of God were no more nor yet so much as dogs in the respect of man And when she perceiued that man could be contented to spare his crumbes to the dogges she knewe right well that man was not so mercifull and liberall vnto dogges as God vnto sinners Wherefore she stoode stil with Christ constantly and least not calling vntill Christe gaue her to witte that she was in déede a verie well persuaded woman both of his power able to helpe and of his good will readie to helpe For in déede although she was a Cananite she knewe that if a man shut not out dogges from his table Christe woulde not shut from his mercie a sinnefull Cananite The same persuasion made Marie Magdalene créepe vnder the boorde to his féete with teares there to receiue and eate of his mercie to quenche the hunger and smarte of her sinnes These examples do declare why the troubled may put their trust in God Because he is omnipotent and can doe all thinges and he is mercifull and will help all penitent and faithfull sinners And so sayd this Prophete Asaph Of him commeth my saluatiō And he sheweth the cause why For he is my rocke my saluation and my defence These thrée woordes declare meruellousty the nature of God that alone helpeth and also the faith of him that calleth for helpe As for God whome the Prophet calleth first his Rocke by this worde he openeth meruellously how strong firme and sure and howe inuincible he is against all troubles aduersities and tempestes as well of the bodie as of the soule In Saint Matthewe the man that buildeth his house vppon the rocke or stone is called wise and the cause is that what windes soeuer blowe and what tempestes so euer arise they cannot cast downe the house nor ouerthrow the building for it is grounded vpon the stone The stone is God and his worde the builder is the Christian man and the building is the religion that he hath learned of God by his worde And although we sée God our rocke and sure stone is not assaulted with stormie and tempestuous shoures rayne yet the builder and the building that is to say the Christian man and his religion be blowen at and suche shoures of trouble fall vpon them that were not the rocke firme and sure all the building and the builder also for mans parte would surely fall and come to vtter ruine The experience of the same windes and floudes we may sée in the Actes of the Apostles For when Peter the rest builded the house of God that is to say taught men their saluation by the merites and passion of Christ there arose such winds and flouds that the builders were put into prison and the building in great danger When S. Stéeuen builded the congregation with Gods word in Christ whiles he was building such windes and floudes of malice assaulted him y t his braines were knocked out Whē Ananias and the rest planted builded the house of God y t is to say conuerted the infidels vnto the faith of Christ at Damascus there arose such windes and tempests at Hierusalem that Saul came frō thence towards Damascus with commission from the high priestes to kill the builders to ouerthrow all they had builded Let vs leaue off the examples of holie men sée what hapned to the head chiefe capteine al Saints good builders our sauiour Iesus Christ. When he called the worlde from ignorance to knowledge from death to life and from damnation to saluation there arose such winds and storms that had he not béene the rocke it selfe of strength and inuincible power he had béene ouerthrowen cleane and his buildings turned vpside downe For before he was of age to be borne in his mothers bellie y e diuel went about to slaunder him as a bastard and woulde haue persuaded the same to the godlie man Ioseph spoused in marriage to the blessed virgin Marie He had no sooner put his head out of his mothers bellie but streight way Herodes sworde was whette and bent to kill him Within a little while after the diuell stirred vp his owne kinse-folke countriemen to cast him downe from a hill toppe and to breake his necke and at length killed him indéede But what was the outgoing of this builder Forsoothe Father into thy handes I commend my spirite And what was the assuraunce of his building that is to say in what suretie stoode his disciples and folowers in the middest of these winds great stormes Doubtles Christ commended them to the custodie and protection of his heauenly father the rocke sure stone of all saluation from whome windes floudes temptations persequution death sinne nor the diuell himselfe with all his companie of wicked spirites be able to remoue the simplest of all Christes flocke In the Reuelations of Saint Iohn there is a meruellous doctrine what windes and floudes shall blowe and ouerflowe this rocke in the bulding and builders for the time of this life There is a woman that had broughte foorth a man childe and by and by there was a foule greate red dragon with seuen heads and seuen hornes that would haue deuoured this childe before he had come to his inheritaunce and kingdome appointed vnto him And when he saw he could not preuaile against the childe he caste out of his mouth water as it had bene a greate streame after the Mother but there was giuen her winges to escape For the rocke that she was builded vppon was sure that what soeuer windes or waters that is to say what troubles soeuer should happen nothing could ouerthrowe her And so sayeth Asaph here God being my rocke and sure fortresse my soule nor my bodie shal neuer be confounded As he declareth more openly by the two words that followe He is my strength and my saluation also sayth the Prophet As though he had sayd I do not onely knowe God to be sure strong inuincible but also I know this his might strength and surenesse is my wealth and my saluation For many men knowe that GOD is the rocke and strength of all powers but none doeth knowe that this power and strength is saluation for him selfe but such as be Gods in déede Therefore séeing this faith that beléeueth God particularly to saue a priuate person is onely Gods gifte and commeth not of man let vs pray that when we sée howe God hath bene the rocke of saluation to others that he will be so vnto vs likewise For it is a singular gifte of God to say boldely stedfastly and merrily from the bottome of the heart vnto him Thou Lorde art my rocke my saluation and my comfort And he that féeleth in him selfe for him selfe GOD to be his saluation hath suche a treasure that all treasures besides it are nothing to be estéemed and he will not passe of goodes landes nor life
himselfe for euer This may be vnderstood two maner of wayes For this English word euer hath two meanings in the Hebrue tonge Sometime it is taken for continuance and time euerlasting sometime for certeine yeres and the life of men If it be taken in this place for time euerlasting the sorrowes of the Prophete were the greater when he reuelued with his spirite that God iustly for sinne might cast him into euerlasting paines the remembraunce whereof is greater paine then the mortall death of the bodie If this word euer be taken for a certeine time and the life of man then meaneth the Prophet thus Will God as long as I liue absent himselfe And thus continue me in heauines of spirite and sorrowes as long as I liue Which sense soeuer be taken there be profitable thinges to be learned of it But I suppose the latter sense to be the better for diuers causes First in this that the Psalme conteineth the complaint and prayer of the Prophet a man of God that cannot be brought to this desperation that he should be cast away for euer from the fauour of God vnto eternall paines And the text that saith It is mine owne infirmitie and the right hand of the Lord can chaunge this doth beare with this latter sense and explanation For the words be of great weight and of meruellous wisedome and consolation and do declare that although the Prophete felt the iudgement of God against sinne and was in a meruellous terror feare with the horror and sight of his sinns yet the spirite of God did testifie with his spirit that he was the child of God and that it was a paine and punishment of the soule and body and not a desperation and thorough casting away and absenting of Gods mercie For the very electes of God be chosen so ordeined so preserued and kept that nothing is able to take them out of Gods hand For the godly men in the Scripture did reioyce with the assurance of Gods certein promise and did not presume to do euill as S. Paule in sundrie places doth giue testimonie Once to the Romanes where as he felt and perceiued the filthines of sinne the iust iudgement of God against the same as it appeareth by his wofull crie and complaint Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body subiect vnto death He felt as we may perceiue the heauie burden and weight of Gods displeasure and yet in the midst of terror and feare he stayed assuredly in the mercie of God through Christ. And the same he writeth also to the Corinthians to his disciple Timothie that his death was at hand that he knew although his quarell were neuer so good that he of himselfe was a sinner and by sinne worthie reiection casting away from God yet he said that Christ had in kéeping for him a crowne of iustice whiche he should assuredly receiue at the day of his death God is contented that his chosen people shall suffer and beare the burden and heauinesse of temptation and feare of euerlasting paine as Adam did first in Paradise Dauid many times Iob and others yea Christ himselfe that said his soule was heauie euen vnto death which made him sweat both water and bloud But these temptations and terrors shall neuer ouercome and cast away the person that hath his faith in Christ for none is able to take his shéepe out of his hand Yet God withdraweth his hand many times and suffereth his to be tempted and to be comfortlesse and as it were cleane ouerthrowen not that in déede their election can be altered or they themselues left comfortlesse vntill the end of their liues but for a time as ye may sée by Iob who spake as horrible words and as desperatly as might be Yet sée in the end of his booke and marke what a ioyfull outgoing his gréeuous temptations had What pitifull cryes were these of Christ our Sauiour vppon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet the end was Father into thy handes I commend my spirite It is written that we must enter into heauen by many troubles Now of all troubles the trouble of the minde and of the spirite is the greatest Who then can enter into heauen without such troubles Doubtlesse no man For the iudgement of God must begin at his house as Saint Pater saith That is to say None shall in this life more féele Gods displeasure for sinne in the spirite nor suffer more aduersitie in the bodie then such as be of Gods owne houshold and very electes Wherefore we be admonished in the troubles and sorrowes that this Prophete Asaph susteined in his soule that could not rest and in his bodie that could not sléepe nor speake that good men be not frée from aduersitie and that aduersities be they neuer so great shall not separate men from God for euer but for a time he punisheth sinne and hideth the consolation of God from vs As the scripture saith For a time a little while I haue forsaken thee but I will gather thee together in wonderfull mercies In a short time of my wrath I hidd my face a while from thee but I will haue mercie vppon thee for euer saith the Lord thy redeemer All men that shall profitably knowe and féele the certeintie of Gods promises in this life and enioy them in the life to come shall be troubled with some paine of doubtfulnes of them before he come to perfection For as by sinne death entered into the flesh and also the flesh is subiect vnto sicknesse and aduersitie so is there entered into the soule and powers thereof by reason of sinne great imperfection As the minde of all men is burdened with ignorance the heart with contumacie and the will with frowardnesse so that as they be before regeneration and knowledge of God in all godly matters starke blind very obstinate and naturally altogether froward euen so after regeneration and the knowledge of God they continually resist and fight against the spirite not onely of man in whome these powers dwell but also against the spirite of God that teacheth and leadeth the spirite of man to eternall saluation So that it is not man that is able to ouercome the wickednesse of his owne soule And therefore séeing life through grace dwelt in a bodie naturally full of sinne Saint Paule said I doe liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee So this Prophete Asaphe séemeth in wordes to be starke dead from grace but it was not for euer for he felt the spirite of God that told him that such heauie and vngodly thoughtes of his spirit came of his owne infirmitie and that Gods right hand could alter and chaunge them And this is the difference betwéene the affliction of the godly and vngodly as it is
