giueth God the strength able to helpe but is of it selfe in God and with God so is there none that can giue God a wil to helpe but he of himselfe is inclined to haue mercie vppon the afflicted and his mercie is most prone and readie to helpe the poore and miserable Hereof learneth the afflicted Christian that none inclineth God to be mercifull but his owne gentle and pitifull nature So that the sinners may boldely in Christ resort vnto him firste because he is mercie it selfe and not to goe astray to séeke firste mercie at dead Saintes handes and by their meanes at laste finde God mercifull and readie to helpe him And when the afflicted perceiueth by the word of God that he commandeth him to call vpon him and vppon none other he may take a courage and audacitie to be bolde to come vnto him be his sinnes neuer so many horrible or filthie yea if in number they excéeded the grauell of the sea yet be they fewer alwayes then his mercie If they be as redde as scarlet yet shall they be made as white as snowe The booke of wisedome sayth euen so Although we haue sinned Lord we be thine knowing thy greatnesse And whereas these doctrines be grounded sée what followeth In all the depth of anguishe and sorrowe this followeth as this Psalme sayth Of him commeth my saluation He is my strength my saluation and my defence c. The same may we sée also in the Dialogue betwéen the Christian soule or Christes Churche and Christe in the booke of Solomons Ballads were she neuer so blacke and burned with the sunne were she neuer so troubled with the vanities of the worlde she cried out and saide boldely vnto Christe Drawe me we will runne after thee And although the poore wretched soule be enuironed and compassed about with sinne troubles and aduersities as the faire Lillie is hedged about with thornes yet she trusteth in her husband that he will helpe her And in déede most comfortably her spouse Christ comforteth her with these maruelous words Arise haste thee my spouse my faire one and come Nowe Winter is past the rayne is gone and ceassed That Booke of Solomon is to be read to sée how mercifully God comforteth a troubled and deformed soule by sinne and yet God layeth it not to the soules charge that hath Christe to her husband Also there is to be séene that the soule is bolde to séeke and call for help of God her husband and goeth to no strange God for ayde or succour althoughe she be burned with the sunne and a miserable sinner The like is to be séene in the Prodigall sonne Although he was neuer so beggerly miserable sinful wretched and vnkinde to his father yet he said Euen as I am with my miseries I will go to my father and tel him that I haue offended against him and against Heauen The father when he sawe him spatte not at him reuiled him not asked no accomptes of the goods he had viciously spent laide not to his charge his filthie conuersation with whores and harlots neither did he cast into his téethe howe he had dishonoured him and his familie but when he sawe him a farre off hee was moued with compassion towardes him ranne to méete him tooke him about the necke and kissed him The sonne confessed his fault and the father minding more the comforte of his lowsie and beggerly sonne then the repetition of his transgressions commaunded his seruantes spéedily to fetche him robes and to clothe him gaue him a ring vpon his finger and shooes to his féete killed his fat calfe and made merrie and reioyced with his loste sonne that he was found againe Here is the state and condition of a soule that wayteth as Asaph saith for a time vpon the Lorde in trouble and heauinesse meruellously sett foorth Sée this wretched man spoyled of al his goods destitute of all friendes shutte out of all honest cōmpanie of a Gentleman become a swineheard of one that had once men to waite vppon him become now a waiter vpon pigges once he gaue others meate and nowe all men refuse to féede him erst a man that scarse delicate dishes coulde contente his appetite nowe his stomache yrketh till it be filled with swines foode yet more ouer then that he sawe nothing behinde him nor before him but miserie and wretchednesse Behind him he left al his goods spent riottously his estimation parentage such frends as he had when mony was plentie lost also as farre as reason could sée his fathers vtter displeasure and the reproch ignominie of his alliaunce and kinsefolke purchased for euer Before him he saw hunger and scarsitie a sorte of filthie swine and the best meate draffe chaffe for the sustenance and maintenaunce of his piggishe life in case he might haue béene so mainteyned yet in the middest of these sorrowes attending in his spirite vpon the mercie of his father meruelously in the filthe of a pigges slie and in the paines and anguishe of miserie hearke what a wonderfull doctrine he bloweth out Oh what abundance of bred is there in my fathers house and I starue here for hunger I will arise and gette me to him and confesse my fault c. He saieth not Oh what abundaunce of bread hath my brother and my kinsefolke but What abundance of bread is there in my fathers house He said not I will make my complaint to my brother but said To my father Whereof is learned that all penitent Christian sinners doe know that the heauenlie father hath the bread of mercie to satisfie their hungrie desire and that he is to be resorted vnto in such sinnefull and troublesome state and not any other in heauen but he alone through Iesus Christe who was killed to redéeme and saue the penitent faithfull sinners of the worlde Sée now how this Prodigall outragious sonne knew why he should séeke helpe of his father in the time of his vile miserie and wretchednesse First he knewe his fathers power and therefore saide Oh how great plentie of bread is there in my fathers house beléeuing that his father was able to giue him meate sufficient Next he was assured that his father was mercifull and would giue him suche thinges as he lacked being thus persuaded boldly he returned vnto his father and to him he vttered al his griefe who was a great deale more prest readie to helpe then his sonne was readie to aske helpe Of the same minde was the woman of Canaan For although she founde little comfort at the firste yet she argued so from the nature of man to the nature of Christ that Christe cried out vpon her and sayde Oh woman greate is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest For when she saide the dogges did eate of the crumbes that fell from their maisters table she knewe that she her selfe and all men in respect
