Thus a good Iudge giues his charge to preuent stealing at one Sessions Simile and punisheth those which haue broke it at the next Sessions Secondly if you respect Gods reuealed will that is the meanes he vseth for our cōuersion keeping of his lawes in this sense he willeth the death of none but if you respect his secret will that is his decree of reprobation Esay 1.24 Matth. 11. Luke 10. then God may be said to will the death of infinite many and that therein he reioyceth and taketh pleasure in as much as his power and iustice is thereby exalted His iustice in that hee punisheth sinne his mercie in that of his grace through his sonne hee saueth some his power in that he can ordaine for his owne seruice both vessels of wrath and vessels of glorie Thirdlie 1. Tim. 4.2 whereas God is said to will the saluation of all we must vnderstand by All some of euerie nation and degree whatsoeuer Thus Paul noteth when he saith Pray for kings and all in Authoritie because it pleaseth God that some of euerie countrie nation and degree should be saued Thus the generall vsed by Esay 43.9 is expounded in the sixt verse to be ment of the sons and daughters of God But some replie Replie 1. Tim. 4.10 that this cannot bee thus because it is said that although God is especially a Sauiour of the faithfull yet that he is a Sauiour of all as wel as of them Ans Sauiour hath relation to this life not to the life to come so that the meaning is that although God especiallie preserueth and deliuereth the godly yet that he giueth food raiment and other things necessarie for this life euen vnto the wicked also In this sense speaketh Dauid Psalm 33.6 Thou Lord sauest both man and beast Where saue must needs be vnderstood for preserue and maintaine and so in the place before alleaged Obiection The will of man agreeing with Gods will is good But whensoeuer one man doth kill another False conclusions inserred there is mans will agreeing with Gods will because it was his pleasure that such a thing should fall out In regard of the right of punishing And therefore man for killing man is not to be punished though it lies in God to punish him for it Where mans will agreeth with Gods will in all respects Solution the argument doth hold but in this and all other there is infinit contrarietie God wils a voluntarie permission man a wilfull effecting God often willes the death of a man if hee bee holie as a blessing to giue him the life of the soule for the death of the bodie and for momentarie troubles eternall ioies if he be wicked as a punishment for his sinne and to cut him off from infecting his Church but the murtherer in killing of a man respects none of these ends but the satissying of his malitious mind the occasion being as often vniustly taken as of weaknesse giuen So that in this and al other such like God willes his owne glorie in the execution of iustice and in shewing mercie to his children Rom. 12.9 but the manslaier regards neither but whollie the satisfying of his bloudie desire whereby he multiplies his sinnes in approching to the seate of iudgement 1. Thes 4.6 for vengeance is the Lords and to him only it belongs to repay Obiection Our vnrighteousnes commends the righteousnesse of God therfore though God hath the right of punishing yet he cannot in iustice punish vs because our sinne sets forth his glorie Our vnrighteousnesse doth not commend Gods righteousnesse Solution as it is simplie sinne but by accident namely because when we doe sinne God doth punish vs for the same which punishment being the execution of iustice his righteousnesse is thereby commended therfore let vs not sinne nor sinning without repentance thinke to goe vnpunished for it is for the honor of the Iudge of the world to execute iudgement Gen. 25. Obiections alleaged to prooue God the Author of sinne with the Answers vnto them Obiect IF God created the wicked man against the euill day or day of wrath Thus taught the Seleutians Aug. de haeres Thus taught Floring and Blastus at Rome Euscb lib. 5. cap 13. 28. Solution then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God hath done so Prou. 16. And therefore seemes to be cause of sinne God created not the euill man to sin and therefore cannot be a cause of it but sinning to punish him for the same In which case none can complaine Psalm 6. because God will giue to euery one according to his worke Obiect If there be no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God is the cause of all euill in the citie Amos 3.6 Esay 4. and therefore of sinne There is a double cuill Solution the morall and the naturall the morall euill is the sinne the naturall euill is the punishment for the sinne God is the Author of this but not of the other And therfore the Prophet Amos theacheth in this place that afflictions come from God and not by chance and fortune as some were perswaded Obiect God commanded Abraham to kill his innocent son Shemeus to curse Dauid Gen. 32.2 Sam. 15. But these are sinnes Therefore God seemes to be a cause of sinnes God commanded not Abraham to sacrifice his sonne of superstition Solution as they that offered their sons and daughters to the idoll Moloch nor yet to satisfie any malice or wicked thought in Abraham toward his sonne for this was farre from so holie a father but onlie as it was a point of Gods deuine seruice to trie the faith of Abraham who therby was to be made a father of al beleeuers And therefore God did well in commanding and Abraham well in obeying Secondly though the commandement was giuen to trie Abraham yet the secret purpose of God was to deliuer Isaac as the sequeale did manifest But on the contrarie Shemeus his railing on Dauid was from a malitious minde and to satisfie his furie against him the which was not commanded by God but only willingly permitted and in the permission so ordered as that it turned vnto Dauid to be a correction for his sinne in which sense Dauid saith the Lord bad him doe it And therefore by neither of these can God seeme to be the author of sinne Obiection God caused the Israelites to spoyle the Aegyptians of their iewels Exod. 12.25 chap. 3.22 contrarie to his owne Law Exod. 20. and therefore seemes a cause of sinne What God commaunds to be done Solution the performance of that can be no sin because sinne is a transgression of Gods lawe Secondly the Israelites being Gods people and hauing liued in great seruitude in Egypt and by their labours encreased the treasures of Pharaoh very exceedingly there was good reason why they
looke vnto vs Whence is it that our dread Soueraigne holds the crowne of gouernment in peace whence his miraculous deliuerances from the hands of his enemies Euen from Gods especiall mercie and Prouidence ouer him And why from his mercie wherefore from his speciall Prouidence not only because he is the Lords anointed but especially because he is his elected A comparatis for if wicked kings haue a special priuiledge in regard they are Kings how much more our King being a resolute Iosiah a religious Dauid a wise Salomon and a zealous Ezechias How are the tender lambes amidst the rauening wolues preserued frō them how the sillie chickens from the greedie kite waighting continually to praie vpon them The eause of our deliuerances from bloudy traitors and that they fall into the pit which they digged for vs. must they nor both goe to wrecke vnlesse there be a carefull Shepheard and a louing henne No lesse can the flocke of Christ defend it selfe against tyrants those greedy wolues vnlesse Christ Iesus that good shepheard did most carefully looke vnto it No lesse can his tender chickens keepe themselues from being deuoured by those rauening kites the diuell himselfe the Pope of Rome that Antichrist with all his sworne and vowed Allegeants among vs did not Christ Iesus as a most louing henne preserue and keepe them vnder the wings of his mercie O thou beloued consider then the cause of thy deliuerances It is because God loueth thee and thus louing thee appoints his Angels to attend vpon thee Heb. 1.11 Heb. 1.11 It is because he so respects thee that an haire of thine head cannot perish Matth. 10.30 Matth. 10.30 It is because of his neuer failing loue therein exceeding the loue of a mother to the child of her owne wombe Esay 49.15 Esay 49.15 It is because he makes our case his case Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.4 Act. 9.4 It is because hee respecteth vs as that which is dearest vnto him Zach. 2.8 Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eie This being so who seeing Gods wonderful loue to his Church in electing it in being elected to redeeme it with the most precious blood of his onely begotten Sonne and being thus redeemed thus to respect to loue and blesse it that can denie his especiall care and Prouidence ouer the same Gods Prouidence ouer the wicked IT is our mercifull God saith Iob chap. 28.24 that beholdeth the ends of the world and hath a regard vnto all things that are vnder the heauens Which cannot bee vnderstood of a carelesse beholding as some would haue it but of a carefull prouiding for them as al must needs confesse it Is it likely that God who looketh forth of the heauens and beholdeth all the sonnes of men Psalm 33.13 should looke vpon them to no end or behold them to no purpose Surely no he fashioneth as well the wicked as the godly in the wombes of their parents Eccles 11.5 Hee gouerneth their words Prou. 16.1 He appointeth out their waies they shall walke in Pro. 5.21 He exalteth one he casteth downe another Psal 75.7 He giueth and al men gather he openeth his hands and all ceatures both good and bad are filled with his goodnes Psalm 104.28 So that who is hee that hath not tasted how gratious the Lord is yea wee see it by experience that the godly are often as the sheepe feeding on bare commons whilst the wicked are as fat bulls of Bashan grasing to the full in goodly greene medowes the sun shining vpon them the raine making their grownds fertile their flocks of sheepe and kine multiplied hauing children at their pleasure and so increasing that they call their Lands by their owne names Nay if there were not a resurrection a reward reserued for the godly and plagues for impenitent sinners of al other as Paul saith the Church of God were most miserable For as the Wise man saith touching this life all things fall out alike both to the wicked and godly yea whilst they liuing at their hearts ease lying in their beds of Iuorie carowsing wine in their full vyols inuenting to themselues instruments of musicke Heb. 11.35.36.37 the Church of God poore soules in loue corrected are oftentimes nipt with cold pinched with famine racked by tortures tried by mockings scourgings bōds imprisonmēt yea tempted stoned hewne asunder slaine with the sword All things working still for the best to those that loue and feare his name Rom. 8. This prosperitie of the wicked and afflictions of the godly both proceeding from God on them a iudgment vpon vs an assurance of his mercie haue astonied the dearest and wisest children of God vntill going into the house of God they beheld their miserable end and sudden subuersion Now whence ariseth this flourishing yet fading estate of the wicked from their own wisedome from their owne endeauours Surely no it is in vaine to rise vp earely to goe to bed late to eate the bread of carefulnes except the Lord giues a blessing and therfore whatsoeuer the wicked enioy proceedeth wholy from Gods Prouidence As he increased the store-house of godly Abraham so he filled the barnes of the wicked rich man Luk. 16. Luk. 16.19 As he made Dauid King ouer his people so hee gaue Saul the Scepter of gouernment and therefore he was called the Anointed of the Lord. As God was mercifull vnto Iob in not suffering Satan to take away his life Iob 4.12 so he was long suffering vnto Pharaoh in that the first plague consumed him not for not letting his people goe As it came to passe by Gods Prouidēce that Ioseph should bee preserued from death Gen. 45.8 and made Ruler ouer Pharaohs household so the same God effected that Naaman the Syrian should be rich mightie and honourable in the sight of his Lord the King of Aram. 2. Kings 5.1 And therefore our gratious God whose mercie reioyceth against iudgement extendeth his Prouidence to the wicked and reprobate That those things which seeme meanest in our eyes are maintained and kept by Gods Prouidence NEither doth our mercifull God sit in the highest regarding onely his most excellent creatures as Angels men and women the heauens the Sun the Moone the number of the Starres and such like but as Dauid saith hee beholdeth all things as comprehending his meanest creatures vpon earth Whatsoeuer hath life motion or being is gouerned by Gods Prouidence Act. 17.28 But the basest things may bee referred to all or one of these And therefore things most meane are ruled by his Prouidence The Psalmist vsing the like generalitie Psalm 145.15 saith that the eies of all things doe looke vp vnto God and he giueth thē their meat in due season in the one part of the sentence shewing Gods mercie in giuing Some reade looke vnto some hope in in the other his creatures acknowledgement of the same by their hope of receiuing The Lions are
