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
the most miserable subjection that can befall him to be liable unto the unclean investings of such a wicked and malicious enemy That he should have such an immediate access to our spirits from day to day that we should wrestle with principalities and pewers for life concerning heavenly things and yet humbly to be content because it is the will of God that a man should lie under them and to wait Gods time for his deliverance and to say if the Lord will not deliver me all my dayes let his will be done There are some temptations that come upon the soul with a great deal of horror terribilia de fide horribilia de divinitate as Bernard speaks motions and injections to Blasphemy Atheism Self-murther As Luther saith he had such a temptation once came upon him with that impetuousness that he was forced for some hours to do nothing but repeat that commandment Thou shalt do no murther It may be the thorn in the flesh was an immediate messenger from hell sent unto Paul with some such violent temptation as this even the very motions that are in the damned souls in hell such as Spira had I would I were above God for I know he will not have mercy upon me 2 Cor. 12. It was some horrid temptation which was to be a cure of Pauls pride it was given him that he might not be lifted up through the multitude of Revelations Whereupon Austin breaks forth Quantum sit superbiae venenum quod non potest nisi veneno curari Now Paul was mightily awakened by this temptation he looked upon it as a terrible affliction as a thorn in the flesh that did hurt him and gall him from day to day and therefore he prayed thrice It expresseth both his frequency and his fervency But the Lord told him it was his will that he should lie under that temptation which permitting will of God being made manifest Paul must not slack to pray against it or to be afflicted with it and yet Paul must be content to lie under it so long as it was the will of God to suffer it to lie upon him Thirdly If the Lord will leave a man under the hands of wicked men to be content to let the Ploughers plough upon his back and make long furrows and from a Principle of Faith not to make haste Isa 28.16 Faith is commended from the excellent fruit of it it keeps the soul in a continual calm in a quiet condition that though a man earnestly desire deliverance whether for himself or for the Churches pray for it daily it pities him to see the stones of Zion to lie in the dust yet his bow with Josephs abides in strength his heart is not overcome by the continuance of the affliction so as to make him to take any evil course for his own or the Churches hasty deliverance but he is content to stay Gods time until the time of the word comes Psal 105. The Word of the Lord tried him While the Lord would have the oppression to lie on he will leave his people under the hands of their Adversaries till he hath wrought his own good work upon Sian he is content to stoop unto this permitting will of God and wait the Lords leisure for his deliverance Fourthly For a man to be earnest in prayer and yet submit unto the will of God if his prayer be delayed Christ tels us there is an importunity in prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a holy kind of impudence And St James saith there is a fervent prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an active and a working prayer There is a double importunity in prayer One from the Flesh when a man is very earnest for the thing he would have and cannot be content without it So many a man howls upon his bed for carn and wine and oyl Hos 7.14 from a principle of flesh there is many times a great deal of earnestness put into a man but there is an importunity that rises from duty that a man can be earnest in duty though he attain not the thing desired yet his importunity is held up and for all that he can be content to stay Gods time for the thing and yet pray as earnestly for it from a principle of duty as if it were granted It is a very difficult thing for a godly man to be able to do this in his whole course It was one of the great difficulties in Christianity that Luther found dilata sperare for to keep up his hope and hope will keep up a mans prayer even in the greatest delayes of God For a man to pray against sin against temptation to pray for deliverance of the Churches from the hands of ungodly men for the Lord to suffer sin to remain the temptation and persecution to continue and yet for a mans importunity in prayer to be held up when he is at the same time contented to submit unto the permtting will of God while the Lord will suffer sin and Satan continually to vex him it s a very high pitch of Grace and a great deal of curiosity there is in this to be able to cut at a thred and to be able to keep between these extreams Now it is the subjection of our will unto the permitting will of God that keep the heart within compass that it runs not out either of these wayes 4. What kind of acts of submission must there be in us unto the permitting will of God 1. There must be a deep apprehension of the Justice of God in his permitting will So it was in David though it was wicked in Shimei to curse the ruler of the people and some conceive even Paul confessed his errour therein when he said unto Annas the high Priest God shall smite thee thou painted wall I wist not or I considered not that he was the high Priest Sure it could not be that Paul being a Jew should not know him so to be But David looks not at the injustice of the Instrument but at the Justice of God in it The Lord hath said unto him Curse David and he did acknowledge in that Gods permitting will So doth Jeremiah chap. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements yet let me reasonwith thee why doth the wicked prosper And wherefore are they happy that deal treacherously God did suffer wicked men to prosper in a way of sinning it was an act of his permitting will which though Jeremiah understood not yet his will did submit to it as just because he did acknowledge the will of God to be the rule of Justice Secondly We must acknowledge his wisdom therein so doth David also the Lord will surely requite good for his cursing this day He knows how to turn sin to good and how to make advantage to the Saints by their worst temptations their greatest sufferings and their most dangerous fals He knows how to perfect his grace in their weakness and to temper the deadliest
fuit ad credendum ignoto Prophetae inexcusabilis erat quia dimisit certum adhaesit incerto Cajet in loc that he should not go to Jerusalem The Spirit of Prophesie was not then ceased in the Church therefore I conceive with Calvin they did not barely pretend the Spirit but that he did many times speak by them though in this they followed their own spirit The Lord in this trying the Apostle as he did the young Prophet coming from Iudah to Bethel and was by the like pretended Message from God deluded and overcome But the Apostle cleaves close to the Commandment that he had received and is not by this suggestion diverted or turned out of the way Secondly Then coming to Cesarea Quem Dorothaeus ait unum fuisse è 72. Discipulis Christi Qui famem su◠Claudio praedixit quae etiam accidit c. he met with a Prophet who came down from Judea named Agabus and he told Paul that when he came to Ierusalem the Iews should binde him and deliver him up to the Gentiles He well knew both the rage of the Jews and the malice of the Gentiles if he once fell into their hands Act. 11.28 Luk. 10.19 yet this doth not turn him out of the way of Duty If he must walk upon Serpents and Scorpions difficulties discourage him not but raise up his spirit to higher resolutions Periculum est par animo Alexandri Job 17.19 The righteous holds on his way Thirdly Now follows the last but the greatest temptation which took most impression upon his tender heart Paul walked in a high degree of love to the Brethren willing in every thing to satisfie them wherein he might not dishonour or displease Christ For as the way of glorifying the Father is in his Son and of glorifying his Son is in his Spirit So a high way of honouring the Spirit is in the Saints Now when he came to Cesarea his Friends and Companions in travel Sopater Aristarchus c. cap. 20.4 together with the Inhabitants of the place besought him that for the glory of God and the sake of the Churches he would not go up to Ierusalem to venture himself on so eminent a danger upon whom the good of the Churches did so much depend Thus even godly men may disswade from Duty out of self respects and that is a great temptation For as the Lord is loth to deny the requests of his people so are the Saints for the same spirit works in their hearts also This melts the heart of Paul and yet elevates his grace and quickens his resolution for Christ and Duty Their intreaties divert him not from his purpose and he goes forth as the Sun shining in his strength And Pauls Grace thus acting draws out their Grace also There is a Sympathy in Graces as well as in Instruments touch one string in one and the same string in another will sound Pauls resolution draws out their submission And when he would not be perswaded they said The will of the Lord be done From this Context six special Truths are to be observed 1. That the best men meet with variety of diversions in the best services 2. There may be great snares laid in the best men and the best means Who would have feared any thing in a Prophet or suspected any thing in a Saint Satan hath his devices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.11 and he had need be a discerning Christian that shall be able to discover them 3. A godly man must deny his best friends rather then the least motion of the