is exceeding hard because it is not in the power of any man to know it except God guide him to see it there are not principles in man there is not the sufficiencie of wisedome to finde out the fitnes of time except God guide him to pitch vpon that time Now if the Lord were pleased to reveale to men these seuerall times allotted to actions it were an easie thing to finde it out but he hath kept them to himselfe and that for these two Causes One is That men might watch for if men knew the time they would be loose and neglect till the time came Therefore sayth he seeing thou knowest not the time when he will come whether at night or at what time of the night whether at the dawning or at the Cocke-crowing whether at the first watch or at the second therefore watch As if he should say If men knew the time certainely they would sleepe till that time and then they would be awake but God will haue men watch Secondly God hath appointed these times and reserved them to himselâ—e that men might learne to feare him that they might learne to keepe a continuall dependance vpon him for if the times were in our owne hands we might mannage our businesse with our owne strength but when they are in Gods hands we know not what to morrow will bring forth Therefore Iames sayth say not I will doe such a thing I will goe to such a place and stay there a yeare and buy and sell for sayth he it is not in your hands your life is not in your owne hands to effect this busines If you doe liue it is not in your hands and therefore you ought to say if the Lord will And therfore to keep men in this dependancie vpon him God hath reserved these times vnto himselfe The third and last proposition is That because men misse of these times therefore their miserie is great vpon them partly because they do not effect the thing they goe about when they misse of their time for the Lord workes not with them when they hit vpon a wrong time partly also because they fayling in their dutie not taking the good time that God hath appointed he in his most just judgement sends vpon them evill times that suddenly come vpon them euen as a snare vpon the birds As you see when birds are feeding quietly and fearing nothing then an evill snare comes and takes them So it is with men when they haue missed their times when they thinke they are safest when they speake peace to themselues when they thinke that danger is farthest off then evill times come suddenly vpon them This you shall see best in examples Gehezi when he tooke a gift of Naaman The Prophet his Maister reproues him in these words Gehezi sayth he is this a time to receiue gifts As if he should say To take a gift in it selfe is not amisse but this is not a time for it for Naaman was but a stranger Againe he was but a beginner in beleeving in the true God and therefore to take a gift of him that was not a time It was the manner you know to bring gifts to the olde Prophets not for reward of their Prophesies but for the maintenance of their estate So Saul brought to Samuel a gift and therefore in some cases it might haue beene seasonable but sayth he is this a time to take a gift of such a man vpon such an occasion at such a season And what miserie came vpon Gehezi for missing his time sayth his Maister The leprosie of Naaman the Assyrian shall cleaue to thee that miserie came vpon him So you shall see Haggai 1. The people did a lawfull action but they missed of the time Thus sayth the Lord of hosts This people say the time is not yet when the Lords house should be built Then came the Word of the Lord by the ministerie of the Prophet Haggai saying Is it a time for your selues to dwell in seeled houâ—â—s and this house lie wast Therefore now saith the Lord of hosts you haue sowne much but you haue brought in little you eate but you haue not enough you drinke but you are not filled you cloath you but you are not warmed and he that earneth wages he puts it into a broken bagge It was a lawfull thing for them to build houses to dwell in and to enioy but sayth he is this a time to dwell in your seeled houses As if he should say You haue misâ—ed of the time And what then You see therefore their misery was great on them you haue sowne much but you bring in little c. Iacob It was lawfull for him to haue sought the blessing but because he missed of the time you see his misery was great vpon him how many sore yeares of travaile had he vnder his vncle Laban And this was because he missed of his time On the other side David that did hit vpon his time God promised him a Kingdome and he stayed his time you see he had it with good successe he had it in such a manner as was fit for him for he stayed his time Rehoboam is another example when he consulted with the olde men They tolde him that if he would serue the people at that time they should be his servants for ever but he followed the counsell of the young men and you see what fell out vpon this the missing of his time for that was the counsell that the olde men gaue him if thou wilt serue them at this time c. As if they had sâ—yd Rehoboam thou thinkest it will be disadvantage to thee if thou let the raines loose vpon them and not restraine and curbe them in the beginning but thou missest of thy time There is a time for meeknes and a time for roughnes There is a time for clemencie there is a time againe for severitie but this is not a time for Rehoboam to vse severitie in the beginning of his Raigne therefore you see his miserie was great vpon him he lost ten tribes by this meanes So likewise The people of Israell when they sought a King for themselues it was lawfull for them to seeke a King for God had appointed from all eternitie David to be their King and if Saul had not beene their King David had beene King at the same season that he was but their error was in the time they would haue a King when Samuel raignâ—d over them when God was pleased to Iudge them by the hand of the Prophets more immediately then by the hand of the King and therefore he sayth that himselfe ruled over them and therefore God tels them because they would needes haue a King now because they would anticipate him they would haue a King before God had appointed them a King therefore this curse should goe with their King he shall doe thus and thus to you he shall take your sonnes
