ALl holy Scripture is certainly the teacher of all vertue, and of the true faith: but the booke of the psalmes doth expresse after a certaine manner the very state and condition of the soule. For as he which intendeth to present himselfe to a King will first compound himselfe to set in good order both his gesture and his speech, least els hee might be reputed rude and ignorant: euen so doth this godly booke in­forme all such as be desirous to lead their life in vertue, and to know the life of our Sauiour, which he led in his conuersation, putting them in mind in the reading thereof, of all their affections and passions wher­to the soule is inclined.

Moreouer, the psalmes informe and teach euery man with diuers in­structions, whereby he may not onely spy the affections and state of his soule, and to winne a good paterne and discipline how hee may please God, but also with what forme of words he may amend himselfe, and how to giue God thanks, least if he should speake otherwise then were conuenient, he should fall into impiety by his vnreuerent estimation of God: for wee must all make account to the Iudge, as well of our idle words as our ill deserts.

IF therefore thou wouldest at any time describe a blessed man who he is, and what thing maketh him to be so, thou hast the 1.32.41.112.128. Psalmes.

2 If thou wouldest rebuke the Iewes for their spight they haue to Christ, thou hast the 2. psalme.

3 If thine owne familiars pursue thee; and if any rise against thee, say the 3.143. Psalmes.

4 If thus in trouble thou hast called on God, and hast tarri­ed vpon his help, and wouldst giue him thanks for that he hath heard thee with his help sing the 4.40.116. psalms.

5 If thou seest that euill men lay snares for thee, and there­fore desirest Gods eares to heare thy prayer, sing the 5. psalme.

6 If thou feelest Gods dreadfull threats, and seest thy selfe a­fraid of them, thou mayst say the 6 38.88. psalmes.

7 If any take counsell against thee, as Achitophel did against Dauid, if thou be admonished thereof, sing the 7. psalme.

8 If thou in beholding the grace of our Sauior spred on euery side, especially for the restoring of mankind to saluation, wouldst speake thereof in meditation to God, sing the 8. psalme

9 If so againe thou wilt sing in giui [...]g thanks to God for the prosperous gathering of thy fruites, use the 8. psalme.

10 If thou wouldest haue thine aduersarie, kept, backe & thy soule saued, trust not in thy selfe but in the Son of God, singing the 9. Psalme.

11 If thou perceiuest God to bee wroth with his people, as though he regarded them nothing thou hast to pacifie him, to complaine thereof, the 10, 60, 74 psalmes.

12 If any man would put thee in feare, haue thou thy hope in God, and sing the 11. psame.

13 If thou behodest the pride of many men, and seest malice to abound, so that there is no godi [...]es among men repaire then and sing the 3 6, 21, Psalmes.

14 If thine aduersary lye long in wait against thee, dispayre not as though God had forgotten thee, but call vpon the Lord, and say the 14, 55, psalmes.

15 If thou hearest any to blaspheme God in his prouidence, be not partaker with them in wickednes, but make hast to God, and say the 12. psame.

16 If thou desirest to know who is a Cittizen of heauen, sing the 15, psame.

17 If thou hast need of prayer for such as be against thee, & haue closed thy soule on euery side, sing the 16, 17, 86, 141, psa.

18 If thou hast escaped from thine enemies, and art deliuered from them who pursued thee, sing thou the 18, 9 psames.

19 If thou dost wonder at the order of things created by God, considering the grace of the deuine prouidence, sing the 19, 24.

20 If thou [...]eest any man in aduersity, comfort him, and pray for him with the 20. psalme.

21 If thou perceiuest thy selfe to be defended & fed by God, and to liue prosperously, reioyce therein, and si [...]g the 23. psalm.

22 If thine enemies conspire against thee, lift vp thy soule to God, and say the 23, psalme and thou shalt espy them to labour but in vaine against thee.

23 If thine enemies cluster agai [...]st thee, & go about with their bloudy hands to destroy thee go not thou about by mans helpe to reue [...]ge it, for all mens iudgements are not trusty, but require God [...]o be Iudge, for he alone is iudge, & say the 26, 35, 43. psa.

