vnspeakable wisedome and iustice maketh them for their sinnes aliue and in securitie of conscience to goe to hell As Pharao whilest he followed the Israelites in persequution into the red sea soudenly was drewned Chore Dathan and Abiron whilest they were doing their sacrifices God killed them in opening the earth that swallowed them aliue downe into hell Nowe this inwarde discomfort although it eude not in ioye but onely in such as beléeue their sinnes to be forgiuen in the death and passion of Christ yet we sée by the examples of the scripture that both good and bad suffer and féele this that their spirite will take no comfort But nowe as concerning outward and externall discomfort which is felt as well of such as haue the word of God as such as haue not the word of God but only the lawe of nature As we may sée in the time of the lawe of nature how Noah shewed the discomfort of all men and the destruction of the world for sinne but this discomfort did not enter into the spirites of the hearers Christ complaineth of the same that the people had both discomfort and comfort preached vnto them and yet they receiued none of them both To whome saith Christ should I compare this generation It is like boyes that sit in the streates and cry vnto their fellowes and say We haue played vpon our tymbrels to you and you haue not daunsed we haue soung mourning songs vnto you and ye haue not wept God by his Prophete Esaie saith the same All the day long haue I extended foorth my hand vnto an vnfaithfull and intractable people Meaning that what so euer he threatened or gently offered vnto the Iewes it came no further then the outwarde eare Whereof both the Prophets and Christ him self gréeuously complaine in this sort They haue eares and heare not and they haue eyes and see not Saint Paule rebuketh men also that by the lawe of nature knewe good whereof they should haue reioyced and euill whereof they should haue lamented and yet did not And to leaue off the examples of our fathers mentioned in the scriptures we may sée the same by daily experience amongest our selues We reade in the booke of God we heare by preaching we knowe in our owne consciences the displeasure and anger of God against vs for our sinnes God outwardly sheweth vs the same with many horrible plagues as by sicknesse warre sedition scarsitie enimitie and hatred by the deliuerance and surrender of a whole realme to the vtter destruction thereof into the handes and rule of a straunger and by the deliuery and giuing ouer of Christian soules into the hands and rule of the Antichristian Pope and his wicked Cleargie and yet this discomfort commeth no further then our outward eare If Asaph the authour of this Psalme were amongest vs he would say His spirite would take no consolation And this is an horrible plague that wéekely this Psalme is read amongest the Popish Cleargie and yet it bringeth their spirites to no sorowe nor féeling of God displeasure Wherefore our owne experience teacheth that there is an inward and an outwarde discomfort in this Psalme and in the rest of Gods most holy word The one penitent sinners féele and by it amend their liues and the other some wicked men féele and yet despaire but of the most part of the world it is not felt at all Whereof commeth the contempt of God the loue of our selues and of the world and the losse of our sinfull soules in the world to come Let vs therefore marke the scripture that teacheth this discomfort and pray to God that as we sée it in the letter so we may féele it in the spirite Of the two maner of consolations it shall be saide in the next verse and of the brightnesse and darknesse also in the Psalme hereafter Nowe in the trouble of the spirite is an other thing to be considered whereof the text also maketh mention that is howe the discomfort of the spirite had continuaunce all the night Whereof is to be gathered the greatnesse of discomfort For as the night is a very image of death and the bed a very similitude of the sepulchre and graue euen so is the discomfort of the spirite in the night that will not suffer the body to take rest but to be vnquieted with it selfe The which vnquietnesse of the spirite is a very similitude and image of eternall discomfort in the world to come that both body and soule whiche were created first to inherite the heauenly blisse after the fall of Adam should rest by night as king Dauid saith and after this life for sinne vnforgiuen should for euer be disquieted in the vnquenchable fire of hell Here may we learne the circumstances and causes how the trouble of the Prophet Asaphes spirite was increased It was trouble ingendered by sinne the occasion onely of al mens miseries opened and reuealed vnto the conscience by the law condemned by iustice to eternall fire and it continued al night yea how much more the scripture declareth not In the which night the darknesse thereof represented vnto his eyes outwardly the horrour of hell prison and also his bed the graue and sepulchre wherein al flesh is clad after the spirite departeth The shéetes of mans flesh after this life be nothing but earth aboue and earth vnderneath as whilest it liueth it is clad with such vaine thinges as grow vpon the earth This whole night in discomfort of the spirit declareth two notable things First howe earnestly God is angrie in déede with sinne that putteth man to such long paine for it And the next howe gratious a God he is that will not yet suffer the discomforted spirite to despaire in his discomfort as it followeth meruellously in the next verse 3 When I am in heauinesse I wil thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine Sela. Whilest Asaph was thus troubled in spirite he remembred the Lord and called vnto him for helpe First out of this verse it is to be considered that nothing can quiet the comfortlesse spirit but GOD alone But for as much as it séemeth by the partes of this Psalme that followeth that this verse came in by occasion rather then to shewe a full remedie for the Prophetes trouble I will not write what I thinke thereof but deferre the remedie against trouble to such other verses as follow bycause the Prophete saide before that his spirite could take no consolation and that a great many of troubles followe as the Psalme declareth It sheweth that he was not able to beare the troubles of the minde alone without the inuocation and helpe of God Wherefore before he expresseth by writing al his troubles he writeth also howe in the middest of them he did remember and put his trust in the Lord. Out of this we learne howe necessarie it is