at random God directed the Arrowes to both of them both were sicke and wounded in their Chariots both were carried out of the battaile yet the one a very good King and the other a wicked King You see againe Ioseph was put in Prison for his innocencie as well as Pharaohs Butler and Baker were for their offences You see Moses and Aaron were excluded out of the land of promise as well as murmuring rebellious Israell the same condition was to the one as to the other If againe you looke vpon the good successe of men you shall finde it the same You shall finde Nebuchadnezzar prevailing and raigning fortie yeares in proâ—peritie as well as you see King David raigning forty yeares and Gods hand was with him to blesse him in all this All this you see vnder the Sunne Onely this you are to obserue that it is but for a time that the Lord doth this he doth it not alwayes this is not the constant condition either of the one or of the other and therefore you must know that this truth may be cleare to you that God vseth a libertie in these two things First he vseth a libertie in Election he chooseth one and refuseth another and that for no other reason but because it pleased him Secondly in his punishing and rewarding the sonnes of men elect and reprobate he vseth a libertie in these two things First In the time of their afflictions and rewards And secondly in the manner and qualitie of their rewards and punishments In the substance it selfe he vseth no libertie at all but this is an infallible rule that will be alwayes true That he rewards every man according to his worke he rewards the good according to his worke and he rewards the evill according to his worke but yet I say with this difference in the time he vseth a libertie it may be he deferreth the rewarding of such a man a long time he deferres likewise the punishmeÌ„t of such a one a long time with others he deales quite contrary he sends punishments vpon them presently after the sinne is committed he giues a reward presently after the good deede is done And so likewise in the manner of the punishment there are punishments of divers sorts some are more secret punishments some are more scandalous some are taken out for examples that others may feare others he lets alone and makes them not examples This libertie he vseth in the dispending of his punishments and the like he doth in his rewards Some he rewards openly for their well-doing that others might be incouraged Some men he suffers to waite a long time and there comes no present reward he shall haue it he shall haue a reward according to his works but yet this libertie God vseth in the dispensation of it The vse we should make of it is this If this be so then let vs not be offended let vs not thinke that God is not therefore All-suffâ—cient because he deales sometimes with the righteous according to the workes of the wicked sometimes with the wicked according to the workes of the righteous for you see he will be All-sufficient he will keepe the substance of this rule he will reward every man according to his worke he will make good his All-sufficiencie in performing his promises to them that belong to him and againe he will make good all his threatnings to those that are enemies to him But now for the time of his dispensation and administratioÌ„ of things it is true he takes a libertie to himselfe And to make this the clearer to you I will doe these two things First I will shew you the reasons why God doth thus for a time why thus he disposeth all things for a certaine season And secondly I will shew you this that though he doe thus for a season yet certainely he is All-sufficient To the good it shall goe well and it shall goe ill with the sinners First I say God doth thus for a time And why One reason is That God may try the faith and sinceritie of men for if when men haue sinned God should smite presently if when they doe well God should reward them presently they would be drawne to well-doing and from evill-doing not by sinceritie and by faith but by sence Now the Lord therefore deferres it he puts it off that those that are proved may be knowne that what men doe out of sinceritie may appeare to be so that men may liue by faith and not by sence that men might be drawne to liue by right respects and not by sensuall and carnall respects as they would doe if either his punishments were presently or his rewards Secondly The Lord doth it to spare mankinde for if the LORD should punish presently men should perish from the earth And therefore he doth in this case as Generals are wont to do with their Souldiers when there is a generall fault committed they cast lots and picke out two or three and put them to death that the whole Armie may be saved So the Lord doth he takes here and there one whom it may be he followes with open and great judgements for open sinnes But for others againe the generalitie he suffers and lets them alone because he would spare mankind This reason I finde vsed Gen. 6. 3. the Lord sayd there when he was about to destroy man from the earth My spirit shall no longer striue with man for he is but flesh That is if I should continually deale with men as I doe now if I should take them and sweepe them away with the Besome of destruction as I doe these there would remaine no flesh vpon the earth and therefore sayth he I will not striue with them but beare with them patiently though their sinnes are great and many Againe the Lord doth it that he might keepe from vs the events of things It is his good pleasure to reserue them to himselfe and therefore he goes not in a constant course When men sinne he doth not presently punish neither when a man doth well doth he presently reward him that is he goes not in one tract as it were but sometimes he doth the one and sometimes the other promiscuously and for this end sayth the Wiseman he hath made this contrarie to that that no man might finde any thing after him That is that he might leaue no foot-steps behinde him as we haue that phrase vsed Rom. 11. 33. How vnsearchable are thy wayes and thy Iudgements past finding out The word in the originall signifieth that when God goeth he leaues no vestigia no print behinde him so that a man cannot say he will goe this way he goes it not so oft as to make a path of it I speake of these particular things he doth not so dispence good and evill punishment or rewards that a man can say the Lord will doe this And the reason of this is because future
