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
doth not so much as let any Lease for any certain time or any set term but the greatest Monarchs in the world hold their Crowns and Kingdoms of him in Capite and be no better than his poor Copy-holders to be displaced at his pleasure and to be turned out of all they enjoy at lesse than an hours warning Therefore God chargeth the idolatrous Jews thus She knew not that I gave her corn and wine and oyl c. Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof Hos 2.8 9. Whatsoever thou hast the use and benefit of it is the Lords and he can recover it out of thy hands when he pleaseth When Herod was highly displeased with the men of Tyre and Sidon they came with one accord to him and having made Blastus the Kings Chamberlain their friend they desired peace Because their Countrey was nourished by the Kings Countrey Act. 12.20 Those Towns being Maritime Towns depended upon Herod's Countrey being a Corn countrey for their food and nourishment All that we have is in the hands of God by whom we are sed and nourished continually and he can take away his creatures from us when he will and if he give us the creatures yet he may deny us the use of them Sometime by bodily pains and violent sicknesse God makes a man to abhor bread and all dainty meat Job 33.19 20. or else by sorrow and sadnesse of heart God makes the creatures uselesse to us making men with David to eat ashes like bread and mingle their drink with tears Psal 102.9 Sometimes suddain dangers and great fears deprive men of the use of the creatures thus the Amalekites out of fear leave all they had taken as a prey to David 1 Sam. 30.19 And the fear that surprized the Camp of the Syrians made them flie away and leave all that they had to the men of Samaria 2 Reg. 7.6 7. Sometimes covetousnesse will not suffer the greedy worldling to take the comfort of his enjoyments though God hath given him Riches Wealth and Honour and that he wanteth nothing to his soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof but a stranger eateth it Eccl. 6.2 Here also I shall insist upon an instance of an higher nature viz. the unchurching of a people the taking away the light of the Gospel and Ordinances from them whensoever this happeneth it cometh from God's Providence God threatned that famous Church of Ephesus to remove her Candlestick out of its place Except she repented and did her first workes This Candlestick was the visible Church in Ephesus joyned together in the profession of the Gospel and enjoyment of Ordinances as a Candlestick holding a Candle in it When God formeth a people into a visible Church he sets up the light of the Word among them as men light a Candle and put it into a Candlestick but when God will unchurch he threatens to take away the Candlestick take away all Church-priviledges and Gospel-ordinances I am of opinion and humbly do conceive that this Church of Ephesus repented at this admonition of Christ and was long preserved that it stood firm under the Romane persecutions and a long time after outstanding the rage of all the Heathenish Tyrants though that lasted three hundred years for about an hundred and thirteen years after viz. about the year 413. after Christ there was a famous Councel held in this Church of Ephesus to condemn the wicked Heresie of Nestorius and to assert the truth of Christ which sheweth that it is not in the power of men or Devils to take away Gospel-ordinances from any Church or people till the Lord pleaseth and when at any time these are taken away it is the Lord that doth it it is he that removeth the Candlestick out of his place CHAP. XXXIV Profitable Instructions arising from this Doctrine of Providence Instruct 1. THis Doctrine of Providence may now afford us many seasonable and profitable Instructions Instruct 1 This should teach us warily to observe and take notice of God's various dispensations in the way of his Providence My sonne give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my ways Prov. 23.26 Solomon by means of his great wisdom did observe many things in his short time of vanity he saw a just man perishing in or by reason of his righteousness and that many a wicked man liveth to a great age and prospereth notwithstanding his wickedness Eccles 7.15 16 17. The short life of man upon Earth yieldeth great variety of matter for much observation the many strange events that happen in a mans age call for our most serious observation As a City built upon a narrow plot of ground hath many Inhabitants in it imployed about several callings wherein much may be seen within a little compasse So the short life of man yieldeth great variety of matters to be observed When I applied my heart to know wisdome and see the business that is done upon the earth c. Then I beheld all the works of God that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sunne because though a man labour to seek it out yea further though a wise man think to know it yet shall he not be able to find it saith Solomon Eccles 8.16 17. Though the secrets of divine Wisdom in the various wayes of his providence be often beyond the reach of the wisest and most industrious Christians yet ought we not to let any of them passe without a serious observation Do we not see that some men in a short time will do great matters What great things were done by Alexander by the two and thirtieth year of his age Histories testifie And Julius Caesar being imployed by the Pretor of Rome to ride in Circuit being Quaestor as Lord Justice coming into Spain to keep the Assizes espied there the Picture of Alexander with his Acts and when perceiving that he had conquered the world at his age he desired license to depart speedily having dispatcht his businesse and that night he dreamed a dream which the Augurs interpreted to signifie Sueton. de C. Jul Caesar that the Earth should be subject to him and under his Dominion Hereupon he undertook great matters and so fortunate he was in his Wars that at length he carried in his Ensign these three words Veni Vidi Vici I came to such a Town I saw it and overcame it Now if some men in a short time can do great things as we also have seen in these our dayes then God much more who in wisdom and power doth far exceed all the men of the world Besides the Lord for his own glory doth vary much in the carrâ—â—ge of things As in the creation of the world he not only made all things good but made also great varieties of things for the manifestation of his Wisdom Power and Glory so in governing the world God makes
