THE EYE and WHEEL OF Providence OR A TREATISE Proving that there is a divine Providence Shewing also what it is and what be the parts thereof together with the extent of it to the Heavens to the Seas to the Earth and all things therein especially to Man and all things that concern him Some Queries touching Providence resolved the Objections against Providence answered the Consectaries of this Doctrine together with the Uses thereof gathered By W. Gearing Minister of the Gospel Providentia Dei omnia gubernantur quae putatur poena medicina est Hieron sup Ezek. LONDON Printed for Francis Tyton at the Three Daggers in Fleetstreet 1662. To the Right Honourable George Lord Booth Baron of Delamere and to the Noble and Vertuous Lady his Wife Right Honourable I Suppose it was the design of God to shew unto Jacob in his Vision of the Ladder that speciall care his wise providence took of him Gen. 28. that Ladder being a most lively draught of Gods faithfull conduct concerning Jacob and of the universall government of the world which is in the hands of God infinite are the bounds and limits of this Empire his Scepter extending it self both over the Heavens and over all the earth The two sides of the Ladder as one saith represent power and sweetness Caus Hist sacr which are as the two hands of the divine providence which by divers steps goes mounting from earth to Heaven and thence descendeth to the earth again acting and walking a thousand wayes at once through which the world is insensibly led to the periods appointed to it God resteth himself on the top of this Ladder and from thence sendeth forth his holy Angels Greg. Moral which are as Gregory saith the Ministers of divine providence and sent forth to minister for them that are the heirs of salvation God continueth this great world by a continuall vicissitude the day changing into night the spring into summer summer into harvest harvest into winter winter into the spring one day is not in every point like another some hot some cold some wet some dry some clear and Sun-shiny some dark and gloomy that giveth a great beauty to the Universe Even so it is with Man who being an Epitome of the great world is alwayes ebbing and flowing into a perpetuall diversity of motions sometime lifted up in hopes by and by cast down in fears sometime on the Mount of prosperity and straightway in the Valley of Bochim Tùnc est tentatio finienda quando finitur pugna tùnc finienda est pugna quando post hanc vitam succedit pugnae secura victoria Prâ—sper l. 5. de cont vitae The life of man saith Prosper is a War without truce neither is peace to be expected long but in the Tomb. Never a one of mans dayes are like another of them to teach us to have our hearts unchangeable in the great inequalities and accidents that befall us and though all things are full of turning and variation about us yet should we remain immoveable earnestly breathing and longing after God Let the Ship run out East or West North or South and let the Wind blow where and when it listeth yet the Needle will still look toward the Pole so let things go how they will let the soul be glad or sad in joy or heaviness in light or darknss in temptation or repose let the Sun scorch or the dew cool the drought or the frost consume yet the point of our heart our spirit and our will which is our needle must continually turn and look to God our only soveraign good Rom. 8.38 and if once we firmly resolve never to forsake God and his wayes and that neither tribulation nor distress such straits wherein Christians may be shut up that they can see no issue out of it nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor perils and dangers occasioned by these nor sword nor fire nor any other instrument of cruelty nor death that is so dreadfull to nature nor life which many times is more dangerous to the people of God than death life that is attended with so many cares and casualties and maketh men for the preservation thereof to forget their latter end no nor Angels nor principalities and powers not evil Angels nor spirituall wickednesses in high places no nor good Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are put to signifie Magistrates Luk. 12.11 Luk. 20.20 Tit. 3.1 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do promiscuously signifie either good Angels Col. 1.16 2.20 Eph. 1.21 or evil Angels 1 Cor. 15.24 Eph 6.12 if they should go about to hinder our salvation shall separate us from the love that is founded in Christ this will serve as a counterpoize to hold our hearts in a holy tranquillity among all the unequall motions of this life in all these things we shall do more than conquer not only overcome but take the spoils of them and reap advantage by them Gods providence is a Sun that penetrateth every where and is alwayes in his high noon the motions whereof though they seem oblique go alwayes strait and will sooner or later bring the people of God to their desired Haven taking them by the hand and leading them in all their pilgrimages and both frequently and insensibly diverting them from the abysses into which the pride and malice of their enemies would have often hurried them who shall at last be driven to confess that innocence and truth are so dear to God that whosoever shall offend them shall find Heaven arming it self in their defence and that the Almighty God hath invisible bands which the stoutest opposers of his providence cannot break and that divine vengeance