sufficiencie and abilitie may oâ—ten be disappointed that the battaile is not alwayes to the strong nor the race to the swift This should teach vs then not to be lifted vp but to be thankefulls in our best successe and on the contrary not to be over-much dejected but to beare it patiently when things speed ill If any man haue good successe in any busines and enterprise he is not to attribute it to his owne strength to his own wisedome since that as you see so often failes The Creature hath not power enough in it selfe to bring any enterprise to passe it can neither see all the wheeles that tend to make vp an enterprise or though it see them it is not able to turne them all And therefore if it be done it is the Lord that doth it and the prayse is onely to be given to him Beloved this is a necessary poynt It is vsuall with vs to be very earnest with God when a busines is to be done but we forget to prayse him afterwards And whence proceedes this but from a secret attribution of what is done to our owne wit to our owne strength to our owne policie to other occasions Whereas if he were acknowledged we should be readie to giue him the praise of all that we doe David was a wise man yet you shall finde 1 Sam. 18. he did not therefore carrie himselfe wisely in all his affayres because he had an habituall gift of wisedome but sayth the text because the Lord was with him The Lord was with him to guide him in euery action to direct him what to doe vpon euery particular occasion and thence it was that he carried himselfe wisely in all his affayres Cyrus was a valiant man and a potent yet the Scripture attributes it not to his strength that he prevailed as he did but sayth that he was GODS Shepheard he was his instrument it was God that vsed him it was God that wrought his worke for him Nebuchadnezzar was a mightie potent Prince and prevailed which way soevâ—r he turned himselfe yet God tels him it was he that gaue him dominion and victorie wheresoever he went And as it is true on this hand so it is likewise on the other when a man hath ill successe in any busines let him not say it was because he did not mannage it wisely because he had suâ—h an enemy to oppose him or because such an accident fell out to crosse him no that is not the cause The Reason is here rendred for time and hance happens to every man That is if there he any such accident if there be any crosse event fals out to hinder him in his enterprise at that time it is in Gods disposing it is God that hath done it And therefore you see in the evill events that haue vpon any occasion befallen the Church if you obserue the phrase of Scripture it is not attributed to them but to God When the spirit of Pul and Tiglapellezer were stirred vp against the people of Israell sayth the Text 1 Chron. 5. the Lord stirred them vp against the people it was not they that did it but it was the Lord that stirred them vp So likewise he poured forth his wrath by the hands of Shishak and as David expresseth it in his owne case God hath bidden Shemei curse David So it is in many other places Therefore let not men sit downe discouraged vexing themselues and eating vp their hearts with griefe Let not men say If such an accident had not beene I had prevailed for it is this time and chance that turnes the event of businesses which is from the Lord and not from man Therefore labour to be thankfull to him in the best successe and not to sacrifice to your owne wits or to giue him thankes in a formall manner but heartily to acknowledge him And likewise to be patient in all the crosâ—es and troubles that befall vs. So much for this third vse Fourthly and lastly If men of the greatest abilities be so often disappointed that the battaile is not to the strong nor the race to the swiâ—t c. Then learne we hence not to make flesh our arme not to trust in any strength of our own in any wisedome of our owne or other mens for if this would doe it if the strength of any man if the policie of any man were able to bring any enterprise to pafse it would alwayes doe it If it were the swiftnesse of him that runs that could get the race If it were the strength of him that fighteth that could obtaine the battaile I say it would alwayes doe it And therefore seeing it fals not out so but theevents are turned a contrary way that is a signe it is not in them but in something else Therefore I say take we heede of making flesh our arme of saying thus with our selues because we haue these preparations because we haue these meanes therefore our worke shall succeede for that is not so for we see often in experience when a man comes to a businesse with much confidence out of a reflection vpon his owne abilitie to doe it for the most part it succeeds ill As on the other side when a man comes with feare and diffidence in himselfe for the most part he prospereth best And you haue a rule for it Iere. 17. Cursed is he that makes flesh his arme Cursed is he that is God hath ingaged himselfe when a man will make flesh his arme to blow vpon his enterprises and to cause them to wither Againe blessed is he that trusts in the Lord that is God is tied by his promise to giue successe in such a case Therefore that vse we should make of it not to trust to our owne strength to our owne wisedome nor to other mens For Beloved what is it when we haue other men that are strong and wise and potent to rest vpon Are they able to bring it to passe You shall finde that expression Psal. 31. a place that I touched in the morning vpon another occasion David tels vs there that great men sat and spake against him and consulted together to take away â—is life but sayth he my times are in thy hands As if he should say my times and the disposing of all my affaires good evill successe to me they are not in their hands be they never so potent they are not in the hands of Saul they are not in the hands of Doeg they are not in the hands of all mine enemies but Lord my times are in thy hands So then if we could learne this lesson aright we should not be discouraged when the most potent men are set against vs not be much incouraged when they are for vs. That in Isa. 51. 12. is excellent for this purpose Who art thou sayth he that feâ—rest mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils and who shall be made as the grasse That is if such a
