom hath deuised But God who hateth proude deuises and presumptuous enterprises worketh farre otherwise In the matter then and in the forme there is no default but in the efficient cause the wisest man of all is deceaued The same hapned to Cicero in the common wealth of Rome And the same also hapned to Iulius Caesar. Nowe therefore commeth this teacher Salomon which hath a farre other maner of spirite ioyned with great experience which teacheth who is the author and the ende that is to say the efficient and the finall cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment For he comprehendeth both and teacheth that he which would happily gouerne a familie or a common wealth should not make him selfe the principall cause therof for then should he ouerthrow al. For in both kinds of life a man shall finde many troubles which will vexe and torment his minde driue him to impaciencie cause him to despaire and to be weary of all togither yea and to say that Satan brought him into those calamities And not without cause For why doth he presume to take vppon him such a gouernment as is farre aboue his power So Demosthenes being oppressed with many troubles in the common weale sayd that if there were two wayes set before him the one leading to the common weale and the other to death he would chuse the way that leadeth vnto death before the other Likewise it hapneth in houshold gouernment He that entreth into matrimonie promiseth vnto him selfe all easy pleasaunt thinges He thinketh it an easie matter to frame his wife to bring vp his children and to order his family as he him selfe doth imagine When these things proue contrary to his expectation either his wife is disobedient his children stubborn vnthākful his family negligent or his neighbours troublesome
he findeth some fault in his wife or els some other trouble hapneth then either he becommeth a lion in his owne house as Salomon saith and is sory for that he hath done or else neglecting his familie he goeth one way and his wife an other and so he wasteth all that he hath For when he seeth that all thinges which he thought should haue had most happy successe fall out cleane contrary to his expectation he rageth and layeth all the fault in matrimonie but most wickedly For thy fauk and thy folly it is which so doest since thou wilt needes be the efficient cause of the gouerning and guyding of thy familie which thing God hath not giuen vnto thee For thou shouldest haue bene but onely the instrumentall thereof Wherfore submitte thy selfe rather to an other master and gouerner and say O Lord teach thou me that I may rightly gouerne my familie execute my office in the common wealth c. Rule thou and he thou my helper that I offend not for I will doe that in me lyeth If it take good successe I will acknowledge thy gift thanke thee and praise thy name If it succeede not yet will I beare it with patience For thou art the first cause and I am but the second cause thou art the creator thou art all in all and workest all and I am but the instrument If we with heart and minde thus prepared would seeke to gouerne all thinges would prosper and happily proceed But now whether ye behold the Magistrate or new maried persons ye shall see great presumption For they so beginne all thinges that they take in hande as though it were impossible they should come otherwise to passe then they themselues doe imagine They begin as though they were the first and the efficient cause and appoynt such an ende to their deuises and enterprises as serueth to their owne glory and pleasure But God sayth Thus shalt thou not doe for then shalt thou perish And worthely For they are rebells and blasphemers which will presume vpon that which belongeth to the first cause alone For when eyther the pen will teach the scribe how to write or the axe wil teach the carpenter how to square his timber nothing can be wel done And euen so is it in this case when we will take vpon vs such gouernment as belongeth to God alone It is expedient for you to consider the examples of this great folly which are to be seene euery where aboundantly in Princes Courts in cities and families For thus doe they think I am the author and master of this familie this policie this gouernment c. Moste worthely therefore are they troubled and vexed when there followeth no such successe as they looked for And herevpon followeth as I said eyther a miserable confusion both in houshold and politike gouernment or else playne tyranny So in matrimony if neither the husband will beare with his wife nor the wife will giue place to her husband not onely the mutuall loue and concord in matrimony is broken but also it so falleth out that the husband is chaunged into a tyranne or else he neglecteth and forsaketh all togither What must we here doe The Pope aunswereth and giueth this counsell that we should flie into some solitary place or into some monastery Not so saith the holy Ghost This is not the counsell of God but of the deuill But thus do thou Consider that thou art Gods instrument beleue that there is yet an other magistrate and principall gouernour of the house whose name is the lord Except he be the principall cause it shall followe as this Psalme saith that the house shall not be builded and that neither politike nor householde gouernment shall prosper So must we iudge also of the finall cause If thou wilte referre all things to that ende which thou hast imagined and thinkest that thou shalt not be deceiued thou errest as experience teacheth One man taketh vppon him an office in the common wealth to get estimation and dignitie and findeth the contrary An other by matrimony seeketh pleasure seeketh a bewtifull and obedient wife but he is deceiued and proueth also the contrary And well worthy For why doest thou presume to rule either in politike or houshold gouernment as a God and thinkest that thy wisedom aud thy policy are able to gouerne these thinges and that thou hast no neede to lift vp thine eyes to him which is aboue and to desire his helpe When thou seest therefore that afterwardes it falleth out otherwise then doest thou learne to sing this Psalme Except the Lord builde the citie they labour in vaine that builde it Before thou thoughtest that there was no other Lord or gouerner besides thy selfe of whose help thou shouldest haue need to gouerne thy house Others which are not come to this knowledge either are at continuall debate with their wiues or else they forsake both wiues families and flie away Worthely worthely iustly and by the iust iudgement of God thus commeth it to passe For why doest thou being but vile dunge presume as a God to take vppon thee that heauenly gouernment that I say which is aboue nature with a naturall affection and earthly minde Thy clyming and presumptuous spirite therefore God iustly confoundeth Why doest thou not rather say on this wise Lorde thou hast giuen me a wife children a familie assist me and helpe me Gouerne thou and guide them or else in vaine is all my trauell Nowe for as much as the holy Scripture teacheth vs and experience also agreeth thereunto that without Gods helpe all is in vaine that we take in hande therefore we ought not to be ignorant of these thinges They labour in vaine saith he which builde it The cause is this that either they become tyrannes or else desperate forsake all togither So commeth to ruine both politike and houshold gouernment Now what madnes is this so to rule that either thou or thy family must perish Why doe we not rather as the holy Ghost here teacheth vs that we may preserue both Whiche is if we learne to knowe the principall cause and the true master and gouerner of the house if we call vppon him trust in him and say Thou Lord hast created me to be a ruler of a familie and hast giuen me those things which pertaine thereunto But this burden is to heauy for me to beare Therfore take vpon thee my charge O Lorde gouerne thou in my steede be thou the maister of the house for I will humbly giue place vnto thee Then will God heare thee and he will say All this will I doe so that thou canst be content if any thing happen otherwise then thou doest desire willingly to beare it and with patience to ouercome it and not to despaire of the ende and good successe thereof forsaking thy vocation to the which I haue called thee For since thou doest call vpon me and doest thankfully acknowledge those
such wayes as he liketh best But afterwardes the matter falleth out contrary to his expectation Now his wife lyeth sicke now his children dye now one calamitie or an other hapneth An other man deuiseth an exact forme of gouerning of the common wealth but experience teacheth him that he is miserablie deceaued All this is done and in deede wel done to the end thou shouldest knowe that God will not suffer thy presumption vnpunished which goest about by thine owne wisedom and policy to take from him his diuine power and maiestie But if no trouble happen to such presumptuous and carelesse wretches it is a manifest token that great and horrible calamities hang ouer their heades which at length they shall feele and shall not escape To be briefe there is no kinde of life wherein ye shall not see verie many thinges come othewise to passe then a man woulde looke for Howe many thinges haue hapned to our aduersaries the Papistes contrary to their expectation And of those thinges whereof they thought them selues to be most sure and certeyne what haue they brought to passe So it hapneth to euery Magistrate and to euery familie that many tymes they can not accomplish that they take in hande What gayne they then by their policies and paynefull trauells but vanitie in that they torment them selues without any profite and so spende their liues that there is almost no tyme wherein they enioy a quiet minde So shall ye finde some Princes to be most happie if they woulde quietly enioy those giftes wherewith God hath endued them And this is the meane whereby they might so doe if they woulde commende 〈◊〉 vnto god But what doe they They take vppon them those thinges which are aboue their power and not required of God and lose that happines which they did enioy and with these cares and trauells they afflict and torment them selues euen vnto death And worthely For why doe they so arrogantly take vppon them those thinges which God requireth not at their handes and doe not quietly enioy those thinges which they possesse As Salomon sayth There is an euill which I haue seene vnder the Sunne and it is muche amongest men A man to whome God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof c. For if we could be content with those thinges which we haue and quietly vse the giftes of God and so reioyce with our wife our children and families geuing thankes into God for the same and with a good conscience doing our dutie in our vocation what could be so happy as we But we doe that which this verse forbiddeth We rise earely we lye downe late we torment our selues and with sorrowe we eate our breade This is the life of man throughout the whole world as the holy Ghoste here witnesseth The cause is for that no man is content with his owne state The benefites which God hath bestowed vpon vs to vse and enioy we doe mislike And as we doe not way or consider our owne good gifts and commodities so haue we a loue and liking of other mens and couet the like And what haue we thereby Uanitie of vanities bread of affliction vnprofitable care and trauel lying down and rysing vp in vaine Wherefore the godly alone doe content them selues with those good thinges which they enioy For they knowe that God is the giuer and gouerner of all good thinges Wherefore they laboure with an vpright heart and those things which they get with their labour they vse as the gifts of God do not presume to be the authors and efficient causes thereof therefore they haue quietnes and peace of conscience And if any trouble happen they can ouercome it with Iob saying God hath giuen and God hath taken away the name of God be blessed So can they bothe vse the good giftes which they haue and also ouercome all troubles and calamities The flesh can doe neither of these but is occupyed only about such thinges as it would haue and whilest it seeketh and traueleth for the same it loseth the good thinges which presently it doth enioy As did Esops dogge which in snatching at the shadow lost the flesh which he had in his iawes and the shadow withall This dogge therefore is an image of the whole worlde wherin ye may se as it were one master of the houshold to whom God hath giuen a wife children a family substance c. These thinges are the flesh in the doggs mouth What doth he now The giftes which he hath he doth not regarde but afflicteth him selfe with other vaine cares for such thinges as he hath not nor shall euer attaine vnto But these thinges can not be learned out of bookes ▪ but experience and practise is the onely glose that interpreteth this Psalme For I my self also doe vnderstand these matters and can teach them vnto others Yet often times it so commeth to passe that I weary my selfe with vaine labours and trauells The cause is for that the desire and presumption to be like vnto God ▪ which is in vs ▪ and begun in Paradise can not be vtterly shaken of no not in the Sainctes and children of god Nowe the more a man hath of this originall poyson the lesse quietnes of minde and inward peace he hath according to that saying of Augustine Thou hast commaunded Lord and so commeth it to passe that euery vnordinate mind should be a punishment vnto it self For like as drunkennes bringeth with it his owne punishment that is to fay cruditie and headach so an inordinate mind bringeth with it the bread of sorrow and laboureth in vaine This is it which I sayd before that this sentence is to be vnderstand not onely of artificers but generally of all men in all offices and callings that it is in vayne for them to rise early that is to say to be curious and carefull and to presume of them selues in any kind of life So the Magistrate riseth earely when he hath a care that all thinges may be done as he hath determined Likewise in all kindes of life to rise earely is when a man hath no quietnes no time of rest from cares and trauells vnlesse he obteyne that he seeketh for But all this is in vayne Hereof haue I seene innumerable examples and ye shall see the like if ye liue Yong men because they lacke experience doe not yet vnderstand these matters But in time ye shall see that in all states and kindes of life in husbandmen artificers the learned vnlearned Magistrates Kinges Princes ye shall see I say that they rise earely that is they are carefull they appoynt certeyne endes whereunto they direct all their deuises and policies They make them selues efficient causes and take vpon them to rule all thinges by their owne wisedom This the Gentiles also did see and therefore they sayd that fortune beareth rule
the cause why cities were first builded that men ioyning their strēgth power to gither might be able to defend them and theirs from the force and crueltie of others Afterwards when there was not ayde and helpe enough in one citie many ioyned their powers togither So common weales and kingdoms were first begunne to stablish and mainteyne peace which married persons haue neede of Nowe that nature did thus vnite and ioyne these thinges togither and taught men so to do reason it selfe doth see and perceaue But the true cause the holy Ghost here setteth forth to witte that these thinges come of the blessing which the Lord giueth to married persons but specially to the godly who ought to knowe and acknowledge that the first blessing is to feare God the next is to haue wife and children the third to enioy politike peace and quietnes What wouldest thou haue more Wherefore for thy vine and oliue plantes which thou hast in thy house thou shalt see that the Lord giueth Kings Princes lawes and whatsoeuer is necessary for the defence and preseruation of the common weale and peace And here we are admonished that since Kinges Princes and Magistrates are ordeyned for the benefite of married persons and families they ought likewise to yeld obedience vnto them and whatsoeuer else they haue neede of whiles they watch for the preseruation of peace For they are the ministers of God as Paule calleth them giuen of God for this purpose that we may enioy his blessinges in peace Which peace how great a benefite it is the common prouerbe of the Germanes witnesseth which sayth that a man which hath two kine should giue the one that he may quietly enioy the other For what auayleth it thee if thou haue thy house full of riches and are not able to defend the same against theeues and robbers Seeing therefore that this is done by the Magistrate yea seeing that iudgement and lawes doe restore that to the owner which is vniustly taken away good cause there is why honour and obedience is to be giuen to the Magistrate as the minister of Gods blessings which he bestoweth to the married persons For this third blessing of matrimony is here recited of Dauid that they may see the wealth and welfare of Ierusalem that is to say that they may see Ierusalem flourish first by true religion and sounde doctrine and secondly by godly Magistrates For these are the benefites and blessinges not onely of one house but of all Ierusalem Thus the holy Ghoste commendeth vnto vs the giftes of God in a goodly order The firste is the feare of god This feare comprehendeth the thinges which are conteined in the first table Nowe for the feare of God afterwardes God giueth house and famylye Thirdly for houses and familyes well ordered and gouerned in the feare of God followeth also the thirde blessing that is to say a happy common weale Wherefore let vs learne to vnderstande rightly the benefites which we receaue by godly Magistrates and for them let vs be thankful Againe let vs learne that this gift of God to haue good Magistrats is giuen vnto those and for those maryed persons and those familyes which feare god Which gift the wicked also doe enioy but yet no otherwise then swine doe their draffe and swill without any thankes giuing vnto God or thankful remembrance of this or any other of Gods giftes For as the destruction of Sodome was differred because of Loth so oftentimes for a fewe godly familyes or a godly Prince God blesseth the whole common weale Verse 6. That thou mayst see thy childrens children and peace vpon Israel It is giuen to many to haue children in matrimony and to many it is not Therefore we sayd before that this is a commendation and not a promise perteining to euery man perticularly but generally vnto matrimony to the kinde of life it self So vnto some it is giuen to see the children and nephewes of their children To some againe matrimony is all togither barren and fruiteles For these things the Lord distributeth to euery one as is most expedient for them Notwithstanding the godly married persons must pray vnto God for them and most commonly also they doe enioy them And maruelous is that naturall affection and loue especially in olde men which they beare vnto their childrens children for they loue them more tenderly then their owne Wherefore for as much as this Psalme tendeth to the setting forth and bewtifying of matrimony and wisheth all felicitie to the married persons the holy ghost addeth this moreouer concerning their long and fruitfull posteritie as a singular comfort because he would omit none of those good blessings whiche are giuen of God to suche as are marryed though not to all yet to the most parte Nowe although we sayde before that all such prayers haue a promise included in them yet notwithstanding this is the maner of corporall promises that God giueth them so as is most profitable and expedient for euery man Wherefore we must apply the promise which is included in this prayer to the kind of life it selfe and not to euery married person namely that such as liue in godly matrimony and feare God shall encrease and multiply vnto a fruiteful and a great posteritie and that for their sake the blessing shall flowe vnto all the people as he addeth in this clause peace vpon Israell that is to say all wealth and prosperitie I wish vnto Israell for thy sake Thus the Psalme commendeth and defendeth matrimony against those spitefull sclanders and reproches of the world which can not iudge but according to the sense and feeling of the fleshe Wherefore as it is offended with the troubles and burthens of matrimony so is it offended also with those things which happen in ciuill gouernment when it must obey lawes pay tribute to the Prince or be are any other like burthen For it would so liue that what soeuer is best or most pleasant in matrimonye that onely it would enioy without all griefe or molestation As we may see there be many whiche marry wiues because they imagine that there is nothing in matrimony but mere loue amorous delites and fleshly pleasures In like maner how many shal ye find which through an inordinate loue and desire of glory seeke to rule and be in authoritie But afterwardes when in matrimony they must suffer troubles and vexations and in politike gouernment enuy hatred cursed speaking and sclaunders they cry out that they were deceiued and become impatient Yea it can not otherwise be but that these things must so come to passe For that which is the best and most excellent in both kindes of life the blessing of the Lord I meane they nothing esteme Wherfore we must haue a speciall regard vnto the blessing and we must haue also the word of God before our eyes to the ende that when all other thinges are full of daungers full of troubles miseries and vexations we may rest and