CERTEINE comfortable Expositions of the constant Martyr of Christ M. Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester and Worcester written in the time of his tribulation and imprisonment vpon the XXIII LXII LXXIII and LXXVII Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid Newly recognised and neuer before published MATTH 24. 13. ¶ Who so continueth to the end shall be saued AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Middleton ANNO 1580. TO ALL THE FAITHfull flocke of Christ grace and peace from God the Creatour Christ the Redeemer and the holy Ghost the comforter MAnie are the monuments beloued in the bowels of Christ Iesus and volumes of the faithfull left as legacies to the Church of Christ which as they are y e true riches for they are spirituall so ought they to be reuerenced not onely with outward seruice of body but also with inward submission of soule Among which monumentes being the treasure of the Church and such iewels in deede as the price of them is inualuable this excellent worke though wanting bignesse yet ful of brightnesse of that most learned godlie faithfull zelous constant and in all points praise worthie Protestant Maister Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester and worcester challengeth no small title of dignitie For if the wordes of our Sauiour be true which to improue what incestuous mouth without horrible blasphemie a trespasse vnpardonable dare presume seeing he is the verie substance of truth it selfe that he is a true disciple of Christ which continueth to the end then is it the dutie of vs all except we hide our profession vnder the hiue of hypocrisie not onely by looking at the life of such a loadesman to reforme our deformities but also by tracing ouer and through the testimonies of the trueth such godlie bookes I meane as are left in writing to the worlde as vndoubted assurances of an vnspotted conscience to thanke God for so singular an instrument of his Gospell to beseech him to worke in vs the like loue his law that we may be partakers of such glorie as no doubt this notable Martyr of God doth immortally enioy Of whom breefly to insert and say somewhat because the brightnesse of such a glittering starre cannot bee ouercast with the cloudes of obscuritie and darkenesse shall be a meanes to make the worke more commendable although in very deed precious things haue their proper price and therefore consequently wil haue their deserued praise And first to touch his blessed beginning blessed I say euen frō aboue with the dewe of Gods grace his education in Oxford his prosperous proceeding in the knowledge of Diuinitie his forsaking not onely of the Vniuersitie but also his common Countrie his flight into Germanie his returne into Englande his painefulnesse in preaching his fame and credit among the people his obteined fauour with the Kings maiestie his aduauncemēt to more thā a Bishoplike dignitie his dispensatiō for his ceremonious consecration his secret enimies the supporters of papistrie his supplantation by their priuie cōspiraces his faithfull continuance notwithstanding in sowing sincere doctrine his painfulnesse in hearing publike controuersies his visiting of scholes and founteines of learning his maintaining of godlie discipline his want of parcialitie in iudgement betwixt person and person his Bishoplike behauiour abrode in his Dioces his fatherly affection at home towardes his house and familie c. do warrant him the name of a Saint vpō earth surely God hath registred him in the Kalendar of his chosen seruāts in heauen Againe the falling away of his fauourers when religion languished the malicious practises of his aduersaries threatening his destructiō the bloudthirstie broching of his persecution his appearing before the Queene and her Councell the tyrannicall cōtumelies of his Archenimie his spitefull accusation his milde purgation his vndeserued depriuation his cruell imprisonment his harde intertainment his lamentable lodging his succourles sicknesse his pitifull complaintes his restlesse tribulations his streight examinations his apologeticall aduouchments the cōmitting of him to the Fleete the tossing of him from the Fleete to the Counter in Southwarke from the Counter in Southwarke to the Clinke from the Clinke to Newgate his vniust degradation his cruell condemnation and his lamentable execution c. all these pageantes considered as they were done woulde make a flintie heart to mealt and stonie eyes to sweate not onely water but also bloude and to be short the whole bodie though all the lims thereof were as strong as steele euen for pities sake to tremble This comming within the compasse of my poore consideration I remembred that Christ Iesus the onely begotten sonne of the almightie eternal God had passed the like yea and worse perilles as by the historie of his death and passion may appeare that the Protomartyr S. Steeuen had his tormenters S. Paule