endued with such a singuler sanctimonie but that if wée beleeue the Scripture as dout lesse wée must beleeue it hée dooth not only fall once but also seuen nay infinit times in a day yea and now then also hee committeth moste greeuous enormities at least wise in minde and will which onely and alone maketh men guiltie before God and is reputed and taken for the deed doon further there is no sinne so light woorthy of pardon to mans thinking which yet were not to be recompenced with most horrible and eternall paines if so be God would straightly examine euery thing and sist it after the rule of his most seuere iudgement For we are all by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2. All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God Rom. 3. And Psal 130. If thou Lord wilt marke our iniquities who shal be able to stand Howsoeuer therfore it falleth out vnto those that are accounted in the number of the godly it behoueth them certes to be perswaded yea euen whilest they are distressed with strange and innumerable perplexities that they are yet louinglye and fauourablye delt withall The Lord euen theÌ„ when he striketh is pitifull and forgetteth not his mercy Thirdly If in cace thou hast experience dayly of the Lordes liberalitie why shouldest thou not somtimes also feele his rodde This thing no man will iudge to be vnequall which at least would not incurre the reproache of ingratitude or take vpon him to controll Gods iustice So Iob willingly confessed that he was iustly afflicted with miâ—â—â—es and stricken of the Lord who before had had the vse of most large and ample benefites Shall we receiuâ— good at the hand of God saith he and not receiue euill Fourthly What shal we say to this that it is meet and conuenient that parents should somtimes correct their Sonnes whome they would haue to become good men And except they doo this they shal be thought to haue small care or regarde of their childrens welfare After the same maner God also the common Father of vs all dooth most iustlye in that he euer and anon somewhat seuerelye chastiseth the godly whom he accounteth vndoubtedlye as his owne Children least they should by ouermuch cockering become careles and secure and being corrupted through long prosperitie fall to sinning with the wicked who haue all thinges for the most parte according to their desire Hitherto belong that saying of the wise man Pro. 3. Whom the Lord loueth him he chasteneth Apoca. 3. Whomsoeuer I loue I rebuke and chasten Fiftly Why shouldst thou think much to be afflicted héere for a while if after thou be gone from hence thou knowest assuredly that eternall life is prepared for thée and that thou shalt be blessed with ioyes euerlasting Nay it is iust and to be wished that thou shouldest suffer héer and be molested that thou mightest héereafter enioy perpetuall rest and felicitie For why it cannot be that all thinges should fall out alike after thy desire both heere and there For God hath so ordained 2. Thes 1. It is a righteous thing with God to render vnto you that are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shewe him felfe from heauen And Luk. 16. Abraham saith to the rich man Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines but now is he comforted and thou art tormented c. 1. Corinth 11. When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not de condemned with the world Séeing therfore the afflictions that are sent doo commend Gods iustice vnto vs we are to be perswaded that they come not from God without cause And héereby shall all aduersities become the more easie to be borne in that we vnderstand them to be iustly layde vpon vs and that none so gréeuous can befall vs but that we haue deserued far more greeuous if so be God should weigh the greatnes of our sinnes according to his iustice ¶ Touching the fourth reason to speak in few woords namely that God by the calamities which he sendeth vnto men taketh occasion to illustrate and set forth his owne power and glory that becommeth manifest by the woordes of the Lord. Exod. 9. where a reason is rendred why Pharaoh was so excéedinglye hardened and so oftentimes most gréeuouslye scourged with his people the Egiptians for so saith the Lord by Moses vnto Pharaoh Let my people goe that they may serue me Otherwise I will at this time send all my plagues vpon thine hart and vpon thy seruants and vpon thy people that thou maist know that there is none like me in all the earth And a little after And in deed for this cause haue I appointed thee to shewe my power in thee and to declare my name in all the world Which woordes we see to be repeated Rom. 9. But wilt thou haue me tell thee more plainely how the glorye of the Lord was aduanced by the afflictions of the Egiptians Then consider with thy selfe whither this thing dooth not make greatlye to the celebrating of the name power of the Lord that he shooke so mighty a people so quicklye and by strange meanes that were neuer heard the like and at the length togither with their King and his whole armies vtterly destroyed them almost in a moment Who would not heere honour and reuerence the wonderfull power of God and acknowledge him to be the onlye God almightye reigning in heauen and in earth But much more on the other side dooth the power of God shewe foorth it selfe in that so sodaine and vnlooked for deliuerance of the people of Israell which were so greatly deiected and cast downe by reason whereof the Lord also would afterward alwaies challenge to him selfe most soueraigne praise repeating this oftetimes to Moses and other of the Fathers I am the Lord which haue brought you out of the land of Egipt In like maner if now also the Lord dooth one while erect and an other while deiect Kinges and Kingdomes or if so be he draweth thee at the last who art in respect of thy body in very good health and increased with large possessions and honors into sicknes or spoyleth thée of thy goods and dignitie thou oughtest to iudge that all this is doone to this end and purpose that the Lord hath appointed in thée to set forth to the world his power to be séene which againe he will make to appéere more glorious wheÌ„ al things being now past hope of recouery and all doo vtterly dispaire of any helpe he shall restore thée againe to thy former health riches and dignitie to the incredible admiration of all men So in Iob so in many others would the Lord haue his power to be séen and dayly still dooth he procure the like examples to be set before our eyes that it might alwaies be found true which the blessed Virgin sang The Lord hath shewed strength with his arme he hath scattered the
particular prouidence may suffize In the third place we are to entreate of secondary causes which it appéereth to be all cleane wiped away if euery of these inferiour thinges héere belowe be doone and dispatched by the wil and prouidence of God himself and yet that they should be remoued out of the way neither is it a thing vsuall neither dooth any reason permit or suffer them so to be We answer e bréefely that as touching secondarye causes which are otherwise called inferiour causes we will set them in their right place but according as both the manner of the woord and the nature of the relation dooth require we must of necessite reduce them to an other first and higher cause which is God himselfe so that albeit they may seeme to woorke and serue to our vse yet we must vnderstand that they cannot doo or effect any thing but so farre foorth as they receiue and participate their whole force from the first cause which alone and in very déede obtaineth of right the name of cause Wherupon also it hath pleased some to terme it the cause infinite and cause of all causes For as the hāmer of it self can in no wise make in the iron any certain print or fashion of a Key sawe or such like thing vnles the Smith him selfe doo put both the hammer and the iron to the Anuile and ofte times strike vpon it so must we perswade our selues that neither in the second causes efficient nor in the thinges hoped to be effected by them any thing can follow or be brought to perfection except God him selfe dooth stirre vp temper and bring al things to their right and appointed end And looke what accompt we make of tooles or instrumentes which we vse to apply to the woorkmanship and making of any thing whatsoeuer and the selfe same regarde is to be had with God of second or secondary causes as we call them For why the instruments of themselues are nothing els then idle and vnprofitable and scarce woorthy if we consider them well the name of causes vnlesse peraduenture as the hanuner or saw may after a sort be called causes which yet are not so to be taken for causes as if a table or forme or any such like thing be wel artificially made any praise or reward should returne vnto thē as the which all men doo know that they neither can woorke or are able to doo any thing but what and how much the craftesman him selfe will haue or cause them to doo And so are we to iudge of all other thinges For take me an hearbe also or any other like thing that is good for phisick albeit it may séem to haue especial vertue against some certaine kinde of disease and béeing vsed may peraduenture helpe the sick partie yet in very deede it commeth to passe by the woorkmanship of God who dooth woork effectually by the hearb For proofe héereof this may serue that the same hearbe otherwise heeing applyed vnto some other that is infected with the like disease dooth no good to thē curing of it and whence commeth this but because the Lord there refuseth to woork by it So farre foorth is a medicine neuer holesomely applyed but when it pleaseth the Lord him selfe to woork with it Wherupon also it commeth to passe that oft-times a man recouereth his health by that thing that he least thought off and all because the Lord woorketh with it howsoeuer otherwise it seemeth in no wise to be prepared for that vse So where the Lord Iesus spitted vpon the ground and made clay and put it to the eyes of the blinde that clay of it selfe did nothing toward the restoring of the sight for who euer vsed such a medicine but yet there it did good and preuailed because it pleased the Lord to adde his strength to that outward signe And in like manner we sée other oftetimes to be healed by taking this or that thing which yet was neuer thought to haue any force or strength in it against the present disease Therfore all secondary causes are in very déede only as ye would say certaine tooles or instrumentes yet such as are neuer forcible to woork but when the Lord him selfe giueth strength vnto them But this is to be marked of vs that secondary causes are not in euery◠respect like vnto tooles for these are such as without them the artificer can doo nothing For why except hee haue his hammer sawe chip-axe and such like instruemēts he is compelled to cease as neuer able with his fingers or nayles alone to heawe the timber nor to plaine the boordes But God for his part can without the helpe of any second causes bring to passe at all times whatsoeuer it pleaseth him For hence it is that so many thinges happen which we account for miracles because that in them whither it be the healing of the sicke or any other vnusuall thinge be doone we can sée in no second causes to concurre as otherwise among men are commonly vsed Hence likewise it is that so many great thinges come to passe soddenly and besides the expectation of men as for example when we see all thinges in a readines to war and now the banners to be displaied the standerds erected and the battailes fully bent to ioyne togither yet beholde no man once dreaming of any such matter peace is sodenly proclaimed the armes on either side dismissed and sent away c. Againe on the other side when there appeered most certaine hope of peace to be continued euen then haue risen vp and no man knowing how or by whome horrible stirres and tumultes In all which thinges the only prouidence of God woorketh all in all and that without the help of any secondary causes appéering vnto vs. Therfore what things soeuer come to passe throughout the whole worlde it is certayne that they are doone and accomplished by God him selfe and if at any time secondary causes doo soeme to woorke any thing at all yet are they nought els but vnprofitable tooles without strength and of no force in them selues And verily when God vseth the ministerie of them he dooth it doubtlesse more for our cause then for his owne For why that he is able to bring to passe without them whatsoeuer it pleaseth him there is no man that can deny But for this cause his pleasure is oftentimes to woorke by them to wit that his diuine power woorking in thinges visible may put foorth it selfe the more cléerely to be seen and that we might be admonished therby and driuen as manifestlye conuicted to confesse that the deuine aide is diuers sundry waies and at all times present with vs and that there is nothing in the whole world so small or albeit created in vaine but that from euery thing that is there floweth one commoditie or other either vnto man or vnto other thinges according as the diuine prouidence of God hath appointed and ordained For our sakes therfore it is that in
secondary or inferior causes the force of Gods power and goodnes doth vtter and declare it selfe and not for Gods cause him selfe who dooth at no hand stand in néed of their aide or helpe For like as when any péece of woorke cunningly and artificially made is set foorth openlye to be seene there the craftesman him selfe is praised and commended of all the beholders and not this or that toole or instruement which he vsed in making of it so in all thinges that come to passe heere belowe albeit they may séeme to be accomplished by secondary causes as they are vsually tearmed yet if there be any goodnes and excellency in them the prouidence and goodnes of God him selfe ought especiallye to be considered and commended yea and al the praise and thankes giuing is to be ascribed vnto God him selfe and not vnto any second or inferior causes Wherefore we doo not willingly graunt vnto secondary causes the roome and authoritie which they deserue but in the mean season this we would haue to be grauÌ„ted againe vnto vs that whatsoeuer séemeth to be wrought or accomplished by them may be ascribed vnto God alone as to the chéefe and principall author inasmuch as they with out him can doo nothing but contrariwise he without them is well able to doo all things And thus is concluded that which was saide of vs at the beginning namely that God doth all in all in euery thing and that his prouidence necessarily stretcheth it selfe euen to the least thinges that are brought to passe in this lower part of the worlde and not simplye stretche if selfe vnto them but also exactly gouerneth and administreth euery thing But I thought good to ad heerunto certain woords of S. Augustine as touching second or inferior causes and touching the force of Gods power woorking in all thinges for so much as they doo wonderouslye well agrée to this present treatise of ours Thus therfore in his 7. book de Ciuitate Dei Cap. 29. disputing against theÌ„ that would referre the causes of all thinges to the world it selfe the partes therof and also to certain peculiar and chosen Gods amongst other things he saith We woorship that God saith he that apointeth to the creatures by him created both the beginnings and endes of their being and mouing which hath in him self knoweth and disposeth the causes of thinges which hath made and created the vertue of seeds which hath put areasonable soule which is called the minde into what liuing creatures it pleased him which hath giuen them the power and vse of speach which hath imparted to what spirits hee would the office of telling things to come and by whom it pleseth him he foretelleth things to come by whom he pleseth he â—â—iueth away diseases which ruleth the beginnings proceedings and endings of warres also themselues accordingly as mankinde is to be corrected and amended which hath both created and also ruleth and gouerneth the most vehement and violent fire of this worlde according to the temperature of his vnmeasurable nature which is both the creator and gouernor of the waters throughout the whole earth which hath made the Sunne the cleerest of all corporall lightes and hath giuen vnto it answerable power and mouing which stretcheth his rule and dominion euen to hell it selfe and the internall spirits which ministreth seede and nourishment both moist and dry according to the seueral natures and dispositions of his creatures which founded the earth and maketh it fruitfull which giueth the fruites therof both to men and beastes which knoweth and ordereth not only the principall causes of thinges but also the subsequent and inferiour which appointeth to the Moone her course and motion which discouereth the waies of heauenlye and earthly things by the interchanginges of places which hath graunted to the wittes and capacities of men that he hath made the knowledge also of diuers and sundry artes to the adorning and beautifying of life and nature which hath ordained the coniunction of male and female to the better propagation of issue and posteritie which hath fauourablye graunted to the companies and societies of men the benefite of earthly fire which they might applye to most easye vses as to warme them in their houses to giue them light c. according to their seuerall necessities Hitherto are the woordes of Saint Augustine Héereby it may appéere how fond and shamefull the cauillations of some men are wherby they goe about to subuert and ouerthrowe particular prouidence If it be so say they that all things are ordered by Gods prouidence then in vaine shall we labour and take paines in any thing and in vaine shall our counsailes and consultations be which yet that they are both necessarily and profitably vsed very reason and nature it selfe dooth teach vs all If it be appointed of God say they that we shall haue good successe in any matter it shall not be néedfull for vs to take any care neither to bestowe any labour or diligence in prouiding such thinges as we think to be necessary for vs but if it be decreed that we shall haue no good successe then héer again shall all thinges be attempted in vaine of vs. Wherfore he that perceiueth any dangers to hang ouer his head shal not take counsel how he may auoide them he that heareth tel that the way is beset with theeues shall not enquire after any other way wherin he might walke neither tarry for any to beare him company he that feareth the danger of some contagious sicknes wherwith he seeeth others to be infected shall not refraine the companye of the diseased neither shall he take any preseruatiue by the counsell of the phisition he that séeeth his house on fire and ready to fal on his head or a gulf of waters breaking through the banks with great force to rush vpon him shall not look which way he may escape he that is alreadye set in the middest of dangers and either taken of his enemies or atteynted with sicknes shall not prouide for his deliuerance neither craue the help of physick Nay further God shall not be called vpon by praier nor sought vnto to the intent we might obtaine any thing of him when as we are sure that nothing can come to passe but that which he hath once decréed In summe it shall be sufficient for a man once in all his life to commend him selfe wholy vnto God and then with hault and bolde courage to look for whatsoeuer he shall send for why in this case there remaineth nothing els for man to doo With these and such like cauils I say a sort of ignorant men seeke to suppresse particular prouidence but he shall easily ouerthrow theÌ„ that will héedfullye consider of those thinges that haue hitherto of vs been saide But ouer and besides we will adde certaine reasons cleere and manifest whereby we will shewe that euen secondary causes when the cace so requireth are in no wise to be contemned or neglected and yet
neuerthelesse that God woorketh all in all in them First We must perswade our selues that those causes and all other helpes and remedies besides are giuen vs of God him self and look by what prouidence it is ordained that we should fall into dangers and stand in need of many things and by the same also it is appointed that we should vse secondary causes and be holpen by them For as it is ordayned of God that we should be pined with hunger pinched with thirst frozen with colde distressed with diuers diseases and oftentimes fall into sundry perrilles and perplexities so is it appointed again of God that we should sowe and mowe our lands prouide water or other kinds of drink get skins lether linnen wollen for apparel giue diligence to learn phisick Secondly It serueth to this purpose that God hath instilled into euery thing that he hath created certaine secret and peculiar vertues which we cannot perceiue in like maner to be in other things So we sée corn or grain properly to qualifie hunger water to queÌ„ch thirst this hearbe for this vse an other for that c. in most excelleÌ„t order prouided But all especially to serue the vse of man as Lord King appointed ouer al creatures whose parte it is in such wise to vse theÌ„ as that he may apply euery thing to those speciall purposes for that which they were properly made and not out of one and the selfe same thing to be in hope that he shall get all things that is to say that he shall not with meat goe about to quench his thirst nor take drink to slake his hunger c. Now theÌ„ if euery thing be in this wise created vnto proper and peculiar vses what availeth it that they should be so created if a man vse theÌ„ not to the same ends purposes Thirdly this also is to be obserued as worthy of admiratioÌ„ namly that ther is no land or cuntry any wher extant with bringeth not foorth what soeuer thinges are necessary to maintaine the life of men and of other creatures wherof there is greatest vse Againe no liuing creature so small wherunto God hath not engraffed a care to preserue it selfe and also some sence and féeling by one meanes or other to auoide the thinges that it seeeth to be against it And wherefore is it thus I pray you but because man should vnderstand that he is altogither left without excuse if as oft as necessitie so require he vse not the helpes that are prouided and striue not to helpe and further him selfe by them Fourthly For the selfesame cause hath God giuen vnto man wit and reason wherby he might discerne betweene thinges to be eschewed and thinges to be desired he hath bestowed vpon him the knowledge of many thinges diuers and sundry excellent artes the obseruation and experience of manifolde actes and exploites Finally de hath ministred vnto man all necessary furniture wherby to procure good thinges and to â—â—â—oâ—â—e the contrary Wherefore then should he not by applying the commoditie of those secoÌ„ndarye causes to himselfe make vse of these notable giftes of God Fiftly It is to be obserued that God him selfe dooth oft times when as strange and vnaccustomed perrilles 〈◊〉 happen whereby man is made amazed and perplexed priuâ—â—ye and as it were by secret inspiration minister conuenient and rare likewise strange and vnaccustomed counsailes and instructions by which the worfull wight being almost past hope of recouery is yet still deliuered and continued Which when it so falleth out it is a plaine case that this is Gods will that we should vse aright and when néed is secondary causes inasmuch as he ordereth and dispozeth them all at his pleasure Sixtly This also is the cause why God would haue man to be ignorant of thinges to come and not priuie to his dinine counsels namely that he béeing plunged in same present perill and not knowing what the issue of it will be may learne to flye to the remedies prouided of God and so in due time by saith to waite for Gods helpe effectuallye woorking in them Seuenthly And thus forsooth will God haue man to haue recourse vnto second causes wherin he him selfe woorketh and which he hath appointed to certaine vses for all euents and purposes insomuch that he accouÌ„teth him selfs to be tempted with great reproche when a man in present perrill refuseth to vse such proper and peculier remedies as are ready and at hand for the nonce So if thou runnest not away when thou séeest thy house at the point to fall vpon thy head thou at least wise being able and God hauing giuen thée strong legges and féete to that end doubtlesse thou makest thy selfe guilty of sinne It is euident therfore that secondary causes sith they are ordained of God him selfe and the necessitie of mans life requireth them are in no wise to be neglected or despised and yet in the mean time not further foorth auailable then it pleaseth God him selfe to woork in them And so we may see oftentimes that being vsed in time they doo much good as wheÌ„ one escapeth by flight another is holpen by taking of medicines another defended by armour and weapon another obtaining his desire by praying vnto God to be short some other escaping by some other means from danger either present or imminent and all because it pleaseth the Lord to woorke together with those secondary causes Againe on the other side we sée oftetimes other to attempte all the like thinges as namely to endeuer to saue themselues by flight to call for the Phifition and carefullye to obey his preceptes to take vp armour and weapon to intreat God for his helpe finally to leaue nothing vnattempted and yet notwithstanding to sticke continuallye in daunger and at the length miserably to perrishe and that for no other cause then for that the Lord dooth not put to his helping hand Againe we may see some set in the middest of the flaming fire compassed about on euery side with the outeries and dead coarses of sick and diseased persons beset with naked swoordes flashing about their eares and lastly destitute of all outward helpe and yet when they least thought of any such matter to be deliuered and all this forsooth because the Lord euen without the ministery of secondary causes woorketh and accomplisheth whatsoeuer it pleaseth him Wherfore let vs so estéeme of secondary causes as they deserue and by no meanes refuse them but yet withall we must hold this that God disposeth and dispatcheth all in all That neither Fate or desteny can stand nor chance or fortune nor contingens or happe-hazard be graunted where there is due knowledg had of Gods prouidence and the same esteemed according to the dignitie therof Cap. 5. NOw the order of teaching requireth that we procéede vnto other questions such namely as doo rise about Fate or destenye about Fortune and chaunce and about Contingens or happe-hazard And first we will speake of Fate or
