evill words of him notwithstanding hee did them much good and was withall counselled to chastise them he answers Your counsell is not good for if they now speake evill of us having done them go odonely what would they then if we should do them any harme And at another time being counselled either to banish or put to death one who had slandered him hee would doe neither of both saying It was not a sufficient cause to condemne him and for banishing it was better not to let him stir out of Macedonia where all men knew that hee lyed thon to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately Answer Ah but chide him not for then he will doe as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injurie than revenge These tongue-Squibs or crackers of the braine will dye alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemne an enemie is better than either to feare him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his feare made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftnesse let him turne to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least wil soon give over and be quiet To vex other men is but to tutor them how they should againe vex us Whâ—n two friends fall out if one bee not the wiser they turne love into anger and passion passion into evill words words into blowes and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a faire advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seene two Neighbours like two Cocks of the Game peck out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smote them both at least Sathan that common and arch-enemy will have us at advantage For as man delighteth when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to incourage them and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Sathan deale with us controversies like a paire of Cudgels are throwne in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs Yea as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth per-chance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devill deale with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while wee wound one another hee wounds and wins all our soules Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kiâ—e comes that Prince and chiefe Fowle that ruleth in the Aire and snatcheth away both these great warriers or like two Emmets in the Mole-hill of this earth wee fight for the mastery in meane while comes the Robin-red-breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentlenesse wee may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up betweene him and Themistocles that hee besought him mildely after this manner Sir we both are no meane men in this Common-wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one againe and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love And wee reade of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance betweene them said I would I might dye if I be not revenged of thee he answered againe nay let me dye for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one word he presently so wonne his brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends And this was Davids way of overcomming 1 Sam. 24. He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindnesse doth calme his fury so that now he sheds teares instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slaine them 2. Kin. 6.23 What did he loose by it or had he cause to repent himselfe No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith The bands of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel so every wise Christian will doe good to them that doe hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a foole in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evill enemies now they shall neither be evill nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one askt him why he tooke such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Pro 29.9 Whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratlings of mockers and blunteth the points of their reproach Rage is not engendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and borne at an instant When the stone and the steele meets the issue ingendred from thence is fire whereas the Sword of anger being strucke upon the soft pillow of a mild spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not wooll and such like yeelding things but that which is hard stubborne and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vaine tongues puffe A man that studies revenge keepes his owne wounds greene and open which otherwise would heale and do well Anger to the soule is like a coale on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth little harme but let it lye it frets deepe Wherefore saith one their malice shall sooner cease than my unchanged patience A small injury shall go as it comes a great injury may dine or sup with me but none at all shall lodge with me for why should I vex my selfe because another hath vexed me That were to imitate the foole that would not come out of the pound saying they had put him in by Law and he would come out againe by Law or Ahab who because he could not have his will on Naboth would be revenged on himselfe As the mad man teares his owne haire because he cannot come at his enemies or little children who one while forbeare their meat if you anger them another time if you chance to take away but one of their Gugawes