strong yet of themselues not able to prouide meat for their young for they crying seeke it at the Lord Psalm 104.21 Psalm 104.21 and thus seeking it finde it at his hands Looke to the meanest things in the heauens Math. 6.26 the blowing of the winds the motion of the clouds Iob 39.3 the raine dropping from them the flying of the birds all are ruled by God Psalm 147. Matth. 10.30 Looke to the smallest things vpon earth the grasse vpon the Mountaines fodder for cattell hearbes for the vse of man lillies to adorne the field all haue their being Psalm 147.8.9 and encrease from God Looke vnto the things vnder the earth Matth. 6.21 They also haue their being saith Iob from God and there is a place in which they are preserued Yea God ordereth the sillie wormes for his glorie as appeares in making thē instrumēts of plaguing Pharaoh for his hardnes of hart and meanes to gnaw asunder the gourde wherewith his Prophet Ionah was couered Ionah 4.7 Since then the meanest things in the heauens on the earth and vnder the earth are vpholden by God and guided by his Prouidence and that this his goodnes declares the greatnes of his mercie and secondly Ministers comfort to his children for if God thus gouerneth them how much more will he bee present to those that loue feare his name let vs not diminishing his mercie or depriuing our selues of such comforable assurance once call into question his Prouidence ouer his meanest creatures but with heartie thankesgiuing acknowledge the same Gods Prouidence prooued by the testimonies of the holy Fathers WIsedome teacheth that it is good to build vpon a firme foundation the word of God then being the ground worke of this doctrine wee may with safetie settle our iudgements thereon When the Sunne shines clearely what needes the candle to be lighted when the word is euident what needes authoritie of fathers To adde light to the sunne or a sparke to the flame seemes small discretion yet since experience doth teach that the nature of man is not onely hard to be drawne to the acknowledgement of an euident truth but also meere repugnant to that whereby the eies of his vnderstanding being enlightned he might glorifie God It shal not bee amisse to alledge their confessions that the wauering in iudgement may confesse the trueth with them Cyrill writing against Iulian Lib. secundo quinto affirmeth that God doth not onely direct all things to the behoofe and full harmonie of the whole vniuersally but also is the Cherisher Maintainer and Preseruer of euery thing in particular Augustine saith De Trinit lib. 3. cap. 4. that there is no creature which is not gouerned by Gods Prouidence and in another place hee descends vnto the particular saying Jn Psal 148. Tom. 8. Who disposed the members of the gnat and other small creatures that they should haue their life their goodly order and moouing Propound vnto thy selfe one of the meanest of Gods creatures consider the excellent disposition of his members his life whereby hee is moued to eschew death and to vse meanes to preserue him he desires pleasures he flieth troubles hee hath his senses and an excellent motion beseeming himselfe wherein he deliteth And in another place Hee which made the Angels in heauē made also the wormes in the earth Hath God made the Angels to creepe in the durt and the wormes to remaine in the heauens No he hath giuen to euery creature his fit place of habitation to that which is incorruptible an incorruptible place of abiding to that which is corruptible a corruptible place of remaining Thus much Augustine Basilius Magnus hath truely said that fortune and chance are Heathen mens words Homil. 19. wherewith the minds of the godly ought not to bee busied Chrysostome vpon the Ephesians If a ship though well rigged and sound euery where cānot brooke the seas without a good gouernour Lib. 1. cap. 16. how much lesse can the whole world without the care and gouernment of God Caluin in his Institutions Whatsoeuer changes of things fall out in the world they come to passe by the secret stirring of the hand of God Beza in his Confessions All things are gouerned by Gods Prouidence The consideration whereof made the ancient Philosophers as Empedocles Heraclites and such like to affirme that all things fell out by a certaine necessity although they could not determine the manner how But what should I stand vpon moe allegations He which will enquire further into them I referre him to August de Prouidentia Dei Tom. 1. lib. 1. Tom. 5. to the same Author de Ciuit. dei lib. 12. cap. 4. to Origen in Romanos cap. 1. to Chrysostome in tribus de Prouidentia lib. ad Stargirium to Naziazene de Paupertate curanda with infinite others All which omitted I proceede vnto the third way of proouing this trueth vnto vs. Gods Prouidence prooued by testimonies of Heathen Writers WHen as men darkned in their vnderstandings Ephes 4.18 wanting the light of the Gospell guided only by the rules of reason shall by manifold obseruations gather vndoubted conclusions of the Prouidence of God ouer all his creatures how shall Christians liuing in the glorious sunshine of the Gospel and professing themselues not onlie naturally to bee ruled by the same rules of reason but supernaturallie by Gods holy Spirit call that into question whereof they neuer doubted The trueth whereof appeares thus vnto vs. Plotin the Platoniste affirmes that Gods Prouidence is manifested vnto vs euen from the highest things to the very lillies of the field Lib. 3. Enne ad 4. And for further confirmation of the same hath written three bookes to that purpose Porphyrius demanded this question of Nemetrius Shall we saith he suffer a King to dispose of his matters as hee listeth and shall we denie the same vnto God Sinesius the Platoniste confidently affirmeth that such as doe doubt of the Prouidence of God by inconueniences which happen are fooles but the wise are confirmed in the trueth by them Alexander of Aphrod in his booke of Prouidence hath this excellent saying It is too farre disagreeing from Gods nature that he should haue no care of the things below for that is the part of an enuious man and to say he is vnable is too vnseemely because he is able to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him Iuuenall hath a saying thus translated There wantes no God at all where wisedome doth aduise But fooles haue fortune deifide and placd ' aboue the skies Amonius writing against Porphyrius attributeth a double power vnto God the one whereby he knowes all things the other whereby hee rules all things But if any list to heare the iudgements of these men more at large let him reade Theod. de affect Graecorum curandis intituled Of the Prouidence of God Also the first booke of Iohannes Franciscus Picus Comes Mirandulanus de Prouidentia dei wherein this truth
is proued by the testimonies of many Heathen writers as of Orphaeus Homer Plutarch Euripides Sophocles Menander Diphilus Virgil Phocilides Hipocrates Pythagoras Plato Plotin Atticus Platonicus Auicen Algazilus Aristotle and many others all which I passe ouer and come vnto the fourth and last way of proouing this trueth vnto vs. Gods Prouidence prooued by meere reason IN this latter age wherein iniquitie hath almost gotten the vpper hand and wickednes approched verie neere the seate of iudgement some I feare me there are The replie of Atheists I would to God not many which dare affirme that the word of God is but a rule of policie and that wee yeeld vnto it rather because it prescribes a goodly order then sets downe a certaine trueth though these are self-made Idols hauing eies but wil not see eares but wil not heare harts but wil not vnderstād euicting consciences but will not subscribe vnto them For the confuting of whom let me deale with them and others by meere reason after this maner Reasons to prooue Gods Prouidence And first with such as acknowledge the Godhead but cannot see his Prouidence in all things Reas 1 Since it is granted that all things are made by God it must needs follow that euery thing is gouerned by him For if we confesse him God we together withall inferre that hee is most wise yea wisedome it selfe most mightie yea power strength it selfe most good yea goodnes it self for to be God to be almightie wisedome and goodnes it selfe are all one How then can God bee wisdom if ignorāt how to gouerne how Almightie if not able to rule euery thing How goodnes it self if being both wisdom and Almightie hee should not after his creation of the world gouerne and preserue the same Beasts though without reason care for that which proceeds from them Sillie birds looke to their nests they haue framed and carefullie hatch vp their young that nature sent forth And wilt thou graunt thus much in creatures vnreasonable and denie the same in God the Creator of them Reas 2 Secondly if God doth not gouerne the world I would demaund of thee what should bee the reason Whether because he would but cannot or can but will not If thou shalt say he would but cannot thine eies can tell thee thou art deceiued because it is harder to make all things of nothing then being made to guide and gouerne them Again how should God be almightie if there were any thing which he could not doe and how infinite if thou didest know the ends of his power Therefore the Lord can guide all things If thou shalt say he can but will not then thou deniest his mercie and wisedome for mercie euer extends aid vnto others and wisedome directs al things to a certaine end And therefore God being almightie goodnes and wisedome it selfe it must needes follow that al things are gouerned by him Reas 3 Thirdly we count Prouidence in man an excellent thing for the more prouident the more in that respect commended Now whatsoeuer is good in our selues which yet notwithstanding is in vs but by measure and in part the same is originally and infinitely in God Therefore since experience doth teach vs that he hath giuen euerie thing a naturall instinct of caring and prouiding for things vnder them how can we bereaue God of this honour due vnto his name Reas 4 Obserue the goodly order and harmony of euery thing one ruling another ruled one in authoritie another subiect vnto it they not so excellēt to those that are more excellent those which haue no life to those that haue life the vnreasonable to the reasonable the earthly to the heauenly the heauenly host to the glorious Creator euer in subiection First the day then the night the Sunne continually running his race like a giant in the one the Moone enlightning the other neuer continuing in the full but alwaies increasing or decreasing After darknes comes light after a shower the sunshine after heate cold weather after a storme a calme The daies doe make the weekes the weekes the moneths the moneths the yeere In the yeere the spring followes the winter the sommer the spring the Autumne the sommer the winter the Autumne and then comes the spring againe These wee see keepe their perpetuall sucession and order And therefore it must needs follow that God by his Prouidence is maintainer of the same Reas 5 Fifthly we know that the Globe of the earth and the sea being compared with the heauens are but as a pricke with a pen or as the appearance of one of the least starres and yet the earth not to bee measured nor the sea to bee compassed the Sun causing the seasons of the one and the Moone ruling the tides of the other Now both these are guided by the course of the heauens and the heauens as wee all acknowledge by God alone and therefore by good consequence the sea earth with al things therein contained are gouerned by him Reas 6 