God's wonderfull Providences He hath made his wonderfull workes to be remembred saith the Psalmist The Rabbines observe that the Children of the Jewes the night beforeth Passeover used to aske their parents why is it called the passeover th y answered because the Angel passed over and destroyed us not c. Thus ought we to speak publiquely of Gods great mercies for the benefit of our posterity to tell what God hath done for our soules that his glory may be declared among all Nations and his wonders among all people Joh. Menoch de republ Hebr. Psal 111.4 They are worthy our remembrance The works of his hand are verity and judgement vers 7. not onely the words of his mouth but also the works of his hand When we cannot find out God's mind in his word we may spell it out in his works God puts Israel in mind of their deliverance Deut. 8.2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the wildernesse c. I brought thee up out of the Land of Aegypt and redeemed thee out of the House of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam O my people remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the Righteousnesse of the Lord Mich. 6.4 5. Remember the former things of old Isa 46.9 All God's doings are very weighty in themselves and not to be forgotten When thou art apt to murmure for the want of any thing look upon the Rocks and remember how God made water to flow out of the Rock to the Israelites ready to perish for thirst When thou art in a straight and seest the water let that put thee in mind of God's dividing the red Sea When thou seest the Sun think how God can make it stand still for the good of his Children or go bacward to help forward our Faith Art thou persecuted Remember what God did to Pharoah Deut. 7.18 and to all Aegypt When thou art in affliction then is a time to remember God When my soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord saith Jonab chap. 2.7 When God remembred Jonah he remembred the Lord and praied unto him Many men have quick wits and fluent tongues yet are mute reporters of Gods Providences It is a great sinne to forget God or to be unmindfull of his works and Properties It is sad of the Children of Israel That they did evill in the sight of God and forgat the Lord their God Judg. 3.7 If David did as it were curse himself if he should forget Jerusalem Psal 137.5 6. what then shall happen to those that say to God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy waies God complaineth of some that they had forgotten him daies without number Jerem. 2.32 many remember but a part of God his mercy to presume thereon Polan Syntag. de Gratiar actione utterly forgetting his judgements If we forget his word we forsake God if we obey it not we do the like Jerem. 32.33 If we play the Hypocrites we forget his Providence and so whensoever we are unmindfull of him we rush into any kind of sinne making not God our treasure for then our hearts would be with him Ah! how easily do men remember foolish jests vain sports and tricks of youth but how soon are the word and works of God forgotten by us David rouzeth up himself Psal 77.10 11 12. In priscis rebus veritas nòn ad unguem quaerenda Diodat to remember the years of the right hand of the most High To remember the works of the Lord and his wonders of old To meditate of all his workes and talk of all his doings If thou canst not remember particular daies labour to remember the years of the most high in antient things a generall knowledge is sufficient Here I must now commend the lawfull use of History there we may search after the proverbs and records of the Antients 1 Sam. 24.13 There we may see how others have demeaned themselves upon divers occasions and businesses of great importanec Historiae utilitas est magna faelicitatem participat c. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. de fabulos gestis It is as one observeth a prudent Sate Councellour by whose advice a Commonweale may be framed Governed reformed and preserved an army well marshalled and ordered Towns besieged and taken Enemies vanquished Kingdomes subdued and great victories obtained In it as in a clear Chrystall-glasse we may behold God's Providence governing the world Joh. Crompton's Sermon of marriage and the actions of men which have often strange and unexpected events and sometimes reach unto such ends as are quite contrary to the actors intentions it representeth to us the vices and vertues of great ones it leaves to posterity the worthy sayings and doings of men famous in their generation for the imitation of their survivors But above all Histories let us be carefull to read the Sacred Histories of God's wonderfull Providences towards his people this divideth time to us it acquainteth us with all the passages of Gods Providence that have been from the beginning of the world it keeps God's benefits fresh in our minds it perfumeth the