KYng Dauid saith the lord fee­deth him: wherfore he can lack nothing to liue a vertuous and Godlye lyfe. In this first parte some thynges are to be consydered. First of God that feedeth, and nexte of man that is fedde. God that fee­deth Dauid calleth by the name of a shepeheard, and his people he calleth by the name of sheepe. By this name of a shephearde the prophete openeth and disclosethe the nature of God to all his miserable and lost creatures, that he is contente not onely to wish and desire manne that is loste, to be founde and restored agayne, but also doth seke and trauayle to restore and bringe hym home agayne: As it is written in Esay the porphet,Esa. 40. he shall [Page] gather togeyther hys lambes in hys arme. And in Ezechiell the prophet the lord sayth,Ezech. 44. behold I wyl requyre my flocke of the sheepeheardes. &c. And I wyll delyuer my slocke frome theyr mouthe, and they shall be no more their meate, for thus sayth the Lorde: beholde I wyll searche oute my sheepe, and wyll vysit them as a shepehearde doeth visite hys sheepe, when he is in the myddes of his scat­tered sheepe, so wyll I visit my shepe and delyuer them frome all places where as they haue bene scattered. &c And Ieremy the prophet in the same sorte declareth the nature of God to­wards the loste flocke,Iere. 31. saying: he that despersed Israel shall gather him to­gether agayne and keepe him as the shepehearde kepeth his flocke. Christ our sauiour nameth him selfe a good shepehearde, and sayeth that he was sent to call such as were not sheepe of the vtt [...]r marke & signe in y^e world,Io [...]. 10. to be his shepe. This nature of the hea­uenly father saw kinge Dauid, when he said at the beginninge of this hea­uenly [Page] himn [...]: The lord feedeth me &c.

When he is assured of Gods merci­full nature that seketh the lost shepe, he openeth farther the nature of god, what he will do w̄t the shepe, which he findeth: feade hym sayth the prophet Dauid, and putteth him selfe for an exsample. Here is the mercye of the great sheepehearde farther declared, that he killeth not his shepe, robbe [...]h them not, but seedeth and nourisheth them. Of this speaketh the prophet Ezechiell in the parson of almightye God:Ezech. 34. I my selfe wyll feede my shepe and make that they shall rest quietly, saieth the Lorde God. That whiche is lost I wil seeke, such as go astray I wyl bringe agayn, such as be woun­ded I wyl binde vp, such as be weake I wil make strong, but such as be fat & strong those wil I roote out, & I wil feede my shepe in reason & iudgemēt. And the great shepeherd Christ saith,Ioh. 10. whether his shepe go in or oute they shal finde pa [...]ture.

After that this kynge hathe opened in this hymne, y^• Gods nature is not [Page] onelye to seeke the loste shepe, but also when he hath founde him to feede him, then he addeth in his hymne, after what sorte hee feedethe hym: So that I shall lacke nothinge, saith the prophete. Heare is the declaring of the greate shepeheardes pasture, wherewith he feedethe the flocke of his pasture. Christe expresseth the same wonderfullye in the openinge of hys offyce and doctryne vntoo the worlde in Sayncte Iohn sayinge: I came that they mighte haue lyfe and haue it moste aboundauntelye.Ioa. 10.4.6 And talkinge with the poore woman of Samaria [...]olde her that the drinke he woulde geue her shoulde be water of life. And to y^• capernattes he said y^t meat which he wold geue them shuld worke eternall saluation. As theese properties be in God the shepeherd, (as the prophet hath marked) euen in the lyke sorte be the contrarye condi­cions in man the sheepe he speakethe of. For as the nature of God is too seeke, so is the nature of man to go a straye, As the p [...]ophet saieth: I haue [Page] strayed like a wandringe sheepe.psal. 119. Esa. 53. And euen so doeth Esaye write of al man kynde: All we haue erred (sayeth he) as sheepe goinge a straye. Christ our sauiour also in sainte Mathewe doth bewayle the people of the world that stray as shepe that had no shepeherd.Mat. 9. Saint Peter likewise sayth vnto his cuntremen that he wryteth vnto,1. Pet. 2. ye were as shepe that went a stray, but ye be conuerted now vnto the shepe­hearde and pastoure of your soules. And as the nature of man is to stray from God,3. regu. 22. so is it likewise to feede vppon all vnholsome and infected pastures: too beleeue euerye false prophet that canne doe nothinge but lye.Esa. 28. In the prophete Esay the Lorde sayeth, the nature of sheepe is too be deceaued, and theyr pastoures to be droncke, that nether knowe nor see the pastures of the woorde of God. And in the same prophete there is a most horrible plague vppon man for synne, for the pastoures shall be vn­able to feede,Esa. 29. and all the food [...] of lyfe shall be as a boke fas [...] clasped, & shut. [Page] This goinge a stray and seeding vp­on euyll pasture,2. Thes., 2. is wonderfully set foorthe by Sainte Paule: for when men wyll not feede vppon the truth, it is Goddes iuste iudgemente they shoulde feede vppon falsehode. And as Goddes nature is not onelye too feede but fullye to satisfye and to re­plenyshe wyth all goodnesse, so that nothynge maye lacke for a Godlye and vertuous life:Ioa. 4.6. In lyke manner the nature of manne is not onelye to feede but also to replenyshe it selfe with al infected and contagious doc­trine,Rom. 1. vntyll suche time that he de­spise and contemne God and all hys holesome lawes. This we maye see in y^t holy prophet Esay.Esa. 30. The people sayth the Lorde, prouoketh me vnto anger, a lyinge nacion that wyll not hear the law of god, they say to theyr prophetes prophecye not, looke not oute for vs things y^• be right, speake pleasaunt thynges vnto vs, &c. And thys replenishynge of manne wyth corrupt pasture,Iho. 7. is horribly set foorth in Saincte Iohn when the wycked [Page] priestes and phariseis would not be­leue the shepeheardes voyce Christe, no not theyr owne seruauntes that tolde them the truth, nor yet Nyco­demus one of their owne courte and profession. Thus in the fyrst part of this celestiall hymne is the nature of God and manne described vnder the name of a shepehearde and of sheepe.

Of this parte of the psalme what the prophet hath sayed of God and of man,What is to benoted out of this part of y^• psalme we must for our owne doctrine and learninge gather some things to be the better by.Rom. 15. For Sayncte Paul sayeth, what so euer is wrytten, is written for oure learninge. Two thinges we learne of this fyrst place: The one a certaintye that God hath the cure and charge of vs. And the o­ther a consolation and comforte, that we and all oures be vnder his pro­tection and gouernaunce. The first doctryne too be certayne and sure of Goddes defence, and care ouer vs, makethe vs constante and stronge to suffer and beare all aduersityes and troubles that God shall sende vs. [Page] And the seconde doctrine shall cause vs patientlye and thanckefullye too beare our crosse and to folow Christ. Bothe these doctrines the prophette Dauyd expressethe in the. 3. and 4. verse of this psalme: If I should say­eth hee, traua [...]le and passe thorowe places contagious and infected, wher appeareth nothynge but the ymage and shadowe of death, or be compel­led to passe thorowe the bandes and tyrannye of mine ennemies, I wyll not feare, for thou arte wyth me (O God) and defendes [...] me.Psal. 91. In the 91 psalme hee settethe foorthe the assu­raunce, & felicity of all them that put theyr whole truste in the mercye of God, and therein also the prophete reckeneth vppe a wonderfull sorte of daungers, and layeth them before the e [...]es of the fayethfull, that he maye by the syghte and knowledge of the daungers, fyxe and place the more constantlye his faith and trust in god that hath the charge & cure of him: he shal saith he defend vs from pestylēce mooste infectiue: frome [...]lyinge ar­rowes [Page] in the daye. &c. By the whiche [...]e prophet vnderstandeth all kynde of euyls that maye come vnto vs by the meanes of the deuil, or of wicked men. And these thinges the faythfull shall escape (sayeth the prophete) be­cause they saye from their harts vnto God, Quoniam tu es spes mea, that is to saye, for thou art my hope: euen as hee sayed in the begynnynge of this psalme,The assu­raunce of goddes de­fence and comfort in troubles must be learned out of gods word. the Lorde feedeth me and I shall wante nothinge. Such certain­tye and assuraunce of Gods defence, and suche consalation in troubles of this life, we must learne and pray to haue out of gods word, or els it were as good neuer to heare nor to read it.

And frome thys fyrtie parte of the Psalme, euerye estate of the worlde maye learne wysedome and consolation. If the Lorde feede and gouerne him, he shall haue God too his mayster and teacher, that shall geue him holesome and commodious doctrine, mete for y^t state of the life he hath chosen to liue in this world. For all that shal be saved in time to come, [Page] folow not one kinde of life. Some be magistrates and rulers, and appo [...] ­ted too see bothe the lawes of the re [...] alme, and the gooddes and commodi­ties therof to be vsed and applied to y^t vse and profitte of suche as be vnder them. Some geue them selues to stu­dye and contemplation of heauenlye and diuine things, not busying them selues w^t trauayls of the body, but to know thē selues the waye of life & be teachers of the same to others: Some be geuen too applye the lawes of the common wealth: some too excercise the trade and course of marchandise: some one kinde of liuynge and some another. But of what arte, facultye, science or kinde of liuinge so euer he be, that is not contrarye to Gods honour or honestye, he may vse ther­in to serue God, to obserue iustice, to excercise truth, kepe temperaunce & be acceptable to God, who hath geuē lawes meete & conuenient to publy­canes and soldiours, seruaunts & ma­sters, parents and children, husbands and wiues, and so to all other: but al these sortes of people must assuredly [Page] knowe, that in euerye of theese vo­cations be more daungers, then he that must liue in thē is able to beare. Therfore frō the botome of his hart he must be assored of this beginning of kinge Dauids himne: The Lorde feedeth me and I shall lacke nothing. And in dede the lorde hath not onely said, he wyll feede and defende hym from all daungers, but also sayth he wyll teache him how too liue veriu­ouslye and reuerently towards god, and honestlye and quietlye towardes man, what state or vocation so euer he chuse to liue in, so it be not against Gods lawes and the lawe of nature. So saith kinge Dauid:psal. 25. God hath ap­pointed a lawe to rule and teache the man y^t feareth him what so euer kind of liuinge he appointeth him selfe to liue in. What treasure is there to be compared vnto this, that man is not only fed and maintained by God, but also taughte and instructed in euerye craft & science that he apointeth him selfe to liue in? Blessed therefore is the man that in the entrailes & deepe [Page] cogitacions of his hart, canne saye, beleue and feele, this to be true that Dauid sayeth: The Lord ruleth me and careth for mee and I shall lacke nothinge. But yet there is almoste nothynge spoken, that thys kynge woulde haue chieflye knowne. How be it doubtelesse they be wonderfull thinges, that pres [...]rue and teache all persons bothe menne and women in what so euer kynde of lyuing honest­lye they appointe them selues to liue in. He him selfe knew this to be true right well, [...]as it appeareth when he sayeth: blessed be the lord my streng­the that taught my handes to battel.Psal. 144. For if the lorde had not taughte and ruled him, he had bene ouerthrowen many times, because ther was not only more strength then he had of him selfe agaynst him: but also more wit, more policye, more experience. But what things can ouercome that man y^• is couered with this shields, dominus regit me, the lorde ruleth me? doubte­lesse nothinge at all, whether it be in heauen aboue or in the earth be­nethe, [Page] or in hell vnder the earth. Not withstanding this is not al that this doctrine, the Lord ruleth me, doeth for the poore sheepe that is ruled: but heare muste the reader and hearer of this psamle folowe king David, and desire too haue the eye of his mynde purged & made cleane. For if y^t scales of infidelity, and the loue and delight to synne remayne, or els the mynde be otherwyse occupied then vppon the vnderstandinge of the hymne: he [...]hall heare it or sing it as the vngod­lye colleges of priestes do, that dayly boo and rore and holye scriptures out of their mouthes, and vnderstand no more the meaninge thereof, then the walles whiche they singe and speake vnto. We must therfore do as kinge David did, lifte vppe the eses of oure mindes in to heauen, and fyxe oure fayeth as he sayeth faste in the Lord,psal. [...].128. And then shal we see the vnspeakea­ble treasures and wisedome, that ly­eth hidde in this meruailous & com­fortable head and beginnyng of thys psalm [...] ▪ The Lord feadeth me. &c.

