so doeth sinne and death both appeare and be felt by the spirite of God shewed vnto vs in the lawe This order also fawe the holy Prophet when he saide The Lorde conuerteth my soule and leadeth me into the pathes of righteousnes This is a wonderfull sentence and much and déepely to be considered and weighed of the Christian man The Lorde conuerteth my foule saith Dauid He féeleth in him selfe that as long as the diuell and sinne haue the rule and kingdome in man the soule of man being Gods creature is deformed foule horrible and so troubled that it is like vnto all things more then vnto God and vertue whervnto it was created but when the wicked diuel deformed sinne be by the victorie of Christ ouercome expelled the soule waxeth faire amiable swéete louing pleasant like vnto God againe and cōmeth into order obeisance vnto his creatour so brought into y e pathes of righteousnes féedeth with the rest of Gods well ordered flocke vppon she pastures and foode of his holy worde to doe his blessed will Oh that we would in the glasse of Gods worde looke vpon our owne soules when they be in the tyrannie of the diuell vnder the kingdome of sinne as this king did we should more loathe and detest our owne soule and the companie that our soule is accompanied withall then if we should for all our life time be put into sties with hogges and alwayes be bound during our life to liue with them féede as they féede sléepe and wake as they do and be as they be in all things Looke in the Gospel of Saint Luke and there shall ye sée a man by sinne so foule so disordered so accompanied with swine so hungerbaned so rent and torne so beggerly so wretched so vile so loathsome and so stinking that the very swine were better for their condition then he was But sée howe the heauenly shepheard behelde from his heauenly throne the place of the euerlasting ioyes this poore strayed shéepe féeding not amongst shéepe but amongest swine and yet could not be satisfied therewith And no meruell for swine féede not vpon the meate of shéepe nor yet doe shéepe fill them selues with hogges draffe and swillinges but this shephearde vsed his olde wonted clemencie and strake the heart of his shéepe making him to wéepe and bewayle his condition a man to come to suche dishonour to be coupled and matched with swine to féede like swine eate like swine such meate as swine eate remembring that the worst in his fathers house was a Prince and noble King in comparison respect of him then also being persuaded of his fathers mercy he returned his father brought him into his pleasant swéete pastures gaue him his old fauor accustomed apparel againe as a man to kéepe companie with men no more with adulterous men and vncleane swine howbeit he came not to his old honour againe till the Lord had practised in him that he practised in this Prophete king Dauid Ammam meam conuertit He conuerted and turned my soule It is but a follie for a man to flatter himselfe as though he were a Christian man when his hart and soule is not turned vnto the Lord. He shal neuer féed in the pastures of life but be an hypocrite all the days of his life as the most part of the world be that professe Christes name at this present day They say they be conuerted from the world to God when there is nothing within the pastures of Gods word but that they wil contemne rather then to haue as much as an euil looke of the world for it They say they be conuerted to God when they be contented with the world to honour that for God that is but bread and wine in the matter and substance as the scripture of God and the holy Church of Christ haue taught and beléeued these thousand and fiue hundreth yeares and more Oh Lord be these men turned to thée Be these the men that shall dwell with thée in thy holy mount of Sion and stand in thy holy place Nay doubtlesse for they be not turned to thée but from thée be not with thée but against thée They speak with thée and yet their déedes dishonour thée they talke of trueth and practise lies What good Lord shall thy simple poore vnlearned shéepe do Where shall they séeke thy trueth For the shéepeheards say and sing this Psalme euery wéeke and at euery dirige for the dead and yet they be not conuerted in their spirits to thée that thou mightest lead them into the pathes of righteousnes But Lord there is no man nowe in manner that dare accuse them they destroy themselues and thy shéepe and no man can be suffered with Gods word to remedie it Notwithstanding good Lord although in this world none may accuse them yet they in the world to come shal haue king Dauid whose Psalmes they daily reade and in whom they most glorie to accuse them both of heresie and blasphemie as Moses shall accuse the wicked Iewes whome they most glorie of For as the Iewes read the scripture of Moses and yet were neuer the better so these priests of Antichrist reade the holy scripture yet neither the people nor they themselues are any thing the better And in this they passe y e abhomination of the Iewes Turkes for they were and yet be content that their bookes of religion shal be vsed in their churches in the vulgar and common tongue but these enimies of God and man would not haue the word that God hath appointed for all mens saluation to be vsed in any tongue but in the Latine The God therefore of peace that brought againe from death to life the great shéepheard of the shéepe by the bloud of the euerlasting testament our Lord Iesus Christ conuert the soules and heartes