holy name and be thankful For There is nothing more vnnaturall in man then forgetfulnesse of Gods great and innumerable giftes towards vs. To whom be all honour and praise world without end Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 77. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN HOOPER Bishop of Glocester and Worcester THE ARGVMENT WHen this Prophet Asaph being a man appointed to the seruice and teaching of Gods word vnto the people perceiued that such as were vnder his cure charge were many times troubled and brought into great heauinesse for the feare and dread they had conceiued of Gods most iust ire and straite punishment for sinne transgression of his holy lawes and in himselfe felte especially the burden of Gods displeasure against sinne intollerable hee receiued from the holy ghost the spirit of consolation what was the best remedie and helpe for euery troubled conscience to appease and quiet the poore spirite of man that knoweth and feeleth not onely that God is iustly angrie for sinne but also will straitly punish the iniquitie and abhomination of the same And when hee had learned himselfe by God how a troubled and desperate conscience might be quieted hee spake it to such as were aliue and with him and wrote it to all such as should come after him vntil the worldes end that troubled sinners might see their sinnes for giuen in the mercie of God and they themselues accepted as Gods most deare children into eternall friendship and endlesse ioyes of saluation ¶ The partes of the Psalme 1 In whome a man should put his trust and to whome he should resort in the dayes of sicknesse troubles and aduersitie 2 How a man should vse himselfe towards him in whom he putteth his trust in the time of trouble 3 What great and perillous dangers the man that is troubled shall suffer for the time of his trouble 4 Howe a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble ¶ The two first verses of the Psalme conteyning the two first partes 1 I will crie vnto God with my voice euen vnto God will I crie with my voyce and he shall hearken vnto mee 2 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord my hand I held vp all night and it was not wearie my soule refused comfort ¶ The first part ¶ In whom a man should put his trust and to whom he should resort in the dayes of sicknesse troubles and aduersitie 1 I will crie vnto God with my voice euen vnto God will I crie with my voice and hee shall hearken vnto mee FIrst out of this text it is to be noted that God onely is to be trusted vnto in the dayes of trouble as our Sauiour Christ exhorted in heauines and anguish of body and soule all people to resort vnto him saying Come vnto mee all ye that be laden and burthened and I will refreshe you And the same is spoken of God by Esaie the Prophet Ye that be a thirst come vnto the waters and ye that haue no monie come take it freely S. Iohn likewise in the midst among troubled and afflicted persons reciteth the words of Christ saying If any be drie let him come to me and drinke Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture saith flouds of water of life shall flowe out of his bellie Of this knowledge and suretie in the soule of man that God is can and wil be an ease and remedie for the troubled conscience cōmeth iustice peace and ioy of the conscience Not that any man shalbe by and by without all feare trembling and dread of his sinnes of Gods iust iudgement against sinne but that this feare and trembling shal not come to desperation neither shall he be more afraide of his sinnes then comforted by Gods mercie and grace in Christ. Therefore saith our sauiour Christ Blessed be they that weepe for they shalbe comforted Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for iustice for they shalbe replenished In this that he saith Blessed be they that weepe He noteth such as do knowe and féele with sorrowe and heauines of conscience that they be sinners and the filthines of their sinnes maketh them sorrowful and heauie hearted yet shall they in Christ be comforted Againe the poore sensible féeling and troubled sinner doth wishe his sinnes away and would gladly haue vertue and iustice to rule and do altogether in him Gods holy will and pleasure This hunger and thirst saith Christ shalbe quenched for the merits of his owne death and passion as it shal not misse if men in their thirst hunger persequution and trouble doe knowe and vse onely God for their helpe and consolation as this Prophet did and teacheth vs to doe the same in this Psalme In this first part be two sorts of people condemned The one is such as plainely despaire and in their troubles neither looke for consolation nor yet beléeue that there is any consolation to be hoped for in Christ. The other is such as séeke consolation but not onely at Gods hand power but at the Saincts departed at witches coniurers hypocrites and the workes deuised and done by man The first sort be left comfortlesse because they séeke no consolation and the second sort find no comfort because they séeke it where it is not contrarie vnto God and his holie word Happie therefore is the troubled that séeketh consolation at Gods handes and no where els For he is as it is written by the Prophet Esaie the God alone that doth saue and none but hee But there be two manner of impedimentes that kéepe the Almightie God from the helping and comforting of people that be in trouble The one is ignorance of Gods nature and propertie towards the afflicted and the other is feare and dread whereas God is most iustly angrie for sinne lest that in his anger and iust punishment he will not be mercifull Of the first impediment whiche is ignorance is sprong into the world horrible blasphemie that neither séeketh helpe at Gods hand nor yet is thankful vnto God for any thing that God giueth but rendereth all things to such Gods and Saincts as he hath deuised out of his owne imagination or els learned as S. Peter saith out of the traditions of his Elders So that ignorance taketh away the honour of God also the saluation of them that be ignorant The remedie against this great impediment is onely the reading meditating hearing and learning of Gods holy word whiche is as a candle light in a darke place to kéepe and preserue a man from danger and peril And so saith king Dauid that It is a candle vnto his feete and a light vnto his stepps And in an other place of his Psalmes he saith The lawe of God is so perfect that it turneth soules vnto the Lord. Wherefore saith he it is the part of euery man that wil be vertuous and godly to
wonderfully sett foorth in the Psalme next before this sauing one where it is said There is a cuppe in the Lordes hand full of redd wine and hee powreth out of it but the wicked shall drinke the dregges thereof and the vngodly of the earth shall receiue the bottom of it The cuppe in the Scripture is taken many times for aduersitie whereof God filleth a quantitie and a certeine measure vnto all his electe and chosen seruauntes but the wicked shall drinke the bottome and all and neuer come to rest nor ease Out of this temptation we may learne how foolish and how impatient we be When God sendeth troubles we thinke such to be best at ease that want them whereas the Lords booke declareth that it is necessarie and also very expedient that we should haue them Againe there is to be noted how that the Prophet in the cogitations of his minde maketh no mention of the griefe of the bodie whereof he spake before at the beginning of his troubles For in the second and fourth verse he declareth how he held vp his handes all night cryed with his voyce vntill he was speachlesse and lay waking could not sléepe Of the which sorrowes now he maketh no rehearsall but saith his spirite was searching and inquisitiue Whether God would absent himselfe for euer with diuers like interrogatories of Gods nature as followe in the Psalme Whereof we learne the vilenesse of our owne nature and also the treason and subtiltie of the diuel For as long as we sinne we haue such delight and pleasure therin as though it were but a play to transgresse and breake Gods holy commaundementes But when sickenesse and trouble haue layed the wicked the bodie abedd and made it weake and féeble our conscience is waked by the Lawe of GOD and we put in such terrour and feare that nothing can quiet vs. Also as long as we doe sinne the diuel beareth vs in hande that God is so mercifull doe what we will that hée will not be angrie but when sicknesse or death inuadeth then turneth the diuel his tale and persuadeth with vs that GOD is onely extreme iust and nothing at all mercifull And this griefe of the minde is so sore and vehement that all the paines of the bodie séeme nothing in comparison thereof as we sée in this place by the holy Prophete Asaph that was very sore vnquieted in his bodie yet did his spirite make no accompt of it but still hée stayed and staggered trembling and quaking at the heauinesse and sorrowe of the spirite that could not féele for the time of his trouble any certeintie or cōsolation in the promises of God Of this we be admonished that whatsoeuer we haue if Gods fauour lacke we haue nothing able to reioyce vs. And of the other side if we lacke all thinges and haue assuredly Gods fauour there is nothing able to make vs heauie and sorowfull As we see king Saule hauing a noble kingdome and lacking the fauour of God was alwayes vnquieted Poore Dauid hauing the grace and fauour of God was quiet and contented with all thinges saying If God will he may restore mee if he will not his will be done The assurance of Gods promises made Paule glad to die and the mistrust desperation of Gods promises made Iudas wearie to liue The certeintie of Gods trueth made Saint Stéeuen quietly to die in the assurance of eternall life the vncerteintie and doubtfulnesse of Gods mercie caused Saule to die in the feare of eternall death Riches of this world be treasures muche estéemed and made of friendes and louers much sought for and warily kept and health of bodie highly regarded and preserued with much care yet if the soule be destitute of the assurance of Gods grace the rest séeme to be of no valure at all As we sée Saule in his kingdome with riches strength and friendship yet his minde vexed still an euill spirite and Gods spirite departed his sorrowes were incomparable So that we learne that not onely the goodes apperteyning to the body be nothing worthe whereas the spirite wanteth the grace of God but also whereas the spirite is troubled the goodes of the bodie be little felt and nothing passed of as we sée by this Prophet in this Psalme The other part of his