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
vnderstanding euen vnto these earthlye thinges héere belowe and he proueth it by a similitude taken of the beauty of leaues and flowers all which thinges as vile and most quickly perrishing cannot saith he retaine the most comely features of their formes and fashions vnlesse they were there formed and made where that incomprehensible and vnchangeable beautye hauing all thinges abideth and continueth This the Lord Iesus sheweth there where he saith Consider the lillies of the feeld how they grow they labour not neither doo they spinne and yet I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not clothed like one of these Wherfore if god so clothe the grasse of the feeld which though it stand to day is to morrow cast into the furnasse shall he not doo much more vnto you O yee of little faith which woordes of Augustins we thought good euen for this cause to note that also by the testimonie of Plotinus the Platonicall philosopher they might be conuinced whosoeuer they be that doo hardly admitte particular prouidence That therfore which this Gentile could finde the meanes to drawe not only out of the puddels of his maister Plato in which the selfesame confession touching particular prouidence is found very cléerely expressed and chéefely in his book of Lawes the 10. againe in his Epinonio that is to say an appendix of lawes whence vndoubtedly euen Proclus also drew his opinion in all respectes like and semblable in the books which he wrote of prouidence but also out of the fountaines of holye Scripture as of whome the fame goeth by the report of Theodoretus that he was sometime an hearer of our olde father Origen in the schoole of Alexandria and tasted the secret misteries of our learning that I say which this Gentile hath put in writing as touching Gods prouidence let vs not be ashamed to imbrace but rather let vs be ashamed on the other side if we be slack to follow and endeuer to that knowledg vnto which he easily mounted and ascended It would be conueniēt by examples drawen out of the bookes of holy Scripture to haue this thing confirmed more at large to witte that the Lord woorketh vpon men and vpon all thinges created by his determinate counsell present administration but these things for this time I suppose to be sufficient The obiections against particular prouidence confuted where also is entreated of fortune fate destinie end or haphazard Chap. 4. BVt now let vs sée what it is that stayeth some men or what they are able at length to pretend wherby they should not with vs graunt this particular prouidence where through as well all the counsailes studies enterprises and actions of men are ruled and gouerned as also the powers and operations of inferiour creatures ordered and directed And it is to be thought they are moued most cheefely with these reasons First that seemeth by this assertion of particular prouidence that the freedome of mans wil is vtterly subuerted and man made like vnto a sencelesse block that cannot doo any thing of him selfe no not so much as moue but whither the Lord driueth him 2 Where if so great weaknes and imbecilitie of man be graunted and on the other side so great power and authoritie of prouidence as to woorke and doo all thinges it appeereth now that sinne also if any be committed by man must be imputed to God him selfe which truely once to conceiue in the minde were a hainous offence 3 By this meanes are excluded vniuersally all second causes wherof notwithstanding that some regard is to be had there is no man but willingly graunteth Moreouer there arise also other waightye questions and very troublesome doubts For by establishing of this particular prouidence there séemeth againe to be induced and established the Stoikes fate or desteny further that all casuall thinges are ouerthrowne and such as by an vsuall custome are saide to happen by chaunce againe that contingens or haphazard is taken away in defence notwithstanding wherof there be excellent diuines that do yet at this day labour with great consent For these causes I suppose and the same doubtlesse not slender but meruailous perplexed it appéerethe that a number are moued to yéeld vnto those that allowe only vniuersall prouidence which it seemeth expedient to defend least they should be inforced to graunt so many inconueniences absurdities as we haue now rehearsed It shall therfore be our part and duety if at least we couet to haue speciall or particular prouidence remaine safe and inuiolate to entreat of al these thinges and so farre foorth as we may and necessitie shall require declare that those thinges hurt either not at all or els not so much as some doo suppose Wherfore as touching that first reasons concerning the libertie of our will we will conclude the matter in a short summe As oft as there is any question made of the power of our will they are wont so to distinguish mens actions that some are said to be of thinges spirituall and internall which namely belong to God and his Kingdome and to the saluation of soules and some of thinges earthly or externall which doo appertaine to the common course of this life and without the which the same can by no meanes be passed ouer To be wort some haue appointed meane or middle actions In euery of these what man is able to doo we will bréefly consider Therfore in spirituall or internall actions which are occupied about the knowledge of God and of his will