Spirit Luk. 14.26 He must hate Father and Mother that will be Christs Disciple 4. An upright heart is resolute and is not by difficulty turned out of the way of Duty Cant. 8.6 The love of Christ is the Flame of Jah and the less fewel it hath the hotter it burns It s only base Kitchen-fire that is put out when the fewel is with-drawn which is not maintained by an heavenly influence 5. The soul is then in a good temper when that which diverts others and turns them out of the way of Duty doth the more strongly engage it drawing forth to higher and more glorious actings 6. It is a good sign when Grace acting in others doth draw forth acts of Grace in us also as Iron sharpens Iron and one stick kindles another And so much for the occasion of the words In the Text are two things mainly to be considered 1. A gracious submission of their will unto Gods will Before they knew what the will of the Lord was they would have had their own will to have taken place for that is the great contention in the world whether God's will or our will shall stand But when they saw the Command that he had received from God and the impression that it had taken upon him then they conclude Surely it is the will of the Lord and it must stand and our wils shall stoop thereunto 2. A blessed quietness and calmness of spirit following upon this submission Will the Lord have Paul to go up to Jerusalem and by the malice of the Jews there deliver him unto the wils of the Gentiles if he suffer under them and thereby we and the rest of the Churches be deprived of so great a mercy it is not for us to dispute with God let his will be done So much is intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as will appear when it shall be afterwards explained First From the submission of their wils unto the will of the Lord ariseth this Observation Doct. The power of Grace consists mainly in the submission and conformity of our will unto God's will This I propound the rather to let you see that in absoluto facili stat aeternitas Hilar. de Trin◠10. jurta finem The things that absolutely concern eternity are short and brought into a narrow compass If we look to most of the controversies of the present Age they are but out-works things upon which godly men do not live for in those all the Saints agree that differ most in Forms and Externals wheresoever Grace is it saith Sinc summo bono nil bonum there is nothing good without regeneration And sad it is to see men that live upon the same Truths for the main and expect an Interest in the same Inheritance that they should be at such distances as they are for things circumstantial yea even to side with others barely for Opinion sake whose principles in the main they abhor and whose ends they fear It was good to me when Christians could meet together Fast and Pray together delight themselves in the image and approaches of God each to other feeding their souls with nourishing Truths and not puzling their judgements and tickling their Fancies with nice and unpractical curiosities It was good counsel that of Nazianzen whose honour was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 29. §. 14.
through the sin of the people in the Captivity of Babylon and was afterwards sometimes supplyed until Christs time by a voyce from Heaven which the Hebrews did call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These extraordinary ways of revealing the minde of God to his people are ceased but in the substance of them they remain We have still a high Priest over the House of God and he weares the Vrim and Thummim upon his Breast-plate which remains unto his holy Ones unto this day And with this high Priest we are to consult in all the difficulties and doubtful cases that we meet with in our way 6. If yet thy heart be doubtful be not over hasty in acting but having sought direction from God be willing to wait for a return Esay 30.18 For the Spirit is a free agent and will be as well waited for in the point of direction as of consolation Judicium significat quid tempus postulat quid conveniat personis circumstantiis Eccles 8.5.6 Joan. Coch. It may be the Lord will not give an answer presently but thy darkness shall continue as Pauls Thorn in the flesh after he had besought the Lord thrice He that believes in this case also makes not haste So blessed are those that wait for him Misericordiam exercet Deus juxta aequitatis leges Farer Thou shalt afterward be clear in that of which now thou doubtest and thou shalt act with quietness and comfort in that in which now thou canst not see thy way Which you are the rather to observe Spes longanimitatem unanimitatem charitas fides magnanimitatem operatur Bern. de ascent Dom. Serm. 5. Omne consilium in festinatione captum stultitia est Proverb Hebr. because what you do in haste without sufficient direction you may with Spira repent by leisure And so much for submission to the Commanding will of God We now come unto the second consideration of Gods will which is effecting and the observation is Doct. That the power of godliness is seen much in subjecting the will of man to the effecting will of God And herein we must speak unto these three things First The Rule of Gods acting is his own will Secondly That godliness in the Creature doth conform his will thereunto And wherein these acts of conformity do consist Thirdly The grounds or Arguments why our will ought in this also to be subjected unto the will of God 1. God works all things according to to the counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 The will of his precept is the Rule of all our actions Decretum est vel providentiae sc de rerum omnium creatione conservatione gubernatione Vel decretū praede stinationis the will of his purpose the Rule of all his actions There is a double Decree of God First general which is the purpose of God for the ordering of all things For nothing comes to pass at an adventure Secondly special which is the purpose of God concerning men and Angels sc de ereaturarum rationalium statu aeterno Alting loc com part 1. p. 58. But there is nothing comes to pass but it fals under a Decree which being an act of his will this is the Rule of all the actions of God Psal 135.6 Whatever the Lord pleaseth that doth he in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places This effecting will of God doth extend First Unto Election and Reprobation Seeing we were all made of the same clay and yet one makes a vessel to honour and another unto dishonour When Jacob and Esau came out of the same loyns yet he saith though Esau was Jacobs Brother Dei beneplacitum est prima regula omnis justitiae moralis in Deo erga creaturas ut bonitatis misericordiae Rhaetorfort exercit p. 332. Electio proprie non est actus misericordiae nec reprobatio actus justitiae sed Dominii yet I loved Jacob Mal. 1.2 He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy There is no resisting his will All is attributed unto the soveraignty thereof Rom. 9.18 Secondly unto Vocation and effectual calling when all men were alike born dead in trespasses and sins that some should be called out of the world that the Lord should catch * Heb. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est eos apprebendere qui in summo versantur discrimine eos injecta manu asserere Cameron Myroth after some when he let others go Heb. 2.16 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies That the Lord should in this manner catch after some Gen. 17.21 Foedus Deinil aliud est quam divina declaratio de ratione percipiendi amoris Dei unione ac communione ipsius potiendi Coeceius de foedere testam Dei thes 1. §. 5. Si ad effectū plantationis Evangelii rigationis aspicitur aliud actum est cum eis quorum exteriores aures corporali voce pulsatae sunt aliud in iis quorum interiorem sensum Deus aperuit in quorum corde posuit fidei sundamentum dilectionisque fervorem Prosper ad Capitul Gallor cap. 5. when he lets others fall into perdition that he will establish the Covenant with Isaac but not with Ishmael though both in the Father had an equal Title to it it is only of his own will that he begets us Iam. 1.18 Ioh. 1.13 We are born not of bloods it is spoken of our new birth nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of the will of God 3. In giving of the meanes of Grace Eph. 2.14 If he will enclose the Church in the Garden of Iudah fence them about Lex Mosaicae instar septi erat quo populus Judaicus custodie batur paries intergerinus quo à Gentibus seperabatur Gloss Rhet. Sacr. pag. 388. In voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Metonymia causam inimicitiae denotat ob quam Gentes ab Israelitis spernchantur Grot. in loc keep out all other people by a Partition Wall his name shall be only known amongst them but as for the Heathen they shall have no knowledge of his Law In Jury is God known and his Name is great in Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum Sept. usitatissunum 1. Dissimulatienem denotat cum quis dissimulat quasi non videat Deut. 22.1 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Zach. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 2. contemptum Deut 3.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 78.62 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Consule Grot. in loc Caryl in Job 3.4 To them he hath committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.3 But for the Gentiles the times of that Ignorance he did winke at suffering all Nations to walk in their own ways Acts 17.30 And as for the calling of the Gentiles unto the fellowship of the Church it was a mystery hid in God from Ages and Generations which was the reason that the Jews did
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
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.
glory of God then he himself doth If the Lord would put the business into your hands you could find out a way to secure his glory far better that God doth not take a right course to glorifie himself but were it in your power you would do it As John the Baptist under a pretence of humility I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me And Peter Lord Thou shalt never wash my feet did shew forth the highest pride in making themselves wiser then Christ But you will say it would be better for the Churches What is this but to charge God with want of love tenderness and faithfulness as if the Churches were dearer to you then they are to him Chrysost brings in a man complaning of the afflictions of the Saints There was such a man that did use to give much to the poor was very beneficial to the Saints but he fell among Thieves and was robbed of all that he had or suffered shipwrack and lost a great estate and now the bowels of the poor are deprived of their former refreshments Oh what pitty was it that the hand of such a man should be straightned to whom the Lord had given so large a heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have you more care of the poor then God their Maker He brings in the Example of Job who saith he did not eat his morsels alone but the poor were nourished with his bread and cloathed with his Fleece and their bowels did bless him in the streets But now his Estate is wasted his Flocks and Heards are consumed by which so many poor were supported Had it not been better that he had had his Estate still that did so much Good with it while he had it Nay * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he brings in Job speaking Though for my part I was unworthy to enjoy an Estate yet the Lord should have spared it for the poors sake upon whom I did expend it But he sayes no such thing thinks no such thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was not so glorious and eminent when he fed the poor with his abundance as when he did bless God and gave thanks in the loss of all things Nay he brought a greater glory to God and gave a greater wound to the Devil by his example of suffering and patience and became of far greater use to the Church and to the Saints then ever he could have been by his Estate if he had enjoyed it Jam. 5.11 We have heard of the patience of Job and what end God made with him had it not been for his sufferings we should hardly ever have heard of Job or of his patience But now the Lord hath set him forth for a pattern to his Saints in all after Ages 4. In all your discontents is this the way to prevail with God Non faciet recedere non revocabit sed perficiet quod verbo minatus est Est Miosis A lap Will this make him change his hand or call back his word Isa 31.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will not call back nor make voyd his word His counsels being set it is not all frettings of your hearts against them that will cause him to take other counsels or will turn him out of the way Psal 33 11. The thoughts of his heart are from everlasting and therefore it is your wisdom much rather to strive to bring about your wils to his will for there is no hope of bringing his will to yours Jam. 1.17 Balaam in stead of disswading the King from his evil enterprise God having formerly forbidden him to curse the people he attempteth under the colour of Religious actions building Altars and offering Sacrifices to change the minde and counsel of God and to obtain his favour to curse his people Ainsw in Numb 23.1 In him there is no variableness nor shadow of change You may change your course as Baalam did and try if upon this mountain you can finde God to change his minde and go from one high place to another and think to prevail but you do but deceive your selves lose your labor and the Lord doth deride all such vain enterprises of men for the thoughts of his heart endure throughout all Ages 5. This is the way to provoke God to go forth in displeasure and to cross thy will so much the more If the Lord go forth in a way of judgement Te pares ad sustinendum impetum irae meae aut ut occurras mihi vera resipiscentia emendatione Drus the means to pacifie him is to meet him as we are commanded Amos 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israel Not to meet him in a way of opposition to set up thy will against his to set the battle in array against him Esay 27.4 for that is but to set bryars and thorns against him in battle but thou must meet him in a way of submission as Abigal met David when he was comming down to destroy Nabal and his House 1 Sam. 25.32 So when we are under the hand of the Lord and our spirits stoop and say It is best Lord best for me and for thy Churches It is the Lord let him do what seems him good this is the onely way to prevail with God But if men be like a wild * Esay 51.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his tantum legitur sacris bibliis hoc in loco Deut. 14.5 à Sept. redditur per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bovem sylvestrem significat est animal superbum ferox 1. Quod jugum ferre nequit 2. Quod se circumscribi non patiatur ideo derivatur à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Limitavit per antiphrasin 3. Quod illaqueatum irretitū cunū venatorū furori sit expositum 4. Quod omnibus in platea spectandū proponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bull in a net when they are full of the fury of the Lord and like a raging Sea that cannot rest this is the way to provoke God to go on in displeasure Nay it is a very great Argument that he intends to go on †Si non eruditi fueritis mihi Montan. ut castigati ut redeant Levis 26.24 If a man be not corrected to him he will punish him seven times more untill he hath destroyed him And God doth every thing by weight and measure makes every thing glorious in its time at the last day which shall be a day of revealation the Books shall be opened the Book of Providence as well as the Book of Life and we shall see a glorious harmony in all the works of God Yea those works which ye would have had otherwise you shall see how necessary they were to come in their places and seasons and then what shame would it be to you before men and Angels if the Saints could be ashamed at the last
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
Romani Imperii caput sunt non quideÌ„ simpliciter quae Episeopi Romani sed qua habenas sive gubernacula Monarchiae Româ—nae â—â—rbis nimiruÌ„ orbis Christiani ad 〈◊〉 pertraxerunt atque in hoc Imperio à superiori potestaâ—â— non dependent neâ— ullius supra se Imperium in terra â—gnoscunt De quo cap. 17.10 alter nondum venit cum venerit oportet eum breve tempus manere eatenus breve tempus manere oportet pontisiees quatenus Impâ—â—â—â— Romani caput sunt politiaÌ„ istam dominatu suo complectuntur non vero qua Episcopi Romani hoc enim posteriori modo confidâ—rati satâ—s dâ—â— duraverunt Disseâ—rtatio Rob. Iansenii P. 9. 2. Secondly Because that Rome which is the feat of the Beast is called his throne Rev. 13.2 But I never find Episcopacy so called and the Spirit of God doth use to speak agreeable to himself that which he had before called the throne of the Beast upon that is the viall to be poured out Now if these be the ends that God is accomplishing so far as Gods ends are carried on I am bound to wish well to the Instruments imployed by God therin and in all lawfull wayes in my place endeavour with them to promote these ends Thirdly When there doth something appear above the power of man raising the spirits of the Instruments in the hand of the Lord for the effecting of these ends causing the worm Iacobt othresh the mountains Isa 41.14 Zâ—ch 12.8 Sc. in bello fortis fortunatus divina virtute erectus Tarnov Drusius c. Ezech. 1.20 21. per rotas intelligit hoâ—â—ines rationales qui se Angelorum juâ—â—u duci permittunt Lavat Rotas Deus per Angelos regit furtissime suavissime sive â—â—abant providentia Dei ordinaria aguntur sive sese a terra elevabant sc providentia inusitata insâ—â—â—a Psal 76.5 Nahum 3.12 Iudg. 7.13 making the weak as David lifting up the wheels from the earth acting men beyond the ordinary temper of the spirits of men taking away the hearts of the enemies that the men of might cannot find their hands their cities prove like ripe figs falling into the mouth of the eater a barley cake to overthrow a tent then we are to say It is the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon Digitus Dei hic est Surely these are signs of the effecting Will of God and not barely of his permitting Will. These things I desire may be seriously considered upon these three grounds 1. There should be no good business which God hath on foot in the world but I should desire to have a hand in it A good man hath an eye upon all the work that God hath to do in the world and would be acting in it Saith he whatsoever God is doing I would gladly be a worker together with God in either in my practice my purse my prayers or some way or other I would be very loth to misplace my prayers and to set my prayers in opposition to the Will of God Herein is much of the happiness of the Saints and Angels in heaven that they pray for nothing but what God will grant God is very observant of his peoples prayers Pray no more saith he to Ieremy If there be a person or business which the Lord will not prosper he will put it out of the hearts of his people to pray for it your prayers are the choisest actions of your life and if they proceed from a sincere heart though that particular thing which thou desirest may not be granted yet God will answer thee