dominion ouer the vvoorkes of thine handes and thou haste putte all things in subiection vnder his feete all shepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the foules of the aire and the fishes of the sea and vvhat so euer vvalketh through the pathes of the sea And yet will fonde Epicure open his polluted mouth and say God hathe not wel prouided for mankinde and yet wil he coÌ„plaine of disorder he himselfe most disordered of al other telling vs that the world is out of frame O vaine man if I might call thée a man nay rather godlesse monster patched vp of blasphemies and loude lies The .ix. Chapter Gods Prouidence is proued out of scripture WHiles I am héere aboute to make a pause mée thinketh I am pulled at on bothe elboes Sir saith one sorte you tell vs a tale out of Philosophie you shoulde rather teache vs out of the word of God which with your vocation is more sitting And by and by sayth an other companie Where is all this while the consent of the Church that we may knowe you speake not your owne phantasie I will make a bréefe answer to them bothe Pacience a while I pray you that I may satisfie your reasonable expectation But to you my frendes in the meane time a worde or two In this greate corruption of our nature which our grauÌ„dsire Adam hathe broughte vpon vs we are not yet God be thanked left so bare but that euen in these our ashes there be raked some sparkes of fire and although it be in déede throughe a small clifte that it appeareth yet the dawning of Christe our day starre is not vtterly shutte oute of our heartes And I speake this of vs as we are not regenerate newe borne by Gods especiall sanctifying spirite By meanes whereof no doubte the very heathen Philosophers a great meiny of them as partely anone after you shall more perceaue sawe so muche in Gods matters that as S Paul sayth writing to the Romanes they are iustly driuen from all excuse And would you then put our slender sparkes by debarring their due vse and stoppe the course of that little ordinarie light that is lefte vnto vs Nay rather as it is our bounden duetie let vs thinke it oure part to giue God thanks for it and euen take that for an argumente of Gods prouident care that he hath ouer vs. But Scripture in déede muste be preferred neither haue I truly forborne it Which in this case verily dothe offer it selfe in such abundance that no Christian heart can say agaynst it For to speake first of the Psalmes howe often is this doctrine there vrged howe often dothe that kingly Prophete agaynst all aduersities agaynst all enimies that oppressed him set it as a brasen wall yea howe dothe he solace him selfe with the very thought of it what soueraigne comfort doth he conceiue by it The Lorde is my light sayth he and my saluation vvhoÌ„ then shal I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of vvhoÌ„ then shal I be afraide VVhen the vvicked euen mine enimies came vpon me they stumbled and fell Though an hoste of men vvere layde agaynst me yet shall not mine heart be afrayde And in the same Psalme In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle yea in the secrete place of hys dvvelling shal he hide me set me vpon a rocke of stone And novve shall he lifte vp mine head aboue mine enimies round about me Therefore vvill I offer in his dvvelling an oblatioÌ„ vvith great gladnes I vvil sing speake prayse vnto the lord Againe in the .xj. Psalme bringing in his friendes by a dialogisme that counsayled him to flée from persecution In the Lorde put I my truste sayth he hovve saye yee then my friendes to my soule that she should flee as a byrde vnto the hyll Héerevnto hée imagineth his friends thus to answer Loe the vngodly bend their bovv and make redy their arovves vvithin the quiuer that they may priuily shote at theÌ„ vvhich are true of hert For the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of the common vveale vvill be cast dovvne At these wordes this Propheticall godly Prince hauing his heart wholely fixed vppon God flteth to Gods Prouidence for his onely refuge Ah sayeth he vvhat hath the iuste done that he shoulde so be entreated But no force the Lorde is in his holy temple the Lordes seate of iudgement is in heauen His eyes consider the poore and his eye liddes trieâ—h the children of men Hovve so euer I stande tovvardes the vvorld The Lorde I knovve vvhose iudgement is incorrupted alovveth the righteous but the vngodly him that deliteth in vvickednesse doth his soule abhorre Therfore as he is a iust iudge no doubt vvheÌ„ he seeth his time vpon the vngodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme tempest this shal be their portion to drink Neither is it to be merueiled at saith the Prophete that he is so zelous in the behalfe of the godly For vvhy the Lord being righteous himselfe necessarily loueth righteousnesse as a qualitie most agreable to his ovvne nature therefore vvith a fauourable aspecte vvill his countenance behoulde the thing that is iuste Thus we sée this heauenly Prophet notwithstanding that he is so dreadfully beset his greatest foes being armed as it were to his destruction the lawes neglected iustice despised and all coÌ„science being vtterly banished and exiled How little yet he shrincketh for all this or geueth place at all to their furie yea howe strongly rather he fortifieth and protecteth himselfe with the inuincible bulworcke of Gods Prouidence So in the ninthe and fourth Psalme after he had greuously poured out his coÌ„plainte againste the triumphing of wicked and bloudthirstie men saying Lord hovve long shall the vngodly hovve long shall the vngodly triumphe Hovve long shal all vvicked doers speake so disdainefully and make suche proude boasting They smite dovvne thy people O Lorde and trouble thine heritage They murder the vviddovve and the straunger and put the fatherlesse to deathe And yet they lay tushe the Lorde shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it Forthwith he beginneth to take hart of grace and very bitterly he inueyeth againste their follie Take heede sayth he ye vnvvise among the people O yee fooles vvhen vvil ye vnderstande He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see He that is vvont to chastice vvhole nations for their transgressions and to schole men ignoraÌ„t of their duetie vvith his sharpe rodde of correction doe yee not thinke hee vvould be reuenged of you As if he shuld say Nay be you right well assured ye are not priuiledged but according to the wickednesse of your malicious dealings so shall Gods heauie wrathe and indignation lyghte on your neckes And in the nynetie nyne Psalme hée séemeth to vse thys anchor of Gods holsome and comfortable direction to sâ—ays all the raging tempestes of thys troublesome and vnquiet worlde
