It is to be noted, that he calleth not the death of the wicked, precious in the sight of the Lord, but y• death of Saints, yea & that not popish but Gods Saints Precious, 1saith he, in the sight of y• Lord is the death of his Saints. As for the wicked, so long as they live in this world, they live more at their hearts ease, & have all things more plenteously at their own pleasure concerning temporal matters, than the true christen men and faithful Saints of God have, in as much that as we read in divers places of the holy scriptures, the godly many times complain unto God of the prosperous estate of y• wicked, & seem almost to accuse God of unrighteousness, seeing the enemies of ⟨image 61⟩God prosper so well, and have good luck in all things, & they again which most entirely favour God's word & seek his glory, are most miserably oppressed, slandered, persecuted, 2imprisoned, & ready to be slain at all hours. For as y• Psalmograph saith: The ungodly hath the overhand, & the poor is burnt. The sinner is praised in following 3the lusts of his heart, & the wicked is blessed and made much of. My feet were almost gone, saith David, my treadings had nigh slipped For I was sore grieved at the wicked to see the ungodly in such prospe rite. For they are i no peril of death, but stand fast like a palace. They come in no misfortune like other folk, neither are they plagued like other men. And this is the cause that they are so puffed in Pride, & overwhelmed with cruelty & unrighteousness. Their eyes swell for fatness ⟨image 62⟩they do even what they list. Corrupt are they & speak blasphemies maliciously, proud & presumptuous are their words They •retch forth their mouth unto heaven, & their tong goeth through the world. Therefore fall the people unto them, & thereout such they no small ava• tage. Tush, say they, how shall God perceive it. Is their knowledge in the most highest? Lo these are the ungodly, these prosper in the world These have riches in possession. These have sons ye grow up as 4young plants. These have minion & trim daughters, garnished round about even like unto a gorgeous temple. These have their garners full & plenteous with all man ner of store. These have sheep that bring forth thousands & hundred thousands in their pastures and fields. These have fat oxen, y• are strong to labour.
It is to be noted, that he calleth not the death of the wycked, precious in the syght of the Lord, but y• death of Saynctes, yea & that not popysh but Gods Sayntes Precious, 1sayth he, in the sight of y• Lord is the deth of his Sayntes. As for the wicked, so longe as they lyue in this world, they lyue more at theyr hartes ease, & haue all thiges more plenteously at theyr owne pleasure concernyng tēporall matters, thā the true christen men and faythful Sayntes of God haue, in as much that as we read in diuers places of the holye scriptures, the godly many tymes complayne vnto God of the prosperous estate of y• wycked, & seme almoost to accuse God of vn righteousnes, seyng the enemies of ⟨image 61⟩God prosper so wel, and haue good lucke in all thynges, & they agayne which moost intierly fauour Goddes word & seke his glory, are moost miserably oppressed, slaūdered, persecuted, 2empresonned, & redye to be slayne at all houres. For as y• Psalmograph sayth: The vngodly hath the ouerhande, & the poore is brēt. The siner is praysed in followyng 3the lustes of his harte, & the wicked is blyssed and made muche of. My feete were almoost gone, sayth Dauid, my treadynges had nygh slypt For I was sore greaued at the wic ked to se the vngodly in such prospe rite. For they are i no parel of deth, but stonde fast lyke a palace. They come in no misfortune lyke other folke, nother are they plaged lyke other men. And this is the cause yt they are so puffed in Pryde, & ouerwhelmed wyth cruelte & vnrighteousnes. Theyr eyes swel for fatnes ⟨image 62⟩they do euen what they lyste. Corrupte are they & speake blasphemies maliciously, proud & presumpteous are theyr wordes They •retch forth theyr mouthe vnto heauen, & theyr tong goeth thorowe ye world. Therfore fall ye people vnto them, & therout suche they no small aua• tage. Tush, say they, how shal God perceaue it. Is theyr knowledge in the moost hyghest? Lo these are the vngodly, these prosper in the world These haue rytches in possession. These haue sonnes ye growe vp as 4
- 1The wicked in this world have all things more at there pleasure than y• true ChristiansThe wyc ked in thys worlde haue all thynges more at ther pleasure thā y• true Chri stians
- 2Psal. x•iii. Rom. viii.
- 3Psal. ix.
- 4Psal. cxliii.
