his will because it should not be done if he did not suffer it he doth that which is good permitteth that which is evil directeth both good and evil Although God doth order and govern sins that be done yet he is not properly the efficient cause of sin therefore Austin again saith well An evil thing hath not a cause efficient but deficient as the corruption of judgement and the perverseness of the will of man I might shew through the whole current of the Scriptures how God at his pleasure ordereth the actions of evil men and Devils to the bringing to pass whatsoever he will have done he maketh the hard dealing of Laban turn to the benefit of Jacob Gen. 31. he turneth the cruelty of Jacobs sons to the advancement of Joseph Gen. 39. and Chap. 41. the Aegyptians oppressions to the encreasing of the Israelites In the same thing there is vertue both to kill and cure as in Achilles spear The Flies Cantharides having their bodies applied to any parts of our bodies exulcerate the same and especially the bladder and the wings applied to the same place help what the body hurteth The Scorpion and Vipers dissected and applied to the wounds heal what the sting of the one and biting of the other hand hurt Dr Bright Tract de Melanchol Exod. 1.12 the persecution of Saul to the benefit of David the hatred of the Caldeans to the exaltation of Daniel Dan. 6. the envy of Haman to the preferment of Mordecai and the delivery of the Jews the contempt of the Pharisees to the admission of the Publicans the persecution of the Apostles among the Jews to the calling of the Gentiles And to this I may adde that not only the sinfull actions of other men but even the Saints own sins through Gods wise disposing providence are turned to their benefit as of Serpents flesh Triacle is made which is a preservative against poison so the evils and sins of the faithfull are turned finally to their good When we grow dull he quickens us we wax proud he humbleth us we abuse his creatures he takes them from us dealing with our vices and sins as a good Gardiner with the weeds that would over-run his ground pulling them up and pruning his trees to bear good fruit CHAP. XXII How Gods providence reacheth the habitations and dwellings of Men. 5. IT will not now be unmeet to shew how Gods providence reacheth the habitations and dwellings of men God knew the City called Damascus and the Street therein called strait he knew the house of Simon the Tanner at Joppa Christ knew the upper room in that house where he intended to eat the Passeover with his Disciples Omnia nòn â—olùm à Deo permissa sed etiam immissa Lypsius de constant All mens habitations and dwellings are appointed by God he appointeth to every man his proper place and saith Dwell thou here Some plot to dwell in this place some in that and God sendeth them into other places and Countries to dwell some are appointed to dwell in hungry and barren places and others in delectable pleasant well-watered and fruitfull places some have very convenient dwellings for their more comfortable enjoyment of Gods Ordinances as it is said of Justus Migrat in aliam domum proculdubiò Gentilis hominis ut etiam nomen Romanum indicat quo tanto commodiùs posset cum Gentilibus agere eosque docere occasione hospitis hospitii Flac. Illyr in Act. 18. that his house joyned hard to the Synagogue Act. 18.7 and it 's very probable that the house of Anna the Prophetess was very near to the Temple in Jerusalem for it is said that she was a widow of about fourscore and four years having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity and that she departed not from the Temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day Luk. 2.36 37. She was of a great age when she uttereth her prophesie concering Christ in all likelyhood about an hundred years old at this time for it 's not likely she married before fifteen years of age she lived with her husband seven a widow eighty four years wherein we have a rare example of chastity and constancy for a young noble woman in the flower of her age about some two and twenty years old to lose her husband and to content her self to live a widow so long in one place with such singular commendation Now whereas it is said that she departed not from the Temple c. it is not meant that she never went out of the Temple but should lodge there as a Nun or Cloysterer so much cannot be gathered Supervenire autem nòn potuit si nonquam discessisset Gualt ad loc but the contrary because it is said vers 38. that she came upon Joseph and Mary at the same instant that they brought up Jesus to the Temple but such was her devotion as she was seldome absent thence she abode there for the most part giving her self to the service of God by the exercises of fasting night and day that is at all times or very frequently God sometime sends a man to dwell in such a place to convert some of the inhabitants thereof It is conceived that David dwelling a while at Gath Fenner's Catechism converted Ittai the Gittite to the faith 2 Sam. 15.19 and that Abraham dwelling or sojourning among the Canaanites by his godly perswasions preaching to them and conversing with them made many forsake their Idolatry and imbrace the true