The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 · Chapter 7
The seuenth Chapter. ¶The summe of a Christian lyfe: where is …utreated of the forsaking of our selues.
ALbeit that the lawe of the Lorde hauehave a moste aptly well disposed order to frame a mans life, yet it semed good to the heauenly scholemaister to instruct mē yet with a more exact trade to the same rule that he had set fourth in his lawe. And the beginning of that trade, is this: that it is the dutie of the faithfull to yelde their bodies to God a liuing,Rom. xli.i. holy and acceptable sacrifice vntounto him: and that therein standeth the true worshipping of him. Hereupon is gathered occasion to exhorte men, that they do not applie them selues to the fashiō of this world, but be transformed in renewinge of their mynde, that they may proue what the wyll of God is. Now this is a great thyng, that we be consecrate and dedicate to God: that we shoulde from thencefourth thynke, speake, imagine, or do nothing but to his glorie. For the thyng that is consecrate, can not be applied to vnholy vses, without great wrong done vntounto hym. If we be not our own, but the Lordes, it appeareth what errour is to be auoyded, and whereunto all the doynges of our life are to be directed. We are not our owne: therfore let neither our owne reason nor our owne wyll beare rule in our counselles and doynges. We are not our owne: therfore let vsus not make this the end for vsus to tend vntounto, to seke that whiche may be expediēt for vsus according to the flesh. We are not our owne: thertore so muche as we may, let vsus forget our selues and all thynges that are our owne. On the other side, we are Gods: therfore let vsus lyue and dye to hym. We are Gods: therfore lette his wisdome and wyll gouerne all our doinges. We are Gods: therfore lette all the partes of our life tende towarde him as their onlye lawfull end. Oh howe muche hathe he profited, that hauinge learned that hymselfe is not his owne, hath taken from hym selfe the rule and gouernement of him selfe to geue it to God.Ro. xiiii.viii. For as this is ye moste strong working pestilence to destroy men, that they obey themselues: so it is the only hauen of safetie, neither to knowe nor wyll any thing by hym selfe, but only to folow God going before him. Let this therfore be the first steppe, that man departe from him selfe, that he may apply all the force of his wit to ye obeying of the Lord. Obeying I cal not onelyonly that whiche standeth in obedience of the worde, but that wherby the mynd of man,Ephe. iiii.xxiii. voide from his own sensualitie of flesh, bendeth it selfe wholly to the will of Gods spirite. Of this trasformation (whiche Paul calleth renewing of the minde) where as it is the first entrie into life, al ye Phylosophers were ignoraunt. For they make only Reason the gouernesse of man: they thinke she only ought to be heard: finally to her only they geue and assigne the rule of manners. But the Christian Phylosophie biddeth her to geue place,Gal. i.xx. & to yeld & be subiect to the holy ghost: so yt man now mai not liue himself, but beare Christ liuing & reignīg in him.
