lament neuer so sore yet he despaireth not but in aduersitie he hath hope and is not confounded as in prosperitie he hath faith and yet presumeth not The desperate man féeleth all troubles and no consolation is wholy ouercome with mistrust ful of incredulitie and cleane voyd of hope as Saule Iudas and others The contemner of admonition hath hope in prosperitie with al presumption as Cain and Pharao and in aduersitie desperation with all mistrust diffidence The Christian afflicted calleth in faith and hope vppon the Lorde and is heard the wicked afflicted calleth not vppon the Lord but is cleane reiected and comfortlesse by Gods most iust iudgement The Christian afflicted séeth all his sinns lesse then the least mercies of God the wicked afflicted séeth the least of his sinnes greater then the greatest mercies of God The one in trouble by faith glorifieth the Lord and by mercie findeth saluation the other in trouble by mistrust dishonoureth the Lord and by iustice findeth damnation The one by troubles thoroughe faith in Christ is made like vnto the sonne of God and cannot be separated from him in eternall life the other by troubles through desperation of Christe is made like vnto Sathan and cannot be separated from him in eternall death The one in eternall life findeth euerlasting ioyes the other in euerlasting death findeth endlesse paines Almightie GOD therefore graunt vs grace in all our troubles and afflictions penitently and faithfully to call vppon him and to finde him merciful vnto vs his wretched creatures Amen The third thing to be noted in this second part is that Gods nature and mans differ much one from the other For man for the most part is no more seruiceable vnto God nor longer friendly vnto man then Gods condition vppon the earth is fortunate and quiet with the world For if stornies arise for Gods cause and troubles happen where quietnesse erst had place the men of the world alter their loue seruice and reuerence and will neither make nor medle with God nor his cause no althoughe tenne thousand idols be brought in for one God as Englishe men haue séene in former time As long as Christ had a king in this realme to hold of his part and that great liuings gaines friendship and loue of y e world rose for Gods sake they dissembled towards his worde and so long as faire wordes could please God he lacked none but now euen such as God did most for doe knowe neither God nor his word but had rather heare tenne times spoken of the falsest tradition that euer man brought into the Churche then once of Christes most holy Gospel so that now mens natures for aduersities sake be cleane turned from God How long the loue of man continueth towardes men daily experience sheweth within one moneth If a man fall into trouble for the most iust cause he that was his friend will not onely alter his loue from him but also all the notes and tokens of the same whereas in prosperitie he was assured both of friendly words and friendly workes in aduersitie he shal find neither words nor workes except words and works of displeasure In prosperitie faire lookes and amiable countenances were as common as the cart way in aduersitie there shall neither looke nor countenaunce be shewed except it be frowning and bending of browes yea and moreouer aduersitie taketh from the dissembling friend all knowledge that euer he had of his friend afflicted that if the poore afflicted although he be euen vnder the nose of his feigned friend with courtesie and all obeisance cannot be knowne Oh God blessed be thy name that withdrawest neither thy knowledge loue nor yet thy helpe from the poore afflicted but hearest them and grauntest them their godly and honest requestes as here this Prophete most godly comfortably writeth of thée For he saith The Lord shall hearken vnto me when I seeke him in the time of my trouble And also the Lord abhorreth not to be present with the afflicted be his troubles neuer so great For I am saith the Lord with him in trouble I will deliuer him and set him in honour c. Of this doctrine we learne two things The one that God hateth not the troubled man for his trouble but for his sinnes Men doe cleane contrarie for the most part For they hate the man for trouble and not for sinne For let the wickedest man aliue haue prosperitie and all wicked men will loue him for his prosperities sake God turneth not his fauour from man for trouble but for sinne The world for troubles sake will not knowe the most deare and honest friend but let the most wicked that liueth by breath haue prosperitie and wicked people will not faile to know him with beck and du-gard if he come into companie Yea rather then faile the most wickedest man aliue shall be narrowly sought out that wicked men may haue acquaintance of him But he that hath God to his friend is sure of a Sauiour as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie as the Prophet here declareth which can in troubles send ease and in quietnes continue ioyes for euer To him therefore be all laude and praise worldes without end Amen The fourth thing to be noted in this second part is the continuance of the faithfull afflicted in prayer vnto God For the Prophet saith that He lifted vp his hands all night and waxed not wearie Of this continuance in prayer we learne two thinges The one perseuerance in prayer and the other patient expectation and willing sufferance vntill God sende redresse and ease To the first the Scripture exhorteth vs that we pray both heartily and continually vnto God not because he is ignorant