trim discription and liuelye representation of a tempest raised by the windes wherein both by the violence of the waues the shippes are lifted vp aboue measure and againe by the sincking downe of the waues they are as it were most déepely drowned For why the Ships are continuallye tossed to and fro hither and thither none otherwise then a tennis ball is tossed by the hands of the players Very strange it is doubtles and wonderful to beholde such huge and massye shippes to be so forciblye driuen as they are and further in the falling downe to be so ouerwhelmed on euery side with waues that thou wouldest verily think thy self to be enwrapped in the middest of the waters And all these thinges the Lord dooth who hath both sea and windes at commaundement and therfore in the song of the children euen the stormye windes also and waues of the sea are prouoked to praise the Lord. So that their soule melteth or is dissolued for trouble He addeth touching the affections of them that are endaungered through the tempest that so the greatnes of the danger might the more cléerly appeere and by increasement he heapeth vp all things that by the greatnes of the danger might be valued the greatnes of Gods goodnes and mercy wherby they are deliuered from distresse Their soule melteth saith he He first setâ—eth before our eyes the mosts greeuous â—â—â—tioÌ„s oâ— affections of their minâ—es For it behoueth them to be vehementlye troubl◠〈◊〉 and the dangers to be very great where the mindes are so immediatlye affrighted and shaken Secondlye he describeth also the motions or affections of their bodies by a certaine Rhethoricall resemblance or similitude They are tossâ—d to and fro saith he and stagger like a drunken man And this is a most apt similitude For by reason of the centinuall tossinges of the whole Shippe they alwaies reele to and fro and cannot stand vpright on their feete but are swayed with their whole bodies one while this waye another while that way Thirdly he addeth by encreasment or amplification that which noteth their extreme feare or desperation saying by a fine metaphor that all their cunning is gon that is to saye that there remaineth no direction in them and that they â—â—eme also to be depriued of common sence and feeling This is therefore a most apt discription of dreadfull and desperate dangers And this so great a perturbation of their mindes commeth by the consideration of things so right strange and wonderful to wit because they sée the wonderous works of the Lord in the deepe Whereby we learne héere 1 That the power and prouidence of God is wonderfull woorking euery where and in all creatures 2 How great the miserie of man is and how vtterlye vnable he is to hâ—lde out in any dangers 3 The vanitie of carnall wisdom is offred especially to be considered which in great dangers corporall and externall I say nothing of spiritual and internall is able to doo nothing at all Then they crye vnto the Lord. The second parte touching their deliuerance againe set down by a verse interlaced For he causeth the tempest to cease Trimly againe is the power goodnes of God héere illustrated and set foorth whilest by a new hypoty posis or representation of things he describeth the tempest to be alayed their mindes that were in danger to be cheered and they brought to their long wished for hauen The waues are still or silent is a metaphoricall spéech for because that in a tempest the Sea through the iustling togither of the waues maketh a kinde of bellowing and horrible noise And he procéedeth in the selfe same order héere speking of their deliuerance which he had procéeded in the former parte touching the dangers For first he describeth the stilling of the tempest next the ioyfull hartes of the saylers and thirdlye he noteth their happines in ariuing at their â—â—â—ged foâ— hauen And as he said before that the tempest was raised by the woord 〈◊〉 beck of the Lord so héere againâ— he saith that the tempest is stilled by his commaundement Whence we learn againe that nothing commeth to passe by happer â—â—â—paizâ— in these matters and much lesse by Chaunce or Fortune but that all thinges fall out by the singular prouidence of God and that perilles are procured of God and againe men by God deliuered out of them further that it dependeth not vpon our will to goe to any place whâ—rsoeuer we would be but vpon the will of God as Iarnes also in his Epâ—â—tle chap. 4. teacheth vs to adde alwaies as ofte as we purpose to doo any thing If the Lord will and if we liue we will doâ— this or that 31 Let their the 〈◊〉 â—â—nfesse before the Lord his louing kindenâ—â— and declare his wonderfull woorks before the sonnes of men 32 And let them exalte him in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the elders The conclusion hortatory by a derse interlaced hauing a more full exhortation added to praise and celebrate the goodnes of God much like as in the proofe before going And truelye so it is wont to come to passe that they which haue escaped a tempest or shippe wrack doo delight afterwards to tell it vnto others and that with a certaine pleasure and taking as it were therby a kinde of a comfort in their calamities as he also to witte Eneas said vnte his company Perhaps these thinges another day Will pleasure be for to displaye But they seldome so reporte them as to referre thein deliuerance to the woorke of the Lord and so to procure glory vnto him which was indeed their speciall duetie to doo Wherfore the Lord would haue our euasion out of dangers to be so declared as that not onelye we our selues might seeme to prase the Lord but that others also togither with vs might be stirred vp to the selfesame dutie With which thing God is so delighted as with no sacrifice the like yea and we cannot shewe a more notable token of our thankefulnes then by so dooing And it conteineth a prittie partition wherin of the multitude of beleeuers he calleth some the people and othersome the elders or superiors and of the people he maketh a congregation and to the elders he attributeth an assemblye noting therby 〈◊〉 certain difference of degrees and vnderstanding the whole multitude of beléeuers of whome it is requisite that the Lord should be praised for the dayly benefites which he bestoweth vpon them And as we haue heere a forme of consolation for those that are deliuered from fearefull tempestes on the Sea so may they fetche comfort from hence which hauing made shipwrack and lost peraduenture their goods and marchandize haue yet themselues escaped safe and sound In which behalfe also the goodnes and power of God ought to be considered In like manner are we to think of them that are deliuered out of the hands of theeues and robbers also out of the publike peril of fire 〈◊〉
vnderstanding euen vnto these earthlye thinges héere belowe and he proueth it by a similitude taken of the beauty of leaues and flowers all which thinges as vile and most quickly perrishing cannot saith he retaine the most comely features of their formes and fashions vnlesse they were there formed and made where that incomprehensible and vnchangeable beautye hauing all thinges abideth and continueth This the Lord Iesus sheweth there where he saith Consider the lillies of the feeld how they grow they labour not neither doo they spinne and yet I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not clothed like one of these Wherfore if god so clothe the grasse of the feeld which though it stand to day is to morrow cast into the furnasse shall he not doo much more vnto you O yee of little faith which woordes of Augustins we thought good euen for this cause to note that also by the testimonie of Plotinus the Platonicall philosopher they might be conuinced whosoeuer they be that doo hardly admitte particular prouidence That therfore which this Gentile could finde the meanes to drawe not only out of the puddels of his maister Plato in which the selfesame confession touching particular prouidence is found very cléerely expressed and chéefely in his book of Lawes the 10. againe in his Epinonio that is to say an appendix of lawes whence vndoubtedly euen Proclus also drew his opinion in all respectes like and semblable in the books which he wrote of prouidence but also out of the fountaines of holye Scripture as of whome the fame goeth by the report of Theodoretus that he was sometime an hearer of our olde father Origen in the schoole of Alexandria and tasted the secret misteries of our learning that I say which this Gentile hath put in writing as touching Gods prouidence let vs not be ashamed to imbrace but rather let vs be ashamed on the other side if we be slack to follow and endeuer to that knowledg vnto which he easily mounted and ascended It would be conueniēt by examples drawen out of the bookes of holy Scripture to haue this thing confirmed more at large to witte that the Lord woorketh vpon men and vpon all thinges created by his determinate counsell present administration but these things for this time I suppose to be sufficient The obiections against particular prouidence confuted where also is entreated of fortune fate destinie end or haphazard Chap. 4. BVt now let vs sée what it is that stayeth some men or what they are able at length to pretend wherby they should not with vs graunt this particular prouidence where through as well all the counsailes studies enterprises and actions of men are ruled and gouerned as also the powers and operations of inferiour creatures ordered and directed And it is to be thought they are moued most cheefely with these reasons First that seemeth by this assertion of particular prouidence that the freedome of mans wil is vtterly subuerted and man made like vnto a sencelesse block that cannot doo any thing of him selfe no not so much as moue but whither the Lord driueth him 2 Where if so great weaknes and imbecilitie of man be graunted and on the other side so great power and authoritie of prouidence as to woorke and doo all thinges it appeereth now that sinne also if any be committed by man must be imputed to God him selfe which truely once to conceiue in the minde were a hainous offence 3 By this meanes are excluded vniuersally all second causes wherof notwithstanding that some regard is to be had there is no man but willingly graunteth Moreouer there arise also other waightye questions and very troublesome doubts For by establishing of this particular prouidence there séemeth againe to be induced and established the Stoikes fate or desteny further that all casuall thinges are ouerthrowne and such as by an vsuall custome are saide to happen by chaunce againe that contingens or haphazard is taken away in defence notwithstanding wherof there be excellent diuines that do yet at this day labour with great consent For these causes I suppose and the same doubtlesse not slender but meruailous perplexed it appéerethe that a number are moued to yéeld vnto those that allowe only vniuersall prouidence which it seemeth expedient to defend least they should be inforced to graunt so many inconueniences absurdities as we haue now rehearsed It shall therfore be our part and duety if at least we couet to haue speciall or particular prouidence remaine safe and inuiolate to entreat of al these thinges and so farre foorth as we may and necessitie shall require declare that those thinges hurt either not at all or els not so much as some doo suppose Wherfore as touching that first reasons concerning the libertie of our will we will conclude the matter in a short summe As oft as there is any question made of the power of our will they are wont so to distinguish mens actions that some are said to be of thinges spirituall and internall which namely belong to God and his Kingdome and to the saluation of soules and some of thinges earthly or externall which doo appertaine to the common course of this life and without the which the same can by no meanes be passed ouer To be wort some haue appointed meane or middle actions In euery of these what man is able to doo we will bréefly consider Therfore in spirituall or internall actions which are occupied about the knowledge of God and of his will towardes vs also about the ordering of our life aunswerable to suche knowledge there is no man but confesseth that man is able to doo nothing by his owne naturall strength but if so be he doo any thing in this behalfe that it ought to be ascribed to the holy Ghoste who in the regenerate woorketh effectualy by enclining gouerning and directing their mindes and willes vnto those thinges that may be pleasing and acceptable vnto God This doctrin is throughly and euery where approoued in the holy Scriptures Hiere 21. I know Lord that it is not in man to guide his owne way nor in the sonne of man to direct his steepes Hiere 30. I will dispose him and he shall come vnto me for who is he that hath made his harte so willinge that he can come vnto me saith the Lord. Psal 36. It is the Lord that must direct the steppes of man Psal 119. Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes Turne awaye mine eyes least they beholde vanitie c. Many thinges to the same effecte are further noted in the said Psalme Iohn 3. A man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him from Heauen Iohn 6. No man commeth to me except my Father drawe him Iohn 15. without me ye can doo nothing 1. Corinth 2. The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that belong to the spirit of God 2. Corinth 3. We are not able of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues
