therefore may craue a larger answering First therefore it is answered that there is no confusion nor disorder in these things for the confusion is onlie in respect of man and not of God or the things gouerned by him which are euermore excellently well disposed though the vaile of ignorance being before mās eies we are not able to discerne this excellent order The fleshlie man perceiueth not those things which are to bee discerned with a spiritual eie My waies saith the Lord are not as your waies neither are my thoughts as your thoughts so that vntill these men goe with Dauid into the house of God well may these things seerne confused vnto thē but whē they are enlightned by his holy Spirit they appeare otherwise A man that that is blinde or hath sore eies thinks it is darke when the Sunne shineth or at least thinks her beclipsed with diuers coloured mists when she is in her perfect beautie Simile the cause is the imperfection in his eies and not any obscuritie or confusion in the Sunne So is it with him that shall looke with a fleshly eie into Gods works be they neuer so excellently disposed yet through his inabilities to discerne they seeme confused That which in the night or a farre off we iudge a tree proues when wee come neerer or when the day appeareth a more excellent creature So in the night time of our ignorance and when we are strangers from Gods Law we iudge preposterouslie of his works but when this mist is dispersed or that we come to looke more neerelie vpon them in the glasse of his word they seeme so excellent that we are constrained to say O Lord how wonderfull art thou in all thy waies and holy in all thy works In great wisdome hast thou made them all But let vs come vnto the instances Thou saiest JJnstance 1. in that Stan tempted Adam and made him and his posteritie subiect to sinne Ans It is answered and alreadie prooued that herein no fault can be imputed vnto God Eccle. 28. for Adam was created righteous but his own inuentions made him euill Secondlie if God willed a declaration of his iust iudgment vpon the vessels of wrath and the manifestation of the exceeding riches of his grace vpon such as are ordained vnto mercie what right hath the clay herein to reason against the Potter Thirdly Gods children haue now more cause to reioyce by an infinite deale in regard of that blesse dnesse receiued from the last Adam then to be sorrie for their dignitie lost in the first Adam To which tendeth that of Paul concerning the sinne of our first Parents which is spread ouer all and the righteousnesse of Christ which is much more aboundant to the saluation of the Elect. And therefore we may say with Gregorie O foelix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redemptorem O happie diseasewhich could not be cured but by such a diuine and heauenlie Physition That the wicked line in greatest honor prosperitie and abundance Jnstant 2. but the god'y in pouertie disgrace and affliction Ans HEalth wealth and honour are the hope of the worldlings labours and being obtained are their sole darlings of delight and pleasure Jn serm But as Bernard saith of Peter Vt nouum itr sic noui modi itineris Triplex est vita naturae gratiae gloriae A new iorney must haue new waies of iourneying so wee say of the godly when they begin to enter the new life that is the life of grace then they must haue new coutses of liuing Afflictions come by Gods decree And what are these That in following Christ wee should take vp his crosse that in liuing holily wee should suffer persecution that in our iourney to heauen wee should passe thorow many tribulations Therefore saith Augustine in the person of christ August in persona Domini Venale habeo quid Domine regnum coelorum quo emitur paupertate diuitiae dolore gaudium labore requies vilitate gloria morte vita I haue a thing to sell saith Christ what is it O Lord saith Augustine The kingdome of heauen but wherewith is it bought for pouertie true riches for griefe ioy for labour rest for basenesse glorie for life death So that pouertie griefe labour basenes and losse of life are the new paths that leade to new Hietusalem and the narrow waies that tend to ample blessednesse Now this being the decree of God the Creator who is wisedome it selfe why should it seeme preposterous in the eyes of the creature who is but meere foolishnes Quid obsit vel prosit medicus nouit non agrotus Augustine Gods decree of afficting groüded vpon great reason What is profitable or hurtful to vs that are patients that wise Physition knowes not we that are grieued Secōdly this decree of God is grounded vpon great reason both in respect of him afflicting and of vs afflicted What sets foorth more the wisdome of God then his ministring seuerall potions of affliction according to the seuerall conditions of his children as well in preuenting the diseases of sin whereunto they are subiect as in curing them whē they are grieued with them What more declares his mercie then the giuing of the staffe of his Spirit with the rodde of correction then the