Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	body_n	eternal_a	good_a	3,595	5	3.1999	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14661	A learned and profitable treatise of Gods prouidence Written for the instruction and comfort of the godly: for the winning and conuersion of sinners: and for a terror to the obstinate and prophane: diuided into sixe parts. By Ralph Walker preacher of the Word.	Walker, Ralph, preacher of the word.	1608 (1608)	STC 24963; ESTC S119338	149,135	374

gouernment hath effected whence we conclude that hee is not so tied to second causes as that when they faile his Prouidence ceaseth vnto vs for sometimes he worketh without meanes and sometimes contrarie to their nature for the declaration of his mightie power and wonderfull goodnesse But it is to be obserued that when God worketh either of these two waies hee vseth an incomprehensible and innisible vertue of working proper to his Deitie only thereby teaching vs not to put any confidence in second meanes but euen theÌ„ when they wholly faile assuredly to hope for deliuerance from God who at the very time of greatest distresse is alwaies neerest vnto his children The third and vsuall way of Gods gouerning 3. Vsually by meanes is by second means appointed in his heauenly wisedome for that purpose As by the heate of the Sunne and dropping of the clouds the earth to yeeld her fruite the grasse of the mountaines to nourish the beasts man to bee maintained by the sweat of his browes to bee fed by bread to be warmed by the fire to bee kept from cold by his cloathes by studie to get learning Foolish conclusions from the immutabilitie of Gods decree are here condemned by learning to come to prefermeÌ„t by foresight to eschew dangers and so vsually in all other things So that the neglect of ordinarie meanes is a contempt of Gods ordinance and a sin of presumption This the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand when hee saith Hosea 2.21 I will heare the heauens the heauens shall heare the earth the earth shall heare the corne wine and oyle and the corne wine and oyle they shall heare Israel And thus much for these two first what Gods Prouidence is secondly the order hee vseth in gouerning by the same Now to the answering of certaine questions which offer themselues after this manner Quest. 1 The first Why God doth somtimes worke without meanes and sometimes against means that is contrarie to their naturall working Ans By one godly meditation the minde is led vnto another and by a diuine contemplation of Gods wonderfull working the soule is moued to take ioy and comfort and to stay it selfe on the Creator alone Therefore although Gods children are not curiously to fearch into the reasons of their heauenly Fathers gouernment yet the rules of godly humilitie being obserued we will enquire somewhat into them Reasons of Gods working sometimes without sometimes against meanes The first whereof may seeme to be this that wee should learne and know that hee doth not alwaies gouerne by meanes because hee cannot rule without them but that hee will at his pleasure manifest his infinite power ouer his creatures and his exceeding great mercie to those which loue and feare his name Secondly whereas it is the nature of men where they see no ordinarie meanes of effecting there to attribute the euents vnto chance and fortune the Lord therefore declareth this his wonderfull power to shew himselfe the sole effecter of all things Lastly God sheweth this his power in gouerning to the end wee should put no confidence in second causes but wholly relie vpon his power and goodnesse begetting in vs this double assurance the first that he is able the second euer readie to helpe in our greatest miseries Quest. 2 The second question is why God doth gouerne the world vsually by meanes whereas he is able to gouerne it without them Ans The answere is first Reasons of Gods gouerning vsually by meanes wheras be is able to gouerne without them to shew his wonderfull loue and goodnesse to his creatures in that by the vse of them he approues of what he hath created and further giues this honour vnto them to bee if I may so say coworkers with him in his wonderfull gouernment Secondly whereas we are naturally subiect to blindnes error and ignorance God vseth means in his gouernment to be as certaine steps to bring vs to the knowledge and acknowledgement of him A third reason is to manifest that he is the Creator of all things appearing in this in that hee hath the commaund and vse of all things for the accomplishing of that which in his heauenly wisedome he had decreed A fourth reason is to excite vs to heartie thanksgiuing If they prooue othervvise it is because of our bad vsing them in that all creatures are meanes of our good and ordained by God to bee helpes and furtherances both of soules and bodies vnto eternall glorie Indeede they often turne to our greater condemnation but this is by accident in respect of vs not of the creatures Simile As wholesome meate in a good stomacke is well digested but in a bad stomacke and a diseased bodie turnes into cruditie The cause is not in the meate for then it would worke the like effect in all but in the stomacke of the bodie that is euill affected Fiftly whereas God vseth all his creatures as meanes in his gouernment it is to teach vs that none of them are in their kinde to be contemned or despised because they are the creatures of God and instruments of his glorie Lastly God doth commonlie vse meanes in his gouernment because we should not presume of his power or Prouidence either by neglecting the meanes appointed by himselfe for the sauing of our soules or by reiecting the helpes ordained for the preseruation of the body For in all things we must haue respect vnto Gods will reuealed in his word and not vnto his secret wil wherof wee are ignorant Now the reuealed will of God teaching by his owne ordinance at first in the person of Adam Gen. 3. as also euer since both by precept and practise that wee must vse the meanes appointed 1. Tim. 4. Not the vvant but the contempt of meanes doth abridge vs of helpe from God being sanctified vnto vs by his word and prayer wee shall not only tempt God in the neglect of them but also become vnnaturall vnto our selues in that we regard not the meanes whereby our safetie is procured Lest therefore we should be guiltie of the one or faultie in the other it hath pleased God for our example commonly to vse them who otherwise because his power is infinite could as easily gouerne without them Quest 3 The 3. question is what these meanes are which God vseth in his gouernmeÌ„t Ans As Gods power is infinite and his creatures not to bee numbred so because GOD rules by all the meanes are not to bee counted They may bee reduced into two sorts heauenly or earthly concerning this life or concerning a better yet none can in very deede be so properlie said to concerne this life as that they doe not after a certaine maner concerne a better also But I will onely recite a few and those especially which concerne Gods children As the Law the Gospell the Administration of Sacraments the ministerie of men prosperitie aduersitie good Angels and the heauenly hoast as the Sunne the Moone the starres

