that thou art engaged in Magna silentii laus est quo confessus est Aron justo Dei judicio extinctos esse ita se cohibitum fuisse ut cum Deo rixari non auderet Ad animum enim refertur ut Psal 39.3 Psal 62.1 Calv. in loc Ephes 2.12 Qui extra foedus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est sine Deo à se culto à se amato eoque propitio nonbabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jus sibi vendicandi postulandi possidendi quod est filiorum Dei Coc. de foeder Testamento Dei. Thes 1. §. 7. prevail not let not thy heart rise against it Aaron had a great tryal Levit. 10.13 He lost two Sons by an immediate stroke of Gods hand in an act of sin and yet Aaron held his peace A higher tryal had Abraham O that Ishmael might live in thy sight The Lord answers my Covenant will I establish with Isaac Abraham knew that there was no salvation out of Covenant and that this Covenant should not be established with Ishmael and yet he sits down in silence under the hand of God If once the will of God be manifested the soul ought to acknowledge it It is the Lord let him do what seems him good This was the blessed temper of Ely when he heard of the miseries that should come upon his house I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever 1 Sam. 2.31 Brachium ipsa materia cogit ut de fortitudine vitali sermonem esse intelligamus Cajet Descriptio est eripiendi sacerdotii quod illius familiae robur erat firmamentum dignitatem authoritatem tuam Pontificiam auseram c. P. Martyr A Lap. Se tantis opibus spoliatos prae dolore deficiant propter excitati animi dignitatem invidia contabescant and he that is left in thy house shall be to consume thy eyes and to greive thy heart yet he answers it is the Lord. 3. Exercise a weaned heart towards thy present enjoyments It may be thou hast lost an estate thy freinds fail thy hopes are faln God hath blown upon all the projects that thy heart did fancy to thy self for thy own advancement thy heart ought to be as a weaned * Significat se nullius rei esse sollicituÌ„ infantis instar quem mater lacte alere desut ille tamen à matris cura pendet sic se omnem eventum Deo committere c. Muis in loc child Psa 131.2 It s spoken in reference to his dependencies that as children look only to their mother they have no projects for themselves so it is with me I wait only upon God look unto him only Homines quaÌ„ par est sapere providi esse appetunt Calv. Men are prudent and provident creatures but my heart is taken off from the dug of all my former comforts my dependencies are upon an immediate providence for supply I project nothing for my self The poor leaves himself with thee Psal 10.14 So much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth fignifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est ita quempiam relinquere ut eum juvare aut tueri prorsus dimisit Psa 22.1 Job 39.14 Ezech. 8 12. His verbis signific dandum esse tempus Providentiae ut pii homines curas in Dei finum rejiciant Deo igitur relinquit quisquis in ejus fidem se ita consert ut fidele depositorium esse persuasus maturum redemptionis tempus placide expectet Cal. a man puts himself out of his own protection into the hands of God with an exclusive resolution I will seek no farther I am willing to be in that condition in which he will set me take the provision the Lord will make for me If he will make me a Shepherd or a King my heart is ready Vis me pastorem ovium vis me Regem populorum ecce paratum est cor meum as Bernard brings in David so speaking of himself 4. Accept the punishment That is the expression Levit. 26.41 If their uncircumcised heart be humbled and they * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat consentit Psa 50.18 acceptavit Eccles 9.7 hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derivatur Avernar A Sept. reddit per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat etiam placavit expiavit Esay 40.1 inde sensus est ad poenam tanquam meritam consentire ut propitiam utilem aequo grato animo ferre Videtur etiam subjicere studium placandi Deo alludit enim ad sacrificia quibus se Deo reconciliabant Calv. Esay 39.8 Lam. 3.22 Gen. 32.10 accept the punishment the word signifies to be well pleased with it to acknowledge it to be less then their iniquities deserve Ezra 9.13 As when the Lord threatned a grievous punishment upon the house of Hezechiah He accepts the punishment saying good is the Word of the Lord that there shall be truth and peace in my dayes And when they were in Babylon they acknowledge it is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed And if a man should accept it for himself I conceive it also a Duty to accept the punishment for others and not to have his spirit to rise with impatient frettings as if the Lord had dealt with others in a way of rigour and paid them beyond their deserts Surely there ought to be a complacency of soul in all the dealings of God towards our selves or others An humble heart is less then the least of all Gods mercies And a man should bless God that he is not brought into the lowest condition of men that he sees any creature below him As when the two Cardinals were riding to the a Luther in tertium praeceptum Ecce hanc bestiam bufonem intuitus tam eximiam creaturaÌ„ fecit â—e Deus nunquam gratias egi quod me quoque tam deformem bufonem non fecerit hoc est quod amarè fleo Councel of Constance they heard a man in the way weeping and wailing greatly asking him what he alled they found him looking upon an ugly Toad and his heart was melted with the consideration of this mercy that God had not made him such a creature who was made of the same clay with it Which made one of them cry out well said the Father Surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrinis nostris volutamur in carne sanguine Aug. 5. Judge it to be best now the will of God is manifested or else thou dost prefer thy will above Gods will Blush at such an unworthy thought that when God hath declared what his will is thou shouldst think that if it had been thus it had been better for herein thou dost make thy will the Rule of goodness and dost prefer it unto the will of God Surely The b Psal 24.1 principes non cogitent se dominos esse terrarum
