If we stand in neede of meate and drinke if wee be sicke if we be in daunger of any plague or warre that stirreth vs and toucheth vs too the quicke but when wee are pressed with any euill we abuse our selues and lifte our selues vp in such a fond presumption as that we thinke wee haue some power to do this and that we then make our selues beleeue that we are very well able to defende our selues although not wholy yet at the least partly And therefore wee ought so much the rather rightly to marke the sayings of the scripture where it is saide vnto vs that it is the hande of GOD that must helpe vs to the ende that euery man may learne to knowe his neede and that we had all neede too bee defended fended by this heauenly power so that we are all cast down into the bottomlesse depth without it pleaseth GOD to stretch forth his hande to helpe our necessities And thus much for this Now when Dauid setteth downe the reason that he had chosen the commaundements of God he did it not to extoll any dignitie or worthinesse of his owne Wherefore then Forsooth euen to shewe that he wayted for his ayde and helpe from the hand of God And therefore they which perswade them selues at aduenture that God heareth their prayers and yet haue this foolish hope with them to finde helpe at the handes of his creatures refuse the hande of God as much as in them lieth and so by that meanes shall neuer finde him to bee fauourable vnto them And for this cause Dauid saith I haue chosen the commaundementes of God that is to saye that all his whole liking was in them And this saying importeth a very great matter and much greater then at the first sight it seemeth Why doth Dauid rather set downe this worde Election or choise then any other I haue chosen thy commaundementes It is bicause wee are alwayes carried with peruerse affections and bicause we cannot make choise neither can we hold vs to that which is best Euery man wil gladliest desire that thing which is meetest for his own ease and quietnesse to be short euery man desireth to be happy Wee are nothing indifferēt herein for the very wicked in the world and the most vile persons wil saye I would haue that which were good and meete for me howbeit wee can not chose but euen the very worst Wee shall very well haue a naturall desire which shall carry vs as it were to one selfe same end but we cannot keepe the waye Euery man goeth out of it One mā will chose this thing another that in this choyse we are all confounded One will chose goodes landes and possessions another great trade of marchandise another to come vnto dignitie and into credit some one man will be giuen to lecherie and bee wholy carried that way another will yelde him selfe too some other filthinesse as too drunkennesse intemperancy and wantonnesse See then how we al make choise of that which is naught And for this cause Dauid saieth that he chose the commādementes of God to wit that although hee was a mortall man subiect too a great number of wicked affections yet that he neuer trusted his owne flesh neither yet obeied his lustes to chose nothing but vanitie and that which might withdrawe him from the right way and leade him too destructiō but that he made a good wise choise to wit that he helde himselfe to the commandements of God So then let vs learne to make a good choise when as God shall present vnto vs his worde when as he shall offer him selfe so liberally on his part as to looke for nothing at our handes but that we should come to seeke him and that hee presenteth him selfe before vs let not vs be deceiued nor carried away by the deceiptes of Satan through the corruptions which he layeth wyde open before our eyes let vs not be so foolish as to stay our selues vpon matters of nothing and to leaue that which ought to bee the most principall and wherein lieth all our felicitie and saluation It followeth I haue longed for thy sauing health O Lorde and in thy lawe is my delight This sentence comprehendeth all whatsoeuer wee haue already touched and is the onely confirmation thereof For he sayeth that he hath longed for the sauing health of God And howe is that For it seemeth that euery man might say as much and so that Dauid had no more then the very faithlesse For if wee shall aske a desperate man yea euen a very halfe deuill and saye wouldest not thou haue God to be thy sauiour he will make answere and saye yes forsooth Loe what answere wee shall finde in the mouthes both of great and small of good and bad Nowe Dauid his meaning is to make a great protestation and such a one as a very fewe can make in truthe For we suppose him to be all our Sauiours and yet we seeke our sauing health at a wilde aduenture and euery man will haue regarde to his owne considerations and prouidence When there shall arise any question of our maintenaunce here in this present life do we beleeue that God must keep and preserue vs that it is hee in deede which mainteineth vs herein whence commeth it that wee haue so mighty euill consciences whence commeth all deceiptes fraudes excesse cruelties iniuries violences and all such like What is the cause that maketh vs to liue with such euil cōsciences but bicause wee do not beleeue that God will giue vs our daily bread Wee desire God to feede vs and yet wee will haue the deuill to do it in so much that there are very fewe which at this day thinke that that which they haue commeth from God So then it is very farre of frō