gouernment hath effected whence we conclude that hee is not so tied to second causes as that when they faile his Prouidence ceaseth vnto vs for sometimes he worketh without meanes and sometimes contrarie to their nature for the declaration of his mightie power and wonderfull goodnesse But it is to be obserued that when God worketh either of these two waies hee vseth an incomprehensible and innisible vertue of working proper to his Deitie only thereby teaching vs not to put any confidence in second meanes but euen thē when they wholly faile assuredly to hope for deliuerance from God who at the very time of greatest distresse is alwaies neerest vnto his children The third and vsuall way of Gods gouerning 3. Vsually by meanes is by second means appointed in his heauenly wisedome for that purpose As by the heate of the Sunne and dropping of the clouds the earth to yeeld her fruite the grasse of the mountaines to nourish the beasts man to bee maintained by the sweat of his browes to bee fed by bread to be warmed by the fire to bee kept from cold by his cloathes by studie to get learning Foolish conclusions from the immutabilitie of Gods decree are here condemned by learning to come to prefermēt by foresight to eschew dangers and so vsually in all other things So that the neglect of ordinarie meanes is a contempt of Gods ordinance and a sin of presumption This the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand when hee saith Hosea 2.21 I will heare the heauens the heauens shall heare the earth the earth shall heare the corne wine and oyle and the corne wine and oyle they shall heare Israel And thus much for these two first what Gods Prouidence is secondly the order hee vseth in gouerning by the same Now to the answering of certaine questions which offer themselues after this manner Quest. 1 The first Why God doth somtimes worke without meanes and sometimes against means that is contrarie to their naturall working Ans By one godly meditation the minde is led vnto another and by a diuine contemplation of Gods wonderfull working the soule is moued to take ioy and comfort and to stay it selfe on the Creator alone Therefore although Gods children are not curiously to fearch into the reasons of their heauenly Fathers gouernment yet the rules of godly humilitie being obserued we will enquire somewhat into them Reasons of Gods working sometimes without sometimes against meanes The first whereof may seeme to be this that wee should learne and know that hee doth not alwaies gouerne by meanes because hee cannot rule without them but that hee will at his pleasure manifest his infinite power ouer his creatures and his exceeding great mercie to those which loue and feare his name Secondly whereas it is the nature of men where they see no ordinarie meanes of effecting there to attribute the euents vnto chance and fortune the Lord therefore declareth this his wonderfull power to shew himselfe the sole effecter of all things Lastly God sheweth this his power in gouerning to the end wee should put no confidence in second causes but wholly relie vpon his power and goodnesse begetting in vs this double assurance the first that he is able the second euer readie to helpe in our greatest miseries Quest. 2 The second question is why God doth gouerne the world vsually by meanes whereas he is able to gouerne it without them Ans The answere is first Reasons of Gods gouerning vsually by meanes wheras be is able to gouerne without them to shew his wonderfull loue and goodnesse to his creatures in that by the vse of them he approues of what he hath created and further giues this honour vnto them to bee if I may so say coworkers with him in his wonderfull gouernment Secondly whereas we are naturally subiect to blindnes error and ignorance God vseth means in his gouernment to be as certaine steps to bring vs to the knowledge and acknowledgement of him A third reason is to manifest that he is the Creator of all things appearing in this in that hee hath the commaund and vse of all things for the accomplishing of that which in his heauenly wisedome he had decreed A fourth reason is to excite vs to heartie thanksgiuing If they prooue othervvise it is because of our bad vsing them in that all creatures are meanes of our good and ordained by God to bee helpes and furtherances both of soules and bodies vnto eternall glorie Indeede they often turne to our greater condemnation but this is by accident in respect of vs not of the creatures Simile As wholesome meate in a good stomacke is well digested but in a bad stomacke and a diseased bodie turnes into cruditie The cause is not in the meate for then it would worke the like effect in all but in the stomacke of the bodie that is euill affected Fiftly whereas God vseth all his creatures as meanes in his gouernment it is to teach vs that none of them are in their kinde to be contemned or despised because they are the creatures of God and instruments of his glorie Lastly God doth commonlie vse meanes in his gouernment because we should not presume of his power or Prouidence either by neglecting the meanes appointed by himselfe for the sauing of our soules or by reiecting the helpes ordained for the preseruation of the body For in all things we must haue respect vnto Gods will reuealed in his word and not vnto his secret wil wherof wee are ignorant Now the reuealed will of God teaching by his owne ordinance at first in the person of Adam Gen. 3. as also euer since both by precept and practise that wee must vse the meanes appointed 1. Tim. 4. Not the vvant but the contempt of meanes doth abridge vs of helpe from God being sanctified vnto vs by his word and prayer wee shall not only tempt God in the neglect of them but also become vnnaturall vnto our selues in that we regard not the meanes whereby our safetie is procured Lest therefore we should be guiltie of the one or faultie in the other it hath pleased God for our example commonly to vse them who otherwise because his power is infinite could as easily gouerne without them Quest 3 The 3. question is what these meanes are which God vseth in his gouernmēt Ans As Gods power is infinite and his creatures not to bee numbred so because GOD rules by all the meanes are not to bee counted They may bee reduced into two sorts heauenly or earthly concerning this life or concerning a better yet none can in very deede be so properlie said to concerne this life as that they doe not after a certaine maner concerne a better also But I will onely recite a few and those especially which concerne Gods children As the Law the Gospell the Administration of Sacraments the ministerie of men prosperitie aduersitie good Angels and the heauenly hoast as the Sunne the Moone the starres
him and the sorrowes of the graue caught hold vpon him he cannot but breake forth vnto the acknowledgment of this dutie I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice my prayers That is compassed him about as he saith elsewhere with songs of deliuerances Exod 21. Deut. 6.5 When the Lord would excite his people to the keeping of the first and great commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which as Christ expounds it in his answere to the demand of the Pharisaicall Lawyer is no other thing but to loue the Lord with all our heart Matth. 22.37 with al our soule and withal our mind His arguments of perswasion are taken from his fatherlie care and mercie vnto them saying that hee was their God which brought them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage So that this is a speciall vse to bee made of Gods benefits and great care ouer vs that when as hee doth superabound in blessings wee should abound in loue the onely sacrifice which God accepts and that onlie dutie which we may best performe Hoc praeceptum breue leue vtile est This lesson to loue God for his benefits is short light and profitable Short that all may learne it none can complaine of length or hardnesse light that the sick man in his bed the poore man in his want the captiue in his bondage the prisoner in his chaines and that which is hardest the rich man in his wealth without selling his substāce may learne to performe it Profitable none can complaine of losing thereby nay who euer loued the Lord which hath not thereby gained his owne soule which is more then the world and God himselfe more then a thousand soules Nor doe those benefits onely whereof wee haue an euident sense and feeling moue vs to loue the Lord but euen those also whereof wee are made partakers by their more remote operatiō which being lesse sensiblie felt as causes farther remoued Prouocations to make vs loue God are not so easilie perceiued by vs and yet continuallie admonish vs to loue the Lord. Caelum terra omniae quae in ijs sunt eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine Heauen and Earth saith Augustine and all things therein contained Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem doe make a continuall cry round about me that I should loue thee O Lord. They shew thy worthinesse and declare thy bountie such a world such heauens such an ocean such an earth such spirituall such earthlie creatures insensible sensible reasonable all wonderfully framed Quocunque te vertis veritas vesti◠ijs quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteriora relabentem ipsis exteriorum sormis intus reuocat Aug. de Arb. lib. Lord how mightie how wonderfull how wise art thou that made them and therefore worthie our loue and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to increase to multiplie them yea more to fill vs with them for thou hast said Wherin haue I grieued or failed you and we could not tell thou hast said What could I haue done more to my vine then I haue done but wee could not iustlie complaine and therefore thy bountie thy superabundāt bounty must needs make vs to loue thee Vnto this loue meere nature excites vs the horse loues his keeper the dogge his master the hawke the faulkner the seruant the Lord the sonne the father Pudeat ab exiguis enimalibus nos trahere mores Seueca shall these follow the course of nature and shall wee degenerate doe these loue that they might liue here and shall not wee loue our Lord our Master our Father that wee might liue eternally Nor doth nature onely teach this but reason also Bern. Quod nisi per ipsum valuit esse sine ipso non potest sustineri Quisque ita conditus est vt ipsum necessariò habeat protectorem quem habuit conditorem Euery one is so framed that hee must necessarily haue him to be his protector whom he had to be his maker because that which could not haue his beeing but from him cannot be sustained but by him Now God being this sole protector there is good reason why we should loue him A protector that is wise and can dispose for our good omnipotent therefore able to effect it mercifull and therefore will doe it iust and therefore will not decerue faithfull and therefore will not forsake if man wil euer chuse an absolute friend why should not man in reason chuse such a friend Foure things mouing to loue others