begotten by a man thou also art a man but in that respect that man which begat thee was corrupted thou also art corrupted Admit a leaper beget another leaper Simile the sonne is not a leaper in respect his father was a maÌ„ but because he was a leaprous man So mankind is not defiled with sinne in that respect we proceede from common nature or because we are begotten by man in that hee is a man but because all from Adam to thy selfe are defiled with sinne hence it is that thou thy self art polluted with iniquitie So that since the corruption of our first parent Adam we may now crie out with the Psalmist Psalm 14.3 There is none that doth good no not one Thus you see how man may be said to doe naturallie that which is good and naturallie that which is euill and therefore that our actions in diuers respects may be both good and euill good in that respect God common nature and the will not disturbed doth worke in and vpon them bad in that respect they proceed from a nature corrupted and from wils not directed by the good Spirit of God euer since the fall of Adam wonderfully disturbed which corruption and disturbing since it proceeds not from the three former causes but from a defect of puritie and a priuation of good crept into Adam by his disobedience and from him deriued to his whole posteritie for though it is a defect yet it is properly said to bee in vs Simile as blindnesse is said to be in the eies which is no more but a defect and want of the sight hence it is that God working in and by these causes is yet notwithstanding free from all sinne and we our selues the Authors of the euils going with our actions I say going with them for we must conceiue a difference betweene our actions and the sin which is nothing but a priuation and want of the good The actions are effected by God but the euill going with them wrought by our selues God giues strength to worke and a facultie to wil but in that the action is euil it is because we worke indirectly and will preposterouslie As for an instance Iudas betraied his Master In this action God gaue strength and a facultie of willing to Iudas as his creature yea wrought in and by that power and those faculties which hee had giuen him in his creation but when Iudas thus maintained and mooued by the hand of Gods power came to the adding of his owne couetous desire and malitious mind to this worke of God therein hee made the action euill and himselfe the Author of it Simile As for example the heauens giue moouing to the Planets by a direct motion but the Planets though thus mooued take an indirect and ouerthwart course Whence is it not froÌ„ the motion of the heauens which is euer direct but from the naturall inclination of the Planets to bee cartied indirectlie from a direct motion Simile A man spurres forward a lame horse if in his going he halteth the cause is not in the man which put him forward but in the horse which wanted soundnesse Simile The soule in a lame man mooues a halting bodie if this partie halt the fault is not in the soule for it only mooues such a bodie as it is but in the partie halting because he was lame and therefore being mooued could not but halt God is this soule of the world hee giues life and motion to all if they halt in their motion that is if man mooued by his Creator doth sinne against his Maker it is because hee doth as it were spurre a lame horse and mooue an halting bodie wherein there can bee no fault in the Moouer but in the parties mooued When the Sunne sendeth his beames vpon a dead corps Simile the stinch will come the sooner and bee the stronger the fault is not in the Sunne for then it would yeeld the like effect in al whereas shining vpon flowers it causeth them smell sweeter but in the corruption of the corpes enclined vpon the shining of the Sunne Simile to yeeld such a sauour The Earth giues life and nourishment vnto all plants alike yet some trees yeeld sower fruits as well as others pleasant the fault then is not in the earth but in the stock which bore them Good wine put into a tainted vessell looseth quicklie his naturall sweetnesse so good faculties put by God into a corrupted soule and good motions into a bad disposed mind alas how soone they are peruerted and become euill within them Simile A barren and drie soile makes seede which is good when it is sowed to bee often pinkt when it is reaped other ground againe is often so barren that it will yeed no fruit at all Christ is the good Sower his word the seede our hearts the ground which are either so extreme hard that they will yeeld no fruit as the hearts of the vnregenerate or if watered by the sweete continued dewes of Gods holy spirit the seede takes roote and yeelds forth some fruit as in the harts of the godly yet alas the kirnels are pinkt that is their best actions mingled with many imperfections The fault is neither in the sower nor in the seede but in the ground that is the hearts of such as should receiue it For Vunum quodque recipitur secundum modum recipientis Euerie thing is receiued according to the measure qualitie and disposition of the thing receiuing Good meate conueied into a bad stomack Simile turnes rather into choler then to wholesome nourishment but as the cause is not in the meate but in the stomacke that is euill affected so in that life and motion are abused the cause is not in God which giueth both but in such as from Gods blessing enioying them doe wickedlie vse them Simile The word of God of the one nature is the sauour of life vnto life and therefore is truelie called the glad tidings of saluation but when it is not receiued by faith in those that heare it as it was not by the Scribes and Pharisies in the daies of Christ nor as yet is by wicked liuers in the happie continued time of his holy Ministers then it prooues the sauour of death vnto condemnation Surely so the case stands betweene God and vs Actions in that respect they are maintained disposed and receiue a power of being effected froÌ„ God they are good but in that they become euill and witnesse with other his good blessings against vs in the day of his great visitation this is from our owne corrupted natures for in that men turne from God as Augustine saith it is of themselues De peccatorum meritis lib. 2. cap. 5. Quest. But it may be demanded since God is free and our selues culpable how theÌ„ doth the holy writ sometimes attribute sinne vnto God Psalm 105. as the Lord turned the hearts of the Egyptians that

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 ignoraÌ„ce 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 DeuÌ„ 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

and such like The Law to be a schoolemaster to leade vs to Christ The Gospell to worke a liuely faith and true repentance The Sacraments to strengthen our faith that we should not backslide The ministrie of men because man by man may be mooued but the voyce of God is terrible and who may abide it Prosperitie that feeling how gratious the Lord is we may be allured to serue him who otherwise being alwaies fed with the bread of affliction would easily thinke that God had forgotten to bee gratious Aduersitie that we should not being fed vnto the full forget God and our selues also but tasting now and then on the cup of affliction may see our owne miserie seeke his mercie feele his loue and learne to keepe his statutes Therefore sometimes God wil let loose Satan to trie thy faith sometimes set vp a tyrant to prooue thy patience sometimes depriue thee of his word in natiue countrie to see whether thy loue vnto it bee so great as that thou wilt sell lands and liuing to buy it in another Yet all these are meanes of thy good according to that of Paul Rom. 8.28 Wee know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen vnto them that are called of his purpose Other meanes wherby God exerciseth his wonderfull gouernment and those especiall are his heauenly Angels By these as the ouerthrow of Saneherib doth testifie armies are discomfited 2 King 19.35 Exod. 14.19 hoasts deliuered kingdomes preserued Prouinces defended cities enuironed as Gods word at large doth manifest vnto vs. But their especiall charge is to attend Gods children Luk. 2.10 Matth. 18.10 Act. 12.15 Matth. 4.11 Luk. 22.43 as Zacharie and the Author to the Hebrewes plainely declareth Heb. 1.14 They are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes who are heires vnto saluation The fathers of the Church haue not onely acknowledged this truth Gods mercie in bestowing a double benefit 1. bonour 2. a speciall meanes of deliuerance but the Philosophers also and especially the Platonists Vnicuique homini simul ac natus est adest suus Angelus inquit Menander Menander saith Quest 4 that euery man as soone as he is borne hath his Angell appointed to attend vpon him the same affirmes Seneca Epist. 3. To these may be added the heauenly hoast with all things in the world contained For as Gods power is infinite and his works innumerable so the meanes by which he doth effect and gouerne all things are not to be numbred Quest 4 Whether doe the Angels and other superior bodies worke by an instinct giuen them from God vpon such things as are inferiour or not Ans It is certaine that they haue a vertue and power of working vpoÌ„ theÌ„ not only in causing their motioÌ„ As the ebbing and flowing of the sea is ruled by the Moone which is most apparant but also by the concurrences and diuers operations of the heauens the Sunne the Moone and such like they cause sundrie qualities as by that of Hos chap. 2. vers 21. doth easily appeare Augustine saith De Trin. lib. 3. Witnesse 1. The diuers seasons 2. The increase and decrease of marrow blood c. 3. The ebbing and flowing of the sea 4. The effects of the Sunne vpon plants that the weaker and inferiour bodies are gouerned after a certaine manner by those which are stronger and superiour Dionisius affirmeth that the sunbeames haue a great working in the generation of things visible According to that old saying Sol homo generaÌ„t homineÌ„ the Sun a man do beget another man Yet these cannot properly be said to worke of their own power and vertue but God in and by them Quest 5 Whether are mens actions gouerned by heauenly and superiour bodies or not Ans Mans actions being considered in generall that is as he is a liuing creature and no farther theÌ„ as they are actions pertaining to the facultie of a vegetiue and sensitiue soule are in like manner subiect to the working of spirituall and heauenly substances as other earthly and inferiour bodies are Tamen hae potius sunt vegetatiuae facultates quam humanae yet these actions saith Zanchius may more properly bee said to bee the actions of a liuing creature hauing no reason then of a man that hath life and reason From the heat of the Sunne commeth the inflamation of blood by the mouing and shining of the Moone the abundance of fleame so in other things But for those which are proper vnto man of which sort are his vnderstanding and his wil we must thus conceiue of them Angels do enlighten the minds of men for they are Gods messengers and haue the office of reuealing the wil of God vnto vs. Angels enlighten the minds mooue to deliberatioÌ„ but encline not the willes But as touching the will which followes the examination of the vnderstanding they cannot be said properly to moue it but by accident Indeede they moue somewhat vnto deliberation but that our willes should be enclined to chuse any thing this proceedeth immediatly from God And therefore Salomon saith that the heart of man is in the Lords hand and as he pleaseth he will incline the same To this agreeth Augustine and sundrie other Wherfore I take it a certain truth De Ciuit. Tom. 5. lib. 5. and in his booke De Gen. ad literam about the end of it that mens actions generally coÌ„sidered as they are the actions of a liuing creature are in some measure disposed and wrought vpon by the heauenly Angels and celestiall bodies but yet so as that their gouernment is wholly at Gods wil. Also that those Actions which concerne the vnderstanding The error of Priscillianus that mans actions are gouerned by the Starres is very foolish Aug. de haeres are in some measure ordered by the Angels but the Actions of the will are wholly moued and gouerned by God not by compelling the will but only by mouing it forward as best seemeth good to his heauenly wisdome which mouing is not an enforcing but a gentle inclining And therefore Augustine saith that when God doth moue the wils of men hee doth but onely incline them from an vnwillingnesse to obey him vnto a willingnesse to doe that which doth please him Whence is confuted the vaine opinions of the Astrologians with the fond dreames of destinie Setters concerning the vertue of Starres and the force of the heauens ouer the willes and the minds of men And thus much shall suffice for the shewing what Gods Prouidence is and the order which hee vseth in gouerning by the same THE THIRD PART wherein is especially contained Whether Gods Prouidence is immutable or not and if it be whether it imposeth a necessitie vpon all things gouerned by it That Gods Prouidence is immutable THe greatest difference between God and his creatures First that Gods Prouidence is immutable consisteth in this Ipse quÃ²d immutabilis est

