this hatred of Gods worde the foode of Gods shéepe they would be séene and none but they to loue and honour God but it is not so in their heartes for they haue a contempt of God as their fruites well declare And Christe saith They hate both him and his father yea and that without cause But thou Christian reader sée thou féede thy soule with no other meate then with the holesome pastures of Gods word what so euer the world shal say or doe Looke vppon this text of Saint Iohn When the comforter shall come whome I shall send from my father euen the spirit of trueth which doth proceede from the father he shall testifie and beare recorde of me Weigh that place and thinke wherefore the sonne of man referred him selfe to the witnesse of the holy Ghoste and ye shall knowe that it was for no vntruth that was in the authour being Christe or in the doctrine that he preached but only to make the disciples to be of good comfort and that they should not estéeme the Gospel he preached vnto them any thing the lesse although it had many aduersaries and enimies and was spoken against in maner euery where for against the furie and false iudgement of the world that cōtemned the Gospell they should haue the testimonie of the holy Ghoste to allowe and warrant the Gospell Let vs therfore pray to the heauenly shepheard that he will giue vs his holy spirit to testifie for the word of God the only foode of our soules that it is true that God saith and onely good that he appointeth to féede vs. And this we may be assured of that in this heauie and sorrowfull time there is nothing can testifie for the truth of Gods word and kéepe vs in the pleasant pasture thereof but the very spirite of God whiche we must set against all the tumults and daungers of the world For if we make this veritie of GOD subiect to the iudgement of the world our faith shall quaile and faint euery houre as mens iudgements varie Wherefore let vs pray to haue alwayes in vs the spirite of adoption whereby when our faith shall be assaulted we may cry Father father and the same helpe for the maintenaunce of trueth God promised by his holy Prophete Esaie saying This is my couenant with them saith the Lord my spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouthe nor from the mouth of thy seede nor from the mouth of the seede of thy seede from hencefoorth vntill the world end Here doth the almightie God set foorth what a treasure and singular gift his worde is and that it shall not depart from his people vntill the worldes end And in these wordes is this parte of Dauids Psalme meruellously opened and set foorth It is the Lorde alone that feedeth and instructeth saith Esaie the Prophet It was not mans owne imagination and intention nor the wisedome and religion of his fathers what so euer they were but it was the Lord that spake and made the couenant with man and put his spirite in man to vnderstande the couenaunt and by his worde and none other worde he instructed man and saide that by this meanes all men should till the worldes ende féede and eate of Gods blessed promises For in his word he hath expressed and opened to euery man what he shal haue euen the remission of sinne the acceptation into his fatherly fauour grace to liue well in this life and at the end to be receiued into the euerlasting life Of these things the reader may knowe what mainteineth life euen the word of God as Christe saith If ye abide in me and my words abide in you aske what ye will and ye shall haue it He shall learne also that it is not Generall counsell Prouinciall counsell the determination and agréement of men that can be the authour of this foode but only God And as God is the only authour of this foode euen so is his holy spirite he that féedeth the poore simple soule of the Christian man with his blessed pasture and not the wisedome of man mens sacrifices or mens doings But as touching the foode of mans soule to be the only word of God I will if it be Gods blessed pleasure to whom in the bitter and painefull passion of Christe I commit my will with my life and death open vnto the shéepe and lambes of God at large in an other booke ¶ The third part of the Psalme Howe man is brought to the knowledge of life and saluation which part sheweth what man is of him selfe and howe he is brought into this life and to feede in the pleasant pastures of Gods worde THE THIRD VERSE He shall conuert my soule and bring me into the pathes of righteousnesse for his names sake MY soule erred and went astray from the right way of godly liuing but the Lord conuerted me from mine errors faultes of liuing and brought me to the obseruation of his holy lawes wherein is conteined all iustice trueth and godlinesse Here is to be noted what degrées and orders the Lord and heauenly shepheard doth vse in bringing his shéepe vnto the pasture of life First he conuerteth the man that is gone astray by his wicked wayes and sinnefull maner of liuing If he were an Infidel he bringeth him first to knowe féele and hate his infidelitie and afterwardes to a true faith If he be a persecuter he sheweth him first his tyrannie and afterward how to vse him selfe méekely If he be a sinful man that liueth cōtrarie to his knowledge profession he bringeth him first to the knowledge and hatred of his sinne and afterwards to the forgiuenes of the same As Christ our sauiour wonderfully teacheth in Saint Iohn where he saith The holy Ghost when he commeth shall rebuke the world of sinne iustice and iudgement By the which wordes he declareth that the faithfull of God can not profite in the Gospell of Christ neither loue nor exercise iustice and vertue except they be taught and made to féele the burthen and daunger of sinne and be brought to humble them selues as men that be of them selues nothing but sinne And therefore the lawe and threatenings of God be verie wholesome whose nature and propertie is to cite and call mens conscience vnto the iudgment of God and to wound the spirite of man with terrour and feare Wherefore Christe vseth a wonderfull way and teacheth the same vnto his Apostles that neither him selfe for that present time nor they in time to come could preach profitably the Gospell wherewith men are led into the swéete and pleasant fieldes of Gods promises by his word except they vse this order to leade them from sinne to iustice and from death to life And as iustice and life commeth by Christe shewed vnto vs in his bitter passion death and glorious resurrection