but if we be able to doo any thing it commeth of God who hath made vs able ministers of the newe Testament To be short innumerable are the places that confirme this doctrine and none of those whome the Church acknowledgeth for diuines haue euer at any time taught otherwise except peraduentur◠that the Pelagians or their followers haue attempted somthing differing from it Now in earthlye or externall actions of which sorte are the exercises of politique and housholde affaires of the liberall artes likewise and handycrafts howsoeuer a man may seeme to be able of himselfe to doo any thinge and after his owne fancy likement to bring it to passe yet notwithstanding all men doo graunt this againe that he is ofte times letted and hindred in this behalfe whether it be of God or of the deuil whome God vseth euer and anon as his minister and instrument or of his owne reason and iudgement which is very much blinded and causeth him oft times to stumble so as he preferreth euill thinges before the good Hence it commeth to passe by Gods disposition that some magistrate dooth one while gouerne the Commonweale as becommeth him and an other while the same chaungeth his purpose or els peraduenture some wicked and vngodly Tirant succeedeth him in his place According to that of the Proverb 21. As the riuers of waters so is the Kings harte directed by the hand of the Lord and he enclyneth it whether soeuer he will Iob. 34. The Lord setteth vp the hypocrite to reigne because of the snares of the people Proverb 16. A diuine sentence is in the lips of the King therfore his mouth shall not transgresse in iudgement A true weight and balance are the iudgement of the Lord and all the weightes of the bagge are his woork In the same Chapter The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill Loe that the Maiestrate dealeth wickedly that the Subiects deale vngodly it commeth so to passe by the Lordes ordinance That riches wife childrēn contractes or bargaines knowledge of artes and sciences the vse or abuse of the same that al these things I say doo succeed or not succéed after the only will and pleasure of God it is more manifest then that it néedeth by heaping vp of witnesses to be prooued Finally if we looke into meane or middle actions such namelye as tende both to a good and euill end and are doon of all indifferently as well good as bad euen heere also nothinge commeth to passe be it right or wrong but so farre foorth as it séemeth good vnto the Lord to dispose it The minde body members and whatsoeuer els is necessary to the dooing or accomplishing of any thing is especially mooued by the Lord him selfe It séemeth a matter of no great waight to speak to lift vp the hand to holde vp the foot to eate to drinck to stand to sitte to goe any whither or not to goe and yet euen these things the Lord disposeth in all men neither can we doo any one of them but by his inclination and direction Pro. 16. It is in man to prepare the hart but the answere of the tung commeth of the Lord. Act. 17. By him we liue moue and haue our being Wherfore euen in these actions also the attemptes and enterprises of men are seen oftentimes to be letted and hindered and that by God him selfe What séemeth to be of lesse account thē in ciuill matters to ioyne thy self in company with this man or with that And yet 1. Sam. 10. They only follow Saule whose hartes the Lord had touched as for the wicked men they could not follow him Euery man thinketh it an easie matter either to sit still or to rise vp but Hely could not sit so still but that he fell out of his seate brake his neck and died because the Lord had so ordained it to come to passe before 1. Samu. 4. To stretch out or pluck in the arme to speake woordes likewise preach vnto any no man would iudge but that it were very frée and left to euery mans choice and yet for all that was Ieroboam letted that he could not pull back his arme 1. King 13. Herode was forbidden to hold the people any longer with talke Act. 12. Whilste he was sodainly stricken by the Angel Neither is there cause why any man should alleadg that these thinges ought to be considered as miraculous and more then ordinarye when as all these thinges doo teach and enstruct vs also aboundantly touching the ordinarye dispensation of God and further doo most grauely admonishe vs that in all our actions which we take in hand we should alwaies haue the Maiestie and power of Gods prouidence before our eyes What shall we say to this that we read euen the elect also to haue beene stayed from their godly purpose and that by the Lord him selfe Paule had oftentimes purposed to visite the Romanes and was letted Rom. 1. The same Act. 16 prepared with his companions to goe into Bithynia but he was not suffered by the spirite And for the same cause Iames in the 4. Chap. of his Epistle dooth wisely teach vs in all our attemptes and purposes to say If the Lord will To conclude neither in spiritual or internall actions neither in corporal or external neither in mean or middle can we doo any thing at all but so farre foorth as the Lord by his prouidence dooth gouerne and direct vs. What then are we able to doo nothing by our owne will nothing by our owne choyce Yes I graunt Man hath his choice in man there is a will as in him also there is reason and iudgement For who would goe about to take these thinges from him when as the Scriptures also doo propound many thinges touching the will of man wherby he turneth him selfe one while this way another while that way But the matter commeth to this point that choyce and will of his is very sore wounded weake and féeble so as it scarce deserueth so much as the bare name neither can it procéed further in dooing of any thing then the Lorde prescribeth Thus then woorketh Gods prouidence and withall woorketh mans will If the prouidence of God hath determined any thing to be doon by man thē is mans will also caried to the selfesame thing applying it self wholy vnto it and waighting vpon it no otherwise then the horsse who as the rider turneth the bridle so dooth he turne him selfe into this or that way Which similitude Augustine also vsed and in my iudgement very aptly For like as the Rider in very déede ruleth the horsse and neuerthelesse the horsse is he that goeth forward by his own motion euen so God directeth man also and yet neuer the later man dooth of his owne will that which he doth For why it followeth not that because the Lord ruleth and moderateth the actions therfore man woorketh not of his owne will for indeed the very
vnderstanding cannot attaine vnto further foorth then they are expressed in the Scriptures So Esau before he was borne was hated of the Lord and by him ordained to forgoe the blessing Likewise God woorketh and some he casteth vp sometimes into a reprobate minde but in in this pointe whilest he punisheth their former mallice wherby they wold not acknowledge the trueth offered or béeing knowen would néedes set it at naught nay violentlye oppresse it certes in this case he deserueth the praise and commendation of iustice Againe on the other side such men woork but heaping one sinne vpon an other and gréeuing continually the spirit of God by their obstinacie in euil dooing Touching this woork of God and likewise of euill men it is thus written Rom. 1. Therfore because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull c. God also gaue them vp to their owne hartes lustes vnto vncleannes to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues c. Where is to be obserued this particle to their owne hartes lust because therby is noted the proper mallice of those men for that which they are worthely blamed Rom. 11. out of Esa 6. God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not see and eares that they should not heare vnto this day 2. Thes 2. The comming of that man of sinne is with all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes among them that perrishe because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that al they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes To be short God woorketh but yet so as he tickeleth the minde of him whom he moueth to the intent that so soone as he perceiueth himselfe to be any way prouoked vnto euill he may haue occasion to acknowledge his owne weaknes to craue and call for Gods help and at a woord to beléeue vndoubtedly that he shall obtayne it So Paule when there was giuen vnto him a prick in the fleshe the messenger of Sathan to buffet him 2. Corinth 12. he tooke occasion thereby to pray often and when he obtayned not the same to be taken from him he was taught thereby that it was sent vnto him for his great profit to wit that he should not be exalted out of measure through the abundance of reuelations God woorketh but yet moderately and least a man should be tempted aboue his strength that so he may be holpen in due time God worketh but so as he may the more gloriously lift him vp that is fowly fallē heale him that is wounded and exalte him that is humbled God woorketh in the Chaldies Iob. 1. and in Semei 2. Sam. 16. but it was to proue the manifolde strength as well of Iob as of Dauid and that dooth both Iob and Dauid confesse the one saying I he Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away the other forbidding the partie to be hindred and expresly adding That the Lord had giuen Semer in charge so to cursse and blaspheme God woorketh in the théef man slayer but it is to the intent to deliuer the partie wrongfully troubled or slaine out of far greater miseries and to translate him into eternall life to the intent also that the Prince or Judge may haue iust matter and occasion to punish the malefactor with due paines and penalties of lawe that many of the common people which haue not offended in like sort may take example by him that is punished to beware of the like enormities to conclude for other good and profitable causes which all we in no wise are able to discusse In summe God dooth all in all euen in euill and wicked men yet iustly and to a good end But the thinges that in these selfe same actions are comnitted of men or els of the deuill for that we may note this also by the way it is not absurde if we say that God men and the Deuill doo woorke togither to one and the selfe same thing which thing is to be seen in the betraying of Christ where the Lord had appointed it so to be then Sathan entred into the hart of Iudas and Iudas wayting his opportunity committed the déed likewise in Iob where the Lord woorketh then next Sathan and the Chaldeans doo egregiously play their partes wherby it commeth to passe that as God is saide to harden so is the same power attributed vnto man to wit that he hardeneth himselfe Psal 94. Harden not your hartes and againe the deuill is saide to woork in the vnbelleuers 2. Corinth 4. Ephes 2 whither we haue respect to the manner or to the ende doo sauour of nothing els but euill they tend to no other purpose then euill and they doo all thinges euery where if not openly yet at the least priuily against the glory of God and against the profit of their neighbour Which thinges seeing they stand thus doubtlesse the blame and blemishe of all euill reboundeth vpon man and the deuill and God dooth euermore retaine and keepe the praise of iustice goodnes power and other such like excellent vertues And howsoeuer God woorketh in these matters yet hath man no iust cause of mourning neither can he pretend the iust and good ordinance of God to couer his owne mallice and vnrighteousnes To this point we must of necessitie come at the length and confesse that because God so willeth and because he willeth nothing but good therfore he cannot deale or woork otherwise then well Hence is that Rom. 9. Why dooth he yet complain For who hath resisted his wil But o man who art thou that pleadest with God Shal the pot say to the potter why hast thou made me of this fashion c. Fourthly Sinne can in no wise be imputed vnto God but it is imputed vnto man because god is subiect to no lawes against which he might be conuicted to offend but vnto man ther is a law alwaies prescribed by the which he is reproued of sinne and brought to the knowledge of sinne And so although God be after his manner author of the woorke yet is he not author of the sinne Now then it is a very easie matter to answere to the other cauillations as namely wherfore man should be punished and drawne as it were to the place of execution Doubtlesse seeing be committeth euill of his owne will séeing that as well all the matter of euill is found to be in him as also that he hath respect to an euill end in his actions and séeing also that he transgresseth the law prescribed vnto him worthilye is he drawne before the Judge beeing the minister of Gods iustice and the instruement ordained of God for the preseruation of publique peace in the fellowship and societie of men who is to punish him according to the qualitie of his offence And thus much for the second obiection against pecultar or
vnlooked for be saide after a sort to fal out by Fortune in respect of vs and after a certaine manner of speaking from which it must be abandoned the fond imagination touching any such seuerall power of Fortune as giueth and bestoweth all thinges vpon whome she will but yet in respect of God we hath as it is euident prest and ready causes of all things that come to passe nothing can be said to happen by Chance or Fortune Yea and to say the very trueth neither ought we in respect of our selues to graunt any thing vnto Fortune â—ith of what things soeuer come to pas our minde albeit it perceiueth not the outward causes and which we vsually terme next or neerest yet hath it at all times in a readines and vnderstandeth the principall woorking cause to witte the prouidence and good will of God For this is a most certaine role to answere directly vnto euery question touching the causes of those thinges that are seene to come to passe namely that they are all wrought and accomplished by Gods good will prouidence Whither belonge those godly wishes and desires of the Saintes in thinges doutfull and to come The Lords will be done likewise in consideration of thinges doon and past So hath it pleased the Lord his will be fulfilled And to this effect Augustine de Ciuitate Dei lib. 5. chapter 9. saith That the causes which are called fortnitae that is casuall or working by fortune are not altogither none at all but such as lye hid in secret and therfore to be ascribed to the will of God But it shal not be amisse to illustrate and set foorth the matter with some examples And first touching Chance Is it not a thing likely to be doon by chance that a Ramme being caught by the hornes stack fast in the bryers when Abraham was about to offer by his sonne in sacrifise But Abraham had said before that The Lord would prouide him a sacrifise being assured by faith that the Lord wold do whatsoeuer was expedient and the same Ramme became there a figure of Christ Gen. 22. Again that the Casket wherin Moses was put should slote néere to the place where Pharaohs daughter was gone downe to wash her selfe appéereth to haue hapned by chance but for what great and weighty causes the Lord disposed it so to come to passe al the holy books of the Bible do most plentifully witnes Exod. 2. Further we would say that it was by chance that the iron of the Are wherwith one of the schollers of Elizeus hewed timber fell into the water but therby tooke the Prophet occasion to woorke a miracle wherby he testified his incomparable faith to God-ward and his louâ— toward his neighbour 2 Kings 6. To be short it may séeme to come by chance that a Viper creeping out of the fire caught Paule by the haÌ„d at Melita but that thing was the cause foorth with why the barberous people magnified the Apostle as a God acknowledged him to be most déer vnto god Act. 28. We might adioyâ—â— yet moe examples but that we haue to speak in like maner touching the euents of Fortune Wherin I pray you dooth it seeme that any thing may more iustly appéere to be forcuitum or hapning by fortune then in lottes and yet the Scripture dooth apparantlye teach that while The lotte is cast into the lap the whole disposition therof coÌ„meth of the Lord Pro. 16. And by this meanes the Lord him-selfe ordering the lotte was Saule found out to be anointed with oyle and so to be declared King 1. Sam. 10. Ionathan was founde to haue tasted honye 1. Sam. 14. Ionas was bewrayed for that refusing the charge enioyned him of the Lord he fled an other way Ionas 1. Mathias was called to the office of Apostle Act 1. May it not be thought also worthily to fall out by Fortune that Rebecca rather then any other should giue drinck to the vnknowne seruant of Abraham afterward adde that she would in like manner draw water for his Camelles But surely the Lord wold haue these thinges to be for a signe wherby the seruant might knowe what manner of one she was that his Masters sonne should espouse Gen 24 would not all men likewise say that Fortune hare a great stroake when Dauid being thrise pursued of Saule with a speare or Iauelin to haue thrust him through escaped yet safe and sound But we must mark how oft it is mentioned there that the Lord was with Dauid and that Dauid gaue thanks to God alone for his deliuerance 1 Sam. 18.19 And who wold not iudge Absolons fortune to be strange and meruailous who whilest he rode vpon a mule in great haste was caught by the haire of the head and hanged vpon the bough of an Oake where also being thrust through by Ioab he was foorth-with slaine outrightes of his seruants and cast into a pitte in the wood and without all honour couered with a heape of stones But there in that place the Lorde himselfe is saide to haue compassed about the men that lifted vp their hand against the king and to haue iudged for Dauid 2 Sam. 18. Therfore to conclude what things soeuer do happen so vpon the sodaine and vnlooked for that there appéere no causes why they should so come to passe when yet they might fall out otherwise must be referred to the will prouidence of God as vnto the chéefe and principall cause But if thou wilt still tearme them Fortuita or falling foorth by fortune after the vsuall manner and custome of speaking yet must thou néedes graunt this that except the Lord him selfe doo dispose and direct them they can neuer come to passe nor attaine to any perfection And whilste thou doost this thou thy selfe by rendring some cause and the same certain of the fact doost now plainely subuert the nature of Fortune sith verily there can fall out nothing by Fortune but wherof the cause is vnknowen Therefore whosoeuer iudgeth aright touching Gods prouidence he perceiueth ful wel that Fortune or chaunce is nothing As also the Stoikes in like maner who contended that all thinges came to passe by Fate or Destiny are reported wisely to haue taken away Fortune and Chaunce from whose sentence or iudgement the Satyricall Poet cryeth out Thy Godhead failes if wisdome once take place but Fortune we Doo thee a Goddes make and eke in heauen doo harbour thee Signifying that Fortune was so highlyâ— estéemed and exalted onely and alone by the foolish perswasion of men Wherfore to th' end the studious may learn to obserue how they may speake truelye and without offence touching thinges happening by Fortune as they vse to call them I will adde touching that matter the woordes of S. Augustine out of his first booke and first Chapter of Retractions In my bookes against the Academiks saith he it greeueth me that I haue so often vsed the name of Fortune Albeit my meaning was not to haue any goddesse