cannot abide in contented manner to looke vpon sinne or behold iniquitie in another much lesse doth he will it himselfe But we will reduce the Arguments after this manner This is impossible that there should proceede any euill from a cause which is simplie and absolutely good But God is a cause in all respects simplie and absolutely good And therefore no euill can proceede from him That it is impossible that there should proceed euill from a cause which is simplie The proposition proued and absolutelie good who so wilfull that will not conceiue it who so blind that cannot see it How can that be absolutelie good from whence proceedes some euill Wherein should an absolute good cause differ from an euill cause if euill did proceede as well from the one as the other Whence is it called absolutely good if it be mixed with euill Is it because there is more goodnesse in it then euill then is it no more absolutely good but partly good and partlie euill Can a compound be a simple or a colour obscured with darke perfectlie white No more can a cause partlie euill bee said to bee absolutely good Therefore being prooued that GOD is a cause absolutely good it must needes bee that no euill can proceede from him Therefore in the next place to the proouing of this truth vnto vs. We call that sincere friendship The assumption proued which is neither mixed with the gall of harred nor coloured with the glosse of dissimulation We hold that true faith which is ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ sincere and without diffimulation and therfore shall neuer faile These though neuer so perfect yet haue their imperfections and what goodnes is in them or in vs from them proceeds from another but God is goodnesse absolutely perfect his perfection is of himselfe his goodnesse his essence and his essence goodnesse it self froÌ„ whence the goodnesse of all other things proceedes he of himselfe euery thing from him he infinite without time or measure we in part for the time appointed by him Thus is God such a goodnesse as is perfectly absolute and absolutely perfect in all things Therefore when Moses desired of the Lord to shew him his glorie Exod. 33.18.19 the answere was I will make all my goodnesse goe before thee that is I will shew vnto thee a certaine semblance of that my goodnesse which is infinite I will manifest my selfe gratious and good so that so farre foorth as the shallownes of thy vnderstanding will attaine vnto thou shalt perceiue the same Gods goodnesse and himselfe are all one It is no idle qualitie whereby hee is good onely vnto himselfe but his goodnesse is such as doth continually by sundrie and infinite meanes communicate it selfe vnto others Vpon this ground Dauid excites vnto thankfulnes Psal 117.22 saying Praise ye the Lord all ye nations All yee people praise him for his louing kindnes is great toward vs the truth of the Lord endureth for euer that is the restimonies of his fatherly grace and goodnesse neuer haue end Where the heaueÌ„ly Prophet describeth no idle goodnesse but such a one as is euer taking pitie euer working for the best euer doing good and therefore hauing his minde busied with this consideration and his heart full fraught with the sense of what his minde did meditate he breakes foorth into a most thankfull admiration The earth O Lord is full of thy goodnesse So that God is not such a goodnesse as sometimes ceaseth but euer worketh that which is good and is neuer wearied in his weldoing But what needes long proose since God and his goodnesse are all one it must needes be that himselfe being infinite his goodnesse is infinite and therefore extends vnto all and so impossible is it that himselfe should not be himselfe as it is possible for euil to proceed from his goodnesse which is himselfe for such as is the fountaine such are the streames that flow from it God hath left a certaine impression of this his goodnesse in his workes of creation And therefore Moses saith that all things which God had made were very good If the goodnesse of the creatures was such how great is the goodnesse of the Creator The blasphemy of Marcion confuted Most blasphemously therefore did Marcion affirme that God which created heauen and earth was not a good God If he is not good how should he create so many good things Nay if his goodnesse was not infinite how could the earth which our sinnes had caused to bring foorth nothing but brambles yeeld so many diuers and excellent fruites This wonderfull goodnesse of God is most euidently seene in his worke of maintaining gouerning and blessing all things which we call his diuine Prouidence Is not he good which maintaineth gouerneth and blesseth the world with euery particular therein contained Is not hee good which giues life motion and being Hee which beautifies the heauens with the starres the day with the Sunne the night with the Moone he whose Spirit by the vertue of the Sun the operation of the Moone the influence of the starres the motions of the heauens giues life vnto al things Who made Marcion of such corruptible matter to be an excellent creature who gaue him a diuine minde an vnderstaÌ„ding soule with other admirable gifts of nature O blind and vnnaturall man that could not see or durst denie him to be good of whom hee himselfe had receiued so many good things this goodnes of God is so much more manifest in that he neuer ceaseth to do good vnto his enemies of which sort was Marcion and others as yet I feare mee innumerable who resisting this goodnesse of God by their open wickednesse recompence his long suffering with carnall securitie turne his blessings into wantonnes and harden their hearts at his deferring of iudgements which men neuer thinke that his mercies are to worke a louing obedience his iudgements to cause a godly feare and that his long patience expects a repentant reformation God could destroy these men in a moment Deferendo non auferendo modÃ² non poeniteant yet he doth not he could inflict present punishment for their sinnes yet he deferres it hee could shew the tokens of his furie and wrath as vpon Sodome and Gomorrha but his mercie breeds delaies Why so because it reioyceth against iudgement testifying his goodnesse exceeds our iniquities This is that goodnesse which Christ perswades to imitate as neere as wee may saying Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect who suffers the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall both on the good and the bad But this goodnesse of God is seene in nothing so much Ephes 2.4.5 as in the manifestation thereof to his Church Therein consists infinite and perfect goodnesse hence it is that hee calles it home when it wandred gathers it when it was dispersed awakes it when it was in the slumber of sinne Rom. 5. reuiues it being dead in