but must looke vnto the mercieseate So that albeit we can not deny but that we are sinners yet the remission of sinnes we may not denye And why is the remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy the same Moreouer in that Dauid speaketh of mercie he conâ—esseth that he is a sinner and that mercie doeth properly pertaine vnto him But thou wilte say Sinnes make a man vnworthy to receaue mercie at Gods handes therefore let Dauid Paule and Peter hope for mercie as they which are holy and worthy to receaue mercie c. Such cogitations flye thâ—â— euen as a present poyson and destruction of thy soule and thinke rather on this wise Because I am a sinner therefore remission of sinnes pertaineth vnto me Wherefore I will not despaire I will not suffer my selfe to be swallowed vppe with heauynes but I will turne vnto the Lord who hath promised mercie who also hath commaunded that I should trust and beleue in him Thus Dauid setteth forth in this verse the summe and effect of all true Christian doctrine that sunne which giueth light vnto the Church For whiles this doctrine standeth the Church shall stand and flourish But when this doctrine fayleth the Church must needes faile and fall to ruine This doctrine I doe so often and so diligently repeate for that Satan desireth and seeketh nothing so much as to plucke the knowledge thereof out of all mens hartes And this is the speciall cause of all the troubles which he stirreth vp either publikely or priuately We see what mischiefe he hath brought into the Church by Schismes and factions not onely in that men contending and striuing for newe matters haue almost forgotten this article but many also offended through dissentions and discord beginne now to loth and contemne the same It is therefore the part of a faithful Pastor not to suffer him selfe by such offences to be remoued from this article but with an inuincible constancie and continual trauell to set forth and aduance the same Moreouer how often commeth it to passe that in those also which are cast downe with the beholding and consideration of the law and their owne sinnes this article of the forgiuenes of sinnes is either lost or else in great daunger Dauid therefore in this Psalme setteth forth as hereafter we shall heare not onely his owne experience but also exhortations and promises whereby it may appeare that he carefully traueled for the preseruation of this doctrine And in deede the greatnes of the daunger ought to stirre vp a carefull diligence in this behalfe and daily to encrease the same in vs For where this doctrine is lost the mind is ouerwhelmed with all kindes of tentations So when in the Papacie this article was lost what was so monstrous that was not gladly hearde and receiued of all men The impudencie of the Monkes all the religious rable was so great that I am ashamed to speak it there was not in a maner so much as the cracke of their foule panch but they would haue men to reuerence it But contrariwise where this knowledge is reteyned and this doctrine preached all heresies may easily be ouerthrown And hereof the Papacie is a notable example which by the preaching and publishing of this one poynt of doctrine is now vanquished and banished out of mens hartes For although you reproue the life of the Papistes and speake against their whoredom conetousnes tyranny and such like enormities neuer so much and by the euill workes of the law detect their impietie yet shall you nothing preuaile For all this the Pope doth not sticke to confesse as in deede he can neuer deny his manifest abominations But sayth he although our life be defiled with sinne yet our doctrine and our kingdom notwithstanding is holy In like maner the deuill in the lawe and workes can not be conuicted For he can therein so handle him selfe that he will easily breake out as it were through a spyders webbe and lose nothing of all his power But then is he ouercome in deede when the doctrine of fayth is diligently and truely taught aud that the Papistes haue not onely lost but also haue defaced with their filthy doctrine and opinions both Christ and the true maner of iustification If we sticke to this ankerhold both the Pope and Satan shall be put to flight For if their doctrine be once conuicted as false and erroneous they haue nothing to defende them selues withall Wherfore endeuour your selues with all diligeÌ„ce that this doctrine may be of you both well knowne surely stablished in your harts And let none be so arrogant as to think that he hath atteyned the full perfect knowledge of this heauenly wisedom For so long as Satan the world and our owne reason can do any thing we shall neuer be perfect in this knowledge And because we are as it were souldiers placed in the forefront of the battaile therefore we are in daunger of many perills which to withstand it is not in the power or wisedom of man. The summe and effect therefore of all these wordes Because there is mercie with thee is this that God will not deale with vs according to the lawe because we likewise should not deale with him according to the law but say with the Publicane Lorde be mercifull vnto me a sinner They that goe beyond these boundes of grace and leauing this rich and ample grace wil dispute of the law and works calling to account what they haue done and what they haue left vndone the further they go the deeper they plunge them selues in hell I say not this without good cause I see what hapned to good Bernard whom if you examine wel you shall find him contrary to him selfe For when he treateth of faith with an inward feeling he teacheth Christ purely he stirreth vppe mens hartes to the loue of Christ effectually and setteth forth his benefites sincerely then smelleth he of â—othing else but roses and hony But contrariwise when he disputeth out of the law or of the lawe then reasoneth he no otherwise then if he were some Turke or Iewe which either knoweth not Christ or plainly denieth him So is it likewise with all others that take vpon them the office of teaching and preaching For when they speake with an inward feeling and practise and are not caried away with disputations contentions they teach Christ purely But when they eâ—ter into the discourse of the law they so dispute as if there were no Christ which had instituted the law yea which with his owne blood had purchased the remission of sinnes This doe we also find to be most true when we fal in matters of the law mens traditions Wherfore we must stand fast in this Paradise or heauen of grace and seeke no further that we may remaine in this simple confession of Dauid VVith thee there is mercie But why doth he adde moreouer That thou mayest be feared
out of Sion and a newe kingdome of Christe out of Ierusalem Notwithstanding they say that this Ierusalem should be greater then the whole earth and the walles thereof should be the endes of the earth These thinges can not be vnderstand of the corporall Ierusalem which notwithstanding was the first occasion of the beginning of the kingdom of Christ but after wardes it was horribly destroyed like as also the wicked sorte of Dauids posteritie were rooted out but the godly remained vntill Christ was borne Moreouer it is euident that this election and choosing began vnder Dauid For before that time the citie of Ierusalem belonged to the Iebusites but vnder Dauid it was chosen by the promise of God to be a citie for the Kinges and Priestes in such sort that like as before the persons of the Priests did not wander from tribe to tribe but were alwayes certaine so the persons and successions of the Kings should not nowe vncertainly wander as the Iudges and the Princes did which continued not in any certaine tribe and here againe he vseth the worde of choosing to confound the presumption confidence of merite which was so groūded in their hartes to the ende they might vnderstand that this citie was appointed by the good pleasure of God to be a seate and harborowe for religion and policie For this deuilish vice was peculiar vnto the Iewes that they gloried in their merites their seruice and ceremonies For this cause Moses also sharply reproueth them and warneth them that they should not thinke they had obteyned these great benefites through their owne righteousnes Not for thy righteousnes saith he hath the Lorde brought thee into this land This deuilish presumption we see also to be in the Papacie but much worse then it was emongest the people of god For they vsed that worship seruice which was commaunded of god But in Popery there is nothing but mans inuentions which are the worshipping of idolls Nowe whereas the Lord promiseth that he will dwell in Ierusalem this seemeth to be but a small matter But we must loke to the Maiestie of the inhabitour and then the place be it neuer so base and contemptible shall become glorious For this did the word promise that he whom the heauens could not comprehend should be found in Ierusalem This is therefore a singular promise when men may knowe and enioy a certaine place wherein God may be founde that they wander not in the imaginations of their owne harts euery man choosing vnto him selfe a God or a place where he may serue God according to his owne fantasie as Ieroboam did which is horrible idolatrie Wherefore it is the great mercie of God that he hath appoynted a certaine place for his word and his whole seruice to the which place the Scripture attributeth this excellent name and title that it is called the holy citie not for the holines of the people inhabiting the same but for the holines of the Lord sanctifying all things by his word This glory hath the Church of the newe Testament also in that she hath for her head not the Pope as the wicked Papists doe most wickedly affirme but Christ sitting at the right hande of the father who is present with his word Sacraments This is an inestimable glory which dependeth not vpon our righteousnes but vpon the great mercie of God accepting approuing and commending all thinges that we doe for Christ his sonnes sake our head But the citie of Ierusalem found Satan her deadly and cruel enemie in this respect also because it was as it were the worke-house of God in the which he dayly exercised and wrought all maner of holy workes blessings benefites for his people Yet was it of God notwithstanding meruelously preserued to this end that his people should not be vncerteine where he would be found worshipped and heard And here agayne we are admonished that all these thinges come of gift and not of merite of mercie and not of workes For he hath chosen vnto him selfe this rest it hath pleased him to dwell in this place So it commeth not of our desert that we enioy the Gospell and other great blessings of god All these are the giftes of God through his great mercie and goodnes bestowed vpon vs for Christes sake Verse 15. Her vitailes I will blesse and will satisfie her poore with bread This word vitailes signifieth properly a pray But why doth the Scripture so call the sustenance whereby we liue Euen for the same cause for the which Christ calleth it our dayly breade So that like as beastes doe dayly followe their pray and finde it they sowe not they labour not but by pray they atteyne all that they haue Euen so shoulde we not heape vppe that through couetousnes and incredulitie which may serue vs for many yeres but shoulde daily looke for and receiue at the handes of the Lord that which is dayly offered vnto vs employing our labour notwithstanding as a meane to atteine the same therewith be content as the beast is when he hath obteined his pray For couetousnes incredulitie is not content with present benefits although the Lorde doe neuer so faythfully promise to feede vs and giue vs all things necessary for this life Thus the Scripture properly very aptly calleth our foode and sustenance a pray which commeth vnto vs taking no care but labouring leauing the care vnto God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs Matt. 6. who commaundeth vs to labour and diligently endeuour to doe that belongeth to our vocation for of the Hebrewes that is counted labour which euery day hath and bringeth with it But withall he commaundeth vs to take no thought for worldly thinges but to leaue all carefulnes vnto the Lorde who promiseth that we shall no more lacke then the birdes and other beastes doe which haue that is sufficient and yet labour not nor make prouision for the same For this is not the ende of our labour that in this life we should still seeke to enrich our selues and neuer be satisfied For although we haue the treasures of this world yet with this life we must forsake them And like as this life is not certeine but is as a pray which we so long enioy as it pleaseth the Lorde euen so is the portion of our sustenance but as you would say a snatch wherewith we must be content to liue and not be carefull for the time to come So doth this word condemne all faithlesse carefulnes and carefull incredulitie wherewith notwithstanding we can nothing preuaile Cyprian hath a goodly saying to this effect and worthie to be remembred Christians saith he which haue forsaken this world doe so litle care for earthly thinges that they aske no more but foode and rayment For their hartes are fixed vppon the eternall treasures of the world to come They seeke to liue but from day to day as straungers hauing here no
A COMMENTARIE VPON THE FIFTENE PSALMES CALLED PSALMI Graduum that is Psalmes of Degrees FAITHFVLLY COPIED OVT OF THE LECTVRES OF D. Martin Luther very frutefull and comfortable for all Christian afflicted consciences to reade Translated out of Latine into Englishe by HENRY BVLL Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blacke Friers by Ludgate CVM PRIVILEGIO 1577. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GRACE AND PEACE in Christ Iesu. ALBEIT the reading of the Scripture it selfe and the simple text thereof without further helpes hath matter enough to giue intelligence and instruction sufficient for the soule of mā to saluation if with hart and diligence it be earnestly applyed and followed as it should yet notwithstanding the helpe of good cōmentaries explications annexed withall especially such as be learned and godly is not hurtfull but rather is much requisite greatly needefull both for opening of places of difficulty for dissoluing doubtes and debating of controuersies such as may and vse many times to happen Wherefore most highly bound we are to the goodnes of our Lorde and Sauiour who hath herein so well prouided for our infirmitie in blessing this time of ours so plentifully with so many learned writers and worthy workers in his word As in al times he hath done but most chiefly in this time of ours is now to be seene In which time as we haue to giue thankes for many other of late memorie famous singular instruments of Christes glory so namely for the author compiler of this present work Martin Luther VVho although of many hitherto either hath not beene redde and so not throughly knowne or of a great number hated and maligned or of some lightly regarded or peraduenture misiudged Yet to such as either haue aduisedly redd him or shall be disposed to take trial of him hauing by experience of infirmities and affliction any skill to iudge of true diuinitie shall be founde emonges many preachers teachers of this our time most chiefly worthie not onely of iust commendation but also to be compared with the chiefest yea and so necessary for these times of the Church to be seene and redde that the poore mourning soules of the afflicted can not well want him that for diuers purposes especially for two principall causes First for true comfort spiritual consolation to such weake minds as in cases of conscience are distressed and wrastle in faith against the terrour of Satan of death of damnation against the power of the lawe and wrath of God wherein I see very fewe or none without comparison be it spoken in these our daies to instruct more fruitfully with like feeling and experience Secondly for discerning and discussing the difference betwene the law and the Gospell how these two partes are to be separated and distincted a sonder as repugnant and contrary and yet notwithstanding howe they both stand togither in Scripture and doctrine and yet in doctrine no repugnance The knowledge whereof how requisite it is for all Christians to learne the miserable lack thereof will soone declare For where these two be not rightly parted but confounded what can followe there but confusion of conscience either leading to despaire or else to blind securitie without any order in doctrine or true comfort of saluation As by examples of time is soone seene namely if we loke into the later times of the Romish Church where for want of right distinguishing betwene these two great errors haue risen and no great maruel For where the Gospell is taken for the lawe and the lawe for the Gospel and Christ receaued but onely for a law giuer and where things go by workes and lawe of deseruing what hope or assurance of saluation can be there considering our workes in their best kind to be so imperfect and vnprofitable And what shall be said then of our naughtie workes but especially ▪ what shall be said then to the mourning lamenting sinner who feleth no good thing dwelling in him but all wickednes shall he then despaire or how else will ye comfort him For if Christ in his principall office be but a teacher of the lawe and of workes and that be the chiefest thing to be required in a Christian to worke saluation by the law of working where is then grace mercie promise faith iustifying peace rest of conscience redemption from malediction of the law if we be vnder the law still briefly where is the new couenāt of God made by his sonne if the olde couenant made by Moses doe yet remaine if it do not remaine then must there needs be a differēce betwene the law the gospel betwene the old Testamēt the new betwene the law of works the law of faith betwene Moses Christ betwene the master the seruaunt betwene Agar and Sara and their two children Now what difference this is thou shalt not neede Christian reader by me to be instructed hauing here the boke of Martin Luther to reade and peruse VVho as in his former treatise before set forth vppon the Epistle to the Galathians so likewise in these his commentaries vppon the Psalmes doth so liuely at large discourse that matter with many other things moe full of heauenly instruction edificatiō that hauing him though thou hadst no other expositour vpon the holy Scripture thou maist haue almost sufficient to make a perfect souldier against all the fierie darts of the tempting enemie Againe hauing all other and lacking this writer thou shouldest yet want some thing to the perfect practise and experience of a Christian diuine Although I neede not in the behalfe of this treatise vse any suche commendation the booke being able sufficiently to commende it selfe yet thus much by way of preface I thought good to notifie and premonish whereby I might the rather animate and encourage thy studious diligence good reader to ouer-reade this booke Wherin if it shall please thee to bestow the labour as the paine I trust will not be tedious so in the profite thereof I doubt not but thy labour shall be recompensed with no lesse spirituall consolation to thy soules health then the godly translator thereof M. Bull did receaue in translating of the same Who as he once made his vow vnto the Lord for certeine causes to turne this booke from latine into english so with no lesse fidelitie did well performe the same Blessed be the Lorde therefore which both put him in mind first to take this worke in hand and also graunted him life to the accomplishment thereof for so it pleased the Lord to continue his life so long till this vowed worke was fully finished And not onely that but also after his trauell taken gaue him to receaue such sweetenes thereby as in neuer thing more in all his life Now from him departed to turne to you that remaine aliue I meane all studious readers as we◠thē that be wel willers to the gospel as also that be enemies yet not called to
