a pastour or preacher in the Church These the elect I meane the Lorde hath here and there sparsed emong the wicked as precious stones in the middes of the earth Therfore thou must not think to preach to these only which were to be wished but that can not be because they are mixed with the vngodly multitude Likewise when thou art called to be a ciuill magistrate or a gouernour of a houshold thou shalt not finde all to be precious stones gold or siluer but let it suffice thee if in a whole multitude as it chaunceth in mynes thou find but one veine of siluer or emongst a great deale of earth but one precious stone For the greatest part in the Church is hereticall godles the least part in the ciuill state obedient louing of vertue Hereof it commeth then that al things are ful of trouble to the godly pastour the Magistrate the housholder because the wicked with such successe contemne and disobey all godly orders Notwithstanding thou man of God stand in thy calling do thy duetie pray for peace exhorte counsel reproue those whom thou hast charge ouer For since that now by the word of God the church is somewhat purged of false religion superstition and idolatrie the Magistrates better instructed of their duety and office Satan rageth as a strong armed man keping his house when a stronger commeth Be strong therefore in these tentations and think that as these things are not begun by the power of Satan so though he rage against the same neuer so much thou must not be discouraged or slacke the Lords busines but first serue the Lord and then thy brethren and neighbours For their sakes the Churches must be instructed the common wealth gouerned not for the worldes sake and the vngodly multitude for it is not worthie that a theefe should be hanged an adulterer or murderer put to death but the Lord in heauen and our brethren neighbours in earth are worthy of this seruice as he addeth in the verse following Thus I expounde this verse to be a consolation for pastours ciuill Magistrates and gouernours of families against the multitude of the wicked and the trobles which by them the godly doe sustayne Verse 9. Because of the house of the Lorde our God I will procure thy wealth This is an other cause why he prayeth for the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem for that the Sanctuary of the Lord and the feate of true religion being stablished in that citie if it prospered not the worship and seruice of God could not there continue As if he sayd The Lord our God hath stablished his seate in thee O Ierusalem and in the middes of thee hath he set vp his worship For the which cause I loue thee and thinke thee worthy of all prosperitie But why doth hee adde hereunto Our God Because God had chosen this nation to be as his own peculiar people And this also was the cause why Dauid so loued them and was not discomforted with these troubles which he for their sakes susteyned both in the Church and in the ciuill gouernment but being chosen to be a King and a Prophet to this people he constantly endured all troubles and herewithall comforted him selfe that first he serued the Lord his God then his brethren and was not an vnprofitable seruaunt but fruitefull vnto God that he might be glorified and to his neighbour and brother that he might be saued Let vs likewise pray for the welfare of our brethren and for the house of the Lord with Dauid who as this Psalme sheweth did wel vnderstand the power and glory of the word and therefore he neither giueth thankes nor yet reioyceth for the abundance of gold and siluer which notwithstanding he lacked not but for the word and true worship of the lord Where these two are not lacking all other incommodities may easily be borne For if we haue the Lord abiding with vs if we maintaine his word and his true seruice and seeke the saluation of our brethren what can we desire more But where the word true worship of God is not regarded there is no God no mercy no saluation neither doth there any thing else remaine but the cursed multitude which shal be damned in hell Therefore Dauid exhorteth vs in this Psalme aboue all things to reuerence the word and by faithfull prayer to seeke the aduauncement thereof Also to giue thankes vnto God for peace and true preachers which gouerne the Church according to his word for where these things are not there must needes be trouble and vexation vnquietnes of conscience murder adultery such other horrible sinnes which the Lord turne away from our Churches preserue that poore remnant emonges the damnable multitude which serue and worship him according to his word By these two latter verses we are admonished first how euery Christian ought to regard him which is his fellow in faith and religion that is to say as his brother and neighbour Then also why he ought to haue a harty loue and zeale to the Church and congregation of the faithful For my brethren saith Dauid and for my neighbours And againe for the house of the Lord our god These two thinges ought to be considered in the Churche of christ In it are our brethren and neighbours in it is the house of God yea rather it is the house of God it selfe in the which are the children of God and true brethren O happy is he and a right Christian in deede which beeing indued with the true knowledge and faith of Christ and also with that brotherly loue which is according to the spirit of the children of God can vnfainedly and hartely say For my brethren and neighbours and for the house of the Lord our God I both seeke and I wish the prosperitie and welfare of the Church of God. The 123. Psalme I lift vp mine eyes vnto thee c. This Psalme as ye see is but short and therefore a very fitte example to shew the force of prayer not to consist in many words but in feruency of spirit For great and weighty matters may be comprised in few words if they proceede from the spirit the vnspeakeable gronings of the heart especially when our necessity is such as will not suffer any long prayer Euery prayer is long enough if it be feruent proceede from a heart that vnderstandeth the necessitie of the Sainets not in such small matters as y world counteth great and weightie as pouerty losse of goods and such other worldly incommodities but when the Church is oppressed with violence and tyranny when the name of God is prophaned with wicked doctrine or if there be any thing else that either hindreth the glory of God or the saluation of soules These perils can not well be vttered in prayer and therfore the prayer of the faithfull is then most effectuous when with griefe of heart and affliction of spirite they see
a wonderfull thing to see howe ready it is to receiue helpe and comfort ▪ any way else ▪ sauing onely of God. This is then the praise and commendation of faith that it looketh onely towardes the healthfull and comfortable mountayne which is in Ierusalem refuseth the succour of all other mountaines Thus the prophet casteth his eyes aside as it were vpon the wicked who forsaking the helpe of the Lordes mercie and goodnes which was then in Ierusalem sought reliefe and succour in other mountaines In like maner in the kingdom of the Romish Antichrist there are infinite feets and swarmes of Monks and other supersticious votaries some holding of Augustine some of Benedict some of Francisce c. which by their vowes and monasticall life thinke to obtaine the kingdom of heauen hoping also by these comforts to ouercome the terrour of Gods wrath heale the woundes of conscience And this is alwayes the inclination of mans nature to follow his owne wayes and to forsake the wayes of the lord Therfore Dauid sayth Some forsake the temple abhorre the mount Syon but I abide in the simple way of faith true religion which is the healthfull hill that the Lorde him selfe hath appoynted In that he calleth it the healthfull hill or the hill from whence helpe and succour commeth he reiecteth and condemneth all other hills which haue a shewe of helpe and succour Such I meane as is visibly wrought in the seruice and honour done to the idols but true helpe they giue none So the Iewes sayd that Baall shewed more present help in the temple then god So they cry in Ieremy VVe will doe sacrifice to the Queene of heauen but thy commaundement we will not doe for since we left to doe sacrifice to the Queene of heauen the sworde and famine hath consumed vs And thus forsaking the temple and the true worship of God they ranne headlong to all impietie But you will say Why would God that Idolatry should haue such successe Euen to trye our fayth and whether we doe truely beleue and worship one God according to that commaundement Thou shalt haue none other Godds c. True it is in deede that Idolatry hath great successe yet is it but for a time So said King Achas The goddes of the Kings of the Syrians doe helpe them therefore will I also seeke their fauour and they shall helpe me But what sayth the Scripture The gods of Syria were the destruction both of them and of all Israell And this is the end of all such false trust So doth Mammon likewise helpe his worshippers For he is a great god and bringeth to them libertie ioy and comfort He lifteth them vp to wealth and dignitie he maketh them to swell with pride and glory But howe long For the time of this fraile brickle life but in death he doth not only forsake them but driueth them downe to the deepe pit of hell Therefore whatsoeuer worldly and visible comfortes and delightes the heart of man can here desire or enioy he findeth them vncertayne and shortly must forsake them and yet withall they bring vnspeakeable tormentes and afflictions of mind and lead men into such blindnes that they haue no regard of God at all who doth not delight his true worshippers with vayne pleasures of this worlde which endure but a moment but replenisheth them with euerlasting ioyes For thus he sayth I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy no man shall take from you Let vs learne therefore to cleaue fast to the Lord our God and those inuisible comforts and if trouble come as we can not looke to be without a crosse if we seeme to be desolate and distitute of all comfort yet God hath a time when he will shew him selfe to haue a care of vs and we shall finde that the afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the glory which shall be reueiled on vs as S. Paule comforteth vs. This is then the sense and meaning of this verse that fayth is a knowledge of thinges inuisible and yet to be looked for least we shoulde thinke it to be but a meere speculation as some doe make it There are thinges to be looked for of the which we haue experience in this life that is to say a good conscience a ioyfull heart an inuincible faith which is able to stande against all stormes of tentations against pouertie enuy