place of all ioy 2. By our practise The palme of victorie is not due without fighting the price without running nor the wages without labouring This is reason and therefore thus wee practise an instance of one for all Julius sextus lib. 1. cap. 11. Cyrus King of Persir encouraging his souldiers against the Medes brought them to a great wood where hee set them to labour al the day long in cutting down the same but the second day prepared a daintie banquet for them at their eating whereof hee passed thorow the seuerall bands demaunding which of those two daies were best the souldiers answered the second because then was the banquet but how came you by this daies pleasures saith Cyrus they answered by yesterdaies labours So saith he by your paines in fighting against the Medes you shall obtaine the victorie and after enioy the banquet of the spoile So first we must conquer afflictions and after bee crowned with glorie 3. By the commodities But the excellencie of the crosse is seene in nothing more then in the wonderfull commoditie it brings to those which are exercised therein The bodie is a stinking house and infects the soule a bad seruant and deceiues the master an vntamed horse and hurts the rider a false friend and often preuailes a bad counseller and is sometimes heard Hence it is that Christians haue their spirituall maladies some troubled with the burning feuer of malice hating where they should loue some with a dead palsie not feeling Gods mercies some with a spirituall phrensie reioycing when they should weepe some with an insatiate thirst euer seeking after pleasures some crookt-shoulders that they cannot looke vp vnto heauen some stark mad counting godlinesse losse and earthlie treasures of greatest value for these whether crept into the godly and so must be remoued or incident vnto theÌ„ and so must be preuented God hath his seuerall potions of heauenly physicke which according to our natures and grieuousnes of our diseases for daies moneths or yeeres Gods potions to cure our spirituall maladies are 1. Diseases imprisanment b Inishment c. Profitable hee doth minister hee doth minister vnto vs. The first and principall of these which by the instance seemes most bitter and hardest to bee digested are the diseases of the bodie imprisonment banishment losse of life and such like touching which though we hold them being naturall euils to bee gall in the mouth yet being receiued we shal find them honey in the bellie They keepe a man in the paths of Gods commandements Hebr. 12.11 Exod. 1.22 2. Chro. 32.20 Greg. in moral It is good for mee saith Dauid that I haue been in trouble that I might learne to keepe thy commandements Mala quae nos hic premunt ad Deum ire compellunt The afflictions which God laies on his children compell them to goe vnto him They shew vs our sinnes Matth. 7.13 Ioh. 12.25 Before I was corrected I went wrong saith the Psalmist but now I haue learned to keepe thy commandements So that Cum non potest disciplina verborum percommodÃ¨ vititur disciplina verberum Gregor in Moral Philip. 28. Hebr. 2.9.10 When words will not preuaile then is the rod very profitably vsed By fanning the wheate is separated from the chaffe by threshing the corne is reserued that the beast doth not eate the straw and it together Chrysost opere imperf hom 4. whereas otherwise both would be deuoured So in that satan that rauenous beast 2. Cor. 11.22 swallowes not vp the godly with the wicked it is because God reseruing them for his garner of glorie wils that they should be separated from the wicked by the flaile of affliction They humble the high minde moue to repentance for our sinnes Luke 24.19 and stirre vs vp to faithfull and earnest prayer to God for forgiuenes of them and thus prepare vs for Christs comming Act. 14.19 and reserue vs till his comming To this end saith Moses God sent the fortie yeres troubles to the Israelites 2. Thess 1.5 Prou. 17.3 1. Pet. 1 7 9. Deut. 8.2 so that the hardned heart by affictions is oftentimes driuen to God whether it will or no as it appeares by the stiffenecked Israclites Exod 8. Pharaoh and diuers others And therefore the tenour of Salmons prayer at the dedicating of the Temple is after this manner if thy people in their captiuitie and distresse shall remember their sinnes humble themselues and by feruent prayer foorth of this place call to thee O Lord for mercie then be thou mercifull vnto their sinnes and hearken vnto their prayers Apopyni auis Some birds are taught to speake as some haue obserued by beating them on the head with an iron rod some Mariners will not bee wakened till the water come into the shippe so some men lie so sound asleepe in the cradle of securitie Iud. 10.13 that the coole water of affliction must be powred vpoÌ„ them before they will waken Some men will neither praise God for his blessings receiued nor pray for moe vnto him so that the iron rodde must teach them to praise him for what they haue and neuer to cease praying for what they waÌ„t Oculos quos culpa claudit poena aperit Gregor in Moral The eyes which before through corruption of nature were bent to the earth are now by correction fixt on the Lord as the eyes of a handmaid vpon her mistresse Afflictions quicken vp Gods graces within vs Hieren Adiutrix virtutum tribulatio saith Hierome Vertue is vpholden holden by afflictions Simile The fire flameth most when the winde blowes hardest vpon it Siluer is best discerned in a dark vessell when it is full of water so the siluer graces of God are most apparent when the water of affliction is distilled from heauen into our earthen vessels so the sparks of graces within vs are neuer so neere the flaming as when aduersitie blowes strong vpon vs. Dauid was neuer carried away with so feruent a zeale of Gods glorie with such diuine meditations with such heauenly praises with such feruent prayers as when the tempestuous blasts of Saul and his Counsellors blew strong and sharpe vpon him Lastly asslictions shew vs to be high in Gods fauour they conforme vs to Christ they frame that golden ladder whereby we climbe to heauen they assure vs sillie men and women that although we lament Prou. 3.12 weepe and mourne the teares distill from our eyes suffer imprisonment hebr 11.40 beare the markes of Christ liue in the vale of many miseries Hebr. 12.6 and are continually tost in the troublesome seas of this world by the tempestuous blasts of furious Tyrants yet we shall laugh reioyce and sing the teares shall be wipt from our eies Apoc. 3.19 our feete shall bee set in a large and ample roome the hill of Sion shall be our rest yea because we haue borne parte of the storme with

third thing which much troubleth vs The small account had of the godly must not trouble vs. is that the godlie liue in disgrace are reuiled and often preuailed against by such as haue no feare of God before their eies That this is thus experience prooues it true but all this turnes to Gods glorie and the good of his children The godly haue oftentimes their grieuous fals sometimes secure in their sins luld asleepe in the cradle of iniquitie is it not good then that God should vse his trumpet to awake them Shemei cursed Dauid called him murtherer or man of blood but Dauid saies 2. Sam. 16.7 It may be the Lord will looke on mine affliction 2. Sam. 16.12 or teares and doe me good by his cursing this day And howsoeuer Gods children are reuiled yet surelie the blessing doth therby redound vnto them in as much as Christ hath said Blessed are yee when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill against you for my names sake falselie c. And howsoeuer they are in disgrace with the world yet they are verie gratious with God for if they were of the world the world would loue his owne but because they are not of the world but God hath chosen forth of the world therefore the world hates them And howsoeuer they are preuailed against yet Gods honour is thereby exalted and their owne good procured Iosephs brethreÌ„ preuailed against him but greater was Gods glorie Genes 45. greater his honor and greater the good of the Church Satan was let loose to vexe Iob and the Caldeans suffered to spoile him of his goods but thereby God was glorified by his words of praise The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and blessed bee the name of the Lord. Thereby the Church receiued a good for his patience is alleaged and left for an example to all posterities and thereby Iobs good was greatlie procured for first now God had tried him found him faithfull he is more gratious in his sight Iob 42.7.8 and therefore Eliphaz the Temanite and his two friends that before so much condemned Iob must now intreate him to pray to God for them because he is found faithfull and therfore shall be accepted Secondly Iob in losing gained for the Lord that suffered others to take his goods away gaue him afterward twice as much as he had before And thus in all these things there is no coÌ„fusion Iob 42.10.11.12 but an excellent harmonie all things considered For as the bodies so the soules of men and women haue their diseases Some troubled with the burning feauer of malice hating when they should loue some with melancholie mourning for the world Some with a dead palsie that they cannot tread the pathes that leade vnto Sion Some with a spirituall slumber that the sound of the Gospell entreth not their eares Some senseles not feeling Gods mercies Some phrentick reioicing wheÌ„ they should weepe Some haue their dropsie of thirsting after pleasures Some blind in iudgement couÌ„ting godlines losse and earthly riches of greatest value So that wonderfull neede is there of healing potions and what these shal be and when ministred the fond affection of the patient is not to bee respected but the receits of the wise Physition Christ Iesus willingly receiued because Quid obsit vel prosit Augustine magnus hic diuinus Medicus nonit non agrotus What doth hurt or profit a man this great and diuine Physition knowes verie well and not he that is grieued The bodie is a smoaking house and must be perfumed an euill seruant and must be corrected an vntamed horse and must be brought vnder a false friend and must be tried a domesticall enemie and must be weakened an euill counseller and must be disclosed If God which is wisdome and mercie will do this can there bee any disorder in his most wise and mercifull effecting it But to bring vnder the vaine reioycing of the wicked and for the setling of the minds of the godly in a grounded assurance of Gods iustice and exceeding rich mercie vnto them howsoeuer afflictions befall them 5. Things to he respected in the persons of afflicted ChristiaÌ„s besides the forenamed commodities which aduersitie of what sort soeuer bringeth with it let vs obserue these things in the persons of the godly which do endure them First 1. That they are conquerers in all that they ouercome all afflictions and miseries whatsoeuer Many saith the Psalmist are the troubles of the righteous Psalm 34.19 but the Lord deliuereth them forth of all And though the flouds came neere his soule Psalm 32.8 yet they did not ouerwhelme him May not euery one of Gods children from the experience of this truth Nahum 1.7 say of himselfe as Dauid said of himselfe Psalm 71.20 How great troubles and aduersities hast thou shewed vnto me but yet thou hast returned and reuiued me againe Yea the poore Christian contemned in the eyes of the world 1. Cor. 10.13 cries vnto the Lord and the Lord heares him Psalm 46.7 and saues him from all his troubles And how can it be otherwise Psalm 59.19 The Lord is with vs and the God of Iacob is our refuge he is our helper deliuerer Psalm 40.17 Luke 21.18 Matt. 10.13 Though we be poore and needy yet he thinketh on vs hee numbreth our haires he puts our teares in his bottle we are as deare vnto him as the apple of his eye hee hath loued vs with an euerlasting loue and therefore we are conquerers in all through him that loued vs. And though the righteous beare the wrath of the Lord because they sin against him yet he will pleade their cause Micah 7.9 Edod 14.13.14 he will execute iudgement for them he will bring them forth to the light and they shall see his righteousnes 2. Cor. 4.8.9 So that although we are afflicted on euery side yet we are not in distresse though we often doubt yet we neuer despaire though wee are persecuted yet wee are not forsaken Rom. 8.36 though we are cast downe Nulla nocebit aduersitas si nulla dominetur iniquitas Gregor yet wee perish not Afflictio arguit non interficit angit non frang it extollit non deijcit Affliction corrects a maÌ„ it doth not cause him to perish it bends him it breakes him not in pieces it lifts him vp to heauen it buries him not in the pit of forgetfulnes For as the fire in the bush consumed it not Exod. 3.2 Simile Gen. 32. but made it shine brighter so the fire of affliction consumes not the godlie but makes them more glorious Iacob stroue all night with the Angel but in the morning got the victory so in the night-time of our pilgrimage we striue with many troubles but when the morning of Gods grace and mightie power appeareth we triumph ouer them Miea 7.8 Reioyce not therfore against the righteous