some other way yet a good heart would be loth to lose his prayer 3. I would be loth to lose my reward the Spirit of God teacheth a man not only to act Grace but to expect a reward of it No man shall ride with the Lamb in triumph after Victory that did not joyn with him in the Combate and Opposition And those that suffer with him in the Conflict shall certainly after the Victory ride with him upon white horses and have a share in the triumph Rev. 19.14 For if Jehu and Cyrus be rewarded of God for joyning with him in his effecting will even from a corrupt principle unto a corrupt end how much more shall they who desire to know what God is doing and in sincerity desire to further his ends in the doing of it Who not only do Gods work but aym at his end surely not only a temporal reward is reserved for them but it shall add to their eternal glory and make their Crown more massie at the last and great day Luk. 18. Let us now come to the last particular and that is the permitting will of God If the Lord will bring the Apostle to Jerusalem and there deliver him by the malice of the Jews Hoc fraeno cohibendi sunt omnes nostri affectus ne quid tam acerbum sit vel trisle vel durum quod non mitiget ac emolliat Dei voluntas Calv. Psal 39.9 into the hands of the Gentiles if he will suffer them to execute their rage upon him and thereby the Churches of God be deprived of so glorious an Instrument though we should gladly provide for the Churches preservation and edification yet if the Lord will in this manner deliver him up he is not bound to Instruments he hath with him the residue of the spirit and though mens graces accompany them to glory being given them for their own salvation yet they leave their gifts behinde them 1 Pet. 1.25 1 Cor. 13.8 Prophesies shall fail tongues shall cease knowledge shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13.8 These fall from the best men as Eliahs Mantle did from him when they are taken up into glory As therefore when an ungodly man dies he leaves his estate behinde him because it is this worlds goods so when a godly man dies he leaves his gifts behinde him because it is the Churches treasury If the Lord will thus deliver up the Apostle and so deprive the Church Let the will of the Lord be done And some conceive it mainly to be spoken here in reference unto Gods permitting will though I have taken in all three of them intended by the spirit there being such clear and evident footsteps of them all in the before mentioned story Hence the last Observation is Doctrine Doct. That where Godliness is in the power of it 〈◊〉 brings a soul to an humble submission unto the permitting will of God In the handling of this I must shew First What the permitting will of God is and the several branches wherein it doth consist Secondly Prove that godliness brings about the soul of a man unto a submission thereunto Thirdly Shew you the grounds thereof what there is of godliness manifested in such a submission Fourthly The several acts of the soul in its conformity unto the permitting will of God and wherein this conformity doth consist First What the permission of God
is Here I must give you these distinctions First There are some things that the Lord doth of himself work by his own immediate power and stays not for any humane concurrence but doth them of himself and by himself If he doth work Isaiah 43.13 Psa 135.6 None can let it he doth whatsoever pleaseth him and so he governs the world and preserves and maintains it He suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways He did not incline them to walk in their own ways he did not command them but he did leave them to themselves and in the hands of their own Counsells And is therefore said to suffer them Mala sinit fieri non facit bona vero ipse facit sed nolens mala sinit volens bona operatur being in himself a free Agent he concurs with the creature when he pleaseth and as far as he pleaseth Lumb lib. 1. Sent. 45. Secondly we are to consider that the permitting will of God only respects the reasonable creature to whom properly his commanding will belongs It is true that all the Creatures come under his will For he rules all things according to the counsel of his own will He doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth Rev. 4.11 in the sea and all deep places It is by his will that they are created and it is by the same will by which they are preserved and governed in their being Ex necessitate naturae ad ultimum potentiae But all other creatures being to act necessarily no permission can belong to them but God either acts them or suspends their Acts at his pleasure not by a permitting but by a powerfull effecting will Only the reasonable creatures seeing they were created to act out of choice and election the Lord rules them Modo proportionate according to their own nature therefore he hath not put a Law in their natures which shall necessarily and infallibly carry them to their ends but he rules them in a Covenant-way and they are voluntary in all their actings neither shall any of them be confirmed or made impeccable but by grace in which the Lord would have all the vessels of mercy to stand as they were chosen in Christ so by him they are to be confirmed That as they â—â—nor God the Creator in ordine naturae so they should honour the Son as Mediator in ordine gratiae And for this cause whereas the Lord could have confirmed Men and Angels in the day of their Creation as he hath now the Angels in heaven and the souls of just men made perfect yet he will not but reserves it as a blessing that should come in by the Government of his Son in a way of grace by whom the beatifical vision is bestowed upon the Saints And therefore I conceive Christ is called The Angel of Gods face that is Qui faciem Dei quasi conspicuam populo fecit Isa 63.9 Now the face of God in Scripture is put for three things 1. For a full Revelation of his will They shall see his face and his name shall be written in their foreheads Rev. 22.4 2. For a full manifestation of his favor So the Church is said To seek the face of God And the Lord is said to cause his face to shine upon his Saints Psal 67.1 3. A perfect vision of his glory and so heaven is a seeing of God face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 And in â—ll these respects Christ is said to be the Angel that discovers the face of God unto the Saints And it is by this last manifestation that they are made impeccable Thirdly The permitting will of God is only conversant about the sins of the reasonable Creatures in all their good actions the Lord doth concur and act them by an efficacious and a working will so as it is rather Gods work then theirs 1 Cor. 13.10 Yet not I but the grace of God that was with me Cooperando perfecit quod operando incipit Aust But for evil actions God cannot have a hand in them as the Author or Efficient cause for he is light and in him is no darkness at all he is goodness it self and in him is no evil neither can any evil come from him James 1.13 14. The case is decided that God is not the Author of Sin neither can be for he that forbids all sin cannot work any darkness cannot proceed from the Father of lights and yet against his will sin cannot be Non fit aliquid nisi Omnipotens fieri velit vel sinendo vel faciendo Aust Sin could not have come into the world if God would have kept it out he could have created all the creatures impeccable if he had pleased There is a threefold order to be observed concerning the decrees of God 1. The same Soveraign Lord that did elect some to life did decree to pass by others and not to confer the same grace and favour upon them For we teach no absolute Reprobation but a preterition only and non-election or which the Schoolmen call Reprobatio negativa which as Suarez hath well observed opusc lib. 2. pag. 175. Non est poena sed solum negatio gratuiti beneficii quod Deus ut supremus Dominus negare potest 2. Unto these he doth resolve and decree not to give grace but to leave the other to the instability of their own wills 3. He doth decree that he will for their sin cast them off for ever and eternally destroy them So that the Lord decreed to leave the creature unto that strength which he had received in his Creation and then falling he did decree to damn him for that sin which he did of himself voluntarily commit Thus God did from eternity decree to permit sin to come into the world though it be the act of the Creatures and not of God And hence it was that sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 5.14 4. The Lord in his permission doth withhold his grace and doth not bestow that which should keep a man from sin but leave a man to walk in his own ways to act according to his own counsels and doth not effectually determine his will unto that which is good but leaves it to be freely carried away to that which is evil Therefore permission is as it were the removing of the impediment and no more As Twiss Vindic. part 2. pag. 28. hath well observed Ex remotione impedimenti effectus interdum sequitur cujus causa non est removens impedimentuÌ„ sed aliquid aliud As if a stone being staid from falling you remove the impediment then it falls immediatly the stop being taken away but the taking away of the stop is not properly the cause of its fall but it s own natural form which hath a tendency to its center So when there is restraining grace upon a man an impediment put in the way of sinning his way is hedged up but when the Lord removes the restraint the
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