memorial of the Godly making piety the more amiable it teacheth us by the examples of those Worthies that are there mentioned how we should carry our selves upon whom the ends of the world are come Now that we may the better rub up our memories we must make diligent enquiry after God's wonderfull works Eliphaz tells Job That he would not onely declare to him what himself had seen but also what wise men had told from their Fathers Job 15.17 18. We should ask of those that have the best and most experience we love to hear travellers discourse of other Countries especially those that know them by experience and albeit Art and Learning are good helpes yet he maketh the best Comment upon God's works that speaketh from holy experience What a shame is it then for old men to be children in understanding many old men are indeed profound in worldly wisedom but babes in other things so that even youths may teach the Senatours wisdom it is a great judgement when Counsell perisheth from the Antient Ezek. 7.6 Cyrus in Xenophon Xenophon reports that the Persians had a Law enjoyning all men to be silent when an Elder should speak Callistratus to give him the wall when they met him in the streets Hesychius and to set open and clear the passage waies when he should go any journey or voyage Monsieur Goulart's Vieillard In the Antient Roman Common-wealth great Reverence was done to old men and the Antient Grecians as Hesychius observeth gave Majestick titles to Old men the Counsels of Old men are more regarded than the strength of young men it 's the best Ornament of the hoary head to be full of Heavenly wisedome
ones self from and so that being the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here it standeth in opposition to the following words God then hid himself from the Nations hid the means of grace from them but now in the times of the Gospel doth more open and declare himself to the Nations commanding every man every where to repent and yet even then when he suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes he nevertheless left not himself without witness in that he did good giving them rain from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness as Paul and Barnabas told the men of Lystra Act. 14.16 17. One saith That the chief title that God giveth to himself is Bonitas goodness because it is the property of all good things to communicate themselves to others therefore most agreeable to God who raineth down all his blessings upon us and that therefore all other names of God are but commentaries and expositions of this name 3. Jus comes Jovis Ambros in Rom. 3. The righteousness of God is also a demonstration of Gods Providence Ambrose calleth the mercy of God the justice of God because he saith God declareth himself righteous by performing his promises Isa 53.11 22. and God in his works of justice useth mercy Prov. 3.12 Heb. 12.6 but the justice of God is more manifested in his judgements The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth Rom. 9 16. i. e. known to be just and righteous We read Rev. 16.4 5. that the third of the seven Angels poureth out his vial upon the fountains and rivers of waters that is upon a part of Antichrists followers and those that are figured by the fountains of water are thought to be the teachers of that corrupt Church and the Text saith they became bloud that is their bloud was shed an there is a notable declaration of the righteousness of God by the Angel of the waters Thou art righteous O Lord which art A wise Heathen said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that God doth is full of providence and he can do nothing that is unjust Antonin l. 2. §. 2. and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus and ver 6. for they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy and ver 8. another succeedeth him Even so O Lord true and righteous are thy judgements true because thou hast laid on them no more than thou threatnedst before and righteous because done according to their desert and Rev. 19.11 12. Christ is mounted on his white Horse and described very gloriously here 's a description full of terrour and Majesty and his execution is so dreadfull that there is a solemn invitation to a strange Feast ver 17 18. to eat the flesh of Kings and Captains and of mighty men and the flesh of Horses and them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great By the flesh of these I conceive is meant the spoil of the Antichristian party when this great Battell shall be fought in Armageddon but how this is â—â—â—â—â—ged appeareth in the latter part of ver 11. it is said He that sate upon the white Horse is called faithfull and true and in righteousness doth he judge and make Warre It is one of the hardest things in the world to manage the Sword-military according to the rule of justice souldiers use to put all to the Sword that stand