calleth after the phrase of the scripture arrowes and dartes These remembraunces may be comfortes to the hearers and to the readers two manner of wayes First in this that God when he punisheth punisheth iustly as he did the whole world for sinne Whereof the Prophete gathereth If sinne iustly merited doe trouble all the generation of man it is no great meruell though sinne trouble me that am but one man and a vile sinner If sinne brought all flesh vnto death sauing those that were in the ship is it any meruell though sinne make me to tremble quake Againe If God when he gaue the lawe of Moses and to the people spake out of thunder declaring what a thing it was to transgresse that lawe in so much that al y e people were afraid to heare the Lord speake and desired that Moses might supplie his roome what meruell is it that my conscience trembleth féeling that my soule hath offended the lawes of God And if Pharao and his realme were sore afraid of Gods outward plagues what cause haue I to feare the inwarde dread and sorrowfull sight of sinne shewed vnto me by Gods lawe So that we may take this cōsolation out of this place that God is a iust Iudge to punish sinne and not a Tyrant that punisheth of affection or wilfull desire And so saide Dauid When so euer or howe so euer thou punish let men say and iudge as they list thou art iust and righteous be all thy doings The other consolation is that in the middest of all aduersities God preserued penitent and faithfull sinners As in the time of the vniuersall floud the water hurted not Noah nor suche as were in the ship In the time of Pharaos plagues the Israelites tooke no harme At the giuing of the lawe the Israelites perished not with lightening and thunder Euen so sorrowes and anguish diffidence and weaknesse of faith they are plagues and punishments for all men by reason of sinne yet penitent sinners by reason of faith in Christ take no hurt nor damnation by them As it appeareth by this Prophete that was troubled in the spirite and in the body as meruellously as could be but yet in Christ escaped the daunger as all men shal do that repent and beléeue Whereof we learne that as the rayne falleth generally and yet bettereth no earth to bring foorth her fruite but such as is apt to receiue the rayne stonie rocks and barren ground being nothing the better euen so doth the plagues and rayne of Gods displeasure plague all mankinde but none be the better therefore but such as repent and bewayle their sinnes that gaue GOD iust occasion thus to punishe them The same is to be considered also of the verse that followeth which is this 18 The lightening shone vpon the ground the earth was moued and shooke therewithall By these manner of speaches The lightening shone and the earth quaked the Prophete setteth foorth the strength and might of Gods power and willeth men to loue him and to feare him For he is able to defend and preserue his faythfull and to punish and plague the wicked And the like he sayth in the verse following 19 Thy way is in the sea and thy pathes in the deep waters and thy footsteps are not knowne He taketh comfort of this miracle that GOD brought the Israelites through the red sea in this that the waters knewe the Israelites gaue place vnto them that they might drye footed goe through them But when king Pharao and his people would haue followed in the same path persequuting Gods people the sea would make no way for him nor yet shew the steppes where the Israelites troade but ouerwhelmed them in most desperate deaths So in the seas of temptations suche as put their trust in the Lorde passe and neuer perish by them whereas such as put not their trust in the Lorde perish in temptations as Pharao and his armie did by water And the next verse that concludeth the Psalme sheweth by what meanes the Israelites were vnder God saued in the red sea by the handes of Moses and Aaron as it appeareth 20 Thou leadest thy people like sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron Of this verse the afflicted may learne many consolations First that the best people that be are no better able to resist temptations then the simple shéepe is able to withstande the brier that catcheth him The next that man is of no more abilitie to beware of temptations then the poore shéepe is to aboyd the brier being preserued only by the diligence of the shéepheard The thirde that as the shéepheard is carefull of his intangled and briered shéepe so is GOD of his afflicted faithfull And the fourth is that the people of Israel could take no harme of the water bycause they entered the sea at Gods commaundement Whereof we learne that no daunger can hurt when God doth commaund vs to enter into it and all daungers ouercome vs if we choose them our selues besides Gods commaundement As Peter when he went at Gods commandement vppon the water tooke no hurt but when he entered into the Bishops house vppon his owne presumption was ouercome and denied Christ. The Israelities when they fought at Gods commaundement the perill was nothing but when they would doe it of their owne heades they perished So that we are bound to attend vppon Gods commaundement and then no daunger shall destroy vs though it paine vs. The other doctrine is in this that God vsed the ministerie of Moses and Aaron in the deliuerance of his people who did commanded them to do nothing but that the Lord did first bid Whereof we learne that such as be ministers appointed of God and doe nothing but as God commaundeth are to be followed As S. Paule saith Followe mee as I followe Christ. And these men can by the word of God giue good counsell and great consolation both for bodie and soule as we perceiue this Prophet in marking Gods doinges vnto the Israelites applied by grace the same wisedome and helping mercie vnto himselfe to his eternall rest through Iesus Christ in the world to come To whome with the father and the holy Ghost be all laude and praise world without end Let all Christians say Amen FINIS ⧠A table declaring as well the generall as the speciall contentes of this whole Booke ¶ The figures note the number of the leafe A. the first side B. the second ⧠The argument of the 23. Psalme fol. 9. A. ¶ Of this Psalme there are seuen partes ibid. B. 1 Who it is that hath the cure and charge of mans life and saluation 10. A. 2 Wherein the life and saluation of man consisteth 14. B. 3 How a man is brought to the knowledge of life and saluation which part sheweth what man is of himselfe and how he is brought into his life and to feede in the pleasaunt