sed constitutos esse tantum vicarios Hospitiae etiam nusquam sanctis defutura Domini enim terra est plenitudo ejus Cum etiam clarificatur Dominus annuntiatur in fidem omnium Gentium universus orbis terrarum fit Ecclesia ejus August in Psal 24. Earth is the Lords and fulness thereof The Government belongs to him Therefore it was a gratious and wise admonition that Luther sent to Melancton who was much troubled at the present affairs of the Church Ibi quoque vis est facultas ea dirigendi gubernandi quibus providere dicitur nam in rebus invenitur non modo natura eorum sed ordo quo sibi invicem connectuntur una in aliam tendit ut eam adjuvet sive ut ab illa perficiatur utroque pacto res benè institutae sunt quoad seipsas sigillatim quaeque dictae sunt bonae generaliter quoad ordineÌ„ valdè bonae Petr. Martyr loc com Provid Rom. 8.28 Pet. Martyr Monendus est Philippus ut desinat esse rector mundi That he would leave off to govern the world for we are no more able to Rule it then we are to create it 6. With thankfulness and faith expect the good that the Lord will bring out of it If thy design had gone on be it what it will it had been but particular to have served a present turn but the Lords end is general and sutes with all the glory of his other actions in all times and in all Ages past and to come And the order of those must not be inverted nor the glory of them defaced for thee Therefore say surely all things shall work together for good for those that love the Lord. God in all this doth but carry on his own design the plot of his eternal Counsel De operibus Dei non est judicandum ante quintum actum And the rather we are with thankfulness to expect what God will bring to pass because he hath in the book a Rev. 5.1 Liber intus foris scriptus septem sigillis obsignatus est Codex satidicus seu consiliorum Dei quo scries ordo rerum gestarum ad sccunduÌ„ illuÌ„ gloriosuÌ„ Christi adventuÌ„ pertexebatur Mede of the Revelation fore-told us all the designes that he hath upon the world untill the end thereof The Lord made all things for himself Prov. 16.4 b Quamvis Deus nihil propter utilitatem propriam fecerit eo quod nullo indiget tamen omnia propter semet ipsum ut ultimuÌ„ fineÌ„ operatus est Cajet in loc Psal 43.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teipsum deprimes Mont. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tumultuaberis Vt quid me conturbas anima ita vertit August Mentes nostras ad gratiae absconditae intuitum procul evehit os sibi in praesentiâ satâ—tur obstructum esse spem suam in â—ongum tempus extendit sibi promittit quod non apparet Calv. that is for his own ends and he doth rule all things so as may accomplish those ends As therefore in spiritual dispensations the Lord doth sometimes lift up the light of his countenance upon his people and sometimes he doth hide his face from them their hearts are cast down or as the word signifies they do cast down themselves the heart makes a noise or there is an uproar or tumult in the soul not being pleased with the present dispensations This is a mans fault that he should reprove and reason his soul out of from a principle of faith saying I shall yet praise him that is not only the Lord will turn to me again in mercy and remove the affliction and when his hand is changed towards me he will give me matter of praise as now I have matter of sorrow But there is this farther in it that though in this present dispensation I can see nothing but matter of trouble and sorrow yet I shall see God working all things so for his glory and my good which are bound up together that this which is now to me matter of grief shall be unto me in time to come Laudo Deum ut qui hactenus mecum egerit liberalissimè nunc etiam pro liberrinia potestate inculpabiliter Cocceius in loc We have so much blessing in our affliction as we can bless God for our affliction Caryl matter of prayse There are two famous instances of it in the Scripture Job 1.21 Blessed be the name of the Lord. He doth as well bless God for taking as for giving Now as we love God because he loved us first so we can never bless God for any thing but when we do apprehend that there is in it a blessing from God unto us And the Lord doth as well bless by taking as by giving therefore we should bless him in both who is blessed for evermore The other instance is that of Christ Scipsum nos secum Christus attollit ad considerandum Dei occultum judicium quod adorat praedicat ne nos illud sub examen vocare audeamus in quo filius Dei se acquiescere testatur quo Patri gratias agit Par. Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes He doth thank God for hiding as well as revealing To let the greatest part of the world to walk in their own ways to live without God in the world to have no taste or savour of the great things that he hath wrought that Christ hath purchased and these many of them men of the greatest parts the highest place the most improved abilities yet laid aside * Liberatur pars hominuÌ„ parte percunte latet discretionis ista ratio sed non latet ipsa discretio quid calumniamur justitiae occultae qui gratias debemus misericordiae manifestae Laudemus veneremur quod agitur quia tutum est nescire quod tegitur Prosper de vocat Gent. l. 1. cap. 15. as vessels in which there is no pleasure Those upon whom the Spirit of God in his common works hath bestowed so much cost a man would think it sad to consider but when the will of the Lord is manifested it is the duty of the Saints as it was of Christ not only to be silent and submit to it but even to bless God and to be thankful for such dispensations He that abounded in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or loving kindness to mankind he that sought their salvation above his life yet if the Lord will hide the things of salvation from the wisest of them he is not only well pleased but it being the will of God to glorifie his Justice in the one as well as mercy in the other he doth bless God for hiding as well as revealing 7. Take heed of standing in the way of God when he is going forth in judgement Whatsoever God hath a design to
1 Sam. 16.1 Pro toto corpore pro statu regni non debuit orare quoniam sciebat jam actum esse de populo illo Calv. or seek to God for one more faithful to succeed this was Samuels sin and for this the Lord reproves him Nay when the sentence is gone forth from the Lord he forbids his people to pray Jer. 7. Pray not for this people for I will not hear thee The will of God being manifested a man should be so far satisfied with it that he should not pray against it though it be the greatest misery that can befall the Church of God in this life As that of the captivity was For our prayers should be according to the will of God as it is revealed and if the Lord hath once revealed his will we should not pray against it neither should our spirits rise against it but we should strive for a holy and sweet composure of heart under it and not be indulgent to sullen and discontented mournings as if I would it had not been so or as if I would have had it otherwise 10. When the Lord doth manifest his will be you instrumental and co workers together with him for that is our duty in reference to the effecting will of God So do the Angels When the man among the Myrtle Trees goes forth immediately the whole heavenly Host are on horse-back behinde him * Chrisius specie humana ad tempus assumpta insidebat equo ut celeritas auxilii majestas dominii indicaretur cujus stipatores sunt Angeli aliique Majestatis divinae Ministri qui Christo Regi ut Equites instructi inserviunt sive ad judicia impiis praestanda sive ad beneficia piis conferenda maxima cum celeritate Tarnov Effusio Phialarum significat ruinam Bestiae Antichristianae Septem phialae totidem sunt istius ruinae gradus est enim effusio irae Dei cap. 15.1 Mede Zach. 1.8 9. As soon as Christ appears when he doth advance so do they for the Churches deliverance And when Jesus Christ goes forth against Antichrist whom he will surely destroy with the brightness of his coming and all the powers on Earth shall not be able to cure him the deadly wound given him under the Vials already poured out There are Angels that joyn with him in the work For the Vials are filled with wrath Revel 15.7 by the prayers of the Saints And by one of the four Beasts spoken of Chap. 4. given unto the Angels the Actors with God in this work Called Angels as I conceive not properly because heavenly Angels those ministring Spirits though it is true all is done by the conduct and assistance of the Angels or they are Principalities and Powers in the Government of the World under Christ Angeli sunt homines purioris Ecclesiae cives ut apparet eâ— loco unde prodeunt amictu sunt enim vestes filiorum Aronis Exod. 28.42 Brightm Quae multorum manibus peraguntur Angelo tanquam rei gerendae praesidi Duci tribuuntur quoniam Deus Angeles a dhibet providentiae suae administros in rerum humanarum conversionibus ciendis gubernandis Mede but these Angels are men not individual persons but men joyned together in a body to effect this work For they are described to be cloathed with linnen and their breasts girt with golden girdles that is amictu Sacerdotali ornati they had the Ornaments of the Priests upon them because they are called and anoynted of the Lord unto this service and because they are made Priests unto God by Jesus Christ These Angels do come in their order and do pour out their Vials and when the Lord is pouring out any of these and that he is now eminently doing it is confessed by all our Divines it is good for a man to be instrumental to be of the number of these Angels to bear our part by prayer and paines or whatsoever else we may contribute unto this work saying if the Lord will destroy the man of sin I will be so far from having a hand in supporting of him that I will put forth my hand also towards his ruine For this is the Amaleck with whom the Lord will never have peace from Generation to Generation And when Antichrist shall be subdued and all Antichristian powers there will be found Armies following of Christ upon white horses Exercitus non tam ad praelium instrui videdetur quam ab triumphum Bright a token of triumph and victory Revel 19.14 And no man shall ride with Christ in triumph when the victory is won who hath not rode forth with him against Antichrist unto the Battle 3. A great part of the power of godliness doth consist in a submitting of our will unto the will of God in his ordering effecting disposing of the things of the world And the grounds of it are these 1. Godliness is nothing else but exalting of God in the soul as it is the abasing of God in the soul that is properly ungodliness low thoughts and vile apprehensions of God and therefore the lusts of mens hearts are called ungodly lusts Iude 19. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraismo significante quotidianam vitae consuetudinem Est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est in abstracto abstractum denotat essentiam Cupiditatis essentia in aversione à Deo consistit Est etiam vice Epitheti sicut civitas sanctitatis est sanctissi ma populus anathematis sc summo anathemati devotus ita cupiditates impietatum est planè impiae vel impientissimae Gloss Gram. sacr p. 110. Grotius in loc God is said to exalt himself Psal 57.5 Psal 21.13 Psal 148.13 Be thou exalted in thy own strength And we are said to exalt God though he be the most High Isai 25.1 Thou art my God and I will exal thee †Potentia infinita in se exaltari nequit sed respectu nostri cum fortitudinem suam potenter nobis ostendit Exaltare dicimur cum quempiam ad dignitates ascendere facimus cum laudibus aut veneratione eveâ—imus c. Forer Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abâ—â—tio est quia in altum elevatur dum offertur quod offertur Deo ad elevationem Aven Preston of mans uprightness pag. 36. God exalts himself by his works and the Saints exalt him in his worship and it is in these high apprehensions of God that godliness doth mainly consist Now in this submission of will God is very highly exalted in the hearts of the Saints First Hereby we acknowledge his soveraignty that he alone hath right to govern the world because they are all the works of his hands Deus unus in potestate habet regnum dare auferre Deus verus hoc agit occulto judicio non continuò beatos facturus quibus terrenum regnum dederit nec continuò miseros quibus ademerit sed temporalia regna quibus voluerit quando voluerit secundum
praedestinatum ordinem seculorum vel sinendo vel donando distribuit Aug. de consensu Evangel l. 1. cap. 11. He is God over all all are in his hands as clay is in the hand of the Potter He only did give the Creatures their being he only can give them a Rule and appoint them to an end therefore let God alone with the Government of the world He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords He builds and destroys he plants and plucks up at his pleasure and gives no account of any of his matters He deposeth Kings and disposeth Kingdoms and this God will have men acknowledge as the great honour that is due to him that the most high Rules in the Kingdoms of mortal men Dan. 4.17 Therefore doth the Lord great things and works great changes in the world that men may acknowledge his Soveraignty In this did the holiness of Ely appear 1 Sam. 3.18 He is * Hoc nomine Dei 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. creaturarum à Deo dependentiam 3. Dei aeternitatem 4. immutabilitatem 5. omnipetentiam 6. veritatem significat Flac. Illyric clavis script part 2. p. 612. Domus magna qualis Deo est hic mundus Grot. Caeterum non convenit inter Interpretes an domus magna Eeclesiam solam an totum mundum significet contextus huc potius ducit ut de Ecclesia intelligamus Cavl Iehovah one that hath an absolute soveraignty over all the Creatures and unto his authority I submit let him do what seems him good The world is but the Lords house 2 Tim. 2.20 As in a great house there be some vessels to honour and some to dishonour so it is in the world let God alone with the Government of his own Family Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mirificatus est arduus excellens ultra captum nostrum sc ardua sunt consilia quae homines nequaquam assequi potuissent juxta consilia ardua magna opera Forer Hereby we subscribe to his wisdom that he only is able to govern the world For he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isai 28.29 Though we cannot see the reason of his actions yet the soul can say he only is wise and there is no searching of his understanding And when the Lord shall have perfected his work and this rude draught of things shall be finished there will then appear a glorious harmony in those things that for the present seem to be nothing else but as the Earth was at its first creation without form and voyd But as the Lord then drew out each creature in its order and degree untill he brought forth this glorious Fabrick that men and Angels admire So he will do in the works of his Providence also For there is as great wisdom of God seen in works of Providence as in the work of Creation Sometimes his ways are in the Sea and his pathes in the great waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Oecum Vide quantus honos hominum quod haec arcana consilia per ipsos Deus innotescere Angelis voluit Multa magna mandata suerant Angelis data sednullum huic par Grot. His wayes are mysterious and he makes it his glory to out-wit the Creatures as he did go beyond the wisdom of the Angels in the work of Redemption and so if I may so speak he set them to School again Vnto them is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Ephes 3.10 So he deals with his Saints in the ways of providence also Therefore as the Angels do so likewise do the Saints admire his wisdom in the work even when the reason of it they cannot comprehend And they do not think it strange that God in his ways should go beyond their apprehensions As in the answer of their prayers he is able to do above whatsoever we are able to ask or think Ephes 3.20 so likewise in the Government of the world and in the ordering of all things here below there is a wo pronounced against him that strives with his maker Isai 45. v. 9. 