and when man was made and all that God saw all that he had made and loe it was very good as it was with his workes of Creation then so is it and so hath it bene for his preseruing and gouerning of things since so will it be for his bringing things to their set ends alwayes When God lookes vpon all the workes of his prouidence loe they are all good howsoeuer by mans degenerating there is malignitie in the world yet Gods worke in all as he hath a worke in all be things neuer so many and manfold is good If there were defect disorder deformitie or iniquitie in any of Gods workes his words in the 104 Psal touching this matter could not bee true that The glorious Maiestie of GOD shall endure for euer the Lord shall reioyce in his workes But somethings are so small and vile that they seeme vnworthy Gods gteatnesse and excellencie vt vermiculi pulices culices wormes fleas and gnats some things seeme for no vse no end as snow haile and raine into the sea some things are so vnseasonable and excessiue that they rather doe hurt then good as glutts of wette in seede time or haruest and scorching heate and dryeth when grasse should spring and grow Some things are so violent and inordinat that they seeme deadly mischieuous as fire sword famin pestilence shipwracks inundations some strange improbable against all reason preposterous as wicked men to flourish and insolently to beare sway good men to go to wracke and wrongfully to bee kept downe Some so dolorous so beyond all measure miserable that thousands seeme to haue iust cause to with the world rather had neuer beene then one thing should haue befallen that if it had pleased GOD might easily not haue bin viz. Adams fal What good hath man what reioycing what glory hath God by any of these especially the last That God had his hand in all these wee cannot deny but let vs take heede wee be not so weake or so hardie for our lines so much as in a thought to tax GOD in his prouidence for doing any thing amisse in all the world For their satisfaction that are willing to learne we will by Gods helpe giue answeres to the doubts before cast and such answeres as well taken and well applyed may giue resolution to any doubt of this kinde that can be moued Where Dauid beginneth his 148. Psal with O praise the Lord of heauen praise him in the height I pray you note that hee goes on reckoning vp not onely the holiest the likeliest and the most glorious creatures in heauen and earth but euen the verie vnlikeliest that a man could imagine the dragons that seeme and are mischieuous all depths for all that some of them seeme and are to vs bottomlesse fire for all it is felt merciles baile snow and vapours for all they seeme superfluous winde stormes for all they are tumultuous the very beasts and cattle for all they are vnreasonable the creeping worme for all it so contemptible these all fulfill his word that is doe that in their kinde which God by his secret operation inableth and directeth them vnto This men ought to know and acknowledge and not to be ignorantlie nor obstinatlie contentious How can these things praise the Lord Quum ipsorum consideratione laudatur Deus ipsa laudant Deum When by mans due consideration of these thinges God is praised then do these things praise the Lord Vos considerantes dracones when you consider the draḡos take good notice of him that made the dragons and when you doe wonder at the dragons and at the greatnesse of God that maketh the dragons then doe the dragons out of your mouths praise the Lord. Quis disposuit membra pulicis et culicis who hath disposed in order the partes or limmes of the flea gnar they haue their proportion they haue their life their motion they fly death they loue life they seeke after that they delight in they shunne they auoyd that which troubleth them they haue sense they are quick and actiue in a motion that is kinde vnto them Quis disposuit ista quis fecit ista expauescis in minimis lauda magnum who hath made who hath ordered these art thou at thy wits end considering these little creatures O giue praise to the almighty Creator Quifecit Angelum in coelo fecit vermiculum in terra hee that made the Angel in heauen made the little worme on the earth did he make the Angels to creepe vpon the slymie ground or the worms to be glorious in the highest heauens Distribuit sedibus habitatores he hath rightly distributed to inhabitants their dwellings eternall habitations to immortal creatures to corruptible creatures corruptible places Totum attende totum lauda Consider all the order of Gods works thou shalt see cause enough to praise God for all All this most excellently hath S. Augustine vpon the 148. Psal Againe the same godlie and learned father Quare in mare pluit why raines it into the sea Quasi non sint c. as though there be not saith he Gods creatures fishes there which are refreshed cherished with the raine