clad also in a partie colloured coat and for that cause became very much hated of his brethren Beholde a certaine beginning or entry into the matter though appeering onlye a farre off from the which afterward it came to the platforme touching the selling of Ioseph and which although it were euill God intended to vse to the procuring of much good Heerupon Ioseph hath dreames in appeerance and outward shew very absurd but in trueth most certaine prognostications of great and most weighty matters to be accomplished in him As for Dreames they might seeme if any other thing at all to fall out especially by contingence or haphazard as that which are accounted for light and vaine thinges and yet that they were sent of God the very sequell of the matter did declare Doutles it is meruailous to beholde the maiestie of God occupied euen about the disposing of mens dreames And for the same cause were these dreames very much suspected of his bretheren for they priuily feared that it might one day so come to passe as the dreames did portend their conscience no doubt telling them somwhat touching the power of Gods prouidence wonderfullye ruling and ouer-mastering mens matters And concerning his Father it is expressely added that he kept this saying diligently in his hart By which testimony the holy ghost declareth that he was a most reuerend regarder of the diuine prouidence and that he considered right well that those dreames were not sent at all aduentures but by the will of God yea for great and weightye causes But how came Ioseph into Egipt God put into the minde of Iacob to send Ioseph into the fieldes to séeke vp his bretheren Neither in deede was this very thinge doone with-out the determinate puppose of God Ioseph beeing departed stayeth in the feelds wher he findeth one that setteth him the right waye and besides telleth him tydinges of his bretheren where they are As yet there was nothing doone without cause For if this man had not been met withall perhaps Ioseph being wery would haue returned home and of the busines should not haue gon forward Wherfore albeit it may appeere that these thinges came to passe by contingence or haphazard yet is it plaine that nothing was doon without the dispensation of God And loe Ioseph was no sooner come into the sight of his bretheren but that they all eftsoones conspire his death They conceiue in deede a detestable fact but yet such as the Lord will immediatly alter out of which shall come a singuler good Onely Ruben dooth constantly intreat perswading rather to haue him cast into a pitte hoping by that meanes that he might priuily conuaye Ioseph safe vnto his Father And this thing was procured by the Lord least their minds being as yet on fire they should foorthwith defile their hands with their brothers blood Albeit neither did this counsell of Ruben preuaile according to his desire It was in déed good godly of it selfe as that which would haue béen very ioyful to the Father holsome to Ioseph and no whit discommodious to the bretheren and therfore in our iudgement God ought of right to haue holpen forward the attempts of Ruben But in vaine is mans counsayle let against Gods As the counsell of them that would haue had hun destroyed could not take the effect so was it not expedient that his counsaile that coueted to saue him should goe for payment seeing they bothe were indifferently against the immutable decree of the Lord touching the promoting of Ioseph in Egipt which was altogether necessary to be perfourmed Ioseph therfore is cast in to a pitte as who should say to be killed with hunger In the meane time that outragiousnes of minde and boyling wrath in the bretheren is for great good by little and little slaked and waxen colde What then Marry besides all expectation comes me Ismalitish marchants that way But think not that any thing came to passe by haphazard God himselfe had very fitly drawen them to that place For why by this occasion the bretheren changing their sentence consult about the felling of Ioseph to the Ismaelites And héer a man may see the principall meane which the Lord had preordayned for the conuaying of Ioseph into Egipt Wherfore this last deuise of the bretheren the Lord would haue to take place and Ioseph now is solde vnto the Ismaelites he acompanieth them directly into Egipt where he must one day bear the chéefe sway By the way I admonish that heere was propounded and set foorth a wonderfull token and mysterye of Gods dispensation towards the first springing Church in that Ioseph was rather solde for the price of money then by any other meanes which might easily also haue beene deuised cast out For in this behalfe there ought to appeere in Ioseph a type and figure of Christe to be solde afterwarde in like manner Ioseph being solde his party-coulored coate dipped in blood is sent vnto his Father least the olde man should come to the knoledge of the sinne committed and might think the Childe to be torne in peeces by some wilds beast But beholde why God would haue Ioseph to be adorned of his Father with such a garment verily to this end that by this signe he might be induced to beleeue be throughly perswaded of the matter And the Lord would therfore haue this conceit to be inuēted by the bretheren and the Father to be perswaded least the old man should be carefull afterward to make any further enquirie for his Sonne who vndoubtedly would haue laboured euen to his exceding coste and charges to haue fetched him back out of the middest of Egipt if he had knowne him to be there So farre foorthe was that necessarye to be fulfilled which the Lord had alredy determined touching the going of Ioseph into Egipt That which followeth Gen. 38. belongeth not to Ioseph neuerthelesse it contayneth notable instructions concerning Gods prouidence For that we may adde this also as it were by the way it is declared how Thamar taking the matter greuously for that after the death of her husband Er the sonne of Iuda his other sonne Sela being promised vnto her was yet giuen vnto another she in trim apparell and fashioned in a maner after the guise of Harlots went into a common way and that Juda came hastilye thither the selfe same way and companied with her whō he suspected to be a Harlot being in very déed his daughter in lawe and gather with childe giuing her for a pledge or token inasmuch as he had no reward in a readines to bestowe on her his ring Staffe and cloake Now in this history many thinges nay euery thing might séeme to fall out Contingently or by Haphazard for what might be saide to be more Contingent then to be clad in this or that garment to goe to this or that place to resort to a woman with a will to be naught with her to giue a pledge or not to giue it if
we were not taught by the Euangelists Math 1. Luke 3. very cleerely and manifestlye that euery thing was so disposed and ordered by the Lord him selfe vnto whom it séemed good by such a meane to amplifie the stock and familie out of which Christ was to be borne and to vse the lewde and naughtye will of Iuda vnto good Furthermore Ioseph being entred into Egipt what dooth he Is he raised by and by to the administratiō of the common wealth or doth he hastily thrust forward him self to intermeddle with hard difficulte affaires No verily The Lord would haue as yet many things to goe betweene Ioseph was already before once solde Genes 39. and not to any of the common sort but to Potiphar the cheefe steward of Pharaoh who beholding him to be adorned with excellent giftes of body and minde betaketh vnto him the charge of his whole house and of all his goods And thus would the Lord as it were prepare Ioseph after a sort to vndertake great and waighty matters afterward and to liue in such a place as where occasion might be giuē both to heare and learn many things Which that it might the more conuenientlye be accomplished the Lord made such signes to appeere in Ioseph as wherby al men might vnderstand that euery of his actions were especially gouerned by the heauenlye prouidence Wherupon the Scripture there in that place prouoking vs vndoubtedly to the consideration of God prouidence euery where woorking dooth somtimes repeate that God was with Ioseph and made all thinges to prosper that he tooke in hand Now come we to those meanes which it pleased God to vse in aduauncing Ioseph to so excellent a dignitie Doubtlesse to mans reason they might be though very fond and foolish yea and some of them such as by which we might gather that Ioseph was rather forsaken of God then holpen For why he must fetch his beginning heere from the foule and filthy prison and must tread his firste step to glory through the path of extreame shame and ignominy Potiphars wife burning in lust and feigning lies touching force to be offered vnto her by Ioseph was the cause that he being guiltlesse and innocent was cast into prison But certainly Gods prouidence fleapt not in the meane time as busilye disposing how out of the sinne of a shamelesse harlot and the misteries of his seruant wrongfully vexed he might raise and procure many good thinges First he brought to passe that Joseph was very well liked accepted of the ruler of the prison and in that respect was so muh the better prouided for For thus saith the Scripture expressely But God was with Ioseph and gaue him fauour in the sight of the maister of the prison Heerupon the ruler committed also vnto Ioseph the charge of all the prisoners And so Ioseph euen in bonds yet the Lord so ordaining beareth ruler so trulye might it be saide that he all the time he was in Egipt did nothing els then exer cile a perpetuall kinde of gouernement play the part continually of a maister that was solde to be a bond seruant He had borne authoritie in Potiphars house he beareth authoritie in the prison and euery where happily it remaineth only that he be preferred ouer all Egipt to gouerne it with like felicitie And to this dignity he was aduaunced by this occasion There were in the prison at that time Pharaohs Butler and Baker as it is written Genes 40. These men as it happeneth sometimes had Dreames wherwith they were not a little troubled But note héer againe that dreames are induced of God and that not without a cause Ioseph as he was taught of God for so he saith there Are not interpretations of God declareth the signification of the dreames saying that they are most certaine fore demonstrations touching the issue of either of their cause After three daies the thing it selfe approued the trueth of the interpretation whilste the one as Ioseph had foretolde was hanged vpon a tree and the other restored to his former office But when two yéeres were expired after that King Pharaoh him selfe Genes 41. is vehemently troubled with strange and vnaccustomed dreames neither desired he any thing so much as to hear of some one that could tell him the meaning of them and what they betokened Sée héere the counsell and purpose of God When as there could none be found among all the wise men of Egipt of which sort there were thē many that could say any thing in effect to the matter the Butler not doubtles contingētly or at al aduentures but God plucking him as it were by the eare remembreth Ioseph and sheweth Pharaoh of his dexteritie in expounding and interpreting of dreames Pharaoh forthwith commaundeth him to be brought out of prison vnto his presence without any delaye telleth him his dreames and requireth him to declare the meaning of them There Ioseph referring all thinges as was méet and conuenient to the prouidence of God Not I saithe he but God shall giue answere for the welfare of Pharaoh And a little after Both Pharaohs dreames are one and God hath showed vnto Pharaoh what he is about to doo Again And this is the thing which I haue said vnto Pharaoh that God hath shewed vnto Pharaoh what he purposeth to do And againe And because the dream was doubled vpon Pharaoh the second time beholde the thing is established by God and God will make haste to perfourme it Then the which what could be spoken more grauelye or how could it be more cleerelye expressed that all thinges that are come to passe by Gods ordinance and that they must of necessitie be accōplished which he hath once determined God forbid therfore that either in Pharaohs dreams or in Iosephs deliuerance or in any other actiōs whatsoeuer we should giue any place to Contingence Certes Pharaoh him selfe and al his Courteours acknowledged Gods prouidence so effectually woorking in Ioseph and extolled the same with praise For hauing heard the most wholesome counsell and aduice of Ioseph touching the gathering vp of the fruites into the barnes during all the space of the seauen fruitfull yéeres Pharaoh said vnto his seruāts Can there be found any such man as this in whom is the spirit of God Then said he to Ioseph Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is no man of wisdome and vnderstanding like vnto thee Thou shalt therfore be ouer mine house and at thy commaundement shall all my people be armed and only in the Kinges throne will I be aboue thee c. Then Pharaoh called Iosephs name Zaphnath Paaneah as a man would say the searcher and expounder of hidden misteries Beholde how that now is perfourmed in Ioseph which God had alreadye determined and how that whatsoeuer things are hither to doone were procured by the singuler prouidence of God and especiallye directed to this point namely that Ioseph might be advanced to the gouernemēt of the whole Kingdome of Egipt What man