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
CERTEINE comfortable Expositions of the constant Martyr of Christ M. Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester and Worcester written in the time of his tribulation and imprisonment vpon the XXIII LXII LXXIII and LXXVII Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid Newly recognised and neuer before published MATTH 24. 13. ¶ Who so continueth to the end shall be saued AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Middleton ANNO 1580. TO ALL THE FAITHfull flocke of Christ grace and peace from God the Creatour Christ the Redeemer and the holy Ghost the comforter MAnie are the monuments beloued in the bowels of Christ Iesus and volumes of the faithfull left as legacies to the Church of Christ which as they are y e true riches for they are spirituall so ought they to be reuerenced not onely with outward seruice of body but also with inward submission of soule Among which monumentes being the treasure of the Church and such iewels in deede as the price of them is inualuable this excellent worke though wanting bignesse yet ful of brightnesse of that most learned godlie faithfull zelous constant and in all points praise worthie Protestant Maister Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester and worcester challengeth no small title of dignitie For if the wordes of our Sauiour be true which to improue what incestuous mouth without horrible blasphemie a trespasse vnpardonable dare presume seeing he is the verie substance of truth it selfe that he is a true disciple of Christ which continueth to the end then is it the dutie of vs all except we hide our profession vnder the hiue of hypocrisie not onely by looking at the life of such a loadesman to reforme our deformities but also by tracing ouer and through the testimonies of the trueth such godlie bookes I meane as are left in writing to the worlde as vndoubted assurances of an vnspotted conscience to thanke God for so singular an instrument of his Gospell to beseech him to worke in vs the like loue his law that we may be partakers of such glorie as no doubt this notable Martyr of God doth immortally enioy Of whom breefly to insert and say somewhat because the brightnesse of such a glittering starre cannot bee ouercast with the cloudes of obscuritie and darkenesse shall be a meanes to make the worke more commendable although in very deed precious things haue their proper price and therefore consequently wil haue their deserued praise And first to touch his blessed beginning blessed I say euen frō aboue with the dewe of Gods grace his education in Oxford his prosperous proceeding in the knowledge of Diuinitie his forsaking not onely of the Vniuersitie but also his common Countrie his flight into Germanie his returne into Englande his painefulnesse in preaching his fame and credit among the people his obteined fauour with the Kings maiestie his aduauncemēt to more thā a Bishoplike dignitie his dispensatiō for his ceremonious consecration his secret enimies the supporters of papistrie his supplantation by their priuie cōspiraces his faithfull continuance notwithstanding in sowing sincere doctrine his painfulnesse in hearing publike controuersies his visiting of scholes and founteines of learning his maintaining of godlie discipline his want of parcialitie in iudgement betwixt person and person his Bishoplike behauiour abrode in his Dioces his fatherly affection at home towardes his house and familie c. do warrant him the name of a Saint vpō earth surely God hath registred him in the Kalendar of his chosen seruāts in heauen Againe the falling away of his fauourers when religion languished the malicious practises of his aduersaries threatening his destructiō the bloudthirstie broching of his persecution his appearing before the Queene and her Councell the tyrannicall cōtumelies of his Archenimie his spitefull accusation his milde purgation his vndeserued depriuation his cruell imprisonment his harde intertainment his lamentable lodging his succourles sicknesse his pitifull complaintes his restlesse tribulations his streight examinations his apologeticall aduouchments the cōmitting of him to the Fleete the tossing of him from the Fleete to the Counter in Southwarke from the Counter in Southwarke to the Clinke from the Clinke to Newgate his vniust degradation his cruell condemnation and his lamentable execution c. all these pageantes considered as they were done woulde make a flintie heart to mealt and stonie eyes to sweate not onely water but also bloude and to be short the whole bodie though all the lims thereof were as strong as steele euen for pities sake to tremble This comming within the compasse of my poore consideration I remembred that Christ Iesus the onely begotten sonne of the almightie eternal God had passed the like yea and worse perilles as by the historie of his death and passion may appeare that the Protomartyr S. Steeuen had his tormenters S. Paule the Apostle his persecuters and other of Christes disciples their afflicters then thought I that these sanctified vessels made their vocation honourable euen by their deathes which were opprobrious and therefore howe can it bee but that this our Martyr