but my words shall not passe away sayth the Lord. But that ye may vnderstande them right and well yée shall remember that it is the vse of the Holy Scripture specially in the Psalme to declare one meaning with two manner of sayings as yee haue oft times heard For so doeth the Prophet here speake and sayeth Who so sitteth vnder the defence of the highest and abydeth vnder the shaddow of the Almightie For to sitte vnder the defence of the highest is euen as much as to saye as to abide vnder the shaddow of the almightie And with these wordes meaneth the holy Prophet nothing else but who so putteth his trust in God with a right sure Christian beliefe giueth himselfe ouer into his protection and defence for such people doeth God receiue to grace them holdeth hee for his owne deare children euen so they be giueth them his holy spirit which worketh in them true saluation and godly workes Therefore remayneth he also vpon them and all things must serue for their wealth as Paul sayeth Rom. 8. Such protection also and defence of God is set forth vnto vs euery where in the Scripture as an ouer-shaddowing and couering with wings For like as the two Cherubins spred out their wings ouer the Arke Exod. 37. Euen so doeth God spred out the winges of his protection ouer his elect Therefore sayth Moses Deut. 32. Like as an Egle stirreth vp his nest and flyeth ouer his yong ones so spreadeth he out his feathers and beares his people vpon his winges After this maner spake the holy Angel Gabriell also vnto the most blessed and pure Virgin Mary when she should be the Mother of God The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most highest shall ouer shaddow thee Luc. 1. In like maner spake Christ also vnto Ierusalem How oft would I haue gathered thy Children together as an Henne gathereth her Chickens vnder her wings and ye would not Mat. 23. For though a true beleeuing man be in déede the Temple of God and God dwelleth in him yet vseth the Scripture oft to speake thereof as though he did flye aboue vs in as much as he doth ouer shaddow couer and defend vs and that because the heauen and the heauen of all heauens as Salomon sayeth can not comprehend nor containe him Reuel 3. But though he dwelleth in vs yet flyeth he wide hye and lowe not only on the out side of vs but also on the outside ouer all creatures And so in all these wordes there is nothing else saide but whosoeuer is a right beléeuing Christian Marke now then that he sayeth not who so is wise strong rich whole or well friended Neither saith hee also who so kéepeth him selfe thence or flyeth thether holdeth himselfe wel or vseth good Phisicke but who so putteth his trust in God Not that the foresaid good things be euill or may not be had or vsed with profite But that they where fayth is not may euen as soone doe harme as good and are in no wise able to deliuere from the wrath of God But what doeth the beléeuer He sayeth vnto the Lorde My hope But this do not the vngodly and vnbeléeuers but set their hope in the foresaid points put their trust in them and boast thereon so commit spirituall whoredome therewith and make Idols thereof But to God doe they not lift vp their eyes neither thinke they vpon him nor feare him And when he commeth then with his wrath and ouertaketh them with his Plague so that of necessitie they must needes thinke vpon him then feare they and be afrayde of him flie away and knowe not where to abide Then vanisheth away their hope and boasting which they in time of prosperitie had vnto the creatures And so commeth it to passe that their wisedome hath bene plaine foolishnes their strength their owne misfortune their riches their owne destruction their health their own harme their friends their owne hypocrites and traitours And al that which they trusted vnto cannot helpe them When they would hide themselues on the backside thereof it is euen as much as when one hideth him behinde a ladder And when they would séeke helpe therby if is euen like as a Wolfe should defende a Sheepe or a Goose But thus goeth it not with the beleeuer for who so putteth his trust in the Lorde shall not be confounded Therefore saith he not onely that the Lord is his hope but also his strong holde which he may flie vnto in the which he may shut him selfe close and be deliuered therein As Salomon sayeth in the xviii Chapter of the Prouerbes The name of the Lord is a strong Castell the righteous flyeth vnto it and shall bee defended For the vnbeleeuers haue their hope euen in their goodes but in necessitie they finde no refuge as the faithfull hath a strong holde and high Castell in GOD the Lorde And though the vnbeleeuers haue their whole will all their life long yet hath it an euill ende as it had with the rich man which was buried in hell Luke Chapter xvi For who so beléeueth not shall be damned Againe though the faithfull be plagued and persecuted all his life long so that hee can not sée howe hee may be deliuered yet hath hee this comfort that the Lord is his God