〈…〉 dly written of them Ancient lear 〈…〉 d Chrisostome in his tenth Homily 〈…〉 pon Genesis vsed this similitude saith hee in earthly matters when 〈…〉 e see these things that bee done ap 〈…〉 oued by graue and mighty men 〈…〉 e mislike not their censure not 〈…〉 in-say it but preferre their iudgement before our owne how much more 〈…〉 uld we carry the same minde of all 〈…〉 ble creatures which we know that 〈…〉 d the Creator of all things made 〈…〉 at since wee haue receiued his censure of them all that all that h 〈…〉 made was very good let vs suspe 〈…〉 our iudgments bury them in silenc 〈…〉 and let vs not dare to prefer the iudgments of al men before the Lords a 〈…〉 we may perswade our selues wi 〈…〉 strong and sufficient arguments th 〈…〉 the Lord made all things in great w 〈…〉 dome and mercy and in a worde th 〈…〉 the Lord made nothing vnaduised or without cause but though we kno 〈…〉 not the causes of his workes beca 〈…〉 of the weakenesse of our vnderstanâ—ings yet hath he made all things 〈…〉 cording to his wisdom and most mi 〈…〉 ty mercy Thus farre Chrisostome If the 〈…〉 fore by the testimonie of Aristotle 〈…〉 ture made nothing in vaine As y â— m 〈…〉 who was vtterly ignorant of true râ—gion affirmed of nature which he 〈…〉 iudged to be both blind brutish ho 〈…〉 much more are we bound to attrib 〈…〉 vnto the most wise creator of all thin 〈…〉 this â—erfection in his creation that made nothing in vaine but all thi 〈…〉 in great wisdome since all his wor 〈…〉 redounded to his glory which is 〈…〉 st and the chiefest end of all things 〈…〉 d by the common consent of all men â—â—ery thing is iudged either perfect or â—â—perfect by the attaining of his end â—here is a fourth argumeÌ„t thus made â—â—ainst the prouidence of God If God 〈…〉 ho is most wise and righteous in his â—â—dgements do gouerne all things â—â—ery particular thing there should not 〈◊〉 so great troubles in coÌ„mon wealths â—â—d specially in the Church whereof â—â—e Lord hath a speciall care for that it 〈◊〉 his Sanctuary but both in Church â—â—d common-wealth there is great vnâ—â—ietnesse so that all laws both diuine â—â—d humane are openly violated good â—en most cruelly are dealt withall eâ—ill men doe reioyce and triumph in â—â—eir wickednesse without controleâ—â—ent God therfore gouerneth not all â—â—ings that are in common-wealths â—â—d in the Churches This argument thus drawne from â—â—e nature of Gods iustice which séeâ—eth to be contrary to his gouernmeÌ„t 〈◊〉 his prouidence if he should sée moâ—â—rate and suffer all these out-rages 〈…〉 orders is one of the chiefest props of Epicurus his opinion and this argâ—ment troubled many that now liue 〈…〉 dayly labor to bring Epicurus name 〈…〉 obloquy with al men and yet are coâ—tent to liue-like Epicures this argâ—ment also the Lurkes and our capâ—tall enemies the papists obiect m 〈…〉 against vs and sure it carrieth s 〈…〉 waight with it that Dauid confesse 〈…〉 y â— he was so astonied that his féet we 〈…〉 almost gone and his steppes had w 〈…〉 neare slipt when he saw the prospe 〈…〉 ty of the wicked and punishments a 〈…〉 hard entertainement of the godly vâ—till he went into the sanctuary of G 〈…〉 then vnderstood he their end â—hat vntill Dauid entred into Gods school learned by his word holy spirit he ordered al things most wisely a 〈…〉 iustly After Pompey had bin put t 〈…〉 worst in the battaile fought betw 〈…〉 Caesar him in the consines of Ph 〈…〉 salos escaped by flight to Mytele 〈…〉 he went to Cratippus and disput 〈…〉 with the Philosopher in his Gard 〈…〉 whither he thought there was a 〈…〉 God which by his prouidence ruled earth and for that before in very 〈…〉 〈…〉 uarels hee had had most prosperous 〈…〉 ccesse as when he had subdued in 〈…〉 aitaile vanquished the inhabitants â—f the East part of the world was 〈…〉 ow in a most good cause ouercome 〈…〉 ripped off his army forcâ—d to fly aâ—ay himself alone most shamfully he â—ere of gathred that God regarded not â—hat was done amongst men but y â— al â—hings were done by chaÌ„ce thus doth 〈…〉 wise men of y â— world iudge speak of â—uch eueÌ„ts But y e holy Ghost teacheth â—s to iudge far otherwise of theÌ„ when Moses in his song Deu. 32. was to de 〈…〉 uer to the people the threatnings of God if they were disobedient which â—fterward y e rebellions Israelits felt â—ée vseth this preface perfect is the worke of the mighty God for all his waies are iudgement God is