I haue knowne long since, by thy testimonies, that thou hast established them for euer.
I Know O Lord, not of late, but long since, that thou euer hast beene, and art the selfe same God, thou art no changeling, thou doest not sometime maintaine the cause of thy children, and some other time forsake them. I know now by the couenant and records of thy loue, that thou doest defend thine euen vnto the end: I know that from the beginning thou hast hated & punished sinne, thou hast loued and maintained righteous dealing; I am perswaded that thy iudgements proue not true once or twice alone, but alwayes. We see how needefull it is to vs, for vs to haue knowledge throughly of the testimonies of the Lord. For this was an assured knowledge of the man of God. I haue laboured (saith the Prophet) in effect, to establish my knowledge; whereby I may knowe, that hereafter, which I know now; and that I must knowe that now, which I must knowe hereafter: yea, I haue taken great paines to confirme this knowledge in me, not of late but of long time.
Thus we see how the man of God laboureth to fetch out many arguments to strength∣en himselfe in time of temptation; wherein we also must imitate him: For if wee shall store vp great plentie of reasons, our enemies may push at vs and shake vs, but they shall neuer ouerthrow vs.