Grudge not to see, &c.
Psalm. 37.

1 SEeing that the prouidence of God, president of the gouerne∣ment of the world, is to re∣ward euery man Page  249 according to his desert, I am somtimes astonied to see, how those men who bend their whole study to do il, receiue so many fauours in this life, & exceed and abound in so many sorts of bene∣fits. But as mine heart began to breath our despightful words, and to be angry within it selfe, me thought I felt the spirit of God comming to me to touch me, and very gently pulling me by the eare, said vnto me; Alas gentle poore wretch, thou vndoest thy selfe with wa∣ding to farre in this so deepe and dan∣gerous discourse: comfort thy selfe in me, and enuy not the prosperity of the wicked, neither be thou iealious ouer those that worke iniquity.

2 For, that which thou takest to be their chiefest felicity, is but a very sha∣dow, a false & counterfet image, which will lose it self whē it is between their hands, and flie away from them when as they thinke to haue it most sure. As grasse which hath bin cut downe with the sithe, withereth in a moment, euen so in a moment, shall the magnificēce of the wicked lose that glorious shew, & wax pale & wan, as if they were tain∣ted. The herbs & flowers in the gardēs Page  250 are not so quickly withered, as thou shalt see the ritches of the wicked de∣cay and come to naught: hast thou not considered the Emerocall, a very beau∣tifull flower truly for one day, which in the morning hath a fresh ruddy co∣lour, and keepeth his fine ruddinesse all day long, and at euening becom∣meth so drie & withered, as that a man would thinke, it had beene tainted by the Isie teeth of the winter? Euen so, the prosperitie of the wicked, if their prosperitie may be so called, is but a laughing or smiling deceiuer of an outward apparant felicity, and may be most properly likened vnto this flowre, for it withereth so suddenly, altereth in so short a time, & is transformed into such a fashiō, as is wonderful to behold.

3 Put thy trust therefore in God, & beleeue verily, that the insolencie of the wicked shal neuer be firme, so long as the iustice of God shal rule & reign, and beleeue also that the iust shall ne∣uer be forsaken, in what affliction so e∣uer they be. And therefore be not dis∣couraged, but continue in well doing, for he that shal perseuer, shalbe saued. Dwell in the land which the Lord Page  251 hath giuen thee, and content thy selfe with the graces which he hath bestow∣ed vpon thee, neither enter thou into iudgment with him, for thou shalt find in th'end, that the riches of the wicked are but in y^e keeping of their own hāds.

4 But reioice thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God, & put away the greeuous care which possesseth thine heart, & which as rust consumeth the same. For when thou shalt haue once powred out thy spirit, and lifted vp thy thoughts vnto the Lord, he wil accom∣plish all thy desires, and make thee en∣ioy whatsoeuer thou wouldest wish.

5 Neither come thou before him as it were waueringly nor mistrustingly, ne hide thou thy thoughts from him, but lay open vnto him the very bottom of thine heart, and discouer vnto him all thy waies and cogitations. For it is impossible for thee to deceiue him, and a dangerous thing to trie him. For he seeth and marketh all things, especially, a double and vnbeleeuing heart, which he abhorreth of all the rest, but receiueth and embraceth the poore and humble spirited man, hea∣reth his praiers, and graunteth him Page  252 before hand that, which he is determi∣ned to craue.

6 For he that standeth in his grace and fauour, shall neuer want either wealth or honour, if thou please him once, he will make the glory of thy righteousnesse shine as a cleare light, and cause the equitie of thy iudge∣ments, shine as bright as the sunne at noone daies. For euery man shall see in each place, the people following thee, blessing thine house as a temple of iustice, commending thy speech as an oracle, and reuerencing thee, as the very cause of their tranquillitie and li∣bertie. All men shall exalt thine inte∣grity, as the Tutrix of all good men, & sure defence of the afflicted. And yet thou shalt haue more than all this, for thou shalt receiue both honor and glo∣rie, and therefore humble thy selfe the more vnder the hand of thy God, and acknowledge this benefit to come from him, & so yeeld him homage. Now y^e homage which he requireth of thee, is nothing else but thy mouth & hands; Thy mouth, to offer him praise and thanks, and thy hands to serue him ac∣cording to his commaundements.