what can hee desire that this blessed friend affoords not vnto him if delight there is pleasure at his right hand for euermore if alliance in Christ he is thy gratious father if present gaine thou art fild with his benefits and compast with his deliuerances if future glorie thou art not onely attended with a guard of Angels in this life Ama vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona satis erit August but shalt further be crowned with euerlasting glorie in the life to come And therefore reason teacheth that wee should loue God such a father so delightfull so gainefull so profitable to those that place their affections vpon him And though these doe continuallie craue our loue yet the riches of his grace and mercie do challenge it much more they doe mooue but this compels vs to loue him The consideration of this being the fountaine of all Christian duties yea giuing life and taste vnto them and yet alas slenderly regarded and lesse performed it will not be vnprofitablie though perhaps vnfitly annexed to this my purpose to shew Gods loue to vs thereby to excite ours to him againe Wherein consider the state we were in vessels of wrath bondslaues to sinne to our owne lusts to Satan of our selues castawaies for euer the state we now are in vessels of glory free denizens of heauen children of God heires of eternall happinesse how this is accomplished Iohn 3.16 in that God sent his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs from that fearefull miserie and to bring vs to this exceeding glorie but how by deposing his crowne of dignitie his glorious estate his absolute honour his perfect ioyes and so to become man in the flesh to vndergo hunger nakednesse want with other infirmities whereunto mankind is subiect sinne onely excepted This is wonderfull loue but behold greater hee became Asham as Isaiah saith a sacrifice for sinne hee drew vs as Hosea saith Hosea 11.4 with the coards of man that is as the Septuagint expounds it was willinglie bound with coards himselfe that hee might vnloose the coards wherewith wee were tied Ephes 2.18 Hee redeemed vs as Paul saith with his bloud shed on the crosse an ignominious death a fearefull death in which hee vnderwent the furie of his father and the torments of hell both
in those things wherin he hath pleased thee August conf lib. 4. thou by ingratitude shouldest displease him This is a heauenly worke to praise the Lord this makes silly men vpon earth to be saints in heauen â—ern in Cant. Vae tacentibus de te Domine quoniam loquaces muti sunt Conf. lib. Wo vnto them saith Augustine whose ingratitude hath silenced them from praysing of thee for though they babble much yet they are dumbe Sed foelix lingua quae non nouit nisi de diuinis taxere sermonem But that is a happie tongue which as Hierome saith can tell how to frame it self to no thing but to praise the Lord. August ad Aurelium Wee can cartie nothing better in our minds vtter nothing better with our mouthes expresse nothing better with our pennes no sentence so short and pithie in speaking none so sweet in the hearing none so plaine in the vnderstanding none so profitable in the vttering It moues God to giue thee blessings which the wicked neuer enioyed and it causeth him to take from the wicked and to giue vnto thee Quod dedit gratis tulit ingratis That saith Augustine which God hath bestowed on the thankfull he hath taken away from the vnthankfull Hebr. 13. Apoc. 19. This is that sacrifice that God euer approues for it alwaies smelles sweete in his nostrils and it is that sacrifice which Satan mislikes for it euer is offensiue vnto him I may say of that Bern. in Cant. as Bernard of our louing of God If thou doest watch Satan cares not because hee neuer sleepes If thou doest fast Satan cares not because hee neuer eates any thing but if thou art thankfull to God for his mercies this is it that grieues him because thou performest that vnto God being a sillie creature vpon earth which he could not performe being an Angell in heauen And thus you see that al Gods blessings require thankfulnesse it is commanded by God pleasing in his sight profitable to vs and troublesome to Satan Therfore let men praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders bee hath wrought for the children of men If you aske me in what things we must praise the Lord my answere is in heart in tongue in conuersation in al things we take in hand Praise him from the ground of the heart saith Dauid It must bee begun in the heart vttered with the tongue and declared in the life the tongue may praise him and it is but babling while the heart thinkes not on it the mouth may blesse him but it is but abominable if our liues shall curse him Plus valeÌ„t opera quam verba Deedes are of more force then words a man may praise him with the tongue in this world yet neuer praise him in the world to come but he which praiseth him saith Augustine both with life and with tongue shall be sure to praise him with the heauenlie Angels in the life to come If you aske with what affection with all alacritie and ioy of the heart Dauids Psalmes must bee sung with Dauids spirit If in what place before kings and not bee ashamed If how long alwaies Dignum est semper gratias agere quia deus nunquam cessat benefacere Gregor Since God neuer leaues to multiplie his blessings vpon thee thou must neuer cease to praise him therefore Dauid is not contented with the day Ingratitudo est ventus siccans fontem pietatis rorem misericordiae fluenta gratiae Bern. but at midnight he will rise and praise the Lord for his righteous iudgements Ingratitude is a nipping East-wind drying vp the fountaine of godlinesse the dewes of mercie and sweet streames of grace and howsoeuer the wicked are content to deuour Gods blessings as the swine the acornes from the tree neuer looking to the author of them yet it becommeth the Saints to bee thankfull howsoeuer our seruant shall faile in thankfulnesse yet we cannot endure our sons to be vngrarefull Vse 10 Tenthly since there is no euill of the punishment in the citie Amos 3.6 which the Lord hath not wrought since it is hee that sendeth warre that casteth downe that correcteth at all times that makes the rod great or small and strikes the blow sharpe or gentle at his pleasure we are hereby taught patiently to endure all afflictions that euer befall vs. If we endure Rom. 2.7 Hebr. 10.36 God offers himselfe as a louing father vnto vs but if wee resist we lose the reward and cause him to strike the more sharpelie If the bodie suffer and the minde resist wee rebell in what wee can and suffer what wee cannot helpe Non qualia sed qualis quisque patiatur interest De ciuit Dei It skilleth not what we suffer but how we suffer saith Augustine Gregorie shewes the reason Sine ferro slammae Martyres esse possumus non sine patientia The sword or the flame makes not the Martyr but the patience of him that shal suffer Hebr. 6.22 Apoc. 13.10 And therefore the Scriptures bid vs not to follow the suffrings of the fathers but their faith and patience in suffering and thus a true faith and meeke patience are euer ioyned together Dauid that said I beleeued and therefore I spake saith also I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou Lord diddest it Sicut acunabulis Ecclesiae fuit iniquitas premens sic iustitia patiens saith Hierome As from the infancie of the Church there was euermore iniquitie oppressing so there was a holy Patience enduring that which he condemnes in the wicked is cruellie in persecuting that which he commends in the godly is a meeke patience in suffering What should I vrge the seuerall reasons to enduce vs vnto patience The infinit precepts Matth. 21.19 Gal. 5.22 Ephes 4.2 Colos 1.12 1. Thes 5.14 Titus 2.2 the spirit of God supporting coÌ„forting vs the benefits of the crosse the glory of God the saluatioÌ„ of our soules these haue bin partly touched and they are subiects commonlie haÌ„dled therfore I hope wel knowne vnto vs Afflictiones praecedentium consideremus non erunt grauia quae ieleramus Gregor I desire onely therefore that Christians would enter a double meditation first of Christ for if the consideration of the Fathers and Martyrs of the Church will cause vs to endure afflictions with patience shall not much more the consideratioÌ„ of the sufferings of Christ Iesus my gratious Redeemer who is tam speculum patiendi quam primium patìentis Bern. in Cant. aswell a perfect glasse to shew me how to suffer as a sure reward for those which doe suffer And though all his life was subiect to many miseries The first consideration of Christ. yet let vs especially behold him on the crosse that sight is most effectuall vnto vs behold him then his head crowned with thornes his cies blindfolded his eares filled with reproches his mouth with vinegre and
Especially to labour to be of Christes Church 3. To loue God aboue all 4. To feare him in his vvorks 5. To pray to him for a blessing on all things 6. The rich not to insult ouer the poore 7. The poore not to repine at the rick 8. None to depraue Gods gouernment 9. Thankefulnesse to God and not to sacrifice to our ovvne nets 10. To be patient in all troubles 11. To seeke to God and not vnto witches 2. From his manner of gouerning 12. To vse meanes both for sauing of soules and bodies 13. Not to despaire when meanes are vvanting 3. In that it belongs to him to punish sinne 14. To feare the committing of the least sinne FINIS A LEARNED AND PROFITABLE treatise of Gods Prouidence That all things in the World whether they liue mooue or haue a beeing are maintained and gouerned by Gods Prouidence IT is a main infirmitie crept into all and neuer cleane cured in any to be as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obtenebratum Ephes 4.18 darkened in the vnderstanding Experience teacheth the blind man to bee incident to many miseries though the way be plaine yet hee will stumble though the path bee straight yet hee will wander though the day bee cleere yet hee sees nothing and if any thing yet verie darkely Tit. 3.3 Sinne hath blind folded all none can see but those whom God doth enlighten and none are so enlightned but that they see obscurelie Hence it is that although the Prouidence of God is that plaine way that straight path that cleere light yet some stumble at it some wander from it some see it not at al. Democritus thought God made not the world Diuers opinions touching Gods Prouidence and therefore could not gouerne it Auerroes that although he made it yet hee is ignorant of what is done in it Protagoras worse then both that it hath neither Gouernour nor Maker Some thinke that God respecteth the heauens but hath no regard to that which is done vpon Earth Some that hee cares for all but yet commits the dealing in meane matters vnto the sonnes of men as kings ouerburthened with waightie affaires put ouer inferiour causes to their magistrates vnder them Some that God gouernes all things but without the vse of second causes Others attribute so much to their working thinking all things to bee carried away with such a violēt necessity