with anguish or heauinesse for sinne immediately the tongue saith He was borne vnder an euill Planet or in an euill houre and so findeth fault with the worke of God which God made excellent good Thus may ye sée where as the soule of man wayteth not vppon God the impatient man accuseth God and all his workes both in heauen and in earth But the godly féeling the rodde of God for sinne and iniquitie as GOD neuer punisheth withoute iuste cause he firste accuseth him selfe and acknowledgeth his owne offences and then sayeth with the Prophete Micheas I will suffer the indignation of God for I haue deserued it To this wayting vpon the Lorde without quarelling and desperate lamenting exhorted Ieremie the prophete the children of Israel for the time of their being in seruitude and captiuitie of Babylon bidding them to plante and grafte trées and so to prouide for themselues vntil the time were expired of their affliction and captiuitie Men may mourne and lament their sinnes and troubles that they suffer for sinne as we may sée howe the Psalme of the Prophet conteineth the bewailing and wéeping of the people that sate heauily and lamentably by the riuer side in Babylon And the like may ye reade in the Lamentations of Ieremie But this mourning was without desperation and quarelling as the letters and bookes do recorde Besides these thinges the cause of their bewailing and lamenting whiles their soules waited vpon the Lorde differeth from the moste forte of mourners and bewaylers nowe a dayes For we may sée nowe a dayes if the wife bewaile the death of her husbande it is moste commonly because she hath taken from her a louing head and gouernour If the husbande lament the departure of his wife it is because he is bereaued of a faithfull healper If the sonne mourne for the death of his father it is because there is taken from him not onely his father but also his patrone and defender If the parentes be sorrie for the taking away of their children it is because they want their daliaunce sport and pastime with them or such other worldly affections If the prince take gréeuously the calling away of his subiecte from this worlde it is because he lacketh a trustie souldier a faithful capteine a wise counseller or profitable officer If the subiect lamente the death of his prince it is because he hath lost his aduauntage authoritie or estimation If the seruaunt wéepe for his maister it is because with his maister is departed his commoditie and trust of wordly riches and friendship If the maister mourne for his seruaunt it is because there is taken from him a skilfull a diligente or a faithfull doer of his businesse And such like causes as men gréeuously of euerie sort féele and lament If the Parson lament his parishioner it is most commonly because he séeth the breach of an honest housholde decayeth his tenthes and profite And if the parishioner mourne for his pastour most commonly it is because he loss a good companiō or profitable friend If the Bishoppe bewaile the death of suche as dy in his diocesse it is most commonly because he is destitute of suche a one as fauoured much affection to set fourth and doe suche thinges as he worldly desired shoulde goe forewardes or else perchaunce such manner of one as coulde excuse him what negligence or faulte so euer he shoulde perpetrate or committe for the time he were in office If the diocesse be sorrie for the death of the Bishoppe it is because the one parte which is the Clergie doth feare leaste there shall come another that wilbe more diligent and quicke in doing his office and sée that they shall do the same The other partie called the Temporaltie lamente because they haue loste such a one as peraduenture fedd well their belies with bread and béefe or else was so remisse that he woulde suffer all sinne vnpunished and rather be a bearer of the euill then a mainteiner of the good Nowe this is suche béewayling and mourning as Ethnickes Publicanes and Infidels may haue But wherefore the Christian soule that wayteth vppon the Lord without quarell or desperation doth wéep lament reade you the Psalme before named and the lamentations of Ieremie and there shall you finde in the Psalme these words We sate by the riuers of Babylon and wepte when wee remembred thee ô Sion The chiefest cause of their wéeping was because the worde of God was not preached the sacraments ministred nor the Almightie God lauded and praised in the temple of Hierusalem as God had commaunded by his worde This is a moste iust also a moste worthie cause to wéepe for whiles God punisheth vs that for our sinnes not onely our quietnesse wealth but also the worde of God whiche is greater is taken away and his due honour giuen vnto idols For the children of Israel perceiuing that Gods honor was defaced for their sinns they wepte as often as they remembred it as God giue vs grace to doe the same The like did Saint Peter He lamented not because he leafte all his goods for Christes sake but wept that by his deniall of Christe he felte him selfe not constant in the faith and loue of his Maister So did Marie Magdalene bewayle that she hadde offended Christ and not because the world knewe her to be a sinner Saint Iohn Chrysostome hath a notable saying He that feareth more hell then Christ is worthie of hell And that ment the prophet when he cryed out What is there in heauen or in earth that I preferre before thee O Lord. As though he had saide There is nothing can make me as gladde as thy loue towardes me nor any thing so sorrie as thy displeasure good Lorde Thus doth the soule of the verie Christian waite vpon the Lord in all troubles and aduersities and patiently doth beare the punishmentes of sinne and not only beare patiently the paine but also considereth what is the greatest losse that may happen vnto him by reason of troubles Not the losse of worldly richesse landes and promotions nor the losse of health of bodie by sicknesse neither the lesse of the bodie it selfe by death ne yet the losse of the soule into eternall paines But the greatest losse that he weigheth is the losse of the good will of him that made him and of greate mercie redéemed him and with much kindenesse alwayes nourished him That is to be séene in the prodigall sonne whiche when he had spent all his goodes lecherously and brought him selfe to moste miserable pouertie to such extreame famine that he would haue bene glad to haue eaten the meate prepared for the pigs besides the great heauines of hart that weighed the time of prosperitie and conferred it with his estate of so extreame miserie yet nothing made him so sorie and pensiue as the calling to his remembrance howe vnreuerently he had vsed his moste gentle louing