the truth both which sortes I haue here in few words to exhort to desire first such as haue mind to heare reade the doctrine of truth that they in life will follow that they heare and reade Of the other companie this I haue to craue that for as much as the gracious goodnes of the Lord hath raysed vp before their face such plenty of preachers teachers writers and translators wherby by all meanes to call them and to do them good they wisely againe for their partes wil consider what they haue to do that is to take the time before them not to refuse the riches of Gods great grace offered least peraduenture hereafter ignorance wil not excuse them wheras now the light of truth so euidently appearing wittingly and willingly they stoppe their eyes from seeing their eares from hearing The Lord God of peace father of all mercy consolation for Christ Iesus his Sonnes sake open our hartes and senses that all preiudice pertinacie set aside we may both be willing to learne the right way of perfect faith and truth and no lesse carefull in life to follow that we learne growing vp in grace and knowledge more and more till we atteyne at length to the full measure which is in Christ Iesu our Lord Amen Iohn Foxe THE PREFACE OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPPON the fifteene Psalmes called Psalmes of degrees YE haue heard me before many times declare in the beginning of my Lectures for vvhat cause I haue taken in hand to expound the holy Scriptures not for any desire I haue to teach nevve and straunge thinges vvhich haue not beene knovvne or heard before for our diuinitie is so vvel knovvn both in the Latine tongue and also in our ovvne Language that vve may seeme novv to haue more neede of exhortation then instruction but because the diligent teaching and setting forth of the vvorde of God is a kinde of Gods seruice or vvorship properly belonging to the nevve Testament being much more acceptable vnto God more holy excellent then vvere all the vvorshippings and sacrifices of the olde Testament and therefore euen vvhen the lavv vvas yet in his ful strength the holy Prophets of God vtterly reiecting the burnt offerings and other sacrifices of the lavv did commend aboue all other the sacrifice of praise In like maner also ought vve so much the more earnestly diligently to set forth this kind of vvorship because that after so great blindnes vvherein vv haue liued the vvisedom of God hath as the Sunne in the mid day appeared and shined vnto vs againe Therefore like as it hath bene counted a maner of seruitude in times past to heare a godly sermon vvhich men vvere vvont to doe euen as they did their seruile labors so must vve novv othervvise thinke that they vvhich teach reade vvrite or heare the holy Scriptures are Gods true Priestes vvhich serue their God vvith a vvorthy and thankful kind of vvorship Albeit true it is also that vve can not here attaine to such full knovvledge of spirituall matters but that dayly vve haue neede to learne them again to be exercised confirmed therin because of the continuall vexations and assaultes of Satan that as vve are neuer vvithout occasions of declining falling from God so likevvise vve should not cease to exercise our selues in the continuall meditation of the vvord of God to the edifying both of our selues and of the Church For there is nothing so pernitious as the opinion of many at this day vvho as soone as they haue gotten neuer so litle knovvledge of this heauenly vvisedom thinke them selues by and by to be greate doctors For seeing that these thinges doe not consist in fine and eloquent talke in reasoning and disputing but in practise and experience directed not by mans reason but by the spirite of God they are miserably deceiued that rest in bare and naked knovvledge vvhich is but vnprofitable vvithout experience and practise In the olde Testament God appoynted but onely the ten commaundements vvherin he vvould haue his people to be exercised and occupyed But vvho vvas there euer amonge the Sainctes of God vvhich could say that he vvas able to atteyne to the vvisedom of the holy Ghost sette forth in those commaundements And shall vve vvhich in the nevv Testament haue the vvhole Scripture set forth vnto vs glory in the fulnes and perfection of our knovvledge Let vs not thinke therefore so highly of our selues but let vs humble our selues before the holy Ghoste and confesse this vvisedom to be infinite and such as vve could neuer fully attayne vnto although vve should spende our vvhole life in the study of the Scriptures For although by the grace of God vve are not vvithout some knovvledge yet because vve are continually oppressed vvith cloudes of tentations vve must haue recourse to this fountaine yea to this fire that our hartes may be kindled therevvith and that vve may giue no place to Satan or our ovvne flesh vvhereby the first fruites of the spirit might be quenched in vs This lothing of Gods vvord vvhich riseth of a false opinion of knovvledge is alas to common at this day For a remedy therefore against this euill Moses commaundeth that the lavv of God should be diligently set forth to the posteritie that is to say should continually be taught and exercised though it vvere neuer so vvel knovvne before For this cause therefore I haue taken in hand to expounde the Psalmes that vve might learne to abhorre this damnable lothing of the vvord of God and also to confirme and as it vvere to nourish the good spirite of God in vs by the exercise and practise of the same But the chiefest cause that moued me hereunto is for that vve knovv this kind of vvorship aboue all other to please God vvhen vve set forth his vvord in teaching in reading in vvriting in hearing c. And this one thing ought to keep vs in the continual exercise of the vvord of god For to teach to exercise and to set forth the vvorde vvhat is it else but continually to offer sacrifice vnto God continually to vvorship God continually to be exercised in the three first commaundements Lamentable it is to see vvhat a multitude there is of such as cōtinually blaspheme God either in teaching false doctrine or in persecuting the truth VVherfore very necessary it is that vve vvhiche in comparison of them are so small a number should serue the Lord our God praise his holy name vvhich both hath giuen vs this life and promised the life to come Moreouer our ovvne daunger giueth vs good vvarning to take heede that vvhiles vve thus neglect loth the vvord vve feele not his heauy vvrath plage vpon vs before vve be vvare For vvhen vve are once vveery of the vvorde then follovveth the contempt of the same vvhich contēpt the Lord so punisheth that he taketh his vvord cleane avvay Hereof the Papacie may be
this is the difference betweene those that are infected with this poyson the comtempt of the word I meane and the children of God that as they are wholy bent to seeke and aduance the glory of the euerliuing God so are these either inflamed with a diuilish desire to maintaine set forth damnable doctrine wicked opinions and false worship being wholy giuen ouer to serue the god of this world and their god Mammon seeking with greedines and pleasure their owne perdition damnation and so albeit they are already wholy possessed in the kingdom of the deuill yet are they merry and ioyfull but the end shall be such as for their horrible example is set forth in the story of the Sodomites Let vs pray vnto God therefore that he will preserue vs from this impietie and let vs learne to sing this Psalme with gladnes and thankes giuing vnto him for this inestimable benefite of his word and the pure knowledge thereof whereby Christ the onely sacrifice for our sinnes and the sure hope of eternall life is reueiled vnto vs Let vs continually exercise our selues in reading hearing and meditating of this word and let vs neuer think that we haue attayned sufficient knowledge and tast thereof In deede this word is so plenteously set forth in these our dayes that it may seeme to bring with it a lothing and contempt in many but it is not enough an hundred times to haue read it and a thousand times to haue heard it as in the daungerous time of tentations by experience we feele Wherefore let vs abhorre the damnable impietie of lothing and contemning the word of life and let vs embrace that most soueraigne vertue which is called the Reuerence of the word For Satan sleepeth not and in deede he is neuer so strongly armed against vs as when he seeth that we loth and contemne the word or presume of our owne knowledge Verse 1. I reioyced when they sayd vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lorde The like saying he hath in the 60. Psalme God hath spoken in his Sanctuary therefore I will reioyce Wherein is conteyned a comparison betwene his kingdom and other mighty and welthy kingdoms of the worlde As if he should say My kingdom is but a small and a weake kingdom if you compare it with the power of other kingdoms of the world But this haue I that all Kings and kingdoms haue not namely that in my kingdom the Lord him selfe the King of all Kings speaketh out of his holy Sanctuary therefore my kingdom is the kingdom of God and therein I reioyce Euen so here sayth he I reioyced And why Because it was sayd vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord. That is God hath promised that we shall be that people which shal enter into the house of the lord And should not this cause my heart to reioyce For when I behold all other nations I see them goe into the house of the deuill and the temples of Idols I see they know not the true God neither doe they worship him Great cause haue I therefore to reioyce because I haue the promise of God that I shall goe with my people into the house of the Lorde Dauid sheweth him selfe here to reioyce and be glad for 2. causes not onely that the Lord had appoynted a place wherein he would be worshipped euen the holy hill of Sion but also because he had the consent of his people so obediently to ioyne with him in the true seruice worship of the lord Often times the Lord had before promised by Moises that he would appoynt such a place for his Sanctuary as should be certaine and stable for euer and yet aboue a thousand yeares togither the Arke of the Lord was caryed hither and thither from tent to tent from habitation to habitation hauing no certaine place to rest in But afterwardes it was shewed vnto Dauid that the Lord would haue it remaine in the hil Sion and that he would haue there a temple builded wherein he would be worshipped By this example we are admonished that we haue double cause to reioyce when so euer the Lord doth not onely incline our hearts by his holy spirite to the obedience of his word but also doth draw other vnto the same with vs that we may be al ioyned togither in the fellowship of faith We see the stubburnes of mans heart to be such that the greater number alwaies murmureth when so euer the Lord speaketh and therefore no small cause haue we to reioyce when we all consent togither in one spirite and and one mind in the true seruice and worship of the Lord. These wordes I reioyced when they sayd c. seeme to be very simple and to conteine in them no great matter But if you loke into the same with spirituall eyes there appeareth a wonderfull great maiestie in them Which because our Papistes can not see they do so coldly and negligently pray reade and sing this psalme and other that a man would thinke there were no tale so foolish or vaine which they would not either recite or heare with more courage delight These wordes therefore must be vnfolded layd before the eyes of the faythful For when he sayth we will goe into the house of the Lord what notable thing can we see in these words if we doe but onely beholde the stones tymber gold and other ornaments of the materiall temple But to goe into the house of the Lord signifieth another maner of thing namely to come togither where we may haue God present with vs heare his word cal vpon his holy name and receiue helpe and succour in our necessitie Therefore it is a false definition of the temple which the Papists make that it is a house built with stones tymber to the honour of god What this temple is they them selues know not For the temple of Salomon was not therefore beautifull because it was adorned with gold and siluer and other precious ornaments but the true beautie of that temple was because in that place the people heard the word of the Lord called vpon his name found him mercifull giuing peace and remission of sinnes c. This is rightly to behold the temple and not as the visured Bishops behold their idolatrous temple when they consecrate it These are then great causes of ioy and gladnes to haue access vnto the Lord to heare this consolation that he is our God which will heare vs which will deliuer vs in the time of trouble which will forgiue vs our sinnes and at the last will giue vs euerlasting life For these great benefites sayth Dauid we giue thanks vnto God and we reioyce that we may come togither into that place wherein God worketh all these things by the power of his word For it is the word alone whereby we knowe God whereby we come vnto God and whereby he bestoweth these great benefites of his fauour and loue
vpon vs Thus Dauid vnder these wordes The house of the Lord. comprehendeth God him selfe his name and his word wherevnto the Sabboth is dedicated in the which we should rest from other busines and harken vnto the Lord speaking vnto vs. This is to go into the house of the Lord and for this benefite to reioyce and giue thanks vnto him For this is an inestimable benefite and cannot be comprehended of the wicked But the godly onely doe know the word and what benefite they receiue thereby And this the Lord also requireth of his people when he so often commandeth in the law that they should come togither that they should reioyce before the Lord they should praise and magnifie his name for his benefites and greate mercies so plentifully poured vppon them And to this Dauid also prouoketh vs by his owne example that with reuerence and as it were with an admiration we should exult and reioyce before the Lord. Verse 2. Our feete shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem The Prophete Dauid reciteth here the common voyce of the godly that they would now abide stedfastly perseuer in the house of the Lord which he had appointed in Ierusalem and would not wander any more from place to place as they had done because the Lord had there stablished his Sanctuary which before was often times remoued had no ceraine resting place This stablishing and continuing of the Sanctuary in one certaine place preuailed much for the confirmation of their faith For like as when the Arke was caried from place to place their faith was alwaies wauering and vnstedfast euen so after that God had chosen vnto him selfe a certaine habitation he gaue thereby vnto them a more sure manifest testimony that he would be their euerlasting defender and protector Whereby their faith was stablished and confirmed for euer It is no maruell then that the people with such great reioycing and thankfulnes vnto God do promise that their feete should now stand sure and stedfast in the gates of Ierusalem which were wont to runne hither thither Truth it is that the arke did long continue in Silo. But because the Lord had made no promise concerning that place there could be no stabilitie of faith in the harts of the people And againe because it was said of the Mount Sion This is my rest for euer here wil I dwel for I haue delight therin the faithfull being surely grounded vpon this word were bolde to say that their feete should neuer remoue againe but stand stedfast sure in the gates of Ierusalem and in the house of the Lord for this standing signifieth a constant a continuall abiding for euer But now for as much as Christ in whom dwelleth the fulnes of the goodhead and which is the true Immanuel dwelleth emongst vs we haue a farre greater cause to reioyce then the Israelites had Wherefore we maye seeme vnthankful yea blockish and senseles if this promise I am with you vnto the end of the worlde do not stirre vp our hearts to great ioy and gladnes especially if we see it thankfully and with publike consent receiued of the people For that which we rehearsed euen now concerning the rest of the Lord is altogether fulfilled in the person of Christ as it appeareth in the 2. chapter of Esay His rest saith he shal be glorious Where he speaketh not of the buriall of Christ as some doe fondly imagine but of the excellency and dignitie of the church which should afterwards follow The glory and bewtie whereof since by the great mercy of God we haue seene Let vs be thankfull therefore and besech him that he will make perfect that he hath begun in vs that our feete may alwayes be standing in the courts of the Lord in the Church and congregation of the faithfull where we may find God where we may heare him calling vs teaching vs comforting vs and succouring vs. Verse 2. Ierusalem is builded as a citie where the people may come togither to worship God. This verse is an exposition or amplication of the verse that goeth before As if he said our fete shall stand in thy gates I say O Ierusalem which flourishest and increasest in all felicitie For where the word of God flourisheth there shall the common welth prosper according to the saying of our sauiour Christ First seeke the kingdom of God all things shal be ministred vnto you and yet so notwithstanding that this saying also of our sauiour remaineth alwaies true answering vnto Paule My power is made perfect through weaknes For albeit the world doth dayly vexe trouble the church many waies yet notwithstanding the more the aduersaries go about to destroy pluck downe the more doth the word of God edifie build vp To pluck downe then to destroy and to ouerthrow the church is nothing else if you consider the counsel purpose of God and the end that followeth thereof but to build vp to plant to water and to encrease the Church The Decians Maximines and Domitians those bloody and mighty tyrannes howe cruelly went they about to abolish for euer the name of Christ But the word and the Church of God as a palme tree the more it was oppressed the more it flourished and encreased maugre their malice and tyranny as the figure of the people of Israell doth declare For so sayth Moises The more the Egyptians did vexe them the more they multiplied and grew To this agreeth also the saying of the olde Church that the Church is watered with the blood of Martyrs The cause of this miraculous building is that where so euer God is beleued and his word had in due reuerence and regard there must needes followe a victorie albeit the Sainctes be destroyed slayne and seeme vtterly to perish yea albeit God him selfe seeme to haue forsaken them and with them to be oppressed and ouercome For so it is with God that when he seemeth most weake then is he most strong when he is oppressed in his Saincts then specially he liueth triumpheth and is exalted in them and in diminishing he most mightely increaseth Of such a maner of building speaketh Dauid also in this place that albeit Ierusalem was compassed about with so many enemies and idolatrous religions notwithstanding there the word of God true religion flourished Who then can preuaile against vs when God is so with vs And this is the true building of Ierusalem To the which the Kings gathered them selues and conspired against it but they were suddenly driuen backe and could not preuaile We also in these our dayes by our owne experience haue proued that the more the aduersaries of the word doe rage the lesse they preuaile against it yea so much the more it flourisheth and encreaseth And what else doth Satan our perpetual aduersary bring to passe by his continuall tentations but driue vs to search the word to learne to pray to beleue
deuill the kingdom of the world sinne and death also against adulterers murtherers theeues false brethren c for the glory of God the aduancing of his kingdom chastitie innocencie charitie c. For God is inuisible and therefore when they are heard which teach and preach vnto vs the word of God then God him selfe is heard For he can not be heard but by witnesses and as S. Paule calleth them by his messengers That which is taught them in the Church is inuisible and absent and therefore can be apprehended by no other meanes but by the testimony of the word So the whole Gospell is a testimony for it speaketh of things absent and it is nothing else but the preaching of faith This I speake for the simple and ignorant concerning this word testifie This is the cause then why Dauid so reioyceth namely that his Ierusalem was builded to this ende that the worde of faith might there be preached whereby the people might learne to know what the will of God is what he intendeth to do with his people what punishment and plagues he threatneth to the wicked And this preaching is the testimony which Dauid here speaketh of made vnto the children of Israell gathered togither in this place whereby they were knowne to be the peculiar and chosen people of God from all other nations as he saith in an other Psalme He hath not so dealt with euery nation Wherfore we also haue great cause to acknowledge the rich blessing of God that the word of God is now purely sincerely preached emongst vs as it was then in Ierusalem and the sweete promises of the Gospell sounding in the eares consciences of the godly to their singular comfort and consolation also the threatnings of God published wherby the wicked are called to repentance and the godly kept in the feare of God and mortification of the olde man through the assistance of the holy Ghost whom the father through Christ and for Christes sake poureth vppon them aboundantly which willingly and gladly receiue this testimony This is one part then of the true worship of God to learne the way how to worship God in such sort as best pleaseth him which consisteth in teaching of the word hearing of God when he speaketh vnto vs by his witnesses and therefore the Deuill desireth nothing so much as to hinder the preaching hearing of the worde For this cause he rayseth vp as ye heard in the first Psalme lying lippes and deceitful tongues he stirreth vp the worlde with sword and power to oppresse the godly and euen in our selues he goeth about to deface this kinde of seruice and worship of God by our deuilish contempt and lothing of the same But contrariwise to build Churches and gorgiously to decke them for the maintenance of masses oblations false worship and idolatrie all this he can abide well enough for by these thinges he knoweth that his strength is not diminished nor his power weakened But when the word of God is preached concerning remission of sinnes the righteousnes that commeth by Christ and life euerlasting this doctrine destroyeth his kingdom This causeth him to rage and to seeke by all meanes possible how he may hinder the course of the gospell The other part of the worship of God is to praise the name of the Lord. This Dauid maketh the second kinde of worship when he commendeth his Ierusalem And here againe note that he speaketh nothing of the sacrifices of the law for albeit he doth not discommend them as I said before yet he reckeneth them but as chaffe in comparison of the word and the fruite which followeth thereof which is thanks geuing And if he had named the sleying of sacrifices euery man had not bene able to serue God with that kinde of worshippe Therefore he requireth nothing else but that which they were able to do without great charges which yet notwithstanding very few did He did not condemne the building of the temple which afterwards should be done by his sonne Salomon but did earnestly desire the same and the cause why he did desire it here you see namely that first the name of God might there be preached and then that God might there accept the praiers of his people with praise and thanks geuing for his benefits receiued Hitherto we haue heard how the Prophete extolleth and magnifieth the incomparable gift benefit of God the word I meane with thanks and praise vnto God for the same For that is a benefite and blessing in dede which is knowne and acknowledged so to be All the world as we see is full euen glutted with the benefits of God notwithstanding it remaineth still in such blindnes that it knoweth them not to be the giftes of God and therefore it taketh and vseth them no otherwise then hogges doe their draffe swill But Dauid seeth that God had geuen him a kingdom wherin the pure word of God and true religion flourished This great benefite he acknowledgeth and therefore he so reioyceth and magnifieth his Ierusalem as a place appointed by the Lords owne mouth where the people might come togither to heare the word of God and to giue thankes vnto God for his benefites out of the which place it was not possible to find god The Gentiles because they had not the word nor this hearing whereof Dauid here speaketh could not find god Hereby we may see how horrible a thing it is to contemne and to loth the word For what can be more horrible then that man a weake creature nothing but earth dust should so lift vp him selfe in pride that when the maiestie of God speaketh most louingly inuiteth him to heare he will not heare And yet we see that there is nothing more common then this impietie this horrible contempt this deuilish lothing of the worde of God emongst all sortes of men The cause is for that we heare not the Lord speaking now vnto vs in his Maiesty as he spake in the moūt Sinai at what time the people were astonished trembled at the terrible voyce of the Lord yet how soone had they forgotten the Lord and murmured both against the Lord and against Moises Thus in his Maiestie he speaketh no more but he speaketh nowe vnto vs by men and therefore he is contemned Horrible it is that Sodome was burnt vp with fire from heauen Horrible it is also that the whole world was destroied with water Moreouer the daily examples of impiety and wickedness as murther whoredom c. are such that they can not be heard without horrour trembling But how horrible so euer all these thinges be yet is it much more horrible to contemne God when by his word he speaketh vnto vs which al the world doth at this day not only they which persecute the word with open tyranny but such also as are euen emongst vs at the beginning seemed to receiue this doctrine with great reioycing Wherefore Dauid exhorteth