reproche and sclaunder of the world against errours and false doctrine and euen against death it selfe Thus we must learne to know the nature of faith namely that it is a will or knowledge or an expectation resting vpon the word of God which word sheweth and setteth forth vnto vs inuisible helps and yet to be looked for as certaine and vnfallible and although we thinke it long before they come yet will they come when it shall be most to our ioy comfort And this is it that these words of the Prophet doe here expresse I lift vp mine eyes to the hils from whence my helpe commeth Here he sheweth him selfe to be destitute of helpe and succour and yet in sure hope and expectation thereof he looketh vp vnto those hills and hopeth for inuisible comfort In like maner must we doe also I am in distresse or affliction of body or mind I am in necessity and can see no meanes how to liue how to maintayne my family how to escape this daunger or that Here is the hart oftentimes oppressed with sorrow and miserably vexed as though there were no succour no comfort nor remedy to be founde But here must we be certainely perswaded that there is help and succour prepared for vs and the time therof also appoynted of God although we know not when it shall be But by this we may learne what a hard matter it is to beleeue when the hart must yeld and consent to any thing contrary to that which both we se heare feele I my self haue bene oftentimes in wonderful great daūgers when the whole world as it were conspired against me For the Pope my mortall enemy and the enemy of my Christ did not cease to stirre vp against me what power and terrour so euer he was able to deuise Here reason woulde rather perswade me to kepe silence and say nothing then to teach and bring my selfe thereby into trouble and daunger For reason can neuer see the Lordes maruelous help and deliuerance which is inuisible and hidden from the eies of the world therfore it thinketh onely of that which it seeth that is to say destruction In all these stormes how my mind was stablished in God what my faith and hope was I will here say nothing Albeit in these great daungers I graunt my minde was oftentimes troubled and yet at the length the inuisible help of God being hidden from myne eyes and from the eyes of the whole worlde appeared so that not onely my deadly and mightie
and our brethren when Satan beginneth to rage when troubles arise when for the words sake we are hated spoyled persecuted and put to death In these daungers whither shall we runne Euen this must be our refuge to say and confesse that God is greater then all our miseries And albeit we perish or rather seeme in our owne sence so to doe yet God perisheth not and therefore we must assuredly trust in his goodnes mercy and power and the sence and feeling of the spirite must be exalted as ye would say aboue the feeling of the flesh and of our owne hart Thus they that will not doe let them follow their own lustes and pleasures and yet let them be sure that they shal drinke vp the dregges of the cuppe wherof the godly drinke but a part as the Prophet saith Notwithstanding many times the godly doe finde also temporall helpe and deliuerance For God doth not so neglect his seruaunts that he will leaue them vtterly destitute of comfort in this life Dauid being driuen out of his kingdome was restored to the same againe Ezechias stricken with a deadly disease recouered and was restored to perfect health The Iewes also dispersed and scattered among the Gentiles were brought home againe And euen here also faith hath her proper office to waite and looke for this helpe and succour for it commeth not by by when we haue neede thereof or when we desire the same Now as the godly in such daungers find not alwayes help and deliuerance euen so the wicked doe not alwaies prosper but euen in this life are horribly plaged for their impietie The kingdom of the Pope hath flourished long and yet we see that much of his power wealth and riches is diminished and the terrible vengeance of God is ready to fall vpon him and his for their impietie Our nobilitie and gentlemen at this day contemne the ministery plucke away the liuings of the Church and spoyle the poore pastors and ministers therof But the time will come I nothing doubt when one Pastor shall be more regarded then x. such gentlemen And thus God sheweth and will shew his iudgement in the defence of the godly euen by corporall or temporall punishment vpon the wicked Therefore we ought so much the more strongly to cleaue to the word and to hope and looke for succour lifting vp our eyes from this sensible misery to Gods inuisible help and succour Such things as hereafter followe in the Psalme tende to the same sense and meaning for the meaning of the spirite is aboundantly with counsell and exhortation to edifie the Church Ver. 4. Beholde he wil not sleepe nor slumber that kepeth Israel These also after the iudgement of the fleshe are deceaueable words For is this to keepe and defend when we are cast into prison deliuered to the tormentor to be burned when we are vexed of Satan and of the world with many and sundry afflictions yea when as Christ him selfe is fastened to the crosse when Iohn Baptist is beheaded at the request of a strumpet Is it not extreme folly to call this a keeping and defending when we see nothing else but an vtter forsaking and desolation Therefore the flesh vnderstandeth these wordes in the contrary sense that is for God the keeper and defender God the forsaker and destroyer These are wordes therefore of the spirite and of faith and not of the fleshe or carnall sense For after the flesh God had no regarde of the Patriarke Iacob when Ioseph was cast away by the crueltie of his brethren and yet God did afterwardes declare that he had a care of him when he did so aduaunce Ioseph that he became in a manner the king of all Aegypt Likewise God doth not so kepe vs but that we must dye yea we must see the departing of our wiues our children our parents â–ª we must be continually troubled and vexed of Satan we must suffer many iniuryes of the ingratefull and wicked worlde How doth this care now appeare in keeping and preseruing vs wherein doth it appeare that God watcheth ouer vs Wherefore we must lift vp our eyes to the hilles where the Lord hath published his wil and his word There must we harken what he speaketh out of his holy temple namely that he neither sleepeth nor forsaketh vs as the flesh peruersely iudgeth but keepeth vs careth for vs and watcheth ouer vs This word faith layeth hold on according to this word it iudgeth although the flesh say and iudge the contrary neuer so much according to his own sense and feeling do think that God neither seeth nor heareth but is like to those which the Psalmist speaketh of They haue eares heare not they haue eyes see not Therefore he extolleth his owne god Mammon that he may haue alwayes money at hand and what so euer may maintaine the pleasures of this life This vanitie is it that the flesh so magnifieth But he seeth not what shall followe when he must dye and forsake his riches and therefore this keeper this watchman which keepeth and preserueth vs by faith and by the word he nothing regardeth Let vs therefore which do beleue and see this miserable blindenes of the world be surely perswaded that this hidden inuisible protection vnder the which we abide by the power of faith and of the word is almightie For to this the holy Scripture leadeth vs and teacheth that the kingdome of the deuill is the kingdom of sinne and death and therefore euery moment he causeth men to sinne murthereth them seduceth and bringeth them into errour or at least goeth about by all meanes so to doe Thus are we alwayes in death in daunger of sinne errour and damnable opinions And what doe we whiles Satan is thus occupyed we teach we write we reade we sleepe we eate we drink and we exercise such other offices and functions of the body of the senses Here our diuinitie teacheth vs euen by our owne experience that if God did not watch when we sleepe if he were not carefull for vs when we are careles we should perish euery moment we should lose our tongues our eyes our eares our hands our feete and our life also And for as much as these thinges doe many times chaunce and when we little doubt or thinke thereof our wiues our children or our frendes dye or else fall into some great daunger it is a minifest token that the kingdom of the Deuill is the kingdom of death and sinne In this kingdom because we liue whiles we are in this world hereof it commeth that we often times offend and fall into many sinnes Thus Dauid became both an adulterer and a murtherer So that hereby we may learne that the kingdome of the deuill in this world is to aduaunce sinne to murther destroy Now therefore that we yet liue and breath that we fall not dayly into greeuous and horrible sinnes it is the great mercy goodnes and
deuill the kingdom of the world sinne and death also against adulterers murtherers theeues false brethren c for the glory of God the aduancing of his kingdom chastitie innocencie charitie c. For God is inuisible and therefore when they are heard which teach and preach vnto vs the word of God then God him selfe is heard For he can not be heard but by witnesses and as S. Paule calleth them by his messengers That which is taught them in the Church is inuisible and absent and therefore can be apprehended by no other meanes but by the testimony of the word So the whole Gospell is a testimony for it speaketh of things absent and it is nothing else but the preaching of faith This I speake for the simple and ignorant concerning this word testifie This is the cause then why Dauid so reioyceth namely that his Ierusalem was builded to this ende that the worde of faith might there be preached whereby the people might learne to know what the will of God is what he intendeth to do with his people what punishment and plagues he threatneth to the wicked And this preaching is the testimony which Dauid here speaketh of made vnto the children of Israell gathered togither in this place whereby they were knowne to be the peculiar and chosen people of God from all other nations as he saith in an other Psalme He hath not so dealt with euery nation Wherfore we also haue great cause to acknowledge the rich blessing of God that the word of God is now purely sincerely preached emongst vs as it was then in Ierusalem and the sweete promises of the Gospell sounding in the eares consciences of the godly to their singular comfort and consolation also the threatnings of God published wherby the wicked are called to repentance and the godly kept in the feare of God and mortification of the olde man through the assistance of the holy Ghost whom the father through