vseth to do to his gestes thou fedest them well thou makest them lusty glad thou fyllest into them so muche that they must nedes be dronkē This is al done by the worde of grace For by the same doth the LORDE oure shepherde fede and strength so the hartes of his faythfull that they dare defye al theyr enemyes and say with the prophete I am not afrayed for thousandes of the people that cōpasse me roundeaboute Psalme iii. And here afore in the fourth verse I fear no euell for thou LORDE art with me With this yee euen thorow the same worde doth he geue them also the holy goost whiche maketh them not onely to take good stomackes vnto them to be of good corage but so quyet also in thē selues and mery that for the same great exceadynge ioye they are euen dronken This must be spiritually vnderstande He speaketh here then of a spirytuall strength of a spirituall myrth and of a spirituall dronkēnes which is a godly strēgth Rom. i. A ioye as saynt Paul calleth it in the holy goost Rom. xiiii And a blessed dronkennesse whan people are not full of wyne wherout followeth incōuenience but full of the holy goost Ephe. v. This is the harnesse the weapens wherwith our LORD God prepareth his faythfull agaynst the deuell and the worlde namely in theyr mouth geueth he them hys worde and in theyr harte he geueth corage that is to saye the holy gooste Wyth suche ordinaunce put they from them all feare and wyth gladnesse bukle they wyth all theyr enemyes smyte them and ouercome them with all theyr myght wysedome and holynesse Such souldyers were the Apostels on whitsondaye whan they went vp to Ierusalem agaynste the commaundement of the Emperoure and the hye prestes and ordred thē selues as yf they had ben very goddes and all the other but greshoppers and went euen thorowe with all power and ioye as yf they had bene dronken In so muche the some had them in derision therfore sayd They were full of swete wyne Neuerthelesse S. Peter declared out of the prophet Ioel that they were not full of swete wyne but ful of the holy goost And so he smote aboute hym with hys swearde that is he opened his mouth and preached the worde of God and felled downe thre thousande soules at once from the power of the deuell Actu ii This strength ioye and blessed dronkennesse doth not onely shewe it selfe in the faythfull whan they be in prosperite haue peace but also whan they suffre and dye As whan the counsell at Ierusalem caused the Apostles to be beaten they were glad of it that they were worthy to suffre rebuke for the name of Christe Actu v. And in the v. to the Romaynes doth saynt Paule say We reioyce also in troubles c. Afterwarde were ther many martyrs also The stedfast ioyfull hartes of them the haue fusfred death for the word of God whiche with mery harte and laughynge mouthes wente vnto theyr death as yf they had gone to somepastyme or daunce Lyke as we reade of saynt Agnes and saynt Agatha whyche were virgins .xiii. or .xiiii. yeare olde and of other mo whiche were of suche inwarde corage and confydence that they dyd not onely ouercome the deuell and the worlde by theyr death but also made good chere euen then with theyr hartes as though they had ben dronken of very ioye And this greueth the deuell excedynge sore namely whā men are at suche quyetnesse in them selues that they despyse his great myght and gyle In our tyme also haue ther be many which for the knowlege of Christe haue bene glad to suffre death We se more ouer that ther be many whyche wyth perfecte vnderstondynge and fayth dye vpon theyr beddes and saye wyth Simeon LORDE now lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace c. that it is a ioye to beholde thē of whom I haue sene many my selfe And all thys commeth because that as the prophete sayeth they be anoynted with the oyle whiche the .xliiii. Psalme calleth the oyle of gladnesse and because they haue dronke of the full cnppe whiche the LORDE hath fylled Yee but thou wylt saye Obiection I fele not my selfe yet so apte that I coulde be content to dye c. That maketh no matter Answere Dauid also as it is sayd afore hath not bene sure of that science at all houres but somtyme complayned that he was cast out of gods syght Other holy men also haue not alwaye had an hartye confidence towarde God and a perpetuall delyte and pacience in theyr troubles and temptacions Note this well Saynt Paul somtyme is so sure certayne in hym selfe and maketh suche boast of Christe that he careth not for the curse of the law for synne death nor for the deuell I lyue not nowe sayeth he Galat. ii but Christe lyueth in me Item I desyre to be lowsed and to be with Christ Phil i. Item Who shall separate vs from the loue