water At quare pisci pluit et mihi nou pluit aliquando why doth it raine to cherish the fish when man lacks rayne sometimes vt cogites that thou mayst think thou art in the world as in a desert in a iourney not at home Vt amarescat tibi haec vita that this present life may grow distastfull vnto thee that thou maist be desirous of the life to come or else that thou beeing a sinner mayest be for thine amendment well corrected But why doe lightning and Thunder beate vpon the mountaines to no purpose and not strike downe the theefe that robbeth there that were some iustice peraduenture God seeketh the conuersion of that theefe Euen thou thy selfe sometimes saith that good father when thou schoolest thy childe doest beate the ground to make him afraide but somtimes God strikes the true man and lets the theefe go what then vndecunque mors pio bona est howsoeuer a good man cometh by his end he dies wel And thou knowest if the wicked man repent not he is reserued for other manner of punishments in an other world and thou little knowest the shame and torments which peraduenture hee shall abide before he goes out of this Quicguid ergo accoidit whatsoeuer therfore happeneth otherwise then we would haue it know that it is not otherwise then God would haue it It is according to his prouidence his order and though we vnderstand not why things are made why this or that is thus and thus done or disposed let vs attribute thus much to the prouidence of God that it is not done without cause nor without good cause so shall we not blaspheme The conclusion is Quum ceperimus disputare when wee beginne to make dispute about the workes of God why this is and why that hee should not haue
hard with himselfe rather then come to that One would thinke it impossible that any whome Sathan entertaines with his sweetest with his most delicious sinnes if the partie knew he would bring him to vncureable wounds knowne to come of no honest cause that he would bring stinking rottennesse vpon his filthy hairy or filthier vnhairy scalp he would neuer haue the heart one would thinke to goe on still in his wickednesse It is withall the diuels allurements though he would not be mistrusted as with that wine Salomon speakes of in the 23. of his Prouerbs It goeth downe pleasantly but in the end thereof it will bite like a serpent and hurt like a cocatrice And as with the bread of deceipt in the 20 of the Prouerbs it is at first sweete to a man but afterward his mouth shall bee filled with grauell And as it is with the slouthfull in the same Chapter The slouthfull will not plow because of winter therfore shall he beg in summer haue nothing So it is with any iniquitie Satan drawes men vnto he will make them belieue they shall neuer be spyed but the truth is that the waies of man are before the eies of the Lord and hee pondereth all his pathes His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the coards of his owne sinne Pro. 5. Ioab in the 2. of Sam. 3. came to Abuer hee tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably smote him vnder the fift ribbe that he died The same Ioab the 20. of the same booke came to Amasa saying art thou in health my brother and tooke him by the beard as though he would haue kissed him but Amasa tooke no heede to the sword in Ioabs other hand for therewith he smote him in the fift ribbe too and shed out his bowells to the ground He that knew Ioab had serued twoe so before wold not trust him for all his complementing to make the third if he were any thing a prouident man We know the Diuell doth thus still what improuident men then are they that will trust him at all that can thinke the Diuell meanes any man any good You looke not I hope for one to come from the dead to tell you what torments those desperat wretches suffer in hell which knowing in their life time the Diuell would mischiefe them would yet needes follow him Neither would any man here willingly I thinke see a hand writing before him thou art weighed in the ballance and art found too light Dauid himselfe peraduenture but that he came to him with a parable would not haue heard so patiently as hee did Nathan the Prophet saying vnto him Thou art the man It may be some care neither for GOD nor Diuell if they will heare neither the Law nor the Prophets neither Christ his Euangelists nor Apostles neither will they heare to any purpose any other It may be some if they had any feare stricken into thē would thinke more awfully of God and his prouidence then euer they did The asmightie may shoote an arrowe of his hot pestilence at the heart of that man if the striking of others will not serue that may It may be some man and hee 's not the worst feeles his conscience so griping him for forgetfulnesse of his dueie to God this way many times that he saies betweene God and himselfe I am the man I am the man that haue sinned and by Gods grace