sodenly falling or part of the pit chinking or eliuing will peraduenture smother thee If thou goest down into a den or dungeon euen héere likewise whatsoeuer is aboue thée leaneth vpon thy neck and threateneth to fall-vpon thée If thou clime vp a stéepe hill the tripping of thy faâ—te will cast thée downe headlong If thou wandrest in the valley look warily about thée least some hidden guife or whirlepoole doo swallowe thée or at leastwise put thée to thy plonge If thou art to iourneye through the wood euery trée standeth as a clubbe lifted vp aloft to kil thee And that I may once drawe vnto an end ther is nothing extant in the nature of things though otherwise necessary and for many causes profitable to mankinde from the which ought not againe some dammage yea sometimes great displeasure continually to be feared The most beautifull Sunne and lightsom starres without the which mans life is to be accompted no life at all doo yet for the time bring some discommoditie with them as when the Sunne with his vehement heate dooth debilitate and enféeble mens braines or when togither with him other celestial bodies also by their obscurations and defectes and by their staÌ„ding motions doo procure vnto things below ouer which they beare no small swaye the causes of many alterations yea doo now and then diuersly affect and moue the very bodies and mindes of men also But omitting all these thinges let vs look laâ—t of all vpon the only masse of mans bodye and peruse the same by partes and there is no doubt but we shall perceiue that it is nothing els then a publike receptacle nest and hostrye of miseries and that how many small members there be in the body so many kinds there are of dangers and diseases What saide I how many members I might more truelye say that to euery member are procreated innumerable sortes of diseases The eye doubtlesse is a very small part in the head but with how many maladies thinkest thou this is encombred There are ingendred in it the pinne and webbe the blearenes of the eyen the drye itch in the eye the wart in the eye lid the grauel in the eye the dazeling of the eyen the filme of the eye the staring of the eyen the falling of the eye lidde the dimnesse of the eye the poorblindnes of the eyen the knob in the eye the pricking in the eye the dropping of the eyes the squint the swelling of the eyes the turning of the eye liddes the vnnaturall standing of the eye liddes the pimple in the eye the pearle in the eye the scurumes of the eyen the swelling and grossenes of the eye liddes and who is able to reckon vp all the impediments of this sort Now by the greeuantes of the eye alone which yet we haue not all set downe in accompt consider thou with thy selfe how many and how great may be the diseases of the other members which are farre greater and larger then the eye It pitieth me doubtlesse yea it pitieth me for mans estate conditioÌ„ as oft as I enter into the coÌ„sideration of these miseries which man carieth about with him in his little body neither can he euer shake them off Will we or nill we we must graunt that ther is nothing created amongst all liuing creatures more wretched or vile then man if I meane the weake disposition of the body be considered in it selfe Which thing that we might the more easilye acknowledge and ofte call to minde it is ordeined by God the author of nature that we should fetch the first beginninges of our life immediatly from crying and weeping and againe that we should lay down the same with great sorrow and gréefe Seeing all these thinges are thus from whence I praye thee or from what matters shal wretched man haue comfort in so great distresses if not from this knowledge that God taketh care of vs of our affaires and deliuereth vs continually out of infinite dangers Which of vs can so much as breathe when we list nay which of vs shal be able to doo that if we be not certainly perswaded of the Lordes helpe that gouerneth all thinges and he giue vs power so to doo For séeing there is iust nothing any where in the which are not moste certaine annoyances and perilles prepared at an inch and our whol life hangeth by a twine thread nay by a silly haire so as a thousand I say not diseases but deathes doo continually hang ouer our heads and wander before our eyes doubtlesse we must not thinke that we can abide in safetie so much as one minute of an houre except the Lord by his wise prouidence and gracious good wil and pleasure doth deliuer vs from al hurtful and noysom things In that beeing borne thou wast not strangled betwéene the Midwiues handes that in the time of thine infancie thou perishedst not by fire or water or by some other meane through the negligence of thy parentes that in thy childehoode and yong yeeres thou becammest not blinde or lame of thy lims through thine own folly and rashnes that being afterward growen in age thou wast not slaine by some body that met thee saluted thée or that feigned freendship with thee or that eat and drank with thee or else by one that professed himself to be thine open enemy that now thou art not beguiled or any other way cast into danger by some one that bargaineth with thée in that thou art not molested by thy neighbors nor iniuried by strangers in that thou art not troubled with discommodities in mariage which are wont to spring partly from the wife partly from the children and partlye from the cares of housholde affaires in that thou art not stripped of thy goods in that the might ye rage not against thee and thrust thee from thy seate and dignitie in that thou art not killed with the fall of thine house in that thy meat and drink doo not hurt thée in that thou art not wounded with the edg-toole which thou handlest in that no beast dooth violence vnto thee in that thou art not drowned in the waters in that the earth dooth not open her mouth and deuoure thee finallye in that thou art wonderfully deliuered from innumerable inconueniences which doo dayly and continually hang ouer thine head and proceed as well from men as from the deuill and from other creatures which the deuill also indeuoureth oftetimes to turne to our destruction in all these thinges I say which we know are wont euer and anon to come to passe and therefore ought to iudge that they may also take effecte and be accomplished in vs thou oughtest to admire and blaze abroad with praise the onely prouidence of God yea to ascribe thy whole safetie and preseruation only and alone heerevnto And this is that which the Psalmes doo teach and all the sayinges of the holy fathers in the sacred Scriptures euery where extant wherin the Lord is celebrated as
after all these thinges doo the Gentiles seeke Beholde a vehement dehortatory or disswasory reason It is the propertie of the Gentiles saith he which are without God without hope without faith Ephe. 2. to be carefull for earthly thinges and all because they being not as yet renued nor as yet adorned with the Holy-ghost are giuen onely to earthly thinges and caÌ„not comprehend things spirituall Wherfore if thou wilt not be counted such a one look back vnto better thinges that is to say to heauenly learne to depend altogither vpon God alone and to commit thy selfe wholy to his prouidence Wherupon followeth an other reason drawen from the prouidence and knowledge of God Your heauenly Father saith he knoweth that ye haue need of al these things If he knoweth it then in vaine doost thou consume thy self with so many cares and as he knoweth what thou wantest so knoweth he how to prouide for thee Againe if he be thy Father sée thou behaue thy self toward him as a sonne looking for all thinges at his hand and thou maist be sure he will not suffer thee to pine away for want of help But rather seeke yee first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes therof and all these thinges shal be ministred vnto you Mans reason dooth all things after a preposterous manner in the first place it looketh after earthly thinges it willeth men to lay for temporall commodities and then secondly it thinketh of vertue as full well expresseth the Satyrist O Citizens o Citizens first Coyne must come in place And after money once obtained then vertue next embrace But Christ clean contrarywise First saith he seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnes And in trueth so it is he that in this order dooth first regard the matters of his soule the same obtaineth whatsoeuer is necessary to the nourshing of his body according to that saying of the Psalmist Psal 33. Beholde the eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and vpon theÌ„ that trust in his mercye to deliuer their soules from death and to preserue them in famine Againe Psal 34. Feare the Lord ye his Saintes for nothing wanteth to theÌ„ that feare him The Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they which seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal 37. The pathes of man are