Heere yee see what the spirit of God, as me thought, sayd vnto me by word of mouth, which I will communi∣cate with you my friends, and make ye partakers of these holie aduertisemēts, to the end, that if ye shall see any man hereafter prosper in his affayres, and blaspheme in his life, ye be not offen∣ded threat, neyther be ye angrie and grieued in your selues, if ye see a man that dealeth vniustly, abound in all kind of wealth.

8 Be still therefore, and qualifie that bitter humor which pricketh and hammereth so in your heads, and then no doubt, ye will neuer haue the hart to do him any hurt for all this. For, the requitall of good men, is not only to do good for good, but to require also good for euill.

9 And all such as are carried away with an impatient heat, to the procu∣ring of anothers hurt, and all they, who in stead of leauing vnto God the re∣uenge which he reserueth vnto him∣selfe, will vsurp the same, shall be roo∣ted out for euer: and as insolent and saucie seruants, which take vpon them the authoritie of their maister, shall be Page  254 shamefully and hardly punished. But hee that possesseth his soule in pati∣ence, and constantly attendeth the iudgement of God, he will commend and blesse his obedience, and after that he hath punished the wicked for their vnmercifulnesse, he will also con∣fiske their goods and possessions, and make himselfe maister and possessor of them all.

10 Wait but awhile, and yee shall see the time come, that hee whome yee haue seene to be so mightie and great, and benefited himselfe so great∣ly by his sinnes, and by his wicked and crafrie deuises, stored vp an in∣finite number of goods, and as hee him-selfe thought, was in the hye way to heauen, shall passe away like a running brooke, where the water fleeteth away in great billowes, where nothing shall bee seene saue mire and dirt, and there shall not re∣mayne onely so much, as any marke of the place where hee had beene, nor no more remembrance of him, then of the winde that blew the som∣mer past.

11 But contrarywise, humble and mercifull men, shall enioy his place, be the successors of his wealth, and reigne most assuredly in the land, lea∣uing his goods in succession to his children, and peace shall be with his as an inheritance. A ritch peace, and a plentifull inheritance, which •auou∣reth all the rest of the goods, without the which all the remaynde• is naught else but torment and affliction. A peace that is sweeter then oyle, and the honie that is most sweet, which hatcheth in thy bosome all maner of pleasures and delightes, which ma∣keth vertue sprout out flower, and nourisheth and ripeneth his holie fruites.

12 Now this peace is the gift of God, and none can geue it vs, but his goodnesse, and nothing can moue his goodnes to do it, saue the reformati∣on of our wicked liues. For, so long as there is warre within vs, and sinne, which is the seed of discord, shall lodge with vs, we can not hope, or yet looke for either peace or rest. But cōtrariwise, if we can be at peace with God, we shall be sure to be forthwith Page  256 at peace with men, and be in firme, and most assured rest.

13 I right well know, that there will be alwayes some wicked men, whose abhominable wills will go euen to the graue with them: And I right well know, that they wil euer haue a watch∣full eye, to surprise good men, and to take part against them: they will gnash their teeth at them, and grin like ro∣ring Lions, for their hatred is so ex∣treame against the good and godly, as that when they behold them, they cast downe their countenance, and are more like beasts then men.

14 But the Almightie God, who hath ordeyned that which hath bene, shall be, and must be, and whose ordi∣nances are vnchangeable, laugheth to scorne these their deuises, and smileth at the vaine deuises of these miserable false wretches, which rush into the ayre, and flourish with their swords against the winde: he seeth their end draw neere by degrees, which will car∣rie them away as a great whirle winde.

15 For, when as they shall thinke them-selues to be maisters, and make a reckning to haue all in their owne Page  257 then shall they be in greatest danger. Ye shall see these miserable sinners with their naked swords in their hands, bending their bowes, and taking their ayme to ouerthrow the innocent: They will make their part strong, dispose of their people, lay their ambushes, haue their watch∣word, and in a iollitie and meriment will say in their harts, Tush, wee haue him now in hold, he shall neuer escape.

16 They will massacre the poore, the needy, and innocent, and take vp∣pon them to roote out all such as are of an vpright soule and heart. For, it is they, with whom they meane to deale, it is they, whome they bid warre vnto, because they stop the execution of their purposes, and whose innocencie is a perpetuall reproch vnto them.