desteny We are to know therfore that some when they heare vs to commend prouidence and to affirme it to be so busily occupied about euery thing doo by and by that they may the better defend their vniuersall prouidence which they rest vpon very disdainefully exclaime against vs that we set abroach the selfe same thinges and as ye would say fetche them backe from hell into Christian Churches which the idle philosophers are wont to handle as touching fate or desteny in their schooles and cloysters Augustine in his woorke against the two epistles of the Pelageans Book 2. Chap. 5. maketh mention that there was on a time so much as this comes too obiected against him for because he affirmed the grace came not by woorks or merits but only by the good will and pleasure of God who hath mercy on whom he wil and whom he will he hardeneth Neither is it obscure to know what the thinges are that the Philosophers haue put foorth touching Fate or desteny First of all they haue defined fate as Cicero reporteth in his 2. book of Diuination to be an order and course of causes when one cause begetteth another in it selfe And there in the fame place Cicero intending more expressely to describe the force of Fate addeth That it is an euerlasting trueth flowing from all eternitie Which sith it is so there is nothing doone that was not to be doon and in like maner nothing to be doone wherof nature contayneth not effectuall causes to bring it to passe Wherby we are giuen to vnderstand that it is not Fate which superstitiously but which physically is saide to be the euerlasting cause of thinges why both the thinges that are past were doon and the thinges that be present are doone and thinges that are to come shall be doone And so it commeth to passe that by obseruation it may be marked what thing for the most parte followeth euerye cause although not alwaies for that were very hard to affirme and that the selfesame probable causes of things to come are seene of those that either in madnes or in sleep doo beholde them Hitherto Cicero There is extant also a definition of Fate in Gellius in his 6. book and 2. chap. put foorth by Chrysippus a principall piller of the Stoicall discipline For he desireth it to be A certaine naturall course or order of all thinges following one an other from eternitie and the same folding wrapping togither of things remaining vnchangeable In which two places vndoubtedlye there séem some thinges to be contained which doo not agrée amisse to Gods prouidence as it hath of vs also oftentimes héeretofore béene described But besides there are two other opinions rehearsed of Cicero in his booke de Fato of the Philosophers touching Fate The one of those that thought all thinges to come to passe by Fate so as that Fate should bring necessitie in which opinion were Democritus Heraclitus Empedocles Aristotle Wherupon came this to be in the mouthes of many Ineuitabile fatum The other of those vnto whom it séemed that without any Fate the motions of mens mindes are voluntary With whome also this distinction was vsuall that in some thinges it might truly be saide when the certaine causes were gone before that they are not in our power but that they must of necessitie come to passe wherof they were causes but in some thinges though the causes were gone before yet that it is in our power that they should otherwise come to passe and that those thinges forsooth doo properly come to passe by Fate or fatally but from these that fate is absent Further of these two opinions all for the most parte doo especially condemne the former but the latter inasmuch as it maketh the motions of mindes voluntary free exempting thē from the power and iurisdiction of Fate they doo the rather approue and we which acouch particular prouidence they say doo intend again to establish the former assertion and as for the libertie of will which yet that they might keepe safe it pleaseth them only to allowe of vniuersall prouidence that we vtterly take it away and that so our meaning is againe to iustifie and vpholde that philosophicall doctrin touching fate which hath already been reiected of all men Moreouer in the woord Fate and in the sundry names therof especiallye among the Greekes the whole force in a manner of Gods prouidence such as we affirme it to be séemeth to be expressed of the ancient writers so that now nothing is thought to let but that aswel in opinion as in flat termes we doo fully agree in all pointes with them For first they will haue Fatum to be deriued from the Verbe Fando to speake as witnesseth Varro in his 5. book de Lingua Latina and so by the woord Fate they plainelye insumate into all mens mindes that it is nothing els then that which is decréede in the minde of God and that it might vnchangeably come to passe as ye would say by expresse voice declared and pronounced And this is the very same in effect which we call prouidence The woord Fate seemeth not to differ much from those phrases of Scripture euery where extant God spake the word thus saith the Lord and such like by all which the sence and meaning of Gods prouidēce and power is made manifest vnto all men But of the Grecians Fate or Desteny is adorned with many tytles wherof euery one dooth after a sorte set before our eyes somewhat wherby the dispensation and power of the diuine prouinence is more céerly laid open vnto vs. Crysippus interpreteth it to be Pepromenen called as you would say Peperasmenen that is to say limited brought to an end because that by it all thinges are finished and determined Peratoo is as much to say as termino to finish or conclude And Eimarmenen as ye would say Eiromenen that is to say knit and folded togither because the causes are knit betwéen them selues Wherupon also they haue termed it Eirmon that is to say an order or connexion Eiro is necto to knit Moreouer it is called Ananke akinetos that is vnmoueable necessitie because that whatsoeuer is decréed by Fate or Destiny is of necessitie to be accomplished without any change or alteration Also Nemisis because that it distributeth euery where aswell good thinges as bad Nêmo is as much to say as distribuo divido to distribute or deuide Likewise Adrastein for that no man can escape or disappoint it Didrasco is fugio to flye or escape Then also Moira for that it deuideth or parteth vnto all Meiro and Moiras divido is to parte or deuide Wherfore also they haue termed Moiras the same which we call Parcat or Ladies of Destiny forasmuch as they are Memerismenai that is to say distributed or deuided particularly vnto euery one which also are thrée in number according to the three partes or portions of time to wit present past and to come And Lachesis forsooth being the
name of the first hauing respect to the time to come willeth euery man to expect his lot chaunce For Lankano is as much to say as Sortior to giue or take lottes Atropos the name of the second being as you would say irreuertibilis or vnreturnable hath regarde to the times past which cannot be reuoked or called back Propâo and Prepo verto to turne Chlotho the third is attributed vnto thinges present which are by a perpetuall order rolled and whirled about Clotho circum volo to turne about These thinges I say and many moe beside are vttered of the philosophers as touching Fate or desteny and the same seem not to be a little conuenient to the setting forth of the dignitie of prouidence wherof we speake wherby it commeth to passe that some goe about to perswade the vnlearned that we haue drawen those thinges which we alleadge of Gods prouidence especially particular for the most part out of the bookes of the Philosophers or at least wise that ours doo not much differ from their sayinges and that so the doctrine of the Stoikes touching Fate is by vs throughly broched againe and reuiued But we wil shew by certain very substantiall reasons that there is no agréement betwéene vs and the Stoikes either as touching their opinion or as touching their tearmes and titles 1 And first in generall this we say that the place concerning Gods prouidence is one of those that the Philosophers haue most filthily defiled and corrupted as they haue doon all other in a manner wherin the chéefe points of our religion are comprized Wherfore albeit they haue put foorth some thinges aright touching Gods prouidence vnder the name of Fate yet haue they againe deuised many moe after their manner vtterly disagréeing from the trueth for which cause we will by no meanes haue any fellowship or societie with them For how should they doo otherwise that are destitute of Gods woord from which alone ought to be fetched a right iudgement touching high and heauenlye thinges But we through Gods goodnes haue that woord of his wherin is aboundantlye reuealed aswell all trueth as also the nature of his diuine prouidence and this woord of his we safely follow 2 If we haue weighed the matter aright the Philosophers haue seperated their Fate from God and haue propounded it to be considered as an odde thing without God and a part by it selfe but we doo in no cace sonder God and his prouidence but affirme it to be in God yea and euen God himselfe no otherwise then in the holy Scriptures God is called the life the trueth wisdome c. for they place the connexion or course of causes far off from the seate of God and by it selfe of it own proper motion and of it owne peculiar strength perpetually and as farre foorth as may be very orderly woorking vpon these inferior thinges God in the mean time not once putting forth his hand vnto them as he that is occupyed only in and about heauenly matters as in his owne proper seate and mansion Neither that there is any great need why he should trouble his maiestie about the thinges heere belowe sith it cannot be chosen but that all thinges shall fall out for the best after that the whole care and administration therof be once committed to those connexed causes For in asmuch as they doo their office very well and also obserue the order once prescribed them of God it cannot be but that according to their force in woorking appointed effectes must followe as when in clockes cunninglye made the waightes are once drawen vp the little wheeles by and by are turned about of their owne accord and the Gnomon by little and little is moued to the point where it ought to be But we being taught out of the Scriptures doo teach that God himselfe woorketh euery where and reacheth foorth his handes if we may so speak euen vnto euery thing that is and that all thinges doo in no case so depeÌ„d vpon the labour of connexed causes but that without their helpes and ministerye very many notable thinges are wrought and accomplished by God in these inferior matters héere belowe 3 There are many other thinges touching Fate broched afterward by the Philosophers which agree not with the pure doctrin of Gods prouidence neither can they by any meanes be reconciled togither Of which sorte is that especially to omit the rest which was before cyted out of Cicero namely that it may be obserued by the vnwearied actions of causes connexed or knitte togither what thing for the most part dooth follow euery cause This thing doubtlesse in this dispensation of things by Gods prouidence cannot be perceiued forasmuch as many thinges come to passe very oftentimes in that which mans reason seeth no causes at all either principal or accessory and of many great and mightie woorkes there can no other cause be rendred then the good and vnreproueable ivill of the Lord. As no man knoweth the counsell of God so are the causes of many thinges vnsearchable and good reason sith in very deed it were not expedient for a man al waies to knowe them In like manner whither Fate woorketh in all things or whither mans will be exempted from the decrées therof the Philosophers could neuer certainly determine and that aswell because they were hindred by the darknes of the flesh alwaies erring in such matters so as they could not discerne the light of the trueth as also for because they had not the rule squire of Gods woord without the which it is impossible that any sound and certain iudgment should be giuen Wherupon it came to passe that the Philosophers also theÌ„selues laughed one another to scorne in disputing about that matter which thing Eusebius in his 6. booke touching the Preparation of the Gospell reporteth of Oenomaus the Cynick who contemned and disdainfully reproued both Democritus and Crysippus yea and Apollo Pythius also him selfe the one forsooth because he made the most excellent parte of man altogether bond and seruile the other for that he made it self bond or half seruile and Apollo for because wheÌ„ he knew al other things yet was he ignorant of what things we are the woorkers and authors and what thinges depend vpon the execution of our will The same man further derideth the Philosophers for that they could not agree among themselues whither EÃmerméne or Pepromene that is to say Fate or Destenye were of God or no the one affirming the other againe denying Epicurus at the length full wisely concluding that the same is confected and made ex atomis errantibus that is of wandring motes passing too and fro by the way and flittring héere and there on euery side It would be ouer-long to recount and confute other things wherin the Philosophers striuing about fate did moste shamefully ouershoote themselues S. Augustine refelleth some of their errors in his woorke de Ciuitate Dei Lib. 5 Cap. 8.9.10.11 and els where 4 Neither
and soeing this is very small and almost none at all it followeth that such also must contingence be estéemed yea and so little regards is to be had of it euen when to the dooing of thinges our will either inclineth or inclineth not that the Lordes prouidence is alwaies at libertie and remaineth euer firme and stable as by the which it is as well prouided as foreseene that we shall apply our will when time is or not apply it 4. Further where they suppose that Contingence is most wiselye and necessarily established least if it be graunted that all thinges come simplye to passe by the diuine ordinance we should be enforced to graunt that the cause of sinne resteth in God and that he is the anthor of sinue we haue before cléerely shewed and that not by one reason alone that the cause of sinne can in no wise be imputed vnto God but to men onlye them-selues that are the committers of it and yet neuerthelesse that this trueth standeth fast and sure That God woorketh all in all by his Prouidence For why vnto â—ne and the selfsame thing woorketh togither God man yea and the deuill also but because he dooth it by an other meane and to an other end and purpose then these it commeth to passe that the blame and guilte of sin reboundeth vpon their head and his goodnes and iustice appéere euen most cléere and excellent And in the meane time Gods prouidence ordaining and euery where putting to his helping hand the whole matter is brought to passe and accomplished It were to no purpose to repeate those thinges which we haue altearedy more at large declared Euery man may easily perceine that it is in vaine and superfluous to bring foorth Contingence where the inconuenience that is obiected may so many wayes be auoided 5 Now touching that distinction wherby one necessitie is saide to be absolute or of the consequent and an other of the consequence that we may adde somwhat Corâ—â—â— be 〈◊〉 that it ought euen for this cause wordhily to be suspected and abandoned for that it commeth out of the schooles of the Philosephers and Sophisters we will also by some reasons make it plaine and manifest that it is in like manner deuised beside the purpose sertheth nothing at all vnto this present cause 1 First let vs see from whence it came It sprang from a false suppositioÌ„ namely that the liber tis of mans will is so great that beâ—â—â—â— therby effecte somthing besides the ordinatances of God to witte sinne or at least wise do some such thing as is subiect to the rule of reason But we haue sufficiently prooued that this is in no wise to be graunted wherfore also this distinction is vaine and friuolous 2 This distinction dooth not so proue any thing to be doone by necessitie of consequence but that it leueth it still whole that all things are accomplished by Gods prouidences through necessitie absulute Which poynte also we will easilye prooue For the thinges which are said to be done by necessitie of consequence are so for forth iudged and in such wise to be accomplished by man as also the causes are séene to be in a readines as either the expresse woord of God after which sorte necessarily by necessitie of consequence the dead shall rift againe whilest it must vnchaÌ„geably he fulfilled whatsoeuer is established by the voice of God or to coâ—â— causes going before in which respecte whilest some are in the Church very proâ—â— be â—â—â—oâ—s of 〈…〉 shinges and willingly disagrieing â—râ—â—nt â—e opiniâ— us of other men it cannot be but that heriâ—â—es and offences should arise these things I say are said to be coÌ„tingent and necessary by necessitie of consequence because forsooth they are not necessary by nature out only by reason of these causes propounded But wherâ—â— man through his imbeâ—litâ—â— and weaknes cannot difeerile these things to come to passe otherwise which are notâ—â— his iudgement necessary by nature but so far forth as he séeth such manifest causes going beâ—â—â—â— what doth this auaile I pray you to proue that all thinges are not alwaies extane with God and that by an absolute necessitie all thinges are not wrought accoÌ„plished by and through him Vndoubledly of those thoughes which must unto come to passe there is nothing doone but so far foorth as God 〈…〉 hath ordained it to be whatsoeuer â—e hath ordained that must of necessitie vs accoplished Wherby it coÌ„meth to passe that in God who is abone all second causes and aboue all time there can no were 〈…〉 cause 〈◊〉 change or alteration of will be enquired as â—ought after but euely and alâ—â—â— the euerlasting 〈◊〉 ought to be considered according to the which that must beimpuâ—â—â— ably and necessarily be fulfilled which that it should onâ—â— be fulfilled was ordeined euen before the creâ—â—â—n of the world Neither makes it any watter in the meane season whither God hath opâ—â—â—â—â— vnto man his will â—â—decrâ—â— by enpresse 〈…〉 by exhibiting of second causes 〈…〉 onely his determination must of necessitie 〈◊〉 accomplished For wherâ—s God dooth sometimes either by his expresse woord or by appâ—â—â—anâ—e of second causes 〈…〉 any thing to be done be doth not that doubtles because it was not determined before with him 〈◊〉 how and after what forte it should be done much lâ—sse that without these causes going before itcoâ—â—ld be doone but because it was deréeâ— from euer lasting that the same should in any wise 〈◊〉 done then before it was brought to pâ—ssâ— that it should also be declared by such a 〈◊〉 Therâ—â—â—e that which among men and in the opinion of men and by a certaine vsuall mâ—â—â—â— of speaking coÌ„meth to passe contingently anâ—â—â—â—ly by necessitie of consequence with God vndoubtedly it coÌ„meth to passe necessarily and by necessitie absolute For if those things that happen were duly considered in them selues as they are doone of God then verily is there nothing Contingent nothing falling out by necessitie of consequence but onely Gods eternall decrée is of force and absolute vnthaÌ„geable necessitie 3 Seeing those thinges are said to be contingent whith are not necessarie by nature it is to be determined that there is nothing of vs to be estéemed contingent and not necessary by nature but that the same is with God necessary by nature if so be he hath once decreeed that it shall be accomplished For why Gods decrée is in tread of nature nay it is more then nature and is able to do more then nature Wherfore the resurrection of the dead although in respect of vs it be not necessarye by nature yea rather seemeth more trulye to be impossible yet with God it is simply and absolutely necessary and that because it was dâ—creed of him from euerlasting Neither can it be but that the same shal be fulfilled yea it shall be more certainely and effectuallye be fuâ—â—lled theÌ„ the things which amongst vs are thought necessary by nature to be fulfilled