which is inexorable will first or last inflict on them the punishments they have deserved that it may appear that God in his government of the world hath respect to the poorest Christian and meanest Artizan who no lesse enjoyeth this munificence of his bountifull Creator than the highest Prince or greatest Potentate in the world Thrice happy are they that live under the favour of divine providence every footstep thereof is a speaking to them in particular that God will never leave them nor forsake them Great peace may the soul have when God is the primum mobile and first mover of all his actions what comfort may he take when he considereth that he walketh in the way his uncreated wisdome hath marked out for him with his own hand this consideration well digested is sufficient when things at any time seem to go cross to our desires and Gods providences seem also to contradict his promises to banish from us those disquiets and discontents which extort from us that acquiescence and confidence which we ought at all times to have in God and to make us to resign our hopes our joyes our desires our designs and interests into the bosome of his providence How indulgent is God to his children He spreadeth abroad his wings
ones self from and so that being the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here it standeth in opposition to the following words God then hid himself from the Nations hid the means of grace from them but now in the times of the Gospel doth more open and declare himself to the Nations commanding every man every where to repent and yet even then when he suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes he nevertheless left not himself without witness in that he did good giving them rain from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness as Paul and Barnabas told the men of Lystra Act. 14.16 17. One saith That the chief title that God giveth to himself is Bonitas goodness because it is the property of all good things to communicate themselves to others therefore most agreeable to God who raineth down all his blessings upon us and that therefore all other names of God are but commentaries and expositions of this name 3. Jus comes Jovis Ambros in Rom. 3. The righteousness of God is also a demonstration of Gods Providence Ambrose calleth the mercy of God the justice of God because he saith God declareth himself righteous by performing his promises Isa 53.11 22. and God in his works of justice useth mercy Prov. 3.12 Heb. 12.6 but the justice of God is more manifested in his judgements The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth Rom. 9 16. i. e. known to be just and righteous We read Rev. 16.4 5. that the third of the seven Angels poureth out his vial upon the fountains and rivers of waters that is upon a part of Antichrists followers and those that are figured by the fountains of water are thought to be the teachers of that corrupt Church and the Text saith they became bloud that is their bloud was shed an there is a notable declaration of the righteousness of God by the Angel of the waters Thou art righteous O Lord which art A wise Heathen said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that God doth is full of providence and he can do nothing that is unjust Antonin l. 2. §. 2. and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus and ver 6. for they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy and ver 8. another succeedeth him Even so O Lord true and righteous are thy judgements true because thou hast laid on them no more than thou threatnedst before and righteous because done according to their desert and Rev. 19.11 12. Christ is mounted on his white Horse and described very gloriously here 's a description full of terrour and Majesty and his execution is so dreadfull that there is a solemn invitation to a strange Feast ver 17 18. to eat the flesh of Kings and Captains and of mighty men and the flesh of Horses and them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great By the flesh of these I conceive is meant the spoil of the Antichristian party when this great Battell shall be fought in Armageddon but how this is â—â—â—â—â—ged appeareth in the latter part of ver 11. it is said He that sate upon the white Horse is called faithfull and true and in righteousness doth he judge and make Warre It is one of the hardest things in the world to manage the Sword-military according to the rule of justice souldiers use to put all to the Sword that stand in their way plundering both friend and foe but Christ acteth the part of a valiant Warriour and of a just Judge in righteousness doth he judge and make Warre It is said Psal 97.2 that clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his Throne Ver. 33. A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about When fire is kindled in Gods anger as fire inkindled in a thicket of thorns spreading it self every way flying from bush to bush yet doth it not burn at random but breaks our from the Throne of God which is founded on righteousness or composed of righteousness Men in their anger are usually transported with violent passions and are very irregular but when 〈◊〉 is incensed by the worst of 〈◊〉 enemies he acteth regularly his Throne is upon judgement and righteousness and Heaven and earth Angels and men are witnesses thereof Ver. 6. The Heavens declare his righteousness and all the people see his glory Now these terrible actings of God in righteousness are great proofs of his providence CHAP. III. Argum. 