the Apostle his persecuters and other of Christes disciples their afflicters then thought I that these sanctified vessels made their vocation honourable euen by their deathes which were opprobrious and therefore howe can it bee but that this our Martyr worthie Bishop Hooper offering vp his body a burnt sacrifice liuely reasonable acceptable vnto God shoulde giue good credit to his doctrine assure his profession affirme his vocation liue in euerlasting memorie by the dispersion of his bookes though his fauour be forgotten and his body consumed Of such a souldier so valiantly fighting vnder the ensigne of his Capteine I cannot say sufficient Of this I am resolued that although his earthly tabernacle bee destroyed yet hath hee a building giuen him of God euen an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens where God graunt vs all to reigne as ioynt heires with Christ his annointed To proceede and approch neerer to our purpose for the premisses are effectuall enough to breed beleefe and to kindle reuerence in the heart of any true Christian towardes this our excellent Martyr replenished with the abundance of Gods holy spirit I commende vnto thy minde good reader a good work of this so good a mā namely Certaine expositions vpon the 23. 62. 72. and 77. Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid of the which the three last being gathered together by a godly professor of the trueth M. Henrie Bull were neuer before printed Their beginnings are vsually read in this maner 23. The Lord feedeth me I shal lack nothing 62. My soule truly waiteth vpon God 72. Truly God is louing vnto Israel euen vnto such as are of a cleane hart 77. I wil crie vnto God with my voice euē to God will I crie with my voice he shall hearken vnto me The expositions of which psalmes to be pithie profitable this may be a substantial proofe because they were written in the time of his trouble whē no doubt he was talking in spirit with God being so occupied his exercises could not but be heuenly therfore effectuall fruitfull and comfortable Come therefore y u sorrowing soule which gronest for reliefe to
part of the Psalme that declareth why the troubled man trusteth in God 3 How long will ye imagine mischiefe against euerie man Ye shalbe slayne all the sorte of you yea as a tottering wall shall ye be and like a broken hedge 4 Their deuise is onely how to put him out whom God will exalte their delight is in lyes they giuâ— good wordes with their mouth but curse with theiâ— heart Selah The thirde parte of the Psalme wherein is shewed thâ— soudenly thy persequuters of the innocent shall perisâ— 5 Neuerthelesse my soule wayt thou stil vpon Goâ— for my hope is in him 6 He truely is my strength and my saluation he â— my defence so that I shall not fall 7 In God is my health and my glorie the rocke â—â— might and in God is my trust 8 O put your trust in him always ye people powâ— out your harts before him for God is our hope Selaâ— In these foure verses is conteyned the fourth part wheâ— in is mentioned the repetition of the two first verseâ— 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine thâ— children of men are deceiptfull vpon the weightes they are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not youâ— selues to vanitie if riches increase sette not youâ— heartes vpon them Here is the fifte parte that teacheth no trust to be put 〈◊〉 man for he is not able to damne nor saue 11 God spake once and twise I haue also heard tâ—â— same that power belongeth vnto God 12 And that thou Lorde art mercifull for thou râ—â— wardest euerie man according to his worke In these two verses is comprehended the sixt parte whiâ—â— is that God hath promised to be mercifull in helpiâ—â— the afflicted and that he will performe his promises A briefe explanation of the Psalme generally MY soule doubtlesse wayteth still vpon God c. Be my troubles neuer so great and daungerous yet my soule shall trust continually and constantly in the Lorde that can and will remedie them For he is my strength and my saluation and he is my defence So shall I not greatly fall Although good Lorde by reason of mine infirmitie and sinne which is in all men my soule is weake and féeble that it wilbe oppressed with the lightest of all thy troubles whiche thou layest vpon man for his sinne yet when it taketh holde of thy mercie it waxeth strong And although it be weake and trembling by reason of infirmitie yet doth it not cleane fall from the trust of constancie and hope And let the wicked imagine their wicked imaginations against thy poore seruauntes O God yet at length shall they come to shame and destruction as the tottering wall doth fall and the rotten hedge is consumed with fire For that they go about they shal neuer bring to passe because they deuise to put him to shame that God hath purposed to exalt and magnifie And what so euer doublenesse they vse to speake faire with their mouthe and yet haue false and hollowe heartes it shall not bring their intent to their purposed end Sela. God be thanked of whom dependeth al the hope of my saluation And he is my strength my saluation and my defence so that I shal not fall Wherefore all Christian and afflicted persons saith the Prophet follow mine example and put al your hope and trust in the mercie of God who onely saue vs from euill and blesse vs with all goodnesse Powre out therefore before him all your cares and heauines and looke assuredly for help from him for doubtlesse the helpe of man is nothing worthe For If man and vanitie were bothe weighed in a paire of balance vanitie it selfe would be weightier then man How then can so light a thing as man is helpe in the time of trouble And as a man is but vanitie or else rather more vaine then vanitie so be al worldly