doe verily purpose amendment The best of vs can be no better minded Then men and brethren what shall wee doe What euer we haue done let vs hereafter neither presume vpon gods prouidence for our defense preseruation and maintenance but vse meanes in time no vnlawfull meanes at all nor lawfull means vnlawfullie wee must vse them as Gods meanes accompting them of no power without him Except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it Except the Lord keepe the Citie the watchman waketh but in vain Nor let vs put our trust in means as lame Asa did to physitians whereby he was noted both to distrust and to displease God Let no man trust in his riches He that trusteth in his riches shall fall Prou. 11. Let no man trust to his owne wisedome Trust in the Lord withall thine heart leane not to thine owne wisedome in all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thee in all thy waies Pro. 3. And let vs be more thankfull vnto God and man for the happinesse we haue and haue had especially by the gospell so long so sincerely so freely preached so soueraignly established euen exclusiue all other religions kept out No nation in the world before Christs time nor since till this latter age wee in this land euer had the like nor at this time is there vnder heauen the like glorious christian monarchicall state which is absolutely the best O praise the Lord of heauen praise him in the height And whereas we haue obtained so great quietnes and so many worthy things haue beene and are done vnto this nation through the prouidence of GOD raising vp mightie meanes therto we are to acknowledge it vnder God wholie and in all places with all thankes to haue come from the sacred noble blessed gouernment of this Church and common-wealth O that our religious thankfulnesse and endeauors had beene or were now answerable to Gods incomparable goodnes the aboundance and excellencie of his meanes amongst vs. And wee must be more peaceable too if wee keepe Gods order then wee haue been manie of vs. As much as lyeth in vs wee must haue peace with all men we must seeke it wee must ensue it Blessed be the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God our blessed Sauiours owne words in the 5. of Matth. onely by pride doth man make contention but with the well aduised is wisedome Prou. 13. what wisedome the wisedome that is from aboue which is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie and good fruits without iudging without hypocrisie Iames. 3. But men must do as Gods spirit guides them trie the spirit whether it bee of God if it be there is vnitie in it there is peace with it and there is a bond vpon that peace that it be dulie kept especially the publique peace And for priuate wrongs done wee must not bee so reuengefull as commonly we are striking and stabbing We must acknowledge Gods hand in the greatest iniuries that are done vs and for our good if we haue grace as Dauid in the 16. of the 2. booke of Sam. beeing curst rayled on to his face he accompted that God had a stroake in it he reuenged it not and when an other would haue done it for him he would not suffer it when wrongs are offered vs wee may seeke redresse by lawfull meanes reuenge by none Mens pointing the field vpon their priuat quarrels is not iustifiable before God a
deliuer them and the holy ghost in the 1. to the Hebrues teacheth that they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation When they are seene they haue some shape giuen them for the time that they are not seene it is for that they are spirits which are inuisible to men seene to men or vnseene God seeth them and vseth them and they are his mightie meanes to preserue and to destroy The bad Angels and all God vseth to punish sinners and for the tryall sometimes of the best men as of Ioh. Besides Angels ministring spirits God hath the heauenly bodies with their light motion and iufluence which they haue all of God to worke vnder him in the world as in his Prouidence hee hath appointed Moses in the 1. of Genesis and Dauid in the 136 Psal teach vs that God made the Sunne to rule the day the moone and the starres to gouerne the night God himself in the 38 of Ioh testifieth of a set course of the heauens and of a pourefull rule of theirs ouer the earth of the Pleiades and their sweete influence the starres as learned and godly men take it which bring in the spring time Of Orion and the loosing of his bands a starre which bringeth in winter of Mazoroth and their times the 12 signes of guiding Arcturus and his sonnes which are likewise noted to signifie the north starre and those thereabout In the 9. of Ioh wee reade of Gods countermanding those great Rulers of the world the sunne to rise or not and of God his closing vp the starres as vnder a signet Besides the heauens God hath other his creatures too as his effectuall meanes to the maintenance gouernment