part of the Psalme that declareth why the troubled man trusteth in God 3 How long will ye imagine mischiefe against euerie man Ye shalbe slayne all the sorte of you yea as a tottering wall shall ye be and like a broken hedge 4 Their deuise is onely how to put him out whom God will exalte their delight is in lyes they giuâ— good wordes with their mouth but curse with theiâ— heart Selah The thirde parte of the Psalme wherein is shewed thâ— soudenly thy persequuters of the innocent shall perisâ— 5 Neuerthelesse my soule wayt thou stil vpon Goâ— for my hope is in him 6 He truely is my strength and my saluation he â— my defence so that I shall not fall 7 In God is my health and my glorie the rocke â—â— might and in God is my trust 8 O put your trust in him always ye people powâ— out your harts before him for God is our hope Selaâ— In these foure verses is conteyned the fourth part wheâ— in is mentioned the repetition of the two first verseâ— 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine thâ— children of men are deceiptfull vpon the weightes they are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not youâ— selues to vanitie if riches increase sette not youâ— heartes vpon them Here is the fifte parte that teacheth no trust to be put 〈◊〉 man for he is not able to damne nor saue 11 God spake once and twise I haue also heard tâ—â— same that power belongeth vnto God 12 And that thou Lorde art mercifull for thou râ—â— wardest euerie man according to his worke In these two verses is comprehended the sixt parte whiâ—â— is that God hath promised to be mercifull in helpiâ—â— the afflicted and that he will performe his promises A briefe explanation of the Psalme generally MY soule doubtlesse wayteth still vpon God c. Be my troubles neuer so great and daungerous yet my soule shall trust continually and constantly in the Lorde that can and will remedie them For he is my strength and my saluation and he is my defence So shall I not greatly fall Although good Lorde by reason of mine infirmitie and sinne which is in all men my soule is weake and féeble that it wilbe oppressed with the lightest of all thy troubles whiche thou layest vpon man for his sinne yet when it taketh holde of thy mercie it waxeth strong And although it be weake and trembling by reason of infirmitie yet doth it not cleane fall from the trust of constancie and hope And let the wicked imagine their wicked imaginations against thy poore seruauntes O God yet at length shall they come to shame and destruction as the tottering wall doth fall and the rotten hedge is consumed with fire For that they go about they shal neuer bring to passe because they deuise to put him to shame that God hath purposed to exalt and magnifie And what so euer doublenesse they vse to speake faire with their mouthe and yet haue false and hollowe heartes it shall not bring their intent to their purposed end Sela. God be thanked of whom dependeth al the hope of my saluation And he is my strength my saluation and my defence so that I shal not fall Wherefore all Christian and afflicted persons saith the Prophet follow mine example and put al your hope and trust in the mercie of God who onely saue vs from euill and blesse vs with all goodnesse Powre out therefore before him all your cares and heauines and looke assuredly for help from him for doubtlesse the helpe of man is nothing worthe For If man and vanitie were bothe weighed in a paire of balance vanitie it selfe would be weightier then man How then can so light a thing as man is helpe in the time of trouble And as a man is but vanitie or else rather more vaine then vanitie so be al worldly riches that man possesseth and as little or lesse able to helpe an afflicted as man is vnable to helpe himselfe And this I knowe sayeth the Prophete not by mans wisdome but by the mouth of God that what so euer helpe man looketh for besides God he may be assured at all times to be both helpelesse and comfortlesse and trusting to God he shall be at all times both holpen and comforted For so saith the Lorde whose sayings no power is able to falsifie nor to resist ¶ What things are to be noted out of euerie particular part of this Psalme for the edifying and comfort of him that shall vse to say sing or meditate this Psalme THE FIRST PARTE My soule truely wayteth vpon God OVt of the first part wherein is conteyned what the Christian should doe in the time of trouble is to be noted what it is for a man to haue his soule wayting still vppon God or else to haue silence alwayes in his soule towardes God in the dayes of aduersitie As this Psalme speaketh When the Christian man or woman in the time of sorrowe and heauinesse without grudge or impatience looketh for the helpe of God and giueth not himselfe to quarelling or complayning of God as thoughe hée did him wrong and punished him too muche then doth the soule waite vpon the Lord or else hath silence towardes God As wee maye sée by Iob where his soule attended stil vpon the Lord. When his goodes cattell house and children were taken from him he said after this sorte The Lord gaue them the Lorde hath taken them away as the Lorde is pleased so is it done The name of the Lord be blessed All this while hee bore the crosse of God without murmur or grudge and had his soule still wayting vpon God as this Prophet here saith But when he was burdened further and from the sole of the foote to the top of the head was stricken with sores and botches he cursed the day that he was borne in and the night wherein he was conceiued with many more vnquiet and lamentable wordes as it appeareth in his Booke The like example we haue before of king Dauid in the Booke of the Psalmes where be these wordes In trouble and aduersitie I said I was cast away from the sight of thine eyes ô God And as Iob sometime saide If he should die yet he would trust in the Lord. So sayde Dauid a litle before If he should goe in the middest of the shadowe of death he would not feare In the whiche Psalme ye may sée how constantly his soule wayted vpon the Lorde yet in the 31 Psalme his troubles were so great that in them he saide I am cast from the sight of thee ô God So that these testimonies and examples of the Scriptures do declare that to haue the soule to wayte vppon the Lord is to be assured that God will helpe in trouble and patiently to beare the trouble without grudge vntill God sende remedie and helpe for it The second thing to be gathered of
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
in God saith that In this glorious almightie and triumphant God is his glory and desireth to haue part of that victorie and of that meruellous maiestie And as the Psalme saith He calleth and nameth the God of glorie his glorie Oh meruellous and vnspeakable boldnesse and constancie of faith A man nothing but sinne by nature in the sight of God nothing but earth and ashes replenished with all miserie and wretchednesse by nature corrupt the very enimie of GOD a vessell prepared vnto all dishonour ignominie shame and perdition contemned through sinne and shamed before all creatures and yet nowe with all these dishonours by faith saith The king of glorie is his glorie and the conquerour of all dishonour is his shield and buckler Of the other part who can thinke or speake any thing thankfull to suche a king of glory and most mightie conquerour that abhorreth not of mercy to be the honour and glory of so vile sinfull and wretched a thing as man is Whose eyes abhorre no filthe of sinne in penitent sinners whose presence refuseth not the companie of the sicke and miserable whose strength comforteth the weake whose mercy reioyceth the comfortles whose life expelleth death whose health banisheth sicknesse whose loue vanquisheth hatred whose immortalitie giueth euerlasting life and who crowneth vs with endlesse pitie and compassion in ioyes perpetuall Thus the Prophete after he had espied the almightie God in him selfe gloriously to be voyd of all troubles dolours and other aduersities and that he had also conquered gloriously the capteines of al aduersities hell death satan and sinne he challenged by faith and craued by Gods promise to be partaker of Gods glory in this point And doubtlesse he that can féele in his heart that GOD is his glory he shall take no dishonour nor shame by all the workes of the diuell sinner or the worlde Therefore many times in reading or thinking of the Psalmes or other parte of the holy scripture it is expedient to meditate and pray that the word we speake or pray may be vnto vs as much saluation comfort and glory as we perceiue GOD hath appointed in it for vs. And when we say with our mouth to God Thou art my saluation my glorie my rocke and my trust Let vs cry Lorde increase our faith helpe vs for thy name sake constantly to beleeue thee to be vnto vs in deed in spirit as we speake of thee outwardly with our mouth For in case the heart vnderstande not nor beléeue the wordes we speake with our mouthe we honour God in vaine as the scripture saith Let vs therefore praye as Saint Paule teacheth vs saying I will pray with the spirite and I will pray with the minde also When the Prophete hath by faith assured him selfe of Gods fauour he exhorteth all the Christian congregation to doe the same saying O put your trust in him alwayes ye people c. Here the Prophete teacheth what the Minister of the Church Bishop and others should doe when they vnderstand the scripture and learne by it feare and faith loue and hope in GOD they be bound to teache the congregation the same Scriptures for her saluation Whereby is condemned the vse of the Scripture in an vnknowne toung which is directly against Gods worde And here be Kings and Rulers also taught to sée their subiectes tenaunts and seruaunts to vnderstand the worde of God likewise the Father and the Mother the Maister and the Maistresse who be bound to knowe for their saluation the worde of GOD and to teache it vnto others vnder their gouernaunce Therefore in the end