shew our selues the children of god For we cannot giue a better proofe of it Neuerthelesse let vs heerewithall keepe such measure as wee mingle not oure owne excessiue passions with the zeale of God but bee discreete in putting a differēce betweene them againe although we hate and abhorre the vices yet notwithstanding let vs labour to bring the persons to saluation Truely the practising heere of is hard Howbeit God will guide vs so we suffer our selues to be ledde by his holy spirite and gyue him the whole gouernment of vs In the meane while it behoueth vs to marke well this doctrine bycause that in these dayes wee see infinite occasions too be angrie at if wee bee the children of god On the one syde there are the Papistes whiche seeke nothing but to abolishe all religion True it is that they will pretende to mainteine Christianitie but whatsoeuer they say they intend nothing else but to suppresse the Maiestie of god VVee see howe Gods truth is torne in peeces and what cursed blasphemies are spued outby them I pray you if these things shoulde not touche vs to the quicke to be wounded with them as if a man shoulde strike vs with a Dagger Should wee not thereby shewe that wee knowe not what God is and that we are not woorthy to be taken for his children VVe bee so chare when our owne honestie is wounded as we can by no meanes indure it and in the meane while Gods honour shall be put to all shame and reproche and wee will make no countenance at all of it And must not God then needes shake vs off and shewe that we haue had no affection to mainteyne his honour Marke that for one poynt Howbeeit we neede not go so farre as the Papists for euen among our selues when wee see these Dogs and Swine which seeke nothing but to defyle all things which thrust their groynes at Gods word and labour to ouerturne all when wee see these mockers of God and these heathenish villaynes whiche turne all things into a scorne and mockerie when wee see wicked men turken corrupt and marre all things with their false slaunders and when we see heretikes sowe theyr poyson abroade too destroy all things I pray you when we see all these things ought wee not to be moued It is sayd that when men bend themselues against God after that manner it is all one as if they would wound him too deathe They shall see him sayth the Scripture whome they haue perced God telleth vs that men in so doing come too strike him with their Daggers and shall we in the meane while not passe for it God telleth vs that his spirite is greeued and after a sort in payne and shall wee but laugh at it Againe we heare such horrible blasphemies that the name of our Lord Iesus Christ is as it were torne in peeces There is no talke now adayes but of scorning and reproching Gods name in such wise as a man might bee ashamed to heare of among the Turkes VVe see naughtipackes that committe on the one syde whoredome and all disorders and on the other syde outrage and all violence Too bee shorte wee see all things vtterly out of square and doo wee shewe oureselues too bee Gods children and Christians if wee make no accounte of it VVhat proofe doo wee giue of oure Christendome So muche the more then behoueth it vs too haue another maner of zeale than we haue had heeretofore And when any of vs is angrie let it bee for our sinnes and specially if wee see God greeuously offended So shall wee haue an anger that is allowed of God lyke as he had that is spoken of heere and whom the holy Ghost here prayseth And yet notwithstanding forasmuche as it is easye for vs to swarue aside let vs therwithall beware that we giue not the bridle to our passions but let vs pray God so to gouerne vs by his holy spirit as our zeale may be altogither pure to the end it may be allowed of him Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may sigh and sobbe for them and that whereas we haue bene ouermuche hardned heretofore by soothing our selues in our vices so as we coulde not be greued to see the worlde so farre out of order we may learne hereafter to be sorie for oure euill doings and to desire him of forgiuenesse to the intent he may so guyde vs all the rest of our life by his holy spirite as we may seeke altogither to serue and honour him in al poynts according to our calling And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The Cxx. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxxij. Chapter 4 Eliu vvayted till Iob had made an end of his vvords by cause they vvere all elder than he 5 And vvhen Eliu savv those three men to haue no reason he vvas moued to anger 6 Therefore Eliu the sonne of Barachell the Buzite aunsvvered and sayde I am yonger in yeares than you and you are auncient and therefore I doubted and vvas afrayde to put forth myne opinion 7 For I thought vvith my selfe the yeares shall speake and the length of time shall bring foorth vvisedome 8 But it is the spirit of God vvhich is in men and the inspiration of the Almightie gyueth vnderstanding 9 The great men shall not be vvise therefore neyther shall the aged haue iudgement 10 Therefore I say heare me and I also vvill shevv my doctrine YEsterday I treated of the zeale of Eliu whiche is praysed too vs heere by the holye Ghoste and I shewed wherevntoo that example ought too serue vs namelye that when we see Gods truthe defaced and hys name blasphemed the same oughte to wound our hearts Also I shewed that if