the thought of our heartes to saye O Lorde I haue desired thy sauing health For in steade of attending vppon God to haue him too guide defende and helpe vs at all times whensoeuer that wee haue neede in steade of this I saye what doe wee Euery man as I haue saide seeketh for his sauing health at a wilde aduenture We should rather seeke for i◠in hell then to haue our eyes lifted vp into heauen to call vpon God to seeke for our sauing health both of body and soule in him So then there are very fewe which are able to saye as it is here set downe O Lorde I haue longed for thy sauing health if they will not lye As we see the impudencie of hypocrites which will make mighty great bragges inought but yet for all that it is no small matter as I haue already sayd to trust altogether in God and to saye that it belongeth to him to guyde vs that wee runne to him and haue there our refuge both for soule and body Nowe then hee addeth In thy lawe is my delight To signifie how we ought to demeane our selues not to hope for saluation nor yet to wishe for it
and handled hee maketh his complaint vnto God and sayeth O Lorde the Princes and Gouernours them selues doe sit and speake euill against me And yet for all that I haue kept thy Testimonies Herein summe we are to gather out of this place that if it so fall out when as wee haue walked vprightly and in a good conscience to bee falsely slaundered to bee accused of this and that whereof we neuer once thought yet ought we to beare all thinges patiently for let vs be sure of that that we are not better then Dauid although we would make neuer so great protestation of our integritie and puritie Dauid walked both before God and men so faithfully as none of vs all is able to doe and yet wee see that he was subiect to these slaunderous reportes Let vs then be patient when the like shall happen to vs. But let vs also follow his example in that hee sayeth that is that wee shoulde not be discouraged seeing our selues to be so euill and vniustly recompensed at mens handes that we forbeare not for all that to exercise our selues in the commaundementes of God And howe should we come by that patience wee must come to that which he there speaketh off to wit that wee take all our whole delight and pleasure in the commaundementes of God It is the thing which hee often beateth vpon before by me touched and therefore it shall not be needefull to staye vpon it any longer Let vs onely vnderstand this when Dauid sayeth that all his pleasure was in the commaundementes of GOD that we after his example must doe the like Hee added They are my Councellers Loe here a sentence worthy to be wayed of vs when Dauid calleth the commaundements of God his counsaylers for in the first place he meaneth that he might scorne at all the wisedome of the most able and most expert men in the worlde howe goodly and gay shewes soeuer their counsailes seeme to be to those which so exceedingly commend them and are also commended of all in that he was conducted by the word of God gouerned therby Lo what he meaneth here by the first point The second is That when he shal be so gouerned by the word of God he might not onely saye that hee was truely wyse but that it was so much as if he had all the wisedome of all the men in the worlde yea and a great deale more put euen in one man When any one man mistrusteth his owne witte hee will aske councell and arme him selfe the better and when he shall haue vsed such counsell as euery one shall soundly giue him hee will holde him selfe a great deale the better resolued Dauid then declareth vnto vs that if wee will not bee without good counsell and aduise we must follow the statutes and ordinances of God But what fewe men at this day are able in truth thus to saye Euery man will saye the best for him selfe he can and yet it shal be all but a mere mockerie Howe many of vs are there which will be contented to be gouerned as hee was by this counsell Wee shall hardly finde one amonges an hundreth Howe do we iustly promise our selues rightly to knowe that GOD hath spoken vnto vs And let it be that we are in the right way what assurance haue we of it It cannot be chosen but that the least let in the world will trouble vs Our spirite alwayes greatly desireth to be contrary to God we haue greater regarde to the vayne opinions and fantasies of men then to the heauenly doctrine so that we lende out eares to whatsoeuer men bable and are so caried with euery wynde that we knowe not what it is to holde our selues to the counsell of God And so let vs bee aduised to make out profit of this sentence beseching the Lord to graunt vs that his grace that we may be gouerned by him and that with such humilitie and reuerence as that whatsoeuer is set before vs in this world we may alwayes go on our wayes in true and inuincible constancie And according to this holy doctrine let vs prostrate out selues before the face of our good God in acknowledging our faultes beseching him that it woulde please him to gouerne vs in such sorte as that we looke not downe here on the earth ne yet stoope downe to the corruptible things of this world but that we might continually aspire vnto this heauenly life where unto hee daily calleth vs by his worde And for performance thereof to suffer vs to be truely vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ yea and that with an inseparable bond as wee may alwayes followe the waye which he hath