The harmonie of Holie Scriptures vvith the seuerall sentences of sundry learned and vvorthy vvriters : collected for the comfort of all such as are desirous to seeke after theyr soules health / by I.B.

¶ Against foolish securitie.

§. 1.

SAy not thou, I will hide my selfe from* 1.1 the Lord: for, who will think vpon me from aboue? I shall not be knowne in so great an heape of people: for, what is my soule, among such an infinite number of creatures?

But rather remember vvhat our Sauiour Christ saith in Saint Mathewes Gospell: namely, that one sparrow falleth not to the ground, without the will of God our hea∣uenly* 1.2 Father: and, that all the haires of our head are numbred by him. Howe much more then may wee vndoubtedly beleeue, that wee our selues are knowne and num∣bred of him? For, hee onely is the Crea∣tor and Preseruer of men: and without his permission▪ wee are not able to drawe our breath a minutes while.

§. 2.

Besides, thus speaketh the Lord himselfe* 1.3 interrogatiuelie, by the mouth of Ieremy, saying: Am I a GOD at hand, and not a GOD farre off? Can any hide himselfe in secrete places, that I shall not see him, saith the Lord? Doe not I fill heauen and earth, saith the Lord?

And, to this effect likewise, tendeth the speech of the Prophet Dauid in the 139. psalme, where he saith: O Lord, thou hast* 1.4 tryed mee, & knowne mee: thou knowest my sitting, & my rising, thou vnderstan∣dest my thought a farre off: thou compas∣sest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes.

For, there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it vvholie, ô lord. Thou holdest mee straite behinde and be∣fore▪ and layest thy hand vpon mee. Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee: it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it.

Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit? or whether shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend into heauen, thou art there: If I lie downe in hell, thou art there.

Let mee take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea,

yet thither shall thy hand leade mee, & thy right hand hold mee. If I say, yet the dark∣nesse shall hide me, euen the night shall be light about mee. Yea, the darknes hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day; and the darknes and the light are both alike. For, thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered mee in my mothers vvombe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eccl{us}. 16, 17
• * 1.2

  Math. 10. 29. 30.
• * 1.3

  Iere, 23, 23, 24.
• * 1.4

  Psalme, 139. 1. 2, 3, &c.