even in sinfull actions as he is Gods creature upheld and maintained by him In him we live move and have our being but he sinneth by reason of the corruption of his nature having no free-will to any thing that is good since the fall of Adam but free-will and full power to that which is evil 2. When God withholdeth or suspendeth that power from sinners by which they might avoid that which is evil Thus when God departeth from Saul withdrawing the common aid of his Spirit then an evil spirit vexeth him and he groweth worse and worse The degenerate nature of man which one termeth sins Coach doth then runne which way the Devil driveth Claphâ—m in Cantic as Wheels and Axel-tree till Jesus Christ free our Chariot-nature from the power of hell and withall joyn himself by his own spirit to our nature that so with Ezekiels Chariot it may go forth and return according to the conduct of his holy Spirit 3. When God permits and suffers men to go on long in a course of sin and doth not restrain them for if it pleased him he could hinder men from doing evil Now the will of God is two-fold An approving Will A permitting Will. 1. An approving Will whereby he decreeth the actions of all good men 2. A permitting Will whereby he decreeth not to worke any evil but onely permit it to be wrought The actions of men are either good or evil God willeth good actions by his approving will Evil actions may come under a double consideration 1. In regard of the entity and being of them so God decreeth them by his permitting will for no sinne could be without his permission Act. 17.18 2. In regard of the evil adjunct and vitiosity of them Et potentius melius est bonum ex malo elicere quam esse mala nòn sinere August Bonum est mala esse vel fieri alioquìn summè bonus nòn permitteret ea fieri Lombard Sent. lib. 1. distinct 46. and so they proceed not from God but from the corrupt will of man as a deficient cause We may consider the sins of men as they are evil and so God is not the authour of them but as they may be reduced to some good as the manifestation of his own glory c. and so he suffereth evil to be committed being able to bring good out of evil as water out of a flinty Rock for though evil be not good yet out of evil God can bring good It is better and more powerfull saith Austin to draw and bring good out of evil than not at all to suffer evil to be out of the greatest evil God can produce the greatest good So then God is the Author of every action but not of the deformity enormity and obliquity of the action as the Planets are moved by a direct motion by the primum mobile the obliquity of their motion is à suâ naturâ The Sunne maketh the Earth hard the Wax soft flowers to smell sweetly dead Carrion to stink noisomly so then the diversity of effects proceedeth not from the nature of the cause but of the things wrought upon and God moveth and ruleth things according to their natures Multa sine voluntate Dei geruntur nihil sine providentia providentia est quae dispensat providet voluntas quae vult nòn vult aliquid Origen To explain this point by an instance or two In the selling Joseph into Aegypt Josephs brethren were agents and God was an agent and had an hand in the businesse but their ends were divers they sold him to be rid of him because they thought their father loved him better than themselves and because they thought so to falsifie his dreams that he might not rule over them but God's end was to provide succour and shelter for their father and themselves and all their families Gen. 50.20 Item in the temptations and afflictions of Job the Devil was an agent the Chaldeans and the Sabeans agents God an agent and all these had their several ends The Devils end was to have made Job forsake God that so he might have fallen to his share the Sabeans and Chaldeans end were to impoverish him and enrich themselves and God's end was to prove the Devil a liar and to manifest and declare the faith and patience of Job and make him famous for the same to the whole world In the divers and sundry captivities of the children of Israel by the Caldeans Babylonians Assyrians and lastly in their finall ruine by the Romans their enemies had their ends and God had his The ends that the Caldeans Assyrians Babylonians and Romans aimed at was their own pride and ambition and the enlargement of their Territories and Dominions but Gods end was the punishment of them to admonish others and to fulfill the prophesies and predictions thereof To be brief in the death of Christ the Devil had his end Judas his end the Scribes and Pharisees their end the Jews theirs God his end the Devils end was to make so many murderers and guilty of shedding innocent bloud Judas his end was covetousness to get thirty pieces of silver the Scribes and Pharisees end was envy and malice because they thought he eclipsed their glory Pilates end was partly to please the people but principally not to displease the Emperour the Jews end was hatred and malice because he reproved their sins but Gods end was to fulfill the Prophesies and to bring to pass the salvation of mankind by that means which he had appointed Shimei by cursing would shew his hatred of David but God would make known the patience of David Deus homo idem faciunt Deus pro aequitate laudatur homo pro iniquitate damnatur Aug. Epist 48. ad Vincent Non fit absque Dei voluntate quod fit contra ejus voluntatem efficit bona permittit mala dirigit universa Res mala nòn habet causam efficientem sed deficientem Aug. de civit Dei l. 12. c. 7. which was good Austin sheweth how God and man may will the same thing and God in willing it doth well and yet man sinneth in willing the same thing The Father of an ungracious child is sick God will have him to die in his just judgement the Son desireth the death of his father that he may the sooner come to his inheritance God willeth it justly the son wickedly And saith he further God and man do the same thing God is praised for equity and man is condemned for his iniquity When God the Father delivered his Son and Christ delivered his own body and Judas his Master why in this delivery is God just and man sinfull but only in all one thing which they did there is not all one cause for which they did it Great are the works of the Lord being sought out according to all his wills insomuch that by a marvellous and unspeakable manner that is not beside his will which yet is done against
