doth suffer the same Simile Admit there is a gappe open into my neighbours Orchyard I see it yet not bound to stop it leaue it open if afterward another mans cartell go in and spoile the fruits shall I bee liable to the trespasse surely noe The Lord sees there is a gap broken into his vineyard by our fall in Adam The heresie of the Secentians Aug. de hares and of Florinus and Blastus Euseb lib. 5. cap. 13. 28. teaching the contrarie is verie damnable he sees wee will play the wilde bores breake downe his vines spoile his Church persecute his holy ones and so both injury him and his If therefore he makes not a stay by his holy Spirit changeth not our minds alters not our affections nor preuents our purposes and thereupon we worke all this villany against his Diuine Maiestie is he therefore a trespasser in his owne wrong It cannot be for hee doth not the hurt in his owne person nor is any way tied to preuent it in others which being granted hee can no waies bee blamed for what we commit Quest 1 But some not contented with this demaund why God doth suffer the sin which he could so easily hinder Ans Paul answeres In that he suffers with long patiēce the vessels of wrath prepared to destructiō Rom. 9.22.23 it is to shew his wrath De pradest l. 1. and make his power knowne ouer the wicked and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie In which as Augustine saith the Lord doth well for he doth not suffer sinne but by his iust iudgement and whatsoeuer is iust is good For although sinnes are not good in that respect that they are simplie sinnes yet it is good that there should be sinnes otherwise God to whom it is as easie to hinder euill from being done as when it is done to cause good to arise from the same would neuer haue suffered it to be committed Fulgentius for how can we imagine that he who is goodnesse it selfe and also Al-omnipotent Ierem. 23. wuld suffer any euill to be done vnlesse by that euill hee effected some good Clemens Alexandrinus the sins of the reprobate declare his iust iustice and iudgement vpon the vessels of reprobation the fallings of the godly his exceeding riches of grace vpon the vessels of mercie Rom. 9.17.32.33 And thus in the depth of his wisdome hee hath shut vp all vnder sinne Gal. 3.22 Rom. 11.31 that his iustice and mercie might appeare vnto all men Secondly note that before this suffering of sinne there doth euer go an offering of mercie to preuent the sinne so that if we are not staid frō our iniquities the cause is not the want of Gods mercy in not offering grace but in the hardnes of our hearts in not receiuing it when it is offered And therefore saith Augustine Augustine Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit Men want the grace of God to keepe them from sinne not because God doth not offer it but because when it is offered they haue not harts to receiue it Christ is the way to the wanderer but he seeketh by-pathes will not follow him A light to them in darknesse but they winke with their eyes and will not behold him An inuiter to his blessed Supper Luk. 14.24 Ioh. 6.35 but men wil not taste it He knocks at the doores of our hearts but we will not let him enter He brings the bread of life but we will needs starue in our sinnes Prou. 1. He makes proclamation that all may freely haue it yet men must bee drawne or none will receiue it Per totum vbique iacet agrotus Aug. in Matth. 9.11 Euery soule is sicke of sinne ideoque magnus de coelo venit Medicus and therefore that great and gratious Physition is come from heauen to cure vs hee seekes vnto vs knockes at our doores and offers his heauenly potions imò pharmaca benedicta immensique valoris yea blessed potions and of an exceeding great value Simile but such are our waiward natures such our affections meere repugnant to that which is good that we will not be healed So that meritò perit aegrotus qui medicum vlerò venientem respuit the sicke patient doth deseruedly perish which peruersly refuseth the good Physition when hee willingly offers his helpe vnto him Musculus The lame in the ditch doth wilfully perish whilest hee reiects his neighbours hand when it is offered vnto him so if men darkened in their vnderstandings and hauing the vaile of ignorance as yet before their eyes doe tread the paths of sinne till they stumble at the threshold of hell and so fall into the pit of eternall destruction the cause is not the want of Gods gracy that would not enlighten them but their wilfull blindnes that would not be enlightned Ioh. 3.19 For herein is their condemnation in that as S. Iohn saith that light is come into the world but men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are enill Quest 2 Others demaund why God gaue m a nature mutable and subiect to sinning Ans To these lunius answers that it may as well be demanded why hee made him not God because immutabilitie is proper to the Deitie onely neither is it in the iudgement of the learned as praise worthie to haue a nature not subiect to temptation as hauing a nature subiect vnto it to resist the same when we are tempted Thus it is euident that God can by no meanes be the Author of sinne Delapsu Adami neither because hee foreknowes it Si diabolus seductionis potestatem non accepisset home probationis mercedem non accepisset Chrysost Oper. impers homil 55. decrees it willingly suffers it or made man by nature subiect to commit it It rests in the next place to shew first that Satan and our selues are the causes of the sins we commit Secondly that although in euery of our actiōs there are three caudes and that euery of these worke that which is good yet notwithstanding the action may bee euill and that this euill proceedes from our selues Thirdly that two things must be obserued to make our actions pleasing to God and that a failing in either makes them abominable That Satan and our selues are the sole causes of the sinnes we commit FIrst touching Satan that he is primitiuus peccator Ioh. 6. the first and originall offender from whom sinne flowing as out of a maine sea conueieth it selfe into the whole posteritie of all mankind the Scriptures are very copious in prouing the same Ioh. 8.44 When the diuell speaketh a lie saith Iohn then speaketh he of his own for he is a lier and the father thereof 1. Ioh. 3.8 So that hee which committeth sinne is of the diuell because the diuell sinneth from the beginning To this