24 If [...]hey presse more fiercely on thee though they be in num­bers like an armed hoast, feare them not which thus reiect thee, as though thou wert not annointed and elect by God, but sing the 27. Psalme.

25 If they be yet so impudent that lay waite against thee, so that it is not lawfull for thee to haue any vocation by them, re­gard them not, but sing to God the 48, Psalmes.

26 If thou wilt exhort and p [...]ouoke Kings and Princes to sub­mit their power to God, & regard his honour, sing the 29. 82. ps.

27 If thou renew and builde thine house, bo [...]h of thy soule, whereto thou receiuest God to hoast, a [...]d of thy temporall habi­tation, sing the 30. 48, 127 psalmes.

28 If thou seest thy selfe had in hate for the truths sake of thy friends and kinsfolke, leaue not off thy purpose, nor feare them which be against thee, but thinke on them which follow, & sing the 31. psalme.

29 If thou beholdest such as be baptised, & so deliuered from the corruption of theyr birth, praise thou the bountifull grace of God, and sing the 32, psalme.

30 If thou delightest to sing among many, cal together righ­teous men of godly life, and sing the 33. Psalme.

31 If by chance thou fallest amongst thine enemies and yet hast fortunately scaped them if therefore thou wilt giue thanks, call together meeke men, and sing the 34, psalme.

32 If thou seest wicked men contend among themselus to do mischiefe, thi [...]ke not that their Nature doth impell them by ne­cessity to worke si [...] against their will, as certaine heretikes sup­pose, but consider the 36 psalme, and thou shalt perceiue that they be to themselues their owne occasion of sinning.

33 If thou seest how wicked men do much wickednesse, and that yet simple folke praise such, when thou wilt admonish any man not to follow them to be like vnto them, because they shall be shortly rooted out and destroyed; speake to thy selfe and to other the 37 psalme.

34 If thou hast decreed to take heed of thy selfe & seest thine enemy approch nigh thee as against one whom the aduersary, is more prouoked to come with assault, and therefore wilt prepare thy selfe, sing the 39, psame

35 If thou seest many poore men to beg, & wilt shew pitty to them, thou mayst both thy selfe receiue them to mercy, and also exhort other to do the same, saying the 41. psalme.

36 If thou hast a desire to Godward & hearest thine enemies to vpbraid thee, be not troubed, but consider what fruit of im­mortality riseth to thee for this desire, comfort thy soule with hope to God, and so therein relieuing and asswaging the heaui­nesse of thy life, say the 42, psalme.

37 If thou wilt remember Gods benefits which hee did to thy fathers both in their out going from Egypt and in the desert, & how good God was vnto them, but they vnthankfull to him. thou hast the 44, 78, 89, 102, 114, 117. psalmes.

38 If thou hast made thy refuge to God, and hast escaped such trouble as was prepared against thee, if thou wilt giue thanks & shew out his kindnesse to thee, sing the 46. psalme.

39 If thou wilt know how to giue thanks to God when thou doest resort to him with sound vnderstanding, sing the 47, 48.

40 If thou wilt exhort men to put their trust in the liuing God, who ministreth all things aboundantly to good mens vse, and blame the madnesse of the world, which serue their God Mam­mon so inordinately, sing the 49, psalme.

41 If thou wouldst cal vpon the blind world for their wrong considence of their bruit sacrifices, and shew them what sacrifice God most hath requited of them, sing the 50. psalme.

42 If thou hast sinned and art conuerted, and mooued to doe penance, desirous to haue mercy, thou hast the words of confes­sion in the 51, psalme.

43 If thou hast suffered false accusation before the, King, and seest the deuill to triumph thereat, go aside & say the 52. psalm.

44 If they which persecute thee with accusations would be­tray thee, as the Pharisies did Iesus, and as the Aliants did Da­uid, discomfort not thy selfe therewith, but sing in good hope to God the 54.57, 69. Psalmes.

45 If thine aduersaries which trouble thee do vpbraid thee, and that they which seeme to be thy friends, speake most against thee, wherevpon if in thy meditation thou art somewhat grieued thereat thou mayst call on God saying the 55. psalme.

46 If persecution come fierce on thee, & vnawares chance to enter into the caue where thou hidest thy selfe, feare not: for in this strait thou hast expedient words both to comfort thee, & to put thee in remēbrance of his old mercy, with the 57, 142, psal.