woordes vnto Iacob in the same Chapter set downe Feare not saith he to goe downe into Egipt for I will make thee a great nation I will goe downe with thee into Egipt and I will also bring thee back again And by this occasion not only is brought to an ende that which Ioseph taught of God by a dreame had foreseene should be fulfilled in him self but also that which God two hundred yeers before had foretolde vnto Abraham to witte that it would come to passe that his posteritie should soiourne and serue in a strange land Very wonderfull doubtlesse and ioyfull it is to consider by what meanes and proceedinges God bringeth his determinations to passe And hither to touching the History of Ioseph wherupon inasmuch as it dooth moste cleerlye teach that nothing though neuer so vile and abiect in apparaÌ„ce to mans reason coÌ„meth to passe contingently or by haphazard we haue so much the more willinglye written all these things at large for that our hope is that godly and well disposed mindes may héerby take an example how in other holy Histories also they ought to obserue and mark the force and power of Gods prouidence euery where busily occupied Now to the other Historie touching Absolon seeking by fraud and force to inuade his Fathers Kingdome We wil dispatch the matter in fewe woords How God diuersely punisheth sinnes neither suffreth he any to liue so securely but that he afflicteth them oftentimes with gréeuous distresses although otherwise excellent men and déer vnto God we may beholde it euen in Dauid alone who after he had committed adultery fell also into man-slaughter and therfore he was to see his owne house plagued with the infamy of most shamefull whoredomes and murders with whoredome when his daughter Thamar was defiled with her brother Ammon and with murder when Absolon slue his brother Ammon at a banquet But that that followeth is farre more gréeuous The same Absolon after thrée yeers banishmeÌ„t by reason of the murder which he had committed being returned home and receiued into fauour atempted most wickedly to thrust his own father from the Kingdome and to get it to himselfe by force Wherfore in this historie let vs sée first of all the scope and drift of Gods purpose God had determined to bring these thinges to passe as we may easilye gather by the very order and course of the thinges doone first and principally to exercise and humble Dauid with sondry battayles to the end he might afterward aduaunce him to the greater glory secondly to destroy proud and subtill Absolon and thirdly by the same occasion in bringing a great slaughter vpon the people for their sins to reduce them into the right way Now let vs weigh and consider by what meanes God ordayned these thinges to be accomplished Certainly the beginnings are wonderfull Absolon first and formost prouided him Chariotes and horss-men also a company of men to gaâ—d his body or to goe before him 2 Sam. 15. further by saluting and embracing priuatly euery man that he met withall and likewise by taking vp all mens matters and causes to himselfe he did most shely get and procure the good will and fauour of the whole people For why by this glittering showe glorious furniture togither with a counterfet kinde of incompatable curtesie it behooued the poore ignorant people to be deluded which should afterward cleane vnto him In which behalfe there appéereth a sensible argument of Gods wrathe For looke whome the Lord will destroy those first he blindeth that soeing they may not sés embrace false good thinges for true Where furthermore he feigneth that he must pay his vow and offer sacrifice in Hebron and for that cause obtayneth leaue of his father to goe thither suborning and sending foorth some before that in giuing a signe by the sound of a Trumpet should spread abroad and giue out speach on euery side that he reigned as King in Hebron this doubtles was a very fit occasion to bring the matter to passe then the which could not be deuised a better or more conuenient that the same was so prouided of God we will eftsoones make plaine and manifest To let this passe how that the crafty For gaue a notable testimony of Gods prouidence wheÌ„ he said that what time he remayned in Geshur he vowed to the Lord if at any time he shold bring him backe againe to the Citie a sacrifice or peace offring in Hebron For why he acknowledged that he was banished by the will of the Lord and againe that he was restored by the same will Further Dauid hauing heard of the tumulte raysed by Absolon and of the rage of the people beeing in great heuines and perplexitie escaped by flight accompanied with a huge multitude wherin also were the Preests bearing with them the Arke of the couenant But that all these thinges were doone by the ordinance of God himselfe and from the same all manner of successe was to be looked for Dauid very plainly confessed when as sending backe the Préeste and Leuites vnto Hierusalem he spake in this sorte vnto them Carry the Arke of God againe into the Citie if I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew me both it and the tabernacle therof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee beholde heere am I let him do to me as seemeth good in his owne eyes A notable confession of a minde iudging all thinges to be gouerned by the only prouidence of God Not long after when Dauid heard say that the great wise man Ahitophel was reuolted to Absolon what saith hee Turne I pray thee O Lord the counsell of Ahitophel into foolishnes For why it is a certain trueth that all our thoughts willes and councels are mooued and directed euerie kinde of way by the Lord himself Moreouer when hee perswadeth Hushet to conuey him self also with spéed to Absolons camp supposing that hée might conueniently bring to naught the counsell of Ahitophell It is an euident argument that second causes may indéed doo some what but neither more nor lesse nor furtherfoorth then to him that is the first cause yea and the cause of all causes shall seem good and expedient Wheras in the 16. chap. wicked Simei commeth forth cursing and reuiling kéeping a quoyte and casting stones also bothe at Dauid and at those that were with him godly Dauid interpreteth euen this thing also to be doone by Gods ordinance and therfore forbiodeth him to be stricken by Abizai the sonne of Zeruiah or by any meanes to be letted or prohibited In that he so curseth saith he he doth it euen because the Lord hath bidden him cursse Dauid who dare then say wherfore hast thou doone so Thus verilye that this thinge ought to be accomplished not contingeÌ„tly but necessarily he willingly acknowledgeth And he addeth Beholde my sonne which came out of mine own bowels seketh my life then how much more-now may this sonne
of Iemini He layeth alike both the wicked attempts of Absolon and desperate saucynes of Simei vpon the prouidence of God It followeth in the same place Suffer him to cursse for the Lord hath bidden him note that he saith bidden It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction and do me good for his curssing this day By which woordes it plainly appéereth that wicked Simei brast forth to so heinous a fact by the very wil and impulsiō of the Lord himselfe but yet that the Lord can when it pleaseth him turne the malice of Simei to Dauids good Now how in like manner through the disposition of Gods prouidence the counsell of wise Ahitophell was ouerthrowne by Hushai according as Dauid had desired may out of that lōg narration Chap. 17. be sufficiently vnderstood but chefly out those woords of the scripture which are added afterward The Lord had determined saith he to destroye the good counsell of Ahitophell and the cause is added comprehen ding a reason of the whole matter That the Lord might bring euil vpon Absolon Therfore the Lord gouerneth mens mindes and willes yea and inclineth them after a sorte so as they are caried after euill and whatsoeuer is heer 's doone by Absolon is doone by the Lords disposition By like reason it came to passe that Ahitophell was so fierce cruell against his owne life that he went and hanged him selfe In that behalf it pleased the Lord to reuēge his trechery and to bring to passe that euill counsell according to the Prouerb might be seene to fall out worst to the counséllour himselfe Further touching them that were sent vnto Dauid to show him the counsell of Hushai and likewise through what policye they were saued from their enemies hands by a woman it were long to declare yet in the mean season that all things were doon by Gods prouidence it may sufficiently appeer by those things that are spokē of Hushai which fled at Dauids commaundement For looke from whome the end floweth and from the same also without question must be deriued the meanes tending to the same end Now the things that follow Chap. 18. touching the conflict of both the armies touching the twenty thousand that were slayne of Absolons parte and touching the miserable end of Absolon himselfe that they can by no meanes be referred to contingence or haphazard the very woordes of the Scripture doo aboundantly testifie wherby whatsoeuer came to passe is ascribed onely to Gods prouidence For so we heard before That the Lord would bringe euill vpon Absolon And in this self same Chap. 18. Ahimaaz saith of Dauid The Lord hath deliuered him out of the hand of his enemies Againe the same man to Dauid Blessed be the Lord thy God who hath shut vp the men that lift vp their hands against my Lord the King And immediatly after Chusi also saith vnto him The Lord hath deliuered thee this day out of the hand of all that rose vp against thee We sée cleerly they all doo confesse that euery thing was doone by the wil and dispensation of God and that it cannot be said without the greate iniury of Gods name that any thing came to passe casuallye or by chance-medley Thus much of Absolon and I think inough For in that Dauid after a sorte did beare héere a type of Christ and they that cleaued to him a type and figure of the Church on the other side in that Absolon with his adhearents shadowed out the persecutors and enemies of the gospel and that by the diuine prouidence so ordaining as in many other actions of the holy Fathers we know a type and figure of thinges to be accomplished by Christ apéered there is no cause why we should enter now into this field Verily I suppose that these two examples are of vs in such wise discussed and declared as that euery man heerafter may easilye without any difficultie by himselfe finde out and determine in other holy discourses also by like occasiō the places commending the force power of Gods prouidence especially séeing there is scarce any narration to be found in the holy Scriptures wherin are not some such places intermixed and that almoste appéering manifest to sight And it behoueth vs to iudge that it was procured by the singuler purpose and counsell of the holy ghost that such and so many places do euery where come to hand For why they doo not only preach and set foorth Gods prouidence woorking al in al things which in trueth can neuer sufficiently be blazed and displayde as it deserueth but also further they comprehend manifolde and the same most swéete and holesome doctrine For they will vs especially to acknowledge our owne weakenes and miserie they admonish vs to learne to depend wholy vpon God alone to commend all our actions all our life long vnto him they stirre vp faith in vs they inuite vs to continuall inuocation of the grace and helpe of God they counsell vs to take in good parte whatsoeuer happeneth amongst men and so they moue vs to modesty patience long sufferance finally they propound vnto vs in all thinges that come to passe the diuine power goodnes righteousnes attentiuely to be marked and euer more to be praised Séeing therfore these places are such let no man be of this minde to think that they are carelessely to be passed ouer Wherfore by all these things we haue sufficiently and cléerely enough proued that neither to Fate or Destiny nor to Chaunce nor to Fortune nor to Contingence or haphazard may any place be giuen at al in our sacred philosophye where iust regard is had of Gods prouidence and the same worthily esteemed Whither the Prouidence of God imposeth a necessitie to thinges prouided Chap. 6. NOw some men may say If nothing at all commeth to passe Contingentlye or by Haphazard nor nothing by necessitie of Consequence then it followeth that all thinges come to passe by necessitie as they call it Absolute yea and that all thinges that happen are accomplished by a certaine vnchangeable and vnauoydable necessitie so as they cannot possibly choose but be doone And is this in any wise to be graunted To this obieicton or question we will answer in fewe woordes 1 First if we list not to striue about woords or sentences but are content to vse those that we see oftentimes to be met withal in the holy Scriptures nothing forbiddeth but that we may say simplye that all thinges come to passe by necessitie and that it is impossible but the thinges should be accomplished which the Lord hath ordained to be doone For after this sort Christ him self saith simply It is necessary that offences should come It is impossible but that offences should come againe All thinges must be fulfilled which were written of him by the Prophets And thus it was necesserye that Iudas should sell and betraye Christe to the Iewes for mony it was necessary that Peter should deny Christ thrice it was
vndoubtedly prouide thée a place where thou mayest safely rest These are the thinges which we stand most in need off in our common course of life and with the which he that courteth nothing beyond the lawes of nature touching a sober and moderate life may content himselfe after which sort also the Apostle spake full wel of himselfe and of all that professe Christe 1. Timoth. 6. Godlines saith he is great riches if a man be contented with that he hath For we brought nothing into the world and it is certain that we can cary nothing out Therfore hauing foode and rayment let vs therewith be content Now these thinges will God haue vs to looke for from him and we finde by experience that howsoeuer we bestow al our labours and trauailes about them yet we attaine not vnto them but by his liberalitie True it is indéede that these thinges are bestowed vpon some more plētifully and vpon other more sparingly but it cannot be denied that there is giuen vnto all so much as is sufficient for the naturall sustentation of life But if thou see'st more giuen to one then to another yet thou oughtest to think that there is nothing doone without certaine aduice and iust causes Thou maruellest perhaps why he hath not giuen vnto thée great riches But beholde how wisely the prouidence of God dealeth with thee Thy pouertie keepeth thée in an humble and thrifty estate of life so thou art brought to imbrace other vertues also which spring out of these wheras otherwise if thou flowedst in riches after thy desire then becomming dissolute through immoderate superfluitie thou wouldest apply thy minde to all manner of vices and which is yet more greeuous thou wouldst drawe others also togither with thy selfe into shamefull ruine and destruction Thy pouerty is the cause why thou imployest thy study in learning and supernaturall philosophie which otherwise thou shouldest neuer I beleeue haue tasted so much as a far off Thy pouerty causeth thee to behaue thy self modestly towards all men and diligently to imbrace freendship and peace who if thou couldest challenge to thy selfe but so much as the name or title of a rich man thou wouldest become greeuous and intollerable to all Further he that would haue thée to be poore the same prouideth in the meane time that nothing shall be wanting vnto thee I say for thy necessarye preseruation He moueth others for the vertues which they perceiue in thee to fauor thée and to eudeuer to doo thée good Yea and thy wife and Children if thou hast any by reason of thy pouertie become more stronge and lusty and are stirred vp to diligence in dooing of their duties and following of their labours which otherwise thou wert like to haue slothfull and vnthriftie and rather burdensome vnto thee then profitable Besides what a benefite is this that pouertie exempteth thée from many great greeuous annoyances the which rich men will they nill they are inforced to goe vnder and how great they are no man can easilye tell but he that hath had experience of them But it shal be good for thee to weigh more exactly the spirituall benefites also which doo come vnto thee by thy pouerty It giueth thée occasion continuallye to call vpon the Lord whilest thou requirest of him thinges necessary for thee and knowest them to be looked for from him alone It causeth thee from time to time to commend thy selfe and all thine to him onelye and willinglye to depend vpon him alone It maketh thee to become resolute so as the woord of God which thou hast heard is not choked through the