true and without wickednes iust righteous is 〈…〉 e teaching hereby that whatsoeuer 〈…〉 e world doth prate of the causes of â—fflictions that GOD with great â—isdome doth send forth of his trea 〈…〉 res all sortes of calamities some 〈…〉 me by them to punish the wick 〈…〉 sometime to excercise the Godly with them For the sins of the peoplâ— the hipocrite doth raigne That is tâ— rants sit in the throne of Justicâ— which vnder pretence of executiâ— iustice are but hipocrites and oppreâ—â— the people Iob. 34. verse 30. Woe be to thee saith the Prophâ— Isaiah which spoylest for thou shaâ— bee spoiled And indéed one tyraâ— plagueth another and though tyrant be a plague to al natioÌ„s kingdomeâ— yet are they themselues in due timâ— in like sort punished by other tyrantâ— In the person of Sennacheâ—ib y â— iudgâ—ments of God are very liuely set for by the Prophet Isaiah in the teâ— Chapter of his prophesse The Loâ— stirreth vp the king of the Assirians punish the easterne people Sennach rib was a wicked man he is ascoâ—â— to wicked peoplâ— yea he cruelly verâ— the people of God he spoileth almoâ— all Palestina hee besâ—egeth Ierusalâ— the chiefe Citty of that Country Aâ— thus saith God of him by the Prophâ— in that place O Ashur the rod of â— wrath and the staffe in their hands my indignation I will send him tâ— dissembling nation and I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoyle and to take the prey and to treade them vnderfoote like the mire of the streete But hee thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so and so forth And a little after thus saith God by the Prophet of him But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vppon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visit the fruite of the proude heart of the King of Ashur and his glorious and proude lookes Because he said by the power of myne owne hand haue I done it and by my wisdome because I am wise And a little after this thus saith the Prophet shal the axe boaste it selfe against him that heweth therewith If Pompey had looked on this example thus laide forth by the Prophet hée might haue bâ—ne better
A SERMON of Gods Prouidence Uery godly and profitable Preached at Southshoobery in Essex by Arthur Dent Minister of Gods word The third impression Iohn 19 vers 10. 11. Then said Pylate vnto him speakest thou not vnto mee knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to lose thee Iesus answered thou couldest haue no power at all against mee except it were giuen thee from aboue Imprinted at London for Iohn UUright 1609. A platforme made for â—e proofe of Gods prouidente that is â—r the examining of the trueth of this 〈…〉 ctrine whether God by his prouidence rule all things generally and euery creature and action particularly Text. 〈…〉 lotte is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Prou. 10. 33. IT were to be wished that all Christians did vnderstand that which with mouth they confesse when they rehearse the articles of their 〈…〉 th gathered out of the Apostles 〈…〉 ine The Consession is briefe and euery 〈…〉 rde in it very significant and well 〈…〉 erstood would roote all heresies out â—ur mindes The principles of religion are therâ— contained and if hée bée but a wâ—â— Philosopher that is ignorant in â— principles of Philosophy and if it bâ— shame for all artificers to be ignorâ— in the grounds of those artes they professe it is a greater shame for vs Christians to make shew of christianity aâ— yet to be ignorant in the rudimen to our Religion I would to God that euery one â—â— hath the name of a christiaÌ„ did throughly vnderstand were fully instruct in them then néeded not I labour much for the proofe of this doctrine For euery one of vs when we do oâ—fesse God to be almighty doe acknowledge that he by his prouidence rulâ— euery thing and that wee may knew what we say I purpose chiefly to hadle these two points First that Christ the Sonne of Gâ—â— hath the selfe same prouidence the God the Father hath Secondly tâ—â— the prouidence of God doth goueâ—â—â— all things generally and euery specâ—â— thing specially And yet in handling these two I â—â— not recite all that may be said touching his matter but only touch some chiefe pointes summarily which may helpe â—n the better to vnderstand the large and learned tracts that many notable â—en haue written hereof For the first That Christ the