saying the Lorde is King be the people neuer so vnpatient he fitteth betwéen the Cherubines bée the Earth neuer so vnquiet But what meane I so long to dwell in the Psalmes Whereof it is too too euident that their whole scope and drift chiefly tendeth to this effect to disproue and gaynesaye theyr vanitie who as Chrysostomus wryteth in hys seconde Preface vppon the Psalmes eyther disanul Gods prouidence altogither or else woulde suffer it to goe no further than the precinctes lymites of the heauens For trowe yée this was onely the Prophete Dauids mynde Nay also euen holy Iudith a Matrone so well commended for the wise gouernment of her selfe her greate zeale towardes her nation her vnconquerable godly courage as none in all the Bible more so plainely speaketh of this matter that assuredly you culd not wysh a more worthy testimonie But what saith she then when she had put on sackcloth and ashes in steade of all other armoure and for the better withstanding of the most cruel assaults of Holofernes she had withdrawen her selfe into her oratorie to make her earnest prayers to almightie GOD amongest other wordes which shée spake in the bitternesse and anguish of her hearte submitting her selfe wyth all humilytie to the iust iudgementes of GOD Et hoc factum est quod she quod ipse voluists Omnes enim viae tuae paratae sunt tuae iudicia in tua prouidentia posuisti That is to say And this nowe is come to passe euen as thou wouldest thy selfe For all thy wayes be prepared and thought vpon before thou hast ordered thy iudgements by thy Prouidēce As if she shuld say this affliction that so sore doth touche vs is surely come vppon vs by thy decrée For thou Lord dost nothing not determined vpon long before and the very execution of thy iudgementes at what time and by what instruments it should be done by thine euerlasting counsaile it is appoynted It is our partes therefore to take that paciently which thine hand hath iustly laide vpon vs After this sort semeth the godly widow to poure out hir heauenly meditation For what else can we gather by her woordes which howe wisely and orderly they be cowched whiles shée proueth her hypothesis by her thesis I say a particular case by a ground vniuersally founde true the learned vndoubtedly can soone tell Sentenciously therfore hath shée spoken of a very pithy and sentencious matter But howe much more seuerely Salomon in his boke which he calleth Ecclesiastes straitely forbidding vs to let any thing passe vs by way of talk wherby the infirmitie of oure fleshe of it selfe being prone inough to all mischéefe might the rather be broughte to an inconuenience and very grauely charging vs by expresse words not to be so hardy none of vs all as to say presumptuously before our Angel that there is no prouidēce or gouernment of the world yea moreouer threatning vs that if we doe so God wil bring all our handy workes to none effect His words be Ne dederis os tuum vt peccare facias carnem tuam neque dicas coram Angelo non est prouidētia ne forte iratus dominus cōtra sermones tuos dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum That is let not thy mouth be an occasiō that thou shouldest make thy fleshe to sinne nor say not before thine angel There is no prouidēce least it chaunce the the Lorde being angry at thy talk bring to cōfusion all the works of thine handes This one thing in dede by the way I muste nedes confesse that other translations be otherwise For insteade of Neque dicas coram Angelo Non est prouidentia that is and say not before thyne angel ther is no prouidēce other say Neque dicas corā Angelo per imprudentia peccatum esse that is say not before thyne Angel that thou hast offended vnwares Yea some also varie not a little in the interpretation of the sentence and clause following The Gréeke texte it selfe neyther maketh mention of Gods prouidence nor yet of our proper Angel for it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is say not before the face of God that it is ignorance to wit that caused thée to offend Yet certainly not only Glosa interlinearis in Lyra his Commentaries but also the famous learned man Trittenhemius in the fourth booke of his eyghte questions proposed vnto him to be assoyled by Maximilian the Emperoure in his time with other moe vse thys verie same place to none other purpose than I haue alleged it Whiche the rather maketh me to beléeue that the Gréeke Copie interpreted by the common translatoure of the Latin bible varied somewhat from that text of the 70. interpreters now extant But what néede I greatly to make matter or to passe whether it be so yea or no. The Scripture God be thanked is plaine inough otherwise Whereby if wée haue not already sufficiently strengthened oure assertion what shall we say to those flatte wordes in the very first Chapter of Sainct Paules Epistle to the Ephesians where it is expressely sayde that God worketh all thynges according to the aduised determination of hys owne wyll In whiche place also he vseth