towardes vs also about the ordering of our life aunswerable to suche knowledge there is no man but confesseth that man is able to doo nothing by his owne naturall strength but if so be he doo any thing in this behalfe that it ought to be ascribed to the holy Ghoste who in the regenerate woorketh effectualy by enclining gouerning and directing their mindes and willes vnto those thinges that may be pleasing and acceptable vnto God This doctrin is throughly and euery where approoued in the holy Scriptures Hiere 21. I know Lord that it is not in man to guide his owne way nor in the sonne of man to direct his steepes Hiere 30. I will dispose him and he shall come vnto me for who is he that hath made his harte so willinge that he can come vnto me saith the Lord. Psal 36. It is the Lord that must direct the steppes of man Psal 119. Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes Turne awaye mine eyes least they beholde vanitie c. Many thinges to the same effecte are further noted in the said Psalme Iohn 3. A man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him from Heauen Iohn 6. No man commeth to me except my Father drawe him Iohn 15. without me ye can doo nothing 1. Corinth 2. The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that belong to the spirit of God 2. Corinth 3. We are not able of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
aduersitie to the end that all thy neighbors and kinsfolkes might haue matter to exercise the duties of charitie and to helpe thée and such as thou art by all the meanes they can Which woork is full of spirituall profit and commoditie And for this cause the Lord foretolde that we should neuer want the poore Hither to tend all the places touching liberalitie towards the poore the sick the naked fatherlesse children Widowes Wanderers and others by what meanes soeuer afflicted and distressed Which if they were not there should be taken from them to whome the Lord hath giuen great wealth and substance all matter and occasion of well dooing Therefore euen for this cause perhaps would God haue thée to be pinched with aduersitie and to stand in neede of other folkes helpe 13 This spirituall fruit also doo others reap by thine afflictions namelye that so long as they perceuie thee to be humbled by the Lords rodde they conceiue no slender feare of the Lord in their mindes and this feare bringeth foorth sptrituall wisdome whereby they beware by all means possible that they fal not into sinne and so be cast down into the like dangers For euen immediatly whosoeuer seeth an other to be any thing sharpely afflicted he is enforced to conclude with him selfe that the like troubles abide for him also and that whatsoeuer befalleth vnto any one to daye the same is to be feared of him to morrowe And this doubtlesse is a singular spirituall benefite For so dooth Christ propound vnto others the ende of those that were killed with the fall of the towre in Siloe Luk. 13. and he threatneth that all vnlesse they repent shal be be destroyed in like maner So the Apostle 1. Corinth 10. propoundeth the example of those that were plagued of God as namely the woorshippers of images committers of fornication with strange women murmurers against God which all he saith were seuerely punished of God for a warning and admonition vnto vs. And he addeth to very good purpose Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall 14 What if so be God to conclude when he sendeth aduersitie when likewise he giueth vnto thee being set in the middest of many calamities strength pacience long sufferance hope c. wil haue thèe to be set forth as an ensample for others to follow and imitate in their afflictions For why by this meanes thy miseries shall not onely become very profitable to thee alone but also vnto others To this effect we reade Iam. 5. Take my brethren the Prophets for an ensample of suffring aduersitie and of long pacience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord. Beholde we count thē blessed which endure Ye haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowen what ende the Lord made For the Lord is very pitifull and mercifull 1. Thess 1. And ye became followers of vs and of the Lord receuing the woord with much affliction and ioy of the Holy-ghost So that ye were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and Achaia Againe in the same Epistle chap. 2. Yee brethren age become followers of the Churches of God which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus because yee haue also suffred the same thinges of your owne cuntry-men euen as we did of the Iewes c. Loe the fortitude pacience long suffering and other vertues of the Saints are set before the eyes of the afflicted to be followed Thou therfore whosoeuer thou art that canst iudge rightly of Gods prouidence consider with thy selfe in most earnest wise what becommeth thèe to doo in aduersitie remembring that God hath appointed thee at this time to be an example of pacience and suffring vnto others Neither truely is it sufficient that the notable vertues of those that haue beene famous this way certaine ages past should be laide before the afflicted but it is very behouefull also that some liuelye examples of the time present should be set before their eyes whose actions being throughly marked by our eyesight haue much more force in them then the shadowing out of other mens deedes by what speech or eloquence soeuer But who is able to comprehend