in their way plundering both friend and foe but Christ acteth the part of a valiant Warriour and of a just Judge in righteousness doth he judge and make Warre It is said Psal 97.2 that clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his Throne Ver. 33. A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about When fire is kindled in Gods anger as fire inkindled in a thicket of thorns spreading it self every way flying from bush to bush yet doth it not burn at random but breaks our from the Throne of God which is founded on righteousness or composed of righteousness Men in their anger are usually transported with violent passions and are very irregular but when 〈◊〉 is incensed by the worst of 〈◊〉 enemies he acteth regularly his Throne is upon judgement and righteousness and Heaven and earth Angels and men are witnesses thereof Ver. 6. The Heavens declare his righteousness and all the people see his glory Now these terrible actings of God in righteousness are great proofs of his providence CHAP. III. Argum. 2. Argum. 2 THe second Argument to prove there is a divine Providence may be drawn from the fulfilling of whatsoever hath been foretold and performing of what hath been promised and prophesied of To instance in some few particulars He promised Adam that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the Serpent Gen. 3. the which promise was fulfilled and made good in Christ four thousand years after it was made He promised Abraham that though his seed should sojourn in a strange Land four hundred and thirty years yet he would at length bring them into the Land of promise and the lot of their inheritance which promise he performed at the time appointed viz. in the dayes of Joshua and in the performance of this promise Gods providence manifestly appeared and many wayes manifested it self 1. In the preservation of Isaac whom his Father was commanded to offer up for a burnt-offering upon Mount Moriah Gen. 22. As Abraham had already stretched out his hand and was ready to dart the thunderbolt God had put into his hand he who commanded Abraham to strike stayes his blow and the Altar of Moriah which was to be the Scaffold of death became the Theatre of life Causin hist sac l. 2. and his Pile as one hath well noted served but to make a Bonfire of joy and a triumph of the fidelity which Abraham and Isaac testified unto God 2. By sending Joseph into Aegypt to provide for his Father Iacob and his Family during the famine I doubt not but Jacob thought God would provide for the preservation of himself and his Family but how far was it from his thoughts that Joseph should be the instrument of their preservation whom he thought long before to have been a prey to so me cruell Beast Therefore when Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren he tells them God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance so now it was not you that sent me hither but God Gen. 45.7 8. Gregory glosseth upon the Story of Joseph thus Divino judicio quod declinare conati sunt renitendo servierunt ideò venditus est à fratribus Joseph ne adoraretur sed ideò est adoratus quia venditus sic divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur sic humana
of death and judgment and of Hell-torments and of the great account which they must shortly make at the Bar of the Judge of the whole world 3. Sometime by setting before them the impossibility or difficulty of committing such or such a sin by this consideration the Scribes and Pharisees were often hindered from laying violent hands upon Christ Mat. 21.42 4. Sometimes he layes a secret restraint upon mens spirits as upon the Canaanites not to pursue the sons of Iacob after the horrid murder done by Simeon and Levi upon the Shechemites the like restraint was upon the Popish Party when Pope Pius the fourth moved the King of Spain the King of France and the Duke of Savoy to make Warre against Geneva 5. By his powerfull hand upon men as by his ten plagues upon Pharaoh so the Lord saith to Sennacherib I will put my book into thy nostrils and my bridle into thy lips and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into my ears 2 Reg. 19.28 a bridle suffers the Horse to breath but not to bite So he threatens Pharaoh King of Aegypt Ezek. 29.4 and Gog and Magog the chief Princes of Mesech and Tubal Ezek. 38.1 2. such bridles are ofttimes sicknesses imprisonments banishment and whatsoever whereby sinners are restrained of their wills and constrained to submit to the will of God It 's reported of the Numidians that they were such excellent Horsemen that they could ride without bridles whom some Authors call infraenos gentem nesciam fraeni Virgil. Aeneid 4. Auson in grat Act. Symson in Psal 32. This then is a shame for those that profess themselves Christians to be like a Horse whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle Psal 32.9 It sufficeth a good