righteousnes or vnrighteousnes but if thou wilt marke our iniquities if thou in iudgement wilt demaunde whether we be righteous then must we needes perish Wherfore we appeale from thy iudgement vnto the throne of thy mercie If we haue done any thing well it was thy free gift alone Looke vpon vs therefore with the eyes of thy mercie and not with the eyes of the iustice of thy iudgement For if thou doe not pardon our iniquities and close thine eyes that thou behold them not we shall not be saued c. This light of doctrine we see that Dauid followed euen in the darkenes of the lawe But our case is nowe much better for as much as we see these thinges clearely sette before our eyes in the newe Testament For what teach we else at this day but that we are saued by fayth alone in the death and blood of Christ that by the merite of Christ onely our sinnes are couered and taken away according to that saying Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen Forgiuenes of sinnes then is that heauen vnder the which we dwell through our trust and confidence in the merite of christ For he that beleueth shall not be condemned but shall passe from death to eternall life Dauid addeth here no expresse mention of Christ and yet because he hopeth for mercie therefore he loketh straight to this mercie seat that afterwards should more clearely be reueiled in the new Testament For ye see that he signifieth no lesse but if God should marke his iniquities he must needes dispayre For without remission of sinnes or knowledge of grace what haue we to rest vppon What safetie may we finde They therefore that put not their trust herein alone that by the death of Christ their sinnes are taken away and Gods eyes closed that he wil not see their sinnes must needes perish For this onely do the Scriptures set forth that our life resteth wholy and alonely in the remission of sinnes and in that the Lord will not see our sinnes but in mercie couereth them and will not remember them or lay them to our charge So that we must acknowledge confesse that we know nothing but the righteousnes of Christ Not that we should not now worke and bring forth the fruites of a holy life not that there is no sinne in vs or that God doth not hate the same but because God sayth and promiseth that he wil not marke our transgressions because we beleue in Christ and put our trust in him This shield whosoeuer holdeth out for his defence and hideth him selfe vnder it them God accepteth as his children because they haue a Sauiour but they that haue not are driuen to despaire For what can all their workes their merites their righteousnes doe seeing Dauid sayth If thou marke our iniquities O Lorde who shall be able to stand in thy sight In this verse therefore consisteth altogither which hereafter followeth Verse 4. But mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared This mercie thou shalt not find in Moises in the lawe or in the works of the law not in Monkery not in a strait and painful life not in almes deedes c. Briefly this mercie thou shalt finde no where because it is no where but with the lord Mercie therefore is not our merite or our righteousnes but it is the free pardon of our sinnes by Christ alone Which mercy although thou shouldest afflict and punish thy selfe in a Monastery a thousand yeares or doe neuer so many so perfect or so holy workes thou shalt neuer find as the conscience which euen in a most streit and holy life feelleth desperation doth sufficiently witnesse But herein alone the conscience findeth rest and comfort when altogither naked without any addition of her owne worthynes it committeth it self to the naked and bare mercie of God and saith O Lord I haue thy promise that righteousnes commeth of mercie alone whiche righteousnes is nothing else but thy free pardon that is to saye that thou wilt not marke our iniquities I commend therefore vnto you this definition of righteousnes which Dauid here setteth forth that to marke sinne is to condēne Againe not to marke sinne is to iustifie or pronounce a man righteous And this is true righteousnes in deede when sinnes are not marked but pardoned not imputed Likewise in an other place also he defineth a blessed man and Paule allegeth the same defini-nition very aptly Blessed is the man saith he to whom God imputeth not his sinne He saith not blessed is the man which hath no sinne but vnto whom the Lorde doth not impute that sinne which he hath as here also he saith When sinnes are not marked These testimonies must be diligently collected and noted that we may see how that this doctrine is founded vppon the holy Scriptures and that all the confidence and trust that man can haue in the righteousnes of works or of the law is vtterly cut of in the iudgement of God. For this doctrine maketh all men alike and before God leaueth no difference For if by imputation onely we be righteous it followeth that not onely we be all sinners but that also there is no differenee betwene the learned vnlearned the wise and the simple the married and vnmarried the Prince and the plowman c. For this difference of degrees in the iudgement of God auayleth nothing but this onely auaileth before God that our sinnes bee forgiuen Wherfore if this doctriue had bene heretofore diligently taught all Monkry such other mōstrous kinds of life had not bene brought into the Church which the foolish people hath beleued to be more holy then others For what soeuer kinde of life a man be in this is the condition of vs all that we haue neede of forgiuenes of sinnes as Paule teacheth in the Actes where he sheweth that God suffered the manners of our fathers like as a good husband suffereth and beareth with the manners of his wife the maister of his scholers the Prince of his subiects Now if this eiuill life haue neede of such discretion and moderation that men should not be alwayes extreme and rigorous in dealing one towards an other how much more neede haue we that God should beare with vs in this our great weakenes and corruption If God should deale sharply with vs then should our transgressions dayly and continually moue him to marke straitly and sharply to punish vs But he will not marke our iniquityes This he requireth that we beleue in christ Then will he beare with vs then will he winke at our weakenes and pardon our transgressions yea in respect of our faith in Christ he will accept vs as righteous Thus Dauid turned him selfe from desperation to an assured hope and trust in Gods mercie For when we looke to our sinnes it can not be but we must needes be vexed and fall to desperation ▪ But we must not fasten our eyes vppon our sinnes onely