man be never so potent yet sayth he consider his brâ—ath is in his nostrils and he shall be made as the grasse that is in truth he is of no power But the reason now why men doe feare why men are discouraged in such cases you shall finde in the verse following who art thou sayth he that doest this and forgettest the Lord thy maker who made heaven and earth who stretcheth forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth You never finde a man that feares a great man a potent man but the true ground of it is because he forgets the Lord his maker if he did remember the mightie God he that stretcheth forth the heavens and that layes the foundations of the earth Man would appeare a mortall man You may take it for a certaine generall rule a mans heart is never possessed with feare vpon such an occasion but when he forgets God the great God he would never else feare a great man On the other side he would never be confident in such occasions but when he remembers not the Lord. Therefore learne we neither to feare them when they are against vs or to trust them when they are for vs. We vsually pittie the case of Marchants for say we their goods hangs on ropes they depend vpon vncertaine windes but certainely he that trusts in man is in a worse condition for he rests vpon the affections of a man that are more vncertaine then the winde What so brittle and so vnconstant We see that for the most part they are carried to doe vs good or evill with by-respects with something touching themselues they are turned to and fro as the Weather-cocks and Mils are that when the winde ceaseth and when the waters fayle stand still they are driven to doe for vs so long as such respects leade them no longer And therefore to trust in men it is not the safest it is not the wisest way See this in some few examples David how inconstant did he finde the people and apt to rebell against him and so Moses yea David himselfe though he was a holy men yet how inconstant was he inconstant to Mephibosheth one that was innocent one that had never done him any wrong one that had never given him occasion How inconstant was he to Ioab when he had prevailed in that battaile against Absolom How quickly was he out of grace and place when he had saved Davids life and recovered the Kingdome and Amaziah that was but a reconciled enemy put into his roome These and many such like examples you shall find Abner how inconstant was he to Ishbosheth even for a word spoken against him and a word that he gaue him occasion enough to speake a word that he neede not haue beene so much offended at he fals off from him for it and this it is to trust in man I say either in a mans owne wisedome or strength or in any other mans This place shewes what a great follie it is The battaile is not to the strong That is let a man be never so well compassed about with strength and wisedome of men let him put himselfe and his friends into the number yet he is not safe but let him trust in God and he is safe in midst of dangers Sampson and Ishbosheth when they were in the midst of their friends when they were asleepe they were circumvented David on the other side when he was asleepe in the midst of his enemies when there was an hoast pitched against him yet sayth he I laid me downe and slept Why because the Lord sustained me So that both for our safetie when we are in danger and likewise to haue our workes wrought for vs to trust in God and not to trust either in our owne wisedome or in the wisedome or strength of man that we shall finde constantly to be the best way When David abstained from going vp to battaile against Naball when he tooke the counsell of his wife and when he abstained from putting violent hands vpon Saul you see how God wrought it for him he gaue him Nabals wife he gaue him Saules wiues and his houses and his Kingdome into his hands this he got by trusting him But when men will make their owne wayes when they will goe about enterprises with their owne wisedome In his owne wisedome and strength shall no man be strong God hath said it and he will make it good vpon all occasions The conclusion therefore is if the battaile be not to the strong nor the race to the swift c. If men of the greatest abilitie are often disappointed of their hopes and ends then we should not make flesh our Arme but trust in God both for safetie in danger and to bring our enterpises to passe And so much for this point Wee now proceede Neither doth man know his time This is added partly as a second vanitie which Salomon saw vnder the Sunne and partly as a reason of the former For sayth he though men be strong and wise yet there is a certaine season to doe things in that they may mistake which causeth them to fayle for man knowes not his time and from hence he drawes this Consequence because men know not their times therefore they are snared in an evill time because they know not the good time when good actions should be done therefore evill times come vpon them suddenly that is they take them vnawares and this he illustrates by two Similitudes They come vpon them sayth he as an evill net comes vpon fishes and as the snare vpon the fowles So that in these three propositions you shall haue the full meaning of these words and these therefore wee will handle distinctly First that there is a time allotted for every purpose and to every businesse Secondly that it is very hard to finde out that time And thirdly because men cannot finde this time but mistake it therefore evill times come vpon them suddenly that is crosses afflictions and destruction comes vpon them suddenly even as the snrre vpon the fowle and as a â—et vpon the fishes And that this is the meaning of this place and that these three points are included in it you may see best by comparing it with another of the like sence Eccles. 8. 4. 5. 6. 7. Where the word of the King is there is power and who shall say to him what doest thou That is it is a dangerous thing to admonish Princes who shall say to a Prince what doest thou sayth the Wiseman There is a time wherein we may admonish Princes safely although they be exceeding powerfull although they haue it in their owne power to take away the spirit c. as he sayth afterwards yet there is a time But how shall a man know that time Saith he he that keepes the Commandement shall know no evill thing and the heart of the wise shall know the time and the Iudgement That is he shall know when
