Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent — Martin Luther

Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent · Martin Luther

The 127. Psalme. Except the Lorde builde the house, they labour in vaine that build it.

The argument of the Psalme.This Psalme beareth the title of Salomon, and in deede it seemeth that Salomon was the author thereof. For Salomon in all his books sheweth him selfe to be a politicall teacher, and handleth not the principall article of his father Dauid as touching iustification, or as touching Christ the heire and ofspring of Dauid: but he treateth of those thinges wherein he him selfe was exercised, and whereunto he was appoynted of God: that is to say, of things perteining to ciuill gouernment. And this he doth in such sorte, as in politicall matters no Philosopher did euer teach. For he applieth all ciuill gouernment vntounto faith, & whatsoeuer is done either in the cōmon wealth or houshold affaires, y^e same he referreth altogither to y^e diuine & spirituall gouernment, which other writers, whether they be Philosophers or Oratours, do not. For albeit both lawes do teach, & reason also doth shew by what meanes a cōmon wealth or a family may rightly be gouerned, yet doe they not teach from whence y^e successe therof must be loked for, that y^e things which are well deuised, may prosper & take good effect. For reason knoweth but onelyonly the materiall and the formall cause: the finall and efficient cause it knoweth not: that is, it knoweth not from whence ciuill and houshold gouernment commeth and by whom it is preserued, or to what ende it tendeth.

Aristotle, Aristotle and others, howe and wherein they erre.Xenophon, Plato, Cicero and others, although they wrote very well of ciuill gouernment, yet doe they not teach the true efficient and the finall cause thereof. For they thinke publike peace, honestie and glorie to be the finall and the principall cause. And the efficient cause they make a wise man or a prudent Magistrate, or (as they term him) a good man or a good Citizen. But we shall heare Salomon disputing farre otherwise. For they hauehave and doe follow onelyonly the iudgement of reason: but he hath the holy Ghost which teacheth him the finall and efficient cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment. He hath also reason and experience: for he gouerned both a common wealth and a family. Wherefore he is taught, not only by the holy Ghost, but also by experience, to speake as he doth. For he was occupied in great affaires, and had experience of high and weighty matters. And we ought the more highly to esteme of this Psalme, for that it is written of so excellent a man concerning true politicall and houshold gouernment. Which Psalme, although it be but short (for it conteyneth but only sixe verses) yet is it full of singular doctrine. And as for the formall and materiall cause, he toucheth them not. For he seeth that there are houses already, there are common wealthes well ordered and also furnished with good lawes and Magistrates. But is that enough? No forsoth. For the two principall causes are yet lacking. For as touching the formall cause, it may be that the Gentiles had better lawes then the Iewes. And as touching the materiall cause, it may be also that some Magistrates among the Gentiles were better then they which were among the people of God. But these are but onelyonly the matter and the forme.

We must goe further therefore,The principal causes of the good gouernment of common wealthes and families. and seeke to know the principall causes of common wealthes and houshold gouernment, who it is that maketh a common wealth and familie, also to what ende he ordeyneth the same. These causes the Gentiles & naturall reason do not know. For reason beholdeth but onelyonly the matter and the forme, and because she knoweth not the efficient cause therof, she goeth about to gouerne common weales and families according to that ende which she her selfe doth imagine. Therefore she is deceaued and all her policies and deuises come to naught. So Demosthenes taketh vponupon him to rule the common wealth of Athens: Demosthenes.he maketh him selfe the efficient cause thereof, that is, he goeth about to gouerne it by his owne wisedom and policie, as a wise man. To what ende? Forsoth to establish publike peace and tranquillitie, to winne glory and quietnes to himselfe and his cuntrey, and to the ende that all thinges may come to passe as he by his owne policie and wisedom hath deuised. But God, who hateth proude deuises and presumptuous enterprises, worketh farre otherwise. In the matter then and in the forme there is no default, but in the efficient cause the wisest man of all is deceaued.

Cicero.The same hapned to Cicero in the common wealth of Rome. And the same also hapned to Iulius Caesar. Iulius Caesar.Nowe therefore commeth this teacher Salomon, which hath a farre other maner of spirite ioyned with great experience, which teacheth who is the author and the ende,The efficient cause of the true gouernment of conmon wealths & housholds. that is to say, the efficient and the finall cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment: For he comprehendeth both, and teacheth that he which would happily gouerne a familie or a common wealth, should not make him selfe y^e principall cause therof, for then should he ouerthrow al. For in both kinds of life a man shall finde many troubles, which will vexe and torment his minde, driue him to impaciencie, cause him to despaire and to be weary of all togither, yea and to say that Satan brought him into those calamities. And not without cause: For why doth he presume to take vppon him such a gouernment, as is farre aboue his power. So Demosthenes being oppressed with many troubles in the common weale, sayd that if there were two wayes set before him, the one leading to the common weale and the other to death, he would chuse the way that leadeth vntounto death before the other. Likewise it hapneth in houshold gouernment.The abuse of matrimonie and houshold gouernment. He that entreth into matrimonie promiseth vntounto him selfe all easy & pleasaunt thinges. He thinketh it an easie matter to frame his wife, to bring vp his children and to order his family as he him selfe doth imagine. When these things proue contrary to his expectation, & either his wife is disobedient, his children stubborn & vnthākful, his family negligent, or his neighbours troublesome & vnquiet (for the troubles of matrimony are infinit) he becommeth vnpatient,The burdens of matrimony are infinit. & beginneth to complayne, saying that if he had knowen thus much before, he would neuer hauehave married a wife. Thus doth the foolish man bewayle his state and condition. But what kind of life is there vnderunder heauen wherin thou shalt liue without troubles? For where so euer thou liuest, thou must needs be in some part either of the politike or housholde gouernment. Wherefore thou must so arme thy selfe, that thou maist ouercome these troubles, and learne to apply these thinges to an other cause without thy selfe, which is stronger then thou art. Now, the holy Ghost alone is that instructer which tea: cheth vsus to cast our selues into the bosome of the diuine maiestie, & to trust in him, and so in his name to marry a wife, to gouerne our family, to rule the common weale, &c. Which thinges if they hauehave good successe, it is wel: If not, yet is it also well notwithstanding. For this is the will of God, that when he hath once called vsus eyther to any publike office in the common wealth, or the gouerning of a familye, we should with inuocation and prayer abide and constantly continue in the same.

And this is the principall doctrine of this Psalme: whiche the Papists sing in all their temples, and yet of all men they least vnderstand those things whereof it treateth. For they flie both ciuill and housholde gouernment, and yet are they drowned in both: yea no man is there in more busy then they are. For the Pope & his religious rable hauehave taken vponupon them most impudently to gouerne great monarkes and Princes, and the cases and controuersies of matrimony hauehave beene iudged and determined by Officialls and Commissaries. Also they hauehave ruled by their priuate & auricular confession both families, kingdoms and Empires. Thus it came to passe that both kindes of life were in a maner vtterly abolished. For they condemned all those that liued vnderunder y^e ciuil gouernment and in matrimony,The Papists did condēne ciuill gouernment & matrimony as worldly kindes of life. as secular or worldly kindes of life, and counselled them to enter into monasteries & to their monkish religion: like vntounto the heathen Philosophers, whiche commended y^e priuate & solitarie life aboue all other: that is to say, that kind of life which hath to do neither w^t matrimony nor any affaires of y^e cōmō weale.

This wicked life of the Papistes & the heathen Philosophers God condemneth in the holy Scripture, wherein we see, to our great comfort, that there was neuer yet any holy man which hath not bene exercised in the affaires either of politike or houshold gouernment. For God did thrust into the courts of Princes most excellent & holy personages, as Helias, Heliseus, Esaias, Daniel, &c. I say nothing of the holy Kings, as Dauid, Salomon, Ezechias & others. God would also that Iohn the Baptist should be a Courtier and of the Kinges counsell,Mark. 6.20. as the text saith: VVhen he hearde Iohn he did many thinges. So the Lorde hath alwayes exercised his Sainctes and holy seruauntes with the affaires either of ciuill or houshold gouernment, Christ onelyonly excepted, who was the wisedome of the father. He neither married, nor bare rule in common wealth. For it behoued him to be a singular personage aboue all others, and yet he honored both kinds of life, that is, both marriage and ciuill gouernment.

The idle bellied Monkes would hauehave nothing to doe with ciuill or houshold affairesThe life therefore of the Monkes, and the whole rable of the popish religious orders is altogither deuilish, in that they will hauehave nothing to doe with ciuill or housholde affaires. And in deede they doe wisely, which seke rather to liue in ease, quietnes & pleasure, with the name and opinion of holynes, then to be turmoyled and vexed with the miserable cares and calamities wherof the life of man is full. They choose that which is most sweete and pleasaunt, and leaue the dregges, the great cares and troubles of bringing vp children, of guiding a familie, of gouerning the common wealth and such like, vntounto others. Like as also with their hypocrisie they hauehave deceiued the whole world, and so snared the consciences of those which liued either in matrimonye, or in the politike state, that they executed those functions and duties against their willes,The Monks could nether teach nor comfort mē in their necessities. whereunto they were called of God. For if a maried man or a Magistrate complayned vntounto them of the troubles either of their houshold or ciuill affayres, they did not onelyonly not comfort or encourage them patiently to bear those burthens, but perswaded them to forsake those godly kindes of life and to enter into Monasteries: yea they went so farre, that when they dyed, they buryed them in a Friers coule. They knew not that matrimony and ciuill gouernment are ordained and created of God. They knewe not that such should rather hauehave bene exhorted to patience, comforted and taught that God had appoynted them to liue in the state of matrimony and to serue the common wealth, that their vocation was of God and pleased God, and therfore they ought not to hauehave forsaken these kinds of life, but if any troubles hapned they ought to hauehave borne them patiently for Gods cause, & to commend them selues and their affaires wholy vntounto God. Thus should mens consciences hauehave bene enstructed and comforted. But this coulde the Papistes neuer doe. The cause whereof is, for that they hauehave no practise or experience of these matters: they hauehave but onelyonly an idle and a naked speculation thereof, and moreouer, they are destitute of the holy Ghost. But Salomon hath both the one and the other: that is to say, experience both of politike and housholde gouernment, and also the holy Ghoste. By these scholemasters he learned that the affaires of men cannot be gouerned by their owne policie and wisedome, but that all thinges are ruled and guided by the wisedom of God.

Naaman Syrus brought vntounto the common wealth,Naaman Syrus. not onelyonly great wisedome, but the text saith, that he was giuen for the deliuerance of Syria: that is to say, his greate wisedom had bene vnprofitable if God had not geuen good successe thereunto. So if any man become a good Prince or a good Magistrate, he hath not this by the gift of nature, by his good bringing vp, or by learning, but it is the singular gift of God. And this doth experience afterwardes teach, when thinges come oftentimes to passe contrary to mans expectation. The same hapneth also to the marryed man. For howe often doe his deuises and purposes come to nothing? True it is therefore that is cōmonly said, man purposeth but God disposeth:Prouerb. 16. and that which Salomon saith, The hart of man purposeth his way, but the Lorde guideth his steppes. Thou art in distresse and deuisest with thy selfe by what meanes and policie thou maist bring thy self out of trouble: but thy purpose is disapointed & by the same deuises and policies wherunto thou didest trust, thou hurtest thy selfe and ouerthrowest thine owne cause. This bringeth great impatiencie. Learne therefore that by thine owne wisedom & policie thou art notable to rule thine owne body: Nowe then shouldest thou be able to gouerne the bodyes and the mindes of other in any one house, citie or common wealth?Ierem. 10. As Ieremy sayth: The way of man is not in him selfe, neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes. So this body which thou bearest about is not in thine owne handes.

This is the true maner of teaching as touching ciuill and houshold gouernment,Doctrine cō cerning ciuil & housholde gouernment. namely to shew the efficient and the final cause thereof. And this doctrine is so much the more necessary, for that we are all vnderunder the one of these two gouernments. For although thou be not a married man, yet must thou needes be in some part of the houshold gouernment. For either thou art a sonne, a daughter, a seruaunt, or thou hast seruants or neighbours, or else thou are in some place and calling in the house or in the societie of men. Nowe, it cannot be auoyded, but that many thinges will happen vntounto thee in thy vocation, both tedious and greeuous. Wherefore thou must learne how to behaue thy selfe in these kindes of life, also from whence they come, and to what ende they are ordayned. But of all others, they hauehave most neede of this knowledge which are placed in authoritie or any kinde of life aboue others, to whom it belongeth to rule either in y^e common wealth or to gouerne a family, y^t they may know what is y^e end of their rule & gouernment.

