and Idolles Agayne God cōmaundeth sayeng Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vayne Dauid hath made a solemne vowe and ear nest promyse that he wyl kepe this moost blyssed Commaundement of God also He wyl not abuse y e name of his Lorde god by no meanes He wyll sweare by nothynge that euer god made nother by heauen nor by earth nor ony other oth His communicaciō shall be yea yea na na In his aduersite wyl he flye vnto y e name alone of his Lord god as vnto a stronge Castel myghty Bulwarke caull on that for healpe refuge And ī his prosperite he wyll not forgette the name of his Lorde God but celebrate magnify cōmēd prayse it yea lyfte it vp w t perpetual encomies laudes prayses Moreouer god sayth thou shalt sanctify y e sabboth daye This hath Dauid also vowed to obserue and kepe He wyl not therfore spend the sabboth daye in ryotynge bankettyng playeng dauncyng syngyng suche other vayne pastimes but in the meditacion of Gods lawe in readyng the holy scriptures in hearyng godly sermons in lyftyng vp his harte vnto god w t feruent prayers in gyuyng thanckes to y ◠Lord for his benefites c. He wyll also expulse all synne out of his brest be at peace with God Furthermore god commaūdeth sayeng Honour thy father and mother Here agen hath Dauid made a vowe to fulfyl this precepte also So that he wyl gyue honour reue rence worship to so many as this lawe requireth yea his inferiours wyll he not dishonour God gyueth a commaundement sayth Thou shalte not slay Dauid hathe earnestely vowed to kepe this So that he wyll shed no innocent bloud hurte no man seake no mans death but fauoure and loue all men yea euen his very enemies GOD saythe Thou shalte com ◅yt none adultry Solemnly hath dauid vowed to obserue this moost godly precepte So that he wyll be no vnclene fornicatour nor fylthy adulterer but to auoyd all vnclennes he wyll couple hymselfe wythe an honest wyfe faythfull yokefelowe in holy wedlocke which is honorable amōg al men bed vndesy ed to her alone wyl he cleaue for her sake refuse all other woman be they neuer so beautifull fayre proper myuyon tall eloquent rytche worshypfull honorable noble c. louynge her as his owne fleshe yea euen as Christ loued the congrega cion Moreouer God commaunded sayeng Thou shalt do no theft As for this precepte Dauid hath earnestly vowed to kepe it vnto the vt termoost So that he wyl not only not steale but also boūteously giue to so many as haue nede of his help And where as God saythe thou shalt speake no false wytnes agenst thy neyghbour Dauid had vowed made a faythful promyse that he wyl rather as charite requireth co uer the multitude of synnes forgyue them that offend hym seake to profyt all men no lesse then him selfe Finally where God sayth thou shalt not couytte thy neyghbours wyfe nor house nor feld c. Dauid is fullye at this poynte not once to couyt ony parte of his neyghbours goodes but rather to helpe hym for warde to do for hym what soeuer lyeth in his power These be the commaundemētes of God and these hath he vowed to kepe These vowes therfore wyll he paye vnto the LORDE yea that be fore all his people that men seynge the lyght of his good workes maye glorify his father which is in heuē And for as muche as Dauid is a kynge hathe vowed vnto God to do the office of a true kynge whiche is to mayntayne vertue and to expulse vice he wyll not only prouide that he hym selfe kepe these cōmaūdemētes but that all his subiectes also kepe them euen from the hyest to y ◠lowest He wyll do his diligēce that there shall no God be worshyp ped in his kyngdome amonge hys people but the one and alone true God of Israel Hym only shall they honour worshyp prayse serue and loue Nother shal ony grauē ymage be suffred to be made in his Realme for to obscure blotte the glorye of this almighty god On the name of this God alone shall all hys people caull flye vnto in theyr aduersite prayse commende it for euer and euer nether shall ony of them be so bold as once to swere vnistly by it The Sabboth daye shall all his subiectes sanctifye They shall not spend it vaynely ydelly but vertuously godly in readynge y ◠holy scriptures in hearyng Gods word sincerly preched in prayeng feruētly vnto god and in suche