are spoken Verse 2. Behold as the eyes of seruaunts looke vnto the hande of their maisters and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistres so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Here the prophet setteth forth by similitude the nature of true pietie As if he sayd Great is our affliction and yet the Lord prolongeth his helpe neither easing our miserie nor reuenging our wrong He suffereth the cruel the proude and the scornful to treaâ— vs vnder foote and to prosper in our sight This delay is tedious greuous vnto vs Notwithstanding we will not murmure or become vnpatient in these our afflictions but as good seruaunts in their distresse looke to the hand that is for help and succour at the hand of their masters mistresses so will we attend vpon y Lord our God vntill he haue pitie vpon vs. Thus we see that the Lorde sometimes deferreth his helpe neither shewing how nor when he will help but leauing his Saints in such perplexitie as though he had no regard either of the time or of the maner of their deliuerance so that they seme to hang as it were in the middes betwene heauen and earth These things are greuous and excedingly encrease the tentation Therefore we must lay sure hold on this consolation which the Prophet here setteth forth that our tentation shal haue an end but not as we would lest we seeme to appoint the time and maner of our deliuerance which the lord reserueth to him self alone And here is an example set forth vnto vs patiently to wait vpon the Lord in the time of trouble to be instant in prayer and neuer to let our hands fall or turne our eyes from the Lord but constantly to perseuere in sure hope expectation of his gracious deliuerance and of his helping hand to be present with vs in our necessitie whereof our Sauiour Christ also warneth vs in the Gospell of the woman and the vnrighteous iudge who although he neither feared God nor man yet because this woman neuer ceased to call vpon him he was compelled to heare her cause For if the worst man be not yet so wicked but he may be ouercome with instant and continuall prayer what shall we not hope to obteine at Gods hand which willingly offereth him selfe to heare our prayers and also commaundeth vs to pray yea and is more ready to graunt our petitions then we are to aske For in that he differreth his help he doth it not because he will not heare vs but to exercise and stirre vp our faith and to teach vs that the wayes whereby he can and doth deliuer vs are so manifold miraculous that we are neuer able to conceiue them Therfore let vs thinke that the thing which we aske is not denied but differred assure our selues that we are not neglected because of this delay The patient abiding of the afflicted saith Dauid in an other Psalme shall not perish yea the Lord will not lose the glory of his name which Dauid in the same Psalme attributeth vnto him namely that he is a helper in time conuenient And here is to be noted by the way that the holy Ghost commendeth the gouernment of housholds and families in this place and signifieth that to serue is a vocation which pleaseth him if it be done in faith For seruauntes are here mentioned for the comfort of all good seruauntes and in them is commended not onely their patience but also the confidence and trust which they haue in the goodnes of their maisters assuredly trusting with patient tarying to finde mercie and fauour in their sight in time conuenient But in deede Dauid speaketh here of better seruauntes then are commonly seene at this day for there is no kinde of people more deceitful negligent and stubborne euen when there is great cause of sharpe and seuere correction Wherefore let all such as will be counted good seruaunts remember the example and rule set forth here by the holy Ghost and obserued of all good seruaunts which is that they are not froward and stubborne but patiently endure all things and do the duety of true and faithfull seruaunts hauing alwayes a watchfull eye to the hand of their maisters And further note how humbly the faithful think of them selues in the sight of god They are called and chosen to this dignitie to be the heyres and children of God and are exalted aboue the Angels and yet notwithstanding they count them selues no better in Gods sight then seruauntes They say not here beholde like as children loke to the hand of their fathers but as seruaunts to the hand of their masters This is the humilitie and modestie of the godly it is so farre of that hereby they lose the dignitie of Gods children to the which they are called that by this meanes it is made to them more sure and certaine Moreouer here is to be obserued that Dauid sayth not simply VVe lift vp our eyes to the Lord but he addeth moreouer to the Lord our God that is to say that God which hath reuealed him selfe to vs in his word for otherwise he were not our god The gods of the Gentiles idolls which men deuise vnto them selues are called gods but he is the true God and none but he which hath declared him selfe to vs in his word and promised in the same that he will be our God c. The Papistes haue deuised vnto them selues a seruice and worship of God contrarie to the word of God and therefore they worship not the true God in deede but an idoll of their owne heart yea they worship a creaâ—â—â— made and fashioned with mans handes for the almightie creaâ—â—â— of heauen earth But our God is he not whom we haue deuised but which hath paynted and set out him selfe in his Scriptures how and by what meanes he wil be serued and worshipped This our God because he seemeth oftentimes to estraunge him selfe from vs and to haue no care of vs the wicked doe shunne and forsake and seeke helpe of Peter and Paule and many times of Satan through sorcery and witchcraft and other deuilish meanes thinking because God prolongeth his helpe to finde thereby more speedye succour But thus our God is wont to deale with vs first as is sayd to proue and exercise vs and so to bring vs to the knowledge of our selues that we may see our owne weakenes and frailty which are so readie to be ledde away from him then also to bring vs to the knowledge of him whereby we may see both how willing he is and also howe able by farre better meanes to helpe vs then mans heart can conceiue Verse 3. Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered too much contempt Here may we see that the godly doe not onely feele their owne crosse but the affliction of other also is to them a great crosse and as
the word is deliuered vnto vs to this ende that we should continually exercise ourselues therein Foâ— without this exercise we waxe dull and forget our selues We see into what great daungers men dayly fall And whereof else commeth this but because they are secure they pray not they heare not the word whereby Satan worketh in their hearts by litle and litle a contempt of the word and so bringeth them either in to sudden desperation or other horrible calamities For if the word be once lost and gone what hath a man to defend him selfe with all against this aduersary It is the part of a Christian therefore to be exercised continually in the word and prayer not onely because it conteineth such thinges as the hearte is not able fully to comprehend but also for that our aduersary tempteth not once but continually therefore we must continually fight against him with the word and prayer Thus we see that prayer perteineth to the people of Christ to the redemed and sanctified for the vnbeleuers and wicked doe not pray Verse 5. They that sowe in teares shall reape in joy Emongst other thinges which properly pertaine to the redemed this also is one that they are subiect to many temptations according to the saying of Sainct Peter By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heauen Therefore the profession of a Christian man is rightly called the profession of the crosse So it behoued Christ the head of his Church to suffer And the Prophets through the inspiration of the holy Ghost did testifie before of his passion and his glorification which should follow And how can it be but that Christians must needes suffer since thou shalt finde no kind of life in the world which is without the crosse except thou wilt be vniust But if thou vnfaynedly seeke to liue iustly and godly in this world it can not be auoyded but that Satan wil lay a crosse vpon thee and vexe thee How much more then will he so doe when thou must fight with him touching righteousnes and life euerlasting For if Satan can not abide ciuill and externall iustice home will he abide eternall righteousnes whereby he knoweth that he shall perish for euer Thus Satan continually persecuteth and vexeth the children of god Wherefore of all men their life is most miserable whether you looke to the thinges which they suffer in the flesh or in the conscience In ciuil affaires and thinges parteyning to this life there appeareth some shadow at the least of ioy and pleasure but they that will be true Christians feele them selues miserably wrapped in sinne which maketh the conscience giltie before god Moreouer in the sight of the world they are counted as wormes outcastes and cursed people subiect to the malice of Satan and the whole world therefore the world rageth against them with all kind of crueltie Who so then wil see the true image of a Christian let him behold Iob compassed on eâ—ery side and oppressed with deuills greeuously afflicted and tormented full of fowle and lothsome sores What shall we then doe These thinges must we suffer if we desire to atteyne eternall life If we will confesse and acknowledge our redemer Iesus Christ and our redemption let vs be assured that there shall alwayes be ready which will seeke to spoyle vs of our righteousnes and eternall life Let vs therefore as Sirach teacheth prepare our soules to tentation and let vs offer our backe to the plowers c. as the Psalme sayth For who so euer counteth him selfe a Christian must thinke him selfe no better then his maister christ For we must be made â—â—ke to the image of the sonne of God. If Christ bare a crowne of thorne vpon his head let not vs thinke that we shall haue a garland of roses set vppon our head For our partes we seeke peace and quietnes neither doe we giue vnto the world iust occasion to rage against vs Albeit Satans malice is not so pacified but rather encreased Behold nowe therefore the miserable image of a Christian which is redeemed notwithstanding he is full of sinne full of discomfort and ful of death He is like vnto Lazarus lying before the rich mans gate He is like to Iob oppressed with infinite miseries and calamities Here thou wilt say Who would then desire to be a Christian Harken therefore what Peter sayth Brethren thinke it not straunge as concerning the fiery tryall which is amonge you to proue you as though some straunge thing were come vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christes sufferinges that when his glory shall appeare ye may be glad and reioyce For this is the image of Christ of his Church and of al the brethren that we should suffer But looke not to the sufferings and tribulations onely but behold also the fruite that followeth namely that they which sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Whâ—â— can be sayde more comfortably to those that carry the crosse of Christ which touching the spirite are vexed of deuills touching the body afflicted of the world For Satan oppugneth our faith â–ª causeth vs to murmure against God or else so oppresseth our hartes with heauines and sorrow that we knowe not what we doe or whether to turne vs and yet is it true that we are sanctified 〈◊〉 redemed Notwithstanding this redemption is hidden but thâ— temptation is felt both in the spirite and in the flesh Besides 〈◊〉 this the world ceaseth not to vexe vs the aduersaries of the woâ—â— slaunder vs and our doctrine and falsely accuse vs seeking a thousand occasions to molest vs yea to roote vs vtterly from the fact of the earth When a man once feeleth these thinges his heart trembleth and cryeth Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vppon vs All this is to sowe in teares to goe foorth and weepe and to cary seede for so the holy Ghost calleth it It can not be then but that a Christian must needes be such a sower as must reape not in laughter but in bitter sorrow and teares But thou wilt say Where iâ— then the laughter which is preached to the redemed whereof Dauid spake a litle before In the spirite For looke how much faith thou hast so much laughter thou hast also But sometimes this laughter is lost and turned into mourning yet are we not forsaken For the promise is sure that we shall reape in ioy Moreouer we must not vnderstand here by sowing the office of teaching onely as Paule vseth it which sow vnto you spirituall thinges c. but it signifieth the life of the godly with the whole course and all the actions thereof which they take in hand in respect of their vocation For these are as it were seedes of the life to come which life we enioy and possesse in hope For our saluation is sure certaine and the victory ouer sinne hell and death is ours but yet in hope Notwithstanding so long as we are in