shewed vnto vs vntill such time as wee be come to that immortall glorie whereunto he hath gone before vs to gather vs all vp vnto him and to make vs partakers of that blessednesse which hee hath gotten and purchased by his death and passion and where of he will make vs enheritours with him in the kingdome of heauen That he will not onely graunt vs this grace and fauour but also vnto all people and nations of the earth c. The fourth Sermon of the hundreth and nineteenth Psalme DALETH My soule cleaueth vnto the dust quicken me according to thy word I haue declared my wayes and thou heardest mee teache me thy statutes Make me to vnderstand the way of thy commandements and I will meditate of thy wonderous workes My soule melteth with very heauines rayse me vp according vnto thy word Take from me the way of lying and graunt me graciously thy lawe I haue chosen the way of truth and thy iudgements haue I laid before me I haue sticken vnto thy testimonies O Lord confound me not I will runne the way of thy commaundements whē thou shalt enlarge mine heart DAuid sheweth vnto vs in these eight verses what the ioye and contentation of the children of God ought to bee And this is a doctrine for vs most profitable For there is not that man which longeth not too haue the thing that may content and delight him but there is none of vs which holdeth the true meane So much the more therefore ought we rightly to recorde the lesson heere conteined to wit that all our reioyring is accursed and will come to an euill end if wee looke not to God and to his worde Loe wherefore here he sayeth My soule cleaueth vnto the dust quicken me according to thy word Dauid confesseth here that hee was driuen to an extremitie For behold what hee meaneth by this saying That his soule or life cleaueth vnto the dust As if hee shoulde haue said O Lord there is nothing that I more looked for then my graue I am like to a poore castaway and forlorne creature Nowe whether or to whome should he haue recourse Euen vnto God hee desireth to be restored And how may that be according to the promisse which he hath receiued We see then whether and to whom we must haue
to wit when as we are conformable to him and to his woorde Let it not now abash vs although wee feele so little taste of God his mercies And why so For what is he that will acknowledge it Wee are so beguiled with these false deceiptes of the worlde that we thinke we may triumphe by them that wee shall bee exceedingly blessed when as wee shall haue all thinges after our owne heartes desire But in thus doing we can contemne God and his grace We must not then be abashed if we be set besides that which apperteineth to our saluation and that God suffereth vs to languishe in wretchednesse and miserie And so let vs learne after the example of Dauid to bee as it were reiected of the worde of God and to bee as it were estraunged from it to craue in good earnest to cause his mercies to retourne vnto vs to wit that he would graunt vs this grace to let vs in such sort vnderstand what neede we haue of his fauour and aide that notwithstanding that we haue declined from his commandements yet that he would graunt vs for all that to feele his mercie although he hath held the same from vs for a season Now it followeth Let the proude be confounded for they haue delt wickedly and falsely with me but I meditate in thy commaundementes Here Dauid setteth downe another reason to confirme him self continually more and more that hee shall obtaine that which he praieth vnto God for to wit bicause the wicked do persecute him whom he calleth the proud And this is the sentence which wee haue already heretofore treated off neither will the time suffer vs to stay any lenger vpon it It shall therefore suffice vs for this time that faith onely is the thing which bringeth vs within the compasse of humilitie when as we know that there is nothing in vs but wickednesse and that wee are thereto tied by the iust iudgementes of God When I say that the faithfull knowe this it pulleth downe their high mindes they are no more arrogant nor presumptious to lifte themselues vp against God and their neighbours Contrariwyse the wicked and enemies of GOD are called proude for the pride which they vse against GOD engendreth also crueltie against their neighbours As many as will humble them selues before God will also bee very gentle too their neighbours but they which haue a fierse and high mynde to stande against God must needes likewise cast their poyson against their neighbours And for this cause Dauid sayeth let the proud O Lord be confounded for they go wickedly about to confound me Whereby wee are admonished that although the wicked vexe and grieue vs neuer so iniuriously and without cause yet we are thereby taught to haue the rather a great deale more trust that God wil haue mercie vpon vs. And why so bicause it is he which graunteth our request and when as we shall make it vnto him it shall not come of our selues but he shal be authour thereof So then when as we shall be grieued and iniuried by malitious and cruell men let vs go boldly vnto God and beseeche him to haue pitie and compassion vpon vs. Nowe he addeth that he neuer ceased to meditate vpon the testimonies of God although he was so afflicted And this is an excellent admonition for vs that when wee are tormented both from heauen and on the earth that God on the one side to the outwarde shewe estraungeth