cogitations in the time of his sicknesse was this Will hee be no more intreated This gréeuous temptation whether GOD would be intreated to forgiue sinne any more may haue two vnderstandings The one generally and the other particularly Generally in this sort whether God once offended will be mercifull and forgiue or not Particularly whether God whose nature is mercifull will forgiue the priuate man that séeketh by saith mercie as he hath in time past forgiuen al men that asked it with repentance in faith The first sense and taking of the text generally is meruellous wicked and blasphemous to thinke that God once offended with any man will neuer for giue againe Of this opinion was Caine when he said his sinnes were greater then they might be forgiuen and he thought God would be no more intreated because he iudged his fault greater then the mercie of God that forgiueth faultes And wheresoeuer this iudgement of the spirite is this sentence is verified God will be intreated no more And as euery man that is priuatly thus minded that his owne sinnes be greater then can be forgiuen euen so hath he the like minde and iudgement also of all other mens sinnes that be like vnto his thinking them to be greater then they may be forgiuen For he that despaireth of his owne faultes cannot thinke well that other mens faults as great as his owne be remissible As Iudas that hanged himselfe for betraying of Christe could not thinke well of Peter that denied Christ but rather iudged of Peter as he did of him selfe saying God will be intreated no more Of this wicked iudgment of Gods mercie Whether he will be intreated any more of a sinner after that he hath sinned I wil speake no more But they that lust to read how horrible a thing it is may haue many Psalmes that do declare it namely Psalme 10. and 73. In the one of them it is said by the wicked that God hath forgotten the earth and careth neither for the godly life of the godly and vertuous nor the vngodly life of the vngodly and wicked And in the other Psalme they make a doubt Whether there be any knowledge in God of man and of his life or not But these sortes of people be too horrible and blasphemous and not to be rehearsed or muche spoken of The other sense of this place that is more particular is the better sense for the argument and meaning of the Psalme that is to aske whether God will be intreated no more as touching the remission of his owne sinne or els whether God will be
of God were no more nor yet so much as dogs in the respect of man And when she perceiued that man could be contented to spare his crumbes to the dogges she knewe right well that man was not so mercifull and liberall vnto dogges as God vnto sinners Wherefore she stoode stil with Christ constantly and least not calling vntill Christe gaue her to witte that she was in déede a verie well persuaded woman both of his power able to helpe and of his good will readie to helpe For in déede although she was a Cananite she knewe that if a man shut not out dogges from his table Christe woulde not shut from his mercie a sinnefull Cananite The same persuasion made Marie Magdalene créepe vnder the boorde to his féete with teares there to receiue and eate of his mercie to quenche the hunger and smarte of her sinnes These examples do declare why the troubled may put their trust in God Because he is omnipotent and can doe all thinges and he is mercifull and will help all penitent and faithfull sinners And so sayd this Prophete Asaph Of him commeth my saluatiō And he sheweth the cause why For he is my rocke my saluation and my defence These thrée woordes declare meruellousty the nature of God that alone helpeth and also the faith of him that calleth for helpe As for God whome the Prophet calleth first his Rocke by this worde he openeth meruellously how strong firme and sure and howe inuincible he is against all troubles aduersities and tempestes as well of the bodie as of the soule In Saint Matthewe the man that buildeth his house vppon the rocke or stone is called wise and the cause is that what windes soeuer blowe and what tempestes so euer arise they cannot cast downe the house nor ouerthrow the building for it is grounded vpon the stone The stone is God and his worde the builder is the Christian man and the building is the religion that he hath learned of God by his worde And although we sée God our rocke and sure stone is not assaulted with stormie and tempestuous shoures rayne yet the builder and the building that is to say the Christian man and his religion be blowen at and suche shoures of trouble fall vpon them that were not the rocke firme and sure all the building and the builder also for mans parte would surely fall and come to vtter ruine The experience of the same windes and floudes we may sée in the Actes of the Apostles For when Peter the rest builded the house of God that is to say taught men their saluation by the merites and passion of Christ there arose such winds and flouds that the builders were put into prison and the building in great danger When S. Stéeuen builded the congregation with Gods word in Christ whiles he was building such windes and floudes of malice assaulted him y t his braines were knocked out Whē Ananias and the rest planted builded the house of God y t is to say conuerted the infidels vnto the faith of Christ at Damascus there arose such windes and tempests at Hierusalem that Saul came frō thence towards Damascus with commission from the high priestes to kill the builders to ouerthrow all they had builded Let vs leaue off the examples of holie men sée what hapned to the head chiefe capteine al Saints good builders our sauiour Iesus Christ. When he called the worlde from ignorance to knowledge from death to life and from damnation to saluation there arose such winds and storms that had he not béene the rocke it selfe of strength and inuincible power he had béene ouerthrowen cleane and his buildings turned vpside downe For before he was of age to be borne in his mothers bellie y e diuel went about to slaunder him as a bastard and woulde haue persuaded the same to the godlie man Ioseph spoused in marriage to the blessed virgin Marie He had no sooner put his head out of his mothers bellie but streight way Herodes sworde was whette and bent to kill him Within a little while after the diuell stirred vp his owne kinse-folke countriemen to cast him downe from a hill toppe and to breake his necke and at length killed him indéede But what was the outgoing of this builder Forsoothe Father into thy handes I commend my spirite And what was the assuraunce of his building that is to say in what suretie stoode his disciples and folowers in the middest of these winds great stormes Doubtles Christ commended them to the custodie and protection of his heauenly father the rocke sure stone of all saluation from whome windes floudes temptations persequution death sinne nor the diuell himselfe with all his companie of wicked spirites be able to remoue the simplest of all Christes flocke In the Reuelations of Saint Iohn there is a meruellous doctrine what windes and floudes shall blowe and ouerflowe this rocke in the bulding and builders for the time of this life There is a woman that had broughte foorth a man childe and by and by there was a foule greate red dragon with seuen heads and seuen hornes that would haue deuoured this childe before he had come to his inheritaunce and kingdome appointed vnto him And when he saw he could not preuaile against the childe he caste out of his mouth water as it had bene a greate streame after the Mother but there was giuen her winges to escape For the rocke that she was builded vppon was sure that what soeuer windes or waters that is to say what troubles soeuer should happen nothing could ouerthrowe her And so sayeth Asaph here God being my rocke and sure fortresse my soule nor my bodie shal neuer be confounded As he declareth more openly by the two words that followe He is my strength and my saluation also sayth the Prophet As though he had sayd I do not onely knowe God to be sure strong inuincible but also I know this his might strength and surenesse is my wealth and my saluation For many men knowe that GOD is the rocke and strength of all powers but none doeth knowe that this power and strength is saluation for him selfe but such as be Gods in déede Therefore séeing this faith that beléeueth God particularly to saue a priuate person is onely Gods gifte and commeth not of man let vs pray that when we sée howe God hath bene the rocke of saluation to others that he will be so vnto vs likewise For it is a singular gifte of God to say boldely stedfastly and merrily from the bottome of the heart vnto him Thou Lorde art my rocke my saluation and my comfort And he that féeleth in him selfe for him selfe GOD to be his saluation hath suche a treasure that all treasures besides it are nothing to be estéemed and he will not passe of goodes landes nor life
fourth part repeateth more at large the declaration of the first and the second part THE fiue and sixe verses be worde for worde as the first the second were Onely there is left out in these two verses this word greatly for before he saide He should not greatly fall The which worde may be taken two wayes very comfortable of the reader and hearer if it be well marked and beléeued The first way is that the Prophet meaneth not that the people of God shal not fal for that is against the Scripture for The iust man falleth seuen times in the day Againe If we say we haue no sinne in vs we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. Nowe whereas sinne inseparably dwelleth as it doeth in all men whilest they liue vppon the earth there be faultes and falles before God of the mans part in whome this sinne dwelleth yet God of his mercy for the bloud and death of Christe doeth not account these inseparable sinnes to be falles but loueth the person preserueth him and will not impute nor lay any of those falles or faults vnto his charge but in Christe estéeme him iustified and cleane as though he were of him selfe so in déede And thus the Prophete saith that of Gods part and by our acceptation into his fauour through Christ the faithfull falleth not That is to say his sinne is not accounted damnable nor laide to his charge for Christes sake As Saint Paule writeth to the Romanes An other way it may be taken That a Christian hath testimonie in his spirit by the spirit of God that he is so elected chosen and ordeined of God to eternall saluation that what so euer the world the flesh the diuell or sinne shall doe yet standeth he assured of Gods election grace strength and fidelitie that