as that God cannot alter their working when he would nor hinder their effects when it seemes good vnto him This being so I hold it conuenient first to prooue Gods Gouernment and then in the second place to define and shew the manner of the same And as wee see nature hath receiued of God that a master should haue a generall care of al that is vnder him and from this in the chiefest place to respect his children in the second his hired seruants and in the third and last his cattell and baser necessaries so vndoubtedly it is originallie in that great Master of the whole families of the Earth generallie to prouide for all yet chieflie for his children lesse for his disobedient seruants and least for other things subiected vnto them Vnto the proouing whereof in order First by Gods word whose authoritie cannot be reiected Secondly from the consent of the holy fathers whose iudgements are much to bee reuerenced Thirdly from the opinions of Heathē writers whose light of nature is not to bee contemned Lastlie from meere reason by men of least reason not to bee denied Gods generall Prouidence prooued by his word WHen God that reioiceth in mercie was constrained to open the dores of his iudgemēt house vpon the whole world Genes 6. because their great and their crying sins were still multiplied against him whereas the punishment might iustly haue redounded vnto all both reasonable and vnreasonable in as much as the reasonable had most grieuouslie sinned and the vnreasonable with the contagion of that sinne were wonderfully corrupted yet God would haue Noah to make an Arke wherein not onely some of mankind but of all other creatures also should be preserned A sure president of his infinite loue to his Church and great care ouer other things God saith Iob is wise in heart Iob 9.4.5.6.7.8 and mightie in strength He ruleth the earth he walkes vpon the sea he spreadeth the heauens hee commaundeth the sunne and it riseth not hee closeth vp Orion Arcturus the Pleiades and all the starres as vnder a signet Hee alone saith Dauid numbreth them Psalm 147. and calleth them by their names He couereth the heauens prepareth raine and maketh grasse to grow vpon the mountaines Ierem. 23.24 He is present as himselfe saith by Ieremie to all his creatures not as an idle beholder as some foolishly haue imagined but as a powerfull Gouernour as Paul teacheth the men of Athens giuing life and breath vnto al things Act. 17.24.25.26 making of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth But how and in what manner determining the seuerall times appointed and also the boūds of their habitations Yea as it followes in him wee liue wee mooue and haue our being But what more cleere then the words of Christ Ioh. 5.17 As yet the father workth I also worke But what worketh he and how worketh hee the latter Paul shewes Ephes 1.11 According to the purpose of his will to the former Dauid answers Psalm 113.5 He dwelleth in the highest and beholdeth the base things vpon earth Psalm 136.25 Hee feedeth all flesh both man and beasis He maketh the earth to bring forth fruite for the vse of man Psalm 138.6 Psal 145.16 Psalm 147. And who is like vnto the Lord that dwelleth in the highest and yet beholdeth the base things vpon the earth He giueth life vnto all creatures Deut. 30. Deut. 28. prolonging or shortning the same as best seemeth good vnto him He bestoweth his blessings vpon the righteous and punisheth the sinnes of transgressors Wherefore since God thus ordereth the heauens the earth and the sea feedeth all creatures sendeth raine in his appointed seasons openeth the fountaines of riuers causeth the Sunne to arise on good and bad worketh all in all according to the purpose of his will feedeth the little sparrowes and cloatheth the verie lillies of the field let vs conclude with Iob The Lord looketh vpon the ends of the world Iob 28.24.25.26 c. and hath a regard vnto all things God speciall Prouidence ouer his Church prooued his Word THe Church of God and the wonderfull loue our most gratious Father beareth vnto it being the cause why all other things were created and being created why they are maintained it seemeth fitter to fall with Paul and Peter into an admiration of Gods great mercie and goodnes vnto vs Ephes 1.3.1 Pet. 1.3 then to goe about to prooue the same Yet since it will mooue to that Angelicall worke of thankfulnesse Good
vses of Gods speciall prouidence teach patience in aduersitie minister comfort in affliction encourage the godly in their weldoing and be at least a corrosiue vnto the coÌ„sciences of the wicked if not a meanes to stay their malice and euill against Gods chosen the trueth of this his great goodnes shall be prooued vnto vs. Before the foundations of the world were laid The impulsiue cause of God speciall care ouer his Church Ephes 1. Rom. 8.2 it pleased God mooued through the riches of his grace and mercie alone to elect vnto himselfe and select from others the whole number of his Church vnto eternall glorie and felicitie Secondly from this worke of Election within himselfe he proceeded vnto the meanes of accomplishing Hee created them by his power yea holy righteous Our captiuitie by nature threefold but by our own inuentions we fell into a threefold captiuitie The first of error blindnes and ignorance of heauen and heauenly things Ephes 4.18 Tit. 3.3 The second vnto sinne and by consequence vnto Satan death and destruction eternall Rom. 6.20 2. Pet. 2.19 Ioh. 8.34 The third vnto corruption and dissolution of the soule from the bodie Rom. 8.19.20.21 But God that of grace elected Rom. 5.6 Ephes 1.10 Ephes 1.7 1. Pet 1.19 in mercie followes vs He sent his Sonne in an accptable time who by his most precious blood and offering himselfe once vpon the crosse effected our deliuerance and reconciled vs to God the father againe First from error and ignorance The manner and order of our redemption when hee calles by his Gospell and enlighteneth the eies of our vnderstandings by his holy Spirit Secondly from our seruitude to sinne Note in this redemptions two things 1. that is by a price so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and so Paul teacheth 1. Tim. 2. when by the same worke of his word and Spirit hee worketh faith within vs to take hold on Christ â—nd on his sauing promise the sole meanes of our deliuerance from eternall destruction whereunto our sinnes had made vs subiect Thirdly from our seruitude to corruption by the vertue and power of his resurrection working this assurance 2. a price of wonderfull value first because our Redeemer is the Sonne of God secondly most righteous 1. Pet. 1.18 1. Cor 6.20 Heb. 9.12.13.14 that as our head Christ Iesus could not be kept vnder the graue nor detained by death but is certainely risen to eternall glorie so wee his members vnseparablie vnited shall rise to felicitie with him Thus the Church being elected by God of his free grace and mercie a worke without repentance redeemed by the blood of his Sonne when it was vtterly lost reuiued by his word and Spirit wheÌ„ it was dead in trespasses and sinnes gathered when it was dispersed and so brought again vnto Christ the Shepheard Bishop of our soules and now by the bond of his Spirit vnseparablie vnited vnto him how can it bee denied that being thus blessed with all heauenly blessings Ephel 1.3 in heaueÌ„ly places in Christ Iesus it should not be in a most special manner guided and preserued by him Hath he done the greater and will he not doe the lesse Rom. 5.9 Hath hee when we were sinners iustified vs by his blood and now being iustified shall he not much more looke vnto vs If when we were enemies then much more being friends If when wee were wicked seruants then much more being blessed sonnes If when we were abiects then much more being his best beloued The natural head prouides especially for the members of the bodie the husband for his wife the deliuerer for his deliuered and shall not Christ our head the husband to his Church the Redeemer of his people especiall maintaine blesse and preserue his Church his members his Spouse his redeemed Our vertues are mixed with imperfections our loue with some dislike our care with want of prouiding yet what we haue we receiue from God who is loue it selfe Doth not hee then loue his Church abundantly and from this loue especiallie blesse and keepe it Cast backe thine eies to the time past behold the present and conclude of the future For the first looke vnto Noah when the wicked should perish hee being a figure of Christs Church must haue his Arke of deliuerance How miraculouslie did the Lord preserue his people in the land of Egypt euen foure hundred and thirtie yeeres from the promise made vnto Abraham A figure of our deliucrance from Satan How wonderfully by the hand of his seruant Moses did hee deliuer them from the bondage of Pharaoh first without munition secoÌ„dly with a mightie ouerthrow to the Enemie and hauing freed them from that slauerie how strangely did the Lord restore them safe into their promised Countrie The Arke to assure them of Gods continuall presence the heauens contrarie to nature to yeeld them foode the rocke to bee enforced to send forth her streames the pillar of a cloud to protect them from heate the shining fire to giue them light from heauen the nations to be cast forth before them and what not for the good of his children Esay 43.1 c. Therefore Esay 43.1 Feare not saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob and hee that framed thee O Israel feare not I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee because thou wast precious in my sight wast honourable and I loued thee therefore will I giue man for thee and people for thy sake feare not for I am with thee I will bring thy seede from the East and gather thee from the West I will say vnto the North giue and vnto the South keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the Earth Esay 54.16.17 Esay 54.16.17 All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise in iudgement against thee thou shalt destroy and condemne For this is the heritage of the Lords seruants and their righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. Neither hath the Church of God had experience of the performance of this Gods speciall Prouidence in former ages onlie but euen wee also in a most gratious manner haue been especially blessed and delinered by the same How could this little Iland Applie in quantitie a handfull in number few enioy so manie so great such wonderfull deliuerances from the hands of Infidels Tyrants Hereticks bloodie Papists in number infinit some by open force abroad some by secret conspiracies at home did not our mercifull God most carefully