riches that man possesseth and as little or lesse able to helpe an afflicted as man is vnable to helpe himselfe And this I knowe sayeth the Prophete not by mans wisdome but by the mouth of God that what so euer helpe man looketh for besides God he may be assured at all times to be both helpelesse and comfortlesse and trusting to God he shall be at all times both holpen and comforted For so saith the Lorde whose sayings no power is able to falsifie nor to resist ¶ What things are to be noted out of euerie particular part of this Psalme for the edifying and comfort of him that shall vse to say sing or meditate this Psalme THE FIRST PARTE My soule truely wayteth vpon God OVt of the first part wherein is conteyned what the Christian should doe in the time of trouble is to be noted what it is for a man to haue his soule wayting still vppon God or else to haue silence alwayes in his soule towardes God in the dayes of aduersitie As this Psalme speaketh When the Christian man or woman in the time of sorrowe and heauinesse without grudge or impatience looketh for the helpe of God and giueth not himselfe to quarelling or complayning of God as thoughe hée did him wrong and punished him too muche then doth the soule waite vpon the Lord or else hath silence towardes God As wee maye sée by Iob where his soule attended stil vpon the Lord. When his goodes cattell house and children were taken from him he said after this sorte The Lord gaue them the Lorde hath taken them away as the Lorde is pleased so is it done The name of the Lord be blessed All this while hee bore the crosse of God without murmur or grudge and had his soule still wayting vpon God as this Prophet here saith But when he was burdened further and from the sole of the foote to the top of the head was stricken with sores and botches he cursed the day that he was borne in and the night wherein he was conceiued with many more vnquiet and lamentable wordes as it appeareth in his Booke The like example we haue before of king Dauid in the Booke of the Psalmes where be these wordes In trouble and aduersitie I said I was cast away from the sight of thine eyes ô God And as Iob sometime saide If he should die yet he would trust in the Lord. So sayde Dauid a litle before If he should goe in the middest of the shadowe of death he would not feare In the whiche Psalme ye may sée how constantly his soule wayted vpon the Lorde yet in the 31 Psalme his troubles were so great that in them he saide I am cast from the sight of thee ô God So that these testimonies and examples of the Scriptures do declare that to haue the soule to wayte vppon the Lord is to be assured that God will helpe in trouble and patiently to beare the trouble without grudge vntill God sende remedie and helpe for it The second thing to be gathered of
consolation There is yet another learning in these wordes I shall not greatly fall That is that the children of God shal not perish for any kinde of trouble and yet in this world they can lacke no kinde of affliction All shall they suffer and yet at length ouercome all as this prophet Asaphe did He was troubled but yet not ouercome he fell but not so farre that he arose not againe and he was so troubled with the crosse that God sent him that he could speaks nothing for the time yet at lengthe he said God was his sure rocke and his saluation Thus God tempteth his but desperation he leaueth to his enimies God suffereth his to féele in this world the punishment of sinne but he reserueth the paine therof in the world to come to his enimies and to the reprobates He maketh his to be sorie for sinne in this world but such as be not his he suffereth to be carelesse painelesse of sinne in this life that their damnation maye be the more dolorous in the world to come Therefore blessed be such as fall and feare as the Prophete Asaphe saith but not too farre vnto all wickednesse and wantonnesse of life THE THIRD PART 3 Howe long will ye imagine mischiefe against a man Ye shall be slaine all the sort of you yea as a rottering wal shal ye be like a broken hedge 4. Their deuise is onely how to put him out whome God will exalt their delight is in lies They giue good woordes with their mouth but curse with their heartes The third part sheweth how the persequuters of the innocent shall soudeinly perishe BY the similitude and Metaphore of a tottering or quiuering wall the Prophet declareth how lightly and sodeinly y e Lord wil destroy the persequnters of his people For as the wall that is tottering and quiuering with euerie winde weather is easily and soudeinly ouerthrowen euen so be the wicked and tyrannical persecuters soudeinly destroyed yea when they be in their owne conceites most strong and valiant As it may be séene by the mightie host of Zenecharib and Benedab the armie of king Pharao and such other that persequuted the people of God verily supposing their strengthe to haue béene able vtterly to haue oppressed Gods people whom they hated The like is to be séene where Hester and Iudith two séelie and poore women were instrumentes to ouertumble and destroy the wicked Amâ—n and Proud Holofernes So by this we learne that the strength persequutions of y e wicked be not permanent nor strong but transitorie and féeble destroyed vanquished with the presence of Gods fauour towards his as often as it pleaseth him to punish the malice and mischiefe of the wicked But there is one learning particularly to be noted in this similitude of a trembling or tottering wall wherewithall the Prophet setteth foorth the fall and confusion of the wicked which is this that when the wicked persequuteth the godly that the least resistance of y e world is stirred vp by God against them the Lord that stirreth vp the plague to punish them striketh