And although the endes and occasions of Sicknes be diuers , yet the Author is alwaies one , & is the same , who is the giuer of all health and welfare . For from the mouth and ordinance of God ( as saith Ieremy ) procéedeth good Lament. 3. 38. Amos. 3. and euill , which is contrary to good . And there is none euill ( as Amos saith ) be it within the Citie or in the field , but it commeth from God . So then as peace and warre , pouertie and riches , libertie and imprisonment are from God : so in like maner are health , & sicknes . Dauid in all his anguishes confesseth this : For in the sixt Psalme hee saith : O Lorde Psal. 6. rebuke mee not in thine anger , neither chastise me in thy sore displeasure . Acknowledging that the anguish and sicknes wherewith hee felt himselfe so grieuously afflicted , was the very pricking and working of Gods displeasure , whom he knew he had sore offended . Hée saith as much in another Psalme : Thine arrowes Psal. 38. haue light vpon mee , and thine hand lieth vpon mee . And in the two and thirtie Psalme , Thy hand is heauy vpon me daie and night . And againe in the 39. Psalme , I was dumbe and spake nothing , I kept silence euen from good , and my sorrow was more stirred . My hart was hot within mee , and while I was musing the fire kindled , &c. Ezechias Isay. 38. & Iob likewise doo attribute their sicknes to none other but to God . And Iob saide , that in the very stinch that Iob. 1. & 19 came from his flesh halfe-rotten , and in the multitude of lothsome wormes that issued from his bodie , he still beheld but one hand of his Sauiour to touch him , to the ende hee might heale him againe with the other . The very Heathenish Infidels haue somtimes acknowledged that their Sicknes and diseases procéeded from none other cause but from God , who then punished them because of their offences . As Pharao and his family Gen. 12. Exod. 9. in the daies of Abraham , the Egyptians in the time of Moyses , & the Philistians in the time of Samuell , when they kept the Arke of Couenant captiue and prisoner in their owne country , after they had taken it in the war , wherein they vanquished the children of Israell . We must then conclude , that diseases , and generally all afflictions and aduersities doo come from God , who dooth nothing but with great iustice and by Psal. 33. his heauenly wisedome . For all his actions are so well directed , that nothing may be found in them , but is done with waight , number and measure , and for great reason , although the cause thereof be sometimes vnknowne to vs . As then the Goodnes , the Power , the Wisdome , the Iustice , the Equitie , Constancy , and veritie , which appeare in all the works of God , are the motiues and causes why we allow of them and praise them : So confessing all these vertues in our sicknes and other aduersities , which are the handyworke of God and of none other , ought we not to take them in good part , and to arme our selues with this faith and holy cogitation against the impatience and murmuring of our hart , which doth pricke and prouoke vs to stomake , and be angry with God , yea and sometimes to blaspheme his holy name horribly , when he will not doo as we would haue him , and fulfill the wicked and disordinate desires of our sinful flesh , which if he should do , he should become like vnto Psal. 50. vs , who are but flatterers and dissemblers of our owne vices and abhominations . Contrariwise to become holy , good and vertuous , we must labour to be like vnto him , and to submit all our desires and will vnto his wil. For otherwise we are indéed but hipocrites , and although that in our praiers wée craue and desire that his will bee done , our Mat , 6. hart dooth secretly make our mouth bée found a liar , and doth by and by tell vs in our eare : ha , hipocrite that thou art , if thou mightest choose , thou hadst rather haue thy own wil to be done , then Gods will . When a man speaketh to vs of Gods prouidence , and asketh vs , if euery thing that God dooth , be good , and well done , we can tell him by and by , it is : and so we say to our neighbors & friends , when we sée them in any anguish or affliction , to giue them the best comfort and counsel that we can , and for the best and spéediest remedie , we tell them then , it procéedeth from the prouidence & will of God . But when it commeth to the point to apply it to our selues , we doo as Phisitions , who can minister good medicines , and giue skilful counsel to others , but will follow none themselues . Neuertheles there is nothing so néedefull and wholesome for vs , as to occupy our selues daily in meditating of the prouidence of God , and to acknowledge that it guideth , gouerneth , and disposeth all thinges : to the ende , that beholding alwaies the workeman in his workemanship , we may by and by like of it , and allow it , knowing that he letteth nothing go out of his shop , before it be throughly polished , well trimmed , perfect and accomplished , as it should be in all points . And if we giue such credite to cunning Artificers , to accept of their workemanship , so soone as we sée their marke , shall we doo so great iniury to God , as not to allow and estéeme of his workes , wherin we sée the markes and prints of his bountie and iustice so euident and apparent to the eies of all men ?