he shall neuer fall to damnation but arise againe and be called from his falls what so euer they be And yet this most sure comfortable knowledge will not giue him licence nor libertie to sinne but rather kéep him in a feare and loue of the strong and mightie God in whose handes he is and kept from the great fall of eternall damnation from the which he was deliuered from the beginning with God So that ye may learne of this place what perseuerance is in the meditation contemplation of Gods most holy word and promises At the first they séeme vnto the fleshe things impossible as we may sée by Nichodemus who was as ignoraunt as could be at the beginning when he came first to schoole to Christ. But when a man hath bene exercised a while in it he féeleth more swéetnesse in the promises of God as we sée by this Prophete For after he had borne the crosse of affliction a little while and learned the nature of God howe mercifull he is to sinners he saide Although I fall yet it shall not be greatly But when he had tarried in the schoole of Christe and learned in déede what he was and howe that he was able to perfourme his mercy he saide plainly Whatsoeuer sinne the diuell the world the fleshe hell heauen or the earth would say against him he should not fall These two interpretations are to be noted For which so euer we vse we may finde comfort and vnspeakable consolation Now when he hath declared that he shal not fall into Gods eternal ire displeasure he sheweth how this certeintie of eternall saluation came vnto him and why God so mercifully and strongly hath warded and fenced him against all temptations and perilles of damnation It is saith he bicause God is his health That is to say One that hath not onely taken him from the sicknesse and daunger of sinne the tyrannie of the diuell and damnation of the lawe but also preserueth him in the same state that he fall not againe into the sicknesse and perill that he was deliuered from Whereof we learne that it is not mans labours nor mans workes that helpeth a sinner and saueth a damnable soule but it is the frée worke and vndeserued mercy of almightie God Wherfore we be taught that There is no health but in God alone Then saith the Prophete also that in God is his glorie Of the which worde he noteth two thinges The one touching God alone and the other touching God and him selfe The glorie that toucheth God alone is that this troubled Prophete pondered in the heauinesse and anguishe of his minde the number and strength of his enimies the diuel the flesh sinne the world and the bitter accusation of Gods lawes that truely accused and painfully grieued his conscience for sinne Of the other side in faith he considered howe the scripture declared that God was merciful euen vnto the greatest sinners of the worlde And he learned also by the word of God that GOD had made promise vnto sinners to be mercifull He considered further that god had many times vsed and practised his mercy towardes sinners And he founde likewise by the scripture that God to perfourme his mercy would not spare his owne dearely beloued sonne to redéeme man from his sinne with his own precious bloud and painfull death Thus weighing the strength of the diuell and sinne in the one part to damne and the strength of Gods mercy in Christe Iesus on the other part to saue and perceiuing the riches aboundance and strength of Gods mercy to be more auaylable to saue then all the power and strength of the diuell and sinne to damne for the great victory that God taketh ouer such strong enimies the Prophete triumpheth in the glorie of God ioyfully and thankefully extolling him for his mercy and power that hath broken the serpentes head and spoyled him of his prisoners So we vse to doe when any man by valiauntnesse defendeth vs from our enimies we extoll and magnifie him for his victorie and conquest This glorie gaue the Prophete Asaphe in this Psalme of God when by faith he sawe God conquering of hell sinne the diuell the accusation of the lawe desperation the fleshe and the world And the same glory giueth euery faithful creature vnto God at the end of the Lordes prayer when he saith For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie By the which wordes we knowe that howe so euer the diuell and wicked people take vppon them to vsurpe by violence warre and tyrannie and liue neuer so princely in pompe and pride they be but vsurpers if they come to it wrongfully for the kingdome apperteineth vnto GOD. And howe so euer they extend their power in Gods sight they be no stronger then a brused réede or broken staffe for the power is Gods And what glorie so euer they seigne and flatter them selues to haue it is but withered haye and vile dust in the sight of God But nowe the Prophete by the eye of faith séeing this glorious triumphe strength and power
in God saith that In this glorious almightie and triumphant God is his glory and desireth to haue part of that victorie and of that meruellous maiestie And as the Psalme saith He calleth and nameth the God of glorie his glorie Oh meruellous and vnspeakable boldnesse and constancie of faith A man nothing but sinne by nature in the sight of God nothing but earth and ashes replenished with all miserie and wretchednesse by nature corrupt the very enimie of GOD a vessell prepared vnto all dishonour ignominie shame and perdition contemned through sinne and shamed before all creatures and yet nowe with all these dishonours by faith saith The king of glorie is his glorie and the conquerour of all dishonour is his shield and buckler Of the other part who can thinke or speake any thing thankfull to suche a king of glory and most mightie conquerour that abhorreth not of mercy to be the honour and glory of so vile sinfull and wretched a thing as man is Whose eyes abhorre no filthe of sinne in penitent sinners whose presence refuseth not the companie of the sicke and miserable whose strength comforteth the weake whose mercy reioyceth the comfortles whose life expelleth death whose health banisheth sicknesse whose loue vanquisheth hatred whose immortalitie giueth euerlasting life and who crowneth vs with endlesse pitie and compassion in ioyes perpetuall Thus the Prophete after he had espied the almightie God in him selfe gloriously to be voyd of all troubles dolours and other aduersities and that he had also conquered gloriously the capteines of al aduersities hell death satan and sinne he challenged by faith and craued by Gods promise to be partaker of Gods glory in this point And doubtlesse he that can féele in his heart that GOD is his glory he shall take no dishonour nor shame by all the workes of the diuell sinner or the worlde Therefore many times in reading or thinking of the Psalmes or other parte of the holy scripture it is expedient to meditate and pray that the word we speake or pray may be vnto vs as much saluation comfort and glory as we perceiue GOD hath appointed in it for vs. And when we say with our mouth to God Thou art my saluation my glorie my rocke and my trust Let vs cry Lorde increase our faith helpe vs for thy name sake constantly to beleeue thee to be vnto vs in deed in spirit as we speake of thee outwardly with our mouth For in case the heart vnderstande not nor beléeue the wordes we speake with our mouthe we honour God in vaine as the scripture saith Let vs therefore praye as Saint Paule teacheth vs saying I will pray with the spirite and I will pray with the minde also When the Prophete hath by faith assured him selfe of Gods fauour he exhorteth all the Christian congregation to doe the same saying O put your trust in him alwayes ye people c. Here the Prophete teacheth what the Minister of the Church Bishop and others should doe when they vnderstand the scripture and learne by it feare and faith loue and hope in GOD they be bound to teache the congregation the same Scriptures for her saluation Whereby is condemned the vse of the Scripture in an vnknowne toung which is directly against Gods worde And here be Kings and Rulers also taught to sée their subiectes tenaunts and seruaunts to vnderstand the worde of God likewise the Father and the Mother the Maister and the Maistresse who be bound to knowe for their saluation the worde of GOD and to teache it vnto others vnder their gouernaunce Therefore in the end of the verse is put Selah As though he had saide Happie be those that put their trust in the Lorde and teach other to doe the same And curssed be those that trust not in the Lord and teach others to do the like THE FIFT PART 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine the children of men are deceitfull vpon the weights They are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your heart vpon them The fift part sheweth howe mans power is not to be trusted vnto THE Prophete by no meanes would haue men to put their trust in fleshe and bloud in case they doe they must néedes perishe For when miserable man shall trust in vaine vanitie whiche is man he can be no lesse then vanitie it selfe in whome he hath trusted And this is one miserie and wretchednesse a man to be deceiued of helpe and succour whereas he most trusted to haue bene holpen and succoured Thus must it néedes happen to them that trust in men For men of most excellencie and greatest authoritie riches and power in the world be but vanitie as the Prophete saith Nowe as they be so is their helpe And as their helpe is so is the comfort and consolation of such as seeke help at their handes Those that be trusted vnto be but flesh and bloud the best of flesh and bloud is but vanitie the consolation and helpe of vanitie is miserie and wretchednesse wherefore the Prophete exhorteth all men to beware they séeke not ayde and comfort of man for he is but vaine The Israelites vsed for their helpe against their enimies the Egyptians but the more flesh conspired together the worsse successe had all the battels they fought Nowe as we sée men that haue their trust in men suffer muche trouble and miserie in the world bicause their helpe they trust in is of inferiour strength and power to the troubles and aduersities that they be combred withall So doeth the word of God declare that such men as trust in vanitie haue not onely worldly aduersities against them but also for their so doing trusting in fleshe they be accurssed of God as the scriptures say Curssed be he that trusteth in man So that we sée meruelous and vnspeakable harmes come of the trust in man First miseries of y e world and next the enimitie and cursse of God For he that putteth his trust in man with the same one fact and doing doeth two horrible euils The one he deceiueth him selfe for the vanitie that he trusteth in can not saue him And the other he dishonoureth God that onely can saue in putting his trust in mortall man that can not saue and so maketh of man God to Gods high displeasure and dishonour Euery Christian man therefore should forsake fleshe and bloud and trust in the Lorde Almightie maker of heauen and earth as the Prophet Asaphe did a little before when he saide In God was his glory who could defend him from all hurts present past and to come what so euer they were The like may we sée in Saint Paule that saide God forbid that I should glory in any thing sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world