[Page]Our sauiour Christ openeth plain­lye in. S. Iohn what it is too be the sheepe of God, and to be fed by hym, and sayth they wyll beare the sheepe­heards voyce, but no straūgers voice, and because they hear the [...]hepeherds voice the shepeheard wyll geue them euerlasting life, & no man shall take them oute of the shepeheards hands. There is the greatest treasure & most necessary riches for the sheepe of god vttered,The inward and spiritu­all comfort, treasure & riches, whi­che this doctrine brin­geth. which is not the knowledge of God alone to be preserued in this life, and to lack nothing that is expe­dyente, & necessary for the preserua­tion therof: but also to vnderstande whiche wayes the heauenlye father teacheth and leadeth vs to the man­sion, & dwellinge place of life euerla­stinge. And if mā were wise he might soone perceaue, how much the life to come is better then the life present, yea be it neuer so fauourably fedde & preserued by the heauenly father ou [...] shepeheard & gouernour. For his tu­ition here of vs, although it [...]sure, & so stronge that none can tak [...] [...]s [...]ute [Page] of his hāds: yet is our safegard & life troubled and mingled with aduersy­t [...]es, subiect to persecution and also vnto death, but in y^• life to come gods tuicion is al toy, al myrthe, al solace, with al perpetuite, & endles felicity. And of this treasure Dauid cheeflye meant in the forefront of the psalme, when he sayd: And I shall lacke no­thinge.1. pet. 4. For as we see (vnytl this life be taken from vs) most troubles and most care beginneth and tarieth in y^e house of God amonges his sheepe, which be as lambes among wolues. Wherfore the voice and teachinge of the shepeheard doth heale the minds of the sheepe,Mat. 10. Gods deare electe, and pulleth frō them al vnprofitable fear & carefulnes: It quencheth all flames of luste and concupiscence: it maketh and geueth a man a noble and vali­minde to contemne all worldly thin­ges: it bringeth a man in loue wyth gods true honoure, maketh him ioy­ful in trouble, quiet in aduersity, and sure that the end of gods people shal be glorious and ioyfull: and also that this fauoure of the shepehearde shall [Page] shall be his guyde in too the place of blisse, whereas be crounes of euerla­stinge glorye for suche as hauè bene ledde by the Lord, and there they shal lacke nothinge. For there is neither eye can see nor tunge can speake, nor minde can comprehende thees [...] ioyes and glorye. And therefore the pro­phet both constantlye and cheareful­lye sayde: The Lorde feedeth me and I shall lacke nothinge. For all thin­ges of this worlde be but tryfelles in comparison of thinges to come. Al­though it be a singular fauour of god to vnderstand his goodnes and mer­cye towardes vs in thinges belong­inge to this lyfe: yet is it n [...]t to be compared too the other, as Dauyd wonderfullye declarethe in the. xxv. psalme. when he hath nōbred a great manye of Goddes benefites, whiche he doeth bestowe vpon his poore ser­uauntes in this lyfe, he in the ende maketh mencion of one specially that passeth them all, in theese woordes, Arcanum domini timentibus illum, et testa­mentum s [...]um manifestabit illis. That is to [Page] saye, the Lorde openeth to suche as feare him his secrets, and his Testa­ment, the Lord openeth to his faith­full seruaun [...]e the misteries and se­cretes of his pleasure, and the know­os his lawes. And these treasures, the knowledge and right vnderstanding of Gods most holye worde, be sayeth was more sweete vnto him, then ho­nye or the honye combe, and more he estemed the vertue of it, then he [...]yd precyous stones. Of all gyftes thys was the princypall, that God gaue vntoo hym a righte and true know­l [...]dge of him selfe. Wherefore it shall [...]e moste expedyente and necessarye, for euery Christian man to laboure, [...]tudye, and praye, that he maye ear­nestlye, and with a fayethfull harte knowe him selfe to be no better then a selye pore sheepe that hath nothing of hym selfe nor of anye other to saue his bodye and soule, but onelye the mercy of his shepeheard, the hea­uenlye father, and to be assured also that hys only mercy & goodnes alone in Christ and none other besides him [Page] is able too [...]eede him, so that he shall lacke nothinge necessary in this life, nor in the life to come.

He shall set me in the pastures moste pleasant and rich of his doctrine, and in the contem­plation of heauenlye thinges, wher­withall the mynde [...] of godly men are nonrished, and fedde with vnspeakeable toye, and neere vnto the plentu­ous fluddes of the holy ghost, and the swete waters of the holye scriptures he wyll fede me: In the which places the shepe of the lord are nourished to eternall life aboundinge with mylke [Page] and bringinge foorthe moste blessed fr [...]te.Iob. 2 [...] Act. 20. Iere. 3. [...]zech. 34.2 regu. 57 Mich. 5. The scripture of God vsethe this worde fede in manye significati­ons: some tyme too teache and in­structe: sometyme too rule and go­vern, as magistrates rule theyr peo­ple as well by lawe as by strengthe: Sometyme to punysh and correct &c. But in this place the prophet vseth feedinge as well for instruction by Gods worde, as also for defence and safegarde of Gods people by Goddes moste mightye power.Iob. 10. Psal. 74.79 95. Iere. 3. E [...]ze. 34. Ioel. 1. Mat. 4. He vseth this worde pasture for the woorde of God it selfe, as a thynge which is the on­lye foode of a mans soule to lyue up­pon, as the meate and dryncke is for the bodye. He vseth thys word leade for conductynge, that the manne whyche is ledde at no tyme gooe oute of the waye, but alwayes may [...] knowe where he is, and whether he is goynge: as in manye other of his psalmes he usethe the same ma­ner of speakynge.Psal. 60.73.76. The ryuers of ref [...]ction be vseth for the plentyfull [Page] gyftes of the holye ghoste where­withall the faye [...]hfull man is reple­nished.Apo. 7. Esa. 55. Ioa. 4.7. His sayinge therefore is as muche as if he had spoken wythoute allegorye or translation thus He en­struc [...]e [...]h me wyth his word, and con­ducteth me with his holy spirite that I cannot erre nor perishe.

In this part of the psalme be ma­nye things worthy to be noted. First it is declared, that the lyfe of manne consisteth in the foode of gods word: then that there is none that geeueth the worde to be eaten, but God oure heauenlye shepehearde. The nexte, that none canne rate of this meate of gods word, but such as the holi ghost feedeth with the woorde.Mat. 4. Our saui­our Christ declareth that man lyueth not by bread alone but of euery word that proceedeth oute of the mouth of God.We can no more liue in God with­out Godes word, then in the world withoute worldly foode. Whereby he teacheth vs that as the bodye liueth by externall meates, so doth the soule by the word of god. And no more possible is it for a man to lyue in God withoute the word of God, then in the worlde wythoute [Page] the meat of the world. And S. Peter confessethe the same.Iohn. 6. For when the Caparnaites and manye of Christes owne disciples has sa [...]isfyed theyr bodies wyth externall meates, they ca­red not for theyr soules, neither could they abyde too be fedde nor too heare the meate of the soule spoken of, al­though Christ dyd dresse it most hol­somlye wyth many godly and swet [...] wordes: they would not tarye vntill Christe had made that meate readye for them. They coulde be contended to fede theyr bellyes with his meates but theyr soules they would not cō ­mitte to hys dyet, but departed as hongry as they came, thorowe theyr owne folye. Christe was leadinge them from the fyue barley loues and two fyshes wherewith they had fyl­led theyr bellyes vnto the pleasaunt, pastures of the heauenly worde that shewed neyther barley loues nor fishe, but his owne precious bloude and paynfull passion to be the meate of theyr soules: howe [...]e it they could not come in to this pasture, nor taste [Page] in anye case of the swete herbes and nouri [...]hmente of theyr soules. When Christ perceiued thei wold not be led in this pleasaunt pasture, he let them go whether they would, and to feede vpon what pasture they would, and thē he asked of his. xii. that [...]ar [...]ed say­ing: wil ye depart also? Peter as one y^t had fed both body and soule as his felowes had, perceiued that the body was but halfe the mā, and that being fed, ther was but halfe a man fedde, and also that suche meates as wente in to the mouth satisfied no more thē the bodye that the mouth was made for: he felte more [...]uer that his soule was fed by Christs doctrine, and that the honger of syn, the ire of God, the accusation of the law, & the demaund & claime of the deuil, wer quenched & taken away: be perceiued likewise y^• the meat which brought this nourishment was the heauenli doctrine that Christ spake of touching hi [...] death & passion, & he vnderstode also that this meat passed not in to the body by the mouth, but in to the soule by faith, & [Page] by the presēce of gods spirit with hi [...] spirit, y^• body also shulde be partaker as wel of y^e grace that was in it, as o [...] the life. So y^• he felt him self not only to haue a bodi & soule aliue, but also ȳe thei wer graciou [...]ly replenished with the pastures & foode of gods fauoure. Wherfore he said vnto Christ, to whō shal we go? Thou hast y^e wordes of e­uerlasting lif. Which words in effect sound no other thing thē this psalme doth, wher Dauid saith: The lord fe­deth me & I shal want nothing. for he leadeth me into his pleasaunt pastu­res, & pastureth me by y^e riuers side. Wherein it appeareth manifesly y^• y^e word of god is the life of the soule.

The prophet Dauid doth meruelously open this thing in the repeting so manye tymes the worde of God in a psalme worthy much reading, & mor [...] marking of y^e things contained ther­in.psal. 119. For he entreateth al ȳe psalme thorow, y^• a godly life doth consist in the obseruation of gods lawes, and ther­for [...] doeth he so manye times in the psalme praye God to illuminate and endue hys spirit and hart wyth these [Page] two vertues, knowledge and loue of [...]is worde, wherewith he maye both knowe how to serue god, and at all tymes too be acceptable vntoo him. [...]n [...]e. 11. And oure sauioure Christe him selfe in saynt Luke sayth vnto a woman, blessed be they that heare the worde of God and keepe it.Ioa. 5. And in Sayncte Iohn Christ exhorteth all men to the readinge and exercisinge of the scrip­ture.And yet our blind gides say that ig­noraunce is the mother of godlynes For the ignorancye of goddes worde bryngeth wyth it a murryne & rotte of the soule: yet for the sinnes of the people God sayde, he woulde sen [...]e a honger and [...]amyn amonge [...] men, not a honger of breade nor wa­ter,Amos. 8. but of hearinge Goddes woorde. Kin [...]e Dauid therfore as o [...]e assured bothe of the authour of lyfe, and also of the foode wherewyth the lyfe is mayntayned, stayeth him selfe wyth Gods benediction and fauoure, that he is assured God feedeth him with his word. And he sheweth allso that none is the authour of this word nei­ther can any geue it but God alone. For when the firste faule of Adam [Page] and Eue by eatyng forbidden meats had poysoned and infected bothe bo­dye and soule wyth synne and Gods displeasure, so that he was de [...]titute both of gods fauour & wis [...]ome: none but god could tel him where remedy and helpe laye, nor yet coulde anye deliuer him the helpe but God. For tyll god made promise that the seede of a woman should make whole and saue that whiche the deuyll and man had made sicke and loste by reason of synne, and also made open the reme­dye vntoo Adam, and enclyned hys hearte to beleue the remedye: Adam was dead in synne and vtterlye caste awaye. Then the pitty of the hea­uenlye shepehearde sayde, he should notwithstanding in tyme be brought in to the same pasture agayne, and none shoulde deceaue him nor bringe him anye more oute of the pastures of lyfe.Ioh. 10.

But onely God gaue this meate,Ephe. 2. whiche was his holye word and pro­myse, And also the mouthe of fayet [...] to eate these promises of Gods on [...]ly [Page] gift. And the same appeareth thoro [...] out the whole Byble, that onely god by sēding of his word and preachers broughte knowledge of euerlastinge life to the people that were in igno­rancye. As S. Paul saith: god befor [...] tyme spake vnto oure fathers by the prophetes, [...]eb. 1. and in these later dayes [...]nto vs by his sonne, and after the ascention of his sonne, by his Apo­stles, and euangelis [...]es, in so muche that non of the prophetes euer spake of Gods word,Math. 28 that mayntayned the lyfe of the soule, other wyse then they receaued it of the [...]ighe shepehearde, almyghty god,2. Peter. 1. as. S. Peter sayeth: prophecy came not by the wyl of mā but the holy mē of God spake as they wer taught vs the holy ghost. So that God is the onelye authour and foun­tayn of his true word the foode of all mens soules.Iac [...] 2. In like maner he is the only geuer of the same, as he is the geuer of it, and none but him selfe: So none can eate it, but such as haue the same deliuered vnto them by the [...]ye ghost. So oure sauioure Christ [Page] likewise in the gospell of saint Iohn telleth Nicodemus that it was not possible to vnderstand and to knowe the grace of redemption,Iob. 3. excepte [...]e were borne frome aboue. And when saynt Iohn preached the word of God at Philippos amongs the women by the water side, the lorde opened the hart of Lid [...]a to vnders [...]ād the things spoken of by Paul.Act. 16. And when Christ preached among the Iewes & wrou­ght wonderful miracles, yet they vn­derstode nothing, nether wer thei any thing the better.Iob. 8. And Christ sheweth the cause. Proptere [...]uos non [...]uditis, quia ex deo nō estis, that is to say, therfore ye heare not, because ye he not of god. But the faute was not in god but in the obstynacy & frowardnes of theyr own harts,Mat. 23. as ye maye see in S. Ma­thew. Christ offered him self, but yet the malice of mā rebelled at al time [...]. S. Paul to the Corinthians wonder­fully setteth forth mans vnablenes,1 Cor. [...]. & saith: y^• natural man is not able to cō ­prehēd the things y^• be of god.Ioh. [...]. And in S. Iohn Christ saith no man cā come [Page] vnto him, excepte the heauenlye fa­ther drawe him, for they must be all taughte of God. Now as the prophet sawe theese thinges for him selfe and his saluation in Gods worde: Euen so must euery Christian manne take hede that he learne the same doctrin, or els it wer no comodity to haue the scripture of god deliuered and taught vnto vs. And euery reader & hear [...]r must learne of this psalme y^• there is none other foode nor meate for the soul [...] but Gods worde. And who so euer do refuse it when it is offered or pr [...]ached, or when they knowe the truth thereof, do yet of malyce, feare, lucre and gayne of the world, or any other waye repugne it: they be vn­worthy of al mercy and forgeuenes. let euery man and woman therefore examyne theyr own conscience, with out flatteringe of them selues, and they shall fynde that the moost parte of th [...]s realme of Englande in the tyme of oure holy and blessed kynge Edwarde the syxt, were fedde wyth thys holy foode of Gods word, or els [Page] myght haue bene fedde wyth it. For it was offerd and sent vnto them, as well by most godly statutes & lawes of parlament, as by many noble mē, and vertuous learned preachers. If they fedde not vppo [...] it accordingely or nowe theyr teeth stande on edge, and theyr stomacks be closed with it, to theyr peryll be it.

Thus Christ sayth:Ioh. 15. they haue no­thinge whereby iustly to excuse them selues of theyr synne. And lykewyse he sayeth, that who so euer hatethe hym, hateth also hys father. By whyche words it appeareteth many­festlye that no man can hate Christes doctrine but he must hate Christ him selfe, and no man can hate Christ, but he must also hate the father of heauē. Wherefore it is expediente for euery manne to marke such places. For it was not Christes name nor Chri­stes personne that the Iewas hated so mo [...]tall [...]e Christe for, but they hated hym to death for hys doctrines sake, and it was Christes doctryne [Page] that condemned the worlde, and she­wed the life & learninge of the world to be euyll, and coulde not abide the lighte of gods worde,Ioh. [...]. and therfore in no case they coulde abyde to heare of it: As ye see the like in his poore preachers.Mar [...]ewhi y^• p [...]eacher [...] of God are contemned [...]f y^e world. For his wordes sake they be lesse passed of then dogges or brute beastes. For they be hated to death, and more fauour doeth Barabas the murtherer fynd, then Peter the prea­cher of Christ that wold lead the flock redemed w^t Christes precious bloud, in to the pastures of gods word with the prophet Dauid: & yet in thys ha­tred of Gods worde the foode of gods sheepe, they would [...]e seene and non but they to loue and honour god, but it is not so in theyr hartes. For they haue a contempte of God, as theyr frutes well declare. And Christ sayth they hate bothe him and his father, yea & that withoute cause.