of God whiche spared not is owne sonne but hath geuen hym for vs all How shall he not with hym geue vs al thynges also Shal trouble anguysh persecucion swearde c. separate vs from hym Ro. viii There speaketh he of death of the deuell and of all euell with suche a corage as yf he were the strongest and greatest of all sayntes vnto whom death were but asporte But incontinently in another place he speaketh as thoughe he were the weakest and greatest synner vpon earth i. Cor. ii I was with you sayeth he in weaknesse in feare and in muche tremblynge I am carnall solde vnder synne and takē presoner in the lawe of synne whiche is in my membres O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me frō the body of this death Roma vii And in the fyfth to the Galath he teacheth that in the sayntes of God ther is a continual stryfe of the fleshe agaynst the sprete c. Therfore oughtest thou not immediatly to dispayre though thou felest thy selfe feble and fayntharted but praye diligently that thou mayest endure by the worde and increace in the fayth and knowlege of Christ As the prophete doth here teacheth other men lykewyse so to do and sayeth Oh let thy louynge kyndnesse and mercy followe me all the dayes of my lyfe that I maye dwell in the house of the LORDE for euer For as muche as the deuell neuer ceasseth to plage the faythfull inwardly with feare outwardely wyth deceatfulnesse of false doctours or teachers and with the violence of tyrauntes he prayeth here therfore at the ende earnestly that God which hath geuen hym this treasure wyl kepe hym fast by it also vnto the ende And sayeth O gracyous God shewe me such fauour that thy louynge kyndnesse and mercy maye followe me all the dayes of my lyfe Why the prophet maketh this prayer And immediatly he declareth what he calleth this louynge kynonesse and mercy namely that he maye remayne in the house
Dauid se and he rehearseth it for a speciall benefyte to be vnder the custodye of the LORDE whyche shulde not onely fede hym in a grene pasture but also in the heate bryngynge hym to the fresh water c. Shortly his meanynge is to declare the as lytle as a mā can come to the knowlege of God and the truthe to the ryght fayth without the worde of God So lytle can ther ony comforte and peace of conscience be founde without the same Without gods word cā no mās conscience be at rest The worldly haue also theyr comforte and ioye howe be it that endureth but the twinkelynge of an eye Whan trouble and anguysh commeth and specyally the last houre it goeth awaye As Salomon sayeth Pro. 14. After laughter commeth sorowe and after ioye commeth heuynesse But as for them that drynke of this fresshe and lyuynge water they maye well suffre trouble disease in the worlde but they shal neuer lacke the true consolacion And specyally whan it commeth to the poynt the leafe turneth ouer with them whiche is as much to saye as After shorte wepynge cōmeth euerlastynge laughter and after a lytle sorow commeth excellent ioye ii Cor. iiii For they shall not wepe mourne both here and there but as Chryste sayeth Blessed are you that wepe here for ye shall laugh Luce. vi He quyckeneth my soule and bryngeth me forthe in the vvaye of ryghteousnesse for his names sake Spiritual pasture 〈◊〉 water Here doth the prophet declare hymselfe of what maner of pasture and fresh water he spake namely euen of the same the strengtheth and quyckeneth the soule This can be nothynge els but Gods worde But for as muche as our LORDE God hath two maner of wordes the lawe and the gospell the prophete whan he sayeth He quyckeneth my soule geueth suffycienlty to vnderstonde that he speaketh not here of the lawe but of the gospell The lawe The lawe can not quycken the soule for it is a worde that requyreth and commaundeth vs to loue God wyth all our hartes c. and our neyghbour as our selues Who so doth not this hym it condempneth and speaketh this sentence ouer hym Cursed be euery man which doth not all that is written in the boke of the law Deut. 27. Galat. 