10. There are two things the Lord cannot take well from the Potsheards of the Earth That they should say * Si ad disceptationem veniendum sit tam firmas ac solidas habebit rationes ut convictos obmutescere cogat neque verò compescit hominum proterviam quod ratione destituatur sed hanc sibi potestatem vendicat ne ab hominum figmentis vocetur ad rationem reddendam Cal. What makest thou what begettest thou Or what hast thou brought forth That is the Lord will not be called to an account by the Creature but men are to acknowledge his wisdom and to stoop to his will even when the reason of it is hid from them And therein properly is grace seen As it is reported of one †Cassianus l. 4 c. 24. Vbi monet Monachos ut praeter Abbatis mandatum nulla penitus voluntas vivat in eis c. Obedientia manca est quae subjicit superiori voluntatem non intellectum manum non animum A lap in Mal. 1.8 Johannes Abbas that he was commanded by his Confessor to go some miles every day to water a dry stick Obedientia est perfecta abnegatio propriae animae corporis mors voluntaria vita sine sollicitudine navigatio sinè damne sepultura voluntatis est iter facere dormiendo onere suo aliis impositio Climachus grad 4. which he did out of respect purely to the command and he disputes not the reason of it Should not we much more acknowledge the wisdom of God though we are not able to comprehend the grounds of it Secondly that the thing formed should say to him that formed it he had no hands Extremam apponere manum Calv. is to finish a work And to say he had no hands is to object that he left his work unfinished Opus tuum impolitum est informe acsi pedibus non manibus esset elaboratum A lap in loc or that he was not able to bring it to pass And it is all one as to object ignorance and impotence unto God Thirdly Hereby we manifest that we delight to see God work his own glory out of all the cross actions of the Creatures There is but one thing that the Saints take care of which is the great end of all their desires the scope of all their endeavours which they would secure more then their lives and that is Gods glory for which they account not their lives dear This glory of God is twofold Gloriam Dei praedicat Scriptura 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentiam denotat proprietates essentiales 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloria Dei in operibus ejus gloriosis elucens sic terra gloria Dei plena est 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celebrationem agnitionem illius Majestatus Gerh. loc com 2.
day that the whole plot of God should have been changed and the glorious order and beautifull agreement of all his Providences been defaced that so your will might be accomplished to serve a particular end some low and inferior design as if the whole order of the Creation should be perverted for us And we may as soon expect that God should change the works of Creation as the works of Providence and as soon finde out a better order in the one as in the other Vse 2 When you look upon the several turns of Providences that are now in the world do you labor to submit your wils unto Gods without fretting and without murmuring do not rise up against the mighty hand of God but humble your selves under it and in due time he will exalt you 1 Pet. 5.6 It may be sometimes the Lord orders things so that they do act contrary to your desires and expectations sometimes the Clouds give their rain unseasonably and the winds unseasonably blow the stars by their influences seem to fight against you and sometimes after all your labor the Earth doth not yield her encrease but thorns do grow instead of wheat and cockles instead of barly It may be the Lord denies thee the fruit of the womb or else gives a comfort as he did a Guord to Jonah for a day and he blasts it at night though it be the desire of thine eyes and the joy of thy heart it may be the Lord doth set up the right hand of thy Adversaries and they that hate thee triumph over thee and the Church is broken in the place of Dragons and covered with the shadow of Death Now say with a heart melted into the will of God Let the will of the Lord be done Math. 26 42. Distinguitur in Christo vo luntas ut est natura quae dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntas ut est ratio quae dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquin p. 3. q 18. a. 3.0 He is the Lord and his will is the Rule of goodness And although the will of nature would seek its own preservation yet let it stoop unto the will of Duty And say while the Lord is pleased to have it so I do not desire to have it otherwise We are to pray with submission unto his will in our works Jam. 4.15 If the Lord will we will do this or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 84. in Math. Voluntatem nostram voluntati divinae plenissimè unire sine retractione cordis cum quadam complacentia mentali medullium in omnibus adversis quae contingere possunt ut divinum beneplacitum fiat ei summum deâ—â—â—rium sive sint