comforting vs in our distiesse then the putting our teares in his bottle then the making our bed in our sicknesse then the pitching his Angels about s then the not suffering the flouds to ouerflow vs though they come neere vs then the causing that although heauines continue for a while yet ioy shall come in the morning Wherein is the power of God more euident then in giuing vs strength to vndergoe so many troubles then in casting vs down vnto the graue and raising vs vp againe These things haue caused admiration in the very enemies of God and that amidst their tyrannies Is there not good reason then why those things should bee effected whereby Gods wisedome mercie and power are made euident and not onely to his children but euen to his enemies whereby they are left inexcusable in the day of the Lord if there were no persecutions how should Martyrs glorifie God by their sufferings If no trials how should patience haue been left for a vertue to be imitated If Satan had not been let loose to buffet Iob where had been his words of praise The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly the afflictions of the godly are grounded vpon good causes 2. Gods decree of afflictiong is good and iust in regard of vs as it appeares 1. By our owne reason in regard of our selues as it appeares first by our owne reason secondly by our owne practise thirdly by the profit we reape from them In reason heauen could not be our sole place of blisse if here we had no sorrow if here our happinesse that could not be a
strong yet of themselues not able to prouide meat for their young for they crying seeke it at the Lord Psalm 104.21 Psalm 104.21 and thus seeking it finde it at his hands Looke to the meanest things in the heauens Math. 6.26 the blowing of the winds the motion of the clouds Iob 39.3 the raine dropping from them the flying of the birds all are ruled by God Psalm 147. Matth. 10.30 Looke to the smallest things vpon earth the grasse vpon the Mountaines fodder for cattell hearbes for the vse of man lillies to adorne the field all haue their being Psalm 147.8.9 and encrease from God Looke vnto the things vnder the earth Matth. 6.21 They also haue their being saith Iob from God and there is a place in which they are preserued Yea God ordereth the sillie wormes for his glorie as appeares in making thē instrumēts of plaguing Pharaoh for his hardnes of hart and meanes to gnaw asunder the gourde wherewith his Prophet Ionah was couered Ionah 4.7 Since then the meanest things in the heauens on the earth and vnder the earth are vpholden by God and guided by his Prouidence and that this his goodnes declares the greatnes of his mercie and secondly Ministers comfort to his children for if God thus gouerneth them how much more will he bee present to those that loue feare his name let vs not diminishing his mercie or depriuing our selues of such comforable assurance once call into question his Prouidence ouer his meanest creatures but with heartie thankesgiuing acknowledge the same Gods Prouidence prooued by the testimonies of the holy Fathers WIsedome teacheth that it is good to build vpon a firme foundation the word of God then being the ground worke of this doctrine wee may with safetie settle our iudgements thereon When the Sunne shines clearely what needes the candle to be lighted when the word is euident what needes authoritie of fathers To adde light to the sunne or a sparke to the flame seemes small discretion yet since experience doth teach that the nature of man is not onely hard to be drawne to the acknowledgement of an euident truth but also meere repugnant to that whereby the eies of his vnderstanding being enlightned he might glorifie God It shal not bee amisse to alledge their confessions that the wauering in iudgement may confesse the trueth with them Cyrill writing against Iulian Lib. secundo quinto affirmeth that God doth not onely direct all things to the behoofe and full harmonie of the whole vniuersally but also is the Cherisher Maintainer and Preseruer of euery thing in particular Augustine saith De Trinit lib. 3. cap. 4. that there is no creature which is not gouerned by Gods Prouidence and in another place hee descends vnto the particular saying Jn Psal 148. Tom. 8. Who disposed the members of the gnat and other small creatures that they should haue their life their goodly order and moouing Propound vnto thy selfe one of the meanest of Gods creatures consider the excellent disposition of his members his life whereby hee is moued to eschew death and to vse meanes to preserue him he desires pleasures he flieth troubles hee hath his senses and an excellent motion beseeming himselfe wherein he deliteth And in another place Hee which made the Angels in heauē made also the wormes in the earth Hath God made the Angels to creepe in the durt and the wormes to remaine in the heauens No he hath giuen to euery creature his fit place of habitation to that which is incorruptible an incorruptible place of abiding to that which is corruptible a corruptible place of remaining Thus much Augustine Basilius Magnus hath truely said that fortune and chance are Heathen mens words Homil. 