more comfort then the first part hath discomfort And it is a plaine doctrine that although y e sinnes of man be many horrible yet be they fewer and lesse in estimation many thousande foldes then Gods mercies Death is declared in the first part of the verse in this that mans infirmitie is not onely sinful in body soule but also doutful of Gods mercy holy promises Yet in the second part by grace is set foorth life and cleane deliuerance from the tyrannie of the diuel the seruitude of sinne the accusation of the lawe and the infirmitie of nature by the strong and mightie power of God whose mercy in Christ is alwayes ready to helpe poore afflicted and troubled sinners After this confession of sinne and the great confidence that the prophet had in God for his mightie power and mercies sake that was both able by power and redy with will to help and remedie this troubled spirite and great aduersities of the Prophet he goeth foorth in the consolation taketh yet more and more of Gods benefites vsed in times towardes such as were afflicted after this sort 11 I will remember the workes of the Lord and call to my minde thy wonders of olde time 12 I will thinke also of thy workes and my talking shall be of thy doings 13 Thy way ô God is holy who is so great a God as our God 14 Thou art the God that doth wonders and hast declared thy power amongest people 15 Thou hast mightily deliuered thy people euen the sonnes of Iacob and Ioseph Sela. 16 The waters saw thee ô God the waters saw thee and were afraid the deapthes also were troubled 17 The cloudes powred out water the ayre thundered and thine arrowes went abroad 18 The voyce of thy thunder was heard round about the lightenings shone vpon the gound the earth was moued and shooke withall 19 Thy way is in the sea and thy pathes in the great waters and thy footsteps are not knowne 20 Thou leadest thy people like shepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron Of these meanes howe men take consolation in aduersitie that the Prophet nowe maketh mention of first we learne what difference is betwéene the consideration of Gods works aduisedly by faith the consideration of Gods workes rashly without faith The which diuersitie is to be séen in this Prophet For the one part as touching the remembring of Gods workes out of faith and in faith he spake before in the second verse and in the fourth verse how that he considered the workes and old doings of the Lord when he was troubled But as ye haue heard because his spirite was in a doubtfulnesse and mamering vppon the certeintie of Gods doinges he felt no consolation thereof but much heauinesse and anguish of minde For those demaundes Will God absent himselfe for euer Will he be no more mercifull and such like heauie and doubtfull complaintes could neuer procéed but from a sorrowful and much troubled conscience But now after that Gods spirit hath wrought in his spirit this assurance and iudgment that God can in him chaunge the conditions of his miseries as ye may sée he maketh no more complaint of doubtfulnesse neither remembreth any more the fearefulnesse of his conscience but goeth foorth with repetition and rehearsall of all thinges comfortably how that God in time past holpe troubled spirites and afflicted personages that put their trust in him So that of this we learne that whosoeuer hath a sure faith in God taketh consolation of Gods word and workes And such as haue not first true faith in God cannot in the spirite receiue comfort of Gods word or workes Outwardly men may meruel at God and his worker but inwardly it easeth not the heauinesse nor yet quieteth the grudge of conscience Wherefore it behoueth vs all that we pray earnestly vnto GOD to giue vs faith to beléeue his word and workes when we heare read or sée them For the word and workes of God do nothing comfort the vnfaithfull as we may sée by the Scripture where God saith He stretched foorth his hand al day long to a people that beléeued not for such as haue eares heare not eyes sée not be rather the worse for Gods word workes then the better Ye shal sée where the spirite of Dauid was replenished with faith he was in assured and ascerteined of Gods present helpe that he said he would not feare although a thousand men inuironed and compassed him round about No he would not feare thoughe he should walk in the shadow of death At another time when faith quailed and waxed faint he was trembling in his spirite and fearefull in his bodie as we may sée when he felt his spirite waxe faint he said My soule is troubled very sore and my bones be weakened And in other of his Psalmes he sheweth that his soule was very heauie and comfortlesse and could take no consolation Also when the spirite is assured of Gods grace then the eyes cannot looke vppon any worke of God but the mind taketh by the contemplation and sight thereof vnspeakeable consolation As Dauid declareth in his Psalmes and saith He would sée the heauens the workes of Gods fingers and would marke how one day was an induction to an other and how the heauens praised the Lord. At an other time when the consolation and life of the spirit was ouer whelmed with troubles he could not sée at all with his eyes but cryed and complained that he was starke blinde And also in that meruellous Psalme in number 88. whereas prayer is made to be deliuered from the horrour and féeling of sinne the Prophet saith that his eyes waxed dimme and blinde The same is to be séene likewise in the crosses and afflictions that God sendeth As long as true faith and confidence remaineth in the heart all troubles be wellcome and thankfully taken as we read When Iob had newes that his goods and chidren were taken from him in manner soudeinly he most patiently said God gaue them and God hath taken them away as God would so it is done But when faith quailed and the spirite was troubled then followed these impatient wordes I would my sinne were layed in one balance and my paine in an other As though God had layed more vppon him then he had deserued When the spirit was quieted for all his pouertie and nakednesse he reioyced and was contented with his birth and comming into the world and also with the state in the world appointed vnto him by God saying Naked I came out of my mothers bellie and naked I shall depart hence againe But when faith fainted then came out these woordes The day the night and the time be cursed wherein I was borne With many more horrible wordes as the text declareth So that we sée whereas Gods spirite wanteth there is no learning nor consolation to be
lament neuer so sore yet he despaireth not but in aduersitie he hath hope and is not confounded as in prosperitie he hath faith and yet presumeth not The desperate man féeleth all troubles and no consolation is wholy ouercome with mistrust ful of incredulitie and cleane voyd of hope as Saule Iudas and others The contemner of admonition hath hope in prosperitie with al presumption as Cain and Pharao and in aduersitie desperation with all mistrust diffidence The Christian afflicted calleth in faith and hope vppon the Lorde and is heard the wicked afflicted calleth not vppon the Lord but is cleane reiected and comfortlesse by Gods most iust iudgement The Christian afflicted séeth all his sinns lesse then the least mercies of God the wicked afflicted séeth the least of his sinnes greater then the greatest mercies of God The one in trouble by faith glorifieth the Lord and by mercie findeth saluation the other in trouble by mistrust dishonoureth the Lord and by iustice findeth damnation The one by troubles thoroughe faith in Christ is made like vnto the sonne of God and cannot be separated from him in eternall life the other by troubles through desperation of Christe is made like vnto Sathan and cannot be separated from him in eternall death The one in eternall life findeth euerlasting ioyes the other in euerlasting death findeth endlesse paines Almightie GOD therefore graunt vs grace in all our troubles and afflictions penitently and faithfully to call vppon him and to finde him merciful vnto vs his wretched creatures Amen The third thing to be noted in this second part is that Gods nature and mans differ much one from the other For man for the most part is no more seruiceable vnto God nor longer friendly vnto man then Gods condition vppon the earth is fortunate and quiet with the world For if stornies arise for Gods cause and troubles happen where quietnesse erst had place the men of the world alter their loue seruice and reuerence and will neither make nor medle with God nor his cause no althoughe tenne thousand idols be brought in for one God as Englishe men haue séene in former time As long as Christ had a king in this realme to hold of his part and that great liuings gaines friendship and loue of y e world rose for Gods sake they dissembled towards his worde and so long as faire wordes could please God he lacked none but now euen such as God did most for doe knowe neither God nor his word but had rather heare tenne times spoken of the falsest tradition that euer man brought into the Churche then once of Christes most holy Gospel so that now mens natures for aduersities sake be cleane turned from God How long the loue of man continueth towardes men daily experience sheweth within one moneth If a man fall into trouble for the most iust cause he that was his friend will not onely alter his loue from him but also all the notes and tokens of the same whereas in prosperitie he was assured both of friendly words and friendly workes in aduersitie he shal find neither words nor workes except words and works of displeasure In prosperitie faire lookes and amiable countenances were as common as the cart way in aduersitie there shall neither looke nor countenaunce be shewed except it be frowning and bending of browes yea and moreouer aduersitie taketh from the dissembling friend all knowledge that euer he had of his friend afflicted that if the poore afflicted although he be euen vnder the nose of his feigned friend with courtesie and all obeisance cannot be knowne Oh God blessed be thy name that withdrawest neither thy knowledge loue nor yet thy helpe from the poore afflicted but hearest them and grauntest them their godly and honest requestes as here this Prophete most godly comfortably writeth of thée For he saith The Lord shall hearken vnto me when I seeke him in the time of my trouble And also the Lord abhorreth not to be present with the afflicted be his troubles neuer so great For I am saith the Lord with him in trouble I will deliuer him and set him in honour c. Of this doctrine we learne two things The one that God hateth not the troubled man for his trouble but for his sinnes Men doe cleane contrarie for the most part For they hate the man for trouble and not for sinne For let the wickedest man aliue haue prosperitie and all wicked men will loue him for his prosperities sake God turneth not his fauour from man for trouble but for sinne The world for troubles sake will not knowe the most deare and honest friend but let the most wicked that liueth by breath haue prosperitie and wicked people will not faile to know him with beck and du-gard if he come into companie Yea rather then faile the most wickedest man aliue shall be narrowly sought out that wicked men may haue acquaintance of him But he that hath God to his friend is sure of a Sauiour as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie as the Prophet here declareth which can in troubles send ease and in quietnes continue ioyes for euer To him therefore be all laude and praise worldes without end Amen The fourth thing to be noted in this second part is the continuance of the faithfull afflicted in prayer vnto God For the Prophet saith that He lifted vp his hands all night and waxed not wearie Of this continuance in prayer we learne two thinges The one perseuerance in prayer and the other patient expectation and willing sufferance vntill God sende redresse and ease To the first the Scripture exhorteth vs that we pray both heartily and continually vnto God not because he is ignorant of our troubles but because we should throughly be brought to vnderstand that there is none can helpe vs out of trouble but hée and also that by continuance in prayer we may the better knowe and more earnestly repent our sinns that be the cause of our troubles thirdly that by often remembrance and diuers rehearsalls of our iniquitie vnto GOD we may the sooner bring both our soules and bodyes into the seruice and homage of Almightie God whome we haue by sinne most gréeuously displeased The second vertue patient expectation in troubles declareth that we be much bound vnto God that chasteneth vs in this life and deferreth not our punishment to the eternall paines in the world to come Also it maketh the minde of man to vnderstand the wisedome of GOD and also the foolishnesse of man that many times for lacke of patient expectation and thankfull sufferance waxeth wearie of his crosse and punishment and also murmureth against God bicause he helpeth not when mans wisedome iudgeth most méete to be holpen But patient expectation prescribeth God no time when to helpe nor yet meanes how to helpe but saith Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen
them with greate ioy and consolation what God had done generally to all men after that what he had done to some particular men and priuat nations naming Iacob Ioseph whose ofspring and succession he brought out of the lande of Egypt as it followeth in the Psalme 15 Thou hast mightily deliuered thy people euen the sonnes of Iacob and Ioseph Sela. Of this verse we learne two consolations The one that euerie Christian troubled may sée his elders and also his betters troubled not that it is a comforte to a man that is afflicted to sée another in trouble but to marke that God loued none so well but in this world he sent trouble vnto and excepted not his déere sonne Wherefore it is a consolation to the afflicted to be made like vnto the godly fathers that were before his time by tribulation and to remember that although all Christian men be not brought vnder the captiuitie of Pharao in Egypt nor vnder Nabuchodonozer in Babylon yet there is an Egypt and a Babylon for euery Christian member that is to say the captiuitie of sinne the bondage of the fleshe the seueritie of the lawe the daunger of the worlde the enimitie of Infidels the treason of dissembling friends the wickednesse of ciuil diuellishe ordinaunces the dissimulation of hypocrites the periurie of incōstant persons the breach of faithfull promises the inconstancie of the weake y e crueltie of Papistes the loue of man the hatred of God with many others as y e ignorance of Gods lawes rebellion of the heart against it frowardnesse of the will to consent vnto it diffidence mistrust of Gods mercie boldnesse to sinne in the time of health faintnesse and mistrust of the remission thereof in sickenes loue of vice and sinne hatred of vertue and godlinesse souden falling from grace slowe rising vnto it againe lothsomnesse to die mortally readinesse to liue wickedly sorrowfulnesse to forsake this world great delight to vse it euill whiles we haue it lothe to séeke heauenly thinges glad to séeke earthly thinges nothing féeling the pouertie and trouble of the soul alwayes grudging at the pouertie and trouble of the body with innumerable other captiuities that euery Christian is intangled withall as euery man may iudge by his owne life The next consolation is to sée the trueth of Gods helpe promised to all men when they be troubled to haue béene declared opened and verified in others in time past For this is the greatest consolation that can be to any man in trouble or in sicknesse when he is assured of such help and such medicines as neuer were vsed but did helpe the afflicted and heale the sick Now against all the troubles of man and also against all the sickness of man God hath promised his present and helping mercie the which medicine and helpe neuer failed but did helpe as many as put their trust therein Therefore doth this Prophet Asaphe establish and assure himselfe of Gods helpe against his gréeuous temptations and troubles that he suffered by recording that his greefes were no greater nor his troubles more daungerous then Iacobs Iosephes and their posterities nor yet so gréeuous In so much that séeing the mercie of God could helpe the greater troubles in his predecessors he could helpe and ease the lesse in him that was presently troubled And béeing so assured of Gods helpe he spake at the end of this verse Sela as though he had said It is most true that God can help and comfort me as he holpe and comforted my forefathers And for the better consolation and more firme assurance he sheweth how meruellously he did helpe the posterite of Iacob Ioseph after this sort 16 The waters sawe thee oh God the waters saw thee and were afraid the depthes also were troubled In this that he saith The waters were afraide when they sawe God First the maner of speach in the Scripture is to be noted that attributeth vnto insensible things sensible qualities as in this place is attributed vnto the water sight and feare whereas in déede properly the water cannot sée nor feare But when the Scripture vseth any such phrase or speache there is to be marked diuers doctrines of edifying First of GOD then insensible creatures and thirdly of man for whose sake the Scripture sometime speaketh vnto insensible creatures as though they were sensible and worketh miracles in them for the instruction and amendement of sensible and reasonable man The learning touching God is that he worketh his will and vseth his creatures as it séemeth vnto his wisedome inscrutable most méete and conuenient as here he troubleth and altereth the condition of the seas and waters These waters were appointed by God in the third day of the creation to be in one place and was called The Sea a pleasaunt element and a beautifull thing to sée and God said It was good as the effect thereof sheweth in déede for it nourisheth the earth with necessarie moysture by priuie veines and secrete passages secretely passing through the earth And when the floudes that doe moysture the earth haue done their office they returne into their old lodging the Sea againe from whence riseth the matter of showres and raine to moisture from aboue that flouds beneath cannot be conueyed vnto And it serueth for transporting the necessaries of one realme to the other quietly suffering the ships of passe with great gaine pleasure These and many more commodities God worketh by this insensible creature when it is calme and nauigable but when he moueth it with his winds and tempestes it is so horrible in it selfe that no man may without perill and death trauell within it so raging and feareful is that pleasaunt element of tho water when God moueth it It hath by Gods appointment his time of calme and time of storme time to profite men and time to vndoe men time to be a refuge for men in the dayes of peril and time to be a graue and sepulchre for men time to conioyne strange nations together and time to separate them againe as it pleaseth the creator Almightie God to appoint and direct it The doctrine that toucheth the insensible creature it selfe is that it can be no longer calme nor any longer troubled then it pleaseth the heauenly gouernour to dispose it And here is to be noted against such men as attribute stormes and calmes to Fortune whereas onely the voice of the Lord moueth tempestes and sendeth faire weather It is also a doctrine against all men that do thinke the waters and seas may be moued and ceasse at their owne pleasure which is contrarie to this Prophets doctrine that saith The waters sawe the Lord were afraide So that their trouble riseth from the commaundement of the Lord and they cannot do what they lust but what God biddeth them to doe It is godly set foorth afterwardes in another Psalme wherein the passage of
the heauenly father sawe king Dauid when he saide at the beginning of this heauenly Hymne The Lord feedeth me c. When he is assured of Gods mercifull nature that séeketh the lost shéepe he openeth further the nature of God what he wil do with the shéep which he findeth féede him saith the Prophet Dauid and putteth him selfe for an example Here is the mercy of the great shepheard further declared that he killeth not his shéepe robbeth them not but féedeth and nourisheth them Of this speaketh the Prophet Ezechiel in the person of almightie God I my selfe will feede my sheepe and make that they shall rest quietly saith the Lord God That which is lost I wil seeke such as goe astray I will bring againe such as be wounded I will binde vp such as be weake I will make strong but such as be fat and strong those will I roote out and I will feede my sheepe in reason and iudgement And the great shepheard Christe saith whether his shéepe goe in or out they shall finde pasture After that this king hath opened in this Hymne that Gods nature is not only to séeke the lost shéep but also when he hath found him to féede him then he addeth in his Hymne after what sort he féedeth him So that I shal lacke nothing saith the Prophet Here is the declaring of the great shepheards pasture wherwith he féedeth the flocke of his pasture Christ expresseth the same wonderfully in the opening of his office and doctrine vnto the world in S. Iohn saying I came that they might haue life and haue it most abundantly And talking with the poore woman of Samaria he told her y t the drink he would giue her should be water of life And to the Capernaites he said that meate which he would giue them should worke eternall saluation As these properties be in God the shepheard as the Prophete hath marked euen in the like sort be the contrarie conditions in man the shéepe he speaketh of for as the nature of God is to séeke so is the nature of man to go astray As the Prophete saith I haue strayed like a wandering sheepe And euen so doth Esaie write of all mankind All we haue erred saith he as shepe going astray Christe our Sauiour also in S. Matthewe doth bewayle the people of the worlde that stray as sheepe that had no shepheard S. Peter likewise saith vnto his countrimen that he writeth vnto Ye were as sheepe that went astray but ye conuerted now vnto the shepheard and pastoure of your soules And as the nature of man is to stray from GOD so is it likewise to féede vpon all vnholsome and infected pastures to beléeue euery false Prophete that can do nothing but lye In the Prophete Esaie the Lorde saith The nature of sheepe is to be deceiued and their pastours to be dronke that neyther knowe nor see the pastures of the word of God And in the same Prophete there is a most horrible plague vpon man for sinne for The pastours shal be vnable to feede and all the foode of life shall be as a booke fast clasped and shut This going astray and féeding vpon euill pasture is wonderfully set foorth by Saint Paule for when men will not féede vpon the truth it is Gods iust iudgement they should féed vpon falshoode And as Gods nature is not onely to féede but fully to satisfie and to replenishe with all goodnesse so that nothing may lacke for a godly and vertuous life in like manner the nature of man is not only to féede but also to replenish it selfe with all infected contagious doctrine vntill such time y t he despise and contemne God and al his holesome laws This we may sée in the holy Prophete Esaie The people saith the Lorde prouoketh me vnto anger a lying nation that will not heare the lawe of GOD they say to their Prophets Prophesie not looke not out for vs things that be right speake pleasant things vnto vs c. And this replenishing of man with corrupt pasture is horribly set foorth in Sainte Iohn when the wicked priestes and Phariseis would not beléeue the shepheardes voyce Christe no not their owne seruaunts that tolde them the truth nor yet Nichodemus one of their own court and profession Thus in the first part of this celestial Hymne is the nature of God and man described vnder the name of a shepheard and of shéepe Of this part of the Psalme what the Prophete hath saide of God and of man we must for our owne doctrine and learning gather some thinges to be the better by For S. Paule saith What so euer is written is written for our learning Two thinges we learne of this first place The one a certeintie that God hath the cure and charge of vs and the other a consolation and comfort that we all ours be vnder his protection and gouernaunce The first doctrine to be certein and sure of Gods defence and care ouer vs maketh vs constant and strong to suffer beare all aduersities and troubles that God shall sende vs. And the second doctrine shall cause vs patiently and thankfully to beare our crosse and to follow Christ. Both these doctrines the Prophet Dauid expresseth in the third and fourth verse of this Psalme If I should saith he trauel and passe through places contagious and infected where appeareth nothing but the image and shadowe of death or be compelled to passe through the handes and tyrannie of mine enimies I wil not feare for thou art with me O GOD and defendest me In the 91. Psalme he setteth foorth the assurance and felicitie of all them that put their whole trust in the mercy of God and therein also the Prophet reckoneth vp a wonderfull sort of dangers and layeth them before the eyes of the faithfull that he may by the sight and knowledge of the daungers fixe and place the more constantly his faith and trust in God that hath the charge and cure of him Hee shal saith he defend vs from pestilence most infectiue from fleeing arrowes in the day c. By the which the Prophet vnderstandeth all kinde of euils that may come vnto vs by the meanes of the diuell or of wicked men And these things the faithful shall escape saith the Prophet bicause they say from their hearts vnto GOD Quoniam tu es spes mea that is to say For thou art my hope euen as he saide in the beginning of this Psalme The Lorde feedeth me and I shall want nothing Such certeintie and assurance of Gods defence and such consolation in troubles of this life we must learne pray to haue out of Gods word or else it were as good neuer to heare nor to reade it And from this first part of the Psalme euery estate of the world may learne wisedome and consolation If the Lorde féede and gouerne him he shall haue God to
belonging to this life yet is it not to be compared to the other as Dauid wonderfully declareth in the 25. Psal. When he hath numbred a great many of Gods benefites which he doth bestow vpon his poore seruants in this life he in y e end maketh mention of one specially that passeth them all in these woordes Arcanum Domini timentibus illum testamentum suum manifestabit illis That is to say The Lord openeth to suche as feare him his secretes and his testament The Lorde openeth to his faithfull seruaunt the mysteries and secretes of his pleasure and the knowledge of his lawes And these treasures the knowledge and right vnderstanding of Gods moste holie woorde he sayth was more swéete vnto him then honie or the honie combe and more he esstéemed the vertue of it then he did precious stones Of all giftes this was the principall that God gaue vnto him a right and true knowledge of him selfe Wherefore it shall be moste expedient and necessarie for euerie Christian man to labour studie and pray that he may earnestly and with a faithfull heart knowe him selfe to be no better then a séelie poore shéepe that hath nothing of him selfe nor of any other to saue his bodie and soule but onely the mercie of his shéepehearde the heauenly father and to be assured also that his only mercie and goodnesse alone in Christ and none other besides him is able to féede him so that he shall lacke nothing necessarie in this life nor in the life to come ¶ The second part of the Psalme Wherein the life and saluation of man consisteth THE SECOND VERSE He shall feede me in pleasant pastures and he shall leade me by the riuers side HE shal set me in the pastures most pleasant and rich of his doctrine and in the contemplation of heauenly thinges wherewithall the minds of godly men are nourished and fed with vnspeakeble ioy néere vnto the plentious flouds of the holy Ghost and the swéete waters of the holy Scriptures he will féede me in the which places the shéepe of the Lord are nourished to eternall life abounding with milke and bringing foorth most blessed fruite The Scripture of God vseth this word feede in many significations Sometime to teach and instruct some time to rule and gouerne as magistrates rule their people as wel by lawe as by strength Sometime to punish and correct c. But in this place the Prophet vseth feeding as wel for instruction by Gods word as also for defence and safegard of Gods people by Gods most mightie power He vseth this word pasture for the word of God it selfe as a thing which is the onely foode of a mans soule to liue vppon as the meate and drinke is for the body He vseth this word leade for conducting that the man which is ledd at no time goe out of the way but alwayes may know where he is and whither he is going as in many other of his Psalmes he vseth the same manner of speaking The riuers of refection he vseth for the plentifull giftes of the holy Ghost wherewithall the faithfull man is replenished His saying therefore is as much as if he had spoken without Allegorie or Translation thus He instructeth me with his word and conducteth me with his holy spirite that I cannot erre nor perish In