Hereupon followeth also this other point, that we seeke not the thinges that be our owne, but those thinges that be accordinge to the will of the Lorde, and that make to the aduauncement of his glory. This is also a profe of great profiting, that in a manner forgetting our selues, & altogether leauing ye regarde of our selues, we trauail to employ our study to God & his cōmaundemētes. For when the Scripture biddeth vsus to leaue priuate regarde of our selues, it doth not only race out of our mindes the couetousnesse of hauing, the gredy seking for power & fauour of men: but also roteth out ambition & al desire of worldly glorie, and other more secrete pestilences. Truly a Christiā man must be so fashioned & disposed, to thinke throughout al his life, that he hath to do with God. In this sort, as he shal examine al his doings by Gods will & iudgement: so he shal reuerently direct vntounto him all the earnestly bent diligence of his minde. For he that hath learned to loke vpō God in all thinges that he hath to do, is therewithall turned away from all vaine thoughtes. This is that forsaking of our selues, whiche Christe euen from their first beginning of instructiō so earnestly gaue in charge to his Disciples: whiche when it ones hath gotten possession in ye heart leaueth no place at all, first neither for pride, nor disdainfulnesse, nor vain glorious bosting, then neither for couetise, nor filthy lust, nor ryotousnesse, nor deintinesse, nor for other euils that are engendred of the louelove of our selues. Cōtrariwise whersoeuer it reigneth not, there either moste filthy vices do range without shame, or if ther be any spice of vertue, it is corrupted with peruerse desire of glory. For shew me a man, if thou canst, that vnlesse he hauehave forsaken him selfe according to the commaundement of the Lorde, will of his owne free will vse goodnesse among men. For all they that hauehave not ben possessed with this feling, if they hauehave folowed vertue, they hauehave done it at ye least for praises sake. And all the Phylosophers that euer moste of all affirmed that vertue was to be desired for it selfes sake, were puffed vp with so great pride, that it appeared that they desired vertue for no other thinge, but that they might hauehave matter to be proude vponupon. But God is so nothing at all deli…ed, neither with those gapers for the peoples breath, nor with these swelling beastes, that he pronoūceth yt thei hauehave already receiued their rewarde in the world, & maketh harlottes and Publicanes nerer to the kingdome of heauen, than them. And yet we hauehave not throughly declared with how many and how great stoppes mā is hindreth from that whiche is right, so long as he hath not forsaken him selfe. For it was truely sayde in tyme past, that there is a world of vices hidden in the soule of man. And thou canst finde no other remedies, but denying thy selfe, and leauing regarde of thy selfe, to bende thy mynde to seeke those thinges that the Lorde requireth of thee, and to seke them therfore only because they please him.
In an other place the same Paul doth more plainly, although shortly, goe throughe all the partes of a well ordred life,Tit. ii.xii. saying: The grace of God that bryngeth saluation vntounto all men, hathe appeared and teacheth vsus, that we should denie all vngodlynesse, and worldly lustes, & that we should lyue sobre mynded, ryghteously and Godly in this present world, loking for the blessed hope & glorious appearing of ye mighty God, and of our sauiour Iesus Christ, whiche gaue him selfe for vsus to redeme vsus from all vnryghteousnesse, and to purge vsus a peculiar people vntounto him selfe feruently geuē vntounto good workes. For after that he hath set forth the grace of God to encourage them, to make redy the waye for vsus to worshyppe God, he taketh awaye twoo steppes that doe moste hynder vsus, that is to saye, Ungodlinesse, wherunto we are naturally to muche enclined, and Worldly desires, whiche extende further. And vnderunder the name of vngodlinesse, he not only meaneth superstitions, but also comprehendeth all that disagreeth with the earnest feare of God. And worldly lustes are in effect as much as the affections the fleshe. Therfore he commaundeth vsus in respect of both the tables of ye lawe, to put of our owne wit, & to forsake all that our owne reason and wyll informeth vsus. And all the doinges of our lyfe he bringeth into thre partes, sobrietie, righteousnesse, and godlinesse: of the whiche sobrietie without doubt signifieth as well chastitie and temperaunce, as a pure and measurably sparing vse of temporall thinges, and a pacient sufferance of pouertie. Righteousnesse conteineth al the duties of equitie, to geue eueryevery man his owne. The thirde is Godlinesse, that seuereth vsus from the defilinges of the worlde, and with true holinesse ioyneth vsus to God. These thinges, when they be knyt together with an vnseparable knot, make a full perfection. But for as muche as nothing is more hard, than forsaking the reason of the fleshe, yea subduing and renouncing her desires, to geue our selues to God and our brethren, & to studie for an angelike life in the filthy state of this earth: therefore Paul, to loose our myndes from all snares, calleth vsus back to the hope of blessed immortalitie, admonishing vsus not to stryue in vaine: because as Christ hath ones appered the redemer, so at his last cōming, he shall shewe the frute of the saluation that he hath purchaced. And thus he driueth away the enticementes that blynde vsus, and make vsus not to aspire as we ought to the heauenly glorie: yea and he teacheth that we must trauaill as men being from home in this worlde, that the heauenly inheritaunce be not lost or fall away from vsus.