also their heartes with such trembling and feare that one man in a good cause shalbe able to w tstand ten such wicked persecuters whose conscience God hath so feared that they are not able to beare the countenance of a man no not able to ouercome the terrour of their owne spirite which beareth them record that as they in time past haue fought against God his cause so now God iustly fighteth against them both with the feare of hell fire towardes their soules and with outward aduersities towards their bodies So God said he would send such trembling feare vnto such as neither loued nor kept his lawes as it is written by the holy Prophet Moses The example whereof ye may read also in Daniel the Prophet that the Emperor of the Caldées when he was in the middest of his strength mirth banquets and iollitie sawe no more but a poore little hand write in the wal of his palace that neuer spake word shewed no terrible sight of men of warre nor gaue any blow in his palace yet fell the Emperor into such a trembling feare at the sight thereof that all his limmes in maner stoode him in no stéede Christ neuer gaue blow but modestly asked his murderers whom they sought for and yet fell they flatt and prostrate to the ground So that the wicked persecuters of the godly be aptly and properly likened and compared to a tottering and trembling wall For as soone as euer the blastes of Gods ire and iudgement be moued kindled against them they be so quiuering and comfortlesse y t they would take them to be most their frends that soonest would dispatch them out of the world As Christ said aptly of them they shold pray the mounteines to fall vppon them As long as God feigneth himselfe a sléepe and suffereth the blessed to fall into the hands of the wicked to be crucified and slaine as they please they be more strong and more cruel then Lions but when God ariseth taketh the defence of his poore people then they be more feareful then the Hart or trembling Hare As we may sée when séelie harmlesse Iacob passed homeward into his countrie from Mesopotamia such as he neuer gaue blow nor spake foule word vnto trembled at his comming as though he had bene in battel with thousands of souldiers The like may we sée by the brothers of Ioseph when he spake most gently vnto them yea and tolde them that he was their brother there was such a terrour and feare strake their consciences for persecuting of him that they could make no word of aunswere When the children of Israel should come into the land of Canaan the Lord said he would sende before them his feare to amaze and astonish the people of the countrie that their strength should do them no harme The furie of the wicked may séeme in his owne eyes to be stable firme constant but in déede there is nothing more trembling nor tottering As wée may sée at this present day Such as persequute the liuely and séelie flocke of Christ and tyraÌ„nously hold the necke of the godly vnder the yoke of idolatrie they haue no grouÌ„d no certeintie nor any assurance more then flesh bloud that fauour them by whose fauour they oppresse the trueth persequute the louers of it So that in case flesh bloud should faile them then would they be in such trembling quiuering that they would do whatsoeuer they were commanded to do to be deliuered from feare and terror As we may marke and sée in the bishop of Winchester Gardener and also Boner the bishop of London When king Henrie the eight suspected them both to be fauourers of the Pope the capital enimie of
promised to vse instice to euery man and lawfull fauour after Absolon came to Hebron and had of his side Achitophel his fathers chéefe counseler he lyed openly and the people more and more were stablished in errour and treason The like is to be séene in the booke of the Numbers that when such as returned out of the lande of Canaan whither they were sent to viewe the goodnesse and strength of the countrie tenne of the twelue espies brought the people into such a terror and feare that they thought it impossible to recouer the land Thus being in an errour manifest lyes against God Moses Iosua and Caleb might be vsed well enough and preuaile In matters of religion is the same amongst such as be deceiued and in errour manifest lyes do take place and do as much harme as the diuel requireth to be wrought by them As amongest the Caldées such as most commended the idol of fire were most estéemed Amongest the Egyptians suche as most blasphemously could speake in the defence of witchcraft and sorcerie were taken for the best men Such as could best defend the honour of Baal amongest the idolatricall Iewes had most reuerence and honour Amongest the Phariseis he that could most speake for the maintenaunce of mens traditions was taken for the worthiest man And nowe amongest the Papistes he that can best defende Papisticall idolatrie and supersition is highest preferred But as I said this vse of lyes and falshood takes place in none but in such as the diuell the God of this world will not suffer to haue the word of trueth knowne And this vse of lyes and flashoode doeth not trame men vnto errour and heresie but stablisheth men in them that do not knowe the trueth There is an other sort of people which be the faithfull at whome the diuel hath indignation and laboreth with al diligence to deceiue against whom the vse of manifest lyes he knoweth can not preuaile for such as doe knowe and loue the trueth do abhorre falshoode Wherefore if the diuell preuaile against them it is by another vse of lyes then he vsed to the other sort of the world This vse of lyes is of two sortes as we sée by the word of God The one is to make an euill thing to appeare good vnder the pretence of good and a false thing to appeare true vnder the pretence of trueth