madnes For if patience suffer any thinge it commeth of a certain desperation as when a man thus thinketh with him selfe All that I suffer is but in vaine This patience is turned into fury and is oppressed with desperation But Christian pacience will not suffer it selfe to be oppressed but continually taketh hold vpon hope whereby at length it preuaileth and getteth the victory It is a harde thing not to be discouraged with such trobles as daily happen in matters perteining to the common course of this life But patiently to endure those afflictions which Dauid by his owne example sheweth that Christians which haue already receiued the forgiuenes of sinnes must suffer to haue a stedfast hope in the bitter vexations of sinne and accusations of conscience and patiently to suffer all other affâ—ictioÌ„s wherwith Satan vexeth and tormenteth the beleeuing heart this is in deede a diuine and an heauenly vertue and such a conflicte that God hath promised vnto it an incorruptible crowne of glory Now ensueth an exhortation that we should follow this example of Dauid and embrace this doctrine Verse 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercie and with him is plentifull redemption This is in deede a golden verse worthy to be knowne and well vnderstand wherein Dauid wisheth and exhorteth all men by his example wholy to rest and to continue in a sure hope of the mercie of God. For faith is not so lightly to be esteemed as the Papistes teach which dreame that faith is a qualitie remaining in the hart with the which the hart after it can once number these syllables I beleue in God passeth on as it were in a sleepe For they that haue no experience of those conflictes which faith must endure doe but laugh vs to scorne when we say that faith is a principall vertue wherewith onely and alone we are iustified deliuered from sinne hell death and damnation For it is true that the wise man â—aith A foole vnderstandeth not except ye talke of those things which are in his owne hart These things therefore which we attribute vnto faith they ascribe vnto charitie preferre charitie aboue faith But if faith be set forth rightly in her owne colours it farre excelleth charitie For behold the obiects of faith It fighteth alone before God against Satan who neuer resteth but warreth against faith continually and that euen concerning death and life euerlasting concerning sinne and the accusation of the lawe concerning grace and the remission of sinnes Now if with faith you compare charitie whose office is to be exercised in releuing the miseryes and calamities of men whether they haue neede of comfort or succour in minde or in body who seeth not howe farre faith excelleth charitie For howe great a difference is there betwene God man betwene corporall necessities eternal death These are therfore the exercises of faith euen in the greatest dangers to fight continually against Satan in the presence of God For as I said before our â—ruel enemie will giue vs no breathing no time of rest Wherfore albeit the charitie is not onely a goodly vertue but also extendeth farre in comparison of other moral vertues yet is faith without all comparison a farre more excellent heauenly vertue whether ye consider y obiects therof or other causes For this is the fruite of faith when the hart feeleth that death is ouercome by the death of Christ that sinne also is put away the law abolished by grace and mercie These thinges are of them selues most certaine Yet such is our infirmitie that we can noe certeinly apprehend them and therefore we are terrified with the cogitations of death and sinne But if this hope and trust in the mercie of God were perfect no heauines should euer oppresse the beleuing hart Therefore Dauid vseth this exhortation that Israell after it hath once obteyned this mercie should still perseuere in wayting on the Lord and not suffer this trust and confidence in the mercie of the Lord to be wrested from him And here he hath respect to that great conflict wherein the mind oppressed with calamities beginneth to doubt of the mercie of god In this conflict because the mind doth not so soone feele those comforts which the word promiseth and faith beleueth as it would doe it is ready to despayre Against this tentation Dauid armeth vs and warneth vs to be mindfull that we must waite on the Lorde and neuer depart from the word or beleue any thing against the word and he sheweth the cause why For with the Lord sayth he is mercie The flesh in tentations and afflictions thinketh that with the Lorde there is nothing but wrath The holy Ghost therefore comforteth vs and goeth about to plucke this opinion out of our hartes pronounceth that there is mercie and goodnes with the Lord if we can but onely waite on the Lord and put our trust in him This testimonie of conscience and of the holy Ghost we haue great neede of for if we followe our owne sense we shall be deceaued and finde in our selues the contrary But we may not iudge of these matters according to our owne sense or as we feele in our selues but we must stand to the worde and thus thinke with our selues that these are matters of fayth and not of our owne sense and feeling For to beleue is not to feele Not because these thinges shall neuer be felt which we now beleue but because faith must go before feeling and experience And we must beleue the worde although we feele in our owne hartes and iudgement neuer so much to the contrary As when our hartes oppressed with calamities doe thinke God to be angrie with vs not to care for vs but to hate vs then faith cleane contrary must thus assure it selfe that with God there is neither anger nor hatred that he neither thinketh of punishment nor offence but although he suffer vs to be afflicted yet he doth it not to the ende to destroy vs For with him sayeth the Psalme is mercie Therefore he is mindfull of vs to doe vs good to deliuer vs from daungers to mortifie our sinnes and to increase his other good giftes in vs If these thinges happen not to the wicked what maruell is it For either they beleue not or else if they doe they continue not Wherefore let vs that beleue with faith ioyne hope also so that albeit our owne sense and hart shall worke neuer so much against vs and that God shall seeme neuer so sharpe an enemy in punishing vs yet let vs not yeld so much to our owne sense and feeling as to the written word and to the holy Ghost which pronounceth that with the Lord there is mercie who loueth vs seeketh to doe vs good This is the truth of the holy Ghost that we should thinke yea most assuredly beleue that with the Lord there is no anger but if any calamities
pray Let the faithfull rest therefore in this comfort that their oppression and affliction shall neuer be so great but their deliuerance shal be greater And if they thinke otherwise they thinke not well For this is the summe effect of the first precept which Dauid here expresseth with the Lord there is plenteous redemption For this is to be a god in deede euen to redeme and to deliuer yea that with greater maiestie and glory then of any mortall man it can be conceaued Verse 8. And he shall redeme Israel from all his iniquities This promise is a conclusion of the Psalme Wherein againe he sheweth what cause he had to pray what we also in like daunger should hope for And in deede it is a sweete and a ioyfull thing to behold the goodnes of the Lord not onely in that he giueth gouerneth and preserueth this life but much rather in that he sheweth him selfe an enemie to sinne and death and this he doth to saue and to deliuer vs from the daunger thereof For this is it that maketh all other gifts of God more sweete pleasant For although we know that we are the creatures of God yet notwithstanding because we are oppressed with heauines feare death the gilt of conscience and such other calamities we can not enioy the giftes of God with a free and a chereful hart This is then to paynt out God in his owne colours so that this life Gods creatures may be sweete vnto vs when he is sette forth according to this verse namely that he will deliuer his people from their sinnes slay death destroy hel and treade downe Satan vnder his feete Such a God is the God of those that beleue that beleue I say For they that beleue although they be weake and feeble harted and vexed of the deuill and death yet they knowe that God is their deliuerer from all their iniquities Therefore they are reysed vppe with comfort and begin to hope wayting for deliuerance promised in the word Ye shall therefore apply this verse to this ende that it may be as a definition what is the office of God and what his will is properly to doe namely that he will haue to doe with sinners that he will abolish sinne create life righteousnes all good thinges Now the meane whereby God worketh these thinges you know is Christ whom he sent into this world and layed vppon him the punishment of death that they which beleue on him might obteine remission of their sinnes and be made the children of god Thus teacheth and treateth the whole Psalme not of this externall life or good workes but onely of faith and hope towards God through Christ and of the finall victorie ouer sinne and death For these things are not gotten by the workes and power of man but by the worke and power of God alone and they are communicated vnto vs because there is mercie with the Lorde and with him is plentifull redemption This is the onely meanes and the way whereby this victorie is gotten The doctrine of works hath an other end and is so to be taught that the glory of God and the merite of Christ be nothing thereby diminished like as we by the grace of Christ haue sincerely and faithfully euery where handled this doctrine God graunt that the same light may shine also to our posteritie Amen The .131 Psalme Lorde myne hart is not hautie c. This Psalme treateth in a maner of the same matter that the Psalme going before speaketh of sauing that the former Psalme expresseth the contrary more plainely and largely Whereby he most liuely paynteth out an afflicted conscience oppressed with the feeling and burthen of sinne This Psalme hath bene heretofore vsed of the diuines against all maner of pride and presumption a common vice of all mankind and from the which there is not one of vs free neither can it be cured by any other remedy then either by the grace of God or by the wrath of God that is when either the godly by afflictions are corrected with fatherly chastisement or the wicked are plaged with seuere punishment By these meanes presumption the naturall vice of all men is cured Otherwise it is not possible but that man should presume either of his owne wisedom or of his owne power or of his owne righteousnes This pride afterwardes bringeth foorth contention As for example we see how many and sundry wayes men are exercised with such matters as perteyne to the ostentation or to the praise and commendation of the witte wisedome of man For here one man thinketh better of him selfe then of an other one man will be counted wiser and better learned then an other What will such wittes doe thinke you when they shall afterwardes come to the handling of Gods matters Likewise power bewitcheth mens hartes that they can make no ende of proud deuises and counsells The same hapned to the Phariseis hypocrites for that is proper vnto them when they conceiued an opinion of their owne holines and righteousnes To be briefe proud and presumptuous men are troublers not only of them selues but also of the cōmon wealth of the Church of housholds and families of al things else They that are skilful in histories doe see what great euills proud ambitious witts haue alwaies raised vp So in the Church heretiks stirred vp with a perswasion of their owne wisedom are troublers of peace and concord The same commeth to passe also in families houshold matters whereof riseth this prouerbe among the Germanes They which attempt that they can not bring to passe are worthely plagued But who are they I pray you Forsoth euen the whole world For what is he that is contēted with his own gift attempteth not somewhiles to do better more exactly then he is able to accomplish Wherfore the third euill necessarily followeth y like as presumption breaketh quietnes concord alwayes as a fruitful mother breedeth strife dissention so at the last followeth vanitie of vanities the attempts of the wicked are all in vaine This vice reacheth reigneth farre can not be cured by any other remedie as I haue sayd then either by grace or by wrath By grace I meane when by affliction our harts are humbled and we brought to this point that we can thinke modestly of our owne gift By wrath when God oppreseth the wicked with punishments and plagues taketh them away as he take away Pharao whose stubbernes and obstinacie could not be cured but by destruction in the redde sea So the Beniamites did not cease from their furie vntill they were almost consumed In like maner Absolon could neuer be quiet vntill he was hanged vpon a tree Arius also Cerinthus with many authors of newe sectes and errors in these our daies could neuer rest vntil they came to such an end as their acts enterprises did