directed by the Lord and he maketh his way acceptable to him selfe Though he fal he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand I haue beene yong and now am olde yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread Christ therfore concludeth very exactly saying Care not then for to morow for to morow shal care for it selfe as though he should say God as he prouideth for thee to day so will he prouide for thee also to morow the dayes following Whither also it belongeth that Christ in the prayer which he prescribeth vnto vs al taught vs to aske our daylye bread to be giuen vs this daye For indeede we cannot iustlye require bread to be giuen vs any longer then we are sure to liue If we be vncertaine of life why would we be certaine of liuing Therfore let vs from him alone look for liuing yea whatsouer els is necessary for our daylye vse from whom we looke for life Hitherto the breef and short if we looke vpon the woordes only but if we regarde the doctrine the long and rich sermon of Christ which all our life long ought to be prefixed before our eyes and mindes and to admonish vs of the goodnes and prouidence of God ministring all necessary thinges vnto us Howbeit God by his prouidence ministreth not these thinges onlye which are required to the dayly vse of life but also all other kinde of helpes and comforts which according to the vnusuall vnlooked for successe of our affaires as indéed the change and alteration of mens matters is meruelous may any way be desired There cannot so many troubles and adnersities at any time créep vpoÌ„ vs vnbewares but that it is in the Lords hand and wil to aâ—scord vs many mo and more effectuall remedies to the recouering of our health safetie There falleth out some dangerous controuersie with one or other wherein thou hast néed of present resolution occasion is sought wiles are wrought to inferre open violence many sworn enemies doo slock together against thée thou art set in the middest of swoordes speares in all these thinges the Lord him self for his part woorketh somewhat and ceasseth not to haue a care of thee Thou art to coÌ„mence sute in lawe thou art destitute of faithfull aduocates thou art vexed in thy minde by reason of the suspected iniquitie of the iudge the power of thine aduersaries and other causes iudgement is very hardly pronounced against thée neither is there any place giuen for delaye or appeale thy goodes are immediatly seared vpon and thine aduersaries are intituled vnto them perhaps thou art cast into prison torments are deuised and vsed against thée by thine owne confession wrested from thée by violence thou art brought to be infamous thou art driuen into bondage orels by some other meanes thy body is afflicted thy life also standeth in hazard Lastly thou art so delt withal as it were much better for thée to dye then to liue any longer Besides this thou art sent into exile and thou must with sorrow and heuines wander through vnknowen cuntreies where thou knowest no body of whome thou maist hope either for comfortable woord or for any other succour Sometimes also thou art to make thy passage by water which when it happeneth thou art more in danger then be fore Yet beeing escaped and bearing a fewe thinges about thée thou goest to such a place as where there ariseth open warre and so all thinges againe become most wofull and desperate vnto thée After warres thou art entertained by a publike famine no lesse fearfull then the former by meanes wherof thou canst hardly get any thing wherwith to buy bread to ease thy gnawing and hungrye stomacke withall Immediatly after this rageth the pestilence and héer thou must either prouide for thy self by flying away afresh or else thou must â—â—â—â—se thy selfe to most certaine death and destruction Beeing deliuered from the infection of the plague thou fallest into an other disease 〈◊〉 leâ—se grâ—euous wherwith thou art long and â—â—â—che tormented and the same wipeth thée quite and cleane of all that thou hast If any thing be yet leâ—t at length a fire flaming vpon the sodaine denoureth in a manner both thée and thy whole house There are besides very many kindes of dangers dayly and continually happening which are by no meanes able to â—umber But certes against all these matters the minde shall singularly well be fenced that will diligentlye looke into those thinges that haue of vs beene taught touching Gods prouidence And howsoeuer euerye of them might affoord plentifull matter of consolation which thing but for
clad also in a partie colloured coat and for that cause became very much hated of his brethren Beholde a certaine beginning or entry into the matter though appeering onlye a farre off from the which afterward it came to the platforme touching the selling of Ioseph and which although it were euill God intended to vse to the procuring of much good Heerupon Ioseph hath dreames in appeerance and outward shew very absurd but in trueth most certaine prognostications of great and most weighty matters to be accomplished in him As for Dreames they might seeme if any other thing at all to fall out especially by contingence or haphazard as that which are accounted for light and vaine thinges and yet that they were sent of God the very sequell of the matter did declare Doutles it is meruailous to beholde the maiestie of God occupied euen about the disposing of mens dreames And for the same cause were these dreames very much suspected of his bretheren for they priuily feared that it might one day so come to passe as the dreames did portend their conscience no doubt telling them somwhat touching the power of Gods prouidence wonderfullye ruling and ouer-mastering mens matters And concerning his Father it is expressely added that he kept this saying diligently in his hart By which testimony the holy ghost declareth that he was a most reuerend regarder of the diuine prouidence and that he considered right well that those dreames were not sent at all aduentures but by the will of God yea for great and weightye causes But how came Ioseph into Egipt God put into the minde of Iacob to send Ioseph into the fieldes to séeke vp his bretheren Neither in deede was this very thinge doone with-out the determinate puppose of God Ioseph beeing departed stayeth in the feelds wher he findeth one that setteth him the right waye and besides telleth him tydinges of his bretheren where they are As yet there was nothing doone without cause For if this man had not been met withall perhaps Ioseph being wery would haue returned home and of the busines should not haue gon forward Wherfore albeit it may appeere that these thinges came to passe by contingence or haphazard yet is it plaine that nothing was doon without the dispensation of God And loe Ioseph was no sooner come into the sight of his bretheren but that they all eftsoones conspire his death They conceiue in deede a detestable fact but yet such as the Lord will immediatly alter out of which shall come a singuler good Onely Ruben dooth constantly intreat perswading rather to haue him cast into a pitte hoping by that meanes that he might priuily conuaye Ioseph safe vnto his Father And this thing was procured by the Lord least their minds being as yet on fire they should foorthwith defile their hands with their brothers blood Albeit neither did this counsell of Ruben preuaile according to his desire It was in déed good godly of it selfe as that which would haue béen very ioyful to the Father holsome to Ioseph and no whit discommodious to the bretheren and therfore in our iudgement God ought of right to haue holpen forward the attempts of Ruben But in vaine is mans counsayle let against Gods As the counsell of them that would haue had hun destroyed could not take the effect so was it not expedient that his counsaile that coueted to saue him should goe for payment seeing they bothe were indifferently against the immutable decree of the Lord touching the promoting of Ioseph in Egipt which was altogether necessary to be perfourmed Ioseph therfore is cast in to a pitte as who should say to be killed with hunger In the meane time that outragiousnes of minde and boyling wrath in the bretheren is for great good by little and little slaked and waxen colde What then Marry besides all expectation comes me Ismalitish marchants that way But think not that any thing came to passe by haphazard God himselfe had very fitly drawen them to that place For why by this occasion the bretheren changing their sentence consult about the felling of Ioseph to the Ismaelites And héer a man may see the principall meane which the Lord had preordayned for the conuaying of Ioseph into Egipt Wherfore this last deuise of the bretheren the Lord would haue to take place and Ioseph now is solde vnto the Ismaelites he acompanieth them directly into Egipt where he must one day bear the chéefe sway By the way I admonish that heere was propounded and set foorth