Sonne of GOD doth gouernâ— all things as well as God the Father is prooued by reason example and authoritie BY reason if God by his wisdome made the world that is if that the eternall wisdome of God which is his word the euerlasting Sonne of God was present with God when he made the worlde he is also with him in gouerning the world but hée was with God when he made the world therefore he is with him in gouerning of it The equity of the first proposition is grounded vpon most strong reason For as God created the world by his wisdome so it is not to be beléeued that God gouerneth the world without his wisdome otherwise hée should gouerne by chance The second proposition is prâ—â—ed by the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 1. by whom also he made the worlds By example Gen. 48. vers 13. 14. 15. Then tooke Ioseph them both Ephrainâ— in his right hand towards Israels left hand Manasseth in his left hand toward Israels right hand so hee brought them vnto him But Israell stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraims head which was the younger and his left hand vpon Manassehs head directing his hands on purpose for Manasseh was the elder Also hee blessed Ioseph and said the GOD before whom my Fathers Abraham Isack did walke the God which hath fed me al my life loÌ„gvnto this day In which words Iacob acknowleâ—geth Gods prouidence to stretch particular men euen to himselfe Then it followeth as vers 5. 26. The Angell which hath deliuered me from â—ll euill blesse the children and let my name bee named vpon them and the name of my Fathers Abraham and Izacke that they may grow as fish into â— multitude in midst of the earth In these words the holy Patriarke Iacob giueth that particular prouidence to y â— Angell which in the former verse hée had giuen to God And that by the â—ame of Angell he vnderstandeth no treature is hereby proued in that hée â—ffirmeth that this angel had power to â—â—esse saying to him Blesse the children Hée then is the angell whom Iacob was wont to call the angell of the Lord that is the Sonne of God Therefore in this place Iacob attributeth a prouidence ouer al things and persones to the angell that is the Sonne of God as well as to God the Father By authority Iohn 5. ver 17. My Father worketh and I worke This works that Christ speaketh of is not to be vnâ—erstood of the creation onely but also of the gouerning of al things created For this particle hitherto sheweth that he ment not onely that first worke of his in creating all things with his Father but also another worke which he daily excerciseth which cannot bée vnderstood of any other then of gouerning all things with his Father But here we must obserue this rule that the workes of the Trinity are vndeuided Therefore that which is the Fathers worke is the worke also of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost That the Sonne of GOD doth the same workes that the Father doth is already prooued the same is to be affirmed also of the holy Ghost by the warrant of Gods word as by that I read in the 139. Psame Whether shal I goe from the Spirit or whether shall I flie from thy presence If ascende into Heauen thou art there If I lie downe in hell thou art there let mee take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost partes of the Sea yet thether shall thine hand lead mee and thy right hand hold mee Thus is the first point briesly prooued that Christ the Sonne of God and the holy Ghost do gouerne all things as wel as God the Father Now to the second that God by his prouidence gouerneth all and euery thing There are very many that can willingly graunt that God by his prouidence gouerneth all things in general but that euery particularthing is ruled by the same they deny with these men therefore I minde to deale some what largely though not so learnedly as the cause requireth who is able to handle it worthily Philosophers haue in this point had sundry opinions Epicurus said that all things were ruled by chance and fortune and that God liued idelly and at ease in the Heauens which opinion as impious all men in wordes condemne and yet so we liue that our liues are euident proofes against vs that in heart and soule wée imbrace it For surely if we thought any better of GOD then Epicurus did wée would not walk so directly in Epicurus pathes as we do or liue so licentiously as though God