and ordering of the whole In the 2. of Hosea God saith I will heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israel That is God is the fountaine of all excellencie of power and virtue to the heauens the heauens shed downe their influences into the earth the earth giueth nourishment to the corne iuycé to the wine fatnesse to the oyle all these are to inable and stirre vp man with gladnesse and cheerefunesse to serue vnder God in his prouidence as he hath appointed How men are this way God his meanes may appeare by a viewe of mens states in this land publique and priuat Their gouernment and their maintenance In publique the king in his kingdomes is immediately vnder God ouer the Church and common wealth he exerciseth his soueraigne gouernment assisted by his Council Vnder the King ouer the Church are the Arch bishops and Bishops and the rest of his Maiesties ecclesiasticall gouernours The Common wealth is to be considered as it is in peace or as it may haue warres In warres are noble men especially to be generals men of worth only to be captaines commanders and officers In peace Cities and great Townes are ordinarily gouerned by their Maiors Aldermen and others of the better sorte Countries abroade by the Peeres of the Land the Iudges of the land the Iustices inferior officers vnder them Priuat houses are either for learning or for hous-keeping In societies of learned men the heads and auncients are to gouerne the yonger In those that ave for houskeeping and hospitalitie are the husband and the wife to rule their farnilie children and seruants In great mens houses chiefe officers in their places are to command the rest of the houshold I hus for gouernment Now for maintenance the King is to haue it royally of his subiects the Landlord rightfully of his tenents the Churchmen liberally by the Church liuings the Lawyers and Phisitions duely by their fees the Souldier is to liue on his pay the Merchant by his trafficke the husbandman by his flocke and tillage the crafts man by his hands the seruant by his wages the poore and impotent by almes and beneuolence I cannot remember all but you may see by these how God doth vse men his meanes for gouernment and maintenance one of another The next note is that God worketh immutably first God is immurable himselfe the Holy ghost teacheth it vs in the 1. of Iames With God is no variablenesse nor shadow by turning In his essence he is immutable Malachi 3. I am the Lord I change not In his decrees the 19. of the Prouerbs The Counsil of the Lord shal stand In the execution of his decrees Esai 14. The Lord of hosts hath sworne saying Surely like as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe That nothing shall preuent him or preuaile against him the 27. of the same chap. The Lord of hosts hath determined it and who shall dis mull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it away That this holds not in some places onely but in all againe the same Prophet at the 26. verse of the same 14. chapter This is the counsil that is consulted vpon the whole world and this is the hand stretched out ouer all the nations Now notwithstanding all this that we see the Sunne doth rise and set the Moone doth wax and wane the sea doth ebbe and flowe the yeare hath winter and sommer that weather proues faire and foule grasse greene and withered flowers fresh and fading fruits ripe and rotten that men in their minds prone off and on in their bodies sicke and healthie in their states rich and poore in yeares yong and old All these changes and all else argue not that in God the creator there is mutatio voluntatis but that God doth velle mutationem in creatura God wils the change in the creature The effects may be diuerse yea contrarie though the cause be one The cause of all effects is God in him there is no mutabilitie though multiplicitie of power God determineth second causes So that in respect of God there is no casualtie of effects though there be varietie Whatsoeuer God ordaineth in respect of God is necessarily that that it is it can be no otherwise God worketh immutably in his prouidence The last note touching the manner of Gods working in his prouidence is that he doth all things well nothing ill God commandeth in 1. Cor. 14. That in his house which is his Church All things be done honestly and by order As in the Church so will God haue it in the comon wealth too and as in publique states euen so in priuat houses also In the same chap. 33. ver God is said not to be the author of Confusion In the 9. to the Rom. there is a question asked whether there be vnrighteoushes with God the answer is in the same place God forbid It is true that is in the 11. of Wisdome God hath ordered all things in measure number and weight And it is worthie to be noted which is in the 1. of Gen. and so often repeated at the Creation That God saw that it was good