a wonderfull token and mysterye of Gods dispensation towards the first springing Church in that Ioseph was rather solde for the price of money then by any other meanes which might easily also haue beene deuised cast out For in this behalfe there ought to appeere in Ioseph a type and figure of Christe to be solde afterwarde in like manner Ioseph being solde his party-coulored coate dipped in blood is sent vnto his Father least the olde man should come to the knoledge of the sinne committed and might think the Childe to be torne in peeces by some wilds beast But beholde why God would haue Ioseph to be adorned of his Father with such a garment verily to this end that by this signe he might be induced to beleeue be throughly perswaded of the matter And the Lord would therfore haue this conceit to be inuēted by the bretheren and the Father to be perswaded least the old man should be carefull afterward to make any further enquirie for his Sonne who vndoubtedly would haue laboured euen to his exceding coste and charges to haue fetched him back out of the middest of Egipt if he had knowne him to be there So farre foorthe was that necessarye to be fulfilled which the Lord had alredy determined touching the going of Ioseph into Egipt That which followeth Gen. 38. belongeth not to Ioseph neuerthelesse it contayneth notable instructions concerning Gods prouidence For that we may adde this also as it were by the way it is declared how Thamar taking the matter greuously for that after the death of her husband Er the sonne of Iuda his other sonne Sela being promised vnto her was yet giuen vnto another she in trim apparell and fashioned in a maner after the guise of Harlots went into a common way and that Juda came hastilye thither the selfe same way and companied with her whō he suspected to be a Harlot being in very déed his daughter in lawe and gather with childe giuing her for a pledge or token inasmuch as he had no reward in a readines to bestowe on her his ring Staffe and cloake Now in this history many thinges nay euery thing might séeme to fall out Contingently or by Haphazard for what might be saide to be more Contingent then to be clad in this or that garment to goe to this or that place to resort to a woman with a will to be naught with her to giue a pledge or not to giue it if
the helper of the afflicted and the deliuerer of his out of all dangers further also wherin those that are deliuered doo giue God thankes for his benefites receiued as Psal 18. declareth how euen in the middest of tempests and other dangers the Lord yet saueth the godly The chanels of waters saith he were seene and the foundations of the worlde were discouered at thy rebuking O Lord at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure He hath sent downe from aboue and taken me he hath drawen me out of many waters He hath deliuered me from my strong enemy and from them that hate me Psal 23. dooth wholy tend to this effect but especiallye these woordes are to be considered Albeit I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare no euill for thou art with me Psal 27. Though an hoast pitched against me mine hart should not be afraide though warre be raised against me mine hart should not be afraide yet will I trust in thee Psal 30. O Lord thou hast brought vp my soule out of the graue thou hast reuiued me from them that goe down into the pit In the same place Thou hast turned my mourning into ioy thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladnes Psal 31. My times are in thy hand deliuer me from the hand of mine enemies c. Psal 33. Beholde the eye of the Lord is vpoÌ„ theÌ„ that feare him vpoÌ„ them that trust in his mercye to dâ—liuer their soules from death and to preserue them in the time of dearth Psal 34. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them There also Many are the miseries of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all Psal 37. the Lord knoweth the daies of vpright men their inheritance shal be perpetuall They shal not be confounded in the perillous time and in the dayes of famine they shall haue enough Psal 40. Innumerable troubles haue compassed me my sinnes haue taken such holde vpon me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are moe in number then the heares of my head therefore my hart hath failed me Let it please thee O Lord to deliuer me make hast O Lord to helpe me Psal 41. By this I know that thou fauourest me because mine enemy dooth not triumph against me And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and shalt set me before thy face for euer Psal 57.59 Dauid dooth ascribe his deliuerance vnto the prouidence of God in that he flying Saul withdrew himselfe into a den and when his house was beset by the commaundement of Saule that he might haue béene taken Psal 66. The Lord holdeth our soules in life and suffereth not our feete to slippe There also Thou hast caused men to ride ouer our heads we went into the fire and water but thou broughtest vs into a wealthy place Psal 71. Thou hast giuen commaundment to saue me for thou art my rock and my fortresse In the same place By thee haue I beene susteyned euer since I was borne thou art hee that tookest me out of my mothers bowells c. Psal 73. As for me I was alway with thee for thou hast holden me by my righthand Thou wilt guide me with thy counsell and afterward receiue me to glory Psal 91. is wholy spent in this that it teacheth most cheerelye that the Lord doth euery where take care for vs and prouideth that we fainte not vnder the troubles which doo on euery side assayle vs. He shal deliuer thee saith he from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence he will couer thee vnder his winges and thou shalt be sure vnder his feathers his trueth shal be thy sheeld buckler Thou shalt not be afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day nor of the pestilence that walketh in darknes nor of the plague that destroyeth at noone day A thousand shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy righthand but it shall not come nigh thee And a little after There shall none euill come vnto thee neither shall any plague come neere thy tabernacle For he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keep thee in all thy waies They shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone Thou shalt walke vpon the Lyon and Aspe the yong Lyon and Dragon shalt thou tread vnder thy feete c. The like shalt thou finde in many other Psalmes especially the 104.116.124.139 this is wholly applyed to this purpose 144.147 And in the prophets there are very many confessions and thankes giuings of this sort that doo wonderfully commend the perpetuall care and prouidence of God toward vs in all perils and dangers It would be ouerlong to repeat them at this present and some places shal afterward in the exposition of the 107. Psalm be fitly produced Wherfore as now we omit them It is manifest therfore that by this doctrine of Gods prouidence there is much comfort gotten throughout the whole life and as ther is no time in mans life free from dangers so ought euery one without ceassing to lifte vp and strengthen his minde with the remembrance of Gods prouidence inasmuch as by it euen then when we would least suspect we are euery moment deliuered from some dangers which as they are to be seene in some so there is no doubt but that they may also happen vnto vs. Furthermore comfortes doo not héerby only come vnto vs in that we are taught that by the prouidence of God continual calamities are kept from vs but heerby also ought we to gather matter of consolation that by the same are ministred vnto vs whatsoeuer good things are necessary to this life For if God disposeth all thinges and with singuler care fououreth aduanceth and defendeth vs and our matters as we haue sufficiently at large and plainly be fore proued when we taught that Gods prouidence was not onely vniuersall but also speciall and peculiar then doutlesse are we to look for all good things from him also Neither may we think that any thing shal be wanting vnto vs so long as we haue him fauourable that careth for vs and much lesse that we can procure vnto our selues any thing by our owne deuises industrie arte strength vnlesse be of his mercy ministreth it vnto vs. For he alone is almightie and endued with a notable philanthropie or loue towards mankinde wherfore vndoubtedly he both can and will giue whatsoeuer seemeth good vnto him and our necessitie requireth As for vs howsoeuer we may seem to doo any thing by our owne industrye or also by the helpe of others whither it be of men I say or of any other creature yet are we enforced to confesse that the thing is farre lesse which we do though it be neuer so smal a matter then that it can without him be brought to passe as we desire