Lord but not an All-sufficiencie this is the cause why the hearts of men are hollow towards the Lord. Even as when a man lookes towards a great man that is a man ofsome power able to doe him hurt and that hath some abilitie to doe him good this makes him to feare it makes him carefull to please him and to abstaine from what may offend him yet because he thinkes he is not perfect with him that his heart is but hollow towards him he doth it not fully So it is in our walking before God Because we apprehend him not to be All-sufficient therefore it is that our hearts are not perfect with him We shall best shew you this in instances for example What is the reason that a man is discouraged in seeking to God in praying to God in depending vpon God in any great case of difficultie where there is more then ordinarie difficultie there is more to be suffred there is more to be done what is the reason of it because we apprehend him not to be All-sufficient You know the turning of men away from God commonly it ariseth from this they meete with some rub some crosses some barre Some Lyon in the way which they are not able to grapple with it is too strong for them and then they turne out of the way the reason I say of all sinne and departure from the Lord is because we doe not apprehend him to be All-sufficient for if we did why should not a man in an easie case turne from him as well as in the most difficult As for example David followed the Lord long yet when Saul grew exceeding strong and he very weake then he stepped aside and sayd in his heart I shall perish one day and so he goes out of Gods wayes and flyeth to Achis to the Philistines This was from hence that he did not apprehend the Lord to be All-sufficient and Almightie for the word signifieth both And so likewise Moses Numb 11. what was the reason that he started aside that he did not beleeue as at other times When God sayd to him that he would giue them flesh for a moneth together what sayth Moses againe Shall six hundred thousand men be fed with flesh shall all the Beeues and Sheepe be slaine or shall all the fish in the Sea be gathered together He could not beleeue the Lord here was a difficultie that Moses was not able to reach that there should be so many fed with flesh and that in the wildernes and that for a moneth together he thought it impossible to be done that all the fish in the Sea should be gathered together and all little enough to serue such a turne Now marke the Lords answer there is the Lords hand shortened You may know by the medicine what the disease was Moses sayth he thou thinkest I am not able to doe it thou thinkest my hand is shortened that I cannot doe it And the like was when he came to draw water out of the rocke you shall see Moses there stucke for the case was a case of difficulty If it had beene out of the earth where there had beene probabilitie it had not beene so much but Moses makes two arguments against it you know how great the sinne was for the which he lost going into the Land of Canaan I say he makes these two arguments against it First sayth he the people are rebels and will the Lord giue them water that haue carried themselues in such a manner that was one thing that caused his infidelitie at that time Another was What shall I give you water out of the rocke As if he should say That is a difficult thing So that put these two together out of the rocke and vnto rebels there his fayth fayled for it was difficult and whence came this because he thought the Lord was not All-sufficient And so likewise Martha and Marie when they came to Christ for Lazarus when he was dead they were out of hope the reason was because there was a difficultie now more than before so that I say the cōmon cause of our turning aside from the Lord is because we meete with some difficulties which our faith is not able to grapple with and it ariseth from hence that we forget this that the Lord saith to Abraham I am God All-mightie or All-sufficient I am able to doe whatsoever I will Besides this what is the cause that men seeke after vaine-glory that they are subiect to enuie the spirit that is in vs is subiect to envie for everyman envieth another because he desireth vaine-glory too much to himselfe this ariseth from hence that he reckoneth not God to be All-sufficient That is If we did reckon it enough to haue praise with God if we thought that his knowledge of our vprightnesse were sufficient though no man in the world knew it besides we would be content with that honour that we haue which he hath allotted to vs within our owne compasse but because we thinke him not to be All-sufficient we would haue somthing likewise from the creature we would haue honour loue and respect from men which sinne ariseth hence that we apprehend not him to be All-sufficient so doth that likewise which is contrary to it for sinnes of the same nature they arise both frō the same groūd when men are so sencible of shame and reproach and disgrace and disparagement doth it not arise hence that we reckon mans day too much and Gods day too little We apprehend not God enough in his greatnesse as the Apostle saith I reckon not to be iudged by mans day As if he should say It is but a day it is but a time that man hath to judge there is another day the Lords day that great day If a man did apprehend that which is in God if he did see his All-sufficiency he would not regard to be judged by mans day as long as he were not judged by the Lord he would not care what his fellow-prisoners thought of him as long as the Iudge and the Law cleared him And so likewise what is the reason of the vneven wayes of men which they take to bring their enterprises to passe is it not hence that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient David when he was in a strait when the Kingdome you know was promised him and many opportunities he had to haue gotten it if he would haue vsed evill meanes when sometimes the Lord put Saul into his hands yet would not touch him but committed it to the Lord for he thought him to be almightie able to bring it to passe as also he did bring it to passe And so likewise Daniell there might haue beene meanes vsed for him to haue escaped you know how he was in danger when he refused to eate of the Kings meate he was in danger againe when they obtained of the King that is any man did make any request to any God or man