47 If thou wilt confound Hypocrites which make glorious shewes outwardly, speake their conuersion with the 58, psalme.

48 If thy pu [...]suers commaund thy house to be watched; when thou art escaped, giue thanks to God, and graue it in the Tables of thine hart for aperpetuall remembrance, and say the 59. psal.

49 If thine enemies cruelly assault thee, and would catch thy life, offer thy subiection to God against them, and bee of good comfort: for the more they rage, the more shal God subdue thē, and say the 62 psalme.

50 If thou flyest persecution, and gettest thee into the wilder­nes, feare thou not, as thought thou wert there alone, but hauing God nigh vnto thee, rise to him early in the morning, singing the 63. psalme.

51 If thine enemies would put thee in feare, and neuer cease to lay traines for thee, & picke all manner quarrels against thee, though they be very many, giue no place to them; for the darts [Page]of babes shall be their destruction, if thou saist the 61. 68, 70 71, psalmes.

52 If thou wilt laud God with a psalm or hymne, sing the 65 66. psalmes.

53 If thou hast need to confesse God, sing the 67. psalme.

54 If thou wouldst sing to the Lord, thou hast what to say in the 96.98. psalmes.

55 If thou hast need to confesse God with thankes, sing the 71, 75, 62, 108, 117, 118, 136, 138, 139. psalmes.

56 If thou seest wicked men prosper in peace, be not offen­ded thereat, but say the 113. Psalme.

57 If thine enemies haue beset the waies whither thou flyest and art thereby in great anguish, yet in this trouble dispaire not, but pray, and if thy praier be heard, giue God thanks, and say the 77. psalme.

58 If they perseuer still, and defile the house of God, kill the elect, and cast their bodies to the Foules of the ayre, feare not their cruelty, but shew pitty to them which be in such agonie, and say the 29. psalme.

59 If thou wilt informe any man with the mystery of the re­furrection. sing the 8. psalme.

60 If thou wilt sing to the Lord cal together Gods seruants on the feastiuall day, and sing the 81, 95, 34. psalmes.

61 If thine aduersaries flock together on euery side, & threa­ten to destroy the house of God, and make their conspiracies against thy Religion, let not their number and power trouble thee, for thou hast an anker of the words of the 83, psalme.

62 If thou castest an eye to Gods house and to his eternal ta­bernacles, and hast a desire thereto, as the Apostle had, say thou also the 84. psalm.

63 If Gods wrath bee ceased, and the captiuity ended, thou hast cause how to giue thanks to God with Dauid, recounting his goodnesse to thee and others, with the 96, 85, 116. psalms.

64 If thou wilt rebuke Paynims & heretickes, for that they haue not the knowledge of God in them, thou maiest haue an vnderstanding to sing to God the 86, 115. psalmes.

65 If thou wilt see and know the dissent that the Catholike Church hath from schisme, and wouldest conuert them; or to discerne the Church concerning the outwarde appearance and sinnes thereof, thou mayst say the 87, psalme.

66 If thou wouldst know how Moses prayed to God, and in his meditation, recounting the brittle state of mans life, desired God to direct so his short life that he might follow wisedome, read the 90. Psalme.

67 If thou woudlst comfort thy self and others in true Reli­gion, and teach them that hope in God, wil neuer suffer a foole [Page]to be confounded, but make it bold and without feare of Gods pro­tection, sing the 9 psalme.

68. If thou wilt sing on the Sabbaoth day▪ thou hast the 92. psal.

69. If thou wilt sing on the Sunday in meditation of Gods word, desiring to bee instructed therein, whereby thou mayst rest in Gods holy will, and cease from all the workes and doctrines of vain men, reuolue that notable psalme 119.

70 If thou wilt sing in the second day of the Sabbaoth, thou hast the 95. psalme.

71 If thou wouldst sing to the Lord, thou hast what to say in the 69.98. psalmes.

72 If thou wilt sing the fourth day of the Sabbath, sing the psal. 94 for then when the Lord was betraied he began to take vengeance on death, and to triumph of it: therfore when thou readest the gos­peil, where thou hearest the Iewes to take councell against the Lord, and that he standeth bodily against the Deuill, then sing the foresaid psalme.