this part of the Psalme be many things worthie to be noted First it is declared that the life of man consisteth in the foode of Gods word then that there is none that giueth the same to be eaten but God our heauenly shepheard the next that none can eate of this meate of Gods word but such as the holy Ghost féedeth with the word Our sauiour Christ declareth that Man liueth not by bread alone but of euery woord that proceedeth out of the mouthe of God Whereby he teacheth vs that as the body liueth by externall meates so doeth the soule by the word of God And no more possible is it for a man to liue in God without the word of God then in the world without the meate of the world And S. Peter confesseth the same For when the Capernaites and many of Christes owne disciples had satisfied their bodies with externall meates they cared not for their souls neither could they abide to be fed nor to heare the meate of the soule spoken of althoughe Christ did dresse it most holsomely with many godly and swéet words they would not tarrie vntil Christ had made that meate readie for them they could be contented to féede their bellies with his meates but their soules they would not commit to his diet but departed as hungrie as they came thorough their owne follie Christ was leading them from the fiue barlie loaues and two fishes wherwith they had filled their bellies vnto the pleasaunt pastures of the heauenly word that shewed neither barlie loaues nor fishe but his owne pretious bloud and painefull passion to be the meate of their soules how be it they could not come in to this pasture nor tast in any case of the swéet herbes and nourishment of their soules When Christ perceiued they would not be ledd into this pleasaunt pasture he let them goe whither they would and to féede vppon what pasture they would And then he asked of his twelue that tarried saying Will ye depart also Peter as one that had fedd both body and soule as his fellowes had perceiued that the body was but halfe the man and that béeing fed there was but halfe a man fedd and also that such meates as went into the mouth satisfied no more then the body that the mouth was made for he felt moreouer that his soule was fedd by Christes doctrine that the hunger of sinn the ire of God the accusation of the lawe and the demaund and claime of the diuel were quenched and taken away he perceiued likewise that the meat which brought this nourishment was the heauenly doctrine that Christe spake of touching his death and passion and he vnderstoode also that this meate passed not into the body by the mouth but into the soule by faith and by the presence of Gods spirite with his spirite that the body also should be partaker as wel of the grace that was in it as of the life So that he felt himselfe not onely to haue a body and a soule aliue but also that they were gratiously replenished with the pastures food of Gods fauour Wherefore he said vnto Christ To whom shal we go thou hast the words of euerlasting life Which wordes in effecte sound no other thing then this Psalme doeth where Dauid saith The Lord feedeth me and I shal want nothing for he leadeth mee into his pleasant pastures and pastureth mee by the riuers side Wherein it appeareth manifestly that the word of God is the life of the soule The Prophete Dauid doeth meruellously open this thing in the repeating so
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
the first parte is to marke and sée that in the verie electes of God and most excellent personages amongest holie men there is sometime quiet patient and thankfull sufferance of aduersitie strongly that it séemeth in the soule of him that is troubled there is so constant and strong faith that it maketh all sorrowes and troubles rather pleasaunt and swéete then heauie burdenous or painefull At another time troubles séeme vnto them so heynous and grieuous that the burden of them is as great a paine as death not onely vnquieting the bodie but also verie sore vexing of the spirite with these and like cogitations God hath cast me out of his sight God will haue mercie vppon me no more My soule is heauie and troubled And this diuersitie of increase and decrease of faith and hope of holie men and women before our time teacheth vs great wisedome and consolation wisdome in that we sée faith and hope be not naturall qualities in man although he be neuer so vertuous or neuer so gratiously elected by God to eternal saluation but they be the mercifull giftes of God giuen vnto man for Christes sake and wrought by the holie Ghost aboue mans deseruings We learne also that the giftes of God faith hope and charitie patience and sufferance with such like vertues be not at all times of like condition and strength in man but at sometime so strong that nothing can feare vs and at another time so weake that all thinges do make vs dismayed and fearefull Now and then it is so doubtfull that we cannot tell whether it were best to suffer for the trueth or else to be released consenting vnto falshoode Thus God vseth his giftes in vs not alwayes after one sorte partely for our sinnes and partely to proue vs and to bring vs to a certeine knowledge of our infirmitie and weakenesse From Saule Iudas and Caine he tooke his spirite cleane to punishe their iniquitie and wickednesse And from Iob to attempte his patience and to make his féele that of him selfe he coulde beare nothing We learne consolation out of this texte in this that in our troubles the Lord forsaketh vs not but comforteth vs. And the more our troubles and aduersities be the more is his grace and fauour towardes vs. As the Prophet sayth in another of his Psalmes As aduersities oppressed my heart so thy consolations Lorde reioyced me In the whiche Psalme ye may sée what consolation the afflicted conscience taketh in aduersities The Psalme is made against the wicked oppressoures and persequutors of the poore Wherein they say As the tyrannie of the wicked troubleth vs so thy consolations good Lorde do reioyce and comfort vs. and the same sayth Saint Paule to the Corinthians As the afflictions of Christe doe abounde in vs euen so by Christe aboundeth our consolation There is also to be noted in that the prophete sayeth His soule wayteth vpon the Lorde Many men can dissemble iniuries wrongs and oppressions outwardely Some times when they be not able to reuenge and some tunes when they dare not reuenge for lacke of opportunitie and occasion lest more harme mighte insue of that their enterprise As the Iewes durst not kill Christ a great while for feare of the people yet were they murderers in their hearts before God the fact outwardly not then being don Some againe reuenge not bicause they thinke dissembled patience will gaine worldly commodites riches Howbeit this quietnesse refraining from reuenging is nothing worth before God But when the hart soul waiteth vpon God is contented to be as God maketh it y t wayting seruice of the soul the Lord delighteth in and is pleased withall This is a godlie doctrine much to be desired to haue the minde contented with such things as be troublesome and painefull to the bodie outwardly And where the minde wayteth not patiently vpon the Lorde in trouble it will appeare diuers wayes Sometime many yeres after the displeasure is done the man that suffered the displeasure reuengeth it wrongfully and cruelly as the Phariseis and the highe priestes deferred the bloudie fact in the killing of Christ vntil they had gotten time and opportunitie for their purpose Sometime the impatience and vnquietnesse of the minde appeareth with checkes and taunting aunsweres vnto God as when God asked Caine Where his brother Abel was he asked God againe Whether he were his brothers kéeper or no The same wayes appeared Pharaoes vnquietnesse When God would haue had him to dismisse his people he asked What God he was vnto whome he should doe such homage and seruice Somtime it appeareth by desperate weighing the greatenesse of trouble not considering the mercie of God that is greater then sinne As Caines vnquieted soule for the killing of Abel brought his tongue to blaspheme the mercie of God saying that His iniquitie was greater then the mercie of God could forgiue So did the wicked soule of Iudas that betrayed Christ make his tongue confesse before the Pharisées his treason and wickednesse and neuer to call vpon Christe for remission thereof Sometime the impatience of the mind is knowen outwardly by finding fault with Gods workes As when Adams minde was vnquieted for the eating of the apple he said vnto God that his wife the woman that he gaue vnto him deceiued him Achab the wicked king being impatient with the scourges that God sent vpon his Realme for his owne sinnes and the peoples picked a quarell with the good prophete Elias saide that he troubled all his Realme So saide the Iewes against Paule This is he that troubleth all the worlde This is daily séene when so euer the minde and the soule is vnquieted the fault is laide vpon Gods worke As if the higher powers hang a true man and saue a théefe deliuer Barabbas hang Christ streight way the tongue walketh that He is set in authoritie by God In déede so he is but yet to punishe the euill and to mainteine the good and not to molest the good and mainteine the euill as commonly now a dayes is séene Simon Magus shalbe at libertie and Simon Peter in chaines Annas and Caiphas shall rule like Lordes Christe and Saint Paule shalbe ruled and suffer death althoughe not personally in their owne bodies yet in their members and disciples Let the minde of the théefe be touched for thefte streightway pouertie the worke of GOD beareth the blame Let whoredome vexe the whoremongers minde immediately the tongue complayneth vpon Gods worke youth strength and such other Let the minde be troubled with couetousnesse by and by Gods worke wife children be alledged for excuse For they must be prouided for saith the couetous man when he hath enoughe for himselfe and tenne times as many moe children as God hath sent him if it were thankfully vsed towardes God and liberally towardes the worlde So that if any man be touched
and benigne father who was not onely liberall and frée to his children but also to his hirelings that lacked nothing This consideration of his offence towards his father made him a great deale more sorrie then al the paines he otherwise susteined And thus must euerie Christian waite vpon the Lord and then doubtlesse consolation shall followe as it appeareth by the same prodigal sonne and by this Psalme of the Prophet Moreouer if we marke with what dangers and troubles the soule séeketh her Lorde and spouse Iesus Christ in the mysticall booke of Solomons Ballads we shall sée with what attendaunce diligence and patience the soule waiteth vpon Christ. I sought him saith the soule but I found him not I called him and he woulde not aunswere me The watchmen of the citie found me and beatte mee and wounded me They tooke my robe from me that kepte the walles I require you ye daughters of Hierusalem if ye find my spouse tell him that I am sicke with loue Note these wordes I sought him saith the soule found him not I called him and he answered not Was not this ynough to haue cleane discomforted the heauie sicke and troubled soule that ranne and cryed to her loue and husband Iesus Christe and yet for the time neuer the neare Further in running and calling for him the soule fell into the handes of her enimies that robbed her of her mantell And yet notwithstanding these daungers she cryed out vnto all that she mette that incase they founde her spouse they woulde tell him that she was sicke with his loue Ponder these thinges altogether first to trauell and crye and not to profit Next in trauelling and crying to lose all her goodes yea the mantell that she went in Thirdly to putte her life in daunger with confessing Christe to be her spouse before such as hated him mortally And yet howe did this Christian creature Doubtlesse wayted vpon the Lorde without murmur or grudge And in all these troubles note there is no complaint nor quarell made of her prayers that were not heard of the paines that for the time profited not of y e losse of her goodes and apparell nor yet of the daunger that she was in of her and Christe her spouses enimies But here was the wéeping lamentation and sorrowe that Christ her spouse could not be found In whose loue she burned so ardently that all aduersities gréeued her not neither did shée any thing at all estéeme them but onely the want of Christe was her gréefe and sorowe Yet was she patient and trusted still in the Lorde The like may ye sée by the woman of Canaan howe she called vpon the Lord for her daughter vnto whome Christe made no worde of answere Further his disciples wer troubled and wearied by her importunate suite Also Christe called her in maner no better then a dogge yet was there neither the bitternesse of his wordes nor the inhumanitie of his Apostles that she passed for but she wayted still vppon the Lorde and was nothing sorrowfull for all the sharpe words she suffered but onely because the helpe of the Lord was not extended and bestowed vppon her daughter as she desired But what insueth of suche a patient expectation and sorrowfulnesse of Gods absence Marke what the Prophete sayeth The seconde part of the Psalme 1 For of him commeth my saluation 2 He verily is my strength and my saluation hee is my defence so shall I not greatly fall The seconde parte declareth why the troubled person seeketh health of God HEere firste be thrée doctrines to be noted Firste to knowe by Gods worde that God can helpe The second that God will helpe And the thirde that the afflicted is bounde boldely to require helpe of God Whereof the troubled person muste be assured by the scripture or else he shall neuer finde consolation Now to the firste parte that God can helpe this scripture is to be marked that saith God is omnipotent that is to witt able to do all thinges So said he to Abraham when he eftsoones promised him the land of Canaan I am the God omnipotent walk before me and be perfect The same saide Iacob when Beniamin his young sonne was so instantly desired by his brethren to go into Egypt when they lacked corne My God omnipotent saide Iacob can make the prince of Aegypt fauourable vnto you So did God tell Moses that he was the Lorde that appeared vnto Abraham Isahac and Iacob euen the almightie God The like is in the same booke when God had drowned Pharao and his hoaff Moses gaue thankes and sayde His name was almightie Thus in the word of God we may learne euery where as well by his name as by his most meruellous works that he is omnipotent and there is nothing impossible vnto him Euen so doth the word of God declare that as he is omnipotent and can saue in like manner is he willing and will saue King Dauid saith that He saueth both man and beast In another Psalme he saith God saked him from all aduersities And againe he saith He wil saue all that trust in him And not onely saue but also saue for nothing So God saith by the prophet Esaie I will saue thy children And in the same booke it is declared that Gods hand is not weakened but that he can saue and wil saue This willing nature of God to saue is manifestly opened vnto vs in al the Prophets And in Saint Matthewe Christe saith Hee came to saue such as were lost The same is to be séene in S. Luke howe that The sonne of man came not to damne but to saue S. Iohn the Euangelist saith His comming was to saue the world And S. Paul saith He would all men to be saued Now as the word of God and the examples conteined in the same declare that God can will helpe in the time of trouble and aduersitie so doeth it declare that men be bound to call and séeke for helpe in the time of aduersitie As we read in Esaie the Prophet where God cryeth out in this sort Ye that be a thirst come to the waters c. In S. Matthewe Christ commaundeth all men that be troubled to come vnto him Also in the Psalmes He biddeth all men call vpon him in the dayes of their heauinesse and he will heare them and deliuer them Againe He willeth vs to aske and it shalbe giuen vnto vs. Nowe as these thrée doctrines are to be marked in the almightie God so must they be grounded in the heart of the troubled person And first he must giue this honour vnto God that he alone is able to saue and none but he as the Prophet Esay sayth of him Then being thus persuaded the afflicted person will not séeke helpe at dead Saintes nor at any other creatures hande but at Gods onely And as none