of the verse is put Selah As though he had saide Happie be those that put their trust in the Lorde and teach other to doe the same And curssed be those that trust not in the Lord and teach others to do the like THE FIFT PART 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine the children of men are deceitfull vpon the weights They are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your heart vpon them The fift part sheweth howe mans power is not to be trusted vnto THE Prophete by no meanes would haue men to put their trust in fleshe and bloud in case they doe they must néedes perishe For when miserable man shall trust in vaine vanitie whiche is man he can be no lesse then vanitie it selfe in whome he hath trusted And this is one miserie and wretchednesse a man to be deceiued of helpe and succour whereas he most trusted to haue bene holpen and succoured Thus must it néedes happen to them that trust in men For men of most excellencie and greatest authoritie riches and power in the world be but vanitie as the Prophete saith Nowe as they be so is their helpe And as their helpe is so is the comfort and consolation of such as seeke help at their handes Those that be trusted vnto be but flesh and bloud the best of flesh and bloud is but vanitie the consolation and helpe of vanitie is miserie and wretchednesse wherefore the Prophete exhorteth all men to beware they séeke not ayde and comfort of man for he is but vaine The Israelites vsed for their helpe against their enimies the Egyptians but the more flesh conspired together the worsse successe had all the battels they fought Nowe as we sée men that haue their trust in men suffer muche trouble and miserie in the world bicause their helpe they trust in is of inferiour strength and power to the troubles and aduersities that they be combred withall So doeth the word of God declare that such men as trust in vanitie haue not onely worldly aduersities against them but also for their so doing trusting in fleshe they be accurssed of God as the scriptures say Curssed be he that trusteth in man So that we sée meruelous and vnspeakable harmes come of the trust in man First miseries of y e world and next the enimitie and cursse of God For he that putteth his trust in man with the same one fact and doing doeth two horrible euils The one he deceiueth him selfe for the vanitie that he trusteth in can not saue him And the other he dishonoureth God that onely can saue in putting his trust in mortall man that can not saue and so maketh of man God to Gods high displeasure and dishonour Euery Christian man therefore should forsake fleshe and bloud and trust in the Lorde Almightie maker of heauen and earth as the Prophet Asaphe did a little before when he saide In God was his glory who could defend him from all hurts present past and to come what so euer they were The like may we sée in Saint Paule that saide God forbid that I should glory in any thing sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world
is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde That is bicause I put al my trust of saluation saith Saint Paule in him that was crucified the worlde taketh me for an heretique and so persequuteth me but yet it ouer commeth me not neither taketh it away my glory my consolation and my crowne of eternall ioyes For euen as the world persequuteth me with fire sword and all other crucifyings so I crucifie the world againe testifying by the worde of God that their liuing is nought and their faith and trust worse So that as they crucifie me with worldly trouble in like manner I crucifie the worlde againe with the worde of God and speake against it bearing testimonie that it is the enimie of God and shall perish eternally But this I doe saith Paule bicause I glory in nothing sauing in Christ crucified Thus doeth the Prophete Asaphe teach all men to put their trust in Christe and not in sinfull man which is not onely vanitie but also If vanitie were laid in one balance and man in the other yet of both man were the more vanitie Therefore man is not to be trusted vnto saith the Prophet And for a further declaration that man is more vaine then vanitie he openly declareth in the processe of his Psalme that man is giuen besides vanitie to wrong and robberie which two euilles do increase mans miseries For man is not onely borne vaine vanitie but also by processe of time in wicked liuing addeth wrong and robberie vnto vanitie and so maketh vanitie more vaine and damnable then it was before Nowe this robberie and wrong is done two maner of wayes to God and to man He that putteth his trust of saluation in any other thing sauing in God looseth not only his saluation but also robbeth God of his glory and doeth God as much as lyeth in him manifest wrong as the wicked people amongest the Iewes did that saide As long as they honoured and trusted vnto the Quéene of heauen al thinges prospered with them but when they hearkened to the true preachers of Gods word they said al things came into worsse state and that with scarsitie and trouble they were ouer whelmed He that putteth also his trust confidence in any learning or doctrine besides Gods worde doeth not only fall into errour and lose the trueth but also as much as lyeth in him he robbeth Gods booke of his sufficient trueth and veritie and ascribeth it to the bookes of mens decrées Which is as much wrong to God and his booke as may be thought or done In the which robberie or rather sacrilege no man shuld put his trust as the Prophete saith An other way wrongs be done vnto man when the riche and sturdie of the worlde by abusing of friendship oppresse robbe and spoyle the poore And by his thus doing first he deceiueth him selfe for euill gotten goods can not long prosper neither can any familie aduaunced by fraude crafte or subtiltie long time endure Then he deceiueth the simple and poore that trusteth vpon the outward shewe of his port and estimation which glittereth in the worlde as a vaine glorious and deceiuable beautie and honour and marketh neither howe wickedly the glorie of the robber and doer of wrong sprang vp nor howe miserably God hath ordeined it to fall againe But séeing carnally he séeth a vaine man in vanitie prosper for a time he trusteth in this vanitie pampered vp with robberie and wrong vntill suche time as vanitie vadeth and he much lamenteth that put in vanitie so much vaine hope But graunt that honour and riches by Gods gift and trueth abound yet were they not giuen for men to trust in but for men to giue GOD more thankes and to helpe the poore with them from iniuries of oppression and néede of hunger thirst and pouertie Therefore the Prophete saith Although riches doe abound yet men should not put their heartes vpon them That is to say men should not trust in them nor kéepe thē otherwise then their vse or kéeping should serue to the glorie of God in aboundance to be liberall and in time of néede to be carefull not to kéepe them for a priuate commoditie but as Iosephe did say to saue the multitude from scarsitie and penurie Thus doeth the Prophete exhort all men to beware they put not their trust in men for both they and all that they haue of worldly things be transitorie vaine and inconstant THE SIXT PART 11 God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God 12 And that thou Lorde art merciful for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke The sixt part conteineth howe that God hath promised to helpe the afflicted c. IOb hath the same phrase and manner of speache The Lord spake once and will not repeate the same againe That is as much to say as that the worde of God is so sure that it can not be made frustrate nor changed by any meanes So saith this Prophete Asaphe God spake once which standeth sure for euer and cannot be altered This word of GOD hath relation to the verses before wherein be opened the vanitie of man or insufficiencie to helpe him selfe or others in trouble which can not be chaunged nor euer shall be but as fleshe is vanitie be it neuer so holy as Adam called his best sonne and holy Martyr Abel that is to say in the Hebrue toung Vanitie perfectly knowing that all flesh by sinne was vile and vaine and therfore not to be trusted vnto This once speaking of God is also referred vnto the text that followeth which declareth two vertues in God Power and Mercy Power to punishe his enimies and Mercy to recompense his faithful afflicted And this is so true that it shall neuer be made false the wicked to féele Gods strength in damnation and the faithfull to féele Gods mercies in saluation not bicause their workes deserue it but bicause God of his mercy so contented to blesse the poore faithful workeman So he giueth eche man after his workes the euill hell fire by iustice and the good heauens blisse by mercie Now the Prophet saith He heard it twise at Gods mouth that is to say He knewe God had made promise of mercie to saue the faithfull penitentes and of iustice to punishe the impenitent sinner And this he heard in the time of the Lawe of Nature by reading of Moses bookes and also by the holy Ghost in his owne time when by the inspiration of the holy Ghost he wrote this Psalme and the rest of his prophesies The same haue we likewise heard first by reading of the bookes of Moses next by reading of the Scriptures of the Prophets and thirdly by reading of the new Testament The which I pray God giue vs grace to beléeue and followe Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 73. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN
no more mercifull to helpe him out of trouble that specially and particularly suffereth the trouble And this question so asked is very common and familiar to the Christians and putteth them to great trouble and heauinesse As we may sée that this Prophet Asaphe considered the yeares before him and what God did to his elders and found that they receiued remission of their sinnes and great benefites in this world at Gods hand So do a great number of men in hearing and reading the Scripture of God sée and perceiue the remission of many mens sinns and how mercifully God delt with them yet when they féele their owne sinne and suffer their owne crosse and trouble they haue much a doe and with great difficultie doe they beléeue that God will be as good vnto them being priuate sinners and priuately afflicted as he was vnto the great number of those of whom they read in the Scripture that God forgaue them their sinnes and preserued them in most horrible and daungerous troubles Therefore this is a common wisedome and daily experimented sentence Omnes cùm valemus bonum consilium aegrotis damus When other men be sicke we can giue good counsell patiently to beare it When other men be afflicted and troubled we can speake of many meanes to quiet them When they be in any mistrust of Gods promises we can comfort them with many arguments of faith but most commonly if we be sicke our selues troubled or in mistrust of Gods promises we can ease or comfort our selues very little And good cause why for God that giueth of his owne gist and only frée liberalitie wisedome knowledge learning and consolation giueth also the grace that the saide vertues may worke their operation and expell the infirmities and diseases wherefore these wisedomes and vertues were ordeined As it is meruellously noted of Saint Paule I haue planted Apollo hath watered but God gaue the increase The word of God is a meanes to teach truth and