God Concerning which profit of aduersities we haue spoken before 2. That God willingly heareth those that pray in their afflictions graunteth their tequests Hitherto belong all the promises of God euery where extant like wise the exhortations vnto prayer also the exâ—imples of such as whilest they haue prayed haue béen made pertakers of their desires And he led them forth Then is it the Lord him selfe that leadeth them The thing then is not doone by chaunce or fortune neither is it by haphazard that a man strayeth or returneth into the right way but all thinges come to passe by the onely will and dispensation of the Lord. That thou goest out of the waye that thou art in hazard and danger it is the will of the Lord. He would be entreated of thee and séeketh occasion to deserue well at thine hand yea and to shewe his goodnes and mercye towardes thée Therefore all these thinges fall out for the best vnto thée and for thy comfort neither ought any distrustfulnes at all to come into thy minde 8 Let them therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenes and his wonderfull woorks before the sonnes of men 9 For he satisfied the thirstie soule and filled the hungry with goodnes This is the conclusion of the firste proofe wherein he exhorteth all people to sing praises vnto God for such and so great goodnes of his shewed and exhibited vnto men endangered after that manner And heere also the former verse is interlaced or put betwéene And the other verse expressely setteth down the cause flowing from the premises whilest namelye it opposeth the benefites receiued as saciety and refreshing to the miseries endured before in the desert And we learne from this place 1 That our safetie and preseruation ought to be ascribed onely and alone to God not to our owne wisdome or to any mans help 2 That being deliuered from dangers or any other way whatsoeuer holpen of God we ought to giue him thanks 3 That we must so much that rather doo it leaste if we remain vnthankfull we should by the iust vengeance of God be plonged again into the like perrills 4 That when and howsoeuer our estate be bettered yet must we still beare in minde the distresses that before were vpon vs they ought alwaies after to be feared of vs. Which consideration is very profitable to the moderation of our mindes that we vse to carry our selues in an euen course aswel in prosperitie as aduersitie For this is in déed perfit wisdome for a man so to be haue himself in aduersity as he may hope for better things and againe so in prosperity as he may fear the contrary Further sith the Holy ghost hath not expressed any certaine cause of their flight and wandrings through desert places neither hath treated specially and by name either of the godly or vngodly it is a token and argument that this proofe belongeth indifferently to all men aswell good as bad which for any kinde of cause are compelled to prouide for theÌ„ selues bâ— flying and to taste of the perrills of perignination Some are forced to flye away and to wander abroad for the trueltie of their aduersaries which seek to hurt them as Iacob did for Esau Dauid for Saul Othersome for the defence of righteousnes the studie of restoring true religion as Elias and at this day many godly persons are constrained to fly out of diuers tuntries Some for common famishment and scarsitis of vitaile as Abraham Iacob Elisha Some for their sinnes God béeing angry are forced to feele the miseries of rouinges and wandrings as Cain Some for refusing to obeâ—â— Gods will and to execute their function and calling as Ionas Some for this cause that some man hath threatned to spoyle or kill them for which cause Paule escaped from Damascus through a wall Christ taught his Disciples that when they were in danger for the confession of the trueth they should seek to saue themselues by flight Some for the tumultes and vprores of warres as the Iewes did oftetimes but especiallye in the tune of the captiuitie of Babilon and in the auerthrowe of Ierusalem vnder Titus the Romaine Some for the inundations and eruptions of the Sea Some for fire and burning Some for the spoyling of their goods or for the losse of them by what means soeuer either honest or dishonest as they that béeing ouer head and eares in debt doo betake themselues to their legges and runne awaye Some for great offences committed are bannished by the magistrate And who is able to reckon vs all such causes as these Notwithstanding all these and such like dangers may well be reduced to this present place and whosoeuer are afflicted any of these waies may fetch from hence some solace and comfort Only let them call vpon the Lords name by faith and paciently waite for his helpe and they shall vnâ—oubtedly at the length féel some succour from God yea and he that is described heer to haue brought the wanderers into the right waye and to haue giuen them a citie where they might rest euen he also will prouide a place for these wherin they may safely liue 10 They that sit in darkenes and in the shadowe of death beeing fast bound in miserie and yron 11 Because they rebelled against the woordes of the Lord and abhorred the counsel of the most High 12 He also handled their hart through heauines they stumbled and fel and there was none to help them vp 13 So when they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble he deliuered them out of their distresse 14 For he brought them out of darknes and out of the shadowe of death and brake their bonds in sunder They that expound this Psalme as a prophesie touching the mercy that is offted through Christ and touching the redemption of the afflicted made by Christ in the time of the Gospell manifested to the worlde doo so expound this part as that they saye that God is therfore to be extolled and praised because he hath deliuered men out of the prison and captinitie of sinne death and the deuill For why vnder these tiranes dâ—oâ—e all men held captiue as appéereth Rom. 7. â—â—ce an other lawe in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the Lawe of sin which is in my members c. And Rom. 6. they are called the seruantes of sinne And Zacharias Luk. 1. Through the tender mercy of our God wherby the daye spring from an high hath visited us to giue light to them that sat in darknes and in the shadowe of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace And therfore came this captinitie vpon them because they were all rebels against the woord of the Lord. As for the Gentiles they did vniuersallye reiect from the woord and law of the Lord. And the Jewes amongst whome séemed yet to remaine some signes of Gods people slewe the seruantes of God and the prophets that
were sent vnto them as Christ also him selfe casteth in their feeth But this is not all for euen after the gospell was reuealed wherin it was propounded that they should repent and beleeue in Iesus Christ and through him obtaine remission of sinnes they despised this counsell of the Lord. And therfore also the Lord humbled their hart through heauines whilest namely he permitted them to fall into greater sinnes and abhomination and to be vexed and abased by their hypocriticall woorkes and that truelye without any fruit at all For why by their most painefull and laborious obseruations of the lawe and traditions they were so far of from receiuing any reward that they also the more offended so they stumbled that they fell down and there was none able to helpe them vp Not Moses not Elias no nor any mortall man liuing And yet if any of them were pricked in their hartes at the preaching of Peter or Paule so as they asked what they should doo as we read Act. 2. that some did and if they craued mercy through Christ God then no doubt had pitie on them he deliuered them from the captiuitie of sinne death the deuill and restored them into the libertye of faith life and the Holy-ghoste Howbeit we maye not vnderstand these thinges of the Iewes alone as though they onely had sustained spirituall captiuitie and were deliuered from the same Augustine interpreteth it of euery one that féeleth himselfe bound so as he is letted from well dooing He cryeth out saith he in this necessity to the Lord The Lord deliuereth him out of his necessities he breketh the bands of difficulty setteth him a work with equitie it begineth now to be easie vnto him which before was hard difficult as to abstaine from euils not to commit adultrye c. The Lord could giue vs this without difficultie but if we had this without difficultie we should not acknowledge the giuer of this benefit For why if he could do a thing so soon as he would and felt not his affectioÌ„s striuing against him neither his soule ouerburthened with bands to be wounded and hurt he would attribute to his owne strength that he felte himselfe able and so the Lord should be abridged of the praise of his mercies So much saith Augustine But we doubtles will expound it grossely after the same way that we haue begun of the outward perils and dangers which are wonte oftetimes to fall out in this