This Psalme therefore properly pertaineth to Salomons Ecclesiastes, and not only conteineth the same doctrine,This Psalme conteineth the summe and effect of the booke of the Ecclesiastes of Salomon. but in a maner the same wordes also. In Ecclesiastes he saith: I hauehave seene vanities: that is, I hauehave seene that there hath bene no successe eyther in housholde or in politike gouernment, but vexation of spirit was in them both. VVherefore there is nothing better for a man then to reioyce in God, and to doe good in his life as much as he is able. This Psalme therefore seemeth to be, as it were a briefe summe of that booke,Eccle. 2.12. whereby he teacheth both what is the efficient cause of politike and housholde gouernment, and also to what ende they must be directed. He teacheth that we are but Gods ministers and workmen, and are not the efficient but the instrumentall cause wherby God worketh these things. As Wisdom it selfe sayth: By me kings rule. So the father is the instrument of generation, But God is the fountaine and author of life. Likewise the Magistrate is but the instrumēt wherby God maintaineth peace and politike lawes. The husband and wife are the instrumentes whereby both house & goods are preserued. The knowledge hereof bringeth great consolation. For if matters fal out otherwise, or if we doe not attaine to the ende whereunto they were appoynted, we may sayt I am but an instrument, and these thinges are not in my power, but are gouerned of a greater and an higher power. Wherfore if my wife dye, if my children dye, if any other trouble, affliction or calamitie happen, say: These thinges are not in my hand, I am but onelyonly as an instrument, I doe all that I can, I labour and trauel, I am carefull and vigilant, but the Lord in whose hands all these things are, giuegive good successe or else all my endeuour, all my trauell is in vaine. For if the first cause be lacking, the second cause can doe nothing. And thus teacheth this Psalme as touching the efficient cause.

In like maner it teacheth also concerning y^e final cause:The finall cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment. Wherby we may vnderstand that all things are the meere gift of God, and perteyne to the glory and the seruice of God, & not to our own glory and our owne pleasure: So that we ought to say, thus hath the Lord done: ht hath giuen this happy ende: To him therefore be praise and glory for euer. Amen.

Verse. 1.

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it.

These are wordes of great force and power, whereby he generally condemneth all our labour & trauell, declaring that it is not the efficieut cause of those commodities for the which we trauell. Here view and consider all the histories, both holy and prophane, of all nations, and ye shall see that God gaue such a gift vntounto many, that they began to rule both common wealthes and families with great commendation. But when they sawe that there followed no good successe, they were vtterly discouraged, & often tymes for their great care & trauel, they gained nothing else, but extreme ingratitude.Many wise and politike gouerners, deseruing well of the common wealth, hauehave bene euill vsed, condemned and cast into exile. Howe many excellent men in the common wealth of Athens, howe many emonges the Lacedemonians, how many in y^e common wealth of Rome were condemned & cast into exile by vnthankfull citizens? Yea this is generally the condition of all men which in their vocation, whether it be priuat or publike, endeuour to liue vprightly, and carefully trauell to doe good in the common weale, that they being hindred by the malice & deceitful prac…ises of others, ran neuer bring to passe that they take in hand. For Satan deuiseth so many letts, stirreth vp so many enemies, such hatred & conspiracies against them, that either they are ouercome with impacience and so cast away all care of the common wealth, or being moued with great indignation, they become cruel against those whom they see to withstand their proceedings. Thus eyther of a desperate mind they forsake all, or with crueltie and tiranny they wil rule all.We must walke in the midde way, and keepe a meane. But let vsus learne to keepe a meane: and if God hauehave called vsus to the gouernment of a familie, let vsus say: O Lorde, thou hast giuen me a wife, house, and children: Ouer these by thy authoritie I am made a ruler. I will doe therefore what in me lyeth, that all thinges may be well gouerned. If they hauehave not such successe as I desire, I will write, Patience. But if they come well to passe and take good successe, then wil I say, thankes and praise be vntounto thee O Lord. It is not my work…, but thy gift alone. And euen so must he doe which is called to any office in the common wealth, which hath farre more neede of this holy counsell, because of the great troubles and trauells which he must susteyne. He that is able thus to doe, shall liue quietly in matrimony and in the gouernment of the common wealth and shal enioy the comfort and tranquilitie of heart and conscience in the middes of all daungers and calamities.

Wherefore this I often teach, and this counsell I giuegive, that such as enter into any office in the common wealth,They that enter into any publike office, or into matrimonie, must beginne with inuocation and calling vponupon God. or into matrimony, should begin with inuocation of Gods holy name and prayer: So that who so euer would marry a wife, should earnestly call vponupon God and craue his helpe, that he would, not onelyonly giuegive him a good wife, but also that he would gouerne and direct the whole course of his life. For when this is neglected, he marrieth a wife vponupon hope that he shall hauehave such a one as his new louelove doth imagine. But afterwards, when it falleth out otherwise, so that he findeth some fault in his wife, or els some other trouble hapneth, then either he becommeth a lion in his owne house (as Salomon saith) and is sory for that he hath done, or else neglecting his familie, he goeth one way and his wife an other, and so he wasteth all that he hath. For when he seeth that all thinges which he thought should hauehave had most happy successe, fall out cleane contrary to his expectation, he rageth and layeth all the fault in matrimonie, but most wickedly. For thy fauk and thy folly it is, which so doest, since thou wilt needes be the efficient cause of the gouerning and guyding of thy familie: which thing God hath not giuen vntounto thee: For thou shouldest hauehave bene but onelyonly the instrumentall thereof.

Wherfore submitte thy selfe rather to an other master and gouerner and say: O Lord, teach thou me, that I may rightly gouerne my familie, execute my office in the common wealth, &c. Rule thou and he thou my helper,Godly Magistrates and maried folke howe they ought to vse them selues. that I offend not: for I will doe that in me lyeth. If it take good successe, I will acknowledge thy gift, thanke thee and praise thy name. If it succeede not, yet will I beare it with patience. For thou art the first cause, and I am but the second cause: thou art the creator, thou art all in all and workest all, and I am but the instrument. If we with heart and minde thus prepared would seeke to gouerne, all thinges would prosper and happily proceed. But now, whether ye behold the Magistrate or new maried persons, ye shall see great presumption. For they so beginne all thinges that they take in hande, as though it were impossible they should come otherwise to passe then they themselues doe imagine. They begin as though they were the first and the efficient cause, and appoynt such an ende to their deuises and enterprises as serueth to their owne glory and pleasure. But God sayth. Thus shalt thou not doe, for then shalt thou perish. And worthely: For they are rebells and blasphemers which will presume vponupon that which belongeth to the first cause alone. For when eyther the pen will teach the scribe how to write, or the axe wil teach the carpenter how to square his timber, nothing can be wel done. And euen so is it in this case, when we will take vponupon vsus such gouernment as belongeth to God alone. It is expedient for you to consider the examples of this great folly, which are to be seene eueryevery where aboundantly in Princes Courts, in cities, and families. For thus doe they think: I am the author and master of this familie, this policie, this gouernment, &c. Moste worthely therefore are they troubled and vexed when there followeth no such successe as they looked for. And herevpon followeth (as I said) eyther a miserable confusion both in houshold and politike gouernment, or else playne tyranny. So in matrimony, if neither the husband will beare with his wife, nor the wife will giuegive place to her husband, not onelyonly the mutuall louelove and concord in matrimony is broken, but also it so falleth out, that the husband is chaunged into a tyranne, or else he neglecteth and forsaketh all togither.

What must we here doe? The Pope aunswereth and giueth this counsell, that we should flie into some solitary place, or into some monastery. Not so, saith the holy Ghost: This is not the counsell of God, but of the deuill. But thus do thou. Consider that thou art Gods instrument, & beleue that there is yet an other magistrate and principall gouernour of the house,The principall master of the houshold & magistrate is God. whose name is the Lord. Except he be the principall cause, it shall followe, as this Psalme saith, that the house shall not be builded, and that neither politike nor householde gouernment shall prosper. So must we iudge also of the finall cause. If thou wilte referre all things to that ende which thou hast imagined, and thinkest that thou shalt not be deceiued, thou errest, as experience teacheth. One man taketh vppon him an office in the common wealth, to get estimation and dignitie, and findeth the contrary. An other by matrimony seeketh pleasure, seeketh a bewtifull and obedient wife, but he is deceiued and proueth also the contrary. And well worthy. For why doest thou presume to rule either in politike or houshold gouernment as a God, and thinkest that thy wisedom aud thy policy are able to gouerne these thinges, and that thou hast no neede to lift vp thine eyes to him which is aboue and to desire his helpe? When thou seest therefore that afterwardes it falleth out otherwise, then doest thou learne to sing this Psalme. Except the Lord builde the citie they labour in vaine that builde it. Before thou thoughtest that there was no other Lord or gouerner besides thy selfe, of whose help thou shouldest hauehave need to gouerne thy house. Others which are not come to this knowledge, either are at continuall debate with their wiues, or else they forsake both wiues & families and flie away, Worthely, worthely, iustly and by the iust iudgement of God thus commeth it to passe. For why doest thou being but vile dunge, presume as a God, to take vppon thee that heauenly gouernment, that (I say) which is aboue nature, with a naturall affection and earthly minde? Thy clyming and presumptuous spirite therefore God iustly confoundeth. Why doest thou not rather say on this wise: Lorde thou hast giuen me a wife, children, a familie: assist me and helpe me: Gouerne thou and guide them, or else in vaine is all my trauell. Nowe, for as much as the holy Scripture teacheth vsus, and experience also agreeth thereunto, that without Gods helpe all is in vaine that we take in hande, therefore we ought not to be ignorant of these thinges.

They labour in vaine (saith he) which builde it. The cause is this, that either they become tyrannes, or else desperate & forsake all togither. So commeth to ruine both politike and houshold gouernment. Now, what madnes is this, so to rule, that either thou or thy family must perish? Why doe we not rather as the holy Ghost here teacheth vsus, that we may preserue both? Whiche is, if we learne to knowe the principall cause and the true master and gouerner of the house,God the true master of the housholde. if we call vppon him, trust in him and say: Thou Lord hast created me to be a ruler of a familie, and hast giuen me those things which pertaine thereunto. But this burden is to heauy for me to beare. Therfore take vponupon thee my charge O Lorde, gouerne thou in my steede: be thou the maister of the house, for I will humbly giuegive place vntounto thee. Then will God heare thee, and he will say: All this will I doe, so that thou canst be content if any thing happen otherwise then thou doest desire, willingly to beare it and with patience to ouercome it, and not to despaire of the ende and good successe thereof, forsaking thy vocation to the which I hauehave called thee. For since thou doest call vponupon me, and doest thankfully acknowledge those thinges which I hauehave giuen thee, therefore will I preserue thee and thy familie. Wherefore if troubles happen, somewhat thou must beare, and yet must thou not therfore feare that all things wil come to ruine. What state or gouernment was more miserable then the gouernment of Dauid? Dauids houshold gouernment most miserable.and yet it continued vntil Christ was borne and came therof. Wherefore, what things so euer seeme to be lacking, do thou also commit and commend the same vntounto me as the Creator and principall gouernour of all.

So teacheth this verse, especially concerning ciuill gouernment. And here marke the behemencie of these wordes: they labour in vaine. For hereof commeth either crueltie and tyranny (as is sayd) or else a confusion of all thinges, and either they forsake their office and vocation,They labour in vaine that labour without the Lorde. or else they presume and wil rule all alone, they will labour without the Lord, that is to say, they will rule by their owne wisedom & policie and wil be the principal and efficient cause. Therefore Cicero, Iulius, and others most excellent, wise & politike men were ouerthrowne: which notwithstanding if all thinges had had prosperous successe, woulde perhaps hauehave fallen into tyranny. For such as are in authority and gouern with great suc…esse, are not lightly voyd of tyranny.

Now,To build. as touching the grammaticall sense and meaning of the wordes, I thinke ye know that to edifie signifieth not in this place to gather together a heape of tymber and stones, but generally all that perteyneth to the house and the whole familie, as to rule and gouerne, to marry a wife, to beget children, to bring vp children, to nourish the houshold, to prouide thinges necessary for the same, &c. So that the building is here taken for the house well ordered,The building where are good parents and fruitfull, which liue in great louelove & concord togither, which hauehave obedient children, wherof springeth vp godly youth and then good men. This is the house builded of parents, children, and a well ordered familie: which is a singular blessing and gift of God. But otherwise men so liue that albeit the master of the house commaund neuer so much, yet is there none that will obey him. And this is a ruinous house and a miserable gouernment.