the time we would easilye approue yet notwithstanding this will especially auaile to that purpose if we shew that euen all crosses also and calamities are wiselye and for some profitable considerations sent of God secondly that as he hath sent them so by him they must al againe be taken away when and as ofte as he shall see good and expedient Of this thing therfore we will now speak It easeth indeed somewhat the greatnes of the pains in that the afflicted persons are perswaded to hope for deliuerance at all times out of their distresses from God but I wote not how it commeth to passe their patience is very little holpen by this meanes at that very time wherein their paines doo still disquiet them For inasmuch as hope respecteth things to come and of these there remaineth alwaies some doubtfulnes at the least this can neuer fullye be plucked away the minde cannot by reason of the greatnes of the calamities present so look into the commodities absent but that the assaultes of impatience will ofttimes returne a fresh and by little and little waxing strong will at the length preuaile in such wise that he which is distressed with anguish shall suppose himselfe to be vtterly neglected of God and againe he also for his part shall neglect all duety vnto God To the which poynte when a man is once come what hope can he haue any more Least any man therefore should fall into this extreme miserye of all miseries it shal be very requisite for him to knowe that euen troubles and afflictions also are sent of God himselfe that as well for iust causes and considerations as also for our health and preseruation rather then for our destruction Which knowledge is in very déed the fountaine and welspring of al consolation For why except the minde of euery distressed person be perswaded and that throughly that it is so there will scarce appéer any way of recouering either patience or comfort There is no doubt but the holy Fathers as oft as they seeing the ungodly wel dealt withall and themselues to haue ill successe in all thinges suspected that they were forsaken of God for there are in the holy Scriptures such complaintes extant did against these temptations fortifie and confirm themselues against distrustfulnes with this doctrine of Gods prouidence Wherfore the same also ought to be common vnto vs and in the like troubles we must gather from thence the like comforts and consolations 1 To declare therfore that euen the crosses and calamities which do encomber vs are sent of God those things especially are very auaileable that haue been discoursed against Fate Fortune Chaunce Contingence or Haphazard For séeing it is plaine and euident that nothing at al commeth to passe by the meanes of these and yet we thinke that calamities otherwise are deriued especiallye from these certainlye it is expedient that we referre all thinges that befall vs both generally and particularly whither they be good or euill to the prouidence of God and to acknowledge all things to be ordered and disposed by God him selfe And this reason dooth straightwaies so teach and enforme mens mindes that they can by no meanes be perswaded that they shall euer be neglected of God but that they are gouerned by his most wise counsell alone and in no case or affaires to depend vpon the bâ—cke and assignement of vnappeaseable Fate or Destinie or foolish and blinde Fortune or vnaduised Contingence or Haphazard 2. But if in case the prouidence of God be so busily occupied in all thinges and that euen in the least and most bile as we haue in a cleer discourse proued before when we intreated of peculiar prouidence doubtlesse we cannot without great iniury withdrawe the aduersities which we see dayly beyond our expectation to arise from the power and iurisdiction of the diuine administration For inasmuch as he hath a special care of al and singular things neither is any creature able to doo any thing without his will and ordinance certes whatsoeuer commeth any where to passe whither it be by men or by the egger vnto all euill the Deuill yet is it without all controuersie that it falleth out by his appointement and commaundement 3 Moreouer who is he that would wishe the praise of wisdome and iustice to be taken from God But vndoubtedlye as well Gods wisdome as iustice doo especially shine euen in these calamities which we mort all and miserable creatures doo suffer héere belowe wherfore euen these also shall not without cause be iudged to procéed from God Yea and it is so necessary to attribute these things to God as it is necessarye to determine him to be verilye most wise and indeed most iust And forsomuch as of the euils which we see to come to passe nothing commeth to passe in vaine or without cause truelye we must referre the very same to the wisdome of God that ordereth all things perswading our selues that the endes and causes of calamities are prefixed and appointed by the selfesame wisdome Againe seeing it is fust to punish the guilty and to inflict paines vnto those that deserue them and that no discommodities doo arise but we by our sinnes Haue iustly deserued greater it is not absurd if we ascribe our calamities vnto God as instly punishing vs for our offences And like as we neuer at any time faile to commit sinnes so there is no cause why we should challendge to our selues this prerogatine that we ought at any time to be frée from dangers God is euermore iust and thou art euermore a sinner worthily therefore art thou punished by God at all times through the minislerie of whatsoeuer creatures it pleaseth him to proréede against thee 4 But sith moreouer from the euils wherewith we are distressed God taketh occasion to illustrate and set forth his glorye and power which is then verily doone when both he won derfully and besides their expectation deliuereth the godly out of trouble and on the other side ouerthroweth their adversaries which seenied before vnconquerable why should we not graunt that our nuseries of what sorte soeuer they be are tempered and qualified by him whereof this is the appointed end that his goodnes power and glory may be made the more famous therby and be spread farre and nye 5 The thinges out of which many benefites doo come vnto vs and chéefely spirituall there is no man but iudgeth it méet that we reduâ—e them vnto God the bottomlesse fountain of all goodnes But aduersities and those that in the opinion of carnall men are counted euills doo oftetimes bring great aduantages to the godly and God is wont so to dispense them that they alwaies serue to some commoditie wherfore it is to be holden for a certainty that they are sent of God himselfe to a good end And in all these thinges the force of the diuine prouidence doth wonderfully aduance it selfe and in the meane time all things farre aboue all that can be saide are
force and power of Gods wisdome God would not at the first destroy them immediatlye after the contempt of his woord which yet he iustly might haue doone but it pleased him first to try them diuers and sundry waies whither by scourges they might be softened and brought to the acknowledgement of his will insomuch that as ofte as new signes were sent against the Egiptians so ofte the Lord declared that he earnestly sought their repentance and saluation But in the meane while where in the middest of the vniuersall ruines of all Egipt the land of Goshen which the Israelites did possesse remained safe and sound that verily auayled not a little to moue aswell the Egiptians as the Israelites those I say that they might acknowledge the will of God and submit themselues vnto it and these that they might waite with an vnremoueable faith and pacience for a wonderfull deliuerance at Gods hand And therfore also would the Lord haue Pharaoh to persist and continue so long in stubbernes and vnbeleefe that he might so much the more iustlye afterward destroy both him and all his And in all these thinges the wisdome of God dooth wonderfully bewray it selfe To say nothing that these thinges were thus ordeined of the Lord to the end posteritic might haue profitable examples both of the punishment of incredulitie and rebellion and of the commendation of faith and obedience It would be ouerlong to make mention of all other thinges that doo extoll the diuine wisdome of God in that history And who is he that knoweth for a suretye the Lords purposes and determinations Who is able to say why or wherfore when he could many other waies haue deliuered his people yet he would this way especially bring it to passe Certaine it is in the meane season that nothing was doone in all this basines without great and iust causes but the nature of Gods wisdome will more fullye open and displaye it selfe whilest other causes of afflictions also are séene into and especiallye the commodities wherof we will speake anon And as we by the waye in this one example doo propound these woorkes of Gods wisdome to be obserued so will it be an easie matter for eueryman to finde out the like in other examples Wherfore it is manifest heerby that the wisdome of God shineth most cléerelye in our afflictions and dangers and therfore that the calamities also which are laide vpon vs are rightly to be ascribed onely and alone to God And from hence great comfort est sones â—riseth for we ought to be perswaded that nothing can euer come ill to passe or at least wise be voide of fruite that God by his incomparable wisdom hath ordeind to be doon in and about our matters and affaires And thus verily ought euery one as ofâ—â— as sicknes trouble captiuitie or any other calamitie either publike or priuat dooth come vpon vs to say with himselfe The Lord hath sont this miserie But because he is wise and euen wisdome it selfe he dooth it not without great and weighty causes doubtlesse his rod and staffe will fall out to be a comfort vnto vs and there will followe some fâ—â—ite of hurtes if not straight waies or in this life yet after a while and in the life to come Now that the iustice of God is declared in our miseries it is better known then that it needeth to be proued any whit at large Gods iustice is euery where commended in the holy Scriptures and it is set before vs to be considered all our life long Hitherto belong all the places that make mention of the feare of God For therfore is God to be teared because that according to his iustice he seuerely punisheth transgressors Likewise all the places wherin the Lord is described to exercise iudgement and iustice on the earth Adde also all the threatninges which are most plentifully extant in the lawe and the prophets against the transgressors of the Diuine preceptes Yea and so farrefoorth is this knowledge of Gods iustice necessarye that vnlesse the same be diligentlye taught men cannot such is their pronenesse and head-strong boldenesse to sinne be kept and retained within the compasse of their dueties Nay without this knowledge God should not be knowen to be God neither would any man stand in awe of his diuine maiestic For this is the first honour and dignitie of the hiest and eternall God and his choose and principall office which also al men doo in the first place consider and call to minde namely that he recompenceth good things to the good and euil things to the bad which is in very déed the true propertie of iustice And that this is so not only the promises and curses set forth in the holye Scriptures by the commaundement of God doo abundantly teach but also that common knowledge engraued in the mindes of all the Gentiles touching the rewards of the good and punishments of the wicked But now if any man will say that it is true indéed that Gods iustice dooth notablye appéere in this that the wicked are punished for their sinnes but yet that it séemeth in no wise that God dealeth iustly then when hée suffereth the godly also to bee oppressed with common calamities whome hee ought with good right to mans iudgement to kéepe in safitie vnder his protection by reason of the prerogatiue of their election and excelleÌ„t holines this carnall and trifeling obiection shall easely and with small adoo be answered First this woord Iustice commeth to be considered not altogither alike in God as it is in men that namely God should then only be acknowledged to be iust when after the rule of mans iudgement and according to the rigor of the law as they call it hée requireth like for like for otherwise the praise of iustice should neuer properly belong vnto God sith he neuer in such wise either giueth rewards or inflicteth punishments but that in these he recompenceth beneath measure and desart and in those aboue measure and desart but God dooth iustly as oft as he performeth that wherein his wisdome goodnes and power doo appéere inasmuch as there is no man but vnderstandeth that it is most iust that these vertues if at least it be lawfull so to call them should at all times be made knowen and set foorth But certes in the afflictions of the godly the wisdome goodnes and power of God doo wunderfully declare and shewe foorth them selues wherfore there is no cause why wee should think that the godly are vniustly punished Neither verily can wisdome or goodnes as they are discearned in God be separated from iustice for they sticke fast togither and helpe one an other and can neuer be seuered in time or duties For why God dooth at all times woorke wisely mightily wel and iustly and whatsoeuer is doon wisly mightily or well the same also must bée doon tustly and so on the contrary Secondly how canst thou say that the god â—y are wrongfully punished when there is no man
all the bookes of the Bible more fit and agreeable to our purpose Wherfore we will vndertake to expound the same now at this present which if we shall doo not to so good a purpose as we desire yet at the least we hope to some fruit and commoditie of the godly And first forsoâ—the we will premise some thinges touching the argument of the Psalme that all things may become the more clèere and euident Who was the author of this Psalme it appeereth not sith there is no name prefixed vnto it Certainlye that it is a woorke of the Holy-ghost and put forth by some notable man of God it is out of controuersie It might be reckoned amongst the Psalmes of Dauid as many will haue all those that haue no title prefixed vnto them to be counted for such except peraduenture it may be thought to be of the number of them that were vsed to be sung after the returne from Babilon of which sort that some are extant it is easie to iudge But neither hath this present Psalme any title among the Hebrewes wherby may be gathered any certainty either touching the occasion or vse of it Though indéed the Greek books cary prefixed Alleluia which woord offreth it selfe oft times in the Hebrue in maner of a title set before and it sheweth that such Psalmes were amongst other chosen out to praise Gods goodnes mercy power to giue him thanks For the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrue signifieth as much as when we say Praise the Lord. It is compounded of the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to praise to reioyce to shine to illuminate and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is one of the ten notable names of God and it signifieth the Lord deriued as many will haue it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to be applyed vnto God because he giueth vnto all thinges their béeing Augustine reporteth that Alleluia is twice prefixed and he addeth an interpretation why it is so but sith thou seest that it is not so much as once found in the Hebrue thou perceiuest that his labour is in vaine and that Augustine was deceiued by some impudent persons which durst of their owne heads now and then foiste in or pluck out some things clean contrarye to the trueth of the Hebrue when yet there was no néed neither was it expedient Now what is conteined in this Psalme or how many partes there he of it It teacheth especially that in all things that come to passe héere bylowe the prouidence and mercye of God doo mightily preuaile and therfore that it ought of all men diligently to be considered that they might take occasion therby to praise God and giue him thankes And to the end he might declare and shewe how and after what sorte we ought to obserue Gods prouidence and goodnes in all things he propoundeth certaine euident examples to wit how some men are seene oftentimes by the will of God to be pressed downe with most greeuous calamities and the same againe when they haue called vpon God for helpe to be mercifully deliuered out of their miseries By means wherof doubtlesse men may throughlye he perswaded touching Gods prouidence and mercy and ought all to be mooued to praise and magnifie God Full wel saith Rabbi Dauid Kimhi the Hebrue that in this Psalme it is taught that nothing is doone among men by Chance or Fortune but that the wicked by Gods prouidence are afflicted for their sinnes and againe that the same by Gods mercy are set at libertie that so they might necessarily sing praises vnto God But much more cleerely will this whole matter be perceiued if we shall bréefelye vnfold the number and order of the partes of the whole Psalme In the first place is put the proposition and euen a breefe summe of the whole Psalme wherin he inuiteth all people to praise God for his singular goodnes mercy This proposition is conteyned in the two first verses Then followeth the confirmation wherin he proueth by certaine memorable examples and drawen for the most part out of the common course of life for why these are most apt and fit to teach how the prouidence and mercy of God are apparantly to be séen in al things The first example is touching those that are pressed with pouertie and béeing driuen out of their natiue cuntry are enforced to wander and to suffer bannishment whome yet the Lord by his mercy succoureth in prouiding them a place where they may rest This example is accomplished in fiue verses wherunto is added a conclusion hortatorye consisting of two verses wherin all men are inuited to sing praises vnto God for such a woorke The second example is touching them that for some great offences or other causes are cast into prison and yet neuerthelesse are by the Lord in his good time set at libertie handled likewise in fiue verses with a conclusion hortatory also as before annexed in two verses The third example is of such as for their wicked and vngodly life are punished of God with sundry diseases laid vpon them but are again through Gods mercy restored to health It is coÌ„prised in foure verses with a distichon added in stéed of a conclusion hortatory The fourth example propoundeth the dreadfull dangers of Saylers and Seafaring men and how God yet in the mean time doth mercifully saue and preserue them There are of this eight verses with a distichon added in steede of a conclusion hortatory The fifth proofe is vaâ—iable and mixt for it propoundeth examples of great alterations in cuntries common-weales noble men commons and héerby for because some region or cuntrye is made now barren now fruitfull and againe cleane contrary of fruitfull barren likewise some people becommeth one while strong and mighty and again in the turning of a haâ—d weakened and cast down further Princes are euen now placed in the highest dignitie and within a while after are throwne downe headlong to the ground also the coÌ„mons being before oppressed are set frée declareth that the prouidence and goodnes of God are highlye to be magnified and extolled These thinges are discoursed in ten verses without any hortatory conclusion following and so endeth the confirmation Lastly there is one verse added to be taken for a Conclusion of the whole Psalm and that so much the more rightly because that in one woord it repeateth the summe of all that hath beene said yea and answereth most finely and sitly to this proposition By these things euery man may easilye iudge of the matter and partes of this Psalme If thou wouldest know the kinde of the action or cause then seeing that both in the beginning and end and oftetimes also in the middes we perceiue open and manifest exhortations and that all thinges tend to this purpose namely that men might be stirred vp to praise God for his excellent goodnes shining most cleerely in all thinges it is a plaine