wee haue any affectiō to God and his honour then must we mainteine his truth to the vttermost of our power True it is that euery man shall not haue learning to do it But yet neuerthelesse according too our abilitie and measure it behoueth vs to shew that our mind is to resist the euil and not to consent vnto it And there withall it was declared that this zeale ought to be guided with reason so as wee muste not be moued with ouergreat headinesse but must haue some good respect matched with it And that is the thyng which we red euen now namely that Eliu was not ouerhastie but had giuen eare to all the sayings that had beene alledged afore and therein he shewed his modestie Then let vs marke well that if a man thrust himselfe foorth rashly without considering whether it be needefull for hym to speake or no it shall not bee reckened vnto him for zealousnesse As for example we see many that thinke it long till they may haue libertie too speake and yet notwithstanding it is possible that some other shall be much better able o lay
haue learned to mocke God and rid themselues quite of all Religion so as they hearken not any more to him to say Behold it is God that speaketh and he is to be obeyed VVe see many now a dayes who thinke it to be an ouergreat simplenesse to submit a mans selfe so willingly vnto god And what meane they by it but to shake off all feare of God To such confuzion are we come and therefore it behoueth vs to be very ware and to set muche store by the simplicitie which God requireth of vs Verely his minde is not too haue vs dulheaded for fayth is not as the Papistes imagine namely that men shoulde go on lyke Gosâ—ings VVhen the Papistes say men must lyue simply what simplicitie meane they It is that men shoulde not discerne betweene white and blacke nor know what they ought to holde and to follow But God as I sayd wil not haue vs so ignorant we must bee children in lewdnesse and not in vnderstanding as Sainct Peter sayth and wee must learne of God and fetch light at the brightnesse of his holy spirite and of his worde that we liue not lewdly but desire to be fed with the foode of simplicitie and vprightnesse as with milke For like as God handled his children after that manner in olde time so will he haue the same foode set before vs at this day also But by the way we haue to note that Gods seruants must bee ready armed agaynst suche stumbling blockes when men cast them in the teeth that they despize God and that theyr whole drift is too bring all too confuzion as now adayes the Papistes are so shamelesse as to vpbrayde vs that wee seeke nothing but to bring men to a fleshly libertie that there might be no more honestie among men nor anye man passe to serue God or to exercise himselfe in brotherly charitie VVell this is layd to our charge but not to our charge alone VVe see that Iob was assayled wyth the lyke temptations and therefore let vs beare them with such pacience as we may shew before God and the worlde that men do vs wrong in charging vs wyth that euill and well may wee answer so if we haue had an eye to frame our selues to that which God sheweth and too giue attentiue eare to that which he sayth to vs and furthermore that wee chalenge not the knowledge of any thing but that which we haue learned in his schoole that we may continue in the same For that onely worde is ynough too beate backe all the slaunders which the enimies of the truth do lay vpon vs Herewithal let vs turne men away from trust in themselues For whereas we be commaunded to serue God purely it is not too the end we should put our whole trust in him and that we should vnderstande howe wee ought not to do whatsoeuer seemeth good too our selues too turne aside eyther too the right hande or too the left but simply in all respects folow whatsoeuer God commaundeth vs Ye see then that we ought to be pure afore God and also to haue a good report among men that we walke aright But if wicked folke slaunder vs we must beare it paciently and yet for all that knowe them too bee impudent and shamelesse Eliphas hauing spoken so addeth that Iob ought not too trust so much to his own wit. Art thou the first man sayth he wart thou borne before the mountaynes Heere are auncient and gray healed men yea euen such as are elder than thy father Art thou of counsell with God VVhen Eliphas vpbraydeth Iob after this fashion that he is not old ynough and that he ought not to take vpon him such a libertie of iudging verely he hath some colour in his saying as we haue sene afore For when God is so gracious vnto a man as to let him liue long time heere he may well haue learned many a thing And againe we knowe that mens wits are the better settled by age and that yong men cast foorthe manye bubbles which age represseth So then it is to bee presumed that an old man forasmuch as he hath profited by liuing long in this world ought to be perfecter and to haue more certayne skill than other men But yet for all thys we see that in stead of profiting by long life the most part go backward For men might oftentimes with theyr age atteine to good knowledge and vnderstanding yea and vnto some wisedome Howbeit forasmuch as naturally we go from euill to worse if God vphold vs not Therefore it is to be seene that the most part of men become more fooles in their age than they were in their youth Marke that for one poynt Againe also there is no