were iudged with equitie The celestiall Ierusalem hath the tribunall seate where iudgement is shall be most iustly pronounced vpon the vniuersall world and vppon all men that either haue beene be or shall be The Lord graunt that with an inuincible faith we may mount vp to this celestiall Ierusalem the citie of God where are such ioyes felicitie as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor tongue can tel nor yet heart can think Verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee To pray for the peace of Ierusalem is to pray for the safetie prosperitie and welfare of the Church of God that Satan haue no power to hinder the course and fruite of the word Dauid sawe first in spirit this horrible contempt of the word and ministery moreouer he saw that this glorious gift could not be preserued by mans diligence Therefore he goeth about here to stirre vppe the harts of men to pray for the preseruation of this gift As if he said Here is the Lords owne seate and throne of iudgement notwithstanding how few doe reuerence and regard it as they should doe Yea the greatest part of the world hateth it and wisheth the subuersion therof Wherfore I exhort you ▪ O ye litle flock to honour and reuerence this seate to pray for the peace thereof louingly to salute it and to say The Lord out of Sion blesse thee c. So long as this citie flourisheth ye haue the Lord him self speaking saying giuing victory against all the assaults of Satan against sinne the terrour of conscience c. What cause haue ye then to pray for the prosperitie of this citie wherby ye inioy such heauenly benefites When the church of God doth not prosper it cannot go wel with any perticular member thereof No maruell then why Dauid so earnestly exhorteth all the faithfull to pray for the peace and prosperitie of the Church Wherefore if we will pray as we ought to do we must first and principally commend vnto God the common state of the church For he that seeketh his owne welfare and neglecteth the state and prosperitie of the Church doth not only shew him selfe to be voyd of all sense and zeale of true piety but also the prayers which he maketh for him selfe are in vaine profite him nothing Let them prosper that loue thee He wisheth vnto them which loue the word and reuerence this seat that God would blesse them with all maner of blessing felicitie And this prayer is very necessary For we see dayly howe the true professors of the Gospell are in daunger by the ministers of Satan the enemies of God his truth on euery side which could be content rather to haue the Turke to reigne ouer them yea the deuill him selfe and all the furies of hell then to see vs prosper and the Gospel to flourish least their cursed workes of darknes and infidelitie should appeare vnto the world Verse 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperitie within thy pallaces Nowe that the Prophet hath exhorted all men to pray for the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem he turneth vnto the citie and doth not onely wish wel vnto it but also he sheweth vnto other how they should pray for it The summe whereof is that true religion may flourish the ministerie and ministers of the word may be defended against the false prophets that concord may be maintained emongst the pastors and preachers of the word and that the ciuil gouernment may prosper Howe necessary this prayer is experience daily teacheth vs For where these 2. things are namely concord in the Church and peace in the ciuill state there can no good thing be lacking therfore the deuil so busily laboureth to trouble the peace of them both This was the cause why there was such a multitude of false prophets rebells seditious persons emongst this people as the stories do testify Wherfore Dauid being taught by his owne experience prayeth for these 2. thinges without the which the world is nothing els but a wild desert Example hereof may be vnto vs the late times wherein we liued vnder the Pope before this light of the Gospel beganne to shyne For then when the sound doctrine of the word was lacking what could the Pope all his shauelings doe What one verse did they rightly vnderstand throughout the whole psalter Wherby it came to passe that they were not able to resist most manifest impieties which by the strong mighty delusions of the deuil ouerflowed the world as in pilgrimages where they maintained most damnable idolatries and caused the people to adore the works of their owne handes and if any man spake against them he was vp and by taken and burnt as an heretike So true is it that when the word is once lost the world remaineth in most horrible darkenes and can doe nothing else but abuse the giftes of God and so falleth to most detestable impietie or else to desperation This Dauid foreseeth and therefore he prayeth so earnestly for the prosperitie of Ierusalem for faithfull pastors in the Church and godly Princes in the politike state Verse 8. For my brethren and neighbours sakes I will wish thee now prosperitie Here Dauid sheweth the cause as he doth also in the verse following why he prayeth thus for Ierusalem As if he sayd In that I wish that peace may be in thee o Ierusalem in that I desire thy prosperity and welfare I doe it for my brethren and neighbours sakes that is for my fellowes and companions in faith and religion And here in his owne person he sheweth the commō complaint of all those that rule either in the church or in the common weale or in families which is that the greater part of men is euer peruerse and wicked The godly pastour when he goeth about with great care diligence to reforme the corrupt life and wickednes of the people seeth notwithstanding that the more part stil remaineth peruerse intractable The Magistrate traueling with like care and diligence in his calling findeth the people disobedient incorrigible Likewise is it in houshold gouernment What vnfaithfull seruice shalt thou finde euen amongst those whom thou thoughtest to haue found most true and faithfull Hereof it commeth that many are discomforted and vtterly discouraged seeing so litle fruite and successe to ensue of their godly trauels Notwithstanding we see it can not otherwise be For Satan our perpetuall enemy ceaseth neither night nor day to stirre vppe discord and peruerse opinions in the Church in the ciuil state stubborne and disobedient persons in houshold gouernment negligent and vnfaithfull families Here we must looke with Dauid not to the greater part which is euer wicked but to our brethren and neighbours So doth Paule in the 2. Timoth. 3. For the elects sake I susteyne and suffer all things sayth he For if it were not for their sakes who would willingly take vpon him the office of
they suffer togither so they cry vnto God for helpe and succour as well for other as for them selues Yea the common calamitie of their brethren is to them a greater crosse then their owne Haue mercy vpon vs c. This repetition as it doth declare a great vehemencie and feruentnes of spirite in the afflicted crying vnto God for helpe and deliuerance so it sheweth their affliction and calamitie to be exceeding greeuous For we haue suffered too much contempt He sayd before that the godly being brought to extreme miserie by the tyranny and oppression of the wicked did lift vp their eyes to God for helpe and succour Nowe he sheweth also what despite and reproch they suffred of the proud and scornfull Whereby it appeareth that the vngodly sought not only with crueltie and oppression but also with despite contempt and ignominy to tread as it were vnder foote the children of god He saith not onely we suffer contempt but we are filled with contempt and ignominie vsing a similitude taken of a vessell which is filled so full that it can conteine no more Thus the children of God do not burst out at the first into these gronings and grieuous complaints when so euer they are contemned and despised but patiently suffer in hope that God will at the length ease their miserye vntill they be filled with all maner of despite contempt and scorning of the wicked whereby they are compelled to cry vnto God doubling their complaint as followeth in the next verse Verse 4. Our soule is filled too ful of the mocking of the welthy and of the despitefulnes of the proude When the godly are not onely oppressed with iniuries hated and despised but also mocked and scorned of the wicked there can be to them no greater misery And this is it that they specially here complaine of as of all their calamities the moste greeuous The cause why he saith that the welthy and proud doe so spitefully sette them selues against the Church of God is for that they which are of power and authoritie in the world are alwaies wont to despise and contemne the godly which doe so much esteeme the glory wealth and prosperitie of this worlde that they regard nothing at all the spirituall kingdom of Christ yea the more they rise in wealth and dignitie the more their pride encreaseth This place teacheth then that it is no straunge or newe thing if the children of God be contemned of the children of this worlde which abound in wealth and riches And it is not without good cause that here the wealthy are also called proud for wealth and prosperity maketh men proude the children of this world and worldlinges I meane For Dauid and many other were also riche and yet they were so broken with afflictions and so exercised both within and without that they could haue no such pleasure or delight in their wealth and worldly prosperitie whereby they might waxe proude or fall into securitie But the case of the wicked is farre otherwise for their riches wealth and dignitie is as a rewarde of their securitie and vngodlines Contrariwise the godly are in misery and affliction despised of the world as abiects fooles and idiotes as the example of the auncient Prophets Christ him self and his apostles with all the deare Sainctes of God do teach we by daily experience doe proue For when we goe aboute to draw men from couetousnes blasphemy voluptuousnes and such other vices they laugh vs to scorne and when they heare of the iudgement of God the reward of sinne the punishment of the wicked they count 〈◊〉 this geare to be but a fable suche as Virgill imagineth of hell to make men afeard But if they were exercised with afflictions and calamities as the godly are and had a scholemaster to teach them that they are but men as Dauid prayeth in the ix Psalme they would learne another song The .124 Psalme If the Lord had not bene on our side c. This Psalme is a thankes giuing to God for his great mercy in preseruing his people placed as the stories doe shewe in the middes of the Gentiles and heathen people as a flock of sheepe in a wild forrest or in respect of the multitude as a citie compared to a mighty kingdom being compassed on euery side with the kings of the Assirians the Egyptians the Ammonites the Ismaelites the Moabites whom Satan had stirred vp with deadly hatred to vexe and persecute them seeking by all meanes to roote them out from the earth that thereby he might vtterly deface and abolish the word and worship of the lord This daunger Dauid sawe and thanked God which had preserued his people from the rage of so many lyons and dragons which notwithstanding that they neuer ceased to seeke their destruction yet all that they went about was in vaine And what a miracle was this that this people could so long continue notwithstanding the malice and rage of so many deuils Dauid therefore in this Psalme exhorteth his people to be thankfull to the Lorde their God so mightely preseruing defending and deliuering them from the violence of so many nations and kingdoms hating and persecuting them on euery side Which Psalme we also doe sing not onely against our aduersaries which hate and persecute the word but also against spirituall wickednes For we are taught by the Gospell that there are nowe seuen Deuills which lye in wayte for vs where as we were before in daunger but of one which cease not to styrre vppe the whole worlde against vs Yea our case were more tolerable if we had but onely the worlde and not Satan also with all his angells and the gates of hell wholy bent against vs But yet further to molest and vexe vs besides all these we haue also the third enemie which we cary alwayes about with vs which we nourish also and foster at home with vs and euen with in vs the flesh I meane which giueth vs no rest but continually tempteth vs to sinne fighteth against faith and striueth in our members against the spirite For as much then as the Church of God is neuer free from these daungers let vs also sing to the praise of Christ this psalme that he preserueth vs his members from all these enemies For it were extreme ingratitude not to acknowledge this miracle that notwithstanding all these the Church doth yet continue and that there be some which truely teach and confesse Christ beleue in Christ though Satan rage the world and false brethren conspire against vs and the flesh as an vntamed beast fight against the word and faith neuer so much This is the benefit then that Dauid so highly extolleth and wisheth that his people would vnderstand and giue thankes to God for the same Verse 1. If the Lord had not bene on our side may Israel now say Verse 2. If the Lord had not bene on our side when men rose vp against vs Verse 3. They had
God that we shall suffer trouble and affliction yet in him we shall ouercome at length The 125. Psalme They that trust in the Lord c. The Psalme going before is a thankesgiuing or a sacrifice of praise because the godly see and by experience feele that the Lord is faithfull and helpeth them in the time of neede This Psalme following conteineth also in a maner the same matter For it perteyneth to the doctrine of faith and exhorteth the faithful likewise to a sure trust and affiance in the helpe of the Lorde in all their necessities Whereunto he stirreth them vp with great and excellent promises It may also be easily vnderstand by that which we haue sayd before For herein consisteth all this heauenly wisedom that we doe vtterly remoue out of our sight what so euer flesh can comprehend and beleue that which the word onely telleth vs euen against all that which either we know feele or see And therefore this wisedome is against all humane wisedom and reason For by reason and all that reason can comprehend we feele see and conceiue all things contrary to that which faith leadeth vs vnto He that lyeth sicke and at the poynt of death can by reason conceiue nothing els but y imagination of death But a christian man leauing that imagination knoweth that in death there is true life But thou wilt say he seeth and feeleth death in deede but life he can not feele I aunswere that because he resteth vpon the word and after it he iudgeth and not after his owne feeling therefore euen in death he seeth nothing but life and in the middes of darkenes most cleare light For like as God maketh all thinges of nothing and of darkenes light so he worketh by his word that in death there is nothing but life They then which sticke to the word and promise of God and follow the same doe finde it true which Dauid sayth He spake the worde and it was done c. But before we can come to this experience we must abide some trouble therefore haue neede of such exhortation as this psalme here setteth forth Verse 1. They that trust in the Lorde shall be as Mount Sion which can not be remoued but remaineth for euer The Prophet vseth here a similitude of Mount Sion because Ierusalem wherin Sion stood when the temple was builded had most ample notable promises of God as appeareth in very many places of the Prophetes that it should stand sure inuincible for euer against all troubles and calamities for that the Lord had his abiding and dwelling there according to that promise where he sayth here is my rest here will I dwel c. And therefore Dauid in an other Psalme glorieth on this wise Loe the Kinges were gathered and went togither when they saw it they marueled They were astonied and suddenly driuen backe As we may see it came to passe vnder Ezechias in that great destruction of the Assyrians and other Kings as the stories witnesse which shewe that Ierusalem remayned safe in all daungers not by the strength and pollicie of the inhabitants but by the miraculous worke of God dwelling in it and thus mightely preseruing and beautifying his owne common wealth Nowe therfore sayth he like as Mount Sion and our holy citie Ierusalem is neuer moued but remaineth sure and safe by the mighty protection of the Lord in all extremities so he that trusteth in the Lord shall be defended against the furious rage of the world and the gates of hell for euer Note howe he commaundeth no worke here to be done as in popery in the time of trouble men were taught to enter into some kind of religion to fast to goe on pilgrimage to doe such other foolish workes of deuotion which they deuised as an high seruice vnto God and thereby thought to make condigne satisfaction for sinne and merite eternal life but simply he leadeth vs the plaine way vnto God pronouncing this to be the chiefest anker of our saluation onely to hope and trust in the Lorde and that this is the greatest seruice that we can doe vnto god For this is the nature of God as I haue sayd to create all thinges of nothing Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in death life in darkenes light And this to beleue is the very nature and most speciall propertie of faith When God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his owne nature that is which beleueth to finde in daunger helpe in pouertie riches in sinne righteousnes and that for Gods owne mercies sake in Christ alone him can God neyther hate nor forsake For he serueth and worshippeth God truely which putteth his whole trust in the mercie of god With this seruice God is highly pleased because he deliteth of no thing to make some thing So he made the world of nothing so he rayseth vp the poore and oppressed so he iustifieth the sinner so he rayseth the dead and so he saueth the damned Who so then consenteth to Gods nature and obeyeth his will there hoping for some thing where nothing is he it is that pleaseth God and shall neuer be moued But thou must beware that thou imagine not to thy selfe a false hope contrarie to the word of God and thy vocation Whereof if thou be certayne and abide in the same if troubles rise trust in the Lord and if he helpe not in his good time take me and Dauid also for lyars Satan will trouble vexe and discomfort thee yea and peraduenture make thee to beleue that thou art vtterly forsaken but if thou trust in the Lord thou shalt feele his helpe with ioyfull victory So in the councell of Auspurge when the Princes were bent against vs with one consent our cause seemed to be vtterly ouerthrowne Notwithstanding yet we liue and enioy such peace and libertie as we would wish maugre the rage and malice of the Pope and all the aduersaries of the worlde With such conflictes we must be exercised lest we be discouraged when we see our cause begin to quale But the greater the daunger is the more stedfastly we must trust So shall it come to passe that when we are ouercome yet we shall ouercome and the conquerer shall yeeld vnto vs triumph and victory This is it that the Psalme here setteth forth They that trust in the Lorde shall be as Mount Sion which can not be remoued but remayneth for euer And here we haue a singular promise whereby we are assured that we shall stande and abyde for euer If then we doe not continue it is our owne fault because we abide not firme and stable in our fayth For this promise must needes remaine sure and infallible Yea as it is impossible that God should deny him selfe and not be God so is it impossible that he should forsake those that put their trust in him But we may not thinke the time longe but patiently abide the Lords leasure For Gods