Christ and for Christes sake poureth vppon them aboundantly which willingly and gladly receiue this testimony This is one part then of the true worship of God to learne the way how to worship God in such sort as best pleaseth him which consisteth in teaching of the word hearing of God when he speaketh vnto vs by his witnesses and therefore the Deuill desireth nothing so much as to hinder the preaching hearing of the worde For this cause he rayseth vp as ye heard in the first Psalme lying lippes and deceitful tongues he stirreth vp the worlde with sword and power to oppresse the godly and euen in our selues he goeth about to deface this kinde of seruice and worship of God by our deuilish contempt and lothing of the same But contrariwise to build Churches and gorgiously to decke them for the maintenance of masses oblations false worship and idolatrie all this he can abide well enough for by these thinges he knoweth that his strength is not diminished nor his power weakened But when the word of God is preached concerning remission of sinnes the righteousnes that commeth by Christ and life euerlasting this doctrine destroyeth his kingdom This causeth him to rage and to seeke by all meanes possible how he may hinder the course of the gospell The other part of the worship of God is to praise the name of the Lord. This Dauid maketh the second kinde of worship when he commendeth his Ierusalem And here againe note that he speaketh nothing of the sacrifices of the law for albeit he doth not discommend them as I said before yet he reckeneth them but as chaffe in comparison of the word and the fruite which followeth thereof which is thanks geuing And if he had named the sleying of sacrifices euery man had not bene able to serue God with that kinde of worshippe Therefore he requireth nothing else but that which they were able to do without great charges which yet notwithstanding very few did He did not condemne the building of the temple which afterwards should be done by his sonne Salomon but did earnestly desire the same and the cause why he did desire it here you see namely that first the name of God might there be preached and then that God might there accept the praiers of his people with praise and thanks geuing for his benefits receiued Hitherto we haue heard how the Prophete extolleth and magnifieth the incomparable gift benefit of God the word I meane with thanks and praise vnto God for the same For that is a benefite and blessing in dede which is knowne and acknowledged so to be All the world as we see is full euen glutted with the benefits of God notwithstanding it remaineth still in such blindnes that it knoweth them not to be the giftes of God and therefore it taketh and vseth them no otherwise then hogges doe their draffe swill But Dauid seeth that God had geuen him a kingdom wherin the pure word of God and true religion flourished This great benefite he acknowledgeth and therefore he so reioyceth and magnifieth his Ierusalem as a place appointed by the Lords owne mouth where the people might come togither to heare the word of God and to giue thankes vnto God for his benefites out of the which place it was not possible to find god The Gentiles because they had not the word nor this hearing whereof Dauid here speaketh could not find god Hereby we may see how horrible a thing it is to contemne and to loth the word For what can be more horrible then that man a weake creature nothing but earth dust should so lift vp him selfe in pride that when the maiestie of God speaketh most louingly inuiteth him to heare he will not heare And yet we see that there is nothing more common then this impietie this horrible contempt this deuilish lothing of the worde of God emongst all sortes of men The cause is for that we heare not the Lord speaking now vnto vs in his Maiesty as he spake in the moūt Sinai at what time the people were astonished trembled at the terrible voyce of the Lord yet how soone had they forgotten the Lord and murmured both against the Lord and against Moises Thus in his Maiestie he speaketh no more but he speaketh nowe vnto vs by men and therefore he is contemned Horrible it is that Sodome was burnt vp with fire from heauen Horrible it is also that the whole world was destroied with water Moreouer the daily examples of impiety and wickedness as murther whoredom c. are such that they can not be heard without horrour trembling But how horrible so euer all these thinges be yet is it much more horrible to contemne God when by his word he speaketh vnto vs which al the world doth at this day not only they which persecute the word with open tyranny but such also as are euen emongst vs at the beginning seemed to receiue this doctrine with great reioycing Wherefore Dauid exhorteth
the word is deliuered vnto vs to this ende that we should continually exercise ourselues therein Foâ— without this exercise we waxe dull and forget our selues We see into what great daungers men dayly fall And whereof else commeth this but because they are secure they pray not they heare not the word whereby Satan worketh in their hearts by litle and litle a contempt of the word and so bringeth them either in to sudden desperation or other horrible calamities For if the word be once lost and gone what hath a man to defend him selfe with all against this aduersary It is the part of a Christian therefore to be exercised continually in the word and prayer not onely because it conteineth such thinges as the hearte is not able fully to comprehend but also for that our aduersary tempteth not once but continually therefore we must continually fight against him with the word and prayer Thus we see that prayer perteineth to the people of Christ to the redemed and sanctified for the vnbeleuers and wicked doe not pray Verse 5. They that sowe in teares shall reape in joy Emongst other thinges which properly pertaine to the redemed this also is one that they are subiect to many temptations according to the saying of Sainct Peter By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heauen Therefore the profession of a Christian man is rightly called the profession of the crosse So it behoued Christ the head of his Church to suffer And the Prophets through the inspiration of the holy Ghost did testifie before of his passion and his glorification which should follow And how can it be but that Christians must needes suffer since thou shalt finde no kind of life in the world which is without the crosse except thou wilt be vniust But if thou vnfaynedly seeke to liue iustly and godly in this world it can not be auoyded but that Satan wil lay a crosse vpon thee and vexe thee How much more then will he so doe when thou must fight with him touching righteousnes and life euerlasting For if Satan can not abide ciuill and externall iustice home will he abide eternall righteousnes whereby he knoweth that he shall perish for euer Thus Satan continually persecuteth and vexeth the children of god Wherefore of all men their life is most miserable whether you looke to the thinges which they suffer in the flesh or in the conscience In ciuil affaires and thinges parteyning to this life there appeareth some shadow at the least of ioy and pleasure but they that will be true Christians feele them selues miserably wrapped in sinne which maketh the conscience giltie before god Moreouer in the sight of the world they are counted as wormes outcastes and cursed people subiect to the malice of Satan and the whole world therefore the world rageth against them with all kind of crueltie Who so then wil see the true image of a Christian let him behold Iob compassed on eâ—ery side and oppressed with deuills greeuously afflicted and tormented full of fowle and lothsome sores What shall we then doe These thinges must we suffer if we desire to atteyne eternall life If we will confesse and acknowledge our redemer Iesus Christ and our redemption let vs be assured that there shall alwayes be ready which will seeke to spoyle vs of our righteousnes and eternall life Let vs therefore as Sirach teacheth prepare our soules to tentation and let vs offer our backe to the plowers c. as the Psalme sayth For who so euer counteth him selfe a Christian must thinke him selfe no better then his maister christ For we must be made â—â—ke to the image of the sonne of God. If Christ bare a crowne of thorne vpon his head let not vs thinke that we shall haue a garland of roses set vppon our head For our partes we seeke peace and quietnes neither doe we giue vnto the world iust occasion to rage against vs Albeit Satans malice is not so pacified but rather encreased Behold nowe therefore the miserable image of a Christian which is redeemed notwithstanding he is full of sinne full of discomfort and ful of death He is like vnto Lazarus lying before the rich mans gate He is like to Iob oppressed with infinite miseries and calamities Here thou wilt say Who would then desire to be a Christian Harken therefore what Peter sayth Brethren thinke it not straunge as concerning the fiery tryall which is amonge you to proue you as though some straunge thing were come vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christes sufferinges that when his glory shall appeare ye may be glad and reioyce For this is the image of Christ of his Church and of al the brethren that we should suffer But looke not to the sufferings and tribulations onely but behold also the fruite that followeth namely that they which sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Whâ—â— can be sayde more comfortably to those that carry the crosse of Christ which touching the spirite are vexed of deuills touching the body afflicted of the world For Satan oppugneth our faith â–ª causeth vs to murmure against God or else so oppresseth our hartes with heauines and sorrow that we knowe not what we doe or whether to turne vs and yet is it true that we are sanctified 〈◊〉 redemed Notwithstanding this redemption is hidden but thâ— temptation is felt both in the spirite and in the flesh Besides 〈◊〉 this the world ceaseth not to vexe vs the aduersaries of the woâ—â— slaunder vs and our doctrine and falsely accuse vs seeking a thousand occasions to molest vs yea to roote vs vtterly from the fact of the earth When a man once feeleth these thinges his heart trembleth and cryeth Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vppon vs All this is to sowe in teares to goe foorth and weepe and to cary seede for so the holy Ghost calleth it It can not be then but that a Christian must needes be such a sower as must reape not in laughter but in bitter sorrow and teares But thou wilt say Where iâ— then the laughter which is preached to the redemed whereof Dauid spake a litle before In the spirite For looke how much faith thou hast so much laughter thou hast also But sometimes this laughter is lost and turned into mourning yet are we not forsaken For the promise is sure that we shall reape in ioy Moreouer we must not vnderstand here by sowing the office of teaching onely as Paule vseth it which sow vnto you spirituall thinges c. but it signifieth the life of the godly with the whole course and all the actions thereof which they take in hand in respect of their vocation For these are as it were seedes of the life to come which life we enioy and possesse in hope For our saluation is sure certaine and the victory ouer sinne hell and death is ours but yet in hope Notwithstanding so long as we are in