thorny cares of richesse and voluptuousnes in the feelde of thine hart It taketh away also the nourishmente of such temptations as the deuill is woont to stirre vp in the rich men of this worlde It ministreth a manifolde exercise of pacience It encreaseth and strengtheneth thy faith It prouoketh thée to the contempte of pride ambition vaineglory and of all earthly thinges and perswadeth thée to meditate and aspire onelye after beauenlye thinges Finally for many causes it is better for thée when thou art in this sorte poore and needye then if thou hadst plentye and aboundance of all thinges It would be ouer long torehearse all the causes that might be reckoned Thou vnderstandest therefore that it was ordeyned by the singuler wisdome of God and for thy incomparable benefit that thou shouldest liue contented with this thy poore estate and condition Contrariwise thou maruellest againe why God would haue this thy neighbour or any other man to be rich But to omit this that no man can fearch out the causes of Gods will in these things yet wil I demaund of thee how thou canst tell whither the great riches wherwith thou seest him to be adorned will he beneficiall vnto him or rather pernitious Either of them doubtlesse may come to passe indifferently but yet this last farre more commonly then the other For where one peraduēture among many that are endued with riches of God may be seene that vnderstandeth them to be as a certaine instruement of well dooing that namely he might be stirred vp by them to thankesgiuing that he might perceiue himself to be rather a steward ouer thē then a Lord and impart them to his needy brethren féede the hungry clothe the naked comfort the sick succour the captiue aide ministers of the woord and to be short laye them out to Gods glory and the help of his neighbour yet maiest thou sée againe very many on the other side vnto whom it appeereth plenty of riches to be giuen that beeing vnthankfull for their benefites receiued are despised of God and béeing despised are by little and litle blinded and being blinded doo abuse the benefites graunted them for a time and abusing them purchase to them-selues eternall damnation Of these thinges we haue most manifest experimentes and examples in the holye Scriptures Poore Lazarus is commended the poore Apostles are praised and they also that contemptuouslye reiected their riches not to be contēned which all seemed so much the more redy to take their passage into heauen by how much the lesse they were hindred with the fardels of earthly thinges We read also of certaine rich Patriarches Iudges Kings and other holy fathers but these in the middest of so great riches continued notwithstanding poore in spirit and so vsed things present as they would not greatly haue cared if they had beene absent Wherto it belongeth that Iacob going into Mesopotamia praied vnto God that he would giue him especiallye bread to eate and rayment to put on Genes 28. Godly Iacob was not carefull for any moe benefites and the Lord we see gaue vnto him euen more then he desired Likewise Abraham is reported to be rich but yet so as he neuer bought ground nor builded house But we reade of other rich men who through their great riches were brought to extream destruction of which sort was that rich glutton clothed in fine
full of comfort and consolation For they serue to the intent we may vnderstand that whatsoeuer calamities are sent and how or by what meanes soeuer and whither of the deuill or of men or of any other creature yet that they proceede from the iust and good pleasure of God and that also we should beare them so much the more pacientlye whilest they are present by how much we know a more certaine vtilitie to be reaped by them and further also help and succour by the selfesame God to be prouided for we And albeit all these thinges be plaine and manifest inough especiallye for because many particulars from whence these doo flowe haue of vs béene declared already yet to the intent a more plentifull furniture of coÌ„solatiens may he had in a readines and may the more déepelye he imprinted in the mindes of all we will approue and confirme the same by certain places of Scripture which that it wil be good for vs to call to remembrance as ofte as aduerfities shall lye heauy vpon vs the very vse and expertence of thinges I am sure will declare ¶ As touching the two former reasons wherby it was saide that nothing is doone by Fate Fortune Chaunce or Contingence likewise that the prouidenee of God is particular and occupied in euery thing it is not needful that we repeate the arguments already producod and alleadged It shall suffize vs to shew in generall that the euills which in our iudgement I meane are thought to be such are in the scriptores attributed to God and that it coÌ„meth to passâ— by his wise good ordinance that wee are oftimes afflicted with calamities For thus we finde it in Esay chap. 45. I am the Lord and ther is none other I forme the light and criatedarknes I make peace and create euill I the Lord doo all these thinges And Icremy 21. I haue set my face against this Cittle for will and not for good saith the Lord it shal be giuen into the hand of the King of Babel and he shal burne it with fire The like we haue Iorom 39. And the same prophet in his Lamentations chap. 3. Who is he the that saith and it coÌ„meth to passe and the Lord commaundeth it not Therefore out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth there not euil and good Amos. 3. Shall there be euill in a Citie and the Lord hath not doone it Iob. 2. Shali we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill And a little beforeâ— The Lord â—ath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Further that the Lord dooth vse one while the deuill an other while man another while other creatures in bringing calamitiés vpon mankinde as his instruements he shal easily perceiue that hath but meanely tasted the holy scriptures CoÌ„cerning the deuil it is manifest out of the notorious hestorie of Ioh as chap. â— where the Lord saith vnto the Deuill Lo all that he hath is in thy power onelye vpon himselfe shalt thou not stretch out thine hand And chap. 2. Sathan departed from the presence of the Lord and smot Iob with sore boyles from the foale of his foote to the crowne of his head Iudg. 2. God sent an euill spirit vndoubtedlye the deuill the disturber of peace between Abimeloch and betwene the men of Sichem and the men of Sichem dispised Abimelech 1. Samuell 16. an euill spirit sent of the Lord vered Saule 1. King 22. The Lord said Who shall intise Achab that he may goe vp and fall at Ramoth Gilead Then when a certaine spirit had offered himselfe saying that he would be a lying spirit in the mount of his prophets he heareth of the Lord Thou shalt entise him and shalt also preuaile goe forth and doo so And it is added Now therfore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets and the Lord hath appointed euil against thee Neither dooth God vse onely euil Angels to inflict punishments vpon men but also good and elect sâ—ingâ—al indifferently are ministring spirts ordeâ—â—ed to execute his diuine commaundements So Exod. 12. that night wherin the 〈◊〉 tes 〈◊〉 eate the Passeouer by the good Angâ—â— of the Lord were slaine the firste begotten of the Egiptians 2. Sam. 14. by the Angell of the Lord hauing a naked swoord were destroyed certain thousands of men after that Dauid had sinned in cemmaunding the peoble to be numbred 2. King 19. one Angel in that boast of Sennacharâ—â— slew a hundred foure score and fiue thousand men Act. 12. of the Angel of the Lord wicked Horod was sodenly stricken Now that the Lord vseth in like maner the seruice and ministery of men it is not obscure In the prophets the Babilonians Assirians and others are oftetimes described and expresselye called the instruments by the which the Lord will punish his disobedient people Esa 10. Assur in called the rod of Gods wrath and staffe of his displeasure And it is added I will send him to a dissembling natioÌ„ and I wil giue him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoile and to catch the praye and to treade them vnder feete like the mire in the street But he thinketh not so neither doth his hart esteem iâ— for but he imagineth to destroy and cut of not â—â—â—ewe nations In which place that is woorth our marking by the way namelye where it is expresselye signified that the Lord sendeth euils to one end and men inferre them to an other end and that he forsooth in the same woork exerciseth the office of iustice and these of wrath pride inordinate lust and thereby it commeth to passe that vnto these sinne is imputed and vnto him redoüdeth no small praise and commendation Againe Esay 13. They come from a farre contrey from the end of the heauen euen the Lord commeth with the weapons of his wrath to destroy the whole land Lo the Lord and his weapons that is to say the instruments of his wrath Also in the same place Beholde I will stir vp the Medes against them which shall not regarde siluer nor be desirous of golde c. Ierem 22. God saith that he prepareth destroyers And I wil prepare destroyers against thee euery one with his weapons and they shall cut down thy cheefe Cedar trees and cast theÌ„ in the fire And many nations shal passe by this Citie and they shall saye euery one to his neighbour Wherfore hath the Lord doon thus to this great citie We haue the like almost Ierem. 25. But in Ierem. 27 the Lord calleth the tirant Nabuchadnezer his seruant Wherefore now I haue giuen all these landes into the hand of Nabuchadnezar King of Babel my seruant c. and all nations shal serue him and his sonne and his sonnes sonne vntill the very time of his land come also c. Ezechiell 17. He calleth the Babilomans his net and dragge I will spread saith he my nette
vpon him and he shal be taken in my dragge or great net and I will bring him to Babel and will enter into iudgement with him there for his trespas c. To the like effect there is more chap. 26. And oftentunes shal we méet with such things in the prophets so that it is not needful to repeate any more But as we haue saide of Angels so is it requisite also that we vnderstand it of men namely that not onelye euill men but good also are the instruments of the Lord woorking whatsoeuer it pleseth him For so hath the Lord very often by good and holy Judges Kings and other subdued wicked people and kingdomes yea and somtimes vtterly ouerthrow them Of Angels and men we haue spoken it remaineth that we adde some thinges touching other cretures By she and that falling down from heauen from the Lord as the Scripture speaketh fiue Cities were consumed Genes 19 Afire by the will of the Lord running alongst the face of the earch desiroyed sourtéene thousand and seauen hundred seditious persons Numb 16. and not much before that time the sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu Leuit 10. Two Captaines either of them with fiftye Soldiers being sent by King Ahaziah to Elias the prophet were deuoured with fire 2 King 1. The waters of Egipt were turned into blood and so became vnfit to be drunk and pernitious to fishes Exod. 7. A little after the waues of the red Sea swallowed vp an innumerable multitude and euen King Pharaoh himselfe with all his hoste Exod. 14. The garth opening deuoured Korah Dathan and Abiram with their confederates and their whole families Numb 16. The same now and then denyeth the fruites gróodilye gaped for the Lord procuring the causes of barrennes either open or secret as in the daies of Achab he restreyned the firmament and cloudes that they should not raine vpon the earth King 7. The aire oftetimes by the Lords commaundemeÌ„t is infected and becommeth hurtfull not onelye to the fowles and brute beastes drawing it in but also to men prouoking pestilent and deadlye diseases in them as 1. Chron 21 We read that the Lord sent a plague among the Israelites and that there died of theÌ„ seauentie thousand men And in the prophets we heare often of the wicked and vngodlye how some were smitten with the pestilence and othersome threatned to be smitten The haile the rayne ingendred in the aire doo procure dearth and scarsitie of vittayl when and as oft as the Lord will haue it so Exod. 9. Next by brute beastes what great hurtes and dangers are we subiect vnto By Frogs Flyes Lice and Locustes all Egipt was miserably vexed Exod. 8 9.10 Many of the murmuring Israelites were â—lung of Sarpents and died Numb 21. Two Beares stirred vp by the Lord tare in peeces two and fortie Children for mocking and rayling vpon Elisha 2. King 2. Certaine people of the Babilonians being sent by King Salmanazar to inhabit in Samaria were destroyed by Lyons sent of God 2. King 17. And the man of God sent to Ieroboam is saide to be deliuered of the Lord to the Lyon that slewe him 1. King 13. And what should I stand to rehearse any more By diuers and sundry meanes dangers doo ensue but we must confesse them all to be sent by the Lord himselfe who dooth vse the creatures that he hath made freelye and to what purposes it pleaseth him as instruments prepared to euery woorke and busines whatsoeuer Neither in very deed are al the creatures to be accounted any other then the tooles and weapons of the cheefe woorkmaister God and second causes And God doubtlesse as he is almighty and the woorker of all in all can out of those things which are reputed of theÌ„selues to be good and so are indéede when be seeeth cause raise vp discommodities vnto vs and againe on the other side cause the thinges that are euill and which we flie and abhor to turne to our no small profit and commoditie It appeereth therfore by these thinges that euen all distresses and aduersities are sent of God himselfe Wherfore seeing it is in no wise lawfull to resist his will and that we are to take in good part whatsoeuer he ordeineth by his prouidence we ought from hence to drawe some portion of comfort in that we know assuredly that all perils and dangers come from God And so much to the two former reasons wherby we haue proued that crosses and calamittes are sent of God As touching the third reason consider the sayinges of the holy fathers weigh the examples which propound vnto vs any that haue béene afflicted whither of the godly or vngodly and vndoubtedly thou shalt finde that ther by dooth redound vnto God the praise either of wisdome or iustice or rather of both of them togither Touching the wisdome of God appéering in our aduersities it is notably said of Esay chap. 31. Woe vnto them that goe downe vnto Aegipt for helpe and staye vpon horses and trust in Chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they be very strong but they look not to the holy one of Israell nor seek vnto the Lord. But he yet is wisest therfore he will bring euill and not turne back his woord but he will rise against the house of the wicked and against the help of theÌ„ that woork vanitie Where the prophet reproueth those that were ouermuch giuen and addicted to humane or carnall wisoome and admonisheth them to look rather into Gods wisdome who dooth nothing without certaine aduise and with like wisdome both sendeth and remoneth aduersities For before the Lord dooth afflict any man with calamities he resolueth with himselfe what great good will grow of it either to him that suffereth or vnto others and likewise how and when it is expedient to deliuer the afflicted to the great admiration of all men Iob. 11. Oh that God would speake and open his lippes against thee that he might shew thee the secrets of wisdome how thou hast deserued double according to right know therfore that God hath forgotten thee for thine iniquitie Canst thou by searching finde out the secrets of God or canst thou finde out the Almighty according to his perfection They are the words of Zophar the Namathite signifying that wheÌ„ God most wisely ordereth all things yea euen in sending of crosses also yet we cannot attain the causes of his counsell Psal 147 Great is our Lord and great is his power and his wisdome is infinite The Lord releeueth the meek and abaseth the wicked to the ground Beholde the wisdome of God in debasing and punishing the vngodly Ecclesiast chap. 8. the wise man dooth greatly wonder at the wisdome of God in beholding the thinges that are doone vpon earth as touching the sundry euents and successe of men But we shall better and more cleerely beholde in some one example the order of the diuine wisdome Doubtlesse the history of the destruction of Egipt dooth many wayes declare the