sure hope of life euerlasting remission of al their sinnes true deliuerance from the deuil hell and eternall death All these thinges haue they and in the things there is no defect but the defect is in me and in thee because we haue not yet fully apprehended these thinges For flesh and bloode and the remnauntes of sinne doe yet liue in vs This forced Paule to cry out and say I see an other lawe in my members fighting against the law of God. And this is the cause why a Christian can not be secure For he seeth that he hath not yet ouercome all perills and daungers which the enemie dayly deuiseth But for so much as pertaineth vnto Christ as is sayd whom by faith he apprehendeth on whom he beleueth true it is that he hath all thinges For in Christ the deuill is ouercome the law fulfilled the wrath of God pacified and death it selfe vanquished In this state we stand if we looke to Christ on whom we beleue But when we looke backe into our selues we are forced to confesse that we are not pure because our fayth is not yet perfect and therefore can not perfectly apprehend perfect thinges as S. Paule sayth Therefore when we come to the combate we giue place to the enemy we suffer our hope to be wrested from vs we are cast into heauines impaciencie c. Thus Christians are warriers Gods true souldiers which stand alwayes in the battaile and can not be secure or voyd of feare Therefore they are feruent in prayer and cry vnto God for succour Contrariwise they that are secure pray not for they thinke that the deuill is farre enough of and so that faith feeling of the good gift of God which they seemed to haue they lose before they be ware and when tentation commeth they are like to a withered leafe Thus we see the great necessitie of prayer and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yâ—â— with the hart and harty sighes vnto God according to the wordes of S. Paule Let the word of Christ dwel in you plentifully signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not only by teaching the same to other publikely and priuatly but also by earnest meditation and prayer when they sit at home in their houses as Moises teacheth when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they rise vp For as the Deuill goeth about like a roring lyon strong and mighty seeking whom he may deuoure so are we on euery â—ide infirme and weake pressed downe also with the flesh full of sinne cariyng this treasure in earthen vesselles In the which our fayth is as a tender plant which because it is not yet come to perfect strength may be easily shaken with winds and tempests This know not they which before they haue had some triall of them selues by affliction or wrastling with the enemy thinke them selues to be Christians and sound in faith We must watch therefore and pray as Christ commaundeth that in our daily conflictes we may stand stedfastly against the darts of Satan which would driue vs to the contempt of God and man. So doe I vnderstand this prayer not in the person of the Prophet as though he prayed for the reuelation of the redemption that should come but in the person of the faithful which haue need continually to pray according to this verse say Lord thou hast redemed vs out of captiuitie redeme vs yet more thou hast forgiuen vs our sinnes forgiue vs more thou hast killed the deuill kill him more thou hast taken away the law take it away more For we must pray for that which we haue already vntill we come to the full perfection thereof which shall be after the death of this body in the which sinne here dwelleth The sense and meaning then herof is Lord turne againe our captiuitie that is redeeme vs whiche haue begunne to be the newe creature that as our redemption by Christ is fully and perfectly wrought so we may fully and perfectly apprehend and feele the same For there be many things which in this life fight against this redemption Wherfore it is necessary that we shoulde be well armed against them that we fall not againe into captiuitie On this wise we must alwayes pray that the first fruites of the spirite may continually encrease in vs and that we may be redemed day by day vntill the olde man be wholly put away by death Then shall our captiuitie be perfectly chaunged euen as the riuers or waters in the south which by the mightie worke of God were dryed vppe and vtterly consumed Whether ye vnderstand here the redde sea or else thâ— riuer of Iordane it forceth little The similitude is this Like as by thy mightie hand thou broughtest to passe miraculously that the waters were dryed vp and consumed so dry vp O Lorde and bring to nothing al our captiuitie Some doe interprete this verse otherwise that is turne our captiuitie O Lorde as the riuers in the South which in the summer are dryed vp in the desert places by the heat of the sunne but in the winter are filled vp againe with plentie of water How necessary the spirit of prayer is they that haue not sought with Satan doe not know Let vs therefore giue our selues wholy to the continuall exercise of prayer and meditation of the holye Scriptures For negligence and securitie encrease by little and litle as rust doth in the iron and the word slippeth as it were out of our handes before we be ware If it so come to passe then hath Satan gotten halfe the victory already who seeketh all opportunitie to see vppon vs and then specially is he wont so to doe when he perceiueth our heartes to be voide of the word of god Here he stirreth vp of a spark as it were a flaming fire in our conscience which before we can quench and apprehend Christ and his worde againe either we are oppressed with anguish and sorrow or vtterly consumed For he is a murtherer and seketh by al meanes how to destroy vs It is necessary then for vs to haue our senses exercised and our mindes occupyed in the meditation of the worde and prayer that the enemy find vs not vnarmed or vnprouided which so busily seeketh to spoyle vs of this redemption I also am a Diuine which by great troubles haue gotten some knowledge and vnderstanding of the holy Scripture and yet am not I so lifted vp through this gift but that I doe dayly exercise my selfe euen â—mongest the children in the Catechisme in secrete meditation I meane of the commaundements the articles of the beliefe and the Lords prayer c. with an earnest and attentiue minde not onely recounting with my selfe the wordes but obseruing and weying also what euery word signifieth And doubtles wheÌ„ I am not thus exercised but am occupyed with other matters I finde a manifest discommoditie thereby For