not in their riches their wisedom and policie Moreouer he forewarneth them what discommoditie they should finde in matrimony namely that they must worke and liue with the labor of their owne handes Nowe where there is a lust remayning in the flesh which ioyneth man and wife togither yet is not this the principall knot For such occasions and such troubles may follow whereby this knotte may soone be loosed But these are the true knots of matrimony to know that euen this labour of thy handes and care for thy family are an acceptable sacrifice vnto God that the wife when she giueth the breast vnto her infant the husband when he laboureth vntill he sweate and tyereth his body with labour to succour him and his doth such seruice vnto God as farre passeth all the seruice and all the worshippings of the Pope and his religious rout For marke I pray you what the Prophet sayth Thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee This consolation therefore is very necessary against this offence and this peruerse iudgement of the world to the ende that they which are married may know that God hath ordeyned this kind of life and that in it they should labour and sweate and beare the malediction of originall sinne which malediction began in paradise and is layed vppon vs all and moreouer that they should know that the holy Ghost pronounceth them blessed which are diligent in their calling and labour cheerefully These things are suche as are able to encourage the godly to beare willingly all troubles and miseries what so euer For what canst thou desire more First thou hearest that God will so blesse thy labours that thereby he will giue thee a liuing and all things necessary for this life Moreouer thou hearest that he hath a pleasure in thy labour and approneth the same yea and accounteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice For it is not labour alone but a worke of obedience and of thy vocation These thinges the wicked know not therefore either they seeke ease and rest or else if they must needes labour they are very impatient For they doe not see with the eyes of the spirite but iudge all togither according to the eyes of the flesh which eyes can see nothing but troubles and miseries But the spirite reyseth vp and comforteth the godly with this comfort that God will both blesse them by the meanes of their labour for if he giue any thing to those which are idle and slothfull he giueth it but to their destruction and that this sweate this trauell pleaseth God highly Here are two great commodities for one discommoditie which the flesh seeth onely and no more But here we must note that this is not called labour only when the body is exercised and weeried but the care and trouble of the mind is also a labour For the Prophet vseth here such a word as signifieth not onely that labour which is done with the hande but also the discommodities the sorrowes and vexations wich in our labour and with our labour we doe susteyne Such troubles in families and housholdes doe chaunce very often Many tymes it commeth to passe that when the husband doth his duetie carefully and diligently his wife is vnquiet and ful of strife his children fal sicke his seruaunts are not onely negligent but also deceitful and vnfaithful These thinges we call not labours but sorowes and vexations and yet notwithstanding the Prophet comprehendeth both vnder the name of labour So that whether we seeme to bee afflicted either in doing or in suffering that is either in bodily labour or vexation of the mind all this shoulde we patiently endure think that God hath not giuen vs this life that we should spende it in ease in idlenes and vaine pleasures For this cause he sayth to the woman I will multiply thy sorrowes whiles thou art with child and in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children For great are the sorrowes and the troubles of a woman euen before her trauell also And in her trauell how neare death is she Likewise he saith vnto the man Cursed is the earth for thy sake In sorrowe shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life Here thou seest that this labour and this sorrowe is appoynted to endure not for a day or a yeare but for all the time of thy life Here will some man say If it be so it is better to be vnmarried to liue in whoredom Proue and see whether thou canst bring thy selfe out of these troubles Nay in so doing thou shalt more miserably entangle thy self therein and heape more horrible calamities vppon thine owne heade For by this meanes thou shalt procure vnto thy selfe the wrath of God and an euill conscience and thyne owne hart shall condemne both thee and thy deuilish life For whilest thou followest the pleasures of the flesh thou shalt fall into the bitternes of the spirit and what that is thou shalt feele when the time commeth For one droppe as you would say of an euil conscience swalloweth vp a whole sea of worldly ioyes and pleasures How wilt thou then do when through thy wicked life thou shalt be compelled to suffer the torment and vexation of conscience not for one day but for many yeares On the other side where as a merry and a quiet conscience is being wel perswaded of the fauour and blessing of God there is also euerlasting ioy which doth so swallowe vppe those droppes of worldly sorrowes and troubles as the heate of the Sunne consumeth morning dewe Is it not then a greate madnes so to feare and to shunne those small droppes litle sparkes of labour when thou seest that God hath seasoned and sweetned them with moste sweete and pleasaunt sugar in that he saith here to all those that laboure and suffer the discommodities and troubles of matrimony Thou art blessed it shall be wel with thee That is where as thou art placed in this kind of life wheras thou labourest and art many wayes troubled tempted and afflicted and sufferest nowe this trouble nowe that this doth not onely please me but to thee also it is very profitable that by this meanes the flesh may be mortified and originall sinne suppressed and thou in matrimony as in a schole maist learne this heauenly wisedome namely to abyde and endure the will of God patiently and mayest haue thereby a thousand occasions to declare the patience and loue which out of matrimony and in the single life thou could neuer haue They that so liue in matrimony when they are moste miserable are euen then most happy and blessed Contrariwise they that doe not so liue are moste miserable For they suffer the labours troubles which this life can not be without in such sort that they ioyne sorowe to sorowe one calamitie to an other Hereof riseth strife and variance betwene the husband and the wife Hereof it commeth that the one so abhorreth the other that
foule sinke and filthy pudle But nowe by the great mercie of God the captiuitie beginneth to be turned the temple is repaired and the true seruice of God restored This Psalme after my iudgement speaketh generally of all such troubles and afflictions of the Church as haue bene at all times in all ages As first that the kingdom of the Iewes when they were yet vnder good Kinges was mightely assailed but yet not vtterly ouercome And that the people afterwards were spoyled of the Assyrians and Babylonians and carried away captiue but not cleane forsaken For they were againe deliuered out of captiuitie and in their owne land enioyed the promise concerning christ Thus speaketh the Psalme first of the Iewish Church Afterwards it comprehendeth as a prophecy the state and condition of the Church of the Gentiles to witte that God would preserue and defend it against all heretikes against all the rage and fury of the world against the kingdom of the Romish Antichrist moreouer against al the tentations of sinne which vexe and oppresse the conscience Thus must we apply this Psalme to all times and ages of the Church to all chaunges and alterations all daungers of the world the flesh sinne the lawe death and the gates of hell For the world assaileth it with power wisedome the deuil with desperation and dubitation heretikes with errors in faith and religion and the conscience with sinnes In all these perills we say Blessed be the Lord God who suffereth vs not to be teÌ„pted aboue that we are able to beare In deede we must be tempted and tried but in the tentation he will giue an outscape besides this that he giueth vs strength also to beare the tentation vntill the time of deliuerance come This benefite Dauid here setteth forth and sheweth vnto vs the state of his people to the ende we may thereby learne this comfort that like as he preserued that people euen so wil he also preserue vs For we haue one and the same God the same spirit the same word the same promises briefly all things else whatsoeuer Wherefore we may say and sing with Dauid Verse 1. They haue often tymes afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say Verse 2. They haue often tymes afflicted me from my youth but they could not preuayle against me He nameth no certein enemie to the ende he may comprehend all Where he sayth From my youth he vnderstandeth all the time from their primitiue Church as we call it vntill Israel beganne first to be the people of god For albeit we euer praise those thinges which are most auncient and of greatest antiquitie as the primitiue Church is in deede worthy to be praysed yet God regardeth not this difference For in all times and euen in the last ages of the Church he gaue notable Prophets to the people of Israell as before the captiuitie Esay of all other the most excellent after the captiuitie Aggaeus Zachary and others In the meane time betwene Moises and these were Helias Heliseus c. So we see that the primitiue Church was more pure from heretikes and wicked opinions But yet notwithstanding there were some notable Prophets and other excellent men euen in the later times And when the roote of Iesse seemed now to be withered yet God reised vp Anna Symeon Zachary Elisabeth For God preserueth his Church though it be neuer so much assailed and oppressed according to his promise Onely let vs open our eyes that we