favour and blessing without this portion Is not that enough Is it not sufficient We may run through many instances but it is enough to touch vpon this And therefore thou shouldst be readie to say thus with thy selfe If I haue never so much if I were in the greatest floate of prosperitie what is this without him If againe I were in the lowest ebbe is not he enough And therefore in every busines say this with thy selfe All my busines now is with God in heaven and not with men nor the creatures and therefore if I want comfort at any time if I cannot haue it from men nor from the creature yet I know where to fetch it if I want wisedome counsell and advice if I want helpe I know whether to goe if the Cisterne fayle I can goe to the fountaine I can goe to him alone that is able to be my helper in all my needs to be my counfeller in all my doubts and to comfort me in all my distresses But Beloved the thing I would presse is this to settle your eyes vpon God alone It may be you will say you haue an eye to God but you would haue other helpes too No All the tryall is in this to trust in him alone for if you did thinke him All-sufficient why should you not doe so If he had but a part of sufficiencie and the creature had another part you might joyne helpe with him but since he is All-sufficient you must be content with him alone Put the case he giue you no pawne as he did not to Abraham the Text sayth he had not a foote of land in all his possession and yet he beleeved for he thought God was sufficient Therefore when thou hast any thing to doe trust in him alone and thou shalt then finde it the best done for when we trust in him most then we pray best and when we pray best we speede best and therefore we commonly finde when things are in the lowest condition then it hath best successe with vs because by that meanes we are taught to goe to him alone To giue you an instance of this consider David and Iacob I will shew you but these two cases you shall see it in David and Iacob David did not make hast when the Lord promised him the Kingdome and sent Samuell to annoint him though at one time he did when he fled into the land of the Philistines yet in the generall he did not if he had made hast he would haue taken away Sauls life when he was put into his hands but sayth he I will stay the Lords leasure I will not meddle with him wickednesse shall come from the wicked What was the issue of it you see how the Lord brought it about without paine and labour to him as you shall see in the wheeles of his providence how he wheeled that about to bring David to the Kingdome you see first he takes away Saul by the hands of his enemies Davids hand was not on him he tooke him away in due season When that was done then there was Abner a mightie Captaine you see he was taken away and that without any fault of Davids vpon a quarrell betweene Ioab and him When Abner was taken away there was Isbosheth left behinde you see there were two set a-worke by his providence for those things come to passe by his providence to take away his head when he was asleepe so that all the posteritie of Saul was gone He tooke not onely Saul away in the battayle but all the rest and there were but two left Mephibosheth that was lame in his limmes and not fit to mannage the Kingdome who likewise afterwards put himselfe into Davids hands and Isbosheth that was lame in his minde as the other was in his limmes And therefore when Abner was gone there was no strength in him So the Lord brought it to passe without any action of his so it is when men learne to trust in God Likewise see it in Nabals case he was making hast he was stepping out to an inordinate way to helpe himselfe but when he stayed himselfe and did it not how did the Lord bring it to passe without him did not he himselfe take away Nabals life and giue Nabals wife and goods as he did Sauls goods and his house and his wiues to him This the Lord did for he trusted in him he made not hast but he stayed on him alone I say if we could learne this in all our enterprises to trust in him he would worke our workers for vs. On the other side wheresoever you see a man that makes hast and that joynes others with the Lord and is not content with his All-sufficiencie doth it not cost him much when he will doe his owne works and will not leaue it to the Lord to worke it for him Iacob you know what it cost him when he made hast to get the blessing by a wrong way how many yeares exile how much paine and separation from his friends And so Saul it cost him the losse of his Kingdome for making hast when he offered sacrifice and did breake the Commandements of God because the people were dispersed And so of the rest And therefore Beloved what if there be nothing besides for that is the case I presse suppose you were in such a straite that there is no more but the Lord to rest on yet if you be content to trust in him alone he will doe it as he did for David if you will needs indent and bargaine with him then I say it may be you shall haue the thing you would haue but you had better be without it as we see in Math. 20. when the workemen would not be content with the All-sufficiencie of God as we see in that Parable but would make a bargaine with the Lord we will not serue thee say they except thou wilt giue vs so much wages if thou wilt we will doe it so he bargained with every man for a penny a day Goe then sayth he and worke in my Vineyard and thou shalt haue a Penny Well when he comes to pay them he giues them their Penny they thought that was not enough but they murmured against him sayth the Lord did you not bargaine with me for a Penny The meaning of it is this it doth most concerne the labourers in Gods Vineyard but it is appliable to all others They will not worke for the Lord they will not reckon him All-sufficient but they will haue wages they will bargaine with him to haue a Penny That is One to haue a Benefice to maintaine him another will worke for him if he may haue fame and credit and esteeme Another will worke for him if he may haue some great place Sayth the Lord I will giue thee that Penny thou shalt worke in my Vineyard I but when a man hath it marke it he murmurs why for when the end of the day comes he sees
