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
assayle vs as pouertie sicknes vexation of minde and such like we should endure these tentations with faith hope declaring our patience towards God and hoping for deliuerance at his hande in his good time Like as Paule also writing to the Romans willeth vs to reioyce euen in our afflictions and tentations For if God did not loue vs Satan would not hate vs If we were not partakers of life our enemie woulde not persecute vs with death So those which are most iust and holy because they hold fast the hope of the remission of sinnes Satan tempteth most of all wich the horror of sinne yea and that in such wise as some times the taking of one litle cuppe of wine or of one word vnaduisedly escaped he maketh such a sinne that baptisme and al other giftes and blessings which we possesse seeme now to stande vs in no effect Yea many times euen those works which are good and holy he reproueth and condemneth as most wicked that he may bring the tender and timorous conscience into heauines All these thinges I say the godly doe finde and feele But if we should follow our owne sense and feeling without the worde howe farre and how miserably should we wander from God Thus Satan dealeth not with the Papistes but goeth a contrary way to worke excusing yea highly commending in them most horrible and detesâ—able crimes as excellent vertues Contrariwise we that desire and endeuour to liue according to the will of God and moreouer doe teach the word sincerely and faithfully doe often times suffer such trouble and vexation of conscience as if we liued most wickedly We must learne therefore out of the word that these thinges hâ—ppen to the godly and must be ouercome with such cogitations as the holy Ghost here setteth forth So that we must thus thinke with our selues I am called to the Communion and partaking of the merite of Christ and am baptised If in the common course of this life there be any offences by me committed there is mercy with the Lorde and in hope of this mercie I will let them passe Moreouer our doctrine although the world sclaunder it and most spitefully persecute it must needes be true This doctrine after that we once beleue in Christ sheweth vnto vs that with the Lord there is nothing else but mercie For God can no otherwise doe but loue vs and bestowe his benefits vpon vs Now if the contrary appeare to my sense and feeling I passe not neither if I should die for it would I suffer this knowledge to be wrested from me but I stedfastly beleue that in the earth beneath and in the heauen aboue there is nothing else but mercie Thus to beleeue I am perswaded not by feeling or by mine owne experience but by the word which saith that with the Lord there is mercie for me and all that doe beleue But for them that beleue not there is nothing else but wrath I will therefore ouercome my tentations with the word and will write this promise in my hart that since I beleue in Iesus Christ doubt not but that my sinns are pardoned through his blood I shall not be confounded although all sence reason and experience would perswade and proue to me the contrary In my selfe I perceaue nothing vut wrath in the deuill nothing but hatred in the world nothing but extreame furie and madnes But the holy ghost can not lye which willeth me to trust because there is mercie with the Lord and with him is plentiful redemption Redemption signifieth deliuerance and that generall as wel from the faulte as from the punishment but specially from the fault This redemption he calleth great and plentifull because the straitnes of our hart is such that it can not comprehend the same For when we pray we so pray that it seemeth we woulde be content with a litle So they that are in trouble heauines of minde doe wish for the comfort and quietnes of one day They that are in pouertie would be glad to haue bread for the preseÌ„t day But God doth not thinke this enough for he giueth aboue all that we can either conceiue or aske And most true it is that we do not knowe howe or what to aske And here I gladly vse mine owne experience For what and how much hath he giuen vnto me alone I wished no more but that the horrible abuse of the Popes pardons might be taken away but what a floode of wonderfull and incomparable benefites hath followed So is it alwayes true that no man dare aske so much of God as God is ready and willing to giue The cause hereof is the straitnes of our hart the slendernes of our hope and weakenes of our faith This plentiful redemption then aboue all measure exceedeth all our petitions and desires Wherefore the Lorde hath giuen vs all a forme howe we shoulde pray For if we had not this forme of prayer prescribed vnto vs which of vs durst be bold to aske so many and so great things We are now therefore not onely made conquerers of sinne hell and death by the merite of Christ but also doe feele the bountifull and liberall hand of God towardes vs euen in this life And albeit we could neuer haue bene bold