the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he effectually worketh and not onely of oure doings he moderateth and furdreth the successe as Pallas is fayned in Virgill to turne away Pandarus his darte from the brest of the stout champion Menelaus towards his bodies lower parts that were strongly harnised with his belte He addeth immediatly vpon it According to the aduised determination intent or purpose of his owne will that we may knowe he doth nothing without his Prouidence What of this that is wrytten in the booke of Wisedome doth it not plainely set out Gods gouernement Gods vvisedome sayeth the author reacheth from one ende to an other mightely comely doth she order all things Or this golden sentence that is written in the booke of Hester Is it meete vve should make of it as nothing Where good Mardocheus making his prayer O Lord Lord sayeth he the king almightie For all things are in thy povver and if thou hast appointed to saue Israell there is no man that can vvithstand thee Or to bring in but one place more which might woorthily stād in stéede of all what godly man shoulde doubt of Gods Prouidence hearing Ieremie so feruent in his Lamentations bursting out so hotly into these woordes VVho sayth any thing is done vvhich the Lorde hathe not commaunded that oute of the mouthe of the highest there proceedeth not good and euill But mighte this oure learning which we defende be gathered only of the Prophetes wordes be not all the Prophecies in the Bible a flat argument to proue the same for howe coulde they I beséeche you tell before hande of thinges to come ne were it not that God had before ordeyned them Come their Prophecies of them selues or of God God forbid we should say of them selues S. Peter iwis
saying that God created no euill thing And well shotte in déede of them both but God knoweth tootoo farre from the marke For alas good menne whyles they woulde defende Gods innonocencie which notwithstanding withoute their ayde is able to supporte it selfe they sée not in the meane tyme how they pull God oute of his throne of iudgement not onely despoyling him of hys iustice but also by haynouse sacriledge depriuing hym of his almighpower God createth no euill thyng they say it is true if they mente it so as thoughe no creature of Gods making were to be estéemed as euill But will they say the execution of vengeaunce agaynst sinne procéedeth not from the scate of God To whom then shall we flée for refuge when mighte ouercommeth vs in oure righte Where then is become the defendour of forsaken widdowes and the shielde and buckler of poore orphanes Is there any euill done in the world which God is not able to preuent How then doth he call his God moste gracious and moste mightie Iupiter But as for Tullie let him go hardly with his God. Of oure God let vs beléeue as the scriptures teache vs that whether it be the destroying of corne and fruite or the ransacking and subuerting of townes and cities or any other mischéefe that is done in the worlde it commeth euery whitte of it of Gods displeasure euen as we are certaynely assured that the contrary is the benefite of Gods blessing Therfore wheras Plinie alegeth the Varto telleth vs of a certayne towne vndermyned by connies in the countrey of Spaine and of an other throwne downe by mouldiwarpes in Thessalia and how that frogges droue citizens oute of their houses in a towne of Fraunce and of Locustes that did the like in Africa with many other the like terrible examples of Gods wrath executed by moste lothesome and contemned vermine we may be well assured that these dumbe fily creatures could neuer be set on by themselues but as it muste néedes be they were stirred vp by God him selfe Let vs nowe come to oure aforesayde writer vpon Habatuk for Tullies errour is not vnrefuted if it please you but to call to memorie that which hath bene elsewhere spoken first he graunteth to vs of his owne accorde that God hath a generall disposition and a confused order as it were for the gouerning and guyding euen of these things that be base For he will not greatly sticke with vs aboute this that God is not ignoraunte what a great number of fishes there be in the sea after what sorte these créeping and foure footed beastes doo encrease with what meate they liue and suche other lyke pretie thinges But he taketh it to be a debasing of Gods Maiestie and therefore for sooth he can not take it wel that we shoulde say he hath any knowledge concerning gnattes lothesome wormes flies or fleas or any such other simple creatures Is it a derogation then to Gods Maiestie to knowe any thing which he hath created if the very knowledge of suche thinges dishonour God muche more should their creation But God hathe created nothing whereof he hath cause to be ashamed who testifieth of all his workes that they bée exceeding good And the Prophete Dauid cryeth oute that God hathe wroughte all thinges in vvysedome and that the earthe is full of the goodnesse of the Lorde Dothe not God knowe hys poore séely creatures sayth he howe then dyd he create he wiste not what Holy writte recordeth not onely that God knoweth with what foode and sustenaunce euery liuing thing is nourished but also that God openeth his owne hand not disdayning himselfe to féede euery one of them Hathe he suche a care ouer any thing whiche he wyll not knowe The Prophete making exclamation VVho is lyke sayth he to the Lorde oure God who notwithstanding that he ruleth aboue in heauen yet humbleth himselfe to beholde whatsoeuer is in heauen or in earth◠Doth God sée all things vpon the earth and yet hath he no vnderstanding what they be Wherefore then dothe he beholde them S. Peter béeing eftesones demaunded of our sauiour Christ whether it were so that he loued him yea or no in the ende maketh answere with these words Yea Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I