manner of causes of it againe when we apply all our driftes and deuises to the better restoring of our decayed estate and doo nothing preuaile let vs conclude that we are letted and hindred by the good will and pleasure of God and that he would so humble and abase vs and perhaps woorke some spirituall good thinges in vs and by vs or at least will againe in his good time restore all thinges double and treble vnto vs. And from hence it behoueth vs also whilest we are tossed and turmoyled in this world with diuers and sundry perils whilest after happy issues and successes we are greued with many and great and as well with publike as priuate distresses to fetch manifolde comfort and consolation and to apply all and euerye the things héer discoursed to our pesent estate and condition And he powreth contempt vpon Princes The third example drawen from the alterations and sundry successes in diuers degrees of men namelye of Noble men and poore men which two orders or degrees he expresselye mentioneth in stead of al other We may â—fâ—times saith he beholde princes which are set in soueraigne dignitie either sodeinly or by little and little beyond al mens expectation to be cast downe in great extremetie to be contemned of all and to be driuen to flie euen the company of men with whome they were before conuersant and acquainted Againe on the other side some poore obscure person and one that is vexed with many distresses God wonderfullye deliuereth encreaseth with riches and honours and finally aduaunceth to a great and notable familye In which thinges doubtlesse there is no man that perceiueth not the poâ—â—â—er iustice goodnes and prouidence of God to be exceedingly apparant and therfore also worthily to be extolled and magnified And he very trimly expresseth that which maketh especially to the direction of Princes or Potentates namely contempt For why neither gréefe of body or minde nor penurie or scarscitie nor power or might of the enemies dooth so much daunt and call downe great estates as contempt He that is deerelye and welbeloued of his owne whither it be his subiectes or kinsfolkes and accquaintance that man dooth as yet safelye ride in harborough and these will sticke to him in sicknes in the times of necessitie and against his enemies but he that is now despised and contemned of his own hath no refuge left in a manner wherto he may trust any more neither will a mans enemies lightly set vpon him but when they suppose him to be forsaken of his â—rands We might alleadge some examples euen of our time but that if would be thought an odious matter to touch by name the misery infelicitie of any And Saul and such like did then first of all begin to quaile when as becomming irkesome to euery one they grewe into contempt and were forsaken of all their subiects as Saule also himselfe i. Sam. 22. complained that all men had conspired against him and clinged rather to Dauid then to him But finelye to the amplifying of the contempt it is saide to be powred vpon them that is largely and manifoldely to be sprinkled or cast Likewise to expresse the greatnes of the miseries which such princes contemned and despised doo taste off he addeth that which is the vttermost of all calamities and euen the winding vp of al the rest namely that they wander in the wildernesse out of the way and withdrawe themselues from the company and societie of men knowne vnto them And he dooth no lesse gallantly in the other parte lay foorth euery thing touching the deliuerance and exaltation of the poore And it is a very fine resemblance or similitude wherein he saith that he maketh them families like a flocke of Sheepe He signifieth by this similitude that they which were lately abiects and outcasts are now promoted and enlarged and not only they themselues aduanced to honour but also that their whole familyes doo grow vp and spread abroad no otherwise then flockes of shéepe are woont to encrease which continually through one supply of yong ones following an other are multiplied encreased which encreasement and multiplication ought to be numbred amongest the excellent blessinges of God And what thing more notable or glorious can be spoken of any than that a man by his owne proper vertue mounteth to high estate and besides maketh his whole house and familie more noble and famous as Dauid ennobled and commended to his whole posterity the familie of Iesse and tribe of Iuda c. And there is also manifolde doctrine propounded vnto vs in this example 1 We learne that riches power dignitie principalitie and whatsoeuer else is of this sort is giuen onely and alone of God 2 That none are placed in so high a degrée but that they be in danger of falling and are at all times to feare and suspect the same 3 That we are neuer at any time to staye vpon the vnstable thinges of this worlde but onely vpon God in whose hand are all things and who wisely ruleth and ordereth all things 4 That the first step to ruin and ouerthrow in great men is if they begin once to be contemned of their subiects or allies 5 And certaine it is that this very contempt commeth to passe by the wil or procurement of God for sinne God so mouing the harts of men as he moued the hartes of the Israelites to forsake Saule 6 That there followe this contempt many other dangers and discommodities as flight bannishment c. after which sort also we haue séene princes to be cast out by their subiectes compelled to wander and straye to and fro to liue of other mens deuotion c. Finally also to despaire 7 Wherfore that princes and great estates ought to labour and endeuour that they may rather of their commons be beloued then feared 8 In the mean time subiects ought to know that they are not for small causes to contemne or forsake the Magistrate vntill by the singular dispensation of God they féele themselues to be moued by that which lightly alwaies some great weighty causes are first made knowne and manifest The righteous shall see it and reioyce There is not héere a conclusion hortatory by a verse interlaced or put betwéene as in the proofes before going but onely a graue concluding sentence which dooth admonish all men touching the true vse right obseruatioÌ„ of the woorkes and determinations of the Lord in such examples For the Prophets meaning in this verse is that all sorts of men as wel good as bad should be stirred vp by the consideration of such alterations in mens matters to take therby some holesome doctrine to the profitable instruction of their consciences And he will haue the godly to reioyce but the wicked to be terrified and induced to humilitie He saith all iniquitie for all the woorkers of iniquitie by the figure aâ—tonomasia Whervpon we learne heere 1 That all things which are doone and accomplished heere
in this worlde are ordeined by the singular prouidence of God to some profitable and necessary vses 2 That the same ought of all men diligently to be considered and so to be taken as that they may vnderstand and acknowledge them to be doone for their enâ—truction and admonition 3 That the godly ought to take occasion of spirituall ioy and comfort by the things which they sée wrought and accomplished by the will of God 4 And speciallye when they sée the proud and cruell tirants cast down from their seates by the beck and assignement of God 5 Not that it is the part of a godly man to reioyce at the calamities of other which doubtlesse might seeme to procéede from an enuious and malicious minde but for because the subnertion of the wicked serueth to the setting foorth of Gods power and iustice secondlye to the deliuerance of the godly by whome also God shall then more franklye and freelye be praised and magnified then before 6 That God dooth oftetimes woorke diuers signes and wonders and thrust the mightye from their seates that the rest of the vngodlye might haue an example whereby to be terrified and prouoked to amendement of life at the least that their wicked enterprises might be dasht and come to nought All which things doo aswell admonishe vs touching the obseruation of Gods prouidence and wonderfull dispensation of and in all the things that are brought to passe héer bylowe as also make not a little to the matter of comfortes and consolations And like as the Prophet addeth these thinges to the present example so ought they by vs to be applied to all and euery the euents which are daylye séene to come to passe and in which the power iustice and goodnes of God are plainely discerned and made manifest And thus much touching the confirmation of this Psalme stuffed and replenished with sundry and most beautifull arguments and examples Who that is wise will obserue these thinges and they shal vnderstand the louing kindenes of the Lord. The conclusion of the whole Psalme as touching the true vse of those woordes which haue hitherto beene declared inuiting all men to the diligent consideration of all the wonderous woorkes which through the prouidence of God are dayly seene ordinarilye to come to passe and chéefly of those and such like which haue hitherto throughout the whole confirmation beene discoursed in the which the goodnes power and righteousnes of God doo most cléerely shine And trimly dooth this conclusion answer to the very beginning For in the deginning all men were prouoked to praise and celebrate the Lord for his notable and great mercy and for his infinite goodnes apparant and conspicuous in all things and now in the conclusion he bréefly prompteth vnto the mindes of all men that by the things which haue hitherto beene declared it may aboundantly be perceiued how great the mercye and louing kindenes of the Lord is and therfore that it is the partes of godly wise men diligently to obserue and mark these things that therby they may learne that they ought at all times to praise God for so notable and excellent woorkes 1. And there is heere in the Hebrue a changing of the number when as in the former part of the verse it is said in the singuler number He will obserue and then immediatlye in the plurall They shall vnderstand An vsuall phrase of speaking in the Scriptures And we learne in this conclusion 1 That there are none truly wise but the godly and on the other side that all the wicked and vngodly are fooles touching which thing 1 Corinth 1 2 and Psal 14. 2 That the true and spirituall wisdome consisteth chéefly in the obseruation of the wonderfull workes of the Lord and in the vnderstanding of his goodnes 3 We learne by the beholding of outward and visible things which are daily séene in the world that we ought to climbe vp to the comtemplation of spirituall and heauenly things especially of the power goodnes and righteousnes of God touching which thing Rom 1. 4 That by all the thinges which come to passe we ought to take occasion of well dooing and of praising God And seeing these last woords haue respect to all the thinges which are declared in the confirmation it followeth that euen in the euills that are sent aswell as in the deliuerance from euills the mercye of God ought to be considered They shall vnderstand saith he The mercies or louing kindenes of the Lord. For whether it be so that God sendeth afflictions or whither it be so that he deliuereth from them yet that he dealeth mercifully iustly and wisely we haue before sufficientlye and at large declared But to know that euen crosses and calamities also doo come to passe by the mercy of God and that the mercye of God shall not be wanting to those that are afflicted with them this is in very déed the fountaine wel-spring of all consolatioÌ„ For which cause séeing it was our purpose to entreate of Gods prouidence and of the comfortes to be drawen from the same we think we haue not doon amisse in that we haue taken vpon vs at this present to expound this Psalme before the rest It was meete indeed that we should better and more fully haue perfourmed our duty in this behalf but when we both sawe the booke to encrease beyond our expectation and also that hauing set downe the chéefe and principall heads we supposed that we had giuen foorth plentye of thinges sufficient wherein the godly also by continuall meditation might exercise and solace themselues we conceiued good hope in our minde that thus labour of ours whatsoeuer it be would be allowed and accepted of all modest and well meaning men Wherefore this shal be the ende of our exposition vpon the Psalme The epilogue or conclusion THese things had I in a readines against the infinite rankes of euils and calamities that now range openly in the world to minister by way of comfort to all the afflicted but especially to the godlye and such as feare God And forsomuche as we sawe the place touching Gods prouidence to be most profitable for the raysing of fitte matter and furniture of comforts we haue taken in hand to vnfolde this vtterly omitting all other of the same sorte whatsoeuer And first of al we haue declared by way of teaching what is properlye to be vnderstoode by the name of Gods prouidence and that there is a prouidence we haue proued by many cleere and forcible reasons confuting those things that might séem to be brought to the coÌ„trary Next we haue shewed wherin Gods deuine prouidence differeth from the foreknowledge predestination and wisdome of God and likewise we haue proued that prouidence is not onely vniuersall as many suppose but also speciall and particular again dispatching all those things which we suspected might be obiected by the defenders of the contrary parte Then from hence we procéeded to teache and declare that neither fate or
inconueniences vnto him theÌ„ benefites or good turnes Therfore either God careth not for mens matters or it had béene much better if man had not had reason giuen vnto him at al then to be giuen with so great discommodities This proofe is confirmed by a similitude like as wine because it sildome times helpeth but oftentimes hurteth sick folkes is better not to be ministred vnto them at all then to be dangerously taken euen so reason in asmuch as it seemeth to procure more hurt vnto man then good it had beene better not to be giuen vnto him at all then so bountifully and largely to be giuen These are the chéefe argumentes being of greatest weight and moment out of which all other if any be alleadged doo for the most part flowe and proceed These then we will in fewe woordes dispatch To the firste it is answered by denying the Minor or second proposition For why Gods Maiestie is not heere diminished but rather becommeth more famous and notable The mo thinges that God dooth the more shineth foorth his power and goodnes in theÌ„ And God is no more defiled with the care of thinges earthly and vile then the Sunne is defiled by shining euen vpon foule and filthy places Neither must we imagine that God is proud and a contemner of the thinges that he humselfe hath created as though he should despise theÌ„ as vnwoorthy of him self and much lesse that he séeketh his ease as though he should at any time be wearied with labour Wherfore it is no strange matter for God to take vnto him selfe the care of things earthly But if any reply and say that euen Kings regarde not all things specialy such as are of least accompt and therfore déem it a thing very vnméet that the care of inferiour matters should be attributed vnto God doubtlesse these men are much deceiued These men wil take vpon theÌ„ to iudge of diuine matters by thinges humane But this similitude is of no force For why Kinges are compelled to commit many things vnto other because in very deed they are not able to doo all thinges of them-selues but the case standeth not so with God He needeth not the helpe of a substitute or deputie he is able to bring to passe whatsoeuer he will Neither is any thing vnwoorthy of God that is turned vnto good But whatsoeuer is doon by him is turned vnto good if not vnto good in respect of vs yet certes vnto good in respect of God him selfe that is to saye to the illustration and setting foorth of his power goodnes wisdome which is sufficient But of this thing more at large when we shall entreate of particular Prouidence To the second it is answered by denying againe the Minor because that in this is the iudgement of mans reason deceiued for that it cannot discern the causes for which God ordaineth these things so to come to passe in the worlde First reason cannot iudge that all men indifferently are sinners before God that none can be found so holy but that he hath deserued the wrath of God This if reasoÌ„ could perceiue it might vnderstand that it is by no meanes against order or iustice that euen good men alare afflicted in this worlde Secondly reason fayleth in this poynte in that it supposeth al these euils to be sent from God béeing angry and to the destruction of men when as notwithstanding the Scripture manifestly teacheth that scourges are oft-times tokens of Gods good will for whome the Lord looueth them he chastizeth Heb. 12. Prouerb 3 and likewise for the behoofe profit of the good that are afflicted For the godly by this meanes are excercised and growe forward in faith they are stirred vp to inuocation of God to pacience and charitie toward their neighbour they are strengthned in hope c. But contrariwise benefites happy successe doo turne for the moste parte to mens destruction For by them men are estranged from God they conceiue boldenes and contempt against their bretheren yea they are blinded by little and little vntill at length they come vtterly to confusion Thirdly albeit God sendeth euills and calamities vnto good men as punishing theÌ„ and beeing angry with them yet he dooth it whilest they liue heere in this worlde least after they be departed they should be compelled to suffer in an other worlde we are chastned of the Lord saith the Apostle 1. Corinth 11. to the intent we should not be condeÌ„ned with the world and so be subiect to euerlasting torments But to the wicked and vngodly he graunteth all thinges prosperous here in this life to the end that afterward they may so much the more iustly be damned and seuerely punished Of which thing we haue a testimony in the Euan gelicall example of Lazarus and the rich man These causes I say wherin both the righteousnes and goodnes of God dooth appeere the holy Scripture propoundeth vnto vs but reason beeing destitute of the woord cannot see or perceiue them Wherfore it is manifest in this behalfe to wit in that the godly are punished heere and the wicked not so that we must not say that therfore thinges are heere disorderly doon when as all these thinges are for certain profitable causes and vnto iust lawful endes directed by Gods dispensation But as touching the fore said similitude we aunswer that all thinges are not héere alike For whyâ—in the Common-weale it is a thing necessary in deed to be obserued that to the euill punishments should be inflicted and rewardes to the good because that without this consideratioÌ„ neither could publique peace and tranquilitie stand neither any order be kept and retayned But in the administration of the world albeit the godly are afflicted and the wicked escape yet remaine all things still in good order and God turneth that inequalitie vnto a good end and purpose To the third argument it is answered that God indéed hath adorned man with that excellent gifte of reason wherby he might not onely surmount all other creatures but also haue in him selfe a certaine testimonye of the diuine power alwaies present and woorking in him For in this respect man is saide to be created after the likenes of God and to beare the image of God about him But in such wise did God giue it to the first man that he put it in his choice and power to vse the same fréelye either vnto good or euill When therfore man turned it vnto euill and also to his owne destruction doubtlesse the fault was to be imputed vnto him selfe who so shamefully abused so great a benefite Wherfore it followeth not that it had beene better not to haue beene giuen vnto man then to be giuen with so great discommodities for it was giuen to a good end and he might haue vsed it well if he had would in which behalfe doubtlesse God had aboundantly prouided for man But after the fall of man albeit all men are caried more pronely vnto euill then
busines As coueting therfore to auoide so many inconueniences as doo seeme heeruppon to followe first some haue presumed to deminish Gods prouidence in saying that God dooth by no meanes regarde these inferior thinges for it were a very vnséemely thing that so great a Maiesty should be entangled with our sinnes and vncleannes For which cause also they haue deuized Chaunce-medley or haphazard wherof we will speake also in fitte place Othersome haue thought this course to be best namely to extol mans will and to make the same most franke and frée dooing and perfourming with full power and authority not only euill things but also good so as it may deserue euen eternall life by it owne proper force and strength And therfore that the causes of all actions ought vnto this most franke and free will to be ascribed But with these men we think it not good to dispute any further seeing we haue sufficiently declared both that all these thinges here belowe are cared for of God and also how farre foorth our will is able to woorke or doo any thing whatsoeuer Now othersome more religious then the former haue sought out other helpes and some of them haue referred all those places wherby it seemeth to be mēt that God dooth woorke together vnto sinne vnto foreknowledge saying that God indeed foresaw and foreknew that men would sinne but prouided not that is to saye disposed by his incomprehensible counsell that such actions should be doone by men And so seeing foreknowledge alone dooth woorke nothing at all to the committing of sinne neither by any meanes enforce it they thinke that God is aboundantlye excused and farre from béeing the cause of any sinne Some liked better to vse a distinction whereby they determine some thinges to be doone simplye by the absolute will of God and some thinges onlye by his permission and wincking at them if it be lawfull so to speake After the opinion of these men when it is saide that God hardened Pharaos hart the Hebrue phrase is so to be expounded as that the sence should be that Pharao was in déed hardened not by the effectuall will of God but only by his permission and sufferance And as permission hath no blame in it selfe especiallye where it is not bound of duety to let euill so that the cause of sinne can by no meanes be laid vpon God And this reason hath preuailed with a great number But if in case we consider well of the matter we shall perceiue that these interpretations as they be farre fetcht so are they neither necessary neither can they very well hang togither for as touching foreknowledge first by this reason the force of prouidence is excluded from many thinges and is pent vp in too narrowe a roome Secondlye there remaineth yet something for which God may by wicked reason be accused and found fault with For if God hath foreseene euill and not letted it sith it was in his power to doo it thē hath he not doone wel insomuch as he preuented not that in time which he foresaw should come to passe And so is God againe made the author of sinne For permission dooth attribut such an inlenes in a maner vnto God as Epicurus dreamed off Certes it would be a thing not very séemelye or commendable in God when a man attempteth to doo any thing by his own naturall inclination to dissemble the matter in such sorte as to suffer him to runne headlong into perdition and destruction For what father could abide to sée his little childe neere vnto some certaine danger and would not by and by helpe him and pluck him from it Further it is an absurd thing that God should permit any thing which he would not haue to be doon as who should say that any thing could come to passe without his knowledge or against his will And how shall we knowe that God permitteth a thing but because he willeth it How much more truely thē may we say that God dooth simplye will a thing thē permit or suffer it I know there be some that defend this interpretation of permission by bringing forth certain places of Scripture as namely these Act. 14. God in times past suffred al the Gentils to walk in their own waies Againe Psal 81. My people would not hear my voyce and Israell would none of me Therfore I gaue them vp into the hardnes of their hart that they might walke in their own counsels 1. Corinth 10. God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tēpted aboue your strength But héereby it is not meant that God dooth generally giue ouer vnto themselues all that are about to fall into sinne but rather that he dooth then in déede sometimes forsake the wicked and suffer them to perrish with their own deuises when after sundry and often admonitions they will not be brought to repent or that he doth now then leaue euen the godly also to the deuill for a time to be tryed with diuers troubles and temptations Which thing that it commeth to passe by the singular prouidence of God and by his iust iudgement it is in it selfe cléere and manifest And these thinges are so farre off from béeing doon without the determination of Gods wisdom that euen the singular prouidence of God doth shine shew foorth it self in them Moreouer sith these places are very fewe in comparison which seeme to allowe permission it were a very vnméete thing to wrest innumerable other places wherin is cleerelye and without ambiguitie ascribed vnto God his woorke in the hartes and willes of men and in steed of discouering the natiue sence and meaning to drawe them with violence into the compasse of those places Wherfore we must stick fast to the plaine and simple meaninge of the holy Scriptures and holde fast the true and naturall signification of the woordes auouching for a certaintie that God dooth all in all not by permission or sufferance but by his ordinary dispensation and prouidence that is to say that he dooth truly and by his determinate purpose harden make blinde giue vp into a reprobate sence leade into temptation and euery other thinge like vnto these Such phrases of spéeche are more oftner found in the Scriptures then that any other way of expounding them is rashly to be deuised which thinge Augustine also noted in his fifth booke and third Chapter against Iulianus And yet for all this it followeth not héer by that the sinnes of men so by God hardned blinded c are to be imputed vnto him Which poynte wée by certaine substauntiall reasones will make plaine and manifest First Although it be God that dooth moue and incline the hart either vnto good or euill yet there remaineth in man as we haue before specified a will which is no doubt the sin guler gift of God bestowed vpon man Now wheras man dooth shamefully abuse this will of his doutles he dooth it by his owns default For whilest by his owne will he adicteth