17 They haue already put their kniues to the throats of the poore in∣nocents, their blowes were numbred, they had shot their arrowes, and the traine had already takē fire, and loe, by a wonderfull accident, the points of their swords are turned vppon theyr owne breasts, their owne arrowes stab in them, their bullets rebounded, and Page  258 lighted vpon them-selues, their bowes brake all to shiuers in their hands, and in the end they were slayne with their owne weapons. Thou hast sayd ô Lord, alwayes right well, that wicked coun∣sels light vpon the authors of them, to their owne destruction. Thou hast rightly foretold, that the wicked are takē in their own snares, and thou hast rightly fore-iudged, that the wicked in the end abide the same punish∣ment which they had prepared for others.

18 It is not therefore, ô Lord, the worldly power, greatnesse, & authority which make men happy, neither yet the troupes, nor the armies which do assure them, & make thē conquerors. For, that little that the iust man hath, who by his sinceritie hath obtained thy grace, standeth him in better stead, then the aboundance of all sorts of goods which the wicked do any way get, stand them in stead. The litle that a iust man hath, swelleth & riseth as a peece of dough, & his force redoubleth against the charge, euen as the arme of a Palme tree doth: for his strength taketh roote in thee, who art the foun∣dation Page  259 of all force and power.

19 But, as for the arme of the sin∣ner, how stiffe and stout soeuer it be, yet shall it be shiuered in peeces, and his strength shall be troad vnder feet, for, it is but a vaine outward shewe, which swelleth and puffeth it selfe vp as a glasse in the furnace, for it is puf∣fed vp by the blowing of the worke∣man, groweth and looketh very cleare, but the more it groweth and waxeth bright, the tenderer and britler it is, so as it breaketh in peeces with the first knocke it hath, and after the noyse of the breaking and fall, there is no more seene of it but the small peeces. But as for the iust man, he is compared vnto a Diamond, for the more it is rubbed, the cleerer it is. And that, which affliction taketh a∣way from an innocent man, is no∣thing else but his beastlinesse, his or∣dure, and his excrements: for, the na∣kedder that he is, the more beautifull he is.

20 Lastly, whatsoeuer it is that God layeth vpon the godly, it is alto∣gether for their saluation. For, he kno∣weth both the dayes & the life of those Page  260 that are pure and cleane, and geueth vnto them that which is needfull for them. Their blessednes is prepared for them from all eternitie, and shall pos∣sesse it vnto all eternitie. Not as an earthly inheritance, but as an heauen∣ly inheritance, whose ritches are infi∣nite and eternal, and inheritance, which being deuided amongst all his chil∣dren, will continue sound and whole, for euer and euer, whose parts shall be as great as the very whole enheritāce. For, this is that glorious enheritance, which enriching so many people, fil∣leth all with eternall blessednes, and remayneth alwayes one, and alwayes infinite.

21 Now, although the hope of the seruāts of God be not tied to the earth, yet neuerthelesse, so long as they shall be here in this world, yet will not God let them want that which is necessarie for their liues. For, whensoeuer the ill time shall come, and that vengeance shall rise vp against men, and that the waters ouer flow, stormes reigne, and heauen poure downe fire like rayne, yet shall the righteous be then at rest and peace in the middest of the tem∣pests, Page  261 dry amongst the shipwracks, and safe and sound in the hotest of the flames. And againe, whensoeuer any hideous famine shall come to deuoure the people, yet shall they haue Manna rayne downe from heauen to satisfie them. For, the wrath of God is but a∣gainst the wicked, and his anger is not kindled but against them. But as for the godly, the neerer that they thinke them-selues vnto danger, the neerer are they vnto saluation and health.

22 It fareth not with them, as it doth with the enemies of God, who are mightely exalted and honored on hye, that their fall might be the grea∣ter, and the more shamefull, because no man can leape a great leape, but such a one as standeth very hye. The falls of hye Towres shutter all to pie∣ces, and are brought as it were vnto dust. Howbeit, it is farre worse with the wicked: for when they haue once had their blow, they fall not only vnto dust, but vanish into smoke, nay they be∣come nothing at all. Behold how the cloudes come foorth as if it were the thunder out of the mouth of a great Cannon, they grow into heapes, in∣crease, Page  262 and lye out so broad and thick, as that a man would say, they would fill the emptinesse of the ayre, and roll vp the Sunne: But after they haue by little and little gotten higher vp, ye see them by and by to waxe thin, and in the end scatter, and consume, so as a man shall not see so much as any signe or token that euer they had bin▪ And such is the mightinesse of the wic∣ked, whose substance is nothing else but sinne, and whose mouing is no∣thing but vanitie, it groweth suddain∣ly, and it is gone as suddainly, and what soeuer they are able to do, for to think to conserue the same, they can by no meanes any way further it.

