either be very sencelesse and sottish orels they will enforce vs to confesse that with a certaine soueraign prouidence such as cannot be perceiued but in God alone the world with all and singular the parts therof is vncessantly gouerned and preserued 7 The experience of great and mightie successes especially in heroicall personages which contrary to the hope and expectation of all men haue accomplished those thinges that euery man iudged to be farr aboue humane strength and abilitie of which sorte many things are reported of Alexander Iulius Caesar and others dooth plainly proue that there was present with them a certain diuine power therfore that all things among men come to passe by Gods ordinance Which thing seemeth to haue moued the Poets to attribute vnto worthy men Gods for their parents or defenders 8 The common consent of all men naturally engraffed in them wherby they are wont to aske and looke for all good things from God further the loue and likement of rites belonging to the woorship of God semblably ingenerate in all men doo manifestlye proue that men cannot otherwise thinke and be perswaded but that God regardeth our affaires heareth our requestes sendeth bothe prosperitie aduersitie and to be short hath a care of all our matters and proceedings whatsoeuer And therupon it appéereth it came to passe that Plinie somewhat sondely entreating of Gods prouidence shamefully ouershot spake against him self for when he had saide that it was a thing ridiculous that the cheif and soueraigne thinge whatsoeuer it were shoulde haue a care of mens matters hee added not long after that it was to be beléeued by the vse and experience of mans lyfe that the Gods had a care of mens matters Which truelyare contrary one vnto an other vnlesse wée so take it that by that cheif and souereigne thing is vnderstanded God regarding onely thinges heauenly as Aristotle imagined and by the Goddes to be ment many and diuers inferior powers as substitutes vnto whome it belongeth to care for these thinges héere belowe But hetherto to prooue the prouidence of God and to open what it is I feare least it may séeme ouer much Wherein the Prouidence of God differeth from his foreknowledge Predestination and wisdome and that Gods prouidence is not only vniuersall but also particular Chap. 3. NOwe the matter requireth that we declare more at large what this Prouidence is and how farre the force therof extendeth But before wee doo that it is requisite to showe wherin Gods prouidence differeth from the foreknoweledge Predestination and wisdom of God least in proceeding wée rashly confoūd the properties that belong vnto them For why wée haue not to determine alike of these thinges although in many points they may séeme to agrée togither Predestination properly is the euerlasting decrée of God wherin hée hath determined with himself what shal becōe of euery man as touching either eternall saluation or damnation for so did God also before the foundations of the world were laid decrée that among men Peeter should be saued and Iudas destroyed so likewise of euery one whether they were to be saued or damned according to that saying of Paule Ephes 1. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the World that wee should be holy and vnreproueable before him through loue who hath predestinate vs to be adopted into children through Iesus Christe in him self according to the good pleasure of his wil. And as touching the signes or marks also effects of predestinatiō wée haue some things written Rom. 8. For those which he knew before he also predestinate or preordeyned to be made like to the Image of his sōne that he might be the first borne among many bretherē Moreouer whome he predestinated them also hee called and whome hee called them also hee iustified and whome he iustified them also he glorified Now Foreknowledge is that wherby all things aswel forepast as to come are by them selues knowen vnto God and that in such sort as though they were present and before his eyes For God foreknoweth all thinges not verely as foreseeing onely what shall become héerafter of this or that as men sometime are said to foreknowe certaine thinges or at the least presume as though they foreknew them neither yet as one conceiuing a naked fourme or figure onely in his mynde like as there is woont to wander in our imaginations a certaine shape and image of those thinges which either wee haue seene before or looke to sée afterward but viewing and beholding al things whether they bée past or to come as though they were present and that truely with singular certaintie and moste perfit knowledge Wherfore also it is rather called Foreknowledge then Foresight For why in God there cannot be seene or discerned any proportion of the time past or to come for he surmoūteth all times béeing him self set farre abooue all measure and quantitie of time wherfore it is necessarie that wée conclude that all thinges are knowen vnto him as though they were present and further that no new or straunge thing happeneth vnto him when the thinges which hée foreknewe come to passe as who should say hée then receiued the knowledge of those thinges of which before he had onely the foreknowledge according as we are wont to say of a man but we must auouch al and the whole Foreknowledge to be in God simply as knowledge like as Augustine wittily writeth to Simplicianus Booke 2. Quest 2. And albeit Cicero dooth deny the Foreknowledge of God in his second book of Diuination where disputing with his brother Quintus he laboureth to take away all foresight or fore-iudgement of things to come as wel from God as from men