to aske so much and so many thinges yet notwithstanding he hath giuen vs these thinges and will giue vs also more Therefore the Prophete saith that this redemption is plentifull because it exceedeth our capacitie For like as we slenderly beleeue so we slenderly aske But our father in heauen rayneth plentifully vppon the litle poore sparkes of our prayer and small droppes of our faith and recompenseth his delay in giuing with great abundance For although we must still waite yet is our deliuerance so much the greater Iacob which is Israell waited for the Lord what followed That people so mightely increasing and multiplying of so small beginnings afterward chaunged the whole world And if Abraham had seene all his posteritie and all the wonderful actes which God wrought amongst them woulde he not haue said thinke you that he coulde neuer haue hoped or once haue thought that this should euer haue come to passe True it is that Abraham beleued the promise of God But that there should be such a wonderful and glorious bewtie of his posteritie he could not beleeue because of the straitnes of mans hart So the Church after Christ prayed for the aduancing of Gods kingdom and after this praier followed the ruine of the Romane kingdom which before seemed to be inuincible We likewise pray at this day for deliuerance The day of the Lord therefore shall come and shall destroy the whole world with all the power of Satan hel This onely therefore let vs endeuour that we may continue in faith hope Then shall the Lord make a glorious ende of all our troubles For God wil not forsake vs except we first giue ouer to hope and
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
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
enemies of Gods Church which no power of man is able to withstande Therefore let vs learne to trust to the Lordes defence and succour For what else is the Church but as a litle boate tyed by a riuer side and by violence of the water soone caried away or as a reede which by force of the streame is easily plucked vppe and caried away Such was the people of Israell in Dauids time being compared to the Gentils round about them Such is the church likewise at this day compared to the aduersaries Such is euery one of vs in respect of the force and power of the malignant spirit We are like a reede which is easily plucked vppe and he like a raging floode which with great might and violence ouerthroweth and carieth away all thinges We are like a withered leafe soone blowne from the tree and he like a mighty winde or tempest not onely blowing downe leaues but plucking vppe and ouerthrowing trees and all What are we then pore wretches able to doe of our owne power and strength for our defence We must learne therefore by fayth wholy to rest vpon the word For what is our victorie but euen our fayth Albeit that armour and munitions haue their place yet can they nothing helpe at all vnlesse we haue a trust and affiance in the Lorde who hath promised to be our God our strength and our defence Whose power is such whose mighty arme also is so stretched out for the defence of his that albeit neuer so great a tempest or violent rage of water should inuade the poorest and simplest cottage that can be if forceth not Let this be then our assured trust let this be the rocke of our safetie helpe and succour that God will be our defender and keeper that the great floodes and mighty waters cary vs not away This sure defence and mighty protection of our God the wicked neither know nor beleue for they attribute all their successe wellfare to their owne strength wisedom and riches But Salomon albeit he was a King aboundantly indued with all these thinges yet sayth he Except the Lord buyld the house the builders labour in vayne Except the Lorde keepe the citie they watch in vayne that keepe it Verse 5. Then had the swelling waters gone ouer our soule He setteth out yet more liuely and as it were before their eyes the great daunger from the which God had deliuered them And this vehement kinde of speech which he vseth here hath as great force to make the faithfull to feele from what terrible destruction they were deliuered by the mightie hand of God as if their daunger had bene present before their eies so to become more thankfull to God for the same For he is thankfull to God in deede for his deliuerance and safetie which doeth acknowledge that before his deliuerance he sawe nothing else but vtter destruction Thus Dauid setteth out the afflictions and calamities of the Church and of the godly whom the world doth not onely hate but cruelly persecute Whereby we may see that it hath not onely a greedy desire but also power to hurt murder and destroy Satan likewise goeth about like a raging lyon seeking whom he may deuoure Besides these there are great and horrible sinnes sticking in our flesh That we fall not therefore euery moment into desperation or otherwise perish it is because he is greater which is in vs then he which is in the world or