for this day or to morrowe but now and for euer So that ye muste haue a certaine continuall and a constant presumption if I may so say of the mercie of God of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of the righteousnes that commeth by christ Contrariwise ye must beware that ye neuer presume of your owne workes albeit they ought to be holy and according to the law of god For this naked and this onely trust ought to remaine which is called the confidence of the free mercy of God offered vnto vs in christ This trust is sure and neuer deceiueth vs For God is no lyer but faithfully performeth that he hath promised Doe thou therefore but trust and still faithfully rest vpon his promise But here we are not without daunger of the deuill whiche goeth about with all his might and power to bring vs from this assuraunce and trust of the mercie of God towardes vs in christ Wherefore we must fight and with continuall battaile practise this doctrine against the deuill and spirituall wickednes which by all meanes goe about first to lift vs vp with pride and presumption and afterwards to throwe vs downe againe to desperation But God worketh a contrary way For first he terrifieth vs and casteth vs downe that afterwards he may raise vs vp againe He bringeth vs downe to hel that he may bring vs back againe The dugge of grace also he sometimes taketh from vs that we may learne what our owne righteousnes is wont to doe namely to oppresse vs with desperation And this he doth to the ende that wee hauing experience thereof should not followe our owne sense and reason but raise vp our selues with a sure hope trust in Christe whereby the dead are restored to life and saued This mercie is as a strong heauen or firmament ouer vs wherwith we beeing couered are safe and sure where so euer we be So Esay calleth it a shadow against the heate because we are couered and defended by the mercie of God against wrath desperation the deuill death This shadow who so euer doe forsake shal suffer intolerable heat Thus we learne by this verse that Dauid speaketh of that damnable presumption of our owne righteousnes exhorteth vs to fight against it with a sure hope of Gods eternall mercie and a constant faith This is the onely way whereby we are saued The .132 Psalme Lorde remember Dauid c. This Psalme whether it be Salomons as it seemeth or whether it be Dauids it is a prayer for the kingdom the Priesthood for these two are the most principall giftes of God in this worlde Wherefore they haue neede of prayer and the helpe of God to defend them against the deuill whose double title ye knowe which Christ giueth vnto him in the Gospel of Iohn when he calleth him a lyer and a murtherer For he resteth not but busily laboureth seeketh by all meanes possible to replenish the world with lyes murthers Against these two policies and kingdoms of the deuill God hath erected two other kingdoms the politike state and the priesthood the one to fight against murther and the other against false doctrine and heresies So Dauid and all other Kinges and Princes in gouerning the common wealth ought to endeuor that their subiectes may liue a peaceable and a quiet life that mariages the education of children other dueties perteining to howshold gouernment may be mainteyned and defended against seditious and wicked persons The priesthoode is to this ende that children growing vp may be brought to the kingdom of heauen and the ministers of the Church are as Angells appoynted to defend the truth that the kingdom of Satan the father of lyes may be destroyed These be the proper offices of the ministers of the Church and of the worde which ministers haue bene alwayes in the world among the faithful and haue kept continuall battaile against heretikes and the ministers of Satan So the Patriarkes before the flood fought against the Canaites or ofspring of Cain after the flood against the Esauites and others The Prophets fought against the false prophetes as their writinges doe testifie and the Apostles likewise against the false apostles for Satan ceaseth not And besides this the kingdom of Satan was alwaies the greater For if ye cōsider the church there were euer moe godles and infidels then faythfull So in the ciuill gouernment the greater part consisteth of those which are disobedient which raise vp troubles seditions and warres Wherfore since the kingdom of Satan if ye consider the number is the greater and moreouer since both the politike state and the priesthood are such as farre exceede the power of man therfore can not be defended mainteyned by our strength or policie hereby we may see how necessary this prayer is whereby Dauid desireth that they may prosper and continue And here first of all marke the difference betwene Dauid and other Princes of the world Other Princes and rulers doe also vnderstand and see that common weales can not be preserued by mans power Wherfore they sayd that he which should well happily gouerne had neede to be endued with some diuine and godly power And albeit they were ignorant that these thinges are gouerned by God yet they preferred fortune for so they called the blessing of God the cause whereof they did not know before wisedom power iustice and all princely vertues For where as iust men for the most part be oppressed and the vniust doe rule and reigne therefore they thought that iustice is not the meane whereby kingdomes and common weales are preserued For then Cicero should not haue bene oppressed nor Antonius aduaunced to such power and authoritie If by power kingdoms could be preserued then should not Themistocles haue ouercome Xerxes Likewise many notable Emperours lacked no wisedom nor industrie and yet were they miserable notwithstanding These examples and this experience caused the Gentiles to thinke that there was a certeyne diuine power in great Monarches and Emperours to rule gouerne their earthly power wisedom and iustice whereby they did so prosper vppon the earth and this they called fortune But here behold and consider Dauid He also seeth that it is not in his power to preserue and vphold his kingdom and yet doth he not thinke that it is fortune which supporteth vpholdeth kingdoms for he beleueth that this perteyneth to God alone Besides this he beleueth as ye shall heare that God for his mercies sake will not reiect those that call vpon him But the Gentiles knewe neither of these thinges Moreouer the same necessitie which moueth the Prince or the Magistrate to pray for the common welth moueth him also to pray for the Priesthood and for the Church of god So we see that this Psalme is a prayer for the people of the olde Testament that God would preserue the kingdome and Priesthood euen for his promises made vnto Dauid It is likewise
and make men holy So our Church is called holy not onely for the holines of the persons but rather for the holines which the word and Sacraments doe bring vnto those whiche vse them rightly To those he wisheth ioy and gladnes and that they may reioyce and be mery in the Lord. The meaning then of this clause is this that Christ Iesus our King hath giuen vnto vs his word hath commaunded vs to be baptised to vse the Sacrament of his body and blood not be cause he would destroy vs oppresse vs with sorrow and driue vs to desperation but to this ende that we should reioyce and be merry hauing peace and a good conscience by his free grace and mercye The kingdom of Christ therefore is the kingdom of ioy and delyuerance as an other Psalme saith in the tabernacles of the righteous that is in the Church and among the faithful it is the voice of reioycing For they knowe that Christ their King would that they should haue comfort life and victory against death and Satan This is then the reioycing triumph of Christians or as here he calleth them of the Saincts Why then should a Christian be heauy or sorowfull since that he is called into the kingdome of Christ and of grace baptised and nourished with the body and blood of Christ and dayly raysed vp by the word against desperation and all terrours If I then doe yet remaine in bitternes and heauines of spirite the fault is not in this kingdome nor in the word or Sacraments but in me and in the deuill because I doe not with a true faith lay hold vpon the word and thorowly beleeue it For why should I feare if I did verely beleue that I am baptised called made pertaker of the body and blood of Christ and so receiued into the kingdom of life comprehended of grace as Paul speaketh and shut vnder the mercie of God These are nothing else therefore but the subtill sleightes and deceits of Satan which will not suffer vs to see our inestimable riches and glory but counterfetteth tentations and crosses where no crosse is but health and victorye Wherefore it was well said of that Christian virgine who being tempted of Satan answered that she was a Christian and so rested wholy in that man Christ. For we may not reason muche with Satan If he obiect vnto thee thy sinnes it shal suffice if thou obiect vnto him againe thy baptisme which he can not deny Also if thou lay against him the word whereby thou wast called into the kingdom of grace which for as much as it is the word of God how can it deceiue thee Thus in a Christian heauines can take no place if in his hart he doe acknowledge baptisme the word the communion of the body and blood of Christ the grace the fauour and the mercie of god How can he then but reioyce and be glad But because we often times suffer the worde and these giftes of God to be taken from vs and turne our eyes an other way it can not be but that heauines and terror must needes follow And this commeth to passe by the faulte partely of our selues as I haue saide and partly of Satan who leadeth vs from the word before we be ware and maketh vs to thinke of our owne worthynes or vnworthynes of our good or euill desertes also of the terror of death of the torments of hell c. When we thinke of these things if we lay not hold vppon Christ we perish and are swallowed vp with anguish and sorrowe for this is to lose the Arke of the couenant They therefore which in these daungers take holde agayne of the word are safe and are now able to say with Dauid VVhy art thou cast downe O my soule and why arte thou vnquiet within me For I am nowe in the kingdome of Christe that is in the kingdome of peace of ioy and eternall reioycing sauing that it is hindred by the deuill and by our owne flesh which is more ready to beholde her owne sinnes and vnworthynes then baptisme the word and the sweete promises of god And this is the wisedome yea the poyson which is hidde in our flesh that we are more moued with our owne vncleannes then with the purenes of the word and the Sacramentes They then whiche rest in the word are in a sure hauen of safegarde from all