that maketh no great matter He truely is cōtrary to him selfe who after that he had in one place very grauely determined of prouidence héer he most childishly denieth foreknowledge when as that without this can by no meanes be vnderstood in God But he that coueteth to knowe more against this vanitie of Cicero let him read Augustine de Ciuitate Dei Lib. 5. Cap. 9. throughout which Chapter there is a very apte disputation set downe as touching this whole matter But Wisdome wherby God is said oftentimes in the scriptures to haue created to gouern al things is taken to be a certaine power more largely stretching it self wherby he foreknoweth predestinateth and prouideth or administrateth all things rightly and ordinarily to his own glory to our profit and the vtilitie and ornament of all things created and is said to doo all thinges wisely And that we may contract all thinges into a summe predestination is occupied cheefely about the eternall saluation and damnation of men which is to follow after this life prouidence is occupied in the administration of those thinges which by an euerlasting and infallible succession come to passe throughout the whole world and through the whole life of men Predestination tendeth directlye to the last end prouidence directeth
aforecime are written for our learning that through pacience and comfort of the Scriptures we might haue hope For so doth God seeme for this cause especially to haue sent into the world at sundry times his Prophets and Apostles to be witnesses of his good will toward vs and further to haue put in writing their Sermons and dooinges to the end that men of all ages might haue amongst theÌ„selues euerlasting monumentes out of which they might prouide plentifull matter of consolation against all euentes and occasions and certainly learne that they should neuer vtterly be forsaken of God And who I pray you could either better or more effectually heale our maladies then God him self by his woord who as he is the only searcher of the hartes so he soone percetueth where our sore gréeueth vs and as by his determinate purpose though vnknowen vnto vs he oftentimes sendeth calamities for some speciall benefite of ours so he onely and alone knoweth after what sorte and how long it is méet and conuenient for vs to be afflicted Wherfore I béeing desirous at this time wherin all thinges are full of most gréeuoâ—â— and rare dangers for in what histories readett thou that euer at any one tune there haue béene such bitter iarres and dissentions in the cause of religion so many monstrous heresies so cruell persecutions of the godly such horrible warres without ceassing in all the prouinces of Europe so many tumultes and vprores captiuities and eriles of most mighty kinges and Princes such ouerflowinges of the Seas and waters so many sodaine and vnlooked for fiers wherof some is supposed to haue fallen from heauen other some to haue brast out of the earth such cruell hunger and scarcitie so vniuersall a plague pestilence so many strange kindes of diseases farre surmounting the skill and cunning of the phisitions as in our time and that of late yeeres to speake off we haue seen alas poore wretches that we are with our eyes I béeing desirous I say to gather some furnitures of comfort and consolation and that as well for the behoofe of all men in generall to whome wee are bound in the band of Christian Religion and mutuall charitie as also in especiall for the godlyes sake whome we now sée as gazing stocks and of-scourings of the worlde to be laide open to the iniuries of all men as by tirants to be spoyled of their goods to be condemned most vniustly to wander heere and there in exile and bannishment and therby to taste of warres famine pestilence and other innumerable discommodities Verily I supposed that I could not more conuemently drawe them from any other place then out of the most plentifull store-house of the holy and sacred bookes And that for sooth not onely because there can no kinde of daunger be deuised against which there be not extant in those bookes many remedies prouided but also for because that whatsoeuer thinges are brought from else where we knowe assuredly they shall neuer obtaine so great weight and credit with the Godly neither yet so spéedily nor effectually preuaile and goe for payement For why look how much diuine things excell humane and so much also is it necessary that we preferre diuine comfortes before all Philosophicall consolations But for as much as in the holy Scripture many thinges are sundrilye euery where set foorth which may very much auaile to the comfort of afflicted mindes for some where are found places teaching the vanitie contempt of all earthly things some-where are rehearsed most large and ample promises touching the dignitie of heauenly benefites to be looked for after this life some where are recounted the examples of holy men who after they had beene exercised with great and continuall conflictes of trialls temptations at the length were wonderfully deliuered out of all their distresses some where is Christe him self in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles painted foorth humbled and cast down but afterward againe lifted vp and exalted some-where are the common calamities of the Church at all times hanging ouer it fore-tolde and declared and promises added as touching deliuerance neuer to be wanting some-where are sprinckled exhortations to the pacient bearing of the Crosse after the example of Christe and the holye Fathers we least we should confusedly and vnorderly heap togither many matters haue chosen one place especiallye which