they meane that God being the efficient principall cause of all things doth preserue and mooue that naturall force of working which he gaue vnto them at their creation or that God vseth the vertue of the fire to warme and of bread to nourish they thinke well but if they vnderstand that there is no vertue of nourishing in the bread nor of warming in the fire but that God being in the bread and in the fire warmeth and nourisheth immediately by himselfe and by neither of them as some haue fondly thought and some more fondlie written their opinion is in no wise to bee approued For not onely the Philosopher guided by meere rules of reason but especially the word of God a truth that neuer deceaueth teacheth thus much vnto vs that the Creator at the time of his creating of all things gaue together with their life and being a certaine naturall power and vertue of working as the sunne to expell darkenesse the fire to yeeld a heate liuing creatures to bee apt for procreation and so in particular Gen. 1.11 Those confuted who thinke that God worketh in but not by his creatures Let the earth saith the Lord bud forth the bud of the hearb that seedeth seede the fruitfull tree that beareth fruite according to his kind Also the tree which beareth fruit which hath his seede in it selfe according to his kind By the same commander the sun naturally rules the day the moone guides the night the waters bring forth in abundance euery thing that hath life The naturall place for fish is not to flie in the heauens but to swim in the sea for the fowles of the aire not to swim in the sea but to flie in the Heauens for man neither to swim in the sea nor flie in the heauens but to walke vpon the earth Now as God hath allotted to euery creature his proper place of abode according to his nature and kind so hee hath giuen to euery of them at their creation a certaine power to worke and vertue in working according as their place and kind doth require Man walkes naturally fishes swim naturally fowle flie naturally The earth doth yeeld her fruit the waters bring forth in abundance yet so as that God doth not worke in them without their naturall working but they by God he blessing and moouing that naturall power and vertue in working which at their creation he infused into them When the Lord threatned that hee would take from his people the staffe of bread doth he not plainely teach that there is a vertue of nourishing in the bread else why should it be called a staffe and wherefore should the taking away of that bee a punishment rather then our being depriued of other things This the enemies of Christ had learned and therfore chose rather to giue him vineger for his drinke then any other thing Indeed oftentimes for our sinnes the Lord doth take away that naturall force of working in his creatures that should do vs good sometimes the vertue of those that would hurt his children the one is euident in that Physicke ministred doth often lose his working Dan. 3.25 Sadrach and his fellowes not burnt in she furnace the other apparent in that fire doth sometimes loose his strength of burning Yet this onelie shewes his diuine power but abridgeth not his heauenly ordinance So that this appeareth vntrue that God should gouerne all things immediatelie in his creatures but nothing by them Others againe falling into a second extreme haue affirmed that God doth worke all in all immediately by himselfe but yet influxu quodam duntaxat vt vocant generali by a certaine generall influence as they terme it the which hee gaue to euerie creature in their creation and doth now no more but still keepe and preserue the same So that now they wil haue euerie creature by vertue of that influence receiued to worke of their owne proper nature only God hauing no other stroke but only to maintaine that influence which at first in their creation hee gaue vnto them As the sunne to shine the fire to warme the heauens to be carried circular wise liuing creatures to beget to eate to sleepe men to vnderstand to chuse to speake of their owne proper nature only without any worke of God within them To prooue this their opinion they alleage that in the Acts In God wee liue wee mooue and haue our being Also that to the Hebrewes Chap. 1. vpholding all things by the vertue of his word So that since some effects doe arise from necessarie causes some from lesse necessarie some from contingent and that they often fal out praeter scopum operantis beyond the expectation of him that worketh therefore they inferre that with this Prouidence of God doth very well agree mans free will fortune chance and such like But the ground worke being taken away that which they build vpon it Those consuted which affirme that God gouernes all things by a generall influence onely will quickly fal That of the Acts and the other to the Hebrews although they both teach that nothing can continue without Gods vpholding yet neither doth infer that God doth not in a speciall maner gouerne al things vpholden by him yea the one cannot be affirmed of God but the other must bee concluded vnlesse we wil say there is a Godhead without properties belonging to it For it is euident that God hath not onely a generall working in euery thing which Diuines call his generall Prouidence but that he doth bring euery thing in particular to a certaine end very well agreeing with his iustice and glorie sometimes ouerruling sometimes willingly permitting sometimes moderating sometimes inclining sometimes working contrarie to the nature of the things he worketh by and this is called by Diuines his particular Prouidence which our eies doe tell vs hath a speciall worke in all things We know as it hath bin at large confirmed that God dealeth otherwise with the elect then with the reprobate otherwise with one elect then with another Hee willingly permitted Peter to denie Christ yet of his speciall grace mooued Paul to chide Peter lest hee should offend in not reprehending Yea in one and the same elect God doth work diuerslie at diuers times according to the good pleasure of his will sometimes God withholdeth his grace and then hee falles sometimes maketh a speciall supplie of the same and then he riseth againe At sometimes we only see the rod of correction and then wee tremble for the least affliction sometimes God shewes vs the staffe of his spirit that goes with the same and then with courage wee vndergoe the greatest troubles Psalm 23. But let vs come to a speciall instance If an axe fall forth of the hand of him that cutteth wood and shall slay him that passeth by I the Lord saith God speaking of himself haae slaine that man In which effect can we say that God had only a generall motion and not a particular
cannot abide in contented manner to looke vpon sinne or behold iniquitie in another much lesse doth he will it himselfe But we will reduce the Arguments after this manner This is impossible that there should proceede any euill from a cause which is simplie and absolutely good But God is a cause in all respects simplie and absolutely good And therefore no euill can proceede from him That it is impossible that there should proceed euill from a cause which is simplie The proposition proued and absolutelie good who so wilfull that will not conceiue it who so blind that cannot see it How can that be absolutelie good from whence proceedes some euill Wherein should an absolute good cause differ from an euill cause if euill did proceede as well from the one as the other Whence is it called absolutely good if it be mixed with euill Is it because there is more goodnesse in it then euill then is it no more absolutely good but partly good and partlie euill Can a compound be a simple or a colour obscured with darke perfectlie white No more can a cause partlie euill bee said to bee absolutely good Therefore being prooued that GOD is a cause absolutely good it must needes bee that no euill can proceede from him Therefore in the next place to the proouing of this truth vnto vs. We call that sincere friendship The assumption proued which is neither mixed with the gall of harred nor coloured with the glosse of dissimulation We hold that true faith which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere and without diffimulation and therfore shall neuer faile These though neuer so perfect yet haue their imperfections and what goodnes is in them or in vs from them proceeds from another but God is goodnesse absolutely perfect his perfection is of himselfe his goodnesse his essence and his essence goodnesse it self frō whence the goodnesse of all other things proceedes he of himselfe euery thing from him he infinite without time or measure we in part for the time appointed by him Thus is God such a goodnesse as is perfectly absolute and absolutely perfect in all things Therefore when Moses desired of the Lord to shew him his glorie Exod. 33.18.19 the answere was I will make all my goodnesse goe before thee that is I will shew vnto thee a certaine semblance of that my goodnesse which is infinite I will manifest my selfe gratious and good so that so farre foorth as the shallownes of thy vnderstanding will attaine vnto thou shalt perceiue the same Gods goodnesse and himselfe are all one It is no idle qualitie whereby hee is good onely vnto himselfe but his goodnesse is such as doth continually by sundrie and infinite meanes communicate it selfe vnto others Vpon this ground Dauid excites vnto thankfulnes Psal 117.22 saying Praise ye the Lord all ye nations All yee people praise him for his louing kindnes is great toward vs the truth of the Lord endureth for euer that is the restimonies of his fatherly grace and goodnesse neuer haue end Where the heauēly Prophet describeth no idle goodnesse but such a one as is euer taking pitie euer working for the best euer doing good and therefore hauing his minde busied with this consideration and his heart full fraught with the sense of what his minde did meditate he breakes foorth into a most thankfull admiration The earth O Lord is full of thy goodnesse So that God is not such a goodnesse as sometimes ceaseth but euer worketh that which is good and is neuer wearied in his weldoing But what needes long proose since God and his goodnesse are all one it must needes be that himselfe being infinite his goodnesse is infinite and therefore extends vnto all and so impossible is it that himselfe should not be himselfe as it is possible for euil to proceed from his goodnesse which is himselfe for such as is the fountaine such are the streames that flow from it God hath left a certaine impression of this his goodnesse in his workes of creation And therefore Moses saith that all things which God had made were very good If the goodnesse of the creatures was such how great is the goodnesse of the Creator The blasphemy of Marcion confuted Most blasphemously therefore did Marcion affirme that God which created heauen and earth was not a good God If he is not good how should he create so many good things Nay if his goodnesse was not infinite how could the earth which our sinnes had caused to bring foorth nothing but brambles yeeld so many diuers and excellent fruites This wonderfull goodnesse of God is most euidently seene in his worke of maintaining gouerning and blessing all things which we call his diuine Prouidence Is not he good which maintaineth gouerneth and blesseth the world with euery particular therein contained Is not hee good which giues life motion and