because they are good or because they are deerely beloved of God If a mans person and wayes please God the world will be displeased with both If God be a mans friend that will be his enemy if they exercise their malice it is where he shewes mercy and indeed he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks for it is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is borne after the flesh will persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because he is so much better than himselfe 1 Iohn 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wisd. 2.15 I have also shewed the Originall continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of this enmity and therein made it plaine that as for the present they suit like the Harpe and the Harrow agree like two poisons in one stomack the one being ever sick of the other so to reconcile them together were to reconcile Fire and Water the Wolfe and the Lambe the Windes and the Sea together yea that once to expect it were an effect of frenzie not of hope It remaines in the last place that I declare the Reasons why God permits his dearest children so to be afflicted The godly are so patient in their sufferings With other Grounds of comfort and Vses And first of the first The Reasons why God suffers the same are chiefly sixteene all tending to his glory and their spirituall and everlasting good benefit and advantage for the malignity of envie if it be well answered is made the evill cause of a good effect to us God and our soules are made gainers by anothers sin The Reasons and Ends which tend to Gods glory are three 1 It makes for the glory of his Power 2 It makes for the glory of his Wisdome 3 It makes much for his glory when those graces which he hath bestowed upon his children do the more shine through imployment It maketh for the glory of his Power Moses having declared in what manner the Lord permitted Pharaoh to oppresse the children of Israel more and more still hardning his heart shewes the reason of it in these words That I may multiply my miracles and wonders in the Land of Aegypt That I may lay my hand upon Pharaoh and bring out mine Armies even my people by great judgements that my power may be knowne and that I may declare my Name throughout all the world Exod. 7.3.4 9.16 When that multitude of Amonites and Moabites came to war against Iehosaphat and the Children of Israel intending to cast them out of the Lords inheritance and utterly destroy them to the dishonour of God the Lord by delivering them from that sore affliction gained to himselfe such honour and glory That as the Text saith the feare of God was upon all the Kingdomes of the Earth when they heard that the Lord had fought so against the enemies of Israel 2 Chron. 20.29 The judgement was upon some the feare came upon all it was but a few mens losse but it was all mens warning 1 Cor. 10.11 When the Lord brought againe the Captivity of Sion saith the Psalmist Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them Psal. 126.1 2. God provides on purpose mighty adversaries for his Church that their humiliation may be the greater in sustaining and his glory may be greater in deliverance yea though there bee Legions of devils and every one stronger than many Legions of men and more malicious than strong yet Christs little Flock lives and prospers and makes not this exceedingly for our Makers for our Gardians glory Gods power is best made knowne in our weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 Impossibilities are the best advancers of his glory who not seldome hangs the greatest waits upon the smallest wyars as he doth the earth upon nothing For what wee least beleeve can bee done we most admire being done the lesser the meanes and the greater the opposition the more is the glory of him who by little meanes doth overcome a great opposition yea it is greater glory to God to turne evils into good by overmastering them then wholly to take them away Now if â—hy very enemies thus honour thee how should thy friends bought with thy precious bloud glorifie thee But the sweetest of honey lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from the first to the second Reason CHAP. 2. That it makes for the glory of his Wisdome 2 SEcondly it maketh for the glory of his marvellous and singular wisdome when he turneth the malice of his enemies to the advantage of his Church I would saith Paul yee understood brethren that the things which have come unto me are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell So that my bonds in Christ are famous throughout all the judgement Hall and in all other places Insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord are imboldned through my bonds and dare more frankely speake the word Phil. 1.12 13 14. In all other cases a gentle resistance heightens the desire of the seeker in this the strength of opposition meeting with as strong a faith hath the same effect Againe how admirably did the Lord turne the malice of Iosephs brethren when they sold him into Aegypt And that devilish plot of Haman against Mordecay and his people â—o the good of his Church in