these tempests and terrours We must pray therefore that God would giue vs good Pastors faithful wise and godly disposers of the word of god For by their meanes and ministery the Churche doeth enioy this inestimable benefite and blessing whereby it triumpheth ouer death sinne and the deuill For it knoweth that it is nowe in the kingdome of grace This is true and perfect peace namely the peace of the hart and conscience Thus the Prophet desireth as an inestimable gifte that the pastors and Ministers of the word may be clothed with righteousnes and then that the people also may reioyce This is the firste parte of this Psalme Now followeth the seconde parte Verse 10. For thy seruaunt Dauids sake refuse not the face of thine annoynted This is a newe prayer which he maketh in the trust and confidence which he hath in the promises For here as also before the name of Dauid doth not properly ssgnifie the substance but â—he qualitie of Dauid that is to say Dauid clothed and adorned with the promises of the kingdom As if he sayd O lord I beseech thee preserue and blesse our kingdom be thou present with vs be thou our shield and our defence And this I doe desire not for myne owne cause onely as though there were any worthines in me wherefore thou shouldest graunt me this petition but I desire it in the trust of thy promises which thou madest vnto my father Dauid when thou saydest that thou wouldest giue a light vnto the house of Dauid c. And here haue we both an example and doctrine set before vs that we also when we pray vnto god should looke specially vnto the promises as we haue sayde sometymes heretofore Moreouer this place admonisheth vs of the difference which is betwene the spirituall the corporall promises For the corporal promises haue a condition as touching our workes ioyned vnto them So the corporal kingdom was promised to Dauid with this condition If his posteritie should continue in the word the wil of the Lord as in Moses it doth appeare But the spirituall promises are grounded vpon no condition of mens workes but vpon the onely mercy truth of the lord Therefore although the people of Israell were depriued of the kingdom driuen out of their land yet notwithstanding the promise as touching the seede of Abraham was not taken from them For thus sayth the text Although I cast them out viset them with scourges yet my mercy I wil not take from theÌ„ Likewise Esay sayth God
the truth both which sortes I haue here in few words to exhort to desire first such as haue mind to heare reade the doctrine of truth that they in life will follow that they heare and reade Of the other companie this I haue to craue that for as much as the gracious goodnes of the Lord hath raysed vp before their face such plenty of preachers teachers writers and translators wherby by all meanes to call them and to do them good they wisely againe for their partes wil consider what they haue to do that is to take the time before them not to refuse the riches of Gods great grace offered least peraduenture hereafter ignorance wil not excuse them wheras now the light of truth so euidently appearing wittingly and willingly they stoppe their eyes from seeing their eares from hearing The Lord God of peace father of all mercy consolation for Christ Iesus his Sonnes sake open our hartes and senses that all preiudice pertinacie set aside we may both be willing to learne the right way of perfect faith and truth and no lesse carefull in life to follow that we learne growing vp in grace and knowledge more and more till we atteyne at length to the full measure which is in Christ Iesu our Lord Amen Iohn Foxe THE PREFACE OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPPON the fifteene Psalmes called Psalmes of degrees YE haue heard me before many times declare in the beginning of my Lectures for vvhat cause I haue taken in hand to expound the holy Scriptures not for any desire I haue to teach nevve and straunge thinges vvhich haue not beene knovvne or heard before for our diuinitie is so vvel knovvn both in the Latine tongue and also in our ovvne Language that vve may seeme novv to haue more neede of exhortation then instruction but because the diligent teaching and setting forth of the vvorde of God is a kinde of Gods seruice or vvorship properly belonging to the nevve Testament being much more acceptable vnto God more holy excellent then vvere all the vvorshippings and sacrifices of the olde Testament and therefore euen vvhen the lavv vvas yet in his ful strength the holy Prophets of God vtterly reiecting the burnt offerings and other sacrifices of the lavv did commend aboue all other the sacrifice of praise In like maner also ought vve so much the more earnestly diligently to set forth this kind of vvorship because that after so great blindnes vvherein vv haue liued the vvisedom of God hath as the Sunne in the mid day appeared and shined vnto vs againe Therefore like as it hath bene counted a maner of seruitude in times past to heare a godly sermon vvhich men vvere vvont to doe euen as they did their seruile labors so must vve novv othervvise thinke that they vvhich teach reade vvrite or heare the holy Scriptures are Gods true Priestes vvhich serue their God vvith a vvorthy and thankful kind of vvorship Albeit true it is also that vve can not here attaine to such full knovvledge of spirituall matters but that dayly vve haue neede to learne them again to be exercised confirmed therin because of the continuall vexations and assaultes of Satan that as vve are neuer vvithout occasions of declining falling from God so likevvise vve should not cease to exercise our selues in the continuall meditation of the vvord of God to the edifying both of our selues and of the Church For there is nothing so pernitious as the opinion of many at this day vvho as soone as they haue gotten neuer so litle knovvledge of this heauenly vvisedom thinke them selues by and by to be greate doctors For seeing that these thinges doe not consist in fine and eloquent talke in reasoning and disputing but in practise and experience directed not by mans reason but by the spirite of God they are miserably deceiued that rest in bare and naked knovvledge vvhich is but vnprofitable vvithout experience and practise In the olde Testament God appoynted but onely the ten commaundements vvherin he vvould haue his people to be exercised and occupyed But vvho vvas there euer amonge the Sainctes of God vvhich could say that he vvas able to atteyne to the vvisedom of the holy Ghost sette forth in those commaundements And shall vve vvhich in the nevv Testament haue the vvhole Scripture set forth vnto vs glory in the fulnes and perfection of our knovvledge Let vs not thinke therefore so highly of our selues but let vs humble our selues before the holy Ghoste and confesse this vvisedom to be infinite and such as vve could neuer fully attayne vnto although vve should spende our vvhole life in the study of the Scriptures For although by the grace of God vve are not vvithout some knovvledge yet because vve are continually oppressed vvith cloudes of tentations vve must haue recourse to this fountaine yea to this fire that our hartes may be kindled therevvith and that vve may giue no place to Satan or our ovvne flesh vvhereby the first fruites of the spirit might be quenched in vs This lothing of Gods vvord vvhich riseth of a false opinion of knovvledge is alas to common at this day For a remedy therefore against this euill Moses commaundeth that the lavv of God should be diligently set forth to the posteritie that is to say should continually be taught and exercised though it vvere neuer so vvel knovvne before For this cause therefore I haue taken in hand to expounde the Psalmes that vve might learne to abhorre this damnable lothing of the vvord of God and also to confirme and as it vvere to nourish the good spirite of God in vs by the exercise and practise of the same But the chiefest cause that moued me hereunto is for that vve knovv this kind of vvorship aboue all other to please God vvhen vve set forth his vvord in teaching in reading in vvriting in hearing c. And this one thing ought to keep vs in the continual exercise of the vvord of god For to teach to exercise and to set forth the vvorde vvhat is it else but continually to offer sacrifice vnto God continually to vvorship God continually to be exercised in the three first commaundements Lamentable it is to see vvhat a multitude there is of such as cōtinually blaspheme God either in teaching false doctrine or in persecuting the truth VVherfore very necessary it is that vve vvhiche in comparison of them are so small a number should serue the Lord our God praise his holy name vvhich both hath giuen vs this life and promised the life to come Moreouer our ovvne daunger giueth vs good vvarning to take heede that vvhiles vve thus neglect loth the vvord vve feele not his heauy vvrath plage vpon vs before vve be vvare For vvhen vve are once vveery of the vvorde then follovveth the contempt of the same vvhich contēpt the Lord so punisheth that he taketh his vvord cleane avvay Hereof the Papacie may be
this or that man onely but he will be also thy father Here is expresly added vnto the Lord contrary to that opinion of which I was once my selfe and many poore soules besides in popery at this day are For thus I thought I am a sinner and therefore I dare not pray vnto God being angrie with me for my sinnes I wil therefore seeke such mediatours as are in the fauour of God as Marie Peter Paule c. For timorous consciences euen at the hearing of the name of God are afraide And in deede great is the Maiestie of God but yet thou mayest not thinke it so great that thereby thou shouldest be driuen from prayer For if thou consider his Maiestie why doest thou not consider it in this respect that he hath commaunded thee to pray The authority of the commaunder ought so to be regarded that it should bind thee to obey Marke well this commaundement of God and commend thy selfe to his grace and say Lord it is not in my choyse to pray or not to pray as in monkery we did maintaine Thou hast commauÌ„ded me to pray I do acknowledge therefore that I am bound to obey thee If I be vnworthy yet is thy commaundement and thy will worthy to be obeyed thy promise is worthy to be beleued and trusted Therfore I pray not in the worthines of my selfe either else of Marie Peter Paule c. but in the worthinesse of Iesus Christ and of him who hath commaunded and charged me to pray Of this maner of prayer the whole papacie is ignoraunt And by myne owne experience this I dare affirme that as in all the tyme of my life that I ledde in monkerie I neuer once sayd the Lords prayer truely so the Papistes at this day do not vtter one syllable thereof in faith Yet peraduenture the Lord heard the vnspeakeable gronâ—ngs of my heart which I thinke many other also had although they were ignoraunt thereof But where these sighes are not no parte of ouâ— prayer is either vttered or vnderstand as it shoulde be and as by the grace of God we nowe both pray and teache others to pray There is a saying of a certayne Heremiâ—â— which the Monâ—es are wont to haue commonly in their mouthes that there is no such labour as to pray Which may be truely sayd of that prescript forme and maner of prayer without faytâ— which was enioyned to the popishe Priestes but muche more truely is it verifâ—ed of that prayer which is made in fayth â–ª as when the heart striuetâ— against Satan the terrour of conscience and desperation and with boldnes layeth holde on the mercies of god Albeit not onely the promise of God made vnto vs when we pray ioyned with the commaundement but also the necessitie that constraineth vs thereto maketh this difficulty and labour more easie in the exercise of prayer when it proceedeth of faith For true prayer can not be without faith Yea these two the promise I meane and tribulation doe make our prayer harty and feruent In these exercise your selues vse prayer in your chamber secretly and with your selues alone as Christ commaundeth And if Satan go about to hinder this prayer as he is wont then close your eyes and say Beholde Lorde here is trouble and anguishe here am I in daunger such a brother is grieuously afflicted thus or thus he is vexed of Satan The time suffereth me not nowe once to thinke whether I be worthy to be heard Helpe nowe in tyme O Lorde