regarded vs not The Periapatetickes and other sort of Philosophers broched another opinion teaching that those things which are aboue the Heauens are mooued guided and gouerned by God himself but those things that are vnder the circle of the Moone are gouerned partly by chance and fortune partly by the counsailes and deuises of men partly by a brutish or senceles force of nature There is a third opinion of the Stoicks which is that all things are ruled by fate or destiny that is by a secret order and linke of causes in which chaine all things are so surely tied that both God himselfe and man are straighted within those bounds This was a very dainty opinion in the iudgement of the Poets who to excuse the weakenes of their God Iupiter fained that he wept for that he was so hindered by the force of destiny that he could not set Sarpedo at liberty The fourth opinion is Platoes who graunteth that God by his prouidence ruleth all things in generall which afterward God coÌ„miteth to petty Gods halfe Gods and diuells who haue the charge and care of particular things From these foure opinions spring all other whatsoeuer touching Gods prouidence and there is no one opinion which may not easily be reduced to one of these But some of vs euen of vs Christians flying one danger run into another for that they dare not deny that God by his prouideÌ„ce ruleth al things yet will they not graunt that by it hée gouerneth euery particular thing least they should thereby be driuen as they think to some absurdities thus whilst they would auoide absurditie they commit impiety and fal away from the truth most dangerously But farre bee this froÌ„ your heart Right worshipful and that it may neuer possesse you auoid the cause that worketh it in them which is ignorance of the word of God and for that God in great mercy hath kindled in your heart a desire of knowledge quench not that godly desire in you but pursue hotly with hearty and feruent prayer after knowledge and you shall finde it and if you shall finde it you shalâ—certainely know that there will no absurdity be inforced vpon any doctrine grounded vpon Gods word that you néed not feare this doctrine as they do I wil first discourse breifly of the truth of it and wil proue that God gouerneth by his prouidence al things generally and euery particular thing particularly then wil I answere to al those chiefe obiections which are brought against it and by which some vaine men think to make the doctrine absurde To the first For that this argument hath béene diuersly handled and men haue béene very curious in discoursing thereof espetially since what way soeuer they winde themselues many absurdities doe séeme to follow them it wil be best I thinke for me to kéepe me in the high beaten way least séeking by-wayes I wander out of the way I meane to discourse so of this doctrine as I am taught in the word of God then diligently to remooue al those things whatsoeuer they be not beséeming the most pure nature of God which in the iudgmeÌ„t of man shal séeme hereof to follow But if my ignorance were so great that I could not remooue these inconueniences yet notwithstanding are you all Christians bound to receiue with all humilitie this true doctrine to blame me not the doctrine if I be not able to cleare it oâ—â—â—l those things which in the iudgement of man may séeme absurd And although it is not my purpose to examine all that Philosophers others say against the gouerning of euery thing by the prouidencâ— of God yet in my minde all that they caÌ„ say against it may by this one argument be easily ouerthrowne If he be a God which they all confesse though they would deny it yet may it easily bée prooued against them he is a most perfect thing but y â— which is most perfect hath nothing perfecter then it selfe neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect then that which of it selfe is truly absolutely most perfect therfore there is nothing neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect then God herevpon I infer if God did not gouerne al things in general euerie thing in particular we might well imagine that there was some-thing more perfect then God euen such a deity which had charge and care of euery particular thing but it is shewed y â— no such deity or Godhead caÌ„ be imagined It is false therefore that they herevpon would infe 〈…〉 that God by his prouidence