in my iudgement is notable aboue the rest and very fitte to minister plentifull matter of all fortes of consolations to the which also as a fountaine and wel spring all the other places before specified may be referred This same is the place Of Gods prouidence which whosoeuer shall with some diligence peruse consider vnto him verilye we suppose nothing can be wanting that belongeth to the matter of comfort and consolation This place therefore we haue thought good for the cause aforesaide so much as shall be conuenient for our purpose to stand vpon and handle And to the intent we may reape the more plentifull crop of consolations I suppose it will be for our behoofe if we vnfolde it some-what the more at large Béeing about therfore to speake of Gods prouidence we déeme these principall pointes following as most requisite to be handled First that we open and declare what is to be vnderstood by the name of Prouidence adding ther-unto the testimonies of Scripture wherby it may appéere plainly both that there is a Prouidence and that also such a one as wée haue defined it to bée Then will wée deale against those men that being mooued with certain considerations dare be so bolde as to deny it Secondly wherein it differeth from Gods predestination foreknowledge and wisdome and that the Prouidence of God is not only vniuersall but also particuler dispatching some thinges which are woont to be alleadged to the contrary Thirdly wée will prooue that neither chance nor fortune nor destinie nor haphazard can rightlye bee mainteined where there is due knowledge of Gods Prouidence and the same woorthily estéemed Fourthly wée wil bréefly discusse whether Gods Prouidence imposeth necessitie vppon thinges prouided or no. Fiftly wée will diligently declare how out of all those thinges that haue béene spoken of Gods Prouidence godlye mindes ought to fetch matter of consolation and so to reape most ample frute by the knowledge of diuine Prouidence Sirtly to the intent we may the more largely and ordinately teach that against all sorts of daungers there are certaine remedies also appointed by Gods prouidence wée will interprete and expounde the 107. Psalme which is altogether spent in the praising and setting forth of Gods prouidence All which thinges being thus declared we will adde a few woordes touching the generall commeÌ„dation of the knowledge of Gods prouidence and the right vse of Diuine consolations and so wil we make an end of our present discourse ¶ What Prouidence is and testimonies of Scripture wherby is prooued that it is and likewise also the definition therof more fully opened Then against those
certaine sentences to the intent wee maye by some meanes satiffie froward wittes which carpe and condemne euery thing that they heare pronounced by men of their owne age Origen writing against Celsus booke 4. saith As the husbandman according to the diuersitie of the times of the yeere doth sundry works of husbandry and is occupied either in tilling the earth or in purging the weedes that growe vp in it so likewise dooth God dispose and moderate all times as it were certaine yeeres that I may so speake heerby executing euery thing in speciall that the regarde of the whole requireth in generall so as these thinges beeing by themselues onlye as it is in trueth most apparantly and eftsones comprehended he directeth to their end Semblablye in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Romans on these woordes Chap. 1. I haue oftentimes purposed to come vnto you but haue beene letted hetherto he sheweth that God gouerneth by his prouidence all the actions and enterprises of men Againe in his 1. Book of Commentaries vpon Iob. he enterpreteth those vsuall phrases of Scripture which sound that God speaketh to the deuill to the firmament to the gourd to the morning woorme to the fiery or burning breath to signifie nothing els then that all these thinges are by the secret power and prouidence of the creator turned and mooued hither and thither according to his will and pleasure and doo at all times the commaundementes of God Gregory Nazanzen in his Apologetico According saith he as in mans body some members there be that rule the body and gouerne all the motions therof othersome that are ruled yeeld obedience to the gouerners so likewise in the church hath God established such a lawe of equitie as thereby through his deuine prouidence he disposeth ordereth all things yea moderateth matters in such sort that he hath or deyned some to be ruled and gouerned othersome he hath giuen to be pastors and teachers But the saide Gregory dooth intreate yet more cléerely of the same matter in that most learned Oration of his which he made touching the care of the poor and enuaieth very grauely against those that would not allowe prouidence to stretche vnto vs and to these inferior thinges and teacheth in many woordes that what thinges soeuer doo happen vnto vs in this life whither they be prosperitie or aduersitie riches or pouertie sicknes or health are sent by the determinate purpose of Gods prouidence howsoeuer it be vnknowne vnto vs. Chrisostome a very graue and holy author as well in other places as also especiallye in that booke which he entituled of Gods prouidence to Stargirius the Monke saith plainelye in this wise That God hath a care not onelye generally of all thinges but also speciallye of euery one thou maist heare him saying It is not the will of my heauenly Father that one of these little ones should perrish speaking of them that beleeue in him He is indeed desirous that those also which beleeue not should be saued be changed into a better