23 They borrow and neuer pay a∣gaine, all is fish that commeth to net, and all is theirs that they may gayne by, neither leaue they any thing be∣hinde, which they are able to carry away, and yet notwithstanding, all this profiteth them nothing, for, as the a∣boundance of meates fatteth not him that is in a consumption, because the radycall humor of his life is dried vp, euen so is the blessing of God, which is the roote of all prosperitie, with∣holden Page  263 from the wicked. But con∣trarywse, the iust, which is merci∣full, and full of compassion, geueth his goods, and dealeth liberally, distribu∣teth his money, and is as the course an running of a liuely water, which neuer dryeth vp.

24 This is a blessing which is pro∣mised vnto all those that blesse the name of God, that they shall enherit the land, that is to say, they shall haue a good title vnto the land, as it were by enheritance. And although they are striuen agaynst for it, yet shall they neuer lose it. For they are as Gods deere children, whome hee hath created, and therefore they are of a good and sure ground, that they shall hold the same. But they which blaspheme agaynst his name, are dis∣inherited of his grace, and as vn∣thankefull children, depriued of theyr fathers inheritance, so as they ha∣uing his curse, can not choose but perish.

25 For, there is no saluation in this world, but by trusting in God, and by committing our selues vnto his tuiti∣on. For, he so directeth the wayes of a Page  264 good man, and so guideth all his acti∣ons, as that it is impossible to be amen∣ded. He aymeth his will at godlinesse, and turneth away his eyes from the baytes of sinne, he bringeth back the windings and crosse wayes of volup∣tuousnes, into the broad beaten hye wayes of vertue, and setteth it in the way of his commaundements.

26 For, this is a faire and smooth way, wherein are no stones, ne yet lets, for it is altogether playne and smooth. So as although the wicked one, or the father of lyes casteth his leg before the iust man to make him trip & stumble, or yet set a snare for him, thou thy selfe O Lord, standest hard by him to life him vp againe, and wilt not suffer him to be frushed and crushed. And with thy mercifull hand, yea euen with a most gentle and euen hand, thou sho∣rest him vp, and redressest him.

27 I haue bene yong and now an old, and yet as far as I can remember, I can not call to minde that euer I sa•e God forsake the righteous man, nor his children driuen to beg their bread▪ Well may he haue sometimes a little trouble come vpon him, to proue his Page  265 constancie, and to try his strength, but •t passeth and tottereth on without a∣•y fearing of him.

28 I haue seene a man that hath •one nothing all day long but geue, •…d lend, so as a man would haue sayd •hat he had taken great pleasure in •cattering abroad his goods, and yet •e more abounded in wealth them e∣•er he did before. He resembled pro∣•erly the pipe of a pumpe, which dra∣•eth water by casting of it out: for the •ulnesse thereof can not abide that a∣•y emptinesse should be in it. And so, •he rightuous man geueth, and God •orthwith filleth him againe, his poste∣•itie feeleth no want of his largenesse, •or, the blessing of God, causeth his •…one to bud forth, euen as the Sunne maketh the fruits of the earth, and •ultiplieth an hundred for one.

29 Seeing then that God is so good •…d so liberall, if thou louest to haue •is fauour, bethinke thee how thou •ayest please him, for, it is the verie meane to turne him from doing hurt, •nd to do good. For God, loueth such a one, as imitateth him: for, loue com∣meth of resemblance, and his actions Page  266 are to do good, for, he busieth h•…¦selfe about nothing else, and he •…¦gan this worke euen from the first b•¦ginning of the world, and was 〈◊〉 wearyed therewith. And therfore let 〈◊〉 do like vnto him, and so long as 〈◊〉 shall dwell here in this world, wh•… he hath graunted vs meanes to se•… for his glorie, and for the profi•… of our neighbors, let vs neglect no •…¦casion at all to discharge both the 〈◊〉 and the other, and in so doing, we sh•… be sure to obteyne his fauour, which 〈◊〉 the richest treasure that we poss•… can recouer.