trusting in our owne agednesse in respect of Gods wisedome For hee dealeth it foorth as it pleaseth him both to yong and old according as he sayeth by the Prophet Ioell Beholde the dayes shall come that I will poure out my spirit vpon all flesh Your olde men sayeth hee shall dreame dreames that is to say they shall bee my Prophets for I will teach them and your sonnes and daughters shall see visions In that place we see how God calleth as well yong as olde and as well women as men to the receyuing of that wisedome which he sendeth into the worlde And so must all the glory of age be throwne downe and when old folke haue liued neuer so long and haue neuer so much experience â–ª it behoueth them to know that yet for all that it foloweth not that they must needes know the secretes of the kingdome of heauen For that is in the hand of God men must not presume to know it by reason of long time True it is that if God call vs in our childhood we ought to be confirmed more and more But age is not the thing that bringeth that It is the working of Gods grace and euery whit of it proceedeth from him Therefore we haue no cause to stande in our owne conceyte nor to brag as if he had any thing at our hands Heerein we see what the dotage of the Papists is who ground al the foundation of their faith vpon antiquitie saying See sirs our doctrine is not new it is not start vp yesterday nor a yeare or twain ago but the world hath liued so long time and wee bee in possessioÌ„ of it But what is that to the purpose afore God For the cace standeth vpon the hauing of the euerlasting truth whiche hath bene from before the making of the world And so we must go to God and to our Lord Iesus Christ if we will haue a sure resting stocke for our faith to leane vnto For the matter concerneth not a score of yeeres nor foure hundred no nor a thousand wee muste haue the euerlasting truth which hath bin disclozed to vs from the making of the world For if wee haue that oure fayth shall be well settled But if that want all is but
vanitie wee shall alwayes bee in a mammering there needeth but one little ▪ blast of wind and behold our faith is quite blowne downe Then let vs beare in mind that antiquitie muste not beare suche sway with vs but that yong folke may vtterly refuse to be ruled by such as are their elders specially if they go about to turne them from that whyche they haue learned concerning the only one God and his truth Lo what wee haue to marke And heere withall as for those that haue liued long time in this world let them not glory in their age nor say that they ought to take other folkes in a trip but rather knowe that they are so muche ▪ the more bound vnto God for giuing them the meanes and occasiōs to be settled and stayed ▪ and furthermore let them father all their wisedome vpon God so as all pride be cast downe that they imagine not themselues to haue gotten any knowledge eyther by length of tyme or by finenesse of witte or by their owne forecast or by their great experience or by any thing els How then ▪ Bycause it hath pleased God to poure out his spirit vpon vs that we might know how greatly wee be beholden vntoo him And let the yong men also on their side knowe that if God haue giuen them any gift of grace it is bycause he will not leaue them destitute of his spirite no more than the old folke and such as haue liued a long time but intēdeth to shew that in making vs all partakers of the selfe-same grace of his spirite he will also make vs all heyres of his heauenly kingdome to come to his euerlasting glory which he hath now reuealed vnto vs already in part Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying hym to make vs so to feele them as we may flee to him alone as to the partie that is able to remedie all our harmes and seeke him in such wise as wee may bee hilde prisoners vnder his obedience and not desire any thing but to sticke purely and simply to his word renouncing what soeuer is of our owne nature bycause there is nothing but corruption and frowardnesse in it and also praying him too renew vs in such wise by his holy spirite that by being likeshapen to his image we may haue so much the better certentie and proofe that he taketh vs for his children and we also may yeelde him thanks agayne as too our father That it may please him to graunt this grace not only too vs but also to all people c. The .lviij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xv. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the .viij. ix and x. verses and then vpon that which followeth 11 Seeme Gods comfortes a small thing vnto thee and is this straunge vntoo thee 12 VVhy is thy hart rauished and vvhy do thyne eyes make signe 13 That thou bucklest thy selfe against God and vtterest the vvordes of thy mouth before hym 14 VVhat is man that hee should bee cleane or he that is borne of vvoman that he shoulde be rightuouse 15 Behold he findeth no stedfastnesse in his Saincts nother are the heauens cleane in his sight 16 And hovv much more is man abhominable and filthie vvho drinketh iniquitie as vvater WE sawe yesterday the reproche that was offered vnto Iob in respect of his age and therevpon I saide it was good reason that yong folke should be ruled by the counsell of their elders and giue eare to suche as haue had more experience by reason of lōg vse and also that forasmuch as God hath giuen old men the grace