in woordes all the commodities which doo growe out of afflictions As we can by no meanes searche into the counsell of the Lord why namely he dooth euery thing after this or that manner so neither can the weakenes of mans minde attaine vnto all the commoditie especiallye spirituall that come by crosses and calamities Euery man may to his power at times conuenient by the continuall reading of the Scriptures and by the sayinges and dooinges of the godly especially when they are afflicted gather and note other things which are agreeable to this purpose It suffiseth vs to haue declared these thinges to confirme that which we purposed namely that out of calamities great commodities doo come vnto vs and therfore that we are not without cause to be resolued that afflictions are sent of God himselfe which we suppose to auaile greatly to the commendation of the diuine prouidence and likewise to the matter of comfort and consolation But now the matter required that we should reckon vp on a rowe the sundrye sortes of calamities and afflictions and gather out of those thinges that haue hither to beene said comfortes and consolations from the consideration of Gods prouidence by the which we haue proued crosses and calamities to be sent to declare the wisdome and righteousnes of God to illustrate his glory and power and for our manifolde profit and commoditie but partlye because that were an infinite lahour and partlye for that the comfortes which do◠heale any one affliction may all fitly he applied likewise against the other miseries not greatly vnlike at the least all one in this that they doo excéedingly greeue and torment men therfore we will drawe the discommodities principall perplexities of mans life as it were into certain heads or fountaines and wil also compose certain consolatory reasons as occasion and opportunitie shall serue And this thing how may we better or more conueniently accomplish then if we follow the way and order of teaching foreshewed by the Holy-ghost him selfe whom whoseuer followeth cannot goe astray and with whome a man in speaking a fewe woordes is deemed to haue vttered many thinges abundantly For where the Holy-ghost speaketh in greatest breuity is greatest length and prolixitie and vnder the speciallest want of woordes lyeth hid most large plentye of spirituall doctrine And this vertue of the Holy-ghost we may beholde as well in many other places as also in the Psalme 107. wherin there are breefely indéed but truelye if we looke more neerlye into the matter most plentifully described certaine aduersities into the which wretched men doo fall somtimes by the wil of God and from the which they are again by the will of the same God wonderfully deliuered And certes it is wholy occupied in the commendation of Gods prouidence so that there could not be found any in
in this place 1 That miseries of all sortes are sent of the Lord. 2 That miseries are sent for sinnes and not only externall but also internall wherewith the conscience is troubled 3. That no helpe or succour can doo vs any good but so far-foorth as the Lord hath ordained 4. That in seeking first and before all thinges for helpe we must seeke it rather from the Lord then from any creatures First seeke the Kingdome of God saith he and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you And Except the Lord buylde the house they labour but in vaine that builde it c. Psal 127. And when they cryed The second part of the proofe touching their deliuerance And the verse is interlaced It is to no purpose to repeate the thinges that haue beene before declared For he brought them out Beholde againe the Lord dooth all in all He woundeth and he healeth he maketh the hart sorie and he maketh it merrie Albeit it may seeme that second causes doo somewhat to the deliuerance of the afflicted yet the matter commeth to this point that all things ought to be ascribed onely vnto the Lord to whom it seemeth good to woork effectually by second causes as by fit tooles or instruements So Peter Act. 12. was indéede by an Angell brought out of prison and yet afterward beeing returned to the brethren he telleth them how the Lord had deliuered him 15 Let them therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenes and declare his wonderfull woorks before the Sonnes of men 16. For he hath broken the gates of brasse and brast the barres of yron asunder A conclusion hortatory as in the proofe before going with a repetition of the cause drawen from the premises for the which all men ought to â—ing praises vnto the Lord. But inasmuch as hâ—â—â—â—eth heere inespeciallye with those men that are endangered for the contempt of the woord this place is diligentlye to be noted for the time that now is For vndoubtedly we ought to iudge that as imprisonments so also all other publike calamities whatsoeuer happening thick and threefolde to men in these daies haue beene sent for the contempt of Gods woord Wherfore it behoueth vs to be awakened as out of a dead sleepe to esteeme more reuerently of the woord of God that we may willinglye heare it and indeuer to liue after it Neuerthelesse though it be saide heere that the wicked suffred imprisonment for the contempt of the woord yet is it not meete to iudge by and by that al those are wicked or contemners of the woord whom we see to be cast into prison For euen the Godly also doo fall oftentimes into the like danger which also commeth to passe for those causes