worship of the true God There is no man hath a spot of ground or never to small a cottage to dwell in but he hath it at the hand of God and it is a singular providence of God that we can dwell in safety and that our habitations dwelling houses and possessions are not laid waste when we consider the greatnesse of our sins which are able to make desolate the most goodly Edifices and most stately Palaces God threatned to send a fire into the house of Hazael that should devour the palaces of Benhadad Amos 1.4 God depriveth men of a great blessing when he takes their dwelling houses from them God hath many wayes to remove men from their houses and homes David through fear of Absalom was forced to flie from his house in Jerusalem Manasseh was forced out of his house and Kingdom into a prison others by riotousnesse and unthriftinesse cast themselves out of their habitations some wilfully like the Prodigal leave their Father's house Luke 15. Some go into a strange Countrey and never return again to their own native Countrey Shebna the treasurer promised himself a setled habitation and made himself a Sepulchre yet the Lord threatens to drive him out Isa 22.15 God commandeth the Prophet to say unto Shebna What hast thou here and whom hast thou here that thou hast hewed thee out a Sepulchre here as he that â—heweth out a Sepulchre on high and that graveth
appeareth in preserving a Church to himself from several parts of the world Psal 110.2 He ruleth in the midst of his enemies like a King that is able to keep up his Court and royal Family in the midst of rebels though they may sometime prevail against yet they shall never be able to root up the Church of Christ Object But it may be objected That when the seventh Angel sounded there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever And the four and twenty Elders fell upon their faces and worshipped God saying We give thee thanks O Lord God Allmighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Revel 11.15 16 17. Divers circumstances shew this to be a new event and that God had not alwayes actual possession of all the Kingdoms of the world it happening at the sound of the seventh Trumpet and when be took this great power to himself and entered upon the government of all the Kingdomes of the world it was then entertained by the Church with praise and thankesgiving which seemeth to shew that God did not governe universally at all times and in all Ages of the World Resp. I answer that the Lord hath a two-fold Kingdom Regnum Potentiae Regnum Gratiae A Kingdom of Power A Kingdom of Grace In the exercise of his power he hath alwayes reigned over the world The Lord hath prepared his Throne in Heaven and his Kingdome ruleth over all Psal 103.19 God hath always ruled over all the world when the world hath reigned most in wickednesse but in respect of the exercise of his government in regard of the Kingdom of his Grace by the Spirit of his Son in the hearts and consciences of men he hath reigned over but a very few This therefore is meant of the Kingdom of his Grace that the Lord upon the sound of the seventh Trumpet would bring them in subjection to his Gospel causing men in all places to yield subjection to the golden Scepter of Christ held forth in the preaching of the Gospel CHAP. XXXIII Corol. 6. Corol. 7. Cor. 6. IF God govern the whole world then it must needs be that he cannot want Instruments to execute vengeance upon his Enemies he need not seek far for Instruments for there is not a creature in Heaven in Earth or in Hell but is at his command If he speak to the fire it burneth the Sodomites if to the water it destroyeth the wicked old world if to the Earth it openeth its mouth and swalloweth up Corah and his companions Two Bears at his command tear in pieces two and fourty children that mockt the Prophet Worms at his command devour Herod that persecuted the Apostles Act. 12. He plagueth a proud King by poor creatures as Frogs Lice Flies Ut per animalcula ostenderetur opitulatoris omnipotentia Theodoret Pompon Laetus Locusts or Grashoppers Exod. 8. that by those little animals the omnipotency of his peoples helper might be manifested as Theodoret speaketh Prophane Histories tell us also that Honoricus King of Vandals and Arnulphus the Emperour were fed upon alive and gnawn till they were dead by Worms and lice Fabius the proud Senator was suddenly taken away with an hair swallowed in milk And Pope Adrian the fourth after that he had accused Frederick the first was choked with a Flie in a draught of cold water Yea the Angels good and bad are pressed at his command to do what he pleaseth And should God make use of none of these Instruments yet his own immediate wrath were enough to confound his Enemies as Saul Judas Joseph Naucler Egesippus Atalus King of Pergamus and Aristobulus son of Hircanus who living in horrour of conscience died in fearfull sort which examples serve to shew that his means are as his power is infinite to chastise and scourge the proudest and greatest of his Adversaries And if God arm not the creatures against us yet he can make one man to devour another Such a judgment the Lord threatneth Jer. 13.13 14. viz. to fill the King of Judah