nos quòd mutabiles sumus In that he is immutable but we subiect to alteration chāging The one proper to the Creator because he is God for to be God and immutable are both one the other peculiar vnto vs in that wee are creatures If any thing should bee left vndone or done otherwise then God in his infinite wisdome at first determined then must it needs bee either for want of wisdome for why should it be altered but vpon better consideration or else for want of power to bring it so to passe as he had before decreed for God still holding his determination how could it bee otherwise hindered Now it is the greatest iniurie either to suspect God of inconsideration who is wisdome it selfe or of inabilitie to performe to whom to will and to doe are both one What other thing is Prouidence in God then an euerlasting decree of bringing all things so to passe as before he had determined Therefore since this Prouidence in God is euerlastingly the same that is immutable as God himselfe is immutable it must needs follow that Gods actuall Prouidence which is the executiō of his Prouidence within himselfe is also immutable and vnchangeable in all things Malach. 3.6 Malac. 3.6 I the Lord am not changed that is neither in regard of my essence which is immutable neither in respect of the execution of my decree which at no time is altered Isai 14. The Lord hath decreed and who can alter it The Lords hand is stretched forth and who can turne it backe In the former the Prophet hath relation to the decree of God within himselfe In the latter to the execution of the same Isai 40. My counsell shall stand Isai 40. Iames 1.17 and my will shall be done Iam. 1.17 Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights in whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Where it is plainely taught that although there is alteration in Gods creatures yet that with God himselfe is no such thing Prou. 19.21 Prou. 19.21 Many deuises are in mans heart but the counsell of the Lord shall stand In which words there is an opposition betweene mans purposes and Gods decree God teacheth vs that ours are many and diuers In one and the same thing our minds are diuersly affected with sundry doubtings troubled sometimes we wil haue it done sometimes not done If it be not done the not doing it often discontenteth vs If it be done the maner of effecting it commonly disliketh vs. Then in doing wee doe not namelie please our selues Thus in not doing we doe namely displease our selues Our seeking to please shewes our desires but our not being pleased declares they are variable But Gods decrees are alwaies one What he hath determined that he will haue done As he hath determined so it shall be done and when hee pleaseth to haue it done euen then it is effected Before it was done the not being done did not displease him now it is done the being done doth no whit dislike him so that the not doing doth not displease him nor the manner of doing at anie time dislike him And thus Gods pleasing of himselfe at all times admits of no discontent at any time his discontent in nothing shewes his immutabilitie in all things And therefore a certaine truth that Gods Prouidence is alwaies immutable Obiect But it may be obiected that the Lord said vnto Hezekias Isai 38. Thou shalt die and not liue and yet Hezechias liued fifteene yeeresafter Also that Nineueh should be destroyed within forty daies Ionah 3.14 and yet their destruction followed not within the time prefixed We must alwaies vnderstand Solution the denouncing of Gods iudgements against sinners not to bee absolute but with this condition vnlesse we repent for God willeth both alike that is if wee turne vnto him his iudgements shal not befall vs if wee persist in our wickednesse they shall certainely bee accomplished But admit that of Isaiah against Hezechiah Isai 38. Ionah 3.14 and this of Ionah against Nineueh are to be vnderstood without condition can it therefore bee inferred that Gods decree and by consequence his Prouidence is mutable and subiect to changing Surely no for there is a difference betweene his decrees and his threatnings The decree of God and his heauenly will not depending vpon second causes but vpon his infinite wisdom foreknowledge and counsell must needes bee immutable But his threatnings which are euer denounced vpon the consideration of second causes namely our sinnes are according to their increase or decrease As well mercie if we repent as iudgements if we do not altered and changed for God willing the one willeth the other also More plainely thus God doth sometimes denounce his iudgements against sinners according as their dangerous estate doth require and not that he hath so decreed thē in his euerlasting counsell and from thence so willed them but because second causes namely our sinnes doe crie for vengeance against vs the which God willeth shall befall vs if wee persist in our sinnes but if by the worke of his spirit wee forsake our wickednes Gods wil is his iudgements shall be turned to mercie So then his will is not altered though his iudgements are not