tience, nor seeketh enough by truth. The courageous horse fiercely in fight contemneth death; and the meek swan, feeling the life to pass, with sweet tunes welcometh Atropos, and striveth not, but willingly is contented to surrender that which will not be kept by force. But what doth the rich wicked man? forsooth, as the wise man saith: "O death! how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to such as have confidence in their riches!" (Eccles. xlii.) Lord! what a charnel-house of stinking carrion is this body and life of wicked man puffed up with riches; inferior, with all that ever he hath, to the birds of the air, the beasts of the fields, and unto the barren clay that he was made of; and the soul itself within that wicked body cursed of God, and ordained to eternal pains.

Who is he that can read or behold the state and honour of man, in whom is not mentioned one virtue to dwell, without sorrow and heaviness? What a cursed nature is man made of, that can see another thus pampered up with God's displeasure, and cannot rather bewail and mourn to see his brother by these riches lost, and cast away, than to envy or disdain at his person? Oh! woe befall them, that fall into this sin of ours, that thus rather with malice and disdain envy the miseries and curses of God upon others, than charitably do go about to amend them, or ruthfully to bewail them! Read (my dear beloved in the Lord) this place, and mark well the wicked men, and learn to pray for them, as God give us all grace to do.

THE FOURTH PART.

Ver. 10. Therefore fall the people unto them, &c.

Out of this part is to be noted, how dangerous a thing it is, to be continually assaulted with tempta tion; and that the end of it (for the most part) is the

conquest and overthrow of as many as be assaulted. As we may see by the examples of our forefathers, temptation not resisted at the beginning, prevailed against our innocent parents Adam and Eve in paradise; against Cain in murder; against Aaron and the people in idolatry; against Nimrod in pride; against David in adultery; against Judas in avarice; against Aaron and Mary his sister in envy; against Esau in gluttony; against Pharaoh in pride; against Herod in hypocrisy; against the Pharisees in blindness and obstinacy of mind; against the Jews in the slander of Christ's death; against the Gentiles in ignorance of God's word (Gen. iii. iv. Num. xvii. 2 Sam. xi. Matt. xxvi. Heb. xi. Exod. iii. Matt. xiv. John, vii. viii. ix. 1 Cor. i. Rom. i.): against the most part of Christians now-a-days in cowardness and fear; and against all the world, in looking more how to profit itself, than to serve and fear God. The Prophet said before he was almost gone, to see the wicked so prosper but he saith now, that the people fall utterly unto them, and learn both wicked opinions and wicked life of the wicked.

The second is, that the people fall not into the wicked blasphemy of iniquity one by one, but by clusters, in great number. Wherein is much to be noted, that so few so hardly turn to God, and so many so quickly to abomination. But as Christ said, "The way to heaven is narrow and strait, and few enter; and the way to hell is broad and plain, and many enter in it." (Matt. vii.)

THE FIFTH PART,

Ver. 14. Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, &c.

Out of it we be admonished, that our nature is to be offended by and by with troubles, for the

glory of God. And even as we be unquiet with the troubles; so be we inconstant and unstable in the knowledge and truth, that we suffer trouble for: and begin to repent, that ever we began to favour or embrace the truth; and wish also that we had used ourselves, as other men did; and then, to have suffered with other men the common lot and fortune of the world, and not thus to have been given to a singular knowledge of God's word, which bringeth with it a singular hatred and punishment in this world. (Jer. xx.) Such is our nature, if we be by afflictions and troubles, but for a day's space, made like unto Christ, we think it too long; but if we be by sin, for all our lifetime, made like unto the devil, we think the time too short, and wish longer to live, because we would longer work and delight in sin and abomination. Great and heinous is our offence in this respect: for a little time spent in well-doing, we judge too long; and all time spent in evil-doing, we judge too short. All labours and pains be too little, if they be bestowed in worldly things; but if they be appointed to heavenly things (be they never so few and slender), we think them too much.

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There is not sea nor land, with all the perils within them, but men dare adventure both their goods and their lives, to win increase of worldly goods; but to win towards God and godliness, scarce one of a great many without danger will labour or take pains to gain it. So doth the Prophet say in this place, that had cleansed his heart in vain ;" because he saw cleanliness and virtue persecuted, and filth with iniquity honoured and exalted. Christ, in the Gospel of St. John, perceiving, that when virtue and welldoing should be troubled, men should wax weary of well-doing and virtue, he said unto his disciples, Remember, when they come, that I spake of them, and warned you before." (John, xvi.)

THE SIXTH PART,

Ver. 15. Yea, and I had almost said even as they, &c.

Out of it we learn, that no man should judge of God's works, nor God's people, but by the word of God. In this behalf we do many times grievously offend the Almighty God. For when the world damneth God's word, then doth the most part of men the same. If the world say it is true, we say so too. If the world say it is untrue, we say it is untrue and if the world condemn it, we condemn it also likewise if the world account them cursed and damned, that be persecuted for God's sake, and for the testimony of his name, we do so too. Yea, and moreover, if the world slander and lie upon poor men and poor women, that suffer for God's sake, we speak as they do, and sometimes persecute also the good with them. This is an horrible thing, to reprove (after such a carnal and worldly sort) God, and all his blessed people, which will be at length, doubtless, a just condemnation of the world.

THE SEVENTH PART.

Ver. 16. Then thought I to understand this, but it was too hard for me, &c.'

We learn out of this part, that until reason be amended and removed from her natural blindness, it can do none other but condemn both God and God's people. And no marvel; for the Prophet in the 83d Psalm, and also in the 31st Psalm, hath these words: " They have consulted against thy hidden' people;" as though he had said, The merciful Father of heaven keepeth the godly people in most sure and strong defence and protection; but this kind of protection is hid from the eyes of man's reason. So that it seemeth many times, that God hath the less) care of the godly, and passeth more of the wicked than of them. Yet, howsoever the world judgeth,"

God sleepeth not. Further, how blessed the state and life of the godly is, and how cursed the life and state of the wicked is, only the virtuous and godly do perceive. Therefore the Scripture calleth those that be godly and virtuous, the hidden of God. Moreover, the godly do perceive, that all the vanity of worldly things, which be the treasures of the wicked, and the permanent state and condition of heavenly things, which be the treasures of the godly, be only seen of such as enter into the holy sanctuary and secret treasures of God's most holy word, without the which, worldly things seem to be riches, and heavenly things poverty; wicked men to be blessed, and godly men cursed; falsehood to be truth, and truth falsehood; death to be life, and life death.

THE EIGHTH PART.

Ver. 23. Nevertheless, I am alway by thee, for thou hast holden me always by my right hand.

The Prophet out of this part declareth that which St. Paul writeth to the Romans (chap. viii.): “If God be with us, who can be against us? If he love us, what is he that can separate us from his love? which spared not his only Son for our redemption, but gave him for us unto the death. Therefore, there is neither life nor death, things present nor things to come, that can separate us from him."

Unto this place is referred all the deliverance from trouble and danger that God used from the beginning of the world unto our time. And when we understand and know God's mercy towards ourselves and others, we must give ourselves wholly to laud and praise his holy name, and be thankful for there is nothing more unnatural in man, than forgetfulness of God's great and innumerable gifts towards us. To whom be all honour and praise, world without end. Amen.