force and power of Gods wisdome God would not at the first destroy them immediatlye after the contempt of his woord which yet he iustly might haue doone but it pleased him first to try them diuers and sundry waies whither by scourges they might be softened and brought to the acknowledgement of his will insomuch that as ofte as new signes were sent against the Egiptians so ofte the Lord declared that he earnestly sought their repentance and saluation But in the meane while where in the middest of the vniuersall ruines of all Egipt the land of Goshen which the Israelites did possesse remained safe and sound that verily auayled not a little to moue aswell the Egiptians as the Israelites those I say that they might acknowledge the will of God and submit themselues vnto it and these that they might waite with an vnremoueable faith and pacience for a wonderfull deliuerance at Gods hand And therfore also would the Lord haue Pharaoh to persist and continue so long in stubbernes and vnbeleefe that he might so much the more iustlye afterward destroy both him and all his And in all these thinges the wisdome of God dooth wonderfully bewray it selfe To say nothing that these thinges were thus ordeined of the Lord to the end posteritic might haue profitable examples both of the punishment of incredulitie and rebellion and of the commendation of faith and obedience It would be ouerlong to make mention of all other thinges that doo extoll the diuine wisdome of God in that history And who is he that knoweth for a suretye the Lords purposes and determinations Who is able to say why or wherfore when he could many other waies haue deliuered his people yet he would this way especially bring it to passe Certaine it is in the meane season that nothing was doone in all this basines without great and iust causes but the nature of Gods wisdome will more fullye open and displaye it selfe whilest other causes of afflictions also are séene into and especiallye the commodities wherof we will speake anon And as we by the waye in this one example doo propound these woorkes of Gods wisdome to be obserued so will it be an easie matter for eueryman to finde out the like in other examples Wherfore it is manifest heerby that the wisdome of God shineth most cléerelye in our afflictions and dangers and therfore that the calamities also which are laide vpon vs are rightly to be ascribed onely and alone to God And from hence great comfort est sones â—riseth for we ought to be perswaded that nothing can euer come ill to passe or at least wise be voide of fruite that God by his incomparable wisdom hath ordeind to be doon in and about our matters and affaires And thus verily ought euery one as ofâ—â— as sicknes trouble captiuitie or any other calamitie either publike or priuat dooth come vpon vs to say with himselfe The Lord hath sont this miserie But because he is wise and euen wisdome it selfe he dooth it not without great and weighty causes doubtlesse his rod and staffe will fall out to be a comfort vnto vs and there will followe some fâ—â—ite of hurtes if not straight waies or in this life yet after a while and in the life to come Now that the iustice of God is declared in our miseries it is better known then that it needeth to be proued any whit at large Gods iustice is euery where commended in the holy Scriptures and it is set before vs to be considered all our life long Hitherto belong all the places that make mention of the feare of God For therfore is God to be teared because that according to his iustice he seuerely punisheth transgressors Likewise all the places wherin the Lord is described to exercise iudgement and iustice on the earth Adde also all the threatninges which are most plentifully extant in the lawe and the prophets against the transgressors of the Diuine preceptes Yea and so farrefoorth is this knowledge of Gods iustice necessarye that vnlesse the same be diligentlye taught men cannot such is their pronenesse and head-strong boldenesse to sinne be kept and retained within the compasse of their dueties Nay without this knowledge God should not be knowen to be God neither would any man stand in awe of his diuine maiestic For this is the first honour and dignitie of the hiest and eternall God and his choose and principall office which also al men doo in the first place consider and call to minde namely that he recompenceth good things to the good and euil things to the bad which is in very déed the true propertie of iustice And that this is so not only the promises and curses set forth in the holye Scriptures by the commaundement of God doo abundantly teach but also that common knowledge engraued in the mindes of all the Gentiles touching the rewards of the good and punishments of the wicked But now if any man will say that it is true indéed that Gods iustice dooth notablye appéere in this that the wicked are punished for their sinnes but yet that it séemeth in no wise that God dealeth iustly then when hée suffereth the godly also to bee oppressed with common calamities whome hee ought with good right to mans iudgement to kéepe in safitie vnder his protection by reason of the prerogatiue of their election and excelleÌ„t holines this carnall and trifeling obiection shall easely and with small adoo be answered First this woord Iustice commeth to be considered not altogither alike in God as it is in men that namely God should then only be acknowledged to be iust when after the rule of mans iudgement and according to the rigor of the law as they call it hée requireth like for like for otherwise the praise of iustice should neuer properly belong vnto God sith he neuer in such wise either giueth rewards or inflicteth punishments but that in these he recompenceth beneath measure and desart and in those aboue measure and desart but God dooth iustly as oft as he performeth that wherein his wisdome goodnes and power doo appéere inasmuch as there is no man but vnderstandeth that it is most iust that these vertues if at least it be lawfull so to call them should at all times be made knowen and set foorth But certes in the afflictions of the godly the wisdome goodnes and power of God doo wunderfully declare and shewe foorth them selues wherfore there is no cause why wee should think that the godly are vniustly punished Neither verily can wisdome or goodnes as they are discearned in God be separated from iustice for they sticke fast togither and helpe one an other and can neuer be seuered in time or duties For why God dooth at all times woorke wisely mightily wel and iustly and whatsoeuer is doon wisly mightily or well the same also must bée doon tustly and so on the contrary Secondly how canst thou say that the god â—y are wrongfully punished when there is no man
aduersitie to the end that all thy neighbors and kinsfolkes might haue matter to exercise the duties of charitie and to helpe thée and such as thou art by all the meanes they can Which woork is full of spirituall profit and commoditie And for this cause the Lord foretolde that we should neuer want the poore Hither to tend all the places touching liberalitie towards the poore the sick the naked fatherlesse children Widowes Wanderers and others by what meanes soeuer afflicted and distressed Which if they were not there should be taken from them to whome the Lord hath giuen great wealth and substance all matter and occasion of well dooing Therefore euen for this cause perhaps would God haue thée to be pinched with aduersitie and to stand in neede of other folkes helpe 13 This spirituall fruit also doo others reap by thine afflictions namelye that so long as they perceuie thee to be humbled by the Lords rodde they conceiue no slender feare of the Lord in their mindes and this feare bringeth foorth sptrituall wisdome whereby they beware by all means possible that they fal not into sinne and so be cast down into the like dangers For euen immediatly whosoeuer seeth an other to be any thing sharpely afflicted he is enforced to conclude with him selfe that the like troubles abide for him also and that whatsoeuer befalleth vnto any one to daye the same is to be feared of him to morrowe And this doubtlesse is a singular spirituall benefite For so dooth Christ propound vnto others the ende of those that were killed with the fall of the towre in Siloe Luk. 13. and he threatneth that all vnlesse they repent shal be be destroyed in like maner So the Apostle 1. Corinth 10. propoundeth the example of those that were plagued of God as namely the woorshippers of images committers of fornication with strange women murmurers against God which all he saith were seuerely punished of God for a warning and admonition vnto vs. And he addeth to very good purpose Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall 14 What if so be God to conclude when he sendeth aduersitie when likewise he giueth vnto thee being set in the middest of many calamities strength pacience long sufferance hope c. wil haue thèe to be set forth as an ensample for others to follow and imitate in their afflictions For why by this meanes thy miseries shall not onely become very profitable to thee alone but also vnto others To this effect we reade Iam. 5. Take my brethren the Prophets for an ensample of suffring aduersitie and of long pacience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord. Beholde we count thē blessed which endure Ye haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowen what ende the Lord made For the Lord is very pitifull and mercifull 1. Thess 1. And ye became followers of vs and of the Lord receuing the woord with much affliction and ioy of the Holy-ghost So that ye were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and Achaia Againe in the same Epistle chap. 2. Yee brethren age become followers of the Churches of God which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus because yee haue also suffred the same thinges of your owne cuntry-men euen as we did of the Iewes c. Loe the fortitude pacience long suffering and other vertues of the Saints are set before the eyes of the afflicted to be followed Thou therfore whosoeuer thou art that canst iudge rightly of Gods prouidence consider with thy selfe in most earnest wise what becommeth thèe to doo in aduersitie remembring that God hath appointed thee at this time to be an example of pacience and suffring vnto others Neither truely is it sufficient that the notable vertues of those that haue beene famous this way certaine ages past should be laide before the afflicted but it is very behouefull also that some liuelye examples of the time present should be set before their eyes whose actions being throughly marked by our eyesight haue much more force in them then the shadowing out of other mens deedes by what speech or eloquence soeuer But who is able to comprehend in woordes all the commodities which doo growe out of afflictions As we can by no meanes searche into the counsell of the Lord why namely he dooth euery thing after this or that manner so neither can the weakenes of mans minde attaine vnto all the commoditie especiallye spirituall that come by crosses and calamities Euery man may to his power at times conuenient by the continuall reading of the Scriptures and by the sayinges and dooinges of the godly especially when they are afflicted gather and note other things which are agreeable to this purpose It suffiseth vs to haue declared these thinges to confirme that which we purposed namely that out of calamities great commodities doo come vnto vs and therfore that we are not without cause to be resolued that afflictions are sent of God himselfe which we suppose to auaile greatly to the commendation of the diuine prouidence and likewise to the matter of comfort and consolation But now the matter required that we should reckon vp on a rowe the sundrye sortes of calamities and afflictions and gather out of those thinges that haue hither to beene said comfortes and consolations from the consideration of Gods prouidence by the which we haue proued crosses and calamities to be sent to declare the wisdome and righteousnes of God to illustrate his glory and power and for our manifolde profit and commoditie but partlye because that were an infinite lahour and partlye for that the comfortes which do◠heale any one affliction may all fitly he applied likewise against the other miseries not greatly vnlike at the least all one in this that they doo excéedingly greeue and torment men therfore we will drawe the discommodities principall perplexities of mans life as it were into certain heads or fountaines and wil also compose certain consolatory reasons as occasion and opportunitie shall serue And this thing how may we better or more conueniently accomplish then if we follow the way and order of teaching foreshewed by the Holy-ghost him selfe whom whoseuer followeth cannot goe astray and with whome a man in speaking a fewe woordes is deemed to haue vttered many thinges abundantly For where the Holy-ghost speaketh in greatest breuity is greatest length and prolixitie and vnder the speciallest want of woordes lyeth hid most large plentye of spirituall doctrine And this vertue of the Holy-ghost we may beholde as well in many other places as also in the Psalme 107. wherin there are breefely indéed but truelye if we looke more neerlye into the matter most plentifully described certaine aduersities into the which wretched men doo fall somtimes by the wil of God and from the which they are again by the will of the same God wonderfully deliuered And certes it is wholy occupied in the commendation of Gods prouidence so that there could not be found any in