man fly he is in worse case than he was before as for instance Thou retainest to some great man in the world thereby to make him thy friend and thou supposest thy self secure and yet for all that there are such uncertainties in the world and the falls of great men are so common that when thou hast gotten thee such a refuge thou hast a great deal more cause to fear than thou hadst before but they are not only secure but blessed that put their trust in God Psal 2. ult Sect. 3. Of Gods delivering his people out of afflictions of the divers wayes God useth in their deliverance and how they are more than conquerours in afflictions shewed in five things When Godfrey of Bovillon besieged Jerusalem the Sultan having taught Pigeons to carry messages dispatched one of them with a letter which she bare under her wings to give advice to the besieged but by providence a Hawk seizing on her over the Christian army took her and made her to let fall what she carried to inform ours of the enemies designs Paul Aemil. l. 4. NOw as God doth by his providence preserve his people in afflictions so he doth deliver them out of afflictions Thou hast enlarged me or set me at liberty when I was in distresse saith David Psal 4.1 He shall pluck my feet out of the net saith he Psal 25.14 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and we are escaped Psal 124.7 Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Psal 34.19 As God is the authour of afflictions so he is the moderatour and remover of them He casteth down and he comforteth 1 Sam. 2.6 7. After two dayes saith the Prophet he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hos 6.1 2. Though God afflict and correct his children for a time yet he will find a time likewise to comfort and deliver them Those words of the Prophet are by divers diversly expounded 1. The opinion of the Jewish Rabbines Some of the Jewes by the first day understand the time that the old Israelites their fathers were in bondage in Aegypt whereof we may read at large in the eleven first Chapters of Exodus and by the second day their captivity in Babylon and Assyria the one whereof viz. the carrying of Israel into Assyria hapned in the ninth year of Hoshea sonne of Elah King of Israel who is taken with his people and carried away by Salmanesar 2 Kings 17.6 The other in the eleventh year of Zedekiah King of Judah who likewise was taken and carried away with his people by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon 2 King 25. in which captivities the poor people seemed destitute and desolate like dead men buried and quite forgotten but the third day say they the Messiah shall deliver them and restore them to their former or greater glory But we Christians know that though Christ were a King yet his Kingdome was not of this world as he told Pilate Joh. 18.36 and that the deliverances he bestoweth on his people are not temporal for the most part This Jewish conceit therefore is more subtil than sound more witty than weighty 2. Others by the first day understand the time after the building of Solomon's Temple during which they often sustained many troubles being sometime besieged by their enemies by forreign wars and sometime falling soul among themselves by civil differences and dissentions and at last they are carried captive in Babylon By the second day they understand the time of their return from Babylon by commission from King Cyrus under the conduct of Zerubbabel Ezra 1. and after the building of their second Temple during which time they endured many hot assaults and bitter battails and at last have their City taken and Temple utterly ruinated and destroyed by the Romans And by the third day they understand the deliverance that the Messiah should bestow upon them which if they would expound of a spiritual deliverance of all the faithfull among them from the service of sin and Satan we would go with them but because they dream or rather dote of a temporal deliverance which shall never be leaving God's word we must leave them 3. Others by these two dayes understand a short time Brevi redinte grabit nos Tremel ad loc a certain time being put for an uncertain So David tells us His anger endureth but for a moment but in his favour is life weeping or heavinesse may endure for a night but joy will come in the morning Psal 30.5 4. Most of the Ancients make it a plain Prophecy and Prediction of Christ's Passion and Resurrection or of his two-fold Estates viz. of Humiliation on Earth and Glorification in Heaven Doroth. Episco Tyr. in vit Os◠Prophet as Dorotheus an old Bishop of Tyrus who lived in the dayes of Constantine the Great in his Epitome of the Life and Death of this Prophet tells us So likewise Bernard applieth this place of this Prophet to Christ and his members affirming That as he had so they must have their three several dayes Bern. Serm. in Resur Christ 1. The first was Dies crucis in mundo the day of his Crosse in the world 2. The second Dies quietis in Sepulchro his resting day in the grave 3. The third Dies Gloriae in Coelo the day of his Glory in Heaven Or to put the two dayes together as the Prophet doth the two dayes or whole time of his life was a Tragedy of trouble then the third day he rested in peace for a little space and then rose to eternal glory Thus divers of our Modern Writers affirm these things to belong to Christ Luther Zanch. ad loc Praecipuè principalitèr chiefly and principally because they had in him perfectum complementum and yet they may be referred to all Christians because they likewise be verified of them who shall have their two days of trouble here in this life as Matth. 