which we haue noted before when we proued that calamities are sent of God iustly and for our great good benefite But for this cause especially speaketh he of the wicked that therby we might be giuen to vnderstand that the comforte touching deliuerance from such a danger to be looked for belongeth indifferently both to the godly and vngodly For if so be God â—â—liuereth the wicked out of adâ—â—â—â—â—tiâ—â— how much more will he deliuer the godly and elect And there is no doubt but that the Holyghost would therfore paint out the wicked punished for their sinnes and afterward deliuered rather then the godly that namely by this occasion Gods mercy might be enlarged and appéere to be the more famous and notable For séeing he vouchsafeth to heare graciously euen the enemies of his glory and such as haue deserued nothing but wrath and eternal damnation when they haue called earnestlye vpon him for his mercy and deliuereth them from the miseries wherwith they are oppressed this doubtles is a token of rare and singular clemency if we shall speake after the manner of men and Gods bountifull goodnes is by this means more ennobled renowmed then can possibly be vttred or expressed For why this is the proper and peculiar woork of God Wherfore all sorts of men indifferently aswell the godly as the wicked for what cause soeuer coÌ„ming into the perill of imprisonment ought to be partakers of this present comfort and to drawe vnto themselues the things that are héer spoken as touching Gods prouidence and goodnes If a man therfore beeing falsely accused and void of all blame be cast into prisoÌ„ as Ioseph was if any man be so ill dealt withall only to satisfie the lust and plâ—asure of a tyrant as Herod held Peter in prison to corry fauour with the sickle multitude if any man suffer as much for reprouing ouer sharply of sinne and for his constancy in defending the trueth as Micha Ieremy Iohn Baptist and many of the Apostles were delt withall finally if any man for offences committed as Pharaohs baker dayly marry malefactors are be subiect to the like danger let him cal vpon the Lord with his whole hart and there is no doubt but by faith he shall obtaine mercy as this proofe plainely testifieth that the conteÌ„ners of the woord were delinered Further wheÌ„ he speaketh of imprisonmenâ—â— it seemeth conuenient that we vnderstand such other miseries also to be ment as are annexed to imprisonment or as are wont for the most part to follow it as great and gréeuous accusations torments the iniquitie and crueltie of the iudge reproches and reuilements paines or penalties set and to be short the most bitter sentence of shaw full death which things vndoubtedly dover and torment the minde more then can in words be expressed But because to stand particularly vpon euery of these would be an infinite worke we think it sufficient for vs if by the way we admonish that against all those crosses in like manner as against the discommodities of imprisonment manifolde consolations may be drawen out of those thinges which haue hither to béene declared 17 Fooles by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquities are afflicted 18 Their soule abhorred all manner of meate and they were brought euen to deaths doore 19 Then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them out of their distresse 20 Hee sent his woorde and healed them and they were deliuered from their diseases They that expound this Psalme touching sprituall daungers onely appertaining to the soule say that it treateth heere of such as after they haue beene once glutted with the woord of God where before they wandred in the wildernes and were long pyned with hâ—uâ—er and where the impediments which letted theÌ„ from well dooing are taken away and remoued do yet begin againe to loathe and contemne the worde of God their spirituall foode neither do they passe any more for the word but are stâ—â—k and remisse in well dooing yea altogither cold and frozen An example of which matter was to be seene in the Iewes which had the law and diuine oracles yet they liued not ther after but as dogges returning to their old vomit as though there had no
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
or vision comprehending al thinges as it were with one look or view of the eyes The foreknowledge therefore of thinges to come is not repugnant to mans libertie or to the nature of things contingent For like as it is necessarye that all thinges that are past should already be fulfilled and yet notwithstanding some of them had necessary causes and therfore could not choose but be and some had free and contingent causes and therefore might either be or not be euen so likewise the things that are to come shal al come to passe but some of necessary causes and cannot but be othersome of frée and contingent causes and may fal out not to be For the maker and Creator of this worlde would not haue all thinges to come to passe by necessary causes but some to proceed of frée and contingēt causes wherin cheefly his glory dooth appéer For those thinges onely that are frée are capable of diuine power and of the heauenly and blessed life And therfore some things are doone which might not be doone and some thinges are not doone which might be doon Wherfore Adam when as by the consent of all Diuines he might haue stoode he fell and Christ sayde That he could pray vnto his Father and that his Father also could send twelue legions of angels whereof