haue his desire and cogitations in the law of God both day and right And to preserue the people from this horrible impediment of ignorance God spake by his prophet Esaie these wordes My spirite which is in thee and my woordes which I put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy seede saith the Lord from henceforth for euermore And in the same Prophesie Christ prayeth the heauenly father to seale his word in his disciples wherby the daungerous impediment of mans saluation which is ignorance might be eschewed auoyded The same remedie against ignorance commandeth Almightie God also by Moses in Deut. and by S. Paul to the Ephesians whereas the fathers and the mothers be not bound themselues alone to knowe the lawe of God but also bound to teach it to their children that by ignorance they offend not God Of the second impediment whiche is feare and dred of Gods iustice commeth trembling and terror of the conscience and many times also the extremest euil of all euils very desperation that neuer looketh who can helpe neither yet trusteth to find any helpe But of these fruites of terror and feare and also of their remedies how they may be cured and holpen it shalbe shewed hereafter in the Psalme as it followeth whereas both terror of conscience and tranquillitie of the same be meruellously and diuinely set foorth Onely vntill I come to those pointes I doe note that this feare and terror of conscience in the faithfull be the very hunger and thirst that Christ saith shalbe quenched and they that féele them shalbe replenished with grace and consolation as the blessed Virgin the mother of Christ saith and they that féele them not shall departe emptie without grace And the cause of this terror and feare is the spirite of God that worketh the knowledge of our sinne by preaching reading or thinking of Gods Lawe that openeth and detecteth how wretched and sinnefull we be by nature in the sight of God But of this matter is better occasion ministred afterwardes in the Psalme then in this place ¶ The second part ¶ How a man should vse himselfe towards him in whome he putteth his trust in the time of trouble 2 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord my hand I held vppe all night and it was not wearie my soule refused comfort IN this part is taught vs both by doctrine and by example howe we should vse our selues in the time of trouble When we know there is no helpe nor helper but God alone it is not ynough for a man to know that God can helpe but also we must beléeue constantly that he hath as prompt a will to helpe as a sufficient power able to helpe and then béeing assured that he both can and will helpe we must call vppon him for helpe according to his commaundement vnto vs Call vppon mee in the dayes of trouble c. But of this place we may marke and learne what an intollerable burthen and vnspeakeable sorrowe the terrour and feare of sinne is and how gréeuous a thing the sight and contemplation of Gods displeasure and iust iudgement is against euery sinner for his sinne and transgression of Gods most holy Law The text saith That the Prophete when he felt the displeasure of God against sinne cryed out with a lowde voyce vnto the Lord. Whereby we learne that the conscience of man admonished by the word of God of the filthinesse and abhomination of sinne bringeth all the bodie into a trembling and feare lest God should vse rather iustice and iustly punishe sinne then mercie and mercifully forgiue sinne And thus béeing made afrayde thoroughly of sinne the mind is occupied with sorrowfull and heauie cogitations and the tongue by vehemencie of the spirite brought into clamours and cryes As we may sée commonly by examples left vnto vs in the word of God that where sinne is throughly felt in the conscience the feeling sinner is not onely troubled within in spirite but also outwardly in all the members and partes of his bodie as it is to be séene most manifestly in king Dauid In what a sea of heauines was king Dauid in his conscience when he spake to his owne soule Why art thou so heauie and sorrowfull ô my soule and why dost thou thus trouble mee Againe How long wilt thou forget mee ô Lord for euer And in other Psalmes we may sée into what trembling and feare outwardly he was brought by the knowledge and féeling of his sinne In one place he saith The feare of his sinnes did not onely ouerlay his conscience but also crushed and in maner all to broke his bones And in another place His visage was all defaced with wéeping teares and so abundantly they gushed out of his eyes that he watered or rather ouerflowed his bed with them where he lay Into what horrible cryes and waylings many times he fell for feare of sinne this Psalme and many other doe declare The like horrour and feare also of the sight and féeling of sinne we sée to haue béene in Saint Paule when he cryed out vppon him selfe Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie subiect vnto death And Marie Nagdalene with the sight and féeling of Gods displeasure against her sinne made teares and wéepings enowe to washe the founteine of mercies féete Iesus Christ. But blessed is that conscience feared by the Lawe whose feare by the swéete promises of the Gospel is turned into mirth and blessed be those teares and wéepings that end in consolation and happie is that troubled bodie whose end is immortalitie in the resurrection of the iust Further as we sée here king Dauid a sinner for feare of Gods iudgement breake out into lowd cryes for helpe and preseruation the same anguish and trouble of minde and of bodie for feare of Gods punishment for sinne towardes man was likewise in Christ without sinne which said My soule is heauie vnto death and in such an agonie was his bodie that he burst out and swett both water and bloud So that of this second part first we learne that such as be truely vnseignedly brought to a knowledge féeling and repentance of their sinnes haue it with great heauines of minde terrour of conscience and trouble also of the bodie many times that no sicknesse nor troubles may be compared to the trouble of the conscience for feare of due and condigne punishment for the sinne perpetrated and committed against Gods lawes The second doctrine that we be taught out of this second part is to declare what difference there is betwéene the penitent Christian in aduersitie and the desperate person that looketh for no helpe or els the presumptuous person that contemneth helpe The penitent afflicted calleth vnto the Lord and although he finde his burden neuer so intollerable doe wéepe and
lament neuer so sore yet he despaireth not but in aduersitie he hath hope and is not confounded as in prosperitie he hath faith and yet presumeth not The desperate man féeleth all troubles and no consolation is wholy ouercome with mistrust ful of incredulitie and cleane voyd of hope as Saule Iudas and others The contemner of admonition hath hope in prosperitie with al presumption as Cain and Pharao and in aduersitie desperation with all mistrust diffidence The Christian afflicted calleth in faith and hope vppon the Lorde and is heard the wicked afflicted calleth not vppon the Lord but is cleane reiected and comfortlesse by Gods most iust iudgement The Christian afflicted séeth all his sinns lesse then the least mercies of God the wicked afflicted séeth the least of his sinnes greater then the greatest mercies of God The one in trouble by faith glorifieth the Lord and by mercie findeth saluation the other in trouble by mistrust dishonoureth the Lord and by iustice findeth damnation The one by troubles thoroughe faith in Christ is made like vnto the sonne of God and cannot be separated from him in eternall life the other by troubles through desperation of Christe is made like vnto Sathan and cannot be separated from him in eternall death The one in eternall life findeth euerlasting ioyes the other in euerlasting death findeth endlesse paines Almightie GOD therefore graunt vs grace in all our troubles and afflictions penitently and faithfully to call vppon him and to finde him merciful vnto vs his wretched creatures Amen The third thing to be noted in this second part is that Gods nature and mans differ much one from the other For man for the most part is no more seruiceable vnto God nor longer friendly vnto man then Gods condition vppon the earth is fortunate and quiet with the world For if stornies arise for Gods cause and troubles happen where quietnesse erst had place the men of the world alter their loue seruice and reuerence and will neither make nor medle with God nor his cause no althoughe tenne thousand idols be brought in for one God as Englishe men haue séene in former time As long as Christ had a king in this realme to hold of his part and that great liuings gaines friendship and loue of y e world rose for Gods sake they dissembled towards his worde and so long as faire wordes could please God he lacked none but now euen such as God did most for doe knowe neither God nor his word but had rather heare tenne times spoken of the falsest tradition that euer man brought into the Churche then once of Christes most holy Gospel so that now mens natures for aduersities sake be cleane turned from God How long the loue of man continueth towardes men daily experience sheweth within one moneth If a man fall into trouble for the most iust cause he that was his friend will not onely alter his loue from him but also all the notes and tokens of the same whereas in prosperitie he was assured both of friendly words and friendly workes in aduersitie he shal find neither words nor workes except words and works of displeasure In prosperitie faire lookes and amiable countenances were as common as the cart way in aduersitie there shall neither looke nor countenaunce be shewed except it be frowning and bending of browes yea and moreouer aduersitie taketh from the dissembling friend all knowledge that euer he had of his friend afflicted that if the poore afflicted although he be euen