But thou Christian reader, see thou fede thysoule with no other meat,Psal. 35. Ioh. 15. thē w^t the holsome pastures of gods word whatsoeuer the world shal say or do. [Page] Looke vpon this texte of saint Iohn: when the comforter shall come, whō I shal send from my father, euen the spirit of truth,Ioh. 1 [...]. whiche doth proceede from the father, he shall testifye and heare recorde of me. W [...]y that place and thincke wherefore the sonne of man referred him selfe to the witnes of the holye ghost, and ye shall know that it was for no vntruth that was in the authour beinge Christ, or in the doctrin that he preached: but on­ly to make the disciples to be of good comforte, and that they shoulde not esteeme the gospell he preached vnto them any thinge the lesse, althoughe it had manye aduersaries & enemies and was spoken against in maner e­uerye where: for against the fury and false iudgemente o [...] the worlde that cōtemn [...]d the gospel, they shuld haue the testimonye of the holy ghost to a­lowe and warante the Gospell. Let vs therefore praye to the heauenlye shepehearde that he wyll geue vs his holy spirits to testifye for the woorde [Page] of God the onely foode of our soules, that it is true that God sayeth, and onelye good, that he appointeth too feede vs. And this we may be assured of, that in this heauy and sorowfull t [...]me, ther is nothing cā testify for the truthe of Gods word and kepe vs in the pleasaunte pasture thereof, but the verye spirite of God, whiche we must set against al the tumultes and daungers of the worlde. For if we make thys veri [...]ye of Gode subiecte to the iudgemente of the worlde, our fayeth shall quayle and faynte euery houre as mens iudgementes varye. Wherefore let vs praye to haue al­wayes in vs the spirite of adoption, wherby whē our faith shalbe assaul­ted, we may cry father father, and the same helpe for the mayntenaunce of the truth, God promysed by his holy prophet Esay sayingd: Thys is my couenaunt with them (saith the lord) my spirit whiche is in thee, [...]sa. 59. and my wordes whyche I haue put in thy mouth, shall not departe frome thy mouthe, nor frome the mouthe of thy [Page] seede nor from the mo [...]th of the seede of thy seede from hence foorth vntyll the world [...] ende.

Heare doth the almightye God set foorth, what a treasure and singuler gift his worde is, and that it shal not deparxe frome his people vntyll the worlds ende. And in theese words i [...] this part of Dauids psalme marua [...] ­lously opened and set foorth. It is the Lorde alone that feedeth and instruc­teth faith Esaye the prophet. It wa [...] not mannes owne imaginatyon and intention, nor the wysedome and religion of his fathers (what so euer they were) but it was the Lorde that spake and made the couenaunt with man, and put his spirit in manne to vnderstande the couenaunte, and by his worde and none other woorde, he instructed manne and sayde,What thin­ges we re­ceiue by fe­dinge vpon gods promises in this life. that by these meanes all men should tyll the worldes ende, feede and eate of gods blesse [...] promises. For in his woorde he hath expressed and opened to eueriman what he shal haue, euen the remission of sinne, the acceptation in to [Page] his fatherlye fauoure, grace to lyue well in this life, and at the ende too be receaued in too the euerlastinge life. Of these things the reader may know what maintayneth lyfe, euen the word of God,Mut. 4. psal. 19.119 2. Timo. 3 [...]eb. 1.1. Pet. 1. as Christe sayth: if ye abyde in me and my wordes abide in you, aske what ye wyll, and ye shall haue it. He shall learne also, that it is not genenerall counsayle, prouinciall counsayle, the determy­na [...]on and agreemente of menne, that can be the authour of this foode, but onelye God.Gala. 1. And as God is the only authour of this foode: euen so is hys holye spirite he that f [...]edeth the poore simple soule of the Christy­an manne myth his blessed pasture and not the wysedome of man,Ioh. 6. Esa. 54. Ioh. 15. mens sacrifyces, or mennes doynge [...]. But as touchinge the foode of mans soule too be the onelye woorde of God, I wyll if it be Goddes blessed pleasure (to whome in the bytter and payne­full passion of Christe, I commytte my wyll, wyth my lyfe and death) open vnt [...]o the sheepe and lambes of [Page] God at large in an other booke.

MY soule erred and wente a stray from the righte waye of godly liuinge, but the Lorde conuerted me frome my errours and faultes of liuinge, and broughte me to the obseruation of his holy lawes, wherein is contayned all iustice, tru­the and godlines. Here is to be noted what degrees and orders the Lord & heauenlye shepehearde, doeth vse i [...] bringing his shepe unto y^• pasture of life. First he conuerteth the man y^e is [Page] gone astraye, bye his wicked wayes and sinfull manner of liuynge. If he were an infidele, he bringeth him first to know, feele, & hate his infide­lity, and afterwardes to a true faith. If he be a persecutour, he sheweth him first his tyrānye, and afterwards how to vse him selfe meekelye. If he be a sinfull man that liueth contrary to his knowledge & professiō, he brin­geth him first to the knowledge & ha­tred of his syn, and afterwards to the forgeuenes of y^• same. As Christ our sauyour wonderfully teacheth in S. Iohn,Ioh. 16. wher he satih: The holy ghost when he commeth shall rebuke the worlde of synne, iustyce, and iudge­mente. By the whiche wordes he de­clareth that the faythfull of God, can not profyt in the gospel of Christ, ne­ther loue nor exercise iustice and ver­tue, excepte they be taughte, and made too feele the burden and daun­ger of synne, and be brought to hum­ble them selues as menne that be of them selues nothinge but synne. And therefore the lawe and threateninges [Page] of god be verye holsome, whose na­ture and prosperity is to cyte and call mennes conscience vntoo the iudge­mente of God, and too wounde the spyrite of manne with terroure and fcare. Wherefore Christe vseth [...] wonderfull waye, and teacheth the same vnto his Apostles, that nether him selfe for that presente tyme, nor they in time to come, coulde preache profitablye the gospell, wherewyth menne are ledde in to the sweete and pleasaunte feeldes of Goddes promi­ses by his word,The consci­ence that fe­leth y^• fringe of deathe by s [...]ne, thur­ [...]teth for life except they vse this order, to leade them frome synne to iustice, and frome deathe to life. And as iustice and life commeth by Christ shewed vnto vs in his bytter passion. death & glorious resurrection: so doth synne and death both appeare and be se [...]te by the spirit of God shewed vn­too vs in the lawe. This order also saw [...] the holy prophet when he said: the Lorde conuerteth my soule, and leadeth me in to the pathes of ryghteousenes. This is a wonderful s [...]n­tence, and muche and deepelye to be [Page] considered & wayed of thee christia [...] man. The Lord conuerteth my soule sayth Dauid: he feleeth in him selfe that as longe as the deuyl and sinne haue the rule and kingdome in man, the soule of man beinge Gods trea­sure is deformed, foule, horrible, and so troubled, that it is like vntoo all things more then vnto god & vertue, wherunto it was created: but when the wicked deuil and deformed sinne be by the victorye of Christ ouercome and [...]xpulsed, the soule waxeth faire, amiable, swete, louinge, pleasant, & like vnto God agayne, and cometh in to order and obeysauce vntoo hys creatoure, and so broughte in to the pathes of righteousnes, feedeth with the rest of Gods well ordered flock [...] vppon the pastures and foode of hys [...]olye worde to be his blessed wyll.

Oh that we would in the glasse of gods word loke vpon our own soules when they be in the tyrannye of the deuyll vnder the kingdome of synne, as this kinge dyd: we shoulde more [Page] loeth and detest our own soule, & the company that our soule is accompa­nyed with all, then if we shuld for all oure lyfe tyme be put in too styes wyth hogges and alwayes be bound [...]urynge oure lyfe, too lyue wyth them, feede as they feede, slepe and wake as they do, and be as they be in all thinges.Luc. 15. Looke in the gospell of Sayncte Luke, and there shall ye see a man by synne, so foule, so disor­dered so accompanied wyth swine, so hongerbaned, so rent & torne, so beg­gerly, so wretched, so vile, so lothsome & so stincking y^• the very swyne wer better for theyr condycion then hee was. But se how the heauenly shepeherd beheld frō his heauenly throne, the place of the euerlastynge ioyes, thys poore strayed sheepe, feedinge not emonges sheepe but emonges swyne, and yet coulde not be satys­fyed therewyth. And no maruayle, for swyne feede not vppon the meate of shepe, nor yet do shepe fyl thē sel­ues with hog [...]draffe & swillings: but [Page] this shepehearde vsed his olde won­ted clemencye, and strake the harte of this sheepe, making him to weepe and bewayle his condicion, a men to come to suche dishonour to be cou­pled and matched with swyne, too feede like swyne, eate lyke swyne suche meate as swyne eate, remem­bringe that the worste in his father [...] house was a prince and noble kynge in comparyson and respecte of hym: then also beinge perswaded of his fa­thers mercy, he returned and his fa­ther brought him in to his pleasant & swete pastures, & gaue him his old fa­uour and accustomed apparell again as a manne to keepe companye with men, and no more wyth adulterou [...] men, and vncleane swyne: Howe be it be came not to his olde honoure [...] ­gayne, tyll the Lorde had practysed in him that he practised in thys pro­phet kynge Dauid, animam meam con­uertit, h [...] conu [...]rted and tourned mysoule.

It is but a folye for a man to flat­ter him selfe, as thoughe he were a [Page] christian man, when his hearte and soule is not turned vntoo the Lorde, he shall neuer feede in the pastures of lyfe, but be an hipocryte all the dayes of his life, as the moste parte of the worlde be that professe Christ [...] name at thys presente daye. They saye they bee conuerted frome the worlde too God, when there is no­thinge wythin the pastures of Gods worde, but that they wyll contemne rather then too haue as muche as an cuyll looke of the worlde for it. They saye they be conuerted to God when they be contented with the worlde to [...]onoure that for God, that is b [...]t breade and wyne in the matter and substaunce, as the scrypture of God, and the holye churche of Christ haue taught beleued these. 1500. y [...]ars and more. Oh. Lord be these menne turned to thee; be these the men that shall dwell wyth thee, in thy holye mounte of Sy [...]n,Psal. 24. and stande in thy holy place? Maye doubtlesse, for they be not turned [...]o thee, but from thee, and be not with thee but agai [...]st tho [...] [Page] They speake wyth the and yet theyr deede [...] dishonour thee, they talke of truthe and practise lies. What (good lorde) shall thy symple and poore vn­learned shepe doe? Where shall they seeke thy truth? For the [...]hepeheards say & sing this psalme euery weeke & at euery dirige for the dead & yet thei be not conuerted in their spirites too thee that thou mightest lead thē in to the pathes of righteousnes. But lord there is no manne nowe (in maner) that dare accuse them: they destroye them selues and thy sheepe, and no man can be suffered with gods word to remedye it. Notwythstandyng [...] (good Lorde) although in this world none maye accuse them, yet they in the worlde to come shall haue kinge Dauid (whose psalmes they dayelye reade and in whome they moste glo­rye) too accuse them both of here [...]ye and blasphemye, as Moses shall ac­cuse the wycked Iewes, whome they moost glorye of. For as the Iewes r [...]dd [...] the scripture of Moses, and yet w [...]neuer the better: so these prie­stes [Page] of Antichrist reade the holy scripture and yet neyther the people, nor they them selues, are any thinge the better. And in this they passe the abhomynation, of the Iewes and Turkes. For they were, and yet be content, that theyr bokes of religion shall be vsed in theyr churches in the vulgare and common tonge, but these enemies of god and man wold not haue the worde that God hathe appoynted for all mens saluation, to be vsed in anye tonge but in the lat­ten. The God therfore of [...]eace that broughte agayne from death to life, the greate shepehearde of the sh [...]epe, by the bloude of the euerlastinge te­ment, oure Lorde Iesus Chris [...], con­uerie the soules and heartes of all those, that cause the sheepe of God thus to eate and feede vppon the ca­rine and infected pastures of meunes tradicions. Amen.

Now as kinge Dauid in this text hath wonderfully set forth the mise­rable nature of all Gods sheepe, and put him selfe for an example that the [Page] nature and condicion of all menne is corrupt, wycked and damnable, so that it can not be partaker of gods be­nediction and euerlastinge grace, ex­cepte it be borne a newe, amended, restored and instructed: So likewise he sheweth that none conuerteth the soule of man but the heauenly father the great shepeheard, that both seeth the loste state of his shepe, & wylleth of his mercy the saluatiō and calling of the shepe home again, and then he proceedeth further & shewethe what the heauenlye shepehearde wyll doe wyth his sheepe: he sayeth, he wyll leade them in to the pathes of iustice. Wherein the prophet declareth that it is not onelye God that conuerteth the man from [...]uyll, but also he alone that keepeth him in goodnes an ver­tue. And therein is shewed a won­derfull myserye and wretchednes in the soule and bodye of man, that can neither begynne nor yet continue in a lyfe acceptable vnto God, except [...] that God wholye wooreke the same hymselfe. And as it declareth the [Page] wonderfull wretchednes of man, so doeth it many felte and sette foorthe a wonderfull and vnspeakeable mercy and compassion of god towards man▪ that so meruailouslye and graciously he can be contente to healpe and saue his ennemye and verye aduersar [...]e. But herein is required of as manye as the Lorde conuerteth frome ini­quity and synfull lyuinge, that they walke in the same lawe, and vse their conuersation in equitye and iu­stice, as it becometh obediente men and women redemed with the shepe­heards precious bloud. For the Lor [...] do [...]th not teache his sheepe the trut [...] that they should liue in falshode, nei­ther g [...]ueth he them the remission of theyr sinnes that they should returne to the same agayne, but because they shoulde [...]tudiouslye applye and [...]ly­gentlye excercyse the [...] selues in ver­tuous woorkes too the honour of al­mightye God.Psal. 1. Mat. 5.