by the permitting will of God that it should be so that the Saints should in a great measure lie under the power of this envious man first to entice them and afterwards to accuse them 3. He suffers the lusts of Godly men to arïse and they are many times led captive under the Law of sin yea even sometimes to gross and scandalous sins which do vastare conscientiam though they cannot excutere fidem As Sampson to a way of uncleanness David to Murther and that plotted Solomon to Idolatry and that continued Peter to the denial of his Master and that with the bitterest execrations cursing himself to Hell as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies if ever he knew the man yea and God doth leave them to harden their own hearts in a way of sinning and go on frowardly in it Isa 57.17 Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear Isa 63.17 We hardened our hearts sinfully being by God left to our selves And God doth harden them judicially which is the greatest judgement that can befall a Saint in this life 4. God doth suffer wicked men to thrive and prosper in an evil way In ways of cruelty and oppression Nebuchadnezzar gathered the riches of the Nations like eggs that none did move the wing or peep He rules over the people of God with rigour shews them no mercy but upon the ancient he doth heavily lay the yoke The Ploughers plough upon their backs and make long furrows and wicked men oppress those that are more righteous then themselves And yet the Lord seems to stand by and look on and lets him thrive and prosper in it as if he had forsaken the earth So the ten Kings shall give their kingdoms to the Beast the power of laws and the power of arms and thereby set up Antichrist and he shall grow to that power That all kingdoms and nations and languages shall worship him and shall say Who is able io make war with the Beast And he shall make war with the faints and shall overcome them And this ordinarily the Lord doth that his people should come and cry to him to awaken him for he seems as a man asleep and as regarding nothing but leaving all in the enemies hand Awake Lord why sleepest thou Now all these belong unto the permitting will of God which is conversant only about the sins of the reasonable creature 2. There is very much of Godliness seen in a mans submission of his will unto this permitting will of God For the proof of it I shall give one Scripture for each of them First Submission unto the permitting will of God in regard of sin and the remainders thereof Though a godly man look upon it as his burthen as his misery esteems sinne worse then death worse then hell Yet seeing God will have it remain in him if he must still bear this weight draw this clog after him if he will still have them to wear their Grave-cloaths the Saints are content to wait for the resurrection of the just No man was more sensible of the remainders of sin then Paul as appears by his own expression of himself The greatest of sinners and the least of Saints therefore he cries out who shall deliver me Rom. 7.24 Yet he considers deliverance is begun I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord And therefore sin shall never prevail either to condemnation or dominion And with this deliverance the Apostle sits down and submits unto the will of God untill the day of his full redemption shall come though he knew that while he lived here while with the minde he did serve the Law of God yet he should with his flesh serve the Law of sin 2. For scandalous Falls though they be such as those that the people of God should fear and pray against as being such by which they cause the name of God to be blasphemed by which they become spotted of the world a blemish to their society and leave an ill name behinde them and they are set forth by God as examples for us to take warning by to take heed we fall not into the like yet when the Lord hath suffered us to fall into them we must not rise up and quarrel with him but we must say he is just and holy even in those things wherein we are wretched and sinfull Matth. 26.33 34. Peter had an admonition from Christ of a very dangerous fall that was near him and he answers Though all men forsake thee yet will not I Christ tells him that before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice It was Peters duty not in a presumptuous manner to have told Christ in confidence of his own strength no you are mistaken in me if I die with thee I will not deny thee but to have said Lord if it be thy will I had rather die with thee if by thy grace thou wilt assist me I had rather undergo the greatest sufferings then commit such a sin this was Peters duty before hand And after the will of God was manifested to permit him to fall as he did he should have said Thou hast suffered me thus to fall it was my great sin thus to deny thee But since my proud and carnally confident spirit in thy wisdom must thus be brought down and my own weakness must be discovered for my further humiliation thou mightest deal with me as it seemed thee good I have no reason to quarrel with thee thou actest righteously even there where I have acted sinfully And as this was Peters duty so it is the duty of all the Saints whose actual Falls have manifested that it was the will of God to humble them by this means And indeed the Saints when they come to read over the story of their lives and shall see therein Omnes actiones ad se pertinentes circumstantias actionum as Suarez saith they shall see in heaven they will finde they had as much need of their sins as they had of their sufferings in this present life and all things shall work together for good Et si omnia quia ni peccata though I confess there be three ways which the Lord doth use to humble men by First by letting in his love into their souls the beauty of grace the excellency of holiness and then the soul looking down upon it self is as a man that hath looked upon the Sun he can see nothing So did the Lord humble Job by further discoveries of himself so he did humble Isaiah This is the highest and sweetest way of humbling who an I that the Lord should shew in me a pattern of mercy to me the greatest of all sinners is this grace given c. Secondly He doth humble men by sufferings by afflictions he doth keep man from his purpose and hides pride from his heart Thirdly But the worst way and the most uncomfortable way of humbling is by sin when the Lord is pleased to leave his people to great sins
and scandalous falls And yet this hath been the condition of some of the most eminent Saints as David Solomon Sampson and Peter c. 3. The Lord doth suffer his people to lie under the power of the temptations of Satan which I confess is a very great misery so to be subjected unto an unclean spirit that he should have access unto our spirits and a mans heart should be as an Anvil for the Devil to form and fashion his lusts upon It was one of the greatest abasements of Christ that his holy and gracious Spirit should be subjected at least to the cursed and blasphemous injections of Satan but the Prince of this world came and found nothing in him but he doth seldom come near us but he doth touch us 1 Joh. 5.19 tactu qualitativo for there is nothing that Satan can suggest but there is a seed and a principle in us and so far as it takes with the seed there is something in us that windes with it it is as well Partus cordis as Seminarium hostis And therefore although it be a distinction which some Divines do use that if there be no consent on our part it is our misery but not our sin yet I conceive it is a hard thing for a soul to satisfie himself in this that there being a corrupt principle in men which doth close with every thing that Satan caâ— inject that there is nothing in me thaâ— doth close with such a temptation 〈◊〉 and its so much the more misery because it is an act and fruit of that ancient selling of our selves unto Satan and therefore it is just with God in a degree to leave the best of the Saints under his power for Quod vendituâ— transit in potestatem ementis But seeing it is the will of God and a mans duty to submit and to gird himself unto the battel though we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with spirituaâ— wickedness in heavenly places Eph. 6.12 yet we are to fight the good fight of faith go forth under the banner of Christ who hath promised to tread Satan under foot shortly Rom. 16.20 Christ was led of the Spirit into the wilderness How did the Spirit lead him by sweet and secret motions Christ having received the Spirit as an unction this same Spirit was the guide of his way the ordererâ— of all the acts of his humane nature so he is also the guide of our ways â—nd the guidance of this Spirit Christ doth follow and though he meet with a temptation yet doth he submit to the permitting will of God therein 4 If the Lord will let wicked men rule over you if he will leave you in their hands will let out their rage and malice upon you that they shall shew you no mercy Tread you down as mire in the streets as Nebuchadnezzar is said to receive a command to do to Ierusalem Isa 10. yet it is your duty to conform your wills unto the permitting will of God If the Lord luster the Caldeans and Sabeans to plunder Iob of his goods and leave him poor to a proverb He must say The will of the Lord be done the Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord If the Lord will suffer Shimei to curse David in the day of his extremity and to rail upon him as a bloody man David must say Let him alone the Lord hath bidden him and if so Who shall say why dost thou so 2 Sam. 16.10 Though the Lord be not the author yet he is the ordereâ— of sin and it s he hath now let ouâ— this evil therefore look not at the instrument in it but at the hand of God so doth Christ if the cup may not pass from him but he must be delivered into the hands of men and be crucified holy Father not my will but thy will be done And this same is the case in the Text concerning Paul if the Jews shall take him and deliver him unto the Gentiles and they shall put him to death surely they could not do any such thing if the Lord did not suffer it therefore our will must not oppose Gods will but we ought to say The will of the Lord be done 3. Now we come to the grounds and reasons of the point that we may from hence see what of godliness there is in it to have our will brought into a conformity unto the permitting will of God 1. The more self-denial there is in any thing the more of the power of Grace there is exprest in it for self-denial in any man is the measure of all the grace that is in the man as self-seeking is the measure of all the corruption for the body of siune in a man is nothing else but self-exalted above God Therefore Christ rule is Matth. 