To labour.Thus to labour, is to weary thy selfe: and so to gouerne in all thinges after thine owne will, wisedom, and policie, that no fault be committed, that eueryevery one in thy familie doe his duety in all poynts diligently and vprightly, that thou susteyne no losse or hinderance in thy goods or otherwise, thus to gouerne (sayth he) is not to saue and to preserue, but to destroy & cast away. What way then must thou take that thy labour be not in vayne?To labour in vayne. Euen this, cherefully & gladly to doe what in thee lyeth with all thy strength, witte and policie, committing thy selfe and thine, with all thy affaires vntounto God, and to trust in him, who made thee a husband, gaue thee a wife, children, a house, &c. If all thinges prosper and happily succede, giuegive thankes vntounto God, who with these giftes hath so blessed thee. If any thing happen otherwise, ouercome it with patience what so euer it be: and thus thinke with thy selfe, that God tryeth and proueth thee, whether thou take him to be the true master and gouerner of the house, from whom alone come all good thinges: or whether thou doest attribute the same vntounto thine owne wisedom and policie. This is therefore the true wisedom of the holy Ghost, that neither can the house be builded, nor the citie kept by the endeuour, wisedom, power or strength of man.

But in vayne are all these thinges taught, and are as a tale told to a deffe man. For the world being both blind and deffe, doth, as alwayes it is wont, that is to say, cleane contrary to this doctrine. Wherefore this Scripture is set forth for the instruction of that litle number which are godly and beleue in Christ: which suffer them selues to be taught and instructed in the Lord. Others embrace the pleasures of this world and worldly thinges, and thinke they belong to them alone, and may be gouerned by their wisedom and policie. Therfore it commeth to passe, that they gaine nothing thereby but vexation and misery, and in the ende confusion and destruction. And albeit hereof they hauehave continuall experience and heare it dayly, notwithstanding they are neuer the better.

Verse. 1.

Except the Lorde keepe the citie the keeper watcheth in vayne.

Like as before he called the house such thinges as perteyne to to the house & houshold gouernment, & matrimony it selfe: so here he calleth the citie a common wealth, whether it be a kingdom, a dukedom, a citie, or else any common societie, be it great or small. Now, albeit these things seeme, according to the flesh, to be vnderunder our gouernment, yet are they in deede farre aboue our power. And eueryevery godly minde must be taught to knowe that in some parte of this gouernment either priuate or publike, he is as an instrument of God. Wherfore we must looke vntounto God, and assure our selues that all things are wrought, all things come to passe by Gods only prouidence and appoyntment, aboue and beyond all that we can thinke & imagine. He that will not beleue this, shal receaue the reward which is here set forth: to wit, that al his endeuour, his counsell, his policie, his wisedom and all his labour shall be in vayne.

He sayth not:The good gouernment of housholds and families, is the founteyne and headspring of the common wealth. Except the Lord build the citie, as he did before of the house: but he sayth: Except the Lord keepe the citie. For when the house is wel gouerned, then shal it go well with the common wealth. For houshold gouernment is the founteyne of y^e common wealth. If father, mother, husband & wife be lacking which should bring forth children, nourish them and bring them vp, there can be no common wealth. Of a house therefore is made a citie, which is nothing els but many houses & families, of cities is made a dukedom or a shire: of dukedoms or shires is made a kingdom, which ioyneth all these in one.Houshold gouernmēt was begun of God in Paradise. Of all these, houshold gouernment is the founteyne & headspring: which was begun of God him selfe in Paradise, where he sayd: It is not good for man to be alone: Also, bring forth frute and multiply. Salomon therefore doth not here teach howe common wealthes shoulde be planted & lawes ordeyned. For these were graffed in nature at the beginning: For so sayth the text: Let vsus make man after our owne image: And afterward he expoundeth what is ment by this image. Rule ye ouer the fishes of the sea, and ouer the foules of the ayre, and ouer eueryevery beast that moueth vponupon the earth. Here it appeareth that at the beginning there was planted in man by God him self, a knowledge of his creatures & a law how to rule & gouern them, a knowledge of husbandry, of phisicke, and of other artes & sciences. Afterward men of excellent wit, by experience & great diligence did encrease those gifts which they had by nature. And this is but the strength of humane wisedome created in man at the beginning in Paradise. Wherfore y^e holy Ghost careth not for these things: only he doth approue them as excellent giftes and treasures necessary for mans life,Artes and sciences and such other giftes God approueth as necessary for mans life otherwise he regardeth them not, & therefore man hath no cause to glory in them. and sayth: All these thinges are of my creation. Moreouer he goeth about here to rayse vp the blinde and decayed nature of man, and to call vsus from all trust and confidence in flesh, to the ende we should not attempt any thing aboue our power, nor attribute any thing vntounto our selues. For by the fall of Adam nature is so corrupt, that it cannot see the good giftes of God to be giftes in deede: but the politike heade thinketh that he enioyeth all thinges by his owne wisedom and policie: he looketh not vpward, nor glorifieth God, but sayth: this hauehave I done. But this doing is in deede an vtter vndoing.

Wherefore, seeing that common wealthes and families are ordeyned already, seeing that lawes, artes, and sciences by the ordinaunce of God were at the first created togither with man: the nature of man doth wickedly abuse them in that it sayth: I will doe, I will gouerne, and I will bring these things to this ende, to this perfection, whereby I will procure mine owne quietnes, glory and pleasure. With this presumption of God is highly offended, and therefore he geueth no successe thereunto. And good cause why. For as he made the Sunne that thou shouldest hauehave the vse of it, and not to the ende thou shouldest rule it: so he gaue thee ground that thou shouldest till it, but not to the end it should bring forth what and how much thou wouldest hauehave, but what and how much he would giuegive. So he gaue thee witte, reason, a wife, a family and other thinges. But this is euermore the peruersenes of mans nature, corrupt through the sinne of Adam, that it will not acknowledge the giftes of God. Of Gods gifts it ought to say, with thankes giuing, This I hauehave receiued, but proudly & blasphemously it saith: This I hauehave done. It ought to say: This hath my Lord God giuen me: but it sayth: this hauehave I gotten, & I wil gouerne & mainteyne it by mine owne wisedom.

It is the Lord then which buildeth the house, which giueth … wife, children, liuing, which kepeth the city, giueth publike peace, mainteyneth lawes, &c. Wherfore these words Except the Lord, should be written with great letters, yea with golden letters, because the nature of man fighteth against them (and that through the sinne of the fall of Adam) in that we attribute all thinges vntounto our selues: and those things which we ought to ascribe vntounto God, we take and enioy as if they were our owne. And to this Satan also stirreth vppe our corrupt nature, which of it selfe is inclined thereunto. Wherefore it followeth that our deuises and enterprises are voide of all good successe, and we our selues are neuer quiet. If this vice of presumption were not, we should finde much more quietnes and hauehave better successe in all our doinges. For God would saye vntounto vsus: Thou takest me for the onelyonly creator and geuer of those thinges which thou enioyest: therefore wil I blesse thee.. But because we doe not so, he ouerwhelmeth vsus with many miseryes and calamities: he letteth the deuill lose, & setteth hell open (as it were) against vsus: so that in housholde gouernment great troubles are stirred vp, and in the common weale warres & manslaughter. For since we will not heare him teaching and warning by the word, he will teach vsus with scourges & with our owne calamities, that like vntounto the Phrygians we shoulde learne to be wise by our owne harmes, and knowe that we are not Lords & gouerners of these thinges.The words of Cicero. So Cicero at y^e last was compelled thus to say: Alas, I was yet neuer wise. And yet some time I was estemed to be that which in deed I was not: but in vaine. O people of Rome, how much hath thine opinion which thou didest conceaue of me,Marke what it is to rule and gouerne without God. deceaued thee? For he so gouerned the people of Rome by his owne wisedome and policie, that at the last he lost his heade. This is our corruption (which we hauehave by the first and originall sinne of Adam). When we wil not acknowledge the Lord giuing and gouerning, but doe all thinges without his feare, and with a trust and confidence in our own strength. So in housholde gouernment it falleth out that he giueth to some proude yong man a faire wife, which is either a harlot or else vnapt to all good huswifery & housholde affaires, whereby she is a perpetuall burden vntounto her husband. The like hapneth also to Princes, rulers and Magistrates in the common wealth: so that none can winde them selues out of those troubles which by their owne folly they fall into. A worthy plague and punishment. For why will they hauehave God to be a geuer, when they them selues wil be the builders and gouerners? But the world, although it heare these thinges, neither careth for them nor yet beleueth them.

These wordes therefore are spoken onelyonly vntounto the godly: Except the Lord keepeth the citie the watchmen keepe it in vaine. As if he said: The Lorde is the keeper, and if he be not present, what so euer is doone in the common wealth, is but in vaine. When I was a student at Erford, I hearde this saying of a certaine wise and learned man called Martinus Sangerhaufen: Martinus Sangerhaufen.that Erford should continue inuincible as touching riches and strong munitions: but the time should come when that strong and riche common wealth should lack men. This was a wise saying. Wherby he signified that cōmon wealthes are not maintained through wealth, riches and power, if godly & expert gouerners be lacking. Let men build thē as much as they will, and let them fortifie their cities if they can with yron walls: let them heape togither mountaines of golde, yet shall all these thinges be but in vaine without godly gouerners, First of all therefore this must God work, that the citizens and people may be godly and fearing God: Moreouer that the Magistrats may be both godly and expert men: Also that the Princes and higher powers may be such as serue God & feare God, & such as louelove & reuerence his worde. These are true, strong & mighty fortifications of kingdoms & common wealthes.The true munitions and fortifications of common welths. When God hath giuen these munitions, then may men deuise also strong walls & ditches. But because this is not done, therfore kingdoms and Empires are ouerthrowne one after an other. And I am of this opinion, that Empires, kingdoms, & common wealthes had prospered & continued much longer, if Monarches & Princes had omitted this pronoune [I]: that is to say, if they had not bene proud through the confidence which they had in their own strēgth and wisedom. But now, when the King of Babylon Nabuchodonosor lifting vp him self in pride & presuming of his own strength said,Daniel. 4. The cause of the destruction of greate kindoms & Monarchies. This hauehave I done, he liued seuen yeres togither with grasse, and wandred in the fieldes, like a brute beast. So the kingdoms of the Persians, of the Grecians & of the Romanes were destroyed and brought to nought, When they vaunted, & gloried in them selues saying: I hauehave done, by and by followed, I am vndone. Behold and consider all the Monarches, Princes & common welths that euer were, and ye shall se that when they added to their actes & enterprises this proud bragge [I hauehave done] they were destroyed, because they shut God out as a foole through this presumption and set them selues in his place. Thus all the wisedome, policie and strength of man faileth and commeth to nothing. We also at this day should not lack walls and other munitions, if men were not lacking: Of whome there is nowe greate scarsitie: And they which gouern & are in authoritie, they specially cannot be centent with their owne state, but swell and waxe proude through wealth and power. They trust to their strong munitions and fortifications, as though it were vnpossible for God to ouerthrow and beate in peeces euen yron walls and mounteyns of gold.

I say not this as though cities and common weales ought not to be defended and fortified, lawes mainteyned, and publike discipline reteyned: but this addition we condemne, that they write in their foreheads this pronoune [I]. This addition [I] God neither will nor can suffer. But because the world can not omitte it nor forget it, therefore one kingdome is destroyed after an other, one Prince after an other, and one common wealth after an other. So in Esay Sennacherib glorieth of his mighty and inuincible power against God:Esay. 37. Whereupon followeth that notable slaughter of his whole army, and he him selfe also is slayue of his owne sonnes.Esay. 45. Of Syrus also the text sayth: I hauehave holden his right hand to breake open the brasen barres. For there is no force or violence so great, no munition so strong, but God is able to ouercome it, how easie a matter is it for him (thinke ye) to bring the wealthiest and richest common wealths in the world, to extreme pouertie by warre, famine, pestilence, &c. These munitions then must be prouided, the house must be buylt, a wyfe marryed, & the houshold gouerned. These thinges the holy Ghost doth not condemne, but would that we should not thereto adde originall sinne. Preserue the creature therfore and vse it, but away with that which is thine owne, originall sinne I meane, whereby thou offendest God. The creatures are thy wife, childrē, family and goods. These are good thinges and the good giftes of God, the vse wherof God hath lent vntounto vsus. But thou addest thereto thy originall sinne, and wilt take vponupon thee to gouerne them by thine owne wisedom, condemning God, and not calling vppon him or beleuing in him who hath giuen these thinges vntounto thee. Thou walkest carelesly in this presumption and sayest: I am he that ruleth these matters: Therefore it followeth as a iust plague, that thy wyfe, thy children and family are disobedient. Much good may it doe you master gouerner, which will presume to rule these matters, not calling first vponupon God.