life and from the which all men through the Lords goodnes are deliuered This is therfore the second proof to declare that the Lords goodnes and mercy shutteth in all things borowed from the example of those that for any cause whatsoeuer are drawen into prison where infinite miseries are to be endured fith they liue there in very do â—e as persons now quite cast out from all fellowship of men and bannished the whole world and yet in the meane time cannot tell whither they shall euer be deliuered or no. Which aduersitie doubtles is not without cause accounted one of the greatest miseries that can happen vnto man And therfore would the Holy-ghost expresse and declare this wofull state and condition with most choice and picked woordes First he saith That they sit in darknes And this no doubt is a cace most hard to be barred from the sight of this common light Secondly In the shadow of death he meaneth that that state of life dooth not much differ from death yea and that euen death somtimes is to be wishes in comparison of such miseries Who addeth yet further Beeing fast bound in miserie and yron he giueth to vnderstand that many other miseries are annexed to imprisonment as yron pinching and wringing hard diuers partes and members of the body as the necke the handes the feete likewise hunger thirst colde lack of lodging want of sâ—eepe the lothsomnes of vermine and filthy sauours diseases the company and counsell of men remeued their helpe and succour denied finally all things taken away that might serue for any manner of solace or comfort And so are all thinges heere set downe in these fewe woordes as that they might moue vs the more willingly to take pitie of them that are kept in prison and that we might the more neerly be acquainted with their miseries Because they rebelled The cause of the calamitie sâ—it of God is by the way put in There are indeede diuers and sundry causes for the which men are brought into captiuitie but héere is one named as cheefe to witte the contempt of Gods woord or disobedience against God which sinne is in trueth the original and wel-spring of all euils They that contemne the woord of God it cannot be but that they fall into many other horrible sinnes also for the which they are at the length drawen into prison And so howsoeuer a man deale it behoueth him to referre all other sinnes to the contempte of the woorde as to the first principall cause yea and the penaltie also which is incurred therby must in like manner be referred to the contempt of the woord We learne out of this cause after this sorte declared 1 That calamities are sent from about and that by the iust and good will of God 2 That they are sent for our sinnes that in our punishment Gods iustice may appeer 3 That God dooth greeuously punishe the contempt of his woord touching which matter there are many testimonies extant in the Scriptures 4. That God dooth most seuerely punish those that doo not only contemne the counsell of the Lord and his knowen trueth but also abhorre it handle it dispitefullye and besides seeke to suppresse and extinguishe it But if so be we would looke when we are afflicted aswell into our sinnes as into Gods iustice which doth too too lightlye punishe vs in respect of our deserts certes there might be raised from hence no small matter of comfort And he humbled their hart An amplification of the miseries wherwith captiues are ouerwhelmed from the greater effect of Gods wrath As though it were not enough for wretched men to be tormented through-out their whole body the Lord will haue them also to be vexed in their hart minde that now there may be no part of man lefte free for to feele any ease or comfort So then all hope of help and succour is described to be taken from these men and nothing to remaine but vtter desperation And although the hart be greeuously tormeÌ„ted with sorrowes and heaunes for outward and temporall thinges as for the losse of house goods wife children c yet is it most of all perplexed when the minde and conscience is shaken with the greatnesse and horror of sinnes and with the contemplation of the most seuere iudgement of God For why an vnquiet minde and a troubled conscience is a most cruell hangman tirant But thou seest that it is most cleerelye saide heere that the Lord himselfe humbleth their harts wherfore we learne againe heere
in this place 1 That miseries of all sortes are sent of the Lord. 2 That miseries are sent for sinnes and not only externall but also internall wherewith the conscience is troubled 3. That no helpe or succour can doo vs any good but so far-foorth as the Lord hath ordained 4. That in seeking first and before all thinges for helpe we must seeke it rather from the Lord then from any creatures First seeke the Kingdome of God saith he and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you And Except the Lord buylde the house they labour but in vaine that builde it c. Psal 127. And when they cryed The second part of the proofe touching their deliuerance And the verse is interlaced It is to no purpose to repeate the thinges that haue beene before declared For he brought them out Beholde againe the Lord dooth all in all He woundeth and he healeth he maketh the hart sorie and he maketh it merrie Albeit it may seeme that second causes doo somewhat to the deliuerance of the afflicted yet the matter commeth to this point that all things ought to be ascribed onely vnto the Lord to whom it seemeth good to woork effectually by second causes as by fit tooles or instruements So Peter Act. 12. was indéede by an Angell brought out of prison and yet afterward beeing returned to the brethren he telleth them how the Lord had deliuered him 15 Let them therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenes and declare his wonderfull woorks before the Sonnes of men 16. For he hath broken the gates of brasse and brast the barres of yron asunder A conclusion hortatory as in the proofe before going with a repetition of the cause drawen from the premises for the which all men ought to â—ing praises vnto the Lord. But inasmuch as hâ—â—â—â—eth heere inespeciallye with those men that are endangered for the contempt of the woord this place is diligentlye to be noted for the time that now is For vndoubtedly we ought to iudge that as imprisonments so also all other publike calamities whatsoeuer happening thick and threefolde to men in these daies haue beene sent for the contempt of Gods woord Wherfore it behoueth vs to be awakened as out of a dead sleepe to esteeme more reuerently of the woord of God that we may willinglye heare it and indeuer to liue after it Neuerthelesse though it be saide heere that the wicked suffred imprisonment for the contempt of the woord yet is it not meete to iudge by and by that al those are wicked or contemners of the woord whom we see to be cast into prison For euen the Godly also doo fall oftentimes into the like danger which also commeth to passe for those causes which we haue noted before when we proued that calamities are sent of God iustly and for our great good benefite But for this cause especially speaketh he of the wicked that therby we might be giuen to vnderstand that the comforte touching deliuerance from such a danger to be looked for belongeth indifferently both to the godly and vngodly For if so be God â—â—liuereth the wicked out of adâ—â—â—â—â—tiâ—â— how much more will he deliuer the godly and elect And there is no doubt but that the Holyghost would therfore paint out the wicked punished for their sinnes and afterward deliuered rather then the godly that namely by this occasion Gods mercy might be enlarged and appéere to be the more famous and notable For séeing he vouchsafeth to heare graciously euen the enemies of his glory and such as haue deserued nothing but wrath and eternal damnation when they haue called earnestlye vpon him for his mercy and deliuereth them from the miseries wherwith they are oppressed this doubtles is a token of rare and singular clemency if we shall speake after the manner of men and Gods bountifull goodnes is by this means more ennobled renowmed then can possibly be vttred or expressed For why this is the proper and peculiar woork of God Wherfore all sorts of men indifferently aswell the godly as the wicked for what cause soeuer coÌ„ming into the perill of imprisonment ought to be partakers of this present comfort and to drawe vnto themselues the things that are héer spoken as touching Gods prouidence and goodnes If a man therfore beeing falsely accused and void of all blame be cast into prisoÌ„ as Ioseph was if any man be so ill dealt withall only to satisfie the lust and plâ—asure of a tyrant as Herod held Peter in prison to corry fauour with the sickle multitude if any man suffer as much for reprouing ouer sharply of sinne and for his constancy in defending the trueth as Micha Ieremy Iohn Baptist and many of the Apostles were delt