16.14 Let a man deny himself Penitus abneget self must be denied in every consideration in every respect therefore Jesus Christ that was the pattern of all grace he was the great pattern of self-denial and hath left us a Copy therein to write after him 1 Pet. 2.21 He came not to do his own will nor to seek his own glory but as a Servant to be wholly at the will and the command of another Now Divines commonly say that there is a threefold self that is respectively to be denied First there is Self as corrupted sinfull Self Secondly Self as created natural self Thirdly Self as renued moral religious self Now to deny self-natural is more then to deny self-sinfull because that is not absolutely to be denied but in comparison to deny moral-self is more then to deny natural self because that is not to be denied but when it comes in competition Now this conformity of our will unto the permitting will of God exercises self-denial in all these First a man must deny natural self If God will have a man subject it under the power of wicked men or will leave him to be hurried in his person or estate by the power and according to the lust of the devil and the Lord will suffer it stand by and look on and not come in for his his help Now a man may lawfully yea he is bound in duty to seek his own preservation as Christ that he might not be delivered into the hands of unreasonable men He prayed to his Father and yet the Lord did not deliver him and he gave them power to apprehend him and did not interpose Now the will of nature gives place unto the will of duty and Christ says Not my will but thy will be done It s God that hath given Satan this power to men and therefore who am I that I should say Why dost thou so Secondly A man must deny renewed-self and truly grace in the man is dearer to him then his life he would be content to lose his life that he may maintain and perfect his grace It is the divine nature the Image of Christ begun in
the will of God all these disquieting passions must be subdued upon a double ground 1. Because the soul doth conclude that Gods will is Gods pleasure When Christ did the will of his Father it is said the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Isa 53.10 Now nothing should grieve me but that which grieves the Lord I should fear nothing but that which offends him I should be angry for nothing but what displeaseth him Now all the Acts of his will he is pleased with them therefore I should be quieted under them 2. If the will of God be my end the will of God shall be my reward God hath made over all his attributes to his people in that glorious promise I will be thy God and answerable to a mans obedience to any Attribute such shall his comfort that comes from that Attribute be And if I work for Gods will surely the same will will in all things work for me and the Lord will do nothing but what shall be as truly for my good as it is for his own glory And therefore the soul is not angry at any thing that God will do is not vexed or disquieted at any thing but sits down under it with a holy tranquillity of mind For his commanding will he saith Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Jube quod vis For his effecting will he saith It is the Lord let him do what seems good in his eyes The world is his great house and the Government of it belongs to him the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Use Let this serve by way of exhortation to press the former Doctrine that we be perfectly concluded under the will of God from this blessed fruit and effect thereof that it will free us from that unquietness of mind which is the great misery the Saints groan under For as we should truly strive to keep peace with God and to maintain peace with men so we should also strive to maintain a peace in our own spirits For in this respect also Christ is the Prince of Peace And to inforce this Exhortation I shall first shew you the sinfulness of an unquiet spirit under any of the dispensations of God Secondly The dangerous use that the Devil makes of such a distemper Thirdly What excellency there is in a calm and a quiet mind Fourthly How such a frame of spirit may be obtained First The sinfulness of an unquiet spirit 1. Hereby thou sinnest against thine own soul That is the expression Numbers 16. They are sinners against their own souls Now the soul of man in its creation was such for the glory of it that the sun in its brightness is not to be compared to it But there is a double excellency in the soul in whâ—â—â— the beauty and the glory of it dâ—â—h consist First In its purity and so sin fights against the soul for it defiles it which nothing but sin could have done Secondly In the serenity and so sin hath disquieted and disturbed the soul which nothing else could have done Do not destroy your own souls and the soul is destroyed either by the polluting of it or by the disquieting of it which is of that value and worth that all things below should be esteemed beneath it as that which is too little to ransom a soul All the creatures are not worth one disquieting thought of the soul it is of so great an excellency And the greater the sin is because a man himself is the instruemnt thereof To trouble himself torment himself be a burthen to himself as every unquiet spirited man is Psalm 43.4 5. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me There are two words used the one signifies to lay a thing wast as a wilderness as void of comfort as if a man were in a barren Wilderness where there is nohing to be had to refresh him But how comes the soul to be thus like a desolate howling Wilderness the word signifies that he himself was the instrument thereof the means of the devastation of his own Spirit And the word signifies to prostrate a thing depress it to the very ground which word is in such a conjugation and doth signifie that the man did cast down himself the soul is the instrument in its own dejection All murther is sinfull but no murther so great an evil or so uncomfortable as self-murther and no self-murther like unto soul-murther for a man to go about to debase and bring down the glory of his soul which he should endeavor to beautifie with the highest qualifications and look upon it as his only glory for the qualifications of the soul are the only excellencies of the man 2. A man may take a measure of the sinfulness of his spirit by the unquietness of it for the unquietness of the spirit doth proceed wholly from the opposition of the will unto the will of God Now as the power of Godliness doth lie in the subjection of our wills unto Gods will that when grace shall be perfected in glory there shall be a perfect subjection so the power of sinfulness lies in the opposition of our wills unto Gods will and the more fully thou standest in opposition the greater is the measure of thy corruption If therefore unquietness of spirit doth rise from opposition of will then the more unquietness there is the greater opposition The devil being in the highest opposition unto God and they that sin against the Holy Ghost it being direct enmity whereas other sinners are but enemies to God in a collateral way their opposition is the greatest being revenge against God doing despight unto the spirit of grace therefore they are most unquiet Though in a temptation there is an unquietness of spirit that may arise upon the best men as it did upon David and Ionah yet if that be a mans ordinary and constant temper it argues he hath much of the devil in him the meekning and melting of a mans spirit into the will of God is the measure of his grace and the opposition of a mans will unto the will of God and his unquietness thereupon is the measure of his corruption Men that are alway fiery and ad oppositum now this doth not please them and now they fret at this instrument and by and by are discontented at that dispensation If Niniveh be not destroyed Ionah is angry if the Gourd be not spared he is angry it is an argument there is but a little grace and a great deal of corruption And as grace doth increase subduing the will unto the will of God so surely will the quietness of a mans spirit increase Grace in a man ripens as fruit doth at first there is a great deal of sourness and sharpness mixed with it but then it is green the riper it grows the more mellow and the more sweet it is 3. The more pride there is in any sin the greater that sin is for to sin