that is that he can helpe and deliuer him as an almightie Lorde yea after such a fashion and way as neither he himselfe nor any mans reason can thinke or deuise And though he doe it not yet doeth not the faithfull despaire but letteth the Lorde be his God on whom hee hopeth that is at whose hande he looketh for all good in the life for to come and euerlasting For hope seeth and looketh on that which is to come which as yet is hid As Paul sayeth Rom. the viii Chapt. Hope that is seene is no hope for howe can a man hope for that which is seene But if wee hope for that which wee see not we looke for it by patience And so this is the meaning The vnbeléeuers haue their hope in the creatures and are afraide of God The faithfull hath his hope to God and is Lord ouer the creatures The vnbeléeuers miscarie and by the creatures finde they no helpe in néede The faithfull miscarie not but God is vnto them a strong holde The vnbeleeuers may well haue their willes as long as they liue but at the last thorow their despaire there followeth euerlasting damnation The faithfull may haue disquietnesse and temptation all their life long but at the last thorow their hope there followeth euerlasting life Such hope should they haue and they haue it indeede that though they must lie vnder as long as they liue yet after death they shall inherite euerlasting life But certainely it commeth not to passe that they must alway lye vnder For God is faithfull and suffereth not his to be tempted aboue their strength but maketh the temptation so to haue
an ende that we may beare it 1. Cor. 10. Therefore sayeth the Prophete moreouer For hee deliuereth mee from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome Pestilence And in these words doth he shortly shew vnto vs that almightie God can and will deliuer his owne from all mis-fortune yet euen in this life For all the mischaunces that we be troubled withall in this temporal life are of two sortes Some come out of the wicked deuise of the Deuill and of men as shame and persecution Some plainely of nature and out of the ordinance of God as Tempest and Pestilence The faithfull now beleeueth and maketh his boaste that these mischaunces can not be so great and mightie but GOD shall deliuer him therefrom And it is a goodly natural similitude that he likeneth the euil wicked deuice of the vngodly against the faithfull to a nette or snare of the hunter For like as a hunterproueth the kinde and nature of euery wilde beast commeth priuily after him seeketh out the course and habitation therof and afterward setteth the Nette that he may driue it thereinto Euen so do the vngodly also vnto the righteous First they looke howe they bee minded If any one be free of language then set they him on fire that he may speak somewhat sharpely as Saint Ste euen did Actes the vij Chapter If he be gentle and friendly then imagine they some foolish thing vpon him and flatter away his harte from him as Dalila did vnto Sampson If he séeke the saluation of the people then sclaunder they him as the Iewes blaspheamed Christ to be a Wine-supper and a companion of Publicanes If he be simple then lye they vpon him behinde his backe or euer he beware thereof Then follow they vpon him cry lye and complaine that the vertuous Christian man knoweth not what poynt to be at or how he hath deserued it Neuerthelesse they thinke the Bell is so cast that at the last it must ring as they will but if fayleth them For the Lord on whom we beleeue which is our hope refuge and God can not onely preserue vs from their snares that wee fall not therein but also when we fal into them and they thinke wee be their captiues hee can and will deliuer vs yet thereout In like manner doeth God the Lorde preserue his faithfull not onely from the noysome sickenesse of the Pestilence but also when they bee taken therewith and infected already he deliuereth them from it and maketh them whole againe But howe that commeth to passe and how we shal vnderstand it it shal follow hereafter more clearely This is now well to be marked also that the Pestilence is a noysome sickenesse not because it bringeth death for that doe all other mortall sickenesses likewise and death is no losse vnto the faithfull but aduantage as Paul sayeth vnto the Philippians the first Chapiter but because that it taketh away the people very suddenly vnlooked for and vnawares And thereout then followeth strife lawing or businesse among sinners and of the common wealth as euery man by him selfe can lightly perceiue and vnderstande Therefore it is also an horrible punishment ouer the sinne of the worlde which concerneth both them that dye and them that are left aliue as hereafter it shall follow Where as if there be now such a fayth as gieueth credence vnto God hee shal preserue him frō al wicked imaginations of men like wise from all noysome sicknesses And at the last shall hee saue him that continueth not without fruit but breaketh out with right loue and faithfulnesse towardes