worthie Bishop Hooper offering vp his body a burnt sacrifice liuely reasonable acceptable vnto God shoulde giue good credit to his doctrine assure his profession affirme his vocation liue in euerlasting memorie by the dispersion of his bookes though his fauour be forgotten and his body consumed Of such a souldier so valiantly fighting vnder the ensigne of his Capteine I cannot say sufficient Of this I am resolued that although his earthly tabernacle bee destroyed yet hath hee a building giuen him of God euen an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens where God graunt vs all to reigne as ioynt heires with Christ his annointed To proceede and approch neerer to our purpose for the premisses are effectuall enough to breed beleefe and to kindle reuerence in the heart of any true Christian towardes this our excellent Martyr replenished with the abundance of Gods holy spirit I commende vnto thy minde good reader a good work of this so good a mā namely Certaine expositions vpon the 23. 62. 72. and 77. Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid of the which the three last being gathered together by a godly professor of the trueth M. Henrie Bull were neuer before printed Their beginnings are vsually read in this maner 23. The Lord feedeth me I shal lack nothing 62. My soule truly waiteth vpon God 72. Truly God is louing vnto Israel euen vnto such as are of a cleane hart 77. I wil crie vnto God with my voice euē to God will I crie with my voice he shall hearken vnto me The expositions of which psalmes to be pithie profitable this may be a substantial proofe because they were written in the time of his trouble whē no doubt he was talking in spirit with God being so occupied his exercises could not but be heuenly therfore effectuall fruitfull and comfortable Come therefore y u sorrowing soule which gronest for reliefe to
execrable thinges of Gregorie the seuenth Yet was Englande free from this beaste of Rome then in respecte of that it was before the idol was expelled in king Henrie the 8. time But Alexander the third neuer rested to moue men to sedition vntil such time as king Henrie the seuenth was content to be vnder him as other were And all this suffered England for Thomas Becket the Popes Martyr When they were crept vp into this high authoritie all their owne creatures bishops of their secte Cardinals priestes monkes and friers could neuer be contented to be vnder the obedience of the princes and to say the trueth princes durst not in maner require it for they were in danger of goods and life And y e Emperour Henrie the seuenth was poysoned by a monke that poysoned the idol of the Masse both a god and minister méete to poyson men and both of the Popes making And what conscience did they make of this thinke ye Doubtlesse none at all for the Pope saith and so do al his children that he can dispense and absolue themselues and al men from what othes soeuer they haue made to God or man This enimie with his false doctrine is to be resisted and ouercome by the word of God or els he wil destroy both bodie and soule Therefore against all his craftes and abhominations we must haue the Rodd the Staffe the Table the Oyle the Cup that Dauid speaketh of in a readinesse to defend our selues with all Now followeth the last part of this holy Hymne ¶ The seuenth part of the Psalme What the ende of Gods troubled people shalbe THE SIXT VERSE The louing kindnesse shal followe me all the dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer I Will in the middest of all troubles be strong and of good chéere for I am assured that thy mercie and goodnesse will neuer forsake me but will continually preserue me in all dangers of this life and when I shall depart from this bodily life thy mercie wil bring me into that house of thine eternal ioyes whereas I shall liue with thée in euerlasting felicitie Of this part we learne that the dangers of this life be no more then God can and will put from vs or preserue vs in them when they come vnto vs without danger also that the troubles of this world be not perpetuall nor damnable for euer but that they be for a time onely sent from God to exercise and proue our faith and patience At the last we learne that the troubles being ended we begin and shall continue for euer in endlesse pleasure and consolation as Dauid sheweth at the end of his Psalm So doeth Christe make an ende with his disciples when he hath committed them for the time of this life to the tuition of the heauenly father whiles he is bodily absent he saith at length they shalbe where he is himselfe in heauen for euer For in this life all be it the faithfull of God haue consolation in Gods promises yet is their ioy very darke and obscure by reason of troubles both without and within outwardly by persequution inwardly by temptation Therefore Christ desireth his father to lead and conduct his Church in trueth and veritie whiles it is here in fight persequution with the diuel vntill it come to a perfect and absolute consolation where as no trouble may molest it For then and not before to what perfection soeuer we come shall wee be satisfied as Dauid saith The plentifulnesse of pleasure and ioy is in the sight and contemplation of thee ô Lord. For Then shal the minde of man fully be satisfied when he being present may presently beholde the glorious maiestie of God for God hath then al ioyes present to him that is present with him then man knoweth God as he is knowen of God These ioyes in the end of troubles should giue the troubled man the more courage to beare troubles patiently and be persuaded as S. Paule teacheth that The troubles of this present life be not worthie of the ioyes to come whiche shall be reuealed to vs when Christ commeth to iudge the quick and the dead To whome with the father and the holy Ghost be all honour and praise world without end Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 62. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN HOOPER Bishop of Glocester and Worcester THE ARGVMENT THe Prophete in this Psalme doeth declare by his owne experience how the trueth of Gods worde and such as fauour and followe the same be esteemed and vsed in the worlde of worldly men the trueth it selfe reiected and the louers thereof slaundered and persequuted And seeing trueth and true men before the Prophetes time in his time and after his time were thus miserably afflicted in this psalme he writeth his own condition and miseries with certeine and most comfortable remedies whiche wayes the afflicted person may best comforte him selfe and passe ouer the bitternesse and daungers of his troubles and suffer them as long as God layeth them vppon him patiently So that whosoeuer from the feeling of his heart can say this Psalme and vse the remedies prescribed therein by the spirite of God doubtlesse he shall be able to beare the troubles bothe of the diuell and man patiently and contemne them strongly ¶ The partes of the Psalme be in number generally two 1 In the first is conteyned how that the fauour of God and his helpe is able to remedie all aduersities 2 In the second is conteyned how that the fauour of man and his helpe is able to redresse no aduersities The first part comprehendeth eight verses of the Psalme The second part conteyneth the other foure verses that next followe to the end of the Psalme ¶ These two generall partes doe conteine more particular partes in them in number sixe 1 First what is to be done by the Christian man that is afflicted 2 The seconde parte sheweth why the troubled man in trouble looketh for helpe of God 3 The third parte declareth how soudenly God can destroy the persquuters of the trueth 4 The fourth part conteyneth the repetition of the first and the second part with more causes shewed why patiently trouble is to be borne and faithfully to be beleeued that God can and will remedie it 5 The fifte part declareth that mans power is not to be feared nor his friendshippe to be trusted vnto for no man is able to damne or saue 6 The sixte parte setteth foorth how that God hath promised to helpe the afflicted and will assuredly perfourme it ¶ The Psalme with the partes before named where they beginne and where they ende 1 My soule truely wayteth still vpon God The first parte teacheth a man to flie vnto God in the time of oppression and trouble 2 For of him commeth my saluation He verily is my strength and my saluation hee is my defence so shall I not greatly fall The second
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
declareth that mans reason is but ignorant and beastly in considering of Gods workes vntill it be illuminated by God and his word And then is made open how vaine all things be that wicked men possesse in this world Verse 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. Neuerthelesse I am alwaye by thee for thou hast holden mee by my right hand c. The eighth part is conteined in sixe verses next following vnto the end of the Psalme and it declareth a wonderfull vnspeakable consolation For althoughe wee be greeuously tempted yet we be not forsaken of God but preserued and lift vppe when else otherwise wee should fall And in this part in setting forth the multitude and number of Gods consolations he draweth neere the ende of the Psalme and concludeth it with this text I wil set forth thy workes Wherwith he declareth that hee will be thankefull vnto God for his great giftes and mercie ¶ The end of the partes and chiefest matters in the Psalme What thinges are to be marked out of these partes and matters of the Psalme ¶ Out of the first part are many thinges to be noted FIrst the nature and condition of God for as much as hée hath prepared for men a place of ioye permanent and euerlasting is not to reward such as be his and ordeined to the life to come with so slender and small a recompense in the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ as these worldy and transitorie thinges be of this world but with riches and treasures that shall not corrupt nor be eaten with vermine nor yet taken from vs by théeues As S. Paule saith He hath made vs to sit with him in the glorie of heauen And as Christ said vnto Peter that became a begger with the rest of the Apostles in this world for Christes sake Ye shall saith Christ sitt vppon the twelue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel We must therefore note out of this place of the Prophets Psalme That God although he whip and scourge vs as we haue most worthily deserued yet he loueth vs and will not take his mercie from vs but once leaue beating of vs and burne the rod and then in Christ reward vs with euerlasting life In any case therefore we must well assure our selues in the dayes of Gods punishmentes that the end of his crosses afflictions be the beginning of euerlasting ioyes For He receiueth none but such as he first correcteth and chasteneth The second learning in this part is to be persuaded that God doth not punish without iust cause for that he delighteth in punishing of his people As the wicked Pharao Nemroth Saule and Iulian the Apostata said When he had drowned all the world with water for sinne the wicked people iudged that God had punished of a parcial and cholericke passion in his furie without iust matter cause And therefore they went about in contempt of God to build a tower so high that God should neuer haue béene able to wreake his wrath vppon them againe So did cursed Pharao he asked What God that should be that could plague him and his realme And in the time of his punishment railed and spake most vnreuerently Wicked Saule also when God for his disobedience punished him he in despite of God sought remedie to withstand the punishmentes