state beleeue as Paule saith who would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth And he him selfe saith to the Iewes I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and I wil haue mercy and not sacrifice But now if after the fruition of so great care and prouidence they wil not become better nor acknowledge the trueth yet he leaueth them not so for all that but for as much as they haue willinglye depriued themselues of the participation of eternall life he yet at the least giueth vnto them all the benefites of this life making his Sunne to shine vpon the good and vpon the euill and rayning vpon the iust and vniust yea and ministring other thinges that belong to the course of this present life But if he prouideth for his enemies also with so great care and prouidence how shall he neglect his faithfull ones those that serue him with their whole hart No no he will not doo it but he cheefely fauoureth and embraceth these in all thinges For euen the heares of your head saith he are all numbred Loe he manifestly affirmeth and proueth that God careth as well for the wicked as for the good that euery one doo receiue dayly large benefites from the prouidence of God Now Augustine in very many places commendeth and setteth foorth in like maner the largenes of Gods prouidence In his first book of Order he hath a number of thinges agreeable to this present purpose whē as throughout that whole woork he laboureth cheefely to this end to teache that all thinges are administred most dulye and orderlye by the prouidence of God in this world albeit many thinges appéere to be disorderly doon in mens matters Again writing vpon Genesis ad literam Book 5. Chap. 20.21 he commendeth Gods prouidence for that the father as christ saith Iohn 5. worketh vntill this time and as it is 1. Corinth 15 vnto euery seede he giueth a body at his pleasure to euery seede his own body for that also he moueth euery creture continually by his secret power and because according to the Psal 140. the fire haile snowe yce stormy windes and tempestes doo the will of God to be short for that he clotheth the Lillies and grasse of the féelde and gouerneth not only this vniuersall part of the world deputed to thinges mortall and corruptible but also the most vile abiect parcels of the same corruptible thinges The saide father expounding Psal 103. where it is saide That God bringeth forth fodder for the cattell hearbs for the vse of men taketh occasion to commend Gods prouidence and amongst other arguments propoundeth also that most graue and weighty one which Christ Math. 10. vseth where he saith that the Father hath respect to a cup of colde water giuen to one of the least of his Disciples and not only hath respect but also bountifullye rewardeth it But vpon those woordes also of the Psal 148. Fire and haile snow and vapours and stormy windes that fulfill his woord he proueth at large that euen the least and vilest thinges that be as the members of a Flea or Gnatte are not onlye firste formed of God but also fashioned without ceassing and stirred with a conuenient motion Further in his book 12. Chap. 4. de ciuitate Dei he willeth vs to consider with great aduisement euen those thinges that we iudge to be blamed as faultie hurtfull in creatures corruptible and voide of all sence and to looke narrowly vpon the secret power of Gods prouidence in them And in the 10. book 14. chap. of the same woork he hath these woordes All thinges that either Angels or men can perfourm vnto men are only and altogither in the power of the Almighty whosoeuer beleeueth not this is madde Certainly Plotinus the Platonist disputing of prouidence saith that it reacheth from the highest God whose beauty is vnspekable and past all
linnen and purple and faring deliciously euery daye and an other who heareth that after his cofers and barnes were fraughted to the full his soule should immediatly be taken from him likewise the yong man which had rather forsake Christe then his riches for whose cause also Christ took occasion to treat of the infelicitie or pouertie of riche men and amongst other thinges said That it is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen and other mo also whose names the Holy-ghoast voucheth not safe to mention in his sacred bookes And such are alwaies the greatest number of rich men and this our age hath alas too too many routes of such as these Therfore by these thou oughtest to iudge that it is neither hurtfull to thee that the diuine prouidence hath apointed thee to be poore neither againe that it would be greatlye to thy profit if it should euen now commaund thée to be rich True indeed is that saying of the wise man that as well riches as pouertie come from the Lord but we may say that this also is most true namely that it commeth likewise from the Lord that a man vse them well and as he ought And no man euer vseth them well and as he ought to doo but he whose minde respecteth the will of God submitteth him self therunto and resteth in the determination of the diuine prouidence And sith in the common course of our life it is a great safegard and help to the appeasing of the greefes and vexations of the minde to be able as Paule speaketh of himself Philipp 4. to be content with the estate wherin we are to be able for the time to be abased and to excell to be able for the time to be full and to be hungrye to abound and to suffer want this also is a most sure and certain consolation euen to waite vpon the Lord at all times by faith for the thinges that he hath decreed to be requisite and necessary for vs. And hitherto belongeth that notable Sermon of Christ Math. 6. Luke 12. Be not carefull saith he for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your bodye what ye shall put on He addeth immediatlye an euident reason touching the prouidence of God which is perceiued in the creation of man Is not the life saith he more woorth then meate and the body more woorth then raiment as though he should say He that hath created and yet still preserueth both thy soule and body the same doubtlesse will prouide also these lesser thinges I meane foode and rayment There is added also another reason where an argumēt is drawn from the lesse to the greater Behode the foules of the aier for they sowe not neither reape nor carry into the barnes yet your heauenly Father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they Where are couched many comfortable reasons You are much better thē the foules there is no doubt therefore but he will much lesse forsake you then them Further he prouideth for the birdes that take no paines at all how much more will he prouide for you that labour lustely in your callings for whom is prepared the vse of second causes Againe he is your Father wherfore you ought to make this certain accompt that he is endued with a fatherlye affection toward you and that the same heuenly Father will omit none of those things which we see to be perfourmed and accomplished by earthlye parentes And least any man should perswade himselfe that he could with his own labours prouide things necessarye for his life Christe by an exquisite preuention putteth the matter cut of doubt saying Which of you by taking careful thoght can adde one cubite to his stature that is to say Albeit ye bend all the force of your witte and exercise all maner of artes and sciences yet shall yee not be able to bring the least thing to passe if ye be not holpen hy the diuine aid and if the Lord giue ye not increase For thus in Luke it is expressely added If ye then be not able to doo the leaste thing why take yee thought for the remnant There followeth a more full exposition And why care ye for raiment Consider the Lillies of the feeld how they grow they labour not neither doo they spinne Yet I saye vnto you that euen Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like vnto these Our labour or wisdome are able to doo nothing no more then the Lillies are saide to doo any thing of themselues while they grow but the Lord procureth all things as well in vs as he dooth in the plants or other cretures which are vtterly voide of reason and industrie And he amplifieth excéedinglye the greatnes of the benefites which we are to looke for from God and willeth vs to be of a confident minde whilest he saith that the natiue beauty of Lillies is greater then that which art though otherwise a resembler of nature can euer be able to expresse yea then that was of Solomon himselfe whose sumptuous apparell not withstanding did easely surmount the glory of all other princes as the Scripture dooth witnesse Wherfore we must also look constantly for thinges necessary for this life from God séeing he giueth those thinges largely to Lillies that are not necessary but serue in a manner for no other purpose thē for beuty onely If so be thē he giueth more then néeds to the verye Lillies which stand not in need of any such beuty neither are they greatly benifited by it why will he not much more giue vnto men the thinges which this life cannot want with the which it is so necessarye that men should be holpen that without them they cannot but perish And againe he confirmeth this matter with another reason from the lesser to the greater Wherfore if God so cloth the grasse of the feeld which is to day and to morowe is cast into the furnace shal he not do it much more vnto you o yee of little faith In which comparison he extenuateth the nature and conditiō of grasse that the vilenes therof being considered our mindes may conceiue hope that God will far more willingly carefully regard our affaires sith we be farre more excellent creatures then are the sencelesse grasse But it hath the force of a rebuke in that he calleth them that are so carefull for the things of this life holigopistous that is of little faith For the sense is this If you were endued with true faith such as became them to haue that are called into the fellowship of Christ ye would not dout of the goodnes of God but would determine with a stedfast faith that God would liberally prouide for you And this is it that he meaneth in the woords following Therfore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherwith shal we be clothed for
stronger or if such as be in subiection refuse to beare the yoake of gouernement if in the Church if in the Vniuersitie they that rule rule not well or if others suffer not themselues to be ruled by reason as in a housholde or familie then will there followe foorthwith of necessitie ruine and destruction For no lesse true also is this that By discorde great thinges are diminished and brought to nought Which saying Christ himselfe cenfirmeth when he saith Euery kingdome deuided against it selfe and euery house deuided shal be desolate For as by Concord small things doo growe so by Discord great things decay and at length come to naught Sith then these things are thus right déer and welbeloued brethren for there is none of vs all that makes any question of the trueth of this matter it is our partes and duties alwaies and with all care and diligence as much as in vs lyeth to keepe and retain peace both among our selues and with all men This thing dooth the mightye God require of vs euen he that is the prince and gouernour of this worlde whose