natur'd child to see the rod though he never feel it and it 's great wisdome for us to be reclaimed by the rod of Gods mouth that so we may not feel the rod of his hand In a word the very Philosophers could say Liberalis animus dicitur nòn trahitur A liberal mind is led not drawn and the Scriptures tell us that of all Sacrifices free-will offerings were best accepted Sect. 3. Of the terrible executions God doth sometimes on wicked men many notable Examples of Gods dreadfull Judgment on persecutors 3. GOD's Providence is wonderfull sometime in doing dreadfull executions upon wicked men and the Enemies of his Church and Kingdom Such as are dreadfull 1. In their kind as when the Sea overwhelmed Pharaoh and his host that for many years had tyrannized over the people of God And the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram and a fire brake forth and consumed an hundred and fifty men that offered incense 2. Dreadfull for the manner of them as it was in the case of Haman he that before had abundance of Honour Favour Riches did now boast of a new addition telling his wife and friends that he was invited by the Queen to a banquet and having by their advice erected a Gibbet for Mordecai's destruction when on the morning he went with a petition for his life he was forced by the King to be Mordecai's Lacquey and when he came to the banquet he was immediately condemned to be hanged upon the same Gibbet So Herod when he was applauded as a God was immediately smitten by an Angel and devoured by worms Pharaoh causeth the male-children of the Israelites to be drowned in the River Nilus and is himself drowned in the Sea Look upon Domitian Decius Dioclesian Julian Herod Antiochus and many such like Princes persecuting the Church all of them have miscarried by some fearfull death or other Gossens Trumpet of War Exod. 14. Saul that persecuteth guiltlesse David killeth himself and becometh his own Executioner 1 Sam. 24. Sennacherib that in a meer humour made war against Hezekiah is brought to an unnatural and untimely death by his own children 2 Kings 19. Histories tell us of the Emperour Domitian that persecuted John the Evangelist that he was slain in his Chamber by his own servants and not without the consent of his own servants and not without the consent of his own wife Domitia as Suetonius tells us Sueton. in Domit. Likewise Nero who devised all the tricks that the Devil could furnish him with to persecute the Christians Great were the Emperours of Rome and the Tyrants of Greece but as wicked as they were great and of the Romans thirty were slain by those in whom they reposed most trust being servants souldiers wives or children unto them and four being fearfull of their enemies or weary of their own lives became self-murtherers So of all the Tyrants of Greece three only left their Progeny heirs of their Tyranny More 's Demonst and make them odious to the State and set the City of Rome on fire and laid the blame of it upon them at length seeing himself hated of all men slew himself And in Trajan's time who also made cruel Decrees against the Christians his Palace was burnt Tiber overflowed the plague and famine wasted much of his people The like may be said of M. Antonius Verus and of Lucius Septimus Severus who being driven out of his Empire by civil wars and dying at York uttered this desperate speech Omnia fui nihil mihi prodest I have gone thorow all estates and conditions but nothing doth me any good at all We read likewise of Julius Maximinus who having made a Decree against the Christians and being in the Act persecuting them perished in an insurrection and mutiny of his souldiers who hated him and for his cruelty killed not only himself but his son also crying out There should not a Whelp escape of so bad a breed Item Decius the Emperour a great Persecutor of the Christians had his body swallowed up of a Quick-sand or Quag-mire Likewise Lycius Valerianus who being taken captive by Sapor King of Persia was a long time used as his Stirrop to help him to Horse-back and at last growing weak and unserviceable for that purpose had his skin flawed over his ears Likewise Valerius Aurelianus who was first admonished with a thunderbolt falling between his legs and not making a right use of it but persisting in his persecutions trod in Nero's steps and was his own Executioner The Ecclesiastical History is stored with such miraculous destructions of Hereticks Restorer of the French estate pag. 38. among which Arius is notable for even when he thought himself most assured and as it were to have set his foot on the throat of that good Pastour Alexander his Adversary he burst in sunder and his bowels fell out at the same Alexanders prayer The consideration of these tragical ends upon these enemies of the Church may make us say with the Psalmist The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked so that