19. wherewith the minds of the godly ought not to bee busied Chrysostome vpon the Ephesians If a ship though well rigged and sound euery where cānot brooke the seas without a good gouernour Lib. 1. cap. 16. how much lesse can the whole world without the care and gouernment of God Caluin in his Institutions Whatsoeuer changes of things fall out in the world they come to passe by the secret stirring of the hand of God Beza in his Confessions All things are gouerned by Gods Prouidence The consideration whereof made the ancient Philosophers as Empedocles Heraclites and such like to affirme that all things fell out by a certaine necessity although they could not determine the manner how But what should I stand vpon moe allegations He which will enquire further into them I referre him to August de Prouidentia Dei Tom. 1. lib. 1. Tom. 5. to the same Author de Ciuit. dei lib. 12. cap. 4. to Origen in Romanos cap. 1. to Chrysostome in tribus de Prouidentia lib. ad Stargirium to Naziazene de Paupertate curanda with infinite others All which omitted I proceede vnto the third way of proouing this trueth vnto vs. Gods Prouidence prooued by testimonies of Heathen Writers WHen as men darkned in their vnderstandings Ephes 4.18 wanting the light of the Gospell guided only by the rules of reason shall by manifold obseruations gather vndoubted conclusions of the Prouidence of God ouer all his creatures how shall Christians liuing in the glorious sunshine of the Gospel and professing themselues not onlie naturally to bee ruled by the same rules of reason but supernaturallie by Gods holy Spirit call that into question whereof they neuer doubted The trueth whereof appeares thus vnto vs. Plotin the Platoniste affirmes that Gods Prouidence is manifested vnto vs euen from the highest things to the very lillies of the field Lib. 3. Enne ad 4. And for further confirmation of the same hath written three bookes to that purpose Porphyrius demanded this question of Nemetrius Shall we saith he suffer a King to dispose of his matters as hee listeth and shall we denie the same vnto God Sinesius the Platoniste confidently affirmeth that such as doe doubt of the Prouidence of God by inconueniences which happen are fooles but the wise are confirmed in the trueth by them Alexander of Aphrod in his booke of Prouidence hath this excellent saying It is too farre disagreeing from Gods nature that he should haue no care of the things below for that is the part of an enuious man and to say he is vnable is too vnseemely because he is able to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him Iuuenall hath a saying thus translated There wantes no God at all where wisedome doth aduise But fooles haue fortune deifide and placd ' aboue the skies Amonius writing against Porphyrius attributeth a double power vnto God the one whereby he knowes all things the other whereby hee rules all things But if any list to heare the iudgements of these men more at large let him reade Theod. de affect Graecorum curandis intituled Of the Prouidence of God Also the first booke of Iohannes Franciscus Picus Comes Mirandulanus de Prouidentia dei wherein this truth
no doubt to be made of them The question is about the third namely Gods voluntary suffering of sin which although I haue prooued that it cannot be a cause of the thing so suffered yet because the aduersaries of this truth doe draw most of their arguments from hence Satan cunningly raising many doubts of his goodnes who indeed is an infinit goodnesse in and of himselfe and is also infinitelie good and gratious vnto others I will by way of confirming the latter part of this Argument stand somewhat more vpon opening this truth vnto vs. What Gods permissiue will is I haue shewed immediatelie before The fountaine from which it proceeds is his foreknowledge as that from which all his actions quoad extra as Diuines call them which are effected without him haue their beginning and is thus distinguished either it is absolute and simple Permission is either simple or respectiue as the suffering of Adam to eate the forbidden fruit or it is respectiue and hath regard and consideration to the parties suffered God determining thereby to keepe his law of iustice vnspotted and yet to giue a generall rule to all Magistrates how to vse a wise moderation As when God permitted the Israelites to sell their children into bondage and Moses for the hardnesse of the peoples hearts granted a bill of diuorcement Matth. 