of our troubles but because we should throughly be brought to vnderstand that there is none can helpe vs out of trouble but hée and also that by continuance in prayer we may the better knowe and more earnestly repent our sinns that be the cause of our troubles thirdly that by often remembrance and diuers rehearsalls of our iniquitie vnto GOD we may the sooner bring both our soules and bodyes into the seruice and homage of Almightie God whome we haue by sinne most gréeuously displeased The second vertue patient expectation in troubles declareth that we be much bound vnto God that chasteneth vs in this life and deferreth not our punishment to the eternall paines in the world to come Also it maketh the minde of man to vnderstand the wisedome of GOD and also the foolishnesse of man that many times for lacke of patient expectation and thankfull sufferance waxeth wearie of his crosse and punishment and also murmureth against God bicause he helpeth not when mans wisedome iudgeth most méete to be holpen But patient expectation prescribeth God no time when to helpe nor yet meanes how to helpe but saith Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen
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
feare Therefore in this pointe the prophete correcteth the foolish opinion of man that woulde liue as one of the shéepe of God in this world without troubles It is contrarie both to the person that professeth God and also to the religion that he is professed vnto for in y e worlde both shall be as Christ sayth hated of which hatred commeth persecution and troubles so that the people of God shal whether they will or will not passe through many daungers and no lesse perillous then the shadowes and verie image of death as here King Dauid sheweth in this wholesome and blessed Hymne And as he séeth right well that the state and condition of Gods people and shéepe is to be troubled for Christe and his worde euen so did Zacharie the prophet speake of Christe and his people howe that not onely the shéepe should be troubled and scattered abroade but also the shéepehearde should be stricken with the sworde that both shéepe and shéepehearde shoulde be condemned in this worlde But nowe as Dauid and Zacharie declare that the life and condition of Christe and his shéepe be troublous in the world so do they both declare that whatsoeuer the troubles be they be both knowen and appointed vppon whom they shall fall and in what time they shal trouble the shéepe of God so that they can come no sooner then God appointeth nor do any more harme then the heauenly shéepeheard shall appoint them to do And this we may sée and learne as wel in Christ as in his shéepe Howe many times did the Priestes and Phariseis conspire Christes death Yet because his time was not come they had not their purpose but when the time of God was come Christ said to his shéepe Ye shalbe all troubled this night for my cause for the sheepeheard shall bee stricken and the sheepe shalbe scattered abroade Then as God had appointed the time it could be no longer deferred And because they should not misse of him whose death they sought he came and met them and offered himselfe vnto them and said that He was the same man Iesus of Nazareth whom they sought And when they had taken him and vsed as much crueltie towards him as their wicked malice and diuellishe hatred could deuise they killed him and made him to passe not onely the shadowe and image of death but also death it selfe They thought then they had him where as they would and said He hath saued other let him now saue himselfe if he can When he was layed in the graue with his fathers they thought to execute their plagues and tyrannie towardes him being dead purposing that as they had brought him to death and killed him so likewise they woulde kéepe him downe still that he shoulde neuer sée life againe but rotte in the earth like a wretche vntill wormes had eaten him And for the performance of this purpose to doe all their whole willes to the vttermost they came to Pilate and said that The deceiuer of the people that lay in the graue made his bost whiles he was aliue that the third day after his death he would rise againe but if it should be so it would be worse with them after then it was before Appoint therefore souldiers said they and watchmen to kéepe the Sepulchre till the thirde daye be past Whiles they yet minded to lay as much euil and contempt vppon Christ our shéepheard as they ment vnto him came the heauenly father that suffereth no more ignominie to fall vpon his nor will suffer them to continue any longer then him pleaseth with this inhibition and stay of further procéedings in dishonouring and persecuting his onely sonne and said I am redijt lux tertia surge sepulte meus That is as much to say Nowe is come the thirde day arise mine owne deare sonne buried And then was the sorrowe contempt of this our persecuted shéepeheard not onely ended but also turned into endlesse vnspeakable ioyes he passed with his forefather Dauid most bitter paines and also most vile death but he feared not because God was with him The same appointment also hath the heauenly father made with al dangers and troubles that shall happen vnto vs his poore and afflicted shéepe taken daily as it were to the shambles to suffer what Gods enimies can deuise But the heauenly shéepeheard doth sée all their doings out of heauen and mocketh them to scorne for they shall neuer do as much as they would against Christ and his people but as much as God will suffer them