other god ly meditacions Theyr superiours shall they honoure also with all humilite submission and obedience They shall kyll no man but defend euery man in his ryght loue all mē wysshe well vnto them do for them what so euer they are able As for fornicaciō adultry whor dome or ony other vnclennes they shall commyt none but euery man shall freelye be suffered to haue hys owne wyfe and euerye woman her owne husbonde so godly lyue togyther in chast pure matrimony And as for stealinge bearyng of false witnes or couetynge of theyr neyghbours goodes Dauid lyke a true kynge hath vowed promised so to order rule his subiectes that none of thē all shall faull into those vices enormities If they do wyl not amende Dauid bearethe not y e sweard in vayne he wyll surely pu nysh the trāsgressours For Dauid hath made a vowe he is earnestly bēte to kepe it y t both he his people shal vnfaynedly obserue the mooste holy cōmaūdemētes of God Oh that all kinges Princes Dukes rulers would follow this moost ho ly vertuous kynge streyghtely looke vnto the obseruaunce true kepynge of these vowes For these are the vowes that are accepted be fore God These are the vowes that caste no mans soule into the daunger of euerlastyng damnacion but rather healpeth forwarde vnto the enheritaunce of lyfe eternal These are no popysh monkysh supersticious pharisaicall vowes inuented of the ydle braynes of mē but pure godly wholesome christen vowes which so many as hope to be saued ought streyghtly to obserue kepe yea to performe them vnto the vttermoost of theyr power Thus se we what the vowes are that Dauid wyll pay vnto y e Lord before all his people for his benefytes euen the fulfyllyng of Goddes commaundementes doynge hys office as it becōmeth a true kinge So lykewyse must we do and paye our vowes also to y e LORDE that is to saye kepe his holy commaundemētes forsake the world the dyuell the flessh with all theyr pompes pleasures as we professed at oure baptisme euery man lyue accordynge to his vocacion callyng as for an example Let thē that beare office authorite rule and power in the commō
neth Christ do we offer the Sacrifice of prayse alwaye to god that is to saye the fruyte of y â— lyppes that gyue glory to his name Thus se we howe acceptable a thyng to god the sacrifice of praise â—…s But what is it to offer the Sacrifyce of prayse vnto god Uerely to confesse vnsaynedly to graunt that what so euer is noughte commeth of our selues agen y â— all that euer good is commeth of God only as he saythe by the Prophet O Israell thy destruccion commethe of thy selfe but thy health and saluacion commeth only of me For this is the greatest prayse y â— we can giue to God for to knowlege hym alone the author gyuer of all goodnes that all oure ryghteousnes wysdome holynes sanctificacion redeÌ„cion vertue deuocion and all that euer good is cometh of hym alone not of our selues This is that sa crifyce wherwith God is hyghly de lyghted This is that oblacioÌ„ that gyueth so godlye an odoure before god This is that offryng that ma keth God well pleased with hym y â— doth offer it in as muche as by the oblacion hereof he confessethe hym selfe to be able to do no thyng that of the owne dignite righteousnes therof maye seme worthy to be accepted in the syght of god and ther fore gyueth he al the glory honour encomy laud prayse magnificeÌ„ce to god alone as the Prophet sayth O Lorde all glory be vnto the and to vs shame confusion The sayntes theÌ„selues also praye on this maÌ„ ner Not to vs O Lorde not to vs but to thy name gyue all the glory for thy mercy and truethes sake God hymselfe also sayth I am the Lord this is my name I wyl giue my glory to no other nor my praise to grauen Images If God hym selfe wyll not gyue away hys glory prayse to other certes we do hym thaÌ„ much iniury yfwe steale it froÌ„ hym and gyue it to ony other crea ture eyther in heauen or in earthe If we depely consyder with our sel ues at al tymes the great kyndnes of God toward vs we shal vndoub tedly be moued to synge perpetual prayses to his moost blyssed name and continuallye to offer the sacrifice of thankes gyuyng vnto hym But in as much as I haue entre ted abundaÌ„tly of thankes gyuing and of the