the whole world besides as Dauid saith If God had not bene with vs our enemies had swallowed vs vp aliue Now he addeth a notable similitude wherwith he amplifieth the daunger of the godly and power of the wicked Verse 6. Praised be the Lord which hath not giuen vs as a pray vnto their teeth He exhorteth the faithfull to be thankfull for their deliuerance and expresseth vnto them how and as it were with what wordes they should declare their thankefulnes Wherein he setteth forth yet further by an other similitude that it coulde not be but they must vtterly haue perished if God had not miraculously defended them For they were sayth he no otherwise preserued then if a man should violently take a pray out of the iawes of a raging and cruell beast As if he sayd We were in deede like seely sheepe and as a pray ready to be deuoured of cruell beasts but praised be the Lorde our God which woulde not suffer vs so to perish He sayth not which hath deliuered vs albeit he did in deede mightely deliuer them but which hath not giuen vs as a pray c. For this is it which specially y holy Ghost here setteth forth that the wicked can not hurt the godly be they neuer so many mightie furious cruell and terrible like to raging and violent waters like to cruell outragious beastes falling vpon them with open mouth except the Lord giue them into their hands Let vs therefore with Dauid sing praises vnto the Lord our God which keepeth and defendeth vs that the raging and cruell beasts which haue sharpned their teeth to deuour vs can not hurt vs Without this mercifull protection of our God there is no way to stande against Satan his cruell members the spare of one moment Verse 7. Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fouler The snare is broken and we are deliuered He amplifieth yet further by a third similitude the great perils and daungers of the faithfull being in the handes of their enemies as a bird that is taken in the snare is in the handes of the fouler and yet notwithstāding they escaped by the mighty power of God no otherwise then the birde that is deliuered out of the snare of the fouler By the snare is here to be vnderstande as well the fraude and subteltie of the enemies whereby the Israelites were brought into thraldom and captiuitie as also the strength and power wherewith they were long oppressed So that they had not onely to do with bloody and cruell enemies but also were entrapped and snared by fraude and subteltie and with might and power miserably oppressed Thus being vnable both in strength and pollicie to withstand their enemies they were euery way in daunger of death and destruction whereby it appeareth that they were miraculously deliuered And here haue we an image of our spiritual thraldom and captiuitie vnder Satan in whose snares we were once most miserably wrapped Now therefore that we are deliuered by the inestimable benefice of Christ let vs acknowledge both our former calamitie and the libertie of this grace wherein we stand and let vs beware that we cast not our selues into the snares of seruile bondage any more For Satan sleepeth not but lyeth continually in waite for vs ready to draw vs into those snares agayne out of the which by the great mercy of God we were deliuered yea some times is suffred to hurt either our bodies or our soules not only to shew vs
but must looke vnto the mercieseate So that albeit we can not deny but that we are sinners yet the remission of sinnes we may not denye And why is the remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy the same Moreouer in that Dauid speaketh of mercie he conâ—esseth that he is a sinner and that mercie doeth properly pertaine vnto him But thou wilte say Sinnes make a man vnworthy to receaue mercie at Gods handes therefore let Dauid Paule and Peter hope for mercie as they which are holy and worthy to receaue mercie c. Such cogitations flye thâ—â— euen as a present poyson and destruction of thy soule and thinke rather on this wise Because I am a sinner therefore remission of sinnes pertaineth vnto me Wherefore I will not despaire I will not suffer my selfe to be swallowed vppe with heauynes but I will turne vnto the Lord who hath promised mercie who also hath commaunded that I should trust and beleue in him Thus Dauid setteth forth in this verse the summe and effect of all true Christian doctrine that sunne which giueth light vnto the Church For whiles this doctrine standeth the Church shall stand and flourish But when this doctrine fayleth the Church must needes faile and fall to ruine This doctrine I doe so often and so diligently repeate for that Satan desireth and seeketh nothing so much as to plucke the knowledge thereof out of all mens hartes And this is the speciall cause of all the troubles which he stirreth vp either publikely or priuately We see what mischiefe he hath brought into the Church by Schismes and factions not onely in that men contending and striuing for newe matters haue almost forgotten this article but many also