The same also hapneth in ciuill gouernment. Therefore (sayth the Psalme) Except the Lord keepe the citie, &c. Here the Prophet setteth the Lord agaynst our originall sinne and agaynst our naturall presumption. As if he should say: This say I, that the citie is kept in vaine except the Lord keepe it. But there is an other Lord, an other gouerner which will rule these matters, that is to say, our wisedom and presumption, which neglecting God, presumeth to gouerne these great and weighty matters, and excludeth God. And in deede it prospereth some tymes. But this is a token of Gods great wrath when hee geueth successe to the wicked.The successe of y^e wicked. For it is an offence and a stumbling blocke vntounto the godly, and also a snare to many other, which seeking to atchieue the like thinges, take vppon them the like gouernment, but all in vaine, So Augustus Caesar in gouerning the common wealth had great successe: He escaped the ouerthrowes and terrible ruines of many other Kinges as touching his owne person: albeit as touching his subiectes, his gouernment was most vnhappy. Others by his example take vponupon them to rule the common wealth and looke to hauehave the like successe: but see howe fewe there be that doe enioy it. These thinges I recite to the ende we may learne that we are not the rulers and gouern…rs of these high and weighty matters, ciuill and houshold gouermnent I meane: much lesse of the Church of God where all thinges, without comparison, are of greater importance and of much more difficultie.

To keepe, what it signifieth.To keepe is to blesse, mainteyne & preserue. And here he speaketh not (as I sayd before) of making and ordeyning lawes. For those he presupposeth to be established in the common wealth already. But he admonisheth and teacheth y^e Magistrates to call vponupon God and to execute their office & dutie in the feare of God. And if their labors and trauells do not prosper as they would, let them thinke that God doth it to bridle their presumption and to humble them. For if all things should succeede as they woulde, it shoulde be an occasion of infinite euills and enormities. But when they see that their wisedom preuaileth not, their policie is disapoynted, their power and authoritie taketh no place, then doe they learne by their owne experience, that there is an other Lorde and master to be called vppon and taken as the principall gouerner of the common wealth, who will helpe them, will gouerne for them, and geue good successe to that they take in hand, that so they may flie to prayer, and say: helpe Lord, take vppon thee our charge and burthen, and gouerne thou for vsus. Also that they may knowe they hauehave a large promise, that God being called vppon, will heare them and helpe them. This clause then: Except the Lorde keepe the citie, is against them which call not vppon God, but by their owne wisdome presume to builde the house and kepe the citie. To them it is said, that they shall labour & watch in vaine.

The keeper he calleth a King, a Prince, a Magistrate. For in a litle word he comprehendeth the greatest and highest matters in the world.Kings, Princes and Magistrates, the Prophet calleth keepers. For God is a great & a mightie God, who hath a large mouth, and with smal words he vttereth vntounto vsus mightie matters, Princes and Magistrates therefore he calleth keepers, which are appointed and ordained to gouerne common wealthes. But they watch in vaine (saith he) except the Lord him selfe assist them, and their trauells take no such effect as they would: but if the Lord be absent, they doe nothing else but torment and crucifie them selues in vaine.To labour in vaine. I hauehave seene some which hauehave tyred them selues day and might with continuall labour, and yet were they not able to liue thereby, They spent no time in idlenes, no time in play: notwithstanding they liued miserably with their wiues and children. Others pitying their case, admonished them y^• by this continuall …oyle they should neuer waxe rich. Wherfore they exhorted them to winne *Industrie is such a labor & diligence, as is ioyned with a prouident care, & discretion, in obseruing of persons, places conuenient times, with other circumstances, that no labour be spent in vainindustrie with their trauell: so should they the sooner attaine to that which they so painfully sought. For a master of a housholde in whom there is some industrie, can doe more with one pe…ee of gold, then some other can doe with two. A woman skilful of houshold affaires, industrious & prouident withal, can liue with her family a whole yeare of those charges, wherwith an other woman not so industrious, prouident and discreete, is not able to endure halfe a yeare: For industrie hath alwaies best successe. But they them selues which gaue this counsel to those poore men did not see that industrie is also the gift of God. Now, the cause why industrie so greatly helpeth and bringeth such successe to our endeuours and labours, is, for that it obserueth the circumstances of persons, places, conuenient times, & other occasions, that nothing be done in vaine nor labour lost. These thinges he that doth not obserue in houshold and politike gouernment, must of necessity be many times deceiued. No maruell is it then if great riches are not able to suffice a man in whom this industrie is lacking,Labour with out industry hath no good successe. that is, which doth not with discretion obserue & consider the circumstances before mentioned. These men therefore gaue this counsel, that industrie should be ioyned with labour, because labour without industrie hath no successe.

But Salomon speaketh more properly, not that industrie, but that the Lord him selfe is the cause. For euen this also is the gifte of God, through industrie to gouerne the common wealth, and to doe nothing rashly, but to obserue all occasions, and to seeke all opportunitie that all thinges may be done in conuenient time, place,Friderike Duke of Saxonie a very wise & discrete man. &c. Such a wi…ad that noble Prince Friderike Duke of Saxony, Elector. He was in deed a man industrious, who said not all thinges, who did not all thinges vponupon a sudden, which he was able to say or doe. He dissembled many thinges, but in conuenient time and place he did more with a word, then many other without this industrie could doe with power and great strength. Such are they which are,Industrious and prouident men. not onelyonly painefull and diligent, but also industrious, which can waite for occasion and time conuenient, when one word will strike and pearce more deepely, then at an other time many swordes could doe. But this is humane and not diuine wisedom. Wherfore it is not sufficient to gouerne such high & weighty matters: but there muste be prayer also ioyned therewith, that the Lorde would be present, that he would keepe watch and warde, or else shall mans industrie be all in vaine, be it neuer so greate.

So teacheth this Psalme as touching the principall cause (whereby all the indeuours, counsells and policies of men are ruled and directed) and keepeth vsus that we make no confusion or mixture of causes, and that of the first cause we make not the second cause, or else in deede no cause at all. For he did not create things and so leaue them (saith a certaine Philosopher speaking of God, and very well). He did not so ordaine matrimonie and ciuill gouernment as the shipwright doeth the shippe, who after that hee hath finished his worke, so leaueth it and committeth it to the mariner to be guided as he will.God is still present with his creature. But God is still present with his creature, and gouerneth both the house and the common wealth. This men doe not knowe, but thinke that God hath no regarde of those thinges which we doe, but leaueth them vntounto vsus. Contrary to this prophane and wicked opinion Salomon teacheth vsus, that we should feare God, call vponupon him, and so take in hand to gouern our families and to serue the common wealth, as God hath appointed vsus, with a cheerefull hart. Also he admonisheth vsus, not to presume vponupon our owne wisedome, policie, power, munitions or riches. All historyes are ful of examples, and our owne experience also doth witnesse that presumption hath neuer good successe, and yet the world will still be the worlde, and doth not beleue. Wherfore these things are profitable for none but for the godly. But if the world will not heare and obey, let it rage, let it vexe and torment it selfe, since it seeth and feeleth it selfe to watch, to labour, to be oppressed with continuall toyle and trauell, and all in vaine. And this doth it worthely, iustly and most iustly suffer. For here it is written, that except the Lorde keepeth the citie, the keeper watcheth in vaine, and this doe they reiect: Wherefore the Lord also reiecteth them: he will not keepe nor builde their citie, and so what remaineth, but onelyonly in vaine.

Verse. 2.

It is in vaine for you to rise earely and to lye downe late, and eate the breade of sorrow.

It is in vaine (saith he) for a man to rise earely, to goe late to bed, and with great labour to get his liuing: for so signifieth bread in this place. The Hebrewes call it the bread of affliction. The meaning then of these wordes is this:The bread of affliction. that bothe in houshold and ciuill gouernment all mans endeuour, all his care, study and trauel is in vaine except it be blessed from aboue. For by these kinds of speech,To rise earely, &c. to rise earely, and to lye downe late, he signifieth greate care and paineful trauel. As if he saide: It is not thy strength, thy care, thy study and endeuour that can make thee riche: but the blessing of God maketh a man rich, &c. God wil not giuegive successe vntounto thee because of thy labour, like as he will not giuegive riches to such as are idle and carelesse. Notwithstanding thou must labour, and yet must thou commit and commend al to God, which blesseth and giueth successe vntounto all.

But it seemeth (as the text soundeth) that the Prophet here forbiddeth laboure, contrary to that sayinge in Genesis: In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread: Also to these wordes of S. Paule: Rom. 10.Let him ruleth doe it with diligence. Here he seemeth to say the contrary: For he pronounceth that to laboure, to rise earely and to lye downe late, to be carefull and painfull is but in vaine, whereas notwithstanding in other places sloth and idlenes are condemned. Here ye must make a distinction betwene faith and workes, or betwene the spirite and the fleshe. With thy hart thou must trust in God and call vppon him: but if thou hast maried a wife, or bearest any office in the common wealth, that perteineth to the olde man, to the flesh & not to the spirit, to works and not to faith. Here thou must labour and exercise the outwarde man: Thou must rise earely and lye downe late: that is, thou must be carefull as touching the outwarde man, howe thou maist prouide for thy family, doe good in the common wealth, &c, but thy minde must be free and voyde of care, for care ought to extend no farther then to the outward man onelyonly: That is, the outwarde man ought not to be idle and slouthfull, but diligently to doe that which he is called vntounto, in labouring, in studying, in deuising, in prouiding as an instrument: So the handes must labour, but the hart must looke vpward from labour to the Lord, and craue helpe of him. So that whiles the outward man is exercised with labour and trauel, the hart of the new man in the steede of care and trauel, must f…ye to prayer and say: Lorde I obey and willingly followe thy calling. I wil therefore doe all thinges in thy name: Gouerne thou & direct my labours. This consolation is so great, that it can not be expressed. For although no successe follow, yet art thou quiet in mind & sayest: Thus it hath pleased God. I am not the principall cause to doe what I would, but the instrument cause onelyonly, & hauehave done what I could. For like as when thou hurte …ethy ha… with thyne axe or with some other toole in doing thy works, yet thy hand remaineth the same it was before and is not caste away: euen so, although thy family be disobedient, commende the matter to God and doe what thou canst: then shalt thou doe both these thinges so as God wil be wel pleased: that is, thou shalt rise earely and not rise earely, thou shal labour, and yet shalt not labour in vaine. For as touching the old man thou eatest the bread of sorrowe, but thy hart is quiet and at rest in hope of succour and the blessing of the Lord.

These thinges we dayly teach, and yet is the couetousnes of men so great, that there is no ende of heaping vp riches by hooke or crooke, by right or wrong. Yea they wil rather omitte the seruice of God, the hearing and preaching of his worde, then any gaineful labour. They doe not see that whiles they neglect the worde and seeke their owne gaine, they procure vntounto them selues a farre greater losse, which although they doe not presently feele, yet shall it come to passe, that their riches which with so greate labour they heape togither, by Gods iust iudgement shall perish eyther by theeues, by warre, by fire or otherwise: or else they shall neuer come to the heyre whom they doe appoynt. But in Popery this perswasion was deepely rooted in mens heartes, that if they had once heard a Masse, they beleued that what so euer they tooke in hand that day, should prosper. Howe great then is our impietie, which doe not giuegive that reuerence to God and his word, which they gaue to their own idolatrous worke? yea which preferre our owne gayne, our wealth and riches aboue God and the incomparable rich treasure of his word? Wherefore it shall come to passe, that for the punishment of this sinne, the world shall be brought to greater pouertie, and from day to day there shall be greater scarsitie of all thinges: like as we also doe see at this day that there is greater dearth of all thinges then hath bene in times past. What is the cause? Forsoth we rise earely, we lye downe late, and eate the bread of affliction: We delite in earthly cares, in toyle and trauell, be it neuer so paynefull, to enrich our selues, and in the meane season we neglect God and his word. Therefore will God heape vppon vsus aboundantly both cares and calamities, end that most iustly, for that it is which we so greedely seeke.

