The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Thus if ye will be profitable hearers and readers of the holy scriptures, ye must first deny your selves, and keep under your carnal senses taken by the outward words, and search the inward meaning: reason must give place to Gods holy spirit, you must submit your worldly wisdom and judgement, unto his divine wisdom and judgement. Consider that the scripture, in what strange form soever it be pronounced, is the word of the living God. Let that always come to your remembrance, which is so oft repeated of the prophet Isaiah: The mouth of the Lord (saith he) hath spoken it, the almighty and everlasting God, who with his only word created heaven and earth, hath decreed it, the Lord of hosts, whose ways are in the Seas, whose paths are in the deep waters, that Lord and God by whose word all things in heaven and in earth are created, governed, and preserved, hath so provided it. The God of Gods, ⟨p. 308⟩and Lord of all Lords, yea, God that is God alone, incomprehensible, almighty, and everlasting, he hath spoken it, it is his word. It can not therefore be but trueth, which proceedeth from the God of all trueth: it can not be but wisely and prudently commanded, what almighty God hath devised, how vainly soever through want of grace, we miserable wretches do imagine and judge of his most holy word. The prophet David describing an happy man, sayeth: Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the ¹way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. There are three sorts of people, whose company the prophet would have him to flee and avoid, which shall be an happy man, and partakers of Gods blessing. First, he may not walk after the counsel of the ungodly. Secondly, he may not stand in the way of sinners. Thirdly, he must not sit in the seat of the scornful. By these three sorts of people, ungodly men, sinners, and scorners, all impiety is signified and fully expressed. By the ungodly, he understandeth those which have no regard of almighty God, being void of all faith, whose hearts & minds are so set upon the world, that they study only how to accomplish their worldly practises, their carnal imaginations, their filthy lust and desire, without any fear of God.

Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures, ye must firste denye your selues, and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes, and searche the inward meaning: reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite, you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement, vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement. Consyder that the scripture, in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced, is the word of the lyuing God. Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce, which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias: The mouth of the Lorde (sayth he) hath spoken it, the almighty and euerlasting God, who with his onely worde created heauen and earth, hath decreed it, the Lorde of hoastes, whose wayes are in the Seas, whose pathes are in the deepe waters, that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created, gouerned, and preserued, hath so prouided it. The God of Goddes,