all the bookes of the Bible more fit and agreeable to our purpose Wherfore we will vndertake to expound the same now at this present which if we shall doo not to so good a purpose as we desire yet at the least we hope to some fruit and commoditie of the godly And first forsoâ—the we will premise some thinges touching the argument of the Psalme that all things may become the more clèere and euident Who was the author of this Psalme it appeereth not sith there is no name prefixed vnto it Certainlye that it is a woorke of the Holy-ghost and put forth by some notable man of God it is out of controuersie It might be reckoned amongst the Psalmes of Dauid as many will haue all those that haue no title prefixed vnto them to be counted for such except peraduenture it may be thought to be of the number of them that were vsed to be sung after the returne from Babilon of which sort that some are extant it is easie to iudge But neither hath this present Psalme any title among the Hebrewes wherby may be gathered any certainty either touching the occasion or vse of it Though indéed the Greek books cary prefixed Alleluia which woord offreth it selfe oft times in the Hebrue in maner of a title set before and it sheweth that such Psalmes were amongst other chosen out to praise Gods goodnes mercy power to giue him thanks For the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrue signifieth as much as when we say Praise the Lord. It is compounded of the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to praise to reioyce to shine to illuminate and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is one of the ten notable names of God and it signifieth the Lord deriued as many will haue it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to be applyed vnto God because he giueth vnto all thinges their béeing Augustine reporteth that Alleluia is twice prefixed and he addeth an interpretation why it is so but sith thou seest that it is not so much as once found in the Hebrue thou perceiuest that his labour is in vaine and that Augustine was deceiued by some impudent persons which durst of their owne heads now and then foiste in or pluck out some things clean contrarye to the trueth of the Hebrue when yet there was no néed neither was it expedient Now what is conteined in this Psalme or how many partes there he of it It teacheth especially that in all things that come to passe héere bylowe the prouidence and mercye of God doo mightily preuaile and therfore that it ought of all men diligently to be considered that they might take occasion therby to praise God and giue him thankes And to the end he might declare and shewe how and after what sorte we ought to obserue Gods prouidence and goodnes in all things he propoundeth certaine euident examples to wit how some men are seene oftentimes by the will of God to be pressed downe with most greeuous calamities and the same againe when they haue called vpon God for helpe to be mercifully deliuered out of their miseries By means wherof doubtlesse men may throughlye he perswaded touching Gods prouidence and mercy and ought all to be mooued to praise and magnifie God Full wel saith Rabbi Dauid Kimhi the Hebrue that in this Psalme it is taught that nothing is doone among men by Chance or Fortune but that the wicked by Gods prouidence are afflicted for their sinnes and againe that the same by Gods mercy are set at libertie that so they might necessarily sing praises vnto God But much more cleerely will this whole matter be perceiued if we shall bréefelye vnfold the number and order of the partes of the whole Psalme In the first place is put the proposition and euen a breefe summe of the whole Psalme wherin he inuiteth all people to praise God for his singular goodnes mercy This proposition is conteyned in the two first verses Then followeth the confirmation wherin he proueth by certaine memorable examples and drawen for the most part out of the common course of life for why these are most apt and fit to teach how the prouidence and mercy of God are apparantly to be séen in al things The first example is touching those that are pressed with pouertie and béeing driuen out of their natiue cuntry are enforced to wander and to suffer bannishment whome yet the Lord by his mercy succoureth in prouiding them a place where they may rest This example is accomplished in fiue verses wherunto is added a conclusion hortatorye consisting of two verses wherin all men are inuited to sing praises vnto God for such a woorke The second example is touching them that for some great offences or other causes are cast into prison and yet neuerthelesse are by the Lord in his good time set at libertie handled likewise in fiue verses with a conclusion hortatory also as before annexed in two verses The third example is of such as for their wicked and vngodly life are punished of God with sundry diseases laid vpon them but are again through Gods mercy restored to health It is coÌ„prised in foure verses with a distichon added in stéed of a conclusion hortatory The fourth example propoundeth the dreadfull dangers of Saylers and Seafaring men and how God yet in the mean time doth mercifully saue and preserue them There are of this eight verses with a distichon added in steede of a conclusion hortatory The fifth proofe is vaâ—iable and mixt for it propoundeth examples of great alterations in cuntries common-weales noble men commons and héerby for because some region or cuntrye is made now barren now fruitfull and againe cleane contrary of fruitfull barren likewise some people becommeth one while strong and mighty and again in the turning of a haâ—d weakened and cast down further Princes are euen now placed in the highest dignitie and within a while after are throwne downe headlong to the ground also the coÌ„mons being before oppressed are set frée declareth that the prouidence and goodnes of God are highlye to be magnified and extolled These thinges are discoursed in ten verses without any hortatory conclusion following and so endeth the confirmation Lastly there is one verse added to be taken for a Conclusion of the whole Psalm and that so much the more rightly because that in one woord it repeateth the summe of all that hath beene said yea and answereth most finely and sitly to this proposition By these things euery man may easilye iudge of the matter and partes of this Psalme If thou wouldest know the kinde of the action or cause then seeing that both in the beginning and end and oftetimes also in the middes we perceiue open and manifest exhortations and that all thinges tend to this purpose namely that men might be stirred vp to praise God for his excellent goodnes shining most cleerely in all thinges it is a plaine
God Concerning which profit of aduersities we haue spoken before 2. That God willingly heareth those that pray in their afflictions graunteth their tequests Hitherto belong all the promises of God euery where extant like wise the exhortations vnto prayer also the exâ—imples of such as whilest they haue prayed haue béen made pertakers of their desires And he led them forth Then is it the Lord him selfe that leadeth them The thing then is not doone by chaunce or fortune neither is it by haphazard that a man strayeth or returneth into the right way but all thinges come to passe by the onely will and dispensation of the Lord. That thou goest out of the waye that thou art in hazard and danger it is the will of the Lord. He would be entreated of thee and séeketh occasion to deserue well at thine hand yea and to shewe his goodnes and mercye towardes thée Therefore all these thinges fall out for the best vnto thée and for thy comfort neither ought any distrustfulnes at all to come into thy minde 8 Let them therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenes and his wonderfull woorks before the sonnes of men 9 For he satisfied the thirstie soule and filled the hungry with goodnes This is the conclusion of the firste proofe wherein he exhorteth all people to sing praises vnto God for such and so great goodnes of his shewed and exhibited vnto men endangered after that manner And heere also the former verse is interlaced or put betwéene And the other verse expressely setteth down the cause flowing from the premises whilest namelye it opposeth the benefites receiued as saciety and refreshing to the miseries endured before in the desert And we learne from this place 1 That our safetie and preseruation ought to be ascribed onely and alone to God not to our owne wisdome or to any mans help 2 That being deliuered from dangers or any other way whatsoeuer holpen of God we ought to giue him thanks 3 That we must so much that rather doo it leaste if we remain vnthankfull we should by the iust vengeance of God be plonged again into the like perrills 4 That when and howsoeuer our estate be bettered yet must we still beare in minde the distresses that before were vpon vs they ought alwaies after to be feared of vs. Which consideration is very profitable to the moderation of our mindes that we vse to carry our selues in an euen course aswel in prosperitie as aduersitie For this is in déed perfit wisdome for a man so to be haue himself in aduersity as he may hope for better things and againe so in prosperity as he may fear the contrary Further sith the Holy ghost hath not expressed any certaine cause of their flight and wandrings through desert places neither hath treated specially and by name either of the godly or vngodly it is a token and argument that this proofe belongeth indifferently to all men aswell good as bad which for any kinde of cause are compelled to prouide for theÌ„ selues bâ— flying and to taste of the perrills of perignination Some are forced to flye away and to wander abroad for the trueltie of their aduersaries which seek to hurt them as Iacob did for Esau Dauid for Saul Othersome for the defence of righteousnes the studie of restoring true religion as Elias and at this day many godly persons are constrained to fly out of diuers tuntries Some for common famishment and scarsitis of vitaile as Abraham Iacob Elisha Some for their sinnes God béeing angry are forced to feele the miseries of rouinges and wandrings as Cain Some for refusing to obeâ—â— Gods will and to execute their function and calling as Ionas Some for this cause that some man hath threatned to spoyle or kill them for which cause Paule escaped from Damascus through a wall Christ taught his Disciples that when they were in danger for the confession of the trueth they should seek to saue themselues by flight Some for the tumultes and vprores of warres as the Iewes did oftetimes but especiallye in the tune of the captiuitie of Babilon and in the auerthrowe of Ierusalem vnder Titus the Romaine Some for the inundations and eruptions of the Sea Some for fire and burning Some for the spoyling of their goods or for the losse of them by what means soeuer either honest or dishonest as they that béeing ouer head and eares in debt doo betake themselues to their legges and runne awaye Some for great offences committed are bannished by the magistrate And who is able to reckon vs all such causes as these Notwithstanding all these and such like dangers may well be reduced to this present place and whosoeuer are afflicted any of these waies may fetch from hence some solace and comfort Only let them call vpon the Lords name by faith and paciently waite for his helpe and they shall vnâ—oubtedly at the length féel some succour from God yea and he that is described heer to haue brought the wanderers into the right waye and to haue giuen them a citie where they might rest euen he also will prouide a place for these wherin they may safely liue 10 They that sit in darkenes and in the shadowe of death beeing fast bound in miserie and yron 11 Because they rebelled against the woordes of the Lord and abhorred the counsel of the most High 12 He also handled their hart through heauines they stumbled and fel and there was none to help them vp 13 So when they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble he deliuered them out of their distresse 14 For he brought them out of darknes and out of the shadowe of death and brake their bonds in sunder They that expound this Psalme as a prophesie touching the mercy that is offted through Christ and touching the redemption of the afflicted made by Christ in the time of the Gospell manifested to the worlde doo so expound this part as that they saye that God is therfore to be extolled and praised because he hath deliuered men out of the prison and captinitie of sinne death and the deuill For why vnder these tiranes dâ—oâ—e all men held captiue as appéereth Rom. 7. â—â—ce an other lawe in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the Lawe of sin which is in my members c. And Rom. 6. they are called the seruantes of sinne And Zacharias Luk. 1. Through the tender mercy of our God wherby the daye spring from an high hath visited us to giue light to them that sat in darknes and in the shadowe of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace And therfore came this captinitie vpon them because they were all rebels against the woord of the Lord. As for the Gentiles they did vniuersallye reiect from the woord and law of the Lord. And the Jewes amongst whome séemed yet to remaine some signes of Gods people slewe the seruantes of God and the prophets that
were sent vnto them as Christ also him selfe casteth in their feeth But this is not all for euen after the gospell was reuealed wherin it was propounded that they should repent and beleeue in Iesus Christ and through him obtaine remission of sinnes they despised this counsell of the Lord. And therfore also the Lord humbled their hart through heauines whilest namely he permitted them to fall into greater sinnes and abhomination and to be vexed and abased by their hypocriticall woorkes and that truelye without any fruit at all For why by their most painefull and laborious obseruations of the lawe and traditions they were so far of from receiuing any reward that they also the more offended so they stumbled that they fell down and there was none able to helpe them vp Not Moses not Elias no nor any mortall man liuing And yet if any of them were pricked in their hartes at the preaching of Peter or Paule so as they asked what they should doo as we read Act. 2. that some did and if they craued mercy through Christ God then no doubt had pitie on them he deliuered them from the captiuitie of sinne death the deuill and restored them into the libertye of faith life and the Holy-ghoste Howbeit we maye not vnderstand these thinges of the Iewes alone as though they onely had sustained spirituall captiuitie and were deliuered from the same Augustine interpreteth it of euery one that féeleth himselfe bound so as he is letted from well dooing He cryeth out saith he in this necessity to the Lord The Lord deliuereth him out of his necessities he breketh the bands of difficulty setteth him a work with equitie it begineth now to be easie vnto him which before was hard difficult as to abstaine from euils not to commit adultrye c. The Lord could giue vs this without difficultie but if we had this without difficultie we should not acknowledge the giuer of this benefit For why if he could do a thing so soon as he would and felt not his affectioÌ„s striuing against him neither his soule ouerburthened with bands to be wounded and hurt he would attribute to his owne strength that he felte himselfe able and so the Lord should be abridged of the praise of his mercies So much saith Augustine But we doubtles will expound it grossely after the same way that we haue begun of the outward perils and dangers which are wonte oftetimes to fall out in this life and from the which all men through the Lords goodnes are deliuered This is therfore the second proof to declare that the Lords goodnes and mercy shutteth in all things borowed from the example of those that for any cause whatsoeuer are drawen into prison where infinite miseries are to be endured fith they liue there in very do â—e as persons now quite cast out from all fellowship of men and bannished the whole world and yet in the meane time cannot tell whither they shall euer be deliuered or no. Which aduersitie doubtles is not without cause accounted one of the greatest miseries that can happen vnto man And therfore would the Holy-ghost expresse and declare this wofull state and condition with most choice and picked woordes First he saith That they sit in darknes And this no doubt is a cace most hard to be barred from the sight of this common light Secondly In the shadow of death he meaneth that that state of life dooth not much differ from death yea and that euen death somtimes is to be wishes in comparison of such miseries Who addeth yet further Beeing fast bound in miserie and yron he giueth to vnderstand that many other miseries are annexed to imprisonment as yron pinching and wringing hard diuers partes and members of the body as the necke the handes the feete likewise hunger thirst colde lack of lodging want of sâ—eepe the lothsomnes of vermine and filthy sauours diseases the company and counsell of men remeued their helpe and succour denied finally all things taken away that might serue for any manner of solace or comfort And so are all thinges heere set downe in these fewe woordes as that they might moue vs the more willingly to take pitie of them that are kept in prison and that we