adversa exteriora persecutiones divisiones scandala sive interiora ut subtractiones gratiae divinae influentiae consolationis aternae sive obnubilationes mentis vel infrigidationes affectuum sive tentationes Harph. Theolog. Mystic p. 570. and therefore we are to submit to his will in all his works and say If the Lords will be so we have no will of our own we will not the contrary Now to bring a soul into such a frame there are these ensuing considerations which the Saints may finde useful in all these great concussions and shakings of Kingdoms and Nations 1. Whatsoever the Lord doth he doth by counsel It is not barely an act of will but of will guided by counsel Ephes 1.11 He works all things according to the councel of his own will And this councel is taken from eternity Psal 56.8 Psal 139.16 Est liber providentiae Dei generalis omnes creaturas concernentis à quo deleri est morti tradi Exod. 32.32 33. Est liber vitae qui catalogus est sive singularis illa salvandorum cognitio Glass Rhet. Scar. p. 157. The Lord hath a book of providence as well as of life In thy book are all my members written And that book in the Revelation that was sealed with seven Seals is not the book of Gods Election but the Book of Gods dispensations in the world Liber fatidicus the Book setting forth the counsels and designs of God upon the after Ages of the world They are not Counsels taken up De novo or as occasion serves upon a particular interest and for a particular end but they were counsels taken up in reference unto the general frame and ordering of all things and that from everlasting Therefore Zach. 6.1 the Instruments of vengeance are said to be Chariots that came forth from between the Mountains of Brass Non dubium est quin per montes intelligat providentiam Dei vel arcanum consilium quo omnia decreta sunt ante creationem mundi Calv. Montes duo sunt sapientia decretum dispositio definitio potentia providentia Dei praeordinatio executio A lap Judicia Dei abyssus multa quapropter Angeli qui ea exequuntur prodeunt è profunda valle inter duos montes sc ex cujus abdito firmissima ineluctabilia consilia Drus Tarn in loc which is to be understood of the Decrees of Providence which are as Mountains of Brass unchangeable Therefore should not my will stoop Should I submit unto the Decree of God in reference to my eternal estate and shal not my wil be subject unto his Decree in ordering of Providences in respect of the things below all which do conduce unto that eternal end Shall not the Lord have what designs upon the world he pleaseth when the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof of him are all things as the first cause and therefore to him should all things be as the last end 2. He hath committed all things in the matter of Government unto the Son He hath laid the Government upon his shoulders not only in the spiritual but in the providential Kingdom also which some Divines call a Kingdom of power which is exercised over all men and all creatures and a Kingdom of Grace which is exercised over the Church Assemblies Catech. p. 53. both which are intended in that petition Math. 6.10 Thy Kingdom come for therein we desire That Christ would so Govern all the creatures Dr. Vshers Sum of Christian Religion p. 361. both in the natural course of things and in the Civil and Domestical Government of men yea Hen. Scudders Key of Heaven p. 153. Mr. Tho. Goodwins Serm. the Interest of England p. 44. in the Rule of Devils themselves in such sort as they may serve for the good of his Church And therefore he is called King of Nations in reference to his works Jer. 10.7 as well as King of Saints in relation to his worship Rev. 15.3 This will clearly appear out of the word under these considerations Propheta non tantum in Coelo Deum regnare docet verum moderari res terrenas hac ratione extendit ejus potentiam per quatuor mundi plagas c. Calv. 1. That the Rule and Government of
all the creatures in Heaven and Earth is in the hand of the Son Ezek. 1. We have set forth the order and subordination of causes in the Government of all things The Wheels note the changes and turnings of all things below but these are governed by the the living creatures the Lord making use of the Ministry of the Angels in the ordering of all things for the spirit of the living creatures is in the Wheels But ver See the Exposition of Mr. w. Greenhil of this Vision 25.26 is a Throne above that of the Angels Over the heads of the living creatures a Firmament upon the Firmament the likeness of a Throne and upon the Throne the likeness as the appearance of a man That this is to be understood of Christ is granted generally by Interpreters and that the Throne notes a Kingly power and that the voyce from the Firmament unto the living creatures was to order and command them in their Administrations And the same is set forth plainly Joh. 5.22 The Father judgeth no man Judicium pro Imperio potestate accipit secundum phrasia linguae Hebraicae A Patre Christo tradituÌ„ estregnuÌ„ ut arbitrio suo CaeluÌ„ ac TerraÌ„ moderetur Nec sensus est quasi Pater prorsus se abdicarit à judican li potestate authoritate sed quia judicat cum Filio in Filio per Filium Calv. Kemnit Pater in sua propria persona neminem regit sed per Filium Ita tamen ut Christus est vicarius Patris ab co dependet ci in regiminis administratione subordinatus est Calo. 2. câ—it sac c. 5. §. 