fourth part repeateth more at large the declaration of the first and the second part THE fiue and sixe verses be worde for worde as the first the second were Onely there is left out in these two verses this word greatly for before he saide He should not greatly fall The which worde may be taken two wayes very comfortable of the reader and hearer if it be well marked and beléeued The first way is that the Prophet meaneth not that the people of God shal not fal for that is against the Scripture for The iust man falleth seuen times in the day Againe If we say we haue no sinne in vs we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. Nowe whereas sinne inseparably dwelleth as it doeth in all men whilest they liue vppon the earth there be faultes and falles before God of the mans part in whome this sinne dwelleth yet God of his mercy for the bloud and death of Christe doeth not account these inseparable sinnes to be falles but loueth the person preserueth him and will not impute nor lay any of those falles or faults vnto his charge but in Christe estéeme him iustified and cleane as though he were of him selfe so in déede And thus the Prophete saith that of Gods part and by our acceptation into his fauour through Christ the faithfull falleth not That is to say his sinne is not accounted damnable nor laide to his charge for Christes sake As Saint Paule writeth to the Romanes An other way it may be taken That a Christian hath testimonie in his spirit by the spirit of God that he is so elected chosen and ordeined of God to eternall saluation that what so euer the world the flesh the diuell or sinne shall doe yet standeth he assured of Gods election grace strength and fidelitie that he shall neuer fall to damnation but arise againe and be called from his falls what so euer they be And yet this most sure comfortable knowledge will not giue him licence nor libertie to sinne but rather kéep him in a feare and loue of the strong and mightie God in whose handes he is and kept from the great fall of eternall damnation from the which he was deliuered from the beginning with God So that ye may learne of this place what perseuerance is in the meditation contemplation of Gods most holy word and promises At the first they séeme vnto the fleshe things impossible as we may sée by Nichodemus who was as ignoraunt as could be at the beginning when he came first to schoole to Christ. But when a man hath bene exercised a while in it he féeleth more swéetnesse in the promises of God as we sée by this Prophete For after he had borne the crosse of affliction a little while and learned the nature of God howe mercifull he is to sinners he saide Although I fall yet it shall not be greatly But when he had tarried in the schoole of Christe and learned in déede what he was and howe that he was able to perfourme his mercy he saide plainly Whatsoeuer sinne the diuell the world the fleshe hell heauen or the earth would say against him he should not fall These two interpretations are to be noted For which so euer we vse we may finde comfort and vnspeakable consolation Now when he hath declared that he shal not fall into Gods eternal ire displeasure he sheweth how this certeintie of eternall saluation came vnto him and why God so mercifully and strongly hath warded and fenced him against all temptations and perilles of damnation It is saith he bicause God is his health That is to say One that hath not onely taken him from the sicknesse and daunger of sinne the tyrannie of the diuell and damnation of the lawe but also preserueth him in the same state that he fall not againe into the sicknesse and perill that he was deliuered from Whereof we learne that it is not mans labours nor mans workes that helpeth a sinner and saueth a damnable soule but it is the frée worke and vndeserued mercy of almightie God Wherfore we be taught that There is no health but in God alone Then saith the Prophete also that in God is his glorie Of the which worde he noteth two thinges The one touching God alone and the other touching God and him selfe The glorie that toucheth God alone is that this troubled Prophete pondered in the heauinesse and anguishe of his minde the number and strength of his enimies the diuel the flesh sinne the world and the bitter accusation of Gods lawes that truely accused and painfully grieued his conscience for sinne Of the other side in faith he considered howe the scripture declared that God was merciful euen vnto the greatest sinners of the worlde And he learned also by the word of God that GOD had made promise vnto sinners to be mercifull He considered further that god had many times vsed and practised his mercy towardes sinners And he founde likewise by the scripture that God to perfourme his mercy would not spare his owne dearely beloued sonne to redéeme man from his sinne with his own precious bloud and painfull death Thus weighing the strength of the diuell and sinne in the one part to damne and the strength of Gods mercy in Christe Iesus on the other part to saue and perceiuing the riches aboundance and strength of Gods mercy to be more auaylable to saue then all the power and strength of the diuell and sinne to damne for the great victory that God taketh ouer such strong enimies the Prophete triumpheth in the glorie of God ioyfully and thankefully extolling him for his mercy and power that hath broken the serpentes head and spoyled him of his prisoners So we vse to doe when any man by valiauntnesse defendeth vs from our enimies we extoll and magnifie him for his victorie and conquest This glorie gaue the Prophete Asaphe in this Psalme of God when by faith he sawe God conquering of hell sinne the diuell the accusation of the lawe desperation the fleshe and the world And the same glory giueth euery faithful creature vnto God at the end of the Lordes prayer when he saith For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie By the which wordes we knowe that howe so euer the diuell and wicked people take vppon them to vsurpe by violence warre and tyrannie and liue neuer so princely in pompe and pride they be but vsurpers if they come to it wrongfully for the kingdome apperteineth vnto GOD. And howe so euer they extend their power in Gods sight they be no stronger then a brused réede or broken staffe for the power is Gods And what glorie so euer they seigne and flatter them selues to haue it is but withered haye and vile dust in the sight of God But nowe the Prophete by the eye of faith séeing this glorious triumphe strength and power