again is it héerby concluded that we are of one minde with the Stoikes for that some of them haue confessed that by the name of fate they vnderstand God him self and the will of God In which sence Aristotle aswell in other places as in his booke de Mundo saith that the only high God is called by diuers and sundry names by reason of the diuers and sundry effectes which he woorketh and amongst other names he attributeth vnto him also the titles of anankes eimarmenes pepromenes adrasteias c that is to say of necessitie fate or desteny veÌ„geance or reuengement c. And Seneca in his booke of Epistles 18 out of Cleanthes the Stoike reciteth these verses O Mighty Father ruler of the Skye Lead and conduct me whither that thou please No cause of stay shall let me but that I will thee obay beholde I come with ease But put the case I were vnwilling yet I follow must although it greeue me sore And beeing euill I must not stick nor let to doo the thing that lawfull was before Euen for the good t' accomplish euermore The fates doo lead the willing wight alwaies Th' unwilling eke they drawe to all assaies Where in the last woordes as S. Augustine interpreteth them Seneca most euidently calleth by the name of Fates that which in the first verse he had tearmed the will of the almighty Father The same Seneca in his 3. book de Beneficijs speaking of God This same saith he meaning God if thou shalt call him fate or desteny thou shalt not doo amisse For fate is nothing els then an inwrapped course of causes and he is the first cause of all thinges of whom the residue depend Albeit therfore the Stoikes haue in this wise transferred the name of Fate vnto God him selfe yet that it is neither fitly doon nor after that manner that we place prouidence in God it is prooued euen by their owne assertions as they that doo seperate their connexed or fatall causes farre off from God besides that they deuise many other thinges touching Fate which to applye vnto God were hainous wickednes Heerby therfore it plainely appeereth that the Stoikes doctrine of Fate can by no meanes be compared with the Euâ—â—gelicall doctrine of Gods prouidence We will adde a further matter that enen the very name of Fate is to be shut out from amongst us heerafter if we couet to retaine our religion in her naturall puritie For seeing that as oft as the name of Fate is heard many absurdities doo foorthwith seaze vpon the mindes of all that heare it and such as are clean contrary to the principles of true Diuinitie doubtlesse we are of that minde that the same can in no wise be admitted into our congregations without great feare of dangerous infection let it be reicited amongst those prophane and baine ianglinges which the Apostle 1. Timoth. 6. willeth to be auoided as also we see the holy Fathers especiallye Augustine carefally to haue shunned it Let vs imprint in our minds the saying of the same Augustine against them which out of the place of Iohn 8 No man could lay hands on him because his hower was not yet come would thervpon inferre that the Lord Christ was vnder Fate or desteny If thine hart saith he were not fond thou wouldst not beleeue Fate And that which Nasianzen in his oration touching the care of the poore saith That their happe is miserable and their deuises frustrate that will take vpon them to teach chaunce or Fortune or Fate And thus much hitherto touching Fate Further the place admonisheth vs to shew that neither chaunce nor fortune hath any place where the force of Gods prouidence is in some sorte weighed and considered There is no néede heere of any long disputation specially sith none haue ouer much laboured to oppose or admixe fortune or chaunce with the diuine prouidence of God It is apparant enough that the thinges falling out by fortune and chaunce are saide to be those that doo somtimes happen accidentlye and besides mans expectation which otherwise neuer or very seldome are woont to come to passe And that which after this sorte happeneth vnto a man that may deliberate and deal by aduice they will haue it saide properly to be Fortuitum or a thing happening by fortune as if a man digging in the feelde to set or sowe findeth a treasure and that which happeneth to some other thing voide of reason they ascribe to chaunce as if a stone falling from the house top killeth a Dog that passeth by Wherfore curious men haue endeuoured to searche and séeke whence these thinges should come and why they should rather be thus then otherwise when yet there is no doubt but they might haue happened otherwise and when they could not finde what causes to alleadge in such euentes they being ouercome with admiration iudged that it must of necessitie he some diuine matter and that called they fortune or chaunce by little and little also making it a Goddesse by whose beck and will the greatest part of mens affaires might be guided and gouerned Wherupon also we reade that she was woorshipped and honoured with diuine honors like vnto the other Gods and the matter came to this point that whatsoeuer prosperitie or aduersitie befell men ascribed it only and alone to fortune yea and it grew to be an vsuall speech that then any thing was to fall out either well or ill when it pleased Fortune so to haue it Hence sprung those speeches If Fortune list and pleased be I shall attaine to hye degree c. But we beeing taught out of the holy Scriptures touching the Prouidence of God and knowing that by it euen the least and vilest thinges that be are dispensed accomplished doo ascride nothing at all either to chaunce or fortune nay we are of this minde that there is not so much as any chaunce or fortune but doo attribute all thinges vniuersallye whither they be ioyous or greeuous vnto God him selfe who adorneth whome he will with benefites and to whom he will sendeth contrarye calameties Of all which thinges whilest he hath the true and certaine causes in a readines and the maner of woorking by them it is enough and sufficient neither for that we are ignorant of the causes or of the meanes ought any thing in them to be accoumpted Fortuntum or falling out by fortune or chaunce Heerupon we sée in the Scriptures that al things both good and had which may happen are propounded and set foorth by the names of Gods blessings and cursinges and likewise of promises and threatninges to the intent verily we might deerely learne that no such matter is to be ascribed vnto fortune whither we list to call it good or euill but all thinges to God alone who saith expressely by his Prophet that it is he that created good end euil that maketh light and darkenes c. There might I graunt many thinges which happen so vpon the sodaine and
vnlooked for be saide after a sort to fal out by Fortune in respect of vs and after a certaine manner of speaking from which it must be abandoned the fond imagination touching any such seuerall power of Fortune as giueth and bestoweth all thinges vpon whome she will but yet in respect of God we hath as it is euident prest and ready causes of all things that come to passe nothing can be said to happen by Chance or Fortune Yea and to say the very trueth neither ought we in respect of our selues to graunt any thing vnto Fortune â—ith of what things soeuer come to pas our minde albeit it perceiueth not the outward causes and which we vsually terme next or neerest yet hath it at all times in a readines and vnderstandeth the principall woorking cause to witte the prouidence and good will of God For this is a most certaine role to answere directly vnto euery question touching the causes of those thinges that are seene to come to passe namely that they are all wrought and accomplished by Gods good will prouidence Whither belonge those godly wishes and desires of the Saintes in thinges doutfull and to come The Lords will be done likewise in consideration of thinges doon and past So hath it pleased the Lord his will be fulfilled And to this effect Augustine de Ciuitate Dei lib. 5. chapter 9. saith That the causes which are called fortnitae that is casuall or working by fortune are not altogither none at all but such as lye hid in secret and therfore to be ascribed to the will of God But it shal not be amisse to illustrate and set foorth the matter with some examples And first touching Chance Is it not a thing likely to be doon by chance that a Ramme being caught by the hornes stack fast in the bryers when Abraham was about to offer by his sonne in sacrifise But Abraham had said before that The Lord would prouide him a sacrifise being assured by faith that the Lord wold do whatsoeuer was expedient and the same Ramme became there a figure of Christ Gen. 22. Again that the Casket wherin Moses was put should slote néere to the place where Pharaohs daughter was gone downe to wash her selfe appéereth to haue hapned by chance but for what great and weighty causes the Lord disposed it so to come to passe al the holy books of the Bible do most plentifully witnes Exod. 2. Further we would say that it was by chance that the iron of the Are wherwith one of the schollers of Elizeus hewed timber fell into the water but therby tooke the Prophet occasion to woorke a miracle wherby he testified his incomparable faith to God-ward and his louâ— toward his neighbour 2 Kings 6. To be short it may séeme to come by chance that a Viper creeping out of the fire caught Paule by the haÌ„d at Melita but that thing was the cause foorth with why the barberous people magnified the Apostle as a God acknowledged him to be most déer vnto god Act. 28. We might adioyâ—â— yet moe examples but that we haue to speak in like maner touching the euents of Fortune Wherin I pray you dooth it seeme that any thing may more iustly appéere to be forcuitum or hapning by fortune then in lottes and yet the Scripture dooth apparantlye teach that while The lotte is cast into the lap the whole disposition therof coÌ„meth of the Lord Pro. 16. And by this meanes the Lord him-selfe ordering the lotte was Saule found out to be anointed with oyle and so to be declared King 1. Sam. 10. Ionathan was founde to haue tasted honye 1. Sam. 14. Ionas was bewrayed for that refusing the charge enioyned him of the Lord he fled an other way Ionas 1. Mathias was called to the office of Apostle Act 1. May it not be thought also worthily to fall out by Fortune that Rebecca rather then any other should giue drinck to the vnknowne seruant of Abraham afterward adde that she would in like manner draw water for his Camelles But surely the Lord wold haue these thinges to be for a signe wherby the seruant might knowe what manner of one she was that his Masters sonne should espouse Gen 24 would not all men likewise say that Fortune hare a great stroake when Dauid being thrise pursued of Saule with a speare or Iauelin to haue thrust him through escaped yet safe and sound But we must mark how oft it is mentioned there that the Lord was with Dauid and that Dauid gaue thanks to God alone for his deliuerance 1 Sam. 18.19 And who wold not iudge Absolons fortune to be strange and meruailous who whilest he rode vpon a mule in great haste was caught by the haire of the head and hanged vpon the bough of an Oake where also being thrust through by Ioab he was foorth-with slaine outrightes of his seruants and cast into a pitte in the wood and without all honour couered with a heape of stones But there in that place the Lorde himselfe is saide to haue compassed about the men that lifted vp their hand against the king and to haue iudged for Dauid 2 Sam. 18. Therfore to conclude what things soeuer do happen so vpon the sodaine and vnlooked for that there appéere no causes why they should so come to passe when yet they might fall out otherwise must be referred to the will prouidence of God as vnto the chéefe and principall cause But if thou wilt still tearme them Fortuita or falling foorth by fortune after the vsuall manner and custome of speaking yet must thou néedes graunt this that except the Lord him selfe doo dispose and direct them they can neuer come to passe nor attaine to any perfection And whilste thou doost this thou thy selfe by rendring some cause and the same certain of the fact doost now plainely subuert the nature of Fortune sith verily there can fall out nothing by Fortune but wherof the cause is vnknowen Therefore whosoeuer iudgeth aright touching Gods prouidence he perceiueth ful wel that Fortune or chaunce is nothing As also the Stoikes in like maner who contended that all thinges came to passe by Fate or Destiny are reported wisely to haue taken away Fortune and Chaunce from whose sentence or iudgement the Satyricall Poet cryeth out Thy Godhead failes if wisdome once take place but Fortune we Doo thee a Goddes make and eke in heauen doo harbour thee Signifying that Fortune was so highlyâ— estéemed and exalted onely and alone by the foolish perswasion of men Wherfore to th' end the studious may learn to obserue how they may speake truelye and without offence touching thinges happening by Fortune as they vse to call them I will adde touching that matter the woordes of S. Augustine out of his first booke and first Chapter of Retractions In my bookes against the Academiks saith he it greeueth me that I haue so often vsed the name of Fortune Albeit my meaning was not to haue any goddesse
which by an vsuall manner of speaking are called Casuall and which we acknowledge to be meane or indifferent neither seruing at all to any principall cause so farrefoorth as we can conceiue as béeing not euen then when they are doone premeditated and forethought off by man there is no doubt but that by the selfesame wisdome are ruled and gouerned other actions which are farre more graue and waightye and such especiallye as wherof depend the saluation or destruction of soules and in which oftetimes dooth more appeere and may be seene the mightye and wonderfull woorkmanship of God him selfe then the power abilitie of mans strength Wherfore as by the prouidence of God Fortune and chaunce so also Contingence is subuerted and ouerthrowen 2 Neither is there any cause why they should saye that Contingence or Haphazard doth not reach to the internall or spirituall actions wherin is handled the matters of the soule For séeing Contingence is occupied about such actions as are subiect to reason doubtlesse they cannot be excluded from the order of these by which a man incurreth the guiltines of sinne and for which he is arraigned as guiltie before the tribunal seat of God inasmuch as these actions are doon and accomplished by reason which dooth alwaies also eg and inuite rather vnto euill then vnto good And these foresaide actions are truelye interuall and spirituall for why they procéed out of the closet of the hart and doo defile the soule before God Christe expresselye witnessing it Math. 15. wherfore the power and dominion of Contingence stretcheth it selfe euen to spirituall actions also For further proofe wherof it appéereth that by reason of these saide actions especially sinfull and vitious I say and sauouring of damnation because they are doon besides the will of God neither may God be esteemed the author of sinne the occasion was taken of graunting auouching of Contingence It remaineth therfore that Contingence reacheth to spirituall thinges and chéefly to the actions of sinne But from hence good God what horrible inconueniences doo immediatly follow If we sinne by contingence it appéereth that we doo wel also by coÌ„tingence and this doubtlesse so much the more by how much the lesse it is in our power and falleth more seldome that we doo well then ill But if this be graunted then shall also the eternall saluation or damnation of man be reduced to Contingence and then when any is saued or damned euerlastinglye it must forsooth be ascribed to Contingence Which if it be true then shall predestination also be in danger neither shal any thing be accomplished for and by it but so farre foorth as men themselues shall contingentlye or at all aduentures direct their owne actions And there is in very deed betwéen Predestination and prouidence great affinitie and resemblance so that the one doth as it were supporte and fortifie the other For why Predestination beareth it self as respecting the endes or effectes and prouidence as intentiuely bent to the causes or meanes Wherupon it commeth to passe that as he that taketh away the meanes or causes the same taketh also the effectes so he that detracteth from the dignitie of Prouidence must also of necessitie impare the authoritie of predestination But rather then we should thus admit Gods Predestination or prouidence to be any whit lessened or diminished let vs stoppe both our eares and as for that Contingence or Haphazard so foolishlye inuented by mans reason let vs neuer suffer it to come in presence but with all possible diligence and common inforcement let vs endeuer vtterly to banish abandon and abolish it for euer 3 Moreouer that foundation where-upon the whole poize of Contingence lyeth namely frée will euery man may easily perceiue and see how weake vnstable it is If this should algates be true that the will or choice of man were in all respectes so free as the Philosophers haue defined and mans reason-labâ—â—â—eth to perswade euen vnto this days then indéede were Contingence or Haphazard to be graunted yea and it would seeme to appéere that man should doo or not doo euery thing after his owne likement God in the meane time kéeping him selfe close and intermedling as little as is possible with our affaires but séeing it is plaine and euident for we haue before intreated of this matter that we can in no kinde of actions whither we respect externall corporall or internall spirituall or meane middle actions begin or proceed further foorth then the Lord him selfe or deineth disposeth and leadeth our owne conscience compelleth vs to confesse that there is nothing done of vs contingently but that all our woorkes and enterprizes haue their beginninges proceedinges and endings after the Lordes ordinance and good pleasure which can by no meanes be by vs changed or inuerted We verilye for our partes consult and take counsell we seeke for help and aide we are carefull for all the waies and meanes wherby we may bring that to an ende which we haue once conceiued in our mind and at length also we haue all thinges at hand which we long desired yet we see oftentimes euen when all things are in the best wise prouided that our driftes are disappoynted and that it is vpon the sodaine most vnhappilye broken off which we supposed to be most happily begon and set forward And why is this Doubtlesse for no other cause then for that the Lord ordained only such beginninges to be but determined to let and hinder the proceedings So in the Prophets are declared the counsels of the Iewes touching the calling of the Egiptians other forraine powers against the Babilonicall enemy at hand as also in the bokes of the Gospell their deuises are opened touching the way and meane how to obscure and darken the noble same of Christes resurrection and to suppresse his whole doctrine but those driftes of theires attained not their desired endes because forsooth the Lord when he ordained them to deuise such fetches did withall ordeine them to be disappointed of their expectation and all thinges to fall out cleane contrary And in these cases nothing in the meane time without most iust and profitable causes For mens attempts and endeuers being made frustrate and voide doo cause Gods power to appeere notable and famous they stirre vp and confirme the Godly who are delighted more with spirituall thinges then carnall to reuerence and imbrace the wil of God they inforce commonly the wiched to acknowledge Gods power goodnes righteousnes and to submit their proud and lofty neckes â—â—â—â—â—y innumerable other good things dâ—â—â—â—â—e and podcéed out of these and such like ordinatances of God We haue produced and alledged â—o examples according to the diuers kindes of actions agreeable to this present purpose wheÌ„ we entreated before as touching the libertie of mans will Wherfore héereby it is concluded that there can no other Contingence be found out in actions subiect to reason their is the libertie of man in the selfe same actions