vnquiet for the troubles of matrimony are infinit he becommeth vnpatient beginneth to complayne saying that if he had knowen thus much before he would neuer haue married a wife Thus doth the foolish man bewayle his state and condition But what kind of life is there vnder heauen wherin thou shalt liue without troubles For where so euer thou liuest thou must needs be in some part either of the politike or housholde gouernment Wherefore thou must so arme thy selfe that thou maist ouercome these troubles and learne to apply these thinges to an other cause without thy selfe which is stronger then thou art Now the holy Ghost alone is that instructer which tea cheth vs to cast our selues into the bosome of the diuine maiestie to trust in him and so in his name to marry a wife to gouerne our family to rule the common weale c. Which thinges if they haue good successe it is wel If not yet is it also well notwithstanding For this is the will of God that when he hath once called vs eyther to any publike office in the common wealth or the gouerning of a familye we should with inuocation and prayer abide and constantly continue in the same And this is the principall doctrine of this Psalme whiche the Papists sing in all their temples and yet of all men they least vnderstand those things whereof it treateth For they flie both ciuill and housholde gouernment and yet are they drowned in both yea no man is there in more busy then they are For the Pope his religious rable haue taken vpon them most impudently to gouerne great monarkes and Princes and the cases and controuersies of matrimony haue beene iudged and determined by Officialls and Commissaries Also they haue ruled by their priuate auricular confession both families kingdoms and Empires Thus it came to passe that both kindes of life were in a maner vtterly abolished For they condemned all those that liued vnder the ciuil gouernment and in matrimony as secular or worldly kindes of life and counselled them to enter into monasteries to their monkish religion like vnto the heathen Philosophers whiche commended the priuate solitarie life aboue all other that is to say that kind of life which hath to do neither with matrimony nor any affaires of the cōmō weale This wicked life of the Papistes the heathen Philosophers God condemneth in the holy Scripture wherein we see to our great comfort that there was neuer yet any holy man which hath not bene exercised in the affaires either of politike or houshold gouernment For God did thrust into the courts of Princes most excellent holy personages as Helias Heliseus Esaias Daniel c. I say nothing of the holy Kings as Dauid Salomon Ezechias others God would also that Iohn the Baptist should be a Courtier and of the Kinges counsell as the text saith VVhen he hearde Iohn he did many thinges So the Lorde hath alwayes exercised his Sainctes and holy seruauntes with the affaires either of ciuill or houshold gouernment Christ onely excepted who was the wisedome of the father He neither married nor bare rule in common wealth For it behoued him to be a singular personage aboue all others and yet he honored both kinds of life that is both marriage and ciuill gouernment The life therefore of the Monkes and the whole rable of the popish religious orders is altogither deuilish in that they will haue nothing to doe with ciuill or housholde affaires And in deede they doe wisely which seke rather to liue in ease quietnes pleasure with the name and opinion of holynes then to be turmoyled and vexed with the miserable cares and calamities wherof the life of man is full They choose that which is most sweete and pleasaunt and leaue the dregges the great cares and troubles of bringing vp children of guiding a familie of gouerning the common wealth and such like vnto others Like as also with their hypocrisie they haue deceiued the whole world and so snared the consciences of those which liued either in matrimonye or in the politike state that they executed those functions and duties against their willes whereunto they were called of god For if a maried man or a Magistrate complayned vnto them of the troubles either of their houshold or ciuill affayres they did not onely not comfort or encourage them patiently to bear those burthens but perswaded them to forsake those godly kindes of life and to enter into Monasteries yea they went so farre that when they dyed they buryed them in a Friers coule They knew not that matrimony and ciuill gouernment are ordained and created of god They knewe not that such should rather haue bene exhorted to patience comforted and taught that God had appoynted them to liue in the state of matrimony and to serue the common wealth that their vocation was of God and pleased God and therfore they ought not to haue forsaken these kinds of life but if any troubles hapned they ought to haue borne them patiently for Gods cause to commend them selues and their affaires wholy vnto god Thus should mens consciences haue bene enstructed and comforted But this coulde the Papistes neuer doe The cause whereof is for that they haue no practise or experience of these matters they haue but onely an idle and a naked speculation thereof and moreouer they are destitute of the holy Ghost But Salomon hath both the one and the other that is to say experience both of politike and housholde gouernment and also the holy Ghoste By these scholemasters he learned that the affaires of men cannot be gouerned by their owne policie and wisedome but that all thinges are ruled and guided by the wisedom of God. Naaman Syrus brought vnto the common wealth not onely great wisedome but the text saith that he was giuen for the deliuerance of Syria that is to say his greate wisedom had bene vnprofitable if God had not geuen good successe thereunto So if any man become a good Prince or a good Magistrate he hath not this by the gift of nature by his good bringing vp or by learning but it is the singular gift of god And this doth experience afterwardes teach when thinges come oftentimes to passe contrary to mans expectation The same hapneth also to the marryed man For howe often doe his deuises and purposes come to nothing True it is therefore that is cōmonly said man purposeth but God disposeth and that which Salomon saith The hart of man purposeth his way but the Lorde guideth his steppes Thou art in distresse and deuisest with thy selfe by what meanes and policie thou maist bring thy self out of trouble but thy purpose is disapointed by the same deuises and policies wherunto thou didest trust thou hurtest thy selfe and ouerthrowest thine owne cause This bringeth great impatiencie Learne therefore that by thine owne wisedom policie thou art notable to rule thine owne