of God by witchcraft and Nekromancie And Iulian the Emperour when Christ gaue him in the warres his deathes wound tooke an handful of his owne bloud and hurled it in despite of Christ into the aire and said Thou hast ouercome thou Galilean and so in mockerie he called Christ Christian men Galileans Wherfore in any case this beginning of the Psalme is to be marked and vsed in the time of all mens punishments and to say with heart and mouth vnto the heauenly father whatsoeuer he layeth vpon vs Truely God is louing vnto me c. And so doth king Dauid crie out when God was most seuere and busie in punishing both him and his people saying Thou art iust Lord and right and iust is thy iudgment So did the Emperour Maurice say when his wife and children were killed before his face Thou art iust Lord and thy iudgementes are righteous Iob likewise was of the same minde although his wife and kinsefolke prouoked him to speake vnpatiently and vnreuerently of God yet he said that He and all his were the Lords and that if he had taken them of him why should not he be contented that God should haue them againe at his pleasure These two notes are to be marked and vsed whatsoeuer happen First that God purposeth to bestowe heauenly pleasures and treasures vppon his people and therefore he wil not reward them with the trash and wicked Mammon of this life and transitorie vale of miserie The second when he punisheth his in this world it is of loue and that the person afflicted must both take it so and also saye so with this Prophete Asaphe Truely God is louing vnto Israel that is to say To him that professeth his religion The third note is to marke that God is knowen and felt in the time of punishment and persequution to be louing but of such as be of a cleane heart Whereof we learne that all men that beare the name of Israelites and of Christian religion iudge neither reuerently nor yet patiently of Gods punishmentes but such Christian men as be of cleane heartes Out of this place we may learne the cause why in this troublesome time so many waxe wearie and fall from the trueth of Gods word whiles God is a punishing of vs that haue béene vnthankeful vnto him and did not liue according to his word the Lord forgiue vs. Doubtles now they mislike and starte backe no not starte backe but openly in the face of Gods enemies sweare and stare as Peter did God sende them Peters repentance that they neuer passed nor cared a iote for Gods word And all is because they be not nor euer were of a cleane heart that is to say so persuaded in their heartes that Gods holy word is the onely trueth what punishment soeuer GOD lay vppon them that professe it God giue vs this cleane heart that we may vnfeignedly say Doubtlesse the Lord is louing vnto his word and to them that professe it althoughe he lay thousandes of crosses vppon them in this world Out of this place we be admonished dearely beloued to beware of the greatest and abhominable euill one of them that can be done against God that is to say witchcrafte and calculation by Astronomie and such other like Howe haynous an offence is this when we sée the heauens raine the cloudes wholy bent to stormes and tempestes the windes roaring and in such rage as all should goe a sunder thunder and lighteninges as
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
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
same members to rise againe at the generall resurrection and they shall suffer with the wicked spirite eternall paines Let this doctrine therefore teach all men to knowe and féele the crueltie of sinne that so painefully vnquieteth doth body and soule and think that if these grudgings discomforts terrours and feares be so great that death it selfe is more tollerable and easie to beare howe much more intollerable and vnspeakeable be the paines of hell which God hath ordeined for all impenitent sinners After this verse of trouble and anguish whereas we sée sléepe taken from the eyes and speach from the tongue followeth next how these great sorrowes were mollified and somewhat diminished 5 I haue considered the dayes of old and the yeres that be past 6 In the night I called to remembrance my song and communed with mine owne heart and my spirite searched diligently I did sayth the Prophet in this great discomfort and heauinesse consider with my selfe the times and worlds of old wherein the Lord had holpen and deliuered my fathers before my time from such troubles as I am in and also from greater And in the night while I was sléeplesse I remembred that many times I lauded and exalted the goodnes of God in my Psalms and Hymns giuing him thanks for his great mercie and goodnes vsed towards his Church at all times and in remembring Gods accustomed clemencie and pitie my spirite was much giuen to debate thinges Out of these two verses we may note diuers doctrines for our consolation in the dayes of our trouble And the first after my minde shalbe concerning the two brightnesse and the two darkenesse in the word of God The one brightnesse is in the letter outwardly and the other brightnesse is in the spirite and heart of the reader of the Scripture This brightnesse or claritie of the letter is this when by reading hearing or thinking of Gods word men learne and knowe that God made all thinges and that he preserueth all thinges and that Iesus Christ his onely sonne is the mediatour betwéene God and man and that he pacified Gods iust ire against man by his bitter death and passion Also he knoweth by the externall histories of the Scripture that GOD hath deliuered many times his people from dangers and perils in maner impossible to be holpen This claritie and brightnesse of the Scripture although it be necessarie yet it is not sufficient for if standeth alone in bare and naked knowledge whiche before God saueth no neither illuminateth the