giueth God the strength able to helpe but is of it selfe in God and with God so is there none that can giue God a wil to helpe but he of himselfe is inclined to haue mercie vppon the afflicted and his mercie is most prone and readie to helpe the poore and miserable Hereof learneth the afflicted Christian that none inclineth God to be mercifull but his owne gentle and pitifull nature So that the sinners may boldely in Christ resort vnto him firste because he is mercie it selfe and not to goe astray to séeke firste mercie at dead Saintes handes and by their meanes at laste finde God mercifull and readie to helpe him And when the afflicted perceiueth by the word of God that he commandeth him to call vpon him and vppon none other he may take a courage and audacitie to be bolde to come vnto him be his sinnes neuer so many horrible or filthie yea if in number they excéeded the grauell of the sea yet be they fewer alwayes then his mercie If they be as redde as scarlet yet shall they be made as white as snowe The booke of wisedome sayth euen so Although we haue sinned Lord we be thine knowing thy greatnesse And whereas these doctrines be grounded sée what followeth In all the depth of anguishe and sorrowe this followeth as this Psalme sayth Of him commeth my saluation He is my strength my saluation and my defence c. The same may we sée also in the Dialogue betwéen the Christian soule or Christes Churche and Christe in the booke of Solomons Ballads were she neuer so blacke and burned with the sunne were she neuer so troubled with the vanities of the worlde she cried out and saide boldely vnto Christe Drawe me we will runne after thee And although the poore wretched soule be enuironed and compassed about with sinne troubles and aduersities as the faire Lillie is hedged about with thornes yet she trusteth in her husband that he will helpe her And in déede most comfortably her spouse Christ comforteth her with these maruelous words Arise haste thee my spouse my faire one and come Nowe Winter is past the rayne is gone and ceassed That Booke of Solomon is to be read to sée how mercifully God comforteth a troubled and deformed soule by sinne and yet God layeth it not to the soules charge that hath Christe to her husband Also there is to be séene that the soule is bolde to séeke and call for help of God her husband and goeth to no strange God for ayde or succour althoughe she be burned with the sunne and a miserable sinner The like is to be séene in the Prodigall sonne Although he was neuer so beggerly miserable sinful wretched and vnkinde to his father yet he said Euen as I am with my miseries I will go to my father and tel him that I haue offended against him and against Heauen The father when he sawe him spatte not at him reuiled him not asked no accomptes of the goods he had viciously spent laide not to his charge his filthie conuersation with whores and harlots neither did he cast into his téethe howe he had dishonoured him and his familie but when he sawe him a farre off hee was moued with compassion towardes him ranne to méete him tooke him about the necke and kissed him The sonne confessed his fault and the father minding more the comforte of his lowsie and beggerly sonne then the repetition of his transgressions commaunded his seruantes spéedily to fetche him robes and to clothe him gaue him a ring vpon his finger and shooes to his féete killed his fat calfe and made merrie and reioyced with his loste sonne that he was found againe Here is the state and condition of a soule that wayteth as Asaph saith for a time vpon the Lorde in trouble and heauinesse meruellously sett foorth Sée this wretched man spoyled of al his goods destitute of all friendes shutte out of all honest cōmpanie of a Gentleman become a swineheard of one that had once men to waite vppon him become now a waiter vpon pigges once he gaue others meate and nowe all men refuse to féede him erst a man that scarse delicate dishes coulde contente his appetite nowe his stomache yrketh till it be filled with swines foode yet more ouer then that he sawe nothing behinde him nor before him but miserie and wretchednesse Behind him he left al his goods spent riottously his estimation parentage such frends as he had when mony was plentie lost also as farre as reason could sée his fathers vtter displeasure and the reproch ignominie of his alliaunce and kinsefolke purchased for euer Before him he saw hunger and scarsitie a sorte of filthie swine and the best meate draffe chaffe for the sustenance and maintenaunce of his piggishe life in case he might haue béene so mainteyned yet in the middest of these sorrowes attending in his spirite vpon the mercie of his father meruelously in the filthe of a pigges slie and in the paines and anguishe of miserie hearke what a wonderfull doctrine he bloweth out Oh what abundance of bred is there in my fathers house and I starue here for hunger I will arise and gette me to him and confesse my fault c. He saieth not Oh what abundaunce of bread hath my brother and my kinsefolke but What abundance of bread is there in my fathers house He said not I will make my complaint to my brother but said To my father Whereof is learned that all penitent Christian sinners doe know that the heauenlie father hath the bread of mercie to satisfie their hungrie desire and that he is to be resorted vnto in such sinnefull and troublesome state and not any other in heauen but he alone through Iesus Christe who was killed to redéeme and saue the penitent faithfull sinners of the worlde Sée now how this Prodigall outragious sonne knew why he should séeke helpe of his father in the time of his vile miserie and wretchednesse First he knewe his fathers power and therefore saide Oh how great plentie of bread is there in my fathers house beléeuing that his father was able to giue him meate sufficient Next he was assured that his father was mercifull and would giue him suche thinges as he lacked being thus persuaded boldly he returned vnto his father and to him he vttered al his griefe who was a great deale more prest readie to helpe then his sonne was readie to aske helpe Of the same minde was the woman of Canaan For although she founde little comfort at the firste yet she argued so from the nature of man to the nature of Christ that Christe cried out vpon her and sayde Oh woman greate is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest For when she saide the dogges did eate of the crumbes that fell from their maisters table she knewe that she her selfe and all men in respect
fourth part repeateth more at large the declaration of the first and the second part THE fiue and sixe verses be worde for worde as the first the second were Onely there is left out in these two verses this word greatly for before he saide He should not greatly fall The which worde may be taken two wayes very comfortable of the reader and hearer if it be well marked and beléeued The first way is that the Prophet meaneth not that the people of God shal not fal for that is against the Scripture for The iust man falleth seuen times in the day Againe If we say we haue no sinne in vs we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. Nowe whereas sinne inseparably dwelleth as it doeth in all men whilest they liue vppon the earth there be faultes and falles before God of the mans part in whome this sinne dwelleth yet God of his mercy for the bloud and death of Christe doeth not account these inseparable sinnes to be falles but loueth the person preserueth him and will not impute nor lay any of those falles or faults vnto his charge but in Christe estéeme him iustified and cleane as though he were of him selfe so in déede And thus the Prophete saith that of Gods part and by our acceptation into his fauour through Christ the faithfull falleth not That is to say his sinne is not accounted damnable nor laide to his charge for Christes sake As Saint Paule writeth to the Romanes An other way it may be taken That a Christian hath testimonie in his spirit by the spirit of God that he is so elected chosen and ordeined of God to eternall saluation that what so euer the world the flesh the diuell or sinne shall doe yet standeth he assured of Gods election grace strength and fidelitie that he shall neuer fall to damnation but arise againe and be called from his falls what so euer they be And yet this most sure comfortable knowledge will not giue him licence nor libertie to sinne but rather kéep him in a feare and loue of the strong and mightie God in whose handes he is and kept from the great fall of eternall damnation from the which he was deliuered from the beginning with God So that ye may learne of this place what perseuerance is in the meditation contemplation of Gods most holy word and promises At the first they séeme vnto the fleshe things impossible as we may sée by Nichodemus who was as ignoraunt as could be at the beginning when he came first to schoole to Christ. But when a man hath bene exercised a while in it he féeleth more swéetnesse in the promises of God as we sée by this Prophete For after he had borne the crosse of affliction a little while and learned the nature of God howe mercifull he is to sinners he saide Although I fall yet it shall not be greatly But when he had tarried in the schoole of Christe and learned in déede what he was and howe that he was able to perfourme his mercy he saide plainly Whatsoeuer sinne the diuell the world the fleshe hell heauen or the earth would say against him he should not fall These two interpretations are to be noted For which so euer we vse we may finde comfort and vnspeakable consolation Now when he hath declared that he shal not fall into Gods eternal ire displeasure he sheweth how this certeintie of eternall saluation came vnto him and why God so mercifully and strongly hath warded and fenced him against all temptations and perilles of damnation It is saith he bicause God is his health That is to say One that hath not onely taken him from the sicknesse and daunger of sinne the tyrannie of the diuell and damnation of the lawe but also preserueth him in the same state that he fall not againe into the sicknesse and perill that he was deliuered from Whereof we learne that it is not mans labours nor mans workes that helpeth a sinner and saueth a damnable soule but it is the frée worke and vndeserued mercy of almightie God Wherfore we be taught that There is no health but in God alone Then saith the Prophete also that in God is his glorie Of the which worde he noteth two thinges The one touching God alone and the other touching God and him selfe The glorie that toucheth God alone is that this troubled Prophete pondered in the heauinesse and anguishe of his minde the number and strength of his enimies the diuel the flesh sinne the world and the bitter accusation of Gods lawes that truely accused and painfully grieued his conscience for sinne Of the other side in faith he considered howe the scripture declared that God was merciful euen vnto the greatest sinners of the worlde And he learned also by the word of God that GOD had made promise vnto sinners to be mercifull He considered further that god had many times vsed and practised his mercy towardes sinners And he founde likewise by the scripture that God to perfourme his mercy would not spare his owne dearely beloued sonne to redéeme man from his sinne with his own precious bloud and painfull death Thus weighing the strength of the diuell and sinne in the one part to damne and the strength of Gods mercy in Christe Iesus on the other part to saue and perceiuing the riches aboundance and strength of Gods mercy to be more auaylable to saue then all the power and strength of the diuell and sinne to damne for the great victory that God taketh ouer such strong enimies the Prophete triumpheth in the glorie of God ioyfully and thankefully extolling him for his mercy and power that hath broken the serpentes head and spoyled him of his prisoners So we vse to doe when any man by valiauntnesse defendeth vs from our enimies we extoll and magnifie him for his victorie and conquest This glorie gaue the Prophete Asaphe in this Psalme of God when by faith he sawe God conquering of hell sinne the diuell the accusation of the lawe desperation the fleshe and the world And the same glory giueth euery faithful creature vnto God at the end of the Lordes prayer when he saith For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie By the which wordes we knowe that howe so euer the diuell and wicked people take vppon them to vsurpe by violence warre and tyrannie and liue neuer so princely in pompe and pride they be but vsurpers if they come to it wrongfully for the kingdome apperteineth vnto GOD. And howe so euer they extend their power in Gods sight they be no stronger then a brused réede or broken staffe for the power is Gods And what glorie so euer they seigne and flatter them selues to haue it is but withered haye and vile dust in the sight of God But nowe the Prophete by the eye of faith séeing this glorious triumphe strength and power