3. Now is it certayne that no man vpon earth doth this therfore commeth the lawe with his iudgement fearyng and vexynge the consciences And yf ther be no helpe it goeth thorow so that they must nedes fall into dispayre and be cōdempned for euer Of this occasion doth S. Paule saye Rmo. 3. By the lawe cōmeth but the knowlege of synne Item the lawe causeth but wrath Rmo. 4. As for the gospell it is a blessed worde It requyreth none suche of vs The gospell but bryngeth vs tydynges of all good namely that God hath geuen vs poore synners his onely sōne to be our shepherde to seke agayne vs famished and dispersed shepe and to geue his lyfe for vs that he myght so delyuer vs from synne from euerlastynge death and from the power of the deuel This is the grene grasse and the fresh water where with the LORDE quyckeneth oure soules And thus are we made lowse from euell cōsciences and heuy thoughtes Of this shal we speake more in the .iiii. verse He bryngeth me forth in the waye of ryghteousnesse Here sayeth he doth not the LORDE my faythfull shepherde leaue that he fedeth me in a grene medowe leadeth me to the fresh water so quickeneth my soule but he bryngeth me forth also in the right waye that I departe not asyde go astraye so perysshe That is he holdeth me fast to the pure doctrine that I be not deceaued by false spretes To be led in the ryght way what it is and that I fall not awaye by ony other temptacion or offence Item that I maye know how I ought to leade myn outward conuersacion lyfe that I suffre not my selfe to be perswaded by the holynes and strayte lyfe of ypocrites Item what is the true doctrine fayth and seruice of God c. An excellent vertue of Gods worde This is now agayne a goodly frute vertue of the worde of God that they whiche cleue fast there vnto do not onely receaue strength cōforte of the soule therby but are preserued also from vntrue doctrine false holynesse Many mē optayne this treasure but they can not kepe it For as soone as a man is to bolde presumptuous and thynketh hymselfe sure of the matter it is done with hym Or euer he can loke aboute hym he is deceaued For the deuell also can pretende holynesse and transforme hymselfe into an angell of lyght as saynt Paul sayeth And euen so lykewyse can his minysters shewe thēselues as though they were the preachers of ryghteousnesse come ī shepes clothyng amonge the flocke of Chryst but inwardly are they rauenynge wolues Therfore is it good here to watch praye as the prophete doth in the last verse that our shepherd maye kepe vs by this treasure whiche he hath geuen vs. They that do not this certaynly they shall lese it And the ende of that man as Christ sayeth shall be worse then the begynnynge Luce. 11. For they shall afterwarde become the moost poysened enemyes of Christes flock and do more harme with theyr false doctryne then the tyrauntes with the swearde This had saynt Paul well proued by the false Apostles that made the Corinthians Galathians to erre so soone and afterwarde made diuision in all Asia We se it our felues also this daye by the Anabaptistes and other false spretes For his names sake The name of God The name of God is the preachyng of God wherby he is magnifyed and knowen to be gracyous mercyfull longe sufferyng true faythfull c. which notwithstādynge that we be the chyldren of wrath and gyltye of euerlastynge death forgeueth vs all our synnes and taketh vs for his owne chyldrē and inheritours This is his name thys doth he cause to be proclamed by his worde Thus wyll he be knowen magnifyed and honoured And accordynge vnto the fyrste commaundement he wyl euen thus declare hymselfe towarde vs as he hath caused it to be preached of hym Lyke as he doth styll strengtheth and quyckeneth our soules spiritually and kepeth vs that we fall not in to erroure hetteth vs lyuynge for our body and preserueth vs from all misfortune This honoure that he so is as we haue now sayd is geuen hym onely of them that cleue fast vnto his worde these beleue confesse playnly that all the gyftes goodes whiche they haue goostly and bodely they receaue them of God euen of his mere grace goodnesse That is to saye For his names sake not for theyr owne workes and deseruynges For this do they geue thankes vnto hym and declare the same vnto other This honour can not be geuen vnto God of ony presumptuous iusticiaryes
A very excellēt swete exposition vpon the XXII Psalme of Dauid called in Latine Dominus regit me c. ¶ Translated oute of Hye Almayne into Englyshe by Myles Couerdale Anno MDXXXVIII The .xxii. psalme of Dauid called in Latine Dominus regit me et nihil i The LORDE is my shepeherde I shall lacke nothynge ii He fedeth me in a grene pasture and leadeth me to the fresh water iii He quyckeneth my soule and bringeth me forth in the waye of ryghteousnesse for hys names sake iiii Though I walke in the valley of the shadowe of death yet feare I no euell for thou arte wyth me Thy staffe and thy shepehooke do comforte me v Thou preparest a table before me agaynste myne enemyes thou anoynteste my head wyth oyle and fyllest my cuppe full vi Oh let thy louynge kyndnesse and mercye followe me all the dayes of my lyfe that I maye dwell in the house of the LORD for euer ¶ An exposition vpon the .xxii. Psalme The effect of this Psalme IN this Psalme doth Dauid and euery christen hart geue