Dauid afterwardes in his 37. Psalme teacheth vs the same with meruellous woordes and diuine sentences Commite Domino viam tuam spera in eum c. Laye saith he thy care vppon the Lord and trust in him and he shall helpe thee It is most necessarie therefore for euery troubled man to knowe in his minde and féele in his heart that there are no troubles that happen vnto man whatsoeuer they be come they by chaunce or Fortune as many men say and thinke but that they come by the prouidence of God yea the very winds of the aire tempestes in the cloudes trembling of the earth rages in the sea or any other that come howe soudaine or howe vnlooked for soeuer they appeare as ye may read in the 29. Psalme of this Prophete wherein be wonderfull tempestes and troublesome thinges spoken of as well done in the wators as vppon the drie land But here alas is our nature and knowledge much to be lamented and complained vppon for as the knowledge we haue of Gods fauour and gentlenesse towardes vs in Christ for the most part consisteth in the vnderstanding of the minde and talke with the mouth but the vertue strength and operation of the same fauour of God is not sealed in our heartes and consciences euen so be the troubles and aduersities which God threateneth for sinne spoken and talked of with the tongue and knowen in the minde but they be not earnestly nor féelingly sealed in our conscience and heart And of this commeth it that we neither loue God nor reioyce in his promises as we ought to doe when we heare or read them neither yet hate sinne nor be sorrowfull for Gods displeasure as sinne and Gods displeasure should be sorrowed and mourned for of Christian men Hereof also commeth it dearely beloued that we loue no further then in knowledge and tongue nor hate vice but in knowledge and tongue But alas how miserable is this our state and condition that knoweth neither life nor death vertue nor vice trueth nor falsehood God nor the diuel heauen nor hell but halfe as much as they ought of Christian men to be knowen Read you therefore and marke the 37. Psalme and you shall knowe that it is not ynough for Christian men to vnderstand and speake of vertue and vice but that the vertue must be sealed in the conscience and loued and the vice
of English men more then twentie yeares since we departed from the sea of Rome for the ambition of the Romish bishops that transgressed both this ordinance of S. Paul and also of Christ. Of the which deadly and pestilent ambition the prophet Ezechiel prophesied and so did also S. Paule if prophesies by God and commaundements by his holy Apostles had any thing preuailed in our dull and naughtie heartes Read the places sée your selues what is spoken of such a wicked shéepeheard I doe put you in minde of this wicked sea because I do sée that contrarie to the word of God contrarie to the lawes of the realme most godly against the Popes supremacie against all our othes that be Englishmen and against all the old godly writers this Antichrist member of the diuel is not vnlike to haue the regiment of your soules againe which God forbid I doe exhort all men therefore to beware of him as of one that came naughtily to such vsurped authoritie and whose authoritie is not onely the trouble of all Christian realmes and princes but also of all Christian soules And as he hath béene alwayes a trouble vnto the one so hath he béene a destruction to the other as I will a little declare vnto you that ye may know him the better and so by the rodde and staffe of Gods word defende your selues from him The Gréeke Church for this ambition of the Romishe bishop separated her selfe from the Church of Rome and would not haue to do with her For after that the Gréekes knewe that the bishops of Rome ment to take from them their liberties they would not indure it yet did the Romish bishops alwayes to come to the supremacie picke quarels and maters to fall out vpon first with the Clergie and then with the Laitie Platina writeth howe Pius bishop of Rome béeing deceiued by one Hermes a very euill man began a new order about the kéeping of Easter day and altered the time that the Apostles and their disciples vsed vntill Pius dayes which was to celebrate and kepe the day of the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ the fourtéenth moone of y e first moneth which is with the Iewes our March And although it be wel done to kéepe it vpon the Sunday yet was this an horrible presumption vpon so light a cause to excommunicate the Gréeke Church and to make diuision where before was vnion It came to passe in Victors time the first which was about the yeare of our Lord two hundred and in the time of Iraeneus the bishop of Lugdune the disciple of Iohn the Euangelist this Victor would haue cōdemned the Gréeke Church procéeded with excommunication against it had not Iraeneus letted it yet was it the elder Church and had continued in the doctrine of the Apostles from Christes time and had Iohn the Euangelist amongest them for the space of thréescore and eight yeares after Christes ascension And notwithstanding the Gréeke Church was the elder Church yet the Romane Church to be equall with them according to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles also according to the decrée that was made in the generall Counsell at Nice And the Gréeke Church neuer contented with the Romish Church for the Supremacie vntill a proud and arrogant Moncke that feigned humilitie was preferred to be bishop of Cōstantinople which came to such arrogancie of spirit that he would haue