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fat
Athol,'
Scriptures
were
indited
by
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
of
his
owne works
;
as
when they
fpeake
offome
famous
vi
&orie,
they
doe
afcribe
it
neither
to
the
wifdome
ofthe
Captaine,
nor
to the valour
of
the common fouldier,
but
unto
the
Lard
ofhofls
alone;
neither doe they make
poems in
the
praife
of
Twofer,
Iofua,
DaHid,Ez,echias,
or
any
other
ofthe
Kings and Leaders,
but
in
the
praife
ofthe
Lord,who
by
his owne firong
atine
bath
giuen
his
children vi&orie ouer
their
enemies.
Now
whence
can
this procecdc
but
from the fpirit
of
God
inditing them,
whò
contrarie
to
the nature
ofman
which
defireth rather
all
praifè hirnfelfe,doth
moue
him
to
refufe
all
glorie attributed
to
himfelfe,
that
all
the
praife may be afcribed
vnto
God
?
So
when
they fpeake
ofany
benefit
receiued
by
the
Church,
.
they
doe
not attribute it to worldly
friends,
their good
for
-
tune,or their
owne induftrie and
labour, but
to the
bleílîn
;
ofGodprocee
din
g
of
his
meere mercie
-and
goodneffe
to-
wards thcm.Andconrrariwife, when
they
let downe the de-
firudion
of
the wicked,
they
doe
not
afcribe
it
to any
want
of
their
owne
care
and
providence,.
nor
to
the
malice
or
power
of
their enemies, nor to
blind. chance,
or
other
out-
ward
accident,
but to the
hand
ofGod
exercifing
his
iudge-
mentsvpon
thern,and punifhing them
for their
fumes.
Now
ifyou
perufe all
other writings,you
(hall
finde
that
they
aime
at nothing
lefl'e
than Gods
glory
;
for
fome
write
to
(hew
their eloquence, others to
extoll
their
wits
and deepe
lear-
ning,
others to
aduance the
praife
of
mortali
men
aboue
the
tloudes,
forre for one end,and
fome
for
another,
all
aiming
at
their owne
praife,pleafure
or profit,neuer
fo
much
as
once
refpeding Gods
glorie
in
their
leaft
thought;
and
hence
it
is
that fitting
down
any
vidorie
they
afcribe
it
to the
weaknes
or want
of
wit,prouidence
courage
ofthe
aduerfe
part,
or
to
the fortitude
ofthe
Captaines, the
refoluteneffe
of
the foul-
diers,
the
aduantages
of
the
place, Sunne,
winde,
and
fuch
.
like circumilances,
in the meane
time
excluding the
God
ofbattailes,as
though
flee
had
no
ftroke
in this
bufxneffe.
So