sacrifice of prayse in my Pathway vnto prayer I wyl now cease to speke ony more of it at this tyme. Reade from the liâ—… vnto the â—…v Chapter As towchynge the inuocacion of the Lordes name wherof Dauid agen maketh meÌ„cioÌ„ in this place I haue spoken sufficiently of it in the fourth verse of this Psalme Thou mayst therfore moost gentle Reader yf thou wylte resorte thyther for this matter I am lothe to be te dious vnto the. I wyl go forth and make an ende althogh that whiche followeth maye also seme abundaÌ„t ly to be entreated of heretofore ¶ The eyght verse I wyll pay my vowes vn to the Lorde in the syghte of all his people iÌ„ the courtes of the Lordes house yea euen in the myddes of the O Ierusalem DAuid is euer one man He had rather synge one song a thousand tymes than he woulde once at tempte ony thynge without the au thorite of Gods word He is at this poynte that he wyll do nothyng ex cepte Gods worde bearethe hym in it He wyll not cleaue to his owne good intentes myndes and zeles He wyl worshyp God accordyng to his worde He setteth before his eyes this commaundement That I commaund the do that only to the Lorde neyther put thou ony thing to it nor yet plucke ought therfroÌ„ Agayne I commaunde the to do y â— whiche is pleasaunt in the sight of the Lord thy God Also in another place Ye shall not do euerye one of you that which ye yourselfe think right good He can make no shyft to be diuers in the worshippyng of God He can inuente no newe and straunge honorynges of god as the olde Phareses dyd in tymes paste and the Papistes Monckes haue done syns y â— tyme but all in vayne as the Scriptures testifye He kepethe hym selfe wythin the bondes of Gods worde and as he sayde before that he would paye his vowes that is to saye do those thynges y â— he had promysed to his LORD God kepe his Commaundementes followe accomplysh his moost godly wyll in all poyntes vnto the vttermooste of hys power and do the offyce of a true kynge seake Goddes glory promote his holy worde tenderly loue his subiectes mayntayn vertue and suppresse vice euen so dothe he nowe agayne So that Dauid knoweth not howe to recoÌ„pense in ony parte the goodnes of GOD but only by kepynge hys moost holy commaundementes in gyuynge hym hattye and contiall thanckes whiche he also promisethe to do in this verse But seyng that I haue entreated of the whole matter that this verie contayneth in the fyfte verse and seuenhte strynge heretofore I wyll speke no more of it at this present but only note this one thinge that our Mynstrell sayth He wyll paye his vowes in the courtes of y â— Lordes house and in the middes of IerusaleÌ„ By the courtes of y â— Lordes house by Ierusalem is none other thyng signifyed thaÌ„ y â— chirch of Christ I meane the congregacioÌ„ of Sayncâ—…es that is to saye of the faythfull in whome God dwelleth by his holy Spirite as S. Paule sayth The Temple of God is holy which ye are His meanyng is this loke wher so euer the people of god is mooste gathered togyther euen there in the thyckest of them wyl he sette forthe the glory of God as we read of the good Kynge Iosias He wyll seake all meanes possible that all thynges in his Realme shalbe or dered accordyng to y â— law of God that no vice shal reygne among his people nether I dolatry nor swearynge nor disobedience nor whoredome nor manslaughter nor stealynge nor bearynge false wytnes nor ony other vice that is prohibited by the holy scripture And that thys thynge maye the more fortunately come to passe Dauid hym selfe in as muche as he is king and excelleth all other in dignite wyl al so farre excell passe all his subiectes in vertue godlynes He wyll be vnto them an example spectacle of all goodnes He wyll lyke vnto as great lyghte shyne before hys people in godly conuersacion The boke of the lawe of the Lorde shall neuer departe from hym He wyll read meditate in it daye nyght He wyll not steake to the corrupte iudgementes of other nor be led w t the dotyng fansys of those pestileÌ„t flatterers Trueth wyll we but he hymselfe wyll looke vpon the scriptures of God wythe all diligence euermore caull vnto God for the assistence of his moost holy spirite that that swete confortoure maye both assist conforte