may see from whence this commeth And here we may not looke to those things which the world especially estemeth and magnifieth but we must behold the Church as it is afflicted oppressed full of calamitie For this is the true face of the Church of God that it is weake enuironed with all deadly engines and compassed with all the furies of the deuill the world the flesh â–ª sinne and death These thinges he that will not behold but flieth and abhorreth them shall neuer finde out the true Church in deede For that is not the true picture and image of the Church which the painters see forth which paynt her as a goodly virgin as a citie well armed adorned and bewtified In deede that is a true picture but not according to the eies of the flesh But spirituall eyes doe see this great bewty that Christ is her husband begot her vnto him self by the holy Ghost bewtified her made her glorious with his owne blood with his merites and with his righteousnes Of all these thinges the flesh can see nothing can iudge nothing but seeth rather the contrary how she is subiect to most bitter hatred malice vexations torments Wherefore if it would paint her out in such sort as he seeth and beholdeth her then must it paint and set her forth as a deformed and a poore maiden sitting in a daungerous wood or desart in the middest of cruell and hungry lyoâ—s beares wolues swine venimous serpents also in the middes of outragious furyous men attempting with sword fire and water to destroy her and to roote her out from the face of the earth As there is in the Apocalyps set forth a goodly picture then the which there is nothing more excellent in that booke that the church as a desolate woman flyeth from the old serpent or dragon persecuting her her child Wherfore these words which Dauid here vseth may very wel be applied to her Many times haue mine enemies afflicted me many times haue they vexed me But this affliction seemeth rather to be an vtter destruction if we follow the iudgement of the flesh As if the enemies did so preuaile and ouercome that the Church were vtterly oppressed and vanquished for euer As we all find by our owne experience in our conflicts which priuately we suffer in our harts when Satan terrifieth confoundeth our consciences For then are reysed vp such terrors that no man can otherwise iudge but that the victory is Satans oppressing vs with heauy bitter cogitations with tentations vexations and anguish of spirit spoyling vs as to the flesh it seemeth of all the sweete consolations which by the merite of Christ and the word are offred vnto vs According to this sence we may well say Often times haue they afflicted mee For this seemeth to be not onely an affliction but an vtter desolation destruction As we priuatly feele this euery one in our owne hartes and consciences so the whole body of the church in all times doth confesse that it is vehemently assailed with strong and mighty armies of most deadly enemies of all nations and oppugned with the engines of all tentations tribulations euen from her youth that is from the time that when the people were deliuered out of Egypt they began to be knowne from other nations and to be the people of God. But here the church and the children of God comfort and reyse vp them selues agayne hauing good experience that in all
liuely testimony against the gods Yea the godly are so vehemently tempted through this long continuance fall so farre that they thincke God hath no regard of them Wherfore we must so arme our selues with Christian patience that albeit we feele the tedious long continuance of these furrowes we be not therfore offended but when one tentation is ouercome we must prepare our selues to an other For our backes must be alwayes ready to beare the long continuance of these sorrowes This is the first part of the Psalme in the which he confesseth the diuine miracles and miraculous power of God whereby he preserueth his children not only against the world but also against sinne death and the deuill and praiseth God for that he giueth victory to those that are ouercome and putteth those to flight which doe ouercome This ioyful ende and this successe he willeth vs to looke and waite for and exhorteth vs to patience Now he turneth him selfe to prayer and not onely prayeth but also promiseth to the enemies of the Gospel that although they obstinatly continue in afflicting the faithful without checke or punishment yet shall their ruine ouerthrow be such that they shall neuer rise againe as experience doth shewe For I pray you what kingdom from the beginning of the world hath alwaies continued and prospered The places and spaces of the earth doe remaine void and desolate the kingdoms are gone as though they had neuer bene Againe the crueltie tyranny of the kingdomes of the world was neuer so great that it was able to oppresse the church For the Church stil continueth shall continue to the ende of the world as followeth Verse 4. The righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked These wordes are so full of consolation that to the children of God in their calamities and afflictions nothing can be more comfortable For they knowe that no munitions no furniture of war can be so strong Firste of all therefore wey and consider why he calleth the Lord Righteous and you shall see that he so doeth because that when a man considereth according to the iudgement of the fleshe the thinges which are here done and how God gouerneth and ruleth the same it seemeth no otherwise but that he is vnrighteous and vniust in supporting the tyranny of the wicked with great riches power dignitie c. When reason seeth this it can iudge nothing else but that if there be a God he is vniust For first of all thus doth reason gather If there be a God he is able to resist the wicked and vtterly to destroy them For to be a God is to be almighty Againe thus carnall reason argueth If there be a God he must needes knowe those thinges which are done in the world For it can not be said of God that he is ignorant of any thing Now what else followeth heereof but that if God knowe these thinges to be cruelly and vniustly done and is able to resist them he ought also to be no lesse willing to doe the same For if we thinke that he wil not doe that whiche he knoweth and is able to doe it must follow that he is not good but euil not iust but vniust Nowe lay these thinges togither If God haue power wisedom and goodnes in him if he be able to helpe if he knowe how and also be willing to help why are all these things done and gouerned in the world in such sort that the wicked haue power riches and dignitie as a rewarde of their impietie and contrariwise the godly for their pietie and godlines are many wayes and most cruelly afflicted All these thinges are a liuely testimony against God as before we said of Diogenes This argument of Epicurus and such like atheistes is to the flesh inuincible Wherefore reason beeing altogither blinded and wrapped in these snares inclyneth to this opinion that there is no God or else that he regardeth not the affaires of men Of this offence and stumbling blocke the holy Ghost warneth vs when he attributeth this name vnto God that he is righteous whom vnrighteousnes and impietie pleaseth not Therefore although he suffer the wicked to flourish for a time yet at the last he cutteth their cordes that is he destroyeth both their power and them according to that saying Thou art not a God that loueth wickednes Wherefore let Christians learne to iudge not by that which presently they fele but by that which the word of God promiseth and shall assuredly come to passe to witte that the wicked when they haue long plowed vppon the backs of the faithfull and many wayes afflicted them shal perish at the length For God is iust and his iustice wil not suffer the righteous to be oppressed Verse 5. Let them that hate Sion bee confounded and turned back This as before I haue said is a prayer But ye know that in euery prayer there is a promise included which promise this word Righteous doth expresse in the former verse with a singular vehemencie to the ende we shoulde not murmur or blaspheme God as though he were not mindfull of vs or had no regard of vs Now where he saith Let them be confounded turned backe it is an exposition of that which he saide before that their cordes should be cut that is to say their kingdoms their power their riches their lawes and finally their whole politike body and common weale should be brought to nought as it befell to Babylon Niniuie Ierusalem Athens Corinth Thebe Rome and briefly to all kingdoms and common weales which did not submit them selues vnto the Gospell For when they proudly stretched out their neckes and set them selues against Christ their Ring and by their power sought to oppresse him they were destroyed In like maner must we also pray and certainely looke for the executiō of Gods vengeance vpon those which at this day haue set them selues against the Gospell as the Pope and his Bishoppes with all their faction and with all the Kings and Princes of the earth which maintaine and defende their impietie for at the last they shall be confounded But the Gospell and the worde of the Lord shal endure for euer For the name of Christ shal neuer be oppressed but being faithfully called vpon shall alwaies be ready to help the afflicted and shall cut the cordes now of this wicked man and now of that Thus the holy Ghost comforteth vs sundry wayes For when we haue learned that Satan is such a spirite as neuer ceaseth to tempt and to vexe vs so that when he can not ouercome vs by the greatnes and the multitude of tentations he goeth about to doe it by the tediousnes and long continuance therof he would haue vs to comfort our selues herewith that albeit these tentations continue long yet notwithstanding they shall haue an ende And since we are forwarned both of the continuance and of the ende thereof it is the more easie for vs to beare them