Uery true it is , that that which doth come directly from his bountie , pleaseth vs better , then that which procéedeth from his rigour & iustice : as is séene in the workes of Nature , some séeme more pleasant and delectable then other some : the day is more comfortable to vs then the night , the sommer more pleasant then the winter , the sunshine and cleare weather maketh vs a great deale gladder , then the blacke , pitchy , darke , rainy , and stormy season dooth . So when God smileth vpon vs , and sheweth vs the light of his countenance , and by his milde and gratious dealing towards vs , dooth cherish and make much of vs , embracing vs with his mercy on euery side , multiplying without cease his graces vpon vs , and euery day endewing vs with some new benefit ( as the Prophet Psal. 89. saith ) that without doubt is farre more acceptable vnto vs , then when he sheweth vs his sterne and frowning lookes , & makes vs feele the rigor of his wrath , and the sting of his Iustice . Did not Dauid Psal. 89. take greater pleasure in hearing the goodly & large promises that God made Psal. 18. vnto him , to establish him in his kingdome , and to giue it to him and to his children for euer , to giue him victory ouer all his enemies , the which were as thicke in euery corner , as the dust in the Psal. 132. market place , to make his fame and renowne to flie and resownde in all quarters amongst strange Nations , to heare God with his owne mouth say , that hée 1. Sam. 13. Psal. 78. had found him a man after his own hart , to consider how God tooke and chose him euen from his shéepe , to exalt him aboue all the houses of Israel , and how God , did ( as it were ) degrade altogether the house of Saul , to enrich and adorne him with their spoiles , hauing none other reason to doo all this for him , but of his méere grace and good will . I aske you then , whether these so great and euident tokens of the bountie and mercy of God towards him , were not farre easier to be disgested , then the grieuous reproches that he made him of his ingratitude after his fall ? And the fearefull threatnings 2. Sam. 12. that he vsed to discouer and publish openly all his offence ? to make murthers and bloodshed abound in his house ? and that the honour of his wiues should be stained by his owne sonne ? And yet notwithstanding such executions of gods iustice were verie hard , and a burthen for him almost insupportable : yet did he endure all things patiently , and submit himselfe wholly to the will of God , assuring himselfe of his mercy ( of the which Ab. 〈◊〉 . 3. he remembreth himselfe alwaies in his iudgements ) that the burthen , which he would laie vpon him , should not bee to cast him downe vtterly . Wée haue one notable example of his patience & humble obedience that hee resolued to yéelde vnto God in all his aduersities , when with so modest & milde a spirit he suffered the vile & opprobrious iniuries wherewith Semei reproched him , when hee was constrained to fly in all hast , and to forsake the Citie of Ierusalem , to saue 2. Sam. 16. himselfe from the conspiracie that his sonne and all his people had wrought against him . For the principall cause , that made Dauid so milde and patient , was , that he did referre all the presumptuous insolency , and sawcines of this litle Puppy , to the prouidence of God , who had raised him vp to gréet him with these iniurious wordes , to make him humble , and to make triall of his patience & vertue . And what was the cause wise , that Iob after so manifolde and Iob. 1. & ●… . great losses of his goods and