that he hathe shewed vnto him it lieth not in his power notwithstandyng he desyreth very greatly to do somewhat wherby he maye shewe hys thanckefull harte agayne toward God For he confes seth that all that euer he hathe beyng good he receyued it of God as S. Paule sayth What hast thou y ◠thou hast not receued If thou hast receaued it why doste thou reioyce as though y u haddest not receued it S. Iames also saythe Euery good perfecte gyfte is from aboue com mynge downe from the Father of lyghtes On this manner oughte we to pōder with our selues the inestima ble benefites great giftes of God towarde vs. Fyrst that he made vs not lyke to brute beastes but lyke vnto his owne ymage neyther dyd he place vs in hell or in some other dolorous sorowefull place but in ioyfull Paradise where all kynd of pleasures dyd abound He endewed vs with wyt reason discrecion pru dence wisdome knowledge wyth al other thynges that should moue vs vnto godlynes vertue setting vs at oure owne liberte to do what so euer we woulde only he gaue vs a cōmaundement to abstayne from the tree of lyfe told vs lyke a mer cifull father before that whan so euer we did taste of y t we should dye the death Notwithstondynge this his moost gentle premonicion thorowe y ◠subtilite of Satā we brake his moost godly precepte throwe our selues into y e deathe wherof he tolde vs before so that no we of all earthly creatures we ware become moost miserable Yet beholde agen the great goodnes of God towarde vs whā we had worthely deserued to be damned for euermore he dyd not as he handled the Aungelles streyghtwayes cast vs ito hell fyre but marcyfully sente vs into thys world that we myght here repent deplore lament bewayle our synfull abhominable offence that by this meanes thorow the diuine pro uidence we myght afterward be re stored to our olde innocency be sa ued Neyther sent he vs hyther as into a salte barrē desolate place or wyld forest but rather into such a kyngdome as florysheth with all kyndes of rytches treasures pleasures moost goodly possessions so that we can desyre nothynge but y t we haue it here redy at hande He hath garnysshed the earth w t grene grasse swete herbes moost plesant floures He hath gyuen vs all kyndes of grayne to sowe in the earthe for our sustenaunce He sendeth vs rayne temperate heate in conuenient tyme for y e fortunate encrease therof He hath planted vs trees garnysshed thē in tyme of the yeare withe moost goodly grene leaues fruites to serue our necessary businesses for diuers causes And as he hath replenyshed the earth with all kyndes of beastes so hath he stuffed the sea other waters with inumerable sortes of fysshes And of all these thinges with many other mo hath he made vs Lordes rulars go uernours owners Neyther do the his kyndenes here cease concerning temporall thynges For he hath also set ouer vs as a moost beautiful roofe goodly seelynge the firmamēt or ayer which in the day tyme sheweth vs lyght thorow the clerenes therof wherin for our great cō solacion cōforte he hath also set a goodly great lyght whiche we call the sonne by the vertue operaciō wherof y e erth brigeth forth her fru ites in due season yeldyng them to vs bothe rype apte mete for oure vse whan conuenient tyme requireth For the nyghte tyme agayne because we should not be dismayde thorowe the great darkenes wher with y e earth is than ouerwhelmed seynge it is a tyme appoynted not to laboure but vnto reste not vnto trouble but vnto quietnes not vn to watchynge but vnto slepynge God hath moost gorgiously garnisshed the firmament withe a goodly great lyght called the moone w t innumerable Starres mo for oure great ioye pleasure cōfort so y t no gardē be it neuer so plesaūtly refer ted stuffed full of herbes moost amiable in aspecte maye be cōpared vnto it And al these thynges hath God wrought and done not for his owne sake but for ours not for his owne wealth felicite but for oure profyt and commodite Hytherto haue I spoken of his tēporal gyftes which though they seme to be muche precious as they are in dede yet are they nothynge to be compared vnto those that fol low For looke howe muche the spirite excelleth the body so muche do these gyftes excell the other beynge incōparable