loue thee If God be he which knoweth all things as all Christians certaynely beléeue and many ways else if néede were it might be proued why then I pray you dothe this author beeing otherwyse a godly and learned father take vppon him to make suche an exception But surely what so euer he say to the contrary not onely God conceyueth all thinges by his infinite and endlesse knoweledge no not the meanest thinges that are béeing excluded But that whiche more is he hath ouer all thinges an especiall care Which truely if it were otherwyse I say if God withdrewe from any thyng the helpe and furtheraunce of hys dyrection yea and thoughe it were but for the momente of one houre it would straighte-waye consume and fall to noughte For at the fyrste sayth Gregorious Magnus was euery thing made of nothyng and to nothyng agayne shoulde their substaunce come ne were it not that he that made them stayed and vvithhelde them with the hande of his gouernement All thinges therefore which God hath made of themselues are nether able to hold togither nor to moue or stirre to or fro but so farfoorth they haue a beeing as God hath giuen them that guifte to be so farre foorth they are able to moue as God by his secrete working setteth them on With consideration whereof the Apostle is so vehemently enflamed that no longer able to stay hym selfe O the deepenesse sayeth he crying oute with muche woondering and admiration of the riches bothe of the vvisedome and knovvledge of God! hovv vnsearchable are his iudgementes and his vvayes hovve farre be they past finding out For vvho hath knovvne the mind of the lord or vvho vvas his counseller or vvho hath giuen to him first and he shal be recompēsed FOR OF HIM AND THROVGH HIM AND FOR HIM ARE ALL THINGS To hym be glorye for euer Amen If then God be he who as it were vnder proppeth all things if he vouchesafe all things the greate benefite of his presence to that end who out of no place can be expelled if he beholde all things with a cōtinual watching eye as I haue elsewhere declared if he can vtterly be ignorant of nothing what then shoulde let him particularly of al things to haue a care Should good wil But euen by the common receiued sentence of all Christendom and heathnesse he is most gracious Should paines As though it were not as easie for almighty god to gouern as to holde vp from falling to holde vp all things as with al things to be presēt◠to be present with all things as to know whatsoeuer is in the worlde to knowe whatsoeuer is in the world as to viewe all things with the
enimies grounde in the harde and roughe season of the winter a rebellion was stirred vp agaynst him wherein the same Phocas into whose handes he hearde before in hys dreame howe he was deliuered was in the fielde appoynted and proclaymed Emperour of a great meynie of souldiers that swarmed about him Who afterwards departing to Constantinople and there taking the citie into his subiection which was then brought into a great vprore through the negligence of them that shoulde haue looked vnto it he was established in the throne of hys Empire by the consent of the Patriarch and all the people O harde case whyther nowe flieth Mauricius for his refuge Into a Monasterie But welaway it woulde stande hym but in a lyttle stéede For soone after when some woulde haue refused to submitte them selues vnto Phocas saying that their former Emperoure was yet alyue thys sayde Phocas was so gréeued at it that he soughte nothing more earnestly than the vtter destruction of hys Predecessoure And therefore sendyng his warrioures in postehaste to fetche him foorthwith out of his cloyster where he and hys noble familye woulde nowe full gladly haue hydde them selues he caused them béeing broughte to Calcedon one after an other to be miserably mangled and dismembred In the meane time with what a wofull heart was this poore Emperoure trowe ye the beholder of this terrible execution But yet suche was his christian constancie when he saw his deare wife and children so vnmercifully handled of this bloudy Tyraunte he neuer murmured nor repyned agaynst God but considering how muche more he had deserued by the iuste rigour of Gods dome with hands and heart lifte vp to heauen he eftesones repeated this clause of the Psalme Iustus es domine rectum indicium tuum That is to say thou arte iuste Lorde and thy iudgement is right And what else taught him this great pacience but his setled persuasion of Gods Prouidence Wherewith this godly and christian Emperour if he had not stayed and borne vp him selfe ah how woulde his heart haue bled as it were with extreme sorrow and heauinesse what desperate sighes and vnquiet words would he haue vsed But nowe that this peace of God hath possessed his charitable and milde breste not onely he beareth with a good will the mercylesse butchering of his dearest friends but he is ready also and willing his owne selfe to giue ouer his life in the same torments Knowing therfore that in Gods sighte the death of his saincts is precious to make an ende of this pitifull and heauy tragedie like a méeke lambe he yeldeth vp himselfe into the furious Tyrants bloudy hands I beséech you now that which moued you let it also take place with vs whatsoeuer miserie we sustayne whatsoeuer sorrowe or calamitie light vpon vs let vs alwayes arme our selues with thys thought that it is Gods only hande that is layd vpon vs And therwithal so often as we call to minde that broade eye that séeth and vicweth al things that dredsul presence that nowhere can be excluded that eare that heareth euery man speake he neuer with so softe a voyce that vnderstanding that pierceth to the very thoughts of our heart Let vs obserue in any wise that diuine precepte that is giuen vs by the good father Chrysostomus in our counsels circumspecte in our sayings thrise well aduised in our enterprises procéeding not without