children , and finally of the health of his body , did blesse and praise God so sincerely and hartily , as euer he did before in time of his prosperitie , and euen then when he had his harts desire , but a speciall care that hée had of the prouidence of God , the which he did contemplate and behold stedfastly in all his miseries , that he might receiue them from his hand as his blessings and speciall fauours , that he bestoweth vpon his dearest and best beloued children ? Then it is not inough that we beleue that all sicknesses and diseases are sent from God : but we must belieue that all their circumstances come from him also : as if they be grieuous and tarry long with vs , if they be loathfull and full of paine and languishing , and sometimes if they be incurable , so that by reason of their contagion , they cause our friendes and kinstolke to refraine from visiting and comforting vs , and insomuch that wee can haue no remedy , no more then had the poore woman , which had an issue of Mat. 9. Luke . 5. blood for the space of twelue yeares , and the poore man that béeing saised and benummed Ioh. 5. with a palsie all ouer his bodie , kept his bed 38. yeares , and in al that space could neuer get any remedie . We must then attribute all this vnto God , and thinke that he is iust and frée to disperse the goods and euils , which he taketh out of his treasury , to bestow them where he thinketh best , and in such portion and measure as pleaseth him , so that no man may complaine iustly of him , or demaund of him by any reason , wherefore he dooth thus or thus .

After that wée be fully resolued in our mindes , that not onely all sicknesses and diseases , but also all other harmes and euils whatsoeuer doo procéede from God , who pleaseth by his prouidence to send them for our chastisement , hauing alreadie gathered some comfortable sayings to encourage vs withall : now for our better comfort wee must consider , who this God is , that dooth send vs these afflictions , & how néere vs he is : for it is not such a God , as these Gods are , whom Psal. 96. Psal. 115. the foolish Heathen people doo adore , and are nothing at all indéede , vnto whome they addresse themselues , they cannot sée at all with their eyes , nor heare with Act. 14. Heb. 1 Esay . 40. Psa. 147 R●…m . 4. Apoc. 1. their eares , nor smell with their noses , nor tast with their tongues , nor speake with their mouthes , nor take or giue with their hands , nor walke with their féete , and to be short , they can neither do good nor harme : For they are not so much as mortal , as are men and beasts , but things altogether dead , which haue in them no sense , no vnderstanding , no mouing , no féeling , or force at all . But the God , in whome we beleeue , is the Creator of heauen and earth , who maketh by the only powrable vertue of his word all things that are in this world to liue and die , and to breath againe : who with one of his fingers doth measure the earth , and hold it vp with the tip therof , as it were with a fishooke : who knoweth the number and the names of all the starres , who calleth the things that are not , as if they were : who carryeth the keyes of life and death , who is infinite in himselfe , and all his vertues are infinite : for his bountie , mercie , wisedom , iustice , and veritie , are so incapable and incomprehensible , that their longitude , can no more be fadomed then their largitude , nor their largitude can no more be measured then their profunditie , which are past all length and largenes , all height and deapth , all count and capacitie .