vnder the nose of his feigned friend with courtesie and all obeisance cannot be knowne Oh God blessed be thy name that withdrawest neither thy knowledge loue nor yet thy helpe from the poore afflicted but hearest them and grauntest them their godly and honest requestes as here this Prophete most godly comfortably writeth of thée For he saith The Lord shall hearken vnto me when I seeke him in the time of my trouble And also the Lord abhorreth not to be present with the afflicted be his troubles neuer so great For I am saith the Lord with him in trouble I will deliuer him and set him in honour c. Of this doctrine we learne two things The one that God hateth not the troubled man for his trouble but for his sinnes Men doe cleane contrarie for the most part For they hate the man for trouble and not for sinne For let the wickedest man aliue haue prosperitie and all wicked men will loue him for his prosperities sake God turneth not his fauour from man for trouble but for sinne The world for troubles sake will not knowe the most deare and honest friend but let the most wicked that liueth by breath haue prosperitie and wicked people will not faile to know him with beck and du-gard if he come into companie Yea rather then faile the most wickedest man aliue shall be narrowly sought out that wicked men may haue acquaintance of him But he that hath God to his friend is sure of a Sauiour as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie as the Prophet here declareth which can in troubles send ease and in quietnes continue ioyes for euer To him therefore be all laude and praise worldes without end Amen The fourth thing to be noted in this second part is the continuance of the faithfull afflicted in prayer vnto God For the Prophet saith that He lifted vp his hands all night and waxed not wearie Of this continuance in prayer we learne two thinges The one perseuerance in prayer and the other patient expectation and willing sufferance vntill God sende redresse and ease To the first the Scripture exhorteth vs that we pray both heartily and continually vnto God not because he is ignorant of our troubles but because we should throughly be brought to vnderstand that there is none can helpe vs out of trouble but hée and also that by continuance in prayer we may the better knowe and more earnestly repent our sinns that be the cause of our troubles thirdly that by often remembrance and diuers rehearsalls of our iniquitie vnto GOD we may the sooner bring both our soules and bodyes into the seruice and homage of Almightie God whome we haue by sinne most gréeuously displeased The second vertue patient expectation in troubles declareth that we be much bound vnto God that chasteneth vs in this life and deferreth not our punishment to the eternall paines in the world to come Also it maketh the minde of man to vnderstand the wisedome of GOD and also the foolishnesse of man that many times for lacke of patient expectation and thankfull sufferance waxeth wearie of his crosse and punishment and also murmureth against God bicause he helpeth not when mans wisedome iudgeth most méete to be holpen But patient expectation prescribeth God no time when to helpe nor yet meanes how to helpe but saith Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen
himselfe for euer This may be vnderstood two maner of wayes For this English word euer hath two meanings in the Hebrue tonge Sometime it is taken for continuance and time euerlasting sometime for certeine yeres and the life of men If it be taken in this place for time euerlasting the sorrowes of the Prophete were the greater when he reuelued with his spirite that God iustly for sinne might cast him into euerlasting paines the remembraunce whereof is greater paine then the mortall death of the bodie If this word euer be taken for a certeine time and the life of man then meaneth the Prophet thus Will God as long as I liue absent himselfe And thus continue me in heauines of spirite and sorrowes as long as I liue Which sense soeuer be taken there be profitable thinges to be learned of it But I suppose the latter sense to be the better for diuers causes First in this that the Psalme conteineth the complaint and prayer of the Prophet a man of God that cannot be brought to this desperation that he should be cast away for euer from the fauour of God vnto eternall paines And the text that saith It is mine owne infirmitie and the right hand of the Lord can chaunge this doth beare with this latter sense and explanation For the words be of great weight and of meruellous wisedome and consolation and do declare that although the Prophete felt the iudgement of God against sinne and was in a meruellous terror feare with the horror and sight of his sinns yet the spirite of God did testifie with his spirit that he was the child of God and that it was a paine and punishment of the soule and body and not a desperation and thorough casting away and absenting of Gods mercie For the very electes of God be chosen so ordeined so preserued and kept that nothing is able to take them out of Gods hand For the godly men in the Scripture did reioyce with the assurance of Gods certein promise and did not presume to do euill as S. Paule in sundrie places doth giue testimonie Once to the Romanes where as he felt and perceiued the filthines of sinne the iust iudgement of God against the same as it appeareth by his wofull crie and complaint Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body subiect vnto death He felt as we may perceiue the heauie burden and weight of Gods displeasure and yet in the midst of terror and feare he stayed assuredly in the mercie of God through Christ. And the same he writeth also to the Corinthians to his disciple Timothie that his death was at hand that he knew although his quarell were neuer so good that he of himselfe was a sinner and by sinne worthie reiection casting away from God yet he said that Christ had in kéeping for him a crowne of iustice whiche he should assuredly receiue at the day of his death God is contented that his chosen people shall suffer and beare the burden and heauinesse of temptation and feare of euerlasting paine as Adam did first in Paradise Dauid many times Iob and others yea Christ himselfe that said his soule was heauie euen vnto death which made him sweat both water and bloud But these temptations and terrors shall neuer ouercome and cast away the person that hath his faith in Christ for none is able to take his shéepe out of his hand Yet God withdraweth his hand many times and suffereth his to be tempted and to be comfortlesse and as it were cleane ouerthrowen not that in déede their election can be altered or they themselues left comfortlesse vntill the end of their liues but for a time as ye may sée by Iob who spake as horrible words and as desperatly as might be Yet sée in the end of his booke and marke what a ioyfull outgoing his gréeuous temptations had What pitifull cryes were these of Christ our Sauiour vppon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet the end was Father into thy handes I commend my spirite It is written that we must enter into heauen by many troubles Now of all troubles the trouble of the minde and of the spirite is the greatest Who then can enter into heauen without such troubles Doubtlesse no man For the iudgement of God must begin at his house as Saint Pater saith That is to say None shall in this life more féele Gods displeasure for sinne in the spirite nor suffer more aduersitie in the bodie then such as be of Gods owne houshold and very electes Wherefore we be admonished in the troubles and sorrowes that this Prophete Asaph susteined in his soule that could not rest and in his bodie that could not sléepe nor speake that good men be not frée from aduersitie and that aduersities be they neuer so great shall not separate men from God for euer but for a time he punisheth sinne and hideth the consolation of God from vs As the scripture saith For a time a little while I haue forsaken thee but I will gather thee together in wonderfull mercies In a short time of my wrath I hidd my face a while from thee but I will haue mercie vppon thee for euer saith the Lord thy redeemer All men that shall profitably knowe and féele the certeintie of Gods promises in this life and enioy them in the life to come shall be troubled with some paine of doubtfulnes of them before he come to perfection For as by sinne death entered into the flesh and also the flesh is subiect vnto sicknesse and aduersitie so is there entered into the soule and powers thereof by reason of sinne great imperfection As the minde of all men is burdened with ignorance the heart with contumacie and the will with frowardnesse so that as they be before regeneration and knowledge of God in all godly matters starke blind very obstinate and naturally altogether froward euen so after regeneration and the knowledge of God they continually resist and fight against the spirite not onely of man in whome these powers dwell but also against the spirite of God that teacheth and leadeth the spirite of man to eternall saluation So that it is not man that is able to ouercome the wickednesse of his owne soule And therefore séeing life through grace dwelt in a bodie naturally full of sinne Saint Paule said I doe liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee So this Prophete Asaphe séemeth in wordes to be starke dead from grace but it was not for euer for he felt the spirite of God that told him that such heauie and vngodly thoughtes of his spirit came of his owne infirmitie and that Gods right hand could alter and chaunge them And this is the difference betwéene the affliction of the godly and vngodly as it is