to condemne falshood to place vertue and to remoue vice to giue consolation and to banishe and put away diffidence and mistrust but God giueth and worketh the effect thereof Meate is made to preserue the body but if God giueth not strength it misseth the purpose The horse and man be means to ouercome but in battell God giueth the victory The preacher preacheth Gods word but God openeth and teacheth the mysterie therof Man heareth but God giueth the vnderstanding Asaph remembred Gods workes and had in minde his own godly Psalmes but God must giue the consolatiō He sawe the trueth and knewe that God was faithful but the ioy and profite thereof lay in the distribution and gift of God as we may wel perceiue by this sorrowfull interrogatorie Will he be intreated no more Of this part we learne howe we ought when we reade or heare Gods promises for our saluation to pray and howe necessarie a thing this prayer is that godly men made in the scripture Lord help my incredulitie Lord increase our faith The poore man that heard and sawe Christes mercy and liberalitie in healing of others desired also helth for his owne childe Christe saide if he beléeued all things were possible the poore man sayd I beleeue Lorde helpe mine vnbeleefe The Apostles when they heard Christe speake of forgiuenesse of one to the other they sayde Increase our faith good Lord. As though they had sayd Except thou giue vs strength to beléeue and credite thy godly lessons we shal take no commoditie nor profite by them Therefore let the preacher of God the reader of Gods worde the hearer of Gods worde the thinker vpon the same many times before also whilest they be speaking thinking reading or hearing of Gods word pray in their spirits that y e word of God may work in them the thing wherfore the word was instituted and appointed of God or else we shall be as Saint Paule saith alwayes learners and yet neuer come to the knowledge of the truth And I do verily thinke and am truly persuaded that for lacke of earnest and continuall prayer with lifting vp of my heart vnto God whilest I preached his most holy word vnto the people God iudgeth me not worthy to sée such fruites of my labours as I hoped for And for this that the people did not heartily pray to vnderstand Gods pleasure by his word preached they be accounted vnworthy of such saluation as GOD did offer them by his worde and the true preaching of his mysteries Let all men therefore pray to God in Christ that they may be the better for the hearing recording remembring or reading of Gods word For notwithstanding they haue amongest them the booke of God yet shall they be troubled without Gods singular grace with one of these two euils either to mocke and scorne at the scripture caring not whether they learne it or no or else when they haue learned it to dout whether it be true or no. And then followeth these questions Will God absent him selfe for euer And Will God be no more intreated with such other doubtes as do followe in this Psalme with much heauinesse vnto the spirite where such demaundes rest haue place Then followeth the third demaunde by this troubled Prophete Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Here in this demaund first be two things to be noted The one declaring a fault in the Prophetes faith and the other expressing a veritie in the Prophetes knowledge The fault in his faith was to doubt or to stande in a mamering of Gods mercy which is most sure and endureth for euer and euer and to aske this question Whether his mercy were cleane gone for euer The veritie of his knowledge was to iudge and say that It was his mercy that forgaue sinnes and not his or any other mens merites that could deserue the pardoning of sinne As ye may sée how sinneful Saule for his sinne thought to haue appeased God with sacrifice and the proude Pharisée with his pretenced good workes But here in this knowledge that the Prophet complained of the departure of Gods mercy is set foorth that only mercy appeaseth Gods ire in Christ for the sinne of man And what works so euer be done except Gods mercy pardon the sinne they all can neyther please God nor quiet the conscience and troubled spirite of him that doth the workes As it may be séene in the example of Sainte Peter and the rest of the Apostles When that Saint Peter walked vpon the sea comming towardes Christ and felt the wind strong and tempestuous he beganne to feare and when he beganne to sincke he cryed Lord saue me And the Lord put foorth his hande and tooke him sayd vnto him Thou of little faith why doubtest thou Here we sée if GOD did helpe vs no more of his mercy then our owne merites deserued or else no more then the gifts of God
more comfort then the first part hath discomfort And it is a plaine doctrine that although y e sinnes of man be many horrible yet be they fewer and lesse in estimation many thousande foldes then Gods mercies Death is declared in the first part of the verse in this that mans infirmitie is not onely sinful in body soule but also doutful of Gods mercy holy promises Yet in the second part by grace is set foorth life and cleane deliuerance from the tyrannie of the diuel the seruitude of sinne the accusation of the lawe and the infirmitie of nature by the strong and mightie power of God whose mercy in Christ is alwayes ready to helpe poore afflicted and troubled sinners After this confession of sinne and the great confidence that the prophet had in God for his mightie power and mercies sake that was both able by power and redy with will to help and remedie this troubled spirite and great aduersities of the Prophet he goeth foorth in the consolation taketh yet more and more of Gods benefites vsed in times towardes such as were afflicted after this sort 11 I will remember the workes of the Lord and call to my minde thy wonders of olde time 12 I will thinke also of thy workes and my talking shall be of thy doings 13 Thy way ô God is holy who is so great a God as our God 14 Thou art the God that doth wonders and hast declared thy power amongest people 15 Thou hast mightily deliuered thy people euen the sonnes of Iacob and Ioseph Sela. 16 The waters saw thee ô God the waters saw thee and were afraid the deapthes also were troubled 17 The cloudes powred out water the ayre thundered and thine arrowes went abroad 18 The voyce of thy thunder was heard round about the lightenings shone vpon the gound the earth was moued and shooke withall 19 Thy way is in the sea and thy pathes in the great waters and thy footsteps are not knowne 20 Thou leadest thy people like shepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron Of these meanes howe men take consolation in aduersitie that the Prophet nowe maketh mention of first we learne what difference is betwéene the consideration of Gods works aduisedly by faith the consideration of Gods workes rashly without faith The which diuersitie is to be séen in this Prophet For the one part as touching the remembring of Gods workes out of faith and in faith he spake before in the second verse and in the fourth verse how that he considered the workes and old doings of the Lord when he was troubled But as ye haue heard because his spirite was in a doubtfulnesse and mamering vppon the certeintie of Gods doinges he felt no consolation thereof but much heauinesse and anguish of minde For those demaundes Will God absent himselfe for euer Will he be no more mercifull and such like heauie and doubtfull complaintes could neuer procéed but from a sorrowful and much troubled conscience But now after that Gods spirit hath wrought in his spirit this assurance and iudgment that God can in him chaunge the conditions of his miseries as ye may sée he maketh no more complaint of doubtfulnesse neither remembreth any more the fearefulnesse of his conscience but goeth foorth with repetition and rehearsall of all thinges comfortably how that God in time past holpe troubled spirites and afflicted personages that put their trust in him So that of this we learne that whosoeuer hath a sure faith in God taketh consolation of Gods word and workes And such as haue not first true faith in God cannot in the spirite receiue comfort of Gods word or workes Outwardly men may meruel at God and his worker but inwardly it easeth not the heauinesse nor yet quieteth the grudge of conscience Wherefore it behoueth vs all that we pray earnestly vnto GOD to giue vs faith to beléeue his word and workes when we heare read or sée them For the word and workes of God do nothing comfort the vnfaithfull as we may sée by the Scripture where God saith He stretched foorth his hand al day long to a people that beléeued not for such as haue eares heare not eyes sée not be rather the worse for Gods word workes then the better Ye shal sée where the spirite of Dauid was replenished with faith he was in assured and ascerteined of Gods present helpe that he said he would not feare although a thousand men inuironed and compassed him round about No he would not feare thoughe he should walk in the shadow of death At another time when faith quailed and waxed faint he was trembling in his spirite and fearefull in his bodie as we may sée when he felt his spirite waxe faint he said My soule is troubled very sore and my bones be weakened And in other of his Psalmes he sheweth that his soule was very heauie and comfortlesse and could take no consolation Also when the spirite is assured of Gods grace then the eyes cannot looke vppon any worke of God but the mind taketh by the contemplation and sight thereof vnspeakeable consolation As Dauid declareth in his Psalmes and saith He would sée the heauens the workes of Gods fingers and would marke how one day was an induction to an other and how the heauens praised the Lord. At an other time when the consolation and life of the spirit was ouer whelmed with troubles he could not sée at all with his eyes but cryed and complained that he was starke blinde And also in that meruellous Psalme in number 88. whereas prayer is made to be deliuered from the horrour and féeling of sinne the Prophet saith that his eyes waxed dimme and blinde The same is to be séene likewise in the crosses and afflictions that God sendeth As long as true faith and confidence remaineth in the heart all troubles be wellcome and thankfully taken as we read When Iob had newes that his goods and chidren were taken from him in manner soudeinly he most patiently said God gaue them and God hath taken them away as God would so it is done But when faith quailed and the spirite was troubled then followed these impatient wordes I would my sinne were layed in one balance and my paine in an other As though God had layed more vppon him then he had deserued When the spirit was quieted for all his pouertie and nakednesse he reioyced and was contented with his birth and comming into the world and also with the state in the world appointed vnto him by God saying Naked I came out of my mothers bellie and naked I shall depart hence againe But when faith fainted then came out these woordes The day the night and the time be cursed wherein I was borne With many more horrible wordes as the text declareth So that we sée whereas Gods spirite wanteth there is no learning nor consolation to be