Nowe in these wordes we perceiue, that the forsaking of our selues hath partly respect to men,Rom. xii.xx. Phi. ii.iii. and partly, yea chiefly to God. For where as the scripture biddeth vsus so to behaue our selues with men, that we preferre them before vsus in honour, that we faithfully employ our selues wholly to procure their commodities: therfore it greueth such commaundementes as our mynde is not able to receiue, but first beinge made voide of naturall sense. For (with suche blyndnesse we runne all into louelove of our selues) eueryevery man thinketh him self to hauehave a iust cause to aduaunce him selfe, and to despise all other in comparison of him self. If God hauehave geuen vsus any good gift, by & by bearing our selues bolde therof we lift vp our courage, and not only swell, but in a maner burste with pryde. The vices wherwith we abound, we do both diligētly hyde from other, and to our selues we flatteringly faine them light and sclē der, and sometime embrace them for vertues. And if the same good giftes, whiche we prayse in our selues, or better doe appere in other, least we should be compelled to geue place to them, we do with our enuiousnesse deface them and fynde fault with them. If there be any faultes in them, we are not contented seuerely and sharpely to marke it, but we also odiously amplifie it. Hereupō groweth that insolence, that eueryevery one of vsus, as though he were priuileged from the commō estate, would be hier than the rest, and carelesly & proudely set light by eueryevery mā, or despise thē as inferiours. The poore yeld to ye rich, base people to gentlemen, seruantes to their maisters, vnlearned to the learned: but there is no man that doth not nourish within himself some opiniō of excellencie. So eueryevery man in flatteryng himself, beareth a certaine kingdome in his brest. For presumptuously takyng vponupon them somwhat whereby to please themselues, they iudge vponupon the wittes and manners of other menne. But yf they come to contention, there bursteth out their poyson. For many doe make a shewe of great mekenesse, so longe as they finde all thinges gentle and louely: but howe many a one is there that kepeth that continuall course of modestie, whē he is pricked and stirred to anger? And there is no remedie hereof▪ but that the moste hurtfull pestilence of louelove, of soueraigntie and selfe louelove be rooted out of the bottome of their heartes, as it is rooted out by the doctrine of the Scripture. For there we are so taught, that we muste remember that the good giftes that God hath geuen vsus, are not our owne good thynges, but the free giftes of God, wherof yf any be proude, they bewraye their owne vnthākefulnesse. Whoe maketh thee to excell?i. Cor. iiij.vij. Paule sayth, yf thou haste receyued al thinges, why doest thou boste as yf they were not geuen thee? Then, that we muste with continuall reknowledgyng of our faul…es, call our selues …ck to humilitie. So shal there remayne in vsus nothyng to be proude …, but there shalbe much matter to abace our selues. Agayne, we … commaunded, whatsoeuer giftes of God we see in other men, so to reuerence and esteme those giftes, that we also honour those menne in whom they be. For it were a great lewdnesse for vsus, to take from thē that honor, ye God hath vouchesaued to geue thē. As for their faults, we are taught to winke at them, not to cherish them with flattering, … that we should not by reason of those faultes triumphe agaynst …, to whome we ought to beare good will and honour. So shall it …ome to passe, that wyth what man so euer we hauehave to doe, we shall …chaue our selues not only temperatly and modestly, but also gently and frendly. As a man shal neuer come any other way to true mekenesse, but yf he hauehave a heart endued with abacyng of hymselfe, and reuerencyng of other.