There be two sortes of people that the Lorde wyll iudge and punishe in the later daye, wyth extreame ire [Page] and [...]ustice. The one sorte [...]e called vpon to learne the knowledge of god and of Gods honoure as gods word co [...]maundethe, but they wyll not heare nor obey the calling but know god & learne God as the custome and maner of the world is to knowe him and learne him, thoughe it [...]e neuer so farre frome the truthe. And the o­ther sorte be contented to heare and learne to knowe God, and too serue [...]im as he teacheth in his holye and most pure worde, but in theyr harts consente not to theyr knowledge, but contrarye to it they do out [...]ward ser­uice to a false god & frame their conuersation, both in religion [...]owards God and their maners toward men,Wofull are these dayes when in so cleare lyght of the truth y^• professor [...] thereof are [...]o faithlesse & [...]. as men of the world do. So that god hath no more reuerence of hym that knoweth the truth, thē of him that i [...] ignoraunte of the truthe. Esaye the prophet speaketh agaynst y^t first sort of menne, that wyll not heare when they be called, nor learne when they be taught, and saith: when other men [Page] shall laughe they shall weepe,Esa. 65. when [...]ther be merye they shall be sorye, when other be whole they shall bee sycke, when other men shal lyue they shal die, and when other men reioyce in myrthe, they shall lament [...] in sorowe.Rom. 10. And good cause whye sayth saint Paule, for the Lord hath stret­ched foorthe his hande alwayes to a rebellious and obsti [...]ate people, that wyll not learne nor knowe his holye wyll. Agayne, the other sorte that knowe and haue learned the Lordes wyll, and pleasure, and yet prepare not them selues to do hys wyl, shall be beaten wyth manye stripes saye [...] oure sau [...]oure Christ.Luc. 12. And the Lorde in Sayncte Mathewe doeth wondē [...] ­fully charge both suche as igno [...]nt­ly do offende, and those that do [...] with knowledge offende, those also that be ca [...]led vppon to amendemente in fayth & charity, and those that b [...] not called vpon by preachinge of the tru­the, and sayteh: the greater d [...]na­tyo [...] is vppon suche as knowe or [...]yghte knowe, or [...]s when they do [Page] knowe they be nothynge the better for theyr knowledge. He putiethe foorth there foure cityes, Choro [...]aim and Bethsaida, Li [...]e and S [...]one: [...]w [...] of them manye [...]ymes admony­ [...]he [...] by Christ to amend: The other [...] no [...] so called vppon, neuerthe­l [...]ss [...] [...]othe of them the Lorde wyll iudge; but most seuerlye such as ne­gl [...]t the worde of God when it is of­fered. Therfore it is not enough for a man to [...]arken or beare, reade or learne Goddes woorde, but [...]e must be ruled by Gods worde, frame his whole life after Gods worde, and be­fore all thinges avoyde ydolatrye by Gods worde: as kynge Dauyd sayth i [...] thi [...] psalme, that the Lorde dyd not o [...]elye conuerte his soule, but [...]roughte him in to the pathes of iu­styce.

Let euery man and woman, ther­fore [...]nke wyth them selues, what kno [...]ledge they haue receyued of God. For [...]e that hath receaued most shall make accompte for moste, and the more he knoweth and abuse th [...] [Page] his knowledge, the more shall be his damnation, and in case they knowe nothynge at all, and he neuer the better for all the preachynge of the Lordes woorde, let them take heede what persons they bee and in what place they haue dwelled. In case theyr pouertye was suche that they coulde not heare, and theyr dwelling where as was no preachinge at all: yet be they vnder the iudgement and damnation of God because the know not, as Li [...]e and Sydon were. If they were of such state as they might haue come if they woulde, and hadde preachers to tell them the truthe, in case they woulde haue harde the tru­the, suche menne and women shall be the more in daunger of Gods se­uere & iust iudgement.God requi­reth not on­ly a compte of that hath bene recea­ued but of y^• might haue bene recea­ued. For God doth not onelye take an accompte of that menne haue receaued, if they vse not gods giftes wel: but also strayte­lye requirethe of them that myghte haue learned, the thinge that eyther [...]yllingelye or obstinatelye they re­ [...]sed too learne: as ye maye see by [Page] Chorozaim and Bethsaida. God wil as wel take an accompte of him that refused too receaue the gyfte of Gods woorde, as he requireth an accompt of him that hath receaued it,Mat. 11. Luc. 12. and ab­bused it. Whereby we learne that not onelye the manne that abuseth Gods woorde shall be damned, but also be that wyll not learne Goddes worde. Kynge Dauid had the worde offered, he receaued it, and was ca­ried therebye in too the pathes of iu­stice, and lyued Godlye thereafter. Nowe he goeth foorthe and sheweth wherefore manne is broughte to life and saluation.

HE brought not me to life and saluation sayeth the prophet, for anye m [...]rytes or deser­ninges of myne, but for hys owne infinite goodnes sake. And what so [Page] euer euyll hath bene done and synne commytted, all theese thinges I as­cribe to my corrupte nature, and ac­cuse my selfe too be the doet of them▪ but if any thinge haue bene thought, sayed, or done, that is vertuous and Godlye, that I wholye ascribe and attribute vnto the mercy of God that gaue me a good mynde to wyshe too do well, and also strength to doo the thinges, that he gaue me wyll too wyshe. Of this parte of the psalme we learne, that manne can neyther wyshe, nor speake, nor do any thing, nor yet vnderstande anye thinge that good is but onlye throughe the mer­cye of God, who maketh of an igno­raunte man a man of knowledge, of an vnwilling [...] man a willinge man, of an euyll speaker a good speaker, & of an euyl doer, a good doer. There­fore. S. Paule, when he seeth that the nature of man wil take vpon her to be y^• authour of any good thing, he acuseth and condemneth her of arro­gancy & pride, saying, what hast thou [Page] that thou hast not receaued?1. Cor. 4. If thou hast receiued, whye doest thou glory as though thou receauedest not? And in the same Epistle he sayeth that he preached Christe crucifyed,1. Cor. 1. whiche was a slaunder too the Iewes and a foolishenes to the gentiles: ye [...] saith he the foolyshenesse of God is wyser then menne, and the weakenesse of God stronger then menne. And that had kinge Dauid good experience of when he sayd, the Lorde ruleth me, and I lacke nothinge, he putteth me in a swete pasture and leadeth me by the ryuers syde, hee turnethe my soule, and conducteth me in too the waye and pathe of iustyce for hys names sake and for his mercies sake. He sawe the deu [...]ll, the worlde, hys fleshe, and sinne all conquered by the power of God, and for hys names sake broughte bothe to lyue and also vertuously to lyue to his honour that gaue the lyfe, and too his owne sal­uation that receaued the life.

All oure teachinge a great many of yeares and also youre whole la­boures [Page] haue bene ch [...]fely too knowe the miserye of man and the mercy of almightye God. Wherefore it shall not nede longe too tarye in openinge of thys place of the psalme, for ye be ryche in God in these two poyntes, God geue you grace wel to vse them: Yet in anye case we must remember that our soules be turned from sinne, and we accepted as the people of e­uerlastinge lyfe, onelye for Goddes mercyes sake. So doeth kynge Da­uid wonderfullye open vntoo vs in the. xxxii. psalme, where as he sayeth blessed be they whose synnes are for­geuen, and whose transgressions be couered: blessed is the man to whom the Lorde imputeth not his synne. Of the which wordes we learne that the Godlye kinge called those happy and blessed, not that be cleane and pure withoute synne (for there is no [...]uche man in this lyfe) but those bee blessed whose sinnes the mercye of God forgeuethe, and they be onelye suche as vnfaynedlye acknowledge theyr synne, and stedfastelye fr [...]me [Page] their harts bel [...]ue that the death and passi [...]n of Iesus Christ is the onelye exp [...]a [...]ion & purginge thereof: As S. Paule wonderfully expoundeth Da­uids words in hys Epistle to the Ro­maynes.Rom. 4. As the prophet by thees [...] wordes, for hys names sake, [...]cla­reth that there is nothing in him, nor in anye other man, wherefore God shoulde turne the soule of man from death to lyfe, from errour [...]o truth, from the hatred of God to gods loue, fr [...]e wandringe a stray to a stablis­shed contynuaunce in the veritye of Goddes worde, but onelye Goddes mercye: So doeth he in other of hys psalmes alwayes when hee entrea­teth of [...]ddes mercye and of mans synne, set foorthe manne so naked and vyle as a thynge mooste des [...]itu [...] of all bra [...]he and saluatyon, and she w [...]th that none of these gyfts, re­myssion of synne, acceptation in to Goddes loue and fauoure, pastu­ringe of [...]h [...]m wy [...]h his moste blessed worde, canne happen vnto anye o­ther sauinge vnto suche as do knowe [Page] and earnestlye confesse that they bee synners and infected wyth manye contagious and daungerous infirm [...] tyes:Psal. 32 And therefore he sayeth in the seconde verse of the psalme aboue mencioned, blessed is he to whom the Lorde imputeth no synne, and in whose spirite there is no guyle. For there is no geater guyle, nor more daunger in man than to thynke hym selfe to be somewhat when he is no­thinge in dede, or elles to thinke hym selfe to be of such purity of mynd, as thoughe he needed not thys free re­mission and fauoure of God. And as there is nothinge more proude and arrogant, then such a mind: so ther is nothing in man more detestable and miserable. Of the contrary part, they be blessed that honger and thurst for iustice, for God fylleth the hongrye with good thyngs,Mat. 5. Luc 1. but the proude he sendethe a waye emptye. And that knewe this holy prophet right well, that it was humility and the casting doune of him selfe y^• was most accep­table [Page] vnto God, and the seekinge of wealth and saluation onelye for hys names sake, that is too saye, for his mercye promysed in the deathe and passion of his onely sonne oure saui­oure Christe. In the ende of the. xxxii psalme kinge Dauid that hadde thus humbled hym selfe, bringeth in god that speaketh vnto him whyles he is thus makinge his complaynte of his corrupte nature and synfull lyfe, say­ing in this maner, intellectum tibi dabo &c. that is to say, I wyll geue thee vnderstandinge, and instructe thee in the waye thou shalte go, and wyll haue myne eyes euer vppon thee. Wherin he declareth that such hum­bled menne and lowelye persons as knowe theyr iniquitye, shall haue vnderstandinge of God, and shal not swarue from the right waies: not for theyr dedes and their deseruings, but for his mercye that vouchsafeth to instruct and teach thē. And so lykewise doeth this godlye kinge shew in this psalme: The Lorde rulethe me and I lacke nothynge, he [...]eedeth me in [Page] sweete pastures, and leadeth me by the riuers syde, he tourneth my soule and bringeth me in too the pathes of righteousnes, and all for his names sake. When he hathe opened the sal­uation of manne, and also the cause thereof and wherein it consisteth: he procedeth to the v. parte of his ora­tion and holy himne.

SEinge I haue suche a guyde and defendour, ther is no difficultye of perryll, nor feare of death, that I wyll passe of. For what harme can death do to him, that hath God the authoure of all lyfe wyth [Page] hym? Or what can the tyrany of man do, where as God is the defendoure? In this first parte kynge Dauid she­weth how the Lorde God doeth exer­cise his shepe that he fedeth with his blessed worde, in daungers and trou­bles, and also howe he wyll defende them in the myddes of theyr troubles what so euer they bee. In the firste wordes of the. v. parte of this sacrate and holye hymne the prophet decla­reth that the lyfe of Gods sheepe and people in thys worlde canne not bee wythonte daungers and troubles. Therefore Christ sayth that he came too [...]ut fyre in the worlde, and that the same fyer should burne, meaning that he came too preache suche a doc­trine as [...]oulde moue dissention and dyscorde betwene frende and frende, the father and the sonne, and sette them at debate.The wicked make y^• gos­pel of peace an occasion of discorde. Not that his worde is a learninge or doctrine of dissenti­on and discorde of it selfe, but that by the malice of men that can not abyde t [...] be rebuked by the woorde of God,Luc. 12 they wyll be alwayes at discorde and [Page] variaunce with the woorde of God, and wyth anye freende or [...]oo that teacheth it.Iohn. 7.8.9 10.16 And the same doth Christ onre heauenly shepehearde shewe vs both in his doctrine and in his lyfe,The crosse is the [...] badge of Gods chil­dren. who was hated and troubled more then anye manne before or sythens hys tyme, and assurcthe all hys too haue troubles in this world, yea and death also. But it forceth not, for he fayeth I haue ouercome the worlde.Ioh. 16. And what so euer the daun [...]ers bee and [...]owe horrible so euer they seme, Christ beynge wyth vs, we nede not to feare. Therefore in thys [...]ynte the prophet correcteth the foolishe o­pinonion of manne that would lyue as one of the sheepe of God in thys world wythoute troubles. It is con­trarye both to the personne that pro­fesseth God, and also to the religion that he is professed vntoo, for in the worlde bothe shall be as Christe say­eth hated. Of whych hatred cometh persecution and troubles, so that the people of God shall whether they wyll or wyll not, passe throughe [Page] manye daungers, and no lesse pery­lous then the shadowes, and verye ymage of death, as here kinge Dauid sheweth in this hoolsome and blessed hymne.

And as he seeth righte well that the state and condicion of Gods peo­ple and shepe,Zacha. 13. Mat. 16. is too be troubled for Christes sake and his woorde: Euen so dyd Zacharye the prophet speake of Christ and his people, howe that not onelye the shepe shoulde be trou­bled and scattered abroade, but also the shepehearde shoulde be strycken with the swearde, that bothe sheepe and shepehearde shoulde be condem­ned in this world. But nowe as Da­uid and Zac [...]arye declare, that th [...] lyfe and condicion of Christe and his shepe be troublous in the worlde: So do they bothe declare, that what so e­uer the troubles bee, they be bothe knowen and appointed vpon whom they shall fall and in what time they shall trouble the shepe of God, so that they canne come no sooner then God appointeth, nor do anye more har [...] [Page] then the heauenlye shepehearde shal appoynte them to doo. And this we may see and learne as well in Christ as in hys sheepe. How manye tymes dyd the priestes and Phariseys con­spyre Christes death? Yet because his tyme was not come, they hadde not theyr purpose: but when the tyme of God was come, Christe sayed too his sheepe, ye shall be all troubled this night for my cause, for the shepe­ [...]earde shall bee strycken and the sheepe shall bee scattered abroade. Then as God hadde appoynted the tyme, it could be no longer differred. And because they shoulde not mysse of hym whose death they sought,Ioh. 18. he came and mette them and offred hym self vnto them, and said that he was the same manne Iesus of Nazareth whom they soughte. And when they had taken him and vsed as much cru­eltye towards hym as theyr wycked malyce and deuylyshe hatred coulde deuyse, they kylled hym, and made hym to passe not onlye the shadowe and ymage of death, but also deathe [Page] it selfe.Math. 27 Mar. 15. Luc 23. Ioh. 19. They thought then they had hym where as they woulde, and said he hathe saued other, let hym nowe saue hym selfe if he canne.