holy name and be thankful For There is nothing more vnnaturall in man then forgetfulnesse of Gods great and innumerable giftes towards vs. To whom be all honour and praise world without end Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 77. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN HOOPER Bishop of Glocester and Worcester THE ARGVMENT WHen this Prophet Asaph being a man appointed to the seruice and teaching of Gods word vnto the people perceiued that such as were vnder his cure charge were many times troubled and brought into great heauinesse for the feare and dread they had conceiued of Gods most iust ire and straite punishment for sinne transgression of his holy lawes and in himselfe felte especially the burden of Gods displeasure against sinne intollerable hee receiued from the holy ghost the spirit of consolation what was the best remedie and helpe for euery troubled conscience to appease and quiet the poore spirite of man that knoweth and feeleth not onely that God is iustly angrie for sinne but also will straitly punish the iniquitie and abhomination of the same And when hee had learned himselfe by God how a troubled and desperate conscience might be quieted hee spake it to such as were aliue and with him and wrote it to all such as should come after him vntil the worldes end that troubled sinners might see their sinnes for giuen in the mercie of God and they themselues accepted as Gods most deare children into eternall friendship and endlesse ioyes of saluation ¶ The partes of the Psalme 1 In whome a man should put his trust and to whome he should resort in the dayes of sicknesse troubles and aduersitie 2 How a man should vse himselfe towards him in whom he putteth his trust in the time of trouble 3 What great and perillous dangers the man that is troubled shall suffer for the time of his trouble 4 Howe a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble ¶ The two first verses of the Psalme conteyning the two first partes 1 I will crie vnto God with my voice euen vnto God will I crie with my voyce and he shall hearken vnto mee 2 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord my hand I held vp all night and it was not wearie my soule refused comfort ¶ The first part ¶ In whom a man should put his trust and to whom he should resort in the dayes of sicknesse troubles and aduersitie 1 I will crie vnto God with my voice euen vnto God will I crie with my voice and hee shall hearken vnto mee FIrst out of this text it is to be noted that God onely is to be trusted vnto in the dayes of trouble as our Sauiour Christ exhorted in heauines and anguish of body and soule all people to resort vnto him saying Come vnto mee all ye that be laden and burthened and I will refreshe you And the same is spoken of God by Esaie the Prophet Ye that be a thirst come vnto the waters and ye that haue no monie come take it freely S. Iohn likewise in the midst among troubled and afflicted persons reciteth the words of Christ saying If any be drie let him come to me and drinke Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture saith flouds of water of life shall flowe out of his bellie Of this knowledge and suretie in the soule of man that God is can and wil be an ease and remedie for the troubled conscience cōmeth iustice peace and ioy of the conscience Not that any man shalbe by and by without all feare trembling and dread of his sinnes of Gods iust iudgement against sinne but that this feare and trembling shal not come to desperation neither shall he be more afraide of his sinnes then comforted by Gods mercie and grace in Christ. Therefore saith our sauiour Christ Blessed be they that weepe for they shalbe comforted Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for iustice for they shalbe replenished In this that he saith Blessed be they that weepe He noteth such as do knowe and féele with sorrowe and heauines of conscience that they be sinners and the filthines of their sinnes maketh them sorrowful and heauie hearted yet shall they in Christ be comforted Againe the poore sensible féeling and troubled sinner doth wishe his sinnes away and would gladly haue vertue and iustice to rule and do altogether in him Gods holy will and pleasure This hunger and thirst saith Christ shalbe quenched for the merits of his owne death and passion as it shal not misse if men in their thirst hunger persequution and trouble doe knowe and vse onely God for their helpe and consolation as this Prophet did and teacheth vs to doe the same in this Psalme In this first part be two sorts of people condemned The one is such as plainely despaire and in their troubles neither looke for consolation nor yet beléeue that there is any consolation to be hoped for in Christ. The other is such as séeke consolation but not onely at Gods hand power but at the Saincts departed at witches coniurers hypocrites and the workes deuised and done by man The first sort be left comfortlesse because they séeke no consolation and the second sort find no comfort because they séeke it where it is not contrarie vnto God and his holie word Happie therefore is the troubled that séeketh consolation at Gods handes and no where els For he is as it is written by the Prophet Esaie the God alone that doth saue and none but hee But there be two manner of impedimentes that kéepe the Almightie God from the helping and comforting of people that be in trouble The one is ignorance of Gods nature and propertie towards the afflicted and the other is feare and dread whereas God is most iustly angrie for sinne lest that in his anger and iust punishment he will not be mercifull Of the first impediment whiche is ignorance is sprong into the world horrible blasphemie that neither séeketh helpe at Gods hand nor yet is thankful vnto God for any thing that God giueth but rendereth all things to such Gods and Saincts as he hath deuised out of his owne imagination or els learned as S. Peter saith out of the traditions of his Elders So that ignorance taketh away the honour of God also the saluation of them that be ignorant The remedie against this great impediment is onely the reading meditating hearing and learning of Gods holy word whiche is as a candle light in a darke place to kéepe and preserue a man from danger and peril And so saith king Dauid that It is a candle vnto his feete and a light vnto his stepps And in an other place of his Psalmes he saith The lawe of God is so perfect that it turneth soules vnto the Lord. Wherefore saith he it is the part of euery man that wil be vertuous and godly to