béene taken for the vniuersall head of y e Church which was a very marke to know that he was of Antichrist and not of Christ as Gregorie the great writeth to Constantia the Empresse and at length this proud Monke at a Synod kept at Constantinople created himselfe the vniuersall head of the Church Although before his time one Menna and other archbishops of Constantinople for the dignitie of the imperial state being there were called vniuersal Patriarches yet that was by name alone and without execution of authoritie in any foreigne bishopricke or Church But such was the ambition of these bishops that walked as S. Paule saith inordinately that they would haue the head and principalitie of religion and of the Church at Constantinople because there was the head and principalitie of the worldly kingdome and so they began betime to confound the ciuil policie with the policie of the Churche vntill they brought themselues not onely to be heads of the Church but also Lords of all Emperours and kings and at the last of God and Gods word as ruthfully it appeareth in mens conscience at this present day Which abhomination and pride Pelagius the second bishop of Rome both spake and wrote against and would that he nor any man els should haue the name of a generall bishop And S. Gregorie doeth confirme the same godly sentence of his predecessour Pelagius and would not when he was commaunded by the Emperour whome Iohn the bishop had abused take the Archbishop of Constantinople for the vniuersall head nor condescend vnto the Emperours commaundement and wrote to the Empresse that it was contrarie to the ordinance of Christ and his Apostles and contrarie to the Counsell of Nice He said also that such new arrogancie was a very token that the time of Antichrist drew nigh And Gregorie did not onely write and speake against this arrogancie and pride but suffered also great danger as Platina writeth and so did al Rome by the Lombards that Mauricius the Emperour made to besiege Rome because Gregorie refused to obey the Archbishop of Constantinople as the head of the Church But although Pelagius Gregorie and other godly men detested and abhorred this wicked arrogancie to be the vniuersall head of the Churche yet the bishop of Rauenna began amongst the Latines to prepare the way to Antichrist as Paulus Diaconus saith and separated himselfe from the societie of other Churches to the intent he might come to bee a head himselfe But what at length came of it Platina writeth And within a short time after Boniface the third being the bishop of Rome about the yeare of our Lord sixe hundred and seuen Phocas the Emperour iudged him to be head of the Church against both the bishop of Constantinople also of Rauenna and such a sentence was méet for such an arbitrour Phocas was a wicked man a couetous man an adulterer and a traiterous murtherer of his Lord maister Mauricius and this man to make God and the Romans amends gaue sentence that the bishop of Rome should be the vniuersal head of the Church But here was contemned the sentence and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and also the decrées of the holy Counsell of Nice And no meruell for they condemned both partes of arrogancie and vsurpation and not only these Counsels but all other for many yeares which decréed that although one seate was named before the other yet the bishop of the principall seate should not be the chiefest priest or head of the rest but onely
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
consolation There is yet another learning in these wordes I shall not greatly fall That is that the children of God shal not perish for any kinde of trouble and yet in this world they can lacke no kinde of affliction All shall they suffer and yet at length ouercome all as this prophet Asaphe did He was troubled but yet not ouercome he fell but not so farre that he arose not againe and he was so troubled with the crosse that God sent him that he could speaks nothing for the time yet at lengthe he said God was his sure rocke and his saluation Thus God tempteth his but desperation he leaueth to his enimies God suffereth his to féele in this world the punishment of sinne but he reserueth the paine therof in the world to come to his enimies and to the reprobates He maketh his to be sorie for sinne in this world but such as be not his he suffereth to be carelesse painelesse of sinne in this life that their damnation maye be the more dolorous in the world to come Therefore blessed be such as fall and feare as the Prophete Asaphe saith but not too farre vnto all wickednesse and wantonnesse of life THE THIRD PART 3 Howe long will ye imagine mischiefe against a man Ye shall be slaine all the sort of you yea as a rottering wal shal ye be like a broken hedge 4. Their deuise is onely how to put him out whome God will exalt their delight is in lies They giue good woordes with their mouth but curse with their heartes The third part sheweth how the persequuters of the innocent shall soudeinly perishe BY the similitude and Metaphore of a tottering or quiuering wall the Prophet declareth how lightly and sodeinly y e Lord wil destroy the persequnters of his people For as the wall that is tottering and quiuering with euerie winde weather is easily and soudeinly ouerthrowen euen so be the wicked and tyrannical persecuters soudeinly destroyed yea when they be in their owne conceites most strong and valiant As it may be séene by the mightie host of Zenecharib and Benedab the armie of king Pharao and such other that