according to thy worde c. Thus if we considering the daunger on the one side and also the promise on the other doe flye vnto God for succour in our distresse we shall vanquish Satan and gette the victorie After this maner Dauid by his owne example stirreth vs vppe to prayer not onely in the daunger of deuelishe doctrine but also in all other troubles And if thou doe so presume of God that thou become euen impudent and shamelesse it shall please God highly according to that which followeth and he heard me As if he should say The Lord declareth that our prayer pleaseth him which we make with a trust and confidence in his promise and mercie that he heareth our prayer And here see that thou diligently learne this name and title which Dauid here giueth vnto him that he is auditor precum the hearer of prayers and beware when thou prayest that by doubting or incredulity thou take not from him this name as many times we doe Agaynst this doubting Dauid goeth about to confirme and strengthen vs with his owne example and besides the promises of God which we haue he setteth before vs his owne experience to stirre vs vp to call vpon God in faith whereby we may assure our consciences that God will heare vs in that he is the hearer of the sighes and grones of all those that pray vnto him in fayth And if he heare not speedely yet he will heare in his good tyme If he â—eare thee not in suche sorte as thou wouldest and doest desire he will heare thee in much better wise So sayth Bernarde And I doe not remember that euer I redde in any of the fathers of the latter age a more godly saying Brethren sayth he as concerning your prayer haue no doubt but assure your selues that as soone as the worde passeth out of your mouth your prayer is wrytten and regestrâ—â— in heauen in the presence and sight of God and eyther it shal be done that ye haue asked or else it is expedient not to be done What can be more Christianly spoken what greater consolation can there be then that God as a most gracious riche and bountifull Prince shoulde geue no other aunswere to all the supplications and prayers made vnto him â–ª but fiat that is to say be it done that ye haue desired But ye will say We see it commeth oftentimes otherwise to passe For notwithstanding the prayers that be made for women with childe and in â—rauell yet many dye in their trauell Did not Iacob thinke ye pray for his wife Rachel in that extremity Dauid also in like maner prayed with great feruencie of spirite for his sonne begotten of Bersaba but it was in vaine Many such examples we see also daily amoÌ„gst the Sainets of god I answere that howsoeuer it be we must vndoubtedly beleue that God is the hearer of prayers This title we may neuer take from him And in this faith yong children doe effectually pray which doe beleue that God heareth them and giueth them all thinges This fayth children haue with full assurance and without any doubting and therefore their praier I both greatly commend and also do oftentimes set the same before me as an example to follow For albeit that children do learne the forme of prayer words of vs yet the efficacy power therof we may wel learne of them because of our peruerse corrupt nature also our euil
First of all here is to be noted that the Prophet doth not by and by enter iâ—ts the promises of God concerning matrimony as though they were giuen onely in respect of matrimony but he beginneth with the first table calleth him blessed that feareth the lord And this he doth to shew that the world doth not vnderstaÌ„d what it is to marry a wife and to liue in the state of Christian matrimony Wherefore if any troubles come it can not beare them patiently and therefore it is not blessed but rather miserable and vnhappy But he that feareth the Lord whether he be called to any gouernment in the common weale or marry a wife is blessed what successe so euer follow thereof For it may be that euen they also which feare the Lord shall haue no good successe in matrimony but shall be coupled eyther with wicked or with froward and disobedient wiues or else they shall be otherwise shaken with one tentation or other as with the vntimely death of a good wife or with vntractable and degenerate children or with barennes lacke of fruite Here if a man be godly and fearing God he shall soone ouercome these troubles tentations For thus will he thinke with him selfe I haue mette with such a wife as is vnto me many wayes a great crosse and vexation with whom no man else could quietly liue one day But this gift God hath giuen me that I should know and acknowledge him to be both my creator and father and to learne patiently to endure abide his good will and pleasure c. with this gift are ouercome not onely all the troubles and miseries of matrimony but all calamities besides what so euer The Prophet therfore beginneth this holy hymne or this mariage song after this maner If thou wilt be happy and blessed hast a mind to liue in the state of matrimony this shalt thou finde that the Lord will giue vnto thee a wife house and children with other commodities But aboue all things see that thou feare God and in the name of God begin this kind of life This is a profitable doctrine which here the holy Ghost setteth forth euen at the beginning to the ende that he which can not liue a single life should begin his matrimony with the first commaundement and calling vpon God for his help succour should come forth into the presence of God and say Lord thou sayest vnto me in thy word that thou art and wilt be my Lord and my god Thou hast made me a man or thou hast made me a woman This is thine owne creation and this is thine owne worke I did not so make my selfe neyther was I so made by fortune or chauÌ„ce Giue good successe therfore vnto thy creature graunt that I may be a happy husbande or that I may be a happy wife c. that so we may beginne in the feare of God that we be not secure careles or presuming of our owne strength nor rashly enter into this kind of life like sauage brutish people and such as neither know nor feare God but may call vpon him who hath created vs to this kind of life Then shall all thinges come luckely to passe then shall they haue good successe The holy Ghost beginneth his holy hymne after an other maner then other Poetes doe For he exhorteth vs that we shoulde first of al call vppon God and conceiue in our harts a sure trust of his mercy For God will not turne his eare from thee if thou call him thy creator but will againe acknowledge thee to be his creature and will not deny this to be his worke that thou art a man or that thou art a woman But presumption he abhorreth and will not haue thee to beginne this kinde of life trusting in thine owne policie but rather that thou shouldest suspecte the same knowing that God will not prosper thy doings and policies except thou aske counsell of him Therefore sayth hee Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. For we haue dayly examples before our eyes that at the beginning there is often times vehement and feruent loue betweene man and wife whiche afterwarde is easily quenched so that either they liue miserably and vnquietly togither or else the one forsaketh the other Some times they are so drowned in wealth and pleasure that they liue all togither without the feare of God And this is a farre greater misery But worthely doe these miseryes and calamities fal vppon them For why doe they not ioyne withall the feare of God Here thou muste learne therefore to liue in the feare of God who hath created thee that thou shouldest be a husbande or that thou shouldest be a wife and he will also gouerne blesse and prosper thy mariage But if thou wilt not acknowledge him to be thy gouerner but wilt rule thy wife and thy family after thine owne fantasie without inuocation and prayer vnto God it will followe that either thou shalt ouerthrow all togither or shalt be so blinded with continuall successe that thou shalt fall yet into farre greater euils God wil be feared and serued that is he will haue vs to confesse and acknowledge that what so euer we take in hande can not prosper or haue any good successe without his helpe and assistaunce It is very profitable and necessary with all diligence to teach this doctrine to those which are yet young that they may know it and follow it The cause is this for that matrimony remayneth in the world and in the flesh that is to say euen in the middest of Deuils The husband as touching the fleshe soone lotheth or hateth the wife or the wife her husband What is the cause hereof Euen this is the cause for that matrimony consisteth in the fleshe which is wholy corrupt poysoned with sinne This the flesh I meane Satan inflameth with hatred and euery light offence or else with ielousie Wherefore if thou looke not vnto the wil of God thy matrimony can neuer be vnto thee either stable or comfortable Wherefore youth must be well enstructed as touching matrimony that when any man shall marry a wife he may liue with her in the fauour and blessing of God and say Lord this is thy gift that I am a man This wife also is thy gift We are in the worlde and this fraile flesh and in the middest of deuils the disturbers of matrimoniall loue Giue vnto vs therefore thy blessing that albeit some offences doe rise betwene vs yet thy blessing and the reuerent consideration of thy giftes wherewith thou hast endued vs in this our matrimony may vanquish and ouercome the same c. This is the cause why he beginneth this verse with the feare of God that he may take from vs all presumption lest we shoulde thinke that we shall haue and enioy all thinges as we our selues haue imagined For so shal it not be or if it so come to passe it shal not be
without a greater mischiefe euen the reiecting of the word and knowledge of god The meanes to escape this is to feare God and to trust in him and so in the name of God with humble prayer to begin matrimony committing the successe wholy vnto God. In the Papacie they most wickedly defaced this holy institution For they called it the secular state and marryed folkes were taught to recite in their priuate confession among other sinnes the company betwene man and wife Amongst the blind popish Sophisters and schoolemen there was a disputation as touching veniall and mortall sinne in carnall copulation as contemptuously this carnall Spiritualtie calleth it betwene man and wife But these were both vaine and wicked disputations And hereof Augustine semeth to haue giuen an occasion when he saith speaking of veniall sinne that it is like to the sinne of married folkes for the which saith he men doe pray Forgiue vs our trespasses True it is in deede that this companing of man and wife togither ought to be moderate to suppresse the feruencie of fleshly desire And like as a measure ought to be kept in meats and drinkes so godly married folks ought not to yeelde to much vnto the flesh For this burning desire and foule lust wherewith the flesh is enflamed commeth of sinne Therefore for the punishment of this lust is annexed withall the bitter wormewood of many cares and troubles which men haue for liuing for children for the gouerning of priuate and publike affaires besides the offences of their familyes their neighbours c. All these thinges are cast vppon the flesh as salt to season the wantonnes of the same For whose infirmity God by matrimony would prouide but not encrease the desire and lust thereof This doctrine then must first be taught for else can not matrimony be happy comfortable and pleasing God that such as enter into the state of matrimony should feare God that is to say they should cast away the presumption of their owne deuises and policies and giue them selues to humble prayer desiring of God a good a chast and obedient wife and also good successe in other thinges and that if any thing happen contrary to their expectation they may take it in good part that their hope is deceaued and their policie disapoynted And here the Prophet doth not onely require that whiche is commaunded in the first precept to witt that they should giue vnto God his due worship that is they should feare God and trust in his goodnes and mercy for this is the seruice which we owe vnto God but he addeth moreouer Blessed is the man that walketh in his wayes that is to say which doth the workes also of the first table which yeeldeth obedience vnto his parentes and