of all those that cause the shéepe of God thus to eate and féed vppon the carrine and infected pastures of mens traditions Amen Nowe as king Dauid in this text hath wonderfully set foorth y e miserable nature of al Gods shéepe and put himself for an example that the nature and condition of all men is corrupt wicked and damnable so that it cannot be partaker of Gods benediction and euerlasting grace except it be borne a newe amended restored and instructed so likewise he sheweth that none conuerteth the soule of man but the heauenly father the great shéepeheard that both séeth the loste state of his shéepe and willeth of his mercie the saluation and calling of the shéepe home againe and then he procéedeth further and sheweth what the heauenly shéepeheard will doe with his shéepe He saith Hee will lead them into the pathes of iustice Wherein the Prophete declareth that it is not onely God that conuerteth the man from euill but also he alone that kéepeth him in goodnes and vertue And therein is shewed a wonderfull miserie and wretchednesse in the soule and
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
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
in God saith that In this glorious almightie and triumphant God is his glory and desireth to haue part of that victorie and of that meruellous maiestie And as the Psalme saith He calleth and nameth the God of glorie his glorie Oh meruellous and vnspeakable boldnesse and constancie of faith A man nothing but sinne by nature in the sight of God nothing but earth and ashes replenished with all miserie and wretchednesse by nature corrupt the very enimie of GOD a vessell prepared vnto all dishonour ignominie shame and perdition contemned through sinne and shamed before all creatures and yet nowe with all these dishonours by faith saith The king of glorie is his glorie and the conquerour of all dishonour is his shield and buckler Of the other part who can thinke or speake any thing thankfull to suche a king of glory and most mightie conquerour that abhorreth not of mercy to be the honour and glory of so vile sinfull and wretched a thing as man is Whose eyes abhorre no filthe of sinne in penitent sinners whose presence refuseth not the companie of the sicke and miserable whose strength comforteth the weake whose mercy reioyceth the comfortles whose life expelleth death whose health banisheth sicknesse whose loue vanquisheth hatred whose immortalitie giueth euerlasting life and who crowneth vs with endlesse pitie and compassion in ioyes perpetuall Thus the Prophete after he had espied the almightie God in him selfe gloriously to be voyd of all troubles dolours and other aduersities and that he had also conquered gloriously the capteines of al aduersities hell death satan and sinne he challenged by faith and craued by Gods promise to be partaker of Gods glory in this point And doubtlesse he that can féele in his heart that GOD is his glory he shall take no dishonour nor shame by all the workes of the diuell sinner or the worlde Therefore many times in reading or thinking of the Psalmes or other parte of the holy scripture it is expedient to meditate and pray that the word we speake or pray may be vnto vs as much saluation comfort and glory as we perceiue GOD hath appointed in it for vs. And when we say with our mouth to God Thou art my saluation my glorie my rocke and my trust Let vs cry Lorde increase our faith helpe vs for thy name sake constantly to beleeue thee to be vnto vs in deed in spirit as we speake of thee outwardly with our mouth For in case the heart vnderstande not nor beléeue the wordes we speake with our mouthe we honour God in vaine as the scripture saith Let vs therefore praye as Saint Paule teacheth vs saying I will pray with the spirite and I will pray with the minde also When the Prophete hath by faith assured him selfe of Gods fauour he exhorteth all the Christian congregation to doe the same saying O put your trust in him alwayes ye people c. Here the Prophete teacheth what the Minister of the Church Bishop and others should doe when they vnderstand the scripture and learne by it feare and faith loue and hope in GOD they be bound to teache the congregation the same Scriptures for her saluation Whereby is condemned the vse of the Scripture in an vnknowne toung which is directly against Gods worde And here be Kings and Rulers also taught to sée their subiectes tenaunts and seruaunts to vnderstand the worde of God likewise the Father and the Mother the Maister and the Maistresse who be bound to knowe for their saluation the worde of GOD and to teache it vnto others vnder their gouernaunce Therefore in the end of the verse is put Selah As though he had saide Happie be those that put their trust in the Lorde and teach other to doe the same And curssed be those that trust not in the Lord and teach others to do the like THE FIFT PART 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine the children of men are deceitfull vpon the weights They are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your heart vpon them The fift part sheweth howe mans power is not to be trusted vnto THE Prophete by no meanes would haue men to put their trust in fleshe and bloud in case they doe they must néedes perishe For when miserable man shall trust in vaine vanitie whiche is man he can be no lesse then vanitie it selfe in whome he hath trusted And this is one miserie and wretchednesse a man to be deceiued of helpe and