Now howe hard is it, for thee to do thy dutie in sekyng the profit of thy neyghbour? Thou shalt herin labour in vayne, vnlesse thou depart from regard of thy selfe, and in a manner put of thy selfe. For howe canst thou performe these thynges that Paule teacheth to bee the workes of charitie, vnlesse thou forsake thy self, to geue thy self wholy to other?i. Cor x….iiij. Charitie (sayth he) is patient and gentle, not proude, not disdaynefull, enuieth not, swelleth not, seketh not her owne, is not angry, &c. If this one thyng be required, that we seke not the things that are our owne, we shall doe no small violence to nature, whiche so bendeth vsus to the only louelove of our selues, that it doth not easily suffer vsus negligently to passe ouer our selues and our owne thynges, to watch for other mens cōmodities, yea to depart with our owne right to re…igne it to an other. But the Scripture, to leade vsus thether as it were by the hand, warneth vsus that what so euer gracious giftes we obteyne of the Lord, they are cōmitted vntounto vsus vpō this conditiō, that they shold be bestowed to the cōmon benefit of the church: & that therfore the true vse of al Gods graces is a liberal & bountiful cōmunicating of them to other. There can be no certaine rule, nor more forceable exhortation could be deuised for the keping of the same, thā when we be thaught that all the good giftes that we hauehave, are thynges of God deliuered, cōmitted to our trust vpō this cōdition, that they shuld be disposed to the benefit of our neighbours. But ye Scripture goeth yet further, when it cōpareth them to the powers wherewith the mē bers of mans body are endued. No mēber hath his power for himself, nor applieth it to his priuate vse: but poureth it abrode into the other membres of the same body, & taketh no profit therof, but such as procedeth from the cōmon cōmoditie of the whole body. So whatsoeuer a godly man is able to do, he ought to be able to do it for his brethrē, in prouiding none otherwise priuately for himself, but so that his minde be bent to the cōmon edificatiō of the church. Let this therfore be our order for kindnesse and doyng good: that whatsoeuer God hath bestowed vpō vsus, wherby we may help our neighbour, we are ye Baylies therof, & bound to render accompt of the disposyng of it. And that the only right disposing is that which is tried by ye rule of louelove. So shal it come to passe, that we shal alway not only ioyne the trauail for other mens cōmoditie with the care of our owne profit, but also set it before the care of our owne. And that we should not happen to bee ignorant that this is the true lawe of disposyng all the giftes that we receyue of God, he hath in the olde time set the same lawe euen in the smalest giftes of his liberalitie.Exo. xxij.xxix. & xxiij xix. For he commaunded the first frutes of corne to be offred vntounto him, by whiche the people might testifie that it was vnlawfull for them to take any frute of the goods that were not first consecrate to him. If the giftes of God be so onelyonly then sanctified vntounto vsus, when we hauehave with our owne hande dedicate them to the authour thereof, it is euidēt that it is an vntrue abuse thereof that doth not fauour of suche dedication. But it shalbe vayne for thee to goe about to enriche the Lord with communicatyng to him of thy things. Therefore sithe thy liberalitie can not extende vntounto him,Ps. xvi.iij. Heb. xiij.xvi. as the Prophet saith, thou must vse it toward his saintes that are in earth. Therfore almes are compared to holy oblations, that they maye nowe be correspondent to these of the lawe.