power taketh no place in vs vntill we be vtterly to speake after the maner of the Scripture exinanited that is stript naked of all worldly hope and helpes that man hath in him selfe and brought to nothing like as when he saueth a ship from drowning now ready to perish and past all remedy As the two storyes of the Gospell one of the shippe the other of the daunger of Peter doe testifie Verse 2. As the mountaines are about Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people from henceforth and for euer Where many hundred thousands of men are there are scarsely 7. thousand which knowe God or beleue in God and yet for their sakes the whole multitude is called Gods people .. Euen so was it in Ierusalem Albeit the greater part was wicked and godles yet was Ierusalem called holy not onely in respect of a small number of the godly but also because God had his abiding there So when there was not one iust person in Sodome but Loth with his two daughters yet could not the angell destroy Sodome with fire so long as Loth was in it Likewise where 4 or 5. or 10. godly persons are to be found for their sakes the whole citie is called holy For these are the elect corner stones these are the precious pearles which God so highly estemeth and for whose sakes he spareth the wicked Therefore saith Dauid As Ierusalem is compassed about with mountaines so doth the Lord compasse his people and mightely defend them on euery side In like maner Zachary prophecieth of a citie whose wall is of fire These similitudes doe set forth vnto vs the safetie of Gods people that weake and litle porâ— flocke against all daungers Upon this promise if we also doe rest which at this day enioy the inestimable benefite of Gods holye word we shall be defended against the rage of Satan the whole worlde not by fiery and brasen walls but by the Lord him selfe These thinges albeit we cannot comprehend yet should we beleue them so certainly as if we did see them with our bodily eyes If we should see our selues compassed about with brasen and fiery walls we would be without all feare and triumph against Satan But it is a matter of faith not to trust vnto that which the eyes see but which the worde offereth and promiseth This one thing therefore is lacking in vs that we haue not the eyes of the spirite but we iudge according to the eyes and sense of the fleshe For else we should be no more afraide then they which beeing closed within the walls of an inuincible castle feare not the force and power of their enemyes be they neuer so terrible We must not doubt therefore but if we beleue we are compassed about with fiery and brasen mountaines that is to say we abide for euer inuincible against the rage of Satan and all the powers of darkenes Blessed therefore is he that beleueth These mountaines are the Angells which compasse vs on euery side that Satan with his angells and ministers can not hurt vs as he would Whose malice and power is such that if they did not continually beholde vs continually defend vs and watch ouer vs he would destroy vs euery moment This can all they testifie which knowe that Satan is a murtherer and a lyer which can not abide to see the godly prosper therefore he seketh by all meanes to roote them out from the face of the earth That we are not then vtterly consumed it is the benefite of these mountaines by whom we are so compassed and defended Some times Satan hurleth his dartes at vs as it were through the window to destroy vs and worketh vs in deede some sorrow but he can not moue vs. This similitude seemeth to be taken out of the story of Helizeus in the 2. boke of the Kinges where the seruaunt of Helizeus saw the hilles about him full of fiery chariotes and horsemen compassing Helizeus round about and mightely defending him This succour which the seruant of Helizeus sawe and the Prophet beleued when he saw nothing is saith the Prophet round about all them which trust in the Lord as also the 34. Psalme witnesseth The Angell of the Lorde pitcheth round aboute them that feare him But our eyes are shut vp and see not these miracles whereof notwithstanding we haue dayly experience This promise then will neuer deceiue vs onely let vs not deceiue our selues If therefore we did beleue no doubt we shoulde sleepe we should liue we should dye yea that more is we should suffer what so euer Satan and the world can doe against vs without all feare For thus should we thinke If I suffer any thing it is not without the will of God nor without good cause well knowne though not â—nto me yet vnto god Therefore although Satan breake through the wall in one place yet shall he neuer be able vtterly to ouerthrowe it altogither Thus should we think in our troubles and afflictions and comfort our selues with the good will of god But we are afraid when any trouble commeth and neuer feele that securitie which faith bringeth Thus doe we worthely suffer the punishment of our incredulitie which we nurrishe within vs although we be called away from it by so many notable places of the Scripture Besides all this it is not enough that we are compassed about with fiery walles that is with the sure custody the continuall watch and warde of the Angells but the Lorde him selfe is our wall so that euery way we are defended by the Lorde against all daungers Aboue vs he is a heauen on both sides he is as a wall vnder vs he is as a strong rocke whereuppon we stand so are we euery way sure and safe Nowe if Satan through these munitions cast his dartes at vs it must needs be that the Lorde him selfe shall be hurt before we take harme But great is our incredulitie which heare all these thinges in vaine Yet must they be taught and learned lest the time come that we be destitute of all counsell and comfort in these matters For certain it is that the hower shal come when we must haue experience of these thinges or else vtterly perish Where he addeth From henceforth for euer By these words he sheweth that this vigilancie of the Lorde our God euer vs is not temporall but eternall according to that which he said before in the first verse of this Psalme They shall remaine for euer Let vs learne therfore out of this Psalme that our constancy and perseuerance consisteth in this that we are defended by the power and prouidence of the Lord on euery side Verse 3. For the rodde of the wicked shall not rest on the lotte of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednes Here the Prophet plainly declareth that the people which rest vnder this defence and protection are afflicted and subiecte to all miseryes and calamities as touching the
holy Ghost permitteth here to the wicked dominion and tyranny ouer the godly which they are compelled to suffer Like as we are compelled not onely to see but also to suffer the tyranny of Antichrist and the power of his kingdom persecuting destroying murthering the Christians and raging against them with all kind of tyranny Yea we are compelled moreouer to suffer the tyranny of Satan vexing and terrifying my heart and the hearts of the brethren which beleue in christ This dominion or tyranny the holy Ghost calleth the rodde of the wicked and comforteth vs that as the Lord liueth their tyranny shal fall and shall not rest vpon the lotte of the godly The lotte of the iust is as much to say as the portion that is the number or congregation of the iust Like as Christ calleth them the little flock and Paule the poore Saincts Ouer these sayth he although the tyrannes doe rule yet shalt not their power endure Although the persecutors of the Church doe oppresse the faithfull yet shall they not doe so alwayes neither shall their counsells haue that successe which they desire For they thinke to roote out this doctrine for euer but that shall they neuer be able to doe Therefore albeit ye suffer in the meane time faith the holy Ghost yet know ye that my will is that they which beleue in me shall neuer perish but shall be preserued to life euerlasting Here then haue ye whereunte ye may trust in all your tentations But behold the reason which the holy Ghost here vseth to proue that the scepter of the wicked shall not rest vpon the iust God is moued saith he to helpe and defend the iust For else it might so come to passe that God should haue no Church at all and the iust should put forth their hands to wickednes So we finde in Ieremy that before the people were deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians they had a promise that after seuenty yeres they should returne againe to Ierusalem because they should not be brought into doubt of Gods mercy and so vtterly despaire and falling away from God should turne to gentilitie As it is in the Psalme lest the godly should turne to folishnesse that is to say should blaspheme and become impatient This is the cause why God ioyneth the promise of the word with the execution and performance of the deed or else the godly should be driuen to desperation We see how many are cast downe with aduersity by the losse of goods wife children and other things which are deare vnto them Except therefore their mindes were raised vp againe and comforted first with the worde and promise and then with the performance and execution of the same many would say there were no god Therfore God must needs shew him selfe to be a God not onely in word but also in deede Dauid had great promises of God and yet by his owne sonne he was driuen out of his kingdome and so persecuted that he was compelled to flie away barehead and barefoote This was a sore tentation Wherefore the great and ample promises made vnto him could neuer haue raised him vp comforted him againe except God had in deede deliuered him out of this greate misery and affliction Euen so if we had no more but the promises of God to support vs against the Papistes and aduersaries of the word yea if God did not in deede fight for vs and defend vs against their tyranny we should be swallowed vp with sorrowe and brought euen to desperation God therefore worketh both wayes he raiseth vp with the word and promise and deliuereth out of troubles and afflictions by execution of the deede that according to the saying of S. Paule the tentation should not be aboue our strength but should haue an ende and we learne by our owne experience that the first commaundement I am the Lord thy God is most certayne and infallible Therfore when he saith Least the iust should put forth their hand to wickednes it is as much as if he should say least the iust shoulde turne away from God and fall to gentilitie For God hath a double care ouer the faithfull first that they be not ouercome but may ouercome the tentation and this he doth by the word and promise The second is that the tentation be not perpetuall Euen so must we be vndoutedly perswaded that besides the infallible promises which we haue of the good will of God towards vs and in the end of euerlasting life we shall be also deliuered and our aduersaries destroyed albeit we can see no maner of way or possible meanes howe it may be done This is it then that this verse here setteth forth that God is so carefull for the safety of his people that he seemeth to feare least they shoulde put forth their hand to wickednes fall away from him whereby it might came to passe that he should haue no people so there should be no god For God is the God of the liuing and therefore he must needes haue a people Wherefore there must euer be some remayning which may praise and worship him If there must needes be such a number remayning God must of necessitie make an ende also of tentations But here we must beware that we doe not appoynt the time of this deliuerance For before that come God will haue vs tryed to the vttermost and brought to that extremitie that all our hope and trust shall be vtterly spent we at the poynt of desperation Now when we are brought into this case that we can see nothing but desperation then euen then God sendeth comfort in death he sheweth life and euen in damnation he bringeth saluation briefly of nothing he maketh all thinges and when all hope of remedie is past then beginneth he to worke and frameth all newe agayne in most perfect wise Thus can not the God of this world doe This is the singular worke of God therfore that when thou thinkest thy selfe cleane cast away and vtterly forelorne euen then thou shouldest be most sure and safe and most gloriously shine as the day starre in the firmament These things are easily taught but by experience we finde and feele how farre they passe all reason and power of man how hardly we can beleue that God maketh all thinges of nothing that he is carefull for vs whether we be afflicted in the flesh or in the spirit and that he is more mindefull of our deliuerance then we our selues can be These thinges therefore must be often diligently taught that we may learne that heauenly wisedome which the first commandement setteth forth vnto vs namely that our God is suche a one as of olde thinges is wont to make all new of poore to make rich of despised glorious And this last we would all gladly haue but that wil not be except contempt and pouertie doe goe before Here haue we then a singular promise and consolation As if he should say
sure hope of life euerlasting remission of al their sinnes true deliuerance from the deuil hell and eternall death All these thinges haue they and in the things there is no defect but the defect is in me and in thee because we haue not yet fully apprehended these thinges For flesh and bloode and the remnauntes of sinne doe yet liue in vs This forced Paule to cry out and say I see an other lawe in my members fighting against the law of God. And this is the cause why a Christian can not be secure For he seeth that he hath not yet ouercome all perills and daungers which the enemie dayly deuiseth But for so much as pertaineth vnto Christ as is sayd whom by faith he apprehendeth on whom he beleueth true it is that he hath all thinges For in Christ the deuill is ouercome the law fulfilled the wrath of God pacified and death it selfe vanquished In this state we stand if we looke to Christ on whom we beleue But when we looke backe into our selues we are forced to confesse that we are not pure because our fayth is not yet perfect and therefore can not perfectly apprehend perfect thinges as S. Paule sayth Therefore when we come to the combate we giue place to the enemy we suffer our hope to be wrested from vs we are cast into heauines impaciencie c. Thus Christians are warriers Gods true souldiers which stand alwayes in the battaile and can not be secure or voyd of feare Therefore they are feruent in prayer and cry vnto God for succour Contrariwise they that are secure pray not for they thinke that the deuill is farre enough of and so that faith feeling of the good gift of God which they seemed to haue they lose before they be ware and when tentation commeth they are like to a withered leafe Thus we see the great necessitie of prayer and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yâ—â— with the hart and harty sighes vnto God according to the wordes of S. Paule Let the word of Christ dwel in you plentifully signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not only by teaching the same to other publikely and priuatly but also by earnest meditation and prayer when they sit at home in their houses as Moises teacheth when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they rise vp For as the Deuill goeth about like a roring lyon strong and mighty seeking whom he may deuoure so are we on euery â—ide infirme and weake pressed downe also with the flesh full of sinne cariyng this treasure in earthen vesselles In the which our fayth is as a tender plant which because it is not yet come to perfect strength may be easily shaken with winds and tempests This know not they which before they haue had some triall of them selues by affliction or wrastling with the enemy thinke them selues to be Christians and sound in faith We must watch therefore and pray as Christ commaundeth that in our daily conflictes we may stand stedfastly against the darts of Satan which would driue vs to the contempt of God and man. So doe I vnderstand this prayer not in the person of the Prophet as though he prayed for the reuelation of the redemption that should come but in the person of the faithful which haue need continually to pray according to this verse say Lord thou hast redemed vs out of captiuitie redeme vs yet more thou hast forgiuen vs our sinnes forgiue vs more thou hast killed the deuill kill him more thou hast taken away the law take it away more For we must pray for that which we haue already vntill we come to the full perfection thereof which shall be after the death of this body in the which sinne here dwelleth The sense and meaning then herof is Lord turne againe our captiuitie that is redeeme vs whiche haue begunne to be the newe creature that as our redemption by Christ is fully and perfectly wrought so we may fully and perfectly apprehend and feele the same For there be many things which in this life fight against this redemption Wherfore it is necessary that we shoulde be well armed against them that we fall not againe into captiuitie On this wise we must alwayes pray that the first fruites of the spirite may continually encrease in vs and that we may be redemed day by day vntill the olde man be wholly put away by death Then shall our captiuitie be perfectly chaunged euen as the riuers or waters in the south which by the mightie worke of God were dryed vppe and vtterly consumed Whether ye vnderstand here the redde sea or else thâ— riuer of Iordane it forceth little The similitude is this Like as by thy mightie hand thou broughtest to passe miraculously that the waters were dryed vp and consumed so dry vp O Lorde and bring to nothing al our captiuitie Some doe interprete this verse otherwise that is turne our captiuitie O Lorde as the riuers in the South which in the summer are dryed vp in the desert places by the heat of the sunne but in the winter are filled vp againe with plentie of water How necessary the spirit of prayer is they that haue not sought with Satan doe not know Let vs therefore giue our selues wholy to the continuall exercise of prayer and meditation of the holye Scriptures For negligence and securitie encrease by little and litle as rust doth in the iron and the word slippeth as it were out of our handes before we be ware If it so come to passe then hath Satan gotten halfe the victory already who seeketh all opportunitie to see vppon vs and then specially is he wont so to doe when he perceiueth our heartes to be voide of the word of god Here he stirreth vp of a spark as it were a flaming fire in our conscience which before we can quench and apprehend Christ and his worde againe either we are oppressed with anguish and sorrow or vtterly consumed For he is a murtherer and seketh by al meanes how to destroy vs It is necessary then for vs to haue our senses exercised and our mindes occupyed in the meditation of the worde and prayer that the enemy find vs not vnarmed or vnprouided which so busily seeketh to spoyle vs of this redemption I also am a Diuine which by great troubles haue gotten some knowledge and vnderstanding of the holy Scripture and yet am not I so lifted vp through this gift but that I doe dayly exercise my selfe euen â—mongest the children in the Catechisme in secrete meditation I meane of the commaundements the articles of the beliefe and the Lords prayer c. with an earnest and attentiue minde not onely recounting with my selfe the wordes but obseruing and weying also what euery word signifieth And doubtles wheÌ„ I am not thus exercised but am occupyed with other matters I finde a manifest discommoditie thereby For