But I returne to the text. In the which ye see that housholde and ciuill gouernment are wholy committed vntounto vsus, but yet so that we must know and acknowledge our selues to be but Gods instruments and Gods workemen: not authors or first causes of these diuine matters. Therefore the Prophet thought it not enough to say affirmatiuely: God him selfe gouerneth and maketh the citie, he buildeth the house and appoynteth the family, but he setteth downe also the negatiue and sayth: Ye doe it not. And this is the part of a good teacher. But (as I hauehave sayd) the worlde can not abide the negatiue. For the worlde sayth: This will I, this hauehave I done, and this will I doe. It will needes be the gouerner of common wealthes and rule in Gods steede. Wherefore it receaueth a iust reward in that his enterprises are all in vayne and his labours without successe: As the Psalme sayth:Psal. 77.33. Their dayes are consumed in vanitie: that is to say, they were deade before they could bring to passe that they tooke in hande. For since they will not beleeue that God gouerneth all thinges, they see their owne policie to be but vanities, their labours vnprofitable and of none effect. Let eueryevery one of vsus therefore abyde in his degree and calling, and let vsus knowe that this God requireth of vsus, that we say: I beleue in one God: that is, God will still be God, the creator and maker of all things, and vsus he will take and account as his workemen onelyonly, as instruments and not authors or principall causes. But because we couet to be authors and efficient causes, therefore we finde nothing but vanitie and bread of affliction.

This sentence must be enlarged and applied to all states and degrees of men, and not onelyonly to artificers and men of occupation which rise earely to doe their worke. Not that it is euill to rise earely and goe late to bed, not that it is euill to be exercised with labour all the day: For these thinges God requireth of all men, but sloth and idlenes is accursed. But we must here put a distinction betwene labour and presumption.Labour is not forbidden, but presumption is condemned. He doth not condemne labour, but diuilish presumption he condemneth, because that we, not contented with our owne trauel and care, doe take vponupon vsus also Gods office and care which he hath for vsus: and he will wrest from vsus his diuine power and maiesty which we so presumptuously vsurpe and take vponupon vsus: he will hauehave vsus to labour and not to be idle: For this tentation is naturally rooted in vsus, that we presume to be as gods. This diuilish presumption beganne in paradise when Satan sayd to Eue: Ye shall be like gods, & it alwaies continueth fast fixed in this flesh, so that it can not be suppressed as it ought to be, and as we both teach and are taught, but needes we will be gods. This is therefore a very naturall disease and corruption of the creature. Against this presumption, and this care, which perteyneth to the diuine maiestie alone, the holy Ghost here fighteth, when he sayth, that it is not our endeuour, wisedom and policie, but God him selfe that ruleth these thinges, and we are but his instruments. But the wicked are neuer the better, Yea the godly also doe offend herein very often. For we are not content with our owne state and condition, but we will be gouerners also, and wil appoynt the beginning, the middes and the end, as may best serue for our owne commoditie. Wherefore we tyre our selues with vayne cares night and day, as the examples of the whole world doe declare. One man purposeth to marry this mayden or that, and in ordering of his house, in guyding of his familie to vse such wayes as he liketh best. But afterwardes the matter falleth out contrary to his expectation. Now his wife lyeth sicke, now his children dye, now one calamitie or an other hapneth. An other man deuiseth an exact forme of gouerning of the common wealth: but experience teacheth him that he is miserablie deceaued. All this is done (and in deede wel done) to the end thou shouldest knowe that God will not suffer thy presumption vnpunished, which goest about by thine owne wisedom and policy to take from him his diuine power and maiestie. But if no trouble happen to such presumptuous and carelesse wretches, it is a manifest token that great and horrible calamities hang ouer their heades, which at length they shall feele, and shall not escape.

To be briefe, there is no kinde of life wherein ye shall not see verie many thinges come othewise to passe then a man woulde looke for. Howe many thinges hauehave hapned to our aduersaries the Papistes contrary to their expectation? And of those thinges whereof they thought them selues to be most sure and certeyne, what hauehave they brought to passe? So it hapneth to eueryevery Magistrate and to eueryevery familie, that many tymes they can not accomplish that they take in hande. What gayne they then by their policies and paynefull trauells but vanitie, in that they torment them selues without any profite, and so spende their liues that there is almost no tyme wherein they enioy a quiet minde? So shall ye finde some Princes to be most happie if they woulde quietly enioy those giftes wherewith God hath endued them. And this is the meane whereby they might so doe, if they woulde commende … vntounto God. But what doe they? They take vppon them those thinges which are aboue their power and not required of God, and lose that happines which they did enioy: and with these cares and trauells they afflict and torment them selues euen vntounto death. And worthely. For why doe they so arrogantly take vppon them those thinges which God requireth not at their handes, and doe not quietly enioy those thinges which they possesse?Eccle. 6. As Salomon sayth: There is an euill which I hauehave seene vnderunder the Sunne, and it is muche amongest men: A man to whome God hath giuen riches, and treasures, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth: but God giueth him not power to eate thereof, &c. For if we could be content with those thinges which we hauehave, and quietly vse the giftes of God, and so reioyce with our wife, our children, and families geuing thankes into God for the same, and with a good conscience doing our dutie in our vocation, what could be so happy as we? But we doe that which this verse forbiddeth. We rise earely, we lye downe late, we torment our selues, and with sorrowe we eate our breade, This is the life of man throughout the whole world, as the holy Ghoste here witnesseth. The cause is, for that no man is content with his owne state. The benefites which God hath bestowed vponupon vsus to vse and enioy, we doe mislike. And as we doe not way or consider our owne good gifts and commodities: so hauehave we a louelove and liking of other mens, and couet the like. And what hauehave we thereby? Uanitie of vanities, bread of affliction, vnprofitable care and trauel, lying down and rysing vp in vaine.

Wherefore the godly alone doe content them selues with those good thinges which they enioy.The godly are contented with that they hauehave. For they knowe that God is the giuer and gouerner of all good thinges. Wherefore they laboure with an vpright heart, and those things which they get with their labour, they vse as the gifts of God, & do not presume to be the authors and efficient causes thereof: therefore they hauehave quietnes and peace of conscience: And if any trouble happen, they can ouercome it with Iob saying: God hath giuen and God hath taken away, the name of God be blessed. So can they bothe vse the good giftes which they hauehave, and also ouercome all troubles and calamities. The flesh can doe neither of these, but is occupyed only about such thinges as it would hauehave, and whilest it seeketh and traueleth for the same, it loseth the good thinges which presently it doth enioy: As did Esops dogge,Esops dogge which swimming ouer the water with a peece of flesh in his mouth, snatched at the shadowe of the flesh shining in the water, and so lost both. which in snatching at the shadow, lost the flesh which he had in his iawes, and the shadow withall. This dogge therefore is an image of the whole worlde, wherin ye may se, as it were, one master of the houshold, to whom God hath giuen a wife, children, a family, substance, &c. These thinges are the flesh in the doggs mouth. What doth he now? The giftes which he hath, he doth not regarde, but afflicteth him selfe with other vaine cares for such thinges, as he hath not nor shall euer attaine vntounto. But these thinges can not be learned out of bookes▪ but experience and practise is the onelyonly glose that interpreteth this Psalme. For I my self also doe vnderstand these matters and can teach them vntounto others. Yet often times it so commeth to passe, that I weary my selfe with vaine labours and trauells. The cause is, for that the desire and presumption to be like vntounto God▪ which is in vsus▪ and begun in Paradise, can not be vtterly shaken of, no not in the Sainctes and children of God. Nowe the more a man hath of this originall poyson, the lesse quietnes of minde and inward peace he hath, according to that saying of Augustine: A wise saying of Augustine.Thou hast commaunded Lord and so commeth it to passe, that eueryevery vnordinate mind should be a punishment vntounto it self. For like as drunkennes bringeth with it his owne punishment, that is to fay, cruditie and headach: so an inordinate mind bringeth with it the bread of sorrow and laboureth in vaine.

This is it which I sayd before, that this sentence is to be vnderstand, not onelyonly of artificers, but generally of all men in all offices and callings, that it is in vayne for them to rise early, that is to say, to be curious and carefull, and to presume of them selues in any kind of life. So the Magistrate riseth earely when he hath a care that all thinges may be done as he hath determined. Likewise in all kindes of life to rise earely is, when a man hath no quietnes, no time of rest from cares and trauells, vnlesse he obteyne that he seeketh for. But all this is in vayne. Hereof hauehave I seene innumerable examples, and ye shall see the like if ye liue. Yong men, because they lacke experience, doe not yet vnderstand these matters. But in time ye shall see that in all states and kindes of life, in husbandmen, artificers, the learned, vnlearned, Magistrates, Kinges, Princes, ye shall see (I say) that they rise earely, that is, they are carefull, they appoynt certeyne endes whereunto they direct all their deuises and policies. They make them selues efficient causes, and take vponupon them to rule all thinges by their owne wisedom. This the Gentiles also did see, and therefore they sayd that fortune beareth rule in all thinges. For if wisedom were enough to bring matters well to passe, then Cicero and Demosthenes had not bene deceiued by their wise and honest policies. If wisedom and strength were sufficient, then Hector had preserued Troy, and Iulius Caesar the Romane Empire. For wisedom, power, policie, & carefulnes was not lacking in these excellent men. They rose earely, they lay downe late, and did eate the bread of sorrow: notwithstanding they were deceiued and miserably perished. Therefore they were constrayned to say, that fortune ruleth in all the affayres of men, & that all thinges are done by chaunce. For commonly the wiser men they were, the more foolishly they gouerned in all their affaires. And true it is, that great wisedom ouerthroweth great kingdoms. And many times (as the prouerb sayth) wise men comit no small folly.Wise men some times committe great folly. Therefore, although the Gentiles (not lightned by the word of God, but onelyonly taught by experience) did confesse that the affaires of men are not gouerned by wisedom and power, yet did they still presume vponupon their owne wisedom and power, and needes they woulde gouerne common wealthes by their owne counsells and policies. But afterwarde, when they saw that there followed no successe, they acknowledged their errour and attributed all thinges vntounto fortune.These words fortune, chaunce, casualty & such like are not vsed because any thing commeth otherwise to passe then by the prouidence of God, but for that many things fall out otherwise then we looked for, & the cause thereof we can not see. But we must not impute any thing vntounto fortune (except we wil cal this fortune, when the counsells, the policies and enterprises of the wise and mighty come otherwise to passe, then they them selues did purpose or determine): but to the iudgement of God, who after this maner punisheth pride, arrogancie and presumption. For why do they presume to bee wise and mighty in those thinges which are farre aboue the wisedom and power of man, and are not gouerned but by God alone? Why doe they not there vse their wisedom and power where as God would hauehave them: to witte, in those things that are vnderunder their power? which are mentioned Gen. 2. Worthely therefore are they deceiued, and crye out that all things are gouerned by fortune: but to late, when they hauehave destroyed common wealthes and kingdoms. *The song of fooles to say: I had not thought, or, had I wist.For this is the song of fooles, to say: I had not thought, and so to accuse fortune.