ruleth noâ— euery particuler thing the contrary is true which we teach for else surely that God which they dreame of to liue idly and at case to haue no care of any thing as they babble is not in truth a God but as Tully somtime said of their maister Epicurus so say I of them that they in words acknowledge a God but in truth deny y â— there is any But leauing Philosophers let vs sée what the Scripture teacheth vs the first place I will vse for y â— proofe of this doctrine I take out of the Epistle to the Hebrues the 1. Chapt. verse 3. where it is said of the sonne of God that Hee beareth vp that is mooueth and gouerneth all things by his mightie worde hee that graunteth that he ruleth al things excepteth no one thing from his gouernment We may then well conclude out of this place of God that God gouerneth all and euerie thing But least I should leaue any starting hole for the aduersary to winde out at let vs further sée what the Scripturâ— teacheth vs of the gouerning of euery particular thing by Gods prouidence Neither will I heape vp many places but content my selfe with a fewe examples out of which the truth of this doctrine may be gathered And thus I do endeuour to prooue it briefly All the creatures of God are either indued with y â— gift of frée choise or else want this liberty of choise they that haue it are Angels both good and euill and men also both good and euill they that want this liberty of choyse are all other liuing things created by God also those his creatures which haue no life and yet of all these creatures God hath a speciall care so as he disposeth of euery one of them according to his pleasure The booke of Iob and the Psalmes do very often handle this argument so that if I should gather out of them all their proofes I should write out almost their whole bookes yet some I will bring and leaue the rest for you to gather hoping it wil be a means to bring you to the often reading of them In the 147. Psalme the Prophet saith thus of God hat he couereth the Heauen with cloudes and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vppon the Mountaines But the cloudes the raine and the grasse are things without soule
others dete 〈…〉 ble and yet some of those better 〈…〉 others and some of those actions 〈…〉 ther to be altogither allowed no 〈…〉 praised and yet as Ioseph witness 〈…〉 God by his prouidence ruleth and 〈…〉 poseth them all both men and 〈…〉 actions to Iosephs good So as Dauid saith Psalm 105. 〈…〉 God sent a man before them Io 〈…〉 was sold for a slaue For so God 〈…〉 uemeth the wicked actions of th 〈…〉 men that the most peruâ—â—se practises of Iosephs brethren the shamelesse and beastly part of Putiphars wife and other heauy actions had a most happy end So that euen those things that they did to Ioseph purposing by theâ— vtterly to destry him brought Ioseph to great honour so mighty and wonderfull is God that he is able to wake the light to shine out of darkenesse Moreouer in the last chapter of the prophesie of Ionas we shal sée how wonderfully God doth not onely goâ—erne men but also al maner of Creaâ—ures sensible vnsensible for I readâ—â—hat Ionas went out of the citty of Ni 〈…〉 y sat on the East-side of the citty 〈…〉 there made him a booth sat vnder 〈…〉 t in the shadow til he might see what â—â—ould be done to the City the Lord 〈…〉 epared a Gourd made it come vs 〈…〉 er Ionas that it mighâ—be a shadow 〈…〉 er his head and deliuer him from 〈…〉 s griefe So Ionas was exceeding 〈…〉 ad of the Gourd But God prep◠〈…〉 d a worme when the morning bo 〈…〉 to rise the next day and it smote 〈…〉 e Gourd â—hat it withered and 〈◊〉 the Sunne did arise God prepared also a seruent East winde thâ— Sunne beate vpon the head of Ionah that hée fainted and wished in his heart to die and said It is better for mee to die then to liue in this that I haue written out of Ionas wée haue these things to waie First Ionah a man the most excellentest creature the other baser creatures as the Gourd the worme and the windeâ— the worme is a creature that hath life in it and is of that kind of beasts that be denided in their bodies the head breast from their belly and taile the Gourd the wind they are creatures without life yet you sée how God by his prouidence ruleth moueth at his pleasure all thâ—se creatures If Epicurus had béene at this fight hée would haue ascribed all to chance if Aristotle t 〈…〉 atut all