like the Eagle Deut. 32.11 12 stretcheth them out to cover each of his young ones who are kept as it were in a nest none are so safely kept as Gods ltttle ones who have a nest under them and a God over them All Gods benefits are for their good every feather in his wings helpeth to cover them his wings reach to the ends of the earth be a Christian then where he will God hath a wing of grace or a feather of mercy to reach him and therefore when at any time we feel the touches of that wise hand that manageth our greatest affairs this may comfort us that he will lay no more upon us than he will give us a way out of seeing he layeth them on us not as an angry Judge but as a loving Father Tam pius nemo tam pater nemo Tertul. none so much affectionate as he none so much a Father as he saith Tertullian When it raineth we cannot see the end why God sendeth it through the thick Cloud but when the storm ceaseth we perceive presently that it hath been profitable and done good to the earth so while Gods hand is upon us we often see not the benefit of it but afterward we feel it to our comfort Psal 119.71 The Saints are beautifull in the fire of afflictions In the dark night of afflictions many glorious lights appear which lye hidden in the Sun-shine of prosperity saith Lactantius Many men deal with God as Joab did with Absalom who being often sent for refused to come at length when Absalom hath caused his barley fields to be set on fire by his servants then he cometh to him 2 Sam. 14.30 So many times when we are in prosperity God cannot be acquainted with us nor are we at leasure to serve him De nido peccati rostro flagelli percutit Hieron but when he rouzeth us out of the nest of sin by the bill of afflictions as Hierom speaketh then we run unto him and call upon him God hovers none in this evil nest nor nourisheth any in their sins if we expect comfort from him we must be carried on his wings from this pit of corruption When we are naked God brings us into the nest of afflictions to warm and ripen us there and to feather the wings of our prayers that we may soar aloft and fly to the Throne of his grace Therefore when men at any time are the instruments of our sufferings let us not consider whether we have deserved thus to be dealt with by them noâ— meditate on revenge thinking how tâ— pay them again in their own coyn but let us look not after the stone but to the hurler not to the staff buâ— to the striker considering that tâ— make opposition against God were but to strive against the stream aâ— he did that threw fetters into the Sea to make it his prisoner or as another as wise as the former that went out with a bag to catch the wind It is great wickedness and extream folly with Job's wife to think we should bless God in prosperity and blaspheme him in adversity this were intolerable ingratitude in the highest degree and with the Persians to worship the rising Sun in the morning for a God and to curse him at night being ready to go down for a Devil forgetting the benefit they had of his former presence and not considering the benefit they should reap at his next appearing Just so do many men they neither look backwards to Gods by-past benefits nor yet forward to his future favours but like Beasts look only downwards upon their present estate never praising God for the benefits they have received nor praying to him for such as they want and yet may receive Afflictions be the beaten path and road that lead to Heaven trodden and trackt by all the holy Patriarcks and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs that have gone before us and that must bet rodden by all the Saints and professors that must come after us therefore we must not look for a peculiar estate above all our brethren but seeing it is the lot and portion of all Gods children we must prepare our selves to bear our parts with patience That gold must be much beaten and filed and tried in the fire that must bear the image of the King the Church is Gods image which being decayed by Adam is to be renewed by our conformity to Christ Bernard saith Christ our Head was crowned with thorns his members must not think to crown themselves with Rose-buds And now Right Honourable I here humbly present unto you this Treatise of Providence who have observed the various operations of divine providence and have seen the flux and reflux of a thousand accidents in these our dayes and certainly God cannot conceal his thoughts designs and loving kindness from those that observe his doings who admire his sage providences and the miraculous conduct of his designs The best improvement of all occurrences is to consider all things spiritually turning them to spirituall ends and uses the living Christian layes things to his heart his searching spirit like the Chymick pots can refine all that is cast into it knowing that all things whatsoever all accidents and events fall directly and as it were perpendicularly under the counsell of Gods providence to the guidance whereof I leave you praying that the Lord who blessed the house of Obed-Edom for lodging the Ark of his Covenant will bless you with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ Thus committing your Estates to the protection of the Highest my labours to your favourable censures and my self to your commands I am My Lord and Madam Your Honours in all Gospel services W. Gearing May 26. 