executed because with his Threatnings doth euermore goe the condition of repenting alwaies vnderstood though not euer expressed It is true the grieuousnesse of Hezechiah his disease being considered and secondly that he was not likely to be cured by the helpe of man that he could by no ordinarie meanes liue long vpon which the Lord purposing to shew his mercie and power the Prophet might say vnto him Thou shalt die and not liue And yet for the declaration of Gods glorie it came to passe that his life was prolonged So likewise if wee consider the grieuous sinnes of the Nineuites crying for the full viall of Gods wrath to be powred downe vpon them it must needs bee that the destruction of their citie was euen at the doores but God who is rich in mercie and faithfull in all his promises did vpon their true repentance keepe backe his iudgements and saued their citie from subuersion a worke not mutable but agreeing with his mercie and iustice Obiect God would at first that legall ceremonies should bee kept but afterward it was his will that they should be abolished and therefore his will is mutable The argument doth not hold Solution when it is drawne from the changes of things to the change of the causes of those things working by free will as God euer doth much lesse can it bee a good reason to prooue that his will is mutable for it was Gods will that ceremonies should be kept at one time and abolished at another kept before Christs comming abolished after In this therfore is Gods will one and the same Jn an Epistle to Marcellus Augustine maketh this plaine by an example after this manner
therefore may craue a larger answering First therefore it is answered that there is no confusion nor disorder in these things for the confusion is onlie in respect of man and not of God or the things gouerned by him which are euermore excellently well disposed though the vaile of ignorance being before mās eies we are not able to discerne this excellent order The fleshlie man perceiueth not those things which are to bee discerned with a spiritual eie My waies saith the Lord are not as your waies neither are my thoughts as your thoughts so that vntill these men goe with Dauid into the house of God well may these things seerne confused vnto thē but whē they are enlightned by his holy Spirit they appeare otherwise A man that that is blinde or hath sore eies thinks it is darke when the Sunne shineth or at least thinks her beclipsed with diuers coloured mists when she is in her perfect beautie Simile the cause is the imperfection in his eies and not any obscuritie or confusion in the Sunne So is it with him that shall looke with a fleshly eie into Gods works be they neuer so excellently disposed yet through his inabilities to discerne they seeme confused That which in the night or a farre off we iudge a tree proues when wee come neerer or when the day appeareth a more excellent creature So in the night time of our ignorance and when we are strangers from Gods Law we iudge preposterouslie of his works but when this mist is dispersed or that we come to looke more neerelie vpon them in the glasse of his word they seeme so excellent that we are constrained to say O Lord how wonderfull art thou in all thy waies and holy in all thy works In great wisdome hast thou made them all But let vs come vnto the instances Thou saiest JJnstance 1. in that Stan tempted Adam and made him and his posteritie subiect to sinne Ans It is answered and alreadie prooued that herein no fault can be imputed vnto God Eccle. 28. for Adam was created righteous but his own inuentions made him euill Secondlie if God willed a declaration of his iust iudgment vpon the vessels of wrath and the manifestation of the exceeding riches of his grace vpon such as are ordained vnto mercie what right hath the clay herein to reason against the Potter Thirdly Gods children haue now more cause to reioyce by an infinite deale in regard of that blesse dnesse receiued from the last Adam then to be sorrie for their dignitie lost in the first Adam To which tendeth that of Paul concerning the sinne of our first Parents which is spread ouer all and the righteousnesse of Christ which is much more aboundant to the saluation of the Elect. And therefore we may say with Gregorie O foelix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redemptorem O happie diseasewhich could not be cured but by such a diuine and heauenlie Physition That the wicked line in greatest honor prosperitie and abundance Jnstant 2. but the god'y in pouertie disgrace and affliction Ans HEalth wealth and honour are the hope of the worldlings labours and being obtained are their sole darlings of delight and pleasure Jn serm But as Bernard saith of Peter Vt nouum itr sic noui modi itineris Triplex est vita naturae gratiae gloriae A new iorney must haue new waies of iourneying so wee say of the godly when they begin to enter the new life that is the life of grace then they must haue new coutses of liuing Afflictions come by Gods decree And what are these That in following Christ wee should take vp his crosse that in liuing holily wee should suffer persecution that in our iourney to heauen wee should passe thorow many tribulations Therefore saith Augustine in the person of christ August in persona Domini Venale habeo quid Domine regnum coelorum quo emitur paupertate diuitiae dolore gaudium labore requies vilitate gloria morte vita I haue a thing to sell saith Christ what is it O Lord saith Augustine The kingdome of heauen but wherewith is it bought for pouertie true riches for griefe ioy for labour rest for basenesse glorie for life death So that pouertie griefe labour basenes and losse of life are the new paths that leade to new Hietusalem