it is not an enemy and that which is not an enemy it neuer doth hurt but if thou be not in Couenant with God now these haue a power to hurt thee there is no prohibition vpon them there is no restraint but they may doe thee hurt they are enemies to thee both those things and whatsoeuer else is in heauen or Earth Satan and euery creature hath power to doe thee hurt when thou walkest in the way when thou sittest in thy house wheresoeuer thou art thou walkest in thee middest of 1000. dangers because thou art not in Couenant with God therefore thou art exposed to the enmity of all the creatures But this obiection will be made Yea but many or those that are within the Couenant receiue huâ—t from the creatures many of those that are out of the Couenant liue peaceable and quiet liues I will answer it in a word It is very true they may be exercised though all the host of heauen and earth be at peace with them and there is not any creature can doe them the least hurt no they neither will nor can goe about it to lift vp their hand against them yet they may be exercised with many afflictions but there is a very great difference betweene these two the same disease the same griefe the same apprehension lyes on the heart and wounds the spirits of the one man but to the other that is in Couenant it is a rod in the hand of a father enabling him to keepe his Couenant the better it is as a Medicine in the hand of a Physician to heale him to comfort him to doe him good that very disease to another is as a sword in the hand of an enemy as poyson in the hand of the destroyer to hurt him As for example the Deuill had power to vexe Saul and to vexe Iob here was the same instrument the Deuill had power ouer both but there was a great deale of difference you know he had power ouer Saul as an enemy he had power ouer Iob as a friend and so likewise Iudas had a messenger of Satan to fill his hâ—art and Paul had a messenger of Satan too to sollicite him and to trouble him and to ioine with his lusts to make them as pricks in his sides but there is much difference to the one he had a restraint the Lord saith to the Deâ—ill What hast thou to doe with Iob thou shalt â—oe thus far and no further thou shalt not hurt â—ob To Paul there was a restraint too thou shalt goe thâ—s far for what purpose as there was a restraint so there was another end likewise so far it shall goe as till it hath humbled him Iob and Paul were humbled by it a iot further it cannot goe for the deuill in truth though hee be hostile to them in affection yet cannot hurt them in action because God only vseth him to doe them good and to humble them Iob was the better and Paul was an exceeding gainer by it but Saul and Iudas were great Iosets so there is a great difference betweene these two The Shepheard sets his Dog vpon the Sheep to bring them in another man sets his Mastiffe on another creature to worry it and to destroy it the Lord sets the creature vpon his own seruants but as the Shepheard sends out his Dogge to bring them in as soone as they are brought in he rates the Dog and will not suffer him to doe them the least hurt A man will not haue his seruants nor children nor his friends hurt but he will rate the Dog when he fals vpon them so the Lord doth with euery creature whatsoeuer when it comes to hurt them he rebuker it as he did the stormes and winds on the other side when a man is out of Coâ—enant with GOD then God vnlooseth the coller of the creature as it were and sets him vpon such a man and saith vnto him go worry such a man wound him be an enemy to him hurt him This obiection is so to be answered that those that are within the Couenant they are often molested and troubled the creatures seeme to hurt them though they be in League and at peace with them and can doe them no hurt Secondly it is obiected that others that are out of the Couenant they liue in peace Beloued I beseech you consider this and it is profitable to coÌ„sider that he that belongs not to the Couenant he may liue in his fathers house he may sit at Table with the children he may haue the same maintenance the same clothing the same vsage the same liberty the same priuiledges of the family as the children haue and yet for all this this is one that belongs not to the Couenant but one whom God intends to cast out Ismael you know liued in the family as well as Isaac and was as well vsed as Isaac till the time came that God would cast him out and therefore deceiue not thy selfe with out ward peace to say God and the creature are at peace with me for I haue prosperity in all that I doe No it may be the time of casting out is not yet come but in due time when the right season shal come then Ismael shall bee cast out and euery one with whom the Couenant indeed is not established Caine remained for a time but he was cast out and made a Vagabond vpon the earth Saul remained for a time in the house but in due season God cast him off so I say God may nourish and cherish and defend thee as if thou wert one of his owne children but he will cast thee off in the end We haue a notable example for it in his dealing with the children of Israel they were such as belonged not to the Couenant a great part of them and yet see how he vsed those very men Deut. 32. it is said hee carried them on Eagles wings that is the expression that is the Lord carried them so safely as the Eagle carries her yong on the top of her wings that no Fowle can reach them but she is aboue all Fowles and stronger then all Fowles and flyes higher and so they were safe as on Eagles wings nothing could reach them After that manner I carried you out of Egypt I kept you so safe besides I did not onely defend you but fed you with the finest Wheat with the purest Oyle with the liquor of the Grape and yet notwithstanding all this these men were such as God hated such as were not in League as belonged not to the Couenant deceiue not thy selfe God may doe all this and yet cast thee out he may feed the with riches in abundance and yet if thou be not a sonne if the Couenant be not established with thee thou shalt be cast out the sonne abides for euer but hee with whom the Couenant is not made though he may continue in the Family for a while hee shall not abide