more comfort then the first part hath discomfort And it is a plaine doctrine that although y e sinnes of man be many horrible yet be they fewer and lesse in estimation many thousande foldes then Gods mercies Death is declared in the first part of the verse in this that mans infirmitie is not onely sinful in body soule but also doutful of Gods mercy holy promises Yet in the second part by grace is set foorth life and cleane deliuerance from the tyrannie of the diuel the seruitude of sinne the accusation of the lawe and the infirmitie of nature by the strong and mightie power of God whose mercy in Christ is alwayes ready to helpe poore afflicted and troubled sinners After this confession of sinne and the great confidence that the prophet had in God for his mightie power and mercies sake that was both able by power and redy with will to help and remedie this troubled spirite and great aduersities of the Prophet he goeth foorth in the consolation taketh yet more and more of Gods benefites vsed in times towardes such as were afflicted after this sort 11 I will remember the workes of the Lord and call to my minde thy wonders of olde time 12 I will thinke also of thy workes and my talking shall be of thy doings 13 Thy way ô God is holy who is so great a God as our God 14 Thou art the God that doth wonders and hast declared thy power amongest people 15 Thou hast mightily deliuered thy people euen the sonnes of Iacob and Ioseph Sela. 16 The waters saw thee ô God the waters saw thee and were afraid the deapthes also were troubled 17 The cloudes powred out water the ayre thundered and thine arrowes went abroad 18 The voyce of thy thunder was heard round about the lightenings shone vpon the gound the earth was moued and shooke withall 19 Thy way is in the sea and thy pathes in the great waters and thy footsteps are not knowne 20 Thou leadest thy people like shepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron Of these meanes howe men take consolation in aduersitie that the Prophet nowe maketh mention of first we learne what difference is betwéene the consideration of Gods works aduisedly by faith the consideration of Gods workes rashly without faith The which diuersitie is to be séen in this Prophet For the one part as touching the remembring of Gods workes out of faith and in faith he spake before in the second verse and in the fourth verse how that he considered the workes and old doings of the Lord when he was troubled But as ye haue heard because his spirite was in a doubtfulnesse and mamering vppon the certeintie of Gods doinges he felt no consolation thereof but much heauinesse and anguish of minde For those demaundes Will God absent himselfe for euer Will he be no more mercifull and such like heauie and doubtfull complaintes could neuer procéed but from a sorrowful and much troubled conscience But now after that Gods spirit hath wrought in his spirit this assurance and iudgment that God can in him chaunge the conditions of his miseries as ye may sée he maketh no more complaint of doubtfulnesse neither remembreth any more the fearefulnesse of his conscience but goeth foorth with repetition and rehearsall of all thinges comfortably how that God in time past holpe troubled spirites and afflicted personages that put their trust in him So that of this we learne that whosoeuer hath a sure faith in God taketh consolation of Gods word and workes And such as haue not first true faith in God cannot in the spirite receiue comfort of Gods word or workes Outwardly men may meruel at God and his worker but inwardly it easeth not the heauinesse nor yet quieteth the grudge of conscience Wherefore it behoueth vs all that we pray earnestly vnto GOD to giue vs faith to beléeue his word and workes when we heare read or sée them For the word and workes of God do nothing comfort the vnfaithfull as we may sée by the Scripture where God saith He stretched foorth his hand al day long to a people that beléeued not for such as haue eares heare not eyes sée not be rather the worse for Gods word workes then the better Ye shal sée where the spirite of Dauid was replenished with faith he was in assured and ascerteined of Gods present helpe that he said he would not feare although a thousand men inuironed and compassed him round about No he would not feare thoughe he should walk in the shadow of death At another time when faith quailed and waxed faint he was trembling in his spirite and fearefull in his bodie as we may sée when he felt his spirite waxe faint he said My soule is troubled very sore and my bones be weakened And in other of his Psalmes he sheweth that his soule was very heauie and comfortlesse and could take no consolation Also when the spirite is assured of Gods grace then the eyes cannot looke vppon any worke of God but the mind taketh by the contemplation and sight thereof vnspeakeable consolation As Dauid declareth in his Psalmes and saith He would sée the heauens the workes of Gods fingers and would marke how one day was an induction to an other and how the heauens praised the Lord. At an other time when the consolation and life of the spirit was ouer whelmed with troubles he could not sée at all with his eyes but cryed and complained that he was starke blinde And also in that meruellous Psalme in number 88. whereas prayer is made to be deliuered from the horrour and féeling of sinne the Prophet saith that his eyes waxed dimme and blinde The same is to be séene likewise in the crosses and afflictions that God sendeth As long as true faith and confidence remaineth in the heart all troubles be wellcome and thankfully taken as we read When Iob had newes that his goods and chidren were taken from him in manner soudeinly he most patiently said God gaue them and God hath taken them away as God would so it is done But when faith quailed and the spirite was troubled then followed these impatient wordes I would my sinne were layed in one balance and my paine in an other As though God had layed more vppon him then he had deserued When the spirit was quieted for all his pouertie and nakednesse he reioyced and was contented with his birth and comming into the world and also with the state in the world appointed vnto him by God saying Naked I came out of my mothers bellie and naked I shall depart hence againe But when faith fainted then came out these woordes The day the night and the time be cursed wherein I was borne With many more horrible wordes as the text declareth So that we sée whereas Gods spirite wanteth there is no learning nor consolation to be
giueth God the strength able to helpe but is of it selfe in God and with God so is there none that can giue God a wil to helpe but he of himselfe is inclined to haue mercie vppon the afflicted and his mercie is most prone and readie to helpe the poore and miserable Hereof learneth the afflicted Christian that none inclineth God to be mercifull but his owne gentle and pitifull nature So that the sinners may boldely in Christ resort vnto him firste because he is mercie it selfe and not to goe astray to séeke firste mercie at dead Saintes handes and by their meanes at laste finde God mercifull and readie to helpe him And when the afflicted perceiueth by the word of God that he commandeth him to call vpon him and vppon none other he may take a courage and audacitie to be bolde to come vnto him be his sinnes neuer so many horrible or filthie yea if in number they excéeded the grauell of the sea yet be they fewer alwayes then his mercie If they be as redde as scarlet yet shall they be made as white as snowe The booke of wisedome sayth euen so Although we haue sinned Lord we be thine knowing thy greatnesse And whereas these doctrines be grounded sée what followeth In all the depth of anguishe and sorrowe this followeth as this Psalme sayth Of him commeth my saluation He is my strength my saluation and my defence c. The same may we sée also in the Dialogue betwéen the Christian soule or Christes Churche and Christe in the booke of Solomons Ballads were she neuer so blacke and burned with the sunne were she neuer so troubled with the vanities of the worlde she cried out and saide boldely vnto Christe Drawe me we will runne after thee And although the poore wretched soule be enuironed and compassed about with sinne troubles and aduersities as the faire Lillie is hedged about with thornes yet she trusteth in her husband that he will helpe her And in déede most comfortably her spouse Christ comforteth her with these maruelous words Arise haste thee my spouse my faire one and come Nowe Winter is past the rayne is gone and ceassed That Booke of Solomon is to be read to sée how mercifully God comforteth a troubled and deformed soule by sinne and yet God layeth it not to the soules charge that hath Christe to her husband Also there is to be séene that the soule is bolde to séeke and call for help of God her husband and goeth to no strange God for ayde or succour althoughe she be burned with the sunne and a miserable sinner The like is to be séene in the Prodigall sonne Although he was neuer so beggerly miserable sinful wretched and vnkinde to his father yet he said Euen as I am with my miseries I will go to my father and tel him that I haue offended against him and against Heauen The father when he sawe him spatte not at him reuiled him not asked no accomptes of the goods he had viciously spent laide not to his charge his filthie conuersation with whores and harlots neither did he cast into his téethe howe he had dishonoured him and his familie but when he sawe him a farre off hee was moued with compassion towardes him ranne to méete him tooke him about the necke and kissed him The sonne confessed his fault and the father minding more the comforte of his lowsie and beggerly sonne then the repetition of his transgressions commaunded his seruantes spéedily to fetche him robes and to clothe him gaue him a ring vpon his finger and shooes to his féete killed his fat calfe and made merrie and reioyced with his loste sonne that he was found againe Here is the state and condition of a soule that wayteth as Asaph saith for a time vpon the Lorde in trouble and heauinesse meruellously sett foorth Sée this wretched man spoyled of al his goods destitute of all friendes shutte out of all honest cōmpanie of a Gentleman become a swineheard of one that had once men to waite vppon him become now a waiter vpon pigges once he gaue others meate and nowe all men refuse to féede him erst a man that scarse delicate dishes coulde contente his appetite nowe his stomache yrketh till it be filled with swines foode yet more ouer then that he sawe nothing behinde him nor before him but miserie and wretchednesse Behind him he left al his goods spent riottously his estimation parentage such frends as he had when mony was plentie lost also as farre as reason could sée his fathers vtter displeasure and the reproch ignominie of his alliaunce and kinsefolke purchased for euer Before him he saw hunger and scarsitie a sorte of filthie swine and the best meate draffe chaffe for the sustenance and maintenaunce of his piggishe life in case he might haue béene so mainteyned yet in the middest of these sorrowes attending in his spirite vpon the mercie of his father meruelously in the filthe of a pigges slie and in the paines and anguishe of miserie hearke what a wonderfull doctrine he bloweth out Oh what abundance of bred is there in my fathers house and I starue here for hunger I will arise and gette me to him and confesse my fault c. He saieth not Oh what abundaunce of bread hath my brother and my kinsefolke but What abundance of bread is there in my fathers house He said not I will make my complaint to my brother but said To my father Whereof is learned that all penitent Christian sinners doe know that the heauenlie father hath the bread of mercie to satisfie their hungrie desire and that he is to be resorted vnto in such sinnefull and troublesome state and not any other in heauen but he alone through Iesus Christe who was killed to redéeme and saue the penitent faithfull sinners of the worlde Sée now how this Prodigall outragious sonne knew why he should séeke helpe of his father in the time of his vile miserie and wretchednesse First he knewe his fathers power and therefore saide Oh how great plentie of bread is there in my fathers house beléeuing that his father was able to giue him meate sufficient Next he was assured that his father was mercifull and would giue him suche thinges as he lacked being thus persuaded boldly he returned vnto his father and to him he vttered al his griefe who was a great deale more prest readie to helpe then his sonne was readie to aske helpe Of the same minde was the woman of Canaan For although she founde little comfort at the firste yet she argued so from the nature of man to the nature of Christ that Christe cried out vpon her and sayde Oh woman greate is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest For when she saide the dogges did eate of the crumbes that fell from their maisters table she knewe that she her selfe and all men in respect