and the narrow waies that tend to ample blessednesse Now this being the decree of God the Creator who is wisedome it selfe why should it seeme preposterous in the eyes of the creature who is but meere foolishnes Quid obsit vel prosit medicus nouit non agrotus Augustine Gods decree of afficting groüded vpon great reason What is profitable or hurtful to vs that are patients that wise Physition knowes not we that are grieued Secōdly this decree of God is grounded vpon great reason both in respect of him afflicting and of vs afflicted What sets foorth more the wisdome of God then his ministring seuerall potions of affliction according to the seuerall conditions of his children as well in preuenting the diseases of sin whereunto they are subiect as in curing them whē they are grieued with them What more declares his mercie then the giuing of the staffe of his Spirit with the rodde of correction then the comforting vs in our distiesse then the putting our teares in his bottle then the making our bed in our sicknesse then the pitching his Angels about s then the not suffering the flouds to ouerflow vs though they come neere vs then the causing that although heauines continue for a while yet ioy shall come in the morning Wherein is the power of God more euident then in giuing vs strength to vndergoe so many troubles then in casting vs down vnto the graue and raising vs vp againe These things haue caused admiration in the very enemies of God and that amidst their tyrannies Is there not good reason then why those things should bee effected whereby Gods wisedome mercie and power are made euident and not onely to his children but euen to his enemies whereby they are left inexcusable in the day of the Lord if there were no persecutions how should Martyrs glorifie God by their sufferings If no trials how should patience haue been left for a vertue to be imitated If Satan had not been let loose to buffet Iob where had been his words of praise The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly the afflictions of the godly are grounded vpon good causes 2. Gods decree of afflictiong is good and iust in regard of vs as it appeares 1. By our owne reason in regard of our selues as it appeares first by our owne reason secondly by our owne practise thirdly by the profit we reape from them In reason heauen could not be our sole place of blisse if here we had no sorrow if here our happinesse that could not be a
their laughter their ioy their boasting their bodies are giuen to bee wormes meate and their soules are burning in the flames of euerlasting torments whither their bodies afterward come that those which haue been companions in their vaine pleasures may bee partners in most grieuous paines Quanta districtione feriat quos reprobat si bîc cruciat quos amat Gregor Si Deus tam asperè percutit vbi parcit quà m asperè percutiet vbi non parcet For if God corrects the godlie whom he spares in mercie how grieuously shall he wound the wicked with whom he deales in the strictnesse of his iustice If he sometimes whippe those whom hee loues in this life with what seueritie will he plague those whom he hates Bernard in the life to come If he will beat his holy sonne what shall become of his wicked seruant Iudg 4. Sisera giues milke vnto Iahel couer him warme and laies him to rest but then his destruction was neerer so the wicked are fed with sweete milke of delights couered with rich attire and luld asleepe in the cradle of securitie but in meane while the sharpe nailes of Gods iudgements doe suddenly pearce them Gregorie Vitulus mactandus liber ad pascua mittitur The oxe reserued for the butchers slaughterhouse goes at his pleasure in the greenest medowes so is it with the wicked whom the butcher of the soule must leade to his fearefull shambles I conclude then with Augustine August ad Marcellinum Nihil infoelicius foelicitate peccantium Nothing is more vnhappie then that which the wicked esteeme their happinesse who though they seeme to flourish quoniam splendor tectorum attenditur labes autem animorum non attenditur because men behold their outward beautie and not their inward filthines yet they are most miserable Dum enim hos pollere Deus permittat tunc indignatur grauius si impunitos dimittat tunc punit infestius For whilest God doth suffer them to flourish then doth bee most set himselfe against them and whilest he sends them away vnpunished therein they are punished a great deale more sharply And thus the afflictions of the godly prosperitie of the wicked agree excellently wel with Gods Prouidence and iustice The third instance of confusion to proue God gouernes not the world is Jnstance 3. in that the way to destruction is broad but to heauen narrow and few there be that walke in it Ans In very deed the way to heauen is exceeding broad in as much as the means which God hath giuen vs to haue vs walke in it are many and infinite Coelum terra omnia quae in ijs sunt August lib. Conf. 10. eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine The heauens the earth and all things therein contained behold they neuer cease crying vnto mee to loue thee O Lord saith August Adde Gods word to direct his mercies to allure his iudgments to whip vs on and what not to moue vs helpe vs and strengthen vs in this our iourney If then for all this we very hardly walke in it and so it proues narrow vnto vs this is by accident namely Simile through our own wilful blindnesse corrupt affections and obstinate wickednes A master makes a banquet for his seruants in an inner roome and to passe into it frames a dore both large and wide If these which are inuited will loade themselues with huge burthens that they cannot enter the doore is narrow in regard of the