succour whereas he most trusted to haue bene holpen and succoured Thus must it néedes happen to them that trust in men For men of most excellencie and greatest authoritie riches and power in the world be but vanitie as the Prophete saith Nowe as they be so is their helpe And as their helpe is so is the comfort and consolation of such as seeke help at their handes Those that be trusted vnto be but flesh and bloud the best of flesh and bloud is but vanitie the consolation and helpe of vanitie is miserie and wretchednesse wherefore the Prophete exhorteth all men to beware they séeke not ayde and comfort of man for he is but vaine The Israelites vsed for their helpe against their enimies the Egyptians but the more flesh conspired together the worsse successe had all the battels they fought Nowe as we sée men that haue their trust in men suffer muche trouble and miserie in the world bicause their helpe they trust in is of inferiour strength and power to the troubles and aduersities that they be combred withall So doeth the word of God declare that such men as trust in vanitie haue not onely worldly aduersities against them but also for their so doing trusting in fleshe they be accurssed of God as the scriptures say Curssed be he that trusteth in man So that we sée meruelous and vnspeakable harmes come of the trust in man First miseries of y e world and next the enimitie and cursse of God For he that putteth his trust in man with the same one fact and doing doeth two horrible euils The one he deceiueth him selfe for the vanitie that he trusteth in can not saue him And the other he dishonoureth God that onely can saue in putting his trust in mortall man that can not saue and so maketh of man God to Gods high displeasure and dishonour Euery Christian man therefore should forsake fleshe and bloud and trust in the Lorde Almightie maker of heauen and earth as the Prophet Asaphe did a little before when he saide In God was his glory who could defend him from all hurts present past and to come what so euer they were The like may we sée in Saint Paule that saide God forbid that I should glory in any thing sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world
but rather furthered it if he had wist wherein truely and verily felicitie had consisted as ye may sée hereafter how he came to the knowledge of it An other thing is to be noted out of these sixe verses conteyning the third part of the Psalme That such treasures riches and honours as men set most by in this world be rather vnto men that haue not grace lets and impediments to euerlasting felicitie and to the atteinment of vertue in this life then furtherers As the scripture saith Woe be vnto you rich men which haue your consolation Woe be vnto you that are nowefull for ye shall hunger And such as laugh shal weepe Achab the wicked king not contented with his kingdome would take Naboths vineyard from him but it had bene better for him that he had bene a swincheard for his lands and riches abused made him to kill an innocent man and his true subiect Plentifulnesse of Gods giftes abused bringeth contempt of God and man as ye may sée how Nabuchodonozer in wealth and riches enuied the liuing God and came into beastialitie The children of Israel when they had filled them selues with giftes were not thankfull but vnthankfull and fell from vnthankfulnesse to idolatrie and all abhomination And as men contemne God in prosperitie so do they also their neighbours As ye may sée by this part of the Psalme whereas the Prophet saith Their eyes swell for fatnesse that is to witte Their riches and honour puffeth them vp in suche pride that they contemne and despise all men The thirde thing to be noted is that all thinges that the felicitie and ioyes of wicked men consist in be but worldly and transitorie thinges and as vncerteine as man is him selfe which is to be marked Bycause no man can be happie or blessed by any such vading and inconstant things neyther can any man come to the beatitude of ioyes permanent by such things as God giueth indifferently as well to the bad as to the good and to the vicious as to the vertuous As Solomon in the booke of the Preacher meruellously setteth foorth and matcheth equally the good with the bad in such things as happen vnder the sunne The good the bad saith he be rich and poore in trouble in prosperitie haue frends foes be merrie and sorrie do liue and dye all in like But neither the things that bring them to life euerlasting nor yet life euerlasting it selfe be one thing For there is nothing that leadeth to euerlasting life but the knowledge and feare of God and the doing of his blessed will the which vertues come not by nature but by grace As Solomon declareth when he prayed so earnestly to haue wisdome vnderstanding from God And as these vertues come not from nature euen so be they not the riches of all men but of vertuous and godly men only And as they dwell inhabite only in such as feare God so do they only conduct and lead such as be godly and none other to eternall life The which differeth as farre and as much from the wickeds eternall life as ioy differeth from sorrowe ease from paine plesaunt consolation from fierie flames loue from hatred God from the diuell and heauen from hell For these riches wherwith the vngodly are indued in this life be not the things that can make any man blessed or cursed before God Therefore no more to be cared for then néede is to haue them if GOD will if not to lacke them