As we may sée how the diuell vnder the pretence of good and profite vnto Eue made her eate of the apple which was forbidden Caine vnder the pretence of friendship brought Abel into the fielde and killed him Saule vnder the pretence of amitie bade Dauid to feast and so meant to haue staine him Absolon vnder the colour of iustice and loue to the Common wealth sought his fathers death and made his subiects traitours With many more such examples in the word of God Whereby is declared that the diuell by his disciples vseth lyes many wayes sometime to stablish men in errour that be in errour already sometime to deceiue such as be in the trueth but then manifest lyes be not vsed but rather lyes conueyed couered and cloaked with the mantell of trueth and veritie as we may sée by the examples before specified howbeit many times this vse of lyes howe so euer it pretendeth trueth can not deceiue men Then rather then the diuell will misse of his purpose he teacheth an other vse of lyes which is more daungerous and painefull to the godly then any yet before mentioned of Of the which vse the Prophete Asaphe speaketh in this place saying They speake faire with their toungs but thinke euill in their heartes This is a perillous kinde and vse of lyes for it doeth one of these two great mischiefes or else both of them That is to say eyther at length it ouercommeth the trueth or else mortally persequuteth the trueth that will not be ouercome As we may sée by Esau. He vsed a great while faire speach and gentle manners with Iacob his brother but in his heart he saide If my father dye I will kill my brother Againe Absolon spake faire to his father and asked him leaue to go to Hebron to pay there the sacrifice that he promised whilest he was in Gessur of Syria vnto God but in his heart he went thither to rayse king Dauid his fathers subiectes against him Certeine came to Christ and saide Maister we knowe that thou art true and that thou teachest the wayes of God in trueth yet in their hearts they came to trippe him in a case of treason if they could This vse of lyes is very daungerous for it lyeth in the heart hid secretly expecting and looking for time conuenient when and howe it may breake foorth to serue the turne yet is the diuell the father of lyes and the temple of the diuell the wicked mans and womans hearts wherein they lye ashamed or afraide to vtter them but holdeth outwardly with the trueth which inwardly they mortally hate vntill they may take occasion to doe outwardly as they would And we sée it in Caine Esau Absolon the Phariseis and others Yea our owne age hath too good experience of this vse of lyes For howe many within this twelue moneths spake faire of God and his worde and shewed them selues outwardly as friendly as could be vnto them but what their conscience and heartes were inwardly nowe it appeareth Doubtlesse that they hated deadly in their spirites that they most extolled with their mouthes for nowe they be gone from the trueth outwardly whiche inwardly they neuer loued And by the vse of their lyes they traine as many as they may to be partakers of their euils and suche as they can not by the vse of lyes drawe vnto their sect by violence and tyrannie they persequute and compell with extreme punishment and hatred in landes goodes and body Thus may we sée by this Prophet Asaphe which way the wicked persequuted the godly and molested the séelie members of Christ that wished al men good and no men harme euen with lyes and falsehoode and vsed many craftie and subtile wayes Whereof we be not instructed by the Prophet only to knowe this poyson of the diuell concerning lyes and the diuers and manifold vse and practise of thē but also that the Christians be most in daunger of them yet must be contented for Christes sake to beare them and circumspectly to beware they be not deceiued by them THE FOVRTH PART 5 Neuerthelesse my soule wait thou stil vpon God for my helpe is in him 6 He truely is my strength and my saluation he is my defence so that I shall not fall 7 In God is my health and my glorie the rocke of might and in God is my trust 8 O put your trust in him always ye people poure out your hearts before him for God is our hope Selah The
is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde That is bicause I put al my trust of saluation saith Saint Paule in him that was crucified the worlde taketh me for an heretique and so persequuteth me but yet it ouer commeth me not neither taketh it away my glory my consolation and my crowne of eternall ioyes For euen as the world persequuteth me with fire sword and all other crucifyings so I crucifie the world againe testifying by the worde of God that their liuing is nought and their faith and trust worse So that as they crucifie me with worldly trouble in like manner I crucifie the worlde againe with the worde of God and speake against it bearing testimonie that it is the enimie of God and shall perish eternally But this I doe saith Paule bicause I glory in nothing sauing in Christ crucified Thus doeth the Prophete Asaphe teach all men to put their trust in Christe and not in sinfull man which is not onely vanitie but also If vanitie were laid in one balance and man in the other yet of both man were the more vanitie Therefore man is not to be trusted vnto saith the Prophet And for a further declaration that man is more vaine then vanitie he openly declareth in the processe of his Psalme that man is giuen besides vanitie to wrong and robberie which two euilles do increase mans miseries For man is not onely borne vaine vanitie but also by processe of time in wicked liuing addeth wrong and robberie vnto vanitie and so maketh vanitie more vaine and damnable then it was before Nowe this robberie and wrong is done two