voluntate Dei non dividi in his solis quae Deus diligit delectari Harph. And this is properly the rest of the soul in God which every gracious heart should strive unto 3. In this quietness and tranquillity of spirit there is a guarding and securing power Philip 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding As it is with the truths of God the naturall man cannot receive them and apprehend them 1 Cor. 2.14 so it is with the peace of God it is not to be understood of any man but he that feels it the sweetness of the Gospell is not to be known but by experience which is a spirituall sense in those that have their senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evill Heb. 5. and the last And this peace saith the Apostle shall keep your hearts and minds Philippians 4 7. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to keep as in a garrison to keep down tumults within and to keep out enemies from without that neither temptations from without be let in nor the deceits of the heart be let out so as to carry a man away with them and deceive him but the heart by this peace and tranquillity is strongly guarded against both these therefore it is an excellent observation that Chrysostom hath Mentem Spiritus Sanctus quam replet obumbrat The Holy Ghost doth overshadow the soul where he dwels and keeps it in a quiet and calm frame that neither unruly lusts break forth from within nor temptations take with the soul from without to make it unquiet in it self A Spirit thus quieted in obedience unto the will of God is the surest guard that a man can have in this world 4. Hereby a man enjoys himself which one of an unquiet spirit cannot do In patience possess your souls A man is not master of himself that is carried about with every passion he hath no command of his own soul Prov. 25. and the last verse A man that hath no rule of his own spirit is like a City broken down and without walls if an enemy come he may invade and spoil as he will for there be no walls to defend it so it is with him that hath no restraint upon his own spirit 5. Such a man shall be able to judge clearly of any matter in difference which another cannot whose spirit before is engaged or imbittered Radius solis non cernitur nec turbatus fons respicientis reddit imaginem It is a hard matter to see what is at the bottom of troubled water Perit omne judicium cum res transit in affectum A blood-shot eye sees all things of the same colour A bribe blinds the eyes of the wise because the affections bribe the Judgement that I should never much value the judgement of a man in a point of difference whose spirit I know was violently engaged before hand 6. A man is never nearer to the mercy he desires or the deliverance he expects then when his soul is brought into such a temper David was never nearer the Kingdom then when he became as a weaned childe and we are never nearer the end of any affliction then when it brings forth the quiet fruit of righteousness Heb. 12.11 The fruits of righteousness are wrought by quietness in the soul for the wrath of man will never work the righteousness of God 7. This quietness of spirit in a wil concluded under the will of God will make a man in all things chearfull in all things thankfull First it is a mans duty always to be chearfull under all the dispensations of God Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 The Spirit which the Saints receive is the oyl of gladness and with this unction you as well as Christ are anointed Hab. 2.1 I will stand upon my watch-tower that is Mentis recessus saith Calvin the retiring of the soul into it self and being thus in his Watch-Tower though he doth suppose The fig-tree should not blossom and there should be no fruit in the vine yet he will rejoyce in the Lord and triumph in the God of his salvation Hab. 3.18 A man that is in his Watch-tower hath a quiet recess into his own spirit he can see himself secure in the midst of danger and can laugh at destruction At famine and destruction thou shalt laugh Job 5.22 There is a holy laughter from a principle of confidence and security Gen. 17.17 The promise of a son was made known to Abraham and he fell upon his face and laughed from a confidence of the accomplishment of the promise his heart rejoyced in the Lord. Thus a godly man can laugh at danger let it be never so great and let it threaten never so much yet it doth not disquiet his spirit it doth not abate but rather draw out his joy Secondly It makes a man in all things thankfull because his will is concluded under the will of God This is a mans duty 1 Thes 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you In every thing in every condition in prosperity in adversity in health and sickness in poverty and plenty in honour and dishonour when God seems to act for you and when he seems to act against you in the drawings near of God and in the desertions of God in life in death it is the will of God that a man should alwayes have his spirit in a thankfull frame Ephes 5.20 Giving thanks alwayes and for all things unto God the Father in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ First because Gods will in all things is the rule of goodness and to see that fulfilled should be matter of joy to the Saints even when it doth cross their own wills Secondly because there is no condition but hath some good in it For it is true in a spiritual sense in this life non dantur purae tenebrae Vtter darkness is reserved for the life to come Isa 24.15 Glorifie the Lord in the fires some render it fires some vallies both of them in Scripture expressing an afflicted condition If the Lord cast you into the fire to try you you are to glorifie God in it by giving him thanks Now a man can never be thankful whose spirit is not quieted and subdued unto the will of God We love God because he loved us first We apprehend his love and we bless God because he hath blessed us first and we apprehend his blessing Gaudentes est gratias agere It is the cheerefull man that is the thankfull man and no man can be cheerfull but full of bitterness and sullenness whose soule is not subjected to the will of God These are the excellencies of a spirit quieted and calmed and concluded under Gods will as the rule of goodness 4. How should a man attain such a quiet frame of spirit that he may keep his soul alway calm The directions are these 1. Consider it is Gods gift he gives unto
which God hath given to the Saints to study in this state of distance till they come to behold his face the book of nature and the book of Scripture and there are three things the Saints have mainly to do in this life 1. To obey his precepts 2 To beleive his promises 3 To submit to his providences The Angels in heaven behold his face in glory which is to them Cognitio meridiana as the Schoolmen speak yet they study the word and the works of God and know much of the will of God by them Unto Angels and principalities and powers is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Ephes 3.10 They are indeed present in our assemblies and therefore women are exhorted to have power upon their heads because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.17 They do not come to our assemblies to be instructed by any of our ordinances for they know much more then any of the Saints do We know in part and prophesie in part but by the Church is meant By the works of God toward the Church and his severall dispensations therein And this is their Cognitio vespertina the knowledg which they get by their own experience and observation of the works of God in the world but especially toward the Church 2. This Will manifested being the rule of duty the Saints ought neither to speak nor act against it 1. A man must not speak against the will of Gods as manifested First not against his commanding will a man must not dispute any command of God for God only is the Lord of his own law and therfore every thought and reasoning of ours must be brought into subjection thereunto 2 Cor. 10 5. Here an implicite faith is only necessary to obey when a man sees no reason for it Therefore the Apostle condemns those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Tim. 6.5 perverse disputings of the commands of God by men of torrupt minds destitute of the truth Not against the effecting will of God when God hath done any work â—nd therein manifested his will we must not speak against it Levit. 10. â— Aaron held his peace And David â—ept silence because it was the Lords doâ—ng Hab. 2. last Zach. 2. last Be â—lent oh all flesh before the Lord. It is â—poken of the effecting will of God in the Churches deliverance The Lorâ— will inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and again chuse Ierusalemâ— Against this there was like to be 〈◊〉 great deal of reasoning and murmuâ—ring and that from the Saints aâ— well as from the enemies but thâ— Lord puts it to silence when he wâ—â— do the work do not dispute do noâ— rail do noit reason againstit 3. Noâ— against the permitting will of God if he will suffer the Caldeans to plundâ— Iob of his substance and Satan to bâ—reave him of his children and givâ— him power over the winds to thâ— end yea if he will give him powâ—â— over his body so as to smite him wiâ— plague-sores for the same word 〈◊〉 used that is used of Hezechias sicknesâ— which by the medicine of a bunch 〈◊〉 green figs is guessed by interpreteâ— to be a plague-sore yet he must 〈◊〉 reply against it not speak a woâ— but with thankfulness submit unâ—â— the will of God as manifested thereiâ— If God will suffer Shimei to curse Dâ—vid he must not so much as say Wâ—â— hast thou done so 2 Sam. 16.10 therebe a messenger of Satan to buffet Paul so as he must fight it out with a champion sent from hell immediately and if the Lord will have it to continue upon him and will not grant his prayer for the removing of it he must not speak against it but sit down and say Thy grace is sufficient for me 2. As the Saints must not speak against the will of God when it is manifested so they must not act against it We have in Scripture three famous instances hereof First when the Lord had declared his will that he would give up Jerusalem and the King thereof into the hands of the King of Babylon Now the will of God is manifested may they not use all lawfull means for their defence and stand it out to the last man they can but be delivered into his hands at last but when the will of God is made known Zedekiah must not oppose but he must go forth to the King of Babylon yield up himself give up his City and then the promise is Thou shalt live thou and thy house Ier. 38.17 18. verses 2. The Lord had manifested his will for the destruction of the house of Ahab that wicked and idolatrous family Jehosaphat joyns with Ahab in a War that he might contrary to the revealed will of God preserve him and his house from ruine 2 Chron. 