30 For, there is nothing that ple•¦seth him so much, as to deale vprigh•… and iustly: for thereby, we conse•… his workemanship, as much as in 〈◊〉 lyeth, and allow of his wise counsell, 〈◊〉 rendring vnto euery man that whi•… is appoynted him, and distributed 〈◊〉 the vniuersall law of the world, wh•… we call Nature, and to thinke th•… when we iudge others, we admini•… his power, and looke what iudgeme•… we geue against others, the like will 〈◊〉 also geue against vs, whē as he shal •…¦ter into his Throne to iudge the 〈◊〉 Page  267 world. Not that he can iudge corrupt∣ly as we do, but will make vs feele by his iudgement, the corrupt dealing which we haue made others feele, by our owne. For, he will neuer forsake his holy ones, he will gather them to∣gether at the end, and couer them from the vniust dealing of men, and will expressely enter into his iudge∣ment seate, to iudge all those that op∣pressed them.

31 And there will he pronounce heauie iudgemēt against the vniust, & make the wicked perish. They shall be fast bound in infernall paines, where they shall be heard houle amiddest their torments, and the paine shall ex∣ceed & abound ouer their heads, euen vnto their posteritie, and their childrē shal draw their fathers sins after them, and beare part of their miseries.

32 And at that time shall the grace of God spread it self aboundantly vp∣pon the righteous, because their pro∣speritie might be a second paine vnto the wicked, filling their harts with en∣ny, which shal cōtinually gnaw the, for they shal see the good & godly me pos∣sesse their lād in peace, their generatiō Page  268 reigne in most assured rest, and flou∣rish as the tree planted fast alonge• hard by the pleasant riuers side, which casteth our his branches at length, an• spreadeth forth his boughes into the ayre, flourish beautifully, bring forth leaues aboundantly, and fructifie mo•… excellently.

33 But what shall be the fruites o• the rightuous man? shall they be his goods which he hath scraped and scrat∣ched together, or the castles and good∣ly houses which hee hath built? Nay, nay, they are fruites most vnworthy o• such a tree, which will wither away a• the very first feeling of any frost, yea, fruites that will fall at the first blast: No, no, they are those good and sweet sauouring fruites which growe within the beautifull and fat greene soyle of the diuine wisedome. They shall be holie and religious thoughts, medita∣tions, full of zeale and deuotion, by the which hee shall ioyne his spirit vnto God, and withall opening his soule, shall receyue the beames of the holie Ghost, which shall animate in him a thousand gratious and vertuous acti∣ons, as the fruit of life: and holynesse Page  269 passing from his hart into his lips, shall make his talke to be both righteous, and full of equitie.

34 For he shall haue the law of God alwayes imprinted in his soule, as a most iust and sure rule, wherewith he shall encompasse his talke, neyther shall hee need to feare for euer going out of the right way, or yet to haue his foote at any time to slip, for, the foun∣dation thereof is ouer-strongly layd, and the scituation therof too too sure, and the path thereof most excellently directed: for, the law of God, is soun∣der and surer, then either steele or iron, it is an inflexible rule, and an vn∣changeable light: this is such a place of assurance, where a man is not onely rightly guided, but also in as great safe∣tie, as if he were betweene two brasen walles.

35 For, marke and behold awhile the wicked, what ado he maketh to lye in ambush to surprise the innocent, and consider also what preparation he maketh to take from him both his ho∣nor and his life, and marke, if he hath forgotten any thing for his purpose.

36 And yet God neuer leaueth a Page  270 good man into what danger soeuer he falleth, he neuer geueth him ouer into the sacrilegious hands of these cruell murderers, neither yet into their blou∣die craftie doings, nor shamelesse sclanders: for, he is Iudge, and full of all power, he his also a witnesse, and the knowledge of all truth is in him, and thereforee, sith he knoweth the truth, and both can and will iudge the inno∣cent, shall not he be iustified by his sen∣tence geuing?