Sixtly we see that Townes standing by the sea are not swallowed manie Islands compassed with the same are not ouerflowed yea Townes Islands and the whole world with the swellings of the Seas are cōtinually threatned and whence is it that they are not ouerflowed surely from Gods Prouidence who commands it that it shall not passe his bounds but running thorow the chanels of the Earth to comfort the bowels thereof afterward to returne to his place againe Reas 7 Seuently wee see that such beasts as might hurt man doe notwithstanding their rebellion caused by the sin of man goe single by themselues and haunt the couerts and caues of the earth making but small increase But such beasts as might benefit man how huge how strong soeuer come home vnto him submitting themselues by whole flocks and heards euen to little children and so encrease abundantlie And therefore since such things as might hurt vs flie from vs and such as bring profit and by whose liues our liues are maintained come home vnto vs it must needes bee that Gods Prouidence directing all things to our good doth cause the same Reas 8 Eightly suppose as it often fals out two sons to be begotten by one man borne of one woman brought forth at one time vnder one and the same motion of the heauens Esau and Iacob commonlie called Twins The one of these liues in a ciuil and honest maner and brings his hoary head in peace vnto the graue The other set on fire with the vehement heate of enuie thirsteth after blood murdereth his neighbour and and so receiues death the iust reward of his wicked fact What is the cause both being by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.4 that both of them fell not into the like transgression Not diuersitie of seede for both were begotten by one man and both borne of one woman not diuersitie of the planets for they were both borne vnder one and the same motion of the heauens
go to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall be crucified Thus the necessitie of things doth arise sometimes from causes externall Thirdly 3. A causis internis externis coniunctim consideratis this necessitie doth arise partly from internall causes and partly from externall ioyntly considered As in the Sunne and the fire with infinite other though the shining of the one and heate of the other are from internal causes namely their natures yet both these effects come to passe by Gods decree and actuall power of continuall working which are externall And so in all other things in particular But for the vnderstanding of these things aright Causes are either definit or indefinite wee must know that causes are either definite or indefinite and what is meant by either of them Definite causes Causes definite are causes ordained by God to worke certaine effects necessarily In this sense the Sunne is ordained to giue light not so much by nature as Philosophers say but by the will of God as Diuines say Causes indefinite Causes indefinit are such as are not ordained to worke certaine effects but haue it naturally in their power either to worke or not to worke As for example It agreeth with the nature of man to write yet that hee should not write doth not disagree from his nature So that after that skill gotten he may be said to write or not to write naturally Whence it is that the Sunne and the Moone with such like are called necessarie causes of their effects but liuing creatures with others seruing to their vse are not necessarie but contingent But yet wee must vnderstand that causes are thus distinguished in regard of their natures and vertue of working giuen them by God in their creation for if wee respect Gods euerlasting decree and his diuine gouernment of euerie thing in particular then all causes are ordained to their certaine effects and euery thing appointed to his certaine end Iudas was not of his owne nature ordained to betray Christ for as he was naturally mā it lay in his power to doe it or not to doe it But if you respect Gods eternall will and counsell then is hee truly said to be a cause ordained for that purpose And therefore that which Iudas did vnto Christ was foretold long before by the Prophets of the Almightie as Peter in the Acts plainly teacheth Cyrus in his owne nature considered was not a definite cause of deliuering the Iewes yet if you respect Gods eternall decree hee was ordained as Isaiah saith for that excellent end Therefore in regard of Gods decree Cyrus deliuered the Iewes necessarily and Iudas betraied his master necessarily yet neither by compulsion but willingly and freely For it is as hard for the will to bee forced as it is impossible that it should will contraries at one and the same time One and the same effect may be said to be both cōtingent and necessarie Hence it is cuident that one and the same effect may bee both contingent and necessarie Contingent in respect of the nature and inward causes VVhy effects are called necessarie necessarie in regrad of Gods immutable decree and Diuine Prouidence Which necessitie is in two respects first because the creature of it selfe being so ordained by God cannot but naturally yeeld such an effect Secondly because the chiefe efficient in al things hath determined in his heauenly counsell that so it shall worke An act not to be reclaimed As for example the Sun doth shine of a twofold necessitie the one because the nature of it is such that it cannot but shine vnlesse Gods ouer-ruling power doth hinder it the other because it is Gods wil that in his ordinary course it should giue light vnto vs. There was a twofold necessitie that Christ should rise from the dead and ascend into heauen the one the will of God the other because he was without sin and therefore could not be swallowed vp of the graue nor detained by death In which respects as Peter saith it was impossible hee should be ouercome Adams sinne was committed freely and by consequence was contingent for his nature was of that sort that he could either sin or not sinne either will a thing or not will it according as seemed good vnto him If therefore you shall meerely respect Adams nature then his sinne was contingent but if Gods eternal counsell and immutable will then was his sinne necessarie for God had decreed that by his fall as thorow a pinching narrow doore we should passe to receiue a certaine assurance in O foolix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redēptorem through Christ Iesus of a farre more excellent estate of glorie Christ died freely Isai 53. He was offered because it was his will to be offered Ioh. 10.11 I haue power to lay downe my life yet if you respect Gods decree Christ died necessarily both cōcerning the time and manner of the same It must needs be that Hierusalem should be destroyed by the Romanes yet not simplie in regard of the citie or matter whereof it did consist nor yet frō any necessitie in the persons of the Romans for they freely besieged it and willingly subuerted it and therefore it may be said the it lay in their power to spare it But if you respect Gods eternal decree thē they were necessary meanes of the subuersion thereof because God for their sinnes had so ordained it as himselfe had long before declared Wherefore we conclude that although Gods Prouidence doth impose a necessitie vpon all things yet that it doth not take away their naturall working And therefore in respect of God all things are done necessarily but in respect of second Causes some necessarily and some contingently Yet wee must obserue that whereas some causes are definite some indefinite some effects necessarie some contingent that this wholly proceeds frō Gods Prouidence for he ordained them such natures prescribed them such an order appointed their manner and ends of working Therefore this necessitie doth not impugne this doctrine of Gods Prouidence but rather confirmes the same This may suffice to proue this necessity yet for confirming thereof I will adde some reasons Those things which God hath foreknowne Reasons to proue that Gods Prouidence imposeth a necessitie vpon all things Reas 1. by his certaine and infallible knowledge those things fall out necessarily But all things are thus foreknowne Therefore all things fall out necessarilie That it must needes bee Si praescierat Deus quod non est praescientia iam non est Aug. de Praedest lib. 1.15 that those things fall out necessarily which God hath certainly foreknowne it is euident because otherwise his knowledge should bee deceiued which is impossible And that there is nothing which he hath not certainly foreknowne it is likewise apparent because he is an Al-seeing God to whom all times are present and therefore the conclusion is good Reas 2
called a sinne The second as it is a punishment of sins before committed for God doth vsually punish one sinne with another Rom. 1.21 Because when the Gentiles knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were full of darknesse therefore the Lord gaue them vp vnto their hearts lusts and vnto vncleannesse Thirdly as it is a cause of sinnes afterward committed Such was the ignorance of the Gentiles Ephes 4.18 Such the blindnesse and hardnesse of hearts in the Iewes whereof Isai chap. 6. and Paul Rom. 12. For these sinnes of theirs were punishments of their former sins secondly sinnes of the mselues thirdly causes of their infinite other sinnes as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian teacheth excellently well Lib. 5. cap. 3. Thus we see that God may will a sin as it is a punishment and yet not be the Author of sinne as it is simplie sinne Note further Three things concurring in sinne that three things concorre in sins The first the deed or action and that is either inward or outward inward are those which are either of the mind Actions inward or outward as euill thoughts or of the heart as wicked affections or of the will as an euill choice and an agreement to that which is wicked Outward are those which are actions of the senses wrought by the externall instrumēts of the bodie Secondly the breach of Gods law going with this action which is an absence of the purity commāded and a presence of a defect and corruption forbidden noted by the Heathen man Tull. in his Parad when he saith Peccare est transilire lineas praefixas à scopo aberrare to sin is to passe the boūds prescribed and to wander from the marke expressed by the Grecians when they call it What sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and defined by the holy Ghost to be the Transgression of the law 1 Ioh. 3.4 Thirdly there is in euery sin a guilt and an obligatiō wherin we stand most firmely bound vnto God to vndergo the punishment which our breach of his law hath deserued This guilt hath his ground in sinne Rom. 6.23 Death is the reward of sinne this death is from Gods Iustice which willes that euery one shall haue his due this death is our due because the soule that sinnes by Gods law shall die the death this law is giuen in equitie for he hath the right of commanding we of obeying he our Creator we his creatures and therefore by the law of equitie and right of creation haue entred a statute both of soules and bodies to be obedient vnto him Now all are guiltie in as much s all haue sinned and this guilt is the bond whereby in iustice we are tied through the committing of our sinnes to vndergo the punishment they haue deserued And so is the third things considered in sinne Concerning the first of these three God is the Author of the first thing considered in sinne viz. the Actiō which is the Action It is true that God is the principall Efficient and Author thereof for in him we liue we mooue and haue our being Touching the third thing confidered in sinne namelie the guilt God is author of the third namely the Guilt whereby we stand bound to vndergoe the punishment our sinnes haue deserued there is no question but that God doth in like manner will the same But the second namelie the transgressing of Gods Law which expelles the puritie in the action and makes it wicked breedes a doubt whether God doth wil it or not For the satisfying whereof I will first shew what it is to wil. Secondlie how farre forth God doth will the same To will is taken two waies To will taken two waies 1. Properly properlie or improperly properly when wee will a thing in respect of it selfe because we iudge it good indeede or at least in appearance seemes to be so Improperly when we will a