concurre with the strength of the horse and of the chariot all this is not able to doe it And therefore I say this is one reason why the battell is not to the strong nor riches to men of vnderstanding because the creature of himselfe is not able to doe it in its owne strength excluding Gods helpe he is not able to bring an enterprise to passe This likewise may bee added to that that though the creature should haue a strength though a man should haue all things readie that he should be furnished with preparations of all sorts so that nothing shuld be waÌ„ting to bring an enterprise to passe yet at the very time at the very instant when the thing is to be done it is not in his power to make vse of them because at that very time God often takes wisedome from the wise and courage from them that are otherwise valiant he takes from them their abilities euen at that time hee takes off the chariot wheeles even when they are driuing of them which plainely proveth that the Creature of himselfe is not able to doe it As we see Amos 2. 14. 15. 16. sayth he The flight shall perish from the swift and the strong shall not strengthen his forces neither shall the mightie saue his life he that handleth the Bâ—w shall not stand and he that is swift of foote shall not deliuer himselfe neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himselfe and he of mightie courage among the strong men shall flie away naked in that day That is Be they never so strong be they never so swift never so full of courage at the very time when they haue occasion to vse it the Lord will take away that swiftnes he will take away that courage he will take away that wisedome and suggest it it may be to the adversarie and how then shall they prevaile So that though a man were never so well prepared to bring an enterprise to passe as when a man purposeth in his heart and hath laid all things readie this will I speake yet the answer of the mouth comes from God whatsoever his preparations and purposes be So in the actions and affayres of men though he make his preparations never so strong yet at the very instant God often takes courage from those that are most valiant and suggesteth it to those that are most cowardly he takes away wisedome when they haue most occasion to vse it and giues it to the adversaries that otherwise are more foolish then they This is the first Cause of it A second Cause is this because there is a certaine time and opportunitie that a man must take to bring an enterprise to passe and though a man be never so strong and never so wise yet he may misse of those opportunities and so he looseth the battaile he looseth the bringing to passe of his enterprise And this we see is the Reason that is rendred Eccles. 8. 5. 6. The heart of the wise is to know the time Iudgement because to every purpose there is a time and a Iudgement therefore the miserie of man is great vpon him That is to every action and to every purpose there is a certaine opportunitie be a man never so well fitted yet if he misse of that opportunitie he shall not bring his enterprise to passe therefore sayth he the miserie of man is great vpon him for he neither knowes himselfe what that opportunitie is neither can any man tell him as it is in the seaventh verse And because it is not within the power of man it is not within his compasse to finde out these seasons and opportunities for every purpose and action hence it is that though they be never so well prepared though they haue never so much sufficiencie and abilitie to bring such an enterprise to passe yet they misse of it because they discerne not of the times Thirdly this comes to passe because God hath appointed a certaine varietie and change of condition to the sonnes of men and there is no mans wisedome riches or strength that is able to defend him from Gods appointment I say God hath appointed a certaine change of condition to all the sonnes of men he hath appointed such crosses and afflictions he hath appointed such times as the holy Ghost speakes to passe over their heads and all the wisedome and strength that a man hath is not able to turne God from his purpose it is not able to evacuate to frustrate his decrees but they shall come to passe And that is the meaning of this in the text for I take this reason out of the text The translation is but time and chance commeth to all it were I suppose better translated and agrees with the originall for time and chance comes to all Now by time in the text is meant that varietie of condition that God hath appointed to euery man vnder the Sunne as David vseth the word Psal. 31. 15. My times are in thy hands My times that is the varietie of conditions the changes of my life the good and evill the prosperitie and adversitie that befals me sayth he they are not in the hands of my enemies nor in mine own hands but they are in thy hands I say there the word is so vsed and so we are to vnderstand it in this place for time comes to all sayth he that is when God hath appointed such changes to the states of men if riches if strength if wisedome diligence or skill were able to turne the counsels of God another way if it were able to anticipate them or to diuert them then the battaile might be to the strong c. but sayth he it is not so What God hath appointed they cannot alter You shall see it in many examples Saul was well established but when God had appointed a change of his Kingdome that it should go from him to David you see he brought it to passe Though he were as strong as a Lyon as David testifieth of him though hee had many children to inherit the Crowne though the people claue fast to him you doe not finde that ever they rose vp in rebellion against him yet when God had appointed such a time to passe over him and his house all that strength all that fitnes and preparation that was in him and his familie to continue the Kingdome to his posteritie it could not turne aside Gods Counsell but it came to passe Ely had a great familie there were many Priests of his line yet when God had said he would cut off from Ely his whole familie and would turne the Priesthood to another you see how he found out meanes to bring it to passe how many Priests were killed in one day by Dveg in the time of Saul and afterwards when Abiathar one of that posteritie was tooke in by David yet he was cast out by Salomon through an accident that fell out in his