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
in time at the beginning of troubles and temptations to remember the Lord and to cal vnto him for mercie For the more temptations doe growe without present assistance of Gods grace the greater is the damnation and the more is the daunger thereof as we may sée in the examples of the scripture Adam fell into anxietie and discomfort of spirite and God immediately tolde him of his fault and by Gods grace his discomforted spirite was quieted in the promises of God Caine by the murther of his brother Abel felt the discomfort of the spirit and by neglecting of Gods calling dyed in the same Dauid being admonished by Gods grace found rest for his vnquieted spirite Saule in deferring the remedie of Gods grace died comfortlesse Peter at the beginning through Gods grace with one looke of Christe put away discomfort Iudas with contemning Christes admonitions dyed in horrible despaire Whereof we learne to beware as much as may be that temptations growe not so farre that Gods admonition or the remembraunce of Gods name be forgotten but that we doe in the middest of discomforts as Asaph the Prophet did remember and cal vpon the Lord for help There is also by this remēbraunce of God in the discomfort of the spirite to be noted what a vanitie all the world and worldly things be for man in time of trouble when God shal shew and reueale vnto man his sinnes This Asaph as we reade in the scripture was a man whom for his vertues and good qualities king Dauid appointed to be a Musician for the comfort of many vntill the building of the temple of Hierusalem Yet nowe as we sée he is not able to solace him selfe with his Musicke nor yet with any worldly thing but this onely comfort is in the Lord. And here the Prophete declareth the truth of Christes sentence written in S. Luke What doth it profite a man to winne all the worlde and to loose his owne soule What externall riches can comfort the inward spirite troubled with sinne and transgression of Gods lawe None at all doubtlesse as the scripture sheweth examples euery where Al king Dauids kingdome was not able to appease his troubled and discomforted spirite when he said to his troubled soule Why art thou so heauie and sad my soule and why doest thou trouble me Nowe this one thing more I will marke in this verse and no more bycause it is more fully vsed by the Prophete for the comfort of discomforted spirits in the verses that followe I sayde there was two kindes of consolations in the word of God The one outward in the face and lesson of the letter and the other inward in the vnderstanding and féeling of the spirite And of this diuision must great héede be taken For it is not euery man that readeth and heareth that Christe dyed for the remission of sinne that shall haue the consolation of the redemption promised in Christes bloud For we sée and reade God giue vs grace to learne it that Adam caused his sonnes to heare of his owne fall in Paradise and the redemption of his fal in the bloud of Christe to come as Abel his yonger sonne right wel perceiued yet did Caine hearing the same consolation perish in his sinne There was consolation and rest promised vnto all them that came out of Egypt but none tooke the benefite thereof but Iosua and Caleb There was in the outward letter promised consolation vnto all Abrahams children but none receiued the commoditie thereof but suche as in spirite followed the fayth of Abraham The scripture saith in the letter that GOD would all men to be saued yet we sée such as followe not the spirite offered be damned God by his worde in the time of holy and blessed King Edward the sixt offered consolation vnto all this realme yet none shall inioy it but suche as in their spirites haue learned kept and do followe the word of consolation So our Sauiour Christ in S. Matthew doth say Not euery man that calleth me Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of God but he that followeth in Christ Gods commaundements There be a great many at this day as there were before our time that knowe and speake of such consolation as is conteined in the letter vtter barke of Gods worde but in their consciences they féele not in déede the consolation thereof As Iudas preached abroad with the rest of his companions consolation to the lost shéepe of the house of Israel but he shewed vnto others that he felt not him selfe So did the Phariseis when the scripture was read euery Saturday in their Synagogues shew that Messiah should come to redéeme the worlde yet they them selues for the most part felt not the consolation in déede that the scripture did testifie of Christ. Euen so at this present many reade this Psalme and daily almost in the letter whereof if it be in Englishe he that vnderstandeth not but the English toung séeth great consolation in the letter and also in the Prophete Asaph that vsed the Psalme yet when néede should be the inward consolation of the Psalme of many is nothing felt The cause is that either they vnderstand it not or else marke it not eyther they thinke as the Papistes doe teach that to say or sing the Psalme without vnderstanding and féeling of it in the spirite is sufficient for the worke it selfe and that it pleseth God Ex opere operato as they terme it It is too euident and also too horrible if it pleased God that men be contented only with the externall consolation conteined in the word of God For if they heare that Gods commaundements be true and full of consolation they be contented to heare of them in the letter or by speach and neuer learne thē or féele them by heart The like is in the Articles of our Christian religion They be thought to be true and godly and yet the most part that so iudge neyther learne them nor féele them in their conscience Wherefore they doe outwardly and inwardly as much idolatrie contrarie to their Créed by the commaundement of men as can be deuised for their consolation of faith is no more but such an outward knowledge as the most men hold withall without any proper iudgement or singular féeling of their owne spirites The same is likewise in prayer For in the externall letter there is so much consolation as may be but in the heart of him that prayeth is there no vnderstanding nor féeling of the consolatiō that outwardly is spoken and talked of Therefore marke this order of the Prophete Asaph He sayde that His spirite could take no consolation in all the night time whilest he helde vp his handes And as there is not only discomfort and vnquietnes spoken of but also felt not onely noted and written in the letter of y ◠Psalme but also throughly felt inwardly in the
wonderfully sett foorth in the Psalme next before this sauing one where it is said There is a cuppe in the Lordes hand full of redd wine and hee powreth out of it but the wicked shall drinke the dregges thereof and the vngodly of the earth shall receiue the bottom of it The cuppe in the Scripture is taken many times for aduersitie whereof God filleth a quantitie and a certeine measure vnto all his electe and chosen seruauntes but the wicked shall drinke the bottome and all and neuer come to rest nor ease Out of this temptation we may learne how foolish and how impatient we be When God sendeth troubles we thinke such to be best at ease that want them whereas the Lords booke declareth that it is necessarie and also very expedient that we should haue them Againe there is to be noted how that the Prophet in the cogitations of his minde maketh no mention of the griefe of the bodie whereof he spake before at the beginning of his troubles For in the second and fourth verse he declareth how he held vp his handes all night cryed with his voyce vntill he was speachlesse and lay waking could not sléepe Of the which sorrowes now he maketh no rehearsall but saith his spirite was searching and inquisitiue Whether God would absent himselfe for euer with diuers like interrogatories of Gods nature as followe in the Psalme Whereof we learne the vilenesse of our owne nature and also the treason and subtiltie of the diuel For as long as we sinne we haue such delight and pleasure therin as though it were but a play to transgresse and breake Gods holy commaundementes But when sickenesse and trouble haue layed the wicked the bodie abedd and made it weake and féeble our conscience is waked by the Lawe of GOD and we put in such terrour and feare that nothing can quiet vs. Also as long as we doe sinne the diuel beareth vs in hande that God is so mercifull doe what we will that hée will not be angrie but when sicknesse or death inuadeth then turneth the diuel his tale and persuadeth with vs that GOD is onely extreme iust and nothing at all mercifull And this griefe of the minde is so sore and vehement that all the paines of the bodie séeme nothing in comparison thereof as we sée in this place by the holy Prophete Asaph that was very sore vnquieted in his bodie yet did his spirite make no accompt of it but still hée stayed and staggered trembling and quaking at the heauinesse and sorrowe of the spirite that could not féele for the time of his trouble any certeintie or cōsolation in the promises of God Of this we be admonished that whatsoeuer we haue if Gods fauour lacke we haue nothing able to reioyce vs. And of the other side if we lacke all thinges and haue assuredly Gods fauour there is nothing able to make vs heauie and sorowfull As we see king Saule hauing a noble kingdome and lacking the fauour of God was alwayes vnquieted Poore Dauid hauing the grace and fauour of God was quiet and contented with all thinges saying If God will he may restore mee if he will not his will be done The assurance of Gods promises made Paule glad to die and the mistrust desperation of Gods promises made Iudas wearie to liue The certeintie of Gods trueth made Saint Stéeuen quietly to die in the assurance of eternall life the vncerteintie and doubtfulnesse of Gods mercie caused Saule to die in the feare of eternall death Riches of this world be treasures muche estéemed and made of friendes and louers much sought for and warily kept and health of bodie highly regarded and preserued with much care yet if the soule be destitute of the assurance of Gods grace the rest séeme to be of no valure at all As we sée Saule in his kingdome with riches strength and friendship yet his minde vexed still an euill spirite and Gods spirite departed his sorrowes were incomparable So that we learne that not onely the goodes apperteyning to the body be nothing worthe whereas the spirite wanteth the grace of God but also whereas the spirite is troubled the goodes of the bodie be little felt and nothing passed of as we sée by this Prophet in this Psalme The other part of his cogitations in the time of his sicknesse was this Will hee be no more intreated This gréeuous temptation whether GOD would be intreated to forgiue sinne any more may haue two vnderstandings The one generally and the other particularly Generally in this sort whether God once offended will be mercifull and forgiue or not Particularly whether God whose nature is mercifull will forgiue the priuate man that séeketh by saith mercie as he hath in time past forgiuen al men that asked it with repentance in faith The first sense and taking of the text generally is meruellous wicked and blasphemous to thinke that God once offended with any man will neuer for giue againe Of this opinion was Caine when he said his sinnes were greater then they might be forgiuen and he thought God would be no more intreated because he iudged his fault greater then the mercie of God that forgiueth faultes And wheresoeuer this iudgement of the spirite is this sentence is verified God will be intreated no more And as euery man that is priuatly thus minded that his owne sinnes be greater then can be forgiuen euen so hath he the like minde and iudgement also of all other mens sinnes that be like vnto his thinking them to be greater then they may be forgiuen For he that despaireth of his owne faultes cannot thinke well that other mens faults as great as his owne be remissible As Iudas that hanged himselfe for betraying of Christe could not thinke well of Peter that denied Christ but rather iudged of Peter as he did of him selfe saying God will be intreated no more Of this wicked iudgment of Gods mercie Whether he will be intreated any more of a sinner after that he hath sinned I wil speake no more But they that lust to read how horrible a thing it is may haue many Psalmes that do declare it namely Psalme 10. and 73. In the one of them it is said by the wicked that God hath forgotten the earth and careth neither for the godly life of the godly and vertuous nor the vngodly life of the vngodly and wicked And in the other Psalme they make a doubt Whether there be any knowledge in God of man and of his life or not But these sortes of people be too horrible and blasphemous and not to be rehearsed or muche spoken of The other sense of this place that is more particular is the better sense for the argument and meaning of the Psalme that is to aske whether God will be intreated no more as touching the remission of his owne sinne or els whether God will be
