Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

And if we look into the ways of Gods permissive providence in these latter times; what reproachful, and scornful blood hath run in the veins of wicked men, and what horrid things hath been invented upon the most famous persons of our latter times? As Luther, this report came to him, he being yet alive, That Luther upon his death-bed had recanted, and he desired the Sacrament, and after he was dead, there was a fearful Earthquake that shook the place where he lay, and they saw the Host he had taken, hanging in the Air, and when he was put into the Grave, they heard a great noise, but they ⟨p. 354⟩saw nothing, but a filthy stink arose, and his body was taken away. And so of Calvin; though he had a sweet death, yet was it said by the Popish Party, that he was eaten up with worms, (as those said of David, An evil disease cleaves fast to him:) and then when he was to dye, he called upon the Devil, and blasphemed the name of God. And so Oecolompadius, that he slew himself; and others reported, that the Devil slew him. It were endless to name the reproaches that we find of the servants of God that were most eminent. Yea, I remember Seneca hath ¹such an expression concerning Philosophy; says he, You are not yet happy, if the rout of people do not deride you; if you will be happy, prepare your selves to contemn being contemned. And an other Philosopher says, If one does but begin to set himself to the study of Philosophy, he must expect to be scorned and derided. Now if this be the wickedness of mens hearts, as they cannot so much as endure moral Philosophy, much more if a man begins to walk according to the rule of God. This is that which many fear, and they bring it to keep others from Gods ways, and say, If you embrace Religion, you will be derided at, and scorned: and by this many are kept from the good ways of the Lord; and therefore I being fallen upon this argument, I shall labour to take away this stumbling block, that it may not hinder any. Thus you have seen the thing it self, that it is so, that ²Gods people are a people under reproach. Now the reasons for it:

And if we look into the ways of Gods permissive providence in these latter times; what reproachful, and scornful blood hath run in the veins of wicked men, and what horrid things hath been invented upon the most famous persons of our latter times? As Luther, this report came to him, he being yet alive, That Luther upon his death-bed had recanted, and he desired the Sacrament, and after he was dead, there was a fearful Earthquake that shook the place where he lay, and they saw the Host he had taken, hanging in the Ayr, and when he was put into the Grave, they heard a great noise, but they