especiallye séeing experience dooth teach that the order and course of nature is ofte times letted as namelye when miracles are apparantlye wrought as in the standing still of the sunne in the time of Iosua and the going back therof in the time of Ezechias but that the ordinance or decrée of God should be preuented or interrupted no mans minde dareth once to conceiue 4. It is necessary by absolute necessitie that God should be most chéefly good and that from God being good all good things should procéed neither is it possible that any other thing then good should come from him And necessarye it is by the like necessitie that all those thinges should be accomplished which are of him decréed whither the same be accounted in our iudgement Contingents or impossible by nature or I will adde also euill but of all the thinges that he him selfe hath decréede there cānot possibly be any but that out of it should be deriued some cōmodities either to the profit and vtilitie of men or to the illustratiō and setting foorth of his owne glorye Wherfore whatsoeuer thinges of this sort come to passe for so much as they are good and not wrought but of God we must néedes vnderstand them to be doon by absolute necessitie Thus much I think sufficient for this present 5 But if some men more vehementlye prouoked to defend and maintaine as well Contingence as also the necessitie of Consequence shall oppose vnto vs the places of Scripture wherby it séemeth to be proued that the thing is not alwaies fulfilled which God hath decreed as for example where God is brought in moued with repentance that he had made man Genes 6. that he had made Saule King 1. Sam. 15 also where his decrees are declared to be abrogate or chaunged as when after death most certainely denounced to King Ezecchias his life was againe prolonged to moe yéeres Esa 38. likewise when to the Niniuites was fortolde most certaine destruction to followe within fewe dayes and yet againe they were spared Ion. 2. where if I say by producing of these and such like places they shall goe about to wring from vs that some thinges come to passe contingently or by Haphazard and that al things fall out by absolute necessitie we will answer them breefely as followeth 1 First to those places touching repentance we say that there are there méere human affections such as in the scriptures are euery where attributed vnto God necessarys for the cause of teaching to witte that our vnderstanding might be brought from the obseruation of mens matters so much the more conueniently to the knowledge also of Gods will And it is signified by those phrases that God will haue some thinges changed towards vs not that he wil any way alter or transpose his owne purpose or will but that he will most simply prosecute and pursue that which was decreed from euerlasting to be diuerslye accomplished yea so decreed I say that first it should so come to passe and afterward that it should fall out otherwise euen altogither as we sée the whole matter dispatched and brought to an ende There is no other thing therfore ment then that as the woorke was decreed diuerslye to be doone so is it diuerslyed fulfilled and so not Contingently but in trueth necessarilye and euen by absolute necessity are al these things wrought according to the immutable sentence of Gods decree 2 In like case may it be saide of the abrogation or alteration of the decrees touching Ezechias and the Niniuites For it was decréede from euerlasting that this cause should be handled with such beginninges and also that destruction should first be denounced vnto thē then that it would come to passe that they should acknowledge their sinnes earnestlye implore the mercy of God obtain pardon and forgiuenes and so by this meanes should not perishe Wherfor in this turning away of their destructiō there was not made any change or alteration of Gods ordinance but simplye the execution of his eternall decree neither did any thing there come to passe Contingently or by Hap-hazard but by Absolute necessitie was the whole busines brought to an ende As God in these causes prouided such beginninges so prouided he the proceedinges and successe which we sée did follow And nothing verilye without most great and iust causes For by that denuntiation of destruction beholde how many great good thinges followed As wel Ezechias as the Niniuites were brought to the accknowledgement and confession of their sinnes then they became carefull to repent the faith and feare of God were foorth with kindled and stirred vp in them they were throughlye moued to call vpon God for mercy to the amendement of their liues afterward and to be short their whole posteritie hath a notable example of repentance in them propounded and set foorth Againe by their meruailous preseruation the power and goodnes of God is excéedinglye declared and a document giuen to all ages for the confirmation of faith and hope And sith there was nothing doon there in vain nothing without most graue and waighty causes and great profit and vtilitie it is plaine and euident that it cānot be said that any thing came to passe by Contingence and as a man would say by Gods woorking at or dissembling the matter In like maner God prouided the treason or betraying of Iudas and the deniall of Peter but he prouided withall the successe of either of thē to be farre vnlike namelye that it should so fall out that the one being led with repentāce should craue pardon and obtaine it the other that he should fall into desperation and perish And in either of them sith they séemed alike to be greeued and to be touched with repentance if necessitie of consequence were to be regarded it might be thought that they both obtained pardon and euery man might saye seeing the outward sorrowing of Iudas that he also of necessity became pertaker of forgiuences But that was not so in as much as it was otherwise determined of God him selfe from eeuerlasting And of so great a difference God had most iust causes and considerations so as he can by no meanes be accused either of negligence or partiality And so of al other things which albeit they may seeme in our opinion to come to passe most chéefely by Contingence or Haphazard yet must it be determined that they fall out in very deed by the appointement and disposition of Gods prouidence Wherfore that we may once dispatch and make an end of this disputation touching contingence it shal be much better for vs to speak simply and plainly of those things that happen sith it is certaine that nothing comes to passe without the will and dispensation of God vsing those formes of speaking which we see to be vsuall in the holy Scripture and so sincerely to yeelde ouer to the diuine prouidence the honor and dignitie which it deserueth then by strange subtilties of woords and vaine and
pondering al these thinges in his minde would not maruell at the prouidence of God so intentiuelye watching and carefull euen in the least thinges for mans saluation But we make not an ende héere as yet there remain some things in the historye of Ioseph most woorthy to be obserued Whilest the famin raged and ranged through out the whole worlde Iacob hearing Genes 42. that there was Corne to be solde in Egipt sendeth ten of his Sonnes thither to buye foode who when they were conie thither they worshipped the Lord of the land suspecting nothing lesse then that he had been their brother Ioseph Where it is straight waies added And Ioseph knew them to be his bretheren but they knewe not him And Ioseph remembred the dreames which he dreamed of them Beholde Ioseph a diligent marker and obseruer of Gods prouidence weigheth with him selfe that it fell not out by Chaunce or Haphazard that he being a. childe long before had dreamed that he should one day be woorshipped of his bretheren For he séeth now the selfesame thing to be fulfilled indeed Yea and they also when it was laide vnto their charges that they were crafty spies and for that cause were drawen into prison they construed that they were not brought into danger rashly and without cause but by the iust iudgement and ordinaunce of God for thus it is in the text And one of theÌ„ said vnto another verily we haue sinned against our brother in that we sawe the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him and therfore is this trouble come vpon vs. For so did extreame necessitie wring this confession from them touching the care and gouernement of God in and about mens matters Albeit it appéereth that therefore also was this confessioÌ„ made and brought to light to wit that therby Ioseph him selfe might farre more vehemently be moued that from theÌ„ce foorth he might conceiue such deuices in his minde as wherby he might drawe as well all his bretheen as his Father also into Egipt For why hitherto tendeth all that now dooth followe For it behoued of necessitie to be fulfilled not onlye whatsoeuer was determined touching the aduauncing of Ioseph to the highest top of dignitie but also in like maner what soeuer God had once decreed from euerlasting touching the bondage and seruitude of the Israelitish people in Egipt by the space of fower hundred yeeres togither whereof also he had how long before Genes 15. certified his seruant Abraham To this thing therfore will the Lord from hencefoorth direct the drifts and counsels of Ioseph neither yet by any humane consultations though euen of the holy fathers themselues which had heard no doubt of it by Abraham and if we beholde the iudgement of mans reason they ought worthily to haue fled from it might that eternall decree be letted or hindered Let vs sée therfore what means the Lord vsed to the accomplishment heerof Ioseph dismisseth not the men whome he called spies but vpon this conditioÌ„ that one of them should remaine in bondes and the residue make promise that they would bring with them their yongest brother also of whom they had made mention Furthermore he prouided that the monye which euery one brought should priuily be conueighed into euery of their sacks There is nothing doon héere Contingentlye or by Haphazard For by these meanes it behoued them to be constrained to kéepe touch to the end they might hasten their returne into Egipt to know more neerelye the Lords will and pleasure in time conuement Verilye they finding their money in their sacks could not otherwise iudge but that God caused it so to be What is this that God hath doon vnto vs say they Wherfore their Corne being spent partly to restore their suspected money and partly to deliuer Simcon out of captiuitie they are compelled to goe againe into Egipt and to carry Beniamin their yongest brother with them as they had promised Genes 43. neither could they procure corne to be brought them by any other meanes But whilest they going away the second time their father Iacob praieth and wisheth wel vnto theÌ„ in this wise God almighty giue you mercy in the sight of the man that he may deliuer vnto you your other brother this Beniamin the godly olde man giueth a notable testimonye that he dooth ascribe onelye vnto God alone whatsoeuer should happen or betide neither beleeueth he that any thing could fall out Contingently or without cause But neither is it in vain that at their fathers commaundement they carry giftes with them also This was conuenient for those that should not only by a vaine and long custome in a receiued kinde of gesture but also verily and in deed giue reuerence and woorship And in that Ioseph wheÌ„ his brethren were come commaundeth them to be brought into his house and great chéer to be prepared for them afterward also maketh merry with them it auayleth to this end and purpose that they beholding so great a dignitie and power might be moued to the greater reuerence which thing they them selues doo after a sort confesse when as the Scripture maketh mention they saide they were brought in to th' intent that beeing circumuented they might be brought into bondage and for feare of so great a mischéefe they declared to the steward that they had brought the money againe without fratâ—de that was found in their sackes And afterward the siluer cup by Iosephs procurement being bestowed in Beniamins sacke Genes 44. was a mean most fitly deuised whereby they might be admonished to yeeld themselues willingly to Ioseph into bondage as the woordes of Iuda doo not obscurely signifie God saith he hath found out the wickednes of thy seruants beholde we are seruants to my Lord both wee and he with whom the Cup is found To which ende appertaineth the long oration made there touching that matter At the length when the brethren had now so oftentunes woorshipped him so oftentimes saluted him as their Lord and Master Ioseph séeing the true meaning of his dreames to be fulfilled openeth him selfe Genes 45. vnto them signifying that he is the very selfesame Ioseph whom they long before had solde to the Ismaelites trauailing into Egipt and to the end he might rid them of feare he eftsones repeateth that he was not sent thither of them but of the Lord and that verily to the safetie and preseruation of them all And certes with so many sundrye euents and dangers comming betwéen growing in no wise by Contingence or Haphazard ought that once to be perfourmed which the Lord had preordained touching Ioseph and by what meane God prouided in the cause of Ioseph such an end by the same also prouided he all thinges which he knew would be necessary and fitte to the same end Last of all wheÌ„ the olde father Iacob Genes 46. goeth with his whole familye into Egipt that it came to passe by Gods disposition euery man may vnderstand euen by his
of Iemini He layeth alike both the wicked attempts of Absolon and desperate saucynes of Simei vpon the prouidence of God It followeth in the same place Suffer him to cursse for the Lord hath bidden him note that he saith bidden It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction and do me good for his curssing this day By which woordes it plainly appéereth that wicked Simei brast forth to so heinous a fact by the very wil and impulsiō of the Lord himselfe but yet that the Lord can when it pleaseth him turne the malice of Simei to Dauids good Now how in like manner through the disposition of Gods prouidence the counsell of wise Ahitophell was ouerthrowne by Hushai according as Dauid had desired may out of that lōg narration Chap. 17. be sufficiently vnderstood but chefly out those woords of the scripture which are added afterward The Lord had determined saith he to destroye the good counsell of Ahitophell and the cause is added comprehen ding a reason of the whole matter That the Lord might bring euil vpon Absolon Therfore the Lord gouerneth mens mindes and willes yea and inclineth them after a sorte so as they are caried after euill and whatsoeuer is heer 's doone by Absolon is doone by the Lords disposition By like reason it came to passe that Ahitophell was so fierce cruell against his owne life that he went and hanged him selfe In that behalf it pleased the Lord to reuēge his trechery and to bring to passe that euill counsell according to the Prouerb might be seene to fall out worst to the counséllour himselfe Further touching them that were sent vnto Dauid to show him the counsell of Hushai and likewise through what policye they were saued from their enemies hands by a woman it were long to declare yet in the mean season that all things were doon by Gods prouidence it may sufficiently appeer by those things that are spokē of Hushai which fled at Dauids commaundement For looke from whome the end floweth and from the same also without question must be deriued the meanes tending to the same end Now the things that follow Chap. 18. touching the conflict of both the armies touching the twenty thousand that were slayne of Absolons parte and touching the miserable end of Absolon himselfe that they can by no meanes be referred to contingence or haphazard the very woordes of the Scripture doo aboundantly testifie wherby whatsoeuer came to passe is ascribed onely to Gods prouidence For so we heard before That the Lord would bringe euill vpon Absolon And in this self same Chap. 18. Ahimaaz saith of Dauid The Lord hath deliuered him out of the hand of his enemies Againe the same man to Dauid Blessed be the Lord thy God who hath shut vp the men that lift vp their hands against my Lord the King And immediatly after Chusi also saith vnto him The Lord hath deliuered thee this day out of the hand of all that rose vp against thee We sée cleerly they all doo confesse that euery thing was doone by the wil and dispensation of God and that it cannot be said without the greate iniury of Gods name that any thing came to passe casuallye or by chance-medley Thus much of Absolon and I think inough For in that Dauid after a sorte did beare héere a type of Christ and they that cleaued to him a type and figure of the Church on the other side in that Absolon with his adhearents shadowed out the persecutors and enemies of the gospel and that by the diuine prouidence so ordaining as in many other actions of the holy Fathers we know a type and figure of thinges to be accomplished by Christ apéered there is no cause why we should enter now into this field Verily I suppose that these two examples are of vs in such wise discussed and declared as that euery man heerafter may easilye without any difficultie by himselfe finde out and determine in other holy discourses also by like occasiō the places commending the force power of Gods prouidence especially séeing there is scarce any narration to be found in the holy Scriptures wherin are not some such places intermixed and that almoste appéering manifest to sight And it behoueth vs to iudge that it was procured by the singuler purpose and counsell of the holy ghost that such and so many places do euery where come to hand For why they doo not only preach and set foorth Gods prouidence woorking al in al things which in trueth can neuer sufficiently be blazed and displayde as it deserueth but also further they comprehend manifolde and the same most swéete and holesome doctrine For they will vs especially to acknowledge our owne weakenes and miserie they admonish vs to learne to depend wholy vpon God alone to commend all our actions all our life long vnto him they stirre vp faith in vs they inuite vs to continuall inuocation of the grace and helpe of God they counsell vs to take in good parte whatsoeuer happeneth amongst men and so they moue vs to modesty patience long sufferance finally they propound vnto vs in all thinges that come to passe the diuine power goodnes righteousnes attentiuely to be marked and euer more to be praised Séeing therfore these places are such let no man be of this minde to think that they are carelessely to be passed ouer Wherfore by all these things we haue sufficiently and cléerely enough proued that neither to Fate or Destiny nor to Chaunce nor to Fortune nor to Contingence or haphazard may any place be giuen at al in our sacred philosophye where iust regard is had of Gods prouidence and the same worthily esteemed Whither the Prouidence of God imposeth a necessitie to thinges prouided Chap. 6. NOw some men may say If nothing at all commeth to passe Contingentlye or by Haphazard nor nothing by necessitie of Consequence then it followeth that all thinges come to passe by necessitie as they call it Absolute yea and that all thinges that happen are accomplished by a certaine vnchangeable and vnauoydable necessitie so as they cannot possibly choose but be doone And is this in any wise to be graunted To this obieicton or question we will answer in fewe woordes 1 First if we list not to striue about woords or sentences but are content to vse those that we see oftentimes to be met withal in the holy Scriptures nothing forbiddeth but that we may say simplye that all thinges come to passe by necessitie and that it is impossible but the thinges should be accomplished which the Lord hath ordained to be doone For after this sort Christ him self saith simply It is necessary that offences should come It is impossible but that offences should come againe All thinges must be fulfilled which were written of him by the Prophets And thus it was necesserye that Iudas should sell and betraye Christe to the Iewes for mony it was necessary that Peter should deny Christ thrice it was
necessarye that Christ should suffer c. So we sée Christ spake plainely touching the things that might be thought indeed to come to passe Contingently or by Haphazard and yet ceuld they not otherwise choose but come to passe yea it was as necessary that those things should be accoÌ„plished as it is necessarye that God should be most good iust mighty inasmuch as it behoued them all to be doone to the manifesting of Gods goodnes power and righteousnes What need is there then to fetch fond and fantasticall phrases of speech or distinctions out of the store houses of the philosophers when as the Holy-ghost him selfe whome we must confesse to be the best master of speaking in Diuinitie and whom to follow is most safe hath squared out vnto vs such as are most proper and exquisite and to the busines we haue in hand wonderfully concordaÌ„t and agreeable Thus much therfore touching the manner of speaking to the question propounded 2 But as touching the thing it selfe inasmuch as we haue sufficiently proued that nothing can possiblye come to passe without the dispensation of Gods prouidence how vile or base soeuer that apéereth to mans reason that is brought to passe Further that by the same are gouerned and directed euen the very minds and wils of men yea and turned too and fro whither soeuer that as the Shipmaster shall moue them againe that prouidence can by no meanes séeing it is eternall immutable be disapointed of determinate effectes out of all these thinges is gathered no doubtfull or perplexed conclusion namelye that it must of necessitie be accomplished and that it cannot be but accomplished whatsoeuer Gods prouidence hath once ordeined to be brought to passe neither shal it be any offence to say that all thinges come to passe by necessitie of Gods prouidence 3 Some when they heare speaking of this matter séeke starting holes saying that there is no such necessitie brought vpon thinges by Gods prouidence especiallye that any should doo euill but that God onely foreknewe and foresawe theÌ„ so to doo and that some are such not because God foreknew they would be such but rather that he therfore foreknew theÌ„ for that they should becoÌ„e such of their own accord but this verily is nothing els then to reiect the cause of prouideÌ„ce and to take vp an other touching foreknowledge So must we in no wise doo If we shall firste speake of foreknowledge we must doubtlesse be well resolued and conclude as is méete that God fore knew all thinges that are or euer shall come to passe neither may we thinke that any thing can come to passe coÌ„trary to his foreknowledge But from hence we must also procéed to prouidence and determine with our selues that according to this God ouer and besides that he knewe before the sequeale and successes of thinges doth also further by this insearcheable wisdom order and dispose all thinges as we haue already oftentimes and with effectuall and substantial reasons proued and declared neither that there is any thing among thecreatures either so vile or glorious which may iustly be exempted from the iurisdiction of prouidence Which séeing it is so it is plaine and euident that God as he foreknew all thinges so also he prouided them yea and euen then when they are accomplished dooth stil rule and gouerne them and therfore they are simply of necessitie in such a state and condition as they are perceined to be in and that because through the wor king already of prouidence they cannot otherwise be And foreknowledge doubtlesse séemeth after a sorte to depend vpon prouidence For the Lord knew before how and after what sort he would deale with euery man yea euen before he had made any man but he therfore foreknewe it because he had euen then also preordained how and after what sorte he would haue euery man to be dealt withall Foreknowledge therfore prouidence ought to be considered seuerally and apart and that verily as woorking most cheefely once and discharging her office before the creation of thinges and this as working in and throughout all time and remoued from none of those thinges which are made 4. Neither is there any cause in the mean while why the Lord should be blamed in anything seeing we are sure that whatsoeuer is doone of him is doon either to declare his power to set forth his glory or to commend his iustice or to extoll his goodnes albeit these causes are not alwaies so easie to be séene of vs and they doo oftetimes altogither escape vs. For who hath knowne the counsels of the Lord Not withstanding the rule of faith remaineth vndoubted and infallible That whatsoeuer God dooth he dooth it for the best For why the fall of our first pareÌ„ts the hardening of Pharaoh and the falsehood of Iudas were prepared as well to good ends and purposes as the constancy of Noah in faith the humilitie of Dauid the repentance and confession of Peter Yea Pauls persecution brought some fruite with it as wel as his preaching and his cruelty that went be fore made the thinges that followed after to become more famous and notable in him And certes that those thinges should be accomplished which doo manifestlye proue God to be most good most mighty and most iust it is very necessary neither can they or ought they by any meanes to be intermitted therfore all thinges that come to passe whither they be good in themselues or in our iudgement euill inasmuch as they are such there is no cause why we should be afraid to say that they come to passe by necessitie no more then we will be afearde to saye that God is of necessitie most good most iust and most mighty 5 And least of all may hence be taken any occasion of pretending that we are innocent whilest we sinne as those that could not doo otherwise then the diuine prouidence had ordâ—ined and so to lay the cause of our condemnation vpon God himselfe This reason might indeed stand in force if so be we committed sin by compulsion and against our wils and in no wise giue any consent therunto But it is a plaine case that our naughtye will is at all times so wholye caried vnto euill delighted with euill and accustomed in euill that what soeuer euill there is in any action that verily commeth altogither from vs insomuch that by vs is defiled made euill euen that which otherwise the Lord as touching that which he woorketh in it had appointed to good yea to many good ends and purposes Wherby it commeth to passe that albeit we doo all things by the disposition of Gods prouidence yet neuerthelesse we doo euill by our owne defaulte and euidentlye declare that the matter and cause of our perdition is in our selues For vnto one and the selfesame action both the Lord putteth to his hand we also doo woork but considering that he dooth it farre otherwise and to a farre other end then we it followeth that