man that hath the knowledge in a sufficient claritie and brightnesse of faith and of Gods promises due in Christ vnto faith As we may sée how the children of Israel had the external claritie and brightnesse of Gods promises vnto Abraham Isahac and Iacob that they and their posteritie should inherite y e lande of Canaan that flowed with all plentie and aboundance yet notwithstanding such as came out of Egypt for the most part perished in the desart wildernesse The Phariseis and learned men amongest the Iewes had the clearenesse and brightnesse of Christes comming of the place he should be borne in and told in that part the trueth vnto Herod yet did they for all this knowledge and claritie abhorre Christ when he came and put him to death most wrongfully The people in like sort saw an external brightnesse in Christ that by his miracles and wonders they thought him worthie to be made a king and yet for all this they cryed out against him Crucifige eum crucifige eum Crucifie him crucifie him The diuel himselfe said he knewe who Christ was the sonne of the most highest and yet for all this knowledge and clearenesse shall he neuer be saued And Christ himselfe also perceiued that this external brightnesse was amongest a great many that called him Lord Lord Yet notwithstanding he said they should not enter into the ioyes of heauen So likewise be there very many at this present time that sée the claritie and brightnesse of Christ outwardly in the letter and yet follow it not here in liuing neither shall they haue the effect of their knowledge in the life to come for their clearenesse is onely knowledge without féeling or practise of the brightnes inwardly which deserueth more stripes then obscuritie or darkenesse doth There is another claritie or brightnes which is an inward vnderstanding and spirituall knowledge and sight of Gods trueth which no man hath but he that is possessed with the spirite of God that whatsoeuer he readeth in Gods word himselfe or heareth preached of other men he vnderstandeth it and consenteth vnto it gladly and willingly As for example God spake vnto Adam and his wordes made him afeard so that he trembled for feare Christ spake vnto Paule and he fell downe flatt and could not abide the peril of Christes voyce So that as the lawe rebuked sinne in the voice and letter it wrought also rebuke and discomfort in the hearts of Adam and Paul and made them afraid inwardly as the voice and letter was terrible outwardly Wherefore they had not onely an externall clearenesse of Gods hatred against sinne but also an internall sight and féeling of the same as the Scripture doth record The like is also in the promises of God when they be preached or read that promise remission of sinne The inward claritie and brightnesse of the same is to féele priuately euery man and woman in his owne conscience through faith in Christ that the same promises doe apperteine and belong vnto himselfe As the Prophet Abacuc saith The iust man liueth by his owne faith Also Christ said vnto the woman of Canaan that it was not good to cast the bread that apperteined to the children vnto dogges she said Yes Lord for the dogges do eate of the crumbes that fall from their maisters table And so doth Christ himselfe vse the brightnesse of his promises to Marie Magdalene Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Applying the clearenesse of the letter vnto the inward comfort of her soule The same is likewise meruellously expressed in the common créede whereas euery man saith Hée beléeueth in God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost and that he beléeueth the remission of sinnes meaning that whosoeuer saith his créed should sée feele in his soule the claritie and brightnesse of his saluation that is conteined in the letter and wordes of the créede But this clearenesse is not séene of all men nor yet of the most part of men As Christ declareth Many be called and fewe chosen Many say Lord Lord and fewe doe the Lords will Therefore Christ saith meruellously concerning the claritie and brightnesse of Gods word inwardly in S. Luke Blessed be they that heare the word of God and keepe it By the which words he declareth that many heare and sée the outward light and trueth of Gods word but very fewe there
be that sée the inward light and profite thereof Of this is learned what the cause is that Christians beare the name of Christ and yet be not Christes in déede for because a great many be contented with the name and few do vnderstand what the name truly and verily conteineth in it And as there is in the Scripture this double brightnesse whereof the one lyeth in the letter and many sée what it meaneth by the externall word and the other lieth in the meaning of the letter and is perceiued onely by such as haue the spirit of God so is there two kindes and sortes of darkenesse and obscuritie in the Scripture the one in the letter and the other in the sense and taking of the letter The outward obscuritie is to be séen in such as contemne the word of God and wil not read it nor heare it As the Turkes and heathen and also the common sort that beare the name of Christe be christened in Christes name and outwardly be taken to be very Christians in déede and yet they know not so much as the letter of Christs lawes that prescribeth them what they should doe and what they should not doe And this obscuritie is a brutish beastly and externall darkenesse The other is obscuritie or darkenesse inwardly in the text For although the letter be well knowne and the sound thereof séemeth to be plaine yet the sense is not so common nor so manifest as the letter soundeth Wherevppon S. Paule bindeth all men in the vnderstanding of the letter vnto the Analogie and proportion of faith that no one place be taken contrarie to many places Whereof was gathered the abridgement of our