inuited and not of the inuiter So stands the case betweene Christ that inuites to his supper of glorie Luk. 14.24 and vs that loade our selues with infinite sinnes that we cannot goe to it Augustine Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit In that men want grace Rom. 8.7 Rom. 3.4 it is not because God doth nor giue it but because they haue not grace to receiue it Ioh. 3.19 Herein saith Iohn is their condemnation iust in that that light is come into the world and men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill So that the way is narrow in regard of vs and not of God Secondly if many are called and few chosen if few vessels of glorie and many vessels of wrath Rom. 9. what hast thou to doe herein shall follie censure wisedome or the clay reason against the potter Obiect God either can take away euils and will not or would but cannot or neither can nor will If hee can but will not he is enuious if he would but cannot he is impotent if hee neither will nor can he is both weake and enuious none of which imperfections can be in God and therefore since there are euils all things are not gouerned by his Prouidence God can preuent all euils Solution whether of the punishment or of the sinne and therefore is not impotent but he doth suffer them Qui mala tollit prouidentiā tolleret Plotin yet therfore is not enuious for hee doth not suffer them as they are simplie euils but as from those euils his power mercie and iustice may appeare his power in turning euill to good his mercie in clensing and deliuering the elect of the riches of his grace his iustice in condemning the wicked and reprobate Obiection That which doth resist God is not gouerned by him But the diuels and wicked men resist God And therefore are not gouerned by him Though the diuels and wicked men doe resist God in respect of his will reuealed Solution yet God doth willingly suffer their resistance limit the same turnes it to his glorie So that he is not so resisted but that hee doth gouerne nor so opposed but that he could ouercome Therfore this neither takes away Gods prouidence not diminisheth his power Obiection If all things fall out by chance then there is no Prouidence But all things fall out by chance Eccles 9.11 and in many other places Therefore no prouidence The holie Scripture doth vse such words in regard of vs onely Solution to whom the causes of things and secret working of God is vnknowne and therefore the euents being simplie considered we say they come by fortune but not in respect of God to whom all causes are knowne and who worketh all in all by them If we respect the counsell knowledge purpose of him that by shooting the arrow at randome wounded Achab wee say Achab was slaine by chance but if you respect the decree of God to punish the wicked we say it came to passe by his heauenly Prouidence Secondlie whereas Salomon saith that neither the race is to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor fauour to men of knowledge but that time and chance gouernes all things wee must vnderstand Salomon to speake in the person of the wicked who hauing
this life which those that heare Gods voyce and obey his will doe abundantly enioy are infinite many view their blessednesse euen in the middest of their miseries noted alreadie in the answeres to the former obiections In the answere to the second instance in the third obiection against this doctrine God gouernes all things and if they are happiein those things which make them seeme vnhappie how blessed are they in other things wherin there is neither taste nor shew of miserie But alas how can they want store of blessings who haue Christ the fountaine of all blessings how shall God detaine that which is deare who hath giuen them his onely Son who is dearest vnto him and how shall his mercie be failing to his friends Rom. 5. when it was so abundantlie manifested when they were enemies If wee heare his voyce we are friends wee are brethren we are sisters we are sonnes vnto him If earthly parents doe loue their children and labour to profit them how should our heauenly father whose loue as farre exceedes their loue as the infinite Creator doth the silly creature faile in his loue to his children or bee wanting in his blessings toward them But I leaue the priuiledges of the godly in the blessings of this life and come to their happinesse in the life to come In the description whereof we may aime but cannot attaine He which will bee a certaine reporter must heare the matter himselfe he which will limme perfectly must view that hee would draw and he that would iudge of harmonies must heare the sounds how then should sillie man on earth whose senses were neuer partakers of this glorie be a perfect describer thereof It rests then and so in the bowels of compassion as Embassadors of Christ wee entreate you that you rather seeke to bee partakers thereof then to expect a description from another yet being the end of the hope of the faithfull it shall not be amisse to speake something thereof That there is a place of infinit ioy and blessednesse for the godlie Psalm 15. Psalm 27. Matth. 25. 1. Cor. 19. Hebr. 4.11 13. none so vilde that will call it into question for God who is truth it selfe hath alwaies both taught and promised it therefore Peter in the behalfe of himselfe and the Church the sole partakers of this blessednesse breakes forth into an hartie thanksgiuing vnto God on this manner Praised bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from death to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that perisheth not reserued in heauen for them which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto soluation Touching the word heauen it hath three significations Psalm 14.6 as Paul noteth when hee saith he was taken vp into the third heauens The error of Basilides that there are 365. heauens Euseb lib. 4. ca. 7. verie foolish first it is taken for the aire aboue vs In this sense I take it the Psalmist speaketh when he saith the Lord couereth the heauen with clouds and thus the birds of the aire are called the fowles of heauen Secondly it is taken for the firmament Psal 8.89.30 which is called the heauenly hoste or beautifull apparrell of the heauens Thirdly it is taken for the seate and habitation of God himselfe which is aboue the firmament Psal 15. Philip. 