2. Argum. 2 THe second Argument to prove there is a divine Providence may be drawn from the fulfilling of whatsoever hath been foretold and performing of what hath been promised and prophesied of To instance in some few particulars He promised Adam that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the Serpent Gen. 3. the which promise was fulfilled and made good in Christ four thousand years after it was made He promised Abraham that though his seed should sojourn in a strange Land four hundred and thirty years yet he would at length bring them into the Land of promise and the lot of their inheritance which promise he performed at the time appointed viz. in the dayes of Joshua and in the performance of this promise Gods providence manifestly appeared and many wayes manifested it self 1. In the preservation of Isaac whom his Father was commanded to offer up for a burnt-offering upon Mount Moriah Gen. 22. As Abraham had already stretched out his hand and was ready to dart the thunderbolt God had put into his hand he who commanded Abraham to strike stayes his blow and the Altar of Moriah which was to be the Scaffold of death became the Theatre of life Causin hist sac l. 2. and his Pile as one hath well noted served but to make a Bonfire of joy and a triumph of the fidelity which Abraham and Isaac testified unto God 2. By sending Joseph into Aegypt to provide for his Father Iacob and his Family during the famine I doubt not but Jacob thought God would provide for the preservation of himself and his Family but how far was it from his thoughts that Joseph should be the instrument of their preservation whom he thought long before to have been a prey to so me cruell Beast Therefore when Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren he tells them God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance so now it was not you that sent me hither but God Gen. 45.7 8. Gregory glosseth upon the Story of Joseph thus Divino judicio quod declinare conati sunt renitendo servierunt ideò venditus est à fratribus Joseph ne adoraretur sed ideò est adoratus quia venditus sic divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur sic humana
still continued an order among them ever since the Creation and that notwithstanding all the changes that have happened in the mean while men may perceive that all things have been so well disposed that the world hath still been preserved in his right state and it is impossible that this orderlinesse which we see among them should come either of the Stars themselves or of any other moving cause than of the hand of that God which governeth all things by his wise Providence The Stars are for divers uses God hath set them for signs and seasons and for dayes and years Gen. 1.14 They are for a two-fold sign 1. Natural and ordinary they shew by their rising and setting and by their Eclipses heat and cold drought and moisture stormes and tempests fair and pleasant weather 2. They are sometimes signs extraordinary to shew Gods judgments and the great alterations that he will bring on the world Sometime they signifie extraordinary blessings Matth. 2.2 Of this nature was that Starre that appeared to the Wisemen when Christ was borne which they call Christs Star Quest Here it may be demanded How they came to know it to be Christs Star and pointed out the place of his Nativity and would at last conduct and direct them to him Answ 1. Some say there was an Apocriphal tradition fathered upon Seth which fore-told at the Nativity of the Messiah such a Starre should appear and such presents be offered unto him 2. Others say That these Magi being of the posterity of Balaam of whom we read Numb 22. Chap. 23 24. had their light from his prophecy Numb 24.17 There shall come a Starre out of Jacob c. whereupon say they twelve of them by turns watched continually upon the top of an high Mountain and prayed that God would reveal unto them that Star which they say he did that very night that Christ was born and upon the sight thereof they presently addressed themselves for their journey to Jerusalem 3. Others think that they had the hint thereof out of Dan. 2. or at least from some other Prophecies which were in those times translated into Greek and extant in many places among the Gentiles and this seemeth a probable conceit because they go to Jerusalem to be further instructed all do agree that it was none of the Stars made in the beginning Gen. 1.16 for these have numbers and names Isa 48.26 and doubtlesse most of them were well known to these Magi but it seemeth by their relation that this Star was never seen before as is also manifested by its perpendicular motion moving from North to South contrary to the motion of other Stars that move from East to West else when they went from Jerusalem it could not have directly pointed out the house at Bethlehem where the holy Child Jesus and his Mother lay for Bethlehem standeth thirty miles south from Jerusalem as the Learned do observe Augustine saith It was a new Star created by God to point out the place of his Sons Birth Haec stella magnifica Coeli lingua August calling this Star the wonderfull tongue of Heaven 4. Others say It was an Angel appearing not in the nature but form fashion and figure of a Starre and therefore called so And why might not an Angel as well appear to these Wise men of Persia as to the shepherds of Bethlehem And why