his neighbour desireth also to bring him vnto that point that he may beléeue and be pertaker of all such goodnes and benefites of God Therfore doth the Prophete turne his words now also vnto his neighbour and saith furthermore Hee shall couer thee with his fethers and thine hope shall be vnder his wings That is if thou also wilt put thy trust in him thou shalt finde it so likewise For hee sheweth such his benefits vnto all and euery one that put their trust in him As for the couering of his fethers and hope vnder his wings your charitie hath heard ynough before what it is Now though all the faithful look for such help at God it happeneth vnto them yet is it not done without a speciall battaile of Faith For such help doth he promise vs in his holy word that we should beléeue it and if we beléeue it it happeneth vnto vs according to our Faith Therefore saith the Prophete moreouer His truth is speare shield that is his godly promises which are sure true and neither lie nor deceane Those are our weapons wherewith we fight and ouercome all aduersities But like as speare and shield are not profitable vnto him that cannot or will not vse them euen so also doe not the promises of God profite him that cannot fight therewith and will not beléeue theron For that is the right science in this battaile when mis-fortune aduersity or tentation commeth that we looke out all for according vnto Gods word Namely what comforte and promise he hath made vnto vs in such a case and with a right beliefe to take holde of the same as of a shield and to comfort and defend our selues therewith so can there no mischance doe vs harme as the holy Saint Paule in the last chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians teacheth and saith Before al things take the shield of Faith where with ye may quench all the fierie darts of the wicked Against the same namely against Sathan our head enemy is such word of God euen the right speare wherewith wee wound and ouercome him For no bodily weapon hurteth and hindreth men so sore as the word of God stoppeth and hindreth Sathan if it bee thrust vnder his nose against his venemous dealing and tentation For if a seruant that dealeth wrongfully and vnthriftily in his maisters goods and businesses be affraide vexed and pearsed through the hart when a simple man saith vnto him Thou vnthrift why doest thou so That is not thy maisters will and meaning he did not so commaund thée How much more goeth it thorow Sathans hart when a vertuous Christian man holdeth the worde of God vnder his eyes and bringeth witnesse ouer him that he as a wicked creature dealeth against his maker and against his chosen children Therefore doeth holy Saint Paul call Gods word also the sword of the spirit And the Lord Christ defendeth himselfe onely with the same against all temptations of Sathan in the wildernesse Nowe when thou takest holde thus of Gods promises thorow-faith and vsest them for speare and shielde to defende thy selfe and to smite Sathan then out of the same it followeth as the Prophete sayeth farther That thou needest not to feare for the horriblenesse of the night For the arrowes that flye in the daye time For the Pestilence that commeth priuily in the darke For the sickenesse that destroyeth in
it that passeth away thinking it to be temporall fading at the twinckling of an eye and vanity that is in this worlde We haue here no abyding thing but must looke about for the thing to come that endureth for euer For this cause doth God draw and pull vs so from the creatures And séeing hee is our true father and bridegrome and husband he can not for hee is strong and ielous abide that we set our hope loue or trust vpon any creature This is the cause then that he doeth take vs from them and carieth vs vpon him selfe For looke on what creature wee haue most hope loue and affection that will he soonest take out of our sight if he doth loue vs. And when hee hath such ielousie vpon vs then doeth hee most chiefly declare his loue towarde vs. By this also it commeth that Christ Math. 18. forbiddeth vs to call any man father vpon earth for we haue onely one father in heauen namely GOD which will not nor can suffer vs to call or to haue any man vpon earth father that because wee should depend and hang onely vpon him looking for all good of him For he wil be the same that we may surely trust vnto séeing he cannot nor will faile vs and that because he is no earthly but an heauenly father For this cause then is that man blessed and happie that putteth his trust hope and confidence in the Lorde as the Prophet sayeth Finally if when nature fulfilleth her course man hath but continuall trauaile miserie after that this course of nature is ended and at rest man is eased of so great trauaile we séeme to hate rather then to loue them that be departed if wee would wish them to be in this wretched world againe Moreouer in making so much of our friends departed and setting so great affection vpon them wishing Gods worke not to be