to the Magistrate which committeth no murther which doth nothing that may be hurtfull vnto others which defileth not him selfe with harlots and whoredome but marrieth a wife to this ende that he may liue chastly and auoyd such wickednes The Papistes were wont to sing and yet doe sing this Psalme but they vnderstande it not For they follow Hierome which vnlearnedly and very vngodly thus reasoneth against matrimony If married folkes be blessed saith he it followeth that Isaac before he was forty yeres olde likewise other holy men whiche had no wiues were not blessed with this maner of blessednes But we know that the psalme speaketh not of those which are priuileged as Ieremy had a commaundement that he should not marry Iohn Baptist for a singular purpose abstained from mariage as our Sauiour Christ also did Let them which haue this gift saile on with their owne winde and keepe the course appoynted vnto them of god But let vs which haue not this gifte are without this priuilege of these excellent men learne this verse that is in the feare of the Lorde let them marry and so walke in the wayes of the lord And let them know that they may so liue in this kind of life that both they may feare the Lord and walke in his wayes contrary to the vaine perswasion and deuilish doctrine of the Pope and the whole Papacye which dreame that matrimony is such a kinde of life as is eyther cleane contrary to religion or not agreeable to the same Verse 2. Thou shalt eate the labour of thy hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee This must they learne also which are married that they must labour For the law of nature requireth that the husband should sustaine and nourish his wife and his children For after that man and wife doe know that they ought to feare God their creator who not onely made them but gaue his blessing also vnto his creature this secondly must they know that some thing they muste doe that they consume not their dayes in ease and idlenes Hesiodus the Poet giueth this counsel that first thou shouldest get thee a house then a wife and also an oxe to till thy ground First he would haue thee to prouide an habitation where thou mayest dwell with thy wife and children then a wife but yet so that thou be not without an oxe also to plowe the ground that is thou must haue some thing wherewith thou mayest maynteyne and succour thee and thyne For albeit that our diligence care and trauell is not able to mainteyne our family yet God vseth the same as a meane by the which he will blesse vs So neither to the husband man the sowing of his seede nor to the preacher his trauell in preaching the word is sufficient to mainteyne his liuing yet God by these or rather with these giueth vnto them wherewith they may liue Wherefore the Prophet would haue all married folkes to liue in the sweate of their faces and to be exercised with labour that they may tame the flesh and mortifie the lustes thereof For they that liue in idlenes walke in the wayes not of the Lord but of the deuill For neither are they neyther liue they in the ordinance of God for God hath ordeyned labour And here behold the wisedom of the holy Ghost Labour is one of the discommodities of matrimony But howe wel here doth the holy Ghost hide this discommoditie when first he sheweth that labour is commaunded of God and afterwardes promiseth that although it seeme to be neuer so hard and so greeuous a thing yet by it God will blesse vs This is in deed to mingle wormewood with suger like as also Iesus Sirach adorneth labour with this commendation that he sayth it was ordeyned of God and he hath also a pleasure therein Great neede haue we of this admonition because of our corrupt nature For most true it is that the nature of all men as the Poet sayth is prone and ready to fall from labour to filthy lust and fleshly libertie This holy hymne therfore teacheth the husband with his spouse that in their matrimony they should feare God and put their trust in him and
call grace heauen it selfe by the which we haue an open passage vnto heauen and the which we can neuer atteyne vnto by the law by workes or by our owne endeuour but rather as a most large heauen it receaueth vs beleuing that by adoption we are made righteous before God through Christ. Hereby we may see what the entent and purpose of the Prâ—phet is in this Psalme namely to teach vs the true way to righteousnes life and saluation Againe to shew vs the way how to escape death sinne and the wrath of God that out of this life we may passe to life euerlasting And in teaching of these things he sheweth his owne experience and layeth open vnto vs his owne hart which the holy Ghost had exercised and scholed with many tentations that so he might atteyne to this doctrine wherein he goeth about here to enstruct vs also The summe whereof is that he resteth wholy in the hope of Gods mercie and in the sure trust of the forgiuenes of his sinnes But these thinges shall more clearely appeare hereafter in expounding of the Psalme Verse 1. Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lorde It may seeme that the Prophet vseth here moe wordes then needeth But he that considereth well the cause which forceth him to burst out into these wordes shall see that no plentie of wordes could expresse the sorrow and anguish of his wofull hart nor sufficiently declare his daunger For it was no light or common tentation that vexed him He complained not of the perills that he was in by the rage of Saul by his sonne Absolon by the false Prophets and others nor of any other tentations which proceede of malice and hatred wherewith the world persecuteth the godly but he setteth forth here the griefe of a vexed and wounded conscience the very sorrowes of death when a man feeling his hart as it were oppressed with desperation thinketh him selfe forsaken of God when he seeth his owne vnworthines and desertes accused before God as a terrible iudge yea when it seemeth vnto him that God hath not onely forsaken him but cast him away for euer hateth abhorreth him for his sinnes These teÌ„tations are much more terrible then those which men commonly fall into for they are not without daunger of soule eternall saluation Therefore he vseth here this maner of speech saying Out of the depth I call vnto thee c. As if he should say great are the troubles wherewith I am oppressed For I feele mine owne sinnes and the iust wrath of God vpon me for the same neither can I find reliefe or comfort to my restles afflicted soule Against the malice of men wherewith they molest and vexe vs there are remedyes to be found but this wound is vncurable except the Lord send helpe and succour from aboue And in dede such troubles as the godly are commonly exercised withall as the losse of goods wife children such other may yet be ouercome or borne with patience Moreouer in those which are counted inferior sinnes as the offences of youth the deiect broken herted may more easily be raised vp againe But these afflictions seeme to them and are in deed vntollerable when they feele them selues oppressed with such horrible and hellish cogitations that they can see nothing else but that they are caste away from God for euer They therfore that feele such bitter tentations haue here an example that Dauid in him selfe felt and had experience of the like For it maketh the tentation much more greuous when they which are thus afflicted feele that as to them it seemeth which none else doe feele but they alone We must learne therefore that euen the godly haue euer suffered the same afflictions and haue bene beaten downe euen to death with the terrors of the law and sinne as we may see here by the example of Dauid crying euen as it were out of hell and saying Out of the depth doe I cry vnto thee O Lord c. But it is not inough for vs to knowe that we sustaine not these troubles and tentations alone but we muste also learne the way whereby such as haue suffered the like tentations haue beene raysed vp againe And here ye se Dauid what he doth Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse He despaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to find reliefe and comforte Rest thou also in this hope and do as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should despaire Thinke not thou therefore that thy tentations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest be swallowed vp with sorrowe and desperation If thou be brought downe euen to the gates of hell beleue that the Lord will surely raise thee vp againe If thou be brused and broken knowe that it is the Lorde which will heale thee againe If thy hart be ful of sorrow and heauines looke for comfort from him who hath saide that a troubled spirite is a sacrifice vnto him It is expedient also to haue some faithfull brother at hande which may comfort vs in these bitter conflictes For God would that in his Church one should help to comfort an other as meÌ„bers knitte togither in one body and he hath promised that when two are gathered togither in his name he will be the thirde amongest them And doubtles nothing comforteth an afflicted conscience so much as to heare some godly brother declaring out of the word of God that such terrours and afflictions are sent of God not to destroy vs but to humble vs therby to make vs to acknowledge the great mercy of God offred vnto vs and to receiue the same with thankful harts But if in this distresse we be destitute of the helpe of such faithfull brethren we must then doe as Dauid â—id in this place that is we must cry vnto the Lord pray as this Psalme teacheth vs Wherein ye see such sorrowfull and bitter sighes as liuely expresse in Dauid the great anguish of spirite from whence floweth such plentifull matter and yet nothing superfluous as compelleth him not onely to say that out of the deepe depth he cryeth and calleth vnto the Lord but he putteth the Lorde also in minde of his promise thereby to moue him the rather to giue eare vnto his prayer Verse 2. Lorde heare my voice let thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers He speaketh as I haue saide before to the same God whose seate was in Ierusalem like as we now speake vnto that God and call him father whom we knowe and worship in Christ alone On this God with deepe sighes he calleth that he would with the eye of mercie looke vpon him and gratiously harken vnto his prayer But if we thinke that we can not pray with such a minde or with such feruencie of spirit as these words doe expresse we must consider that Dauid him selfe did not thus pray in his anguish and in the