O thou enemie for though they fall yet they shall rise againe Say not wee haue deuoured them for God is on their side and though heere they lament weepe mourne yet this finite sorow shal be turned into infinite ioy And if the godly amiddest their persecutions Ioh. 16.20 see not meanes of victory let them pray vnto God and hee will performe it and giue them grace to see it When the King of Syria sent horses chariots and a mightie host to compasse Dothan in the night that they might take Elisha for disclosing his minde to the King of Israel 2. King 6.14.15.16 17. and that the seruant of this man of God arising early to go out espied them he cried alas master how shall we do but when Elisha had prayed to the Lord to open his eyes and the Lord had opened them then the seruant looked and behold the mountaine was full of horses and chariots of fire to defend them and then according to Elishaes aduice no reasoÌ„ he should feare because they were moe that fought for them then those which were against them Euen so many in their troubles crie alas what shall wee do vntill by prayer their eyes are opened to see Gods armies of deliuerance about theÌ„ Act. 4.30 Who although a while they seeme to haue their feet in the stocks fast bouÌ„d with misery and iron yet the Angel of God comes at the last bids them arise like stroÌ„g men 1. Cor. 10.13 then the chaines of their miseries fall presently from theÌ„ Therefore O verÃ¨ tuta pro Christo cum Christo pugna in qua modÃ² nÃ¨ fugias nec vulneratus nec prostratus nec conculcatus nec millies si fieri possit occisus fraudaberis Ã victoria O happie fight saith Bernard for Christ to fight vnder Christ Bern. in Epist. in which if wee valiantly hold out though we be wouÌ„ded beateÌ„ to the grouÌ„d spurned with feete slaine a thousand times if possible it could be yet we could not but haue the victorie because 2. Tim. 2.11 LicÃ¨t pugnaÌ„do moriamur tamen mortui mox coronabimur though in fighting we lose this miserable life yet presently after we shal be crowned with the Diadem of euerlasting glorie Secondly 2. The godlie haue true comfort in all troubles the godly haue exceeding comfort in all their troubles And how can it be otherwise They haue the Spirit of God dwelling within them Ephes 3.16 Rom 8 9. 1. Ioh. 3.24 2. Cor. 3.16 1. Tim. 1.14 Galath 5.22 Virtutas gaudium est fons gaudij in propria domo nascens Seneca their bodies are his temples he is in them and they in him Now among infinite other blessings whereof Gods Spirit is an absolute cause Paul accounts ioy to be one A man cannot want pleasant springs to refresh him that hath a fountaine of sweet waters in his own house no more can the godlie hauing fontem gaudij in propria domo nascentem the fountaine of all comfort in the temples of their bodies want meanes to reioyce them If the Angell in the prison where Peter lay Act. 4.30 caused all the house to shine what a glorious comfortable light shall that blessed Spirit which is the light of the Angels themselues Exod. 15.25 giue to those in whom it hath his residence 2. King 2. This is that blessed tree that Al-seasoning salt that makes the bitter water of afflictions sweete and sauourie vnto vs. Where the rod of correction strikes Psalm 23. the staffe of the Spirit doth hold vp and comfort So that though the godly sit in darknes as men forgotten yet the Lord is a light vnto them Mica 7.8 Rom. 5.5 Thus Paul speaking in the persons of the afflicted saith wee reioyce in tribulations And though this is not apparent to the fleshlie eie that sees nothing but griefe and cause of lamentation yet the godlie haue an vndoubted feeling of the same Non enim pereunt gaudia iustorum sed mutantur Ã corpore ad animam Ã sensibus ad conscientiam For the ioyes of the righteous doe not perish but are only remooued from the bodie to the soule from the outward senses to the inward conscience which is a thousand times more excellent And thus I conclude both these with Dauid The voyce of ioy and deliuerance is in the Tabernacles of the righteous Psalm 118.15 Thirdlie 3. The godlie gaine by all afflictions the godly gaine by all the troubles aduersities that befall them They sow in teares but reape in ioy for mens cursing they haue Gods blessing for the worlds hatred Gods loue for earthlie riches heauenly treasures for fading ioy enduring comfort fortyrants contempt Christs fauour for their opposing Angels guarding for friends forsaking Gods receiuing for this lifes losing their soules sauing Thus teacheth Augustine Augustine Percutis vt sanes occidis nos nÃ¨ moriamur Thou dost wound vs to make vs perfectlie whole and thou dost kill vs that we should not die finallie Thus teacheth Dauid When my father and mother forsaketh mee the Lord taketh me vp Thus teacheth Christ that he that will saue his life shal lose it but he that will lose it for his sake shall saue it And thus is Christ to the persecuted Christian both in life and death aduantage But see more of this in the answeres to the particulars obiected Fourthly 4. The godlie are trulie rich the godly are wonderfully rich though in the iudgement of the world they are counted poore The Lions lacke and suffer hunger but those which loue and feare the Lord want nothing that is good Is not this then to bee exceeding rich Aug. in Enchir. Ille diues qui omnia quae vult habet nec aliquid vult quod non decet He is rich which hath as much as he doth desire and desires no more then that which he ought for riches consist not in the abundance but in the manner of enioying so that to haue a little and yet to desire no more is to be truelie rich and to haue much and yet still to desire is indeede to bee poore or at least though outwardly rich yet inwardly poore because though his barnes are full his mind is emptie so they are rich but he poore But it is far otherwise with the godlie they desire no more then they haue and in the possessing of that which they haue they are not disturbed Gregorie Cui cum paupertate benÃ¨ conuenit non est pauper saith Gregorie He that in his pouertie hath all things going well that man cannot bee poore But the riches of the godly are the ornaments of their soules Venditis rebus nostris nullum magis charum accipimus pretiuÌ„ quÃ m nos metipsos August Augustine the rewards thereof not this worldly wealth which hath his ebbe as well as his flowing and his meanes of hurting as well as benefitting