to liue long they ought to consider that they are bound to teach others and to shew them the way and yet for all that that both yong and old ought too knowe that there is no true wisdome but of God who giueth it from aboue and that God dealeth foorth the same in such wise as he thinketh good and men must not imagine that he is bounde vnto them for he hath promised to poure out his spirit vpon greate and small as he listeth to the end it may be knowen too bee a free gift and that the praise of it ought to be giuen to him alone Now heere agayne Eliphas vpbraydeth Iob that he hath not heard Gods secretes This poynteth at all men in generall For it behoueth vs too vnderstande the rudenesse and weakenesse of our owne witte and the true meane to do it is to reuerence Gods secrets knowing that they are incomprehensible and too high for vs to attaine vnto For as long as men presume vpon their owne wit and thinke to atteyne too the heighth of Gods secrets it is certayne that they cannot be humbled nor brought to anye modestie Ye see then that the poynt whereto we must come is that we must reuerence and honour Gods secrets seeing we haue not the capacitie to cōprehend them in so much that we haue no more to do but to acknowledge our own infirmitie and to crie out euery one with Dauid Lorde how high are thy determinations how ought we to reuerence them Yee see then in effect what Eliphas ment in saying vnto Iob that he had not heard the secrets of God. And this doctrine is as often repeted and as common in the holy scripture as any can be bycause it is hard to abate the pride which is naturally rooted in all men For not onely euery one of vs will take vpon him to bee wiser than hys fellowe but also we cannot finde in our harts to acknowledge oure owne slendernesse to humble our selues euen when we come before god Therefore we haue neede to be brought low and to be warned as the Scripture doth it that we must not go about to comprehend the purpose of god For that is too high and to profound a thing for vs VVhat remayneth then To honour it acknowledging our owne rawnesse and weakenesse as I sayd afore But by the way wee muste come to that whiche Sainct Paule sayeth in the first to the Corinthians that is to wit that our Sauiour hath giuen vs of his owne spirit whereby we know and comprehend that which is aboue all our capacitie Then although we be not of counsell with God yet hath he shewed vs the fauour and honour to disclose vnto vs that which is vnknowne and hidden from vs How is that There is none that knoweth what is in man but the spirit whiche dwelleth in him sayeth S. Paule and the spirit that dwelleth in God is giuen vnto vs Thus ye see how we be made partakers of the things that are vtterly separated from vs and wherevnto wee cannot by anye meanes approch Marke heere a singular grace whych we ought to make great account of namely that our Lorde hath inlightened vs euen vs that were wretched blynde soules And although we comprehend not the things that are heere bylow yet are wee lifted vp aboue the
that he will blisse their honest behauiour and make them to profit more in two yeres thā those ouerhast efellowes shall do in foure VVee see what hapneth vnto fruites If a fruite bee too soone ripe and come soone to his perfect colour it doth also fade away incontinently but the fruite that is more latewarde is of longer continuance Euen so is it with such as will put forth them selues before their time Truely they may beare a goodly shewe and haue some taste in them but it shall haue no substancialnesle in it Contrariwise they that are shamefast and honest and not presumptuous to put forth them selues hastily will surely be slowe But yet in the meane season oure Lorde giueth them a fruite of longer continuance Thus yee see a good point to beare away in this sentence True it is that modestie is a vertue conuenient for all menne but yet ought yong folkes to marke that which is sayde heere namely that they must yeelde honor to their Elders acknowledging that they for their owne part may haue excessiue passions which had neede to be restrained by other mē For they are not sufficiently stayde of their owne nature and againe they haue not experience to bee so skilfull as were requisite Furthermore when a yong man hath behaued himself so modestly he must in time conuenient viter the thing that God hath giuen him yea euē though it were among olde men For the order of nature letteth not but that when olde men discharge not their duties yong men may supply the roome in that behalfe yea euen to ehe shame of those that haue liued long and mispent the time that god hath giuē them or rather vtterly lost it Ye see then that the meane which we haue to hold is that the reuerence which yong folk beare to their Elders must not hinder the continuall maintenance of the truth that God shuld not be honored vices suppressed For it may com to passe that the elder sort shall be destitute of Gods spirit or else leud persons that shall haue nothing in them but craft and vnfaythfulnesse or else they shal be wilfull and brainelesse Now in such caces ought yong folkes to bee hilde so vnder the yoke that they should by the authoritie of their elders be turned away from God and his word and from the thing that is good and holie No. Then let vs marke that this modestie importeth not that yong men shoulde become sheepishe to discerne