When he was layed in the graue wyth his fathers, they thoughte too execute theyr plagues and tyrannye towardes him beinge deadde, purpo­singe that as they had broughte him to death and kylled him: so lykewise they wold kepe him downe styll that he shoulde neuer see lyfe agayne, but rotte in the earthe lyke a wretche, vntyll wormes had eaten hym. And for the perfourmance of this purpose to doo all theyr whole wylles to the vttermoste, they came to Pylate and sayed, that the dysceauer of the people that laye in the graue, made hys bost whyles he was alyue, that the third daye after hys deathe he woulde ryse agayne, but if it shoulde bee so, it woulde bee worse wyth them after then it was before. Appoynte there­fore souldiours sayd they, & wratch­men too keepe the sepulchre tyll the thyrde daye be pas [...]e.Mat. 27 Whyles they [Page] ye [...] mynded to laye as muche euyll and contempte vppon Christe oure shepehearde as the [...] meant vnto him, came the heauenly father, that susse­reth no more ignomyny to faule vp­pon his, nor wyll suffer them to con­tynue any longer then him pleaseth, wyth thys inhabition and staye of further proce [...]dynges in dyshonou­ringe and persecutynge hys [...]nelye sonne and sayde: I am redijt lux tertia, surge sepulte meus, that is as muche to saye, nowe is come the thyrde daye, arise myne owne deare sonne bury­ed. And then was the sorowe and contēpt of this our persecuted shepe­hearde not onely ended, but also turned in to endlesse and vnspeak [...]able ioyes: he passed wyth hys forefather Dauid most bytter paynes, and also most vyle death, but he feared not because god was with him.A Doctrin of Gods pro­uidēce most confortable to all his [...] flicted. The same apoyntment also hath the heanēly father made w^t al daungers & troubles that shal happen vnto vs his poore & [Page] afflycted sheepe taken daylye (as it were to the shambles) to suffer what Gods ennemyes can deuise. But the heauenlye shepehearde doth see all theyr doynges oute of heauen and mocketh them too scorne,Psal. 2 for they shall neuer do as much as they wold, agaynste Christ and his people, but as much as god wil suffer them. Da­uid afterwardes in his. 37. psalme, teacheth vs the same wyth meruay­lous woordes and diuyne sentences. Committe domino viam tuam et spera in eum &c. Laye (sayeth he) thy care vpon the the Lorde, and truste in him and he shall healpe thee.

It is moste necessarye therfore for euery troubled man to knowe in his mynde and feele in hys harte, that there are no troubles that happen vntoo manne, what so euer they be, come they by chaunce or fortune as manye men say and thinke, but that they come by the prouidence of God: Yea the verye wyndes of the ayer, tempestes in the cloude, tremblinge of the earthe, rages in the sea, or a­nye [Page] other that come, howe sodayne or how vnlooked for so euer they ap­peare:Psal. 29. As ye maye reade in the. xxix. psalme of this prophet, where as be wonderfull tempestes, and trouble­some things spoken of, as well done in the waters, as vppon the dry [...] lande.

But here alas is oure nature and knowledge muche too be lamented and complayned vppon. For as the knowledge we haue of Gods fauour and gentlenes towards vs in Christ (for the most parte) consisteth in the vnderstandynge of the mynde and talke with the mouthe, but the ver­tue; strengthe and operation of the same fauoure of God is not sealed in oure hartes and consciences: Euen so be the troubles and aduersyties, whyche God threateneth for synne, spoken and talked of wyth the touge,The cause why ther be so fewe sin­cere & true professour [...] of y^e gospell. and knowen in the mynde, but they be not earnestlye nor feelingelye sea­led in oure conscience and harte. And of this commeth it, that we neither [...]oue God, nor reioyce in his promises [Page] as we oughte to do, when we hear [...] or reade them, neyther yet hate sinn [...] nor be sorowful for gods displeasure, as synne and gods displeasure should be sorowed and mourned for of chri­ [...]an manne. Hereof also comethe it, (dearelye beloued) that we loue no farther then in knowledge and tongue, nor hate v [...]ce but in know­ledge and tonge. But alas how my­serable is this oure state and condion that knoweth neither life nor death, vertue nor vyce, truth nor falshode, God nor the deuyll, heauen nor hell, but halfe as muche as they oughte o [...] [...]hristian men too be knowen. Reade, you therefore and marke the. xxxvii. psalme, and you shall knowe that it is not enoughe, for christian men to vnderstand and speake of vertue and vyce, but that the vertue muste be sealed in the conscyence and loued, and that vyce kepte oute of the conscy­ence and hated, as Dauyd sayeth: leaue doinge of euyl and do good. So likewyse hee speakethe of a feelynge christian man, whose conscience hath [Page] tasted howe sweete and amiable go [...] is. Last and feele (sayth the prophet) how sweete the Lord is. And this as­sure youre selues, that when ye feele youre sinnes, and bewayle the daun­and damnation of them,Psal. 5 [...]. the spirite of God hath wroughte that feelinge, and that troubled and broken harte God wyll not despyse, and there is no doubte nor mistruste of a sensible and feelinge sinner. [...]ere i [...] thy cōforte thou broken harted and afflycted of the Lorde But in case he canne finde in him selfe no loue too the obedience of God, nor desire too do his wyll by hearing of his word, nor anye feelinge at all of sinne, nor desyre to be rydde from it by hearing of the lawe: he hathe knowledge in the mynde and speach in the mouth, but consente and feelynge in hy [...] harte and conscience. And this knowledge lyuethe wyth synne and spea­keth wyth vertue: where as the hart and conscience consenteth t [...]o good, and abhorreth euyl, if the vertue and nature of gods word b [...] gods spirit be sealed in the conscience (& this doth. S [Page] Paule teache wonderfullye) as well by fayeth that cometh by hearinge of Gods woorde, as also of his precious supper, the sacrament of his bodi and bloude and passion. He sayeth that the harte beleueth to righteousenes,Rom. 10. That is to saye, the conscience and harte of hym [...] y^• sealed,What it is to beleeue vnto ryghteousenes and assured of the vertue and grace of Gods pro­misses in Christ, beleueth too righte­ousenesse or is ascertayned and kno­weth it selfe to be righteous and suit before god because it hath consented, and receaued the mercye of God offe­red in the Gospell thorowe the me­rites of Christe, and then the same sayeth which God hath sealed in the harte,Faith sealed once in the harte wyth thassurance of god sinercy can be no more wyth­oute y^• frute of well do­inge thē fire w^tout heate. breaketh foorth by confession, whyche confession is a verye frute of fayeth to saluation, as it is wrytten by Saynte Paule in the same place. And where this fayeth is so kindeled in the harte, there can be none other but such a frute folowinge it. And as possible it is too haue fyer wythoute heate or flame, as this vertue fayeth wythoute the frute of well doynge [Page] And that is it that Saint Paule say­eth to the Corinthyans: as often as ye eate of this breade & drinke of this cuppe, shewe ye the Lordes deathe vntyll he come. Wherein S. Paule requyreth a knowledge of Christe in the receauer, not onlye in his mynde that hee knowe Christe dyed for hys synne and the synne of the worlde, and too speake and declare the same deathe wyth his [...]onge vnto others, but this is the chefest and moste prin­cipall commoditye of Christes holye supper (whiche men nowe vngodlye call the masse) that the vertue and benefyte of Christes deathe as it is appoynted for the remyssion of hys synnes,1. Cor. 11. be sealed and fullye consen­ted vnto in his conscience. And this knowledge of Christes death,When right knowledge and assured [...]ese of gods mercye are ioyned together, note what they worke wyth the assurannce of the vertue, streng­the and power thereof in the harte, wil and ought to inflame vs to thankes geuynge, and too preache and teach vnto others those comodities of Christes death, that we know & feele fyrste in oure selues within our own [Page] spirit and harte.

This I haue taryed longer then I thoughte in thys matter, because I would bringe my selfe and all others as muche as lyethe in mee, too feele that knowledge and talke of vertue and vyce, of Goddes fauoure and of Gods punishmente, is not sufficy­ [...]nte, and to bringe my selfe and all men frome knowledge and talke,Knowledge it talke with out the fee­ling of gods frutefulle working spirit is not of God. to feelinge, consentinge, and a full sur­rendrynge of oure selues vntoo the profytte and vauntage of the things whiche we speake and knowe, or [...]ls knowledge and speakinge please n [...]t God, nor profit our selues, as Christ sayth: Not euery man that saith lord lorde,Math. 7 shall enter in to the kingdome of heauen. Therfore did Dauid both know, speake, and feele signed in his harte, the faucure, healpe and assi­staunce of God to be with him in too what troubles so euer he should fall, and in that feelinge sayde he woulde not fear. But it may fortune I haue so written of vertue & vice to be kno­wen of in the mynde, spoke of with [Page] the mouth, and feite in the hart: that ye may iudge and fele in your selues, neuer to haue come to this perfectiō. For this is out of doubt, he that hath gods loue and fear thus sealed in his hart, liueth in this life rather an An­gelicall life, then the life of a mortall mā: & yet it is euident by king Dauid in thys psalme, & by his. 111. psalme, & in manye more, that he was so sure & so wel ascertained of Gods presente helpe in his troubles, that hes cared nothinge for death, or anye other ad­uersityes y^• could happen. And dout­lesse we perceaue by his psalmes in many places, that his faith was a [...] stronge as steele, and he trembled not nor doubted anye thinge, but was in maner without all kind of mistrust, & nothing troubled whatsoeuer he saw contrarye to gods promises, and he passed ouer thē as thinges that could not once withdrawe his cogitacions frō the truth & verity of gods promi­ses which he beleued. As Abrahā likewise did, he staggered not but w^t con­stancy of faith would haue killed his [Page] sonne,Gene. 22 so stronge was his fayth. But as the gifte of fayeth is a treasure in­comparable, thus to know and feele fayth too ouercome all daungers: so maketh it y^t hart of him that is sealed with suche a faith to feele the ioyes & mirth vnspeakable. But as this faith is the gift of god & cometh only from him: so is it in him only to apoint the tyme when it shall come, and howe muche and howe strongly it shall bee geuen at all tymes, whiche is not at all tyme [...] lyke, but some tymes so stronge that nothynge can make the fayethfull manne afearde, no not death it selfe, and some tymes it is so strong that it maketh the man afflic­ted to bee contented too suffer, yea deathe it selfe rather then too offend [...] God. But yet it is wyth muche con­flycte, greate troubles, manye hea­uye and meruaylouse cogytacions, and some tyme with suche a feare, as the man hath muche a doo to see, and feele in the later ende of his heauye conflicte the victory and vpper hand of the temptation. And at an other [Page] tyme the Christian man shall fynde suche heauines, oppression of synne, and troubles,The state of Gods chyl­dren beaten down with the sense & horroure of sin & dreede of gods iudgemente [...] that he shall not feele as muche (in manner) as one sparke of fayeth to comforte him selfe in the trouble of hys mynd (as he thinketh) but that all the flouds and dreadefull assaultes of desperacion haue theyr course thorowe his conscyence. No­thyng feeleth he, but his owne mind and poore conscyence so one too eate the other, that the conflicte is more payne to him then death it selfe, hee vnderstandeth that god is bable to do all thinges, he confesseth wyth the knowledge of his mynde, and wyth his tonge in his headde that God is true and mercifull, he woulde haue his conscyence and hearte too agree thereunto and be quyet, but the con­science is prycked and oppressed so muche wyth feare and doubtefuldes of Gods tre for synne, that he thinc­keth God can be mercifull vnto other but not vntoo him. And thus doeth his knowledge for the tyme of temp­tation, rather trouble him then ease [Page] him, because his harte doeth not or rather can not consent vnto the know­ledge; yet woulde he rather then his lyfe, he could consent vnto god, loue god, hate synne, and be Gods alto­gether, althoughe he suffered for it all the paynes of the worlde. I haue knowen in many good men and ma­ny good women this trouble and he­ [...]ines of the spirite for the time, as though God had cleane hyd him selfe from the afflicted personne, and had cleane forsaken him: yet at lengthe the daye of lyghte frome aboue,The cōfor [...]e of the afflicted euē whē god semeth to haue for­sa [...]en them. and the comforte of the holye spirit hath [...] appeared, that laye couered vnder the velle and couert of bitter cogitacions of gods iust iudg [...]ments against synne. Therefore seynge that faieth at all tymes hathe not lyke strength [...] in manne, I doe n [...]t speake too dys­comforte suche as at all tymes fynde not theyr fayeth a [...] stronge as Da­uyd dyd in thys psalme. For I know in the holye Saynctes them selues it was not alwayes lyke, but euen in [Page] them as in others. And although we canne not compare wyth them in all thynges in the perfection of theyr fayeth, yet maye they compare them s [...]lues wyth vs in the weaken [...]s of oure fayeth, as ye maye see by the scripture.

