fat Athol,' Scriptureswere inditedby Gods /¡writ. intermedling with any fpirituall matter appertaining vnto Cod., Moreouer,the fcriptures attribute the gouerning and 'wife difpofing of all things to Gods al-ruling prouidence, that he may haue the whole praife ofhis owne works ; as when they fpeakeoffome famous vi &orie, they doe afcribe it neither to thewifdomeoftheCaptaine, nor to the valour ofthe common fouldier, but unto the Lard ofhofls alone; neither doe they make poems in thepraife of Twofer, Iofua, DaHid,Ez,echias, or anyother oftheKings and Leaders, but in the praife ofthe Lord,whobyhis owne firong atine bath giuen hischildren vi&orie ouertheir enemies. Nowwhence can this procecdcbut from the fpirit ofGod inditing them, whò contrarie to the nature ofmanwhich defireth rather all praifè hirnfelfe,dothmoue him to refufeall glorie attributed tohimfelfe, that all the praife may be afcribed vnto God ? Sowhen they fpeake ofanybenefit receiuedby theChurch, . they doenot attribute it to worldlyfriends, their good for- tune,or theirowne induftrie and labour, but to thebleílîn ; ofGodproceedingof his meere mercie-and goodneffe to- wards thcm.Andconrrariwife, when they let downe the de- firudion of the wicked, theydoenot afcribe it to any want of their owne care and providence,. nor to the malice or poweroftheir enemies, nor to blind. chance, or other out- wardaccident,but to thehandofGodexercifing his iudge- mentsvpon thern,and punifhing them for their fumes. Now ifyou perufe all other writings,you (hall finde that theyaime at nothing lefl'e than Gods glory ; for fome write to (hew their eloquence, others to extoll their wits and deepe lear- ning, others toaduance the praifeofmortali men aboue the tloudes, forre for one end,andfome for another, all aiming at their ownepraife,pleafureor profit,neuerfomuch as once refpeding Godsglorie in their leaft thought; andhence it is that fitting down anyvidorie they afcribe it to the weaknes or wantofwit,prouidence courageofthe aduerfepart, or to the fortitudeofthe Captaines, the refoluteneffe ofthe foul- diers, the aduantages of theplace, Sunne, winde, and fuch . like circumilances, in the meane time excluding the God ofbattailes,as though flee had no ftroke in this bufxneffe. So
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