283. but he hath committed all judgement to the Son Judgement is after the manner of the Hebrews put for the Government and Administration of all things as is it used Jer. 23.5 33.15 and the same is intended which the Apostle speaks of 1 Cor. 15.26 27. He hath put all things under his feet and in that he saith all things its manifest that nothing is excepted but he that did put all things under him Not as if the Father had put himself out of Authority but two things are here plainly set down as Paraeus hath well observed 1. That all things in Heaven and Earth are by the Father subjected unto Christ as the Ruler of them all 2. That they are so by the Father given into the hands of the Son as that the Father still retains the Government in himself Christ being in the Kingdom but the Fathers servant The same is plainly asserted Mat. 28.18 Joh. 17.2 2. This Kingdom and Rule over all the works of God doth belong unto Christ not only as he is the second Person and so equal with the Father but being God Man Pedibus subjicere est in potestatem tradere pedious conculcare est hostibus insultare Glass Rhet. sacr p. 349. Super Angelos constitutum accipimus unigenitum Fâ—â—ium nulla creatura subjecta non erit cui primates spiritus subjâ—ciciuntur Aug. in Psal 8. having undertaken the Office of Mediator so was the Government put into his hands immediately which is evident 1 From the manner of the derivation of this Kingdom it comes unto Christ by donation and therefore must come under an Act of Will which as he was God he could not do Joh. 5.22 It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath given all Judgement to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 Whom he hath appointed or put heir of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.7 which signifies to set a man in an office to constitute a man to an employment Act. 6.3 Tit. 1.5 Math. 24.47 And so much is plainly expressed Joh. 5.27 He hath given him authority to execute Judgement because he is the Son of man 2. From the time of its resignation for the Kingdom is but Oeconomical committed to Christ by way of Office and for a time and then he is to deliver it into the hand of the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 28. * Potestates legitimas à Deoque ordinatas comprehendo sicut finem accipiet mundus ita Politia Mâ—gistratus tum in Coelo principatus Angeizci tum in Ecclesia cessabunt Mâ—nistrâ—â—â— praefecturaâ— c. Cal. in loc But first he must put down all Rule and Authority and Power which hath been substituted by him either Ecclesiastial Officers in the Church or Civil in the State yea I conceive it to be extended even to the Principality of the Angels also which as it began under the Mediatory Kingdom so it shal end with it 3. The Lords intent in setting Christ over the Kingdom of Providence was that he might Rule and over rule all things for the good of his Church for whose sake he undertook it for whose good he administers it and when their number is fulfilled he will deliver it up as having finished the work that was given him to do and therein accomplished all his Fathers ends Joh. 17.2 Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him And Eph. 1.22 He * Magna consolatio quod tantum Imperium habet is qui id exercet Ecclesiae bono sicut caput consulit corpori Grot. God of his grace hath not only given us a head but such a head to whom all things are subject Baines in Eph. 1. hath put all things under his feet and given him to be Head over all things to the Church which is his Body c. And there is required of us a subjection unto Christ as King in both these Kingdoms committed unto him by the Father and to submit unto him in the one and not in the other is to deny Christ that honor which God the Father hath invested him with Now Christ is God the Fathers servant in the Government Esay 42.1 As he is called Gods King Ps 2.6 He rules from him he rules for him And as Christ is his Fathers servant so should we be the servants of Christ Christ serves all the plots of his Father all * Joh. 5.19 20 Pater niml facit nisi per Falium Filius nihil facit nisi quod Pater per ipsum operatur Ostendit Patrem esse authorem eorum quae Filius facit simul Filium esse agens intelligens qui videt cognoscit quae Pater cum ipso per ipsum operatur Nec dicit alium nâ—vâ—â— mun lum sed quod videt Patrem in pâ—â—fenti facienteâ— hoc Filius unà cum Patre facit Kemnit his eternal Counsels are made known unto him he does only accomplish what God the Father hath decreed So should we also be the servants of Christ to serve all his ends and designs as Christ doth his Fathers Now there is a double engagement lies upon Christ in reference to this Kingdom of Providence First Ratione Officii as there is a trust
man immediatly falls into sin And yet the taking away of the restraint is not the cause of his sinning but his own natural propension and inclination of Spirit thereunto The Lord doth by permission but remove the impediment take away the restraint As a man taking his hand from a glass it breaks not because he takes away his hand but from its own brittle nature so there is a Divina manutenentia which the Lord takes away As a man that doth loose an Anchor and lets a Ship drive into the Main when by the Wind and the Sea it s dashed against the Rocks thus the permission of God is but a removing of the restraints that are upon the spirits of men In sinfull and holy actions three things are to be distinguished 1. The action it self so the Lord doth concur unto both by a common Providence unto both the beings and the motions of the Creatures They