generall and of Ioseph and Mordecay in particular Gen. 45.8.11 Hester 9.1 2 3. Their plots to overthrow Ioseph and Mordecay were turned by a Divine Providence to the onely meanes of advantaging them And herein was that of the Psalmist verified Surely the rage of man shall turne to thy praise Psal. 76.10 It is not so much glory to God to take away wicked men as to use their evill to his owne holy purposes how soone could the Commander of Heaven and Earth rid the world of bad members But so should hee lose the praise of working good by evill instruments it suffiseth that the Angels of God resist their actions while their persons continue God many times workes by contrary meanes as Christ restored the Blind-man to his sight with clay and spittle he caused the Israelites to grow with depression with persecution to multiply Exod. 1.12 The bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church Persecution enlargeth the bounds of it like as Palmes oppressed and Camomile trod upon mount the more grow the faster T is as easiy for God to work without meanes as with them and against them as by either but assuredly it makes more for the Makers glory that such an admirable harmony should be produced out of such an infinite discord The World is composed of foure Elements and those be contraries the Yeare is quartered into different seasons the minde of man is a mixture of disparities as joy sorrow hope feare love hate and the like the body doth consist and is nourished
suffer tribulation and anguish and persecution and famine and nakednesse perill sword c. bee killed all the day long and counted as Shâ—epe for the slaughter hee concludeth with Neverthelesse in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us and so goeth on even to challenge of our worst enemies Death Angels Principalities Powers things present and to come heighth depth and what other creature besides should stand in opposition What voluminous waves be here for number and power and terrour yet they shall not separate the Arke from Christ nor a soule from the Arke nor a body from the soule nor an haire from the body to do us hurt What saith David Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace Psa. 37.37 Marke him in his setting out he hath many oppositions marke him in the journey he is full of tribulations but marke him in the conclusion and the end of that man is peace In Christ al things are ours 1 Cor. 3.22 How is that Why we have all things because we have the haver of all things And if we love Christ all things work together for our good yea for the best Rom. 8.28 And if all things quoth Luther then even sinne it selfe And indeed how many have wee knowne the better for their sin That Magdalen had never loved so much if she had not so much sinned had not the incestuous person sinned so notoriously he had never beene so happy God tooke the advantage of his humiliation for his conversion Had not one foot slipt into the mouth of hell he had never been in this forwardnesse to Heaven sinne first wrought sorrow saith S. Austine and now godly sorrow kils sin the daughter destroyes the mother neither do our owne sinnes onely advantage us but other mens sinnes worke for our good also If Arius had not held a Trinity of Substances with a Trinity of Persons and Sabellius an Vnity of Persons with an Vnity of Essences the Mysteries of the Trinity had not beene so cleerely explained by those great lights of the Church We may say here as Augustine doth of Carthage and Rome If some enemies had not contested against the Church it might have gone worse with the Church Lastly suppose our enemies should kill us they shall not hurt but pleasure us yea even death it selfe shall worke our good That Red Sea shall put us over to the Land of Promise and we shall say to the praise of God wee are delivered wee are the better for our enemies the better for our sinnes the better for death yea better for the devill and to thinke otherwise even for the present were not only to derogate from the wisdome power and goodnesse of God but it would bee against reason for in reason if he have vouchsafed us that great mercy to make us his own he hath given the whole army of afflictions a more inviolable charge concerning us than David gave his Host concerning Absalom See ye doe the young man my sonne Absalom no harme Now if for the present thou lackest faith patience wisdome and true judgement how to beare and make this gaine of the crosse Aske it of God who giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and and it shall be given thee Iames 1.5 For every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights Verse 17. CHAP. 34. That though God disposeth of all their malice to his childrens greater good yet they shall bee rewarded according to their mischievous intentions Ob. IF it be so that the malice of wicked men makes so much for the behoofe of Gods people and that whatsoever they do unto us is but the execution of Gods will and full accomplishment of his just decree it may seeme to make on their side and not only extenuate their evill but give them occasion of boasting Ans. Although God disposeth it to the good of his children that hee may bring about all things to make for his owne glory yet they intend only evil in it as namely the