body of man that can neither beginne nor yet continue in a life acceptable vnto God except that GOD wholy worketh the same himselfe And as it declareth the wonderfull wretchednes of man so doeth it manifest and set foorth a wonderful and vnspeakeable mercie and compassion of God towardes man that so meruellously and gratiously he canne be content to helpe and saue his enimie and very aduersarie But herein is required of as many as the Lorde conuerseth from iniquitie and sinnefull liuing that they walke in the same lawe and vse their conuersation in equitie and iustice as it béecommeth obedient men and women redéemed with the shéepeheardes most pretious bloud For the Lord doth not teach his shéepe the truth that they should liue in falsehood neither giueth he them the remission of their sinnes that they should returne to the same againe but because they should studiously applie and diligently exercise themselues in vertuous woorks to the honor of almightie God There be two sortes of people that the Lorde will iudge and punish in the latter day with extreme ire and iustice The one sort be called vpon to learne the knowledge of God and of Gods honour as Gods word commandeth but they will not heare nor obey the calling but knowe God and learne God as the custome and maner of the world is to know him and learne him though it be neuer so farre from the trueth And the other sort be contented to heare and learne to knowe God and to serue him as he teacheth in his holy and most pure word but in their heartes consent not to their knowledge but contrary to it they do outward seruice to a false God and frame their conuersation both in religion toward God and their maners toward men as men of the world do So that God hath no more reuerence of him that knoweth the trueth then of him that is ignorant of the trueth Esaie the Prophet speaketh against the first sort of men that will not heare when they be called nor learne when they be taught and saith When other men shall laughe they shall weepe when other bee merrie they shal be sorrie when other be whole they shalbe sicke when other men shal liue they shall die and when other men reioyce in mirthe they shall lament in sorowe And good cause why saith S. Paule For the Lord hath stretched forth his hand alwayes to a rebellious and obstinate people that will not learne nor knowe his holy will Againe the other sort that knowe and haue learned the Lordes will and pleasure and yet prepare not themselues to doe his will shall be beaten with many stripes saith our sauiour Christ. And the Lord in S. Matthewe doeth wonderfully charge both such as ignorantly doe offend and those that doe with knowledge offend those also that be called vppon to amendment in faith and charitie and those that be not called vppon by preaching of the trueth and saith The greater damnanation is vppon such as know or might knowe or els when they do knowe they be nothing the better for their knowledge He putteth foorth there foure cities Chorozaim and Bethsaida Tire and Sidon two of them many times admonished by Christ to amend the other two not so called vppon neuerthelesse both of them the Lord will iudge but most seuerely such as neglect the word of God when it is offered Therfore it is not ynough for a man to hearken or heare read or learne Gods word but he must be ruled by Gods word frame his whole life after Gods word and before all things auoyd idolatrie by Gods word as king Dauid saith in this Psalme that The Lord did not onely conuert his soule but brought him into the pathes of iustice Let euery man and woman therfore thinke with themselues what knowledge they haue receiued of God for he that hath receiued most shall make accompt for most and the more he knoweth and abuseth his knowledge the more shalbe his damnation and in case they knowe nothing at all and be neuer the better for all the preaching of the Lordes word let them take héede what persons they be and in what place they haue dwelled In case their pouertie was such that they could not heare and their dwelling where as was no preaching at all yet be they vnder the iudgement and damnation of God because they knowe not as Tire and Sidon were If they were of such state as they might haue come if they would and had preachers to tel them the truth in case they would haue heard the trueth such men and women shall be the more in daunger of Gods seuere and iust iudgement For God doth not onely take an accompt of that which men haue receiued if they vse not Gods giftes well but also straightly requireth of them that might haue learned the thing that either willingly or obstinately they refused to learne as ye may sée by Choroazim and Bethsaida God will as well take an accompt of him that refused to receiue the gift of Gods word as he requireth an accompt of him that hath receiued it and abused it Whereby we learne that not onely the man that abuseth Gods word shalbe damned but also he that will not learne Gods word King Dauid had the word offered he receiued it and was carried thereby into the pathes of iustice and liued godly thereafter Nowe he goeth foorth and sheweth wherefore man is brought to life and saluation ¶ The fourth part of the Psalme Wherefore man is brought to life and saluation THE THIRD VERSE continued For his names sake HE brought not me to life and saluation saith the Prophet for any merits or deseruinges of mine but for his owne infinite goodnes sake And whatsoeuer euill hath béene done and sinne committed all these thinges I ascribe to my corrupt nature and accuse my selfe to be the doer of them but if any thing haue béene thought said or done that is vertuous and godly that I wholy ascribe and attribute vnto the mercie of God that gaue me a good minde to wish to do wel and also strength to doe the thinges that he gaue me will to wishe Of this part of the Psalme we learne that man can neither wishe nor speake nor doe any thing nor yet vnderstand any thing that good is but onely throughe the mercie of God who maketh of an ignorant man a man of knowledge of an vnwilling man a willing man of an euill speaker a good speaker and of an euill doer a good doer Therefore S. Paule when he séeth that the nature of man will take vppon her to be the authour of any good thing he accuseth and condemneth her of arrogancie and pride saying What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why doest thou glorie as though thou receiuedst not And in the same Epistle he saith that Hee preached Christ crucified which was a slaunder to the Iewes and a foolishnesse to
the Gentiles Yet saith he The foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men And that had king Dauid good experience of when he said The Lord ruleth me and I lacke nothing hee putteth mee in a sweete pasture and leadeth mee by the riuers side hee turneth my soule and conducteth mee into the way and pathe of iustice for his names sake and for his mercies sake He sawe the diuel the world his flesh and sinne all conquered by the power of God and for his names sake brought both to liue also vertuously to liue to his honour that gaue the life and to his owne saluation that receiued the life All our teaching a great many of yeares and also your whole labours haue béene chiefly to knowe the miserie of man and the mercie of Almightie God Wherefore it shal not néed long to tarrie in opening of this place of the Psalme for ye be riche in God in these 2. points God giue you grace wel to vse them Yet in any case we must remember that our soules be turned from sinne we accepted as the people of euerlasting life only for Gods mercies sake So doth king Dauid wonderfully open vnto vs in the 32. Psalme where he saith Blessed be they whose sinnes are forgiuen and whose transgressions be couered blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth not his sinne Of the which wordes we learne that the godly king called those happie and blessed not that be cleane and pure without sinne for there is no such man in this life but those be blessed whose sinnes the mercie of God forgiueth and they be onely such as vnfeignedly acknowledge their sinne and stedfastly from their heartes beleeue that the death and passion of Iesus Christ is the onely expiation and purging thereof as S. Paule wonderfully expoundeth Dauids woordes in his Epistle to the Romanes As the Prophete by these wordes For his names sake declareth that there is nothing in him nor in any other man wherefore God should turne the soule of man from death to life from errour to trueth from the hatred of God to Gods loue from wandring a stray to a stablished continuance in the veritie of Gods word but only Gods mercie so doth he in other of his Psalmes always when he intreateth of Gods mercie of mans sinne set foorth man so naked and vile as a thing most destitute of all health and saluation and sheweth that none of these giftes remission of sinne acceptation into Gods loue and fauour pasturing of them with his most blessed word can happen vnto any other sauing vnto such as do knowe and earnestly confesse that they be sinners and infected with many contagious daungerous infirmities And therfore he sayth in the 2. verse of y e psalme aboue mentioned Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne in whose spirite there is no guile For there is no greater guile nor more danger in man then to think himself to be somwhat when he is nothing in déede or else to thinke him selfe to be of such puritie of minde as though he néeded not this frée remission and fauour of God And as there is nothing more proude and arrogant then such a minde so there is nothing in man more detestable and miserable Of the contrarie part they be blessed that hunger and thirst for iustice for God filleth the hungrie with good thinges but the proud he sendeth away emptie And that knewe this holie Prophete right well that it was humilitie and the casting downe of him selfe that was most acceptable vnto God and the séeking of health and saluation onely for his names sake that is to say for his mercie promised in the death and passion of his onely sonne our Sauiour Christe In the end of the .xxxij. psalme king Dauid that had thus humbled himselfe bringeth in God that speaketh vnto him whiles he is thus making his complaint of his corrupt nature and sinneful life saying in this manner Intellectum tibi dabo c. that is to say I will giue thee vnderstanding instruct thee in the way thou shalt goe and will haue mine eyes euer vppon thee Wherein he declareth that suche humbled men and lowly persons as knowe their iniquitie shall haue vnderstanding of God and shall not swarue from the right wayes not for their déedes and their deseruinges but for his mercie that vouchsafeth to instruct teach them And so likewise doeth this godlie king shew in this Psalme The Lorde ruleth me and I lacke nothing he feedeth me in sweet pastures and leadeth me by the riuers side he turneth my soule and bringeth me into the pathes of righteousnesse and all for his names sake When he hath opened the saluation of man and also the cause thereof and wherein it consisteth he procéedeth to the fifte parte of his oration and holie Hymne ¶ The fifte parte of the Psalme What trouble may happen to such as God giueth life and saluation vnto THE FOVRTH VERSE Although I walke thorough the vallie and shadowe of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me thy rodde and thy staffe comfort me SEing I haue suche a guide and defender there is no difficultie of perill nor feare of death that I will passe of For what harme can death do to him that hath God the authour of all life with him Or what can the tyrannie of man do where as God is the defender In this fifte part King Dauid sheweth howe the Lord God doeth exercise his shéepe whom he féedeth with his blessed worde in daungers and troubles also how he will defende them in the middest of their troubles what so euer they be In the first wordes of the fift part of this sacred and holy Hymne the prophet declareth that the life of Gods shéepe and people in this worlde can not be without daungers and troubles Therefore Christ sayeth that He came to put fire in the worlde and that the same fire should burne meaning that he came to preache suche a doctrine as shoulde moue dissention and discorde betwéene friend and friend the father and the sonne and sette them at debate Not that his worde is a learning or doctrine of dissention and discorde of it selfe but that by the malice of men that can not abide to be rebuked by the worde of God they will be alwayes at discorde and variaunce with the worde of God and with any friende or foe that teacheth it And the same doeth Christ our heauenly shéepeheard shewe vs both in his doctrine and in his life who was hated and troubled more then any man before or sithens his time and assureth all his to haue troubles in this world yea and death also But it forceth not for he sayth I haue ouercome the worlde And whatsoeuer the dangers bée and howe horrible soeuer they séeme Christe being with vs we néede not to