1662. INDEX RERVM CHap. 1. Text Ioh. 5.17 opened an Introduction to the Work a Doctrine raised Chap. 2. Quest Whether there be a divine providence proved by six Arguments Argum. 1. Chap. 3. Argum. 2. Chap. 4. Argum. 3. Argum. 4. Chap 5. Argum. 5. Argum. 6. Chap. 6. The definition of providence the parts of it Chap. 7. Of Gods generall providence Chap. 8. Of Gods particular providence of the extent of it to the Heavens to the Sun and Moon Chap. 9. Of the Eclipses a large discourse on the miraculous Eclipse that hapned at the death of Christ Chap. 10. Of the extent of providence to the Stars of their order variety and use how they are for signs and seasons and for dayes and years a discourse on the Star that led the Wise men to Christ Chap. 11. Of Gods providence to be seen in the winds and in the blowing of them an Objection answered Chap. 12. Of Gods providence to the Birds of the Air and in particular to the young Ravens the Ostriches young ones and the little Sparrows Chap. 13. Of Gods providence to be seen in the Seas in the nature of them an Objection answered of the saltness of the Sea and the reasons thereof of the bounds of the Sea of
that God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Mat. 3.9 If he would he could turn stones into men and these men into believers but omnipotency and soveraignty thus differ Rutherf inflâ—ences of Grace c. 7. omnipotency looks simply to effects physically what the Lord can do he can create many worlds but his soveraignty is that he may do what he will and de jure do all things and not give account of his matters to any one Job 33.13 as Elihu speaketh by his soveraignty he doth what he pleaseth and none can say What dost thou Job 9.12 Thus sometimes he taketh away health from some life from others sickness cometh and goeth at the command of God it is not the fogs and vapours of the Air can cause such great and epidemicall diseases as sometimes are spread over City and Countrey nor yet the influences of the Stars as Astrologers tell us and if there be any influences of constellations it is the Lord that by his Providence ordereth these constellations making them to meet in such and such conjunctions so that if health be taken away from any person or people it is the Lord that taketh it away and if God snatch any man out of the world Si rapuerit hominem è mundo August if he stop thy breath and deliver thee up to death who can hinder him saith Austin Thus sometimes he taketh away the spirits and courage of men that though they have opportunities of doing this or that yet their hearts shall fail them they shall not be able to effect it therefore he is said to cut off the spirit of Princes Psal 76. ult that their heart shall melt their spirits faint and their hands be feeble God hath as well a Bow to strike afar off and set in young Gallants that seem to themelves lusty and strong B p King and in the course of nature far from their ends as a Sword to strike at hand and cut down old user that are even ready to drop into deaths mouth and seem to have one foot in their graves as one hath wittily noted Nay admit we live as long as in course of nature we can yet as the longest day hath night attending it so death ever succeedeth the longest life even Methuselahs last Epitaph was Mortuus est he died Gen. 5.27 Sometime God shoots over and beyond us at Princes and Nobles and great Personages sometime below us at poor people of the lowest rank sometime on the right hand he hits our friends and sometimes on the left hand our enemies but at last the dart will light upon our selves Yea he hath divers wayes to bring men to their ends some are drowned with Pharaoh and his Princes in the Sea some go to the Gallows as Haman some have their bones burnt into Lime as the King of Edom some are swallowed up of the earth as Corah Dathan and Abiram some are eaten of Dogs as Jesabell some of Worms as Herod some perish by famine as divers in Samaria some by pestilence as seventy thousand in Davids dayes some by the sword as in the time of the Warrs one cryes out of his head with the Shunamites Son 2 King 4.19 another of his feet with Asa 2 Chron. 16.12 one hath the Gout another the Stone another the Palsey another the Dropsie some die suddenly others leisurely by long lingring languishing sickness but all meet in the grave for as it was said 1 King 19.17 that he that escaped the sword of Hazael Jehu should slay and he that escaped the sword of Jehu should be slain by Elisha so he that escapeth death by one disease shall first or last die by another as it is said Jer. 48.44 God may take away from us what he pleaseth without crossing his justice for he is righteous in all his wayes and without crossing his mercy and goodnesse which is not due to any he hath mercy on whom he will and therefore may take away what he will from any and without crossing his truth for the pâ—omises by which he engageth to us in these externals are conditional and who can say he hath so exactly performed his conditions that God can take nothing from him without breach of promise He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into a pit and he that escapeth the pit shall be taken in a snare or as a man that fleeth from a Lion and meeteth with a Bear or getting into an house and leaning to a wall and a Serpent biteth him Amos 5.19 Thus God to