and know nothing but that it is ynough that they presume not of thēselues to skirmish and cast their froth before their time Let them hearken let them be teachable let them bee alwayes willing to keepe silence when any good matter is in debating and specially let them beware of stepping into other mens places That beeing done if they see the elder sort shew not good example specially that they peruert the good by turning it into euill then as I said it is mete that Gods spirit shuld shewe it selfe where it is Like as in oure time they that haue bin misled in the superstitions of poperie the longer they haue liued in the worlde haue still the lesser knowledge Nowe to tarie till God shoulde serue his turne by them I meane commonly it were not needefull These then are aged men that haue had long experience But what for that They haue beene plunged in darkenesse and ther is no knowledge of God in them nor any purenesse of Religion VVhat then could such aged men bring but onely a greater wilfulnesse For they haue beene so saped in their errours and so wholly giuen vnto them as there is no likelyhoode of any meanes to bring them out of them Nowe if God list to call yong men to publish his worde abroade It were no reason that the holie Ghoste should bee so brydeled that yong men might not speake and olde men be contented to heare them True it is that like as God calleth some of all sorts so hath it commonly beene his will to bee serued by the elder sorte neuerthelesse hee hath declared also that his truth is not tyed vnto age So then wee see nowe what modestie ought to bee in all men generally and specially in yong men that is to witte that they must yeelde them selues quietly too learne so farre as occasion shall bee giuen them and not desire to vaunte them selues nor bee led with fonde longing to make a shew but receyue the things with silence which shall be alledged by others and not make so much of their owne paynted sheath as not to acknowledge that they haue neede too bee guyded and gouerned by those that are of more experience This doone wee shall not neede to bee restreyned from iudging vnder the shadow of eldershippe nor to goe lyke sillie beastes and to holde all things that come out of their mouth to be as the word of God bycause they say it muste bee so For discretion ought to be matched with zeale according as I haue declared alreadie that the spirit of God conteyneth both of them in him So then if there bee modestie in men there must be also zeale and discretion and wee must not onely not bee brideled by the authoritie of suche as haue liued long but also if the whole world were brought against vs yet oughte not antiquitie too preiudice the thing that is rightfull and necessarie As howe I haue tolde you alreadie that if al the old men in the popedome had conspired against the Gospell and would haue other men to stande to their accustomed fashion it is not ment that their ancientnesse shuld shet God and his word out of the dores or that yong men shoulde bee letted to maynteine the truth although that the olde men set themselues against them and would haue all other men to holde themselues to their customes bycause they haue mainteyned the euil a long time For those to whome God hath giuen better grace ought to steppe vp against them Howebeit it behooueth vs to passe further and if any man say vnto vs howe nowe It is aboue a hundred yeares ago since oure fathers and forefathers haue lyued after that sorte or it is fiue hundred yeares yea or a thousand yeares ago since these things haue beene obserued and since menne haue hilde them for a lawe and infallible rule I say if men alledge this antiquitie of time yea or if a man shoulde alledge from the creation of the world yet must not Gods truth bee oppressed vnder that shadowe So then wee see nowe that to bee modest it behoueth vs not to be blynde Bussardes but to keepe a meane and measure And this is it whiche Eliu meeneth by adding I sayde age shall speake and the multitude of yeares shall vtter knowledge But it is the spirite of God that owelleth in men and the inspiration of the Almightie giueth vnderstanding Marke howe the order of nature goeth afore that is to witte that we must giue care to our elders For
when men choose gouernours in a Citie or in a Countrey if they shoulde take yong light headed and brainelesse fooles which haue no skill to gouerne their owne persons the chosing of such to be their Iudges and leaders were a peruerting of the order of nature yea and it were a shame and it might seem that men intended to spite God as often as it were so Then if men which might choose settled personages and men of great grauitie and ripenesse would let them sit stil in their houses and in the meane while take phantasticall fellowes and little Snales of one nightes growth and and set them in the seate of Iustice when as they knowe not what it meeneth It were like as if men should marrie little babes It would please them well to be married bycause it would be sayde vnto them you shall eate rost meate and pastycrust and that would like them verie well But were it therefore a mariage Euen so say I is it with those that are sette in the seate of Iustice and haue neyther skill not witte but are worsse than babes bycause men had not a consideration to chose suche as were of more grauitie and experience Therefore it behoueth the order