16.24 Luke 9.23 Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 Heb. 12.6 Then a time of ease and rest at the end of the second day when death cometh Revel 14.13 and a joyfull resurrection to eternal glory the third day viz. at the end of the world when the Saints shall be delivered from all their troubles But the deliverances God vouchsafeth to his Saints in this life are divers 1. Sometime he delivereth them immediately by his own powerfull hand and stretched out arm without either Angel or man as he delivered Israel from Pharaoh and his host Mr Foxe tells us of one George Crow Fox Act. and Monum p. 1805. who being in danger at Sea cast out whatsoever he had reserving his Testament with which he was taken up and miraculously saved thus God preserved Paul from receiving any harm by the Viper that fastened upon his hand in the Isle Melita or
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
use of variety of Agents in the world led by divers principles some by the spirit and power of grace some by the flesh and by the spirit of the world and by the Prince of the power of the air some labour to build up the Church of God others like Sanballat and Tobiah do hinder the building and crosse others who seek the welfare of Sion and altogether seek for honour and preferment for themselves Now by these contrary effects of men the Lord bringeth forth contrary events and causeth his Glory to shine thorow all How justly then are they to be reproved that have lived long yet make no special observations of those events that have happened in their dayes Some are so much taken up with vain and foolish delights as pleasant Musick jovial company feasting and carousing that they regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hand Isa 5.12 Whoredome and wine and new wine hath stollen away their hearts Hos 4.11 Others there are whose hearts are wholly taken up with worldly business only minding earthly things It is an argument of a bruitish spirit to neglect observation Wherefore is a price put into the hand of a fool seeing he hath not an heart Prov. 17.16 Gods work is about us and in us at least in a common providence and yet few there are that see it or see God in it It is the part of fools to passe by these things without observation Who so is wise will observe these things Psal 107. ult He that is endued with heavenly wisdom and taught by the Spirit of God will observe them and shall understand the loving kindnesse of God It is admirable to consider God's Providences without the Church among the Enemies thereof The Kings of Assyria had overcome divers Nations therefore Sennacherib sends messengers to Hezekiah to tell him That the gods of the Nations could not deliver them whom his fathers had destroyed as Gozar Haran c. therefore he would have Hezekiah to have believed that he could have done the like to his God also Now the use that he makes of it was not slightly to passe by these things but makes a contrary use of it acknowledging his God to be the living God and able to save him out of his hand and that the gods whom the Assyrians had cast into the fire were no gods but the work of mens hands therefore they had destroyed them Now the issue was dreadfull to the Assyrians Isa 37.11 12 18 19 36 37 38. An Angel of the Lord in one night slayeth an hundred fourscore and five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians and Sennacherib himself was afterwards slain by two of his own sons as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god So likewise it is very observable concerning the Turks the vassals of that base and grand Impostor Mahamet who are great enemies of the Church that the Lord hath so ordered it by his Providence that they have not sent such huge armies against the Christian Church for many yeares past as they did heretofore Within the Church Christ bids us discern the signes of the times Mar. 16.2 and makes it a note of hypocrisie to be able to discerne the face of the skie and of the earth and not to discern the signes of the times as he sad to the Pharisees which then were admirable the Scepter being then departed from Judah and one of Esau's race enjoying it John Baptist the promised Elijah the forerunner of Christ being now come before the face of the Messiah as a messenger to prepare his way before him Great Miracles wrought by our Saviour the blind receiving their sight the lame walking the Lepers cleansed the deaf hearing the dead raised and the poor having the Gospel preached unto them all which shewed him to be that Messiah that was to come and not another So in Luther's time there was an admirable change What warrant have the Papists for their Jubilees but the Popes knocking at Rome-Gates with his golden hammer promising pardon to whomsoever shall enter in at them that year bringeth much Gold to St Peter's chair and the Pope's coffer keeping their Kitchen smokeing Jubilees were of use before Christs coming but ever since out of date clear light shining out of thick darknesse the year of Jubilee proclaimed the acceptable year of our Lord the year of release from Babilonish thraldom and Popish superstition free justification by the blood of Christ preached An Angel cometh down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory and he crieth out mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen c. Rev. 