But, that we shuld not be wery with doyng good (which otherwise must needes come quickly to passe) that other thing must be adioyned which ye Apostle speaketh of,i. Cor. xiij.iiij. that charitie is patiēt & not moued to anger. The Lord cōmaūdeth to do good to al vniuersally, of whō a great part are most vnworthy, if thei be cōsidered by their owne deseruing. But here ye Scripture helpeth wt a very good meane, whē it teacheth that we must not hauehave respect what mē deserue of thēselues, but that the image of God is to be considered in all men, to which we owe all honour and louelove. But the same is most diligently to be marked in thē of the householde of sayth,Gal. vi.x. in so muche as it is in them renewed and restored by the Spirit of Christ. Therfore whatsoeuer mā thou light vponupon, that needeth thy helpe, thou hast no cause to withdraw they selfe frō doyng him good. If thou say that he is a stranger: but ye lord hath geuē him a marke, ye ought to be familiar vntounto thee, by the reason that he forbiddeth thee to despise thine owne flesh.Esa. iviij.vii. If thou say yt he is base & nought worth: but the lord sheweth him to be such a one, to whom he hath vouchesaued to geue the beautie of his image. If thou saye that thou owest him nothing for any thing that he hath done for thee: but God hath set him as it were in his place, in respect of whome, thou knowest so many & so great benefites wherwith he hathe bound thee vntounto him. If thou say yt he is vnworthy that thou shuldest labour any thing at al for his sake: but the image of God whereby he is cōmended to thee, is worthy that thou shouldest geue thy selfe and all that thou hast vntounto it. But yf he hauehave not only deserued no good at thy hande, but also prouoked thee with wronges and euell doynges:Matt. vi.xxiiii. and xviij.xxxv. euen this is no iuste cause why thou shuldest cesse both to louelove him & to do for him the dutifull workes of louelove. Thou wilt saye, he hath far otherwise deserued of me. But what hath ye Lord deserued? Which when he cō maundeth thee to forgeue all wherein he hath offended thee, truely he willeth the same to be imputed to himself.Luc. xvij.iij. Truely, this is ye only way to come to that which is vtterly agaynst the nature of mā, much more is it hard for man. I meane, to louelove them that hate vsus, to recompense euel with doyng good,Matth. v.xliiij. to render blessynges for reporches: if we remēber that we muste not consider the malice of men, but loke vponupon the image of God in thē, whiche defacing & blotting out their faults, doeth with the beautie and dignitie of it self allure vsus to embrace it.
Therfore this Mortification shal then only take place in vsus, when we performe the dueties of charitie. But it is not he that performeth them, that only doeth all the dutifull workes of charitie, although he leaue none of them vndone, but he that doth them of a syncere affection of louelove. For it maye happen, that a man maye fully performe to all menne all that he oweth, so muche as concerneth outward duties: and yet he maye be far from the true performyng of it. For you maye see some that would seeme very liberall, whiche yet doe geue nothyng but eyther with pryde of loke, or with chorlishnesse of wordes they vpbrayde it. And we become to suche wretchednesse in this vnhappy worlde, that almoste no almes are geuen of any menne, or at least of the moste parte of men, without reprochyng. Whiche peruersnesse should not hauehave ben tolerable among the very heathen. For of Christians is somwhat more required than to shew a cherefulnesse in coū tenance, and make their doynges louely with gentlenesse of wordes. First they must take vponupon them the personage of him whome they see to neede their helpe, and then so pitie their case, as yf themselues dyd fele and suffer it: so that they maye bee caried with felynge of merciemercy and gentlenesse euen as they would be to helpe themselues. He that shall come so minded to helpe his brethren, will not only not defile his doynges with any arrogante or vpbraydyng, but also neyther will despise his brother to whome he doeth good as one needyng his helpe, nor treade hym vnderunder foote as one bounde vntounto him: no more than we vse to reproche a sicke member, for easyng whereof the whole body laboreth, or to thynke it specially bounde to the other members, bycause it hath drawen more helpe vntounto it than it hath recompensed. For it is thought that the common enterpartenyng of duties betwene members of one body, hath no free kynde of gifte, but rather that it is a payement of that whiche beyng due by the lawe of nature it were monstruous to denie. And by this reason it shall follow, that he may not thinke himself discharged that hath performed one kinde of dutie, as it is commonly vsed, that when a riche manne hath geuen any thing of his owne, he leaueth other charges to other men, as not belongyng to him. But rather eueryevery manne shall thinke thus with himselfe, that he is altogether detter to his neyghbours, and that he must determine none other ende of vsyng his liberalitie, but when abilitie fayleth, which how large so euer it be, must be measured by the rule of charitie.
