who hearing that his bridge ouer Hellespont was broken downe with the waues of the Sea caused three hundred stripes to be giuen to the Ocean in way of reuenge It may bee all will wonder at this madnesse of his and yet they are as mad who when their actions are crossed fall out with the instruments of their grieuance For what doe they but behaue themselues frowardly toward God and therefore may feare that he wil be froward to them and euen set his face against them for euill Vse 2 Let vs in the second place bee exhorted to beleeue this promise made to faithfull dependance on God as before we were exhorted to that dependance Giue we to God the glory as of his power and prouidence so of his faithfulnesse and set to our seale that God is true He loues to bee trusted and those that trust in him knowing as the Apostle saith whom they haue trusted shall neuer be ashamed of their confidence Whether therefore our affaires be publike or priuate let vs commit them to God Commit we our trades vnto him our studies vnto him the administration of euery office and function vnto him especially businesses of greater either difficulty or danger vnto him And because I cannot stand to instance in particular cases let vs all as members together of one and the same body commit the common affaires of the whole Church vnto God and our ioynt desires touching them perswading our selues that in so doing the thoughts of our hearts shall be established What though many designes and seruices for the Church are not for the present successefull Yet expect Gods worke And the rather because it is his vsuall course in these cases not to be seene till the last Euen as the Roman Triaâ—ij who were the strength of the Army neuer fought till the victory seemed to be hazarded So the Trinity in whom is the strength of the Church Militant make our extremity their opportunity Now then cum ad Triada deuentum fuerit when it is time for God to worke as Psal 119.126 no question the wheele shall turne and the enemies of the truth shall be vndermost Suppose the enemies get the better for a time and many times foile the Lords hoast yet they may say as Pyrrhus once did when he had conquered the Romans Etiamsi deinceps c. Though we againe and againe ouercome the Protestants yet the finall ruine and downefall shall be our owne In a word Dauid hath no cause of fearing he shall fall one day by the hand of Saul but Saul may be assured hee shall fall before Dauid and when the time of establishment commeth then they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which cannot be remoued Psal 125.1 Vse 3 Whensoeuer we finde this promise fulfilled and that our actions haue thriued vpon our committing them to God then forget not to be thankfull and to acknowledge by whom our workes were wrought And not onely so but let our experience teach vs so much the more confidently to depend vpon him for after times Obserue this in Gods people Isay 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for vs for thou hast wrought all our workes for vs Faith here drawes an argument of assurance for time to come from time past FINIS Prou. 24 27 〈…〉 〈◊〉 * In iudicâ—â—s in concione pro rostrâ—â—â—pulenta facundiâ— volubili ambituâ—â— iactetuâ— cum de Dumino Deo vox est vocis para synceritas non eloquentiae veribus nitâ—tâ—â— ad fidei argumenta sed rebus c. 〈◊〉 1. ep ad Donatuâ— * Peret id est 〈…〉 * Col * 〈◊〉 â—oâ—t a Acts 17.28 * French Sâ—â—ont â—genceeâ— * 1 Sam. 13.12 10.8 b 〈…〉 Ezek. 29.6 7. d Iob 6.15 e Psal 18.2.31 32. Psal 73.18 19 Iob 8.14 Psal 37.38 〈◊〉 * 〈…〉 * 2 Sam. 17.14 * 1 Sam. 1â— â— o 2 Tim. 1 1â—
our wits end and know not which way to turne our selues So that in this respect we haue good reason to take Salomons counsell Leane not vnto thine owne vnderstanding Prou. 5.5 And let vs ingeniously acknowledge vnto God with Ieremie cap. 10 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his owne steps In the third place wee are to deny our owne Power to accomplish any worke though neuer so well conceiued though meanes are neuer so well ordered and the businesse in very great forwardnesse Who is he saith Ieremie Lamen 3.37 that saith and it commeth to passe when the Lord commandeth it not I may adde when he assisteth not prospereth not For poore impotent creatures that we are if we looke vnto spirituall actions we cannot so much as will to doe good of our selues much lesse can we carry our selues through any holy duty with comfort and successe Without mee saith Christ ye can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 which is true also if we looke to temporall affaires and emploiments For what can we say we will doe God can interpose when he will and stay our proceedings a thousand wayes He can either suddenly crush vs and turne vs into dust or blow vpon our labours or suffer others to crosse and cleane ouerthrow our enterprises So that in matter of profit no man can say my power my labour the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth Deut. 8.17 Nor in point of honour By my policie I haue builded my nest on high by the strength of mine arme I haue gotten the victorie Psalm 44.3 Therefore to shut vp this first preparatiue act to into duty we are in euery action to take notice of our weaknesse and to groane vnder euery imploiment as vnder a burden insupportable should we haue no helpe We may bee in continuall motion rouling and tumbling our actions vp and downe but shall neuer finde rest and firme setling of them before we lay them vpon God seeing before wee come to him it is with vs as Mathematicians tell vs it is with a Globe vpon a plaine impossible to stand still and as impossible to stirre to any purpose If then we set vpon spirituall duties say with the Apostle Paul We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke much lesse to doe any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God 2. Cor. 3.5 And neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase 1. Cor. 3 7. If we goe about any worke of our worldly callings humbly acknowledge with Dauid Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Psal 127. 