being Hee which beautifies the heauens with the starres the day with the Sunne the night with the Moone he whose Spirit by the vertue of the Sun the operation of the Moone the influence of the starres the motions of the heauens giues life vnto al things Who made Marcion of such corruptible matter to be an excellent creature who gaue him a diuine minde an vnderstāding soule with other admirable gifts of nature O blind and vnnaturall man that could not see or durst denie him to be good of whom hee himselfe had receiued so many good things this goodnes of God is so much more manifest in that he neuer ceaseth to do good vnto his enemies of which sort was Marcion and others as yet I feare mee innumerable who resisting this goodnesse of God by their open wickednesse recompence his long suffering with carnall securitie turne his blessings into wantonnes and harden their hearts at his deferring of iudgements which men neuer thinke that his mercies are to worke a louing obedience his iudgements to cause a godly feare and that his long patience expects a repentant reformation God could destroy these men in a moment Deferendo non auferendo modò non poeniteant yet he doth not he could inflict present punishment for their sinnes yet he deferres it hee could shew the tokens of his furie and wrath as vpon Sodome and Gomorrha but his mercie breeds delaies Why so because it reioyceth against iudgement testifying his goodnesse exceeds our iniquities This is that goodnesse which Christ perswades to imitate as neere as wee may saying Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect who suffers the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall both on the good and the bad But this goodnesse of God is seene in nothing so much Ephes 2.4.5 as in the manifestation thereof to his Church Therein consists infinite and perfect goodnesse hence it is that hee calles it home when it wandred gathers it when it was dispersed awakes it when it was in the slumber of sinne Rom. 5. reuiues it being dead in
place of all ioy 2. By our practise The palme of victorie is not due without fighting the price without running nor the wages without labouring This is reason and therefore thus wee practise an instance of one for all Julius sextus lib. 1. cap. 11. Cyrus King of Persir encouraging his souldiers against the Medes brought them to a great wood where hee set them to labour al the day long in cutting down the same but the second day prepared a daintie banquet for them at their eating whereof hee passed thorow the seuerall bands demaunding which of those two daies were best the souldiers answered the second because then was the banquet but how came you by this daies pleasures saith Cyrus they answered by yesterdaies labours So saith he by your paines in fighting against the Medes you shall obtaine the victorie and after enioy the banquet of the spoile So first we must conquer afflictions and after bee crowned with glorie 3. By the commodities But the excellencie of the crosse is seene in nothing more then in the wonderfull commoditie it brings to those which are exercised therein The bodie is a stinking house and infects the soule a bad seruant and deceiues the master an vntamed horse and hurts the rider a false friend and often preuailes a bad counseller and is sometimes heard Hence it is that Christians haue their spirituall maladies some troubled with the burning feuer of malice hating where they should loue some with a dead palsie not feeling Gods mercies some with a spirituall phrensie reioycing when they should weepe some with an insatiate thirst euer seeking after pleasures some crookt-shoulders that they cannot looke vp vnto heauen some stark mad counting godlinesse losse and earthlie treasures of greatest value for these whether crept into the godly and so must be remoued or incident vnto thē and so must be preuented God hath his seuerall potions of heauenly physicke which according to our natures and grieuousnes of our diseases for daies moneths or yeeres Gods potions to cure our spirituall maladies are 1. Diseases imprisanment b Inishment c. Profitable hee doth minister hee doth minister vnto vs. The first and principall of these which by the instance seemes most bitter and hardest to bee digested are the diseases of the bodie imprisonment banishment losse of life and such like touching which though we hold them being naturall euils to bee gall in the mouth yet being receiued we shal find them honey in the bellie They keepe a man in the paths of Gods commandements Hebr. 12.11 Exod. 1.22 2. Chro. 32.20 Greg. in moral It is good for mee saith Dauid that I haue been in trouble that I might learne to keepe thy commandements Mala quae nos hic premunt ad Deum ire compellunt The afflictions which God laies on his children compell them to goe vnto him They shew vs our sinnes Matth. 7.13 Ioh. 12.25 Before I was corrected I went wrong saith the Psalmist but now I haue learned to keepe thy commandements So that Cum non potest disciplina verborum percommodè vititur disciplina verberum Gregor in Moral Philip. 28. Hebr. 2.9.10 When words will not preuaile then is the rod very profitably vsed By fanning the wheate is separated from the chaffe by threshing the corne is reserued that the beast doth not eate the straw and it together Chrysost opere imperf hom 4. whereas otherwise both would be deuoured So in that satan that rauenous beast 2. Cor. 11.22 swallowes not vp the godly with the wicked it is because God reseruing them for his garner of glorie wils that they should be separated from the wicked by the flaile of affliction They humble the high minde moue to repentance for our sinnes Luke 24.19 and stirre vs vp to faithfull and earnest prayer to God for forgiuenes of them and thus prepare vs for Christs comming Act. 14.19 and reserue vs till his comming To this end saith Moses God sent the fortie yeres troubles to the Israelites 2. Thess 1.5 Prou. 17.3 1. Pet. 1 7 9. Deut. 8.2 so that the hardned heart by affictions is oftentimes driuen to God whether it will or no as it appeares by the stiffenecked Israclites Exod 8. Pharaoh and diuers others And therefore the tenour of Salmons prayer at the dedicating of the Temple is after this manner if thy people in their captiuitie and distresse shall remember their sinnes humble themselues and by feruent prayer foorth of this place call to thee O Lord for mercie then be thou mercifull vnto their sinnes and hearken vnto their prayers Apopyni auis Some birds are taught to speake as some haue obserued by beating them on the head with an iron rod some Mariners will not bee wakened till the water come into the shippe so some men lie so sound asleepe in the cradle of securitie Iud. 10.13 that the coole water of affliction must be powred vpō them before they will waken Some men will neither praise God for his blessings receiued nor pray for moe vnto him so that the iron rodde must teach them to praise him for what they haue and neuer to cease praying for what they wāt Oculos quos culpa claudit poena aperit Gregor in Moral The eyes which before through corruption of nature were bent to the earth are now by correction fixt on the Lord as the eyes of a handmaid vpon her mistresse Afflictions quicken vp Gods graces within vs Hieren Adiutrix virtutum tribulatio saith Hierome Vertue is vpholden holden by afflictions Simile The fire flameth most when the winde blowes hardest vpon it Siluer is best discerned in a dark vessell when it is full of water so the siluer graces of God are most apparent when the water of affliction is distilled from heauen into our earthen vessels so the sparks of graces within vs are neuer so neere the flaming as when aduersitie blowes strong vpon vs. Dauid was neuer carried away with so feruent a zeale of Gods glorie with such diuine meditations with such heauenly praises with such feruent prayers as when the tempestuous blasts of Saul and his Counsellors blew strong and sharpe vpon him Lastly asslictions shew vs to be high in Gods fauour they conforme vs to Christ they frame that golden ladder whereby we climbe to heauen they assure vs sillie men and women that although we lament Prou. 3.12 weepe and mourne the teares distill from our eyes suffer imprisonment hebr 11.40 beare the markes of Christ liue in the vale of many miseries Hebr. 12.6 and are continually tost in the troublesome seas of this world by the tempestuous blasts of furious Tyrants yet we shall laugh reioyce and sing the teares shall be wipt from our eies Apoc. 3.19 our feete shall bee set in a large and ample roome the hill of Sion shall be our rest yea because we haue borne parte of the storme with
their laughter their ioy their boasting their bodies are giuen to bee wormes meate and their soules are burning in the flames of euerlasting torments whither their bodies afterward come that those which haue been companions in their vaine pleasures may bee partners in most grieuous paines Quanta districtione feriat quos reprobat si bîc cruciat quos amat Gregor Si Deus tam asperè percutit vbi parcit quà m asperè percutiet vbi non parcet For if God corrects the godlie whom he spares in mercie how grieuously shall he wound the wicked with whom he deales in the strictnesse of his iustice If he sometimes whippe those whom hee loues in this life with what seueritie will he plague those whom he hates Bernard in the life to come If he will beat his holy sonne what shall become of his wicked seruant Iudg 4. Sisera giues milke vnto Iahel couer him warme and laies him to rest but then his destruction was neerer so the wicked are fed with sweete milke of delights couered with rich attire and luld asleepe in the cradle of securitie but in meane while the sharpe nailes of Gods iudgements doe suddenly pearce them Gregorie Vitulus mactandus liber ad pascua mittitur The oxe reserued for the butchers slaughterhouse goes at his pleasure in the greenest medowes so is it with the wicked whom the butcher of the soule must leade to his fearefull shambles I conclude then with Augustine August ad Marcellinum Nihil infoelicius foelicitate peccantium Nothing is more vnhappie then that which the wicked esteeme their happinesse who though they seeme to flourish quoniam splendor tectorum attenditur labes autem animorum non attenditur because men behold their outward beautie and not their inward filthines yet they are most miserable Dum enim hos pollere Deus permittat tunc indignatur grauius si impunitos dimittat tunc punit infestius For whilest God doth suffer them to flourish then doth bee most set himselfe against them and whilest he sends them away vnpunished therein they are punished a great deale more sharply And thus the afflictions of the godly prosperitie of the wicked agree excellently wel with Gods Prouidence and iustice The third instance of confusion to proue God gouernes not the world is Jnstance 3. in that the way to destruction is broad but to heauen narrow and few there be that walke in it Ans In very deed the way to heauen is exceeding broad in as much as the means which God hath giuen vs to