occasion of this helpe is not mans merites but the right hand of God y t is to say Gods power inclined to saue man by mercy Of this doctrine be certeine things to be marked of euery reader hearer of this Psalme First in this verse is declared how man taketh consolation in time of his trouble which is y e 4. part of the Psalme in the same part the Psalme endeth He saith It was his infirmitie that made him to question demaund in his spirit so doubtfull things of God and of his promises Whereof we learne that consolation beginneth where sorrowe and heauinesse is first felt for the spirit can take no solace by Gods promises vntill suche time as it féeleth by Gods lawe how sinnefull it is for the transgression thereof Therfore Solomon saith The iust man is the first accuser of him selfe And so doth the Prophet Asaph in this place confesse that these cogitations and profound thoughts against God came of his owne infirmitie and sinne And the knowlege of a mans owne wickednesse from the bottome of the heart although it be a shame to speake or remember the vilenesse of sinne wherewith sinner hath most gréeuously transgressed Gods commaundementes yet is this knowledge and confession of our sinne and iniquitie very necessarie and is as it were an induction to the remission thereof as it is to be séene in this Prophet and in the Prophet Dauid For here is first confessed that all sinnes in him came of his owne infirmitie and all consolation against sinne came of Gods right hand And the Prophet Dauid sayth whē he was in like trouble for sinne I determined saith he to confesse against my selfe mine owne iniquitie and thou Lord forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne But here is to be noted in this that the confession of sinne is as it were an induction and beginning of consolation that confession of sinne is not the beginning of consolation except he that maketh the confession be assured in his heart of Gods promises in Christe that of mercy in Christes death his sinnes be forgiuen as ye may sée in these two Prophetes The one said It is mine infirmitie the worketh this doutfulnes in my soule And the other saide I determined to condemne my selfe of sinne Thus farre it is death and an increase of diffidence in Gods promises and an induction to desperation to féele sinne to bewayle sinne to speake of sinne and to remember sinne But whereas knowledge and confession hath a certeintie and assurance of Gods forgiuenesse annexed vnto it there is confession and knowledge of sinne partly a beginning of consolation against sinne I call it partly or as an occasion bycause first of all God by his word or by his punishments through the operation of the holy Ghoste openeth the soule of the sinner to sée and know his sinne also to tremble and quake at sinne rather then to hate and abhorre sinne And from these principles and originalls commeth the humble and lowly confession of sinne not to man but vnto God except it be such an open sinne done against man as man knoweth of that the sinne is committed against Then must the offender of man also reconcile him selfe to man that is offended according to the commaundement of God Therefore we must marke what confession and acknowledging of our owne infirmities is For euery confession is not acceptable before God nor the beginning of consolation as these examples declare Iudas saide openly in the face of the court where Christe our Sauiour was arraigned that he had offended in betraying innocent bloud but there followed no faith nor hope of forgiuenesse So that for lacke of faith in Christes bloud desperation and hanging of him selfe ensued his confession Whereby it is euident that confession of sinne without faith is nothing worth but a testimonie of a desperate mans damnation King Saule after long impulsion by the Prophet Samuel was brought to confesse that he had offended in preseruing aliue Agag king of y e Amalekites and the fattest of his cattell I haue offended sayth Saule for I haue broken and transgressed the commaundement of God But what followed Gods right hand can remedie my sinne as this Prophete Asaph saith or God hath forgiuen the iniquitie of my sinne as Dauid sayde er else God be merciful vnto me a sinner as the Publicane sayd No but this ensueth I Pray thee sayth Saule to Samuel beare thou my sinne In this mans confession of sin was not the beginning of consolation but of more sorrowes for his heauinesse from that day more and more increased with his sinnes vntill he was slaine And the cause thereof was this He would that Samuel being but a man should haue pardoned his sinne whereas none can doe it but God as it is notably to be séene in king Dauid For when he sayde he had offended the Lord Nathan the Prophete sayde And God hath taken away thy sinnes Wherein is declared that the minister can but pronounce to the sinner that God in Christe forgiueth sinne So that we sée Iudas confession of sinne was nothing worth bycause he found no fayth nor trust for the remission thereof and Saules confession was of no valure bicause he trusted and desired consolation at mans hand and not at Gods Yet in Saules confession was some thing good in that he confessed although it were long first and in manner wrested out of his mouth by the Prophete Samuel his fault to God and in that point he did as Dauid did who sayde I haue offended the Lord. And this is to be noted bycause nowe adayes men be taught to confesse their sinnes to the Saints departed that knowe not what the outward works of men be vpon the earth much lesse the inward sinfull cogitation of the heart So that in this part the Papists confession is worse then Saules and in the other part it is like For as Saule trusted to the merites of Samuel and would haue him to beare his sinne so do the people trust that the Priestes hand vpon their head the penaunce inioyned them by the Priestes shall be a cleane remission and full satisfaction for all their sinne but before God their sinnes be as much forgiuen them as Saules were that is to say nothing at all But wheras sinne is knowne and confessed from the very hart vnto God although it be a bitter thing and also a shamefull thing to féele and beare Gods displeasure for sin the burden wherof is very death and more gréeuous then death it selfe yet whereas confidence and trust in the mercy of God is annexed with it there followeth great consolation and comfort As it is to be séene in this Prophet that spake with a strong faith boldly The righthand of God cā chaunge these things So that the latter part of this verse hath
the prophet remember the works of the Lord and that of olde time or from the beginning The second I wil think also of al the works of the Lord c. In this that the Prophet sayeth He will remember the workes of the Lorde of olde time or from the beginning we learne that it is expedient to know or at the least way not to be ignorant of any booke in the scripture For where as we finde not consolation in the one we may finde it in the other And where he sayth He wil remember all y e works of the Lord meaning as many as the scripture maketh mention of we be instructed that we cannot sée these works for our erudition neither yet giue y e almightie God thanks except we learne them from one of his bookes to the other And here is to be noted that séeing we be bounde to knowe and to be thankefull for all the workes of God conteined in the scripture we be muche in daunger as well for ignorance as vnthankefulnesse that we knowe not the principall workes of our owne creation or redemption We be therefore admonished to haue bookes to read the works of God and to be diligent to ask better learned then we be what Gods works doe meane As the children by Gods law vs bound to aske the parents the parents bound by the same to teach them then shall both fathers and children finde comfort and consolation against all temptations in the time of trouble and heauinesse As we sée this mans remedie by y e spirite of God riseth from recording meditating and speaking of Gods word and workes Here hath this Prophete meruellously opened howe a man in trouble commeth to consolation and comfort First that the spirite and heart of man must haue such strong fayth as may credite Gods power and also his good will and beléeue that God both can and will for his truethes sake helpe the troubled conscience Therefore Solomon giueth a godlie and necessarie commaundement Keepe thy heart with all circumspection for of it proceedeth life So did Dauid when the Prophet Nathan had made him afraide for the murder of Vrias and the adulterie with Bersaba his cōscience was in great anguishe and feare and among other thinges that he prayed for to God he desired that God would create and make him a newe heart that is to witte to giue him such a stedfast and burning fayth that in Christe his sinnefull heart might be purged And secondarily he prayeth to haue so right and sure a spirite that shoulde not doubt of Gods sauour towardes him Thirdly that God woulde alwayes preserue his holy spirite with the heart regenerated that from time to time the heart might be ruled in obedience towardes God Fourthly he prayeth to be lead with a willing spirite that quietly and patiently he may obey God in aduersities without impatience or grudge against God And where as this knowledge and féeling of the favour of God is in the spirite there followeth recording and remembrance of Gods works meditating and thinking vpon heauenly thinges and the tongue readie also to speake foorth the glory of God to Gods honour and praise and to the edifying of Gods people and congregation after this sorte 13 Thy way oh God is in holinesse who is so great a God as God euen our God Here is a consolation much worthie to be learned and receiued of all troubled men and it is this To vnderstande and perceiue that all the doinges and factes of Almightie God be righteous although many times the fleshe iudgeth and the tongue speaketh the contrarie that God should be too seuere and punishe too extremely As though he did it rather of a desire to punishe then to correct or amend the person punished As we sée by Iobs words that wished his sinnes layed in one balance and his punishment in another balance as though God punished more extreamely then iustly The same it séemeth king Dauid also felte when he sayde Howe long Lorde wilt thou forget me for euer With like bitter speaches in the scripture complayning of Gods iustice iudgement and seueritie The same we reade of Ieremie the Prophete He spake Gods word truely and yet there happened vnto him wonderfull great aduersities the terrour whereof made him curse the day that he was borne in And doubtlesse when he sayde Why haste thou deceiued mee Lorde he thought God was rather too extreame then iust in his punishment to afflicte him in aduersitie and to suffer Passur the high Priest and his enimie to be in quiet and tranquillitie This prophet Asaph was before in great trouble as ye heard and especially of the minde that self not a sure trust and confidence in Gods mercie and thought of al extremities that to be as it is in déed the greatest a minde desperate and doubtfull of Gods mercie yet nowe he saith God is holie in his way and all that he doeth is right and iust We learne hereby that the potte can not say to the Potter Why hast thou made me after this sorte Neither may the mortall man in whom is nothing but sinne quarel with the Lord and say What layest thou vpon me But thinke that although he had made vs both blinde lame and as deformed as monsters yet had he made vs better then euer we deserued And in case he layd all the troubles of the world vppon one man yet are they lesse then one sinne of man doeth deserue Thus hath the Prophet learned nowe and felt and sayth The doinges of God be holie and right and there is none to be compared vnto him and sheweth the cause why none is to be compared vnto God In the declaration whereof he continueth seuen verses and so maketh an ende of the Psalme The first cause why he sayeth none is to be compared vnto God is this 14 Thou art the Lord that doth wonders and hast declared thy power amongest people Firste he noteth generally that God is the doer of wonders and miracles and afterwardes he sheweth wherein God hath wrought these miracles Of this we learne thrée doctrines The one that some men knowe generally that God worketh all thinges meruellously The second that other some knowe that God worketh in some men meruellously The third that other also knowe that God worketh in themselues meruellously Of the first sort be such as know by Gods works generally that God hath and doth dispose all things vpon the earth and nothing hath his beginning nor being but of God of whome Saint Paule speaketh to the Romanes that by Gods workes they knewe God and yet glorified him not Of the seconde sorte be suche as more particularly knowe and speake of Gods miracles as suche be that reade how God of his singular fauour preserued Noah his familie and drowned all the world besides how he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and deliuered the people from
Psal. 129. 2. Thes. 3. Gala. 1. Ezech. 34. Actes 20. Antoninus histor tit 13. 3. 23. 13. Distinct. 99. nullus Antoninus tit 12. cap. 3. De gestis Longobard lib. 3. cap. 12. In Leon. 2. Platina in Bonifac. 3. Paulus Diaconus de gestis Long. lib. 4. cap. 11. De simplicitate clericorum To be called Pope was at the first generall to all bishops Histor. lib. 2. cap. 27. Gal. 2. Con. Nicen cap. 6. Hee meaneth here authoritie to electe bishops to haue power of bothe swords Alberus Crantzius ecclesiast histor li. 6. Abbas Vspergensis in suo chronico Platina in Alex. 3. Psalm 16. 2 Cor. 13. Rom. 8. When doth the soule of man waite vpon the Lorde in the dayes of trouble or els hath silence Iob. 1. Iob. 3. Psalm 31. Iob. 13. 17. Psalm 23. What it is to haue the soule to waite vpon the Lorde in the time of trouble Psalm 31. 42. 43. 77. Increase and decrease of faith in the faythfull Wisdome to be learned of the premisses faith hope charitie c. be not at al times of like strength Consolation The Lord forsaketh not his people in trouble Psalme 44. 2. Corin. 1. Mat. 10. 26 Iohn 11. 18 Luke 19 Note The impatience of the minde is many ways knowen Caine. Gene 4. Pharao Exod. 5. Gene. 4. Abel Iudas Matth. 27. Adam Gene. 3. Achab. 3. Reg. 18. Iewes Act. 21. 23. Simon Magus Theefe Whoremongers Couetous men Gene. 1. Prou. 18. The godly feeling the rod of God doe accuse thēselues acknowledging their offences to haue merited the same Mich. 7. Psal. 137. Note Why sate the people by the riuer side of Babilon A iust cause of lamentation Peter Matth. 27. Marie Magdalen Luke 7. Io. Chrysost in Epist ad Rom. c 1. 2. Psal. 73. What is the gretest losse that a Christian cōsidereth The prodigall son Luke 15. Canti 5. Note Note diligently What dangers a christian shall fall in and his duetie in seeking Christ prescribed A notable example The soule that hath a feruent loue to Christ the troubles she susteineth in seking him greeueth her not but the not finding of her spouse is the onely cause of her sorrowe The woman of Canaan Matth. 15. Patient expectation of redresse taketh all scourges and troubles in good part Three doctrines to be noted God is omnipotent Gene. 17. Gene. 43. Exod. 6. Pharao Exod. 15. As God is able so is he willing to saue Psalm 26. Psalme 34. Psalme 36 Psalm 56. Esaie 49. and 59. Iere. 15. 23. Ezech. 34. Daniel 12. Ose. 1. Sophon 3. Zachar. 8. 9. 10. Matth. 18. Luke 9. Iohn 3. 1. Tim 2. As God can will helpe so doth hee command vs to call vnto him for helpe Esaie 55. Matth. 11. Psalm 50. Matt. 7. 18. Marke 11. Luke 11. Ioan. 14. 15 16. 1. Ioh. 5. God alone is able to saue and none but he Esaie 45. No helpe to be soght at dead saincts c. but onely of God God is inclined of himselfe to haue mercie The afflicted by the commandement of God taketh and acitie to approch to his mercie Esaie 1. Sapient 15. Psalm 62. Cantic 1. Consolation Read the booke of Solomons Ballads Prodigall sonne Luke 15. Let vs not bee ashamed to go to our heauenly father and confesse our sinnes be they neuer so horrible for when soeuer we return from our wickednes he remēbreth no more our transgressions but embraceth vs as his deare children The heauenly father is to be resorted vnto in the dayes of necessitie hunger for he only hath the breade of mercy to seede his children What caused the prodigal sonn to resort vnto his father in the time of miserie The woman of Canaan They that come vnto christ must debase thē selues with humilitie Marie Magdelen God is both omnipotent and mercifull Rocke Matth. 