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

This serveth,

This serueth,

1. Use. 1 First, for the confutation of their foolish conceit and expectation, who seeing mighty adversaries against the Church, and few or no friends to interpose themselves, presently conclude, that their case is desperate: down they must: they are utterly undone: and so they begin to forecast in their minds the manner of their overthrow, & the form of their lamentation, when they shall be thus and thus handled. But these men, for all their deep reach, may be deceived; for all their conclusions are grounded on men: they do not consider ⟨p. 63⟩what God may do, as we see in Davids enemies, who perceiving that many did band themselves together, and rise up against him; concluded, ¹that there was no help for him in God. But what says David? Lord, thou art a buckler for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. And in another Psalm, ²Mine enemies (saith he) speak of me, saying, God hath forsaken him: pursue & take him, for there is none to deliver him. These speeches (no doubt) pierced Davids soul: but doth he make the same conclusion? No, he is far from that; he rather layeth faster hold on God, ³seeing cruel men to be so violently bent against him. Go not far from me, O God (saith he) my God haste thee to help me: let them be confounded and consumed, that are against my soul, &c. Indeed if mens opposing of themselves against him, could have kept him from complaining unto God, or God from giving care unto him, his case had been very lamentable: but seeing that was impossible, whatsoever they imagined, there was safety enough for David, and so is there still for all the elect of God.