might they not as well be taught from Heaven how to set forth and undertake this journey as they are which way to return home again when they have dispatched and finished it Mat. 2.12 5. Nay some go further and say that it was the holy Ghost himself who as he appeared in the likenesse of a Dove at Christ's Baptism Luke 3. so say they He appeared in the likenesse of a Starre at his Birth In a word as the cloudy and fiery pillar went before the Israelites and left them not till it brought them to Canaan the promised Land so this Star Angel or Meteor or whatsoever it were in the likenesse of a Star left not these men till it brought them to Christ the promised Lord. Magnum aliquod in parvo latere August Serm. 7. de Epith. For as Austin tels us This certainly told them that no mean guest lay in that poor house at Bethlehem but one that was no lesse than a King and farre greater than any mortal man 2. As the Stars are for signs so likewise they are for seasons they serve to give times to every imployment as to the Physician Though the motion of the stars through the Aequator were much more simple yet they move by an oblique circle to the end the benefit of their benign aspects might be communicated to-more parts of the earth Ex plan Ver. relig to the Mariner to the Husbandman shewing him when to set sow plant c. to the Mathematician They serve for the bringing about the Spring the Summer the Harvest and Winter Genes 8.22 Arcturus riseth in September and beginneth Autumn Orion ariseth in December and beginneth Winter and bringeth rain Pleiades arise in the Spring the Dog-star and others arise in the Summer And although the Starres have their seasons to mount above us and likewise to go down again out of our sight yet doth it not happen at all adventure but by the Providence of God so disposing it and though he hath given them their influences from Heaven yet do they not any thing of their own peculiar motion but God hath still the guiding and overruling of them Tantum officium habent significandi res futuras nòn autèm vim fatandi ac necessitatem inferendi Zanch. de luminar Coeli 3. The Starres are for dayes and years they serve for the dividing the day from the night and the light from the darknesse the Sunne being the fountain of light measureth the dayes by four and twenty hours and the years by returning from one point to the end of the other They serve likewise for political observations as the computation of dayes weeks moneths and years and the celebration of Festivals among the Jews they signifie things to come but predictions from the Stars and the discovering of secrets are false and uncertain CHAP. XI Of Gods Providence to be seen in the Winds and in the blowing of them An Objection answered Plin. Nat Hist lib. 2. cap. 8. IN the next place I shall shew how God's Providence is much to be seen in the Air which filleth up this vast and empty place which we see above us and also filleth those crannies in the Earth which are not to be seen by us yea the very fishes of the Sea though we perceive not their breathing do die without it the Air invironeth the whole Earth and all living Creatures receive the benefit of it it is a vital element heavier than fire lighter than Earth and Water the cause of sounds and breathing capable of heat cold drinesse and moisture having no light of
appeareth in preserving a Church to himself from several parts of the world Psal 110.2 He ruleth in the midst of his enemies like a King that is able to keep up his Court and royal Family in the midst of rebels though they may sometime prevail against yet they shall never be able to root up the Church of Christ Object But it may be objected That when the seventh Angel sounded there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever And the four and twenty Elders fell upon their faces and worshipped God saying We give thee thanks O Lord God Allmighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Revel 11.15 16 17. Divers circumstances shew this to be a new event and that God had not alwayes actual possession of all the Kingdoms of the world it happening at the sound of the seventh Trumpet and when be took this great power to himself and entered upon the government of all the Kingdomes of the world it was then entertained by the Church with praise and thankesgiving which seemeth to shew that God did not governe universally at all times and in all Ages of the World Resp. I answer that the Lord hath a two-fold Kingdom Regnum Potentiae Regnum Gratiae A Kingdom of Power A Kingdom of Grace In the exercise of his power he hath alwayes reigned over the world The Lord hath prepared his Throne in Heaven and his Kingdome ruleth over all Psal 103.19 God hath always ruled over all the world when the world hath reigned most in wickednesse but in respect of the exercise of his government in regard of the Kingdom of his Grace by the Spirit of his Son in the hearts and consciences of men he hath reigned over but a very few This therefore is meant of the Kingdom of his Grace that the Lord upon the sound of the seventh Trumpet would bring them in subjection to his Gospel causing men in all places to yield subjection to the golden Scepter of Christ held forth in the preaching of the Gospel CHAP. XXXIII Corol. 6. Corol. 