sort For albeit in this Psalme he ioyneth houshold gouernment or matrimony with polycie and politike gouernment and wisheth the blessing of God and peace vnto them both yet hath he here a more respect to housholde gouernment because it is as it were the fountaine and beginning of politike gouernment For the children which we bring vp and instructe at home the posteritie will afterwardes make gouerners of the common weale For of houses are made cities of cities shires of shires a common weale or kingdome Housholde gouernment therefore is called the fountaine of policie politike gouernment For where housholdes and familyes are not maintained there can be no Citie no common weale no kingdome Wherefore to this Psalme we will giue this title that it is an holy hymme or a song in the praise of matrimony whereby the Prophets comforteth such as liue in that holye state wishing vnto them and promising all felicitie and blessinges of god These things may afterwarde be also applyed vnto polytike gouernment For as God blesseth matrimony because it is the ordinance of God and a kinde of life which highly pleaseth God euen so is the Magistrate also ordayned of God and hath a certaine promise of the blessing of God. And here appeareth the wisedome of the holy Ghost which hideth from vs those thinges that in this kind of life are greuous or odious and speaketh onely of those which are most meete to perswade and are good thinges in deede The world doth the contrarie For it is not onely ignoraunt of the good things which are in matrimony but also if it see any such it estemeth them as nothing because of the troubles which presently it feeleth No maruel is it therefore that when wicked men speake of this kind of life they speake after an other sort with other words then the holy ghost is wont to speake For they follow the sense and iudgement of the flesh onely and see nothing else either in ciuill gouernment or in matrimony and housholde affaires but those things which seeme to be painfull hard and full of trouble And not onely so doe but those thinges also which in these kindes of life are diuine and heauenly in deede they doe not perceiue because of those small troubles and discommodities which touch the flesh And hereof come these sayings There is no citie without a burde◠that is without a woman A wife is a necessary euill To bury a wife is better then to marry her If we could be without women we shoulde be without great troubles And such other like sayinges tending to the dispraise and reproch of women The cause why men doe thus peruersely iudge is this that the flesh is to poysoned with originall sinne that it can not be content to beare the punishmentes of sinne It seeketh after such thinges as are sweete and pleasaunt but troubles and trauells it can not beare Wherefore either it flieth altogither from matrimony and all ciuill affaires as the Epicures and bellygods doe or else abuseth the same to his owne lust and pleasure So blind is it through originall sinne with the desire of pleasures ▪ glory and riches Necessary it was therefore to apply some medicine vnto our corrupt nature and somewhat to represse and to bridle the wanton fleshe with those troubles which are both in matrimony and in ciuill affaires Wherefore when we reade these praises of matrimony in the holy Scripture and compare them with the iudgement of man we shall see the one to be clene contrary to the other We must say therefore that these thinges are true according to the spirite but according to the flesh they are not true So where he sayth afterwards of the godly married man Thou shalt be blessed it shall be well with thee the flesh thinketh the contrary and iudgeth the married person to be most miserable and most vnhappy because he is constrayned to get his liuing with great labour and trauell For the world knoweth not the thinges that pertaine to the holye Ghost and the good things and great blessinges of God that are in matrimony it seeth not but resteth onely in the creature and seeth not God creating gouerning and blessing the creature Contrariwise the holy Ghost loketh to the creator magnifieth the blessing of God although it be ouerwhelmed with neuer so many afflictions and tentations And for the troubles and discommodities that are incidēt to these kinds of life either he couereth them or else he maketh them lesse then they be And this the world can not doe The wisest men therefore as in histories we may see did refuse to beare office in the common weale or to deale in publike affaires The same thing commeth to passe also in matrimony For yong men will hardly suffer this yoke to be layd vpon them as the olde man sayth of them in the Poet. They sayth he which are in loue he meaneth vnchast loue and fleshly lust can not abide to heare of mariage They wil not forsake their filthy pleasures to liue chastly in holy matrimony And if there be any which thorough vehement loue are brought vnder this yoke when they see no such successe thereof as they looked for but that some troubles or other doe follow which they being blinded with loue could not foresee then they complaine then they repent that euer they brought them selues into such bondage hereupon it followeth that the husband will rather beare with all wickednes in an harlot a strumpet then with any litle fault in his owne wife as also the wife except she be very godly will sooner winke at the wickednes of an adulterer then at the small offences of her owne husband For nature can not beare these yokes if men be not well instructed by the word and lightned by the holy Ghost and so looke vnto the creator who hath ordeyned both families and common weales will haue them to be gouerned and guided by this miserable and frayle flesh They that haue not this knowledge are soone prouoked to impatiencie when they see that all thinges haue not such successe as they would Wherefore euen such as are godly minded must be taught exhorted and stirred vp to behold some thing aboue beyonde these troubles reiecting the iudgement of the wise men of this world and to looke to the true and inestimable good thinges which God hath hidden in these kindes of life Then shall they more easily beare their troubles and shew their obedience vnto God when he sendeth diuerse tentations And to this ende we will enterprete this Psalme this mariage song that we may behold those spirituall good things which God hath hidden in matrimony esteme the same accordingly to the end that we be not like to this world which seeth the works of God and yet doth not vnderstand them and heareth the blessing and sweete promises of God and doth not beleue them Verse 1. Blessed are all they which feare the Lord and walke in his wayes