nothing and because God blesseth them not they shall inherite nothing but malediction and shal be confounded like as Iudas the Phariseis Cherinthus Arius and Pelagius though they seemed to flourish most miserably perished with all their glory Wherfore let vs whose doctrine by the grace of God is sound and agreable with the holy Scripture remember this similitude that when we must suffer hatred sclaunder reproches and all maner of iniuries for the Gospels sake we be not afrayde but may learne hereby to iudge the Pope the Bishops and wicked Princes with their tormentors and executioners of their crueltie to be nothing else but grasse on the house toppes which seemeth to be somewhat when in deede it is nothing and therefore it is without all blessing To such it shall be sayd with the rich glutton in hell Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receauedst thy pleasures For if we consider the whole history of the church euen from the beginning of the world we shal see that God hath alwayes so wrought by his secret counsell that as grasse on the house toppes withereth away before the haruest come so tyrannes are suddenly cut of and neuer come to their fall time Wherefore let vs constantly abide and endure with patience in all afflictions vntill the ende doe shew that it was nothing but grasse and suddenly withered when it was most like to encrease and flourish The wicked do enioy all good things for the Churches sake like as the grasse on the house toppes hath the benefite of the rayne and of the Sunne as well as the corne in the fieldes But as they shall not liue halfe their dayes and as they shall see their owne counsells and deuises to be but vayne withont successe so shall they be as a perpetuall shame among men in so much that no man shall wish any good vnto them As at this day the memorie of Iudas Pilate the wicked Iewes Dioclesianus Maximinus and other tyranns is without honour yea most execrable and odious vnto all men This consolation is set forth by the holy Ghost by these grosse similitudes examples that we may conceaue in our mindes some shadow or resemblance of Gods workes since we can not rightly iudge and esteeme the thinges them selues according to the trueth but we iudge the enemies and persecutors of the Church by their goodly shew and outward appearance to be good wheate because they prosper and flourish so long vpon the earth Wherefore we must rest wholy in the worde which with such simlitudes paynteth out these thinges and we must withdraw our senses from all outward sightes and shewes and iudge no otherwise of the aduersaries of the worde then of most vile grasse that groweth on the house toppes and is contemned of all men For so sayth the spirite and fayth but our senses say otherwise In like maner must we doe also in spirituall tentations when our conscience accuseth vs giueth testimony against vs as well in the agony and daunger of death as in other conflictes Here if we follow that which appeareth to reason and our owne senses to be true it shall seeme vnto vs that our enemies are inuincible and almightie and that there is no remedy but we must needes be ouercome and vtterly perish The sight feeling of this greatnes perteyneth to the eyes and to the senses onely and ryseth of the iudgement of reason and not of the trueth But when we looke to the true greatnes which the word setteth forth vnto vs we are cōstrayned to say that death sinne Satan and the very gates of hell are in deede nothing else but grasse on the house tops but stubble but a very bubble swimming vpon the water which with the least occasion breakith and vanisheth away So must these thinges be amplified and set against all kindes of tentations whether they be persecutors of the word as the world and wicked Princes or else sinne death and Satan Al which we must learne to extenuate and lesson as much as we can because Christ liueth and we haue his word The consolation is able to swallow vp all terrors and maketh vs able to say that all these thinges are in very deede but one nothing But when we consider these thinges without the worde and Christ in respect of our selues and of our owne strength then are they in deede not grasse but suche high and mighty mounteynes as can not be passed ouer Wherefore when we fight against our enemies we must fight not as men consisting of body and soule but as Christians baptised in the name of Christ hauing the gift of the spirite and the word Now therfore when the deuill death hell it selfe the world and cruell Princes are compared to a Christian they are but grasse vpon the house toppes or if any thing can be saye to be more vile and contemptible For he hath the word which is almighty and moreouer he hath Christ him selfe Christians therefore are inuincible yea euen then when they are ouercome troden vnder foote For the power of Christ is made perfect through weakenes Thus did the holy Prophets and Martyrs comfort them selues against the world and the kingdom of Satan and therfore they did so valiantly suffer all kindes of afflictions being perswaded not that the grasse which withereth away of it selfe without mans endeuour but the word of God should haue the victory For true it is that Basilius writeth when he comforteth the people of Alexandria against the sury of Arius that through the persecutions of the enemies the Church doth more and more encrease and multiply Which thing we also haue proued and God graunt that we and our posteritie may stil so doe The 130. Psalme Out of the depth I call vnto thee O Lorde c. This Psalme we doe also account emongest the most excellent principall Psalmes for it setteth forth the chiefest poynt of our saluation our iustification I meane righteousnes before god The true and sincere knowledge whereof is it which mainteyneth and preserueth the Church for it is the knowledge of veritie and life Contrariwise where the knowledge of our iustification is lost there is no life no Church no Christ neither is there any iudgement left either of doctrine or of spirites but all is full of horrible darkenes and blindnes That we may therefore preserue and leaue this light to our posteritie we wil take in hand as God shall make vs able to expound this Psalme also And here first of all ye haue to note that the Prophets when they speak of God or name God do meane their owne God whose promises worship they had emongest them lest ye should thinke that we haue any accesse vnto God by our owne imaginations which we conceaue of God without the word as the Turkes the Iewes and the Papists do which seke after God altogither without his word or else they transforme the word from the right sense and
call grace heauen it selfe by the which we haue an open passage vnto heauen and the which we can neuer atteyne vnto by the law by workes or by our owne endeuour but rather as a most large heauen it receaueth vs beleuing that by adoption we are made righteous before God through Christ. Hereby we may see what the entent and purpose of the Prâ—phet is in this Psalme namely to teach vs the true way to righteousnes life and saluation Againe to shew vs the way how to escape death sinne and the wrath of God that out of this life we may passe to life euerlasting And in teaching of these things he sheweth his owne experience and layeth open vnto vs his owne hart which the holy Ghost had exercised and scholed with many tentations that so he might atteyne to this doctrine wherein he goeth about here to enstruct vs also The summe whereof is that he resteth wholy in the hope of Gods mercie and in the sure trust of the forgiuenes of his sinnes But these thinges shall more clearely appeare hereafter in expounding of the Psalme Verse 1. Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lorde It may seeme that the Prophet vseth here moe wordes then needeth But he that considereth well the cause which forceth him to burst out into these wordes shall see that no plentie of wordes could expresse the sorrow and anguish of his wofull hart nor sufficiently declare his daunger For it was no light or common tentation that vexed him He complained not of the perills that he was in by the rage of Saul by his sonne Absolon by the false Prophets and others nor of any other tentations which proceede of malice and hatred wherewith the world persecuteth the godly but he setteth forth here the griefe of a vexed and wounded conscience the very sorrowes of death when a man feeling his hart as it were oppressed with desperation thinketh him selfe forsaken of God when he seeth his owne vnworthines and desertes accused before God as a terrible iudge yea when it seemeth vnto him that God hath not onely forsaken him but cast him away for euer hateth abhorreth him for his sinnes These teÌ„tations are much more terrible then those which men commonly fall into for they are not without daunger of soule eternall saluation Therefore he vseth here this maner of speech saying Out of the depth I call vnto thee c. As if he should say great are the troubles wherewith I am oppressed For I feele mine owne sinnes and the iust wrath of God vpon me for the same neither can I find reliefe or comfort to my restles afflicted soule Against the malice of men wherewith they molest and vexe vs there are remedyes to be found but this wound is vncurable except the Lord send helpe and succour from aboue And in dede such troubles as the godly are commonly exercised withall as the losse of goods wife children such other may yet be ouercome or borne with patience Moreouer in those which are counted inferior sinnes as the offences of youth the deiect broken herted may more easily be raised vp againe But these afflictions seeme to them and are in deed vntollerable when they feele them selues oppressed with such horrible and hellish cogitations that they can see nothing else but that they are caste away from God for euer They therfore that feele such bitter tentations haue here an example that Dauid in him selfe felt and had experience of the like For it maketh the tentation much more greuous when they which are thus afflicted feele that as to them it seemeth which none else doe feele but they alone We must learne therefore that euen the godly haue euer suffered the same afflictions and haue bene beaten downe euen to death with the terrors of the law and sinne as we may see here by the example of Dauid crying euen as it were out of hell and saying Out of the depth doe I cry vnto thee O Lord c. But it is not inough for vs to knowe that we sustaine not these troubles and tentations alone but we muste also learne the way whereby such as haue suffered the like tentations haue beene raysed vp againe And here ye se Dauid what he doth Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse He despaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to find reliefe and comforte Rest thou also in this hope and do as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should despaire Thinke not thou therefore that thy tentations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest be swallowed vp with sorrowe and desperation If thou be brought downe euen to the gates of hell beleue that the Lord will surely raise thee vp againe If thou be brused and broken knowe that it is the Lorde which will heale thee againe If thy hart be ful of sorrow and heauines looke for comfort from him who hath saide that a troubled spirite is a sacrifice vnto him It is expedient also to haue some faithfull brother at hande which may comfort vs in these bitter conflictes For God would that in his Church one should help to comfort an other as meÌ„bers