shew his soveraignty in the course of his Providence takes away wealth and riches from some and giveth it unto others God hath taken away the Cattell of your Father and given them to me saith Jacob to Labans sons Gen. 31.9 Sometimes he gives wealth to and takes it away from the same person as Job confesseth Job 1.21 Sometimes he giveth rains and showers and fruitfull seasons Act. 14.17 and at other times he with-holdeth the rain causing it to rain upon one City and not upon another Amos 4. The Lord likewise setteth up and pulleth down he advanceth and abaseth promotion cometh not from the East nor from the West nor from the North nor from the South but God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal 75 6 7. all which are notable declarations of Gods Providence 2. Gods goodness doth further manifest his Providence the Lord is truly good and the chiefest good and no evil as evil cometh from him his goodness is like an Ocean you read of the riches of his goodness Rom. 2.4 the whole earth is full of the goodness of the Lord saith the Psalmist and that which is most good is most communicative the Lord is good and doth good unto all Eccl. 9.2 causing his Sun to shine on the evil and the good and his rain to fall upon the just and the unjust These common outward blessings are often bestowed indifferently upon all alike good and bad just and unjust and the reason is because God is a common Father to them all and therefore as every Father will bestow some things upon all his children though he reserve the inheritance for one as Abraham for Isaac Gen. 25.6 giving other meaner gifts to the rest so God reserveth spirituall and heavenly blessings and Heaven it self for the Elect onely but outward earthly blessings he usually bestoweth upon all as a learned man upon that place De Dieu in Act. 17. The times obey the Elements serve the Corn abundantly groweth the fruits of the Vine do ripen in season the Trees abound with apples the Woods spring the Meadows flourish as well to the use of the sinfull as to the good Cypr. de bono patient Dionys de divin nominib Act. 17.30 the times of this ignorance God winked at saith that the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually from the Hebrew translated by the Septuagint to hide
for whom thou wast made thy light shall tend downward Besides the Sun never goes out of his way yet is in continuall motion there is a diversity in every day of the year yet notwithstanding if we compare one thing with another through the whole year we shall see it is constant in its motion and when it hath touched those limits which we call tropicks it is retrograde and turneth back again and though the Sun rise at one point of the Sky to day and at another a few dayes after and likewise do set yet at the end of the year he returneth again to follow the same trace which he hath continued ever since the Creation of the world except once in Joshuaes dayes This is that great light which God made to rule the day 3. From the Sun I shall proceed to speak of the Moon Luna à Phaenicibus coelestis regina appellata est est humorum domina oeconoma The Moon is called a great light not because it is greater than the other Stars for there are many bigger than the Moon they seem little to us because of their distance from us Calvin which runneth a much shorter compass than the Sun whereby it appeareth that she is in the midst between the earth and the Sun This is that other great light made by God to rule the night Gen. 1.16 called by the Phaenicians the Queen of Heaven by others the Wife of the Sun for the Moon is the last receptacle of all the influences and vertues that go forth from the Sun into other Stars which afterwards she communicateth to the earth and here the wisdome of God is admirable for therefore is the sphear of the Moon placed in the lowest place of the heavenly bodies and in the highest of the elementary bodies and albeit the benefits of the Sun seem to be more apparent because it maketh notable mutations of times of Summer and Winter and with his heat cherisheth and maketh the earth fruitfull nourisheth Plants and living Creatures yet the Moon also is very beneficiall to man because it nourisheth and governeth the humours for the life of Plants and Animals ariseth from the mixture of heat and moisture and is nourished by a due temperament of both The Moon is a celestiall Calendar for most Nations in times past used Lunar moneths describing their Moneths Festivall dayes and times appointed for publick meetings and debates by the Moon and for this cause David saith Psal 104.19 that God hath appointed the Moon for seasons The Hebrews reckoned their Moneths from one new Moon to another whence from the newness thereof A novitate ejus mensis Chodes dicitur quasi dicas nova Luna Flac. Illyr Clavis Script the Moon was called Chodes which is as much as to say the new Moon and here the wisdome of divine Providence is much to be observed that this Planet the most familiar with the earth appointed by God for the remedy of nocturnall darkness should outgo the admiration of all the rest She with her manifold windings and turnings into divers shapes hath much troubled the wits of the spectators fretting and fuming that of this Star being the nearest of all they should be most ignorant growing as it doth or else waining evermore one while bended point-wise into tips of horns another while divided just in the half and anon again in compass round sometime shining all night long and other-while late it is ere she riseth one while big and full and another while little or nothing to be seen as every mans experience maketh evident Plin. Natural Hist l. 2. c. 9. And Pliny saith that the Moon being