execrable thinges of Gregorie the seuenth Yet was Englande free from this beaste of Rome then in respecte of that it was before the idol was expelled in king Henrie the 8. time But Alexander the third neuer rested to moue men to sedition vntil such time as king Henrie the seuenth was content to be vnder him as other were And all this suffered England for Thomas Becket the Popes Martyr When they were crept vp into this high authoritie all their owne creatures bishops of their secte Cardinals priestes monkes and friers could neuer be contented to be vnder the obedience of the princes and to say the trueth princes durst not in maner require it for they were in danger of goods and life And y e Emperour Henrie the seuenth was poysoned by a monke that poysoned the idol of the Masse both a god and minister méete to poyson men and both of the Popes making And what conscience did they make of this thinke ye Doubtlesse none at all for the Pope saith and so do al his children that he can dispense and absolue themselues and al men from what othes soeuer they haue made to God or man This enimie with his false doctrine is to be resisted and ouercome by the word of God or els he wil destroy both bodie and soule Therefore against all his craftes and abhominations we must haue the Rodd the Staffe the Table the Oyle the Cup that Dauid speaketh of in a readinesse to defend our selues with all Now followeth the last part of this holy Hymne ¶ The seuenth part of the Psalme What the ende of Gods troubled people shalbe THE SIXT VERSE The louing kindnesse shal followe me all the dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer I Will in the middest of all troubles be strong and of good chéere for I am assured that thy mercie and goodnesse will neuer forsake me but will continually preserue me in all dangers of this life and when I shall depart from this bodily life thy mercie wil bring me into that house of thine eternal ioyes whereas I shall liue with thée in euerlasting felicitie Of this part we learne that the dangers of this life be no more then God can and will put from vs or preserue vs in them when they come vnto vs without danger also that the troubles of this world be not perpetuall nor damnable for euer but that they be for a time onely sent from God to exercise and proue our faith and patience At the last we learne that the troubles being ended we begin and shall continue for euer in endlesse pleasure and consolation as Dauid sheweth at the end of his Psalm So doeth Christe make an ende with his disciples when he hath committed them for the time of this life to the tuition of the heauenly father whiles he is bodily absent he saith at length they shalbe where he is himselfe in heauen for euer For in this life all be it the faithfull of God haue consolation in Gods promises yet is their ioy very darke and obscure by reason of troubles both without and within outwardly by persequution inwardly by temptation Therefore Christ desireth his father to lead and conduct his Church in trueth and veritie whiles it is here in fight persequution with the diuel vntill it come to a perfect and absolute consolation where as no trouble may molest it For then and not before to what perfection soeuer we come shall wee be satisfied as Dauid saith The plentifulnesse of pleasure and ioy is in the sight and contemplation of thee ô Lord. For Then shal the minde of man fully be satisfied when he being present may presently beholde the glorious maiestie of God for God hath then al ioyes present to him that is present with him then man knoweth God as he is knowen of God These ioyes in the end of troubles should giue the troubled man the more courage to beare troubles patiently and be persuaded as S. Paule teacheth that The troubles of this present life be not worthie of the ioyes to come whiche shall be reuealed to vs when Christ commeth to iudge the quick and the dead To whome with the father and the holy Ghost be all honour and praise world without end Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 62. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN HOOPER Bishop of Glocester and Worcester THE ARGVMENT THe Prophete in this Psalme doeth declare by his owne experience how the trueth of Gods worde and such as fauour and followe the same be esteemed and vsed in the worlde of worldly men the trueth it selfe reiected and the louers thereof slaundered and persequuted And seeing trueth and true men before the Prophetes time in his time and after his time were thus miserably afflicted in this psalme he writeth his own condition and miseries with certeine and most comfortable remedies whiche wayes the afflicted person may best comforte him selfe and passe ouer the bitternesse and daungers of his troubles and suffer them as long as God layeth them vppon him patiently So that whosoeuer from the feeling of his heart can say this Psalme and vse the remedies prescribed therein by the spirite of God doubtlesse he shall be able to beare the troubles bothe of the diuell and man patiently and contemne them strongly ¶ The partes of the Psalme be in number generally two 1 In the first is conteyned how that the fauour of God and his helpe is able to remedie all aduersities 2 In the second is conteyned how that the fauour of man and his helpe is able to redresse no aduersities The first part comprehendeth eight verses of the Psalme The second part conteyneth the other foure verses that next followe to the end of the Psalme ¶ These two generall partes doe conteine more particular partes in them in number sixe 1 First what is to be done by the Christian man that is afflicted 2 The seconde parte sheweth why the troubled man in trouble looketh for helpe of God 3 The third parte declareth how soudenly God can destroy the persquuters of the trueth 4 The fourth part conteyneth the repetition of the first and the second part with more causes shewed why patiently trouble is to be borne and faithfully to be beleeued that God can and will remedie it 5 The fifte part declareth that mans power is not to be feared nor his friendshippe to be trusted vnto for no man is able to damne or saue 6 The sixte parte setteth foorth how that God hath promised to helpe the afflicted and will assuredly perfourme it ¶ The Psalme with the partes before named where they beginne and where they ende 1 My soule truely wayteth still vpon God The first parte teacheth a man to flie vnto God in the time of oppression and trouble 2 For of him commeth my saluation He verily is my strength and my saluation hee is my defence so shall I not greatly fall The second
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
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
wonderfully sett foorth in the Psalme next before this sauing one where it is said There is a cuppe in the Lordes hand full of redd wine and hee powreth out of it but the wicked shall drinke the dregges thereof and the vngodly of the earth shall receiue the bottom of it The cuppe in the Scripture is taken many times for aduersitie whereof God filleth a quantitie and a certeine measure vnto all his electe and chosen seruauntes but the wicked shall drinke the bottome and all and neuer come to rest nor ease Out of this temptation we may learne how foolish and how impatient we be When God sendeth troubles we thinke such to be best at ease that want them whereas the Lords booke declareth that it is necessarie and also very expedient that we should haue them Againe there is to be noted how that the Prophet in the cogitations of his minde maketh no mention of the griefe of the bodie whereof he spake before at the beginning of his troubles For in the second and fourth verse he declareth how he held vp his handes all night cryed with his voyce vntill he was speachlesse and lay waking could not sléepe Of the which sorrowes now he maketh no rehearsall but saith his spirite was searching and inquisitiue Whether God would absent himselfe for euer with diuers like interrogatories of Gods nature as followe in the Psalme Whereof we learne the vilenesse of our owne nature and also the treason and subtiltie of the diuel For as long as we sinne we haue such delight and pleasure therin as though it were but a play to transgresse and breake Gods holy commaundementes But when sickenesse and trouble haue layed the wicked the bodie abedd and made it weake and féeble our conscience is waked by the Lawe of GOD and we put in such terrour and feare that nothing can quiet vs. Also as long as we doe sinne the diuel beareth vs in hande that God is so mercifull doe what we will that hée will not be angrie but when sicknesse or death inuadeth then turneth the diuel his tale and persuadeth with vs that GOD is onely extreme iust and nothing at all mercifull And this griefe of the minde is so sore and vehement that all the paines of the bodie séeme nothing in comparison thereof as we sée in this place by the holy Prophete Asaph that was very sore vnquieted in his bodie yet did his spirite make no accompt of it but still hée stayed and staggered trembling and quaking at the heauinesse and sorrowe of the spirite that could not féele for the time of his trouble any certeintie or cōsolation in the promises of God Of this we be admonished that whatsoeuer we haue if Gods fauour lacke we haue nothing able to reioyce vs. And of the other side if we lacke all thinges and haue assuredly Gods fauour there is nothing able to make vs heauie and sorowfull As we see king Saule hauing a noble kingdome and lacking the fauour of God was alwayes vnquieted Poore Dauid hauing the grace and fauour of God was quiet and contented with all thinges saying If God will he may restore mee if he will not his will be done The assurance of Gods promises made Paule glad to die and the mistrust desperation of Gods promises made Iudas wearie to liue The certeintie of Gods trueth made Saint Stéeuen quietly to die in the assurance of eternall life the vncerteintie and doubtfulnesse of Gods mercie caused Saule to die in the feare of eternall death Riches of this world be treasures muche estéemed and made of