Now this good and great God , is not 1. Cor. 3. Psa. 5. Psa. 17. 7. Cor. 6. farre from vs , neither by his presence , nor by his affection : he is in vs as in his owne Temple to sanctifie vs , he is about vs , to garde and keepe vs with his fauour , & to hyde vs vnder the shadowe of his wings . He is dwelling in vs , as in his owne house to guyd and gouerne vs , to enrich vs , to garnish and deck vs vp : our thoughtes and hearts are his galleries wherein he walketh and taketh his pleasure , there talking with vs by holye thoughts & inspirations , that he doth put in our mindes . And although that he fill both heauen & earth , & that the loue that he beareth to all his creatures , be the Psa 148. Iob. 3. Eph. 6. cause that he aid & assist them , prouiding al things necessarie to nourish & preserue them : Neuertheles herein is his tender loue most of all seene , in that he hath so much honored vs , & born vs so great good will as to espouse vs , & to comoigne and vnite vs so vnseperatly with himselfe , & by the means of such an vnion to receiue vs into his fellowship to be partakers of all his graces , gifts , & benefites for euer . Euen so then , as a woman which perceiueth her selfe entirely beloued of her owne husbande , neede not feare that he wil at any time misvse her : so ought we to assure our selues , that God who doth loue vs aboue measure , cannot do or suffer to be done to vs any thing that shall not be for our benefit . For if then when Rom. 5. wee were enimies ( as saith S. Paul ) wee were reconciled to him by the death of his sonne , much more beeing alreadie reconciled wee shall bee saued by his life . Is there anye thing to be imagined more absurde , then to thinke that GOD , who is the soueraigne good , can be the Author of anye euill ? Or Iam. 3. can wee haue from one Fountaine or spring , both salte water and sweete water ?

The heretikes , as Marcion and the Manichees , to shewe that they had such blasphemie in horror and detestation , would establish two principles : the one of life and light : the other of death and darknesse , perswading themselues by Psa 68. no meanes , that from God , who is the fountaine of life & of all felicitie , might proceede any miserie or affilction : wherin they were not deceiued , but in this onely , that from a good Maxime they drewe a naughtie conclusion : For in trueth , the good in so high degree as God is , that is to saye , soueraigne and infinite , cannot produce any euill , no more than fire can any thing that is colde : light , darknen : or life , death . And the reason is , because God , after that he had created the world and all that therein is contained , & considered throughly all the workemanship of his hands , beare witnes that they were all perfect good . And this is not simply to be vnderstood of all things that God created and made , but it extendeth also to all things that God doth , without any exception .

For séeing that God is alwayes like Psa. 102. Iam. 1. to himselfe , and that in him , as Saint Iames sayth , there is no changing at all , no not the least shadowe of alteration : and as his bountie is eternall , so at all times can it produce nothing but good workes , and doe those things that are good . And this is the reason which he gaue , aunswering by his Prophet to the people , who complained of the grieuous O seas . 13. calamities that did ouerpresse them : that he was by no meanes the causer thereof : as for him , he onely had procured their benefit and safegard , but that they were cause of their owne ruine , and of all the desolations that happened to them in their countrey . For as the fire kindleth Similitude . but fire , and other things semblably do produce things of their own qualitie and nature alike , so doeth God to , from whom can proceede none euill because he is perfectly good . But then wil some man saye : why , sicknes and diseases , famin , pouertie , dearth , & warres , are not these euils & plagues that God doth sende vpon vs , and is not he then the author and causer of them ? God sendeth them in deede , as well vpon the good as the bad : on the one , to punish their sinnes , which is a verie good déede , and a deede of Iustice : on the other to trye their patience , or to bring them to repentance . Thus if we would be good seruants and fitly applye these sicknesses that God doeth send amongst vs , referring them to their right ende , wee should reape thereby much profit & many goodly instructions . First then there is nothing so needefull , as to knowe our owne sinnes , the corruption and vice that is in vs , to the ende wee may humble our selues before God , and dispose our selues to beseech and seeke his grace and fauour , the onely meane whereby they may be remitted couered and hid before him , that so wee may auoide and escape his iudgement , and the condemnation which otherwise shall be appointed for vs , if our sinnes be not pardoned . But wee are so naturally blinded in our owne iudgement , by reason of the excessiue selfeloue that we haue in our selues , which doth blindfolde our eyes that wee cannot perceiue nor discouer the malice , hipocrisie , false dealing , pride , vanitie , defyance of