In thys psalm and in manye other, ye shall perceaue that Dauyd by the con [...]ancy [...] and suertye he felte in the promises of God was so stronge, so ioyful, & comfortable in the myddest of al daūgers and troubles of death, that he dyd not only contemne trou­bles and death, but also desired death, and to be dissolued out of this world▪ as S. Paul & others dyd. At an other tyme ye shall perceaue hym too be stronge in fayeth, but not so ioyfull, nor yet the troubles, so easy vnto him but that hee suffered greate battayle and conflicte with his troubles, & of the cause of all troubles synne and transgressyon of Goddes lawes, as ye maye see in the syxt psalme, wheras he cryed oute and sayed: Lorde chastene mee not in thy [...]urye, nor [Page] punishe me in thy wrathe: my soule is sore troubled, but how longe lord wylte thou dyfferre healpe? And of suche troubled consciences wyth c [...]n­flyctes, ye shall fynde often tymes in the booke of psalmes, and in the reast of Gods scriptures, yet shall ye fynd the end of the temptation to be ioyful and comfortable to the weake man that was so sore troubled. For althoughe God suffer a longe fyghte betwene hys poore souldier and the d [...]uyll, yet he geueth the victory to his seruaunte, as ye may see in king Dauyd. When he cryed oute that b [...]the his bodye and soule was weri­ [...]d wyth the crosse of Gods punishe­mente, yet he sayed at the laste, disce­dite a me oper arij iniquitatis, quoniam exau­diuit dominus vocem fletns mei, departe frome me ye woorkers of iniquitye,Psal. 6. for the Lorde hath bearde the voyce of my weepings. And in other of hys psalmes ye shall perceaue hys faye [...]h more weake, and his soule troub [...]ed wyth suche ang [...]yshe and soro [...]e, that it shall se [...]me there is no consotion [Page] in his soule, nor anye shewe of Gods carefulnes to wardes him. In this state ye maye see hym in the 13. psalme, where as a manne in maner destitute of al consolation, he maketh his complaynte sayinge, howe longe wylte thou forgette me? The same may ye reade also in the. 43. psalme, where he sheweth that he, his moste iust cause, and the doctrine that hee professed,psal. 42.4 [...] was lyke altogether too haue bene ouercome, so that his spi­rite was in manner all coumfortles. Then hee sayed too hys owne soule, quare tristis es anima mea et quare cōturbas me? Why art thou so heauy my soule and whye doeste thou trouble mee? Truste in the Lord &c. And in the. 42 psalme he setteth foorth wonderful­lye the bytter syghte and sorowefull conflicte betwene hope and despera­tion. Wherein he complayneth also of his owne soule that was so much discomforted, and byddethe it truste in the lord. Of the whych two places ye maya learne that no manne hadde [...]u [...]r fayeth at all tymes lyke, but [Page] sometimes more stronge, sometimes more weake, as it pleased God too geue it. Let no man therfore despaire although he find weakenes of faith, for it shall make hym to humble him selfe the more, and too be the more diligent to praye to haue helpe when he p [...]rceau [...]th his owne weakensse, and doubteles at lengthe the weake manne by the stronge God shall be broughte to this poynte, that he shal in all troubles and aduersities saye with the prophet, if I should go tho­rowe the shadowe and daungers of deathe, I woulde not feare what troubles so euer happen. And he she­weth hys good assurance in the text that folow [...]th, which is the syxt part of this holye and bl [...]ssed himne.

SEinge thou art with mee, at whose power & will all trou­bles go and come, I doubt not but to haue the victory and ouerhand of them, how many and daungerous so euer they be, for thy rodde chaste­neth me when I go astraye, and thy staffe stayeth me when I should [...]. Two thinges most necessarye for me (good lorde) the one to call me frome my faut and errour, and the other to keepe me in thy truthe and very [...]ye. What can be more blessed then to be susteined and kepte from falling [...] by the staffe and strengthe of the moste highest? And what can be more pro­fitable then too be beaten wyth hys [Page] mercyfull rodde when we go astray? For he chasteneth as many as he lo­ueth, and beatethe as manye as he receaueth in too his holye profession. Notwithstanding whiles we be here in this life he fedeth vs with y^e swete pastures of holsome herbes of his ho­lye worde, vntyll we come too eter­nall lyfe, and when we put of theese bodye [...] and come in too heauen and knowe the blessed fru [...]tion and riches of his kingedome, then shall we not onelye be his sheepe, but also the geastes of his euerlastynge banke [...]. The whiche Lord thou settest before al them that loue thee in this world, and doest so anoynt and make gladde oure myndes wyth thyne holye spi­rite that no adversities nor troubles can make vs sorye.

In thys syxte parte the prophet declareth the olde saying emongs wise menne, non minor est virtus quam querer [...] par [...]a tueri. that is to saye, it is no lesse mastrye to keepe the thynge that is wonne then it was to wyn it. Kinge [Page] D [...]uyd perceaueth r [...]ghte well the same, and therefore as before in the psalme he sayed, the Lorde turned his soule and ledde him in to the plea­saunte pastures where as vertue and iustice raygned, for his names sake, and not for anye righteousnes of his owne: So sayeth he nowe that be­inge broughte in too the pastures of truthe, and in to the fauoure of the almightye, and occompted and taken for one of hys sheepe, it is onely god that keepeth and mayntayneth hi [...] in same state, condicion, and grace. For he coulde not passe thorowe the troubles and shadowe of death (as he and all Gods electe people muste do) but onelye by the assistaunce of God, and therefore he sayeth he pas­sed thorowe all perryll, because he was wyth him.

Of this parte of the psalme we learne that al the strength of mā is vnable too resist the troubles and perse­cutions of gods people, and that the grace and presence of god is able to defende his people and nothinge but it. [Page] Therefore doeth Saynte Paule byd the Ephesiians be stronge throught the Lorde,Ephe. 6. and throughe the myght of his strengthe, for he sayeth that great and manye be oure aduersary­es, stronge and mightye, whiche go abou [...]e not onely to weaken vs, but also to ouercome vs, and we of oure selues haue no power to wythstand, wherefore he wylleth us to depende and staye onely vpon Gods strength. And Sayncte Peter al [...]o when hee hath declared the force and malyce of y^e devyll, [...]. Pet. 5. he wylleth vs to resist hym strongelye in fayeth. And Saincte Iohn sayeth that this is the victorye that [...]ercometh the world, [...]. Ioh 5 [...]uen our fayeth. And oure sauioure Chris [...]e, when the ty [...]e was come that hee should departe out of the worlde cor­porallye, and perceaued howe mali­ciou [...] and strongly the d [...]u [...]l and the world were bente agaynste his disey­ples that he shuld leaue in the world as th [...] [...]e [...]monges wolfes,Math. 10. and towlyttle [...]trength his poore flocke hadde [Page] agaynst suche merua [...]lous trouble [...]t he made his mo [...]te holye and effectu­ous prayer for them presente and them in trouble, and likewise for vs that be nowe, and also in trouble in thys sorte: Pater sa [...]cte serua eos per no­men t [...]um quos dedisti mihi. &c. That is to saye, holye father keepe them for thy names sake whome thou hast ge­uen me.

Heare hathe euery one of goddes people suche learninge as teachethe that our helpe is onelye in the name of the Lorde who made [...]ea [...]en and earth.Psal. 120. And in this learninge he shall vnderstande two necessarye lessons. The fyrst that none canne defend vs but God alone, who is oure protec­toure and none but hee. And by this learnynge hee wyll beware too aske or s [...]eke healpe anye other where, sauing of God, as we bee instructed by hys holye woorde. And herein wee honoure hym, to knowe and [...]onfesse that there is none that canne [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] preserue, nor saue vs but hee alone. The other lesson is, that our conscy­ence vnderstandinge that God canne and wyll helpe vs, shal cause vs in al trouble to commende our selues vn­to him, and so more strongelye and pacientlye beare and suffer all trou­bles and aduersities, beinge assured that we shall ouercome them thorow him, or [...]lles be taken by them from this worlde, in to a worlde where as is no trouble at oll. So sayde this ho­lye prophet and kinge Dauid, if I walke in the shadowe of death I wyl not feare, for thou art with me. Now in y^• he saith he wyl not feare, he mea­neth not that a man may se and suffer these perylles wythout all perrilles (for then were a man rather a per­fecte spirit, then a mortall creature) but he meaneth the feare shall not o­uercome him.Mat. [...]6. For Christe him selfe feared deathe, ney [...]her is there anye man that shall suffer imprisonmente for Christes sake, but that he shall feele the paynes. Neuerthelesse gods pirite shall geue strengthe too beare [Page] them, and also in Christe too ouer­come them. There is no manne that can haue fayeth but some tymes and vpon some occasion it maye be trou­bled and assaulted wyth mystrust: no manne suche charity, but that it may be, yea and is troubled wyth hatred: no manne suche pacience but that it may at times fele impaciency: no mā suche veri [...]y but that it may be trou­bled with falshode. How be it in the people of God by Goddes healpe, the best ouercometh the worste, and the vertue the synne. But in case the woorste preuayle and ouercome, the man of God is neuer quiet vntyll hee be restored vntoo God agayne, and vnto the same vertues, that he loste by synne: as ye maye see in this king by manye of his psalmes, that he be­leued and found God to defende him how so euer his state was, & therfore attributeth vnto him the whole vic­tory & prayse of his deliueraunce sayinge: Thou art wyth mee and dorst [...]uercome.

But nowe the prophet declarethe [Page] howe and by what meanes, God is with him and doth delyuer him from all troubles. And thys meanes of Gods presence and de [...]ence he open­neth by dyuers allegories and trans­lations, wonderfull meete and apte to expresse the thing [...] that he woulde shewe vntoo the worlde. The fyrste t [...]anslation or allegorye he taketh of the nature of a rod. The seconde of a staffe, and sayeth they did comforte him and defende him. The thyrde he taketh of a table, whiche he sayeth the greate shepehearde prepared be­fore hys face agaynste as manye as troubled hym. The fourthe he taketh frome the nature of oyle, and of a cuppe that was alwayes full, wher­wy [...]h hee was not o [...]clye satisfyed, but also ioyefullye replenyshed in all tymes, and all troubles what so euer they were. By the rodde is manye [...]ym [...] in the scripture vnder­stand the punishemente and correcti­on that God vse [...]h, too call home a­gayne, and too amende his electes [Page] and beloued people when they of­fende hym. He punysheth them and yet kylleth them not, he beateth them vntyll they knowe theyr faultes, but casteth them not away. As he sayed to kynge Dauyd, that when he dyed his kingedome shoulde come vntoo one of hys owne chyldren, and in case hee wente as [...]raye frome hys lawe,2. regu. [...]. he woulde correcte hym with the rodde of other prynces, and with the plagues of the sonnes of menne, but my mercye (sayeth God) I wyll not take frome hym as I dyd frome Saule. Thys same manner of spea­the maye ye reade also in hys. lxxxix. psalme, and in the prouerbes of hys sonne kynge Salomon ye haue the same doctryne. Hee that wantethe a harte muste haue hys backe bea­ten wyth a rodde.Prouer. 10 And in the same booke hee sayeth, he that sparethe the rodde batethe the chylde. So doeth kynge Dauyd heare confesse that it is a verye necessarye and requysyte way, too keepe the sheepe [Page] of God from perishinge, to be chastened and corrected whan they waxe wanton and wyl not heare the voyce of theyr shepehearde. And it is the parte of euerye wyse Godly [...] man, to loue thys correction and cha­stysmente of the Lorde, as Salomon sayethe:Prouer. 12. he that loueth discipline and correction loueth knowledge, be that hateth to be rebuked is a foole. And kynge Dauid saieth, it is to my grete good and commodity that the Lorde chasteneth mee.Psal. 1 [...]9. This rod of correcti­on, Dauid sayth is one of the instru­mentes and meanes, wherewithall god preserueth his shepe from stray­inge. Nowe in the scripture some­tyme the rodde is taken not for a cor­rection that amendeth a manne, but for the punishemente and vtter d [...] ­struction of manne, as Dauid sayth of Christe: thou shal [...]e breake them with an yron rod:Psal. 2 Apoca. 12. and in the Apoca­lipse ye may see the same. But I wil speake of the metaphors and transla­cions none otherwyse then [...]auyd doeth vse them in thys place for hys [Page] purpose.

The staffe whiche he speakethe of in the scripture, is taken for streng­the, power and dominion. Whyche staffe is spoken of as ye maye see in the bookes of the kinges,4. regu. 1 [...]. howe the Embassadoures and men of warre sent from the king of the Assirians to Ezechias at Ierusalem, called the strength and power of y^• Egiptians, and also of the almighty god, a staffe of reede and a broken weapon, not a­ble to wythstand the king of the assirians,Esa. i [...]. 14▪28.39. Ezech. 29. and of suche maner of speache ye maye reade manye tymes in the prophets. But in this place Dauid confesseth that the staffe of the Lord, that is to saye Goddes power, is so stronge that nothinge is hable to o­uercome it, his wisedome is suche, that no man can make it foolyshnes, his truthe is so true that no man can make it false, his promyse is so cer­tayn and sure that no man can cause him too breake or alter it, his loue is so constant that no man can with­draw it, his prouidēce is so wise that [Page] no manne canne beguyle hym, hys care is so greate for his flocke, that they canne wante nothinge, his fold is so stronge that no beaste canne breake it, he letteth his sheepe so in and oute that no manne can disceaue hym, hee hathe suche a care of all as he neglecteth not one, hee so lo­uethe the one that he hateth not the o [...]her, he so teacheth all as none is lefte ignoraunte, hee so calleth one as all sh [...]ulde bee aduertysed, he so chasten [...]the one as all shoulde be­ware, hee so receauethe one as all shoulde take hope and consolatyon, he so preseruethe one as all the rea [...]t [...]aye bee assured, he vseth his staffe and force too comforte one kynge Dauyd (as hee sayeth thy rodde and thy staffe they comforte me) as all other shoulde assure them selues too be safe vnder hys protection. In this metaphore and translation, vnder the name of a staffe, kynge Dauyd hathe declared the power of God too be suche, that in case he should passe [Page] by and thorowe thousandes of peril­les, he woulde not care, for Godde is wyth hym wyth hys rodde and staffe.