friendes and louers much sought for and warily kept and health of bodie highly regarded and preserued with much care yet if the soule be destitute of the assurance of Gods grace the rest séeme to be of no valure at all As we sée Saule in his kingdome with riches strength and friendship yet his minde vexed still an euill spirite and Gods spirite departed his sorrowes were incomparable So that we learne that not onely the goodes apperteyning to the body be nothing worthe whereas the spirite wanteth the grace of God but also whereas the spirite is troubled the goodes of the bodie be little felt and nothing passed of as we sée by this Prophet in this Psalme The other part of his cogitations in the time of his sicknesse was this Will hee be no more intreated This gréeuous temptation whether GOD would be intreated to forgiue sinne any more may haue two vnderstandings The one generally and the other particularly Generally in this sort whether God once offended will be mercifull and forgiue or not Particularly whether God whose nature is mercifull will forgiue the priuate man that séeketh by saith mercie as he hath in time past forgiuen al men that asked it with repentance in faith The first sense and taking of the text generally is meruellous wicked and blasphemous to thinke that God once offended with any man will neuer for giue againe Of this opinion was Caine when he said his sinnes were greater then they might be forgiuen and he thought God would be no more intreated because he iudged his fault greater then the mercie of God that forgiueth faultes And wheresoeuer this iudgement of the spirite is this sentence is verified God will be intreated no more And as euery man that is priuatly thus minded that his owne sinnes be greater then can be forgiuen euen so hath he the like minde and iudgement also of all other mens sinnes that be like vnto his thinking them to be greater then they may be forgiuen For he that despaireth of his owne faultes cannot thinke well that other mens faults as great as his owne be remissible As Iudas that hanged himselfe for betraying of Christe could not thinke well of Peter that denied Christ but rather iudged of Peter as he did of him selfe saying God will be intreated no more Of this wicked iudgment of Gods mercie Whether he will be intreated any more of a sinner after that he hath sinned I wil speake no more But they that lust to read how horrible a thing it is may haue many Psalmes that do declare it namely Psalme 10. and 73. In the one of them it is said by the wicked that God hath forgotten the earth and careth neither for the godly life of the godly and vertuous nor the vngodly life of the vngodly and wicked And in the other Psalme they make a doubt Whether there be any knowledge in God of man and of his life or not But these sortes of people be too horrible and blasphemous and not to be rehearsed or muche spoken of The other sense of this place that is more particular is the better sense for the argument and meaning of the Psalme that is to aske whether God will be intreated no more as touching the remission of his owne sinne or els whether God will be
mind he came to y e trust in the Lord. Ye may learne by these Psalmes indited by king Dauid that easily he taught Gods religion and how men should put their trust in the Lord and yet how hard it was to do and practise the thing himselfe that he taught vnto others Asaph also declareth the same For in the 73. Psalme he teacheth what men should thinke and iudge in aduersitie that God would be good vnto Israel But in this Psalme he himselfe being vnder the rod and persequution of God is come to questioning and demaunding Will God absent him selfe for euer Will he be no more intreated Is his mercy cleane gone for euer with many other demaundes declaring vnspeakable troubles and difficulties of the minde before it be brought to a perfect consent and full agréement vnto the promises of God So that we sée the excellent Prophetes and most vertuous organes and instruments amongest sinfull men knewe it was an easie matter to speake of faith vertue and yet a very hard thing to practise true faith and to exercise vertuous liuing Saint Paule sheweth the same to the Romanes to be in him selfe For he had more adoe in Christ to get the victorie of sinne in him selfe then to speake of the victorie vnto others by mouth and more adoe to mortifie and kill the fleshe and to bring it in subiection to the spirite then to practise the death of the flesh in him selfe and to followe the spirit He spake and vttered with his mouth most godly doctrine to the destruction of sinne but with what prayers teares and clamours to God he did the same in him selfe read 2. Corinth 12. The olde saying is Knowledge is no burthen and in déede it is a thing easie to be borne but to put knowledge in experience the body and the soule shal finde paine and trouble And yet Christes wordes where he saith My yoke is light my burden easie be most true to such as haue wrestled with sinn and in Christ got the vpper hand To them I say the precepts of vertuous liuing be easie and swéete as long as the spirite of God beareth the ouer hande in them But when faith waxeth faint and the flesh strong then can not the spirit of God command nor desire any thing but both body and soule be muche offended with the hearing therof and more gréeued with the doing of it S. Peter likewise maketh mention of the same For when Christ bade him followe him meaning that he should dy also for the testimonie of his word he liked not that but asked Christe what Iohn should do being doutlesse in great perplexitie when Christ tolde him that he should suffer the paines of death But here are to be noted two things The one that as long as affliction is talked of generally other mens paines spoken of so long can euery man and woman heare of affliction yea and commend the persons that suffered affliction as we sée at this day All men be contented to heare of y e death of Christ of y e martyrdome of his Saints and of the affliction and imprisonment of his godly members but when the same or like should be experimented and practised by our selues we wil none of it we refuse it and we abhorre it yea so much that where Christ and those Saints whose names be most common and vsual in our mouths suffered the vilest death that could be deuised we will not suffer as much as the losse of a frend or the deceiueable goods of this vnstable and transitorie world so that in the generalitie we be very godly and can cōmend al godly martyrs and sufferers for Gods sake but alas in the particularitie we be very vngodly and will followe no martyr nor suffer at al. Also as long as we be without danger for Christes sake we can speake of great daungers and say that we will suffer all extremitie and crueltie but when it commeth to passe that an enimie to God and his worde shall say in déede Forsake thy religion or else thou shalt dy as Christ said vnto Peter When thou art old an other shall girde thée and leade thée whether thou wouldest not then a litle threatening of an other man stark quayleth this man that said he wold suffer al troubles as Peter said If he shuld loose his life he would not refuse his maister but when an other yea a poore maide but asked him Whether he were one of Christes seruants and made no mentiō at al of losse of life or goods he would not hazard him selfe to beare so much as the name of Christes disciple Thus we sée the vilenesse frailtie of our owne nature how weake we be to suffer in déede when of necessitie we must beare the crosse and can by no means auoyd it How troublesome also it is both to body and soule this Psalme place of the scripture declareth and therfore in the end of these temptations is put Sela. A worde that maketh as it were an outcry against the corrupt nature of man for sin As S. Paule said I know that there dwelleth in my flesh no good thing To admonishe therefore man thereof in déede and to shewe him his owne damnation the word is put there to cause the reader or hearer of the place to marke and bewaile the wretchednesse thereof As the Prophete him selfe doth in the next verse ¶ The fourth part Howe a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble 10 And I said This is my infirmitie but these things the right hand of God can chaunge HEre is life and death and the occasions of both meruellously set foorth He said that it was his infirmitie that caused him to question doubt of Gods mercy Wherein he hath disburdened God and charged him selfe with sinne and doubtfulnesse And so much al men sée and find in them selues that damnation is of our selues and saluation onely of God There is also to be noted in thi◠infirmitie y t it occupieth not only the body but also the soul. For he saith These cogitations and questions as touching the doubtfulnesse of Gods mercy were the deuises and actes of his mind so that both his body and soule were comfortlesse And good cause why for in both of them were sinne and abhomination against God And of these two partes of man the body the spirit came these dubitations of God and of his promises The which fruites of corruption ingender except sinne be forgiuen eternall death And here is the wisedome of the fleshe séene to be very enimitie vnto God working continually the breach of Gods commaundements and the destruction of mans saluation as much as lyeth in it But in the second part of the verse is life the occasion thereof which is a sure trust that God can remoue despaire put in place therof faith hope sure confidence And the
the captiuitie of Babylon with such like and yet when they be in troubles themselues these meruellous workes and mercies shewed vnto others cannot comfort themselues Of the thirde sorte be suche as knowe generally the meruellous workes of God and perceiue that in some God is particularly mercifull and from some he findeth it in him selfe singularly the mercie of GOD and from the remembraunce of Gods benefites vnto others he findeth in him selfe the working of Gods mercie and findeth in his conscience such comfort in déede that he remembreth others before him that had of Gods mercies in their time of troubles The moste parte of men consider generally that God is the worker of miracles the common sorte of Christians consider that God hath wrought miracles particularly vpon others but the verie elects and Christians in déede sée the miracles of God wrought particularly vpon others and take consolation singularly of Gods mercies themselues As we sée this Prophete meruellously declareth Gods wonders putteth the generall working of Gods miracles betwéene a singular working of wonders and a particular working of wonders The generalitie is this Thou art God that doth wonders and hast declared thy power amongst people The singularitie and particularitie of Gods working of wonders is the one before and the other behinde The singularitie is in this that he perceiued that is was his owne infirmitie that made him doubt of Gods promises yet Gods singular grace made him singularly féele perceiue that God singularly would be good vnto him The particularitie is in this that he saith With Gods right hand God deliuered the posteritie of Iacob and Ioseph from the seruitude of Egypt c. The way to consider the meruellous works of God is a profitable consideration sight of them as wel to know them as to be y e better for them For there is no man can take commoditie or profite by Gods goodnesse shewed