It appereth in deed that we do somwhat when we plough vp the land with our handy-labours sowe seedes in the fallowe ground reape downe the ripe Corne grinde the same at the mill bake bread in the ouen when we lay baites for fishes set snares for birds tend our cattell and flockes when to accomplish greater matters we seeke for the ayde of others that are better able to perform them when we procure freendes when we minister helpe one to an other when we learne and haue the knowledge of sundrye artes as the craft of Taylors Carpenters phisick and such like and apply the vse of them to necessary purposes when we call vpon God by praier and supplication c. but all these thinges if we weigh them aright are nothing els then certaine instruments and meanes ordayned and graunted of God himself by the which it pleaseth him to woork in vs and to set forward our affayres insomuch that if anye thing be once well doone and rightly accomplished although we haue swet for it yet it is necessary that the whole praise of the wel-dooing of the thing doo redound to him alone as the principall author and woorker of the same For neither is the séed frutefull of it selfe neither do Fishes or Foules wittingly and willingly come into our nettes neither dooth fodder giuen to our Cattell profit them neither is their strength auayleable whose helpe we craue neither is euery man straight waies mooued to freendship neither doo they alwaies requite good turnes of whom we haue wel deserued neither are arts and sciences by and by learned nor their force and efficacie forthwith bewray it selfe neither is the minde kindled vnto prayer excepte the Lord himselfe do secretly in all these things begin to woorke by his vnsercheable power and prosecute that which he foreseeeth will be profitable and holsome vnto vs and fit to illustrat and set foorth his owne glorye Vaine and friuolous are all those attempts wherunto he putteth not his helping hand And most true is that saying of the Prophet Psal 127. Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keep the Citie the keeper watcheth but in vayne It is in vayne for you to rise vp early and to lye downe late and cate the bread of sorrow but he will surely giue rest to his beloued And doutlesse if we should not be pertakers of our desire before we could bring our wished enterprises to passe by our owne strength and power how might we euer conceiue hope or comforte in our mindes especially sith we dayly finde it true by experience that our attempts and indeuors though otherwise right honest and vertuous are oftetimes easily letted and hindred and that we cannot stretch forth so much as our little finger nay nor direct the thought or cogitation of our minde but so farrefoorth as he shal turn and dispose it And hitherto belong the things which we haue before specified touching the freedome of mans will and touching secondary causes so that euery man may cleerelye sée and perceiue that nothing hath béene taught hitherto touching Gods prourdence which is not very fitte matter for comfort and consolation If thou hast need therfore of anything ask it by faith of the father of lightes from whom alone commeth downe euery good gift as well spirituall as corporall and though alâ—obtein it Thou desirest a garment to couer thee there is extant through Gods benefite the craft of dressing of skinnes the arte of weauing of linnen and wollen God will moue the hartes of the rich to bestowe vpon thée some parte of their store or els he will prouide for thée by some other meane He hath a thousand waies to giue whatsoeuer he knoweth to be necessary for vs which to rehearse lyeth not in our power to doo Let this suffise thée and take it for a certaintie he that did shew eftesoones to our first parents a way how to make garmeÌ„ts he that we so many ages couereth all kinde of creatures some with feathers some with haires some with wool some with seales some with leather he that adorneth the lillies and the grasse of the feelde and that no lesse gorgiouslye then rich Salomon was arayed he that kept the garmentes of the Israelites wandring in the wildernes by the space of forty yéeres from wearing the same will giue vnto thée also wherwith to couer thy naked and colde carkasse Thou wouldest haue something giuen thee wherwith to slake thine hunger he that gaue man authoritie ouer al his cretures to vse theÌ„ with thanksgiuing he that ordayned a waye and meane of tylling the earth for the gathering in of the frutes he that prouided for Abraham and Iacob during the time of famine in Egipt he that rayned downe Manna and delicat flesh in the desart for the Israelites he that gaue Ruth fauour in the eyes of Booz so that he lycensed her to gather vp the scattered eares of corne in his feeld he that sent foorthe Zeba the seruant of Mephtboseth with Asses laden with bread grapes and figges vnto Dauid wearied with his traine in the wildernes when he fled from Absolon he that stirred vp the hart of Abdias to féed an hundreth Prophets with bread and water that lay hidde for the tyrannye of Iezabel he that vouchsafed to minister bread and flesh both euening and morning to Elias by Rauens he that to féed the same Elias againe afterward did wonderfully encrease the meale and oyle of the poore widowe of Sarepta and the third time ministred to the selfe-same Elias whilest he fled fine Cakes and a pot of water by an angell he that nourished Ieremy in the pitte he that at one time with fiue at an other time with seauen loaues refreshed certaine thousands of people and gaue in charge that the scraps should be gathered vp which many baskets were scarce able to holde he of so many meanes why may he not succour thee also by some one or other Thou art tormented with thirst he that shewed Agar flying in the wildernes a pitte of water he that by his goodnes in fauour of the Israelites made the bitter waters potable vnto them he that out of ahard rocke brought the swéet and pleasaunt water springes he that opened vnto Sampson wâ—â—cied with ouercomming of his enemies 〈◊〉 coâ—duit out of the iawhone of an asse he that matereth continually the whole dry and thirâ—â—y â—arth he will in no wise suffer thee to dye for thirâ—â— Thou hast no house or mansioÌ„ place he that prouideth for the snailes their shelles 〈◊〉 that hath taught the Swallowes to make theâ—e nestes most cunninglye of the earth he that hath giuen wit and discretion to Foxes and other beastes to prouide theÌ„selues dennes and caues he that preserued the Israelites in their perigrmation so many yéeres from all hurt of heate and colde he that stirred vp the 〈◊〉 of Abraham and of other holye Fathers â—o the exercise of hospitalitie he will
vndoubtedly prouide thée a place where thou mayest safely rest These are the thinges which we stand most in need off in our common course of life and with the which he that courteth nothing beyond the lawes of nature touching a sober and moderate life may content himselfe after which sort also the Apostle spake full wel of himselfe and of all that professe Christe 1. Timoth. 6. Godlines saith he is great riches if a man be contented with that he hath For we brought nothing into the world and it is certain that we can cary nothing out Therfore hauing foode and rayment let vs therewith be content Now these thinges will God haue vs to looke for from him and we finde by experience that howsoeuer we bestow al our labours and trauailes about them yet we attaine not vnto them but by his liberalitie True it is indéede that these thinges are bestowed vpon some more plētifully and vpon other more sparingly but it cannot be denied that there is giuen vnto all so much as is sufficient for the naturall sustentation of life But if thou see'st more giuen to one then to another yet thou oughtest to think that there is nothing doone without certaine aduice and iust causes Thou maruellest perhaps why he hath not giuen vnto thée great riches But beholde how wisely the prouidence of God dealeth with thee Thy pouertie keepeth thée in an humble and thrifty estate of life so thou art brought to imbrace other vertues also which spring out of these wheras otherwise if thou flowedst in riches after thy desire then becomming dissolute through immoderate superfluitie thou wouldest apply thy minde to all manner of vices and which is yet more greeuous thou wouldst drawe others also togither with thy selfe into shamefull ruine and destruction Thy pouerty is the cause why thou imployest thy study in learning and supernaturall philosophie which otherwise thou shouldest neuer I beleeue haue tasted so much as a far off Thy pouerty causeth thee to behaue thy self modestly towards all men and diligently to imbrace freendship and peace who if thou couldest challenge to thy selfe but so much as the name or title of a rich man thou wouldest become greeuous and intollerable to all Further he that would haue thée to be poore the same prouideth in the meane time that nothing shall be wanting vnto thee I say for thy necessarye preseruation He moueth others for the vertues which they perceiue in thee to fauor thée and to eudeuer to doo thée good Yea and thy wife and Children if thou hast any by reason of thy pouertie become more stronge and lusty and are stirred vp to diligence in dooing of their duties and following of their labours which otherwise thou wert like to haue slothfull and vnthriftie and rather burdensome vnto thee then profitable Besides what a benefite is this that pouertie exempteth thée from many great greeuous annoyances the which rich men will they nill they are inforced to goe vnder and how great they are no man can easilye tell but he that hath had experience of them But it shal be good for thee to weigh more exactly the spirituall benefites also which doo come vnto thee by thy pouerty It giueth thée occasion continuallye to call vpon the Lord whilest thou requirest of him thinges necessary for thee and knowest them to be looked for from him alone It causeth thee from time to time to commend thy selfe and all thine to him onelye and willinglye to depend vpon him alone It maketh thee to become resolute so as the woord of God which thou hast heard is not choked through the thorny cares of richesse and voluptuousnes in the feelde of thine hart It taketh away also the nourishmente of such temptations as the deuill is woont to stirre vp in the rich men of this worlde It ministreth a manifolde exercise of pacience It encreaseth and strengtheneth thy faith It prouoketh thée to the contempte of pride ambition vaineglory and of all earthly thinges and perswadeth thée to meditate and aspire onelye after beauenlye thinges Finally for many causes it is better for thée when thou art in this sorte poore and needye then if thou hadst plentye and aboundance of all thinges It would be ouer long torehearse all the causes that might be reckoned Thou vnderstandest therefore that it was ordeyned by the singuler wisdome of God and for thy incomparable benefit that thou shouldest liue contented with this thy poore estate and condition Contrariwise thou maruellest againe why God would haue this thy neighbour or any other man to be rich But to omit this that no man can fearch out the causes of Gods will in these things yet wil I demaund of thee how thou canst tell whither the great riches wherwith thou seest him to be adorned will he beneficiall vnto him or rather pernitious Either of them doubtlesse may come to passe indifferently but yet this last farre more commonly then the other For where one peraduēture among many that are endued with riches of God may be seene that vnderstandeth them to be as a certaine instruement of well dooing that namely he might be stirred vp by them to thankesgiuing that he might perceiue himself to be rather a steward ouer thē then a Lord and impart them to his needy brethren féede the hungry clothe the naked comfort the sick succour the captiue aide ministers of the woord and to be short laye them out to Gods glory and the help of his neighbour yet maiest thou sée againe very many on the other side vnto whom it appeereth plenty of riches to be giuen that beeing vnthankfull for their benefites receiued are despised of God and béeing despised are by little and litle blinded and being blinded doo abuse the benefites graunted them for a time and abusing them purchase to them-selues eternall damnation Of these thinges we haue most manifest experimentes and examples in the holye Scriptures Poore Lazarus is commended the poore Apostles are praised and they also that contemptuouslye reiected their riches not to be contēned which all seemed so much the more redy to take their passage into heauen by how much the lesse they were hindred with the fardels of earthly thinges We read also of certaine rich Patriarches Iudges Kings and other holy fathers but these in the middest of so great riches continued notwithstanding poore in spirit and so vsed things present as they would not greatly haue cared if they had beene absent Wherto it belongeth that Iacob going into Mesopotamia praied vnto God that he would giue him especiallye bread to eate and rayment to put on Genes 28. Godly Iacob was not carefull for any moe benefites and the Lord we see gaue vnto him euen more then he desired Likewise Abraham is reported to be rich but yet so as he neuer bought ground nor builded house But we reade of other rich men who through their great riches were brought to extream destruction of which sort was that rich glutton clothed in fine
linnen and purple and faring deliciously euery daye and an other who heareth that after his cofers and barnes were fraughted to the full his soule should immediatly be taken from him likewise the yong man which had rather forsake Christe then his riches for whose cause also Christ took occasion to treat of the infelicitie or pouertie of riche men and amongst other thinges said That it is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen and other mo also whose names the Holy-ghoast voucheth not safe to mention in his sacred bookes And such are alwaies the greatest number of rich men and this our age hath alas too too many routes of such as these Therfore by these thou oughtest to iudge that it is neither hurtfull to thee that the diuine prouidence hath apointed thee to be poore neither againe that it would be greatlye to thy profit if it should euen now commaund thée to be rich True indeed is that saying of the wise man that as well riches as pouertie come from the Lord but we may say that this also is most true namely that it commeth likewise from the Lord that a man vse them well and as he ought And no man euer vseth them well and as he ought to doo but he whose minde respecteth the will of God submitteth him self therunto and resteth in the determination of the diuine prouidence And sith in the common course of our life it is a great safegard and help to the appeasing of the greefes and vexations of the minde to be able as Paule speaketh of himself Philipp 4. to be content with the estate wherin we are to be able for the time to be abased and to excell to be able for the time to be full and to be hungrye to abound and to suffer want this also is a most sure and certain consolation euen to waite vpon the Lord at all times by faith for the thinges that he hath decreed to be requisite and necessary for vs. And hitherto belongeth that notable Sermon of Christ Math. 6. Luke 12. Be not carefull saith he for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your bodye what ye shall put on He addeth immediatlye an euident reason touching the prouidence of God which is perceiued in the creation of man Is not the life saith he more woorth then meate and the body more woorth then raiment as though he should say He that hath created and yet still preserueth both thy soule and body the same doubtlesse will prouide also these lesser thinges I meane foode and rayment There is added also another reason where an argumēt is drawn from the lesse to the greater Behode the foules of the aier for they sowe not neither reape nor carry into the barnes yet your heauenly Father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they Where are couched many comfortable reasons You are much better thē the foules there is no doubt therefore but he will much lesse forsake you then them Further he prouideth for the birdes that take no paines at all how much more will he prouide for you that labour lustely in your callings for whom is prepared the vse of second causes Againe he is your Father wherfore you ought to make this certain accompt that he is endued with a fatherlye affection toward you and that the same heuenly Father will omit none of those things which we see to be perfourmed and accomplished by earthlye parentes And least any man should perswade himselfe that he could with his own labours prouide things necessarye for his life Christe by an exquisite preuention putteth the matter cut of doubt saying Which of you by taking careful thoght can adde one cubite to his stature that is to say Albeit ye bend all the force of your witte and exercise all maner of artes and sciences yet shall yee not be able to bring the least thing to passe if ye be not holpen hy the diuine aid and if the Lord giue ye not increase For thus in Luke it is expressely added If ye then be not able to doo the leaste thing why take yee thought for the remnant There followeth a more full exposition And why care ye for raiment Consider the Lillies of the feeld how they grow they labour not neither doo they spinne Yet I saye vnto you that euen Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like vnto these Our labour or wisdome are able to doo nothing no more then the Lillies are saide to doo any thing of themselues while they grow but the Lord procureth all things as well in vs as he dooth in the plants or other cretures which are vtterly voide of reason and industrie And he amplifieth excéedinglye the greatnes of the benefites which we are to looke for from God and willeth vs to be of a confident minde whilest he saith that the natiue beauty of Lillies is greater then that which art though otherwise a resembler of nature can euer be able to expresse yea then that was of Solomon himselfe whose sumptuous apparell not withstanding did easely surmount the glory of all other princes as the Scripture dooth witnesse Wherfore we must also look constantly for thinges necessary for this life from God séeing he giueth those thinges largely to Lillies that are not necessary but serue in a manner for no other purpose thē for beuty onely If so be thē he giueth more then néeds to the verye Lillies which stand not in need of any such beuty neither are they greatly benifited by it why will he not much more giue vnto men the thinges which this life cannot want with the which it is so necessarye that men should be holpen that without them they cannot but perish And againe he confirmeth this matter with another reason from the lesser to the greater Wherfore if God so cloth the grasse of the feeld which is to day and to morowe is cast into the furnace shal he not do it much more vnto you o yee of little faith In which comparison he extenuateth the nature and conditiō of grasse that the vilenes therof being considered our mindes may conceiue hope that God will far more willingly carefully regard our affaires sith we be farre more excellent creatures then are the sencelesse grasse But it hath the force of a rebuke in that he calleth them that are so carefull for the things of this life holigopistous that is of little faith For the sense is this If you were endued with true faith such as became them to haue that are called into the fellowship of Christ ye would not dout of the goodnes of God but would determine with a stedfast faith that God would liberally prouide for you And this is it that he meaneth in the woords following Therfore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherwith shal we be clothed for