next to the Center and therefore of least compass performeth the same course and circuit in twenty seven dayes and one third part of a day which Saturn the highest Planet runs in thirty years after this making conjunction with the Sun two dayes forth she goeth and by the thirtieth day at the most returneth to the same point and ministery again wherein is to be seen much of the Providence of God CHAP. IX Of the Eclipses a large discourse on the miraculous Eclipse that happened at the death of Christ IN the next place we may observe the operation of Gods Providence in the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon for every year both Planets are eclipsed at certain dayes and hours under the earth Pliny observeth Plin. Natural Hist l. 2. c. 13. that all Eclipses in two hundred and twenty two moneths have their revolutions and return to their former points Although Eclipses arise from naturall causes yet is it contrary to the property of the lights of Heaven whose nature and office is to shine therefore when their light is obscured they are in a suffering condition whence Eclipses are called by Heathens Defectus Solis lunaeque labores When the Sun is obscured all the Stars and Creatures which receive their strength from the Sun do as it were suffer together with him The examples of all ages do testifie that great mutations drought inundations pestilences warres and great destructions have followed immediately after great Eclipses At the death of our Saviour there was a great Eclipse of the Sun there being darkness over all the earth till the ninth hour Luk. 23.44 45. The Sun the eye of the world as the Poets call him was darkned but how he was darkned and how this Eclipse was occasioned there 's the difficulty and that it was not naturall but miraculous all Interpreters new and old consent and agree for it is concluded by Divines Philosophers and Astronomers that there cannot be a naturall Eclipse of the Sun but in the new Moon when those two Planets may be in conjunction and so the body of the Moon interposed between the Sun and the earth but this was at the full Moon for it was the day before the Jews Passeover which ever was celebrated the fourteenth day of the Moneth Nisan or the first full Moon after the Vernall Equinoctiall Besides there could not have been darkness of so long continuance by that means but the Sun would have recovered his light sooner by reason that he is by many hundred degrees bigger than the Moon Solis eclipsis nòn potest esse universalis Lyra. Istae tenebrae fuerunt factae per retractionean radiorum Solis virtute divina Hieron Per interpositionem nubium densarum Origen Dionys Aereop Epist ad Polycarp And Lyra saith that an Eclipse of the Sun cannot be universall And Hierom saith that darkness hapned through the retraction of the Sun-beams by a divine power And Origen saith it was by the interposition of a thick Cloud And Dionysius the Aereopagite in an Epistle to Polycarpus whereto Nicholas Lyra giveth much credit which Mr Beza thinketh to be counterfeit saith that being at that time in Aegypt where the air is wondrous thin and there be seldome any clouds or rain but the Land is watered and made fruitfull by the overflowing of
than the fowls 1. In respect of kind 2. In respect of gifts above them natural supernatural 3. In respect of his rule and soveraignty over them 4. In respect of his use and end above them Dr Th. Taylor Serm. on Mat. 6.26 Moses his face did shine in his fasting day and Daniel and the three children having lived ten dayes upon pulse and water appeared fairer in their countenances and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meat Dan. 1.15 Besides God will help his people in their greatest extremities as he did the sons of Jacob when they gazed one upon another God will either supply his peoples wants or take them away before the sharpnesse of extremity cometh It is rare to see the godly fall into those pinching wants that the wicked meet with Therefore David saith from his own experience He never saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37.25 He that giveth to beasts their food will not suffer his children to starve He that provideth meat for the fowls will much more provide for his own children Mat. 6.26 And if Gods children want this or that yet shall they want nothing that is good for them Psalm 34.10 CHAP. XXVII Sect. 1. Quest 2. Whether Gods Providence be immutable answered affirmatively Quest. 2 I Shall in the second place enquire Whether Gods Providence be immutatable and unchangeable I answer affirmativè that it is Resp. Deus decrevit quis dissolvet for God and all his Decrees are unchangable Malac. 3.6 I am God and change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Isa 26.10 With God there is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1.17 it is a metaphor that seemeth to be taken from the Sunne who is sometimes nearer to the Earth and sometime farther from the Earth who sometime sets a larger course and sometime a shorter cut yea who sometime shineth out clearly and sometime hideth himself under a cloud and according to the diversities of his aspects and influences Tempus ab aevo esse jubes stabilìsque manens das cuncta maneri Boet. de consolat Philos l. 3. he affecteth well or ill these sublunary and inferiour bodies But God is capable of no such alterations whether we consider his Nature his essential Properties or his Will In regard of them all he is Sempèr idem always the same his is was and will be is all one he is the same at this present that he was at the beginning and will be the same for ever that he is at this instant and this must needs be so For being a simple entire Essence void of all mixture and composition he is free from those qualities that accompany compounded bodies viz. generation corruption augmencation diminution and all manner of alteration and for the immutability of his Will he tells us Transibunt Coeli i. e. in melius mutabuntur Hieron in Psal 102. Et erunt Caeli novi nòn substantiâ sed quâ—litacibus renovati Aug. That as he hath purposed it shall stand and as he hath consulted it shall come to passe Jer. 14.24 And our Saviour saith Till Heaven and Earth pass away one jot and tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fullfilled Matth. 