Then hee settethe foorthe the thyrde allego [...]ye, and expresse the an o [...]her meanes, whyche God v­sethe for the defence and consolation of hys poore shepe, and saith that god hathe prepared a ta [...]le in hys syghte agaynste all these that trouble hym. By the name of a table, he settethe foorthe the famylyare and (in ma­ner) fellowelyke loue, that the God omnypotente hathe towardes hys sheepe, wyth whome he vsethe not onelye frendeshyppe, but also, fa­mylyaritye, and dysdaynethe not beynge the kyng of kynges, too ad­mytte and receaue vntoo hys table,The frende­ship and fa­miliarity of god the heauenly shepehearde to­wardes his shepe. vyle and beggarlye synners, scab­bed and rotten shepe. That frendship and famylyaritye is maruayloussly set foorth in this, that hee made a ta­ble for Dauid: as though Dauid had [Page] sayd who is he that can hurt me, whi [...] the Lorde of lords doth not only lou [...] mee but admytteth me to be alway­es familiarlye in his companye. Th [...] same maner of speach is vsed of king Dauid towards Miph [...]boseth Iona­thas sonne,2 r [...]u. [...]. when he sayde he should not onelye haue the feeldes agayne of Saule hys grandefather, but also be entertayned at hys owne ta­ble, that is to saye vsed frendely, ho­nourablye, and familiarlye. This worde table is diuerslye other wayes taken many tymes in the scripture, but in this place it is nearest too the mynde of kinge Dauid, to take it in this signification that I haue noted: And oure sauioure Christe taketh it in the same signification, in Saints Lukes gospell where he sayeth, his dysciples shall eate wyth him at hys table in the kingdome of god.

The fourth meanes that the hea­uenlye shepehearde vseth in kepinge of his sheepe, the prophete setteth foorth vnder the name of oyle and a full cuppe. In the word of God these [Page] wordes haue also comofrtable signi­fications and meaninges extendinge to Dauids purpose. Isaac when hee had geuen the blessinge frome Esau to Iacob, sayde to Iacob, God shall geue the of the dewe frome heauen, and from the frutefull grounde thou shalte haue abundaunce of corne,Gene. 27. of wyne, and oyle &c. By the whyche blessinge he meatne that Iacob shuld lacke nothinge too serue his needes, and to make him merye. And if wee take Dauid that he meaneth by oyle, as Isaac did, that at the Lordes ta­ble was all plentye, myrthe and so­lace, we take him not amysse, for so manye tymes oyle is taken for conso­latiō and ioy in the scripture. When Christe had pourged the hurte mans woundes first with smartinge wine, be afterwardes put in to them swete oyle to ease the smarte and sharpenes of the wine And so likewise saith our sauioure Christe to Simon the Pha­risey that gaue him meate enoughe to his dinner but gaue him no mirth:Luc. 10 Synce I came in too thy house thou [Page] gauest me no water for my feete, nor oyle for my headde, this poore wo­man neuer ceassed to washe my feete wyth the teares of her eyes,Luc. 7. and to [...] anoynte them wyth oyle. But in manye psalmes kinge Dauyd vsethe this worde oyle too signifye the holy ghoste, as when he speaketh of oure Sauioure Christe: Thou haste lo­ued iustice and hated iniquitye,Psal. 45. ther­fore hathe God anoynted thee wyth the oyle of ioye aboue thy fellowes. And this oyle is not y^• materiall oyle that kings and priestes wer anointed with al in the olde time of the law, of whose cōfeccion we reade in the boke of the Leuites but this is the oyle by whose efficacy, strength, and power all thinges were made, that is to say the holy ghost: And in his. 89. psalme he speaketh of oyle in the same signi­fication. Therfore I take kinge Da­uyd here, when he sayeth God hath anoynted his headde with oyle, that God hathe illuminated hys spiryte with the holye ghoste. And so is thys place taken of godlye men, his heade [Page] taken for his mynde, and oyle for the holye ghost. And as oyle nourishe the lyghte mytigateth labours and pai­nes, and exhilerateth the counte­naunce:The worc [...]e of the holye ghost in the harts of th [...] faithfull. so doth the holye ghost nou­ri [...]he the lighte and knowledge of the mynde, replenisheth it with goddes giftes, and reioyseth the hart. Ther­fore the holye ghost is called the oyle of myrth and consolation. And thys consolation cometh vnto kinge Da­uid, and to all gods liuely members, by the meanes of Christe,1. Pet. [...]. as Saincte Peter saith: we be people chosen and a princely priesthode &c. By the word cuppe in this verse he meaneth that hee is fulley instructed in all Godlye knowledge, too liue ver [...]uouselye and Godlye for the tyme of his mor­tall life, and so is the cup in the scrip­ture takē for any thing that can happen vnto vs, whether it be aduersitye or prosperity, for they be called cups: As Christe sayde of his deathe,Mut. 2 [...] fa­ther if it bee possyble take this cuppe frō me. And Dauid in the. 16 psalme [Page] vseth it for mans prosperity in God: The Lorde (sayeth he) is the porcion of myne enheritance, and of my cup. And therein he speaketh in the name of Christe, whose inheritaunce is the whole number of the fayethfull, and sayth, that his enheritaunce which is the churche, by Gods appoyntment is blessed and happye, for no aduer­sitye can destroye it. This is meante by, Dauids woordes, the rodde, the staffe, the table, the oyle, and the cuupe, and he vseth all these wordes to declare the carefulnes, loue, and defence of God towardes miserable man. And he coulde the better speake thereof vntoo others, because he had so manye tymes [...]ealte, and had ex­perience that God was both stronge and fayethfull towardes hym in all tyme of daunger and aduersity.

And here is to be noted that the daū gers that man is subiect vnto in this lyfe, be not alone suche as heretofore kinge Dauid hath made mencion of, as sickenes, treason, sedicion, warre, pouertye, banishmente, and the death [Page] of the bodye, but he fealte also (as e­uerye man of god shall feele and per­ceaue) that there be greater periles and daungers that man standeth in ieopardye of, then these be, by occa­sion of synne, the mother of all mans aduersity.What sinne bryngethe a man vnto Synne bringeth a manne in to the displeasure and indignation of god, y^• indignation of god bringeth a man in to y^e hatred of god, y^e hatred of god bringeth a mā in to despaire & doubtfulnes of gods forgeuenes, dys­paire bringeth a mā in to euerlasting pain, & euerlasting payne continueth and punisheth the damned creature wyth fier neuer to be quenched, with Gods anger and displeasure whiche can not be reconciled nor pacified.

These be the troubles of all trou­bles, and sorowes of all sorowes, as oure sauioure Christ declareth in his most heauenlye prayer in Saynt Iohn:Ioh. 17. Non rog [...] vt tollas eos e mundo sed vt serues eos a m [...]lo. That is to saye, I do not (sayeth Christe to his heauen­lye father) praye that thou shouldest take those that I praye for out of the [Page] worlde, but that thou preserue them from euil. And in this praier he hath wonderfullye taughte vs that a chri­stian man is subiect to two troubles, one of the bodye, and an other of the soule, one of the world and an of the deuyll. As for the troubles of the world he saith,It is not ex­pedyente y^• we be with­oute trou­bles lest we sete our sel­ves and forget God. it is not so expedient, that christian men be deliuered from thē least in idlenes we shuld seke our selues, and not god, as the children of Israell dyd: but this he knewe was most necessarye, that the father shuld preserue vs in the myddes of theese troubles with his helpe, from all sin, and [...]ransgression of his holy lawes, and thys he assured his disciples of, and all other that put their truste in hym: not that they shoulde in thys life be preserued and kept from trou­bles and aduersities, but that the heauenlye father shoulde alwayes geue vnto his, such strength and vertue a­gaynste all the enemyes of God and mannes saluation, that they shoulde not be ouercome wyth troubles, that put theyr truste in hym. For God [Page] suffereth and appointeth his to fight and make warre with synne, and wyth all troubles and sorowes that synne bryngethe wyth it: but God wyll neuer permytte his, to be dead­lye and mortallye wounded. It is therefore expedyente that man know who [...]e hys greatest foes, and doo worke most daunger.

There be diuers psalmes, where­in he setteth foorthe the perryll that he was in, as well in hys bodye as in his soule. As when he complay­neth of hys banyshemente emonges not onelye cruell people, but also vngodlye, that soughte too take bothe hys mortall lyfe frome hym, and also hys relygyon and trust that he hadde in Goddes worde. Wher­fore he compareth them too the Tar­taryans and Arabyans,psal. 12 [...]. men with­oute pyttye and relygyon. And the lyke doeth hee afterwardes in another psalme, where as geeuynge thankes for hys delyuery, hee say­eth that synners trode vppon hy [...] [Page] backe, and manye tymes warred a­gainst him, & he shuld haue bene ouer throwen if god had not holpen him.psal. 129. Wherein he speaketh not onelye of battayle wyth the sword agaynst the bodye, but also of heresye and false doctrine agaynste the soule. As ye maye see how Senacharib and Iuli­us the apostata, two emperours, fou­ght against the people of god, not on­ly to take from them theyr liues: but also theyr religion and true honou­ringe of god. And of all battayls that is the cruelest, and of all enemies the principall, that would take the soule of man from gods worde and bringe it to the word of man. And that persecution & trouble openly against gods word continued manye yeares, vntyl Christe was preached abroade, and princes made christians. Then thou­ght the deuyll his kingdome to haue ben overthrowen, and christian men might liue in Christes religion withoute any trouble or warre for religi­on. How be it at length for sinne, the deuyll entred by subtyll meanes, not [Page] onelye to corrupte true religion, but also persecuted the true professoures thereof vnder the name of true reli­gion, and therein vsed a meruailous policye and crafte by men that wal­ked inordinatelye amonges the chri­stians them selues. From whose companies, sectes and conuersation, S. Paul wylled vs to refrayne by these wordes:2. Thes. 3. we cōmaunde you brethren in the name of our lord Iesus Christ, that ye refrayne from euery one that is accompted a brother, that vseth [...] him selfe inordina [...]ly, and not accor­dinge too the institution he receaued of vs. And because ye haue not taken heede of this holy commaundement, and kepte your selues from daunger and peryll of heresye, synne, ydola­try, and superstition, by the rod and staffe of god, nor haue not eaten your meate of religion at Gods table, nor youre myndes haue bene anoynted wyth the holye ghoste, (as Dauyd in thys psalme sayeth that hee was a­gainst all troubles by theese meanes defended and maynetayned, that no [Page] peril of the body y^• sword, nor per­ryll of the soule by false doctrine cold hurte hym) therefore marke a lyttle, & see the daungers that haue hurted both you & youre conscience also, not lyke to be healed (as farre as I canne see) but more hurt hereafter. For the way to heale a man is to erpulse and put awaye sickenesse, and not to in­crease and contynue the syckenesse. From whome thincke ye that saint [...] Paul comaunded you to refrayne in the name of oure Lord Iesus Christ? He sayeth from hym that behaueth self inordinately. Who is that think ye? Sayncte Paul sayeth, he that rulethe not hym selfe after the rule and instytution that hee hym selfe hadde taughte the Thessalonyans. So that we must refrayne then from all suche, as conforme not them sel­ues too the institution of Saynct [...] Paule,Gala. [...]. yea althoughe he be an Aun­gell frome heauen.

This departure frome suche as haue ruled and put foorthe erroures [Page] and lyes, is not newe, but hathe bene vsed in Englande of Englishe men more then. 20. yeares synse we de­parted frome the sea of Rome for the ambition of the Romishe bishoppes that transgressed both this ordinance of saint Paul and also of Christ. Of the which deadly and pestilente am­bition,Ezech. 34. Act. 20 the prophet Ezechiel prophe­sied, & so did also S. Paul, if propheci­es by god and commaundementes by hys holye Apostles had anye thinge preuayled in oure dull and naughty hartes. Reade the places and see youre selues what is spoken of suche a wicked shepeheard. I do put you in mynd of this wicked sea, because I do se that contrary to the word of God, contrarye to the lawes of the realme moste Godlye againste the popes su­premacye, agaynste all oure othes that be Englishe men, and agaynst all the olde Godlye writers: Thys Antichrist and member of the deuyll, is not vnlyke to haue the regymente of youre soules agayne, whiche God [Page] forbyd. I do exhorte all men therfore to beware of him as of one that came noughtely to suche vsurped autority, and whose autoritye is not onely the trouble of all Christian realmes and princes, but also of all christian sou­les. And as he hathe bene alwayes a trouble vnto the one, so hath he bene a destruction to the other: as I wyl a lyttle declare vnto you, that ye may knowe him the better, and so by the rodde and staffe of gods word, defend your selues from him.

The greke church for this ambiti­on of the Romyshe bishop, seperated her selfe frome the churche of Rome, and woulde not haue to do with her. For after that the grekes knew, that the bishops of Rome, meante to take from them their liberties, they wold not indure it: yet dyd the Romish bi­shops alwayes, to come to the supre­macy, pycke quarrelles and matters to fall out vppon, fyrst with the clar­gye and then with the laity. Platina writeth howe Pius bishop of Rome being deceaued by one Hermes a ve­rye [Page] euyll man, began a new order aboute the kepinge of Ester daye, and altered the tyme y^• the Apostles and theyr disciples vsed vntyll Pius dai­es, which was to celebrate and kepe the daie of the resurrection of our sa­uioure Christe the. 14. Moone of the first moneth, which is with the Ie­wes our march. And althoughe it be wel done to kepe it vpon the sonday, yet was this an hortible presumpti­on vpon so light a cause, to excōmu­cate the greeke churche, and to make diuision where before was vnion. It came too passe in Uictors tyme the first, whiche was aboute the yeare of our Lorde. 200. and in the time of I­reneus the bishoppe of Lugdune the disciple of Iohn the Euangelist, this Uictor woulde haue condemned the greke church, and proceeded with excōmunication agaynst it, had not I­reneus letted it: yet was it the elder churche, and hadde continued in the doctrine of the Apostles, frō Christs tyme, and had Iohn the Euangelist amonges them for the space of. 68. [Page] yeares after Christes assension. And notwythstandinge the greeke church was the elder churche: yet they tooke the Romayne churche too be equall with them, according to the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles, and also accordinge too the decree that was made in the general councel at Nice. And the greke church neuer conten­ded wyth the Romyshe churhe for the supremacye, vntyll a proude and arrogante moncke that [...]ayned hu­mylitye, was preferred to be bishop of Constantinople, whyche came to suche arogancye of spyrite, that hee woulde haue bene taken for the vni­uersall headde of the churche: why­che was a verye marke too knowe that he was of Antichriste and not of Christ,Antoninus histor. tit. 13 3.23.13. as gregorye the greate wri­teth to Constancia the Empresse, & at length this proud monke at a sin [...]de kept at Constantinople, created him selfe the vniuersall head of ȳe church. Although before his time, one Mēna, and other Archbishoppes of Constā ­tinople, [Page] for ȳe dignity of the imperial state being ther, wer called vniuersal Patriarks: yet ȳ [...] was by name alone, and withoute execution of autoritye in any forrayne bishopricke or chur­che. But suche was the ambition of theese bishops that walked (as sainct Paul saith) inordinatly, ȳ [...] they wold haue the head and principality of re­ligion & of the church, at Constanti­nople, because there was the heade & principalitye of the worldly kingdō, & so they began betime to confound ȳe ciuyl policy, with the polily of ȳe churche, vntyll they brought them selues not only to be heads of ȳ [...] church, but also lords of al Emperours & kings, and at the last of God & gods worde: as ruthfullye it appeareth in mens conscience at this present day. Which abhomination & pride, Pelagious y^t second bishop of Rome bothe spake & wrote against,Distinc. [...]9▪ nnllus. & wold that he nor ani man els shuld haue the name of a ge­nerall bishop.Antonimus titu. 12. ca [...] And S. Gregory doth confirme the same godlye sentence of his predecessour P [...]lagius & woulde [Page] not when he was comaunded by the Emperour, whome Iohn the bishop had abused, take the Archbishoppe of Constantynople for the vnyuersall heade, nor condescend vnto the Em­perours comaundemēt, and wrote to the Empresse that it was contrary to the ordinaunce of Christe and hys A­postles, and contrarye to the councel of Nice. He sayed also that such new arrogācy was a very tokē y^• the time of Antichriste drewe nighe. And Gregory did not only write and speake against this arrogancy and pride, but suffered also great daunger (as Pla­tina writeth) and so did all Rome by the Lōbards that Mauricius the Emperoure made to beseage Rome, be­cause Gregorye refused too obey the Archbishoppe of Constantino [...]le, as the head of the church.