vpon him and he shal be taken in my dragge or great net and I will bring him to Babel and will enter into iudgement with him there for his trespas c. To the like effect there is more chap. 26. And oftentunes shal we méet with such things in the prophets so that it is not needful to repeate any more But as we haue saide of Angels so is it requisite also that we vnderstand it of men namely that not onelye euill men but good also are the instruments of the Lord woorking whatsoeuer it pleseth him For so hath the Lord very often by good and holy Judges Kings and other subdued wicked people and kingdomes yea and somtimes vtterly ouerthrow them Of Angels and men we haue spoken it remaineth that we adde some thinges touching other cretures By she and that falling down from heauen from the Lord as the Scripture speaketh fiue Cities were consumed Genes 19 Afire by the will of the Lord running alongst the face of the earch desiroyed sourtéene thousand and seauen hundred seditious persons Numb 16. and not much before that time the sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu Leuit 10. Two Captaines either of them with fiftye Soldiers being sent by King Ahaziah to Elias the prophet were deuoured with fire 2 King 1. The waters of Egipt were turned into blood and so became vnfit to be drunk and pernitious to fishes Exod. 7. A little after the waues of the red Sea swallowed vp an innumerable multitude and euen King Pharaoh himselfe with all his hoste Exod. 14. The garth opening deuoured Korah Dathan and Abiram with their confederates and their whole families Numb 16. The same now and then denyeth the fruites gróodilye gaped for the Lord procuring the causes of barrennes either open or secret as in the daies of Achab he restreyned the firmament and cloudes that they should not raine vpon the earth King 7. The aire oftetimes by the Lords commaundemeÌ„t is infected and becommeth hurtfull not onelye to the fowles and brute beastes drawing it in but also to men prouoking pestilent and deadlye diseases in them as 1. Chron 21 We read that the Lord sent a plague among the Israelites and that there died of theÌ„ seauentie thousand men And in the prophets we heare often of the wicked and vngodlye how some were smitten with the pestilence and othersome threatned to be smitten The haile the rayne ingendred in the aire doo procure dearth and scarsitie of vittayl when and as oft as the Lord will haue it so Exod. 9. Next by brute beastes what great hurtes and dangers are we subiect vnto By Frogs Flyes Lice and Locustes all Egipt was miserably vexed Exod. 8 9.10 Many of the murmuring Israelites were â—lung of Sarpents and died Numb 21. Two Beares stirred vp by the Lord tare in peeces two and fortie Children for mocking and rayling vpon Elisha 2. King 2. Certaine people of the Babilonians being sent by King Salmanazar to inhabit in Samaria were destroyed by Lyons sent of God 2. King 17. And the man of God sent to Ieroboam is saide to be deliuered of the Lord to the Lyon that slewe him 1. King 13. And what should I stand to rehearse any more By diuers and sundry meanes dangers doo ensue but we must confesse them all to be sent by the Lord himselfe who dooth vse the creatures that he hath made freelye and to what purposes it pleaseth him as instruments prepared to euery woorke and busines whatsoeuer Neither in very deed are al the creatures to be accounted any other then the tooles and weapons of the cheefe woorkmaister God and second causes And God doubtlesse as he is almighty and the woorker of all in all can out of those things which are reputed of theÌ„selues to be good and so are indéede when be seeeth cause raise vp discommodities vnto vs and againe on the other side cause the thinges that are euill and which we flie and abhor to turne to our no small profit and commoditie It appeereth therfore by these thinges that euen all distresses and aduersities are sent of God himselfe Wherfore seeing it is in no wise lawfull to resist his will and that we are to take in good part whatsoeuer he ordeineth by his prouidence we ought from hence to drawe some portion of comfort in that we know assuredly that all perils and dangers come from God And so much to the two former reasons wherby we haue proued that crosses and calamittes are sent of God As touching the third reason consider the sayinges of the holy fathers weigh the examples which propound vnto vs any that haue béene afflicted whither of the godly or vngodly and vndoubtedly thou shalt finde that ther by dooth redound vnto God the praise either of wisdome or iustice or rather of both of them togither Touching the wisdome of God appéering in our aduersities it is notably said of Esay chap. 31. Woe vnto them that goe downe vnto Aegipt for helpe and staye vpon horses and trust in Chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they be very strong but they look not to the holy one of Israell nor seek vnto the Lord. But he yet is wisest therfore he will bring euill and not turne back his woord but he will rise against the house of the wicked and against the help of theÌ„ that woork vanitie Where the prophet reproueth those that were ouermuch giuen and addicted to humane or carnall wisoome and admonisheth them to look rather into Gods wisdome who dooth nothing without certaine aduise and with like wisdome both sendeth and remoneth aduersities For before the Lord dooth afflict any man with calamities he resolueth with himselfe what great good will grow of it either to him that suffereth or vnto others and likewise how and when it is expedient to deliuer the afflicted to the great admiration of all men Iob. 11. Oh that God would speake and open his lippes against thee that he might shew thee the secrets of wisdome how thou hast deserued double according to right know therfore that God hath forgotten thee for thine iniquitie Canst thou by searching finde out the secrets of God or canst thou finde out the Almighty according to his perfection They are the words of Zophar the Namathite signifying that wheÌ„ God most wisely ordereth all things yea euen in sending of crosses also yet we cannot attain the causes of his counsell Psal 147 Great is our Lord and great is his power and his wisdome is infinite The Lord releeueth the meek and abaseth the wicked to the ground Beholde the wisdome of God in debasing and punishing the vngodly Ecclesiast chap. 8. the wise man dooth greatly wonder at the wisdome of God in beholding the thinges that are doone vpon earth as touching the sundry euents and successe of men But we shall better and more cleerely beholde in some one example the order of the diuine wisdome Doubtlesse the history of the destruction of Egipt dooth many wayes declare the
ingratitude They that before were in the hand and power of the oppressor or of affliction are now by the Lord deliuered and they ought to be humbled vnder his mighty hand and to giue him thanks yea and to dedicate them selues wholye to God their deliuerer All things therfore are trimly disposed in this beginning and proposition of the Plasme and we may gather from thence no single or slender doctrine 3 And gathered them out of the lands from the East and from the West from the North and from the South 4. They wandred in the wildernes out of the way and found no citie to dwell in 5 Hungrye they were and thirslye their soule fainted in them 6 So they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuered them from their distresse 7 And led them foorth by the right way that they might goe to a citie of habitation Now after the proposition followeth a plentifull confirmation as in the which it is proued by many plaine and pithy reasons that God dooth liberally shewe his goodnes in mortall mens matters and most wiselye gouerne all thinges by his wonderfull prouidence and therfore most worthy to be exceedingly praised and magnified of al men This is the first reason prouing Gods goodnes to shine cleerelye in all thinges taken from an example as also all the rest are in a manner that followe And certes it is drawen from that example of a thing boone not only once and about one person only but ofte times and in many persons vsuallye séene so that thou maist rightly say that all these proofes are drawen out of the common course of life and from the vse and experience of thinges dayly happening Which kinde of proofes doubtles are most fit to moue affections withall and besides they make that to appeere most plaine which is intended And it is to be thought that no man whatsoeuer he be can possibly read this Psalme but that he shall sinde some thing touching himselfe and wherby he may gather that he also hath beene partaker of the bottomlesse goodnes of God in some one necessitie or other Neither truely is it an easie matter to finde such a one as hath not felt in himselfe some parte of the miseries which are héere mentioned and that whilest he is deliuered from them ought not to ascribe his preseruation only and alone to God Yea and there can no discommoditie or danger almost arise which is not comprehended vnder some one or other of the thinges that are héere described at the leastwise it will be like it or not much vnlike wherfore also whosoeuer is distressed with any aduersities shall héer haue some remedie of comfort and shall finde matter of hope for the recouering of his safetie This is also further to be marked that euerye of the proofes are so disposed that they may fitly be deuided into two partes wherof in the former are described the perilles which happen vnto men in the latter is declared how they are by the mercy of God deliuered from the same againe in the former parte the perils are very exquisitly and almost after a poeticall manner expressed by increasments amplifications and representings of things and in the latter parte the deliuerance beeing sodainlye and without any adoo obtained is laid soot the more breefely yet hauing now and then those thinges interlaced which doo not a little beautifie and illustrate the matter And so are all thinges ordered that a man aduisedlye marking them may out of euery member in a maner gather variable and most holsome doctrine This first proofe therfore is drawen from the example of those that for any cause whatsoeuer being driuen from their dwelling places are constrained to wander vp and downe and to séek a place els where wherin they may rest And very properly is the ieopardy of these men described by their iourney in the desert then the which doubtles a greater could not be deuised For why a man would hardly beléeue except he be one that hath had triall of it how greatly they are gréeued that wander in the wildernes where there appéereth no humane help or succour and nothing to be looked for but death and destruction And therfore it is to be thought that certaine of the Greekes were moued to make a lawe touching a penaltie of death to be laide vpon him that would not she we the way to one that went astraye because they sawe vndoubtedly how sore they were tormēted that wandred out of the way And oftetimes into these dangers doo men fall in Palestina and the cuntries next adioyning in asmuch as all Asia for the most parte hath many deserts and obscure places as the holy Scripture and bookes of the Geographers doo testifie Their soule fainted or failed in them Héere thou séest the manner of an enlargment gallantly obserued First euen to straye out of the way is full of wearisomnesse though it be in a Cuntry well knowen Then to goe stil forth on and not to finde a place where to rest is much more gréetious After ward also to be pinched with hunger and thirst who séeth it not to be the extremitie of all miseries and that now nothing remaineth but cruell and wofull death And this is it which he addeth Their soule fainted in them We haue a certaine resemblance of these calamities pictured in Abrahams bondmaide Agar Genes 16. in the people brought out of Egipt through the wildernes where they murmured for meate and drinke Exod. 16. and 17. in Dauid flying from Saul Sam. 23. and 25. againe 2. Sam. 15.16 when he fled by reason of the tumult raised by Absolon likewise in Elias flying for the threats of Iezabell 1. King chap. 19. which all in their flight through desert places were almost dead for hringer and thrist But it is not without cause that the Holy-ghost dooth so liuely painte out these perilles For we ought thereby to gather some instruction First therfore it is doone to this ende and purpose that we might learne how to behaus our selues towards those that are in miserie and to pittie them whom we see to suffer bannishment to wander through vnknowen cuntries and to haue no freends to succour them Secondly that we might so much the more exactly weigh and consider the power and goodnes of God in the preseruation of them that are deliuered by him out of so great distresses How much greater the dangers are so much more fully doth Gode mercy thew it self in deliuerance from them And they cryed vnto the Lord The second part of the proose touching their deliuerance And this verse is put betweene in manner of a parenthesis as that which is oftetimes repeated almostin euery of the proofes following So is this in Virgal Begin my pipe with me to sound Menalian verses And this Leade Daphnis from the citie home my verses leade him home And we learne out of this verse 1 That afflictions sent of God doo stirre vs vp to inuocation prayer vnto
which are many times destitute of things necessarye whereof others haue plenty and Christ himselfe who is the image of his Father shewing that be hath no lesse care of theÌ„ then of him selfe saith of them That which ye haue doon to these yee haue doon to me making accompt of it as of his owne whatsoeuer is doâ—n for the godlies sake that are héer wronged and oppressed Next he addeth That he will also keepe touch or performe that which he hath sworne But this hath some difficulty for some translate the woordes of Dauid thus he that hath sworne to doo hurt and changeth not and they expound it He that hath sworne to doo any thing wherby he is like to sustaine losse or damage and yet changeth not his purpose But this exposition serueth not for those woordes for to sweare to doo hurt is not to promise any thing that shal be hurtfull to him that sweareth Rather to sweare to doo hurt and not to change were to promise to doo some euill and to doo it which agréeth not to this place The translation of the 70 Interpreters hath a most fit sense He that sweareth to his neighbour that is to an other and changeth not but performeth his promise But the vocall pointes seeme to be against it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Patach which the Prophet vseth heere signifieth Euill but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Tseri and Patach a neighbour But if it be true which learned men and most skilfull in the Hebrue tung affirme and confirme by reasons that those vocall pointes or vowells were added to the Bible fower hundred yeeres after Christ at the time wherin those 70. translated the Bible in this place were only these fower consonaÌ„ts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therfore they well translated it to his Neighbour Wherfore I see no let but that we may stand to their iudgement Further albeit we admit the saide pointes yet may those two Tseri and Patach be contracted into Patach so at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may stand for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oftetimes happeneth in stead wherof we read most commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Exod. the last chap. vers 10. where both are read togither and the like is to be séen in the same Chapter and els where oftentimes Yet if any mislike of this he may doo it for all me The woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be turned to hurt or euill and then the sence will be this he that sweareth vnto euill that is to his owne hurt or hinderace and changeth not Which woords will haue all one sence in manner with these 70. For whatsoeuer it be heere is commended vnto vs faithfulnes and constancye in couenants and dealings from the which we must not start though it be to our owne hurt and daminage The last verse containeth yet two things wherof the first is that he giueth not his money to Vsurie touching which pointe many thinges were to be spoken if the time would suffer but we must be content with a fewe This then is the meaning of the Prophet that albeit in the Common weale by reason of the sundry affaires and dealinges of men among themselues and the vse of money so manifold and necessary for the traffiks of men and that almost in euery contract and bargaine albeit I say for these and such other like causes it is plaine and euident that all gaine which is gotten by money is not to be condemned yet a godly man must take diligent heed sith there is also so great and many abuses of money least he abuse his moneye to the hurt of his neighbour as it is an vsuall practise amongst rich men and some of the greater sort who by lending or by giuing out their money to vsury are wont to snare and oppresse the poor and needier sorte as they commonly are wont to doo who sitting idle at home make marchandise only of their money by giuing it out in this sort to such néedy persons altogither for gaines sake without hauing any regarde of his commoditie to whome they giue it but onelye of their owne gaine For by this craft they easily get many into their snares whom they doo not onlye bite which is ment by the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nashac which Dauid vseth but also deuoure and spoyle But the true worshippers of God are far from this wickednes séeing they imbrace others with true brotherlye loue neither will they doo that to any which they would not haue doon to theÌ„selues Which rule in humane affaires and contractes is diligentlye of vs euermore to be obserued if wee will liue vprightly as becommeth vs. Now there is one only remaining nor taketh reward saith he against the innocent that is to say he is not moued either for fauour or flattery or any other cause to peruert iudgement which I tabe not to be restreyned only vnto Magistrates and Iudges seeing he describeth heere the life of a godlye man in generall For euen all priuate men also doo sometimes either by request speak their minde touching many controuersies risen among their equals or els not requested doo giue sentence of this or that controuersie betweene others and many a one oftetimes through meere enuie hatred or fauour do hurt this or that party and peruerte Iudgement Christian men therfor whither they be Magistrates or priuat persons ought neuer at any time to be wonne either for hatred or for fauour or rewardes to deface the trueth in iudgement that so iudgement might be peruerted but they must euermore giue all diligence that the trueth may preuaile and that iudgement be giuen for the innocent partie And therfore are the things wherin Dauid saith the godly doo exercise themselues al their life long and this one thing they set before their eyes euen that they may serue and honour their God of whom they look for eternall life in louing and helping their neighbours as he commaundeth Therefore these thinges beeing set downe he concludeth the question which he in the beginning had propounded He that dooth these things saith he shall neuer be moued that is He shall remaine for euer in the house of God and neuer be cast from thence as Ismael that mocked Isaac was cast out of Abrahams house with his Mother wherin yet Isaac abode and obtemed the inheritance Thus therfore the godly which will frame their liues after this rule shal dwel and continue in the familie of God and so obteyne the heauenly inheritance For why almighty God loueth such kinde of persons as desire to he like vnto him and acknowledgeth them for his owne and blesseth them rewarding them with eternall and euerlasting life the which if we suppose that there be any as we professe in the Creede that we beleeue eternall life if we earnestly endeuer to come to it then must we so behaue our selues héere as we may be partakers of it Yea we must euen
wherof Paule speaketh 1 Corinth 13. or if ye will that religious pietie towards God and men which is the mother of all good actions and by the which Faith worketh which other wise is dead as saith Iames. But why was not this expressely mencioned because it was not néedfull For why all the Iewes professed as we do at this day that they knew worshiped one God but the most of them denyed it in their deedes as it commonly commeth to passe For it is an easie matter for a man either by word of mouth or by outward ceremonies to professe him-selfe a worshipper of God but to be in déede that which thou professess that is to saye to deny thy selfe and to renounce this world that thou mightest sincerely serue God thy neighbours is a thing more difficult and rare Forsomuch therfore as all men and as in times past the Israelites so at this day euery where the Christiās are wont with full mouth to make their vasit that they are the true worshippers of God there was a rule to be set downe by the which all might be tryed leaste any man should deceiue himselfe and that the good might be knowne of the good and so linked togither with a streighter bond Now this could not be fetched from the former Table of the Law which altogither consisteth therely in the hart and minde and requireth faith in God and most high neuerence But in this case all will say that they are so affected and albeit they cannot deceiue God yet they ofitimes deceiue both themselues and others That rule then standeth in the second Table of Gods Law wherin a man cannot so easilye feigne or counterfet Thou saist that God almightie is thy God as the first Cummaundement of the first Table dooth require and thou trustest in him but I for my parte do doubt of that matter and cannot tell whither thou plaiest the hypocrize or no. And therfore shew mee as saithe Iames that faith of thine by thy woorkes which are commaunded in the other Table of the Lawe prooue that thou doost in this wise so greatly loue God that thou canst willingly suffer and do all things for his sake that thou reuenge not iniuries doon vnto thee but wish well from thine hart to all yea euen to thine enemies for so did Christe because whilest they vexe and trouble thée they wotte not what they do If thou behaue thy selfe thus I will beléeue that thou art the man whom thou makest thy selfe to be but if not how shall I beléeue it to be true sith all men will not stick to say asmuch but yet deny it in their déedes Therfore by this rule our life is to be examined least we deceiue either our selues or others Dauid then made no mencion of the first Table because al say they beleeue in God and worship him but he touched that wherby it might appeere how truely they make that profession For if it were possible to finde fire that were colde or yee that were hotte then might also a man be as many in these daies auouch them selues to be a true worshiper of God and yet not loue his neighbour as himselfe wherin also notwithstanding consisteth the worship and seruice of God But that shal neuer be séene for it is against nature Forasmuch therfore as men commonly vaunte of a vaine shadow of Faith deceiue themselues whilest they brag that they both know God and beléeue in him not considering aduizedly what it is to beléeue in him nor wherin it consisteth therfore both Dauid in this place as also Christ Paule euery where do vrge and require that this should be shewed in the obseruation of the second Table that is to say in the sincere loue of our neighbour wherin for no other cause is the whole accomplishement of the Lawe said to consist For except thou be affected with that feruēt loue of God which may drawe thee to his obedience thy Faith is colde nay dead as béeing destitute of her naturall heate Yea I dare be holde to say that this is not faith but a vain perswasion touching God or touching his son Christ wher-by thou deceiuest thy selfe This true and liuely faith therfore which dwelleth inwardly in the soule and cānot be séene of man but of God onlye who is the searcher of the heart is heere described by the effectes as it is also in many other places He that is endued with this Faith shall doo saith Dauid the things that are héere prescribed and shall neuer be cast out of the house of God because he belongeth vnto him for he is endued with his Spirit Like as therfore when the earth is set directly diameter-wise as they say betwéen the Sunne and the Moon no man liuing séeth it with his eyes neither can see it but God discearneth it apparantlye yet we by the effect therof doo easilye and most certainlye perceiue it by the Eclips of the Moone for she is therefore darkened because that by reason of the Earth put between her and the Sunne she cannot then borrow her light of the Sunne so neither can any man except God see the faith of another body but by the effectes And as by smoke comming forth of a chimney we gather that there is fire and as we certainelye perceiue and knowe that a man is endued with life and soule whom we see to walke to speak and to doo those thinges that belong vnto a man albeit we see not his soule neither indeede can we see it for it cōmeth not within compasse of our sight euen so we Faith by her effects And on the other side as if a man would perswade vs that there were fire wher there is no heat or that there were life in that carkasse that in no wise moued felte or breathed we would stedfastly deny it and that trulye so he that saith he hath faith without this diuine heate that is to say seruent loue of God and without this vitall spirit of faith is deceiued neither is any credit to be giuen vnto him for this cause therfore it is that the Holye ghost euery where in the holy Scriptures bringeth men to this point as Dauid dooth in this place that they should not deceiue themselues and others for indéed there cannot be a more certaine testimony of faith which is not séene with the eye and whereof all men doo boaste then by the effects therof and good woorkes of all which she is the Mother and therefore to her as the cause is worthilye attributed the dignitie and glory of righteousnes but yet so as it be such as we haue saide to wit liuelye and woorking through loue For otherwise neither it nor any thing that commeth from it shall any waye obteine righteousnes but shall onlye be méere hipocrisie or els a vaine knowledge in the minde of some God And therefore they are deceiued that think themselues to be Christians in what Church or congregation soeuer they be except they