therfore it putteth vppe the mindes of men with pride vntill they be humbled of the Lorde and so learne that there is no helpe in this righteousnes before the iudgement of God. How often haue we sene that great notable diuines which liued among men with a maruelous shew of holines with a great presumption of their own righteousnes at length when death approched haue falne into desperation fled to most vaine foolish trifles for help succour in so much the not only yet liuing they wrapped them selues in a fryers coule but also being dead were buried in the same So I remember that a notable man amōg lawyers of name fame the chiefest when he was at the point of death vttered these words O si subulcus potius quam iure cōsultus fuissem Oh saith he that I had bene a swineheard rather then a lawyer For he perceaued that in that daunger the administration of iustice be it neuer so exact helpeth nothing In like case when Cicero saw him self to be in daunger through the power of Augustus and Antonius his aduersaries he perceiued that there was no comfort nor succour to be found in all his great knowledge and learning but that all his learning and all that great studie and knowledge of philosophie vanished away and auailed him nothing The same hapned likewise to Demosthenes flying from Antipater To conclude all such examples doe teach that to be most true which Salomon sayth He that exalteth his house seeketh destruction But this our Courtiers doe not beleue They clyme loue to be aloft they seeke to rule and in deed they rule euen as he that driueth the cart vntil it sticke fast in the myre and can neither goe forward nor backward And this is the cause that kingdomes and common weales are in a maner nothing else but ruines and destructions Who would thinke if he consider the ciuill gouernment which was vnder the first Emperours that the Romane Empire yea and many other common weales also could continue the space of one day For as Titus Liuius sayth they can neither abide their faultes to be touched nor remedies to be applyed thereunto and therefore they fall of their owne sway as an house that is builded to high But the daunger is much greater when in Religion men haue proud lookes and proud hartes and walke in such matters as are hidden from them that is to say when they please them selues because of their holines thinke that they sitt in Gods owne lappe and yet know nothing of the free mercie of God in Christ and the forgiuenes of sinnes but walke altogither in their owne workes and say with the Pharisey that they fast twise a weeke they giue tyth they are not adulterers extorcioners vniust although their hartes be full of all maner of filthy lustes This presumption continueth vntill they see them selues to be in daunger of death then all these vayne helpes with all their false hopes vanish away and these voyces of desperation or such like follow I haue liued wickedly I haue broken my vowes I haue not obserued my rule c. When then I say wast thou made a Monke was it not because thou shouldest ascende to righteousnes But by this meanes thou hast descended into hell because thou wouldest be exalted They that rest in the confidence and trust of their owne righteousnes either fall at the length into these tentations or else they dye like an oxe or a cowe Verse 2. VVhen I did humble my soule and cause it to keepe silence then was I as a childe that is wayned from his mother Here he sheweth plainly by his owne experience what daunger it is for a man to trust to his owne righteousnes Wherefore let vs learne what these wordes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes The sinne hanging fast on or cleaning fast vnto vs doe importe And let vs not follow the foolish and rash opinion of the common people which by a fewe sermons thinke them selues to haue atteined the knowledge of the whole Scripture Thou hast peraduenture heard all but thou hast not yet beleued al. Thou hast not learned those experiences and practises which in a Christian are the chiefest namely of faith of prayer of the crosse whereof Dauid here treateth most effectually and diuinely as the excellencie therof doth require I caused my soule sayth he to keepe silence and humbled my selfe I sayd vnto my soule be still glory not hold thy peace When he sayth I caused my soule to keepe silence the hebrew word signifieth to confound or bring to nothing As in Osea it is sayd I will make thy mother that is to say the Synagoge to keepe silence As much to say as I will destroy her and make her wast So in an other Psalme he sayth Be still that is prouoke not the Lord with your obstinacie and presumption but obey and humble your selues So sayth he here When I did not refrayne from presumption and trusting in mine owne righteousnes and the righteousnes of the lawe yea euen in God him selfe if he be worshipped by keping of the law when I did not desire that God although after a sort I kept the lawe would not enter into iudgement with his seruaunt this I say when I did not then was I in deede euen as a child wayned form his mothers breast The Prophet speaketh here of a matter of great importance and yet this similitude seemeth to set forth some light or smal matter For why doth he rather take his similitude of a childe then of a man which is growne to his full strength But this is not onely a fitte but also a very goodly and a pleasant similitude For what greater miserie can happen to a child then to be wayned and kept from the mothers breast This seemeth to the infant a very death and destruction So saith he here When I was ledde away with the spirite of pride and securitie and lost the dugge of Gods heauenly grace that is to say of the remission of sinnes and of the free mercie of God in Christe then was I in deede like vnto a childe which hath lost his mother without whose ayde and succour he can not liue that is I was brought to extreme and most certaine daunger of death and condemnation Wherfore the Prophet leadeth vs here to that necessary distinction betwene the law the Gospel For the law is a necessary doctrine to beat downe the pride of sinne in vs which riseth of that confidence of our owne righteousnes There is also as before I haue said a presumption in riches power wisdom but that presumption may be cured many wayes But this which presumeth of our own righteousnes is vncurable except that waining come wherof Dauid here speaketh by the meanes wherof our conscience being stirred vp through the terror of the law is forced to examine our life our maners conuersation But because we are
coÌ„strained to confesse that we haue many waies offeÌ„ded against that law it can not be but that certaine desperation must needs follow except Christ as a tender â—ouing mother giue vnto vs that dugge of grace reise vp our oppressed afflicted soules So Iudas was driuen to the halter by the sight of his sinne For there is no remedy wherby the seely conscience tormented with sinne can be healed but this alone to beleue as the former Psalme teacheth that with the Lord there is mercy plentifull redemption This is the voice of the Gospel which must follow the law wherunto also there is a way prepared by the law For like as our sinnes must be reproued accused so the terror which this accusation bringeth hath need of consolation Wherefore the true consolation and the true propitiation which is sette forth in the Gospell perteineth to true sinnes which driue a man downe to hell vnlesse they be cured by the mercie of God set forth vnto vs in christ For mercie pertaineth not to fained sinnes but to true sinnes which kill and condemne the soule This order therefore is to be obserued that when we glorie or presume of our selues and become secure then should the lawe and Moises come with his bright shining face which our weaknes can not abide yet notwithstanding it can not auoyd the same Now after that the lawe and Moises haue done their office in this sort by accusing the conscience and threatening the iudgemence of God for sinne and punishment for the same then is there place and opportunitie for Christ to come with the dugge of grace to comfort and refresh the wayned child crying for sucke and seeking the mothers breast Wherefore this is an excellent similitude which setteth forth vnto vs first our owne weakenes namely that there is in vs no strength at all whereby we may be able to withstande Satan and to heale our wounded conscience then also the mercie of God and power of his word whereby he susteyneth and nourisheth vs as a mother nourisheth her childe with milke stilleth it and kepeth it from crying So the Gospell is both the wombe of God in the which we are caried formed and fashioned by the spirit of Christ and also it is the dugge wherby we are nourished fed Wherfore if we once lose this dugge we are as children wayned from the mothers brest Some thinke them selues highly learned in these matters and that they know them wel enough But take ye heede and beware of this presumption Recken your selues in the number of scholers and learners For Satan is so craftie that he can easily take away this distinction and force vppon vs in steede of the Gospell the law and againe in steede of the lawe the Gospel For how often commeth it to passe that poore and miserable consciences in the agony of death lay hold vpon certain sentences of the Gospel which doe in deede pertaine vnto the lawe and thereby lose the sweete comfort and consolation of the Gospell As for example If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements Again Not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen With such sentences poore and seely consciences are so brused and broken that they can see nothing but what they haue done and what they ought to haue done Also what God requireth and what he forbiddeth These things whiles troubled afflicted consciences doe beholde they forget what so euer Christ hath done or God by Christ hath promised to do for our comfort Wherfore let no man presume of the fulnes and perfection of his knowledge in these matters In wordes this distinction is easie to be made but in death and daungers we finde how vnable we are to play the good Logicians when we must dispute of the thinges which we haue done or ought to haue done when the lawe obiecteth in this maner against vs This hath God commaunded thee to do and thou hast not done it but hast done the contrary Wherfore thou shalt be damned according to the sentence of the lawmaker Here he that is a good Logician putteth a difference betwene the law and the Gospel and graunteth that in deede he hath not kept the law Notwithstanding saith he vppon this antecedent or former proposition doth not followe this consequence that I should therefore despaire and be damned For the Gospel commaundeth me to beleue in Christ and to trust vnto the workes the merites and the righteousnes of christ He that vnderstandeth this and taketh holde on this brest or dugge of the Gospel is safe and is sure of the victory but he that apprehendeth it not muste needes perish and despaire In this doctrine therefore touching our righteousnes before God there is great daunger We must not presume therefore but walke in feare humilitie For if presumption in politike worldly matters when men are proude of their riches power or wisedom is not without daunger in diuine matters it is much more dangerous yea most daungerous and damnable and yet notwithstanding there it reigneth most of all For Satan commeth to the children of God and laboureth with all might and subtiltie to bring them to presumption and securitie Wherefore they must fight continually against this hidde and lurking poyson and aboue all thinges they muste beware that they flatter not them selues as though they knew well enough the distinction of the lawe and the Gospell In deede thou mayst knowe it but consider wel whether thou hast sure hold thereof so that it cannot be wrested from thee by Satan thine owne conscience Paule plainely confesseth that he hath not yet attained to this knowledge but followeth it as one running in the race and pressing towards the marke So it goeth with vs all We turne our face vnto the marke and this is the race wee runne that we may attaine vnto the marke But that will not be vntill this flesh be put of and layed in the earth Wherefore in the meane season let vs walke in feare and humblenes of harte with hartie prayer that the light which he hath opened vnto vs he will not suffer to be put out but that he will dayly lighten our mindes and make perfecte the worke which he hath begunne in vs Thus who so doe not shall be ouerwhelmed and oppressed with desperation and shall be like vnto children that are wayned and put a parte from their mothers breastes Verse 3. Let Israell wait on the Lord or trust in the Lord from henceforth and for euer This verse sheweth plainly that the Prophet speaketh here of that presumption which is contrary to faith and is called the presumption of mans owne righteousnes Therefore he exhorteth the faithfull to trust in the Lord and withall to abide in humilitie to mortifie that trust and confidence which man hath in the lawe and in his owne righteousnes This shall ye doe saith he if ye trust in the Lord not onely