withall finally if any man for offences committed as Pharaohs baker dayly marry malefactors are be subiect to the like danger let him cal vpon the Lord with his whole hart and there is no doubt but by faith he shall obtaine mercy as this proofe plainely testifieth that the conteÌ„ners of the woord were delinered Further wheÌ„ he speaketh of imprisonmenâ—â— it seemeth conuenient that we vnderstand such other miseries also to be ment as are annexed to imprisonment or as are wont for the most part to follow it as great and gréeuous accusations torments the iniquitie and crueltie of the iudge reproches and reuilements paines or penalties set and to be short the most bitter sentence of shaw full death which things vndoubtedly dover and torment the minde more then can in words be expressed But because to stand particularly vpon euery of these would be an infinite worke we think it sufficient for vs if by the way we admonish that against all those crosses in like manner as against the discommodities of imprisonment manifolde consolations may be drawen out of those thinges which haue hither to béene declared 17 Fooles by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquities are afflicted 18 Their soule abhorred all manner of meate and they were brought euen to deaths doore 19 Then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them out of their distresse 20 Hee sent his woorde and healed them and they were deliuered from their diseases They that expound this Psalme touching sprituall daungers onely appertaining to the soule say that it treateth heere of such as after they haue beene once glutted with the woord of God where before they wandred in the wildernes and were long pyned with hâ—uâ—er and where the impediments which letted theÌ„ from well dooing are taken away and remoued do yet begin againe to loathe and contemne the worde of God their spirituall foode neither do they passe any more for the word but are stâ—â—k and remisse in well dooing yea altogither cold and frozen An example of which matter was to be seene in the Iewes which had the law and diuine oracles yet they liued not ther after but as dogges returning to their old vomit as though there had no
law at all been giuen vnto them they led a moste soule and filthy life In like manner may it be iudged of those that receiued the gospell in the begining of the preaching of the Apostles that in our time haue taken vpon them to reform Churches Certes the Apostle 1. Corinth 4 seemeth to vpbraide them with such a like thing when he saith Now yee are full now ye are become rich without vs ye haue gotten a kingdome c. For euen now began they to despise the Apostle as though they had no more stoode in need of his doâ—trane But more cléerly of such a lothing of the word we may read 2 Pet. 2. And by this meanes in very deed are men brought to deathes doore or to the gates of death Wherfore such menace againe healed when the Lord vouchsafeth to send againe his worde Christ I meane to the Iewes or sound doctrine which is at all times by chosen Prophetes and ministers reuiued to the and that al that beleene might be saued But that we may returne to our simple manner of interpreting the Scripture and expound this place of outward perills and dangers this is the third proofe proouing that the mercye and goodnes of God is to be feene in all things drawen from the example of them that fall into diuers and dangerous diseases and also are in hazard of life and yet notwithstanding when they call vpon the Lord for helpe they are againe restored to health Such examples we may sée dayly Who is he that hath not felt great greefes and heauinesses in his body and béene at one time or other at deaths doore especiallye in the time of some common plague or of other noysom and contagious diseases And yet we see them to be deliuered and to liue still though not greatly thankfull to God therfore Therfore it behoueth all men so much the more dilgently to haue an eye vnto this present Psalme because there is none almost that hath not felt some of the miseries at least which are heere mentioned some wonderfull deliuerance out of the same And he dealeth again with the vngodly punished for their sinnes deliuered for the self-same causes which we noted in the proofe next before namely that both by this occasioÌ„ Gods mercy might be amplified and made more famous whereby he dooth good euen to his enemies and also that the godlye might thereby be assured that they likewise when they are in like manner afflicted shal be deliuered by Gods bountie and goodnes Fooles by reason of their transgression first he setteth down the cause why calamities are sent of God saying that for sinnes men are afflicted that is that Gods iustice might be commended wherby the vngodly are worthily punished secondly that men beeing plagued for their transgressions might haue cause to repent and to abstaine from sinne So there is a double vtilitie héere to be considered and either of them wonderfullye auailing to comfort Neither dooth he simply say that men are afflicted for their sinnes but firste also he premiseth something saying Fooles because of their transgression Where it is to be noted that there is some difference betwéen the Hebrue and the translation of the Septuaginta For these haue it thus He tooke them out of the way of their iniquitie for by reason of their transgressions they were humbled And the sence is that men are humbled and afflicted for their sinnes and that because the Lord wil by this meanes withdrawe them from sinne and call them home from their wicked and vngodly life Which sence is sound and godly and it teacheth that men are punished to the intent they might bethinke themselues of repentance and be brought by afflictions to amendement of life And in the Hebrue it in reed thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sence whereof is this That men are made fooles and blinded through sinne and therfore are worthily punished of God for sinne Whereby we may note here that the contempt of the woord which was described in the example aforegoing hath blindenes and foolishnes following it altogither after the same manner that the Apostle Rom. 1. describeth them that despised the truth offred to be made frustrate in their imaginations and their foolishe hart to be darkened When they professed them-selues to be wise they became fooles c. From whence we learne heere out of the sence which is in the Hebrue that this is the effect of sinne namely that by it men are blinded made fooles and at length become brute beastes Which effect of sinne ought woorthily to fray all men from euill dooing And they are saide to be fooles because they refuse the most excellent counsell of God which he hath propounded vnto vs in his woord And this foolishnes followeth very orderly the contempt of the woord whereof hath béene spoken in the proofe before going For the woord is indéede first offred that no man should be able to alleadge any excuse But when they reiect and abhorre that it is of necessitie that they fall most fondly and so be plundged in perpetuall folly Their soule abhorred all manner of meate Now he describeth another kinde of danger laide vpon men by reason of sinne And he nameth no one certain contagious and perillous disease by the which it might be proued that sinnes are punished but he generallye discribeth the extreme danger that groweth out of euery disease insomuch that in truth this present place may serus to minister comfortes against all fortes of sicknesses yea euen when men are brought to the vttermost hazard And there is no disease so little which in time will not growe to this point For this cause vndoubtedlye it is that the Holy ghoste hath so framed and fitted together this present place Wherfore he cunningly painteth out one that is in extreme danger through the rage and crueltie of his disease Their soule saith he abhorred all manner of meate Then doo we despaire of the health and recouerie of the sicke party when he not onelye desireth no meate but also loatheth and abhorreth it When he is once come to this passe there is no likelyehoode at all of any longer life And therfore he saith All manner of meate that is not onelye that which nourisheth quickeneth and confirmeth the members to the prolonging of life but also that which pleseth and delighteth the tast For otherwise some things are woont to to be prepared for sicke folkes which though they doo not greatly nourish yet are they prositable for this cause that by their strangenes and sweetenes they might prouoke a queysie stomack And he addeth They were brought to deaths doore In one woord and by a Rhethoricall similitude he describeth the most certaine perill and hazard of life And it is a phrase of spéech proper and peculiar to the Scripture such almost as are the descriptions of death in the Poets whilest they feigne that death hath his mates and companions c.