one another , iniustice , impietie , idolatrie , inhumanitie , and all this lumpe of wickednes which lurketh in our heart from our birth , & hatcheth euery day more and more , as occasions shall serue to commit euil . For although we séeke to keepe close for a while the malice which we haue conceiued in our hearts as women do , which say they are not with chyld , till their bellie begin to swell , and til the daye of their deliuerie drawe neere , and then they must needes confesse that which before they stoutly denyed : So doe wee neuer confesie our sinnes vntil wee be by manifest proofes conuinced , and yet then wee stand to debate and diminish still some thing from the enormitie of our faultes and offences , whereof we haue a notable example in our first Parents , who when they stood before the face of God ( from whom Gen. 3. nothing maye be concealed or hidden ) their owne consciences accusing them , yet they sought by all craftie means they could , to counterfait and laye one from another the fault that they had committed , & coulde not be induced , neyther by the feare and reuerence of God , who being present spake vnto them , neither by the accusation and witnes of their own consciences which vrged them sore on euery side , but to confesse clearely and without any doubling , their disobedience , their ingratitude and ambition , by the which they were cast headlong from the happie & blessed estate wherein they were a little before . Whereby we may see how harde a matter it is for men to acknowledge and confesse their sinnes sincerely and without hipocrisie . Wee may see also by the Patriarches , who Gen. 42. dissembled all their wickednes , & cruell , and inhumaine-conspiracie that they had wrought against their poore brother , which they neuer acknowledged til they were constrained by the anguish and distresse , into the which God brought them , to make them remember & call to minde . And how long time was Dauid a sleepe in his sinne , and neuer once thought vpon it , till he felt the hande of God touch him so sore , & that he found himself almost intrapped of his enimies , as he confesseth himselfe : Thy hand is Psa. 3●… . heauie vpon mee day and night , & my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer . Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee , neither hid I mine iniquitie : for I thought I will confesse my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord , and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne . And Saint Peter , after that he had so often times denyed his maister , swearing and cursing himselfe if he euer had knowen him before : had he not perseuered still in his sinne , and abandoned himselfe wholly from the Church of God , as Iudas did , and many other Apostataes which do so daily , if Iesus Christ had not cast his eye vpon him , & by his looking vpon him , pearced so déep within his conscience , to make him feele and bewaile his sinne ? And likewise S. Paul , Luk. 22. who like a madde & raging beast , ranne about euery where , seeking to kill and slaie all the poore Christians he could come by , in what case had he beene if he had not repented him of his sinnes ? But contrariwise had he not persisted in his Act. ●… . obstinacie and hardnes of heart to waste and scatter the flocke , had not the strong and mighty arme of the shepheard , w●…o watched carefully to saue his flock , stopt him of his iourney and kept him short , by force , making him to acknowledge & perceiue the great hurt and iniury he did to the poore sheepe . By these few examples wee may easily perceiue , that men , although they beouer whelmed and filled with an infinite number of sinnes , yet they cannot acknowledge them , or haue feeling of them , if God do not giue them the grace to set them before their eyes . And this is the reason that in many places of holy Scripture Repentance ( which partly consisteth in the knowledge and displeasure that man conceaueth of his sinne ) is called the gift of 2. Tim. 2. God . For as we cannot know God , nor those good thinges which wee ought to seeke in him , and to hope for from his bountie : if first we be not lightened inwardly by his holy spirite , and outwardly instructed by his holy worde : So we cannot well knowe our selues , nor thoroughly sound out the vice and mischiefe which lyeth lurking in our hearts , if the spirite of God doe not giue vs eyes to behold our selues in the mirrhour of his Lawe . For to beholde our selues perfectly , and to see what is within vs , we cannot doe naturally , no more then the olde foolish woman Lamia could , whom Fables report to haue had once two eyes , but because shee woulde see nothing in her house shee pulled them both out , and cast them both out of dores , to goe spye and marke all that was done at her neighbours houses . And to this agreeth verie well the Fable of Esope , who saide , that euery man carryeth a Wallet vpon his shoulder , and in the hinder parte we put our owne faultes , to the ende wee maye neuer see them : and in the former parte , wee carrye our neyghboures faultes , to the ende that by seeing of them wee may finde some matter to speake yll of them and slaunder them .