great deliberation in our doings fearefull to offende in oure thoughts vnspotted and trée from blemishe in all oure life carefull howe we guyde oure steppes hauing our accounte in readynesse whensoeuer it shall be called for at that high iudgement seat our lampes burning with inflamed charitie our eyes still attending vpon oure Lorde euen as the handmayde awayteth vpon hir mystresse vntill suche time as he haue mercy vpon vs. O that we were neuer so stryken blinde but that in the middest of all ill temptations we might be stil loking vpō this rule looking vpon it I say that we might well remember it well remēbring it that we might rightly way it rightly weying it that we might accordingly do after it We should not then as it is sayd of the foolish oystridge and the wodcock thinke all things were safe with vs and cocksure when we had blindly hid oure heades in a darke hole we woulde not then be so much delited with such ceūter◠feite and cloked holynesse as in effecte is nought else but starke hypocrisie but we would be in déede as we would séeme But O Lady vertue thou that shouldest be the guydresse of mannes lyfe on earth into what vnknowen coastes arte thou exiled long agoe Thou wast wont with thine owne amiablenesse to allure and drawe vnto thée thy louers yea though all other considerations were set aparte Insomuche that if we had Gyges his ring vpon our finger wherewithall we might walke inuisible and neither man or God sée what we went about yet nothing would we attempt at any tyme either in déede or worde or imagination not seemely for the worthynesse of mans nature And is nowe the worlde commen at laste to this poynte that neither reason can rule vs nor méede prouoke vs nor daunger fray vs nor conscience pricke vs nor shame reclayme vs nor the terrour of Gods wrath pul vs backe nor his presence agast vs nor the eye of his Prouidence make vs to looke aboute our selues Iesu god into what a carelesse securitie are we brought The conclusion of this fourth booke BVt there is better hope I truste to be conceyued whereof I doubte not but very shortly we shall sée the fruite especially if we will listen diligently and giue eare to this wholsome doctrine Our foundation we haue layde already vpon a rocke which will neuer fayle vs if we builde not beside it there is no doubt but all will be well inough We haue begon very commendably God alwayes be praysed for it and why we should not agreably go forward if the fault be not in our selues I sée no cause Onely let vs shake off sluggishnesse as the chéefe roote and occasion of all euill that our profession be not stayned or disgraced wilfully by our negligence and with handes and hearts lifte vp to the throne of grace let vs ioyntly with one consent call to God without ceassing for the heauenly ayde of his protection O Lorde the buckler of our defence our strong hold and sanctuarie of refuge couer vs we beséeche thée vnder the shadow of thy wings least Sathan our ancient enimie like a wilie kite snatche vs vp séeing thou hast translated vs out of the power of darkenesse into the kingdome of thy deare sonne expell from vs from hencefoorth all myste of errour and clense vs from al pollution of the spirite and the flesh that béeing made méete for the inheritaunce of thy sainctes in light we may sing for euer with clere brestes glory honoure and prayse to thy holy name confirme we beséeche thée that good worke which thou haste begonne
God was with him guided him to his great comfort well perceiued how much more truly his father spake than he conceiued when he made him this godly answere The Lord shal prouide And how muche better it was to be conducted by our sauiour Chryst than by the arte cunning of any mariner Chrystes disciples learned in their great danger very like had not their master ben there present to succour them to haue bene ouerwhelmed in the botome of the sea Therfore Dauid wheÌ„ he had said O let the people reioyce and be glad What reason I pray you did he giue bicause they florished in the worlde bycause they had all thinges at their commaundement he sayd no such thing but going straighte to the fountayne of all blyssednesse bicause sayth he thou shalt iudge thy people righteously and gouerne the Nations vpon the earth As who sayth our hope is not limited within the bounds of this life neither make we any great account of any thing to be obteyned in this worlde but this is the foundation of our ioy and the very ground of all our felicitie which euen then doth vs good at the harte when the worlde séemeth moste to frowne vppon vs that thou arte a righteous Iudge who both art able to deliuer the righteouse out of trouble and to reserue the vniuste dealers to the due execution of thy iuste iudgement to come This benefit with other moe out of number we obteyne by the meanes of thy gouernement Of whome we are moste assured that thou canst suffer no wrong dealing vnreuenged nor no vertue or godlinesse vnrewarded Séeing then the knowledge of Gods heauenly moste gracious Prouidence is so holsome comfortable a doctrine I haue thought good by the assistance of his only direction whom we speake of to endeuer to write of so good a matter And the rather doubtlesse I haue taken it in hand for that I sée other misteries of our religion very commendably set foorth in our mother tong touching this poynt so necessarie to be knoweÌ„ of al christiaÌ„ people no special treatise published to the behofe furtherance of our countreymen Therfore not as one the best able yet according to my poore talent not the lest willing I haue giuen the onset to the intent that they which be afflicted may behold as it were present or at the leastwise very nighe at hande in their mistie darknesse the cléere beames of the sunne of righteousnesse after grefe solace after they haue bene tossed shaken with the wilde waues of the sea the moste quiet