offended through dissentions and discord beginne now to loth and contemne the same It is therefore the part of a faithful Pastor not to suffer him selfe by such offences to be remoued from this article but with an inuincible constancie and continual trauell to set forth and aduance the same Moreouer how often commeth it to passe that in those also which are cast downe with the beholding and consideration of the law and their owne sinnes this article of the forgiuenes of sinnes is either lost or else in great daunger Dauid therefore in this Psalme setteth forth as hereafter we shall heare not onely his owne experience but also exhortations and promises whereby it may appeare that he carefully traueled for the preseruation of this doctrine And in deede the greatnes of the daunger ought to stirre vp a carefull diligence in this behalfe and daily to encrease the same in vs For where this doctrine is lost the mind is ouerwhelmed with all kindes of tentations So when in the Papacie this article was lost what was so monstrous that was not gladly hearde and receiued of all men The impudencie of the Monkes all the religious rable was so great that I am ashamed to speak it there was not in a maner so much as the cracke of their foule panch but they would haue men to reuerence it But contrariwise where this knowledge is reteyned and this doctrine preached all heresies may easily be ouerthrown And hereof the Papacie is a notable example which by the preaching and publishing of this one poynt of doctrine is now vanquished and banished out of mens hartes For although you reproue the life of the Papistes and speake against their whoredom conetousnes tyranny and such like enormities neuer so much and by the euill workes of the law detect their impietie yet shall you nothing preuaile For all this the Pope doth not sticke to confesse as in deede he can neuer deny his manifest abominations But sayth he although our life be defiled with sinne yet our doctrine and our kingdom notwithstanding is holy In like maner the deuill in the lawe and workes can not be conuicted For he can therein so handle him selfe that he will easily breake out as it were through a spyders webbe and lose nothing of all his power But then is he ouercome in deede when the doctrine of fayth is diligently and truely taught aud that the Papistes haue not onely lost but also haue defaced with their filthy doctrine and opinions both Christ and the true maner of iustification If we sticke to this ankerhold both the Pope and Satan shall be put to flight For if their doctrine be once conuicted as false and erroneous they haue nothing to defende them selues withall Wherfore endeuour your selues with all diligeÌ„ce that this doctrine may be of you both well knowne surely stablished in your harts And let none be so arrogant as to think that he hath atteyned the full perfect knowledge of this heauenly wisedom For so long as Satan the world and our owne reason can do any thing we shall neuer be perfect in this knowledge And because we are as it were souldiers placed in the forefront of the battaile therefore we are in daunger of many perills which to withstand it is not in the power or wisedom of man. The summe and effect therefore of all these wordes Because there is mercie with thee is this that God will not deale with vs according to the lawe because we likewise should not deale with him according to the law but say with the Publicane Lorde be mercifull vnto me a sinner They that goe beyond these boundes of grace and leauing this rich and ample grace wil dispute of the law and works calling to account what they haue done and what they haue left vndone the further they go the deeper they plunge them selues in hell I say not this without good cause I see what hapned to good Bernard whom if you examine wel you shall find him contrary to him selfe For when he treateth of faith with an inward feeling he teacheth Christ purely he stirreth vppe mens hartes to the loue of Christ effectually and setteth forth his benefites sincerely then smelleth he of â—othing else but roses and hony But contrariwise when he disputeth out of the law or of the lawe then reasoneth he no otherwise then if he were some Turke or Iewe which either knoweth not Christ or plainly denieth him So is it likewise with all others that take vpon them the office of teaching and preaching For when they speake with an inward feeling and practise and are not caried away with disputations contentions they teach Christ purely But when they eâ—ter into the discourse of the law they so dispute as if there were no Christ which had instituted the law yea which with his owne blood had purchased the remission of sinnes This doe we also find to be most true when we fal in matters of the law mens traditions Wherfore we must stand fast in this Paradise or heauen of grace and seeke no further that we may remaine in this simple confession of Dauid VVith thee there is mercie But why doth he adde moreouer That thou mayest be feared