thankes prayse vnto God for his most principal benefit namely for the preachyng of his dear holy word wherby we are called accepted and nōbred amonge the multitude which is the cōgregacion or church of God where onely and in no place els the pure doctrine the true knowlege of Gods wyll and the ryght seruice of God is founde and had But this same noble treasure doth holy Dauid prayse and extol maruaylous excellently with goodly swete fayre pure wordes yee that with lykenesses borowed out of the Gods seruice of the olde Testament Fyrst he lykeneth hymselfe to a shepe whom God hymselfe as a faythfull diligent shepherde doth wonderous well take hede vnto A shepe fedeth hym in a pleasaunt grene pasture whiche stōdeth full of good thicke grasse where ther is abundaunce also of freshe water no scarcenesse Item he lykeneth God also vnto suche a shepherde The shepherde as with his staf leadeth bryngeth the shepe the playne right way that it cā not go amysse and defēdeth hys flocke so wyth the shepehooke that the woolfe can not break in After thys doth he make hymselfe a geste A geste for whom God prepareth a table where he fyndeth both strength and comforte refreshynge and ioye and that plenteously And thus the Prophete geueth the worde of God diuerse names The word of God hath many names calleth it goodly pleasaunt grene grasse freshe water the ryght waye a staffe a shephooke a table balme or pleasaunt oyle and a cuppe that is alwaye full And thys he doth not without a cause for the power of Gods worde is many folde For why Lyke as a shepe in a fayre pleasaūt medowe besyde the grene grasse and freshe water in the presēce of hys shepherde which leadeth it wyth the staffe or rodde so that it can not go astraye and defendeth it so with the shepehoke that no harme can happē vnto it hath hys foode pleasure in al safegarde Or lyke as a mā lacketh nothynge that sytteth at a table where ther is plenty of meate and drynke and al maner of cōforte gladnesse So muche more they that be the shepe of thys shepherd wherof thys psalme syngeth lacke no good thynge are rychely prouyded for not only in soule but also in body As Christ sayeth in the sixte of Mathew Seke fyrst the kyngdome of God and the ryghteousnesse therof so shal all these thynges be mynistred vnto you For as they that wante bodely foode lyue in greate straytnesse and pensyfnesse not beynge able to fulfyl the bodyes request in thys behalfe euen so also those that wante thys wholsome and necessarye word of god can not reioyce nor be pacyfyed inwardly Yee euen as bread and wyne refresh a mans fleshy harte and make hym ioyfull euen so the worde of God quyckeneth refressheth a mans soule inwardly The preachynge of gods wod bryngeth prosperite For whan the worde of God is truly syncerely preached loke how many dyuerse names the prophete geueth it here so many commodyties and frutes doth it brynge Vnto them that are diligent and earnest to heare it whom oure LORDE God knoweth onely for hys owne shepe it is a pleasaūt grene grasse a fresh water wherewith they are satisfyed and refreshed It kepeth them also in the ryghte waye and preserueth thē that no mysfortune nor harme happen vnto them Moreouer it is vnto thē a cōtinuall wealth where ther is abūdaunce of meate drynke and all maner of ioye and pleasure That is they are not onely instructe and gyded refresshed strengthed and comforted by the worde of God but euer more more preserued in the ryght waye defended in all maner of trouble both of body and soule And fynally they haue the victory preuayle agaynste all temptacyons and troubles wherof they muste abyde ryghte many as the fourth verse doth specifye Shortly they lyue in all maner of safegarde as they vnto whome no mysfortune can happen for as much as theyr shepherde doth fede them and preserue them The doctryne to be taken of this psalm Therfore shulde we take instruccion out of thys Psalme not to despyse the worde of God but gladlye to heare and learne the same to loue it and to make muche of it to resorte vnto the lytle flock where we maye haue it And agayne on the other syde to flye and eschue those that do blaspheme and persecute it For where thys blessed lyght doth not shyne there is nother prosperite nor health nother strength nor comforte eyther in body or soule but vtter dysquietnesse terroure and dispayre specially whan trouble dystresse and paynfull death is at hande How be it the vngodly as the prophete sayeth haue neuer rest Esaye 57. whether they be in welth or wo. For yf they be in prosperite thā are they presumptuous proude and hyghe mynded forget oure LORDE god vtterly boaste crake onely of theyr owne power ryches wysdome