thing 2. improperly in respect of another thing that is because of some good that will ensue the same and not in respect the thing we desire is of the one nature good In which sense men doe often wish a naturall euill A man often desireth the cutting offan infected member Simile he doth not properly will the want of that member for euery creature aimes at his perfection but the good he hopes will follow the same namelie the health of his bodie So that there is an improper willling of the one because we whollie desire the other So that the cutting away of that member may rather be called a voluntarie permission then an effectuall willing because the will according to the owne nature willeth that which is good either in truth or at least in appearance and if at any time it is carried to the contrarie this commeth from a certaine disturbing of the mind whereunto none can say that God is subiect Further those things which we properlie will those we like loue and take pleasure in but a knowne euill is neuer thus affected and therefore at no time we properly desire the same Since this then is thus with men much more is it so with God Whence it necessarily followes that hee doth willinglie suffer sinne and that he doth will that which followes the same namelie his owne glorie but is no cause of sinne as it is simplie a transgression of his law as shal be more at large declared But care is to be had lest in going about to set downe the meane we fall into the extreame or labouring to eschew some danger wee slip into a greater He that shall say God doth will sinne as it is a transgression of his law shall not goe vnpunished neither may he which affirmeth that sinne is committed against his will or without his knowledge goe vnreprooued the former is to rob God of his goodnes the latter of his infinite power and knowledge In shewing how far forth God doth will sinne seuen things to be obserued Therefore that we may escape the danger keepe the meane and obtaine our desires these things are to be obserued That God doth will his owne glorie principally as the sole end wherefore all other things are effected Secondly that he willeth the euill of the punishment and that so as he is the sole effecter and inflicter thereof Thirdly that hee willeth sinne as it is a punishment of sinnes before committed Fourthly that he doth will sinne as it is an action either inward or outward Fiftlie that he doth will sinne as it is a guilt or obligation wherein we stand bound vnto God to vndergoe the punishments which our sinnes haue deserued Sixtly that God doth not will sinne as it is a transgression of his Law but doth onelie willinglie permit it Lastly that there is a difference between his willing of that which is good and that which is euill
vnderstanding of a thing without any working vpon that thing for then it should cease to bee contemplatiue and should become actiue Secondly the vnderstanding as it is in it selfe considered cannot properly be said to work any thing for it is proper to the vnderstanding to cōcciue of those things which are without and it is peculiar to the will to bee moued from the vnderstanding to the working of those things which the vnderstanding conceiueth Now knowledge doth belong to the vnderstanding and not to the will therefore of it selfe cannot worke any thing outwardlie and if it worke nothing it cannot be the cause of any thing Causa enim est cuius vires est For that is the cause of a thing by whose force or vertue that thing is effected The Physition knowes his patient will die shortly Simile The Carpenter knowes his neighbours house will fall quicklie the Mariner knowes a leake not stopt in a passengers ship will drowne him presentlie Is therfore the Physitiō the cause of his patients death the Carpenter the cause of the fall of his Neighbours house or the Marriner the cause of the sinking of the Passengers ship Surely no Therefore wee conclude that Gods foreknowing of sins cannot be a cause of them Secondly Gods actiue knovvledge cannot be a cause of sinne actiue knowledge cannot be a cause of sinne for it is not simple but is ioyned with the will neither doth knowledge work vpon outward things but the will onlie Simile A Shipwright from his knowledge prescribes the forme of a ship and directs the way of making it but his will going with his knowledge is actiue and only worketh in the same because it is from his will that he worketh himselfe and from thence also that hee commandeth others for a man doth not make a ship because hee knowes the way of framing it but because he desires and willes a ship therefore he labours to haue it Indeed with God there is neither time past nor to come yet by that order which we see he hath set downe in the course of things which is vsually called a naturall order we may say that knowledge goeth before the wil and the wil before the effecting of the worke for we worke nothing but that which we first will neither will wee any thing properlie but that which our vnderstanding doth first conceiue and our iudgement approoue Now I hold it lawfull by the consideration of this naturall course infused into the creatures Though not strictly in all yet in this vve now entreats of to ascend vnto the knowledge of the diuine order of working in the Creator and so in humilitie to reason from things naturall to supernaturall And this seemes Paul to warrant when hee saith Rom. 1.20 The inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and his Godhead are seene by the creation of the world the heauens declaring the glorie of God and the earth shewing his handiworke Therfore it is certaine that Gods knowledge is not a cause of any thing but that his knowledge and wil conioyned effect all things Wherefore wee conclude this truth with Augustine Lib. 7. de Anima Deus nos peccatores pranoscit non facit God foreknowes we will sinne but makes vs not sinne according to that of Hierome Non ideò peccauit Adamus quia Deus hoc futurum nouerat sedpraesciuit Deus Dial. 3. aduersus Pelag. quasi deus quidille erat propria voluntate facturus Adam did not therefore sin because Godknew hee would sinne but God as he was God did know what Adam of his owne will and accord was about to do And thus much for the proouing that Gods knowledge cannot properly bee the cause of any thing I come to the second Before I enter the prouing that Gods decree cannot be the cause of sinne Gods decree is not a cause of sinne we must obserue that it is to be considered two waies Gods decree considered two waies First as it is in himselfe before all beginnings not manifested vnto any secondly as it is put in execution and so made apparent to others The former is called an Act of decreeing within himselfe the latter the execution of this decree effected without himselfe Ephes 1.4 The first is that whereby God hath necessarilie yet freelie from all eternitie decreed all things the second is an Action of God by which al things in their appointed time are so accomplished as in his heauenly wisdome they were foreknowne and in his eternall counsell decreed Now Gods decree considered either of these waies cānot be an absolute cause of any actiō but only so far forth as God hath willed that action True it is that God willeth not any thing but that which in great wisdome he had decreed yet he cannot so properlie be said to be the cause of any thing in that he decreed it as in that respect that he willed it because his will effecteth what his decree appointeth whence this argument ariseth If Gods will is not a cause of any sinne then much lesse his decree But Gods will is not at any time a cause of sinne And therefore not his decree Of the proposition there is no question Gods vvill is not a cause of sinne It resteth to prooue the assumption being the third and last part of the disiunction The will of God Rom. 8.19 Ephes 1. Gods vvill is either efficiēt commanding or permissiue being that whereby he most freely and powerfully willeth all things and that with one and the same Act of willing is distinguished into efficient commanding and permissiue 1. Efficient His efficient will is that whereby hee either worketh absolutelie of himselfe without the meanes of any other or if by others yet so as that they doe not properlie worke but God in and by them 2. Commāding His commanding will is that whereby he worketh by commanding and setting of others to worke 3. Permissiue His permissiue will is that whereby he doth willinglie suffer sin to bee committed for the manifestation of his iustice and glorie The two former waies doe so comprehend Gods working as that the thing being effected according to the manner and end prescribed he is made the principall cause and author thereof But his latter way of willing namely his voluntarie suffering can by no meanes make him the cause of the euill he doth so permit But all is reduced after this manner If Gods will is the cause of any sinne then it is either as he doth effect it himselfe command others to commit it or because he doth willinglie suffer it But Gods will is not a cause of sinne any of these waies And therefore not at all Touching the former two because from a cause simplie good cannot proceede any euill neither can he which is Iustice it selfe punish that in another which hee commandeth that partie to commit by reason of these and many moe alreadie alleaged there is
therefore may craue a larger answering First therefore it is answered that there is no confusion nor disorder in these things for the confusion is onlie in respect of man and not of God or the things gouerned by him which are euermore excellently well disposed though the vaile of ignorance being before mās eies we are not able to discerne this excellent order The fleshlie man perceiueth not those things which are to bee discerned with a spiritual eie My waies saith the Lord are not as your waies neither are my thoughts as your thoughts so that vntill these men goe with Dauid into the house of God well may these things seerne confused vnto thē but whē they are enlightned by his holy Spirit they appeare otherwise A man that that is blinde or hath sore eies thinks it is darke when the Sunne shineth or at least thinks her beclipsed with diuers coloured mists when she is in her perfect beautie Simile the cause is the imperfection in his eies and not any obscuritie or confusion in the Sunne So is it with him that shall looke with a fleshly eie into Gods works be they neuer so excellently disposed yet through his inabilities to discerne they seeme confused That which in the night or a farre off we iudge a tree proues when wee come neerer or when the day appeareth a more excellent creature So in the night time of our ignorance and when we are strangers from Gods Law we iudge preposterouslie of his works but when this mist is dispersed or that we come to looke more neerelie vpon them in the glasse of his word they seeme so excellent that we are constrained to say O Lord how wonderfull art thou in all thy waies and holy in all thy works In great wisdome hast thou made them all But let vs come vnto the instances Thou saiest JJnstance 1. in that Stan tempted Adam and made him and his posteritie subiect to sinne Ans It is answered and alreadie prooued that herein no fault can be imputed vnto God Eccle. 