they will not goe talke eate or drink togither This is a deuilish life Wherefore this exhortation must be diligently learned and exercised that through patience we may endure and ouercome all labours sorowes and vexations beeing contented with this benefite that we knowe this kinde of life to be acceptable vnto the Lord and that in it and by it he will blesse vs Thus with a merry and a cherefull conscience we shall ouercome all troubles and tentations whatsoeuer Verse 3. Thy wife shall be as the fruitefull vine on the sides of thy house thy children like the oliue plantes round about thy table We haue hearde two singular commendations of holy matrimony where the husband the wife doe liue togither in the feare of the Lord walke in his wayes namely that this life is acceptable vnto God and that he will blesse the same Therefore we are here exhorted and encouraged patiently to endure the cares and troubles which God hath allotted to this kind of life to the ende that whiles we are beaten downe humbled and kepte vnder by these troubles the corruption of the fleshe may be mortified and the infirmitie of nature may be healed For where as the idle bellied Monks taught men to sequestre them selues from all labours and trauells and from all worldly busines and to seeke a solitary life where they might liue in all ease and quietnes the Prophet here teacheth that this pleaseth not god But this is it that pleaseth God that we should be tossed with troubles and shaken with tentations knowing that God hath appoynted vs here to suffer labours sorrowes and vexations both actiue and passiue which matrimony bringeth with it He sayth not that we must liue in idlenes and eate the labour of other mens handes as the Popes holy Sainctes those Epicures and delicate Martyrs doe Moreouer I somewhat touched before that Hierome and some other also after him did dispute as touching this Psalme why Dauid commendeth the life of a godly man to be so happy if he haue a wife since that in the holy Scripture there are so many holy men which liued a single life as peraduenture Helias and Helizeus did with other like albeit of these men he can not thus certeynly affirme but Ieremy he may To this I aunswere that the Prophet here meaneth nothing els but to enstruct the godly as touching this kind of life instituted of God and goeth not about to compell all men to marry but teacheth those which are married or entend to marry to know and vnderstand what they haue when they haue wiues so that both the single life and also matrimony may haue their libertie The meaning therfore of the Prophet here is nothing else but to commend and set forth the gift of God and not to compell any man to marry For one and the same spirite hath distributed his gifts to some after one maner and to some after an other We are all in one body and we are all bewtified with one and the same spirite but not after one maner Let them therefore to whome it is giuen to receaue this abyde still in their single life and let them glory in the Lorde On the other side let those that are not so strong but knowe and feele their infirmitie that they can not liue both chast and out of matrimony let these I say consider more their owne infirmitie then the discommodities and troubles that belong vnto matrimony and let them knowe that they haue an excellent remedy created of God for their infirmitie and therefore the Scripture calleth the woman a helper vnto the man Wherefore although we be vnlike in giftes yet let euery one of vs serue God in our gift and calling shewe our selues in all godlines to be the true and faythfull familie of that great and heauenly housholder This is then as I sayde the purpose of the holy Ghost to extoll and magnifie this gift of matrimony since it is so despised in the world and the true prayses thereof are so hid and darkned partly by the corruption of the flesh which can feele nothing but present troubles and partly by the suggestions of the Deuill and sclaunders of the world and yet so notwithstanding that other giftes lose not their commendation Let widowes let virgins abide in their calling The holy Ghost here speaketh nothing of our virgins but of matrimony onely to the ende that they which liue in that state should knowe and acknowledge their gift Now whereas Hierome both vngodly and without all iudgement obiecteth that Abraham Isaac and other Patriarkes married wiues when they were of great yeares and liued many yeres also in matrimony without children and therefore were not blessed according to this Psalme I deny the consequence For Abraham Isaac others were blessed euen before they married wiues or had any children Like as also widowes and virgines which do beleue are baptised are blessed And as touching the Psalme it speaketh of the gift onely compelleth none thereunto but adorneth bewtifieth it with this singular commendation because it is so miserably defaced and contemned in the world The Pope and his Cleargie doe pretend that they eschewe mariage for the loue of chastity But that is false We must beleue S. Paule rather who foretold that they should contemne matrimony being ledde with the spirit of error and not with the loue of chastitie especially seeing they haue made a lawe whereby they forbid matrimony Therefore they speake a lye through hypocrisie when they say that the loue of chastitie is the cause why they abhorre matrimony For neither are they chast neither can they be chast as their abominable life and wicked practises do declare But this doe they that they may liue in ease and securitie and be free from all the cares and troubles of matrimony And againe that through hypocrisie they may winne vnto them selues an opinion of great holines amongst the people and be reuerenced in the worlde as spectacles and very Angells rather then men and so be counted worthy to eate the labour of other mens hands This is the holy that is to say the execrable chastitie of our Papists Munkes Frears Priestes and Nunnes They that after this maner absteyne from matrimony are very Antichristes according to the saying of Daniel who foresheweth that this is a most euident marke of Antichrist that he shall not care for the desire of women The same place doth the ordinary glose also apply vnto Antichrist with these wordes that he shal make a great shewe of chastitie to the ende he may the more easily deceaue We also adde this cause moreouer that they make this glorious pretence of chastity and holines because they would liue in ease and idlenes eschewe the cares and troubles that matrimony bringeth with it which are meete necessary for a godly man if it please God to lay them vpon him Thus ye see that matrimony is a good an