For fortune is not the cause that thy deuises and policies doe deceiue thee, but thine owne folly and the ignorance of God and thy selfe: First for that thou dost not vnderstand who or what thou art: Againe, thou doest not see what the commaundement of God is, and how farre forth he will hauehave thee to rule & gouerne. Thou beginnest with to high a note, as the Asse doth, and therefore thou makest an ill ende. When thou seest this, thou cryest out and sayest: there is no God, there is no prouidence of God: For wise and politike Princes doe not accomplishe that which they hauehave most wisely deuised and determined:Wise and mightie men bring not to passe that they go about. mighty Princes bring not that to passe, which they are able to doe as touching their strength and power. Therefore either God is vniust, or no God at all: for else he would hauehave regard vntounto wise men, and all thinges shoulde be done as they hauehave determined. O blasphemous mouth. As though God must be such a God, who when he seeth that thou hast deuised and ordered all thinges wisely, must come vntounto thee and say: Master gouerner, you hauehave done all thinges well: you are a wise man and able to gouerne without me. But thou presumptuous spirite, whilest thou attributest all things to the wisedom, policie & power of man, where is the glory and the maiestie of God? yea where is God him selfe if thou doest prouide, gouerne, and bring to passe all things? If all thinges be done by thy wisedom and power, then is the wisedom & power of God brought to nothing. Nay rather let thy wisedom, thy power and thy policie be vtterly confounded and brought to nought, that thou maist learne by experience, that the wiser a man is, the lesse able he is to accomplish that he taketh in hand, yea the more foolish he is and without all successe: On the other side, where lesse hope is, there God giueth best successe, to the ende thou shouldest know that the wisedom and power wherin thou doest glory and trust, is nothing, and can doe no good, but rather much hurt. Not that God condemneth wisedom and power, for they are the gifts of God giuen vntounto men: but this he condemneth, that men of great wisedom & power through the confidence they hauehave therin, doe exclude God from all houshold and ciuill gouernment, and take vppon them to rule all thinges by their owne wisedom and power. So Cicero, Iulius Caesar, Brutus by wisedom & policie goe about to rule the common wealth. They thinke with them selues: Thus will I doe, Who? I Cicero, I Caesar, I Brutus. By what meanes? By mine owne wisedom, policie & power. This arrogancie and pride they doe not know to be sinne. Afterwards, when they see their wise counsells disapoynted, their deuises and policies ouerthrowne, they become blasphemers, & thinke there is no God, or else that God is vniust, which giueth no honour to vertue, no successe to wisedom. But why hauehave they no successe? Because they passe the boundes of their owne wisedom, and are not content that they are set as Lords & rulers ouer the beasts of the fielde, the fishes of the sea, the foules of the ayre, &c: the gouernment whereof God hath committed vntounto man (Gen. 2.): but also they presume of them selues to rule mā like vntounto them selues, house, wife, children, kingdoms. Empires, and that by their owne authoritie and wisedom, setting God a part, and not asking of him either counsell or succour.

Wherefore this verse is an image and true resemblance of the whole world.The whole world riseth earely in vayne. For what is all the world else, with all his wisedom, deuises and policies, but an earely rising in vayne. Beholde the higher powers, Princes, Magistrates, behold the rulers and gouerners of families, and ye shall see that they rise earely, but in vayne. From the highest therefore vntounto the lowest, the Prince as well as the poore handmayden in the hause sing this song: I rise earely, I tyre my selfe, and I eate the breade of sorrowe. There are very fewe lightned by God from aboue, which hauehave the grace to knowe them selues to be but instruments and God to be the gouerner, or thinke the successe of their trauells to be the gift of God, and not the worke and fruite of their owne wisedom and policie. All the rest doe walke in the arrogancie and presumption of their owne hartes, and as though they were Lordes and rulers ouer all thinges, they attribute all vntounto their owne worke and wisedom. And what gayne they hereby but vtter ruine and destruction? So Cicero, Demosthenes and other excellent men in the common wealth did not offend in that they were wise: like as Achas and Achab in the kingdome of Israell did not, which, as it appeareth, were men of great policie: but in this they sinned: because they thought those affayres and that kingdome to be subiect vntounto their wisedome. Cicero sawe him selfe to be the onelyonly Oratour of the common wealth of Rome, and he sawe also what ought to be done and howe all thinges ought to be gouerned: but because he lacked the feare of God, and imputed all to his owne deuises, his owne wisedom and policie, excluding God: therefore God woulde showe vntounto him by his owne experience, that wisedom and policie is not enough for the executing and accomplishing of such weightie matters, but that the blessing of God is required from aboue. Wherefore Cicero did not onelyonly no good in the common wealth with his wise counsell and great wisedom, but also procured his owne destruction.

The same may we say also of worldly wealth and riches. Riches are not euill, but they are the giftes of God, as wisedome is. Therefore the Lorde giueth vntounto vsus the vse and possession thereof. But when the rich man will say: these thinges are mine, these hauehave I gotten by mine owne labour and industrie, and beholdeth them as his owne birth, this is euill, and is that diuilish presumption and that desire to be like vntounto God,The naturall presumption of man to be like vntounto God, or to be as Gods. the which our first parents, being deceiued by the Deuill, beganne in Paradise, and all we which came of them, doe bring with vsus. As impossible therefore as it is for vsus to put of this flesh which we carry about with vsus: so impossible is it vtterly to cast away this presumption and desire, to be as Gods. Notwithstanding the godly doe fight against it, and from day to day stil they mortifie it more and more, vntill at length it be wholy abolyshed, togither with this life. The godly therefore, to whome God hath giuen worldly goodes and riches, doe say: In deede I hauehave wealth and substaunce, but this is not my worke, but thy blessing O Lord and thy gifte, which thou hast giuen vntounto me by the meanes of my labour. But if thou haddest not giuen it, thongh I had laboured neuer so much, I shoulde hauehave had nothing. But the worlde sayth otherwise.The abuse of the giftes of God in the worlde. I hauehave a faire wife, I hauehave sweete children. By whose gifte and benefite? Forsooth mine owne. Nay sayth the Lord: Seeing thou doest so arrogantly presume vppon these thinges as thyne owne, thou lyest. And for a token hereof I will cause that thy children shall dye, or shall be defiled: that thy wife shall lye sicke or become an harlot, or else shall consume thy goods, &c. An other hath faire houses, gay and sumptuous buildinges. If you aske of him: how came you by these things? by whose meane? by whose deuise and policie? He aunsweareth: Euen by mine owne. No, not so, sayth the Lorde, and that thou mayest see it to be true, I will bringe to passe, that eyther they shall be consumed with fire, or else before thou shalt enioy them according to thy desire, thou shalt dye. An other quietly and peaceably gouerneth a common wealth, a dukedome, a kingdom. By whose power and policye? By mine owne, sayth he. Not so. And that thou maiest see the same to be true, either sedition, warre or some other trouble shall be raised vp, that thou shalt wonder and say: who could once hauehave thought that these thinges shoulde hauehave come thus to passe?

Against this presumption, this Psalme armeth vsus, & teacheth eueryevery one, both Prince and people, high and low to say: My wife, my children, my family, my goods, the publike peace, the cōmon wealth, &c. are the gifts of God. These I wil vse with thankfulnes so long as it shall please God and as he shall giuegive me the vse thereof. If my wife or my children dye, if any trouble come either publikely or priuately, I wil say: O Lord, I was the possessor of these benefites, thou gauest them and thou hast also taken them away, I will therfore patiently beare this losse. Notwithstanding, the possession there of could not alwaies hauehave continued, &c, A mind thus …med & instructed shal be wel able cherefully to beare all aduersities: which the wicked are constrained to suffer with great anguish and sorowe. But they heare not these thinges: Therefore they finde & feele that to be most true which this Psalme sayth: It is in vaine for you to rise earely: Yea they are their owne tormentors and their owne deuils, which miserably vexe & torment them selues, but altogither in vaine. For why doe they not harken and giuegive eare vntounto the word? Beholde therfore all common wealths, al kingdomes, either of the Romanes, the Athenians, the Lacedemonians, the Thebanes, or others, whereof any historyes are extant, and ye shall see a true image and liuely resemblance of this verse.

Verse. 2.

But to his beloued he will giuegive sleepe [or rest] or else: To his beloued he will giuegive by sleepe.

After that he had before sufficiently reproued that presumption and desire to be like gods, which is naturally rooted in vsus, now he proceedeth to the other part of this Psalme, in the whiche he teacheth that all thinges come from the blessing of God. For this is in deede the right order of teaching, first to destroy that which is false, and then to builde vppe that which is true and sound. For it might be demaunded: what is then to be done, if our power and wisedome doe nothing auaile? As we see it came to passe in Cicero, in whome there was as great wisedome as was possible to be in a man, and yet he did no good therewith, but hurt both him selfe and others. He did not offend by ignorance as touching the affayres wherein he had to deale. What then was his offence? with his wisedome he toyned presumption, because that he thought the administration of the hardest matter in the whole worlde, to be the worke, the effect and fruite of his wisedome. Wherefore, although there was in Cicero (as I hauehave saide, and as his workes do testifie) so much wisedom as can be in any man, yet was he not able to performe that he tooke in hande. Therefore he could not see that ende of his labours, deuises and polycyes which he looked for. Like as it happened also to Demosthenes and many other excellent men whiche with like presumption tooke vponupon them the like gouernment. Whereas then the ende fell out contrary to their expectation, there was in them no lacke of wisedom or wise and prudent gouernment, but their owne folly was the cause therof, in that they gloried, not only in them selues, but also in others, that the people might magnifie them and say: Behold, we hauehave followed this man, he hath brought these matters to passe, &c. as that verse of Cicero doth declare: O happie Rome (sayth he) when I was made a Consul thereof. Is not this an arrogancie intolerable and worthie to be beaten downe? In the ende therefore he singeth an other song, as in his epistle to Octauius it doth appeare. And this is to make of y^t gift of God, a work of the pride of man, or rather of the deuill.

If then Cicero and Demosthenes, since their wisedom, their wise counsells and deuises hauehave deceaued them, should nowe demaund this question: what is to be done? Shall wisedom be reiected? Shall the common weale be neglected and forsaken? &c. Salomon aunswereth: No, not so. But (sayth he) ye must rule, ye must gouerne the common weale with counsell and good aduise. So he biddeth the master of a houshold to marry a wife, to till the ground, to nourish his family, &c. but yet so that this sentence must alwayes stand: he will giuegive to his beloued by sleepe. He will giuegive, that is, what so euer a man hath he must acknowledge the same to be a gift. Also he will giuegive to him which is his beloued, and he wil giuegive also by sleepe. So that it shall be a gift, and a gift giuen to his beloued, and easily giuen. This is the summe & effect of this verse briefly expoūded, which he will afterward more largely declare by the partes thereof: So that what so euer thou beholdest, thy selfe, thy life, thy body, thy wife, thy children, peace and quietnes, good successe, &c, thou must acknowledge the same to be the gift of the Creator, giuen vntounto none but vntounto his beloued. In the former verse therefore (as I hauehave sayd) is set forth a liuely resemblance of the whole world, wherein are men, not beloued, but starke madde through a carnall presumption and desire to be like vntounto God, which will rule all thinges by their owne deuises and policies. These men hauehave no gift for as much as that which they hauehave, they doe not acknowledge as a gift, nor say: These thinges God hath giuen vntounto me. And albeit Cicero and other Philosophers doe sometimes confesse that these thinges are Gods giftes, yet they doe not so beleue: for they them selues will bee as Gods, which with their owne counsells, wisedome and wise policies hauehave defended the common weale, enlarged the Empire, preuented imminent daungers and troubles, &c. Through this presumption they prouoke God to send amongst them some Annibal, or some Pirrhus, or to stirre vp ciuill warres by Silla, Pompeius, or the conspiracie of Cataline, with other seditious persons, that so they might knowe them selues, not to be the gouerners of so high and weighty matters. Thus the wicked also and the godles hauehave the giftes of God, although they vnderstand not that they are giftes. But this must we vnderstand and knowe. Wherefore if thou hast married a wife, if thou be a Magistrate in the common weale, or liuest in any other calling, be wise, heare the word of God, and vnderstand what thou art, and what thou art not. Adorne thy wife, thy children, thy family, thy substance with this title, that the Lord hath giuen them: that is to say, thinke euen from thine hart that they are the giftes of God, which God hath giuen thee, and requireth nothing else againe for the same, but that with a thankful hart thou shouldest acknowledge the same to be his giftes. But this to doe is also the gift of God, as it is sayd in the .8. chapter of the booke of wisedome: I knowe that I coulde not keepe my selfe chast except God gaue it vntounto me, and that was a poynt of wisedom also, to know whose gift it was.

He therfore which certeinly perswadeth him self, that his wife, his children, his goods are the gifts of God, is not proud through the successe thereof, because he knoweth them to be Gods giftes, and not his owne worke or his owne glory. The husband being thus perswaded, hath a pure reioycing in his wife and children, because he knoweth that they are the giftes of God, and he enioyeth them with thankes giuing, so long as it pleaseth God. If God take them away againe, he beareth it patiently and eateth not the bread of affliction, because he is the beloued of God, and he liueth as though he were in a sleepe, and whiles he sleepeth the nette is drawne according to the prouerbe, that is, all thinges prosper and goe well with him. Thus the godly man vseth Gods giftes and that rule, that gouernment which is committed vntounto him by God. Genesis. 2. He eateth, he drinketh, he sleepeth, he reioyceth in his wife, his children, his substance with thankes giuing, saying: Lord God, it was thy gift, and it is thy gift: If thou take it away, thine it is againe, &c. So resteth his hart in true and godly quietnes. But the wicked hauehave the bread of affliction, and sleepe not, no not in the night. But the godly man, not onelyonly in the nyght, but all the time of his life sleepeth sweetely: that is, he hath a cheerefull and a quiet conscience, and resteth, as it were in a softe bedde. He leaueth vntounto God the chiefe gouernment of all things, he enioyeth Gods giftes, and knoweth him selfe to bee Gods instrument, and so hath all thinges in rest as it were by sleepe, geuing glory vntounto God: and in doing nothing he doth all thinges, and in doing all thinges he doth nothing.