c. And take thought besyde how they maye maynteyn and increace the same and how they may persecute and oppresse other men that lye in theyr wayes But yf the leafe turne aboute with thē as doutlesse it must nedes do at the last For that swete virgin Marye is a very sure prophetisse Deposuit potētes de sede diuites dimisit inanes which yet hath not fayled in hyr songe thē are they of all the moost miserable careful lest people which immediatly fall to despayre and mistrust What ayleth them They knowe not where nor how they shall seke comforte seynge they haue not the worde of God which onely teacheth the ryght waye how to be pacient and to haue a good hope euen in aduersite Roma .xv. Thys thynge ought to warn vs moue vs that we esteme nothynge more excellent nor worthye vpon earth than thys benefyte An ensample for vs. namely to haue that
as heretikes false spretes or enemyes and blasphemers of Gods worde for they magnifye not his name but theyr owne And though I walke in the valley of the shadowe of death yet fear I no euell for thou art with me Thy staffe and thy shephooke do comforte me Hetherto hath the prophete declared that they whiche haue loue the worde of God cā lacke nothynge For the LORDE is theyr shepherde which doth not only fede thē in a grene pasture leadeth thē to the freshe water that they may be fat stronge and refreshed both bodely goostly but also taketh suche care for thē that they be not weery of the good pasture fresh water leauyng the grene medowe departe agayne from the ryght way into the wyldernesse This is the fyrst parte of this Psalme Nowe teacheth he farther how that they whiche are the shepe of thys shepeherde What the prophet teacheth in this verse be compassed aboute with many ieopardyes and misfortunes Neuerthelesse that LORDE sayeth he not onely defendeth thē but delyuered them also out of al tēptacions troubles For he is amonge thē Nowe after what maner he is with them he declareth lykewyse well fauouredly Here thou seyft that as soone as the worde of God goeth forth and as soone as ther be ony that receaue it abide by it immediatly the deuell all his angels steppe forth moue the worlde with all the power therof agaynst it to put it downe vtterly to destroye them that haue it knowlege it Persecucion For loke what our LORD god speaketh or doth it must be tried go thorow the fyre This is very nedfull for chrysten men to knowe els myght they fayle thynke thus in theyr myndes How stondeth this together The prophet sayeth afore The LORDE is my shepherd I shall lacke nothynge And here he sayeth cōtrary namely that he muste walke in the darke valley And in the nexte verse followynge he confesseth that he hath enemyes Where by he geueth sufficiently to vnderstand that he lacketh many yee all thynges For he that hath enemyes and lyeth in a darke valley seyth no lyghte that is to saye he hath nother comforte nor hope but is forsaken of euery man and euery thynge is blacke darke before his eyes yee euē the fayre clear Sōne How is this true then that he shulde lacke nothynge We maye not ordre our selues after that our warde syght Here must thou not ordre thy selfe after thyne owne eyes followe natural reason as doth the worlde vnto whome it is vnpossyble to se this ryche and gloryous comforte of Chrysten men that they shulde lacke nothynge Yee certaynly they holde that the contrary is true namely that ther are no people vpon earth more poore more myserable and more vnhappy then christen men Yee with all theyr diligence corage helpe they therto that they maye be moost abhominably persecuted bānyshed shamed and put to death And in so doynge they thynke they do God seruyce therin It appeareth therfore outwardly as though christen men were but shepe dryuen awaye and forsaken of God and geuen ouer already in to the wolues mouthes and to be euen such as lacke nothynge but altogether The seruaūtes of Māmon Agayne they that serue that greate God Mammon or the belly appeare in the worlde to be those good shepe whiche as the Psalme sayeth lacke nothynge beynge rychely prouyded for of God cōforted and preserued from all parell and mysfortune For they haue theyr owne hartes desyre honoure good ioye pleasure euery mans fanoure c. Nother nede they be afrayed to be persecuted or put to death for that faythes sake For as longe as they put not theyr trust in Chryst the onely true shepherd nor knowlege hym whether they beleue on the deuell or his dāme or do what so euer they wyll besyde with couetousnesse c. they are taken not onely for well doers therin but also for the lyuyng sayntes which byde styll by the olde fayth and wyll not be deceaued thorowe heresye whiche is as Dauid