5.18 whereby our Saviour Christ doth not mean that either Heaven and Earth shall one day be destroyed in regard of their substance by fire any more than they were by water 2 Pet. 3.6 Rom. 8.21 nor yet then when they be changed in regard of their qualities when there shall be new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness that is I suppose when God shall alter and change the state of his Church as it shall seem to dwell in a new world that then there shall be a dissolution or alteration of the moral Law It 's certain that the use of Arts and tongues interpretations expositions and all knowledge of the Law and other things gotten by these means shall then cease and have an end For when that which it perfect is come that which is unperfect shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.8 10. but for the substance of the moral Law it is indissoluble immutable and unalterable and sooner shall the frame and fabrick of Heaven and Earth fail and the world become a second Chaos then it be destroyed The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord endureth for ever Object Is the will of God unchangeable may it not be said that under the Law God would be worshipped by Ceremonies and under the Gospel he will not so be worshipped therefore the will of God is changed Mutatio rerum seu effectuum nòn valet ad mutationem causarum variis temporibus mutantur opera Agricolae nòn ideò mutatur ipsa Ars agriculturae August Resp. I answer That the change of things or effects makes nothing to the change of causes An Husbandman at one time useth one piece of Husbandry another while he useth another sometime tilling sometime sowing sometime dunging and sometime reaping at several times the works of the Husbandman are changed and yet the Art of Husbandry it self is not changed God doth not now under the Gospel govern his Church in the same manner as he did under the Law in the Churches infancy then he allured them with temporal promises whereby notwithstanding were signified spiritual and eternal Yet no alteration in God but he dealeth like a wise Father who useth one manner of Discipline to his children being young and tender and another manner of carriage being grown up yet his love and mind is still one and the same towards them Sect. 2. IN respect of the first cause all things come to passe by an immutable necessity but in respect of second causes some things come to pass necessarily others contingently That is necessary that must be thus and thus and cannot be otherwise than it is that which is contingent is that which before it is done may be done or not be done or at least after this or that manner Necessity is either from an internal principle and the nature and form of the thing as the Sunne necessarily shineth the fire necessarily burneth every living creature dieth and is dissolved A man is a reasonable creature and a man not regenerate sinneth For this he hath from Nature depraved and corrupted or else Necessity is from some external Necessitas est modus agendi ordinatus in rebus naturalibus Verron Physic l. 1. c. 5. inevitable impulsive cause as the Elect cannot perish but the cause is not in themselves but in Gods purpose which appointed Christ to be their Saviour So Christ was necessarily to die at the age he died not by necessity of Nature for he might have lived many years longer but by necessity of God's Decree yea and also that he should die the death he did die Sometime
a great bond to obedience his governing and preserving of us requireth our obedience and subjection to him Ben. Gorion lib. de bello Judaeor He is a coward and of a base spirit who kicks and spurns and complaineth of the government of the world and who had rather censure God than be obedient to him The Jews by placing a flag with the Romans Arms upon the walls of Jerusalem on their three several great Feast-dayes did thereby declare themselves subject to the Romane Emperour So let us be obedient and become subject to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in whom we live move and have our being let us hang out the flag of subjection and do homage to him who governeth the whole world Even nature it self teacheth us to tender him our service from whom we receive our being and preservation When it is the will of a Sovereign all Subjects ought to obey all Sovereigns look for obedience from such as are under their protection and government and especially when God who is the absolute Monarch of the universe doth command all that are under his Empire must adore his Laws and yield obedience to him No man hath Power Rule Greatness Wealth and Riches above others without him all is by his Providence As a Ship upon the Sea were not able to stand one day but would soon perish without a governour so would the highest the richest the greatest soon come to nought without his protection and providence If thou acknowledgest not all thou art or hast to be through his providence thou deservest not the name of a son or servant but if thou dost acknowledge it and performâ—â— not obedience to him what name is bad enough for thee Stock on Mal. chap. 1. Nay