3. Psalm 103. Matth. 5. And this is the place whither Christ our forerunner is gone to prepare a place for vs that in due time he might gather vs vnto him Reuel 21. The glorie whereof being described so farre forth as we may conceiue of the same I leaue the description and come to the ioies therein contained whereof both soules and bodies shall be partakers Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.14 1. Pet. 1.4 The soule shall bee adorned with wisdome iustice and holinesse for the good graces begun in vs here shall be perfected there and that excellent estate wherein we were at first created like vnto God shall then be restored a thousand times more excellent The mind shal lose her darkenesse and bee replenished with all light it shall know the might power mercie and iustice of God without any ministerie of his word The will shal want all euill desires and in a sweete content rest and stay it selfe on God alone The bodie after the day of the Lord being ioyned to the soule Matth. 22.3 shal euer remaine glorious subiect to no changes to no infirmities not needing meate 1. Cor. 15.3 drinke apparrell or outward meanes to preserue it the agilitie thereof shall be such as that it shall mooue it selfe whither it listeth 1. Cor. 13.11.12 the proportion such as that there shall bee no defect in any member Dan. 12. Matth. 13. And thus God hauing blessed both soules bodies shall giue them a glorie which shal shine as the Sunne and Starres in the firmament and this glorie must needs be infinite for that his glorie which replenisheth all things shall cause it And whereas the pleasures of this life Iohn 2.3 either breede discontent in the possessing or griefe in the losing those blessed and perfect ioyes in heauen shall cause neither for our abundance shall not cause a loathing but we shall stil desire them nor our desiring implie a want for wee shall be filled with them and not for a time for then there was griefe in losing them but for euer and euer and therefore there is an endlesse happines in thus possessing them Oh blessed happinesse and happy blessednesse to haue health without infirmitie Rom. 8. Philip. 3. Isai 25. Deut. 8. Isai 32. 1. Cor. 13. Ioh. 18. youth without waxing old fulnesse without loathing freedom without bondage fairenesse without deformitie life without death abundance without want peace without trouble securitie without feare knowledge without ignorāce ioy without sorrow and light without darknes What is Salomons wisdome Absolons fairenesse Sampsons strength Mathusalems long life and Caesars reigne surely compared with the excellencie of these things in heauen they were but follie deformitie weaknesse a point of a moment and a seruile bondage It is excellent to know things physical but much more excellent to know metaphysicall to haue the knowledge of the blessed Trinitie the knowledge of the might of the father of the wisdome of the Son of the bountie of the Spirit Bern. in Medic. O beata visio videre Deū in seipso videre Deum in nobis nos in ipso Oh blessed sight to see God in his glorie to see God in vs and vs in him What doest thou desire O thou mortall man which may content either soule or bodie if glorious sights there you shall see the glorie of heauen of the Saints of the Angels yea of God himselfe If melodie there is the blessed consort of praising God together if to loue God
friend in thee and the poore and his enemies for thy sake Ninthly when Saints vpon earth shal ioyne with the Angels in praising God in heauen Gratiarum actio opus Angelicum when the heart shall be rauished with his praise and the tongue neuer ceasing to laud his holie name but that at midnight wee rise vp to praise him for his righteous iudgements then may we say that the loue of God is shed in our harts and that from a sense and feeling therof we render our loue to him again Lastly all those which loue the Lord grieue for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of others Psal 119.136 Rom. 6.19 they labour a continuall sanctification both of soule and bodie In a word hauing been partakers of his rich loue of his superabundant loue of his gratious promises 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Pet. 1.17 Psalm 103.4 they forth with clense themselues from al filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and grow vp to holinesse in the feare of the Lord. Can a seruant loue his master A strange loue in Papists yeelding neither invvard affection nor outvvard obedience and yet not labour to please him a wife her husband and yet in all honest and lawfull things crosse him A child his parents and yet disobey them A subiect his Soueraigne and yet rebell against him It is impossible Can wee then disobey God reiect all obedience and cast his precepts behind our backs and yet say we loue him no no our sinnes are the souldiers that apprehended Christ that led him to iudgement that pleaded against him that caused the furie of his father the torments of his soule the thornes on his head the spitting in his face the pearcing of his sides y nailing of his hands the boaring of his feete and the scoffings of the world