And the Latinistes when they would signifie any thing to be very néere at hand they say that it is in or praeforibus at or before the doore Therfore such are described beer as differ little or nothing from death it selfe and by the greatnes of the daungers is propounded the greatnes of Gods goodnes and mercy to be considered And when they cryed The second parte touching their deliuerance in a verse interlaced He sent his woord The formall cause of their curing or healing which also argueth the power of God to be most mighty and meruailous For it noteth that when men haue applied diuers and sundry remedies to their diseases and doo nothing preuaile God by his only woord and beck restoreth them to health To which effect also the Centurion Luk. 7. saide vnto Chist Onely speake the woord and my seruant shal be whole And Christe else-where with his only woord cured many sicke persons To the Leaper he said Be thou cleane Mat. 8. To the Deafe and Dumme Mark 7. Ephata which is to say Be opened albeit he did there put his fingers into the deafes eares and with spittle touched his tung And Marks he raised a damzell from death taking her by the hand saying Talitha cumi that is to say Damsell I say vnto thee arise But what neede we any moe examples Touching the creation of the whole world of nought it is saide Psal 32. He spake the woord and they were made Therfore the woord of god signifieth simply his beck will and commaundement They that expound this Psalme touching spirituall and internall dangers appertaining to the minde or soule by the woord sent will haue to be vnderstood the Sonne of God Jesus Christ And rightly For he is the woord of the eternall father his very substance power and by him are healed our spirituall diseases of which matter we may reade euerye where in the prophets and in the sacred Epistles And they were deliuered from their diseases He rightlye vseth the plurall number to amplifie the goodnes of God which deliuereth the diseased not from one distresse onley but from many wherof euery one were able to bring death and destruction And truely so it is As ofte as any man is sick vnto death he might not onely by the force of his desease but by other the least discommodities also annexed vnto it be extinguished For why the sâ—â—mack cloyed but a little with meate or drink the inconuenient lying vpon the side or chest yea some vnsauerye smell or ayer breaking forth might kill and dispatche the wretched wight O wofull calamitie of mankinde subiect to so many miseries and yet neuer departing from pride and most pernitious affections 21. Let them therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenes and his wonderfull woorks before the sonnes of men 22. And let them offer sacrifices of praise and declare his woorkes with reioycing The conclusion hortatory by a verse enterlaced hauing a more full exhortation added to thanks-giuing for the benefite of health receiued wherein he hath respect vnto that which was vsually for the most part among the people of olde time who namelye besides their priuate giuing of thankes did also publikelye offer sacrifice as oft as they had receiued from God any not able and singular benefite Touching which kinde of sacrifices and rites who so list may looke Leuit. 7. And how king Hezechia the third day after his sicknes went vp into the house of Lord and sung praises vnto the Lord we may see 3. King 20. and Esay 28. And he addeth very elegantly a partickle touching the true vse of sacrifices and as touching that kinde of sacrifice which it becommeth vs also at this daye to vse And that is to declare the woorkes of the Lord with reioycing For by this meanes especially doo we offer a most acceptable sacrifice to God if so be we praise his goodnes which we haue found by experieÌ„ce in our selues to others and stirre them vp in like manner to praise God with vs. For why this is in very déede to prouide that by true and spirituall sacrifices the name of God may be truly sanctifled and hallowed And albeit it be said afore that God healeth them that are neere vnto death by his only woord yet must we not gather héerby that they are not healed of God which are cured by taking of simple medicines after the prescription of the arte of Phisick For sith we proue â—aylye by experience that the vie and verâ—ue héere of is very great it behoueth vs to holde that the power of God woorketh in these things and that they can in no wise doo any thing of themselues but so far forth as it pleaseth God to woork in and by the same accordingly also as we sée oftetimes that although many and good simple medicines be giuen to some sicke folkes yet is it without any fruit or effecte at all following and 2. Chron. 16 King Asa is gréeuously reproued who regarded more the skill of the Phisitions then he did the goodnes of God But touching this poynte more was saide of vs when we entreated of second causes Therefore by whatsoeuer meane and from whatsoeuer sicknes any be restored to their former health it is méet and conuenient that we vnderstand them to be healed by God and his woord that is to saye by the good wil and pleasure of God For why all simples are created of God and doo receiue from him their secret vertue Phisick is giuen by God vnto men as witnesseth the wise Hebrue Eccle. 38. and the Church receiued from God the gift of healing 2. Corinth 12. Wherfore which waye soeuer a man recouereth his health whither it be by miracle or by ordinary meanes he ought to giue all thankes onlye to God and to offer the sacrifice of praise vnto him alone Therfore also al they that are now sick and with what diseases soeuer they be afflicted whither with the plague or pestilence or with any other contagious or lesse dangerous sicknes let them knowe that the things which are heere spoken doo belong vnto them and let them not only therby take comfort but also learn how and after what sort they ought to behaue themselues toward God after they be deliuered 23 They that goe down to the Sea in shippes and doo their woorke or busines in great waters 24 They see the woorkes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe 25 For he commandeth and raiseth the stormie winde which lifteth vp the waues therof 26 They mount vp to the heauen and deseend to the deepe so that their soule melteth for trouble 27 They are tossed too and fro and stagger like a drunken man and al their cunning is gon or they are euen at their wittes end 28 Then they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuereth them out of their distresses 29 For he causeth the tempest to ceasse so that the waues therof are still 30 So when they the waues are
plesant Pastures and to the commodious waters to drinke and whilest he conuaieth him not through rough places but through faire and plaine waies And all this saith he he giueth vnto me for his names sake that is to say fréely and without anye duties or desertes of mine For what should a poore Shéepe doo whereby she might hinde her Shepheard to haue so great a care of her and yet sith he treateth héer of good men and of God their shepheard the similitude dooth somewhat hault For the shepheard kepeth his shéep to make his gain of thē For when he is disposed he may either sell them or otherwise conuert them to the vse of him self and of his Familie But God seeketh no gaine by vs no commodities as he that needeth no manner of thing but referreth all thinges to our benefit nothing to his owne which he respecteth not seeing he is moste perfect and replenished with all good things How then should a wretched man or with what duties should a woorm of the earth binde that most blessed Spirit vnto him but God seeing he is best of all dooth not want till he be prouoked by vs for that he is of his owne accord most ready and willing to doo vs good And therfore saith Dauid God bestoeth al these benefits vpon me for his names sake that is for his owne sake and for his great goodnes sake In the fifth place he saith Though I should walke in the middest of the shadowe of death yet will I feare no euill in the which his spéeche seemeth to be changed For if he had continued in that kinde of spéech which he vsed before describing his shepheard by his effectes he would haue said He deliuereth me our of danger but if the thing it selfe be attentiuelye marked he saith both thus much and somewhat more as we shall see anon Further Dauid might seeme heer in this place to commēd not the diligence of his shepheard but his owne vertue and strength I meane his constancye and couragiousnes of minde Though I should walke in the middest of the shadowe of death saith he yet wil I feare no euill Notwithstanding it is not so but he referreth all this to the praise of his shepheard as maye appeere by the reason following for thou art with me of which we wil speak strait waies Dauid therfore in this place saith that God hath so great a care of him that he taketh and deliuereth him out of dangers and that he will alwaies vse the selfesame fauour towards him heereafter And therefore if any thing happen vnto him otherwise then wel to wit if he wandring like a lost sheepe shall fall into any great danger and euen into the very shadowe of death it selfe yet he saith he will fear nothing at al. And because that this was a strange assertion for afore he had saide He leadeth me to the pleasant Pastures and to the quiet running waters in this wise restoring my life also he leadeth mee in the plaine pathes all which thinges he had already proued by experience but now he saith that in what perills soeuer he be plunged he shall continuallye be deliuered by God of which some doubt might be made this then he fortifieth with a newe reason For thou saith he art with me thy rod and thy shepheards crooke comfort me That is to saye thou by thy speciall good prouidence and loue towardes me art alwaies present with me and withall so gracious and mercifull that therfore I neede not to feare any euill in what dangers soeuer I am set but he