19.8 though from the beginning it was not so Touching this permission thus considered Jn God permitting of sin foure things to be obserued these things are to be obserued First that Gods suffering of sinne is voluntarie for being almightie he cannot be constrained to any thing Secondly that this suffering is for a set purpose and end agreeing with his iustice and glorie as that the exceeding riches of his grace and mercie might more appeare in sauing the elect and his iustice and power be more euidēt in condemning the wicked Thirdly that this permission is not idle proceeding either of negligence inabilitie or ignorance common causes of mans permitting but is from the determinate counsell of God knowing and decreeing a voluntarie suffering Lastly that this permission is with a limitation of the natures of sins of their number with the times places and persons committing them So that men are often restrained in their wicked purposes neither can the diuell preuaile alwaies in what he most desireth no not with the most wicked much lesse with the vnregenerate in the secret counsell of God elected to eternall glorie though not as yet called home to Christ Iesus the Shepheard of the flocke and Bishop of our soules For if Gods diuine power and rich grace should not concurre in this then alas men should neuer cease sinning yea then their least transgressions should be peccata clamantia crying sinnes sinnes of presumption blasphemies sins against the holy Ghost that so the committers might perish finally Whereto then should serue the gratious promises of God in Christ Iesus vpon true repentance by a liuely faith apprehended Alas to no end Ephes 2.2.3 for without the barres of Gods grace and mightie power wee inclining the world alluring and Satan continually tempting how should we eschew that great seareful sinne for which the grace of repentance is neuer granted If this was not true euen in the wicked most lamentable miserie should befall all true hearted Christians We haue experience of the truth of this doctrine in the most grieuous persecutions of the Church of Christ and especially in that most fearfull conspiracie and infernall treason deuised plotted and prosecuted by that Antichristian sect and diuell incarriate Papists against the Church of Christ his chiese Anointed and all other the most religious wise and honourable Peeres of this Common-wealth whom had not the hand of the Lord of his especiall grace to the Nursefathers of his Church miraculously deliuered they cursed be the soules that shall once intend it as innocent lambes had been deliuered to the bloodie slaughter-house of diuellish Tyrants the walles of our Hierusalem had been broken downe the honour of our Sion laid in the dust yea the many Pillars and sole Maintainers of our welfare being taken away farre be it from vs O Lord for this is most fearefull to thinke of how fearfull then O Lord to endure it we thewhole bodies of his Highnes dominions had come to a most lamentable subuersion and ouerthrow A comfortable instance of Gods reslrayuing the sinnes of the wicked But to the euerlasting praise of our most gratious God bee it spoken they haue digged a pit and haue fallen into the middest of it themselues the Lord of the riches of his mercie hath broken their nets our soules are deliuered from the bloodie hands of these infernall insatiate fowlers O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse Psalm 107. and declare the wonders hee hath wrought for the children of men Surely the policie of man preuented it not they stood affected to vs and holding the grounds of their profession will alwaies so stand euen as Satan vnto Iob Iob 1. desiring if the Lord would permit to plague both soules and bodies yet as the Lord said he would not suffer Abimelech to sinne against him Genes 10.6 by comming neere vertuous Sarah so let vs al with one hart voice confesse that our mercifull God would not suffer these diuellish Papists to proceed to the height of their hortible sinnes by comming neerer his Anointed and honorable chosen ones to extinguish the blessed light of Christs Gospel and that admired happines which by their most religious iust wise and careful gouernment we haue enioyed amongst vs. Further In euery permission two Agents it is to bee obserued that in euery permission there are two Agents the person permitting and the person permitted The former hath power to hinder whē he pleaseth doth vse the same The latter hath an abilitie of working and when hee is permitted doth put the same in execution In both of these there is a voluntarie action as wel in the suffered as in the suffer but herein is the difference the action of his will which suffereth is only inward and worketh nothing in him whom it suffereth the partie suffered worketh of his owne proper will his end of working being not preuented nor his meanes of accomplishing hindred by the other so that although in both of these there is a voluntarie action yet one of them onely is author of the fact And by consequence God onely suffering and we wholly executing hee is most pure and holy and we only guiltie of our sinnes committed For although as Augustine saith Nothing is done in the world which the Lord would not to be done Enchir. cap. 95. Vel ipse faciendo vel voluntariè sinendo either by doing it himselfe or by a willing suffering of it to be done yet he is altogether free from the guilt of the transgression though for the manifestation of his iuflice and glorie he