18.1 2. and vers 4. Another voice from Heaven saith Come out of her my people that ye be not pertakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues And is it not vrey needfull for us to observe the Signs of these our times how many Nations professing the truth of the Gospell with us have of late endured many hard and sore trials God hath destroyed the strength of many Kingdomes overthrowing the Charets and those that rode in them the Horses and their riders have come down Hag. 2.21 22. every one by the Sword of his Brother God hath even shaken the Heavens over us and the earth under us for the great formality and lukewarmnesse intemperance earthlymindednesse of the Nations and for the great opposition of the Kingdom of Christ the beauty of holynesse and the truth of God clearly revealed in the Gospell Furthermore It is very observable how that many men in all ages have been taken away by suddain judgements and that divers waies Herod on a suddain cometh upon the Galileans and killeth them as they were Sacrificing mingling their Blood with their Sacrifices Luk. 13.1 upon eighteen others a Tower falls suddainly and killeth them as the house upon Job's Children Thus some men have been taken away in their drunkennesse and in their riotous meetings some fall from scaffolds some be slain with timber some killed with the overthrow of earth some drowned some with falls from Horses some with Tiles or Stones falling from Houses Mayer Exposit in Jam. Paenitentia est animi medicina Lactant. Secunda Tabula post naufragium Hieron as that worthy Roman Captain riding through the streets of Rome in Triumph after a famous victory was killed by a Tile of a House falling on his head Now the use and end of God's judgments upon some is to work amendment and repentance upon all Repentance as Lactantius calls it is the Physick of the soul which all that be sin sick as all Adam's brood be must take before they can be recovered and all that will not be drowned in the Sea of Sinne must of necessity swim out upon the plank of repentance CHAP. XXXV Instruction second Instruct 2 AS we must observe So likewise we must be carefull to remember and not forget
cloudy and his actings to be in obscurity but when by an eye of faith the godly can see thorow all these clouds they have wherewith to comfort their spirits in the midst of all confusions namely that the Lord reigneth When we see a new face of things and great mutations in the world we are apt too much to look upon Instruments Now such a party is cry'd up anon cry'd down Some will inveigh against one party some against another according to mens several affections principles interests ingagements It is true Some sin grievously that are the grand Instruments in great Revolutions and Changes yet is it not in their power to change times and seasons it belonging to God alone to remove Kings and set up Kings Dan. 2.21 as Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar and as for men Time and Chance happeneth to them all God hath appointed changes unto men in their condition and no wisdom riches or strength can defend them from his appointment Dr Preston of God's Attributes as a Learned man hath noted Neither is it in the power of the most haughty Instruments to change the face of times and things according to their own wills as we have seen of late by large experience in divers instances No this is the work of him who is a God unchangeable and when he determineth to change times and seasons to root up such and such Governments or to change the form of any Government he maketh use of Instruments of divers sorts good and bad and these do strive and struggle one with another and do all work together in accomplishing his secret counsel known to himself though to them altogether unknown the temper of the times carrieth upon it the impressions of Eternity and the two great Wheels of the Worlds Charet Motion and Mutation are driven by him with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning And though the great Changes that have of late befallen this Nation seem new to us yet they are but God's counsels of old and his Eternal Purpose brought into Act Acts 15.18 For known unto God are all his workes from the beginning of the world God's people then may comfort themselves That the Kingdome and Government of the most High shall stand as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abide for ever firm in the midst of all the Concussions Revolutions and turnings of the time and shall be upheld when all earthly Kingdoms shall be destroyed And therefore as the Sunne alwayes keeps one tract and way in a steady course because his way is above the Air where winds and storms and tempests are So the glorious Sun of Righteousnesse is alwayes going on without any stop to bring to passe his Act his strange Act and to doe his worke Isa 28.21 his strange worke because his Kingdom and Government is above the power of time Senault Treat 2. Disc 5. and of all creatures subject to time and chance God's Providence still leads men to their end with as much force as sweetnesse his power hurts not their liberty because accompanied with sweetnesse and his sweetnesse wrongs not his Majesty Duc me summe Pater vasti Moderator Olympi Quacunque placuit nulla parendi est mora Adsum impiger fac nolle comitabor gemens malusque patiar facere quod licuit bono August de civ Dei c. 8. l. 8. because attended with power What ever he doth he acteth alwayes like a Sovereign I conclude all with that prayer of St Augustine O Sovereign Father who governest the vast frame of Heaven I submit to thy direction lead me to the right hand lead me on the left turn to what side thou pleasest I follow thee without reply or delay For what should I get by resistance but to be dragged weeping and to bear being evil what I might do sincerly by becoming good FINIS