maner of wayes to God and to man He that putteth his trust of saluation in any other thing sauing in God looseth not only his saluation but also robbeth God of his glory and doeth God as much as lyeth in him manifest wrong as the wicked people amongest the Iewes did that saide As long as they honoured and trusted vnto the Quéene of heauen al thinges prospered with them but when they hearkened to the true preachers of Gods word they said al things came into worsse state and that with scarsitie and trouble they were ouer whelmed He that putteth also his trust confidence in any learning or doctrine besides Gods worde doeth not only fall into errour and lose the trueth but also as much as lyeth in him he robbeth Gods booke of his sufficient trueth and veritie and ascribeth it to the bookes of mens decrées Which is as much wrong to God and his booke as may be thought or done In the which robberie or rather sacrilege no man shuld put his trust as the Prophete saith An other way wrongs be done vnto man when the riche and sturdie of the worlde by abusing of friendship oppresse robbe and spoyle the poore And by his thus doing first he deceiueth him selfe for euill gotten goods can not long prosper neither can any familie aduaunced by fraude crafte or subtiltie long time endure Then he deceiueth the simple and poore that trusteth vpon the outward shewe of his port and estimation which glittereth in the worlde as a vaine glorious and deceiuable beautie and honour and marketh neither howe wickedly the glorie of the robber and doer of wrong sprang vp nor howe miserably God hath ordeined it to fall againe But séeing carnally he séeth a vaine man in vanitie prosper for a time he trusteth in this vanitie pampered vp with robberie and wrong vntill suche time as vanitie vadeth and he much lamenteth that put in vanitie so much vaine hope But graunt that honour and riches by Gods gift and trueth abound yet were they not giuen for men to trust in but for men to giue GOD more thankes and to helpe the poore with them from iniuries of oppression and néede of hunger thirst and pouertie Therefore the Prophete saith Although riches doe abound yet men should not put their heartes vpon them That is to say men should not trust in them nor kéepe thē otherwise then their vse or kéeping should serue to the glorie of God in aboundance to be liberall and in time of néede to be carefull not to kéepe them for a priuate commoditie but as Iosephe did say to saue the multitude from scarsitie and penurie Thus doeth the Prophete exhort all men to beware they put not their trust in men for both they and all that they haue of worldly things be transitorie vaine and inconstant THE SIXT PART 11 God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God 12 And that thou Lorde art merciful for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke The sixt part conteineth howe that God hath promised to helpe the afflicted c. IOb hath the same phrase and manner of speache The Lord spake once and will not repeate the same againe That is as much to say as that the worde of God is so sure that it can not be made frustrate nor changed by any meanes So saith this Prophete Asaphe God spake once which standeth sure for euer and cannot be altered This word of GOD hath relation to the verses before wherein be opened the vanitie of man or insufficiencie to helpe him selfe or others in trouble which can not be chaunged nor euer shall be but as fleshe is vanitie be it neuer so holy as Adam called his best sonne and holy Martyr Abel that is to say in the Hebrue toung Vanitie perfectly knowing that all flesh by sinne was vile and vaine and therfore not to be trusted vnto This once speaking of God is also referred vnto the text that followeth which declareth two vertues in God Power and Mercy Power to punishe his enimies and Mercy to recompense his faithful afflicted And this is so true that it shall neuer be made false the wicked to féele Gods strength in damnation and the faithfull to féele Gods mercies in saluation not bicause their workes deserue it but bicause God of his mercy so contented to blesse the poore faithful workeman So he giueth eche man after his workes the euill hell fire by iustice and the good heauens blisse by mercie Now the Prophet saith He heard it twise at Gods mouth that is to say He knewe God had made promise of mercie to saue the faithfull penitentes and of iustice to punishe the impenitent sinner And this he heard in the time of the Lawe of Nature by reading of Moses bookes and also by the holy Ghost in his owne time when by the inspiration of the holy Ghost he wrote this Psalme and the rest of his prophesies The same haue we likewise heard first by reading of the bookes of Moses next by reading of the Scriptures of the Prophets and thirdly by reading of the new Testament The which I pray God giue vs grace to beléeue and followe Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 73. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN
faith hope and charitie as they be qualities in vs we should surely perish Therefor this place of the Prophete Asaph where he demaundeth this question Whether Gods mercy be gone for euer doth teach vs that of all thinges we should be most assured of this that onely mercy is the help of mans troubles and damnation But as I saide before there were two maner of clarities and brightnesse in the word of God so nowe I say there is two manner of mercies of God mentioned in the scripture The outwarde mercy is in the letter which men reade and sing euery day and speake and talke of but the other is inward When that men can not féele Gods mercy in their conscience as they heare it spoken of and as they reade it in the booke they be troubled and full of anguish and paine and as long as they be in this case without Gods mercy they can do nothing that pleseth GOD or content them selues But as soone as the spirite is assured and féeleth that GOD for his mercy doth forgiue and forget the iniquitie that the spirite and body haue committed and done against God it reioyceth and is so glad that it will doe nothing but that which pleseth and is acceptable vnto God and in Christ shall content and quiet his owne conscience As for example Adam before he inwardly felt the mercy of God promised in Christe to forgiue and remit his sinne and offence in what heauinesse was the poore man He hid him selfe and could not abide the voyce of the liuing God for he felt that his doings pleased neyther GOD nor him selfe But when grace had assured him of Gods mercy he fell in the spirit to quietnesse For where the spirite of God testifieth and beareth record with the spirite of man that he is the childe of God there is ioy and consolation with this ioyfull song and melodie Abba pater Father father So that where so euer this song is felt in the spirite there are suche ioyes as no toung can expresse as all the booke of Solomons ballads meruellously doe declare And wheras the mercy of God is not there is eyther abhomination of sinne and continuance therein without any feare or grudge of conscience at all or else such heauinesse of spirite that desperation vtterly quaileth and oppresseth the spirite for euer Yet shal the spirite soule of man féele this for a time while God hideth his mercifull face Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Which cogitations of the minde be full bitter and sorrowfull as all men of GOD doe knowe that haue felt them and as the Prophete declareth in the processe of his Psalme in this sorte And is his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore Hath God forgotten to be gratious And wil he shut vp his louing kindnes in displeasure These demaundes and questions of his owne minde and spirite that was troubled be no more in effect then troubles that he named before But in this that he calleth the trouble by so many names it declareth that his spirite was for the time so disquieted that the paines in maner could not well be named and expressed As it is to be séene always when the minde of man is brought into an excellencie and profoundnesse of mirth or sorrowe then it is so rauished with the vehemencie of them both that the toung is not able to expresse the inward ioy nor the inwarde sorrowe as it is to be séene as well in prophane writers as in the holy word of God Reade ye the 18. Psalme of king Dauid which he soung to the Lorde when he was quit and deliuered from all his enimies ye shall sée what shift and copie of wordes he vsed to name God to expresse what he thought of God in his heart and with what Metaphors he expresseth the strength of God that ouercame al his enimies the Psalme is to be read and marked Againe reade ye these Psalmes 42. 43. where ye shall perceiue the prayer of Dauid wherein is described a vehement agonie and most bitter battel betwéene faith and desperation and there mark what words he hath found out to expresse the sorrowes of his heart that was so sore put in doubt by desperation and weaknesse of faith The Harte saith he being wounded was neuer more desirous to come to the water then my soul desireth to come to thee ô God And at length when he can finde no more wordes to vtter the pensiuenesse of his heart he turneth his wordes inward to his owne soule and asketh why she is so heauie and sad Ye may sée also the very same ioyfull and sorrowfull spirites in the ballads of Solomon and in the lamentations of Ieremie the Prophete In the one it séemeth that the soule annexed vnto Christ is in such ioy as the tong can not expresse it and in the other for sinne the soule is afflicted in such sort that it can not tell how to expresse the heauinesse thereof There is to be considered also in these demaunds of the Prophete that he made to him selfe in his spirite as the text saith he reuolued the matter with his owne spirite this doctrine howe easie a thing it is to teach and comfort other men and howe hard a thing it is for a man to teach and comfort him selfe in the promises of God S. Paule found fault therewithall and saide to the Iewe Thou teachest an other man teachest not thy selfe And Iudas went foorth with the eleuen other of his fellowes to teach Gods mercy in Christ vnto the lost shéep of the house of Israel but he neither followed his own doctrine nor yet tooke any comfort of remission of sinnes in the promises of God but hanged himselfe desperately Wherefore it is very expedient for eueryman and woman that hath learned and doth knowe the truth of God to pray that they them selues may folowe the truth and for such as knowe and teach others the consolations of the scriptures of God that they may with knowledge of them féele them in déede and with speaking of them to others for their learning they may speake them to them selues for their owne edifying But doubtlesse it is an easie matter for a man to speake of comfort and consolation to others but a hard thing to féele it him selfe Vertue is soone spoken of to other mens instructions but the putting thereof in practise and vre is very hard yea not only in the scholer that is taught but also in the maister that instructeth Beware of despaire can euery man say but to eschue despaire in great conflictes of the minde is an harde matter Reade the booke of the Psalmes well and ye shall sée the experience thereof to be most certeine and true In the 62. Psalme ye shall haue this commaundement to all men Trust ye alwayes in him ye people yet when it came to the triall in him selfe ye may sée with what heauines and great trouble of