not able by ony mea nes to be recōpēsed of ony creature neyther in heauen nor in earth Fyrst what an excedynge gentle nes of God was this whā we were worthely condemned for our offēce had no hope of health to promise vs streightwayes bicause we shuld despayre y t his only begotten sonne the highest treasure that he hadde shoulde come downe from his right hand be conceaued by y ◠holy ghost take very flesh be borne of y ◠moost pure virgin Mary yea and y t with oute the seed of ony man reconcyle vs to his fauoure make an attonemēt for vs purchased grace mercy remission of our synnes offer his moost blissed body a swete smellyng sacrifice for our iniquite sufferhis moost precious bloud to be shed for the purgacion clensynge of oure synnes become a perfecte ful satisfaccion for all the synnes of hys people that is of so many as repēt beleue in him and lead a godly and innocent lyfe This promised God the father oftentimes accordyng to his promyse at his tyme predefined and tofore appoynted he moost faythfully performed it vnto y ◠perpetuall ioye conforte of all true Christiās But in the meane season howe great sees of kyndnes dyd he opē vnto vs After that he had set vs in this world howe dyd he prosper vs in all thynges that we wēt about How dyd he giue vs y ◠victory of our enemies Howe wonderfully dyd he delyuer vs from oure cruell enemy Pharao How maruelously preserued he vs whē he made the red see to gyue place vnto vs How fauourably dealt he with vs when he gaue vs meate frō heauen and water out of the harde rocke What a londe dyd he gyue vs flowynge with mylke honye And bycause we should lyue an honest and godly lyfe before hym dydde not he gyue vs his moost holy lawe yea that not only 〈◊〉 tables of stone but also wrytten in our hartes by y e holy Ghoste What goodly ceremonies also receaued we of hym whiche were mysteries figures types cloudes shadowes of good thi ges to come euen of Christe of hys moost holy passion glorious resurreccion c. All these thynges ware great consolacion to the true spirituall christen men in asmuche as they preched Christ vnto thē which accordynge vnto theyr fayth whol ly fixed on y
Iesus Christ Goddes sonne maketh vs clene from all synne Thus se we y t by Christ by Christes death passion bloud the bondes of synne are broken and we sette agayne at liberte As for death hel desperacion what can they do Are not they also ouercome Let vs heare what y e Scripture sayth out of the power of deathe saythe the LORDE wyll I delyuer them from death wyll I redeme theÌ„ O death I wyll be thy deathe O hell I wyll swallowe the vp S. Paule also saythe Death is swallowed vp into victorye Where is thy stynge O deathe Where is thy victorye O hell The stynge of deathe is synne the power of syn is the lawe But thankes be to god whiche hathe gyuen vs the victory thorowe our LORDE Iesus Christ. Agen By death hath Christ put hiÌ„ to flyght that had lordshyppe ouer death that is to say the dyuel that he myght delyuer them which thorow the fere of death were al theyr lyfe tyme in daunger of bondage O swete and confortable sayenges O thalone true and christen pleasu res As touchynge oure last enemy whiche is the curse of the lawe are not we also made free from that by Christ What sayth the scripture Christ hath redemed vs froÌ„ y â— curse of the lawe whyle he was made accursed for our sake Agayne Christe is y e perfect fulfyllyng of y e lawe to iustificacion for euery one that beleuethe Also in another place be it knowen vnto you ye men brethreÌ„ that thorow this man Christ is pre ched to you the forgyuenesse of synnes from al the thynges wherby ye coulde not be iustifyed by y e lawe of Moses thorowe hym euery one that beleueth is iustified Thus se we that our boÌ„des are broken thorow Christ we also set at liberte froÌ„ the daunger of all our enemies so that now there is no coÌ„ demnacion for theÌ„ that are engraffed in christ Iesu whiche walke not after the flesh but after the spirite For the lawe of the Spirite of lyfe thorowe Christe Iesus hathe made them fre from the law of synne and death Who wyl now lay ony thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifyeth who can than condeÌ„ne Hereof coÌ„meth it to passe