hauen of peace rest On the other side that they which be now set a loft haue al things that their harts can desire staÌ„d not to much in their owne conceite nor ouer proudly display their Pecocks feathers knowing in whose hand it resteth to cast them downe from the pinacle of their stout and loftie imaginations The .ij. Chapter The diuision of this discourse IN doing whereof it behâ—ueth vs diligently to examine first whether there be any suche Prouidence yea or no. And afterwardes that béeing well proued and the aduersaries refuted and conuinced to declare at large what it is how farfoorth it exteÌ„deth by what instruments God putteth it in execution and the whole vse and commoditie that a true Christian man may receaue by it Which poynts béeing throughly discoursed so much as I shal think requisite for the instructioÌ„ of the godly reader my mind is hencefoorth to rest my selfe vnder that mightie hand of his protection whom in this treatise I haue sought out â–ª Neither do I feare in this mine enterprise the graue censure of Clemens AlexaÌ„drinus who condemneth vtterly as it séemeth the very mouing or naming of such questions As for example sayth he to enquire for proofes of Gods Prouidence vvhich being certaine it is a haynous matier to imagine that Prophesie came not by Gods prouidence as also to doubt of that heaueÌ„ly order of dispensatioÌ„ vvhich concerneth our Lord and sauiour Chryst For it is one matier to moue a question of infidelitie an other thing to discusse a questioÌ„ that is moued and doubted of by an Infidell Which were it not lawfull to be done not onely Theodorite Chrysostomus Augustine mighte be disallowed but the sayde Clemens also himselfe might by iuste iudgement be dysproued The .iij. Chapter The corrupt iudgement of some denying Gods Prouidence AND woulde to God this doctrine were so fired established in mens hearts that there néeded nothing to be sayde of it But now who séeth not in all ages how déepely this Atheisme hath taken roote For firste what Epicure with his secte fantasied touching Gods ordring of the worlde it is out of question Who to the intente he might safely without any remorse or any pricke or terror of a wounded conscience goe on forwarde in his wickednesse his sensuall voluptuous race went about as far foorth as he might to extinguishe vtterly and to blot out all memorie and thinking of Gods power In the laste Chore of Senecaes Tragedie called Hippolitus it is sayd Res humanas ordine nullo fertuna regit c. Fortune guides the world without any order dispearseth hir gifts with a hand that séeth not what it doth in stéede of the better sort cherishing the worse That the fruitfull soyle should yerely yeld hir encrease Cyolops in Euripides ascribeth it not at al to god but either to some lucky chaÌ„ce or else to some course of necessitie An other of theÌ„ sayth Casus fortuna in omnibus dominatur Chance fortune beare sway in al things And an other of theÌ„ almost with the same words Sed profecto fortuna in omni re dominatur But doutles Fortune in euery thing hath the vpper hand Yea what plainer testimonie can we haue of this godlesse opinion that hath poysoned the world Doth not Virgile say Fortune is almighty and Cebes in his Table set hir out like a blind goddesse that bestoweth hir gifts without discretion Well these were Heathen men you wil say I grauÌ„t it But were they trow yée only of that minde No doubte we christians also at least wise as we wold be taken how so euer we would countenance the matter otherwise yet if wée would but descend into our owne liues no doubt I say we mighte finde oure selues a great many of vs of as corrupt iudgement as they The foole said in his heart sayth the Prophet Dauid there is no god O great abhomination will some say and woorthy to be extréemely punished But abide a while yet I pray you Iwis he spake it not in your hearing that you might accuse him Nay I warrant you he was not suche a foole Howe saide he it then Marke the Prophet The foole said in his heart there is no god If you looke vpon his Angelles face you would thincke he glistered like any golde If you wil heare his goodly godly woords you woulde pitie him that he were not canonized for a saincte
in the corruption which they sucked of Adam And like as a good horsemā gouerneth in déede all his horses but yet such of thē as haue sounde lims be lusty geldings he maketh to goe liuely and with an easie pace other that be lame ill liking goe vnder him halting and ill fauoredly when he spurreth them forwarde not through the faulte of the horseman but through the lamenesse of the iade which lamenesse notwithstanding could not be perceiued without this spurring forwarde of the horseman euen so God who hath the guiding of vs and can bridle vs and order vs as it pleaseth him vseth to deals with all men that can moue themselues forward whē they are spurned no dout as euery man is so he maketh him to go either soundly if he be regenerate or lamely if he remaine in his corruption Héereof it commeth that God is saide in the seriptures to strike wicked men blinde to harden their heartes to seduce the prophets and send men the spirite of error that they may beléeue lies and so forthe Vpon this occasion it is likewise that tyrantes and notorious euill men be called the Lordes scourges axes hammers and swordes Gods goodnesse therefore his iudgements in all places we acknowledge haue in reuerence yea althoughe we be not able to giue a reason of them Contrarywise the instruments themselues which be euil and their péeuish vngracious doings we condemne I meane the treacherie and wilynesse of Sathan the mercilesnesse of Manlius the enuie and malice of Iosephs brethren the wickednesse and hardnesse of Pharaos hart the rebellious minde and the detestable inceit of Absolon king Dauids adulterie and vaine glorious numbring of his people the rayling