many times the word of God in a Psalme worthie much reading and more marking of the thinges conteyned therein For he intreateth all the Psalme thorough that a godly life doeth consist in the obseruation of Gods lawes and therefore doth he so many times in the Psalme pray God to illuminate and indue his spirite and hearte with these two vertues Knowledge and Loue of his word wherewith he may both knowe howe to serue God and at all times to be acceptable vnto him And our sauiour Christ himselfe in Saint Luke saith vnto a woman Blessed be they that heare the word of God and kepe it And in S. Iohn Christ exhorteth all men to the reading and exercising of the Scripture For the ignorance of Gods word bringeth with it a murren and rott of the soule yet for the sinnes of the people God said He would sende a hunger and famine amongst men not a hunger of bread nor water but of hearing Gods word King Dauid therefore as one assured both of the Authour of life also of the foode wherewith the life is mainteyned stayeth himselfe with Gods benediction and fauour that he is assured God féedeth him with his word And he sheweth also that none is the authour of this word neither can any giue it but God alone For when the first fall of Adam and Eue by eating forbidden meates had poysoned infected both body and soule with sinne and Gods displeasure so that he was destitute both of Gods fauour wisedome none but God could tell him where remedie and help lay nor yet could any deliuer him the help but God For till God made promise that the séed of a woman should make whole and saue that which the diuel and man had made sicke and lost by reason of sinne and also made open the remedie vnto Adam and inclined his heart to beléeue the remedie Adam was dead in sinne and vtterly cast away Then the pittie of the heauenly shéepheard said He should notwithstanding in time be brought into the same pasture againe and none should deceiue him nor bring him any more out of the pastures of life But onely God gaue this meate which was his holy word and promise and also the mouth of fayth to eate these promises of Gods onely gift And the same appeareth throughout the whole Bible that onely God by sending of his worde and preachers brought knowledge of euerlasting life to the people that were in ignoraunce As Saint Paule sayth God before time spake vnto our fathers by the Prophets and in these latter dayes vnto vs by his sonne and after the ascension of his sonne by his Apostles and Euangelistes in so much that none of the Prophetes-euer spake of Gods worde that mainteined the life of the soule otherwise then they receiued it of the high shepheard almightie God as Saint Peter saith Prophesie came not by the wil of man but the holy men of God spake as they were taught by the holy Ghost So that God is the onely authour and founteine of his true word the foode of all mens soules In like manner he is the onely giuer of the same as he is the giuer of it and none but him selfe so none can eate it but such as haue the same deliuered vnto them by the holy Ghost So our Sauiour Christ likewise in the Gospell of Saint Iohn telleth Nichodemus that it was not possible to vnderstand and to knowe the grace of redemption except he were borne from aboue And when Saint Paule preached the worde of God at Philippos amongest the women by the water side the Lorde opened the heart of Lidia to vnderstande the things spoken of by Paule And when Christe preached among the Iewes and wrought wonderfull miracles yet they vnderstoode nothing neither were they anything the better And Christe sheweth the cause Proptereà vos non auditis quia ex Deo non estis that is to say Therefore ye heare not bicause ye be not of GOD. But the fault was not in God but in the obstinacie and frowardnesse of their owne heartes as ye may sée in Saint Matthewe Christ offered him selfe but yet the malice of man rebelled at all times Sainte Paule to the Corinthians wonderfully setteth foorth mans vnablenesse and saith The naturall man is not able to comprehend the thinges that be of God And in Saint Iohn Christ saith No man can come vnto him except the heauenly father drawe him for they must be all taught of God Nowe as the Prophete sawe these things for him selfe and his saluation in Gods worde euen so must euery Christian man take héede that he learne the same doctrine or else it were no commoditie to haue the scripture of God deliuered and taught vnto vs. And euery reader and hearer must learn of this Psalme that there is none other foode nor meate for the soule but Gods word And who so euer doe refuse it when it is offered or preached or when they knowe the truth therof doe yet of malice feare lucre and gaine of the world or any other way repugne it they be vnworthy of al mercy and forgiuenesse Let euery man and woman therefore examine their owne conscience without flattering of them selues and they shal find that the most part of this realme of England in the time of our holy and blessed king Edward the sixt were fed with this holy foode of Gods worde or else might haue bene fed with it For it was offered and sent vnto them as well by most godly statutes and lawes of Parleament as by many Noble men and vertuous learned Preachers If they fed not vpon it accordingly or now their téeth stand on edge and their stomachs be cloyed with it to their perill be it Thus Christ saith They haue nothing wherby iustly to excuse them selues of their sin And likewise he faith that Whosoeuer hateth him hateth also his father By which words it appeareth manifestly that no man can hate Christes doctrine but he must hate Christe him selfe and no man can hate Christe but he must also hate the father of heauen Wherefore it is expedient for euery man to marke such places For it was not Christes name nor Christes person that the Iewes hated so mortally Christe for but they hated him to death for his doctrine sake and it was Christes doctrine that condemned the world and shewed the life and learning of the worlde to be euill and could not abide the light of Gods worde and therefore in no case they could abide to heare of it as ye sée the like in his poore Preachers For his wordes sake they be lesse passed of then dogges or brute beastes for they be hated to death and more fauour doeth Barrabas the murtherer finde then Peter the preacher of Christe that would leade the flocke redéemed with Christes pretious bloud into the pastures of Gods word with the Prophete Dauid and yet in
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