nature And this is but the strength of humane wisedome created in man at the beginning in Paradise Wherfore the holy Ghost careth not for these things only he doth approue them as excellent giftes and treasures necessary for mans life and sayth All these thinges are of my creation Moreouer he goeth about here to rayse vp the blinde and decayed nature of man and to call vs from all trust and confidence in flesh to the ende we should not attempt any thing aboue our power nor attribute any thing vnto our selues For by the fall of Adam nature is so corrupt that it cannot see the good giftes of God to be giftes in deede but the politike heade thinketh that he enioyeth all thinges by his owne wisedom and policie he looketh not vpward nor glorifieth God but sayth this haue I done But this doing is in deede an vtter vndoing Wherefore seeing that common wealthes and families are ordeyned already seeing that lawes artes and sciences by the ordinaunce of God were at the first created togither with man the nature of man doth wickedly abuse them in that it sayth I will doe I will gouerne and I will bring these things to this ende to this perfection whereby I will procure mine owne quietnes glory and pleasure With this presumption of God is highly offended and therefore he geueth no successe thereunto And good cause why For as he made the Sunne that thou shouldest haue the vse of it and not to the ende thou shouldest rule it so he gaue thee ground that thou shouldest till it but not to the end it should bring forth what and how much thou wouldest haue but what and how much he would giue So he gaue thee witte reason a wife a family and other thinges But this is euermore the peruersenes of mans nature corrupt through the sinne of Adam that it will not acknowledge the giftes of god Of Gods gifts it ought to say with thankes giuing This I haue receiued but proudly blasphemously it saith This I haue done It ought to say This hath my Lord God giuen me but it sayth this haue I gotten I wil gouerne mainteyne it by mine owne wisedom It is the Lord then which buildeth the house which giueth ◠wife children liuing which kepeth the city giueth publike peace mainteyneth lawes c. Wherfore these words Except the Lord should be written with great letters yea with golden letters because the nature of man fighteth against them and that through the sinne of the fall of Adam in that we attribute all thinges vnto our selues and those things which we ought to ascribe vnto God we take and enioy as if they were our owne And to this Satan also stirreth vppe our corrupt nature which of it selfe is inclined thereunto Wherefore it followeth that our deuises and enterprises are voide of all good successe and we our selues are neuer quiet If this vice of presumption were not we should finde much more quietnes and haue better successe in all our doinges For God would saye vnto vs Thou takest me for the onely creator and geuer of those thinges which thou enioyest therefore wil I blesse thee .. But because we doe not so he ouerwhelmeth vs with many miseryes and calamities he letteth the deuill lose setteth hell open as it were against vs so that in housholde gouernment great troubles are stirred vp and in the common weale warres manslaughter For since we will not heare him teaching and warning by the word he will teach vs with scourges with our owne calamities that like vnto the Phrygians we shoulde learne to be wise by our owne harmes and knowe that we are not Lords gouerners of these thinges So Cicero at the last was compelled thus to say Alas I was yet neuer wise And yet some time I was estemed to be that which in deed I was not but in vaine O people of Rome how much hath thine opinion which thou didest conceaue of me deceaued thee For he so gouerned the people of Rome by his owne wisedome and policie that at the last he lost his heade This is our corruption which we haue by the first and originall sinne of Adam When we wil not acknowledge the Lord giuing and gouerning but doe all thinges without his feare and with a trust and confidence in our own strength So in housholde gouernment it falleth out that he giueth to some proude yong man a faire wife which is either a harlot or else vnapt to all good huswifery housholde affaires whereby she is a perpetuall burden vnto her husband The like hapneth also to Princes rulers and Magistrates in the common wealth so that none can winde them selues out of those troubles which by their owne folly they fall into A worthy plague and punishment For why will they haue God to be a geuer when they them selues wil be the builders and gouerners But the world although it heare these thinges neither careth for them nor yet beleueth them These wordes therefore are spoken onely vnto the godly Except the Lord keepeth the citie the watchmen keepe it in vaine As if he said The Lorde is the keeper and if he be not present what so euer is doone in the common wealth is but in vaine When I was a student at Erford I hearde this saying of a certaine wise and learned man called Martinus Sangerhaufen that Erford should continue inuincible as touching riches and strong munitions but the time should come when that strong and riche common wealth should lack men This was a wise saying Wherby he signified that cōmon wealthes are not maintained through wealth riches and power if godly expert gouerners be lacking Let men build thē as much as they will and let them fortifie their cities if they can with yron walls let them heape togither mountaines of golde yet shall all these thinges be but in vaine without godly gouerners First of all therefore this must God work that the citizens and people may be godly and fearing God Moreouer that the Magistrats may be both godly and expert men Also that the Princes and higher powers may be such as serue God feare God such as loue reuerence his worde These are true strong mighty fortifications of kingdoms common wealthes When God hath giuen these munitions then may men deuise also strong walls ditches But because this is not done therfore kingdoms and Empires are ouerthrowne one after an other And I am of this opinion that Empires kingdoms common wealthes had prospered continued much longer if Monarches Princes had omitted this pronoune I that is to say if they had not bene proud through the confidence which they had in their own strēgth and wisedom But now when the King of Babylon Nabuchodonosor lifting vp him self in pride presuming of his own strength said This haue I done he liued seuen yeres togither with grasse and wandred in the fieldes
in all thinges For if wisedom were enough to bring matters well to passe then Cicero and Demosthenes had not bene deceiued by their wise and honest policies If wisedom and strength were sufficient then Hector had preserued Troy and Iulius Caesar the Romane Empire For wisedom power policie carefulnes was not lacking in these excellent men They rose earely they lay downe late and did eate the bread of sorrow notwithstanding they were deceiued and miserably perished Therefore they were constrayned to say that fortune ruleth in all the affayres of men that all thinges are done by chaunce For commonly the wiser men they were the more foolishly they gouerned in all their affaires And true it is that great wisedom ouerthroweth great kingdoms And many times as the prouerb sayth wise men comit no small folly Therefore although the Gentiles not lightned by the word of God but onely taught by experience did confesse that the affaires of men are not gouerned by wisedom and power yet did they still presume vpon their owne wisedom and power and needes they woulde gouerne common wealthes by their owne counsells and policies But afterwarde when they saw that there followed no successe they acknowledged their errour and attributed all thinges vnto fortune But we must not impute any thing vnto fortune except we wil cal this fortune when the counsells the policies and enterprises of the wise and mighty come otherwise to passe then they them selues did purpose or determine but to the iudgement of God who after this maner punisheth pride arrogancie and presumption For why do they presume to bee wise and mighty in those thinges which are farre aboue the wisedom and power of man and are not gouerned but by God alone Why doe they not there vse their wisedom and power where as God would haue them to witte in those things that are vnder their power which are mentioned Gen. 2. Worthely therefore are they deceiued and crye out that all things are gouerned by fortune but to late when they haue destroyed common wealthes and kingdoms For this is the song of fooles to say I had not thought and so to accuse fortune For fortune is not the cause that thy deuises and policies doe deceiue thee but thine owne folly and the ignorance of God and thy selfe First for that thou dost not vnderstand who or what thou art Againe thou doest not see what the commaundement of God is and how farre forth he will haue thee to rule gouerne Thou beginnest with to high a note as the Asse doth and therefore thou makest an ill ende When thou seest this thou cryest out and sayest there is no God there is no prouidence of God For wise and politike Princes doe not accomplishe that which they haue most wisely deuised and determined mighty Princes bring not that to passe which they are able to doe as touching their strength and power Therefore either God is vniust or no God at all for else he would haue regard vnto wise men and all thinges shoulde be done as they haue determined O blasphemous mouth As though God must be such a God who when he seeth that thou hast deuised and ordered all thinges wisely must come vnto thee and say Master gouerner you haue done all thinges well you are a wise man and able to gouerne without me But thou presumptuous spirite whilest thou attributest all things to the wisedom policie power of man where is the glory and the maiestie of God yea where is God him selfe if thou doest prouide gouerne and bring to passe all things If all thinges be done by thy wisedom and power then is the wisedom power of God brought to nothing Nay rather let thy wisedom thy power and thy policie be vtterly confounded and brought to nought that thou maist learne by experience that the wiser a man is the lesse able he is to accomplish that he taketh in hand yea the more foolish he is and without all successe On the other side where lesse hope is there God giueth best successe to the ende thou shouldest know that the wisedom and power wherin thou doest glory and trust is nothing and can doe no good but rather much hurt Not that God condemneth wisedom and power for they are the gifts of God giuen vnto men but this he condemneth that men of great wisedom power through the confidence they haue therin doe exclude God from all houshold and ciuill gouernment and take vppon them to rule all thinges by their owne wisedom and power So Cicero Iulius Caesar Brutus by wisedom policie goe about to rule the common wealth They thinke with them selues Thus will I doe Who I Cicero I Caesar I Brutus By what meanes By mine owne wisedom policie power This arrogancie and pride they doe not know to be sinne Afterwards when they see their wise counsells disapoynted their deuises and policies ouerthrowne they become blasphemers thinke there is no God or else that God is vniust which giueth no honour to vertue no successe to wisedom But why haue they no successe Because they passe the boundes of their owne wisedom and are not content that they are set as Lords rulers ouer the beasts of the fielde the fishes of the sea the foules of the ayre c the gouernment whereof God hath committed vnto man Gen. 2. but also they presume of them selues to rule mā like vnto them selues house wife children kingdoms Empires and that by their owne authoritie and wisedom setting God a part and not asking of him either counsell or succour Wherefore this verse is an image and true resemblance of the whole world For what is all the world else with all his wisedom deuises and policies but an earely rising in vayne Beholde the higher powers Princes Magistrates behold the rulers and gouerners of families and ye shall see that they rise earely but in vayne From the highest therefore vnto the lowest the Prince as well as the poore handmayden in the hause sing this song I rise earely I tyre my selfe and I eate the breade of sorrowe There are very fewe lightned by God from aboue which haue the grace to knowe them selues to be but instruments and God to be the gouerner or thinke the successe of their trauells to be the gift of God and not the worke and fruite of their owne wisedom and policie All the rest doe walke in the arrogancie and presumption of their owne hartes and as though they were Lordes and rulers ouer all thinges they attribute all vnto their owne worke and wisedom And what gayne they hereby but vtter ruine and destruction So Cicero Demosthenes and other excellent men in the common wealth did not offend in that they were wise like as Achas and Achab in the kingdome of Israell did not which as it appeareth were men of great policie but in this they sinned because they thought those affayres and that kingdome to be subiect vnto their wisedome
First of all here is to be noted that the Prophet doth not by and by enter iâ—ts the promises of God concerning matrimony as though they were giuen onely in respect of matrimony but he beginneth with the first table calleth him blessed that feareth the lord And this he doth to shew that the world doth not vnderstaÌ„d what it is to marry a wife and to liue in the state of Christian matrimony Wherefore if any troubles come it can not beare them patiently and therefore it is not blessed but rather miserable and vnhappy But he that feareth the Lord whether he be called to any gouernment in the common weale or marry a wife is blessed what successe so euer follow thereof For it may be that euen they also which feare the Lord shall haue no good successe in matrimony but shall be coupled eyther with wicked or with froward and disobedient wiues or else they shall be otherwise shaken with one tentation or other as with the vntimely death of a good wife or with vntractable and degenerate children or with barennes lacke of fruite Here if a man be godly and fearing God he shall soone ouercome these troubles tentations For thus will he thinke with him selfe I haue mette with such a wife as is vnto me many wayes a great crosse and vexation with whom no man else could quietly liue one day But this gift God hath giuen me that I should know and acknowledge him to be both my creator and father and to learne patiently to endure abide his good will and pleasure c. with this gift are ouercome not onely all the troubles and miseries of matrimony but all calamities besides what so euer The Prophet therfore beginneth this holy hymne or this mariage song after this maner If thou wilt be happy and blessed hast a mind to liue in the state of matrimony this shalt thou finde that the Lord will giue vnto thee a wife house and children with other commodities But aboue all things see that thou feare God and in the name of God begin this kind of life This is a profitable doctrine which here the holy Ghost setteth forth euen at the beginning to the ende that he which can not liue a single life should begin his matrimony with the first commaundement and calling vpon God for his help succour should come forth into the presence of God and say Lord thou sayest vnto me in thy word that thou art and wilt be my Lord and my god Thou hast made me a man or thou hast made me a woman This is thine owne creation and this is thine owne worke I did not so make my selfe neyther was I so made by fortune or chauÌ„ce Giue good successe therfore vnto thy creature graunt that I may be a happy husbande or that I may be a happy wife c. that so we may beginne in the feare of God that we be not secure careles or presuming of our owne strength nor rashly enter into this kind of life like sauage brutish people and such as neither know nor feare God but may call vpon him who hath created vs to this kind of life Then shall all thinges come luckely to passe then shall they haue good successe The holy Ghost beginneth his holy hymne after an other maner then other Poetes doe For he exhorteth vs that we shoulde first of al call vppon God and conceiue in our harts a sure trust of his mercy For God will not turne his eare from thee if thou call him thy creator but will againe acknowledge thee to be his creature and will not deny this to be his worke that thou art a man or that thou art a woman But presumption he abhorreth and will not haue thee to beginne this kinde of life trusting in thine owne policie but rather that thou shouldest suspecte the same knowing that God will not prosper thy doings and policies except thou aske counsell of him Therefore sayth hee Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. For we haue dayly examples before our eyes that at the beginning there is often times vehement and feruent loue betweene man and wife whiche afterwarde is easily quenched so that either they liue miserably and vnquietly togither or else the one forsaketh the other Some times they are so drowned in wealth and pleasure that they liue all togither without the feare of God And this is a farre greater misery But worthely doe these miseryes and calamities fal vppon them For why doe they not ioyne withall the feare of God Here thou muste learne therefore to liue in the feare of God who hath created thee that thou shouldest be a husbande or that thou shouldest be a wife and he will also gouerne blesse and prosper thy mariage But if thou wilt not acknowledge him to be thy gouerner but wilt rule thy wife and thy family after thine owne fantasie without inuocation and prayer vnto God it will followe that either thou shalt ouerthrow all togither or shalt be so blinded with continuall successe that thou shalt fall yet into farre greater euils God wil be feared and serued that is he will haue vs to confesse and acknowledge that what so euer we take in hande can not prosper or haue any good successe without his helpe and assistaunce It is very profitable and necessary with all diligence to teach this doctrine to those which are yet young that they may know it and follow it The cause is this for that matrimony remayneth in the world and in the flesh that is to say euen in the middest of Deuils The husband as touching the fleshe soone lotheth or hateth the wife or the wife her husband What is the cause hereof Euen this is the cause for that matrimony consisteth in the fleshe which is wholy corrupt poysoned with sinne This the flesh I meane Satan inflameth with hatred and euery light offence or else with ielousie Wherefore if thou looke not vnto the wil of God thy matrimony can neuer be vnto thee either stable or comfortable Wherefore youth must be well enstructed as touching matrimony that when any man shall marry a wife he may liue with her in the fauour and blessing of God and say Lord this is thy gift that I am a man This wife also is thy gift We are in the worlde and this fraile flesh and in the middest of deuils the disturbers of matrimoniall loue Giue vnto vs therefore thy blessing that albeit some offences doe rise betwene vs yet thy blessing and the reuerent consideration of thy giftes wherewith thou hast endued vs in this our matrimony may vanquish and ouercome the same c. This is the cause why he beginneth this verse with the feare of God that he may take from vs all presumption lest we shoulde thinke that we shall haue and enioy all thinges as we our selues haue imagined For so shal it not be or if it so come to passe it shal not be