for though the whole world had combined to doe this against him Hebr. 6.6 if wee had not sinned they could neuer haue effected it can we then loue him and yet retaine our sins against him Remember that as manie as sinne crucifie to themselues the Lord of life And shall we rebell against him labouring to platte a new crowne of thornes vpon his head to dishonour him to rip vp his wounds and by our speares of blasphemies to pearce him thorow againe and yet say wee loue him If I professe loue to any neuer so strongly Simile and yet when his backe is turned breake his head with my weapon let me sweare neuer so much that I stand affectioned to him will you credit that I loue him so many exclaime they loue God but when wee behold their delight in sinne and small care to serue him wee may vndoubtedly conclude they are infestuous enemies vnto him For this is Christs rule If you loue mee keepe my commandements Vse 4 Fourthly whereas God gouernes all things as a king of armies hauing both small and great at his command wee learne to submit our selues in all feare and reuerence vnto him When Dauid had ascribed vnto the Lord the power of breaking the bowe Psalm 46.9 of cutting the speare and burning the chariots in the fire Psalm 115.3 presently hee inferres that man should be still and know the Lord And good reason for if God thunders the earth melts away Psalm 46.7 Hee is the Lord of hoasts and can make an inuincible armie of his weakest and basest creatures 1. Cor. 10.22 as of flies frogges or lice to plucke downe the high lookes of the most proud and stiffenecked Pharaoh vpon earth Psalm 52.6.7 Therefore let no man trust in the multitude of his riches in his wisdome in his owne strength but let euerie one see this and feare Vse 5 Fiftlie since God so gouernes all things as that hee giues strength and vertue ordereth the effects and disposeth of the ends so that it cannot so properlie be said that they worke as that God worketh in and by them wee are hereby taught this lesson continually to pray to God that he would blesse vs and all things wee take in hand Our sinnes haue caused a rebellion and corruption in all Gods creatures neither can they bee brought vnder and purified vnto vs but by him that is the ruler and sanctifier of all things neither will this ruler submit them nor this sanctifier purifie them but vpon the vsing of the meanes himself hath ordained 1. Tim. 4. that is prayer and supplications Luke 18.1 21.36 Act. 6.4 Rom. 12.12 Ephes 6.18 Iames 5.4 1 Pet. 4 7. 1. Thess 5.17 in through Christ Iesus made vnto him And therefore the holy Scriptures often excite to this dutie of watching in prayers of being instant in supplications of calling vpon God at all times Cur petere quaerere pulsare nos compellit c. Why saith Augustine doth God enioyne vs to aske to seeke to knock since he knowes what is necessarie for vs because saith he he would that our desires should be exercised in prayers whereby we might be possessed of that which he hath prepared to giue vs. The enemies are many and alwaies giuing the onset the dangers great the miseries infinite but we are weake we are fooles not able of our selues to subdue to preuēt to withstand for the enemie hath entred our walles and we haue a kingdome diuided amongst our selues Is there not good reason then wee should alwaies stand vpon our spirituall guard hauing euermore recourse to him whose wisdome must illuminate our vnderstandings whose mercies preuent our miseries whose strength subdue our enemies and whose al upholding power cause vs to stand Exod. 17.11 Hence note the strongest munitiō of the land to be the prayers of Gods children As long as Moses prayed Israel preuailed but when he ceased Amaleck had the better The reason is as the Glosse saith Plus valet vnus sanctus orando quam innumeri peccatores praeliando One holy man preuailes more by prayer then a thousand sinners by blowes Euen so as long as thou hast recourse to God by faithfull prayer thou shalt preuaile against Satan things shall goe successiuelie with thee but if thou art failing in this dutie hee will preuaile against thee thou shalt be crost in thy desires hindred in thy purposes and finde it but a left-handed action whatsoeuer thou takest in hand for although there be no apparent resistance yet there is euermore an inueterate corruption and stinging poison going with the same vntill there bee a purifying thereof by the word of God and by prayers 1. Tim. 4.8 The experience of this that nothing goes successiuelie without Gods blessing nor that God will blesse any but those which call vpon him for though Bildad did falsely assume of Iob Iob 8.5.6 2. Chron. 20.3.4 Nehem. 1.11 Nehem. 4.9 2. King 4.33 yet hee did truly auerre of God that if a man pray vnto him then he will make the habitation of the righteous prosperous made Gods children that they durst neuer take
vs which is ordained to enlighten vs. As rust eates the iron so doth enuie the soule of him that retaines it saith Basil Mens inuidi dum de alieno bono affligitur de radio solis obscuratur The mind of the enuious man saith Gregorie whilest it is disturbed at another mans good Inuidia Siculi non inuenere tyranni maius Tormentum Horat. becomes as the eies of him that is blinded with gazing on the Sunne So men that enuie the prosperitie of others hurt not the enuied but themselues which enuy them For enuie saith Salomon is the rotting of the bones Prou. 14.30 The wisest course then is neuer to hate any but euer to loue all Hanc virtutem habet charitas vt sine labore nostro aliena bona nostra facit This vertue hath loue saith Augustine that it makes those things which are none of ours without any paines to become ours But aboue all looke vpon true riches view that