Nowe let vsus more fully declare the principall parte of forsakyng our selues, whiche we sayd to hauehave respecte to God. We hauehave sayd muche of it already, whiche it were superfluous to rehearse agayne: it shalbe sufficient to entreate of it so far as it frameth vsus to quietnesse of minde and sufferance. First therefore in sekyng the commoditie or quietnesse of this present life, the Scripture calleth vsus herunto, that resignyng vsus and our thinges to the Lordes wil, we should yeld vntounto him the affections of our heart to be tamed and subdued. To cou…t wealth and honors, so compasse authoritie, to heape vp riches, to gather together al such follies as serue for royaltie & pōpe, our lust is outragious, and our gredinesse infinite. On the other side of pouertie, ignobilitie, & base estate, we hauehave a maruellous feare and maruellous hatred, that moue vsus to trauaile by al meanes to eschue thē. Hereby a man may see, how vnquiet a minde they hauehave, how many shiftes they attempt, with what studies they wery their life, that frame their life after their owne deuise: to atteyne those thinges that their affection of ambitiō or couetousnesse requireth, and on the other side to escape pouertie & basenesse. Therfore the godly must kepe this waye, that they be not entangled with such snares. First let them not either desire, or hope for, or thinke vponupon any other meane of prosperyng, than by the blessing of the Lord: & therfore let them safely & boldely rest thēselues vponupon it. For how so euer the flesh thinke it self sufficient of her self, whō she eyther trauaileth by her owne diligence, or endeuoreth with her owne studie, or is holpen by the sauour of men to the atteyning of honour and wealth: yet it is certayne, that all these thinges are nothing, & that we shall nothyng preuayle with wit or trauaile, but in so much as the Lord shall prosper bothe. But on the other side his only blessyng findeth a waye through al stoppes, to make all thinges procede with vsus to a ioyfull and lucky end. Then how soeuer we maye moste of all obteyne any glorie or wealth without it (as we dayly see the wycked to get heapes of greate honours and richesse) yet for as much as they vponupon whome resteth the curse, do fele no parcell of felicitie, we can obteine nothing without his blessing that shal not turne vsus to euell. And it is not at all to be coueted, that maketh men more miserable.
Therefore yf we beleue that all the meane of prosperous successe and such as is to be wished, cōsisteth in the only blessing of God, which beyng absent, all kindes of miserie and calamitie muste happen vntounto vsus: this remayneth also, that we do not gredyly endeuour to wealth and honours standing vponupon our owne finesse of wit or diligence, nor leauing to the fauour of men, nor trustyng vponupon a vayne imagination of fortune, but that we alwaye looke vntounto the Lord, to be led by his guidyng to what so euer lot he hath prouided. So first it shall come to passe, that we shall not violently rush to the catchyng of richesse and inuadynge of honours, by wronge, by guile and euell crasty meanes, or extortion with doyng iniurie to our neighbours, but shal onelyonly followe those fortunes that maye not leade vsus from innocence. For whoe maye hope for the helpe of Gods blessyng among fraudes, extortiōs, and other suttle meanes of wickednesse? For as Gods blessing followeth no man but him that thinketh purely, & doeth rightly, so it calleth back all them of whom it is desired, frō croked thoughtes, and corrupt doynges. Thē, we shalbe bridled that we burne not with inmeasurable desire of growyng riche, nor ambitiously gape for honors. For with what face may a man trust to be holpen of God, to obteine those thynges that he desireth agaynst his worde? For God forbidde that God should geue the helpe of his blessyng to that whiche he curseth with his own mouth. Last of all, if it succede not according to our wish and hope, yet we shalbe restrayned from impatience, and from cursyng our estate what soeuer it be: bycause we know that that is to murmure agaynst God, at whose will richesse and pouertie, basenesse and honors are disposed. Brefely, he that resteth hymselfe in suche sorte as is aforesayd vponupon the blessyng of God, neyther will by euell suttelties hunt for those thinges that menne are wont outragiously to couet, by whiche crafty meanes he thinketh that he shall nothyng preuayle: nor yf any thyng happen prosperously will impute if to hymselfe, and to his owne diligence endeuour or to fortune, but will assigne it to God the authour. But yf while other mens estates doe florish, he goe but sclenderly forward, yea or slide backeward, yet he will beare his ill fortune with greater quietnesse and moderation of mynde, than a prophane manne wil beare a meanely good successe, whiche is not altogether so good as he desired: bycause he hath a comfort wherein he maye more quietly rest, than vponupon the hiest toppe of wealth and authoritie: bycause he accompteth that his thinges are ordered by God as is auailable for his saluation. So we see that Dauid was minded,Ps. c.xxxi. and yeldeth himselfe to be ruled by God, he declareth himselfe to be like to a weyned childe, and that he walketh not in hye thinges or maruellous aboue himself.