inditement against their own soules and hatch vp a deuouring serpent in their owne bosomes noted by S. Iames. when he saith Iames 5.2.3 The rust of their siluer and gold and moths of their garments shall witnesse against them in the day of the Lord and eate and consume their flesh Am bros as it were fire Habet enim ecclesia pecuniam non vt sornet sed vt eroget For whatsoeuer man enioyes from God hee is not to reserue it to himselfe but to vse it to the glotie of the giuer to the vse of the distressed Fourthly howsoeuer the wicked seeme rich yet in very deede they are exceeding poore First because they want Christ Iesus his Spirit and the graces thereof which being the only and true riches are reiected by them Secondly Pecunia aqua salsa est sitim prouocans non sedans Riches are as the salt sea not quenching but prouoking a thirsting after them Now so much as a man desires so much he wants and he which continually wants how can he be rich Thirdly looke vnto those things which the world esteemes chiefe riches haue they not their wings and doe often flie from vs so that euen in the possessing there is danger of losing and when wee think our selues most sure of them they are readie to be gone from vs This day the rich man saith Take thy ease Luke 12.20 and repaste at full but the next night came a finall separation So that it seemes they are seruants lent not hired for so much as a yeere a moneth or a day and therefore at the pleasure of him that lent them whether in whole or part must be gone againe Si quid arrisisset prosperum taedebat apprehendere quia penÃ¨ prius quÃ m teneretur auolabat Therfore saith Augustine if that which is pleasing to the outward man did smile vpon me August lib. Confes it was a griefe vnto me to lay hold vpon it because it was in a maner gone againe before it could be gotten Sola virtus altissimis de fixa radicibus Tull. Seueca Vertue hath his sure habitation saith Tully Quae verÃ² extrinsecus sunt ad alium protinus transferri possunt But those things which are without vs may presently become another mans Per Deum dicimus aliena esse Aug. lib. Solll quae aliquandÃ² nostra nostra esse quae aliquandÃ² aliena putauimus At Gods pleasure both that which we counted ours is presently made anothers and that which we thought other mens Quod efficit tale illnd magis tale is made ours Againe there is great want in riches theÌ„selues and therfore cannot make others truly rich because nothing can giue more to another then it hath it selfe Totas diuitias pluribus habere non licet Seneca nec ad quemlibet veniunt sine caeterorum paupertate Many men cannot haue the whole number of riches neither can one be enriched by their comming but another must be impouerished by their going Agustine I conclude then with Augustine Homo absque virtute est regio paupertatis A man in abundance without vertue is a region of pouertie poore and barren in which though the wicked are mightie trees Peccatum est pabulum diaboli Lactan. yet they are not rich trees in as much as they beare not fruit delighting the King Christ Iesus and therefore not precious but onely mast wherewith the infernall swine are fed and nourished For that which is highly esteemed among men Luke 16.15 is abomination in the sight of God Lastly the wicked are base and most miserable though the honor they haue in this life is neuer so exceeding Is it not a base and miserable condition to be seruants to their riches subiects to their Iusts captiues to sinne and slaues vnto Satan to will indirectly to iudge corruptly to vnderstand darkly What doe riches what doe friends what do worldly honor and pleasures helpe him View their sepulchres Their bodies remaine but the men are gone and their triall is referred to the day of the Lord where they shall finde the Iudge against them whom by their sins they crucified the Angels against theÌ„ whom by their vnseemely behauiour they disgraced the word of God against them which in the hardnesse of their hearts they contemned his blessed Sacraments against them which by their pollutions they defiled All his mercies against them in as much as by them they would not bee allured his iudgements against them because thorough theÌ„ they would not be terrified the righteous against them because by them they were persecuted lastly Rom. 8. all Gods creatures against them because through their sinnes they were corrupted and by their prophane vsing them vilely abused To whom shall they crie for comfort whither shall they looke for helpe If aboue them Christ is their angrie Iudge if within them there is an accusing conscience Reuel 6. if to the good Angels they pleade against them if to the righteous their blood cries for reuenge if to other Gods creatures they are armed men prepared against them if to their companions they are in the same condition and cannot help them if to the diuell he waites and labours to receiue them if to hell it gapes to deuoure them Now should it be happie if the hilles could couer their infamie whom the world thought to be famous or that they had neuer bin whoe being the foolish iudged to be happie Wee confesse they planted vineyards they multiplied their possessions they fedde daintilie they were cloathed gorgeously they lay in their beds of down caroust in bowles of Iuorie inuented to themselues instruments of musicke and thus in their abundance they found no end nor in their reioycing seemed to haue measure August de speculo bum miseriae but one sillie moment gaue an end to all these things and of all they had they tooke not any thing with them They left their riches which they wickedly sought after and found the torments they neuer dreamed of Of all they reioyced in nothing is left where is their pompe where their banquets where their rich attire where their great treasures where their seruants their subiects their troopes of followers their multitude of clients now they lie in the graue their eyes behold none of these they are turned into ashes their sinowes departed from their ioynts some thinke their bodies rest and so it is till the day of iudgemeÌ„t Luk. 6. Gregor Prou. 14. but in meane while their soules are plagued in hell Extrema gaudia sequuntur perpetua lamenta Sweete meat hath sower sawce extreame ioyes great lamentations Bern. de medit cap. 4. Tell me saith Bernard where are the louers of this world which were here of late Tell me what profit had they by their vaine glorie their short ioy their worldlie power their carnall pleasures Vna poena implicat quos vnus amor in crimine ligat and their false riches Where is

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 bÃ®c cruciat quos amat Gregor Si Deus tam asperÃ¨ percutit vbi parcit quÃ m asperÃ¨ 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. eccÃ¨ 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 ideÃ² 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 prouidentiaÌ„ 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