7. He that buildeth vpon the rocke is wise What is the rocke If the rock were not sure the builder building woulde come to ruine To builde the house of God is to teache saluation in Christe Act. 5. Act. 7. Act. 9. If Christe had not bene the rocke of strength it selfe he had bene cast down Christ was slandered before he was borne Matth. 1. 2 Christ per sequuted as soone as he was borne Christes own kinse folke were raised against him Luke 4. Christe slaine Luke 23. Christe commended his disciples to the protection of his Father Iohn 17. Math. 16. Apoc. 12. Hee that hath God for his rock is assured of a sauiour Application of gods strength by faith to his owne defence Faith is the gift of God Hee that feeleth in himselfe God to be his saluation hath the greatest treasure of all The abuse of Gods word prouoketh this vengeance Gods word in an vnknowne tongue amongest the people to be lamented Defence Two doctrines Note Nothing can hurt him that is in Christ Iesu. The faith full beleeueth that as God is able to saue generally so is he to saue particularly Defence of God towards his people in this life Iohn 17. They that wil liue in Christe must suffer persequution Iohn 16. Matth. 10. Cant. 2. Matt. 13. 7 The faithfull congregation is likened to a shipp a house a woman trauelling with child c. Apoc. 12. Iohn 17. Who doe suffer in this world greatest troubles Prouerb 3. Hebr. 12. Apocal. 3. 1. Peter 4. Rom. 8. Consolation Cantic 2. They whō God calleth of mercie out of this life be voyd of all troubles Apoc. 21. The description of the heauenly ioyes The defence of God towards his in the life to come Esaie 66. The fauour of God towardes his in this world is annexed with troubles Trouble shall not ouercome Gods children Desperation God leaueth only to his enimies Note the difference betweene Gods children and such as be not his The wicked persequuters be as a tottering wall soudeinly ouerthrowen in their most prosperitie Zenecharib Beuedab 3. Reg. 20. 4. Reg. 8. 18. 19. Exod. 14. Hester 7. Iudith 13. Holofernes The presence of Gods fauour towards his is the destruction of the wicked God doth so strike the heartes of the wicked with feare that one man in a good cause is able to withstand tenne Note Deut. 28. Daniel 5. A hand writing in the wall feared the Emperour of the Caldees in his most iollitie Iohn 18. Christ asking his murderers whome thei soght they fell vppon the ground Luke 23. Note diligently Iacob Genesis 43 Ioseph The children of Israel Exod. 23. They that persequute Christes flocke at this present haue no assurance but flesh and bloud Stephen Gardener Edmund Boner A booke De vera obedientia Read Tunstals sermon against the bishop of Rome the treason of Cardinal Pole Why shal the persequuters of the godly perish By what meanes do the wicked put downe the people of God Caine. Abel Genesis 4. 1. Reg. 8. 1. Reg. 18. 3. Reg. 15. Gene. 6. 7. Ierem. 20. Matth. 3. 17. 28. Iohn 5. 1. Cor. 1. What shal become of the controllers of
God GOD laughteth the intent of the wicked to scorne Psalme 2. So the wicked maye obteine their purpose they care not by what meanes Genesis 3. By what meanes the diuel deceiued Adam Dauid Absolon 3. Reg. 15. Elias Achab. 3. Reg. 18. Christ. The wicked sort of the world Matth. 27. Matth. 8. Mark 5. Luke 8. Paule Tertullus c. Actes 24. Whome God do exalt to say the truth the wicked condemne as heretiques Howe doe the wicked vse their lyes Three maner of wais doe lyes harme Iohn 8. Manifest lyes amōg the ignorant Example 1. Reg. 15. Num. 14. Moses Iosua Caleb Manifest lies in matters of religion Gene. 11. Exo. 6. 7. 8. 3. Reg. 16. 17. 18. Matth. 15. Amongest the papists defenders of idolatrie be proferred 2. Cor. 4. The vse of lyes amongest the faithfullesse Gene. 3. 4. Eue. Caine. 1. Reg. 17. Saule Absolon 3. Reg. 15. The diuell vseth lyes many wayes A perillous vse of lyes Esau. Gene. 27. Absolon 3. Reg. 15. Matth. 22. Note The amiable countenance of the papists in King Edwards dayes be turned nowe into firie faces Prou. 24. The people of god do fall 1 Iohn 1. The sinnes of the faithful be not imputed vnto them for Christes sake Rom. 8. Iustification Note Rom. 8. He that standeth fast of Gods election can not fall to damnation Nichodemus Iohn 3. The lōger a man is at schoole the more sweetnesse in learning doeth he feele Why shal not be godly fall Health The mercy of God and not manswork saueth a sinner Glorie Note The afflicted Christian that beleeueth the strengthe of Gods mercy to exceede the force of his enimies receiueth consolation Euery christiā giueth the glorie only vnto God Matth. 6. The Prophete by faith claimeth the glory of God to be his glory Note Consolatiō Psal. 103. Oh liuely faith Luke 17. Esai 29. Matth. 15. 1. Cor. 14. Exhortation What is the office of the pastor when he vnderstandeth the scriptures 1. Cor. 14. The office of Kinges and Magistrates Parentes and Maisters No truste in fleshe bloud Note As man isIf we say we haue no sinne in vs so is his helpe Note diligently The Israelites vsed the Egyptians for helpe An inferiour medicine to the disease can not cure the patiēt Iere. 17. What doth come of the trust in man Two euils Gal. 6. A goodly explanatiō of Paules words god forbid that I should glory in c. Man more vaine then vanitie Why man is more vaine then vanitie Who so trusteth in any thing sauing in God doeth dishonour God Wrong done vnto God Ose. 2. Iere. 44. What doth he that be leeueth any doctrin besides gods word Wrong done vnto man Why riches are giuen vnto man Gene. 4. Iob. 33. Note Genesis 4. Abel in Hebrue in English in Vanitie How God doth reward euery man after his workes Psalm 37. Matth. 26. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Cor. 3. Heb. 11. Matth. 10. Iames. 2. Gen. 12. 15. 17. 22. Rom. 4. Matth. 7. Matth. 5. Luke 6. Apoc. 3. Prouerb 3. Heb. 11. Psal. 37. 73. Abac. 2. Matth. 6. Colos. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 25. Cantic 4. Iohn 17. Ephes. 2. Matth. 19. Rom. 8. Luke 23. Psalm 119. Apoc. 6. 27 22. Esaie 54. Ose. 1. Heb. 12. Esaie 53. Rom. 3. Exod. 14. Gene. 10. 1. Reg. 28. Trip. Hist. Exod. 5. 1. Reg. 28. Trip. Hist. Psalm 119. Carion Iob. 1. 2. Ioh. 16. Gal. 5. Col. 1. 1. Thes. 1. Heb. 12. Iames. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Psalm 119. Deut. 4. 2. Reg. 22. Neh. 9. Psalme 18. 91 118. Rom. 5. 12. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 1. Matth. 20. Gene. 3. Gene. 3. Iohn 8. Gene. 20. Iudith 13. Iudith 7. Hester 4. Psal. 94. Gene. 3. Gene. 4. 21. 27. Num. 16. Num. 12. Gene. 38. 1. Reg. 19. Mat. 14. 27 Matth. 20. Iohn 21. Iohn 16. Psal. 2◠Iohn 17. Matth. 19. Psal. 94. Psal. 112. Psal. 1. Psal. 119. Matth. 5. Matth. 10. Matth. 16. Exod. 14. Dan. 3. Philip. 3. Hebr. 11. 3. Reg. 1 Matth. 17. Luke 6. ◠Tim. 6. Luke 6. 3. Reg. 25. Dan. 4. Exod. 32. Deut. 40. Psal. 92. Esai 40. Matth. 6 1. Pet. 1 Eccle. 3. 4. 5. 3. Reg. 8. 1. Tim. 6. Luke 12. Matth. 6. That is to say Death Eccle. 41. Gene. 3. Gene. 4. Num. 17. 2. Reg. 11. Matth. 26. Hebr. 11. Exod. 3. Matth. 14. Iohn 7. 8. 9 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 1. Matth. 7. Iere. 20. Iohn 16. Psalm 83. and 31. Rom. 8. Matth. 11. Esaie 55. Iohn 7. Esaie 18. Rom. 5. 14. Matth. 5. Of those that weepe mourne who be blessed Two sons of people condemned Esaie 45. Two impediments keepe God from helping the troubled 1. Ignorance 2. Feare of Gods iustice Of ignoraunce is sprong horrible blasphemie 1. Peter 1. The remedie against ignorance 2 Peter 1. Psalm 119. Psalme 1. Esaie 59. Esaie 8. Deut. 6. Ephes. 6. What cōmeth of the feare of Gods iustice Matth. 5. Luke 1. Rom. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. Gods spirite worketh the knowlege of sinne by preaching of the law How we should vse our selues in the time of trouble Psalm 50. 15. The feare and terror of sinne is an intollerable butthen The conscience being admonished of the filthines of sin bringeth the body into a trēbling and feare What ensueth after the feare of conscience for sinne Psalm 42. Psalm 38. Psalme 6. Psalm 77. Rom. 7. Note Psalm 126. Matth. 5. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 26. No trouble to the trouble of cōscience Differēce betweene the penitent desperate and contemptuous man The penitent man The desperat man The contemptuous man Note The Christian afflicted The wicked afflicted Note Gods nature and mans differ much Man for the most parte is vnstable followeth religion as the world fauoureth Idols set vp againe in Queene Maries time How long mans loue continueth towardes man God loueth and helpeth the poore afflicted Psalm 77. Consolation Psalme 91. God hateth not the troubled for his trouble but for his sinne Man hateth man for trouble and not for sinne Continuance in prayer Patient expectation Matth. 6. 8 As long as sinn is not felt man is iocund pleasant 2. Samu. 1. Rom. 8. Act. 9. When the horrour of a mans sin is felt to desperatiō no worldly ioyes cā comfort the afflicted person Gene. 3. 4. Note Matth. 26. Luke 7. Iohn 8. Psal. 77. 1. Tim. ◠Esai 66. Apoc. 14. The dearest frends of Christe be not voyde of trouble anguish of minde for their sins Consolation An ordinari way that God vseth to call sinners to repentaunce and from repentance to forgiuenesse Psal. 51. Two maner of discomforts An inward discomforte Matth. 3. Mark 1. Gene. 3. 4. 2. Samu. 11 Matth. 27. Act. 9. Matth. 3. Mark 1. Saule and Iudas 1. Samu. 31. Matth. 27. Mark 14. Pharao Exod. 14. Num. 16. Rom. 3. 5. Outward discomfort Gene. 5. 6. Matth. 11. Luke 7. Esai 65. Esai 53. 6. Matth. 13. Iohn 12. Rom. 11. Rom. 1. Sinne not felt bringeth the cōtempt of
his maister and teacher that shall giue him holesome and commodious doctrine meete for the state of the life he hath chosen to liue in this world For all that shall be saued in time to come followe not one kinde of life Some be Magistrates and Rulers appointed to sée both the laws of the realme and the goodes and commodities thereof to be vsed and applyed to the vse and profit of such as be vnder them Some giue them selues to studie and contemplation of heauenly and diuine things not busying them selues with trauels of the body but to knowe them selues the way of life and to be teachers of the same to others Some be giuen to apply the lawes of the Common wealth some to exercise the trade and course of merchandize some one kinde of liuing and some an other But of what art facultie science or kinde of liuing so euer he be that is not contrarie to Gods honour or honestie he may vse therein to serue God to obserue iustice to exercise truth kéepe temperance and be acceptable to God who hath giuen lawes méete and conuenient to Publicans and Souldiers seruants and maisters parentes children husbandes and wiues and so to all other but all these sortes of people must assuredly knowe that in euery of these vocations be more daungers then he that must liue in them is able to beare Therfore from the bottome of his heart he must be assured of this beginning of king Dauids Hymne The Lord feedeth me and I shal lacke nothing And in déede the Lorde hath not only saide He will féede and defende him from all daungers but also saith He wil teach him howe to liue vertuously reuerently towards God and honestly and quietly towardes man what state or vocation so euer he choose to liue in so it be not against Gods lawes and the lawe of nature So saith king Dauid God hath appointed a lawe to rule and teach the man that feareth him what soeuer kind of liuing he appointeth him selfe to liue in What treasure is there to be compared vnto this that man is not onely fed and mainteined by God but also taught and instructed in euery craft and science that he appointeth him selfe to liue in Blessed therefore is the man that in the entrailes and déepe cogitations of his hart can say beléeue féele this to be true that Dauid saith The Lorde ruleth me and careth for me and I shall lacke nothing But yet there is almost nothing spoken that this king would haue chiefly knowne Howbeit doubtlesse they be wonderfull things that preserue and teache all persons both men and women in what so euer kinde of liuing honestly they appoint themselues to liue in He him selfe knew this to be true right wel as it appeareth when he saith Blessed be the Lorde my strength that taught my handes to battel For if the Lord had not taught and ruled him he had bene ouerthrowne many times bycause there was not onely more strength then he had of him selfe against him but also more wit more policie more experience But what things can ouercom that man that is couered with this shielde Dominus regit me The Lord ruleth me Doubtlesse nothing at all whether it be in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in hell vnder the earth Notwithstanding this is not all that this doctrine The Lord ruleth me doth for the poore shéepe that is ruled But here must the reader and hearer of this Psalme followe king Dauid and desire to haue the eye of his minde purged and made cleane for if the scales of infidelitie and the loue and delight to sinne remaine or else the minde be otherwise occupied then vpon the vnderstanding of the Hymne he shall heare it or sing it as the vngodly Colleges of Priestes doe that daily bo-o and rore the holy Scriptures out of their mouthes and vnderstand no more the meaning thereof then the walles which they sing and speake vnto We must therfore do as king Dauid did lift vp the eyes of our mindes into heauen and fire our faith as he saith fast in the Lord and then shall we sée the vnspeakable treasures and wisedome that lyeth hid in this meruellous and comfortable head and beginning of this Psalme The Lord feedeth me c. Our Sauiour Christ openeth plainely in Saint Iohn what it is to be the shéepe of God and to be fed by him and saith They wil heare the shepheards voyce but no straungers voyce and bycause they heare the shepheards voyce the shepheard will giue them euerlasting life and no man shall take them out of the shepheards hands There is the greatest treasure and most necessarie riches for the shéepe of God vttered which is not the knowledge of God alone to be preserued in this life and to lacke nothing that is expedient and necessarie for the preseruation thereof but also to vnderstand which wayes the heauenly father teacheth and leadeth vs to the mansion and dwelling place of life euerlasting And if man were wise he might soone perceiue how much the life to come is better then the life present yea be it neuer so fauourably fed and preserued by the heauenly father our shepheard and gouernour For his tuition here of vs although it be sure and so strong that none can take vs out of his handes yet is our safegard and life troubled and mingled with aduersities subiect to persecution and also vnto death but in the life to come Gods tuition is all ioy all myrth all solace with all perpetuitie and endlesse felicitie And of this treasure Dauid chiefly meant in the forefront of the Psalme when he said And I shal lacke nothing For as we sée vntill this life be taken from vs most troubles and most care beginneth and tarrieth in the house of GOD amongest his shéepe whiche be as lambes among woolues Wherefore the voyce and teaching of the shepheard doth heale the mindes of the shéepe Gods deare elect and pulleth from them all vnprofitable feare and carefulnesse it quencheth all flames of lust and concupiscence it maketh and giueth a man a noble and valiant minde to contemne al worldly things it bringeth a man in loue with Gods true honour maketh him ioyfull in trouble quiet in aduersitie and sure that the end of Gods people shal be glorious and ioyfull and also that this fauour of the shephearde shall be his guide into the place of blisse whereas be crownes of euerlasting glorie for such as haue bene led by the Lorde and there they shall lacke nothing For there is neither eye can sée nor toung can speake nor minde can comprehend these ioyes and glorie And therefore the Prophete both constantly and chearefully saide The Lorde feedeth me and I shal lacke nothing for all thinges of this world be but trifles in comparison of things to come Although it be a singular fauour of God to vnderstand his goodnesse and mercie towards vs in things