common Créede accepted at all times and of all Christian men for an infallible trueth so that whosoeuer beléeued it was accompted a good Christian man And of this obscuritie of the Scripture in the sense and spirite is risen this troublesome contention about transubstantiation of bread and wine in the sacrament of Christes bodie and bloud For the vngodly sort would haue no substance of bread and wine to remaine in the Sacrament and yet a corporall presence of bodie and bloud contrarie not onely to the articles of our faith that telleth vs he is in heauen and shall abide there vntil he come to iudge the quick and the dead but also contrarie to many other places of the scripture And this is no new thing to haue and record the text and letter of the Scripture and yet lack the effect and the very consolation of the Scripture in déede For here in these two verses the Prophet Asaph doth record and remember Gods doings mercifully in time past and yet taketh no more consolation thereof then he findeth in the barke of the letter or in the rehearsall of the histories And the same he doth of his owne Psalmes and Hymnes wherof he maketh mention and yet by the same meane his spirite is brought into no further considerations of Gods trueth then it was before with much heauinesse and sorrow as the verses following do declare So that in the affliction of the spirit he could repeate and cal to his remembrance the truth how God had delt mercifully with his forefathers but felt not at that present the like mercie of God towardes himselfe neither could he sée nor féele for his consolation the ease and succour of Gods promises which he saw in others as all the electes of God at lengthe shall doubtlesse féele As it is said by the Prophet Sicut audiuimus sic vidimus As we haue heard so haue wee seene and at length as the Psalme saith he felt him selfe Whether he wrote the Psalme of his own sorrowes and troubles or of the sorrows and troubles of the Israelits it maketh no matter let euery man in that case vse his owne iudgment so that he mark the doctrine of the Psalme There is to be noted of these verses also this doctrine that what soeuer trouble y e spirit was brought vnto whatsoeuer watch had taken his eyes what soeuer vehemencie of disease had taken his speach from him yet vnder all these crosses he cursed not God nor grudged against his plagues but as a man contented gaue himselfe to record and to call to memorie how God was wont to be vnto men afflicted and tooke accompt how in times past he had spent his yeares and found that he had made certeine Psalmes or Hymnes to the glorie of God and to the praise of his holy name Of the which we learne not onely patience in the time of trouble and persequution but also how to spend our youth and transitorie life in doing or making some thinges that may be recordes and remembrances when we be gonne that we liued here to serue God and not to serue our selues And it is a great helpe and no small consolation for a man that is in trouble heauines to thinke that he in his life before sought the glorie of God that testimonie of conscience is more worth in the time of trouble then all other mens déedes for him Not in that his séeking Gods glorie setting foorth of the same can be his gage and raunsome before God but because it is a very testimonie that God once loued him and gaue him of his blessed spirite to indite something to Gods praise and honour And as godly Psalmes and vertuous Hymnes be testimonies of a vertuous spirite so be wanton and adulterous ballads records of a vicious and sinnefull spirite And as the remembrance of good vertuous workes in the time of sicknes and trouble be ioyful and comfortable so is the remembrance of wicked doinges sorrowful and painefull We be therefore taught by this Prophete to be circumspect and warie how we accumulate heape vppon our soules infidelitie and the wicked workes thereof for as they be the only cause of trouble so do they not onely worke trouble but also increase trou and augment the heauinesse of the spirit and paines of the body as is declared meruellously by the graue and profound sentences following Wherein he declareth what it was that his spirite searched so diligently for It was this 7 Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and wil he be no more intreated 8 Is his mercie cleane gone for euer And is his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore 9 Hath God forgotten to be gratious And will he shutt vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure 10 And I said It is mine owne weakenes but the right hand of God can chaunge these thinges These verses declare what mindes and cogitations do happen to men that be in sicknes or trouble and how gréeuous they be vnto the patient Out of these verses first we sée a common rehearsall of the great terrour and feare of the féeling of Gods displeasure and anger towards the wofull spirite for sinne The first meditation of the sinnefull spirite was this Will the Lord absent