knitte togither in one body and he hath promised that when two are gathered togither in his name he will be the thirde amongest them And doubtles nothing comforteth an afflicted conscience so much as to heare some godly brother declaring out of the word of God that such terrours and afflictions are sent of God not to destroy vs but to humble vs therby to make vs to acknowledge the great mercy of God offred vnto vs and to receiue the same with thankful harts But if in this distresse we be destitute of the helpe of such faithfull brethren we must then doe as Dauid â—id in this place that is we must cry vnto the Lord pray as this Psalme teacheth vs Wherein ye see such sorrowfull and bitter sighes as liuely expresse in Dauid the great anguish of spirite from whence floweth such plentifull matter and yet nothing superfluous as compelleth him not onely to say that out of the deepe depth he cryeth and calleth vnto the Lord but he putteth the Lorde also in minde of his promise thereby to moue him the rather to giue eare vnto his prayer Verse 2. Lorde heare my voice let thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers He speaketh as I haue saide before to the same God whose seate was in Ierusalem like as we now speake vnto that God and call him father whom we knowe and worship in Christ alone On this God with deepe sighes he calleth that he would with the eye of mercie looke vpon him and gratiously harken vnto his prayer But if we thinke that we can not pray with such a minde or with such feruencie of spirit as these words doe expresse we must consider that Dauid him selfe did not thus pray in his anguish and in the
pray Let the faithfull rest therefore in this comfort that their oppression and affliction shall neuer be so great but their deliuerance shal be greater And if they thinke otherwise they thinke not well For this is the summe effect of the first precept which Dauid here expresseth with the Lord there is plenteous redemption For this is to be a god in deede euen to redeme and to deliuer yea that with greater maiestie and glory then of any mortall man it can be conceaued Verse 8. And he shall redeme Israel from all his iniquities This promise is a conclusion of the Psalme Wherein againe he sheweth what cause he had to pray what we also in like daunger should hope for And in deede it is a sweete and a ioyfull thing to behold the goodnes of the Lord not onely in that he giueth gouerneth and preserueth this life but much rather in that he sheweth him selfe an enemie to sinne and death and this he doth to saue and to deliuer vs from the daunger thereof For this is it that maketh all other gifts of God more sweete pleasant For although we know that we are the creatures of God yet notwithstanding because we are oppressed with heauines feare death the gilt of conscience and such other calamities we can not enioy the giftes of God with a free and a chereful hart This is then to paynt out God in his owne colours so that this life Gods creatures may be sweete vnto vs when he is sette forth according to this verse namely that he will deliuer his people from their sinnes slay death destroy hel and treade downe Satan vnder his feete Such a God is the God of those that beleue that beleue I say For they that beleue although they be weake and feeble harted and vexed of the deuill and death yet they knowe that God is their deliuerer from all their iniquities Therefore they are reysed vppe with comfort and begin to hope wayting for deliuerance promised in the word Ye shall therefore apply this verse to this ende that it may be as a definition what is the office of God and what his will is properly to doe namely that he will haue to doe with sinners that he will abolish sinne create life righteousnes all good thinges Now the meane whereby God worketh these thinges you know is Christ whom he sent into this world and layed vppon him the punishment of death that they which beleue on him might obteine remission of their sinnes and be made the children of god Thus teacheth and treateth the whole Psalme not of this externall life or good workes but onely of faith and hope towards God through Christ and of the finall victorie ouer sinne and death For these things are not gotten by the workes and power of man but by the worke and power of God alone and they are communicated vnto vs because there is mercie with the Lorde and with him is plentifull redemption This is the onely meanes and the way whereby this victorie is gotten The doctrine of works hath an other end and is so to be taught that the glory of God and the merite of Christ be nothing thereby diminished like as we by the grace of Christ haue sincerely and faithfully euery where handled this doctrine God graunt that the same light may shine also to our posteritie Amen The .131 Psalme Lorde myne hart is not hautie c. This Psalme treateth in a maner of the same matter that the Psalme going before speaketh of sauing that the former Psalme expresseth the contrary more plainely and largely Whereby he most liuely paynteth out an afflicted conscience oppressed with the feeling and burthen of sinne This Psalme hath bene heretofore vsed of the diuines against all maner of pride and presumption a common vice of all mankind and from the which there is not one of vs free neither can it be cured by any other remedy then either by the grace of God or by the wrath of God that is when either the godly by afflictions are corrected with fatherly chastisement or the wicked are plaged with seuere punishment By these meanes presumption the naturall vice of all men is cured Otherwise it is not possible but that man should presume either of his owne wisedom or of his owne power or of his owne righteousnes This pride afterwardes bringeth foorth contention As for example we see how many and sundry wayes men are exercised with such matters as perteyne to the ostentation or to the praise and commendation of the witte wisedome of man For here one man thinketh better of him selfe then of an other one man will be counted wiser and better learned then an other What will such wittes doe thinke you when they shall afterwardes come to the handling of Gods matters Likewise power bewitcheth mens hartes that they can make no ende of proud deuises and counsells The same hapned to the Phariseis hypocrites for that is proper vnto them when they conceiued an opinion of their owne holines and righteousnes To be briefe proud and presumptuous men are troublers not only of them selues but also of the cōmon wealth of the Church of housholds and families of al things else They that are skilful in histories doe see what great euills proud ambitious witts haue alwaies raised vp So in the Church heretiks stirred vp with a perswasion of their owne wisedom are troublers of peace and concord The same commeth to passe also in families houshold matters whereof riseth this prouerbe among the Germanes They which attempt that they can not bring to passe are worthely plagued But who are they I pray you Forsoth euen the whole world For what is he that is contēted with his own gift attempteth not somewhiles to do better more exactly then he is able to accomplish Wherfore the third euill necessarily followeth y like as presumption breaketh quietnes concord alwayes as a fruitful mother breedeth strife dissention so at the last followeth vanitie of vanities the attempts of the wicked are all in vaine This vice reacheth reigneth farre can not be cured by any other remedie as I haue sayd then either by grace or by wrath By grace I meane when by affliction our harts are humbled and we brought to this point that we can thinke modestly of our owne gift By wrath when God oppreseth the wicked with punishments and plagues taketh them away as he take away Pharao whose stubbernes and obstinacie could not be cured but by destruction in the redde sea So the Beniamites did not cease from their furie vntill they were almost consumed In like maner Absolon could neuer be quiet vntill he was hanged vpon a tree Arius also Cerinthus with many authors of newe sectes and errors in these our daies could neuer rest vntil they came to such an end as their acts enterprises did
shall make the consumption which he hath determined in the whole lande That is to say God shall consume and destroy the people for their sinnes yet for his own mercies sake he will preserue a remnant out of the which shal rise a new people a new church So the promise in this place made vnto the house of Dauid is cōditionall as the ende declareth in that the whole kingdom is destroyed Notwithstanding this is also true which the Angel saith he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer This contradiction can neuer be reconciled vnlesse we make such a difference of the promises of god And hereof riseth all the errour of the Iewes that they know not this difference They see great and ample promises concerning their land their kingdom but they see not that they are conditionall And againe all those things which are promised as concerning the spirituall kingdome they apply to the corporall kingdom Hereof it commeth that they glory so much and conceaue so great hope that their kingdom shall be restored But it is an easie matter to iudge how foolishly they are deceiued But we will returne vnto the Psalme The cause why he maketh mention of Dauid we haue declared to be the promises made vnto Dauid for the which he desireth of God that he will not turne away the face of his anoynted that is to say of the King which was anoynted by the word commaundement of God. Now the face of the anoynted he calleth the presence of the King or the kingdom giuen and ordeyned of god As if he sayd Preserue O Lord thy people mainteyne the iustice the iudgementes the equitie the whole politike gouernment of this kingdom that all thinges may be done in due order so that publike peace be not troubled by sedition and ciuill discord that discipline be not defaced and deformed by adulteries and other offences For these things and such like doe perteyne to this kingdom For to enioy a kingdom is not to enioy a crowne or a scepter but a godly ordered common wealth in the which innocencie may safely dwell and contrariwise sinne and wickednes may be seuerely punished All these thinges he prayeth for when he desireth that the face of the anoynted may not be taken away Nowe the cause why he desireth these thinges is for that this people had the word the Church of God emonges them which can not prosper and flourish where all is full of murther adultery warre and contempt of lawes So Paule likewise exhhorteth vs to pray for Kinges and Princes that we may leade a peaceable and a quiet life To this prayer doe we also exhort those ouer whome we haue charge Why then do the wicked accuse