But it is a meruaylous thing that our sinnes shoulde be diseases so grieuous , so daungerous , and so mortall , and yet that they shoulde bee so little perceiued and regarded of those that are infected therewith : For wee see how Idolaters , hypocrits , ambitious , auaritious & voluptuous persons are mery and frollicke without any signe or conceit of sorrow to complaine in any wise of their maladie . And more then that , the Idolater neuer taketh greater pleasure , then when he beholdeth , kiss●…th & adoreth his Idoll . Againe , the hipocrite is neuer better content , then when by the shewe of some counterfait vertue he can come to in●…nuate himselfe into the good opinion of some , and so get reputation and fame to be vertuous and godly . And others thinke themselues neuer more happie than when they haue the full fruition and peaceable possession of the honours , riches and pleasures of this world which they desire so much : & the cause of all this is , that they feele not their sicknes , the which is by so much more dangerous . For as among the diseases of the body none are more pernicious than those which bring least dolour and paine , as are the Palsies , Letargies , apoplexies , and other colde Cathars and tetters : for they are for the most part vncurable . This made an ancient father say , that he desired not to be sicke at all : but if it chaunced that he were sicke , he desired also to haue some feeling of his disease , giuing vs to vnderstand thereby , that there is nothing more daungerous then to be sicke , & not to perceiue or thinke it . What shall we then saye to our selues , who neuer think that we are so vicious as we are , and yet we can thinke well ynough that we are farre more vertuous th●…n we be either ? For we neuer ballance and wey our vices and our vertues , but with false weightes and measures . For when we weigh our owne vices we take a verie light waight , but we take one that is somewhat heauier for our vertues , the which we esteeme alwayes to be greater then they be , by reason of this furious fantasie or selfe loue which dimmeth our eyesight and iudgement . And euen as the mistes and vapours which rise from the earth towardes the euening or morning , beeing opposite betweene the Sunne and vs , make the Sunne to seeme a great deale bigger then it is : So when wee do contemplate our owne vertues cleane through this selfe loue of ours , which doeth so blinde the eyes of our iudgement , wee suppose them to be farre greater and per fecter then they are in deed . What must we then doe to correct and amende this false iudgement of ours , whereby wee esteeme our selues to be more vertuous and a great deale lesse vicious then in deede we be . We must learne to knowe our selues , and therefore must meditate in the lawe of God day and night , directing by it all our thoughtes , our affections , our wordes , our deedes , and in summe , the whole estate of our life , as by a right and true rule , by the which we ought to measure the same . But for that wee are Treuants and negligent scholers , and for that we do not our de●…oyre wholly to apply our selues to this studie , God as a good scholemaster , carefull for the profite of his children and scholers , is faine to take his rodde oftentimes in hande , to awake vs and set vs forwarde , and by sickenes and other mortifications of our flesh , to make vs knowe the vile corruption that lyeth hidden within vs . For there is nothing that holdeth vs better vnder the obedience of Gods holye will , then good discipline ( as Esay saith : ) Let men learne righteousnes , when the iudgements of Esa 26. Psa ▪ 119. God are vpon the earth . And Dauid saith : Before I was afflicted I went astraye , but now I keepe thy law . And by and by he saith againe : It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted , that I may learne thy statutes . It is then verie expedient for vs to haue some sickenes and aduersities if we can tel how to vse and apply them wel : for they make vs know and feele our sinnes , as on the contrary side , health and prosperitie doe make vs cleane forget them : for then , when in the flower of our age wee are healthfull and lustie , & all things laugh and smile vpon vs , we thinke vpon nothing but skip and fetch gambols as yong Fawnes and other beastes doe . If any man would come neere vs to giue vs good counsell , hee shoulde loose his paine : for there are none more backewarde , more vntamed , more highminded , and more vntractable than men tytled and fauoured by Fortune , and ●…uffed vp by her prosperities . That which God reproched the people withall by his Prophet : How often Ier. 22. haue I spoken vnto thee in thy prosperitie , but thou wouldest neuer once Pro. 1. heare : and this hath beene thy fashion from thy youth vpward . And Salomon speaking of the propertie of the foolish , saith that , it is their ruyne and vndoing . Certeinly it is verie hard ( as Xenophon saith ) that a man should be wise and wealthie all at once , and that being lifted vp to the top of honour , and a bounding in riches and pleasures , to confesse himselfe to be dust and ashes , as Gen. 1●… . Psa. 39. Abraham did , or to be nothing but vanitie , as Dauid did : but farre from this God wot , the riche men when they are in the prime of their riches and prosperities , they thinke themselues to be som Gods or else demie Gods : so did Sennacherib , Nabuchodonozor , Antiochus , Esa. 16. Theus , Xerxes , Alexander , king Herod , & Domitian , who became so proud , presumptuous and high minded , because of their prosperitie , that they woulde make themselues equall with God . Phillip king of Macedonia considering this , to the end he might not by the happie successe of his affaires fall into anye such insolencie , commaunded a groome of his chamber to saye vnto him a lowde euery morning as soone as he waked , ( Phillip ) Remember thou art but a mortal man . And sure he did very wisely , foreseeing how slipperie a thing prosperitie is , which doeth make men straight drunke , and lulleth them fast a sleepe , sooner then any sweete wine , when they drinke it , or the noyse of a soft winde that bloweth within their hearing , when they are readie to fall a sléep . The sicknesses then , which do awake vs and make vs confesse what our estate is , and that sinne is the chiefest cause that doeth engender them , are verie wholesome and needefull for vs , and we ought to take them for warnings that God doth send , to make vs remember him , & to do our endeuour to seeke for him , and such things as appertaine vnto him , which thing we shall do , if we confesse first before him our faultes from a contrite Psa 40. heart , altogether humbled & brought downe with the inwarde feeling of his anger , and with a deepe displeasure that we haue offended him so grieuously , after so manifold benefites , graces and fauours receiued at his hands , in so great aboundance that we cannot so much as number & count them , much lesse comprehend them . Here is then liuely to be touched and pricked with the apprehension and feeling of our own ingratitude , we must call to minde , how that being created after the image and likenes of Gen. 1. God , and by this meanes honoured aboue all the other creatures of the earth , without hauing any respect to the honour and dignitie , wherein he had placed vs , we haue not only blemished and changed his image , but almost altogether defaced and quite blotted it out , Ioh. 1. wholly swaruing from Iustice , holines and veritie , which are the vertues , by the which we may resemble him , for to followe the errours and vanities of this worlde , the foolish desires , and inordinate lustes and concupiscences of our flesh , to followe our owne wayes , and to be briefe to represent in all the course and state of our life , the verie portraiture and image of the diuel . After that he had taken vs out of the darkesome pit of ignorance , wherein we were buried , and made shine ouer vs the brightnes of his face by the liuely preaching of his Gospell , and by the knowledge and vnderstanding that he had giuen vs of his sonne , that wee might follow him , who is the light of the worlde , and Iohn . 1. Eph. 5. haue no more to doe with the workes of darkenes . But leauing our guyde , and quite forsaking the waye that hee had traced for vs to followe , we haue strayed and gone wrong a thousand and a thousand wayes , and as poore blinde men , hauing no bodie to conduct vs , and set vs in the waye but our owne appetite and foolish phantasie two other blinde guides , wee haue beene often at the pittes brinke in daunger to fall in , and to be lost for euer , had it not pleased this good GOD , by his bountie to surmount our malice , and to remember Iohn 5. Heb. 2. vs then , when we had cleane forgotten him .