they will not goe talke eate or drink togither This is a deuilish life Wherefore this exhortation must be diligently learned and exercised that through patience we may endure and ouercome all labours sorowes and vexations beeing contented with this benefite that we knowe this kinde of life to be acceptable vnto the Lord and that in it and by it he will blesse vs Thus with a merry and a cherefull conscience we shall ouercome all troubles and tentations whatsoeuer Verse 3. Thy wife shall be as the fruitefull vine on the sides of thy house thy children like the oliue plantes round about thy table We haue hearde two singular commendations of holy matrimony where the husband the wife doe liue togither in the feare of the Lord walke in his wayes namely that this life is acceptable vnto God and that he will blesse the same Therefore we are here exhorted and encouraged patiently to endure the cares and troubles which God hath allotted to this kind of life to the ende that whiles we are beaten downe humbled and kepte vnder by these troubles the corruption of the fleshe may be mortified and the infirmitie of nature may be healed For where as the idle bellied Monks taught men to sequestre them selues from all labours and trauells and from all worldly busines and to seeke a solitary life where they might liue in all ease and quietnes the Prophet here teacheth that this pleaseth not god But this is it that pleaseth God that we should be tossed with troubles and shaken with tentations knowing that God hath appoynted vs here to suffer labours sorrowes and vexations both actiue and passiue which matrimony bringeth with it He sayth not that we must liue in idlenes and eate the labour of other mens handes as the Popes holy Sainctes those Epicures and delicate Martyrs doe Moreouer I somewhat touched before that Hierome and some other also after him did dispute as touching this Psalme why Dauid commendeth the life of a godly man to be so happy if he haue a wife since that in the holy Scripture there are so many holy men which liued a single life as peraduenture Helias and Helizeus did with other like albeit of these men he can not thus certeynly affirme but Ieremy he may To this I aunswere that the Prophet here meaneth nothing els but to enstruct the godly as touching this kind of life instituted of God and goeth not about to compell all men to marry but teacheth those which are married or entend to marry to know and vnderstand what they haue when they haue wiues so that both the single life and also matrimony may haue their libertie The meaning therfore of the Prophet here is nothing else but to commend and set forth the gift of God and not to compell any man to marry For one and the same spirite hath distributed his gifts to some after one maner and to some after an other We are all in one body and we are all bewtified with one and the same spirite but not after one maner Let them therefore to whome it is giuen to receaue this abyde still in their single life and let them glory in the Lorde On the other side let those that are not so strong but knowe and feele their infirmitie that they can not liue both chast and out of matrimony let these I say consider more their owne infirmitie then the discommodities and troubles that belong vnto matrimony and let them knowe that they haue an excellent remedy created of God for their infirmitie and therefore the Scripture calleth the woman a helper vnto the man Wherefore although we be vnlike in giftes yet let euery one of vs serue God in our gift and calling shewe our selues in all godlines to be the true and faythfull familie of that great and heauenly housholder This is then as I sayde the purpose of the holy Ghost to extoll and magnifie this gift of matrimony since it is so despised in the world and the true prayses thereof are so hid and darkned partly by the corruption of the flesh which can feele nothing but present troubles and partly by the suggestions of the Deuill and sclaunders of the world and yet so notwithstanding that other giftes lose not their commendation Let widowes let virgins abide in their calling The holy Ghost here speaketh nothing of our virgins but of matrimony onely to the ende that they which liue in that state should knowe and acknowledge their gift Now whereas Hierome both vngodly and without all iudgement obiecteth that Abraham Isaac and other Patriarkes married wiues when they were of great yeares and liued many yeres also in matrimony without children and therefore were not blessed according to this Psalme I deny the consequence For Abraham Isaac others were blessed euen before they married wiues or had any children Like as also widowes and virgines which do beleue are baptised are blessed And as touching the Psalme it speaketh of the gift onely compelleth none thereunto but adorneth bewtifieth it with this singular commendation because it is so miserably defaced and contemned in the world The Pope and his Cleargie doe pretend that they eschewe mariage for the loue of chastity But that is false We must beleue S. Paule rather who foretold that they should contemne matrimony being ledde with the spirit of error and not with the loue of chastitie especially seeing they haue made a lawe whereby they forbid matrimony Therefore they speake a lye through hypocrisie when they say that the loue of chastitie is the cause why they abhorre matrimony For neither are they chast neither can they be chast as their abominable life and wicked practises do declare But this doe they that they may liue in ease and securitie and be free from all the cares and troubles of matrimony And againe that through hypocrisie they may winne vnto them selues an opinion of great holines amongst the people and be reuerenced in the worlde as spectacles and very Angells rather then men and so be counted worthy to eate the labour of other mens hands This is the holy that is to say the execrable chastitie of our Papists Munkes Frears Priestes and Nunnes They that after this maner absteyne from matrimony are very Antichristes according to the saying of Daniel who foresheweth that this is a most euident marke of Antichrist that he shall not care for the desire of women The same place doth the ordinary glose also apply vnto Antichrist with these wordes that he shal make a great shewe of chastitie to the ende he may the more easily deceaue We also adde this cause moreouer that they make this glorious pretence of chastity and holines because they would liue in ease and idlenes eschewe the cares and troubles that matrimony bringeth with it which are meete necessary for a godly man if it please God to lay them vpon him Thus ye see that matrimony is a good an
principall regarde vnto the fruite What madnes then is this that men in smaller matters can chose the best thinges and for a greater commoditie winke at those which are euill and will not doe the same in the woman which is the good creature of God As though the woman also did not see some lothsome thinges for so these nice and delicate hypocrites doe tearme them to be reprehended likewise in their husbandes In a childe we can discerne betwene the child and his order his scabbes his diseases or any like thinge For who reiecteth his child because he hath defiled him selfe yea who forsaketh him because he is scabbed and scurny or infected with the pestilence or any other contagious disease Is not his ordure and vncleannes washed away Is not he carefully tended and tendred in his sicknes that he may recouer his health againe Thus we shadow and couer the faults and deformities of nature with the greatnes and excellencie of that good thing whiche we knowe to consist in the health and welfare of our children Here who would not detest him which should say that the child should be cast away because he defileth him selfe or because of his desease be it neuer so greate As these holy hypocrites doe moste spitefully reprehend those duties of matrimonye which the man sheweth towardes his wife What shall we not thinke her to be the creature of God and partaker of the benefite of Christ Besides this that she is giuen vnto vs to this ende that she may be an help vnto vs Wherefore they are diuilish words which the wicked doe vse against the lawfull company and duties that are betweene man and wife because they will seeme to be holy and great louers of chastitie and worthely to contemne these thinges If such men were worthy to be fathers they should vnderstand how litle it would offend a good or naturall father euen to kisse his scabbed and sick childe to handle and to heale his sores For if infantes should be caste away eyther because of their diseases or scabbednes I praye you Syr where should you and I nowe haue beene Wherefore the worlde is sharply to be rebuked which euen in the best thinges considereth the faults but esteemeth not the vertues And where as it cannot lacke the vse of these vertues and hath them dayly euen as it were in his handes yet is it so blinde that it can not see them But this commeth of originall sinne to be starke blind euen in the most excellent creatures of God and not to vnderstand what good thinges and great blessings are offered vnto vs in and by them but rather to be offended with such small faults or incommodities which in comparison thereof are in a maner nothing to be regarded Wherefore we must here doe as Cicero sayth he was wont to doe in pleading of causes to wit that if there were any euil therein that he passed ouer with silence but if there were any good thing that he vrged that he amplified therin he was wholy occupied For who will haue the lesse regard of his owne body because he hath a sore in his breast or in his longs or some other malady in any other part of his body Yea haue we not therefore a greater care regard of our bodies Looke vpon our Courtiers who when they haue well pampred them selues and carry their bellies full of dyrt and dunge walke in their silkes and other sumptuous apparel decked with gold and other goodly ornaments and smelling as though their bodye were nothing else but a precious balme and yet doe they not once thinke how full of filthines they are Thus we hide our faultes and deformities most diligently that which is honest or appeareth so to be we set forth and magnifie to the vttermost But nowe why doe we not the like in matrimony why doe we not couer the faultes and commend the vertues thereof Nay we doe cleane contrary So blinded we are with originall sinne that in the best and most holy thinges we pick out that onely which we may reprehend In like maner we doe also in the word of God and in all things that perteyne to the kingdom of god For whereas he giueth vnto vs the vse of the sunne plenty of vittells a whole body c. these blessings no man considereth no man giueth thankes for them But if God begin to viset vs with the pestilence if we be pinched a litle with dearth scarsitie of vittells or but one of our teeth doe ake by and by we are so vexed that the anguish therof either hideth or vtterly taketh away from vs the remembrance of all Gods benefites Thus goeth it with the world and with our owne reason that we are more moued with one euill as we esteme it then with a thousand good thinges besides But the holy Ghost taketh a contrary way For he couereth the faultes and that which is good he setteth forth with worthy prayses Wherefore he so paynteth out the wife that he commaundeth thee to consider of her as of a vine planted in thy house and giuen to thee of God whose fruites are diuine plantes much more pleasaunt and more excellent then the oliue tree For albeit they degenerate and grow out of kind and become euill plantes yet can it not be denyed but that they are the gift of God and that must we acknowledge Nowe let them as I haue sayd which haue the gift of chastitie be without this vine and let them delite in their other vine and other fruites But we are nowe in the prayse of this kind of vine Here the wife is as the fruitefull vine and the children as the oliue plantes For so the holy Ghost teacheth vs and the matter it selfe testifieth the same although the holy Ghost did not thus teach vs at all For the very Gentiles did highly commend naturall affections loue and kindnes of one towardes an other This doe also the ballets which are vsed amongest vs Germanes testifie whereby the faithfull and louing affection betwene man and wife is set forth with singular prayses and that this life hath nothing more ioyfull and excellent then is a faithfull wife and louing to her husband The same also doe all wise and godly men confesse not for the pleasure of the flesh which is greater in whoredom fornication and other vncleannes For thereby vncleane lust is enflamed but in matrimony it is quenched And the greatest pleasure that a man can haue is this when his wife is of a kind and a louing heart towardes him This is an excellent gift and highly to be estemed and singularly commended in women Whereof these swine are vtterly ignorant which thinke the wife to be nothing else but a swinish puddle of filthy pleasures Nay she is an excellent instrument planted of God in thy house that therein she may be as a fruitefull vine For this cause husbandes ought to loue their wiues and children yea more then their owne liues
vnderstanding thereof into a fantasie of their owne imagination For the Prophets did know that the true God although he be of him selfe and of his owne nature infinite and incomprehensible was included notwithstanding in the Mercieseat whereunto he had bound him selfe by his word and promise Wherefore although they called him the God of heauen maker of all thinges yet this had they as a more neere proper token of the true God that they knewe him to haue his dwelling in Sion When they prayed therfore vnto God or talked of God they did it according to that forme and maner wherby God had reueiled him self in his word and promises Albeit therefore the Prophet maketh no mention in this place of that tabernacle or promises but semeth to speak vnto God simply and without all respect thereof yet we must vnderstand that he speaketh no otherwise to God then as he is setts forth in his word worship Like as we ought now no otherwise to thinke or speake of God then as he is in our true Mercieseate christ For so Christ himselfe saith vnto Philip He that seeth me seeth my father No man commeth vnto my father but by me When we haue attained this knowledge then may we safely worship God and call vpon him as he is the maker of heauen and earth and so shall we vndoubtedly find him For although of him selfe and when he is not thus reueiled he is vnsearchable and not to be found yet in his word and promises wherein he wrappeth him selfe he will both be found knowne of them that will there seke after him The Iewes therfore praying before the arke worshipped the true God of heauen and earth For God by his worde had promised that he would be there present there would heare the praiers of his people Euen so we likewise loking vnto Christ worshipping him doe worship the true God for he hath reueiled him selfe in christ Therefore Christ saith VVhat so euer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you They therefore that pray vnto God and fasten not their eyes and minds vpon Christ come not vnto God but worship the imaginations of their owne harts in steed of the true God are plaine idolaters For neither wil god be sought nor found nor heare our praiers but in our mercieseat Christ. Wherfore if we wil find God in deede knowe him as we should do with boldnes come vnto him let vs loke vnto Christ according to y saying of S. Iohn He that seeth me seeth my father Thus y word gathereth togither y wandring cogitations of our harts vnto this only person Christ God man to the end we should know that there is or can be found no God without Christ Dost thou not beleue saith he that the father is in me I in him In like maner did the holy Iewes pray vnto God dwelling in Sion That place who so euer neglected although they vsed one and the same kind of worship the same wordes in prayer which they did notwithstanding they committed idolatrie because they did contrary to this commaundement namely that he would be worshipped in Ierusalem This is then a general rule to be obserued in all the Psalmes in the whole Scriptures that in the olde Testament there was no God but in Sion or in the place of the tabernacle and that all prayers were made vnto God sitting betwene the Cherubins Nowe when this temple was destroyed God set vp an other temple in the which he would be sought serued and worshipped Without this temple there is no God but the deuill in steede of God is there both sought and founde and therefore men fall either into desperation if they haue an euil conscience or else through hypocrisie into presumption as did the Idolatrous Iewes and as our Papistes now doe most arrogantly presuming of their owne righteousnes Hereunto doe these and such like sentences of the Psalmes the Prophets apperteine I lift vp mine eyes vnto the mountaines Again The Lorde out of Sion blesse thee In like maner are all such other sentences also to be vnderstand wherin is added no manifest signification of the place or of the temple as in this place Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lord. He doth not here cal the Lord absolutely the maker of heauen earth as the Turks also do but the same God which dwelleth in Sion whose word promises they had amongs them that he would there receaue heare their prayes The Prophet resteth therefore wholy onely in the assured confidence of y free mercy grace of God but of that God which was in Sion which said vnto Satan I will put enmitie betwene thee and the seede of the woman For God will not be sought by our deuises Which if we shoulde doe what should we need then the word To what end was the law why was Christ reueiled Behold our aduersaries the papists wherunto they are come They pray much They recite Psalmes often They say Pater noster qui es in caelis c. But becaâ—se they contemne the worde yea and persecute it also with might and maine therefore vnder these good wordes they mainteine plaine idolatrie So hapneth it also to the Turkes euen then when they say they worship the liuing God the maker of heauen and earth For this cause I do so often admonish you that without Christ ye should shut your eyes and stoppe your eares and say ye knowe no God besides him which was in the lappe of the virgine Marie and suckt her breastes Where this God Christ Iesus is there is God wholy there is the whole diuinitie there is the father and the holy Ghost Without this Christ there is no god I haue known many in the kingdom of Antichrist which seeking to comprehend God by mans speculations haue horribly perished and if God through his inestimable mercie had not deliuered me from this tentation I had also fallen headlong into destruction Albeit the Prophet as I sayd maketh here no expresse mention of the temple yet shal ye see how in this psalme he wrappeth the promise concerning christ For this is the whole argument of this Psalme that there is no saluation no grace no iustification but in that God which forgiueth sinnes And is this God any other then the same which sayd vnto the Serpent The seede of the woman shall bruse thy head Therefore he taketh God here as a promise maker and sheweth that Christ was promised of the father to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world And here the Prophete setteth foorth vnto vs a principall poynt of doctrine touching Christian righteousnes Christian wisedom and the glory of christ These thinges Dauid treateth of euen then when the law was in his full strength and leapeth ouer the boundes of the law into Paradise or rather into the very heauen of grace mercie For why should I not
call grace heauen it selfe by the which we haue an open passage vnto heauen and the which we can neuer atteyne vnto by the law by workes or by our owne endeuour but rather as a most large heauen it receaueth vs beleuing that by adoption we are made righteous before God through Christ. Hereby we may see what the entent and purpose of the Prâ—phet is in this Psalme namely to teach vs the true way to righteousnes life and saluation Againe to shew vs the way how to escape death sinne and the wrath of God that out of this life we may passe to life euerlasting And in teaching of these things he sheweth his owne experience and layeth open vnto vs his owne hart which the holy Ghost had exercised and scholed with many tentations that so he might atteyne to this doctrine wherein he goeth about here to enstruct vs also The summe whereof is that he resteth wholy in the hope of Gods mercie and in the sure trust of the forgiuenes of his sinnes But these thinges shall more clearely appeare hereafter in expounding of the Psalme Verse 1. Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lorde It may seeme that the Prophet vseth here moe wordes then needeth But he that considereth well the cause which forceth him to burst out into these wordes shall see that no plentie of wordes could expresse the sorrow and anguish of his wofull hart nor sufficiently declare his daunger For it was no light or common tentation that vexed him He complained not of the perills that he was in by the rage of Saul by his sonne Absolon by the false Prophets and others nor of any other tentations which proceede of malice and hatred wherewith the world persecuteth the godly but he setteth forth here the griefe of a vexed and wounded conscience the very sorrowes of death when a man feeling his hart as it were oppressed with desperation thinketh him selfe forsaken of God when he seeth his owne vnworthines and desertes accused before God as a terrible iudge yea when it seemeth vnto him that God hath not onely forsaken him but cast him away for euer hateth abhorreth him for his sinnes These teÌ„tations are much more terrible then those which men commonly fall into for they are not without daunger of soule eternall saluation Therefore he vseth here this maner of speech saying Out of the depth I call vnto thee c. As if he should say great are the troubles wherewith I am oppressed For I feele mine owne sinnes and the iust wrath of God vpon me for the same neither can I find reliefe or comfort to my restles afflicted soule Against the malice of men wherewith they molest and vexe vs there are remedyes to be found but this wound is vncurable except the Lord send helpe and succour from aboue And in dede such troubles as the godly are commonly exercised withall as the losse of goods wife children such other may yet be ouercome or borne with patience Moreouer in those which are counted inferior sinnes as the offences of youth the deiect broken herted may more easily be raised vp againe But these afflictions seeme to them and are in deed vntollerable when they feele them selues oppressed with such horrible and hellish cogitations that they can see nothing else but that they are caste away from God for euer They therfore that feele such bitter tentations haue here an example that Dauid in him selfe felt and had experience of the like For it maketh the tentation much more greuous when they which are thus afflicted feele that as to them it seemeth which none else doe feele but they alone We must learne therefore that euen the godly haue euer suffered the same afflictions and haue bene beaten downe euen to death with the terrors of the law and sinne as we may see here by the example of Dauid crying euen as it were out of hell and saying Out of the depth doe I cry vnto thee O Lord c. But it is not inough for vs to knowe that we sustaine not these troubles and tentations alone but we muste also learne the way whereby such as haue suffered the like tentations haue beene raysed vp againe And here ye se Dauid what he doth Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse He despaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to find reliefe and comforte Rest thou also in this hope and do as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should despaire Thinke not thou therefore that thy tentations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest be swallowed vp with sorrowe and desperation If thou be brought downe euen to the gates of hell beleue that the Lord will surely raise thee vp againe If thou be brused and broken knowe that it is the Lorde which will heale thee againe If thy hart be ful of sorrow and heauines looke for comfort from him who hath saide that a troubled spirite is a sacrifice vnto him It is expedient also to haue some faithfull brother at hande which may comfort vs in these bitter conflictes For God would that in his Church one should help to comfort an other as meÌ„bers knitte togither in one body and he hath promised that when two are gathered togither in his name he will be the thirde amongest them And doubtles nothing comforteth an afflicted conscience so much as to heare some godly brother declaring out of the word of God that such terrours and afflictions are sent of God not to destroy vs but to humble vs therby to make vs to acknowledge the great mercy of God offred vnto vs and to receiue the same with thankful harts But if in this distresse we be destitute of the helpe of such faithfull brethren we must then doe as Dauid â—id in this place that is we must cry vnto the Lord pray as this Psalme teacheth vs Wherein ye see such sorrowfull and bitter sighes as liuely expresse in Dauid the great anguish of spirite from whence floweth such plentifull matter and yet nothing superfluous as compelleth him not onely to say that out of the deepe depth he cryeth and calleth vnto the Lord but he putteth the Lorde also in minde of his promise thereby to moue him the rather to giue eare vnto his prayer Verse 2. Lorde heare my voice let thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers He speaketh as I haue saide before to the same God whose seate was in Ierusalem like as we now speake vnto that God and call him father whom we knowe and worship in Christ alone On this God with deepe sighes he calleth that he would with the eye of mercie looke vpon him and gratiously harken vnto his prayer But if we thinke that we can not pray with such a minde or with such feruencie of spirit as these words doe expresse we must consider that Dauid him selfe did not thus pray in his anguish and in the