Wherefore these high commendations of matrimony are here set against the venemous tongues both of Satan and of wicked men wherewith they do so maliciously sclaunder this kind of life Also against the corrupt peruerse iudgement of the flesh whereby we are prouoked either to a lothing contemning of this kind of life or else to impaciencie when our eyes are blinded in discerning and iudging the benefites and commodities thereof and are still in beholding of the faults the incommodities or troubles that belong to the same Thus the wiser sort euen emongst the Gentils would not doe For they did se that there is a naturall affection in the man and the wife towards their children and a mutuall loue faithfulnes betwene them selues both these things they praysed and set forth with greate commendation So God by the smal number of the wiser sort euen emong the Gentiles did ouercome the multitude of these viperous tongues which are so venimous spitefull against this kind of life How much more then ought we to defend matrimony we I say whom the holy Ghost moueth stirreth vp so to do by these excellent similituds wherby he sheweth that God is so delited with the life of married folkes that not onely he giueth his blessing for the sustentation of this life but also the blessing of the belly and of the brestes as Moises calleth it This no doubt would not God doe if he hated such as are maryed For he said vnto Adam All that groweth vppon the earth shall be vnto thee for foode and sustenance After the floode also he gaue vnto man the vse of cleane beasts Yea he giueth vnto matrimony what treasures and riches so euer are in the worlde and what so euer in nature is conteyned All these are liuely testimonies that God approueth lyketh and loueth this kinde of life although the holy Scriptures should speake nothing thereof at all Moreouer who seeth not that the propagation of man and woman kind is ordained of God Let vs therefore be mindful of these similitudes therewith arme our selues against the wicked peruerse iudgement of reason against the deuil venimous tongues which magnifie and ertoll vanitie and abhominable filthynes and these inestimable giftes they most wickedly dispraise and despise Verse 4. Lo thus shal the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Hetherto we haue hearde those excellent commendations of matrimony which the holy Ghost setteth foorth to confirme and comfort such as are appoynted to this kinde of life that they might patiently suffer the incommodities the troubles and tentations of matrimony and not followe the iudgement of the worlde which like vnto the mule and the asse followeth the fence of the fleshe and is ouercome with these troubles and tentations The good giftes of God it vnderstandeth not but some tymes it detesteth and abhorreth them For ye shall finde many to whom it semeth a great misery to haue many childrē as though matrimony were ordayned for beastly pleasures onely and not to this end rather that we might doe acceptable seruice both to God and man in nourishing and bringing vp of children These men are ignorāt of that which is most comfortable in matrimony For what is to be compared vnto the loue of parentes towards their children especially since here thou seest that children are the greatest portion of Gods blessing But here againe we haue nede of faith For the world taketh it not for a blessing when a man getteth his liuing by labour trauel suffereth the troubles and vexations of his wife his children his seruaunts and such like whereof in matrimony there are many These thinges I say the world estemeth not as blessinges but abhorreth them as maledictions But the holy Ghost to confirme the mindes of the godly cōmendeth and setteth forth all that he hath hitherto said by this sweete and comfortable name and calleth them blessinges to the ende he may stirre vs vp to know God and his giftes rightly lest that in the middes of his benefits and blessings we should fall to a lothing thereof as the world is wont to doe which regardeth not those things which it hath presently enioyeth but desireth the things which it hath not Wherefore this vehement kinde of speech is diligently to be noted in that he calleth this life blessed and happy which to the iudgement of reason is miserable and full of calamitie when he saith Loe thus shall the man be blessed c. What canst thou desire more In that thou hast a wife and children and liuest with the labour of thy handes it is in deede the blessing of god Wherfore thou hast not onely great cause not to be offended but also to giue God thankes for his great blessings But how few are there to be found which doe beleue this And if any doe beleue it yet through infirmitie they are led away from this faith and forgetting the blessing they become vnpatient as if they were in the middest of Gods malediction It is therefore to be wished that this saying of the holy Ghost as a singular consolation might be alwayes before the eyes and in the eares of the godly For how shall we finde a more manifest argument that the life of such as are married pleaseth God thē this that their whole life is nothing else but a blessing In deede it so commeth to passe often times that they are vexed with the sinne of impatiency through the offences of their familye their children and some times their neighbours But what then All things cannot be so pure and so perfect in this our infirmitie but that oftentimes we shall feele either some excesse or some lack both within the house and without But this sinne of impatiencie the dayly prayer of the godly doth quench ouercome And thus must the godly comfort them selues that they are placed among Gods blessings and liue a life blessed of god This faith the greater and stronger it is the more ioy it bringeth For albeit some troubles doe happen we some times also are ouertaken with sinnes yet is the worde of God omnipotent Wherefore in all tentations the victory is theirs which stick faithfully thereunto These wordes therefore muste be receiued as the oracles of God and this kinde of life we must adorne with due praise and honour since that God doth so richly poure out his blessing vpon it This must we not onely knowe that we may set it forth and commend it to others but all of vs which liue in this kind of calling must commend and apply the same also vnto our selues that whether pouertie diseases vexations troubles of our familie or any other like tentations doe oppresse vs we may endure the same with patience resting vpon this most plentifull consolation that the holy Ghoste calleth this state a blessed kinde of life And this they finde this they know and this they doe which feare God and serue him truely as he sayth So shall the