the Priests Prophets and all the Inhabitants of the Land with drunkenness and dash them one against another As drunkenness depriveth men of the use of common sense and reason and worketh so upon some tempers as to fill them with rage and fury that like mad men they spare not those that are near and dear unto them Carion Chron. lib. 2. as is evident in Cambyses the second King of Persia notwithstanding he was well brought up and dealt valiantly during the life of his Father Cyrus who committed the Kingdom to him while he lived yet falling to drunkenness he slew his brother married his own sister and slew her afterwards being great with child for but lamenting the death of her brother So Alexander the Great being drunk slew his dearest friend Clitus Wit overcome with wine is like a Horse that hath cast his rider Even so such a spirit of drunkenness and madness did God threaten to give up the people of Jerusalem unto that like drunken men they should destroy and consume one another Yea God can cause sinners themselves to become their own Executioners and to lay violent hands upon themselves And as God hath all the hosts of Heaven and Earth and Sea ready prest at his command to perform his pleasure against his Enemies so likewise to do any good office for his children and friends the jaw-bone of an Ass is both a sword and a bottle to Sampson Judg. 15 15 19 And the Earth helpeth the woman by opening her mouth and swallowing up the floud which the Dragon cast out of his mouth Revel 12.15 16. Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 15. Eusebius tells us That at the same time God sent rain to refresh the Souldiers of M. Aurelius his Army at the prayers of the Christian Legion Comment Relig. Reipubl Galliae and a tempest to affright their Enemies It 's likewise recorded that God provided wonderfully for the poor Protestants of Rochel sending them plenty of Fishes to feed upon during the siege which ceased also when the siege removed Whence was it that Stephen Brune that godly French Martyr could not be consumed with a fire of Faggots twice made about him so that the Executioner was compelled to thrust him thorow with a Sword Was it not from God's over-ruling Providence Cor. 7. If God govern the world by his Providence then it is in his power to deny us the use and benefit of any of his creatures and of any thing that is most dear unto us and can at his pleasure take them from us For the Earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof and as the original right and title to all things is the Lord's so he never parteth from the Fee-simple of any thing no he
done by their Ministers they scarce at all know or understand 2. The second head of Providence is disposition which ordaineth the connexion of parts and maketh one correspondent with the other Saul in seeking his Fathers Asses had no expectation of a Kingdome 1 Sam. 9.3 he by the advice of his servant goes to Samuel to enquire about the Asses but it is said the Lord sent him thither God so disposing of it by his Providence The Lord had told Samuel a day before in his ear saying To morrow I will send thee a man out of the Land of Benjamin and thou shalt annoint him to be Captain over my people Israel Ver. 16. So the Lord saith of the King of Assyria I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down as the mire of the streets howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so Isa 6.7 But most remarkeable is that Providence of God in disposing of all things according to the prayer of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. bringing forth and shewing him the Damsell that was to be a Wife to his Masters Son by the same token which he had expresly desired which was this that if the Damsell that he desired to draw a pitcher of water for him should answer saying I will and I will give thy Camels drink also then that should be she whom God had appointed for Isaacs Wife and so it came to pass Gods wise disposition is such saith Causin Causin de Provident that all the whole Universe in all its parts is ruled like a paper with Musick lines Synesius Hymn 4. which made Synesins say The world was the Harp of God and the divers orders of nature were the strings of it All things are overruled and swayed by the great arm of Providence he ordereth directeth and disposeth of all things to the ends that he hath appointed them viz. his own glory and the good of his Elect. 3. The third head of Providence is Government he governeth all things according to the counsell of his own will God is not confined by any externall Law nor straitned by the course of nature he acteth with great freedome and soveraignty Now I argue thus if the world and all things therein be not governed by God either it is not governed at all or it is governed by some other or else it governeth it self 1. It cannot be that there can be no government of the world because the constant order and vicissitude in nature and naturall things the mutuall intercourse and interchangeable succession of day and night winter and summer heat and cold and a thousand such like proveth the contrary of all which and their like Clem. Alex. Stromat Clemens of Alexandria saith It were a most wicked thing not to think them effects of Gods Providence When all things are created of nothing and many things are compounded of contraries and by a naturall enmity seek the ruine of one another none but God can preserve them for who else is able to govern so great a Mass but an infinite power Stock on Mal. 3. 