they are Gods disposers and ordained by him to bee meanes of conueying it vnto vs. If the King send a gift we acknowledge him the bestower yet ought to bee thankfull to him that brought it Thus Dauid is thankfull to Barzillaus the Giliadite Paul to Priscilla and Aquila Rom. 16.4 yet they very well knew that God was Author of al and they but meanes ordained If God often vseth no meanes 2. From the want of means Obiection then wee are not to stand vpon the vsing them It is great impietie to reason from the Creator Solution to the creature hee is Almightie and can worke without them we are weake and cannot want them Secondly God hath ordained meanes to be helps vnto man and commanded man to vse meanes Matth. 4. therefore to reiect them is to contemne Gods ordinance grieuouslie to tempt him and wilfullie to hurt our selues Obiection If the meanes whereof we are ignorant whether they will profit vs or not are to be vsed then much more charmes and going to witches which we know will profit vs. Wee must know that the doing of that which the Lord hath forbidden Solution will neuer profit anie for though it seemes to helpe the bodie yet it doth grieuouslie hurt the soule Secondlie Leuit. 20.6 Esay 8.19.20 it was neuer knowne that euer any witch could inrich her selfe or that any one was bettered by going vnto them as in the vses it shall further appeare Obiection 2 If all things fall out necessarilie Against the immutabilitie of Gods gouernment then there is no free will in men but the Church acknowledgeth a certaine free-will And therefore this doctrine seemes contrary to the iudgement of the Church that all things should fall out immutablie Wee acknowledge as Caluin saith that men haue a certaine freedome of their willes that is Solution 1. of choosing or refusing as it seemeth good vnto them as it appeares by the choice propounded by the Prophet to Dauid 1. King 3.5 2. Sam. 24. Deut. 30.19 and by Moses to the people of Israel yet so as that God doth alwaies gouerne our willes in that which is euill decreeing a voluntarie permission for some good in that which is good both strengthning our willes Peccant per liberum arbitrium non liberatum Aug. There is a free will and a will freed to sin free to good freed by grace giuing the motion and inclining them forward Otherwise wee haue no free will at all for in our willing that which hee commands himselfe doth worke both the will and the deede and yet since it is not by a compulsion but by a gentle inclining we graunt a certaine libertie vnto them Secondly the necessitie imposed vpon al euents doth arise from the immutabilitie of Gods decree of gouerning and not from naturall causes and therefore in regard of these we may be said to will or not to will that things shall fall out or not fall out Thirdly there is a double necessitie the one of compulsion the other of immutabilitie August de Ciuit Dei Tom. 5. lib. 5. cap. 10. The first may seeme to take away our freedome because we are compeld to do that which we would not doe as to be put to death by a tyrant to be slaine by our aduersarie yet our bodies and not our willes are properly said to be vnder this necessitie because do our aduersarie what he can we may will our death No necessitie ouerrules the minds of men ibid. or not will it but this second doth not for although it comes to passe that that which is done could not but be done neither otherwise done then it is done and that our willes are vnder this necessitie yet since it is by enclining them and not by forcing them there is a certaine libertie left vnto them Otherwise how could it bee said that Christ must needs suffer Luk. 24. and yet that he suffered willinglie and by consequence freelie Esay 53. Obiect If al things fal out necessarily because Gods decree of gouerning is immutable then prayers to preuent dangers with other meanes prescribed in the word of God serue to no purpose because not wee would but as God hath decreed so it must be effected The decree of GOD doth not exclude Solution but include the meanes appointed because as hee decrees the end so the meanes whereby it is to be accomplished Ioh. 1. Gal. 5. Rom. 10. Ephes 1. Thus God in electing his children giues his Gospell to worke faith and repentance his Sacraments to confirme vs and his blessed Spirit continually to direct vs and to quicken vp his good graces within vs as feruent prayer hartie thanks giuing zeale of his glorie conscience to serue him and such like Ephes 2. These necessarie to saluation though not to iustification without which we cannot bee saued Thus God in his decree of electing decrees also the meanes of accomplishing as by Christs precepts his practise and the word ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ signifying to predestinate it plainely appeareth As this is true of the soule so of the preseruation of the bodie for God hath not onelie giuen it a being but a soule by whose faculties it should bee kept from dangers he hath giuen food by which it shuld be nourished clothes to keep it warme oile to make a cheerefull countenance yea and for the sauing of soules and bodies all Gods blessings are giuen and all still preserued Thus Ezechias though he knew he should liue fifteene yeeres longer yet vsed a plaister of figs. And Paul though he knew he should come safe to land yet giues aduice and excites the mariners to the meanes how it should be effected How infinite many times did Dauid flie from his enemies vse meanes of his deliuerance and praied to God for the same and yet knew very well he should come to the kingdome yea and as infinit many times confessed God to be an assured defence and deliuerer of his children Secondly the reuealed will of God commanding vs to vse the meanes appointed must be a law to gouerne vs and therefore wee must not dreame of his hidden will whereof wee are ignorant Obiections and false conclusions inferred vpon this doctrine that God is the author of the euill of the punishment with the Answeres vnto them Obiection IF God willeth the death of none then hee hath no stroke in the punishment of sinners But that he willeth no ones death it appeares Ezech. 18.33 Ose 13.9 1. Tim. 2.4 2. Pet. 3.9 Matth. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 And therefore hee punisheth not all sinners There is a difference betweene the inflicting of punishment Solution the willing that a man should not come to that punishment by these places of holy Scripture the Lord shewes his desire to haue men to eschew sin The obiection propounded whereby they come to this punishmnt and not when they haue committed the same that he will not punish them for it

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 ergÃ² 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

gall his face polluted with spitting his cheekes bruised with buffeting his knees shiuering his shoulders shaking his heart grieued his bodie and soule tormented his ioints racked his hands and seete nailed his sides pearced Lord will not the seruant suffer willinglie for his master when his master hath patiently endured all this for him Nihil adeÃ² graue est quod non aequanimiter toleretur si Christi passio ad memoriam reducatur Gregor hath not the righteous suffered for the vnrighteous and shall not the vniust for the iust hath hee willinglie endured all for thee and wilt not thou patientlie endure a little for him was he content to suffer wholly for thy good and walt not thou in patience suffer for thy owne but howsoeuer afflictions are hard to flesh and bloud yet nothing is so grieuous which will not patiently be borne if these torments of Christ be called to remembrance these were non tantum mira dura sed otiamindigna Gessit mira pertulit dura nec tantum dura sed etiam indigna August not onely wonderfull and grieuous but considering Christs person vnworthie to be suffered but that thou being a sinner shouldest be chastised for thy sinne and corrected that thou mightest amend it is no indignitie at all Exod. 15. Therefore if the water of affliction seeme bitter cast in that sweet tree the crosse of Christ and it will bee pleasant vnto thee The serpent lift vp in the wildernesse Numb 21.9 cured those which loockt vpoÌ„ it so though men are stong with the fierie persecutions of tyrants yet if they behold Christ Iesus lift vp vpon the Crosse for our sinnes we shall not die but liue possesse our soules in patience 2. ConsideratiÃ¶ of our selues Non sine flagello exist qutisine peccato venit tamen patiens erat He which came into the world without sin went not out of the world without the whip and yet he patiently endured the same shewing that we which came into the world full of sinne and euer since liued vilely should deseruedlie looke for correction and when it comes endure it patiently And this is the second consideration namely of our selues A man faults not the sharpnesse of the Chirurgions knife when he considers the corruption of his sore and that it must needs bee launced the sicke patient willingly takes in the bitter potion when he findes his disease grieuous so if wee consider the corruption of our soules we desire to be launced with the knife of correction if we consider how sicke we are of sinne wee will willing lie take in the bitter potions of affliction that as a preparatiue they may make way for that pretious balme of the blood of Christ to cure vs. These things considered if the Lord should kill vs yet let vs trust in him if thy house shall be a place of correction and that from the day of birth to the day of death if the yoke shall not be taken from thy necke nor the staffe from thy shoulders yet endure patiently willingly and gladly Sola suga victoriam perdis moriendo non perdis This priuiledge hath Patience that although it is alwaies in the combat yet it euer returnes victor And therefore Vincentius said to Datianus that hee could preuaile more by being persecuted then this other by persecuting Nor doth it only triumph in euerie thing but also gaine by all things The barrennesse of the field doth fill his barnes when there are fewest grapes Manifested in Job his cellers are most full when these takes from him hee addes vnto him when the fire burnes his cottage it builds him a castle And thus doth Patience conquer and gaine in all things and in and through him Gods children shall gaine here and triumph euer in the life to come Vse 11 Further whereas all aduersities and crosses both in vs and in ours come from God as the sole inflicter of them wee are hereby also taught when the hand of God is vpon vs either of these waies to haue recourse wholly vnto him for helpe and remedie This is his owne commandement Psalm 50.15 Numb 11.1 Ios 7.7 1. Sam. 7.6 2. Sam. 24.10 Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will beare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee This is the practise of the Church Moses for himselfe and the Israelites Ioshua for himselfe and the people Samuel Dauid Ezechias Asa Esras Nehemiah leremias Daniel 2. King 19.15 2. Chro. 14.11 Esdr 8.21 Nehem. 1.11 Dan. 9.3 Mark 1.4 Matth. 8 5. Act. 9.40 Lament 5.1 Matth. 26.39 Prou. 18.10 the Leper the Centurion Peter the whole Church and Christ himself wheÌ„ any afflictions befell them euermore had recourse vnto God that inflicted them This is grounded vpon reason He maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his hands make whole therefore seeke vnto him his name is a strong tower and therefore he can helpe hee respects vs as the father his sonne as the mother her infant and therfore when the righteous runne vnto him whose mercie and power meete together they shall be sure to be exalted He is that wise PhysitioÌ„ which knowes our diseases which hath a world full of potions if he please to vse them which can help vs without them if it seeme good vnto him which is as readie to come Seekers vnto witches condemned as we are to send which is neuer so detained by others but that he can attend vs nor comes to vs for his own gaine but for our profit and therfore in all our afflictions let vs seeke vnto him Hence is condemned that vile and damnable practise of many who for the curing of themselues sauing of their cattell or finding of that which is lost will presently forsake God haue recourse vnto the diuell by his seruants the Witches which how foolish and wicked it is may appeare by that which hath been said alreadie as also by these reasons following Reas 1 First because it is directly forbidden by the Lord Isai 8.19 Aske no question of the dead but turne vnto the law and the testimontes Nor doth God onely forbid it but also seuerely punish it Leuit. 20.6 Manifested on Theodotus Euseb lib. 5. cap. 14 and on Buddas Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 17.2 If any turne after such as worke with Spirits and after Southsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and cut him off from among his people Secondly man hath in his diuine reason found it abominable and censured it very strictly as it appeares by the decrees of Constantius Can. 26. Quest 5. of the Extrauagants and the most commendable and worthy lawes of this Common-wealth Thirdly from a cause simply cuill can proceed no good and therfore witchcraft proceeding from the diuell as it may it may appeare in that it will endure neither light nor triall must needs bee wicked and by consequence those also