profitable for vs and is of vs to be applied vnto our selues also for that we in like maner haue our Dauid and our Euphrata in the whiche we haue founde the Tabernacle or habitation of our God. For the selfe same thinges doe remaine and there is no more but the signification of the wordes to be chaunged Now like as they were in daunger as touching both the kingdom and the priesthood so is our daunger great also in them both Wherfore we may well sing with Dauid Remember c. Here I purpose simply to follow the sence and meaning of the letter declaring howe this Psalme was vsed and applyed of that people Afterwards it shall be easie for vs to apply the same to our owne time age Now like as that was a double kingdome that is to say corporall and spirituall so is the Psalme also diuided into two partes For first it prayeth for the Church and then for the politike state or the common wealth Verse 1. Lord remember Dauid with all his afflictions The history of the Kings doth declare that Dauid being persecuted of Saul suffered many and great afflictions But why did Saul thus persecute Dauid Because he was anoynted of Samuel to be king whiles Saul was yet liuing For hereof came the deadly persecutions the hatred sclaunders reproches all kindes of calamities which Dauid suffered Now whereas these troubles afflictions of Dauid were mentioned in prayer and in the presence of God either by his sonne Solomon or by the people it was not done as the Papistes thinke to the ende that Dauid should pray for them but they spake of Dauid in respect of the promises put God as it were in remembrance of those promises by speaking of Dauid as Paule also speaketh of Abraham Wherfore the name of Dauid is not here to be taken absolutely as though they spake of his person onely for as I said they spake of him as hauing the promises and clothed as it were with the promises of God so that here we must rather vnderstande the forme then the matter The promise I call the forme to teach set forth the thing more plainly and the matter I call Dauid him selfe to whome the promises were made This is then the sense and meaning of these wordes O Lorde God we pray vnto thee for the kingdom not counting our selues worthy or by any meanes to haue deserued that we shoulde be heard but as Daniel saith We present our supplications before thee trusting in thy great and tender mercies in that which thou hast promised to Dauid to witte that our kingdom shall endure for euer Thus he beginneth his prayer with a remembrance of Gods promises euen at the first entrance This is a singular example for vs that when we pray we should appeare in the presence of God as miserable wretched sinners not trusting vpon our owne merite or worthines but clothed as ye would say with his mercies and promises not as he that bragged I fast twise in a weeke but as he which said Remember Lorde thy promises For the promises of God are nothing else but mercies and compassions freely offered vnto vs in Christ. Thus we see that he speaketh not here of afflictions absolutely but in respect of an other thing for he vnderstandeth the afflictions which Dauid suffered for the promises in the which afflictions he helde fast the promises and suffered them not to be wrested from him The same promises did God likewise performe vnto Dauid Like as therefore saith he O lord thou diddest preserue Dauid suffering all calamities and afflictions for thy words sake and trusting in thy word so with like mercie preserue and saue vs trusting in thy promises and performe that thou hast begunne in vs For all thinges must be preferred to the promises like as Moses also doth which saith Remember Abraham Isaac c. For he doth not call vpon Abraham and Isaac as the vnlearned Papistes dreame but he alleageth the promises made vnto them as touching their seede and posteritie Nowe how could God be put in minde of these promises better then by reciting those persons to whom God had made the promises These promises the faithfull doe set against their sinnes and against their vnworthynes These thinges must be diligently taught that we fall not into the absurd and foolish opinions of the Papistes whose schoole diuinitie knoweth nothing of the promises of God but whereas the promises are the chiefest part of the Scripture they are vtterly ignorant thereof The other part of the Scripture which is the law they so maime and mangle that scarsely they set forth the one halfe thereof And hereof it commeth that they expound such sentences as this is so corruptly and peruersly as if the Psalme should speake after this maner Remember Dauid how good and howe holy a man he was and for his merites for his holines stablish vnto vs the kingdom But this sentence is plaine idolatrie for it looketh to the actiue or working person only As the Iewes thinke to obteyne their Messias by their owne merites So the religion of the Iewes the Turkes and the Papistes is all one for they all trust to their owne workes and worthines But we reiect the working person when we come into the presence of God and looke vnto that person which is altogither passiue clothed with the promises that is to say such a Dauid as bringeth and distributeth vnto vs not his owne merites but the promises giuen of God and by Dauid firmely reteyned in all afflictions Such a Dauid the Papistes doe not know and because they know but onely the actiue the working Dauid therefore they make of him nothing else but a plaine idol They know not that he is holy as the whole Church is holy not because it hath good workes and merites but because it hath the promise of grace which is the true bosome and wombe wherein the Church is caried and all the faithfull Verse 2. VVho sware vnto the Lord and vowed vnto the God of Iacob saying It seemeth that these wordes may not vnfitly be applyed vnto Salomon as the author of the Psalme For thus he sayth in effect Thou hast promised vnto Dauid the kingdom Dauid againe promised to build vnto thee a temple This vowe is now performed and accomplished Do thou also now O Lord performe thy promise and be thou present in this place and with this people Thus he offereth the temple and the Arke to the Lord in the faith of the promise made vnto Dauid concerning the light which should neuer be put out and desireth that this promise may be kept As touching this vowe of Dauid the Scripture speaketh nothing but maketh mention of that talke and consultation only which he had with the Prophet Nathan 2. Reg. 6. But the author of this Psalme goeth about to commend and set forth the good will of Dauid by the name of