must depend à primo motore For in him we live and move and have our being 2. There is also the quality of the action either good or evil And here is a different concurrence of God 1. To a gracious action the Lord concurs not only in the substance of it but in the goodness and rectitude of it For we have no sufficiency of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 When we turn to him it is he turns us first when we make our selves a new heart it is he first gives us a new heart when we work with him he works our works in us and for us The Lord concurs to it with a gracious and efficacious will It depends more upon the act of God then upon the act of the creature But in the evil and obliquity of an action the Lord concurs by a permitting will only leaveing the creature to act according to its own rules and to walk after its own imaginations taking away the powerfull determination of grace and all the restraints that were before laid upon them Now the act is of God but the obliquity and the defect of the action is from the Creature only 3. There are the ends of the action and the Lord doth appoint them also Of good actions the end is his glory according to the intention of the Agent and of evil actions the end is his glory though it be praeter intentionem Agentis As an Artificer useth natural causes unto artificial ends as we see the Loadstone that naturally draws Iron how it is made use of in the Art of Navigation and we commonly use the natural enmity of a Dog or a Hawk to accomplish our end on some other of the creatures else unserviceable to us So doth the Lord over-rule the natural enmity of the creature and orders it unto his own ends the glory of his own Wisdom Power and Justice As we see in Nebuchadnezzar though he as an instrument in the hand of God intends no such thing he thinks not so Isa 10. And in these properly doth the nature of permission consist Now let us see the permitting will of God being conversant only about sin and that only the acts of the reasonable creature in what particulars it is exercised what it is that the Lord doth permit in them And they are these especially 1. God leaves remainders of sin in the best of his people This belongs unto his permitting will that though they be sanctified it is but in part He doth suffer sin to remain in them that if the best men say they have no sin they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them Sin dies a crucified death it hath only received its deaths wound and dies by degrees There is in the best a Law of the members as well as a Law of the minde which makes them cry out Vnclean undone wretched man that I am Non peccare in via praeceptum est in patria praemium It is in this life our Law and in the life to come it shall be our reward it is here our duty then our glory Peccatum in renascentibus remittitur in proficientibus minuitur in resurgentibus tollitur Aust 2. He suffers Satan both as a tempter and as an accuser and it is for these ends that he hath not yet his full torment He knows the time is not yet full come Art thou come to torment me before the time First The Lord suffers him as a Tempter this was a great part of the humiliation of Christ the King of Saints that he was not only made fin by God but he was tempted unto sin by the Devil And he suffered being tempted that he might be able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 All the Saints are there called those are tempted and tempted as we are Heb. 4.15 and the people of God had need of succour not only in their sufferings but especially in their temptations And there is no possbility for them to stand out against them without succour from Christ Sometimes Satan comes upon them by his own immediate injections which the Apostle calls fiery darts because they are apt to take shot as Granadoes and Wild fire into the Camp of an enemy So it is said Satan did move David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 The word doth signifie to perswade by force of Argument and by a vehement and continual importunity to take no denial And herein properly doth the strength of a temptation lie in the strength of the Arguments and the reasonings of it and the importunity of it from day to day It s used in Deut. 13.6 if a man doth perswade and entice his friend secretly to other Gods gives him reasons and arguments to perswade him thereunto It s the same word that is used of Iezabel 1 Kin. 21.25 Whom Iezabel his wife stirred up She provoked him by earnest perswasions by continual importunities And sometimes he makes use of the Creatures and there is no creature that Satan will not make use of to withdraw from God and to draw to sin A Disciple a Friend a Wife God made her a rib Satan a dart 2. He permits him as an ac cuser for he is called the accuser of the brethren And as he doth move us against God in a way of sinning so he doth move God against us in a way of Judgment And therefore Zach. 3.1 It s said Satan stood at Ioshua's right hand to resist him Some say as an accuser the manner being to set the accusers on the right hand of the person accused Others take the right hand for the instrument of action and so it was effectually to hinder Ioshua in his work So Iob 2.3 the Lord faith Thou hast moved me against him without a cause the same word is there used of his moving God against Job as before he had moved David against God in the one as a tempter in the other as an accuser And there is as great fear of Satan in the one as in the other Now it is