persequuted the people of God verily supposing their strengthe to haue béene able vtterly to haue oppressed Gods people whom they hated The like is to be séene where Hester and Iudith two séelie and poore women were instrumentes to ouertumble and destroy the wicked Amâ—n and Proud Holofernes So by this we learne that the strength persequutions of y e wicked be not permanent nor strong but transitorie and féeble destroyed vanquished with the presence of Gods fauour towards his as often as it pleaseth him to punish the malice and mischiefe of the wicked But there is one learning particularly to be noted in this similitude of a trembling or tottering wall wherewithall the Prophet setteth foorth the fall and confusion of the wicked which is this that when the wicked persequuteth the godly that the least resistance of y e world is stirred vp by God against them the Lord that stirreth vp the plague to punish them striketh also their heartes with such trembling and feare that one man in a good cause shalbe able to w tstand ten such wicked persecuters whose conscience God hath so feared that they are not able to beare the countenance of a man no not able to ouercome the terrour of their owne spirite which beareth them record that as they in time past haue fought against God his cause so now God iustly fighteth against them both with the feare of hell fire towardes their soules and with outward aduersities towards their bodies So God said he would send such trembling feare vnto such as neither loued nor kept his lawes as it is written by the holy Prophet Moses The example whereof ye may read also in Daniel the Prophet that the Emperor of the Caldées when he was in the middest of his strength mirth banquets and iollitie sawe no more but a poore little hand write in the wal of his palace that neuer spake word shewed no terrible sight of men of warre nor gaue any blow in his palace yet fell the Emperor into such a trembling feare at the sight thereof that all his limmes in maner stoode him in no stéede Christ neuer gaue blow but modestly asked his murderers whom they sought for and yet fell they flatt and prostrate to the ground So that the wicked persecuters of the godly be aptly and properly likened and compared to a tottering and trembling wall For as soone as euer the blastes of Gods ire and iudgement be moued kindled against them they be so quiuering and comfortlesse y t they would take them to be most their frends that soonest would dispatch them out of the world As Christ said aptly of them they shold pray the mounteines to fall vppon them As long as God feigneth himselfe a sléepe and suffereth the blessed to fall into the hands of the wicked to be crucified and slaine as they please they be more strong and more cruel then Lions but when God ariseth taketh the defence of his poore people then they be more feareful then the Hart or trembling Hare As we may sée when séelie harmlesse Iacob passed homeward into his countrie from Mesopotamia such as he neuer gaue blow nor spake foule word vnto trembled at his comming as though he had bene in battel with thousands of souldiers The like may we sée by the brothers of Ioseph when he spake most gently vnto them yea and tolde them that he was their brother there was such a terrour and feare strake their consciences for persecuting of him that they could make no word of aunswere When the children of Israel should come into the land of Canaan the Lord said he would sende before them his feare to amaze and astonish the people of the countrie that their strength should do them no harme The furie of the wicked may séeme in his owne eyes to be stable firme constant but in déede there is nothing more trembling nor tottering As wée may sée at this present day Such as persequute the liuely and séelie flocke of Christ and tyraÌ„nously hold the necke of the godly vnder the yoke of idolatrie they haue no grouÌ„d no certeintie nor any assurance more then flesh bloud that fauour them by whose fauour they oppresse the trueth persequute the louers of it So that in case flesh bloud should faile them then would they be in such trembling quiuering that they would do whatsoeuer they were commanded to do to be deliuered from feare and terror As we may marke and sée in the bishop of Winchester Gardener and also Boner the bishop of London When king Henrie the eight suspected them both to be fauourers of the Pope the capital enimie of
of the sect of the Peripatets did hold that a blessed and fortunate life did consist in honestie and said that The same might be accomplished with the voluptuous pleasures of the body and with externall riches honour and felicitie But both these opinions and all the rest are confuted by our sauiour Christ and his holy word He saith This is life euerlasting that men knowe thee O father the only and true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And in an other place he saith Euery one that forsaketh house brothers sisters father mother wife children or possessions for my name shall receiue an hundred folde and possesse life euerlasting By these places we knowe that beatitude felicitie consisteth in knowlege working of Gods will which be the causes of quietnesse of conscience and innocencie of life wherein felicitie doth consist as I saide before The right knowledge of GOD bringeth faith in Christe Faith in Christe bringeth tranquillitie of conscience Tranquillitie of conscience by faith worketh charitie and loue to do and worke the will of our heauenly father This may ye sée also in