28. for Adam was created righteous but his own inuentions made him euill Secondlie if God willed a declaration of his iust iudgment vpon the vessels of wrath and the manifestation of the exceeding riches of his grace vpon such as are ordained vnto mercie what right hath the clay herein to reason against the Potter Thirdly Gods children haue now more cause to reioyce by an infinite deale in regard of that blesse dnesse receiued from the last Adam then to be sorrie for their dignitie lost in the first Adam To which tendeth that of Paul concerning the sinne of our first Parents which is spread ouer all and the righteousnesse of Christ which is much more aboundant to the saluation of the Elect. And therefore we may say with Gregorie O foelix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redemptorem O happie diseasewhich could not be cured but by such a diuine and heauenlie Physition That the wicked line in greatest honor prosperitie and abundance Jnstant 2. but the god'y in pouertie disgrace and affliction Ans HEalth wealth and honour are the hope of the worldlings labours and being obtained are their sole darlings of delight and pleasure Jn serm But as Bernard saith of Peter Vt nouum itr sic noui modi itineris Triplex est vita naturae gratiae gloriae A new iorney must haue new waies of iourneying so wee say of the godly when they begin to enter the new life that is the life of grace then they must haue new coutses of liuing Afflictions come by Gods decree And what are these That in following Christ wee should take vp his crosse that in liuing holily wee should suffer persecution that in our iourney to heauen wee should passe thorow many tribulations Therefore saith Augustine in the person of christ August in persona Domini Venale habeo quid Domine regnum coelorum quo emitur paupertate diuitiae dolore gaudium labore requies vilitate gloria morte vita I haue a thing to sell saith Christ what is it O Lord saith Augustine The kingdome of heauen but wherewith is it bought for pouertie true riches for griefe ioy for labour rest for basenesse glorie for life death So that pouertie griefe labour basenes and losse of life are the new paths that leade to new Hietusalem and the narrow waies that tend to ample blessednesse Now this being the decree of God the Creator who is wisedome it selfe why should it seeme preposterous in the eyes of the creature who is but meere foolishnes Quid obsit vel prosit medicus nouit non agrotus Augustine Gods decree of afficting groüded vpon great reason What is profitable or hurtful to vs that are patients that wise Physition knowes not we that are grieued Secōdly this decree of God is grounded vpon great reason both in respect of him afflicting and of vs afflicted What sets foorth more the wisdome of God then his ministring seuerall potions of affliction according to the seuerall conditions of his children as well in preuenting the diseases of sin whereunto they are subiect as in curing them whē they are grieued with them What more declares his mercie then the giuing of the staffe of his Spirit with the rodde of correction then the comforting vs in our distiesse then the putting our teares in his bottle then the making our bed in our sicknesse then the pitching his Angels about s then the not suffering the flouds to ouerflow vs though they come neere vs then the causing that although heauines continue for a while yet ioy shall come in the morning Wherein is the power of God more euident then in giuing vs strength to vndergoe so many troubles then in casting vs down vnto the graue and raising vs vp againe These things haue caused admiration in the very enemies of God and that amidst their tyrannies Is there not good reason then why those things should bee effected whereby Gods wisedome mercie and power are made euident and not onely to his children but euen to his enemies whereby they are left inexcusable in the day of the Lord if there were no persecutions how should Martyrs glorifie God by their sufferings If no trials how should patience haue been left for a vertue to be imitated If Satan had not been let loose to buffet Iob where had been his words of praise The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly the afflictions of the godly are grounded vpon good causes 2. Gods decree of afflictiong is good and iust in regard of vs as it appeares 1. By our owne reason in regard of our selues as it appeares first by our owne reason secondly by our owne practise thirdly by the profit we reape from them In reason heauen could not be our sole place of blisse if here we had no sorrow if here our happinesse that could not be a
O thou enemie for though they fall yet they shall rise againe Say not wee haue deuoured them for God is on their side and though heere they lament weepe mourne yet this finite sorow shal be turned into infinite ioy And if the godly amiddest their persecutions Ioh. 16.20 see not meanes of victory let them pray vnto God and hee will performe it and giue them grace to see it When the King of Syria sent horses chariots and a mightie host to compasse Dothan in the night that they might take Elisha for disclosing his minde to the King of Israel 2. King 6.14.15.16 17. and that the seruant of this man of God arising early to go out espied them he cried alas master how shall we do but when Elisha had prayed to the Lord to open his eyes and the Lord had opened them then the seruant looked and behold the mountaine was full of horses and chariots of fire to defend them and then according to Elishaes aduice no reasō he should feare because they were moe that fought for them then those which were against them Euen so many in their troubles crie alas what shall wee do vntill by prayer their eyes are opened to see Gods armies of deliuerance about thē Act. 4.30 Who although a while they seeme to haue their feet in the stocks fast boūd with misery and iron yet the Angel of God comes at the last bids them arise like strōg men 1. Cor. 10.13 then the chaines of their miseries fall presently from thē Therefore O verè tuta pro Christo cum Christo pugna in qua modò nè fugias nec vulneratus nec prostratus nec conculcatus nec millies si fieri possit occisus fraudaberis à victoria O happie fight saith Bernard for Christ to fight vnder Christ Bern. in Epist. in which if wee valiantly hold out though we be woūded beatē to the groūd spurned with feete slaine a thousand times if possible it could be yet we could not but haue the victorie because 2. Tim. 2.11 Licèt pugnādo moriamur tamen mortui mox coronabimur though in fighting we lose this miserable life yet presently after we shal be crowned with the Diadem of euerlasting glorie Secondly 2. The godlie haue true comfort in all troubles the godly haue exceeding comfort in all their troubles And how can it be otherwise They haue the Spirit of God dwelling within them Ephes 3.16 Rom 8 9. 1. Ioh. 3.24 2. Cor. 3.16 1. Tim. 1.14 Galath 5.22 Virtutas gaudium est fons gaudij in propria domo nascens Seneca their bodies are his temples he is in them and they in him Now among infinite other blessings whereof Gods Spirit is an absolute cause Paul accounts ioy to be one A man cannot want pleasant springs to refresh him that hath a fountaine of sweet waters in his own house no more can the godlie hauing fontem gaudij in propria domo nascentem the fountaine of all comfort in the temples of their bodies want meanes to reioyce them If the Angell in the prison where Peter lay Act. 4.30 caused all the house to shine what a glorious comfortable light shall that blessed Spirit which is the light of the Angels themselues Exod. 15.25 giue to those in whom it hath his residence 2. King 2. This is that blessed tree that Al-seasoning salt that makes the bitter water of afflictions sweete and sauourie vnto vs. Where the rod of correction strikes Psalm 23. the staffe of the Spirit doth hold vp and comfort So that though the godly sit in darknes as men forgotten yet the Lord is a light vnto them Mica 7.8 Rom. 5.5 Thus Paul speaking in the persons of the afflicted saith wee reioyce in tribulations And though this is not apparent to the fleshlie eie that sees nothing but griefe and cause of lamentation yet the godlie haue an vndoubted feeling of the same Non enim pereunt gaudia iustorum sed mutantur à corpore ad animam à sensibus ad conscientiam For the ioyes of the righteous doe not perish but are only remooued from the bodie to the soule from the outward senses to the inward conscience which is a thousand times more excellent And thus I conclude both these with Dauid The voyce of ioy and deliuerance is in the Tabernacles of the righteous Psalm 118.15 Thirdlie 3. The godlie gaine by all afflictions the godly gaine by all the troubles aduersities that befall them They sow in teares but reape in ioy for mens cursing they haue Gods blessing for the worlds hatred Gods loue for earthlie riches heauenly treasures for fading ioy enduring comfort fortyrants contempt Christs fauour for their opposing Angels guarding for friends forsaking Gods receiuing for this lifes losing their soules sauing Thus teacheth Augustine Augustine Percutis vt sanes occidis nos nè moriamur Thou dost wound vs to make vs perfectlie whole and thou dost kill vs that we should not die finallie Thus teacheth Dauid When my father and mother forsaketh mee the Lord taketh me vp Thus teacheth Christ that he that will saue his life shal lose it but he that will lose it for his sake shall saue it And thus is Christ to the persecuted Christian both in life and death aduantage But see more of this in the answeres to the particulars obiected Fourthly 4. The godlie are trulie rich the godly are wonderfully rich though in the iudgement of the world they are counted poore The Lions lacke and suffer hunger but those which loue and feare the Lord want nothing that is good Is not this then to bee exceeding rich Aug. in Enchir. Ille diues qui omnia quae vult habet nec aliquid vult quod non decet He is rich which hath as much as he doth desire and desires no more then that which he ought for riches consist not in the abundance but in the manner of enioying so that to haue a little and yet to desire no more is to be truelie rich and to haue much and yet still to desire is indeede to bee poore or at least though outwardly rich yet inwardly poore because though his barnes are full his mind is emptie so they are rich but he poore But it is far otherwise with the godlie they desire no more then they haue and in the possessing of that which they haue they are not disturbed Gregorie Cui cum paupertate benè conuenit non est pauper saith Gregorie He that in his pouertie hath all things going well that man cannot bee poore But the riches of the godly are the ornaments of their soules Venditis rebus nostris nullum magis charum accipimus pretiū quà m nos metipsos August Augustine the rewards thereof not this worldly wealth which hath his ebbe as well as his flowing and his meanes of hurting as well as benefitting
this life which those that heare Gods voyce and obey his will doe abundantly enioy are infinite many view their blessednesse euen in the middest of their miseries noted alreadie in the answeres to the former obiections In the answere to the second instance in the third obiection against this doctrine God gouernes all things and if they are happiein those things which make them seeme vnhappie how blessed are they in other things wherin there is neither taste nor shew of miserie But alas how can they want store of blessings who haue Christ the fountaine of all blessings how shall God detaine that which is deare who hath giuen them his onely Son who is dearest vnto him and how shall his mercie be failing to his friends Rom. 5. when it was so abundantlie manifested when they were enemies If wee heare his voyce we are friends wee are brethren we are sisters we are sonnes vnto him If earthly parents doe loue their children and labour to profit them how should our heauenly father whose loue as farre exceedes their loue as the infinite Creator doth the silly creature faile in his loue to his children or bee wanting in his blessings toward them But I leaue the priuiledges of the godly in the blessings of this life and come to their happinesse in the life to come In the description whereof we may aime but cannot attaine He which will bee a certaine reporter must heare the matter himselfe he which will limme perfectly must view that hee would draw and he that would iudge of harmonies must heare the sounds how then should sillie man on earth whose senses were neuer partakers of this glorie be a perfect describer thereof It rests then and so in the bowels of compassion as Embassadors of Christ wee entreate you that you rather seeke to bee partakers thereof then to expect a description from another yet being the end of the hope of the faithfull it shall not be amisse to speake something thereof That there is a place of infinit ioy and blessednesse for the godlie Psalm 15. Psalm 27. Matth. 25. 