37 Wait vpon him therefore allye righteous, for his help is sure, neither let it grieue ye to attend vppon him: for, he knoweth what ye haue need of better then ye your selues. For, he ma∣keth slow haste many times, because hee would prooue your patience▪ and sometimes because hee would glorifye you. Walke therefore in his wayes, and see that ye carefully keepe yee in them: set yee strong hedges about his wayes, and edder the• with the thornes of your paynes, with the briers of your tribulations, for feare that voluptuousnesse enter no• in at them, and that pleasure trayne yee not vp in them, and so bre•ke Page  271 •…d spoyle your way. Perseuere still in your course, euen vntill you sweate both bloud and water, to the end yee may come vnto the aboad of your rest, where God will exalt ye far aboue this •isible world, yea, far aboue his glo∣rified Angells: for, he will cause you leade sinners in triumph, and make you see the land purged of their ini∣quitie, assigned out for the portion of good and godly men.

38 I am many times astonyed to see the wicked & naughty man aduanced •…o all honor & dignitie, and holding al the whole land as it were subiect vn∣der his feet. The Cedar tree of Lyba∣non hath not an hier nor an vprighter head, ne yet seemeth to be more glo∣rious, euen then when he is clothed with his greene & tender boughs, and putteth forth his new buds and bran∣ches, as is the wicked mā in the strēgth & power of his pomp & magnificence.

39 But as I passed by whereas I had left him, I was abashed that I could see him no more, for I saw the place of his greatnesse, & it was become like vnto a wildernesse. I demaunded what was b•…ome of him that was so lustie and Page  272 braue, and that was so redoubted an• feared, and loe, there was not a ma• that could tell me what was become of him. I sought after him in euery place, to see and if I could haue met with him, and I could neither hea•e either tale or tidings of him, all was melted away with him, so as there was not so much as any note or marke of him, it seemed that the fire had runne ouer him and consumed him.

40 We must therefore learne b• the example of their miserie, to es•h•… their sinnes, and in following another kinde of life, we may come to•abe•… end. Be innocent therefore, and 〈◊〉 die to be vpright, and loue equitie and righteousnesse: for the peaceable and reasonable man leaueth rest to his fa∣milie, and is renued in his posteritie.

41 It fareth not with him as it doth with the reprobate, who is forgotten in a moment, and none commeth af∣ter that once vouchsafeth to name him, without it be to curse him. Their race is gone at once, and swallowed vp as it were in a bottomlesse depth, for the first blow he geueth them, turneth them cleane ouer, for they haue no Page  273 help but from them-selues, and God hath long sithence geuen them ouer.

42 For, he helpeth only the righte∣ous which put their trust in him. For on him they attend, and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands. They gather them-selues together vnder his wing, as poore chic∣kens, whome the kite pursueth, there shall they finde couert, defence, and consolation.

43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battell, yea, and although they were enuironed on e∣uery side, yet will he come and de•iuer them as it were by his miraculous po∣wer and might: he will runne through the prease, to pluck the righteous out of the hands of the wicked. Why doest thou, ô Lord, after this manner, so af∣fectionately support the righteous? Forsooth, it is because that they haue put their whole trust and confidence in thee, and not put their hope in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world, but in thy infinit goodnesse and clemencie, which is neuer voyd of help vnto all those that call vpon thy holy name. Seeing then, ô most righteous Page  274 and mercifull Father, it hath plea∣sed thee for a time to endure the wicked to enioy the wealth and honor of this world, and to set theyr feet vppon the throats of good and god∣ly men, and sufferest them by theyr cursed threats, and craftie deuises, to torment thy good and innocent seruants. Frame we beseech thee our affections so, as that we be not offen∣ded at their prosperitie, and not en∣uie theyr deceytfull ritches, but cou∣ragiously to beare whatsoeuer afflic∣tion thou shalt lay vppon vs, pacient∣ly attending till thou shalt come to iudge theyr consciences, and search out the bottoms of their counsels, and with the seueritie of thy iustice, imprint vppon theyr foreheads the shame which they haue iustly deser∣ued, abolishing their infamous me∣morie from aboue the earth, destined vnto the seruice of thy glorie: and in the meane while so to keepe out harts, as that we trust in none but in thee, and make no reckning of what∣soeuer is here in this world, to set our loue thereon, but on thy grace and blessing.