teacheth here that the LORDE onely is the shepeherde So abhominable and greueous mortall synne is it to beleue on this shepeherde and to knowlege hym The pope wyll not forgeue hym that putteth his whole trust in Christ that ther cam neuer suche a synne vpon earth For euen the Popes holynes which els can dispense with all synnes and forgeue them can not remytte this onely cryme Therfore I saye in this thynge do not thou followe the worlde thyne owne reason whiche whyle they iudge after the outwarde appearaunce become foolysshe holde the prophete but for a lyar in that he sayeth I shall lacke nothynge But as I sayde afore holde thou the faste vnto the worde and promyses of God herken vnto thy shepherde how and what he sayeth vnto the and ordre thy selfe accordynge vnto hys voyce not accordynge to that which the eye seyth or the harte feleth And so haste thou the victory Thus doth the prophere He confesseth that he walketh in the valley of the shadowe of death Howe the Prophet behaueth hymself in tentacion trouble That is that he is cōpassed aboute with trouble heuynesse anguysshe necessite c. as thou mayst se more at large in hys storyes and other Psalmes Item that he hath nede of comforte wherby it is sufficiētly declared that he is in heuynesse Item that he hathe enemyes And yet he sayeth Though my tentacions were mo and greate and though I were in a worse case Yee though I were in deathes mouth alreadye yet do not I feare onye mysfortune Not that I am able to helpe my selfe thorowe myne owne prouysion trauayle laboure or succurre Nother do I trust to myne owne wysdome vertue kynglye power and ryches For in thys matter the helpe counsel comforte and power of all men is farre to lytle But thys is it that doth it euen that the LORDE is wyth me As yf he wolde say Certaynly of myne owne behalfe I am feble in heuynesse vexed and compassed aboute wyth al maner of parell and misfortune My harte also and conscience is not quyete because of my synnes I fele an horrible fearfulnesse of death and hel so that I myght in a maner dispayre But though al the worlde yee and the gates of hell be set agaynst me yet wyll I therfore not be dyscoraged Yee I wyll not be afrayed for all the mysfortune and payne that they are able to saye vpon me For the LORDE is wyth me The LORDE I saye whiche made heauen and earthe and all that therin is vnto whom al creatures angels deuels men synne death c. are subiecte Summa he that hath all thynges in hys owne power is my counselgeuer my comforter my defender and helper Therfore am I afrayed of no mysfortune After thys maner doth Asaph speake also in the .lxxii. Isaph Psalme where he comforteth the Christen agaynst that greate
them selues with the name and tytle of the Christen stenchurch yeethough they raysed vp dead men yet are they wolues and murtherers whiche spare not the flocke of Christ scatter them abrode torment them and kyll thē not onely spiritually but bodely also as mē mayese now before theyr eyes The names that the worde of God hath in this Psalme Lyke as the prophete here afore doth call Gods worde or the gospell grasse water the ryght waye a staffe a shephooke Euen so afterwarde in the fyfth verse he calleth it a table prepared an oyntment a full cuppe And thys simslitude of the table oyntmēt and cuppe doth he take out of the olde testament from the Gods seruyce of the Iewes and sayeth euen in a maner the same that he had sayd afore namely that they whiche haue the worde of God are rychely prouyded for in all poyntes both concernynge the soule and body saue onely the he speaketh it here wyth other fygures and allegoryes Fyrst bryngeth he in the similitude of the table A table where vpon the shewebreads laye contynually Exod. xxv xl And then declareth he what the same dyd sygnifyeth and sayeth Thou preparest a table before me agaynst myne enemyes thou anoyntest myne heade wyth oyle and fyllest my cuppe full Here doth he knowlege playnly that he hath enemyes But he sayeth he kepeth hym from them and dryueth them backe by this meanes namely because the LORDE hath prepared a table before hym agaynst those his enemyes Is not this a wonderfull defender I wolde haue thought he shulde haue prepared before hym a stronge wall a myghtye hulworke depe dyches armour and other harnesse weapens where by he myght be sure from his enemyes and discomfite them And now cōmeth he and prepareth before hym a table to eate and drynke on and so to smyte hys enemyes There coulde I be content to fyght also yf the enemyes myghte be ouercome without ony teopardye care trauayle and laboure And I to do nothyngeels but to syt at a table to eate and drynke and be mery With these