him selfe from vs and we on the other side are so forsaken that wee are troden vnder mens feete besides a thousand other villaines done vnto vs when as I say wee shall be so vexed and grieued We must learne after the example of Dauid to meditate of the testimonies of God and there to seeke our whole comfort for that is the very meane by which God meaneth to plucke vs out of all our anguishes and griefes which might any way trouble vs. That now which foloweth hath beene already handled to wit that men which feare God doe turne vnto him to say that they will keepe him companie And in the ende he setteth downe this conclusion Let my heart bee vpright in thy statutes that I bee not ashamed Now like as in the first verse hee desireth GOD to giue him vnderstanding that hee might learne his Lawe here he desireth that he would graunt him affection Whereby we may see that this proceedeth from vs from our nature to wit to be very poore blynd soule vntill such time as God openeth our eies And thus much for the first point But yet vnderstanding onely shall not serue God must make our heartes pliant vnto his obedience and place vs so with him selfe as that we haue none other desire but to serue him Let vs thē learne to pray vnto him as Dauid here hath done for after he had desired him to giue him vnderstanding of his law he desireth him also to giue him a pure and a sound heart yea and that we should also doe the same in veritie truth not doubting but that when God hath bestowed vpon vs some graces that he will also encrease them more more and haue compassion vpon vs so that we be obedient vnto him in our behalfe and yelde him the homage and authoritie which vnto him belongeth And according vnto this doctrine let vs in all humilitie prostrate our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our offences beseeching him so to touch vs as that wee might learne after the example of his Prophet how to make and present our requestes vnto him to bereaue vs of all our earthly affections which we feele to be most violent against vs to the ende that our minde bee not withdrawne through them from his righteousnes but that wee submit our selues wholy vnto his holy will desiring nothing els but to haue him to gouerne vs to the end that being fortified by his holy spirite we might perseuere vnto the end to resist those temptations which shal grieue vs to obteine the victory abouesaid and come to the triūphe which is prepared for vs in heauen aboue That he wil not onely graunt vs this grace but also vnto all people and nations of the earth c. The eleuenth Sermon of the hundreth and nineteenth Psalme CAPH My soule fainteth for thy saluation yet I wayte for thy worde Mine eyes faile for thy promisse saying when wilt thou comfort me For I am like a bottle in the smoke yet do I not forget thy statutes How many are the dayes of thy seruant when wilt thou be auenged of them that persecute me The proude haue digged pittes for mee which are not after thy lawe All thy commandementes are true they persecute me falsely be thou my helpe They had almost made an end vpō me on the earth but I forsooke not thy commaundements Quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keepe the testimonies of thy mouth IF we could rightly call to our remembraunce
According to this it is heere sayd Thy worde O Lorde abideth for euer in heauen Some expounde this as if it had beene sayde That because the heauens haue continued long they render a good testimony of the trueth of God But heere Dauid namely speaketh of the heauēs because we see by them a more manifest signe of the Maiestie of God then we see here belowe on earth And in deede in that we are rude and earthly we had neede to haue God to guide vs and too lifte vpp our mindes when that he would haue vs to thinke on him too the ende we might forget the world all the corruptible things heere beneath See thē the reason why Dauid in this maketh the seate and house of the word of God in heauen because we had nede to looke a great deale more hyer then into our owne senses when wee would comprehend howe God is true and faithfull When wee woulde feele the certaintie and assuraunce of his woorde we must enter into a more deepe consideration then our sense is able too beare and not looke so into the visible thing or into that which we conceiue on earth Hee addeth That the trueth of God it from generation to generation As if hee shoulde haue sayde It is true O Lord that men are heere very circumspect and aduised and we see also howe thinges haue their alterations so that there is nothing which is not wauering and inconstant wee are as it were in the whirlewindes and tempests and if at some time thinges bee in peace and at quiet it lasteth not longe and although the creatures bee peaceable and at quiet yet are the men neuer at rest but are continually chafed and troubled But thy trueth O Lorde is sure and certaine which can neuer be shaken through the alterations and chaunges which heere we see no otherwise but by the lightnesse and inconstancy of men when as they doe nothing else but wander heere and there True it is O Lorde that all this impayreth no whit the certaintie of thy trueth and woorde Loe heere in summe the meaning of Dauid in this place Nowe hee bringeth in a proofe of this sentence too witte That God hath layd the foundation of the earth and it abydeth that is to say That the order of nature hath her course