73 If thou wilt sing on Good-friday, thou hast a commendation of the 63. psalme, for then was the house of Gods Church builded and groundly founded, though the enemies went about to hinder it for which cause sing to God the songs of triumphant victory with the said psalme, and with the 98. and 129. psalmes.

74 If there be any captiuity wherein thy house is laid wast, and yet builded againe, sing the 96. psalme.

75 If the land bee vext with enemies and after come to any rest by the power of God, if thou wilt sing therefore, sing the 97 psalm.

76 If thou consideredst the prouidence of God in his gouernance so ouer all, and wilt instruct any with true faith and obedience when thou hast first perswaded them to confesse themselues, sing the 100 147. psalmes.

77 If thou dost acknowledge in God his iudiciall power, and that in iudgement hee mixeth mercy, if thou wilt drawe nigh vnto him, thou hast the words of the 101 psalme. to the end.

78 If for the imbicil [...]ty of thy nature, thou art weary with the continually miser [...]e and griefes of this life, and wouldst comfort thy selfe, sing the 102. psalme.

79 If thou wilt giue thankes to God, as it is most conuenient and due for all his gifts: when thou wilt so do, thou hast how to reioyce thy soule thereunto with the 103 and 104. psalmes.

80 If thou wilt praise God, and also knowe how, and for what cause, and with what words thou mayst do it, consider the 113, 117 13 [...] 1 [...]6. 147. [...]8. 149. 150. psalmes.

81 I [...] thou hast faith to such thinges as God speaketh, and belee­uest that which in prayer thou vtterest, say the psalme 116. to the end.

82 If thou feelest thy selfe to rise vpward in degrees of well [Page]working, as though thou saidst with S. Paule, I forget those thinges which be behind me, and set mine eyes on thinges which bee before me, thou hast the 130. psalme.

83 If thou beest holden in thraldome vnder straying and wandring thoughts, and seest thy selfe drawne by them, whereof thou art sorry, then stay thy selfe from henceforth, and tarry where thou hast sound thy selfe in fault, set thee down, and mourne thou also as the Hebrew people did, and say with them the 137. psalme.

84 If thou perceiuest that temptations be set to prooue thee, thou oughtest after such tentations to giue God the thankes, and sing the 139. psalme.

85 If yet thou be in bondage by thine enemies, and wouldst saine be deliuered, say the 140. psalme.

86 If thou wouldst pray and make supplication, say the 141, 142, 143. psalmes.

87 If any tyrannous enemy rise vp against the people, feare you not, no more then Dauid did Goliah, but beleeue like Dauid, and sing the 144 psalme.

88 If thou art elect out of long degree, specially before other, to some vocation to serue thy bretheren, aduance not thy selfe too high against them in thine owne power, but giue GOD the glory, who did chuse thee, and sing thou the 11 [...]. psalme

89 If thou wilt sing of obedience, praising God with Alleluia, thou hast the 105. 106. 107. 111, 112. 113. 114. 115. 117. 135. 136. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. psalmes.

90 If thou wilt sing specially of our Sauior Christ, thou hast of him in euery psalme, but most chiesly in the 25. 45. 100. psalms.

91 Such psalmes as shew his lawfull generation of his father, and his corporall presence, be the 11. 69 psalmes.

92 Such as doe prophecy before of his most holy Crosse and passion, telling how many deceitfull assaults he sustained for vs, and how much he suffered, be the 2. 129. psalmes.

93 Such as expresse the malicious enemies of the Iewes, and the betraying of Iudas are the 21. 50. 55. 69. 72, 109. psalms.

94 Such as describe his agony in his passion, death and sepul­ture, be the 22. 28 psalmes.

95 For his dominion & presence in the flesh, read the 116. ps.

96 Such as shew the glorious resurrection of his body, be the 99 psalmes.

97 Such as set out his ascension into heauen, are the 93. 96. 98 99 psalmes.

98 And that he sitteth on the right hand of his Father, the [...]10. psalme maketh manifest.

99 Such as shew that he hath authority of his father to iudge expressing his iudiciall power, both in condemning the diuell, & al wicked Nations, are the 50. 72, 82, psalmes.