to haue them with Gods grace well to vse them or else to pray to lacke them least they abuse vs. Better it were to haue too little in the worlde with Gods fauour then too much with his displeasure If we haue meate drinke and cloath let vs be contented with it as with sufficient things to passe this life if any more then these come to take héede they make vs not to swell in pride and take from vs the remembraunce and seruice of God Oh that godly eyes would looke vpon this Psalme namely vpon this part of it that declareth wherein the glory honour felicitie of wicked men consisteth then I know his eyes shal hardly escape teares and wéepings to sée and heare a wicked and cursed creature of God pampered with such a sort of vaine fléetinges that when he woulde most gladly flée from sorrow the least be able to carrie him away Marke the wicked mans riches and ye shall perceiue that God hath giuen no more then he hath vnto the clay moolde and stonie earth wherin lyeth both gold and precious stones His beautie and amiablenesse of vesture and apparel is not like the Rose of the garden nor the Lillie of the field His strength much inferiour to brute beastes His wisedome lesse then horse or mule that vse in meates and drinkes ynough for necessitie and not too much for sensualitie If lacke and néede oppresse them patiently they lacke vntill order prouide for them but if the wicked lacke he beareth not lacke with patience nor séeketh ynough by trueth The couragious horse fiercely in fight cōtemneth death and the méeke swanne féeling the life to passe with swéete tunes welcometh Atropos and striueth not but willingly is contented to surrender that which will not be kept with force But what doth the riche wicked man Forsooth as the wiseman saith Oh death howe bitter is the remembrance of thee to such as haue confidence in their riches Lord what a canell house of stinking carion is this body and life of wicked man puft vppe with riches Inferiour with all that euer he hath to the birdes of the ayre the beastes of the fieldes and vnto the barren clay that he was made of and the soul it selfe within that wicked body cursed of God and ordeined to eternall paines Who is he that can reade or behold the state and honour of man in whom is not mentioned one vertue to dwell without sorrowe heauinesse What a cursed nature is man made of that can sée an other thus pampered vp with Gods displeasure and can not rather bewayle and mourne to sée his brother by these riches lost and cast away then to enuie or disdeine at his person Oh woe befall them that fal into this sinne of ours that thus rather with malice and disdaine enuie the miseries and curses of God vpon other then charitably do goe about to amend them or ruthfully to bewaile them Read my deare beloued in the Lord this place and marke well the wicked men and learne to pray for them as GOD giue vs all grace to doe ¶ The fourth part 10 Therefore fall the people vnto them c. OVt of this part is to be noted how daungerous a thing it is to be continually assaulted with temptation and that the end of it for the most part is the conquest and ouerthrowe of as many as be assaulted As we may sée by the
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
vnspeakable wisedome and iustice maketh them for their sinnes aliue and in securitie of conscience to goe to hell As Pharao whilest he followed the Israelites in persequution into the red sea soudenly was drewned Chore Dathan and Abiron whilest they were doing their sacrifices God killed them in opening the earth that swallowed them aliue downe into hell Nowe this inwarde discomfort although it eude not in ioye but onely in such as beléeue their sinnes to be forgiuen in the death and passion of Christ yet we sée by the examples of the scripture that both good and bad suffer and féele this that their spirite will take no comfort But nowe as concerning outward and externall discomfort which is felt as well of such as haue the word of God as such as haue not the word of God but only the lawe of nature As we may sée in the time of the lawe of nature how Noah shewed the discomfort of all men and the destruction of the world for sinne but this discomfort did not enter into the spirites of the hearers Christ complaineth of the same that the people had both discomfort and comfort preached vnto them and yet they receiued none of them both To whome saith Christ should I compare this generation It is like boyes that sit in the streates and cry vnto their fellowes and say We haue played vpon our tymbrels to you and you haue not daunsed we haue soung mourning songs vnto you and ye haue not wept God by his Prophete Esaie saith the same All the day long haue I extended foorth my hand vnto an vnfaithfull and intractable people Meaning that what so euer he threatened or gently offered vnto the Iewes it came no further then the outwarde eare Whereof both the Prophets and Christ him self gréeuously complaine in this sort They haue eares and heare not and they haue eyes and see not Saint Paule rebuketh men also that by the lawe of nature knewe good whereof they should haue reioyced and euill whereof they should haue lamented and yet did not And to leaue off the examples of our fathers mentioned in the scriptures we may sée the same by daily experience amongest our selues We reade in the booke of God we heare by preaching we knowe in our owne consciences the displeasure and anger of God against vs for our sinnes God outwardly