vs as troublers of the publike peace ▪ I am verely perswaded that if peace and quietnes be mainteyned by any meanes it is specially by the praiers of our Churches For how should the aduersaries pray what should God giue vnto his enemies the persecutors of his word which are in deede vtterly ignorant what true prayer is or howe they ought to pray Verse 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth vnto Dauid he will not shrinke from it saying Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy throne We are entred as I haue sayde into the second parte of the Psalme in the whiche hee prayeth for the politike or corporall kingdome For these two kingdoms namely the politike and the spirituall kingdom although they be farre vnlike yet are they so ioyned togither that the one can not stand without the other For where politike peace is lacking there can no pietie or godlynes be maintained without great daungers Againe where the worde of God is not there can be no ende of errours blasphemies and other impieties Prayer therefore for politike peace and the common wealth is necessary Now when the word is ioyned withall the greater cause we haue to giue thankes vnto god And this prayer as I haue said is also grounded vpon the promise of god For in prayer we must aske nothing but that wee are certainly perswaded we may or ought to praye for or may be obtayned Now that we may be certaine how to pray what to aske there is not onely a commaundement as touching prayer set forth vnto vs but also a certaine forme of prayer and the very words wherby we are taught how to pray and what we should pray for and moreouer certaine causes expressed for the which we may be assured that our prayer pleaseth God As when we pray for the sanctifying of the name of God the comming of his kingdome c. And here is also to be noted that this promise is confirmed with an othe that it might be the more sure and certaine This promise as touching the temporall kingdome as it is great so was it an occasion to many holy Prophetes of great affliction and cruel death For as the promises of God in their right vse doe raise vp and comfort afflicted and godly mindes so by occasion thereof secure and prophane spirits ware proud presumptuous and through the confidence they haue in these promises they afterwards persecute the godly as we may see by manifest examples in the Prophets who because they reproued the idolatries of the Kings and condemned their false and damnable worshippings threatning the destruction of the kingdome and of the people vnlesse they woulde forsake their abominations turne vnto the Lord were tormented and put to death as heretikes for that they seemed to speake against this and other promises And in deede this seemed to be an inuincible argument whiche they vsed against the Prophets If God said they haue promised that the sonnes of Dauid should sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer it is impossible that the King should commit any such offence for the which the kingdome should be destroyed The kingdom of the Pope hath not so goodly and so glorious a pretence and yet doth he also abuse the promises of Christe in like maner to establish his tyranny his idolatries and abominations How doth he bragge of this promise of Christ when he faith I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde As though this pertained to the establishing of the Popes tyranny So that sweete consolation The gates of hell shall not preuaile c. afterwards became bloody and cruel and was an occasion of death and destruction of many Sainctes for that the Pope did apply it vnto him selfe and abused it for the stablishing of his tyrannicall kingdome For this was the only argument whereby they proued that the Pope being the head of the Church could not erre Thus the wicked doe abuse the promises which God hath set forth to raise vp the afflicted minds and consciences of his people against the true Church This was the cause why Amazia the Priest could not abide Amos the Prophet In the middes of thy house sayth
continuing citie but looking for one to come And good cause there is why that Disciple of Christ should desire no more but for the present day which is commaunded not to be careful for to morrowe For it is an absurde thing that we should desire to liue long in this world which pray for the spedy comming of the kingdom of Christ. That which followeth her poore I will satisfie with bread is a phrase or kind of speech well knowne For breade the Hebrewes are wont to call meate and drinke like as we call vitailes whatsoeuer perteineth to our foode and sustenance These things he promiseth but to the poore for so he calleth his people For he seeth the condition of his Church to be such that in the middes of the riches and wealth of the world it onely hungreth thirsteth The pouertie of the Leuites was exceeding great vntill they aspired to honor and dignitie as also our Prelates doe For Satan so ruleth in these matters that he neuer ceaseth to oppresse the ministerie as much as in him lyeth with pouertie and contempt This many not contented to beare doe fall so farre that rather then they will lack they will teach the thinges that please men that so they may attaine to wealth and dignitie The godly must therefore hold fast this promise that the Lord saith he will giue breade vnto his poore For both these thinges shall come to passe that they shall haue breade and yet they shall be poore And why Because the kingdom of Christ is not of this world Let those therefore which are of the ministery and are the principall part of this kingdom be content to suffer reproch hatred and contempt or else let them be no ministers For the inheritance of this world is not promised to the godly but the assured and euerlasting inhertiance of the life to come Wherefore Christ calleth the poore in spirite blessed and happy which notwithstanding must suffer many calamities On the other side those that abound in wealth and are full he calleth miserable and vnhappy because the time shall come when they shall weepe Wherefore let vs thus make our account that if we wil be the people of God we must in this life content our selues with those thinges whiche are necessary for the back and the belly All other incommodities let vs patiently beare and ouercome in hope of the glory whiche shall be reuealed vpon the sonnes of God. Verse 16. And will cloth her Priestes with saluation and her Sainctes shall showt for ioy This promise is farre more excellent then that whereof we haue now spoken For here God promiseth that he will so gouern the Pastors and Ministers that they shal be pure holy through the word and haue a good conscience If we would compare these thinges with that small defecte of corporall thinges we should beare it much more cherefully and patiently When I was a Monke I liued in most miserable darkenes and infinite snares of conscience where through the multitude of mens traditions sinne brought forth sinne I was bound against nature to that impure and incestuous single life Here if a man should haue asked me what I would giue to redeeme the quietnes and peace of conscience and those inestimable graces and glory which we enioy at this day by the word and the spirite of God I would humbly haue cast downe my self prostrate vpon the ground giuen my life gladly for this onely quietnes and libertie of conscience in Christ. But now when we are clothed in deede with saluation through great and assured promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes and eternal life we forget these spirituall riches and we complaine that we are not made Kinges and Princes in this corporall life We doe not preferre our eternall and spirituall glory before these transitory and corruptible things And what a foule ingratitude is it so to be offended with this externall pouertie and not to ioy and reioyce rather in these inestimable treasures of the spirite Who woulde not rather hauing these giftes of the spirite begge his bread from dore to dore then enioy the riches and treasures of all the Prelates and the whole kingdom of the Pope Whome we see in this wealth of the world because they are enemyes to the worde to be most desperate and damnable For they are without remission of sinnes hope of eternall life the knowledge of Christ and all the heauenly benefits and blessings which we by the word doe so plentifully enioy Wherefore if we be neuer so poore afflicted vexed full of anguish and heauynes contemptible and abominable in the sight of the world yet let vs comfort our selues with this that we haue the treasures of the kingdome of heauen that by faith in the worde wee shall haue the victorie ouer sinne death and hell and that we are wholy clothed with saluation How many were oppressed with desperation before this happy age wherein we liue But if they had had this knowledge of grace and these consolations which we now haue by the worde woulde they not thinke ye haue sustained the losse of all the riches in the world and all worldly felicitie For when a man feeleth the wrath of God and desperation then infinite riches and treasures are nothing esteemed What doth knowledge learning wisedome what doe possessions kingdoms and dominions then auaile All these thinges who would not gladly forsake and cast away that onely he might haue his conscience quieted and at peace with God Wherefore Paule very aptly calleth the knowledge of grace an absolute or a full perfection because all good thinges are conteyned in this knowledge For if we liue here by begging our bread is not this well recompensed in that we are nourished with the food of Angells eternall life and Christ him selfe Who so fauoreth not these thinges let him seeke for a Cardinalls hatte with the ministers and souldiers of Satan Let him seeke the wealth the riches and glorie of this world As for me I seeke other riches which I esteeme aboue all worldly wealth and treasures Thirtie yeares agoe if I had had the true knowledge and vnderstanding but of one Psalme I should haue thought my selfe to be a God for then all thinges were full of grosse ignorance horrible abominations and all kindes of idolatrie But now when the Lord hath opened vnto vs as it were a flood of heauenly wisedom and knowledge we are vnthankfull and become so worldly so fine and so delicate that we will lacke nothing that the worlde hath But Esay sayth The bedde is strait and there is no place for both Albeit the thinges we doe not condemne for they are the giftes of God and therefore let those which haue them being lawfully gotten and in the feare of God vse them with thankesgiuing and without offence and let those to whom they are not giuen beare their want and necessitie with christian patience and without grudging As