happen vnto vs whether it be aduersitie or prosperitie for they be called cuppes as Christ said of his death Father if it be possible take this cuppe from me And Dauid in the 16. Psalme vseth it for mans prosperitie in God The Lord saith he is the portion of mine inheritaunce and of my cuppe And therein he speaketh in the name of Christ whose inheritaunce is the whole number of the faithfull and saith that His inheritance which is the Church by Gods appointment is blessed and happie for no aduersitie can destroy it This is meant by Dauids words The rod the staffe the table the oyle and the cup and he vseth all these wordes to declare the carefulnesse loue and defence of God towardes miserable man And he could the better speake thereof vnto others bicause he had so many times felt and had experience that God was both strong and faithfull towards him in al time of daunger aduersitie And here is to be noted that the daungers that man is subiect vnto in this life be not alone such as heretofore king Dauid hath made mention of as sicknesse treason sedition warre pouertie banishment and the death of the body but he felt also as euery man of God shall féele and perceiue that there be greater perills and daungers that man standeth in ieopardie of then these be by occasion of sinne the mother of all mans aduersitie Sinne bringeth a man into the displeasure and indignation of God the indignation of God bringeth a man into the hatred of God the hatred of God bringeth a man into despaire and doutfulnesse of Gods forgiuenesse despaire bringeth a man into euerlasting paine and euerlasting paine continueth and punisheth the damned creature with fire neuer to be quenched with Gods anger displeasure which can not be reconciled nor pacified These be the troubles of al troubles sorrowes of al sorrowes as our sauiour Christ declareth in his most heauenly prayer in S. Iohn Non rogo vt tollas eos è mundo sed vt serues eos à malo That is to say I do not saith Christ to his heauenly father pray that thou shouldest take those that I pray for out of the worlde but that thou preserue them from euil And in this prayer he hath wonderfully taught vs that a Christian man is subiect to two troubles one of the body and an other of the soule one of the worlde and another of the diuell As for the troubles of the world he saith It is not so expedient that Christian men be deliuered from them least in idlenesse we should séeke our selues and not God as y e children of Israel did but this he knewe was most necessaâ—â—e that the father should preserue vs in the midst of these troubles with his help from al sinne transgression of his holy lawes this he assured his disciples of al other that put their trust in him not that they should in this life be preserued kept from troubles and aduersities but that the heauenly father should alwayes giue vnto his suche strength and vertue against all the enimies of GOD and mans saluation that they should not be ouer come with troubles that put their trust in him For God suffereth and appointeth his to fight and make warre with sinne and with all troubles and sorrowes that sinne bringeth with it but God will neuer permit his to be deadly and mortally wounded It is therefore expedient that man knowe who he his greatest foes do worke him most daunger There be diuers Psalmes wherein he setteth foorth the perill that he was in as well in his body as in his soule as when he complaineth of his banishment amongst not onely cruell people but also vngodly that sought to take both his mortall life from him and also his religion and trust that he had in Gods worde Wherefore he compareth them to the Tartarians and Arabians men without pitie or religion And the like doth he afterwards in another Psalme where as giuing thankes for his deliuerie he saith that sinners froad vpon his backe and many times warred against him and he should haue bene ouerthrowne if GOD had not holpen him Where in he speaketh not onely of battell with the sworde against the body but also of heresie and false doctrine against the soule As ye may sée howe Senacherib and Iulius the Apostata two Emperours fought against the people of God not onely to take from them their liues but also their religion and true honouring of GOD. And of all battells that is the cruellest and of all enimies the principall that would take the soule of man from Gods word bring it to the word of man And that persecution trouble openly against Gods word coÌ„tinued many yeres vntill Christ was preached abroad princes made Christians Then thought the diuell his kingdome to haue bene ouerthrowne and Christian men might liue in Christes religioÌ„ without any trouble or warre for religion howbeit at length for sinne the diuel entered by subtile meanes not onely to corrupt true religion but also persecuted the true professours thereof vnder the name of true religion and therein vsed a meruellous policie and craft by men that walked inordinately amongest the Christians themselues From whose companies sectes and conuersation S. Paule willed vs to refraine by these wordes Wee commaund you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye refraine from euery one that is accompted a brother that vseth himselfe inordinately and not according to the institution he receiued of vs. And because ye haue not taken héede of his holy commaundement and kept your selues from danger and peril of heresie sinne idolatrie and superstition by the rod and staffe of God nor haue not eaten your meate of religion at Gods table nor your mindes haue béene annoynted with the holy Ghost as Dauid in this Psalme saith that he was against all troubles by these meanes defended and mainteyned that no perill of the bodie by the sword nor perill of y e soule by false doctrine could hurt him therefore marke a little and see the daungers that haue hurted both you and your conscience also not like to be healed as farre as I can sée but more hurt hereafter For the way to heale a man is to expell and put away sicknesse and not to increase and continue the sickenesse From whome thinke ye that S. Paule commaunded you to restraine in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ He saith From him that behaueth himselfe inordinately Who is that think ye S. Paule saith He that ruleth not himselfe after the rule and institution that he himselfe had taught the Thessalonians So y e we must refraine then from all such as conforme not them selues to y e institution of S. Paule yea although he be an angel from heauen This departure from such as haue ruled and put foorth errours and lies is not newe but hath béene vsed in England