fulfilled vpon them wee blame God in his will and working as though he knewe not better what were best both for them and vs than we Let vs therefore set our will in Gods will and suffer him to worke at his pleasure For he knoweth best what is both our friendes and our soules health A Psalme to bee said in the time of sickenesse or any other aduersities O Come let vs humble our selues fall downe before the Lorde with reuerence and feare For he is the Lord our God and wee are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hands Come therefore let vs turne againe vnto our Lord for he hath smitten vs and he shall heale vs. Let vs repent turne from our wickednesse And our sinnes shal be forgiuen vs. Let vs turne and the Lorde will turne from his heauy wrath and wil pardon vs and wee shall not perrish For we acknowledge our faults and our sinnes be euer before vs. We haue sore prouoked thine anger O Lord thy wrath is waxed hot thy heauy displeasure is sore kindled against vs. Thou hast in thine indignatiō strickē vs with grieuoussicknes by by we haue fallen as leaues beaten downe with a vehement winde Indéede wee acknowledge that all punishments are lesse then our deseruings But yet of thy mercy Lord correct vs to amendement and plague vs not to our destruction For thy hand is not shortened that thou canst not helpe neither is thy goodnesse abated that thou wilt not heare Thou hast promised O Lorde that afore we cry thou wilt heare vs whilest we yet speake thou wilt haue mercy vpon vs. For none that trust in thee shall be confounded neither any that call vppon thee shall be despised For thou art the only Lord who woundest and doest heale againe who killest reuiuest bringest euen to hell and bringest backe againe Our father 's hoped in thee they trusted in thee and thou diddest deliuer them They called vpon thee and were helped they put their trust in thée and were not consounded O Lord rebuke vs not in thine indignation neither chastē vs in thy heauy displeasure O remember not the sinnes and offences of our youth but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon vs O Lord for thy goodnesse Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord for wee are weake O Lord heale vs for our bones are vexed And now in the vexation of our spirits and the anguish of our soules we remember thee and wee crie vnto thee heare Lord and haue mercy For thine owne sake and for thy holy names sake in cline thine eare and heare O mercifull Lord. For we doe not powre out our prayers before thy face trusting in our owne righteousnesse but in thy great and manifolde mercies Wash vs throughly from our wickednesse and clense vs from our sinnes Turne thy face from our sinnes and put out all our misdéedes Make vs cleane hearts O God and renew a right spirit within vs. Helpe vs O God of our saluation for the glory of thy name O deliuer vs and be merciful vnto our sinnes for thy names sake So we that be thy people and sheepe of thy pasture shall giue thee thankes for euer and will alwaies be shewing foorth thy prayse from generation to generation Glory be to the Father and to the sonne and to the holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and euer shall be world without end Amen A Prayer to be vsed at the visitation of the sicke O Almightie Lorde and heauenly Father which hast promised to heare our requests and the petitions of those that aske of thee in thy Sonne our Sauiour Christes Name and hast commaunded vs to pray one for another we humblie beséech thée through his precious death and blood-shedding which is the onely attonement for our sinnes to bee mercifull to this thy sicke seruant Forgiue vnto him his sinnes O Lord and increase in him such a lyuelie Faith and féeling of thy fatherly loue towardes him that all pangues and paines of sicknes be they neuer so extreame may séeme nothing but thy mercifull and louing calling from these worldly miseries into the fellowship of thy holy ones whom the more thou louedst the more they taste of afflictions that béeing throughly purged from the rust of sinne they might shyne the more gloriouslie in the kingdom of heauen Neuerthelesse O mercifull Lord for that through our frailtie we often doubt whether in extreame paine we may féele our selues thy children or thée our angrie Judge whereby our Faith is wauering and sore displeasing vnto thée we humbly pray thée if it be thy holy will to mitigate his torments and make stedfast and perfect his Faith that he may with the more quyet minde and assured confidence cry Abba Father in this life and after ioyfullie to receaue the crown which thou hast prepared for them that continue vnto the end The Lord performe all our petitions through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Thy mightie arme O Lord be still his defender thy mercie and louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne his saluation thy grace and holy Spirit his comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end So-be-it Amen