vnto a multitude except he singularly receiue gaine therby him selfe As we sée when a whole multitude was fed meruellously with a fewe loaues and fewer fishes almoste fiue thousande people he taught the consolation and health of mans soule in his owne bloude but none was the better for it but suche as beléeued euerie man for him selfe that which Christ spake The miracles and mercifull helpe of Christe vnto others had nothing profited the poore woman of Canaan excepte she her selfe had bene partaker of the same And as it is in the workes of God that doe comfort the man afflicted so is it in the workes of God that bring men into heauinesse and sorrowe for sinne Generally the worde of God rebuketh sinne and calleth sinners to repentaunce particularly it sheweth vnto vs howe that Dauid Peter Marie Magdalen and others repented But to vs those sorrowes and repentaunce do no good except we euery man singularly repent and be sorrowfull for his sinnes For it is not another mans sicknesse that maketh me sicke nor another mans health that maketh me whole no more is any other mans repentance my repentance or any other mans fayth my fayth but I must repent I must beléeue my selfe to féele sorrowfulnesse for sinne by the law remission therof by faith in Christ. So that euerie priuate man must be in repentaunce sorrie with the true repentaunt sorrie and faithfull with the true faithfull For as God himselfe is towardes man so be all his workes and promises For looke to whom God is mercifull to the same be all his promises comfortable and to whom God is seuere and rigorous to the same Gods threateninges be terrible and his iustice fearefull As king Dauid sayeth With the holie thou wilt be holie and with the innocent thou wilt bee innocent with the chosen thou wilt be chosen and with the peruerse thou wilt be peruerse Such as followe vertue and godlinesse God increaseth with gifts and benefits such as haue wicked manners and by false doctrine decline from the truth in those God is seuere sharp And except such persons repent God wil spoyle them from all iudgement of trueth and being blinde and destitute of knowledge permitte them to the power and dominion of most filthy lustes and abhominable desires So that such as would not loue the beautie excellencie of vertue shal tumble wallowe themselues like swine in the filth vomit of sinne of the which abhominations and iust iudgements of God Saint Paule speaketh in the Epistle to the Romanes For this is to be noted looke as euerie man is euen so he thinketh of God And as the good and godlie man thinketh well of God so doeth he euill and wicked man thinke euill of God Some thincke that man and all worldly thinges be ruled and gouerned by God with greate iustice and inscrutable wisedome with all mercie and fauour Others thinke that GOD ruleth not this world and worldly things and in case they thinke he doe yet do they condemne his administration and rule of iniustice and parcialitie because God doeth as it pleaseth himselfe and not as man would haue him doe And vpon these diuersities of iudgements in mens mindes God is to the godly mercifull and to the vngodly seuere and rigorous If the spirite of man iudge truely and godly of him by and by the spirite of man shall perceiue and féele the heauenly influence of Gods spirite stirring and impelling his spirit to all vertue and goodnesse If the spirite of man be destitute of spirite of God and iudge peruersly and wickedly the spirits of man shall féele the lacke of Gods spirite and true iudgement to blind the eyes of his mind cast him self into al abhomination sinne as the iniquitie of the man iustly hath deserued Of the which thing cōmeth this that as the vertue godlinesse of godly men daily increaseth euen so doeth the iniquitie and abhomination of the vngodly also increase And looke what place and preeminence God obteineth with any man in the same place and preeminence is the man with God And suche as doe godlie after Gods worde honour and reuerence the almightie God iudging aright of Gods might and prouidence they giue moste humble thankes vnto the mercie of God that alone and none but he can teach or instruct the mind of man in true knowledge nor incline his will to godlie doings nor inflame the soule with all her powers to the desire and feruent loue of godlinesse and vertue As we sée by this prophete Asaph in this place that as long as his spirite wanted the helpe of Gods spirite it iudged doubtfully of Gods mercie and promises but when the spirite of God had exiled and banished doubtfulnesse and placed this strong fortresse of confidence The right hande of GOD can chaunge this my wofull and miserable estate with the iudgement and féeling thereof he was rapte and stricken with a meruellous loue of Gods wonders and repeated
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
God GOD laughteth the intent of the wicked to scorne Psalme 2. So the wicked maye obteine their purpose they care not by what meanes Genesis 3. By what meanes the diuel deceiued Adam Dauid Absolon 3. Reg. 15. Elias Achab. 3. Reg. 18. Christ. The wicked sort of the world Matth. 27. Matth. 8. Mark 5. Luke 8. Paule Tertullus c. Actes 24. Whome God do exalt to say the truth the wicked condemne as heretiques Howe doe the wicked vse their lyes Three maner of wais doe lyes harme Iohn 8. Manifest lyes amōg the ignorant Example 1. Reg. 15. Num. 14. Moses Iosua Caleb Manifest lies in matters of religion Gene. 11. Exo. 6. 7. 8. 3. Reg. 16. 17. 18. Matth. 15. Amongest the papists defenders of idolatrie be proferred 2. Cor. 4. The vse of lyes amongest the faithfullesse Gene. 3. 4. Eue. Caine. 1. Reg. 17. Saule Absolon 3. Reg. 15. The diuell vseth lyes many wayes A perillous vse of lyes Esau. Gene. 27. Absolon 3. Reg. 15. Matth. 22. Note The amiable countenance of the papists in King Edwards dayes be turned nowe into firie faces Prou. 24. The people of god do fall 1 Iohn 1. The sinnes of the faithful be not imputed vnto them for Christes sake Rom. 8. Iustification Note Rom. 8. He that standeth fast of Gods election can not fall to damnation Nichodemus Iohn 3. The lōger a man is at schoole the more sweetnesse in learning doeth he feele Why shal not be godly fall Health The mercy of God and not manswork saueth a sinner Glorie Note The afflicted Christian that beleeueth the strengthe of Gods mercy to exceede the force of his enimies receiueth consolation Euery christiā giueth the glorie only vnto God Matth. 6. The Prophete by faith claimeth the glory of God to be his glory Note Consolatiō Psal. 103. Oh liuely faith Luke 17. Esai 29. Matth. 15. 1. Cor. 14. Exhortation What is the office of the pastor when he vnderstandeth the scriptures 1. Cor. 14. The office of Kinges and Magistrates Parentes and Maisters No truste in fleshe bloud Note As man isIf we say we haue no sinne in vs so is his helpe Note diligently The Israelites vsed the Egyptians for helpe An inferiour medicine to the disease can not cure the patiēt Iere. 17. What doth come of the trust in man Two euils Gal. 6. A goodly explanatiō of Paules words god forbid that I should glory in c. Man more vaine then vanitie Why man is more vaine then vanitie Who so trusteth in any thing sauing in God doeth dishonour God Wrong done vnto God Ose. 2. Iere. 44. What doth he that be leeueth any doctrin besides gods word Wrong done vnto man Why riches are giuen vnto man Gene. 4. Iob. 33. Note Genesis 4. Abel in Hebrue in English in Vanitie How God doth reward euery man after his workes Psalm 37. Matth. 26. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Cor. 3. Heb. 11. Matth. 10. Iames. 2. Gen. 12. 15. 17. 22. Rom. 4. Matth. 7. Matth. 5. Luke 6. Apoc. 3. Prouerb 3. Heb. 11. Psal. 37. 73. Abac. 2. Matth. 6. Colos. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 25. Cantic 4. Iohn 17. Ephes. 2. Matth. 19. Rom. 8. Luke 23. Psalm 119. Apoc. 6. 27 22. Esaie 54. Ose. 1. Heb. 12. Esaie 53. Rom. 3. Exod. 14. Gene. 10. 1. Reg. 28. Trip. Hist. Exod. 5. 1. Reg. 28. Trip. Hist. Psalm 119. Carion Iob. 1. 2. Ioh. 16. Gal. 5. Col. 1. 1. Thes. 1. Heb. 12. Iames. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Psalm 119. Deut. 4. 2. Reg. 22. Neh. 9. Psalme 18. 91 118. Rom. 5. 12. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 1. Matth. 20. Gene. 3. Gene. 3. Iohn 8. Gene. 20. Iudith 13. Iudith 7. Hester 4. Psal. 94. Gene. 3. Gene. 4. 21. 27. Num. 16. Num. 12. Gene. 38. 1. Reg. 19. Mat. 14. 27 Matth. 20. Iohn 21. Iohn 16. Psal. 2◠Iohn 17. Matth. 19. Psal. 94. Psal. 112. Psal. 1. Psal. 119. Matth. 5. Matth. 10. Matth. 16. Exod. 14. Dan. 3. Philip. 3. Hebr. 11. 3. Reg. 1 Matth. 17. Luke 6. ◠Tim. 6. Luke 6. 3. Reg. 25. Dan. 4. Exod. 32. Deut. 40. Psal. 92. Esai 40. Matth. 6 1. Pet. 1 Eccle. 3. 4. 5. 3. Reg. 8. 1. Tim. 6. Luke 12. Matth. 6. That is to say Death Eccle. 41. Gene. 3. Gene. 4. Num. 17. 2. Reg. 11. Matth. 26. Hebr. 11. Exod. 3. Matth. 14. Iohn 7. 8. 9 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 1. Matth. 7. Iere. 20. Iohn 16. Psalm 83. and 31. Rom. 8. Matth. 11. Esaie 55. Iohn 7. Esaie 18. Rom. 5. 14. Matth. 5. Of those that weepe mourne who be blessed Two sons of people condemned Esaie 45. Two impediments keepe God from helping the troubled 1. Ignorance 2. Feare of Gods iustice Of ignoraunce is sprong horrible blasphemie 1. Peter 1. The remedie against ignorance 2 Peter 1. Psalm 119. Psalme 1. Esaie 59. Esaie 8. Deut. 6. Ephes. 6. What cōmeth of the feare of Gods iustice Matth. 5. Luke 1. Rom. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. Gods spirite worketh the knowlege of sinne by preaching of the law How we should vse our selues in the time of trouble Psalm 50. 15. The feare and terror of sinne is an intollerable butthen The conscience being admonished of the filthines of sin bringeth the body into a trēbling and feare What ensueth after the feare of conscience for sinne Psalm 42. Psalm 38. Psalme 6. Psalm 77. Rom. 7. Note Psalm 126. Matth. 5. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 26. No trouble to the trouble of cōscience Differēce betweene the penitent desperate and contemptuous man The penitent man The desperat man The contemptuous man Note The Christian afflicted The wicked afflicted Note Gods nature and mans differ much Man for the most parte is vnstable followeth religion as the world fauoureth Idols set vp againe in Queene Maries time How long mans loue continueth towardes man God loueth and helpeth the poore afflicted Psalm 77. Consolation Psalme 91. God hateth not the troubled for his trouble but for his sinne Man hateth man for trouble and not for sinne Continuance in prayer Patient expectation Matth. 6. 8 As long as sinn is not felt man is iocund pleasant 2. Samu. 1. Rom. 8. Act. 9. When the horrour of a mans sin is felt to desperatiō no worldly ioyes cā comfort the afflicted person Gene. 3. 4. Note Matth. 26. Luke 7. Iohn 8. Psal. 77. 1. Tim. ◠Esai 66. Apoc. 14. The dearest frends of Christe be not voyde of trouble anguish of minde for their sins Consolation An ordinari way that God vseth to call sinners to repentaunce and from repentance to forgiuenesse Psal. 51. Two maner of discomforts An inward discomforte Matth. 3. Mark 1. Gene. 3. 4. 2. Samu. 11 Matth. 27. Act. 9. Matth. 3. Mark 1. Saule and Iudas 1. Samu. 31. Matth. 27. Mark 14. Pharao Exod. 14. Num. 16. Rom. 3. 5. Outward discomfort Gene. 5. 6. Matth. 11. Luke 7. Esai 65. Esai 53. 6. Matth. 13. Iohn 12. Rom. 11. Rom. 1. Sinne not felt bringeth the cōtempt of