And the godly mindes ought to hauehave that quietnesse and sufferāce not only consistyng in this behalf: but also it muste extend to al chaunces wherunto our present life is subiect. Therfore no mā hath rightly forsaken himselfe, but he hath so resigned himselfe vp wholly to the Lord, that he suffreth all the partes of his lyfe to be gouerned by his will. He that is so framed in minde, what so euer happen, will neyther thinke himselfe miserable, nor will with enuiousnesse agaynste God complayne of his fortune. Howe necessarie this affection is, shall hereby appere, yf you consider to howe many chaunces we be subiect▪ Diuerse kyndes of diseases doe trouble vsus, sometime the pestilence cruelly reigneth, sometime we are sharply vexed with calamities of warre, somtime frost or haile deuouring ye hope of the yere bringeth barennesse, yt driueth vsus to dearth: somtime our wife, parentes, children or kinsfolkes are taken awaye by death, our house is consumed with fier: these be the thinges at chauncyng whereof men curse their life, derest the day of their birth, hauehave heauē and light in execration, murmure against God, and (as thei be eloquent in blasphemies) accuse him of vniustice and crueltie. But a faythfull manne muste euen in these chaunces beholde the mercyfull kindenesse and fatherly tendernesse of God. Therefore whether he see his house destroied, his kinsefolke slayne, yet he will not therfore cesse to prayse God, but rather will turne himselfe to this thought: yet the Grace of the Lord that dwelleth in my house, will not leaue it desolate. Or yf when his corne is blasted or bitten, or consumed with frostes, or beaten downe with hayle, he see famine at hand, yet he will not despeyr, nor speake hatefully of God,Ps. ixxix.x…ij. but will remayne in this confidence, We are yet in the Lordes protection, and shepe brought vp in his pastures: he therfore will finde vsus foode euen in extremest barrennesse. Or if he bee troubled with sicknesse, euē then he will not be discouraged with bitternesse of sorrow, to burst out into impatience and quarell thus with God: but consideryng the righteousnesse & lenitie in gods correctiō, he will call himself back to patience. Finally, what so euer shall happen, bicause he knoweth it ordeined by the hand of God, he will take it with a well pleased and thankefull minde, least he should stubbornly resist his authoritie, into whose power he hath yelded himselfe and all his. Therfore let that foolish & most miserable comfort of the Heathen be far from a Christian mans heart, which to strēgthen their mindes agaynst aduersities, did impute the same to fortune, with whome they cōpted it …oolish to be angry, bicause she was blinde & vnaduised, that blindely wounded bothe the deseruing and vndeseruyng. For contrarywise this is the rule of godlinesse, that the only hand of God is the iudge and gouernesse of bothe fortunes, and that it runneth not forward with vnaduised sodeyne rage, but with most orderly iustice dealeth among vsus bothe good thinges and euell.