But although Pelagius, Gregory, and other godly men, detested and abhorred this wicked arrogancye to be the vniuersall head of the church: yet the byshop of Rauenna, beganne e­monges the Latyns too prepare the [Page] waye to Antichrist,De gestis longobard. lib. 3. cap. 12. as Paulus diaco­nus sayeth, and separated him selfe frome the societye of other churches, to the entent be mighte come too be ahead him selfe. But what at lengthe came of it Platina writeth.In [...]eon. [...] And within a shorte tyme after, Boniface the thirde beinge the bishop of Rome, a­boute the year of our lord. 607, Pho­cas the Emperour iudged him to bee head of the churche, against both the bishop of Constantinople, and also of Rauenna, and suche a sentence was meete for such an arbitoure. Phocas was a wicked man, a couetous man, an adulterer,Platina in bonifac. 3. and a traiterous mur­derer of his lorde and master Mauri­cius: and this man to make god and the Romains amends,Paulus dioconus de gestis Long. lib. 4. cap. 11 gaue sentence that the bishop of Rome shuld be the vniuersall heade of the church. But heare was contempned the sentence and doctrine of Christe and his Apo­stles, and also the decrees of the holy counsell of Nice. And no meruayle, for they condempned bothe partes of arrogancy and vsurpacion, and not [Page] Only these councels, but all other for manye yeares, whiche decreed that althoughe one seate was named be­fore the other, yet the bishoppe of the principall seate shoulde not bee the chefest prieste, or heade of the reast but onely he shoulde be called the bi­shoppe of the chefest seate. And how muche it is against S. Ciprian,De simplici [...]ate clerico­rum. they maye see that wyll reade his works, and also agaynste. S. Ierome. But what law can rule wickednes?

This wicked sea contended styll after Phocas hadde geuen sentence with it for the supremacye, yet were the bishoppes of Rome alwaies sub­iecte to the Emperoures, as well of Constantynople as of Fraunce, for the tyme of theyr raygne: yea. 400 yeares and odde after the iudgement of Phocas, they were in this obedy­ence, and were made by the Empe­roures, vntyll the tyme of Gregoaye the. vii, who in the tyme of greate sedicion translated the Empyre in to Germanye [...], and neuer vsed iurys­diction [Page] in Emperours, nor kinges, nor yet in the Citysens of Rome, but onelye desired to haue all byshoppes causes too be discerned by the sea of Rome, yet coulde not obtayne so muche at those dayes: as it appea­reth by the councell of Aphrike, wheras Boniface the firste coulde not ob­tayne wyth crafte, nor wyth hys ly­es that he made of the Cannons de­creed in the councell of Nyce, to haue causes deferred to the sea of Rome.To be called Pope was at the firste generall to all bis [...]ops. And as for thys name Pope was a generall name to all by [...]hoppes, as it appeareth in the Epistles of Cipri­an, Ierome, Augustine, and of other old byshoppes and doctours, whiche were more holy and better learned, then theese later ambicious and glo­ry [...]use ennemyes of Christ and Christes churche. Reade the texte. Dis­tinct. 50. C. De eo tamen &c. Absit. And there shall yee see that the cleargye of Rome in theyr letters called Ciprian pope, and Clo [...]ou [...]us [Page] the kinge of Fraunce named the by­shop of Rome as he did other bishops, [...]isto 2. li. 2 Capi. 27 a bishoppe.

This was the state of the primatiue churche, whych was both neare vn­to Christ in time, & like vnto him in doc [...]rin, and kept S. Pauls equality, wher as he saith he was appointed amongs the genitles as Peter was e­mongs the Iewes.Gala. 2. And although the bishops in the time of Constantine y^• great obtayned that emonges bishps t [...]ere should be some that shoulde be called Archebishops & metropolita­nes: yet all they wer not instituted to be heads generally of the church,Conc. nicen Capi. 6 but too the ende they shoulde take more paynes, to see the church well orde­red and instructed, and yet this pre­emenence was at the liberty and dis­cretion of princes, and not alwayes bounde vnto one place and one sorte of prelates, as the wickednes of our tyme beleueth: as ye maye see in the councelles of Calcedon and Aphrike. So that it is manifest this superiour preeminence is not of Gods lawes, [Page] but of mannes, instituted for a ci­uil policye: and so was the churche of Constantynople equall wyth the church of Rome. And in our dates Erasmus Roterodame wrytethe and sayeth, this name to be highe bishop of the world [...] was not knowe too the olde churche: but thys was vsed that bishops were all called hyghe prye­stes, and that name gaue Urbane the fyrst vnto al bishops, as it is written in Distinct 59, cap. Si officia. anno. Do. 226. But as for one to be headde of all, it was not admitted. And the Greeke churche dyd neuer agree too thys wycked supremacye, nor obeyd it, vntyll the yeare of our Lord. 1202, compelled thereunto by one Balde­wyne that brought the French men by the helpe of the venetyans vntoo Constātinople, to restore one Alexius vnto the Empire, vpon this cond [...]ciō that he shuld subdue the greke church to y^e church of Rome. But this came to passe, that the pope neuer after he hadde gotten by almes and healpe of princes to be ouer them, passed one [Page] fote for the Emperoure of Constan­tinople farther then hee serued his turne. So that ye maye see both his beginnynge and procedinges to be of the deuil, which if ye kil not with the staffe of Gods worde, and beate him frome your conscience, he wyll dou­ble kill youre soules.

Now within 150 yeares after Phocas had made the bishoppe of Rome heade of the churche, the bishoppe of Rome centemned the Emperour of Constantinople, & deuised to bringe the Empire in to Fraunce, and too geue the kinge of Fraunce the same autoritye ouer the bishop of Rome y^• before the Emperour had, as it apea­reth in Charles the great and his successours a longe time: and yet was y^e bishop of Rome vnder the princes & not (as he is now) an idoll exempt frō all order and obedience. For princes made the bishops of Rome, & al other bishops within theyr realmes and s [...] con [...]inued the makyng of the pope in y^e Emperours autority, vntyl it was [Page] aboute the yeare of oure Lorde. 1110. After that Henrye the fyfte beinge sore molested by sedytion moued a­gaynste him by the pope Paschalys the second, [...]e mea­neth here autoritye to e­lect bishops and to haue power of bothe swor­deal was constrained at length to surrender hys autority vnto him, who turned y^• face of his bishoprik into manfest warres. What folowed when the pope was thus free, and li­ned withoute obedience too the Chri­stian magistrates, I wyll not in this treatise make mencion, but put you in remembraunce that for certaynty there folowed such trouble emonges christian princes, as neuer was be­fore, as it is to be sene bi the doing of the wicked man Gregorye the. vii. who toke then vpon him to haue au­rity to vse two swordes, the spiritual and the temporall, in so muche that Henrye the fourthe was compelled 62. tymes to make warre in his lyfe,Alberus crantziuse [...] clesiast hi­stor. li. 6. by the meanes of the byshoppe of Rome. And as it is wrytten, thys wycked byshoppe styrred vppe the Emperoures owne brother in lawe Radalphus the Duke of Sw [...]upa [Page] to ware agaynste him, and sent him a crown of gold with this verse gra­ved in it. Petra dedit p [...]tro petrus diadem [...] Radulpho. That is to say, Christ gaue the Empire too Peter, Peter geueth it to Radulphe, meaning that Christ had geuen the Empire worldlye too the bishop of Rome, and he gaue it to Radulphe. Ye maye see what a rodde the Emperours made for their owne tayle. For after they had made the bishoppe of Rome headde of the church, the bishops made them selues shortelye after the headees of Empe­roures and kinges. A iuste plague of God for all them that wyll exalte such to rule, as God sayde should be ruled.

These bishops be not onely proude, but also vnthanckfull. For where as all the worlde knowethe the bishops autoritye to come frome the Empe­roure in worldelye thinges and not frome God,Abbas os­pergensis [...] suo chroui­ [...]o. but agaynste God: this monster Gregorye the seuenth sayed that Christ gaue hym the Empire of Rome and he geeveth it to the Duke [Page] of Sweuia Radulphe too kyll hys good brother Henrye the fourth. He that wyll knowe more of thys wyc­ked man, & of his brethren bishops of Rome let him reade Bēno the cardi­nall that writeth in his history of the popes, that he saw, of Iohn 20. bene­dict 9. Siluester 3. Gregory 6. Leo. 9. Alexander 2. But in his olde dayes he saw and writeth horrible & execrable thinges of Gregorye the. vii. Yet was England free from this beast of Rome then, in respect of that it was before the idoll was expulsed in king Henry the,Plantina in Allex. 3. viii time. But Alexander the third, neuer rested to moue men to sedition, untyll suche tyme as kinge Henrye the seuenth was c [...]ntented to be vnder him as other were. And all thys suffered England for Tho­mas Becket the popes martyr.

When they were crepte vp into this high autoritye, all theyr owne creatures bishops of their secte, Car­dinalles, pricstes, monkes, and fri­ers, could neuer be contented too be [...]nder the obedience of the princes, [Page] and to saye the truthe princes dur [...] not (in maner) require it, [...]or the [...] wer in daunger of goodes & life. And the Emperoure Henry the seuenth was poysoned by a monke, that poysoned the idol of the masse, both a god and minister meet [...] to poyson menne, and both of the popes making. And what conscyence dyd they make of thys thinke ye▪ Doubtlesse none at all, for the pope sayeth and so doeth all hys children that he canne dyspence, and absolue them selues and all menne frome what othes so euer they haue made to God or manne. Thys ene­mye wyth his false doctirine is to be resisted and ouercome by the woorde of God, or els he wyll destroye both bodye and soule. Therefore against all hys craftes and abh [...]minations, we muste haue the rodde, the staffe, the table, the oyle, and the cuppe that Dauid speaketh of in a readines to defende our selues wyth all. Now foloweth the laste parte of thys holy hymne.

I Wyl in the myddes of all trou­bles be stronge & of good chere, for I am assured that thy merc [...] and goodnes wyll neuer forsake me, but wyll continuallye preserue me in al daungers of this life, and when I shall departe from this bodily life, thy mercye wyll brynge me in too that house of thyne eternall ioyes, where as I shall lyue wyth the in e­uerlastinge felicity.

Of thys parte we learne that the daungers of this lyfe be no more thē God can and wyll put frome vs, or preserue vs in them when they come vnto us without daunger: also that [...] [Page] troubles of thys worlde be not per­petuall nor damnable for euer, but that they be for a tym [...] onely sente frome God to exercise and proue our fayeth and pacyence: at the last wee learne that the troubles beynge en­ded, we begynne and shall continue for euer in endles pleasure and con­solation, as Dauyd shewethe at the ende of his psalme. So doeth Christe make an end with his dysciples whē hee hathe commytted them for the tyme of thys lyfe, too the tuy [...]on of the heau [...]nlye father, whyles hee is bodyelye absente: he sayeth at leng­the they shall bee where he is hymselfe in heauen for euer. For in this lyfe, all be it the faythfulles of God haue consolation in Gods promises, yet is their Ioye verye darke and ob­scure by reasonne of troubles both [...] wythoute and wythin, outewarde­lye by persecution, inwardelye by temptation. Therefore Christe de­syrethe hys father too leade and conducte hys churche in truthe and [Page] verifye whyles it is heere in fyghte and p [...]rsecution wyth the deuyil, vn­tyll it come too a perfecte and abso­lute cons [...]lation, where as no trou­ble maye moleste it. For then and not before (too what perfection so e­uer we come) shall we be satisfyed,psal. 1 [...] as Dauyd sayeth. The plentye­fulnes of pleasure and ioye is in the lyghte and contemplation of thee O Lorde. For then shall the mynde of manne fullye be saty [...]fyed, when he beynge presente, maye presentelye behoulde the gloryouse maiestye of God:1. Cor. [...] for God hathe then all ioyes presente to him that is presente with him, and then manne knoweth God as hee is knowen of God. Theese ioyes in the ende of troubes, shoulde geeue the troubled manne the more corage too beare troubles paciente­lye, and be perswaded (as Sayncte Paule teacheth) that the troubles of thys presente lyfe,Rom. [...] be not woorthye of the ioyes too come, whyche shall be reuealed too vs when Christe co­meth [Page] too iudge the quycke and the [...]eadde, too whome wyth the fa­ther and the holye ghoste be al [...]onoure and prayse world [...] wythoute ende. A­men.