haue vs walke in it are many and infinite Coelum terra omnia quae in ijs sunt August lib. Conf. 10. eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine The heauens the earth and all things therein contained behold they neuer cease crying vnto mee to loue thee O Lord saith August Adde Gods word to direct his mercies to allure his iudgments to whip vs on and what not to moue vs helpe vs and strengthen vs in this our iourney If then for all this we very hardly walke in it and so it proues narrow vnto vs this is by accident namely Simile through our own wilful blindnesse corrupt affections and obstinate wickednes A master makes a banquet for his seruants in an inner roome and to passe into it frames a dore both large and wide If these which are inuited will loade themselues with huge burthens that they cannot enter the doore is narrow in regard of the inuited and not of the inuiter So stands the case betweene Christ that inuites to his supper of glorie Luk. 14.24 and vs that loade our selues with infinite sinnes that we cannot goe to it Augustine Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit In that men want grace Rom. 8.7 Rom. 3.4 it is not because God doth nor giue it but because they haue not grace to receiue it Ioh. 3.19 Herein saith Iohn is their condemnation iust in that that light is come into the world and men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill So that the way is narrow in regard of vs and not of God Secondly if many are called and few chosen if few vessels of glorie and many vessels of wrath Rom. 9. what hast thou to doe herein shall follie censure wisedome or the clay reason against the potter Obiect God either can take away euils and will not or would but cannot or neither can nor will If hee can but will not he is enuious if he would but cannot he is impotent if hee neither will nor can he is both weake and enuious none of which imperfections can be in God and therefore since there are euils all things are not gouerned by his Prouidence God can preuent all euils Solution whether of the punishment or of the sinne and therefore is not impotent but he doth suffer them Qui mala tollit prouidentiā tolleret Plotin yet therfore is not enuious for hee doth not suffer them as they are simplie euils but as from those euils his power mercie and iustice may appeare his power in turning euill to good his mercie in clensing and deliuering the elect of the riches of his grace his iustice in condemning the wicked and reprobate Obiection That which doth resist God is not gouerned by him But the diuels and wicked men resist God And therefore are not gouerned by him Though the diuels and wicked men doe resist God in respect of his will reuealed Solution yet God doth willingly suffer their resistance limit the same turnes it to his glorie So that he is not so resisted but that hee doth gouerne nor so opposed but that he could ouercome Therfore this neither takes away Gods prouidence not diminisheth his power Obiection If all things fall out by chance then there is no Prouidence But all things fall out by chance Eccles 9.11 and in many other places Therefore no prouidence The holie Scripture doth vse such words in regard of vs onely Solution to whom the causes of things and secret working of God is vnknowne and therefore the euents being simplie considered we say they come by fortune but not in respect of God to whom all causes are knowne and who worketh all in all by them If we respect the counsell knowledge purpose of him that by shooting the arrow at randome wounded Achab wee say Achab was slaine by chance but if you respect the decree of God to punish the wicked we say it came to passe by his heauenly Prouidence Secondlie whereas Salomon saith that neither the race is to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor fauour to men of knowledge but that time and chance gouernes all things wee must vnderstand Salomon to speake in the person of the wicked who hauing
this life which those that heare Gods voyce and obey his will doe abundantly enioy are infinite many view their blessednesse euen in the middest of their miseries noted alreadie in the answeres to the former obiections In the answere to the second instance in the third obiection against this doctrine God gouernes all things and if they are happiein those things which make them seeme vnhappie how blessed are they in other things wherin there is neither taste nor shew of miserie But alas how can they want store of blessings who haue Christ the fountaine of all blessings how shall God detaine that which is deare who hath giuen them his onely Son who is dearest vnto him and how shall his mercie be failing to his friends Rom. 5. when it was so abundantlie manifested when they were enemies If wee heare his voyce we are friends wee are brethren we are sisters we are sonnes vnto him If earthly parents doe loue their children and labour to profit them how should our heauenly father whose loue as farre exceedes their loue as the infinite Creator doth the silly creature faile in his loue to his children or bee wanting in his blessings toward them But I leaue the priuiledges of the godly in the blessings of this life and come to their happinesse in the life to come In the description whereof we may aime but cannot attaine He which will bee a certaine reporter must heare the matter himselfe he which will limme perfectly must view that hee would draw and he that would iudge of harmonies must heare the sounds how then should sillie man on earth whose senses were neuer partakers of this glorie be a perfect describer thereof It rests then and so in the bowels of compassion as Embassadors of Christ wee entreate you that you rather seeke to bee partakers thereof then to expect a description from another yet being the end of the hope of the faithfull it shall not be amisse to speake something thereof That there is a place of infinit ioy and blessednesse for the godlie Psalm 15. Psalm 27. Matth. 25. 1. Cor. 19. Hebr. 4.11 13. none so vilde that will call it into question for God who is truth it selfe hath alwaies both taught and promised it therefore Peter in the behalfe of himselfe and the Church the sole partakers of this blessednesse breakes forth into an hartie thanksgiuing vnto God on this manner Praised bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from death to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that perisheth not reserued in heauen for them which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto soluation Touching the word heauen it hath three significations Psalm 14.6 as Paul noteth when hee saith he was taken vp into the third heauens The error of Basilides that there are 365. heauens Euseb lib. 4. ca. 7. verie foolish first it is taken for the aire aboue vs In this sense I take it the Psalmist speaketh when he saith the Lord couereth the heauen with clouds and thus the birds of the aire are called the fowles of heauen Secondly it is taken for the firmament Psal 8.89.30 which is called the heauenly hoste or beautifull apparrell of the heauens Thirdly it is taken for the seate and habitation of God himselfe which is aboue the firmament Psal 15. Philip. 3. Psalm 103. Matth. 5. And this is the place whither Christ our forerunner is gone to prepare a place for vs that in due time he might gather vs vnto him Reuel 21. The glorie whereof being described so farre forth as we may conceiue of the same I leaue the description and come to the ioies therein contained whereof both soules and bodies shall be partakers Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.14 1. Pet. 1.4 The soule shall bee adorned with wisdome iustice and holinesse for the good graces begun in vs here shall be perfected there and that excellent estate wherein we were at first created like vnto God shall then be restored a thousand times more excellent The mind shal lose her darkenesse and bee replenished with all light it shall know the might power mercie and iustice of God without any ministerie of his word The will shal want all euill desires and in a sweete content rest and stay it selfe on God alone The bodie after the day of the Lord being ioyned to the soule Matth. 22.3 shal euer remaine glorious subiect to no changes to no infirmities not needing meate 1. Cor. 15.3 drinke apparrell or outward meanes to preserue it the agilitie thereof shall be such as that it shall mooue it selfe whither it listeth 1. Cor. 13.11.12 the proportion such as that there shall bee no defect in any member Dan. 12. Matth. 13. And thus God hauing blessed both soules bodies shall giue them a glorie which shal shine as the Sunne and Starres in the firmament and this glorie must needs be infinite for that his glorie which replenisheth all things shall cause it And whereas the pleasures of this life Iohn 2.3 either breede discontent in the possessing or griefe in the losing those blessed and perfect ioyes in heauen shall cause neither for our abundance shall not cause a loathing but we shall stil desire them nor our desiring implie a want for wee shall be filled with them and not for a time for then there was griefe in losing them but for euer and euer and therefore there is an endlesse happines in thus possessing them Oh blessed happinesse and happy blessednesse to haue health without infirmitie Rom. 8. Philip. 3. Isai 25. Deut. 8. Isai 32. 1. Cor. 13. Ioh. 18. youth without waxing old fulnesse without loathing freedom without bondage fairenesse without deformitie life without death abundance without want peace without trouble securitie without feare knowledge without ignorāce ioy without sorrow and light without darknes What is Salomons wisdome Absolons fairenesse Sampsons strength Mathusalems long life and Caesars reigne surely compared with the excellencie of these things in heauen they were but follie deformitie weaknesse a point of a moment and a seruile bondage It is excellent to know things physical but much more excellent to know metaphysicall to haue the knowledge of the blessed Trinitie the knowledge of the might of the father of the wisdome of the Son of the bountie of the Spirit Bern. in Medic. O beata visio videre Deū in seipso videre Deum in nobis nos in ipso Oh blessed sight to see God in his glorie to see God in vs and vs in him What doest thou desire O thou mortall man which may content either soule or bodie if glorious sights there you shall see the glorie of heauen of the Saints of the Angels yea of God himselfe If melodie there is the blessed consort of praising God together if to loue God