examples of our forefathers Temptation not resisted at the beginning preuayled against the innocent fathers Adam and Eue in Paradise against Caine in murther against Aaron the people in idolatrie against Nemroth in pride against Dauid in adulterie against Iudas in auarice against Aaron and Marie his sister in enuie against Esau in gluttonie against Pharao in pride against Herode in hypocrisie against the Phariseis in blindnesse and obstinacie of minde against the Iewes in the slaunder of Christes death against the Gentiles in ignorance of Gods worde against the most part of Christians now a days in cowardnesse and feare and against all the world in looking more howe to profite it selfe then to serue and feare God The Prophet said before He was almost gone to sée the wicked so prosper but he saith now that The people fall vtterly vnto them and learne both wicked opinions and wicked life of the wicked The second is that the people fall not into the wicked blasphemie of iniquitie one by one but by clusters in great number Wherein is much to be noted that so few so hardly turne to God and so many so quickly to abhomination But as Christ said The way to heauen is narrowe and straite and fewe enter and the way to hell is broade and plaine and many enter in it ¶ The fifte part 14 Then haue I cleansed my heart in vaine c. OUt of it we be admonished that our nature is to be offended by and by with troubles for the glorie of God And euen as we be vnquiet with the troubles so be we inconstant and vnstable in the knowledge and trueth that we suffer trouble for and beginne to repent that euer we began to fauour or imbrace the trueth and wishe also that we had vsed our selues as other men did and then to haue suffered with other men the common lott and fortune of the world and not thus to haue béene giuen to a singular knowledge of Gods word whiche bringeth with it a singular hatred and punishment in this world Such is our nature if we be by afflictions and troubles but for a dayes space made like vnto Christe we thinke it too long but if we be by sinne for all our life time made like vnto the dinel we thinke the time too short and wish longer to liue because we would longer worke and delight in sinne and abhomination Great and haynous is our offence in this respect for a little time spent in wel doing we iudge too long and all time spent in euil doing we iudge too short All labours and paines be too little if they be bestowed in worldly thinges but if they be appointed to heauenly thinges be they neuer so fewe and slender we thinke them too much There is not sea nor land with all the perils within them but men dare aduenture both their goodes and their liues to winne increase of worldly goodes but to winne towards God and godlines scarse one of a great many without danger will labour or take paines to gaine it So doth the Prophet say in this place that He had clensed his heart in vaine because he sawe clenlinesse and vertue persequuted and filth with iniquitie honoured and exalted Christ in the Gospel of S. Iohn perceiuing that when vertue wel doing should be troubled men would waxe wearie of well doing and vertue he said vnto his disciples Remember when they come that I spake of them and warned you before ¶ The sixt part 15 Yea and I had almost said euen as they c. OUt of it we learne that no man should iudge of Gods workes nor Gods people but by the word of God In this behalfe we do many times gréeuously offend the Almightie God For when the world damneth Gods word then doeth the most part of men the same If the world say it is true we say so to If the world say it is vntrue we say it is vntrue And if the world condemne it we condemne it also Likewise if the world accompt them cursed and damned that be persequuted for Gods sake and for the testimonie of his name we do so to Yea and moreouer if the world slaunder and lie vppon poore men and poore women that suffer for Gods sake we speake as they doe sometimes persequute also the good with them This is an horrible thing to reproue after such a carnall and worldly sort God and all his blessed people whiche will be at lengthe doubtlesse a iust condemnation of the world ¶ The seuenth part 16 Then thought I to vnderstand this but it was too hard for mee c. WE learne out of this part that vntill reason be amended and remoued from her naturall blindnes it can doe none other but condemne both God and Gods people And no meruell for the Prophet in the 83. Psalme also in the 31. Psalme hath these wordes Consultauerunt aduersus absconditos tuos They haue consulted against thy hidden people As though he had said The mercifull father of heauen kéepeth the godly people in most sure and strong defence and protection but this kinde of protection is hid from the eyes of mans reason So that it séemeth many times that God hath the lesse care of the godly and passeth more of the wicked then of them Yet howsoeuer the world iudgeth God sléepeth not Further how blessed the state and life of the godly is and how cursed the life and state of the wicked is only the vertuous and godly do perceiue Therefore the Scripture calleth those that be godly and vertuous The hidden of God Moreouer the godly doe perceiue that all the vanitie of worldly things which be the treasures of the wicked and the permanent state and condition of heauenly thinges whiche be the treasures of the godlie be onely séene of such as enter into the holy Sanctuarie and secret treasures of Gods most holy word without y t which worldly thinges séeme to be riches and heauenly thinges pouertie wicked men to be blessed and godly men cursed falsehood to be trueth and trueth falshood death to be life and life death ¶ The eighth part 23 Neuerthelesse I am alway by thee for thou hast holden me alwayes by my right hand THe Prophet out of this part declareth that which Saint Paul writeth to the Romanes If God be with vs who can be against vs If he loue vs what is hee that can separate vs from his loue which spared not his only sonne for our redemption but gaue him for vs vnto the death Therefore there is neither life nor death thinges present nor thinges to come that can separate vs from him Unto this place is referred all the diliuerance from trouble and danger that God vsed from the beginning of the world vnto our time And when we vnderstand and knowe Gods mercie towardes our selues and others we must giue our selues wholy to laude and praise his
holy name and be thankful For There is nothing more vnnaturall in man then forgetfulnesse of Gods great and innumerable giftes towards vs. To whom be all honour and praise world without end Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 77. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN HOOPER Bishop of Glocester and Worcester THE ARGVMENT WHen this Prophet Asaph being a man appointed to the seruice and teaching of Gods word vnto the people perceiued that such as were vnder his cure charge were many times troubled and brought into great heauinesse for the feare and dread they had conceiued of Gods most iust ire and straite punishment for sinne transgression of his holy lawes and in himselfe felte especially the burden of Gods displeasure against sinne intollerable hee receiued from the holy ghost the spirit of consolation what was the best remedie and helpe for euery troubled conscience to appease and quiet the poore spirite of man that knoweth and feeleth not onely that God is iustly angrie for sinne but also will straitly punish the iniquitie and abhomination of the same And when hee had learned himselfe by God how a troubled and desperate conscience might be quieted hee spake it to such as were aliue and with him and wrote it to all such as should come after him vntil the worldes end that troubled sinners might see their sinnes for giuen in the mercie of God and they themselues accepted as Gods most deare children into eternall friendship and endlesse ioyes of saluation ¶ The partes of the Psalme 1 In whome a man should put his trust and to whome he should resort in the dayes of sicknesse troubles and aduersitie 2 How a man should vse himselfe towards him in whom he putteth his trust in the time of trouble 3 What great and perillous dangers the man that is troubled shall suffer for the time of his trouble 4 Howe a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble ¶ The two first verses of the Psalme conteyning the two first partes 1 I will crie vnto God with my voice euen vnto God will I crie with my voyce and he shall hearken vnto mee 2 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord my hand I held vp all night and it was not wearie my soule refused comfort ¶ The first part ¶ In whom a man should put his trust and to whom he should resort in the dayes of sicknesse troubles and aduersitie 1 I will crie vnto God with my voice euen vnto God will I crie with my voice and hee shall hearken vnto mee FIrst out of this text it is to be noted that God onely is to be trusted vnto in the dayes of trouble as our Sauiour Christ exhorted in heauines and anguish of body and soule all people to resort vnto him saying Come vnto mee all ye that be laden and burthened and I will refreshe you And the same is spoken of God by Esaie the Prophet Ye that be a thirst come vnto the waters and ye that haue no monie come take it freely S. Iohn likewise in the midst among troubled and afflicted persons reciteth the words of Christ saying If any be drie let him come to me and drinke Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture saith flouds of water of life shall flowe out of his bellie Of this knowledge and suretie in the soule of man that God is can and wil be an ease and remedie for the troubled conscience cōmeth iustice peace and ioy of the conscience Not that any man shalbe by and by without all feare trembling and dread of his sinnes of Gods iust iudgement against sinne but that this feare and trembling shal not come to desperation neither shall he be more afraide of his sinnes then comforted by Gods mercie and grace in Christ. Therefore saith our sauiour Christ Blessed be they that weepe for they shalbe comforted Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for iustice for they shalbe replenished In this that he saith Blessed be they that weepe He noteth such as do knowe and féele with sorrowe and heauines of conscience that they be sinners and the filthines of their sinnes maketh them sorrowful and heauie hearted yet shall they in Christ be comforted Againe the poore sensible féeling and troubled sinner doth wishe his sinnes away and would gladly haue vertue and iustice to rule and do altogether in him Gods holy will and pleasure This hunger and thirst saith Christ shalbe quenched for the merits of his owne death and passion as it shal not misse if men in their thirst hunger persequution and trouble doe knowe and vse onely God for their helpe and consolation as this Prophet did and teacheth vs to doe the same in this Psalme In this first part be two sorts of people condemned The one is such as plainely despaire and in their troubles neither looke for consolation nor yet beléeue that there is any consolation to be hoped for in Christ. The other is such as séeke consolation but not onely at Gods hand power but at the Saincts departed at witches coniurers hypocrites and the workes deuised and done by man The first sort be left comfortlesse because they séeke no consolation and the second sort find no comfort because they séeke it where it is not contrarie vnto God and his holie word Happie therefore is the troubled that séeketh consolation at Gods handes and no where els For he is as it is written by the Prophet Esaie the God alone that doth saue and none but hee But there be two manner of impedimentes that kéepe the Almightie God from the helping and comforting of people that be in trouble The one is ignorance of Gods nature and propertie towards the afflicted and the other is feare and dread whereas God is most iustly angrie for sinne lest that in his anger and iust punishment he will not be mercifull Of the first impediment whiche is ignorance is sprong into the world horrible blasphemie that neither séeketh helpe at Gods hand nor yet is thankful vnto God for any thing that God giueth but rendereth all things to such Gods and Saincts as he hath deuised out of his owne imagination or els learned as S. Peter saith out of the traditions of his Elders So that ignorance taketh away the honour of God also the saluation of them that be ignorant The remedie against this great impediment is onely the reading meditating hearing and learning of Gods holy word whiche is as a candle light in a darke place to kéepe and preserue a man from danger and peril And so saith king Dauid that It is a candle vnto his feete and a light vnto his stepps And in an other place of his Psalmes he saith The lawe of God is so perfect that it turneth soules vnto the Lord. Wherefore saith he it is the part of euery man that wil be vertuous and godly to