Children we glorye to be called looking for eternall life and glorye from him This dooth Christ require whose members we are this dooth Dauid this dooth Paule earnestlye craue at our handes vnto peace and concord all things both aboue and beneath doo inuite vs this thing the good estate and prosperitie of the Common-weale this the safetie of the Church this the honor and dignitie of this Vniuersitie which is as your deere mother doo require this the Founders of your Colleges who haue erected vnto you these so sumptuous and stately buildings and enriched them with such ample reuenues that there are scarse any in all Europe to be compared with yours doo craue of you if ye would heare their voices béeing now dead wherwith they exhorte you all togither with one consent to peace and concord For by this practise and exercise of peace and concorde amongst vs shall the dignitie of this Vniuersitie alwaies exceedingly florish to the glorious encrease of this kingdome and Church of almighty God which end they propounded to themselues when they prouided these so commodious places for you Goo too therefore my brethren and like as in musicall instruments we sée the strings of a Harp or Lute distincted one from an other by diuers sownes according as they are either greater or lesser and are more or lesse streined or stretched to make sundry notes and tunes but yet so as all doo very well agree among themselues and yéelde a most swéet and plesant harmonie to the hearers Euen so let all as many as haue repaired hither for learninges sake or that haue charge ouer other either priuatly or publikely apply all possible diligence that standing in awe of God our heauenly father and of Christ his Sonne our Lord they may so nourishe peace and concord that from hence may issue foorth a most sweet sauour and perfume which to God especially which to the Prince and Nobles of this Realm which finally to all good men may be gracious and acceptable and to vs all healthfull and holesome Sermon II. Psal 15. 1 A Sâ—ng of Dauid O Lord who shal dwell in thy Tabernacle and who shall rest in thy holy Hill 2 Euen he that walketh vprightlye and woork thâ— righteousnes and speaketh the trueth in his hart 3 He that standreth not with his tung not doth euill to his neighbour nor receiueth a false report against his neighbour 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoreth them that feare the Lord he that sweareth to his own hinderance and changeth not 5 He that giueth not his money vnto Vsurie not taketh â—eward against the innocent he that dooth these thinges shall neuer fall or shall neuer be moued HAuing changed courses with the woorshipfull M. Doctor Chaderton I haue taken vpon me the charge of this daies Sermon wherin God so assisting I am to expound the 15. Psalme which you my déer brethren haue heard me now to read The author of this Psalme as appéereth by the title is Dauid a man in Israell that is to say in the Church most famous and excellent as he that was King of Israell and a notable Prophet of God and in many other respectes also a tipe and figure of Christ himself And therefore this Psalme is worthily commended vnto vs by the Author of it to the end we might be the more héedfull to vnderstaÌ„d the things that shal be propounded by so rare a man and to transfer them to the vse of our life especiallye sith he beeing taught by the Holy-ghost had and wrot these things for all our enstruction There is also an other speciall cause where through we ought no lesse to be moued to shewe our selues attentiue and teachable namely for that Dauid in this place dooth of purpose handle and vnfolde a question which of all that euer could be handled is the weightiest and most profitable and that is by what waies or meanes mortall men may after this miserable transitory life atteine to the happy and blessed life eternall We doo all naturallye couet life and that not of euery sort but blessed and blessed it cannot be except it be eternall For if so be a man should liue a life héere sequestred from all euils and flowing with all manner of good thinges and delightes and yet death continually hang ouer his head whereby he might be depriued of all those thinges how could he be blessed being in a perpetuall feare of most weighty matters And this so vehement a destre of eternall life being graffed into men by God declareth the immortalitie of our soules and that there is another life after this life to come for otherwise it should be setled in men in vain And therfore in this point almost all haue alwaies agreed as appeereth by the bookes of the Philosophers and Poets which haue spoken and deuised many thinges of the other life after this but as touching the way that leadeth vnto it there haue alwaies been great and gréeuous contentions among men some affirming one way to the wood and some an other and euery one with tooth and nayle maintaining their seueral opinions And from hence haue hatreds debates persecutions warres and so many horrible slaughters of men both often beene broched in times past and at this day are broached in many places whilest ech man will enforce other to imbrace his opinion touching this matter If there be any therfore of so great credit and authoritie among all the rest that candecide this question touching the way to eternall life which all doo so much couet so as he may put an end to murders warres troubles persecutions and lead men to the life which they long for without error doubtlesse he may seeme to be the only odde man of the world well worthye to be heard of al with most diligent attention But Dauid seemeth to be such a one sith it is