1. So except he prosper other our handy-workes in vaine do we think in our owne strength to bring them to a wished end especially when any more important affaire is in hand as when preparations are made for warre and publique seruice is to be done for the Church of God then let vs be most sensible of our owne weaknesse and confesse with Iehoshaphat That we haue no might against our enemies nor know we what to doe 2. Chron. 20.12 But had not Iehoshaphat a great Armie and valiant men Yes yet in them was no might Did not he know that he had no way but to lead out his forces yes and yet he knew not what to doe Only this Our eyes said he are towards thee that is seeing we cannot worke effectually for our selues we roule not our eyes only but our worke vpon thee ó Lord c. And thus we passe on from the first preparatiue vnto the second an essentiall act of this duty from the act of acknowledgement in humilitie of our selfe-insufficiencie to the act of Faith in dependencie on God and his efficiencie Now in this resting and relying vpon God consisteth principally this deuoluing or committing our worke vnto God and this is manifested in so many acts as there were particulars wherein we discouered our owne weakenesse First then he that commits his worke to God must depend as well on his wil and allowance before he begins it as on his helpe and assistance afterward he must out of that suspicion he is to haue of his owne iudgement in choice referre his determinations to God consult with him and as he willeth and prescribeth so doe and not otherwise This was the course which Gods people tooke of old they would neuer attempt any matter especially of moment without a warrant Thus the Israelites when Ioshua their Generall was dead before they stirred to elect another asked of the Lord who should goe vp first for them c. Iudg. 11. They consulted againe with God before they would take armes against the children of Beniamin Iudg. 11.18 23 28. Thus did Dauid sundry times 1 Sam. 23.12 30 8. Thus did many others of Gods seruants in such like cases and all in obedience to Gods ordinance Numb 27.21 that the Priests should aske counsell for them after the judgement of Vrim before the Lord and at his word they should goe out and come in c. But what tell I you of this extraordinarie course of taking resolution We in these times can haue no recourse vnto a vocall Oracle yet notwithstanding we must looke that all our actions be lawfull and warranted by that written Oracle which is among vs Why else hath God left vs his word Why are we called To the Law and to the Testimonie Esa 8.20 Whatsoeuer we commit to the determination of that word we commit to God himselfe Obiect But the Scripture some will say doth not mention thousands of particular actions about which men are imploied Answer True yet it giues such rules and directions as may be applied to euery action that we can possibly fall vpon and are able to satisfie him that rightly applieth them If therfore we intend any holy worke or seruice let vs commit it to God and examine we our selues whether he hath licenced vs to meddle thus or thus in his holy things whether he hath called vs and sent vs and set vs about them If we go about any other ciuill actions put each of them likewise to the question Is it lawfull haue I any ground for it and be resolued from God before we aduenture on it Wherefore we are to take Dauids course in submmitting our selues to God and waiting on him continually to know the way wherein we should walke Psal 143.8 So that this is the summe we are not to be our owne caruers but leaue it to God to chalke out our way and appoint our worke otherwise we cannot worke in faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Reas 1 Grounds why we should thus depend on God for his licence and approbation are many But besides his command and his childrens practise of which we haue heard take only these two First his Will is the rule and patterne of holinesse and justice and therefore
it If earthly parents doe for their children shall not our heauenly father doe for vs Much more surely as Christ concludeth Matt. 7. And therefore will Dauid call vpon God because hee is the God that performeth all things for him Psal 57.2 I conclude then with the words of the Apostle Phil. 4.6 Be carefull for nothing but in euery thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiuing let your requests be made knowne to God The Doctrinall part of this counsell being explained see we in briefe what may be thence collected Vse 1 First here is a word of Exhortation that wee would all take this course and follow this counsell But his may be spared in respect of our priuate workes because the doctrine it selfe was exhortatorie and many exhortations were intermixed among the explanations of it Yet let vs all be perswaded to cast an eie vpon the Churches of God I meane especially the distressed parts of it and commend their workes and designes for their owne safety together with the workes of others in their behalfe vnto the Lord. We may