still persisteth in the similitude erewhile taken from the Shepheard and he imagineth that God is armed for his defence and as it were some shepheard ready prepared with his sheep hooke that is his shepheards staffe to defend his shéepe and therfore Though I should walk saith he in the shadowe of death or be in the very dennes of wilde beastes yet will I not be afraid because God béeing merciful is alwaies present with me prepared with his sheephooke to saue defend me If the proposition which is heere also wanting be added it wil be more apparant in this wise He for whose defence God as a shepheard is prepared as it were with his Shepheards staffe hath to feare nothing in what perills soeuer he be placed But God saith Dauid is as a shepheard prepared with his staffe to defend me Therfore though I should walk in the middest of the shadow of death I will not be afraid This reason is plaine and manifest wherby also appeereth that which we saide before to wit that Dauid dooth not commend heere his own vertues but the excellent prouidence of God both towardes him and his and it is to be noted heere that he dooth not say That he shall not taste of any euill or distresse héereafter for he knewe well inough as he was a wise man the sicklenes mutabilitye of mens estate but this he saith that he shal haue God alwaies mercifull and fauourable vnto him in dangers and therfore auoucheth that he is not to feare any thing and besides he pronounceth that it will neuer come to passe that by reason of the perils wherin he might be plunged though the horror and feare of death it selfe were present before his eyes yet that he shall neede to fainte or be discouraged seeing he hath in a readines such a Shepheard and defender And these are the thinges which he propoundeth and layeth out in that continued Metoephor borowed from the Shepheard of the Shéepe which selfesame afterward he repeateth without a figure adding also some things ouer and besides and he repeateth thē when he saith Thou shalt prepare that is thou doost prepare the time to come for the time present which is vsuall among the Hebrues thou preparest therefore my table before mine aduersaries or persecutors thou annointest my head with oyle and my cup runneth ouer For this is it which he had said before thou leadest me to the pleasant pastures and to the still running waters and that through plaine smothe waies so restoring my life Notwithstanding in the first there is further to be noted the circumstance which he added before mine aduersaries For they are woont that are godlye in trueth to haue many enemies which are desirous of their ouerthrowe and to haue thē spoyled of all their goods and that doo they diligently séeke and alwaies deuise one thing or other against them but God in despight of thē protecteth his and is wont bountifully to nourish and bring them vp euen in the sight of their enemies wherin the singular grace and goodnes of God toward his is to be seene This is it therefore that Dauid saith happened vnto him Now that which he addeth touching Oyle or precious Ointment he speaketh according to the fashion of the Cuntrey For there was a custome that if their Feastes or Banquets were any thing costly the Guestes were perfumed or annointed with Oyle and precious Ointment
or vision comprehending al thinges as it were with one look or view of the eyes The foreknowledge therefore of thinges to come is not repugnant to mans libertie or to the nature of things contingent For like as it is necessarye that all thinges that are past should already be fulfilled and yet notwithstanding some of them had necessary causes and therfore could not choose but be and some had free and contingent causes and therefore might either be or not be euen so likewise the things that are to come shal al come to passe but some of necessary causes and cannot but be othersome of frée and contingent causes and may fal out not to be For the maker and Creator of this worlde would not haue all thinges to come to passe by necessary causes but some to proceed of frée and contingēt causes wherin cheefly his glory dooth appéer For those thinges onely that are frée are capable of diuine power and of the heauenly and blessed life And therfore some things are doone which might not be doone and some thinges are not doone which might be doon Wherfore Adam when as by the consent of all Diuines he might haue stoode he fell and Christ sayde That he could pray vnto his Father and that his Father also could send twelue legions of angels whereof notwithstanding neither came to passe As therefore it is necessarye that all thinges alreadye past should be doone and yet that necessitie is not absolute but in respecte of the cause that is by reason of the circumstance of the time already past so the things that are to come after a sorte it is necessarye that they should be not absolutely indeed but in respect of the cause namely for because it is determined that they shal be so likewise is it necessarye that all thinges that are present be in esle as it is necessary for him that writeth to write as long as he writeth and for him that speaketh to speak and yet neuerthelesse not absolutely as when we saye the fire burneth or the Sunne shineth for it maye be that he writeth not and that this holdeth his peace but in regarde of the cause that is by reson of the circumstance of the time present forasmuch as Euery thing when it is it is necessary that it be saith Aristotle This therfore first we vnderstand by that place of Augustine that certaine Philosophers being deceiued in this point haue groeuouslye erred Secondly we perceiue by the same place what the way is of quieting so great a discord For as Augustine reproueth and confuteth those that of the foreknowledge of God concluded the necessitie of all things and took vtterlye awaye all libertie and freedome from man declaring that Gods foreknowledge agreeth right well with mans libertie A religious minde saith he chooseth both confesseth both and with a godlye faith approueth both So we also supposing this to be the only way andmean to end determin the controuersie by vs propounded haue vndertaken to defend That the liberty of mans will is not taken away by the purpose and decrée of God least any man should thinke Gods purpose and decrée to be such a thing as wherby men might be forciblye carried as the dust of the winde or by whose force and power alone and not by their owne they may speake like Balaams Asse and doo whatsoeuer they doo For he that thus thinketh is in a very great error Neither againe doo we attribute that libertie to man whereby he maye doo euery thing for so should be taken away not only Gods purpose and decrée but mortall man should be taken for a God but whereby he may woorke and deale at libertie vnder the decrée determination of God which is the property of that nature that God hath made free and capable of power and life eternall And so far is it off that this our sentence ought worthily to displese any of sound iudgment that euen they also which striue and struggle togither about this matter if their meaning were throughlye seene into are iust of this minde For it was neuer the intent of these learned and singular men to establishe such a purpose and decrée of God as whereby alone all thinges should be carried and doone without a meane as who should saye men were nothing but blocks and passible instrumentes for if they had beene of this minde they might woorthily haue beene gainsaide Neither the other sorte if so be we wil indifferently construe their meaning doo graunt vnto man that libertye whereby as he may purchase death and extreme miserie so also he may procure to him selfe life soueraigne felicitie for this would vtterly abolish the grace of God which they say was Pelagius his error but whereby a man may in such wise be and be said to be the Lord and maister of his actions as that he now alone may be deemed the author of sinne and God in no case charged therwith But this opinion will some man say induceth free-wil But what deuine euer denied that man hath indéed ouer much will to sinne For this saying of Augustine if I be not deceiued as it is most famous so also it is most true To doo a thing freely is the propertie of mans nature and so coopled with reason that it cannot be seperated from it by dooing freely to choose euill is the propertie of corrupt nature but to choose good is the gift of grace And therfore to conclude God the creator and Gouerner of all thinges is not the destroyer of the order by him appointed but the preseruer For he would that in the nature of things there should be diuers and sundry causes namely some Necessarye and othersome also free contingent which according to their seuerall natures might woorke freely and contingently or not woork Wherupon we conclude that secondary causes are not enforced by gods purpose and decrée but carried willinglye and after their owne nature for bycause that God is the preseruer of the order by him set and appointed and not the destroyer who woorketh by Satan and the wicked not as by a stone or brute beast but according to the qualitie and disposition of that nature which he hath put into them And thus much touching the first Question Question II. Our coniunction With Christ is altogether spirituall THe second followeth Our coniunction with Christ is altogither spirituall Out of which also there haue risen in this age not onely cruell and bitter conflicts of the learned among themselues but also hatreds persecutions burnings and tormentinges of a number of men yea warres and desolations of Countries neither hath this so deadly a controuersie beene betwéene the Romanists and Protestantes onely but betweene the Protestantes also themselues and that most eger and sharpe and which as yet is not throughly quenched and brought to an ende Of this therefore we also will speake somewhat but bréefely and according to the time which we suppose to be remaining vnto vs. This