is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde That is bicause I put al my trust of saluation saith Saint Paule in him that was crucified the worlde taketh me for an heretique and so persequuteth me but yet it ouer commeth me not neither taketh it away my glory my consolation and my crowne of eternall ioyes For euen as the world persequuteth me with fire sword and all other crucifyings so I crucifie the world againe testifying by the worde of God that their liuing is nought and their faith and trust worse So that as they crucifie me with worldly trouble in like manner I crucifie the worlde againe with the worde of God and speake against it bearing testimonie that it is the enimie of God and shall perish eternally But this I doe saith Paule bicause I glory in nothing sauing in Christ crucified Thus doeth the Prophete Asaphe teach all men to put their trust in Christe and not in sinfull man which is not onely vanitie but also If vanitie were laid in one balance and man in the other yet of both man were the more vanitie Therefore man is not to be trusted vnto saith the Prophet And for a further declaration that man is more vaine then vanitie he openly declareth in the processe of his Psalme that man is giuen besides vanitie to wrong and robberie which two euilles do increase mans miseries For man is not onely borne vaine vanitie but also by processe of time in wicked liuing addeth wrong and robberie vnto vanitie and so maketh vanitie more vaine and damnable then it was before Nowe this robberie and wrong is done two maner of wayes to God and to man He that putteth his trust of saluation in any other thing sauing in God looseth not only his saluation but also robbeth God of his glory and doeth God as much as lyeth in him manifest wrong as the wicked people amongest the Iewes did that saide As long as they honoured and trusted vnto the Quéene of heauen al thinges prospered with them but when they hearkened to the true preachers of Gods word they said al things came into worsse state and that with scarsitie and trouble they were ouer whelmed He that putteth also his trust confidence in any learning or doctrine besides Gods worde doeth not only fall into errour and lose the trueth but also as much as lyeth in him he robbeth Gods booke of his sufficient trueth and veritie and ascribeth it to the bookes of mens decrées Which is as much wrong to God and his booke as may be thought or done In the which robberie or rather sacrilege no man shuld put his trust as the Prophete saith An other way wrongs be done vnto man when the riche and sturdie of the worlde by abusing of friendship oppresse robbe and spoyle the poore And by his thus doing first he deceiueth him selfe for euill gotten goods can not long prosper neither can any familie aduaunced by fraude crafte or subtiltie long time endure Then he deceiueth the simple and poore that trusteth vpon the outward shewe of his port and estimation which glittereth in the worlde as a vaine glorious and deceiuable beautie and honour and marketh neither howe wickedly the glorie of the robber and doer of wrong sprang vp nor howe miserably God hath ordeined it to fall againe But séeing carnally he séeth a vaine man in vanitie prosper for a time he trusteth in this vanitie pampered vp with robberie and wrong vntill suche time as vanitie vadeth and he much lamenteth that put in vanitie so much vaine hope But graunt that honour and riches by Gods gift and trueth abound yet were they not giuen for men to trust in but for men to giue GOD more thankes and to helpe the poore with them from iniuries of oppression and néede of hunger thirst and pouertie Therefore the Prophete saith Although riches doe abound yet men should not put their heartes vpon them That is to say men should not trust in them nor kéepe thē otherwise then their vse or kéeping should serue to the glorie of God in aboundance to be liberall and in time of néede to be carefull not to kéepe them for a priuate commoditie but as Iosephe did say to saue the multitude from scarsitie and penurie Thus doeth the Prophete exhort all men to beware they put not their trust in men for both they and all that they haue of worldly things be transitorie vaine and inconstant THE SIXT PART 11 God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God 12 And that thou Lorde art merciful for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke The sixt part conteineth howe that God hath promised to helpe the afflicted c. IOb hath the same phrase and manner of speache The Lord spake once and will not repeate the same againe That is as much to say as that the worde of God is so sure that it can not be made frustrate nor changed by any meanes So saith this Prophete Asaphe God spake once which standeth sure for euer and cannot be altered This word of GOD hath relation to the verses before wherein be opened the vanitie of man or insufficiencie to helpe him selfe or others in trouble which can not be chaunged nor euer shall be but as fleshe is vanitie be it neuer so holy as Adam called his best sonne and holy Martyr Abel that is to say in the Hebrue toung Vanitie perfectly knowing that all flesh by sinne was vile and vaine and therfore not to be trusted vnto This once speaking of God is also referred vnto the text that followeth which declareth two vertues in God Power and Mercy Power to punishe his enimies and Mercy to recompense his faithful afflicted And this is so true that it shall neuer be made false the wicked to féele Gods strength in damnation and the faithfull to féele Gods mercies in saluation not bicause their workes deserue it but bicause God of his mercy so contented to blesse the poore faithful workeman So he giueth eche man after his workes the euill hell fire by iustice and the good heauens blisse by mercie Now the Prophet saith He heard it twise at Gods mouth that is to say He knewe God had made promise of mercie to saue the faithfull penitentes and of iustice to punishe the impenitent sinner And this he heard in the time of the Lawe of Nature by reading of Moses bookes and also by the holy Ghost in his owne time when by the inspiration of the holy Ghost he wrote this Psalme and the rest of his prophesies The same haue we likewise heard first by reading of the bookes of Moses next by reading of the Scriptures of the Prophets and thirdly by reading of the new Testament The which I pray God giue vs grace to beléeue and followe Amen ¶ AN EXPOSITION vppon the 73. Psalme made by the constant Martyr of Christe Maister IOHN
his helpe any longer they would yealde them selues into the handes of their enimies but God stayed their fall and that by the handes of a woman And if there had not bene more mercy in GOD then faith in them their féete had not onely slipt but also all the whole lande countrie and citie The like ye may sée also in the notable historie of Hester whereas the very rocke and chiefe stay of the Iewes health Mardocheus made suite to the Quéene for Asuerus pardon for the life of the Iewes when sentence and iudgement was past against them of death So that if faith in the promises of God had not stayed him he had slipt and falne downe to sée al things against him and his countrimen But before men vtterly fall the Lorde is with them and preserueth them with his mercy as Dauid saide When my feete were moued thy mercy oh Lord stayed me The thirde thing to be noted of these wordes is the manner of the Prophetes speaking which must be marked and vnderstoode or else the reader or hearer of the Psalmes shall take no profite My feete were almost gone and my treadings had well nigh slipt By the féete he vnderstandeth the minde and by the treadings well nigh slipt he vnderstandeth the iudgement and wisedome of the minde As foule and slipperie wayes be daungerous for the féete so be the workes of God to the minde that is not illuminated with the light of Gods word And as the slipping and running away of the feete causeth all the body to fall euen so the ignorance of the mind causeth both body and soule to fall and gréeuously to misseiudge the workes of God And as the fal of the body sowceth and defileth it self with mire and dirt euen so doth the fall of the minde defile both body and soule with impatience and enuious indignation at Gods workes So that the Prophete saith by these wordes My feete were almost gone and my treadings had well nigh slipt My minde was so troubled to sée God suffer the euill in such prosperitie and the good in suche aduersitie that my iudgement almost slipt from the right sentence of thée O Lorde and very scarsly I auoyded most haynons sinne towardes thée in controlling of thy most wise and iust doings If we marked the pithe and wisedome of the scripture we should sée many thinges more in our selues then we doe doubtlesse growe to an excellencie in wisedome and finde out what euils we be most inclined vnto Amongst all other hatred and indignation of other mens prosperitie is not the least nor the most seldomest And in déed the father of sinne the diuell hath that in him First he disdained God and his felicitie but he wan nothing thereby but euerlasting