Sauiour Christ God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham For whereas the promise was made vnto Abraham the Phariseis because they were the children of Abraham thought they shoulde vndoubtedly be heires of the promise This confidence made them bold to liue carelesly and without all feare of god Therefore saith he it is certaine that the children of Abraham shall be heires of the promises made vnto Abraham but if ye will be carelesse and wil not obey the commaundement of God I say vnto you it is an easie thing for God to reiect you and of the very stones to reise vp a posteritie vnto Abraham So this promise dependeth wholy vpon the condition to bridle and beate downe our presumption The couenant is the promise of mercie through christ The Testimonies are the will of God reueiled vnto all ages by Moses and the Prophets Wherefore he requireth faith and then obedience vnto the law And here is to be noted that he addeth VVhich I will teach them For he will be the teacher and he wil be heard He will not that the Councells should be heard or such as teach that he hath not taught So we say also of the Church that where so euer the promise of God is beleued and his word obeyed there is the Church But they that doe not beleue bragge they of their glorious titles their holy vocations and such like neuer so much are reiected of God no members of the Church For who would beleue the Pope because he is the Pope And yet for this onely cause he will be beleued no man may aske whether the thinges which he teacheth be true and sound but he will haue men simply to beleue that that holy sea can not erre Against this who so euer dare once open their mouthes or examine his decrees by the word of God are drawne and haled to all kindes of torments Like as therefore the Iewes taught and defended their errors and impieties by the authoritie of their Kinges vppon whome this promise seemed to be grounded euen so in all ages is the false church wont to doe But we answere that in deede the promise is true and yet is it conditionall namely If ye keepe my couenant and my testimonies For God did not so anoynt the Kings that they should doe what so euer seemed good in their sight or what so euer they ordained or taught God would approue because they were kings and the anoynted of God but he addeth If ye keepe my couenant So in the newe Testament it is a true saying He that heareth you heareth me but yet not generally to be vnderstand of all those which teach in the Church For some teach not the word of Christ but their owne word This word God willeth not to be heard but commaundeth that it be not heard when he sayth Take heede of false prophets So Moses in Deutronomie commaundeth that the king should neuer lay the booke of the lawe out of his handes but should exercise the same continually in reading in learning and in practising the same If this commaundement was giuen to the Kings vnder the law what shall we then thinke of the word of the newe Testament In vayne shall the Pope and his Prelates here glorie and bragge of the Councells the fathers the Church the dignitie which they haue so many yeares vsurped All these are so farre to be approued and beleeued as they teach according to the rule of the holy Scripture For the Church which hath authoritie from God is that onely and alone which followeth the voyce and the word of the Lord. Moreouer we learne by experience that nothing is more common emongest men then to abuse the authoritie and power committed vnto them very few there be which doe rightly vse their authoritie either in the Church or in the common wealth The cause is for that the greater part serue their owne affections their owne lustes and pleasures and whiles they shoulde rule others they suffer them selues to be ruled and gouerned of Satan Hereof commeth it that we see the Pope the Bishops yea the whole Papacie to haue no care of the word nor loue to the word at all but are wholy giuen ouer to seeke theor owne glorie dignitie wealth and pleasure Wherefore their authoritie bindeth not vs although it were the authoritie of an Angell from heauen but with good conscience we depart from them lest we should be disobedient to the high authoritie and Maiestie which is God him selfe But if the Pope with his Prelates would not resist and persecute the doctrine of Christ if with vs they would beleue teach that we are iustified by the onely price of the blood of Christ and would not teach men to make marchandise of their owne merites and workes we would gladly acknowledge their authoritie But since they manifestly impugne the worde since they defende their impieties and abominations with extreme crueltie and tyranny we doe not onely reiect and contemne their authoritie but we say as Paule sayth that they are accursed It is a common principle emongest the popish Doctors that the Pope is aboue the worde and the Scripture and that in the lawe of God he may dispense as pleaseth him But God giueth no authoritie vnto man aboue the word So should he set man that is to say dust and dunge aboue him selfe for what is the word but God him selfe This word they that honor obey and keepe are the true Church in deede be they neuer so contemptible in the world but they which doe not are the church of Satan and accursed of God. And this is the cause why it is expresly set downe in the text The testimonies which I will teach them For so will God vse the ministerie of teachers and Pastors in the Church that he notwithstanding will be the chiefe Pastor and all other ministers and Pastors what so euer yea the Church it selfe shall be ruled and gouerned by the word Emongest the people of Israel the Kings and Priestes glorying and vaunting of their vocation thought they might doe what they list So the Pope and his Prelates at this day will not be subiect to the authoritie and rule of the word the Scripture For the euill conscience which the Pope hath doth alway cry out and witnesse vnto him that the holy Scripture is the word of God and therefore will be against him vtterly condemne him Wherefore there is no prison which he more hateth and abhorreth then the word of God. This conditionall sentence is here set down because of the wicked that they should not take vppon them an absolute power contrary to the word For there is no absolute promise but that which perteineth vnto Christ which saith not with a certeine condition but generally and absolutely that Christ should come of the seede of Abraham Nowe whereas the corporall kingdom did endure vntill this promise as touching Christ
continuing citie but looking for one to come And good cause there is why that Disciple of Christ should desire no more but for the present day which is commaunded not to be careful for to morrowe For it is an absurde thing that we should desire to liue long in this world which pray for the spedy comming of the kingdom of Christ. That which followeth her poore I will satisfie with bread is a phrase or kind of speech well knowne For breade the Hebrewes are wont to call meate and drinke like as we call vitailes whatsoeuer perteineth to our foode and sustenance These things he promiseth but to the poore for so he calleth his people For he seeth the condition of his Church to be such that in the middes of the riches and wealth of the world it onely hungreth thirsteth The pouertie of the Leuites was exceeding great vntill they aspired to honor and dignitie as also our Prelates doe For Satan so ruleth in these matters that he neuer ceaseth to oppresse the ministerie as much as in him lyeth with pouertie and contempt This many not contented to beare doe fall so farre that rather then they will lack they will teach the thinges that please men that so they may attaine to wealth and dignitie The godly must therefore hold fast this promise that the Lord saith he will giue breade vnto his poore For both these thinges shall come to passe that they shall haue breade and yet they shall be poore And why Because the kingdom of Christ is not of this world Let those therefore which are of the ministery and are the principall part of this kingdom be content to suffer reproch hatred and contempt or else let them be no ministers For the inheritance of this world is not promised to the godly but the assured and euerlasting inhertiance of the life to come Wherefore Christ calleth the poore in spirite blessed and happy which notwithstanding must suffer many calamities On the other side those that abound in wealth and are full he calleth miserable and vnhappy because the time shall come when they shall weepe Wherefore let vs thus make our account that if we wil be the people of God we must in this life content our selues with those thinges whiche are necessary for the back and the belly All other incommodities let vs patiently beare and ouercome in hope of the glory whiche shall be reuealed vpon the sonnes of God. Verse 16. And will cloth her Priestes with saluation and her Sainctes shall showt for ioy This promise is farre more excellent then that whereof we haue now spoken For here God promiseth that he will so gouern the Pastors and Ministers that they shal be pure holy through the word and haue a good conscience If we would compare these thinges with that small defecte of corporall thinges we should beare it much more cherefully and patiently When I was a Monke I liued in most miserable darkenes and infinite snares of conscience where through the multitude of mens traditions sinne brought forth sinne I was bound against nature to that impure and incestuous single life Here if a man should haue asked me what I would giue to redeeme the quietnes and peace of conscience and those inestimable graces and glory which we enioy at this day by the word and the spirite of God I would humbly haue cast downe my self prostrate vpon the ground giuen my life gladly for this onely quietnes and libertie of conscience in Christ. But now when we are clothed in deede with saluation through great and assured promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes and eternal life we forget these spirituall riches and we complaine that we are not made Kinges and Princes in this corporall life We doe not preferre our eternall and spirituall glory before these transitory and corruptible things And what a foule ingratitude is it so to be offended with this externall pouertie and not to ioy and reioyce rather in these inestimable treasures of the spirite Who woulde not rather hauing these giftes of the spirite begge his bread from dore to dore then enioy the riches and treasures of all the Prelates and the whole kingdom of the Pope Whome we see in this wealth of the world because they are enemyes to the worde to be most desperate and damnable For they are without remission of sinnes hope of eternall life the knowledge of Christ and all the heauenly benefits and blessings which we by the word doe so plentifully enioy Wherefore if we be neuer so poore afflicted vexed full of anguish and heauynes contemptible and abominable in the sight of the world yet let vs comfort our selues with this that we haue the treasures of the kingdome of heauen that by faith in the worde wee shall haue the victorie ouer sinne death and hell and that we are wholy clothed with saluation How many were oppressed with desperation before this happy age wherein we liue But if they had had this knowledge of grace and these consolations which we now haue by the worde woulde they not thinke ye haue sustained the losse of all the riches in the world and all worldly felicitie For when a man feeleth the wrath of God and desperation then infinite riches and treasures are nothing esteemed What doth knowledge learning wisedome what doe possessions kingdoms and dominions then auaile All these thinges who would not gladly forsake and cast away that onely he might haue his conscience quieted and at peace with God Wherefore Paule very aptly calleth the knowledge of grace an absolute or a full perfection because all good thinges are conteyned in this knowledge For if we liue here by begging our bread is not this well recompensed in that we are nourished with the food of Angells eternall life and Christ him selfe Who so fauoreth not these thinges let him seeke for a Cardinalls hatte with the ministers and souldiers of Satan Let him seeke the wealth the riches and glorie of this world As for me I seeke other riches which I esteeme aboue all worldly wealth and treasures Thirtie yeares agoe if I had had the true knowledge and vnderstanding but of one Psalme I should haue thought my selfe to be a God for then all thinges were full of grosse ignorance horrible abominations and all kindes of idolatrie But now when the Lord hath opened vnto vs as it were a flood of heauenly wisedom and knowledge we are vnthankfull and become so worldly so fine and so delicate that we will lacke nothing that the worlde hath But Esay sayth The bedde is strait and there is no place for both Albeit the thinges we doe not condemne for they are the giftes of God and therefore let those which haue them being lawfully gotten and in the feare of God vse them with thankesgiuing and without offence and let those to whom they are not giuen beare their want and necessitie with christian patience and without grudging As
the Church vexed through false brethren and heresies For thus will it be and no otherwise that where so euer the word ioyned with publike peace and concord is found there Satan that lying and murthering spirite will alwayes goe about to trouble them both And this is the cause of seditions of warres of sectes and heresies Wherefore we must be well armed that seeing our aduersary slepeth not we may valiantly oppose our selues against these offences and thinke that they are certein warnings and often times also roddes or punishments which God sendeth to amend vs and not to destroy vs Our sinnes haue deserued more greeuous punishments Better it is therefore to be afflicted of the wicked world then to be condemned and perish for euer God be mercifull vnto vs and turne from vs that we haue so iustly deserued The .133 Psalme Behold how good c. In this Psalme the Prophet commendeth loue and concord in both the kingdoms corporall and spirituall but specially in the spirituall kingdom and for the same he giueth thankes vnto god For this is not onely a singular gift of God when there is vnitie in the Church and quietnes in the common wealth but it is also the founteyne and headspring of inestimable benefites and blessings Here peraduenture you wil aske where Dauid learned that these are so excellent and so profitable things But he which marketh the historie of Dauid shall easily perceaue that the maisters of whom he learned this knowledge were Saul Doeg and other monsters in the Court of Saul his predecessour also Absolon Achitophel and such like that is to say Dauid by many tentations and by long experience did learne that nothing is better then loue and concord But they which haue not felt that Dauid did doe thinke that nothing is better then dissention discord according to the prouerbe Warre is sweete to those which haue not tryed it For yong men which are yet full of hoâ—e and youthfull blood thinke nothing more excellent then the glory of warre and victorie whereby they may winne prayse and fame These carnall motions and affections afterwardes are easily quenched when men haue felt the calamities both of them selues and theirs But before the calamities be knowne and felt the commodities of peace are not knowne vnto the world and so warre is sweete and pleasant to those which haue not felt the miseries thereof as the histories doe witnesse wherein we may see that often tymes seditious heades haue complayned of peace saying that in rest and quietnes men be come sluggerds cowards and dastards Therefore they desire warre as an encrease of glorie and occasion to set forth their manhood and courage This poyson is rooted in our nature through originall sinne that those thinges which are most excellent and necessary we loth and shunne and those things whereby Satan seeketh our destruction we greedely desire according to that dutch prouerbe Men often striue and take great paynes to bring them selues into misery and daunger It is naught it is naught sayth the byer For the mindes of men doe commonly mislike and loth the most excellent thinges when they haue plenty and are full thereof Wherefore it is an enestimable gift of God to haue peace both in the Church and in the common wealth And this is also a singular gift to acknowledge that it is a gift For howe many doe we see amonges the enemies and persecutors of the Gospell which haue an outward and worldly peace and yet they enioy not this gift For in the middest of this quietnes their mindes be vnquiet and they haue no rest nor inward peace whiles they being inflamed with an hatred against the Gospell deuise and continually seeke newe occasions to condemne and vtterly to roote out our religion Let vs therefore be thankfull vnto God for this gift and let vs not be like vnto the vnthankefull world which vnderstandeth not this gift and great blessing of God but in the very vse thereof forgetteth god God hasten his kingdom and giue vs a better life For I protest that this life is naught in the which we neither regarde the greate giftes of God nor yet acknowledge them to be his gifts To maintaine this gifte it is not in the power of the temporall or the spirituall Magistrate but men being both blind and deffe will needes doe not that they like and approue but that sinne and Satan prouoketh them vnto It is the Lord alone therfore which is both the giuer and maintayner of peace whiche preserueth kingdoms and common wealthes that they fall not to vtter ruine by warres vprores and tumultes This gifte the Psalme commaundeth vs to acknowledge and exhorteth vs to be thankful for the same For it is the mightie hande of God that there is any peace or concorde amongst vs And thanks be vnto God that we haue this knowledge that peace is the gifte of God although we be not able of our selues to maintaine and defend the same For this is a meanes not onely to stay vs that we despaire not in these outrages and hurly burlyes of the wicked world but also to driue vs to harty prayer that God would preserue that peace which he hath giuen vs and defende vs from the power of Satan and wicked men Verse 1. Beholde how good and how comely a thing it is brethren to dwell euen togither Dauid had bene in many and great daungers and by experience had learned in the troubles which he suffered through greate and long seditions and other afflictions not onely what mischiefe there is in discord and the doctrine of error but also what inestimable good things doe proceede of concorde and sincere doctrine Wherefore he assureth him self that God preserueth gouerneth blesseth these things For the Psalme treateth of both kinds that is of the peace and concorde of the common wealth and of the Church like as they also in nature are coupled togither For the peace of the common wealth is also the peace of the Church for that in the time of peace the worde of God may be freely published and preached Brethren he calleth as well those that liue in any societie togither as also the Ministers and Preachers of the word These liue in vnitie and concorde when they feede the people with one vniforme sound doctrine when the people obey and beleue the worde and when there is no contention among them This is a singular gift of God and not onely a ioyfull but also a profitable and a comely thing in the Church So is it also in the common wealth when the lawes are obeyed and the Magistrate hath a care of the people and againe when the subiectes doe loue and reuerence the Magistrates and obey their authoritie These gifts the Psalme exhorteth vs to acknowledge and to be thankfull for the same Verse 2. It is like to the precious oyntment vppon the heade that runneth downe vpon the bearde euen vppon Aarons beard