wordes Thou preparest a table befor me agaynst myne enemyes wil the prophet declare the great excellēt The great power of Gods worde wōderful power of the worde of God As yf he wolde say Thou offrest me such kyndnesse OLORDE and fedest me so well and rychely at thy table whiche thou hast prepared for me that is Thou enduest me so psenteously with the exceadynge knowlege of thy good worde so that thorow the same I haue not onely plenteous consolacion in wardly in my harte agaynst myne owne euell conscience agaynst feare and drede of death and the wrath and iudgemēt of Godt but outwardly also thorowe the same worde I am become so valeaunt and so inuincible a giaunt that al myne enemyes can bryng nothynge to passe agaynst me The more wroth madde and vnreasonable they are agaynst me the lesse I regarde it Yet I am so much the more quyete in my selfe glad content And that of none other occasion saue onely that I haue thy worde The same geueth me such power and corage agaynst all myne enemyes So that whan they rage fearsly and are moost madde of all I am better content in my mynde then yf I satte at a table where I myght haue all that my harte coulde desyre meate drynke myrthe pleasure mynstrelsye c. An hye cōmendaciō of Gods worde There hearest thou agayne how hyghly this holy Dauid magnifyeth prayseth the good worde of God namely how that by the same they that beleue ouercome and wynne the victory agaynst the deuell the worlde the fleshe synne a mans owne conscience and agaynst death For yf a man haue the worde and take sure holde of it by fayth then must all these enemyes whiche els are inuincible be fayne to geue backe and to yelde them selues And it is a maruaylous victory and power yee and a very stoute boastynge of suche as beleue that they subdue and ouercome all these horrible yee and in maner almyghtye enemyes not with ragynge not wyth bytynge not wyth resystynge not with strykyng agayne not with takynge of vengeaunce not wyth sekynge of counsell and helpe here and there but with eatynge drynkynge pleasure syttynge beynge mery and takyng of rest Which thynges as it is sayde afore come all to passe thorowe the worde To eate and drynke what it is For to eate and drynke is called in the scripture to beleue to take sure holde on Gods worde wherout ther followeth peace ioye comforte strēgth c. The naturall reason of man Natural reason can geue no iudgemēt in this wonderfull victory of the faythfull for here commeth the matter to passe cleane contrarye to the outwarde senses of man The worlde doth alwaye persecute slaye the Christen as the moost hurtfull people vpon earthe Now whan naturall reason seyth thys it can not thynke otherwyse but that the Christen lye vnder agayne that theyr enemyes preuayle and haue the victory Thus dyd the Iewes intreate Christe the Apostles and the faythfull and put thē euer to execucion Whan they had slayne them or at the leest banished thē then cryed they Now haue we the victory these fellowes that haue hurte vs shall now trouble vs no more Now shall we handle euery thyng as we wyll But whan they thought them selues to haue bene surest of all our LORDE God sent vpon them the Romaynes whiche dealte so horriblye wyth them that it is a terrible thynge to heare Then after certayne hundreth yeares as for the Romaynes whiche thorow oute all the empyre of Rome had slayne manye thousande martyrs God rewarded them afterward and suffred the cytie of Rome in few yeares to be four tymes spoyled by the Gothies and Vandalyes finally to be brent destroyed and the empyre to decaye Who had now the victory The Iewes and Romaynes that shed the bloud of sayntes lyke water or the poore Christen that suffred them selues to be ordred lyke slaughter shepe and had none other harnesse and weapen but the good worde of God Howe it goeth with the multitude of thē that beleue in Christe Thus doth Dauid declare wyth these wordes howe it goeth wyth the holy Christen congregaciō For he speaketh not here of his owne person only setteth her forth in hyr coloures and descrybeth her well fauouredly Namely how that in the syghts of God she is euen as a pleasaunt grene medowe whiche hath plentye of grasse and fresshe water That is to say that she is the paradyse and pleasaūt garden of God garnysshhed wyth all hys gyftes and hath hys vnoutspeakeable treasure the holy Sacramentes and that good worde wherewyth he instructeth gydeth refresheth and cōforteth his flocke But in the syght of the worlde hath thys congregacion a farre other appearaunce euē as though she were a blacke darke valleye where a man can se nother pleasure nor ioye but trouble sorowe and aduersyte For the deuell wyth al his