7. Cor. 6. IF God govern the whole world then it must needs be that he cannot want Instruments to execute vengeance upon his Enemies he need not seek far for Instruments for there is not a creature in Heaven in Earth or in Hell but is at his command If he speak to the fire it burneth the Sodomites if to the water it destroyeth the wicked old world if to the Earth it openeth its mouth and swalloweth up Corah and his companions Two Bears at his command tear in pieces two and fourty children that mockt the Prophet Worms at his command devour Herod that persecuted the Apostles Act. 12. He plagueth a proud King by poor creatures as Frogs Lice Flies Ut per animalcula ostenderetur opitulatoris omnipotentia Theodoret Pompon Laetus Locusts or Grashoppers Exod. 8. that by those little animals the omnipotency of his peoples helper might be manifested as Theodoret speaketh Prophane Histories tell us also that Honoricus King of Vandals and Arnulphus the Emperour were fed upon alive and gnawn till they were dead by Worms and lice Fabius the proud Senator was suddenly taken away with an hair swallowed in milk And Pope Adrian the fourth after that he had accused Frederick the first was choked with a Flie in a draught of cold water Yea the Angels good and bad are pressed at his command to do what he pleaseth And should God make use of none of these Instruments yet his own immediate wrath were enough to confound his Enemies as Saul Judas Joseph Naucler Egesippus Atalus King of Pergamus and Aristobulus son of Hircanus who living in horrour of conscience died in fearfull sort which examples serve to shew that his means are as his power is infinite to chastise and scourge the proudest and greatest of his Adversaries And if God arm not the creatures against us yet he can make one man to devour another Such a judgment the Lord threatneth Jer. 13.13 14. viz. to fill the King of Judah the Priests Prophets and all the Inhabitants of the Land with drunkenness and dash them one against another As drunkenness depriveth men of the use of common sense and reason and worketh so upon some tempers as to fill them with rage and fury that like mad men they spare not those that are near and dear unto them Carion Chron. lib. 2. as is evident in Cambyses the second King of Persia notwithstanding he was well brought up and dealt valiantly during the life of his Father Cyrus who committed the Kingdom to him while he lived yet falling to drunkenness he slew his brother married his own sister and slew her afterwards being great with child for but lamenting the death of her brother So Alexander the Great being drunk slew his dearest friend Clitus Wit overcome with wine is like a Horse that hath cast his rider Even so such a spirit of drunkenness and madness did God threaten to give up the people of Jerusalem unto that like drunken men they should destroy and consume one another Yea God can cause sinners themselves to become their own Executioners and to lay violent hands upon themselves And as God hath all the hosts of Heaven and Earth and Sea ready prest at his command to perform his pleasure against his Enemies so likewise to do any good office for his children and friends the jaw-bone of an Ass is both a sword and a bottle to Sampson Judg. 15 15 19 And the Earth helpeth the woman by opening her mouth and swallowing up the floud which the Dragon cast out of his mouth Revel 12.15 16. Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 15. Eusebius tells us That at the same time God sent rain to refresh the Souldiers of M. Aurelius his Army at the prayers of the Christian Legion Comment Relig. Reipubl Galliae and a tempest to affright their Enemies It 's likewise recorded that God provided wonderfully for the poor Protestants of Rochel sending them plenty of Fishes to feed upon during the siege which ceased also when the siege removed Whence was it that Stephen Brune that godly French Martyr could not be consumed with a fire of Faggots twice made about him so that the Executioner was compelled to thrust him thorow with a Sword Was it not from God's over-ruling Providence Cor. 7. If God govern the world by his Providence then it is in his power to deny us the use and benefit of any of his creatures and of any thing that is most dear unto us and can at his pleasure take them from us For the Earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof and as the original right and title to all things is the Lord's so he never parteth from the Fee-simple of any thing no he
use of variety of Agents in the world led by divers principles some by the spirit and power of grace some by the flesh and by the spirit of the world and by the Prince of the power of the air some labour to build up the Church of God others like Sanballat and Tobiah do hinder the building and crosse others who seek the welfare of Sion and altogether seek for honour and preferment for themselves Now by these contrary effects of men the Lord bringeth forth contrary events and causeth his Glory to shine thorow all How justly then are they to be reproved that have lived long yet make no special observations of those events that have happened in their dayes Some are so much taken up with vain and foolish delights as pleasant Musick jovial company feasting and carousing that they regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hand Isa 5.12 Whoredome and wine and new wine hath stollen away their hearts Hos 4.11 Others there are whose hearts are wholly taken up with worldly business only minding earthly things It is an argument of a bruitish spirit to neglect observation Wherefore is a price put into the hand of a fool seeing