1. Cor. 19. Hebr. 4.11 13. none so vilde that will call it into question for God who is truth it selfe hath alwaies both taught and promised it therefore Peter in the behalfe of himselfe and the Church the sole partakers of this blessednesse breakes forth into an hartie thanksgiuing vnto God on this manner Praised bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from death to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that perisheth not reserued in heauen for them which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto soluation Touching the word heauen it hath three significations Psalm 14.6 as Paul noteth when hee saith he was taken vp into the third heauens The error of Basilides that there are 365. heauens Euseb lib. 4. ca. 7. verie foolish first it is taken for the aire aboue vs In this sense I take it the Psalmist speaketh when he saith the Lord couereth the heauen with clouds and thus the birds of the aire are called the fowles of heauen Secondly it is taken for the firmament Psal 8.89.30 which is called the heauenly hoste or beautifull apparrell of the heauens Thirdly it is taken for the seate and habitation of God himselfe which is aboue the firmament Psal 15. Philip. 3. Psalm 103. Matth. 5. And this is the place whither Christ our forerunner is gone to prepare a place for vs that in due time he might gather vs vnto him Reuel 21. The glorie whereof being described so farre forth as we may conceiue of the same I leaue the description and come to the ioies therein contained whereof both soules and bodies shall be partakers Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.14 1. Pet. 1.4 The soule shall bee adorned with wisdome iustice and holinesse for the good graces begun in vs here shall be perfected there and that excellent estate wherein we were at first created like vnto God shall then be restored a thousand times more excellent The mind shal lose her darkenesse and bee replenished with all light it shall know the might power mercie and iustice of God without any ministerie of his word The will shal want all euill desires and in a sweete content rest and stay it selfe on God alone The bodie after the day of the Lord being ioyned to the soule Matth. 22.3 shal euer remaine glorious subiect to no changes to no infirmities not needing meate 1. Cor. 15.3 drinke apparrell or outward meanes to preserue it the agilitie thereof shall be such as that it shall mooue it selfe whither it listeth 1. Cor. 13.11.12 the proportion such as that there shall bee no defect in any member Dan. 12. Matth. 13. And thus God hauing blessed both soules bodies shall giue them a glorie which shal shine as the Sunne and Starres in the firmament and this glorie must needs be infinite for that his glorie which replenisheth all things shall cause it And whereas the pleasures of this life Iohn 2.3 either breede discontent in the possessing or griefe in the losing those blessed and perfect ioyes in heauen shall cause neither for our abundance shall not cause a loathing but we shall stil desire them nor our desiring implie a want for wee shall be filled with them and not for a time for then there was griefe in losing them but for euer and euer and therefore there is an endlesse happines in thus possessing them Oh blessed happinesse and happy blessednesse to haue health without infirmitie Rom. 8. Philip. 3. Isai 25. Deut. 8. Isai 32. 1. Cor. 13. Ioh. 18. youth without waxing old fulnesse without loathing freedom without bondage fairenesse without deformitie life without death abundance without want peace without trouble securitie without feare knowledge without ignorāce ioy without sorrow and light without darknes What is Salomons wisdome Absolons fairenesse Sampsons strength Mathusalems long life and Caesars reigne surely compared with the excellencie of these things in heauen they were but follie deformitie weaknesse a point of a moment and a seruile bondage It is excellent to know things physical but much more excellent to know metaphysicall to haue the knowledge of the blessed Trinitie the knowledge of the might of the father of the wisdome of the Son of the bountie of the Spirit Bern. in Medic. O beata visio videre Deū in seipso videre Deum in nobis nos in ipso Oh blessed sight to see God in his glorie to see God in vs and vs in him What doest thou desire O thou mortall man which may content either soule or bodie if glorious sights there you shall see the glorie of heauen of the Saints of the Angels yea of God himselfe If melodie there is the blessed consort of praising God together if to loue God
then wee shall loue him more then our selues if friendship there shal be no discord if power and might thy will shall be as it were omnipotent for as Gods will is effected by himselfe so thy will shall bee effected through him if honour thou shalt a thousand thousand degrees exceede the honour that the mightest Emperours enioy vpon earth if riches the largest Empire hath his limits the mainest Ocean his bounds Kings treasures often labour of consumptions but the riches of heauen are euery way exceeding they haue neither end nor measure This is that glorie as Augustine saith which the Angels admire which obscures the Sunne yea which could it appeare to the soules of the damned would make as the sweete tree in the bitter waters euen hell it selfe seeme a paradise of pleasures But what should I say more of this blessednesse It hath not entred into the heart of man to conceiue aright thereof needes must it then bee greater then can bee described therefore blessed and a thousand times blessed are they whom God doth especially blesse in this life and so infinitelie reward in the life to come Plures sunt qups corrigit timor meliores sunt quos dirigit amor Gregor Now as these are meanes to quicken vs vp in a Christian course of seruing God so his punishments prepared for the vnrepentant should then terrifie from sinne when his mercies will not allure to holines of life For as his rewards of holines are infinite so his plagues ordained for the disobediēt are euery way exceeding Consider the names of the place prepared the Tormenters the diuersitie of torments their cōtrarieties their generalitie and their continuance and the truth of this will appeare vnto vs. Touching the place it is hell Topheth a pit Matth. 18. a lake vtter darknesse and what not to expresse the horror thereof The tormenters are diuels in number infinite in countenance fearefull in malice exceeding in strength wonderfull in nature cruell and neuer satisfied with plaguing nor wearied with punishing If one diuell seemes fearefull to men in this life and that they shake to behold him what horror will they bring in the life to come where there are legions where they appeare in the vglinesse of their owne natures and where they tyrannize according to their own desires The sorts of punishments are very many The worme vexing the conscience Esay 66. and gnawing the strings of the heart Matth. 25. The immercilesse firie flame tormēting both soule and bodie without intermission Luke 16. nor can there be compassion where fire and brimstone do meete together nor can there be respit where the flame is neuer extinguished Apocal. 21. nor can it be extinguished since the breath of the Lord doth alwaie kindle it Isai 30. Here the wicked haue their daintie fare their pleasant sights their stately buildings their gorgeous attire their troopes of Attendants but alas there is a lamentable exchange of all things Iob 21. Isai 65. Nahum 2. Ioel 2. In stead of their seruile Attendants ouerruling diuels of gorgeous attire vgly blacknesse of stately buildings a stincking lake of pleasant sights direful shapes of sweet musicke gnashing of teeth of daintie fare and abundance of what they desired an extreme pinching want with presence of that which they most abhorred Genes 41. Thus as the seuen leane kine deuoured the fatte so shall all the fading ioynes of the wicked bee deuoured of their contraries The seuen yeares famine consumed not all blessings but this neuer ceasing famine is a deuourer of all which the wicked had lent them Diues in inferno cogēte inopia Gloss in Ioh 27. vsque ad minima petenda perductus est qui sua tenacitate vsque adminima neganda pauperibus restrictus est The rich man that through his couetous desire was so strait laced to the poore that he would not grant the least thing to relieue thē is now being in hell compelled to aske the least drop of water to ease himselfe And thus is their glorie turned into shame their abundance into an extreame want and their libertie into chaines of darknesse And as the punishments are infinite in number so are they contrarie in qualities The fire continually flaming and yet a perpetuall darknesse the heate continually boyling and yet a congealing cold Stridor dentium solet sequi frigus Atque sic in imptorum interitu ipsa à suis qualitatibus tormenta discordant quia à conditoris voluntate Ignis infernalis cōcremationem habet lumen nō habet Oregor in Moral dum viuerent discrepabant And thus saith Gregorie the torments in hell in the destruction of the wicked do disagree from their natures because whilest the wicked liued vpon earth they would disagree from the wil of their Maker Neither are they onely contrarie in their qualities but also cōtagious in their spreading and therefore they sting both soule and bodie with euery member in particular The tortures being so generall ouer all and so violent in euery part Vt mentes impiorum ad aliud dirigi non possint nisi ad id quod vis doloris impellit That as Hierome saith the minde of the vngodlie can think vpō nothing but that whereunto the very force and extremitie of paine doth compell it Gathered directly by the words of Christ when he saith There shall be nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth 13. 22. 15. If one member grieued troubles the whole bodie how shall the torturing of all be endured Neither is it onely generall but that which is most grieuous perpetuall the torments neuer ending nor the tormēted at any time dying Matth. 15. Goe ye cursed saith Christ into euerlasting fire The portion befalling the wicked is a death without death an end of ioyes without end of paines a want of all delight without want of any sorrow this death euer liues this end euer begins in this want there can be no want Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 13. Nunquam erit homini peius in morte quam vbi erit mors sine morte Most lamentable is it for that man which shall haue a death without any death whose death shall euer liue in paines because his life was euer dead in sinne De Ciuit. Dei lib. 19. Ibi dolor permanet vt affligat natura perdurat vt sentiat quia vtrumque non deficit nec poena deficiet Sic ibi ignis cōsumit vt se semper reseruet sic tormenta augentur vt semper remoueantur sic morientur vt semper viuent sic viuent vt semper moriantur Bern. in Medit cap. 19. There saith Augustine doth paine remaine that it might alwaies torment and there doth nature endure that it might euer feele the paine and because neither of these can be wanting therefore the plague can neuer haue a ceasing O miserie of all miseries alwaies to bee dying and yet neuer dead