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
for this faithes sake But faith as long as it cōmeth no nearer the hart then the eare the lippes the téeth or the tongue it is but an easie mater to beléeue As we sée these rumblers vp of the Psalmes the rest of Gods word at this time in the church where they that say them nor they y t heare them vnderstand any thing at all or be any deale y ◠more edified for that which is done or said in the church And I am assured if the priests felt in their heartes the vengeance of God to come for this abusing the word of God the people knew what an incomparable treasure they haue lost by y e taking away of y e word of God in the vulgar tonge the priest would wéepe water of his eyes as often as he said his seruice the people wold sigh ful heauily as oft as they hard it vnderstood not what it ment Wherefore let euery man pray to God that he may know him as the Prophet Asaph doth that he is the rock saluation to him that so calleth vppon him The thirde word is Defence By the which the Prophet noteth two meruellous doctrines The one touching God and the other touching man The thing touching God is this Looke as in himself God is omnipotent so is he of power both in body soule to do all things for his creatures in general And as generally he can doe all things for his creatures so particularly he is saluation to all that by faith beléeue in him And as he is also saluation particularly to such as beléeue in him euen so particularly is he a defence buckler protection of such as shall be saued that neither sinne the diuel or any troubles of the body nor troubles doubtfulnesse anguish perplexitie or heauinesse of minde shal hurt or danme him The doctrine touching man by this word Defence is this Looke as the faithfull man hath in him selfe this generall knowledge with all men that God is Almightie to doe all thinges as he lust with his creatures generally so particularly he beléeueth that he is able and will saue such as particularly beléeue their saluation in him And as the faithfull particularly beléeueth his saluation to be onely in God so doeth he also beléeue and challenge particularly with the rest of his brethren in Christe maintenaunce perfection and defence from all misseaduentures ieopardies and dangers that may happen in this life before he come to euerlasting ioyes God therefore giue vs grace with the Prophete Asaph to say faithfully vnto him Thou art my strength my saluation and my defence then doubtlesse we shall be assured of that which followeth So shall I not greatly fall Of these wordes So shall I not greatly fall we be also taught and instructed verie necessarie lessons and doctrines Firste what difference there is betwéene the defence of God towardes his people in this life and in the life to come As touching the defence of God towards his people in this life it is meruellously set foorth by Christ in his prayer a little before his death where he prayed vnto his father not to take his Apostles out of this worlde but to preserue them in this worlde from sinne So that he woulde his friendes with Gods defence shoulde abide for a time in the world And what they shuld haue in the world for all Gods defence Christe tolde them In the worlde sayeth he ye shall suffer affliction and ye shall weepe and the world shal laugh Againe he said vnto them that He sent them foorth as shéepe amongest woolues Whereby we may sée that Gods fauour and Gods defence saueth not his verie elects in this life from troubles and afflictions For Saint Paule saith As many as will liue godly shall suffer persequution Therefore the holy Ghost placeth the faithfull congregation the spouse of Christ whome God loueth and defendeth amongst thornes and brambles and sometime likeneth the faithfull congregation vnto a ship tossed vpon the sea with daunger of drowning sometime vnto a house wherevppon bloweth all windes and weather and sometime to a woman trauelling with child before whom standeth a foule dragon readie to deuour both childe and mother So that by this prophet Asaphes wordes that saith He shal not greatly fall and by these other places we learne that in this life such as God loueth defendeth from the eternall fire of hell he notwithstanding for this life vnder great crosses and wonderfull troubles yet Christ willeth vs to be of good comfort for He hath ouercome the world And y e prophet saith God is my rocke and my saluation I shall not greatly fall And to consider the trueth such as God most strongly defendeth and best loueth in this world suffer many times greatest troubles Yea and God beginneth with his friends somtimes first and most sharply as S. Peter saith And S. Paule saith We be praedestinate to be made like vnto Christ in troubles whiles we be in this troublesome world But the defence of God and his loue in the world to come is voyd from al bitternes and paine and from all troubles and aduersities As it is most comfortably and ioyfully written in the Balads of Solomon where for a time the Lord defended his spouse that stood in the middest of sharpe and pricking briers and thornes at length he calleth her to perpetuall rest consolation assuring her that the winter is gone and y e tempestuous shoures past The swéet floures do appeare and the pleasant voyce of the Turtle is heard Meaning that such as be loued and kept by God in the world of blisse to come be sequestred and departed from all troubles and aduersities The like may you sée in the Reuelations of S. Iohn wherein he mystically to set foorth the pleasantnes and vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen saith It is paued with pretious stones and the gates thereof be also of pearles And moreouer There is a light more lighter then the Sunne or Moone for the claritie of God lighteneth it and the brightnes is the lambe of God There shall the electes dwell for euer and the gates shall neuer be shutt neither shall there be any night there to trouble it The same is to be séene also in Esaie the prophet how in that life Gods defence is in such as be saued without all kindes of troubles and aduersities Nowe here is to be noted that as Gods fauour and defence in y e world to come in such as be saued is voyd of all troubles aduersities euen so Gods fauour and his defence in this world in such as shalbe saued is ioyned and annexed with troubles and aduersities Let vs therefore be content with trouble persequution in his fauour here in this life or els doubtlesse we shall neuer haue his fauour and defence in the life to come in ioye and euerlasting