out of Sion and a newe kingdome of Christe out of Ierusalem Notwithstanding they say that this Ierusalem should be greater then the whole earth and the walles thereof should be the endes of the earth These thinges can not be vnderstand of the corporall Ierusalem which notwithstanding was the first occasion of the beginning of the kingdom of Christ but after wardes it was horribly destroyed like as also the wicked sorte of Dauids posteritie were rooted out but the godly remained vntill Christ was borne Moreouer it is euident that this election and choosing began vnder Dauid For before that time the citie of Ierusalem belonged to the Iebusites but vnder Dauid it was chosen by the promise of God to be a citie for the Kinges and Priestes in such sort that like as before the persons of the Priests did not wander from tribe to tribe but were alwayes certaine so the persons and successions of the Kings should not nowe vncertainly wander as the Iudges and the Princes did which continued not in any certaine tribe and here againe he vseth the worde of choosing to confound the presumption confidence of merite which was so groūded in their hartes to the ende they might vnderstand that this citie was appointed by the good pleasure of God to be a seate and harborowe for religion and policie For this deuilish vice was peculiar vnto the Iewes that they gloried in their merites their seruice and ceremonies For this cause Moses also sharply reproueth them and warneth them that they should not thinke they had obteyned these great benefites through their owne righteousnes Not for thy righteousnes saith he hath the Lorde brought thee into this land This deuilish presumption we see also to be in the Papacie but much worse then it was emongest the people of god For they vsed that worship seruice which was commaunded of god But in Popery there is nothing but mans inuentions which are the worshipping of idolls Nowe whereas the Lord promiseth that he will dwell in Ierusalem this seemeth to be but a small matter But we must loke to the Maiestie of the inhabitour and then the place be it neuer so base and contemptible shall become glorious For this did the word promise that he whom the heauens could not comprehend should be found in Ierusalem This is therefore a singular promise when men may knowe and enioy a certaine place wherein God may be founde that they wander not in the imaginations of their owne harts euery man choosing vnto him selfe a God or a place where he may serue God according to his owne fantasie as Ieroboam did which is horrible idolatrie Wherefore it is the great mercie of God that he hath appoynted a certaine place for his word and his whole seruice to the which place the Scripture attributeth this excellent name and title that it is called the holy citie not for the holines of the people inhabiting the same but for the holines of the Lord sanctifying all things by his word This glory hath the Church of the newe Testament also in that she hath for her head not the Pope as the wicked Papists doe most wickedly affirme but Christ sitting at the right hande of the father who is present with his word Sacraments This is an inestimable glory which dependeth not vpon our righteousnes but vpon the great mercie of God accepting approuing and commending all thinges that we doe for Christ his sonnes sake our head But the citie of Ierusalem found Satan her deadly and cruel enemie in this respect also because it was as it were the worke-house of God in the which he dayly exercised and wrought all maner of holy workes blessings benefites for his people Yet was it of God notwithstanding meruelously preserued to this end that his people should not be vncerteine where he would be found worshipped and heard And here agayne we are admonished that all these thinges come of gift and not of merite of mercie and not of workes For he hath chosen vnto him selfe this rest it hath pleased him to dwell in this place So it commeth not of our desert that we enioy the Gospell and other great blessings of god All these are the giftes of God through his great mercie and goodnes bestowed vpon vs for Christes sake Verse 15. Her vitailes I will blesse and will satisfie her poore with bread This word vitailes signifieth properly a pray But why doth the Scripture so call the sustenance whereby we liue Euen for the same cause for the which Christ calleth it our dayly breade So that like as beastes doe dayly followe their pray and finde it they sowe not they labour not but by pray they atteyne all that they haue Euen so shoulde we not heape vppe that through couetousnes and incredulitie which may serue vs for many yeres but shoulde daily looke for and receiue at the handes of the Lord that which is dayly offered vnto vs employing our labour notwithstanding as a meane to atteine the same therewith be content as the beast is when he hath obteined his pray For couetousnes incredulitie is not content with present benefits although the Lorde doe neuer so faythfully promise to feede vs and giue vs all things necessary for this life Thus the Scripture properly very aptly calleth our foode and sustenance a pray which commeth vnto vs taking no care but labouring leauing the care vnto God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs Matt. 6. who commaundeth vs to labour and diligently endeuour to doe that belongeth to our vocation for of the Hebrewes that is counted labour which euery day hath and bringeth with it But withall he commaundeth vs to take no thought for worldly thinges but to leaue all carefulnes vnto the Lorde who promiseth that we shall no more lacke then the birdes and other beastes doe which haue that is sufficient and yet labour not nor make prouision for the same For this is not the ende of our labour that in this life we should still seeke to enrich our selues and neuer be satisfied For although we haue the treasures of this world yet with this life we must forsake them And like as this life is not certeine but is as a pray which we so long enioy as it pleaseth the Lorde euen so is the portion of our sustenance but as you would say a snatch wherewith we must be content to liue and not be carefull for the time to come So doth this word condemne all faithlesse carefulnes and carefull incredulitie wherewith notwithstanding we can nothing preuaile Cyprian hath a goodly saying to this effect and worthie to be remembred Christians saith he which haue forsaken this world doe so litle care for earthly thinges that they aske no more but foode and rayment For their hartes are fixed vppon the eternall treasures of the world to come They seeke to liue but from day to day as straungers hauing here no
these things and earnestly thinke vpon them So this Psalme is a prayer against the mighty rich and welthy of the world which either cruelly molest and vexe or proudly deride and contemne the godly as the last verse doth declare And these are not onely such as preferre wicked doctrin superstition idolatrie before the vndefiled word of God but euen such also as glory in the word and sound doctrine and will be counted louers fauourers of the Gospell and partakers with vs of the name and glory of christ Of such there was a great number amongst the people of Israel For they had the lawe sacrifices and ceremonies instituted by Moises according to the word of god They had great plentie of Prophets and godly teachers yet how they vsed them the storyes doe declare When Elisha sent the sonne of a Prophet vnto Iehu the other said VVherefore commeth this madde fellow vnto thee The Psalmes also preachings of the Prophets concerning faith and true righteousnes before God doe shew that they were contemned and derided of the multitude yea condemned as heretikes because they seemed not to attribute so much to â— sacrifices ceremonies of y law as they should do Likewise Dauid was counted a seditious fellow a rebel a traitor and charged with ambition and greedy desire to reigne And afterwards when he went about to bring the arke of the Lord to Ierusalem with a good and a zealous mind expressed his ioy Michol his wife receiued him with these words Oh how glorious was the King of Israel this day which was vncouered in the eyes of the maidens of his seruants as a foole vncouereth him self Now we can not thinke that onely Michol did thus slanderously speake of that kings doings but there were no doubt other also in the court men both of wisedom dignitie which iudged the same For what so euer he be that professeth loueth the word vnfainedly zealously seketh the glory of God he shal be iudged and called of the cursed world worldlings both a foolish a mad man That it hath bene alwaies so the stories do declare also these our daies do witnes the same Wherfore this Psalme setteth before our eyes a goodly example that for as much as we are compelled to see suffer this contempt despite of the proude scornful we should pray with Dauid against al such that is first against the pope his whole kingdom of faces for they doe not onely proudly contemne vs but also coÌ„demne vs Then also against false brethren such as in our churches liue in al carnall godles securitie and albeit they will seme to be no enemies but frieÌ„ds vnto the gospel yet either deride or molest the true professors therof Against al such this Psalme is vnitteÌ„ for the troubled afflicted children of God which are counted of the world either heretical or sedicious or else fooles and abiectes But this consolation they haue that seeing the holy Ghost in this Psalme doth teach them how to pray in these distresses they shall be heard and though they be here contemned and counted the outswepings of the earth they shall be made glorious in the kingdom of God. Verse 1. I lift vppe myne eyes vnto thee which dwellest in the heauens This is a vehement groning of a troubled mind looking about and seeking euery way for comfort and succour but none could be found Whether then shall I miserable maâ—â—stie saith he in this distresse Strength to with stand mine enemies I haue none Of wisedom and counsell beeing compassed with such a multitude of aduersaries I am vtterly destitute To thee therefore I come O my God To thee I lift vp mine eyes which dwellest in the heauâ—â—â— â–ª Here note that the heauens are called the habitatioÌ„ of God not because he is there conteined for as the heauens are his seate so is the earth his footestoole but because he doth from thence more manifestly shew the maiestie of his diuinitie And what so euer he hath at any time done vppon the earth by reuelaâ—ions visions or oracles he seemed to doe it from heauen From whence also haue come the most notable and seuere punishments of the wicked as of the first worlde by the flood of the Sodomites by the rayning downe of fire with brimstone of the Egyptians by haâ—se mixed with fire of the Amorrâ—ans by the rayning of stones from heauen And hereof come these sayings He that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh them to scorne The Lorde looked downe from heauen The Lord hath prepared his seate in heauen Our God is in heauen and doth what soeuer he will. VVhich dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto Therefore we reade that Christ commonly when he prayed or when he gaue thankes to his father looked vp to heauen And when he departed hence vnto his father he was seene to ascend vp into the heauens These things are spoken to this ende that we may knowe that God our father is not earthly â–ª infirme or corruptible but the Lord and inhabitour of heauen as a place without all corruption and therefore a most meete habitation for him almightie and ruling ouer all euerlasting incorruptible seing all things percing all things The prophet also calleth God here the inhabitour of heauen to signifie that the earth is full of the proude and scornefull and that the godly are troden vnder foote of those that dwel vpon the earth and are counted the ouâ—swepings of the world and therefore he seeth none besides the Lord and inhabitour of heauen of whom he may looke for helpe and succour The great daunger whereof the Prophete complayneth is herein expressed in that he looking about on euery side and seeking for succour could find none to helpe him but onely the inhabitour of heauen These thinges make the tentation much more greeuous and terrible and therfore he prayeth with such wordes in his tentation as perhaps he at that time did not perfectly vnderstand as Sainct Paule also sayth VVe vnderstand not what we pray The spirite knoweth and vnderstandeth what these wordes meane but man can not conceiue the power therof in the time of his tentation whiles faith is infirme and is yet in the conflict But when our petition is graunted prayer heard then faith hath her force and we haue more perfect vnderstanding both of the tentation and also of the prayer which we therein vsed The Prophet therefore in this verse setteth the inhabitour of heauen against the inhabitours of the earth and conceiueth comfort and courage that albeit the world is great and mighty yet God is more mighty This is the meaning of the Prophet in this verse And albeit the wordes bee but simple as ye see yet are they full of consolation to him that beleeueth The spirite which ministreth these wordes and stirreth vppe these groninges in the heartes of the afflicted knoweth with what maiestie and power they