Thus hauing before sufficiently reprehended and condemned the presumption of mans wisedome and strength, he sheweth the true cause and also the chiefe master and gouerner of families and common weales: to witte, the Lorde him selfe. And here he vseth a maruelous breuitie: he giueth to his beloued (sayth he) by sleepe. This sleepe whereof he speaketh must be referred to the rest and quietnes of the minde and conscience, and not to the rest of the fleshe or of the body. We muste labour and trauel as touching the body, but with a cheerefull conscience, looking assuredly for the blessing of God: as in Genesis it is written, that all our welfare, and all that we hauehave consisteth in the blessing of God and not in our owne labour and industrie. Nowe he procedeth, and that which before he briefely expounded, he declareth more at large in the same order whiche before he obserued, firste speaking of housholde gouernment, and afterwardes of politike gouernment.

Verse. 3.

Behold, children are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruite of the wombe his rewarde.

Not onelyonly the wordes, but also the phrase and manner of speech are diuine and heauenly, which the holy Ghoste and the Scripture here vseth. The meaning then is this: Behold, this is the wisedome, this is the rule and the meane to iudge rightly of housholde gouernment and matrimony, that children are an heauenly inheritance, that is to say, the gifte of God, and that the fruite of the wombe, that is, what so euer is borne of the wombe, is a rewarde, that is to say, the gifte of God. It is not besides the purpose, if, here for a difference yee sette children in the first place as the malekinde, and in the second place the fruite of the wombe, as the femalekinde of all liuing creatures, but specially of mankinde. But all commeth to one thing, that is to say, to be a Father or to be a Mother is not the worke of man, but of God. And albeit the husband begetteth childrē by his wife, & the wife conceaueth by y^e man, yet both are the gifts of God, and both are the blessing of God, as the text saith: God created male and female. He created them (saith the Scripture) to signifie that they are not their owne gouerners and creators, but both male & female are the creatures of God. Afterwardes he addeth more ouer: and he blessed them, saying, increase and multiply. Out of this place of Genesis is this verse of the Psalme taken. For in that God giueth vntounto vsus children, it is no worke of ours, but it is the blessing of God. Notwithstanding the world, although it hath continuall experience of this blessing, doth neither vnderstande, nor consider the same. For the procreation of children, because it is a dayly benefite, and a continuall blessing, is nothing estemed. Thus the world walloweth in voluptuousnes, filthy lust and pleasure, and these inestimable benefites wherein it liueth and walketh, it neither knoweth nor regardeth.

This is moreouer to be noted, that God did not so confusely blesse man as he blessed other creatures: but he adorned man with a peculiar blessing, to the ende we might vnderstand, that it is the gift of God to hauehave sonnes & daughters, and that neither the husband shoulde attribute to him selfe any thing as though he made his wife friutefull, nor the wife should attribute any thing to her selfe as though she conceaued through her owne strength and the benefite of nature: but should learne that these are in deede heauenly and diuine workes. Therfore some times we see that healthfull and bewtifull women coupled with strong and healthfull husbands, and liuing in great wealth and pleasure, are barren and fruiteles notwithstanding. Whereby God would show, that to beget and to bring forth children is the blessing of God, & commeth not of the power of man or the strength of nature. Contrarywise an other man that liueth poorely, & hardly can get a good meales meate, hath a house full of children. It is a true saying therefore of the Germanes, when they speaking of their children doe say: God hath giuen me childrē. But although this saying be in eueryevery mans mouth, yet are there very few that know what this blessing is, or esteme it as they should doe, because it is ouerwhelmed and darkened with inordinate lust and other filthines of the flesh, with labours and trauells, with troubles, miseries and calamities. These thinges (I say) doe hide and darken this heauenly benediction, so that it seemeth to be now not a benediction, but rather a malediction. For when parents dye and leaue their children without help and succour, when men see their children or their wiues stubborn, intractable and disobedient, &c. it seemeth to them that the malediction far passeth the benediction. Wherefore the Scripture calleth vsus back to the consideration and beholding of the matter it self and the substance of matrimony, which is the blessing of God, that in beholding the same we may ouercome what miseryes and calamities so euer we finde in matrimony.

And here appeareth our infirmitie and incredulitie. For this is the nature of vsus all, that one discommoditie doth greeue vsus more, then an hundreth commodities can make vsus to reioyce. We see that he which hath an healthful body is more troubled with a push or a byle in his knee or in his elbow, then ioyfull for the health of his whole body besides: according to the Dutche prouerbe: If thou cary a man to Rome vponupon thy shoulders, and hurte him neuer so litle when thou settest him down, thou losest all thy thankes. Example hereof we see also in vnthankfull children, that when their parentes hauehave brought them vp with great charges, either they desire the death of their parents, or else they are disobedient, and forget all the benefites bestowed vponupon them. So it commeth to passe also in matrimony, that the benediction of God is darkened and ouerwhelmed with the malediction, as the worlde counteth it. The holy Ghost therefore doth here notably set foorth and amplyfie this blessing, to the end we should rather behold the author and creator him selfe, then those troubles wherewith this holy kinde of life is hid and ouerwhelmed. Let vsus therefore diligently set forth this word and in that let vsus rest which we reade in Genesis: And he blessed them. With this worde let vsus arme and confirme our selues against those troubles and calamities, and say: If this our calling & kind of life be the blessing of God, I wil reioyce in the Lord the giuer of this blessing, how so euer the matter fall out, be it well or euill, and I will assuredly perswade my selfe that this worke pleaseth God. For I know that my wife, my children, my house & family are the giftes of God, that thou maist write this title [it is the gift of God] vponupon all that thou hast and doest possesse, and thus wrapping the blessing of God and diuine Maiestie in thy kinde of life, thou shalt ouercome all troubles and calamities be they neuer so great.

They that lack or neglect the worde and are without the feare of God, can not be thus perswaded of the state of matrimony, but they thinke that man and wife are coupled togither by fortune, and that children are begotten and borne of them euen as of swine. When they hauehave them that bring them vppe in wealth and pleasure. Some time it commeth to passe also that the children of wise, excellent and notable men doe myserably degenerate, as many examples doe witnesse both in holy and prophane histories, and as commonly we see also at this day. Wherefore the holy Ghost calleth vsus backe to the word of God, that we should learne that our bodyes are not our owne, but that if thou be a man, thou shouldest thinke that what so euer is in thee pertaining to a man, is the gifte of God: and euen so that children are Gods blessing and his gifte, and not thyne owne. Wherefore continue thou the creature of God, and perswade thy selfe that thy life and thy body, in that thou art a man, doe please God. Then mayest thou without any great trouble and with a good conscience enioy those thinges which God hath giuen thee, namely thy life, thy wife, thy children and thy goods, and if any troubles come, thou mayst ouercome them also by comparing the same with the other benefites, which thou shalt finde in thy kinde of life to be more & much greater, then all the troubles and calamities are besides.

Moreouer by the name of children he signifieth not onelyonly the fruite of the wombe, but also what so euer is necessarye for the bringing vp, the clothing, and the nourishing of the same. For he that giueth and createth children, giueth and createth also with them necessary sustenance to feede & to nourish them, or else they can not continue. To some therefore God giueth more, to some lesse, yet so that he suffereth none to perish through famine, except it be to shewe his iudgement vponupon some. Moreouer, children doe bring with them generally euē in their birth by a diuine working of God, what so euer is needefull for their sustentation, that they should not perish through necessitie. And although some times it hath so happened that mothers hauehave deuoured their children, yet a few examples do not take away this general rule. For these were speciall examples of the wrath and of the plage of God. It is one thing to speake of God as he is offended and sendeth plagues, and an other thing to speake of him as he gouerneth and nourisheth vsus. Wherefore we see the children of such as liue miserably with bread and water to hauehave healthfull bodies, liuely, and well liking. Againe we see many folkes children which liue in great wealth and pleasure, to goe like ghostes, leane, pale and pining. And why so? because children are the gift of God, whom God him selfe hath created: Wherefore he giueth those things withall, which children can not lacke, as the first creation of man doth declare. For before that Adam was formed of the earth, God the maker of the earth prepared the same as a house for him to dwell in. And this house he left not empty and vnfurnished, but replenished it with all kindes of wealth, riches, and all good thinges, that he might shew vntounto vsus the posteritie of Adam, that he would be our father, would keepe, guide, and gouerne vsus, and giuegive vntounto vsus all thinges plentifully, so that we would beleue.

Likewise, whiles the childe liueth yet in the mothers wombe, it is not able to helpe it selfe, but is nourished by God alone. For what is it able to doe, which lyeth yet without any sense? After it is come into the world, it hath the mothers breastes to nourish it, as a founteyne ordeyned to that ende and purpose: It hath bathes to wash it, it hath clothes to lappe it in, it hath the cradle to lye in, and such other thinges as it hath neede of. Moreouer, there are not onelyonly women at hande to doe what so euer is necessarie about the infant, but Angells also,The ministery of Angells about yong children & infants. as many notable examples doe witnesse: And to what ende are all these things done? To shewe that God will preserue his giftes and benefites. Wherefore children are here to be taken, not for children onelyonly, that is, for flesh, skynne and bones, but for all other thinges that perteyne vntounto children. In like manner by the wife and the husband we must vnderstand, not their bodies onelyonly, but their habitation, meate and drinke, apparell, and all other thinges necessary for the maintenaunce and gouernment of a family. And these are the excellent giftes of God whether they bee great or small: For God doth not distribute them to all men alyke: Notwithstanding although they bee but small, yet in that they are the giftes of God, they are great and liberall. For like as we rather esteme and regard the rewards of Princes by the boū tifull heart and minde wherewith they are giuen, then by the valewe and worthines thereof, be they neuer so small: euen so although God hath giuen vntounto thee but a small portion poorely to susteyne thee and thyne withall, yet lette the good will and the blessing of God content thee, and thereupon rest, because thou knowest assuredly that God loueth thee and of louelove hath giuen the same vntounto thee: which if he take from thee againe, thou shalt be more able to beare it patiently, because thou knowest it to be, not thine owne, but the gift of God. Thus is thy mind quiet & at rest,Philip. 4. whether thou hauehave plenty or whether thou lacke. When thou doest thus cloth and apparell, and (as a man would say) incorporate God with his owne benefites, then doe those benefites become more large and plentiful, how smal so euer in outward appearance they seeme to be.

This may suffice as touching y^e meaning of the Prophet. Now it remaineth that we should say some thing concerning the grammaticall sense and signification of the wordes: which, because of the Hebrew phrase and maner of spech, is somewhat obscure. For where the Prophet sayth: Children are the inheritance of the Lord, we may say: Children are the gift of God. For in the Hebrew tongue this word inheritance hath a large signification. Inheritance the Hebrewes doe call the land diuided among the people by Iosua. Hereof it commeth that this word is applied to all donations and free giftes. For the land of Canaan was giuen only to the children of Israell. Whereupon all possessions, proprieties, and free giftes are called inheritance. So is it sayde in the Psalme: Thy lawe is mine inheritance, that is, a gift which thou hast giuen vntounto me. We vse this word otherwise, for that which is giuen to vsus by our parents. But in the Hebrew tongue it is taken for a gift or a portion giuen of God.

Where he sayth: and the fruite of the wombe is his rewarde, we may say: Children are the bountifull, and the free gift of the Lord. It is a repetition of that which goeth before. As if he sayd: The benefite which we receiue of the Lord, as it were by inheritance, is children: the gift which the Lord bestoweth vppon the godly and proceedeth from his liberalitie, is the fruite of the wombe: So that inheritance and reward signifie both one thing, that is to say, the gift and liberalitie of the Lord. So we reade Ieremy 31. Refrayne thy voyce from weeping & thyne eyes from teares: for thy workes shall be rewarded, sayth the Lorde. Also Matth. 5. Reioyce and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen. Likewise 1. Cor. 15. Be ye stedfast, for as much as ye knowe that your labour is not in vayne in the Lord, that is, it shall be rewarded.