dishonour of God the ruine of mens soules as I shall easily prove when I come to shew what is the final cause or end of their temptations and persecutions and the satisfying of their own serpentine enmity thirst of revenge We must therefore learne to distinguish betwixt the act of God and of an enemy as indeed Gods people do When ye thought evill against me saith Ioseph to his brethren God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and save much people alive Gen. 50.20 Yea the holy God challengeth to himselfe whatsoever is done in the City Amos 3.6 but so as neither wicked mens sins shal taint him nor his decree justifie them the sinne is their own the good which comes of it is Gods the benefit ours God wils the same action as it is a blessing tryall or chastisement of his children which he hates as the wickednesse of the agent The lewd tongue hand or heart moves from God it moves lewdly from Sathan wicked men are never the freer from guilt and punishment for that hand which the holy God hath in their offensive actions To instance in one example or two Satan did nought touching Iob but what the Lord upon his request gave him leave to do what then Did God and Belial joyne in fulfilling the same act No sooner shall Stygian darknesse blend with light the frost with fire day with night true God Satan will'd the selfesame thing but God intended good Satan ill Satan aimed at Iobs and God at his confusion God used the malice of Pharaoh and Shemei unto Good what then God afflicted his people with another minde than Pharaoh did God to increase them Pharaoh to suppresse them The sinne of Shemeis curse was his owne the smart of the curse was Gods God wils that as Davids chastisement which he hates as Shimeis wickednesse The curse of the Serpent bestowed blessednesse on Man yea our first parents had beene lesse glorious if they had not wanted a Saviour What then Doth Satan merit thanks No but the contrary for he only intended the finall ruine and destruction of them and all mankinde with the dishonour of their Maker Lastly the Devill does us good in this particular case for while he assaults us with temptations and afflicts us with crosses he in effect helps us to Crownes Yet still no thankes to Satan for to be charitable is more than his meaning it is that divine over-ruling providence of God which we are beholding unto and to him give we the thankes Alas there is nothing in the world bee it gall it selfe yea the excrement of a Dog or the poyson of a Serpent but mans shallow invention can finde it is good for something neither doe two contrary poysons mingled together prove mortall how much more is God able to worke good by evill
orient For Vertues like the Stars shine brightest in the night and fairest in the frost of Affliction More particularly Affliction is a notable meanes to try whether we have faith or not Nothing is more easie then to trust God when our Barnes and Coffers are full And to say give us our daily bread when we have it in our Cubbards But when we have nothing when we know not how nor whenâ—â— to get any thing then to depend upon an invisible bounty this is a true and noble act of faith Againe touching other graces how excellently was Iobs patience and sincerity made known by Sathans malice when he brought forth those Angelicall words What shall we receive good at the hand of God and not receive evill Iob 2.10 When he stood like a Centre unmoved while the circumference of his estate was drawne above beneath about him when in prosperity he could say if my mouth hath kist my hand and in adversity the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. He was not so like the wicked as they are like dogs that follow the meat not the man Alas they are but bad workes that need rewards to crane them up withall for neither paine nor losse much lesse the censure of lewd persons will trouble a well planted mind Againe God suffers us to suffer much more especially to try our perseverance which is a grace so good and acceptable that without it there is nothing good nor acceptable And indeed how shall a man shew his strength unlesse some burthen be laid upon his back or his constancy The Spaniell which fawneth when he is beaten will never forsake his Master And Trees well rooted will beare all stormes The three Children walked up and downe in the fiery flames praising God And a Blade well tryed deserves a treble price How did the Church of Pergamus approve her selfe Yea how was she approved of God which hath the sword with two edges when she held out in her workes even where Sathan dwelt and kept his Throne I know thy workes saith God and that thou keepst my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes when Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slain among you where Satan dwelleth yea where his Throne is and where some maintaine the Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicholaitans and teach that men ought c. Rev. 2.13 14. Persecution is the Sword whereby our Salomon will try which is the true naturall Mother which the pretended Afflictions are the waters where our Gideon will try whether we are fit Souldiers to fight the Battle of Faith We are all valiant Souldiers till we come to fight Excellent Philosophers till we come to dispute good Christians