alwaies to bee in the consuming and yet neuer cōsumed what are your natures O yee tormentors that yee are not wearied ye torments that ye are not ended yee soules and bodies that yee are not consumed Sutely you are alwaies cruel to them because they were so cruell to crucifie to themselues the Lord of life without doubt ye tormented vos duri indurati obdurati filij fuistis Adami you haue been hard hearted stiffe necked and of seared consciences your sins infinite your iniquities malitious and would you haue God mercifull to stay the tormentors you whose stubble of iniquitie could not bee consumed with the vehemēt flames of Gods loue would you now haue the infernall flames to bee wanting to you or you to them No no it is iust that the hearts of such as would not bee mollified with the sweete continued dewes of Gods blessings vpon earth should at length be so hardned that they should euer endure the flames of fire in hell And therefore the tormentors are neuer wearied the torments neuer ended the tormented neuer consumed It would bee a grieuous bondage to be committed to the softest bed to the sweetest garden to the fairest building all the whole life time oh what a horrible bondage is it then to be in an vgly stinking and irksome some pit of darknesse where hee shall haue the diuels tormenting him euen for euer and euer If life could end if torments cease or time could bring a period to their sufferings that hope that once they should be deliuered would a little ease them but when they haue been tormented as many yeers as there are haires on our heads sands on the shoares and starres in the firmament yet are they no neerer the ending their miseries then when they began for Christ hath said they shall bee euerlasting And this is iustice that as their sinnes were infinite and our God infinite against whom they committed them so they reiecting the sauing promise and grace offered vnto them should at last be punished with tortures infinite both for number and time of enduring These are most fearefull of thēselues but yet the seuerall thoughts of the damned bring greater horror vnto them as causing a second hell in their mindes Considerations tormenting the minds of the damned Many are the thoughts which adde to their miserie but these especially First the consideration of their honour riches glorie and pleasures which once they had but now haue lost and haue found the contrarie They are gone downe to the graue saith the Psalmist and of that they had they haue taken nothing with them by how much more greater were libertie abundance daintie diet so much the more pinching troublesome grieuous is scarcitie want and bondage to anie And therefore most grieuous to the damned that once abundantly enioyed all things Secondly the consideration of the good they haue lost doth adde to the miserie which there they haue found As the want of the society of the Saints the companie of the blessed Angels the presence of that glorious God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost at whose right hand there is infinite happinesse and exceeding pleasures euen for euer and euer Omnes gehennae superat cruciatus carere bonis quibus in potestate habuerunt perfrui This exceedes all the torments of hell saith Chrysostome euen the thinking of that happinesse Chrysost which if they had receiued the sauing promise they might once haue obtained But now what shall become of them saith Bernard when that miserable condition of being in hell shall see it selfe depriued of all comfort and being shut vp in vtter darknesse shall vndergoe the censure of an euerlasting excommunication from the fellowship of Gods deare children A third consideration which increaseth this miserie is that no feares can procure release nor any time shorten the bondage present afflictiōs are short light and profitable but the future torments prepared for the vnrepentant are euerlasting heauie and vnprofitable let them weepe as many teares as there are drops of water in the maine Ocean and continue weeping so many yeeres as this Ocean will afford drops yet all is in vaine the punishments are not mitigated nor the time shortned Ierem. 8. The summer is past the haruest inned the wheat placed in the garner of glorie and the chaffe committed to the flame of vnquenchable fire Once there was a time for repentance but now their is none once this miserie might haue been preuented * Jn regard of Gods reuealed vvill but now neither eased nor ended And therefore in Iulian the Apostata and other his associates these words neuer ended fill vp the full measure of woe and sorrow vnto them Neither in reason can their lamentation helpe them licèt enim stimulus sit poemtudinis non est correctio voluntatis Aug. de fide ad Petrum nec vnquam ab illis iniquitas ita culpatur vt iustitia vel diligatur vel desideretur For although there is in them some little fading touch of repētance yet is there no reformation of their vnrulie willes neither is there in them such a dislike of their sin as that they can in least manner loue or desire that which is good And thus considering the place of the damned the tormentors the number of their torments their contrarieties their continuance together with the circumstances encreasing their miseries wee crie out woe worth the sinne that causeth such wretchednesse we will neuer commit thee hereafter auoid Satan come vnder corrupted nature cease yee syrenicall songs of deceiueable pleasures we see your deceits the end of your vile inclinations the worlds pleasures are meere bewitchings you al conspire to make vs children of wrath as well as others but by the grace of Gods holie Spirit we will clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the Spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 and grow vp to holinesse in the feare of his name This shall free vs from that which wee see to bee so infinite so grieuous so euerlasting yea more then that this shall mooue our gratious God and merciful father especially to blesse keepe and deliuer vs in this life yea and to reward vs with euerlasting happinesse in the life to come the dignitie whereof being so excellent as it appeares by the naked description yet no hart can cōceiue of the depth of a farre more exceeding glory to no mortall eie made manifest needs must the benefit of beig of the number of Gods Church bee exceeding great and wonderfull Vse 3 Thirdlie whereas God plentiouslie rewardeth the proud doer but blesseth his children especially and further enricheth them with eternall glorie in the life to come the conclusion is as Dauid saith Loue ye the Lord al ye Saints Nor doth this worthie Prophet teach any more then hee doth practise himselfe For finding Gods deliuerances to be wonderfull Psal 116.1.2.3 and his eares open to his petitions whē the snares of death compassed
in soule and bodie and all to free vs that were guilty being guiltlesse himselfe Thus he became a louing Noah that made an Arke of his owne bodie to saue vs silly sinners from drowning in the pit of eternall perdition thus he became a louing Pellican that pearced his owne heart that with his deerest bloud we might be reuiued It is obserued that the Pellican hauing made her nest hatched vp her young departs for a little season but in meane while the serpent comes and poisons them all the Pellican perceiuing it at her returne strikes the place against her heart washeth them with the bloud that issueth and after keepes them warme three daies and so they are restored againe Christ is the Pellican we his young Paradise the nest Satan the Serpent wee are poisoned Christs hart is stricken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption signifies a price giuen therefore Paul 1. Tim. 2. saith that Christ hath giuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a price expressed by Paul Ephes 1.7 to be his blood 1. Pet. 1.19 the bloud issueth we are washed hee couers vs that were dying with the wings of his mercie and so we are restored from death to life againe This bloudshedding is that price which Christ gaue for our redemption a most precious price and of an exceeding value to which not siluer nor gold being things corruptible may once bee compared For it was pure bloud stained with no pollution of sinne and secondly the blood of him that was the sonne of the most glorious liuing God Qui multa gessit mira protulit dura nec tantum dura sed etiam indigna who as Augustine saith did not only endure tortures most wonderfull most grieuous but euen such as were most vnbeseeming and vnworthie his person for as Bernard saith Habuit in dictis contradictores in factis obseruatores in tormentis illusores in morte exprobatores He had such as did contradict him in his sayings obserue him in his deeds mocke him in his sufferings reproch him in his death Hee said hee was the Sonne of God they said he was a blasphemer By curing on the Sabbath he did that which was good but they obiected he did that which was not lawfull to do He was content as a seruant to suffer for our sinnes but they in the bitternesse of his paines derided him with haile master King of the Iewes He submitted himselfe to the death and they in this death cried Thou which destroyest the Temple and buildest it againe in three daies if thou bee the Sonne of the liuing God come downe from the crosse and saue thy selfe And thus in his sayings deeds sufferings death he had those which did cōtradict obserue deride and cast him in the teeth This being knowne do you not now know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 8. that he being rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouertie might be made rich And doe you know this price giuen for our redemption this precious price this exceeding price in the giuing whereof he vnderwent so many miseries so many torments so many gain-sayings so many obseruations so many mockings so many scornings and shall not these not all these moue vs to loue him that bought vs Bernard and thus dearely bought vs O duri indurati obdurati filij Adami quos non emollit tanta benignitas tam ingens flamma tam feruens amator O hard and more then hard hearted sonnes of Adam whom so great loue such flaming loue so feruēt a louer wil not prouoke incense nor moue to loue him Behold him on the crosse his head bowing to kisse thee his armes to embrace thee his blood from the very heart through hands sides and feete trickling downe to cleanse thee heere 's a sweete kisse an humble kisse a blessed kisse by which a barren groūd yeelding wholly weeds and brambles is now made a garden of most sauourie spices in which heauen hath stooped to earth a King married a begger yea more then all God vnited to vs and we to him through which death and destruction is abolished and euerlasting life and happines procured And shall not all this moue vs to loue him I know all will answere they loue the Lord and fie on him that loues not God that thus deserueth to be beloued But withall Deut. 5.6 Matth. 22.37 1. Toto corde 2. Tota anima 3. Tota mente id est 1. Jutellectu sine errore 2. Voluntate sine contradictione 3. Memoria sine obliuione Augustine thou must further learne to loue him with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind and this is that maner of louing which God requireth And secondly examine this loue by the effects thereof and thou shalt finde few to loue him feruently many to loue him coldly infinite to loue him nothing at all Touching the manner with all the heart with all the soule with all the mind it is as Augustine saith to conceaue of him in our minds without any errour to obey him in our willes without contradiction to lay him vp in our hearts without obliuion Alias 1. Sapienter ne decepti 2. Dulciter ne illecti 3. Fortiter ne oppressi Bern. Or as Bernard saith with the heart that is wisely with the soule that is sweetly with the minde that is strongly Wisely that we be not deceiued with the policie of Satan and his craftie instrumēts Sweetly that riches pleasures honor by their sugred baites doe not allure vs. Strongly that the mockings of the scorners of Gods promises or persecutions of Tyrants doe not ouercome vs. And this is to loue God with all the heart with all the soule and with all the minde But I come to the effects of loue which are certaine and many Verus amor si sit in affectu necessariò ostenditur in effectu If true loue be in the affection it euer shewes it selfe in effecting The fire yeelds heate or smoke and if neither thou maist say there is fire long enough before men will beleeue thee This loue is a fire The fire kindled saith Dauid and at last I spake with my tongue therefore if it yeeld not his effects in stronger or weaker manner say what wee will the loue of God abideth not in vs. Certaine effects of louing God These effects are infinite but I touch the chief and leaue the rest to our due consideration The first signe of our true loue vnto God is when wee decrease in our loue to the world Yee cannot loue God and Mammon saith Christ I account aduantage Philip. 3.7 losse saith Paul and all things dung that I may winne Christ as if hee should say These must bee reiected before Christ can be loued VVhere is your loue to God you coueious Earth-wormes Simile Duplicibus desiderijs nemo incedere potest None can halt between two desires the eyes cast vpon two things at once