causes if Chrysippus or Zeno Stoicks to fate and destiny if Plato to some petty God and amongst them all there had not béene â—ne word of the truth of God But the holy Ghost attributeth the â—â—urse of gouerning al thâ—se things to God alone who pâ—â—â—ared them aâ— for Ionah his good for by these meanes Ionah that was wandring was set in the right way as if you will read the chapter you may sée more fully of that which I haue already written I may safely conclude that both all the creatures which want the gift of choice all they that haue it are gouerned and ruled by God by his most high and mightâ— prouidence Of the Angels which I placed at the first amongst these creatures that haue the liberty of choice I wil write now the lesse hoping that I shal haue this backe againe to view polish and inlarge but their name teacheth vs that they are ruled by God him selfe for they are called Angeli Angels that is messengers sent from God and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes are called the ministers and seruants of God Thus much for the first part that is for the truth of this doctrine that God by his prouideÌ„ce ruled al things in general and euery particular thing in particular Now I come to that â— promised to handle in the 〈◊〉 place namely to the vnfolding and answering of those arguments which are made against this doctrine The first argument they make is this God cannot gouern all things generally and euery creature and action without exceeding toile and griefe of mind But it agréeeth with the nature of God that hee rest in quiet be free from all labors Therefore God doth not gouerne all and euery particular thing To this argument drawne thus from the nature of God I answere that their first proposition is false which is that God cannot gouerne all things generally and particularly without exceeding toile and griefe of minde but for that I will not only deny it as false but shew the reasons that mâ—â—ue me so to do you must know that there are diuers kinds of actions â—ome are naturall some are violent other some meane that is neither altogether natural nor altogether violent natural actions are they that do slow from the principles of nature it selfe without any helpe elsewhere such are the round motions of the heauens thâ— flowing and ebbing of the Sea thâ—â— light things do of their natural lightnesse mount vpward heauâ— things all downeward that we breath â—nd such like these actions are done without any labor because they moue of themseluâ—s without any other helpe Other actions there are which are done by force and therefore are called violent as by force to make a stone mount vpward whose nature is to fall downeward And such like violent actions which cannot long last as Aristotle â—eacheth because they are done with force There is another sort of actions which I called meane whose beginnings are of nature but yet they cannot bée done vnlesse they bee helped by some other meanes as to eate to drinke to walke and such like But now that that God doth hée doth without labour because â—â—â— he doth it naturally and therefore most â—reely againe there is no force that can compell GOD and therefore hee worketh of himselfe freely and without any compulsion neither is he trobled with griefes but gouerneth all things according to the rule of his will neither is there any thing more agréeable to the nature of God then to gouerne and preserue the whole worlde euen with the word of his power A second argument of theirs is this It is an vnméete thing for God and cleane repugnant to his nature to entermeddle in filthy and vncleane matters but he cannot gouern euery seueral creature and their actions but he must entermeddle with many vncleane and filthy matters therefore he doth not gouerne them I deny the second proposition which is that God cannot gouerne euery seueral creature their actions but he must mingle himselfe with many vncleane and filthy matters For that amongst the creatures and their actions there are many vnclean things this consequence though it be the ground of the proposition is false for although the power of God is in all his creatures ruleth all yet doth it not therefore follow that the nature of God doth entermeddle with thâ—â—â—pure actions of his creatures which may be made plaine by this similitude the Sunne of all visible creatures most excellent man onely excepted