and scolding of Semeis the rancor and treason of Dauids ennimies the wicked Apostasie of Ieroboam and the .x. tribes the rauening of y Chaldeans the vnsatiable auarice of the Babilonians their impotent rage and their vntollerable vaūting of themselues the woode fury of the Iewes and Pharisies against Christe Finally we altogither misselike the diuellishe conspiracies and beastly crueltie of all the ennimies of Gods church Whereof we confesse vndoubtedly with S Austine and Eulgentius that God in déede was the very orderer and disposer in as much as he vsed their corruptions as he thoughte best for his glory but in no wise the proper woorker that infused or poured into them suche noughtinesse For that they did euill as the same Austine telleth vs very well it came of themselues But that in sinning against God their noughtinesse shoulde doe this or that it was not in their power but in the power of god Who diuided their darckenesse and dispearsed it in suche order that of this also that they did expressely againste hys will there was nothing brought to passe but his will. That then whiche nowe we haue already spoken touching the cause of sinne we sée it so manifest and plaine a matter that it néedeth not to bée discoursed vppon with any longer processe For I woulde gladly demaunde of the aduersarie what of all thys can bée disproued Will he say that gracelesse men be so priuileaged that there is no God to master them and to kéepe them vnder Let him tell me then why they should haue y prerogatiue Or if he graūt vnto me that GOD maistreth them will he say they are not Gods instruments that serue in the execution of his wil Let him say then how God can be a master towards them which serue him not to any purpose Or if this poysoned infection this venime of cursed malice that lieth lurcking loytering in the bosome of euery lorell be stirred vp by the hand of God as it were the fulsome humor of a carion that is drawne vp by the sunne beames shall we say then that God is defiled with it It were more than abhominable to thincke it to say it open and flatte blasphemie to stande to it damnable apostasie For contrarywise it is so farre off that whereas thrée things concurre in euery euill action asi utia suadentis as S. Augustine sayeth nequitia volentis iustitia punientis the subtilitie of the deuill persuading the péeuishnesse of the man that is willing and the iust vengeance of God punishing and forsaking God only doubtlesse is frée from blame as doing nothing that swarueth from iustice the rest are stained shamefully with all iniquitie They of kinde malice minde nothing but to followe their corrupte desires God of his natiue goodnesse the creator of all things that haue natural existence so measureth al things with iust reckening and euen waightes that those things also whiche were no sinnes no were they not directly against nature may be so iudged and ordered that they trouble not natures vniuersall course Therefore the very doings of naughtie men as they be instrumentes directed by the hand of God to that ende which they little thincke of in nature and substance be Gods good workes on the other side as they be set forwarde by sathans egging and depraued by the corruption of mannes ill will there loe by their deformitie they are espyed to be hatched in the deuils nest Nowe howe this mighte agrée and hang togither that the ▪ same worke should be bothe euill good of the diuers fountaines that it springeth off the diuers endes and markes wherevnto it tendeth and shooteth forwarde if it can not be so well perceiued Anselmus in his booke de casu diaboli so farre foorthe as it toucheth God séemeth by an apte similitude very pretily to open it and set it out saying that like as we are not afrayde to confesse that that is a creature of Gods making which is begotten notwithstanding by mans leudely disposed will for we say God is the creature of that infante which is borne in whordome and adulterie so in some maner of respectes he seeth no cause why we shoulde make daunger to say God had to doo with that worke which neuerthelesse hathe his beginning of an euyll affected disposition To make the matter more playne I pray you was not Gods deliuering of his sonne Chryst to the Iewes by the hand of Iudas as his instrument a good déede it was so questionlesse for it was doone for the saluation of the faythfull Yet it was not good as it came of Iudas who partely carryed away with hatred partely blinded with auarice betrayed his maister After the same maner it may be sayd of the hangman that executeth a fellon at the commaundemente of the Magistrate The dooing whereof may haue two originalles eyther the magistrate whose instrument the hangman is and so this execution of the fellon is good or else the hangman that doeth that which he is about with an inwarde mouing of his owne wherby he also is the cause of the felons death whom he executeth If the hangman therfore put this felone to death for the better maintenance of iustice the execution is good and deserueth commendation but if he