in charity suppose that they haue committed the choice of their enterprises vnto him and haue a warrant for them Let vs now commit the meanes and the successe vnto God Howsoeuer matters goe hard in many places meanes faile the case seeme almost desperate God giues successes to the enemie suffers his children to be cruelly and iniuriously handled scattered slaughtered So that wee may take vp for them that complaint of those Psalme 44.10 11. Thou makest vs turne backe from the enemie c. yet let vs so carry our selues that we may say with them there Verse 17 all this is come vpon vs yet haue not we forgotten thee c. Vse 2 Againe heere is a word of rebuke to as many as will not be aduised by the wise man And they are of diuers sorts 1. They that make their owne sufficiencies the fundamentall base and prop of their actions As Papists who make the strength of nature able to worke diuers good actions And generally all proud persons who pride themselues in their owne might and power as if they could doe what they list and God not able to hinder them The cariage of many though haply not their speeches bewray such arrogant thoughts 2. They who will not endure to commit the choice of their actions to God nor stay for a warrant but runne on vpon their owne heads such as they Deut. 1. who would needs fight when God forbade them so farre were they from demanding leaue of him Or as they Ierem. 42.20 who would seeme to commit their iourney to God but in hypocrisie hauing resolued what to doe before hand let Gods command be what it will They that dare not depend vpon God for meanes Such are they that faint in themselues and make themselues more vnfit for the worke than God hath made them by their diffidence of euer being enabled for it Herein was Moses faulty Exod. 4.10 Secondly they that distrust God if such and such meanes doe not take and at such a time Such were the Israelites who are said to limit the holy one of Israel Psal 78.41 Thirdly they that rely vpon their owne procurement of meanes as they that trusted on the strength of Aegypt Isa 31.1 2. Against whom both a woe is denounced and Gods Wisdome opposed yet saith the Prophet he is wise i. though you so leane to your owne wisdome in contriuing meanes and to Aegypt in affording them God will outreach you Of this sort we finde many who will thinke to make all so sure and order euery thing so wisely that Gods prouidence shall be in seeming cleane shut out as if he could not make a change c. Fourthly they are most to blame who vse indirect meanes and so by consequence commit their workes to the Deuill Saul did so palpably in consulting with the Witch at Endor 1 Sam. 28.8 Others doe it couertly c. They that trust not God with the euent and successe of their businesse but peremptorily conclude what their feare suggesteth So Moses Exod. 4 1. Behold said he they will not beleeue mee c. And Dauid 1 Sam. 27.1 I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul c. But wee must know that howsoeuer God allowes vs to be Historians or recorders of those workes which he hath done for vs yet he will not haue vs be Prognosticators of future euents so as to determine what he will doe especially when wee conclude against our selues and the glory of his mercie Thus much for the Counsell or precept in the Text. And thy thoughts shall be established THese words appeare plainely to be a Promise subioyned to that counsell which the Wise man gaue in the former part of the Verse and containe that end which is aimed at by all agents and easily obtained by taking that course and following that way which was premised Heere for our orderly proceeding wee are first to seuer the words in explication and then ioyne them againe in a generall obseruation which when wee haue branched forth into particulars and fenced from obiections we will shut vp with application Two words are to bee opened Thoughts and Established Thoughts in the soule of man are properly the inward agitations or workings thereof beating as it were vpon an obiect fomerly apprehended and we shall finde the greatest vse of them in matters either of weight or difficultie and the more wee are possessed or pressed with any thing the more they are multiplied O what a world of them in such cases throng in one vpon the necke of another to the disquieting of our spirits The best men of the best tempers are subiect vnto them euen Dauid himselfe is heard to complaine of the multitude of his thoughts within him Psal 94.19 And indeed this swarming of thoughts is a maruellous grieuance vnto a man for they hinder and interrupt the cleare discourse of reason and raise as it were such a mist in a mans minde that hee is not able to discerne one truth from another This noted by the way I passe on to other acceptions of thoughts For in Scripture they are often put for the effect of thoughts that is for counsels and resolutions taken after the working of the thoughts and so Ierem. 11.19 They haue thought a thought or deuised a deuice against me c. The word is the same which is vsed heere Which acception bordereth very neere vpon another viz. when thoughts are put for the obiect of thoughts or the matter it selfe deuised and purposed whether outward or other so Exod. 35.35 Bezaleel and Aholâ—ab are said to be filled with the wisdome of those that deuise cunning worke or according to the Hebrew that thinke thoughts the word is the same likewise with this in the Text. Now in both these latter acceptions I thinke the word is to be taken here and so the meaning of this promise is Thy counsels deuices or worke thought