holy place must offer vp pure and holy prayers So saith S. Paule also lifting vp pure hands c. for else ye shall pray in vaine Pure hands signifie innocencie from blood extortion spoile robbery The Prophet therfore setteth forth here two sortes of men comming to the temple praying Some there be that come and pray in innocencie and holines Some againe pray in hipocrisie hauing their hands defiled with blood The prayer of such is sinne as the Psalme sayth Paul teacheth in like maner concerning prayer Pray saith he without wrath or doubting Also our Sauiour Christ saith If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift For this is a common thing that hypocrites when they haue done all the iniury they can against their brethren are not only without all remorse of coÌ„science but also they make a great shew of religion and holines bragge of the Gospell more then the true Christians doe Against these the psalme speaketh warneth them that when they pray in the holy place they ought to be pure holy For who so euer praieth is possessed with the sinne of couetousnes fleshly lust or any other deuil to him the Lord sayth VVhat hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee For when thou seest a theefe thou runnest with him thou art partaker with the adulterers c. Such was the prayer of the Pharisey which departed out of the temple vniustified For this is a common euil among men that they which are most impure wicked doe glory more of God his word then such as are godly feare God in deede Wherfore the Scripture expresly declareth that such there be as take the name of God in their mouths and yet in hart life are polluted and wicked And in this place the prophet inueyeth against hipocriets whiche thinke that when they pray God seeth not the vncleannes of their hart This is therfore a necessary prayer the first God would giue vnto vs his word defend the same against all vaine spirits heresies and secondly that he would preserue vs in innoceÌ„cie keepe vs from hipocrisie Verse 3. The Lord that hath made heauen earth blesse thee out of Sion As touching Sion we haue sayd before that God would haue not only certeine ceremonies certeine persons but also a certein place for his seruice worship lest the people should wander vncerteinly and choose vnto them selues peculiar places to worship God in Now for as much as this thing was not without offence for what can be more absurd and contrary to reason then that the God of heauen and earth should be shut vppe in that darkenes therefore to confirme their mindes herein he sayth that the Lord which dwelleth in Sion is the maker of heauen and earth This haue we often declared and necessary it is that it should be often repeted lest we should chose vnto our selues straunge and peculiar kindes of worship For as in the olde Testament there was a certaine place certeine persons and certeine times to the which God had bound as you would say his seruice so we in the newe Testament do find the father in christ In Christ the father is worshipped but without Christ he can neither be worshipped nor found but what so euer is deuised for the seruice of God without Christ is damnable and accursed The summe and effect therefore of all togither is this O ye Priestes ye Pastors and Ministers of the word to you I speake you I do admonish that ye follow the word faithfully and do your office purely For whiles the word and the ministery are sound vncorrupt there is nothing that can hurt vs For although Satan the world do assaile vs what then If God be with vs who can be against vs Let this be therefore your speciall care and endeuour that the word may remaine pure and vncorrupt and pray that the Lord would assist you herein and blesse your labours for of all the blessinges of God this is the greatest Which might be sayd in moe wordes but let this suffice Now it is our duetie likewise in this light of the worde to endeuour by all meanes to doe the same lest that through our vnthankfulnes the worde be taken from vs againe and to pray for the Churches that God would blesse them for Iesus Christ his sonnes sake our Lord our Redemer Amen THE ENDE The word must be continually exercised because of the continuall tentations whereof we are in daunger The lothiÌ„g and fulnes of Gods worde After the lothing of the word commeth contempt and then Gods plague The argumeÌ„t of the Psalm The Psalmes pray in two respctes agaynst Satan Satan how he is a murtherer How he is a lyer Our first parents deceiued by lying The authors of wicked doctrine are incorrigible Arius Proteus was one that could chauÌ„ge him selfe into diuers formes as nowe into a beast nowe into a tree and now into some other thing else Against heresies we must fight especially with prayer Inward tribulation and affliction of the soule The vse and practise of faith Howe the mindes of men must be stirred vp to prayer Tribulation stirreth men vp to prayer Luther writeth that which he hath proued by experieÌ„ce The necessitie of prayer set forth vnto vs in the Lords prayer Prayer is a seruice of God. How poore afflicted consciences are to be comforted which dare not call vnto the Lord. The prayers of the Papistes Nothing more hard then to pray God the hearer of praiers The saying of Bernard God giueth not alwayes that we pray for The prayer of yong children The godly youth in that reformed church being brought vp in the nâ—rture of the lord coÌ„tinuall catechising may shame al our reformation where the youth is so godles for lacke therof Howe God heareth our prayers Wicked doctrine A liuely picture of the Deuill The commoÌ„ people are the framehowse or workehowse of the deuill Deut. 29. Coles Iuniper The fire of the heretikes is more swift then the fire of the holy Ghost Luther prophecieth Kedar and Mesech signifie the enemies of the church Luke 11. The argument of the Psalme This Psalme containeth the doctrine of faith A coÌ„paring of contraries The commendation of faith Idolatry prospereth and flourisheth for a time Humane helps and comforts The help of the Lord. Why he sayth to the hills and not to the Lord. Our mountayne Trust affiance in the helpe succour of the Lord. Remedies in afflictions The iudgement of the word in afflictions must onely be followed The history of Iulian and Athanasius The exercise of faith Experience and practise maketh a right Christian The