is the mercy of the great Shepherd further declared, that he killeth not his sheep, robbeth them not, but feedeth and nourisheth them. Of this speaketh the Prophet Ezekiel (chap. xxxiv.) in the person of Almighty God: "I myself will feed my sheep, and make that they shall rest quietly, saith the Lord God. That which is lost I will seek, such as go astray I will bring again, such as be wounded I will bind up, such as be weak I will make strong; but such as be fat and strong, those will I root out; and I will feed my sheep in reason and judgment." And the great Shepherd Christ saith (John, x.), whether his sheep go in or out, they shall find pasture.

After that this King hath opened in this hymn, that God's nature is not only to seek the lost sheep, but also, when he hath found him, to feed him; then he addeth in this hymn, after what sort he feedeth him: "So that I shall lack nothing," saith the Prophet. Here is the declaring of the great Shepherd's pasture, wherewith he feedeth the flock of his pasture. Christ expresseth the same wonderfully, in the opening of his office and doctrine unto the world in St. John (x. 4, 5), saying; "I came that they might have life, and have it most abundantly." And talking with the poor woman of Samaria, he told her that the drink he would give her should be water of life. And to the Capernaites he said, that meat which he would give thein should work eternal salvation. As these properties be in God the Shepherd (as the Prophet hath marked), even in the like sort be the contrary conditions in man, the sheep he speaketh of; for as the nature of God is to seek, so is the nature of man to go astray. As the Prophet saith (Psalm cxix.), "I have strayed like a wandering sheep." And even so doth Isaiah write of all mankind (chap. liii.): "All we have erred, as sheep

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going astray." Christ our Saviour also, in St. Matthew (chap. ix.), doth bewail the people of the world, that stray as sheep that had no shepherd. St. Peter. likewise saith unto his countrymen that he writeth unto (1 Ephes. ii.), "Ye were as sheep that went astray; but ye be converted now unto the Shepherd and Pastor of your souls." As the nature of man is to stray from God, so is it likewise to feed upon all unwholesome and infected pastures to believe every false prophet that can do nothing but lie. (1 Kings, xxi.) In the Prophet Isaiah (chap. xxviii.) the Lord saith, "The nature of sheep is to be deceived, and their pastors to be drunk, that neither know nor see the pastures of the word of God.” And in the same Prophet (chap. xxix.) there is a most horrible plague upon man for sin; for, "The pastors shall be unable to feed, and all the food of life shall be as a book fast clasped and shut."

This going astray and feeding upon evil pasture, is wonderfully set forth by St. Paul (2 Thes. ii.): for when men will not feed upon the truth, it is God's just judgment they should feed upon falsehood, And as God's nature is not only to feed, but fully to satisfy and to replenish with all goodness, so that nothing may lack for a godly and virtuous life (John, iv.); in like manner, the nature of man is not only to feed, but also to replenish itself with all infected and contagious doctrine, until such time that he despise and contemn God and all his wholesome laws. (Rom. i.) This we may see in the holy Prophet Isaiah: "The people (saith the Lord) provoketh me unto anger, a lying nation, that will not hear the law of God; they say to their prophets, Prophesy not, look not out for us things that be right, speak pleasant things unto us," &c. (Chap. xxx.) And this replenishing of man with corrupt pasture, is horribly set forth in St. John (chap, viii.),

when the wicked priests and Pharisees would not believe the Shepherd's voice, Christ, no not their own servants that told them the truth, nor yet Nicodemus, one of their own court and profession. Thus in the first part of this celestial hymn, is the nature of God and man described, under the name of a shepherd and of sheep.

Of this part of the Psalm, what the Prophet hath said of God and of man, we must, for our doctrine and learning, gather some things to be the better by; for St. Paul saith, "Whatsoever is written, is written for our learning." Two things we learn of this first place: the one, a certainty that God hath the cure and charge of us and the other, a consolation and comfort, that we and all ours be under his protection and governance. The first doctrine, to be certain and sure of God's defence, and care over us, maketh us constant and strong to suffer and bear all adversities and troubles that God shall send us. And the second doctrine shall cause us patiently and thankfully to bear our cross, and to follow Christ. Both these doctrines the Prophet David expresseth in the third and fourth verse of this Psalm: " If I should (saith he) travel and pass. through places contagious and infected, where appeareth nothing but the image and shadow of death, or be compelled to pass through the hands and tyranny of mine enemies, I will not fear; for thou art with me, O God, and defendest me." In the 91st Psalm he setteth forth the assurance and felicity of all them that put their whole trust in the mercy of God; and therein also the Prophet reckoneth up a wonderful sort of dangers, and layeth them before the eyes of the faithful, that he may, by the sight and knowledge of the dangers, fix and place the more constantly his faith and trust in God, that hath the charge and cure of him; "He shall (saith he)

defend us from pestilence most infective: from flying arrows in the day," &c. By the which the Prophet understandeth all kind of evils, that may come unto us by the means of the devil or of wicked men ; and these things the faithful shall escape (saith the Prophet), because they say from their hearts unto God, "For thou art my hope;" even as he said in the beginning of this Psalın, "The Lord feedeth me, and I shall want nothing." Such certainty and assurance of God's defence, and such consolation in troubles of this life, we must learn and pray to have out of God's word, or else it were as good never to hear nor to read it.

And from this first part of the Psalm every estate of the world may learn wisdom and consolation. If the Lord feed and govern him, he shall have God to his master and teacher, that shall give him wholesome and commodious doctrine, meet for the state of that life he hath chosen to live in this world. For all that shall be saved in time to come, follow not one kind of life. Some be magistrates and rulers, and appointed to see both the laws of the realm, and the goods and commodities thereof, to be used and applied to the use and profit of such as be under them. Some give Some give themselves to study and contemplation of heavenly and divine things, not busying themselves with travails of the body, but to know themselves the way of life, and to be teachers of the same to others. Some be given to apply the laws of the commonwealth: some to exercise the trade and course of merchandise: some one kind of living, and some other. But of what art, faculty, science, or kind of living soever he be, that is not contrary to God's honour or honesty, he may use therein to serve God, to observe justice, to exercise truth, keep temperance, and be acceptable to God, who hath given laws meet and

convenient, to publicans and soldiers, servants and masters, parents and children, husbands and wives, and so to all others. But all these sorts of people must assuredly know, that in every of these vocations be more dangers, than he that must live in them is able to bear; therefore, from the bottom of his heart, he must be assured of this beginning of King David's hymn: "The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing." And indeed the Lord hath not only said he will feed and defend him from all dangers; but also saith, he will teach him how to live virtuously and reverently towards God, and honestly and quietly towards man, what state or vocation soever he choose to live in, so it be not against God's laws, and the law of nature. So saith King David: "God hath appointed a law, to rule and teach the man that feareth him whatsoever kind of living he appointeth himself to live in." (Psalm XXV.) What treasure is there to be compared unto this, that man is not only fed and maintained by God, but also taught and instructed in every craft and science that he appointeth himself to live in? Blessed therefore is the man, that in the entrails and deep cogitations of his heart can say, believe, and feel this to be true that David saith: "The Lord ruleth me, and careth for me, and I shall lack nothing."

But yet there is almost nothing spoken, that this King would have chiefly known. Howbeit doubtless they be wonderful things, that preserve and teach all persons, both men and women, in whatsoever kind of living honestly they appoint themselves to live in. He himself knew this to be true right well, as it appeareth when he saith: "Blessed be the Lord my strength, that taught my hands to battle" (Psalm cxliv.): for if the Lord had not taught and ruled him, he had been overthrown many times, because there was not only more strength