19 2. the Lord sends a prophet to reprove him Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord for he will rise up against the house of evill doers and against the help of them that work iniquity If his will be manifested to destroy a family let not the best men interpose and act against the will of God as manifested for they will be so farr from recovering it that they will perish with it proud helpers shall stoop before him 3. When the Lord is accomplishing his own great work against Babylon Mystery Babylon the great the mother of harlots against all humane inventions under all forms the worship of God as taught by the precepts of men and when the will of God is manifested by the pouring out of severall vials after all this the kings of the earth shall be gathered together to the great battell at Armageddon for Antichrists restitution and establishment Rev. 16.16 This gathering together and rallying their scattered troops is their sin and shall be their snare and ruine For if the will of God be manifested it will be the down-fall of all that come in to joyn with them in ways of opposition against it 3. The grounds of this doctrine are these Reas 1. The will of God hath a majesty and a soveraingty goes with it for he is the great the only potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords none governs by will as an absolute monarch but himself And therefore Austin commends those Princes as happy men qui potestatem suam divinae majestati famulam faciunt And if there be a soveraignty then every disobedience unto this will and every opposition against it whether in word or action is rebellion 1. Sam. 15.23 There is a rebellion against God because his will hath a soveraignty in it and his law is a royall law Therefore the Lord cals the Babylonians who were a disobedient people the land of rebels Jer. 50.21 For to speak or act against the will of God as manifested is a rebellion against the Lord. Ier. 28.16 The Lord saith I will put an iron yoke upon the neck of these nations and they
did the Lord Jesus even so father for so was thy good pleasure Direction 2. Secondly cease your lying be silent in that to put away lying saith the Apostle let every man speak truth to his neighbour not only the way of lying among men and whispering against their brethren that 's not the lying I now intend but there is a lying against the Lord put it away and what is that you will say Ier. 5.12 They believed the Lord and said it is not he take heed of that lying It s an evill to belie men and you will find it so one day take heed do not belie the Lord. Direct 3. Thirdly cease your mocking silence them too the assembly of mockers is the worst society of men you can fall into and the chair of the scorner is the worst seat you can sit down in Be no more mockers lest your bands be made strong Isa 28.22 Truly mocking proceeds from a high pitch of pride and pride goes immediatly before a fall Dir. 4. Fourthly silence your rayling reviling and bitter speeches David saith some mens tongues cut like a sharp rasor and that is a remarkable place Psal 73.9 They set their mouths against heaven and their tongues run through the world what is that their mouths against heaven that is saith a learned Interpreter when men speak proudly concerning God and the things of God the ways of God the works of God and the Saints of God they stretch their mouths against heaven and their tongues run through the world they have to do with all persons with all imployments all the world over their tongues walk Solomon I remember saith Pro. 14.3 in the mouth of the foolish is a rod of â—ride he never is without a rod. Its â—he pride of a fool that sets his tongue on work to scourge the persons and their actions that are wiser then himself Direct 5. Fifthly cease your boasting speak no more so proudly against God 1 Sam. 2.3 The very boasting of men glorying in an arm of flesh hath caused the Lord many times to let them to seek their own graves When Pharaoh once said I will pursue and overtake them and satisfie my lust upon them what follows then He hastens to make his own grave in the red sea Direct 6. Lastly in some kind let me say cease your praying when the will of God is manifested take heed let not your prayers stand in opposition to Gods will when once the Lord had discovered to Ieremiah that he would certainly deliver Ierusalem into the hands of the king of Babylon he did not dare to pray any more and so David till God manifested hiâ— will for the child he prayed but Davids prayer was ended when God will was manifested Pray consider whoever he be that goes and engageâ— in prayer against Gods revealed will he may both lose his own comfort and the sweetness of it that is the first admonition 2. Secondly be admonished not to act against it when God hath manifested his will neither be thou an assistant of those that act against the revealed will of God and to inforce it take these considerations for a close Mot. 1. First let your oppositions and contrary actings be what it will be when God hath manifested his will he will carry on the work if you make the greatest opposition that heaven or earth could make yet he will carry it on Isa 31.4 The Lord led them into captivity they call to Egypt for help but saith God their horses are flesh and not spirit you come out against me as a company of â—epherds against a young Lion that â—ath taken a lamb out of the flock â—ou cannot make him fasten his pace â—ake a noise but not come near Mot. 2. Secondly the more emiâ—ently the Lord hath manifested his â—ill the more evill there is in thy oppoâ—ition and the greater the hardness of â—y heart when Gods will is manifestâ—d signally and in an eminent way Consider I pray the Lord saith Pharaoh â—ould let the children of Israel go The Lord wrought severall wonders and â—gns in the land of Egypt to manifest is will eminently and yet Pharaoh esisted his will and acted against it his made it an act of greater stubbornâ—ss and hardness of heart Mot. 3. Thirdly it is the greatest â—udgment that can befall a man in his â—cting for God to be given over to enâ—age against the manifest will of God â—ts the devils plague though he know his is Gods will he shall be worsted 〈◊〉 it and hath experience of it from day to day though God frustrate hâ— designs never so often yet by aâ— by he hath great expectation froâ— every cloud that it will present rain Mot. 4. Fourthly you will ceâ—tainly in a way of opposition to Goâ— will meet with your destrucâ— on if thou art a godly man the wilt meet with judgment Isa 27. â— Who is it saith God that seâ— bryers and thorns in battle againâ— me When Gods will is manifesteâ— all opposition is but as bryers aâ—â— thorns in battel God will go througâ— and burn them at once and let 〈◊〉 tell you this the Lord hath said Aâ— iniquity shall stop her mouth Gâ—â— uses to stop ungodly mens moutâ— two waies somtimes by the holineâ— of the lives of his people and soâ— times by his own just judgment Mot. 5. And for a conclusion 〈◊〉 not act against the will of God forâ— you submit not to the will of God 〈◊〉 one thing the Lord will heighten thâ— judgment upon you in another If you will not submit to yokes of wood truly God will make you yokes of iron remember what he hath said and I conclude with that Hos 10.11 I passed over upon her fair neck he speaks it of Iudah and saith the Lord I will put a yoke upon her fair neck and Iudah shall plough and Iacob shall break the clods God will carry it on notwithstanding all your opposition and so much for this text We ceased saying the will of the Lord be done FINIS Bellarmine what he labours to prove concerning the German Empire p. 184. Book of Providence God hath as well as of life p. 141. Book double God hath given to the Saints p. 315 Business good there should be none which God hath on foot in the world but you should desire to have a hand in it p. 195. C. CArdinals two what they heard riding to the Council of Constance p. 95. Christs going forth in the Gospel what its compared unto pag. 1. Christ hath a double engagement lying upon him in reference to the kingdom of providence p. 148. Christ hath made his providential Kingdom subordinate unto his Spiritual Kingdom p. 150. Christ is called the Angel of Gods face p. 201. Chrysostom what he speaks of p. 134 135. Church by it what is meant p. 316. Chynaes Inhabitants what is observed of them pag. 60. Commands two difficult God gave to Abraham p. 272. Conformity to Gods permitting will exercises self-denial