neuer fading glorie labour for that heauenly inheritance which shall neuer be taken away from thee nor thou from it if once thou hast got it and then there will bee no time to view that which is corruptible nor reason to enuie any for their fading honour vncertaine riches or earthly inheritance Qui faucibus inuidiae carere desiderat illam haereditatem appetat quam numerus possidentium non angustat Hee which will bee free from repining and enuying let him desire saith Augustine that inheritance and labour for those riches which none can engrose nor all the world diminish The former being considered and this performed we shall of necessitie say Returne vnto thy rest Psalm 116.7 O my soule for the Lord hath been beneficiall vnto thee Vse 8 Eightly since all things are ordered by God who is iustice and wisedome it selfe and therefore can neither deale vniustly nor preposterously wee are taught that in any case we depraue not his gouernment for howsoeuer things may seeme confused the fault is in our slender capacitie dull vnderstanding and corrupt iudgement which were it better able to conceiue more apt to vnderstand and pure in the censuring we would certainly conclude that all is done in iustice in wisedome in a goodly order in exceeding mercie for the declaration of Gods glorie and good of his Church Thou maist not speake euill of the Ruler of the people much lesse of the Ruler of all Princes of all the world A foole is medling in great matters but a wise man will not deale with things that are too high for him The actions of the King and Counsell Simile are often beyond the reach of the meane subiects capacitie that which is conuenient with them seemes needlesse to him and that which they find and know to be a worke of necessitie therein peraduenture hee can see no reason at all Yet are their workes to bee reuerenced his vnderstanding faulted and so himselfe iustly silenced So stands the case betweene God and vs he is wisdome wee are ignorance hee is iustice wee of corrupted iudgements and therefore though we see no reason in his workes yet wee must not dare to censure him of disorder in his gouernment nor of iniustice in his dealings Iob 21.22 Shall any teach God knowledge who iudgeth the highest What if Iob see the wicked liue waxe old and grow in wealth what if their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them Gregorie Vitulus mactandus liber ad pascua mittitur The oxe that is for the butchers shambles hath libertie to feede fat in the medowes and he himself concludes that God will diuide their liues in his wrath and they shall suddenly goe downe to the graue What if the waies of the wicked prosper as Ieremie saith what if they bee in wealth that rebelliouslie transgresse Desperato aegro omnia concedit Medicus to him which is sicke vnto death the Physition will giue leaue to eate or drink any thing Ierem. 12. and therefore himselfe concludes that such are prepared for the day of slaughter what if they which worke wickednesse are set vp and they which tempt God taste not of dangers as Malachy saith Malach. 3. what if the wicked doth compasse about the righteous what if wrong iudgement proceedes against them Habak 1. as Habacuck saith yet the conclusion is that the East winde shall be before the faces of these persecutors and they shall gather captiuitie as the sand Therefore although God doth thus bestow his blessings on the wicked defer the account and suffer them in their sinnes yet there is no disorder in as much as his mercies proportion out their miseries and his deferring is no omitting but an augmenting of their punishments What if the righteous are continually fed with the bread and water of affliction what if they are persecuted imprisoned beaten Gregor Seruandus iugo premitur the sheepe reserued for store must feede in bare commons and the oxe which shall liue must learne to beare the yoke So Gods children must beare the crosse infinite are the commodities it brings in this life together with assurance of glorie in the life to come Nullus ergò de flagello murmurat nisi qui causam percussoris ignorat Gregor Therefore no man murmures at correction but such as know not why men are corrected nor what good it procureth And thus neither the righteous nor wicked can take exception at Gods dealings for his High Commissioners Mercie and Truth are euer set together ministring true iustice and iudgement to his people Ninthly since the euils we are deliuered from are infinite the blessings we enioy not to be numbred and that both of these are effected by Gods diuine Prouidence not our deserts Men must not sacrifice to their nets that is attribute any thing to their owne wit strength or endeauours but his good pleasure and sole grace mouing him thereunto we are taught continually to be thankfull to the Lord for this his wonderful care and Prouidence ouer vs. Thus Dauid making a catalogue of Gods deliuerances mercies to his people euer and anon doth wish Psalm 107. that Therefore they would praise his holie name for his goodnes and declare the wonders hee hath wrought for the children of men Yea euery Psalme is a Psalme of praise Colos 3. Colos 4. and euery verse doth declare a thanksgiuing shewing that we ought continually to be exercised in praysing of him that is alwaies in bestowing blessings vpon vs. And therefore Paul wisheth Ephes 5. that both at all times and in all things we should be thankfull It is strange that man should bee silent in praising of God when as euery worke of God as Gregorie saith doth excite thee to praise him Doe the workes of God please thee then be thankfull for them and as God hath shewed his loue to thee so by praysing his holy name declare thine to him againe lest as Augustine saith