2. It cannot be governed by any other but by God himself for if there were another to govern the world he must be either superiour or inferiour to God if superiour then God were not God but he is called a great God and a great King above all Gods Psal 95.3 In his hand are all the deep places of the earth the strength of the hils is his also the sea is his and he made it and his hands formed the dry land Ver. 4. He is called the most high God and said to be higher than the highest therefore there is none above him none equall unto him and if he were inferiour to God then could he not be sufficient to govern the world because no less than an Almighty power is required to the government thereof 3. If the world be not governed by God either he doth not know how to govern it or is not able to bear the weight thereof and to go through with the management of that work or is not willing to undertake so great an imployment upon him Deus liberrimum agens qui à nemine cogitur ad hanc rerum omnium administrationem Polan Syntag. de Provid but God is omniscient and therefore he well understandeth rationem administrandi how to govern the world and that in the best manner he is likewise omnipotent and therefore able to bear the government thereof upon his shoulders and to manage it exactly and powerfully because he is at no labour in the execution of his will and pleasure but whatsoever he willeth that also he effecteth with ease he is likewise summum bonum the chiefest good and therefore he willingly undertaketh this work he is a most free Agent and is compelled by none to the government of the world the manner of his governing is very good because he alwayes doth well yea even when instruments do evil as Joseph tells his Brethren As for you ye meant evil against me but God meant it unto good Gen. 50.20 If God made the world then was he without the world and hath wisdome and ability enough to govern it the knowledge of all objects in the world causeth no weariness in God because all therein is finite Sic mundum regi à Deo dicimus ut à rectore provinciam cujus apparitores nemo socios esse in regenda provincia dixerit quamvìs illorum ministeriores geratur hi tamen possunt aliquid praeter jussa rectoris per ipsius ignorantiam quae est conditionis humanae Ille aurèm praeses mundi rector universi qui scit omnia cujus divinis oculis nihil septum est solus habet rerum omnium cum filio suo potestatem nec est Angelis quicquam nisi parendi necessitas Lactant. l. 2. c. 17. Si Deus fecit mundum fuit ergo fine mundo si regit nòn utique sicut mens corpus regit sed tanquam dominus domum navimque gubernator auriga currum nec tamèn misti sunt iis rebus quas regunt Lactant. l. 7. de divino praemio c. 3. but his knowledge is as his essence is infinite he governeth the world not as the mind the body but as a Master governeth his house as the Stern-man governeth his Ship a Charret-man his Chariot who are not mixt with the things governed by them And as God governeth all things so he doth nothing obitèr rashly or inconsiderately he is well advised in every thing that he doth else it might be thought that all things came to pass by chance and fortune and so the Providence of God should no way differ from them We are rash and heady and many times carried on with more passion than reason and no corruption transporteth us so far as violent
Spirit of God set on with power upon their hearts how God hath ordered some sudden accidents befalling others to work much good upon them Flac. Illir Cat. Test verit 2 Cor. 1.6 Thus Waldo was startled by seeing a man falling down dead before him which accident made him study the Scriptures by which he was converted How both the afflictions and comforts of other of Gods children are for their consolation and salvation How God hath ordered crosses and afflictions to them with which he hath frequently visited them How he hath carried them thorow temptations what slips and infirmities he hath past by how their very falls and temptations have been an occasion of their better establishment and a cause of discovery of more clear light unto them bringing them nearer to God into a more close communion with him making him more humble and poor in spirit to strive to cleave more strongly to God and to take more ample content and satisfaction in him Did they seriously observe by what steps and gradations God hath carried on his work with them they may find much matter of admiration If the Lord's wayes were not above ours as the Heavens are above the Earth how were it possible that poor souls could get over so many stumbling blocks and snares that they meet with in the way of their salvation were it not for the safe conduct of his wise providence whose name is Wonderfull Councellour they would stumble and fall and never rise again There are many wonders of God in the work of creating and governing the world which are