of nature to bee obserued firste of all whiche is that when wee haue men of yeares whome God hath indued with grace then they should be put in office to guide others and the yonger sort humble themselues vnder them For it is a shame that yong men should take vpon them the roome of their elders and disdayne to receyue instruction at the handes of those that haue liued long This pryde bindeth not it selfe againste mortall men but is a resisting of God who hath settled the order of nature and would haue men to obserue it As much is to be sayde of vs preachers and of the state of bearing abroade and publishing Gods word for when there is a well tryed man of good experience and knowledge If men vouchsafe not to bee serued with such a one but take a yong man at auenture what a thing is it Therefore it behoueth vs to haue the same order in estimation Neuerthelesse there must no generall rule be made of it for oftentimes it may come to passe that God shall giue much more grace to yong men than to suche as haue lyued double their time And therefore the sayde order which wee haue spoken of must not hinder the spirite of God that hee should not bee receyued where hee sheweth him selfe and his giftes bee applyed to good vse according as hee distributeth them And that is the cause why Saint Paule chose Timothie though there were many elder men at that time For when hee had seene that excellent man as who had the recorde not onely of men but also of the holie Ghost he preferred him before those that were elder Euen so dealeth Eliu heere who after he had hearkened vnto others sayth hee knewe that it is the spirite of God which is in men as if hee should say true it is that we must not iudge that olde men doe dote excepte wee knowe howe the matter goeth neyther muste wee fayle to giue them roome and place but we must yeelde such honour to their age as to say well the man that hath seene much is able to teache vs But if we perceiue that he discharge not his dutie or that he hath lost his time which he hath liued in the world then if the spirit of God be in a yong man it behoueth him to put forth him selfe Then let vs mark wel that the obseruing of the order of nature must not be alwayes with such condition that when God indueth them with any giftes of grace they shoulde not serue his Church or that they should not teach not onely their equals and companions but also euen the oldest meÌ„ of all And consequently the rich men must not sticke to their age and therevpon be vnpacient and reiect all warnings to say howe nowe I haue liued a long time and shall a yong â–ª ladde teach me my lesson No but let them thinke thuâ— with them selues I ought too haue profited in suche wiâ—e as I might haue beene a leader of others but I see neâ—we that I haue need to bee led my selfe I am a yong chylde in comparison of those that shoulde haue beene taught by mee And seeing it is so that God hathe disappoynted mee of the grace that was requisite in a leader it behoueth mee too bee a scholler and not a mayster Yee see then that olde men ought too yeelde themselues too conformitie when they see that God hath gyuen larger giftes of grace too those that oughte too followe them and not too goe afore them Nowe haue wee a good doctrine too put in vre whiche wee gather of the thinges sette downe heeretofore whiche is that for the better conceyuing of the thing which is conteyned here let vs marke that Eliu in saying that it is the spirit of God whiche dwelleth in men ment too expresse that when it pleaseth God that one man shall bee of greater vnderstanding than another it is a speciall gifte which he granteth as it were for a priuiledge True it is that generally God hath made vs all reasonable creatures and that is the thing wherein wee differ from the brute beastes God then hath gyuen some discretion and vnderstanding to all men withoute exception and yet notwithstanding wee see that some are slowe and dull and othersome quicke witted some are phantasticall and othersome are of good grauitie VVhereof commeth that Let vs vnderstande that God holdeth his giftes in his hande and dealeth them at his pleasure too whome hee thinketh good This is it that Eliphas mente too expresse in this place too the ende that men should not thinke them selues too haue it by naturall inheritaunce from their mothers wombe nor as a thing belonging to them of dutie nor as gotten by their owne purchase Beholde Eliu telleth vs that God hath created vs all and true it is that wee haue some reason howebeit but by measure Yet notwithstanding if a man haue knowledge and wisdome it behooueth him to knowe that God hath reached oute his hande vnto him peculiarly and that therefore hee is the more beholden and bounde vntoo him And this is sayde vnto vs too the intente wee shoulde not bee exalted with pryde nor thinke oure selues too bee the more worth bycause wee haue knowledge and vnderstanding But that wee shoulde consider that for as muche as it hath pleased God to giue vs that grace it behoueth vs to walke in so muche the greater feare For wee be so much the more in dette and therewithall his giuing of his benefites is too the ende wee shoulde communicate them with our neyghbours Therefore if we can not vse them too the glorifying of oure God and too the edifying of suche as haue neede of them it is cortaine that wee are so muche the more blame worthy This