the booke of the Psalmes that felicitie blisse resteth not in these trifling things that glitter to the eye wherewith the Prophete was so sore offended but in knowledge and working of Gods will Blessed is the man whom thou teachest Lord and whom thou instructest in thy lawe And in an other Psalme he saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and desireth to worke his will In these Psalmes if ye reade them with iudgement and prayer to God ye shall finde both knowledge and consolation farre aboue the common sorte of such as reade and vse them in the Churches nowe to the dishonour of GOD and to the destruction of their owne soules And in this matter of felicitie and beatitude of man and woman in this life I would haue you iudge by the scripture of God or else ye shall be deceiued what it is wherein it consisteth and what it worketh for onely the worde of God teacheth and sheweth it and nothing but it The scripture of GOD plainely declareth that nothing can be profitable whiche is not honest and vertuous And vertue is blessed and very felicitie in what condition or state so euer it be neyther can it be increased with any externall or bodily goods or honour neyther yet can it be diminished with any aduersities or troubles And nothing can be blessed but that which is voyde from iniquitie full of honestie and the grace of God As ye may sée in the booke of the Psalmes whereas this matter is plainely set foorth Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked nor stoode in the way of sinners nor sate in the chaire of scorners But his delight was in the lawe of God c. And in an other Psalme he saith Blessed are they that be cleane of life and walke in the lawe of God Out of these places we learne that knowledge and innocencie of life worketh felicitie and beatitude We must therefore beware that we iudge not felicitie to be in these inconstant and vncerteine riches of the world but we must contemne them and also beware we feare not the trouble that may happen for such vertues wherein felicitie doth stand And we must vnderstande also that although these vertues wherein felicitie consisteth and suche as be friendes of God dwelleth be afflicted and troubled that neyther the felicitie nor the person in whome it dwelleth is any thing the worse for troubles and aduersities before God but rather the better As ye may sée by the worde of God that saith Blessed be ye when men speak euill of you and persequute you and speake al euill against you lying for iustice sake Be glad and reioyce for your rewarde is great in heauen So did they persequute the Prophetes before you And in an other place it is saide Hee that will come after me let him denie him selfe and take his crosse and followe me The Psalme therfore in this part amendeth the iudgement of weake and wauering Christian men that be offended with the prosperitie of the wicked bicause they do not know nor marke by Gods word wherein felicitie doth consist and that it remaineth in suche vertues as be not diminished nor drowned in the aduersities of this world what so euer daungers happen When was Moses stronger then when he saw of the one side the mounteines of Egypt and of the other side Pharao and his armie and before him the red sea and in the middest of these enimies he and his people standing like shéepe ready for the woolues to be slaine He was neuer more strong nor in this life more blessed then at that time Daniel was neuer better then amongest the Lions We must therefore know the vertues wherein felicitie doth consist to be nothing diminished by sorrowe and trouble nor any thing increased by voluptuous pleasures and brittle honours of this world As S. Paul most godly setteth foorth in his Epistle to the Philippians The things saith he that I thought profite and gaines for Christes sake I esteeme as hurt and damage for whose loue I esteeme all thinges as nothing so that I may winne Christ. And Moses estéemed the treasures of Egypt hurtfull and preferred them not before the reproches and rebukes of the Lord neyther thought he him self rich nor blessed with the riches of Egypt ne cursed when he was in néede and lacked them Elias the Prophet if he had considered his néed and daunger he might haue accounted him selfe very miserable and vnhappie but bycause he knewe it was appointed him of GOD he complained not of Gods doings for he was as well contented to haue bread from God by the Rauen in the morning and water at night from the founteine as though he had had all the world And he was nothing the lesse blessed although he was poore but rather more blessed bycause he was riche to God ward Reade the Gospell of S. Matthewe and sée the practise of this felicitie Moses that was so destritute of all worldly helpe and Helias voyde of all worldly consolation do talke with Christ in the mount of Thabor where as Peter would haue tarried with all his heart although he knewe both Christ and those that he talked with in the estimation of this world were accounted most vnhappie and miserable of all men yet he sawe that transitorie honours riches and felicitie holp nothing to the life euerlasting As Christ plainly teacheth in S. Luke Blessed are the poore for theirs is the kingdome of God Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for iustice for they shall be satisfied Blessed be ye that nowe weepe for ye shall laugh Therefore the pouertie miserie and affliction that the Prophete was in when he spake this Psalme and most godly Hymne hindered nothing at all his felicitie and blessing of God