Seven godly and fruitful sermons. The six first preached by Master John DodSeuen godlie and fruitfull sermons. The six first preached by Master Iohn Dod

When the admonition of the Priests of the Lord would not prevail with him, but he grew wroth with those that withstood him, the Lord loving him, did forthwith smite him with Leprosy, and so he was driven to live apart all his life long, that so the haughtiness of his heart might be throughly cured. 2. Chron. 26. The like may be seen in Paul; ¹who albeit he were a man of wonderful graces, & had been continually exercised with many and great afflictions, so that he had no great need of further humbling, as we would have thought, yet had he Satan turned loose upon him, to buffet him, and to beat him black and blew as it were, that so he might not be lifted up with the multitude and excellency of the revelations that he had received. He had been in the third heaven, and was endued with exceeding rare gifts: and the Lord knew, that if he were not taken down, he would be very conceited of himself, and then all had been lost: he would be unfit to receive or do good, altogether unprofitable and unfruitful, and rob God of his honour, and men of their due: and therefore to prevent this, he giveth Satan liberty to work upon his original corruption, and to exercise him with strange temptations, which was a special preservative against pride, and loftiness of mind.

When the admonition of the Priests of the Lord would not preuaile with him, but he grewe wroth with those that withstoode him, the Lord louing him, did forthwith smite him with Leprosie, and so he was driuen to liue apart all his life long, that so the hautinesse of his heart might bee throughlie cured. 2. Chron. 26. The like may be seene in Paul; ¹who albeit he were a man of wonderfull graces, & had beene continually exercised with many and great afflictions, so that he had no great need of further humbling, as we would haue thought, yet had he Satan turned loose vpon him, to buffet him, and to beat him blacke and blew as it were, that so hee might not bee lifted vp with the multitude and excellencie of the reuelations that he had receiued. Hee had beene in the third heauen, and was indued with exceeding rare gifts: and the Lord knew, that if he were not taken downe, hee would bee very conceited of himselfe, and then all had beene lost: he would be vnfit to receiue or doe good, altogether vnprofitable and vnfruitfull, and robbe God of his honour, and men of their due: and therefore to preuent this, hee giueth Satan libertie to worke vpon his originall corruption, and to exercise him with strange temptations, which was a speciall preseruatiue against pride, and loftinesse of minde.