till wee come to master our own lusts But it is opposition that gives the tryall when Corruptions fight against the graces and cause Argent to seem more bright in a fable Field But to go on A man is made known whether he be feeble or strong by the provocation of an enemy even calme tempers when they have been stirred have bewrayed impetuousnesse of passion Now he that overcommeth his own anger saith Chilo overcommeth a strong enemy but he that is overâ—ome by it is a whiteliver saith Hermes for wrath proceedeth from feeblenesse of courage and lacke of discretion As may appeare in that Women are sooner angry then men the Sicke sooner then the healthy and Old men sooner then Young Againe it s nothing to endure a small tryall or affliction every Cock-boate can swim in a River every Sculler sayle in a Calme every man can hold up his head in ordinary Gusts but when a blacke storme arises a tenth wave flowes deep calls unto deep Nature yeelds Spirit faints Heart fayles Wheras grace is never quite out of heart yea is confident when hopes are adjourned and expectation is delayed Finally Affliction and Persecution humbleth the spirits of the repentant tryeth the faith and patience of the sincere Christian but hardneth the hearts of the ungodly Wicked men like some Beasts grow mad with baiting If crosses or losses rush in upon them they fall to the language of Iobs Wife Curse God and dye or to that of the King of Israels Messenger Why should I serve God any longer 2 King 6.33 CHAP. 10. That it prevents greater evills of Sinne and Punishment to come 7 SEventhly the LORD by this evill of Chastisement for sins past preventeth the evills of sin and greater punishments for the time to come The Lord saith Elihu correcteth man that hee might turne away from his enterprize and that he might keepe backe his soule from the Pit and that his life should not perish by the sword Iob 33.17 18. The sharpnesse of crosses are Gods spirituall hedge This salt doth not onely preserve from Corruption but also eate out Corruption We are chastened of the Lord saith the Holy Ghost that we might not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 Erring soules be corrected that they may be converted not confounded If Paul had not been buffeted by Sathan and wicked men he had beene exalted out of measure 2 Cor. 12.7 Pride is so dangerous a poyson that of another poyson there was confected a counterpoyson to preserve him from it God would rather suffer this chosen Vessell to fall into some infirmity then to be prowd of his singular priviledges Least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of Revelations there was the poyson of Pride insinuating it selfe I had a Thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me There was the Counterpoyson or Antidote which did at once make him both sick and whole The enjoyment of the worlds peace might adde to my content but it wil indanger my soule how oft doth the recovery of the body state or minde occasion a Relaps in the soule Turne but the Candle and that which keeps me in puts me out The younger brother shall not have all his portion least he run Riot All the life of Salomon was full of prosperity and therefore we find that Salomon did much forget God but the whole life of David had many enemies and much adversity and therfore we see by his penitentiall Psalmes others that David did much remember God As Salt with its sharpnesse keeps flesh from corrupting So their malice keeps our soules from festering Bees are drowned in Honey but live in Vineger Now if sweet meats breed Surfets t is good sometimes to taste of bitter its good somvvhat to unloade when the ship is in danger by too liberall a ballast I will tell you a Paradox I call it so because few will beleeve it but it is true many are able to say they have learned to stand by falling got strength by weaknesse The burnt Child dreads the fire A broken bone well set is faster ever after Like Trees we take deeper root by shaking And like Torches we flame the brighter for bruizing and knocking God suffered Sathan to spoile Iob
who not onely decreeth and fore appointeth every particular crosse Eccl. 3.1 Rom. 8.28 29. but even effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trials and chastisements Isaiah 45.7 Amos 3.6 and also ordereth and disposeth them that is limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure the quality and the continuance thereof yea he ordereth them to their right ends namely his owne glory the good of his servants and the benefit of his Church Ier. 30.11 Gen. 50.19 20. 2 Sam. 16.10 Psal. 39. 