notwithstanding neither came to passe As therefore it is necessarye that all thinges alreadye past should be doone and yet that necessitie is not absolute but in respecte of the cause that is by reason of the circumstance of the time already past so the things that are to come after a sorte it is necessarye that they should be not absolutely indeed but in respect of the cause namely for because it is determined that they shal be so likewise is it necessarye that all thinges that are present be in esle as it is necessary for him that writeth to write as long as he writeth and for him that speaketh to speak and yet neuerthelesse not absolutely as when we saye the fire burneth or the Sunne shineth for it maye be that he writeth not and that this holdeth his peace but in regarde of the cause that is by reson of the circumstance of the time present forasmuch as Euery thing when it is it is necessary that it be saith Aristotle This therfore first we vnderstand by that place of Augustine that certaine Philosophers being deceiued in this point haue groeuouslye erred Secondly we perceiue by the same place what the way is of quieting so great a discord For as Augustine reproueth and confuteth those that of the foreknowledge of God concluded the necessitie of all things and took vtterlye awaye all libertie and freedome from man declaring that Gods foreknowledge agreeth right well with mans libertie A religious minde saith he chooseth both confesseth both and with a godlye faith approueth both So we also supposing this to be the only way andmean to end determin the controuersie by vs propounded haue vndertaken to defend That the liberty of mans will is not taken away by the purpose and decrée of God least any man should thinke Gods purpose and decrée to be such a thing as wherby men might be forciblye carried as the dust of the winde or by whose force and power alone and not by their owne they may speake like Balaams Asse and doo whatsoeuer they doo For he that thus thinketh is in a very great error Neither againe doo we attribute that libertie to man whereby he maye doo euery thing for so should be taken away not only Gods purpose and decrée but mortall man should be taken for a God but whereby he may woorke and deale at libertie vnder the decrée determination of God which is the property of that nature that God hath made free and capable of power and life eternall And so far is it off that this our sentence ought worthily to displese any of sound iudgment that euen they also which striue and struggle togither about this matter if their meaning were throughlye seene into are iust of this minde For it was neuer the intent of these learned and singular men to establishe such a purpose and decrée of God as whereby alone all thinges should be carried and doone without a meane as who should saye men were nothing but blocks and passible instrumentes for if they had beene of this minde they might woorthily haue beene gainsaide Neither the other sorte if so be we wil indifferently construe their meaning doo graunt vnto man that libertye whereby as he may purchase death and extreme miserie so also he may procure to him selfe life soueraigne felicitie for this would vtterly abolish the grace of God which they say was Pelagius his error but whereby a man may in such wise be and be said to be the Lord and maister of his actions as that he now alone may be deemed the author of sinne and God in no case charged therwith But this opinion will some man say induceth free-wil But what deuine euer denied that man hath indéed ouer much will to sinne For this saying of Augustine if I be not deceiued as it is most famous so also it is most true To doo a thing freely is the propertie of mans nature and so coopled with reason that it cannot be seperated from it by dooing freely to choose euill is the propertie of corrupt nature but to choose good is the gift of grace And therfore to conclude God the creator and Gouerner of all thinges is not the destroyer of the order by him appointed but the preseruer For he would that in the nature of things there should be diuers and sundry causes namely some Necessarye and othersome also free contingent which according to their seuerall natures might woorke freely and contingently or not woork Wherupon we conclude that secondary causes are not enforced by gods purpose and decrée but carried willinglye and after their owne nature for bycause that God is the preseruer of the order by him set and appointed and not the destroyer who woorketh by Satan and the wicked not as by a stone or brute beast but according to the qualitie and disposition of that nature which he hath put into them And thus much touching the first Question Question II. Our coniunction With Christ is altogether spirituall THe second followeth Our coniunction with Christ is altogither spirituall Out of which also there haue risen in this age not onely cruell and bitter conflicts of the learned among themselues but also hatreds persecutions burnings and tormentinges of a number of men yea warres and desolations of Countries neither hath this so deadly a controuersie beene betwéene the Romanists and Protestantes onely but betweene the Protestantes also themselues and that most eger and sharpe and which as yet is not throughly quenched and brought to an ende Of this therefore we also will speake somewhat but bréefely and according to the time which we suppose to be remaining vnto vs. This