wicked which labour to haue it exercised in as much as the inticer and setter of a robberie is as ill and as punishable as he that commits it Fourthly before a Witch will or can doe any thing for you you must beleeue and make confession that he is able to help you and so the faith which ought wholly to bee placed on God and encrease to himward must be placed vpon Satan and his instruments and encrease to themward Fiftly as wee neuer knew the godlie hauing due recourse vnto God to returne destitute of aide and comfort so did wee neuer know the wicked seeking vnto witches to returne at any time profited Nero caused Tyridates King of Armenia to send into the East for men to instruct him in Magick Nero and Iulian the Apostata were verie mightie and exceeding rich but becomming studious that way fell from their great abundance to exceeding want Satan was most beholding to these of all other and therefore if hee would helpe any then vndoubtedly them and if they could not profit theÌ„selues then much lesse others that should seeke vnto them If we finde not the experience of this in some things yet in othersome and if not at first yet certainly afterwards Sixtly witcherie is a meere delusion of Satan her remedies and reuelations are both obsure and vncertaine deceiuing others and her selfe also for those which can do wonders before they are called into question can doe iust nothing for themselues when they come into prison and to be arraigned for their villanie Lastly the diuels are enemies to mankinde and will willingly profit none neither by themselues nor their instruments secondly where they would they cannot if God doth curse thirdly when they would hurt they can doe nothing except God doth giue leaue and therefore before Satan can touch Iob he must aske leaue and after he had obtained it cannot goe beyond his commission yea all the witches and diuels in hell are subiect to the prayers of the faithfull for though Simon Magus flie aloft yet he falles suddenly at the prayers of Peter Since then their workes tend to destruction and that they are tied as the beare at the stake that cannot exceede his chaine except hee be loosed nor hurt but when hee is vnmuzzelled yea he is subiect to be whipt himselfe at the pleasure of his keeper what extreame madnesse is it for people to giue themselues vnto witchcraft what wonderfull follie to seek vnto Belzebub the god of Acaron whereas there is an Al-omnipotent most wise most gratious and mercifull God in Israel 2. King 1.3 Sure I know no reason except they hold theÌ„selues better acquainted with Satan then with God and therefore will haue recourse soonest vnto him But howsoeuer this I am sure that because they receiue not the loue of the truth therfore God sends them strong delusions 1. Cor. 5.5 But it may be obiected Obiect The former ages had their Empusae Lamiae Marmolyciae Satyri Incubi and Succubi as Augustine noteth De ciuit Dei lib. 8. Eleazar made demonstrations before Vespasian and his sonnes Titus and Domitian and Salomon himselfe De Antiquit. lib. 8. as Iosephus writeth made a booke of Exorcismes and therfore why may they not bee vsed at this time That which was lawfull then Solution may be vnlawfull now in regard of the circumstance of time then was the Law now the Gospell then were diuinations but they ceased at the comming of Christ theÌ„ were many things suffered in much darknesse but at the comming of the light they were quite expeld Much lesse reason is it theÌ„ that things which were vnlawfully vsed in times past should be continued now Touching the latter part of the obiection take the answere of Peter Martyr I dare not saith he denie the truth of the storie neither will I affirme it to be true only I think that it pleased God to grant such a thing to the Iewes for that time or else that Salomon writ that book when he fell from the worship of the true God vnto the adoring of the gods of the Gentiles for that there were such Exorcismes vsed vnto the Apostles time it appeares by the historie of Sheua Act. 19.13 but that such abominations should be detected men allured to hate them and to loue the truth it appeares plainly by that historie recited Therefore howsoeuer the wicked put their trust in witches and seeke to Soothsayers Psalm 20. â— yet let the righteous trust in God and call vpon his name for hee is the sole tower of defence and they which runne vnto him shall bee sure to bee exalted Prou. 18.10 And thus much for the vses arising from this doctrine God by his heauenly prouidence directeth gouerneth and disposeth all things I proceede vnto an vse or two from his meanes of gouerning and secondly from this that he is the inflicter of all punishment Uses from Gods manner of gouerning In that God in his gouernment of the world doth commonly vse meanes himselfe and hath also ordained that we should vse them we learne that in al humilitie wee obey his precept with all diligence follow his practise Dauid knew hee should be deliuered from his enemies and setled by God in his kingdome yet vseth meanes for his deliuerance Paul knew he should come safe to the shore The reiecting of lavvfull meanes is a tempting of God yet aduiseth the mariners to stand to their tacklings Ezechias that hee should be restored yet vseth a plaister of figges Deut. 6.16 Matth. 4.7 and yet it is strange to see how many men will foolishly omit and presumptuouslie reiect the meanes of their maintenance and daily preseruation which they are commanded to vse and wherein there is not a speciall reuelation of Gods will purpose not remembring that hee which labours not for his family is worse then an Infidell and denieth the saith The error of Alcibiades teaching the contrarie Euseb lib. 5. ca. 3. most vile and vvicked But men doe more naturally sauour of the flesh then of the spirit and therefore in things that concerne the bodie they wil be very prouident and in this case they least offend but in the meanes that concerne the sauing of the soule they are too too remisse if not wholly negligent Witnesse the lamentation of the waies to Sion their negligent hearing of Gods word in the Church their seldome reading and meditating of it at home their not calling vpon God with the omitting of receiuing the holy CoÌ„munion all which doe testifie that they are either worse then beasts in not respecting their soules or that they are fooles in relying on Gods secret will and purpose and in meane while reiect that which is reuealed vnto them These men must know that these things being meanes ordained by God to beget faith to worke repentance to mortifie sinne to liue holily without which wee cannot bee saued that the neglect of these is the neglect

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