vs which is ordained to enlighten vs. As rust eates the iron so doth enuie the soule of him that retaines it saith Basil Mens inuidi dum de alieno bono affligitur de radio solis obscuratur The mind of the enuious man saith Gregorie whilest it is disturbed at another mans good Inuidia Siculi non inuenere tyranni maius Tormentum Horat. becomes as the eies of him that is blinded with gazing on the Sunne So men that enuie the prosperitie of others hurt not the enuied but themselues which enuy them For enuie saith Salomon is the rotting of the bones Prou. 14.30 The wisest course then is neuer to hate any but euer to loue all Hanc virtutem habet charitas vt sine labore nostro aliena bona nostra facit This vertue hath loue saith Augustine that it makes those things which are none of ours without any paines to become ours But aboue all looke vpon true riches view that neuer fading glorie labour for that heauenly inheritance which shall neuer be taken away from thee nor thou from it if once thou hast got it and then there will bee no time to view that which is corruptible nor reason to enuie any for their fading honour vncertaine riches or earthly inheritance Qui faucibus inuidiae carere desiderat illam haereditatem appetat quam numerus possidentium non angustat Hee which will bee free from repining and enuying let him desire saith Augustine that inheritance and labour for those riches which none can engrose nor all the world diminish The former being considered and this performed we shall of necessitie say Returne vnto thy rest Psalm 116.7 O my soule for the Lord hath been beneficiall vnto thee Vse 8 Eightly since all things are ordered by God who is iustice and wisedome it selfe and therefore can neither deale vniustly nor preposterously wee are taught that in any case we depraue not his gouernment for howsoeuer things may seeme confused the fault is in our slender capacitie dull vnderstanding and corrupt iudgement which were it better able to conceiue more apt to vnderstand and pure in the censuring we would certainly conclude that all is done in iustice in wisedome in a goodly order in exceeding mercie for the declaration of Gods glorie and good of his Church Thou maist not speake euill of the Ruler of the people much lesse of the Ruler of all Princes of all the world A foole is medling in great matters but a wise man will not deale with things that are too high for him The actions of the King and Counsell Simile are often beyond the reach of the meane subiects capacitie that which is conuenient with them seemes needlesse to him and that which they find and know to be a worke of necessitie therein peraduenture hee can see no reason at all Yet are their workes to bee reuerenced his vnderstanding faulted and so himselfe iustly silenced So stands the case betweene God and vs he is wisdome wee are ignorance hee is iustice wee of corrupted iudgements and therefore though we see no reason in his workes yet wee must not dare to censure him of disorder in his gouernment nor of iniustice in his dealings Iob 21.22 Shall any teach God knowledge who iudgeth the highest What if Iob see the wicked liue waxe old and grow in wealth what if their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them Gregorie Vitulus mactandus liber ad pascua mittitur The oxe that is for the butchers shambles hath libertie to feede fat in the medowes and he himself concludes that God will diuide their liues in his wrath and they shall suddenly goe downe to the graue What if the waies of the wicked prosper as Ieremie saith what if they bee in wealth that rebelliouslie transgresse Desperato aegro omnia concedit Medicus to him which is sicke vnto death the Physition will giue leaue to eate or drink any thing Ierem. 12. and therefore himselfe concludes that such are prepared for the day of slaughter what if they which worke wickednesse are set vp and they which tempt God taste not of dangers as Malachy saith Malach. 3. what if the wicked doth compasse about the righteous what if wrong iudgement proceedes against them Habak 1. as Habacuck saith yet the conclusion is that the East winde shall be before the faces of these persecutors and they shall gather captiuitie as the sand Therefore although God doth thus bestow his blessings on the wicked defer the account and suffer them in their sinnes yet there is no disorder in as much as his mercies proportion out their miseries and his deferring is no omitting but an augmenting of their punishments What if the righteous are continually fed with the bread and water of affliction what if they are persecuted imprisoned beaten Gregor Seruandus iugo premitur the sheepe reserued for store must feede in bare commons and the oxe which shall liue must learne to beare the yoke So Gods children must beare the crosse infinite are the commodities it brings in this life together with assurance of glorie in the life to come Nullus ergò de flagello murmurat nisi qui causam percussoris ignorat Gregor Therefore no man murmures at correction but such as know not why men are corrected nor what good it procureth And thus neither the righteous nor wicked can take exception at Gods dealings for his High Commissioners Mercie and Truth are euer set together ministring true iustice and iudgement to his people Ninthly since the euils we are deliuered from are infinite the blessings we enioy not to be numbred and that both of these are effected by Gods diuine Prouidence not our deserts Men must not sacrifice to their nets that is attribute any thing to their owne wit strength or endeauours but his good pleasure and sole grace mouing him thereunto we are taught continually to be thankfull to the Lord for this his wonderful care and Prouidence ouer vs. Thus Dauid making a catalogue of Gods deliuerances mercies to his people euer and anon doth wish Psalm 107. that Therefore they would praise his holie name for his goodnes and declare the wonders hee hath wrought for the children of men Yea euery Psalme is a Psalme of praise Colos 3. Colos 4. and euery verse doth declare a thanksgiuing shewing that we ought continually to be exercised in praysing of him that is alwaies in bestowing blessings vpon vs. And therefore Paul wisheth Ephes 5. that both at all times and in all things we should be thankfull It is strange that man should bee silent in praising of God when as euery worke of God as Gregorie saith doth excite thee to praise him Doe the workes of God please thee then be thankfull for them and as God hath shewed his loue to thee so by praysing his holy name declare thine to him againe lest as Augustine saith
of saluation also And therfore as God doth predestinate to saluation so hee doth predestinate withall the vsing of the meanes whereby men shall be saued as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall plainly teacheth And howsoeuer we dare not teach that the omitting of these things is the cutting vs off from saluation because God is not tied vnto outward meanes yet we truly affirme that the contempt of thē knowing them to bee meanes of saluation ordained by God doth cut men off that they cannnot bee saued Now if it be an omitting of the meanes to haue a price in our hands to buy them and not to haue the hearts to disburse it whether our seeking of occasions to be absent from the word blessed Communion whether our backwardnesse to come when wee are so often inuited whether our small regard in hearing and lesse in practising be an omission or a contempt I leaue to God and mens consciences to determine only this I am sure it is too nice a distinction to stand vpon in matters of saluation the failing in the one is a signe of falling into the other and in thee that art not able to answere an idle thought it will bee Christian wisedome to preuent so vile a deede But let these men remember that since the Law leades vs to Christ The Gospell is the povver of God to saluation and the Gospell begets faith and repentance comforts vs in aduersitie humbles vs in prosperitie declares Gods loue vnto vs shewes how wee should loue him reueales his power our weaknesse his wisedome our folly his grace our naturall miserie enlightens our dark vnderstandings informes our iudgements confirmes our faith reformes our lines that therefore these blessed meanes with others ordained in them are sole declarers of the way to happinesse excite vs to walke in it who otherwise would not enter it and being entred doe keepe vs in the same And therefore as the man that desireth to be at a citie shall neuer come at it if he reiecte the waies leading to the same so many fooles wishing after many daies spent in the lusts of their flesh to bee at new Ierusalem and yet all their life time reiected the waies that God appointed for the leading vnto it will rather despaire in what they desire then haue any assurance of their comming thither Therefore howsoeuer the wicked and foolish desire to die the death of the righteous and at last to be partakers of their blessednesse and yet reiect the meanes whereby they should attaine it like men that desire their health and yet are neuer well but when they fall into surfets yet let the righteous haue these blessed meanes euermore in high estimation let them be sweeter to them then the honey and honey combe for by them Gods seruants are taught and in keeping them there is great reward Vse 2 Secondly whereas God is not so tied to meanes but that he sometimes worketh without them and sometimes against thē we learne euen thē to trust in the Lord when miseries doe most beset vs and when no apparent meanes of deliuerie can appeare vnto vs. God will diuide Iordan and make the sea to stand on heapes that his children may passe and be deliuered God can strike the stonie rocke cause the heauens to raine Manna make the walles of Iericho to fall at the sound of a trumpet put a hooke in the nostrels of Zenacherib make a little oyle and meale a long time to nourish his children hee can feed them by the fowles of the heauen he can cause the irons to fall off and the gates of the prison to open of their own accord hee can muster an armie of his meanest creatures able to subdue the mightest Princes therefore since this mightie and fearefull God is one and the same whose mercie is not diminished nor his arme of power shortned there is good cause why we should alwaies hope in him and then especiallie when we are most destitute of apparent helpe and comfort Luke 15. The father wil neuer declare his loue so euidently to his sonne as when others doe oppose themselues most stronglie against him and shall not God both in power and mercie infinite at such times especiallie regard his children Bern. in Cant. Nihil omnipotentiam deiclariorem reddit quà m quod omnipotentes facit omnes qui in se sperant Nothing more declares the omnipotencie of God then Gods making those to be conquerers in all things that put their trust in him And therefore saith Dauid They trusted in thee Psalm 18. and were not confounded No meruaile O Lord for thou art the rocke the shield the fortresse the horne the refuge the strength of thy people how then can they fall 1. Iohn 3. thou art iust in thy promises how then can they bee destitute of aide when thou hast promised that if they aske thou wilt minister it vnto them thou hast elected them of thy grace Luke 11. and redeemed them of thy rich mercie how then since thou hast giuen the greatest the dearest shouldest thou denie the lesse or that which is of smaller value Tria considero in quibus spes mea tota consistit charitatem adoptionis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis I consider three things saith Bernard wheron my whole hope is staid in the greatest troubles Jn Cant. Gods loue in adopting his truth in promising and his power in deliuering what then if the tempest grow strong Psalm 46.2.3 and the waues of this troublesome sea rise on high what if sands and rocks inuiron thee that thou art likelie to bee eaten vp of the one or broken on the other what if the tacklings breake and the mast blow ouer yet trust in the Lord this threefold cord fastned on Christ makes a strong cable and a firme anchor whereon whosoeuer relieth shall neuer perish in the greatest tempest though both the wind and the tide bee against them For if Gods Prouidence extends to his meanest creatures then much more to his children as Christ himselfe teacheth and if at all times Matth. 6. sure then especially when the greatest troubles dangers beset them Wherefore we conclude that since the Lord of hosts is with vs Psal 46.1.4.7 As Shiloah that comforted Hierusalem and the God of Iacob our refuge therefore there is a riuer whose streame shall euer make glad the citie of God therefore if we make him our hope and strength he will be a help readie to be found in the greatest troubles Lastly Jn that God is Inflicter of all punishment since it is a priuiledge belonging to God alone to bee the inflicter of all punishment we are taught in all Christian wisdome to repent vs of our sinnes to take hold on Christ to clense our selues from all filthines of the flesh and of the spirit and to grow vp vnto holinesse in the feare of the Lord that so he may be induced not to enter into