This is the doctrine of the holy Ghost concerning the true and Christian gouernment of housholds and familyes, to beleeue that children and all thinges else are the gift of God. When we assuredly know… that we receiue all things at Gods hands as the only giuer thereof, then do we learne by a goodly consequence, which the holy Ghost here teacheth vsus, how we may beare & ouercome all miseries and calamities: so that, if either wife or children dye, or if any other aduersities or miseries happen, we may say with holy Iob: The Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lorde. For reason being now lightned by the word, doth acknowledge Gods blessing, and giueth thankes vntounto him for the same, and in aduersitie doth not repugne or repine against the will of God. Not that we can lose the giftes of God without sorowe and heuinesse of the flesh: for we doe not here goe about to comfort the fleshe, but the spirite. Albeit the very Sainctes and children of God also doe feele these troubles: notwithstanding they are not oppressed and ouercome therewith. Like as Iacob was in great anguish when he had lost Ioseph: yet he did not despaire, he did not blaspheme, but suffered this calamitie patiently, because he knewe that, as Ioseph was the gifte of God, so he was taken away againe also by God. He therefore that hath a minde thus prepared and instructed, shall not be ouercome with any troubles or calamities, be they neuer so greeuous. But it is not enough to learne these thinges by hearing and by reading of bookes onelyonly, but experience and practise thereof is also required, without the which this housholde gouernment can neuer be learned, this blessing of true and christian matrimony cannot be vnderstand: As we may see in those which setting God aparte, behold nothing else but fortune and chaunce. These men, when they enter into matrimony to no other ende but to liue in lust, wealth, and pleasure,Note the end of those men that are not thankfull to God for their wealth and welfare, but attribute all to fortune and chaunce. and to aduaunce their children by their wisedom and policie, to great riches, honour and dignitie, do find that all things fall out cleane contrary, so that both they, their wiues, childrē and riches doe miserably perish, because they are ignorant that there is no successe without the blessing of God. On the other side, they that inioy these giftes as the blessing of God, with thankful harts for the same, although they fal into many troubles and afflictions, are not withstanding of a quiet and cheerefull conscience.

Verse. 4.

As are the arrowes of strong men, so are the children of youth.

This is a similitude taken of warre, and pertaineth to politike gouernment. The how in y^e hand of the strong archer is not drawn in vaine, as Dauid saith of Ionathan. The arrow or dart of Ionathan neuer turned back, that is, it neuer missed but perced & wounded. Wherefore Esay calleth the Apostles arrowes: and likewise Zachary. The meaning then is this. It is the gift of God to reign at home in peace without sedition, and to obteine victory abroade. And without this gifte in ciuill gouernment there is no successe, nor victory in battail. For in the common weale are alwayes moe enemyes then friends. Moreouer the greater part is alwaies euil, & commonly ouercommeth the better, if God do not help. Wherfore to hauehave a flourishing common weale, it is a speciall gifte of God. Yong men therefore must defend the common weale & stand in battail against the enemy. For they are like arrowes or dartes, which strike and perse because they are sent of God. For olde men are not meete for warre, according to that saying: Youth musts trauell, midle age must giuegive counsel and old men must pray: That is, yong men must labour and take paines for the defence & maintenance of the common weale. They that are more ripe in yeares and wisedome, must helpe the common weale with graue counsell and good aduise, and they which are olde and impotent must pray for the prosperous state and good successe thereof.

But here note what an excellent title he giueth to those that do defend the common weale, when he calleth yong men the gifte of God: such yong men he meaneth as are vertuous and feare God, whom God maketh mightie arrowes or darts to ouerthrow their enemyes and winne the victory. For this euen the Gentiles also learned by experience, that victory did not consiste in the strength and power of man, but was giuen from aboue, and that industrie and wise policie were of more force then armour & weapons, So hath it often times come to passe that great armies hauehave bene vanquished and put to flight with a small power. Not that we shoulde not prouide armour and weapons, souldiers and men of warre for the defence of the common weale: but because the Magistrate, if he must needes make warre, should neither presume of him selfe, nor yet despaire, whether he hauehave many souldiers or whether he hauehave fewe, but considering his charge and calling, whereby he is constreyned to enter into battaile, should seeke and aske from heauen helpe and victorie, saying: Lord in thy hand is strength and victory: be thou my helper, fight thou for me: Like as on the other side, if in the strength, power and multitude of men thou excedest thyne enemies, yet mayest thou not therefore thinke thy selfe sure of the victory, but thou must aske it of God, and say: Lord, victory is thyne, which if it be thy good pleasure to giuegive vntounto me, I will thanke thee and praise thy name therefore. But if through our ouerthrow it be thy will to punish our sinnes, beholde, here I am. Such a confidence, although it be but in the Magistrate, the guide or captaine alone, which acknowledgeth his charge & calling, and asketh helpe and succour of God, shall vndoubtedly obteyne the victory: like as Iephta did. He in his office and calling would gladly hauehave liued in peace togither with his people: But this could not Ammon suffer. Wherefore Iephta seeing that he was constreyned to fight, prayed for the helpe & assistance of God against his enemies, and so obteyned the victory. For he acknowledged that strength and victory came not of him selfe, but of the Lord, as his onelyonly gift. So King Dauid had many and notable victories ouer his enemies, one after an other. By what meanes? Forsoth he had armour and weapons, with al furniture of warre, he had mighty armies both of horsemen and footemen. But victorie (sayth he) consisteth not in these thinges. Therefore he prayed that God would giuegive him victory, and hoped to receaue the same no otherwise then at his handes alone. Upon this confidence and trust followed vndoubted victory. Salomon therefore teacheth in this verse that victory is the gift of God. And like as arrowes which are shot with might and violence, doe wound and pearce: euen so yong men are valiant in warre, not by their owne strength, boldnes and presumption, but by the blessing of the Lorde alone. Children of youth. This is a phrase of the Hebrew. As much to say as yong men. As the child of death they call him which is appoynted to death. Or it signifieth yong men begotten and borne of their parents in the tyme of their youth which are strong and able to stand in defence of the common weale.

Verse. 5.

Blessed is the mā that hath his quiuerful of them: he shal not be ashamed when he speaketh with his enemies in the gate.

He setteth forth the former similitude more plainly, and by the quiuer he vnderstandeth the common weale, as in the verse going before by arrows he vnderstood yong men. As if he sayd: That is a happy Prince, and that is a happy common weale, which hath this blessing, and knoweth it to be the gift of God. Uictory and peace must needes be there.

To speake in the gate is a phrase vsed of the Hebrewes. And it doth not onelyonly signifie to speake, but to speake politikely, that is, to make lawes, to gouerne by lawes, to defend the godly, to bridle the wicked, &c. And it is as much to say as where such yong men are, the Magistrates are able to speake in the gates: that is, they are able to defend the common weale, they fruitfully trauell in the affayres thereof, they mainteyne good lawes, &c. But heare what he addeth moreouer, that such hauehave alwayes enemies which doe not onelyonly withstand them, but also hate them and speake euil of them. But all this must they learne to beare. For if they will be discouraged through the malice of y^e wicked, if they seeke to please and feare to displease, there must needes follow a confusion of all thinges. As we may see in Princes Courtes, where men seeke to please, and to liue in fauour, and therefore they will reproue nothing, least thereby they shoulde purchase the displeasure of the Prince. They will be in authoritie and liue in the Court for reward, promotion, and glory, and not to serue the Prince and the cōmon weale. And hereof commeth it that there is no right forme of gouernment any where to be found. Wherfore let such as feare to offend and can not beare the displeasure and hatred of men, take no office, no rule or authoritie vponupon them. Who euer gouerned a kingdome more holily then Dauid? and yet when his seditious sonne Absolon spake euill of him to the people, he easily founde those which did beleeue him. And why so? Because Dauid was a holy King, and did not winke at the sinnes of his subiects, but punished them sharply according to their desertes. This thing procured vntounto Dauid the hatred of the people. Afterwards when his owne sonne tooke vponupon him to be the captaine and author of sedition, they were easily perswaded to forsake him their Lorde and King & rebelled against him. For it can not be but that he which wil doe his duety vprightly in his calling, not omitting nor neglecting the fame either for feare or for fauour, must needes stirre vp against him the hatred of the wicked.

Wherefore this clause, to speake with the enemies in the gate, must not be barely vnderstand, as of a matter of light importance. For it signifieth the great care and trauell, the faithfull diligence and vigilancie of godly Magistrates in their vocation, that is to say, to make good lawes and to execute the same, to constrayne the wicked to obey them with punishment, with bondes and imprisonment, to stirre vppe the fury of the malicious and spitefull, &c. So that he which ruleth must so rule, that he shall neuer be without the feare of great daungers if he respect the outragious boldnes and presumption of the wicked. For he shall finde that to rule is nothing else but to heape vponupon him selfe dispite and malice, and to cast him selfe into the iawes of a byting and a cruell beast: As Aeschines when he gaue ouer the gouernment of the common weale of Athens, sayd that he was deliuered from the common weale, as from a madde and a raging dogge. And Bias sayd, that the office sheweth what the man is. For howe many common weales, how many Princes shall ye see at this day, which keepe their people and their nobilitie in the reuerent and due obedience of their lawes? For, to rule, of all the workes and affayres that belong vntounto man in this worlde, is the greatest and the hardest. Moreouer, like as he which entreth into matrimony and marrieth a wife to no other ende but to accomplish his owne lust and pleasure, is deceiued, and wrappeth him self in great and infinite troubles: euen so he that taketh vppon him any office in the common weale for reward, estimation and glory, findeth all things cleane contrary to his expectation, if he endeuour to rule and gouerne as he should doe. Wherefore it followeth, that they being oppressed with troubles and trauells, become impatient and forsake all togither.

Wherefore the Magistrate must learne that in gouernment these vices are not lacking: to witte, hatred, rebellion, sedition, discord, ingratitude, and a thousand daungers: also troublers of the common peace and quietnes, which are enemies to his life, his goodes, his name and estimation. What shall the Magistrate here doe? First let him know that power and authoritie is the ordinance of God, perswading him selfe that he is appoynted to rule and gouerne by the will of God. When he hath thus done, let him arme and confirme his mind agaynst all troubles and daungers, and let him boldly and cheerefully doe his duty in his calling, though the people rage neuer so much. Then will God adde his blessing vntounto his labours: he will helpe and assist him against his enemies as here he sayth: He shall not be ashamed when he speaketh with his enemies, that is to say, disobedient, rebellious, & seditious persons. Againe, Psal. 144. which doth subdue my people vnderunder me. Also, Ps. 7. The Lorde is iudge ouer the people. As if he sayd: It lyeth not in my power, policie or wisedom, to rule this people. It is the Lord therefore that giueth obedient people, which notwithstanding, naturally hateth the Magistrate. For eueryevery man loueth libertie, and wil not be subiect to lawes. As at this day we may see in the nobilitie, which would liue in all libertie to doe what they list, without any punishment or regard of lawes. If the higher powers go about to bridle them by lawes, they fall away and become traitours and rebells.

Against such great enemies and daungers the holy Ghost comforteth the Magistrate in this place. When thou makest lawes for the common weale, sayth he, and f…ithfully executest the same, thou shalt not be ashamed: For God will giuegive thee yong men which shall be able to helpe thee. For often times we see that one or two good men by their wisedom, grauity and seueritie do keepe a whole multitude in good order. But cōtrariwise, they that wink at all thinges because they will not displease, are but paynted images and good for nothing.

Here hauehave ye a Psalme as touching both ciuill and houshold gouernment, enstructing a godly man howe he shall behaue him selfe in both kindes of life, to the ende that he neither fal into securitie by too much successe, nor be discouraged by trouble & aduersitie. Both which things happen to the vngodly, which rashly and without the feare of God either enter into matrimony or take vpō them any office in the common weale. For since they are ignorant that God is the gouerner of these things, they will needes rule all togither by their owne wisedome and policie. Hereof it followeth that they are miserably ouerthrown in their own deuises and practises, or else they fall into such securitie that they rule and reigne with all crueltie and tyranny: Wherfore, as this doctrine is most necessary and profitable, so we whom God either hath or hereafter will thrust into these kindes of life, must labour to atteyne, and to follow the same: wherein we shall be profitable both to the common weale and to ourselues. Then shall our seruice, our labours and trauels please God, & he, as he hath promised, will giuegive good successe thereunto, and will shewe that he hath pleasure in them that feare him, and in all them that trust in his mercy.

Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent, Section 8

p. 116The 127. Psalme. Except the Lorde builde the house, they labour in vaine that build it.

The 127. Psalme. Except the Lorde builde the house, they labour in vaine that build it.