very observable but these high Acts of Divine Providence in bringing his sons and daughters to salvation and glory do far surmount them all If there were a History of all Gods various workings of Providence compiled and if all the methods and experiences of the faithfull were called for touching Gods dispensations toward them and his dealing with them they would amaze the Reader thereof and no History in the world would be found comparable unto it What wonderfull alterations hath God made in these later times in many Kingdoms and Commonwealths What mighty Cedars hath he thrown down to make way for the passage of the Gospel and to further the welfare of Zion adding them to the Church that are elected to eternal salvation How doth God over-rule all Tyrants and Torments that none shall infringe their title to that incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance reserved in Heaven for them God never manifested such a wonderfull Providence as he did in sending his Son into the world in the dayes of Herod the King when Israel the people of God were the vassals of the Roman Empire servants to Herod who was a servant to Augustus the Roman Emperour I say to Herod an Edomite whom God had ordained to be a servant to Jacob. God never did such a glorious work for the salvation of his people in the dayes of Solomon when the Jews were in the height of their glory as now he did in the dayes of Herod when they were in their basest servitude It is true Earth-worms do only mind earthly things as if the outward state of a Kingdome or Common-wealth were the only thing to be lookt at but the Lord of Heaven and Earth who hath all things in his hand esteemeth it but as a poor low thing to this viz. the bringing about the salvation of his people CHAP. XXV Sect. 1. How Gods Providence reacheth the Wicked Of his suffering the wicked to rage against his People A Question Whether a Christian may flie in time of persecution resolved HAving spoken of the special Providence of God toward the Godly I shall shew how it reacheth the wicked and ungodly 1. Gods Providence is to be observed in suffering the wicked to rage against the people of God The Gentiles are said to rage against Christ and his Kingdom and God sits in Heaven and laugheth them to scorn Psal 2.1 4. The word here translated rage sometime signifieth to run together and because in such a concourse there is a great noise therefore is it translated rage and so it may very fitly be said of the multitude Turba turbulenta for the multitude is turbulent The Lord for a time le ts loose the wicked layes the reins in their necks giving them leave to revel during which time they are very active and do what mischief they may and when at any time they do not openly break forth it is not for want of malice but for want of power Wicked men are the Devils bandogs and mastiffs to hunt Christs sheep and persecute his people when God permits them by his providence Pharaoh requireth the Israelites Midwives to destroy the male children of the Hebrews Saul persecuteth innocent David Sennacherib causlesly maketh war upon Hezekiah The wicked hate the godly therefore they persecute them They are not of the world therefore the world hateth them John 15.19 21. Cain slew his brother because his own works were evil and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 And David saith They that render evil for good are mine adversaries because I follow the thing that is good Psal 38.20 When Christ stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem he sent messengers before his face who went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him but they did not receive him because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem Luk. 9.51 52 53. The great reason of their rudenesse was because he was a Jew Now the Jews and they were affected either to the other Iohn 4.9 as the Aegyptians and Israelites Ita oculi loqui dicuntur quia saepenumerò innuunt quod dictum volumus Ità facies ire dicitur quia saepè prae se sert quo iter destinatum est Gen. 43. Tremellius tells us That howsoever the Samaritans hated the Jews alwayes and for divers causes and therefore would have nothing to do with them yet now especially they hate Christ and his company because they perceive him to be going up to Jerusalem to keep the great Passeover and therefore contemned their Temple built at Mount Gerizim by Sanballat a Governour of King Darius Joseph Antiq. l. 11. c. 7. Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. in favour of one Manasses a Kinsman of his whom being deposed from his office in Jerusalem for some misdemeanours he made Priest there as good Authors do affirm Hence we see That there is no greater hatred than ariseth from diversity of Religions as appeareth in the woman of Samaria John 4. to our Saviour for he no sooner askt of her a little water but she calls him Jew And here our Saviour doth not send to this village that all the principal people therein should come forth to meet him but only desireth to have lodging and other necessary provision for himself and his company for their journey which they refuse to afford him Quest Here I shall propound a Question viz. Whether it may