in soule and bodie and all to free vs that were guilty being guiltlesse himselfe Thus he became a louing Noah that made an Arke of his owne bodie to saue vs silly sinners from drowning in the pit of eternall perdition thus he became a louing Pellican that pearced his owne heart that with his deerest bloud we might be reuiued It is obserued that the Pellican hauing made her nest hatched vp her young departs for a little season but in meane while the serpent comes and poisons them all the Pellican perceiuing it at her returne strikes the place against her heart washeth them with the bloud that issueth and after keepes them warme three daies and so they are restored againe Christ is the Pellican we his young Paradise the nest Satan the Serpent wee are poisoned Christs hart is stricken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption signifies a price giuen therefore Paul 1. Tim. 2. saith that Christ hath giuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a price expressed by Paul Ephes 1.7 to be his blood 1. Pet. 1.19 the bloud issueth we are washed hee couers vs that were dying with the wings of his mercie and so we are restored from death to life againe This bloudshedding is that price which Christ gaue for our redemption a most precious price and of an exceeding value to which not siluer nor gold being things corruptible may once bee compared For it was pure bloud stained with no pollution of sinne and secondly the blood of him that was the sonne of the most glorious liuing God Qui multa gessit mira protulit dura nec tantum dura sed etiam indigna who as Augustine saith did not only endure tortures most wonderfull most grieuous but euen such as were most vnbeseeming and vnworthie his person for as Bernard saith Habuit in dictis contradictores in factis obseruatores in tormentis illusores in morte exprobatores He had such as did contradict him in his sayings obserue him in his deeds mocke him in his sufferings reproch him in his death Hee said hee was the Sonne of God they said he was a blasphemer By curing on the Sabbath he did that which was good but they obiected he did that which was not lawfull to do He was content as a seruant to suffer for our sinnes but they in the bitternesse of his paines derided him with haile master King of the Iewes He submitted himselfe to the death and they in this death cried Thou which destroyest the Temple and buildest it againe in three daies if thou bee the Sonne of the liuing God come downe from the crosse and saue thy selfe And thus in his sayings deeds sufferings death he had those which did cōtradict obserue deride and cast him in the teeth This being knowne do you not now know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 8. that he being rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouertie might be made rich And doe you know this price giuen for our redemption this precious price this exceeding price in the giuing whereof he vnderwent so many miseries so many torments so many gain-sayings so many obseruations so many mockings so many scornings and shall not these not all these moue vs to loue him that bought vs Bernard and thus dearely bought vs O duri indurati obdurati filij Adami quos non emollit tanta benignitas tam ingens flamma tam feruens amator O hard and more then hard hearted sonnes of Adam whom so great loue such flaming loue so feruēt a louer wil not prouoke incense nor moue to loue him Behold him on the crosse his head bowing to kisse thee his armes to embrace thee his blood from the very heart through hands sides and feete trickling downe to cleanse thee heere 's a sweete kisse an humble kisse a blessed kisse by which a barren groūd yeelding wholly weeds and brambles is now made a garden of most sauourie spices in which heauen hath stooped to earth a King married a begger yea more then all God vnited to vs and we to him through which death and destruction is abolished and euerlasting life and happines procured And shall not all this moue vs to loue him I know all will answere they loue the Lord and fie on him that loues not God that thus deserueth to be beloued But withall Deut. 5.6 Matth. 22.37 1. Toto corde 2. Tota anima 3. Tota mente id est 1. Jutellectu sine errore 2. Voluntate sine contradictione 3. Memoria sine obliuione Augustine thou must further learne to loue him with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind and this is that maner of louing which God requireth And secondly examine this loue by the effects thereof and thou shalt finde few to loue him feruently many to loue him coldly infinite to loue him nothing at all Touching the manner with all the heart with all the soule with all the mind it is as Augustine saith to conceaue of him in our minds without any errour to obey him in our willes without contradiction to lay him vp in our hearts without obliuion Alias 1. Sapienter ne decepti 2. Dulciter ne illecti 3. Fortiter ne oppressi Bern. Or as Bernard saith with the heart that is wisely with the soule that is sweetly with the minde that is strongly Wisely that we be not deceiued with the policie of Satan and his craftie instrumēts Sweetly that riches pleasures honor by their sugred baites doe not allure vs. Strongly that the mockings of the scorners of Gods promises or persecutions of Tyrants doe not ouercome vs. And this is to loue God with all the heart with all the soule and with all the minde But I come to the effects of loue which are certaine and many Verus amor si sit in affectu necessariò ostenditur in effectu If true loue be in the affection it euer shewes it selfe in effecting The fire yeelds heate or smoke and if neither thou maist say there is fire long enough before men will beleeue thee This loue is a fire The fire kindled saith Dauid and at last I spake with my tongue therefore if it yeeld not his effects in stronger or weaker manner say what wee will the loue of God abideth not in vs. Certaine effects of louing God These effects are infinite but I touch the chief and leaue the rest to our due consideration The first signe of our true loue vnto God is when wee decrease in our loue to the world Yee cannot loue God and Mammon saith Christ I account aduantage Philip. 3.7 losse saith Paul and all things dung that I may winne Christ as if hee should say These must bee reiected before Christ can be loued VVhere is your loue to God you coueious Earth-wormes Simile Duplicibus desiderijs nemo incedere potest None can halt between two desires the eyes cast vpon two things at once
friend in thee and the poore and his enemies for thy sake Ninthly when Saints vpon earth shal ioyne with the Angels in praising God in heauen Gratiarum actio opus Angelicum when the heart shall be rauished with his praise and the tongue neuer ceasing to laud his holie name but that at midnight wee rise vp to praise him for his righteous iudgements then may we say that the loue of God is shed in our harts and that from a sense and feeling therof we render our loue to him again Lastly all those which loue the Lord grieue for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of others Psal 119.136 Rom. 6.19 they labour a continuall sanctification both of soule and bodie In a word hauing been partakers of his rich loue of his superabundant loue of his gratious promises 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Pet. 1.17 Psalm 103.4 they forth with clense themselues from al filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and grow vp to holinesse in the feare of the Lord. Can a seruant loue his master A strange loue in Papists yeelding neither invvard affection nor outvvard obedience and yet not labour to please him a wife her husband and yet in all honest and lawfull things crosse him A child his parents and yet disobey them A subiect his Soueraigne and yet rebell against him It is impossible Can wee then disobey God reiect all obedience and cast his precepts behind our backs and yet say we loue him no no our sinnes are the souldiers that apprehended Christ that led him to iudgement that pleaded against him that caused the furie of his father the torments of his soule the thornes on his head the spitting in his face the pearcing of his sides y nailing of his hands the boaring of his feete and the scoffings of the world for though the whole world had combined to doe this against him Hebr. 6.6 if wee had not sinned they could neuer haue effected it can we then loue him and yet retaine our sins against him Remember that as manie as sinne crucifie to themselues the Lord of life And shall we rebell against him labouring to platte a new crowne of thornes vpon his head to dishonour him to rip vp his wounds and by our speares of blasphemies to pearce him thorow againe and yet say wee loue him If I professe loue to any neuer so strongly Simile and yet when his backe is turned breake his head with my weapon let me sweare neuer so much that I stand affectioned to him will you credit that I loue him so many exclaime they loue God but when wee behold their delight in sinne and small care to serue him wee may vndoubtedly conclude they are infestuous enemies vnto him For this is Christs rule If you loue mee keepe my commandements Vse 4 Fourthly whereas God gouernes all things as a king of armies hauing both small and great at his command wee learne to submit our selues in all feare and reuerence vnto him When Dauid had ascribed vnto the Lord the power of breaking the bowe Psalm 46.9 of cutting the speare and burning the chariots in the fire Psalm 115.3 presently hee inferres that man should be still and know the Lord And good reason for if God thunders the earth melts away Psalm 46.7 Hee is the Lord of hoasts and can make an inuincible armie of his weakest and basest creatures 1. Cor. 10.22 as of flies frogges or lice to plucke downe the high lookes of the most proud and stiffenecked Pharaoh vpon earth Psalm 52.6.7 Therefore let no man trust in the multitude of his riches in his wisdome in his owne strength but let euerie one see this and feare Vse 5 Fiftlie since God so gouernes all things as that hee giues strength and vertue ordereth the effects and disposeth of the ends so that it cannot so properlie be said that they worke as that God worketh in and by them wee are hereby taught this lesson continually to pray to God that he would blesse vs and all things wee take in hand Our sinnes haue caused a rebellion and corruption in all Gods creatures neither can they bee brought vnder and purified vnto vs but by him that is the ruler and sanctifier of all things neither will this ruler submit them nor this sanctifier purifie them but vpon the vsing of the meanes himself hath ordained 1. Tim. 4. that is prayer and supplications Luke 18.1 21.36 Act. 6.4 Rom. 12.12 Ephes 6.18 Iames 5.4 1 Pet. 4 7. 1. Thess 5.17 in through Christ Iesus made vnto him And therefore the holy Scriptures often excite to this dutie of watching in prayers of being instant in supplications of calling vpon God at all times Cur petere quaerere pulsare nos compellit c. Why saith Augustine doth God enioyne vs to aske to seeke to knock since he knowes what is necessarie for vs because saith he he would that our desires should be exercised in prayers whereby we might be possessed of that which he hath prepared to giue vs. The enemies are many and alwaies giuing the onset the dangers great the miseries infinite but we are weake we are fooles not able of our selues to subdue to preuēt to withstand for the enemie hath entred our walles and we haue a kingdome diuided amongst our selues Is there not good reason then wee should alwaies stand vpon our spirituall guard hauing euermore recourse to him whose wisdome must illuminate our vnderstandings whose mercies preuent our miseries whose strength subdue our enemies and whose al upholding power cause vs to stand Exod. 17.11 Hence note the strongest munitiō of the land to be the prayers of Gods children As long as Moses prayed Israel preuailed but when he ceased Amaleck had the better The reason is as the Glosse saith Plus valet vnus sanctus orando quam innumeri peccatores praeliando One holy man preuailes more by prayer then a thousand sinners by blowes Euen so as long as thou hast recourse to God by faithfull prayer thou shalt preuaile against Satan things shall goe successiuelie with thee but if thou art failing in this dutie hee will preuaile against thee thou shalt be crost in thy desires hindred in thy purposes and finde it but a left-handed action whatsoeuer thou takest in hand for although there be no apparent resistance yet there is euermore an inueterate corruption and stinging poison going with the same vntill there bee a purifying thereof by the word of God and by prayers 1. Tim. 4.8 The experience of this that nothing goes successiuelie without Gods blessing nor that God will blesse any but those which call vpon him for though Bildad did falsely assume of Iob Iob 8.5.6 2. Chron. 20.3.4 Nehem. 1.11 Nehem. 4.9 2. King 4.33 yet hee did truly auerre of God that if a man pray vnto him then he will make the habitation of the righteous prosperous made Gods children that they durst neuer take