that after we be once delyuered froÌ„ y e power of our enemies haue oure bondes broken set at liberte thorowe christ christes passion death bloud by whome Satan is vanquisshed synne put to flyght death ouercome hel swallowed vp desperacion driueÌ„ out of place the curse of the lawe vtterly takeÌ„ away yea the lawe fulfylled and heaueÌ„ gates open for the faythfull all that euer we do in christ is acceptable in the sight of God taken to good worth moche made of not for the dignite of the worke it selfe but because it is salted with y e dignite holines ryghteousnes purite innocency of Christ in whose name what so euer is done smelleth swetely before GOD so that bothe the thoghtes wordes dedes lyfe death of y e Sayntes that is of the faythfull yea all y e euer we do is precious in the syght of y â— Lorde as we herd before For sure we are that all thin ges worke to the best for them that loue God whiche are called of purpose For those whome he knewe before hathe he ordened also before y t they should be lyke fashoned vnto y â— shape of his sonne that he might be the fyrst begotteÌ„ amonge many bro thren As for those whome he hath ordyned before them hath he called also whoÌ„e he hath called theÌ„ hath he also made ryghteous whoÌ„e he hath made ryghteous them hathe he glorified also What shall we saye than vnto these thynges If God be on our syde who can be agaynste vs But let vs se what is to be ren dred gyuen agayne vnto God for these his inestimable benefytes toward vs miserable synners ¶ The seuenth verse I wyll offer to the the sacrifyce of prayse on the name of the Lorde wyl I call ¶ The tente strynge OUr Mynstrell Dauid goethe forth to be lyke hymself y â— is to saye to shewe that he is one of a very gentle thankefull nature redy at all times vnto the vttermoost of his power to recompeÌ„ce and make amendes for ony poynte of kyndenes that is shewed to hiÌ„ as we may se here For after y â— he hath songe of the singulare incoÌ„parable benefi tes of god which are shewed not on ly to hym but also to all mankynd I meane so many as are the faythfull people of God beleue in hym lyue accordynge to his diuine wyll and hathe consydered howe greatly both he all the faythfull are blyssed of God thorowe them in Christ Iesu he now taketh an occasion to ponder wyth hym selfe how he may shewe hym selfe thankefull agayne to God as he dyd before in y â— â—…ourth fyfte verse of this his songe For he desyreth nothynge to be more estraunged from his manners than ingratitude vnthankefulnes He thyncketh it no poynte of humanite to leaue the beneficence and gentle liberalite of a mortall maÌ„ vnrecompensed to neglecte therfore and nothynge to regarde the inestimable goodnes the infinite benefites of God he recouÌ„teth it an acte highly to be detested and abhored of ony christen harte To shewe hymselfe therfore thankefull to God for his benignite he is now full bent But what wyll he gyue God agayne What amendes wyll he make him In what thynges wyll he shewe 〈◊〉 selfe thanckefull agayne vnto the LORDE â–ª Wyll he gyue hym mountaynes of golde Wyl he bryng him heapes of precious stones Wyll he fetche hym frankensence and other swete sauours out of Araby Wyll he offer vnto hym fatte oxen lusty hayffers well lykynge shepe c. Na verely for he knoweth ful wel that GOD reiectethe all these thynges in many places of the holy Scripture neyther hathe he ony nede of Dauids goodes which hath bothe heauen and earth at his owne plea sure and all that is contayned in them Dauid knowethe full well y â— his goodes were gyuen hym of god that he should help his poore neigh bours with theÌ„ What wyl he gyue God than Uerely the sacrifyce of prayse of thanckes gyuynge For this is that thynge whiche God de syreth so greatly as he hymselfe testifyethe The Sacrifyce of prayse sayth he shall honour me Agayne offer to God the sacrifyce of prayse What so euer ye do sayth s. Paule in worde dede do all thynges in y â— name of the LORDE Iesu gyuynge thanckes to God and the father by hym Agayne he mercyfull Also in another place Gyue thaÌ„kes alway for all thynges in the name of oure LORDE Iesu Christ to God the fa ther. To the Hebrewes also he wry teth on this maÌ„ner By hym he me