he hath not an heart Prov. 17.16 Gods work is about us and in us at least in a common providence and yet few there are that see it or see God in it It is the part of fools to passe by these things without observation Who so is wise will observe these things Psal 107. ult He that is endued with heavenly wisdom and taught by the Spirit of God will observe them and shall understand the loving kindnesse of God It is admirable to consider God's Providences without the Church among the Enemies thereof The Kings of Assyria had overcome divers Nations therefore Sennacherib sends messengers to Hezekiah to tell him That the gods of the Nations could not deliver them whom his fathers had destroyed as Gozar Haran c. therefore he would have Hezekiah to have believed that he could have done the like to his God also Now the use that he makes of it was not slightly to passe by these things but makes a contrary use of it acknowledging his God to be the living God and able to save him out of his hand and that the gods whom the Assyrians had cast into the fire were no gods but the work of mens hands therefore they had destroyed them Now the issue was dreadfull to the Assyrians Isa 37.11 12 18 19 36 37 38. An Angel of the Lord in one night slayeth an hundred fourscore and five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians and Sennacherib himself was afterwards slain by two of his own sons as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god So likewise it is very observable concerning the Turks the vassals of that base and grand Impostor Mahamet who are great enemies of the Church that the Lord hath so ordered it by his Providence that they have not sent such huge armies against the Christian Church for many yeares past as they did heretofore Within the Church Christ bids us discern the signes of the times Mar. 16.2 and makes it a note of hypocrisie to be able to discerne the face of the skie and of the earth and not to discern the signes of the times as he sad to the Pharisees which then were admirable the Scepter being then departed from Judah and one of Esau's race enjoying it John Baptist the promised Elijah the forerunner of Christ being now come before the face of the Messiah as a messenger to prepare his way before him Great Miracles wrought by our Saviour the blind receiving their sight the lame walking the Lepers cleansed the deaf hearing the dead raised and the poor having the Gospel preached unto them all which shewed him to be that Messiah that was to come and not another So in Luther's time there was an admirable change What warrant have the Papists for their Jubilees but the Popes knocking at Rome-Gates with his golden hammer promising pardon to whomsoever shall enter in at them that year bringeth much Gold to St Peter's chair and the Pope's coffer keeping their Kitchen smokeing Jubilees were of use before Christs coming but ever since out of date clear light shining out of thick darknesse the year of Jubilee proclaimed the acceptable year of our Lord the year of release from Babilonish thraldom and Popish superstition free justification by the blood of Christ preached An Angel cometh down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory and he crieth out mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen c. Rev. 18.1 2. and vers 4. Another voice from Heaven saith Come out of her my people that ye be not pertakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues And is it not vrey needfull for us to observe the Signs of these our times how many Nations professing the truth of the Gospell with us have of late endured many hard and sore trials God hath destroyed the strength of many Kingdomes overthrowing the Charets and those that rode in them the Horses and their riders have come down Hag. 2.21 22. every one by the Sword of his Brother God hath even shaken the Heavens over us and the earth under us for the great formality and lukewarmnesse intemperance earthlymindednesse of the Nations and for the great opposition of the Kingdom of Christ the beauty of holynesse and the truth of God clearly revealed in the Gospell Furthermore It is very observable how that many men in all ages have been taken away by suddain judgements and that divers waies Herod on a suddain cometh upon the Galileans and killeth them as they were Sacrificing mingling their Blood with their Sacrifices Luk. 13.1 upon eighteen others a Tower falls suddainly and killeth them as the house upon Job's Children Thus some men have been taken away in their drunkennesse and in their riotous meetings some fall from scaffolds some be slain with timber some killed with the overthrow of earth some drowned some with falls from Horses some with Tiles or Stones falling from Houses Mayer Exposit in Jam. Paenitentia est animi medicina Lactant. Secunda Tabula post naufragium Hieron as that worthy Roman Captain riding through the streets of Rome in Triumph after a famous victory was killed by a Tile of a House falling on his head Now the use and end of God's judgments upon some is to work amendment and repentance upon all Repentance as Lactantius calls it is the Physick of the soul which all that be sin sick as all Adam's brood be must take before they can be recovered and all that will not be drowned in the Sea of Sinne must of necessity swim out upon the plank of repentance CHAP. XXXV Instruction second Instruct 2 AS we must observe So likewise we must be carefull to remember and not forget