sheweth vs the same with many horrible plagues as by sicknesse warre sedition scarsitie enimitie and hatred by the deliuerance and surrender of a whole realme to the vtter destruction thereof into the handes and rule of a straunger and by the deliuery and giuing ouer of Christian soules into the hands and rule of the Antichristian Pope and his wicked Cleargie and yet this discomfort commeth no further then our outward eare If Asaph the authour of this Psalme were amongest vs he would say His spirite would take no consolation And this is an horrible plague that wéekely this Psalme is read amongest the Popish Cleargie and yet it bringeth their spirites to no sorowe nor féeling of God displeasure Wherefore our owne experience teacheth that there is an inward and an outwarde discomfort in this Psalme and in the rest of Gods most holy word The one penitent sinners féele and by it amend their liues and the other some wicked men féele and yet despaire but of the most part of the world it is not felt at all Whereof commeth the contempt of God the loue of our selues and of the world and the losse of our sinfull soules in the world to come Let vs therefore marke the scripture that teacheth this discomfort and pray to God that as we sée it in the letter so we may féele it in the spirite Of the two maner of consolations it shall be saide in the next verse and of the brightnesse and darknesse also in the Psalme hereafter Nowe in the trouble of the spirite is an other thing to be considered whereof the text also maketh mention that is howe the discomfort of the spirite had continuaunce all the night Whereof is to be gathered the greatnesse of discomfort For as the night is a very image of death and the bed a very similitude of the sepulchre and graue euen so is the discomfort of the spirite in the night that will not suffer the body to take rest but to be vnquieted with it selfe The which vnquietnesse of the spirite is a very similitude and image of eternall discomfort in the world to come that both body and soule whiche were created first to inherite the heauenly blisse after the fall of Adam should rest by night as king Dauid saith and after this life for sinne vnforgiuen should for euer be disquieted in the vnquenchable fire of hell Here may we learne the circumstances and causes how the trouble of the Prophet Asaphes spirite was increased It was trouble ingendered by sinne the occasion onely of al mens miseries opened and reuealed vnto the conscience by the law condemned by iustice to eternall fire and it continued al night yea how much more the scripture declareth not In the which night the darknesse thereof represented vnto his eyes outwardly the horrour of hell prison and also his bed the graue and sepulchre wherein al flesh is clad after the spirite departeth The shéetes of mans flesh after this life be nothing but earth aboue and earth vnderneath as whilest it liueth it is clad with such vaine thinges as grow vpon the earth This whole night in discomfort of the spirit declareth two notable things First howe earnestly God is angrie in déede with sinne that putteth man to such long paine for it And the next howe gratious a God he is that will not yet suffer the discomforted spirite to despaire in his discomfort as it followeth meruellously in the next verse 3 When I am in heauinesse I wil thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine Sela. Whilest Asaph was thus troubled in spirite he remembred the Lord and called vnto him for helpe First out of this verse it is to be considered that nothing can quiet the comfortlesse spirit but GOD alone But for as much as it séemeth by the partes of this Psalme that followeth that this verse came in by occasion rather then to shewe a full remedie for the Prophetes trouble I will not write what I thinke thereof but deferre the remedie against trouble to such other verses as follow bycause the Prophete saide before that his spirite could take no consolation and that a great many of troubles followe as the Psalme declareth It sheweth that he was not able to beare the troubles of the minde alone without the inuocation and helpe of God Wherefore before he expresseth by writing al his troubles he writeth also howe in the middest of them he did remember and put his trust in the Lord. Out of this we learne howe necessarie it is
no more mercifull to helpe him out of trouble that specially and particularly suffereth the trouble And this question so asked is very common and familiar to the Christians and putteth them to great trouble and heauinesse As we may sée that this Prophet Asaphe considered the yeares before him and what God did to his elders and found that they receiued remission of their sinnes and great benefites in this world at Gods hand So do a great number of men in hearing and reading the Scripture of God sée and perceiue the remission of many mens sinns and how mercifully God delt with them yet when they féele their owne sinne and suffer their owne crosse and trouble they haue much a doe and with great difficultie doe they beléeue that God will be as good vnto them being priuate sinners and priuately afflicted as he was vnto the great number of those of whom they read in the Scripture that God forgaue them their sinnes and preserued them in most horrible and daungerous troubles Therefore this is a common wisedome and daily experimented sentence Omnes cùm valemus bonum consilium aegrotis damus When other men be sicke we can