iudgement with vs. For surely though the world makes but a iest at sinne and a toy to commit iniquitie though they play with it as the fish with the bait in her mouth not regarding the hooke till she see it hath caught her yet at last they shall find that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Hebr. 10. and that when his register of what is done amisse shall bee opened before them they shall not be able to abide it As is the meanes the theefe can vse for his deliuerie and the disposition of the Iudge before whom hee is to bee arraigned so is hee raised vp to hope or driuen downe to despaire Now all haue sinned if wee vse the meanes Christ Iesus the sole Redeemer of the world by a liuely faith exercised in the workes of righteousnesse wee shall be freed from the censure of condemnation but if thou shalt reiect Christ and vnrepentantly delight in the workes of darknesse behold the nature of the Iudge and from thence the fearefulnesse of his iudgement and so auoide I beseech thee the sinnes that will cause it First therefore we consider that God is infinit in mercie here and therefore will very seuerely punish in the life to come The meanes of present maintenance addes to the grieuousnes of the theft and the clemencie of the Prince makes the rebellion more punishable how then shal the wicked appeare before the Lord when the heauens and the earth with all things therin cōtained shall declare both his worthinesse and bountie whē his Ministers shal obiect their infinite sermons their preaching of the Gospel their daily exhortations when his Angels obiect their attendance seruice ministerie when as Christ himselfe shal obiect his poore estate the obseruations of the wicked the contradictions of his enemies the reproches of the scornful the scarres in his bodie the speare in his side the nailes in his feete the bowing of his head the spreading of his armes the shedding of his blood and all for to cleanse thee how strict will God bee in punishing when thou wouldest not be clensed Secundum magnitudinem misericordiae in praesenti erit magnitudo furoris in futuro As God is most abundant in mercie now so he will be most furious in punishing thē And therfore saith Gregorie Greg. in Moral how shall he endure his displeasure there that contemned his rich mercy heere The second consideration is of the iustice of God If hee spared not Adam for eating the forbidden fruit Genes 3. if not the whole world because they rebelled against him Genes 7. if not the Angels that sinned 2. Pet. 2.4 but committed them to chaines of perpetuall darknesse yea if hee punished his righteous Sonne for the sinnes of the elect Eph. 2.13 Esay 53.8 rather then sinnes should go vnpunished how hopest thou to escape which art by nature the child of wrath Ephes 2.3 which art but one which maiest not be compared to the Angels which art a wicked seruant what shall become of the vnprofitable shrubbe of the desert when that goodly Cedar of Paradise shall be stricken Hieron Dan. 7. Malach. 3. Isai 30. Ose 11. Amos. 4. Apocal. 6. Neither shall God appeare to the vnrepentant in the strictnesse of his iustice only but also in the zeale and furie of the same so that then they shal crie Hide vs from him that sitteth on the throne and from the furie of the Lambe Tunc nec diuitiae diuitibus prosunt He that by nature is a lambe is enforced by sinne to shevv himself a Lion nec paerentes parentibus intercedunt nec Angeli pro hominibus verbum faciunt quia natura iudicij non recipit misericordiam At that time saith Chrysostome riches shal not profit them one mā shal not make intercessiō for another the Angels shall not pleade for them Ezech. 7.19 because the nature of the iudgement admits not of mercie Mallent omne tormentum sustinere quà m faciem Iudicis irati videre They had rather saith Augustine suffer any punishment Prou. 11.23 then behold the angrie countenance of that fearefull Iudge whom by their sins they displeased The third consideration is that he to whom it belongeth to punish sinne is an Al seeing God Many breake the lawes of the Prince vpon hope of concealing their offence but the sinnes we commit against the Prince of Princes cannot be hidden hee knowes the secrets of the heart Iob 11.11 1. King 16.19 Psalm 139.3 Ierem. 16.17 searcheth the reines and vnderstandeth the thoughts long before Thou compassest my pathes saith Dauid and my lying downe and art acoustomed to all my waies Whereupon saith the Glosse God doth so consider the waies and compasse the paths of euery one that euery idle word and vaine thought shall be iudged Lord how shall the wicked be able to appeare before thee whē not one but all their sins shal be mustered in thy presence how shall they be able to vndergoe thy censure for all in nūber like the sands of the sea whē they cannot make answere for one and that of the smallest Ierem. 29.23 Malach. 3.5 But what men haue committed that cannot be concealed for God is both the Iudge and the witnesse Boetius Indicta est probationis necessitas cum agamus coram oculis Iudicis cunctae cernentis In the diuine law the necessitie of proouing is forbidden because wee doe all things in the sight of the Iudge that shall trie vs Sicut capillus non perit de capite ita nec momentum de tempore As the haire perisheth not from the head but God takes note of it so no time passeth saith Bernard but God keepes account of it Therefore seeing our sinnes are so infinit and that they are al knowne vnto God who shal iudge them it behooueth men to feare the committing of moe because the account they are to make is so large alreadie The last consideration is that this Punisher of finne is Almightie Isai 14.27 Isai 51.15 Matth. 10.18 Iames 4.12 Isai 47.11 He is a God of armies the Lord of hosts is his name when he will saue none can destroy and when hee will destroy none can deliuer Chrysost Nee resistendi virtus nec fugiendifacultas we haue neither power to resist nor meanes to flie away Hee which caused the mountaines to shake at his Maiestie in giuing the law he shal cause the proudest sinner to feare and tremble when hee shall denounce his sentence of iudgement vpon the violaters thereof Qui ceciderun ad vnam vocem Christi monituri quid facient sub voce indicaturi August in Ioh 18.6 If the souldiers fell downe at the voice of Christ in the forme of a seruant admonishing them how shall the stoutest gallant bee strooke to the ground at the voice of the Lord of life in his glory and Maiesty iudging them Therefore howsoeuer the world the flesh and the diuell doe deceiue men howsoeuer they iudge the seruing of God lost labour and that they had rather liue and die in their sinnes then remember their Creator in the daies of their youth yet let them at last returne to the truth againe the nature of their sin is a beastlike rebellion the punishment eternall destruction the punisher Almightie thou canst not escape him Maiesticall thou canst not abide him Al-seeing thou canst not hide thy selfe nor thy sinnes from him Iust for he punished his righteous Sonne and therefore will not spare his vile seruant Rich in mercie now and therefore will abound in wrath and furie in the life to come therefore when thou art entised to continue in thy sinnes and to deferre thy conuersion to God say vnto thy soule Genes 16. as the Angell to wandring Hagar O my soule from whom hast thou fled from the Lord of life a gratious God and mercifull father to all those that obey him and what art thou doing defiling thy selfe with sinne and iniquitie and enfolding thy selfe in infinite miseries And whither art thou going to be punished by an Almightie most iust and Al-seeing God now most mercifull but when he shall enter into iudgement exceeding furious now gentle then angrie now long suffering then auenging therefore O my soule what canst thou answere when hee demands an account what wilt thou doe when hee shall enter into iudgement with thee peccata latere erit impossibile peccatorem apparere intollerabile That thy sins should be hid it is impossible that a sinner should appeare it is intollerable Backe then againe O my soule goe to the Lord thy God right humblie confesse thy sins and acknowledge thine iniquities say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and earth and am not worthie to bee called thy seruant but O Lord rich in grace infinite in mercie true in thy promises for thy deere Sonnes sake put away my sinnes instruct mee that I may strike my hand vpon my thigh and vnfainedly repent for them Shew me thy saluation that they swallow mee not vp worke in mee by thy holy Spirit and word a true faith in Christ Iesus my gratious Redeemer and being thy redeemed O my sweet Sauiour stay mee with thy Spirit that I fall not frō thee vphold me with thy grace that I be no more the seruant of sin yea create in mee a new heart and a new spirit that as I haue been a weapon of vnrighteousnesse euer heretofore so I may be a member of righteousnesse alwaies hereafter that as thou hast been infinit in mercie to mee I may encrease in obedience to thee then shall I no longer feare the terror of the great Iudge but to the ioy of my heart say my Redeemer liueth then shall I desire no longer the deferring of thy comming as the wicked seruant but as a good child desiring alwaies to see the face of his father and as one in pure loue espoused wishing no thing so much as to bee with her beloued euen so will I for my selfe and all that loue thy comming crie Come Lord Iesus come quickly euen so for thee and vs al Amen Amen FINIS