paines Then he enuyed man his felicitie yet the wicked spirit gayned nothing to him self but double damnation and losse of vs all And this séede of the diuell descended into our nature as we may sée and made Caine to kill Abel his brother made Ismael to persequute Isaac Esau Iacob Dathan and Abiron Moses and Aaron Aaron and Marie his sister Moses Iacobs children Ioseph Saule Dauid Herode and the Phariseis Christe and Iohn the Baptist the tenne Apostles Iohn and Iames Peter Saint Iohn the Euangelist and the members of the diuell and Antichriste in this our time the members of Christe So that they be not onely almost falne but also the Lorde help them and vs all altogether sliden to enuie and indignation and likewise to violent oppression of Gods holy word But let vs not slip ne fall into indignation that they prosper and we are afflicted but say in the middest of these oppressions of the good and prosperitie of the euill Truely God is louing vnto Israel and let vs praye also for their amendment ¶ The third part 3 And why I was grieued at the wicked c. HErein is conteined what the felicitie of the wicked is and wherein it consisteth that the godly be offended with all when they flourishe and be in honour and the poore members of Christe persequuted and without all honour and be rather worms then men yea the dogs and brute beastes of the enimies be in more estimation then the poore beléeuers in Christe Out of this part is to be noted First a great fault and ouersight in the people of God for lacke of iudgment and true knowledge wherein trueth and verie felicitie in déede consisteth the lacke of the which knowledge maketh men both impatient and lewde iudges of Gods holy workes The Prophete therefore herein amendeth his owne and our ignorance and willeth vs to knowe perfectly wherein felicitie and happinesse doth rest The Christian must vnderstand and assure him selfe that the felicitie and euerlasting beatitude of man is wrought by quietnesse of conscience and innocencie of life of which two partes and vertues in this tract I will speake more hereafter as well what they be what be the causes of them as what is the effect of them I wil assure you if we knowe not these thinges well our religion will be but a while permanent and true vnto God To enter therefore into the knowledge of the matter wherein the beatitude felicitie of man consisteth it is requisite to cast some cloudes and darknesse vpon these worldly things that wicked men possesse and godly men thinke them thereby to be happie Looke as the Sunne at the rising and passing ouer the earth doth hide and couer the globe sphere of the Moone and darkneth also the light and clearenesse of the starres euen so doth the tranquillitie of conscience and the brightnesse of faith and charitie that dwelleth in the heart of the faithfull darken and hide all things that séeme beautifull and voluptuous to the world and carnall lustes of man And he that hath a testimonie at home in his owne conscience that he is in the fauour of God will not greatly passe of other mens iudgements whether they saue or damne laud or disprayse nor yet greatly passe although he lacke such notes of riches and glory as worldly men iudge and knowe felicitie by For he that knoweth surely wherein felicitie doth consist will not take the worldly opinion of men for his recorde nor for his rewarde neither will he greatly feare for any damnation or punishment that the world can annexe and ioyne vnto his life for this mortall time It is therefore Christianitie to knowe that felicitie and beatitude resteth in the riches of the mind by Gods grace wrought by the holy Ghost for the merites of Christ. There was amongst the Philosophers great diuersitie of opinions in this matter wherin felicitie beatitude shoulde consist Some saide it rested in this a man still and continually to be voyde from anguishe and sorrowe Other saide it consisted in the knowledge of thinges Some saide in pleasure and voluptuousnesse Aristotle and Theophrastus and such other as were
God GOD laughteth the intent of the wicked to scorne Psalme 2. So the wicked maye obteine their purpose they care not by what meanes Genesis 3. By what meanes the diuel deceiued Adam Dauid Absolon 3. Reg. 15. Elias Achab. 3. Reg. 18. Christ. The wicked sort of the world Matth. 27. Matth. 8. Mark 5. Luke 8. Paule Tertullus c. Actes 24. Whome God do exalt to say the truth the wicked condemne as heretiques Howe doe the wicked vse their lyes Three maner of wais doe lyes harme Iohn 8. Manifest lyes amōg the ignorant Example 1. Reg. 15. Num. 14. Moses Iosua Caleb Manifest lies in matters of religion Gene. 11. Exo. 6. 7. 8. 3. Reg. 16. 17. 18. Matth. 15. Amongest the papists defenders of idolatrie be proferred 2. Cor. 4. The vse of lyes amongest the faithfullesse Gene. 3. 4. Eue. Caine. 1. Reg. 17. Saule Absolon 3. Reg. 15. The diuell vseth lyes many wayes A perillous vse of lyes Esau. Gene. 27. Absolon 3. Reg. 15. Matth. 22. Note The amiable countenance of the papists in King Edwards dayes be turned nowe into firie faces Prou. 24. The people of god do fall 1 Iohn 1. The sinnes of the faithful be not imputed vnto them for Christes sake Rom. 8. Iustification Note Rom. 8. He that standeth fast of Gods election can not fall to damnation Nichodemus Iohn 3. The lōger a man is at schoole the more sweetnesse in learning doeth he feele Why shal not be godly fall Health The mercy of God and not manswork saueth a sinner Glorie Note The afflicted Christian that beleeueth the strengthe of Gods mercy to exceede the force of his enimies receiueth consolation Euery christiā giueth the glorie only vnto God Matth. 6. The Prophete by faith claimeth the glory of God to be his glory Note Consolatiō Psal. 103. Oh liuely faith Luke 17. Esai 29. Matth. 15. 1. Cor. 14. Exhortation What is the office of the pastor when he vnderstandeth the scriptures 1. Cor. 14. The office of Kinges and Magistrates Parentes and Maisters No truste in fleshe bloud Note As man isIf we say we haue no sinne in vs so is his helpe Note diligently The Israelites vsed the Egyptians for helpe An inferiour medicine to the disease can not cure the patiēt Iere. 17. What doth come of the trust in man Two euils Gal. 6. A goodly explanatiō of Paules words god forbid that I should glory in c. Man more vaine then vanitie Why man is more vaine then vanitie Who so trusteth in any thing sauing in God doeth dishonour God Wrong done vnto God Ose. 2. Iere. 44. What doth he that be leeueth any doctrin besides gods word Wrong done vnto man Why riches are giuen vnto man Gene. 4. Iob. 33. Note Genesis 4. Abel in Hebrue in English in Vanitie How God doth reward euery man after his workes Psalm 37. Matth. 26. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Cor. 3. Heb. 11. Matth. 10. Iames. 2. Gen. 12. 15. 17. 22. Rom. 4. Matth. 7. Matth. 5. Luke 6. Apoc. 3. Prouerb 3. Heb. 11. Psal. 37. 73. Abac. 2. Matth. 6. Colos. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 25. Cantic 4. Iohn 17. Ephes. 2. Matth. 19. Rom. 8. Luke 23. Psalm 119. Apoc. 6. 27 22. Esaie 54. Ose. 1. Heb. 12. Esaie 53. Rom. 3. Exod. 14. Gene. 10. 1. Reg. 28. Trip. Hist. Exod. 5. 1. Reg. 28. Trip. Hist. Psalm 119. Carion Iob. 1. 2. Ioh. 16. Gal. 5. Col. 1. 1. Thes. 1. Heb. 12. Iames. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Psalm 119. Deut. 4. 2. Reg. 22. Neh. 9. Psalme 18. 91 118. Rom. 5. 12. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 1. Matth. 20. Gene. 3. Gene. 3. Iohn 8. Gene. 20. Iudith 13. Iudith 7. Hester 4. Psal. 94. Gene. 3. Gene. 4. 21. 27. Num. 16. Num. 12. Gene. 38. 1. Reg. 19. Mat. 14. 27 Matth. 20. Iohn 21. Iohn 16. Psal. 2◠Iohn 17. Matth. 19. Psal. 94. Psal. 112. Psal. 1. Psal. 119. Matth. 5. Matth. 10. Matth. 16. Exod. 14. Dan. 3. Philip. 3. Hebr. 11. 3. Reg. 1 Matth. 17. Luke 6. ◠Tim. 6. Luke 6. 3. Reg. 25. Dan. 4. Exod. 32. Deut. 40. Psal. 92. Esai 40. Matth. 6 1. Pet. 1 Eccle. 3. 4. 5. 3. Reg. 8. 1. Tim. 6. Luke 12. Matth. 6. That is to say Death Eccle. 41. Gene. 3. Gene. 4. Num. 17. 2. Reg. 11. Matth. 26. Hebr. 11. Exod. 3. Matth. 14. Iohn 7. 8. 9 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 1. Matth. 7. Iere. 20. Iohn 16. Psalm 83. and 31. Rom. 8. Matth. 11. Esaie 55. Iohn 7. Esaie 18. Rom. 5. 14. Matth. 5. Of those that weepe mourne who be blessed Two sons of people condemned Esaie 45. Two impediments keepe God from helping the troubled 1. Ignorance 2. Feare of Gods iustice Of ignoraunce is sprong horrible blasphemie 1. Peter 1. The remedie against ignorance 2 Peter 1. Psalm 119. Psalme 1. Esaie 59. Esaie 8. Deut. 6. Ephes. 6. What cōmeth of the feare of Gods iustice Matth. 5. Luke 1. Rom. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. Gods spirite worketh the knowlege of sinne by preaching of the law How we should vse our selues in the time of trouble Psalm 50. 15. The feare and terror of sinne is an intollerable butthen The conscience being admonished of the filthines of sin bringeth the body into a trēbling and feare What ensueth after the feare of conscience for sinne Psalm 42. Psalm 38. Psalme 6. Psalm 77. Rom. 7. Note Psalm 126. Matth. 5. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 26. No trouble to the trouble of cōscience Differēce betweene the penitent desperate and contemptuous man The penitent man The desperat man The contemptuous man Note The Christian afflicted The wicked afflicted Note Gods nature and mans differ much Man for the most parte is vnstable followeth religion as the world fauoureth Idols set vp againe in Queene Maries time How long mans loue continueth towardes man God loueth and helpeth the poore afflicted Psalm 77. Consolation Psalme 91. God hateth not the troubled for his trouble but for his sinne Man hateth man for trouble and not for sinne Continuance in prayer Patient expectation Matth. 6. 8 As long as sinn is not felt man is iocund pleasant 2. Samu. 1. Rom. 8. Act. 9. When the horrour of a mans sin is felt to desperatiō no worldly ioyes cā comfort the afflicted person Gene. 3. 4. Note Matth. 26. Luke 7. Iohn 8. Psal. 77. 1. Tim. ◠Esai 66. Apoc. 14. The dearest frends of Christe be not voyde of trouble anguish of minde for their sins Consolation An ordinari way that God vseth to call sinners to repentaunce and from repentance to forgiuenesse Psal. 51. Two maner of discomforts An inward discomforte Matth. 3. Mark 1. Gene. 3. 4. 2. Samu. 11 Matth. 27. Act. 9. Matth. 3. Mark 1. Saule and Iudas 1. Samu. 31. Matth. 27. Mark 14. Pharao Exod. 14. Num. 16. Rom. 3. 5. Outward discomfort Gene. 5. 6. Matth. 11. Luke 7. Esai 65. Esai 53. 6. Matth. 13. Iohn 12. Rom. 11. Rom. 1. Sinne not felt bringeth the cōtempt of