9. God useth them but as Instruments wherewith to worke his good pleasure upon us our adversaries are but as tooles in the hand of the Workeman and we must not so much looke to the Instrument as to the Author Gen 45.5 and 50.20 Well may the Priests of the Philistims doubt whether their plague bee from God or by Fortune 1 Sam. 6.2 9. but let a Ioseph be sold into Aegypt he will say unto his enemies Ye sent not me hither but God when ye thought evill against me God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and save much people alive or let a David be railed upon by any cursed Shemei he will answer Let him alone for he curseth even because the Lord hath bid him curse David Who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so 2 Sam. 16.10 Or let a Micha be trodden upon and insulted over by his enemy his answer shall bee no other than this I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he pleade my cause and execute judgement for me Micha 7.9 The beleever that is conversant in Gods booke knowes that his adversaries are in the hands of God as a Hammer Axe or Rod in the hand of a smiter and therefore as the Hammer Axe or Rod of it selfe can doe nothing any further than the force of the hand using it gives strength unto it No more can they doe any thing at all unto him further than it is given them from above as our Saviour told Pilate Iohn 19.11 See this in some examples you have Laban following Iacob with one troope Esau meeting him with another both with hostile intentions both go on till the uttermost point of their execution both are prevented ere the execution for stay but a while and you shall see Laban leave him with a kisse Esau meet him with a kisse of the one he hath an oath teares of the other peace with both GOD makes fooles of the enemies of his Church he lets them proceed that they may be frustrate and when they are gone to the uttermost reach of their teather he puls them back to the stake with shame Againe you have Senacherib let loose upon Hezekiah and his people who insults over them intolerably 2 Kings 18. Oh the lamentable and in sight desperate condition of distressed Ierusalem wealth it had none strength it had but a little all the Countrey round about was subdued unto the Assyrian that proud victor hath begirt the wals of it with an innumerable army scorning that such a shovell-full of earth should stand out but one day yet poore Ierusalem stands alone blockt up with a world of enemies helplesse friendlesse comfortlesse looking for the worst of an hostile fury and on a sudden before an Arrow is shot into the City a hundred fourescore and five thousand of their enemies were slaine and the rest run away 2 Kings 19.35 36. If we are in league with God we need not feare the greatest of mâ—n for let the Kings of the Earth be assembled and the Rulers come together Let Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gather themselves in one league against him it is in vaine for they can do nothing but what the hand of God and his Councell hath before determined to be done as Peter and Iohn affirmed to the rest of the Disciples for their better confirmation and comfort Acts 4.26 to 29. Nothing can be accomplished in the Lower-House of this world but first it is decreed in the Vpper-Court of Heaven as for example what did the Iewes ever doe to our Saviour Christ that was not first both decreed by the Father of Spirits and registred in the Scriptures for our notice and comfort They could not so much as throw the Dice for his coat but it was prophesied Psalme 22.18 and Psal. 69.21 It is foretold that they should give him gall in his meat and in his thirst vineger to drinke the very quality and kinde of his drink is prophesied yea his face could not be spit upon without a prophesie those filthy excrements of his enemies fell not upon his face without Gods decree and the Prophets relation Esay 50.6 Now it must needs comfort and support us exceedingly if in all cases we doe but duly consider that inequality is the ground of order that superiour causes guide the subordinate that this sublunary Globe depends on the celestiall as the lesser wheeles in a Clock doe on the great one which I finde thus expressed As in a Clock one motion doth convey And carry divers wheeles a severall way Yet altogether by the great wheeles force Direct the hand unto his proper course Who is he that saith and it commeth to passe when the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3.37 Suppose the Legions of Hell should combine with the Potentates of the Earth to doe their worst they cannot go beyond the reach of their teather whether they rise or sit still they shall by an insensible ordination performe that will of the Almighty which they least thinke of and most oppose yea saith Austine by resisting the will of God they do fulfill it and his will is done by and upon them even in that they doe against his will That even Satan himselfe is limited and can go no further than his chaine will reach we may see Revel 20.2 More particularly he could not touch so much as Iobs body or substance no not one of his servants nor one limbe of their bodies nor one haire of their heads nor one beast of their heards but he must first beg leave of God Iob 2.6 Nay Satan is so farre from having power over us living that he cannot touch our bodies being dead yea he cannot finde them when God will conceale them witnesse the body of Moses and I doubt not but as the Angels did wait at the Sepulchre of their and our Lord so for his sake they also watch over our graves he could not seduce a false Prophet nor enter into a Hog without license the whole Legion sue to Christ for a sufferance not daring other than to grant that without his permission they could not hurt a very Swine Now if it be fearefull to thinke how great things evill spirits can doe with permission it is comfortable to thinke how they can doe nothing without permission for if GOD must give him leave hee will never