the captiuitie of Babylon with such like and yet when they be in troubles themselues these meruellous workes and mercies shewed vnto others cannot comfort themselues Of the thirde sorte be suche as knowe generally the meruellous workes of God and perceiue that in some God is particularly mercifull and from some he findeth it in him selfe singularly the mercie of GOD and from the remembraunce of Gods benefites vnto others he findeth in him selfe the working of Gods mercie and findeth in his conscience such comfort in déede that he remembreth others before him that had of Gods mercies in their time of troubles The moste parte of men consider generally that God is the worker of miracles the common sorte of Christians consider that God hath wrought miracles particularly vpon others but the verie elects and Christians in déede sée the miracles of God wrought particularly vpon others and take consolation singularly of Gods mercies themselues As we sée this Prophete meruellously declareth Gods wonders putteth the generall working of Gods miracles betwéene a singular working of wonders and a particular working of wonders The generalitie is this Thou art God that doth wonders and hast declared thy power amongst people The singularitie and particularitie of Gods working of wonders is the one before and the other behinde The singularitie is in this that he perceiued that is was his owne infirmitie that made him doubt of Gods promises yet Gods singular grace made him singularly féele perceiue that God singularly would be good vnto him The particularitie is in this that he saith With Gods right hand God deliuered the posteritie of Iacob and Ioseph from the seruitude of Egypt c. The way to consider the meruellous works of God is a profitable consideration sight of them as wel to know them as to be y e better for them For there is no man can take commoditie or profite by Gods goodnesse shewed vnto a multitude except he singularly receiue gaine therby him selfe As we sée when a whole multitude was fed meruellously with a fewe loaues and fewer fishes almoste fiue thousande people he taught the consolation and health of mans soule in his owne bloude but none was the better for it but suche as beléeued euerie man for him selfe that which Christ spake The miracles and mercifull helpe of Christe vnto others had nothing profited the poore woman of Canaan excepte she her selfe had bene partaker of the same And as it is in the workes of God that doe comfort the man afflicted so is it in the workes of God that bring men into heauinesse and sorrowe for sinne Generally the worde of God rebuketh sinne and calleth sinners to repentaunce particularly it sheweth vnto vs howe that Dauid Peter Marie Magdalen and others repented But to vs those sorrowes and repentaunce do no good except we euery man singularly repent and be sorrowfull for his sinnes For it is not another mans sicknesse that maketh me sicke nor another mans health that maketh me whole no more is any other mans repentance my repentance or any other mans fayth my fayth but I must repent I must beléeue my selfe to féele sorrowfulnesse for sinne by the law remission therof by faith in Christ. So that euerie priuate man must be in repentaunce sorrie with the true repentaunt sorrie and faithfull with the true faithfull For as God himselfe is towardes man so be all his workes and promises For looke to whom God is mercifull to the same be all his promises comfortable and to whom God is seuere and rigorous to the same Gods threateninges be terrible and his iustice fearefull As king Dauid sayeth With the holie thou wilt be holie and with the innocent thou wilt bee innocent with the chosen thou wilt be chosen and with the peruerse thou wilt be peruerse Such as followe vertue and godlinesse God increaseth with gifts and benefits such as haue wicked manners and by false doctrine decline from the truth in those God is seuere sharp And except such persons repent God wil spoyle them from all iudgement of trueth and being blinde and destitute of knowledge permitte them to the power and dominion of most filthy lustes and abhominable desires So that such as would not loue the beautie excellencie of vertue shal tumble wallowe themselues like swine in the filth vomit of sinne of the which abhominations and iust iudgements of God Saint Paule speaketh in the Epistle to the Romanes For this is to be noted looke as euerie man is euen so he thinketh of God And as the good and godlie man thinketh well of God so doeth he euill and wicked man thinke euill of God Some thincke that man and all worldly thinges be ruled and gouerned by God with greate iustice and inscrutable wisedome with all mercie and fauour Others thinke that GOD ruleth not this world and worldly things and in case they thinke he doe yet do they condemne his administration and rule of iniustice and parcialitie because God doeth as it pleaseth himselfe and not as man would haue him doe And vpon these diuersities of iudgements in mens mindes God is to the godly mercifull and to the vngodly seuere and rigorous If the spirite of man iudge truely and godly of him by and by the spirite of man shall perceiue and féele the heauenly influence of Gods spirite stirring and impelling his spirit to all vertue and goodnesse If the spirite of man be destitute of spirite of God and iudge peruersly and wickedly the spirits of man shall féele the lacke of Gods spirite and true iudgement to blind the eyes of his mind cast him self into al abhomination sinne as the iniquitie of the man iustly hath deserued Of the which thing cōmeth this that as the vertue godlinesse of godly men daily increaseth euen so doeth the iniquitie and abhomination of the vngodly also increase And looke what place and preeminence God obteineth with any man in the same place and preeminence is the man with God And suche as doe godlie after Gods worde honour and reuerence the almightie God iudging aright of Gods might and prouidence they giue moste humble thankes vnto the mercie of God that alone and none but he can teach or instruct the mind of man in true knowledge nor incline his will to godlie doings nor inflame the soule with all her powers to the desire and feruent loue of godlinesse and vertue As we sée by this prophete Asaph in this place that as long as his spirite wanted the helpe of Gods spirite it iudged doubtfully of Gods mercie and promises but when the spirite of God had exiled and banished doubtfulnesse and placed this strong fortresse of confidence The right hande of GOD can chaunge this my wofull and miserable estate with the iudgement and féeling thereof he was rapte and stricken with a meruellous loue of Gods wonders and repeated