what punishment is sufficient for such an offence as a grave Divine hath noted The most high and holy Angels are most obedient and shall sinfull dust and ashes be disobedient to their Sovereign Lord The insensible creatures are obedient and shall the rationall be disobedient The Sun the Moon the Stars all celestial creatures all the seasons all flowers and fruits that adorn the Earth serve for the use of man and shall he be disobedient to the Lord his King and Governour 1 Sam. 15.23 Therefore for men to continue in sinne is rebellion against God a denial of his Sovereignty and a rebellion against his Supream Authority What is he that goes on in a course of sinne but a stubborn Rebel against the Lord of Heaven and Earth We are apt to make light of sinne and especially if it be such a sinne as seemeth to do others no hurt but we must learn to judge of sinne not by such a Rule but with respect to the Majesty of that God against whom it is committed This proveth any sinfull practice to be Rebellion against the King of Kings When sinne grows common usually sinners grow secure in sinning but this cannot excuse the sinner from Rebellion against the Lord of Hosts Luk. 19.27 As for these mine enemies that will not have me toreign over them saith Christ bring them hither and slay them before my face The Lord will esteem and condemn them as Rebels and will command and see execution himself done upon them God is advanced far above his highest Enemies he is higher than the highest and armed with so much power as to make all his foes his footstool and will bring his stoutest Enemies to fall before him they shall be dasht in pieces against this Rock in the holes whereof the Saints hide themselves and are safe If a King know such a man to be his Enemy hath feifed upon him condemned him to die and resolved to put him to death any wise man would think that condition of his between the sentence and execution were not much desirable Now the Enemies of God are condemned already God hath them in his power and the sword of Divine vengeance hangeth over their heads as it were by an horse-hair every moment ready to fall upon them therefore let them for the present enjoy great places high dignities and much power in the world yet none of these can secure them from falling into the hands of the living God who regardeth his greatest Enemies no more than a stout Army doth a company of poor shepherds Labour then to keep close with God walking in his wayes without denial or delay The Lord is with you while you be with him if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you when men will act by principles of their own and drive on evil designs upon corrupt pretences they cannot assure themselves that God will prosper them or so much as protect them the experience whereof we have seen made good of late by many severe instances of Providence CHAP. XLI Instruction eighth Instruct 8 EVery man should from hence learn to keep within the compasse of his calling Publicani fuerunt illi qui populi Romani vectigalia Judaeis invitis jure belli imposita ipsorum nomine publicè tractârunt undè reliquis Judaeis tanquam hostes patriae libertatis exosi fuerunt Chemnit doing that which is just and equal The motion of God's Providence like the motion of the Heavens is alwayes equal and constant as the best Harmony in Musick is of many discords wel set together so the different notes of Providence make it very harmonious Carnal hearts are apt to plead with God about the inequality of God's ways providences as if they could amend what God had done You say the way of the Lord is not equal hear now O house of Israel Is not my way equal are not your wayes unequal Ezek. 18.25 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes of Providence Let us imitate the Lord therein When the Publicans who were customers in Haven-Towns being for the most part ex faece populi of the scum of the people came to be baptized of John they said unto him What shall we do He said unto them Exact no more than is appointed you Luk. 3.12 13. He bids them not leave their Offices but teacheth them how to use them Here all Levellers may be taxed who would have no orders nor degrees among men denying duties to Kings Rulers and Governours contrary to the Doctrine and practice of Christ and his Apostles Christ was born in a time of Tribute he willeth Peter to pay Tribute for them both Mat. 17.27 He bids Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Mat. 22.21 But Princes must moderate their expences according to their revenues and not exhaust their treasures to maintain their pleasures Pastoris boni est oves tondêre nòn deglubere Sueton as Tiberius the Emperour told one that bid him lay heavier taxes upon his people It is the part of a good Shepherd to shear and not to flea or skin his Sheep David would not drink the water that
necessity ariseth from both together as that the Sunne shineth is from its own nature and that the light maketh the day is also from the Decree and appointment of God That the Reprobate shall be damned ariseth partly from the nature of sinne that maketh them liable to death and partly from the Decree of God appointing them to destruction Again Causes are some definite and appointed to set purposes and some indefinite and free and both in divers respects So Judas in Gods Decree was the definite and appointed cause to betray Christ in his own indefinite he might either have done it Cyrus naturalitèr erat causa indefinita ad liberandum vel nòn liberandum populum Judaicum sed definita in decreto Dei voluntas Judae moderante divina providentia fuit à Satana inclinata sed nòn impulsa or not have done it So Cyrus naturalitèr was an indefinite cause either to