and so continueth without ende And why so Forsomuch as God hath appoynted them because that hee hath so declared it and that al creatures are subiect vnto him This disposing ordering must needs continue in his estate And although wee see all things to turne on this side and on that yet God alwayes giueth vs some visible signe too shewe vs that hee neuer altereth nor chaungeth his purpose And chiefely that his trueth is neuer subiecte too any chaunge We see nowe in summe what the substaunce is that is contayned in these three verses Nowe that wee may apply all this too our vse and too make our profite heereof let vs learne too haue recourse vnto the woorde of God so often as wee shall bee astonyshed and knowe not what shall become of vs too witte all the dayes of our life For there passeth not one quiet day ouer our heads wherein wee are not mooued too thinke either of this thing or of that Sometimes the temptations are easie too ouercome but after wee shall see some apparaunce of daunger that shall trouble vs a great deale more yea and some one threate or other we shall haue that shall euen abashe vs. And if that were not so yet shoulde wee haue occasions enough in out heads too make vs vnquiet that we should not nede to be otherwise troubled but euery one of vs hath in himself store of tempests stormes so that if there were nothing else but our owne very fantasyes they would be so many whyrlewindes too make vs neuer to haue quiet mindes Nowe see then a good remedy that is Let vs knowe that although wee are enuironed with a great number of daungers although there bee no certayntie in our life although there is alwayes an hundreth deathes before our eyes yea that we thought the deuill shoulde swallowe vs vpp euery minute of an houre yet must we be peaceable and holde our selues quiet and stil because that God hath layde the foundation of our saluation in his woord and that he hath promised to keepe our life When then wee shall haue the worde of God to certifie vs that he hath care both of our soules and bodyes let vs knowe and be certainly assured that heerein consisteth all our constancy So then let vs rightly applye this doctrine for our instruction that when it is sayde that the worde of GOD is permanent in Heauen that his truethe sheweth it selfe from age to age so continueth that it is namely spoken to the ende that we should be patient in the middest of all the troubles giefes and anguishes which wee may haue beeing shaken amidst so many daungers and also seeing the endlesse and incessaunt chaunges which are heere beneth and nothing else but all vnquietnesse Let vs then see what is heere to be considered for the first point wee must not seeke to take our rest in this worlde for wee shall neuer haue it heere But let vs alwaies haue our recourse too the trueth of God Moreouer let vs see if we can rightly practise this doctrine that nothing hinder vs but that wee may liue in peace and tranquilitie in the middest of the most great and dangerous confusions which may light vpon vs. Let vs also see that whether the windes blow in this corner or in that that there be garboyles of war that there bee pestilence famine and such like that it seemed wee should perishe a thousand manner of wayes yet all they which settle them selues vpon the woorde of God wil neuer be but certaine For they shall feele bothe in life and death that they are in his hande and protection And hauing this confidence with themselues they will make no reckoning of all whatsoeuer shall come vnto them as wee see Saint Paule commaundeth vs too exalte our selues against all thinges present and too come so that wee be fully resolued that God loueth vs. When this shall be in vs Rom. 8.38.39 and we shall haue heereof a good testimonie in our owne consciences through Fayth and the woorde of God Loe howe wee may assure our selues and solace our selues in the middest of all our troubles and confusions which heere wee see and by that meanes be neuer at peace and reste and not too be greatly turmoyled for any thinge that may come vnto vs the next day And why so For hath God who hath declared him selfe vnto vs too be our Father spoken it but for a day onely where as hee hath testifyed vnto vs that hee will haue our saluation in his hand is heere any time lymitted Nowe we see too the contrary that God sayeth That hee will neuer forsake vs. Our hope then
that it may as easily be perceued that there is no such knowledg ingrauen in our harts as to be assured therof To be short this is fardest of from our mindes when we shal say thus I speake now of those which are not yet throughly instructed by the spirit of God Neither yet let vs think this too be a common ordinary thing when as Dauid saith That the testimonies of God are nothing but true righteous For although we haue learned somwhat out of them yet is not this inough vntil such time as we are conformed framed vnto them that we fully wholy agree with this saying cōmendation which is heere giuen to the law of God Now because Dauid would shew with what affectiō he is moued he protesteth that he was not only greued whē as he felt in himself any rebellion against God but whē he perceiued it in others that he conceiued a wonderful sorrow and griefe yea euen a memelous torment of minde For hee sayeth That his zeale had euen consumed him that he was as one deade and so throwne downe as hee coulde not be more Now he namely speaketh