giue good counsell patiently to beare it When other men be afflicted and troubled we can speake of many meanes to quiet them When they be in any mistrust of Gods promises we can comfort them with many arguments of faith but most commonly if we be sicke our selues troubled or in mistrust of Gods promises we can ease or comfort our selues very little And good cause why for God that giueth of his owne gist and only frée liberalitie wisedome knowledge learning and consolation giueth also the grace that the saide vertues may worke their operation and expell the infirmities and diseases wherefore these wisedomes and vertues were ordeined As it is meruellously noted of Saint Paule I haue planted Apollo hath watered but God gaue the increase The word of God is a meanes to teach truth and to condemne falshood to place vertue and to remoue vice to giue consolation and to banishe and put away diffidence and mistrust but God giueth and worketh the effect thereof Meate is made to preserue the body but if God giueth not strength it misseth the purpose The horse and man be means to ouercome but in battell God giueth the victory The preacher preacheth Gods word but God openeth and teacheth the mysterie therof Man heareth but God giueth the vnderstanding Asaph remembred Gods workes and had in minde his own godly Psalmes but God must giue the consolatiō He sawe the trueth and knewe that God was faithful but the ioy and profite thereof lay in the distribution and gift of God as we may wel perceiue by this sorrowfull interrogatorie Will he be intreated no more Of this part we learne howe we ought when we reade or heare Gods promises for our saluation to pray and howe necessarie a thing this prayer is that godly men made in the scripture Lord help my incredulitie Lord increase our faith The poore man that heard and sawe Christes mercy and liberalitie in healing of others desired also helth for his owne childe Christe saide if he beléeued all things were possible the poore man sayd I beleeue Lorde helpe mine vnbeleefe The Apostles when they heard Christe speake of forgiuenesse of one to the other they sayde Increase our faith good Lord. As though they had sayd Except thou giue vs strength to beléeue and credite thy godly lessons we shal take no commoditie nor profite by them Therefore let the preacher of God the reader of Gods worde the hearer of Gods worde the thinker vpon the same many times before also whilest they be speaking thinking reading or hearing of Gods word pray in their spirits that y e word of God may work in them the thing wherfore the word was instituted and appointed of God or else we shall be as Saint Paule saith alwayes learners and yet neuer come to the knowledge of the truth And I do verily thinke and am truly persuaded that for lacke of earnest and continuall prayer with lifting vp of my heart vnto God whilest I preached his most holy word vnto the people God iudgeth me not worthy to sée such fruites of my labours as I hoped for And for this that the people did not heartily pray to vnderstand Gods pleasure by his word preached they be accounted vnworthy of such saluation as GOD did offer them by his worde and the true preaching of his mysteries Let all men therefore pray to God in Christ that they may be the better for the hearing recording remembring or reading of Gods word For notwithstanding they haue amongest them the booke of God yet shall they be troubled without Gods singular grace with one of these two euils either to mocke and scorne at the scripture caring not whether they learne it or no or else when they haue learned it to dout whether it be true or no. And then followeth these questions Will God absent him selfe for euer And Will God be no more intreated with such other doubtes as do followe in this Psalme with much heauinesse vnto the spirite where such demaundes rest haue place Then followeth the third demaunde by this troubled Prophete Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Here in this demaund first be two things to be noted The one declaring a fault in the Prophetes faith and the other expressing a veritie in the Prophetes knowledge The fault in his faith was to doubt or to stande in a mamering of Gods mercy which is most sure and endureth for euer and euer and to aske this question Whether his mercy were cleane gone for euer The veritie of his knowledge was to iudge and say that It was his mercy that forgaue sinnes and not his or any other mens merites that could deserue the pardoning of sinne As ye may sée how sinneful Saule for his sinne thought to haue appeased God with sacrifice and the proude Pharisée with his pretenced good workes But here in this knowledge that the Prophet complained of the departure of Gods mercy is set foorth that only mercy appeaseth Gods ire in Christ for the sinne of man And what works so euer be done except Gods mercy pardon the sinne they all can neyther please God nor quiet the conscience and troubled spirite of him that doth the workes As it may be séene in the example of Sainte Peter and the rest of the Apostles When that Saint Peter walked vpon the sea comming towardes Christ and felt the wind strong and tempestuous he beganne to feare and when he beganne to sincke he cryed Lord saue me And the Lord put foorth his hande and tooke him sayd vnto him Thou of little faith why doubtest thou Here we sée if GOD did helpe vs no more of his mercy then our owne merites deserued or else no more then the gifts of God