had sayde Thy iudgementes are like a great déepe straightwayes he ioyneth to it this clause Thou Lorde doest saue both man and beast openly shewing and declaring by the very manner of hys woordes wherein the depthe of Goddes iudgements doth cheefely stande namely in this that he doth not only preserue man but also that he hath a vigilant and watching eye in tendering the healthe and safegarde of the very dumbe and brute creatures that can least shifte for themselues Which also well appeareth by this that God sayde to Ionas when he murmured that contrary to his prediction god was minded to saue the Niniuites Thou hast pitied quoth God to Ionas the gourde for the vvhiche thou haste not laboured neither madest iâ— grovve vvhiche came vp in a nighte and perished in a nighte and shoulde not I spare Niniue that greate Citie vvherein are three score thousande persons that can not discerne betwene their right hande and their lefte and also MVCHE CATTEL He then that saued that great citie not for the mennes sake onely but as he testifieth him selfe for the greate heardes of cattell that were there about is it lyke that he hath no care of Oxen Surely this place is so euident that mine afore meÌ„tioned interpreter of Habacuk commenting vpon these wordes of Paule Doth God take care for Oxen is forced to graunt vnto vs of necessitie a certayne care that God hathe ouer beastes But yet shifting as he may to glose the text he addeth in déede that this care commeth but as we say per accidens not for the very beastes sake but for vs that can not liue without theÌ„ As though no dumbe creature were considered further than they be auaylable for our vse Which howe manyfest an vntruthe it is what neede I to declare with many wordes The premisses here before may disproue that saying For this in déede graunting of myne owne accorde that God hath put all thinges vnder the subiection of man for his necessarie and conuenient vse yet that God hath otherwyse no small care and regarde vnto brute creatures if by nothing else yet surely by this it is an easie matier for vs to learne that euen in those first fruites which were offered to God him selfe God would not yet any young sucking kidde to be brought into the temple for any sacrifice The slaughter whereof being nowe newely fauned he calleth the seething of a kidde in hir mothers milke Wherby we are secretly admonished to auoyde all superfluous crueltie that by any meanes might be practised agaynst these séely innocent dumbe creatures Of whom if God had no further consideration but onely as they serue oure vse what néeded then any suche precepte Chrysostomus therefore sayth better as do other also of the fathers God careth for them in deede but not that he should make any suche a lawe onely for them That therefore whiche is liberally spoken of the Oxe may be also well well extended to whatsoeuer laboureth in our behalfe WhoÌ„ cruelly by false wrong dealing to defraude or defcate of their due rewarde howe gréeuous a thing it is before God S. Iames setteth it oute vnto vs very well in the fifte chapter of his epistle saying Beholde the hyre of the laborers which haue reaped your fieldes which is of you kept back by fraude cryeth and the cryes of them which haue reaped haue entred into the eares of the Lorde of hostes Especially they that trauell in the worde as S. Paule sayth are worthy of double honour Wherevnto without question the Apostle had a chiefe respecte when he brake oute in suche earnest maner Dothe God take care for Oxen Eyther sayth he it not altogither for oure sakes For oure sakes no doubt it is writteÌ„ that he which eareth shuld eare in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we haue soweÌ„ vnto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things And by by after Do ye not know that they which minister about the holy things eat of the things of the teÌ„ple and they which wayte at the altar are partakers with the altar So also hath the Lorde ordeyned that they whiche preache the Gospell shoulde lyue of the Gospell S. Paule therefore denieth not absolutely that God careth for Oxen whom according to their measure he estéemeth as he dothe his other creatures but in comparison of Gods ministers and preachers of his holy Gospell he vtterly maketh protestation that God regardeth them not The reason nowe that he rendreth is aswell the excellencie of their function as also the manyfolde commoditie that thereby ariseth to mankinde so farre passing all earthly and carnall ministeries as heauen and earth are far asunder The .xj. Chapter He intreateth of prouision to be made for Ministers and namely of tythes declaring howe farre foorth they depende of Gods worde and what they borrowe of mannes lawe IF then God haue ordeyned that he that careth should care in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of hys hope howe muche more then is it reason to coÌ„sider him that spareth not to trauayle with vs day nor night that ceasseth not in tyme and out of tyme by good counsayle by wholsome discipline by the comfortable promises of holy scripture by the terrible threatnings of the Prophetes to exhorte vs to godly life to reuoke vs from sinnefull conuersation to allure vs to come to God our moste mercyfull and gracious Lorde to withdraw vs and fray vs from Sathans slye baytes whiles we dryue faste forwarde into the endlesse pitte of perdition It is well in déede noted of Aquine expounding this place quoniam debet in spe qui arat arare that the Preacher which openeth the heartes to fayth may well till and plow the ground in hope of some temporall and worldly méede but not for any suche hope as who sayth that trusting alwayes to Gods Prouidence that will not sée him lefte destitute of néedefull thinges yet the Preacher shoulde not make hym selfe any suche ende And no straunge thing is it I ensure you that in his spirituall ministerie he shoulde not séeke after the earth who shoulde vtterly in his heart be so farre estranged from such prophane and carnall consideratioÌ„s that the very hope of that blisse ioy which is euerlasting shoulde not halfe so much moue him as his loue and duetie towardes God. But yet O vnkind world notwithstanding moste vnthankfull to God for so gret a benefit who had rather giue their iewels their earerings to the erecting of a golden calfe thaÌ„ to confer any thing at all to the aduauncement and furtheraunce of the Gospell Who now gladly giueth care to that sage prince king SalomoÌ„ so grauely exhorting vs with these wordes Honoure the Lorde with thy â—â—ches and with the first fruits of al thine increase And yet what a reward doth he propose vnto thée whiles he sticketh not to promise in so dooing