of his enemies and of such as had affiled him But hee signifieth anon after that all the mischiefes and iniuryes which they had done vnto him did not halfe so mightily greeue him as the contempte which he kriewe to be in them touching the lawe of God For hee sayth My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemyes haue forgotten thy woordes Heere then Dauid sheweth in effect that hee was not so greatly greeued nor yet so sorrowfull for all the euils and wrongs which he indured at the handes of men as too see the woord of God to be cast vnder feete and clcerely forgotten See heere I say a moste sure testimony that he highly preferred the word of God before his owne person that he had not that pleasure in his life nor in whatsoeuer concerned the same as he had in the reuerēce which al the creatures of God ought to haue towards his maiestie Nowe if he had not had this zeale he could neuer haue bene thus grieued and vexed when as men made no reckoning of the word of God and cast it behinde their backs And heere we are throughty too consider that Dauid spake not in this place of a meane sorrowe For then this had beene inough to haue said Alas my God I haue beene a great deale mote greeued to see the wicked cōtemne thy word then when as they persecuted my self although that I wis sore troubled greuously oppressed yet had I greater regard to thy law then to alwhatsoeuer concerned mine owne person This had bin inough say I if Dauid had said but thus much but he went a great deale farther saying The zeale of the house of God hath euen gnawne and eaten me vp Heere he saith that he was consumed brought to nothing fo that he had no strength in himself Now here we must note by the way that Dauid spake not this to bragge of him self but rather hath set foorth this his example for our better instruction to the ende we might learne to haue the honour of God and the reuerence of his woorde in such recommendation as that when we see the worlde to make light of it and too forget it we should be grieued and tormented a great deale more then if we did abide all the griefes extreeme wronges and iniuries that were possible yea that all our particular benefite or domage and whatsoeuer is most deare ought to be nothing vnto vs in respect of this light reckoning of the word of God Loe here what holsome lessons and instructions we haue to gather out of this place Nowe when he saith that it grieued him to see the word of God cleane forgotten what then shall become of the matter when as men shall not onely forget it but euen with a most detestable furie oppose them selues wholy against it As at this day we shal not onely say that the word of God is forgotten but men of a set purpose runne violently vpon it vtterly to abolishe it And to proue it to bee so I beseeche you whence commeth this crueltie and furie of the Papistes but bicause that they are purposed clerely to goe against it to be angry with God not abiding too suffer them selues to be subiect vnto him by any maner of meanes They will not say thus in plaine woordes but wee may iudge of the matter so farre foorth as wee see it For howe should it be possible that they should so rage against the knowne and certaine truth if they were not euen the very professed enemies of God and without they went about to stand against him euē to the hard hedge as we say I will not denie but that men many times shall forget the word of God when as they shal be carried away with their wicked affections As thus when a man is greatly giuen to lecherie this villainous desire so blindeth him as that hee clerely forgetteth whatsoeuer he hath heard spoken against it neuer so little before to wit they which defile their bodies with lechery do deface as much as in them lieth the image of God pollute his temple deuide and pull in pieces the body of Iesus Christ shut them selues quite out of the kingdome of heauen and prouoke the heauy wrath and curse of God against them And yet an whoremaister forgetteth all these notable sayings which are set downe too keepe him within his reyne The couetous man also forgetteth what equitie and right is let him be admonished thereof neuer so often as to bee pitifull to his neighbours to helpe the poore and needy rather then to take away an other mans goods and substance and to be so giuē to our own gaine to procure and profit the welfare of our neighbours rather then to be giuen too seeke our owne priuate commoditie A couetous man I say will quite forget all this And why so Forsooth bicause he is blinded with this couetous desire of gayne and too heape vp together the goods of this world See then when it is that the worde of God shall be forgotten verely euen then when as men shall be drunken with their inordinate greedy passiōs But they which set them selues against God yea with a fury frensy vtterly to abrogate his worde too turne his truth into leasings these mē I say do not onely forget the word of God but remember them selues of it too too much euen to sett them selues purposely against it And we need to go no further but euen into the state of Popery to see such a villanous and detestable impietie For we shal see these contemners of God which are euen here amōgst vs yea and which come sometimes to defile the temple of God to thrust in their swynish groynes and to scorne the doctrine which shal be read which maketh euen the very deuils in hell too tremble Wee shal see then here