deliver or not deliver the people of the Jews but definite in the Decree of God So Judas naturally not necessarily but freely betrayeth Christ but in respect of God's Decree he betrayed him necessarily neither could he avoid the betraying of him yet not by compulsion but freely and voluntarily In respect of the second cause Adam sinned freely and contingently in respect of the first cause he sinned necessarily So when the Romans besieged Jerusalem in respect of them it was contingent and arbitrary and free whether they would destroy it or not but in Gods Decree necessary that they must destroy it Sect. 3. An Objection against the immutability of Gods Providence answered How God is said to repent c. Object IF Gods Providence be immutable Quomodò paenitentia cadat in eum qui sua praescientia regit universa Theodoret. how is it then said that he repented him of the evil denounced against Nineveh and did it not Jon. 3.10 This seemeth a harsh phrase and strange speech that God should repent and change his mind who is immutable the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent 1 Sam. 15.19 for he is not as a man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he should repent how then can repentance be attributed to him who by his fore-knowledge governeth all things yet that he may at least seem to repent this place proveth and Gen. 6.6 Moses tells us that when God saw that the whole frame of mans heart was altogether evil and that continually it even repented him that he had made man upon the earth and grieved him at the heart and so concerning Saul 1 Sam. 15.11 God tels Samuel that it repented him that he had made him King The Learned say Resp Haec habet omnia Deus per effectum non per naturam Bernard That these affections of anger and grief sorrow repentance c. be not properly in God of their own nature but onely their effects Anger properly is not in God Fury is not in me Isa 27.4 but revenge an effect of anger is in God for a man that is angred is desirous to be satisfied and to wreak himself upon him that hath provoked him the passion of anger is not in the nature of God but the effect is Vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord. So Repentance is not properly in God but the effect of repentance is which is the change of something formerly done or at least determined a sudden changing or alteration of that which he seemed to have continued and established As for that place Gen. 6. Subita dispensationis mutatio paenitetnia Dei dicitur rerum subejus potestate constiturarum hominibus inopinata mutatio immutabili praescientia manente divinâ Aug. lib. 17. de Civit. Dei Haec quidem dicuntur humanitùs intelliguntuur autem ut Deo convenit Deus enim ad captum nostrum se demittens se talem nobis figurat non qualis in se est sed qâ—aliâ— Ã nobis sentitur Buc. loc com ut intellectus noster immaterialitèr intelligit materialia ita Deus immutabiliter vult mutabilia Lyra. Dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro eo quod est hominem quem priùs creaverat delere stauit tanquam si paenituisset facti Junius ad Gen. 6. Maimon in Jesu-Dei hatrorah cap. 1 Sect. 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot. Ethic. Nicom 7. cap. ult It repents me to have made man the meaning is I purpose shortly to destroy him and it repents me that I have made Saul King over Israel that is I intend shortly to depose him and take his Kingdome from him and set up another in his stead for these and such like speeches Athanasius hath a golden rule for expounding them as Bucan calls it These things saith he are spoken after the manner of men but are understood as it agreeth to God for God stooping to our capacity repenteth himself to be such a one to us not as he is in himself but as he is apprehended by us to be As our understanding doth understand material things immaterially so God willeth things mutable immutably remaining himself unchangable as Lyra speaketh And Ainsworth out of the Hebrew Doctours saith That forasmuch as it is cleer that not any corporall accident doth happen unto God as it is evident that God is no corporal or bodily thing and neither composition nor division nor time nor place nor measure c. neither beginning nor ending neither is he changable for nothing can cause him to change neither is there in him anger or laughter or joy or grief c. as the sons of Adam speak but all these and the like things spoken of him in the Law and Prophets are parabolicall and figurative and spoken onely according to the language of the sons of men Breifly Geneva Annot in Jerem. 18.8 the Geneva note on Jer. 18.8 where the Lord saith That if a Nation against which he hath pronounced repent and turn from thir wickednesse he also will repent of the Plague that be thought to bring upon them there saith the marginall note when the Scripture attributeth repentance to God it is not that he doth contrary to that which he hath ordained in his secret Counsell but when he threatneth it is a calling to repentance and when he giveth man the grace to repent then the threatning which ever containeth a condition in it taketh no place And this say they the Scripture calleth repentance in God not because it properly is so but because it so appeareth to man's judgement Austin saith Paenitudo est mutandorum immutables ratio August That repentance in God is his unchangable disposition of changable things God is not changed Malac. 3.6 but the things are altered God is immutable but when they whom God careth for are changed Deus immutabilitèr ignoscit then God changeth the course of things as he seeth expedient for them For God immutabilitèr ignoscit unchangably forgiveth those that repent and unchangably forgiveth not