might the more neerly be acquainted with their miseries Because they rebelled The cause of the calamitie sâ—it of God is by the way put in There are indeede diuers and sundry causes for the which men are brought into captiuitie but héere is one named as cheefe to witte the contempt of Gods woord or disobedience against God which sinne is in trueth the original and wel-spring of all euils They that contemne the woord of God it cannot be but that they fall into many other horrible sinnes also for the which they are at the length drawen into prison And so howsoeuer a man deale it behoueth him to referre all other sinnes to the contempte of the woorde as to the first principall cause yea and the penaltie also which is incurred therby must in like manner be referred to the contempt of the woord We learne out of this cause after this sorte declared 1 That calamities are sent from about and that by the iust and good will of God 2 That they are sent for our sinnes that in our punishment Gods iustice may appeer 3 That God dooth greeuously punishe the contempt of his woord touching which matter there are many testimonies extant in the Scriptures 4. That God dooth most seuerely punish those that doo not only contemne the counsell of the Lord and his knowen trueth but also abhorre it handle it dispitefullye and besides seeke to suppresse and extinguishe it But if so be we would looke when we are afflicted aswell into our sinnes as into Gods iustice which doth too too lightlye punishe vs in respect of our deserts certes there might be raised from hence no small matter of comfort And he humbled their hart An amplification of the miseries wherwith captiues are ouerwhelmed from the greater effect of Gods wrath As though it were not enough for wretched men to be tormented through-out their whole body the Lord will haue them also to be vexed in their hart minde that now there may be no part of man lefte free for to feele any ease or comfort So then all hope of help and succour is described to be taken from these men and nothing to remaine but vtter desperation And although the hart be greeuously tormeÌ„ted with sorrowes and heaunes for outward and temporall thinges as for the losse of house goods wife children c yet is it most of all perplexed when the minde and conscience is shaken with the greatnesse and horror of sinnes and with the contemplation of the most seuere iudgement of God For why an vnquiet minde and a troubled conscience is a most cruell hangman tirant But thou seest that it is most cleerelye saide heere that the Lord himselfe humbleth their harts wherfore we learne againe heere
law at all been giuen vnto them they led a moste soule and filthy life In like manner may it be iudged of those that receiued the gospell in the begining of the preaching of the Apostles that in our time haue taken vpon them to reform Churches Certes the Apostle 1. Corinth 4 seemeth to vpbraide them with such a like thing when he saith Now yee are full now ye are become rich without vs ye haue gotten a kingdome c. For euen now began they to despise the Apostle as though they had no more stoode in need of his doâ—trane But more cléerly of such a lothing of the word we may read 2 Pet. 2. And by this meanes in very deed are men brought to deathes doore or to the gates of death Wherfore such menace againe healed when the Lord vouchsafeth to send againe his worde Christ I meane to the Iewes or sound doctrine which is at all times by chosen Prophetes and ministers reuiued to the and that al that beleene might be saued But that we may returne to our simple manner of interpreting the Scripture and expound this place of outward perills and dangers this is the third proofe proouing that the mercye and goodnes of God is to be feene in all things drawen from the example of them that fall into diuers and dangerous diseases and also are in hazard of life and yet notwithstanding when they call vpon the Lord for helpe they are againe restored to health Such examples we may sée dayly Who is he that hath not felt great greefes and heauinesses in his body and béene at one time or other at deaths doore especiallye in the time of some common plague or of other noysom and contagious diseases And yet we see them to be deliuered and to liue still though not greatly thankfull to God therfore Therfore it behoueth all men so much the more dilgently to haue an eye vnto this present Psalme because there is none almost that hath not felt some of the miseries at least which are heere mentioned some wonderfull deliuerance out of the same And he dealeth again with the vngodly punished for their sinnes deliuered for the self-same causes which we noted in the proofe next before namely that both by this occasioÌ„ Gods mercy might be amplified and made more famous whereby he dooth good euen to his enemies and also that the godlye might thereby be assured that they likewise when they are in like manner afflicted shal be deliuered by Gods bountie and goodnes Fooles by reason of their transgression first he setteth down the cause why calamities are sent of God saying that for sinnes men are afflicted that is that Gods iustice might be commended wherby the vngodly are worthily punished secondly that men beeing plagued for their transgressions might haue cause to repent and to abstaine from sinne So there is a double vtilitie héere to be considered and either of them wonderfullye auailing to comfort Neither dooth he simply say that men are afflicted for their sinnes but firste also he premiseth something saying Fooles because of their transgression Where it is to be noted that there is some difference betwéen the Hebrue and the translation of the Septuaginta For these haue it thus He tooke them out of the way of their iniquitie for by reason of their transgressions they were humbled And the sence is that men are humbled and afflicted for their sinnes and that because the Lord wil by this meanes withdrawe them from sinne and call them home from their wicked and vngodly life Which sence is sound and godly and it teacheth that men are punished to the intent they might bethinke themselues of repentance and be brought by afflictions to amendement of life And in the Hebrue it in reed thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sence whereof is this That men are made fooles and blinded through sinne and therfore are worthily punished of God for sinne Whereby we may note here that the contempt of the woord which was described in the example aforegoing hath blindenes and foolishnes following it altogither after the same manner that the Apostle Rom. 1. describeth them that despised the truth offred to be made frustrate in their imaginations and their foolishe hart to be darkened When they professed them-selues to be wise they became fooles c. From whence we learne heere out of the sence which is in the Hebrue that this is the effect of sinne namely that by it men are blinded made fooles and at length become brute beastes Which effect of sinne ought woorthily to fray all men from euill dooing And they are saide to be fooles because they refuse the most excellent counsell of God which he hath propounded vnto vs in his woord And this foolishnes followeth very orderly the contempt of the woord whereof hath béene spoken in the proofe before going For the woord is indéede first offred that no man should be able to alleadge any excuse But when they reiect and abhorre that it is of necessitie that they fall most fondly and so be plundged in perpetuall folly Their soule abhorred all manner of meate Now he describeth another kinde of danger laide vpon men by reason of sinne And he nameth no one certain contagious and perillous disease by the which it might be proued that sinnes are punished but he generallye discribeth the extreme danger that groweth out of euery disease insomuch that in truth this present place may serus to minister comfortes against all fortes of sicknesses yea euen when men are brought to the vttermost hazard And there is no disease so little which in time will not growe to this point For this cause vndoubtedlye it is that the Holy ghoste hath so framed and fitted together this present place Wherfore he cunningly painteth out one that is in extreme danger through the rage and crueltie of his disease Their soule saith he abhorred all manner of meate Then doo we despaire of the health and recouerie of the sicke party when he not onelye desireth no meate but also loatheth and abhorreth it When he is once come to this passe there is no likelyehoode at all of any longer life And therfore he saith All manner of meate that is not onelye that which nourisheth quickeneth and confirmeth the members to the prolonging of life but also that which pleseth and delighteth the tast For otherwise some things are woont to to be prepared for sicke folkes which though they doo not greatly nourish yet are they prositable for this cause that by their strangenes and sweetenes they might prouoke a queysie stomack And he addeth They were brought to deaths doore In one woord and by a Rhethoricall similitude he describeth the most certaine perill and hazard of life And it is a phrase of spéech proper and peculiar to the Scripture such almost as are the descriptions of death in the Poets whilest they feigne that death hath his mates and companions c.
quieted they reioyce and he bringeth them to the hauen where they would be Some do expound this parte of al the godlly in general For whosoeuer endeuering after true holines goe downe to the sea that is into this worlde intending to worke in great waters that is to teach the people for water signiffieth the people by word and example such men see the workes of the Lord which the world léeeth not In the meane time they are shaken with great temptations so as now they are euen as it were hoysed vp to the heauen whilst ouercomming their aduersarye they fixe their hope on high in heauenly thinges are strong in faith and againe they descend into the deep whilst through the rage of their aduersary the tempter and the greatnes of troubles they sinck downe as it were into desperation And a long time do they continue in these dangers so that there seemeth now no refuge or succour to be left vnto them But at length they call vpon the Lord who allayeth the tempestes of temptations séndeth them help and comfort raiseth them vp againe and strengthneth them in faith vntill at length they be brought to the hauen of eternall saluation It liketh others to expound it onely of the gouerners of Churches to whome is committed the shippe of the Church to be gouerned such ship men were the Apostles being made the fishers of men And such do a worke in deed great difficult whilst they labour in many waters that is to say in a great and mightye people to procure the things that belong to all their welfares and safetie These doo most deeply search the works of the Lord and obserue his wonders But immediatly the aduersarye the deuill stirreth vp the harts of the wicked which moue mighty tragedies and tempests raise vp heresies offences dissentions and hurliburlies so as the ship of the Church may séeme to be as good as drowned and the godly ministers theÌ„selues driuen almost to dispaire Thus the whole ship is shaken but especially the gouerners of the Church are so troubled that there remaineth no way or meane wherby they may preserue the doctrine which with great labour and trauell they before had planted But euen then the Lord being called vpon heareth both the Ministers and the Church he commaundeth the tempestes to be still he extinguisheth the waues of persecutions the windes of heresies and vaine doctrine he scattereth the threatning stormes of stumbling-blockes and offences finally he giueth to the Churches and their ministers desired peace and tranquilitie and bringeth them all to the happye hauen of saluation where they would be And as these thinges are spoken of the Ministers of the woord which rule and gouerne the ship of the church so may they not be vnfitly taken of the godlye Magistrates which labour with their great perilles and dangers to maintaine sound and sincere religion Yea and it is the common calamity of many for why the Ship-men and Ship being in danger it followeth of necessity that al they are in danger likewise that are caried in in the same Ship But we for our partes will take all things simply content our selues with a baser sense This is therfore the fourth proof declaring the goodnes and mercy of God to be preeminent in all things borrowed from the example of those that sayling by sea haue the perilles of shipwracke and drowning euery hour what say I hour nay more truely euerye minute of an hour before their eyes Neither is this misery a matter of small importance or a thing rarely happening but greater in very déed and more commonly séene then can either be expressed or beleeued but of such as haue had tryall of it and therfore it is not without cause reckned heere amongst the greatest and most gréeuous dangers And the former part touching the dangers is heere more plentifully discoursed then in the other proofes before going which appeereth especially for this cause to be done that such as haue had no experience of them could otherwise hardly be brought to vnderstand what they meane For such men it was méete that the matter should the more largely plainly bée described I dare be holde to say this that in the Poets are extant notable descriptions of tempests ship-wrackes but yet in so few wordes there is none more plaine and pithie then this same of the Prophets is And he profixeth a proposition wherin he generally prepoundeth that such as sayle by sea doo oftentimes trie by experieÌ„ce how great the goodâ—eâ— and power of God is They that goe downe to the sea saith he c. In Riuers doubtles especially such as are nauigable the boates sometimes rushing against a rock or block sticking fast in the bottome are burst in péeces sometimes also cuÌ„ning swimmers through the déep gaping of the earth wherby the water turneth il selfe round about continually are swallowed vp but these things are nothing to the perils of the sea Therfore he saith They that goe downe to the sea in shipps Neither talketh he of those that haue sailed perhaps once or twice in their life time and no more and that in a choise time and season of the yéere when the pleasant westerne windes haue blowen but of such as worke and follow their busines in many waters that is to say who exercise themselues there continually who by trauailing on the sea carrying and recarrying of marchaÌ„dize fishing c. prouide for their necessary liuing and maintenance Such therfore sée the workes of the Lord his wonders in the déep they sée I say what the Lord will and can do both in afflicting deliuering also how wonderfull a worke-man God is what and what manner of thing his prouidence is in the condition and conseruation of all things specially such as are séene in the sea Hitherto belonge the things that are mentioned of writers touching the meruailes of the Sea as of beastes stones monsters and such as are dayly found a freshe which we cannot now conuenientlyâ— stand vpon For he speaketh the woord and the stormye winde ariseth The proofe of the proposition draween from this that God himselfe raiseth vp incredible tempestes on the Sea He speaketh saith he to witte God biddeth commaundeth willeth He speaketh spake the woord and they were created And he raiseth vp the winde the blustring blastes such as the Philosophers and Poets report Boieas and his companions the Northern windes to be And-héer we learn again First That storms and tempestes and such like thinges come not to passe by Contingence or Haphazard but be procured for certaine causes by God himselfe he wil haue men to be dismaied with feare and to be humbled he will haue them to be mindefull of repentance and of death he will be inuocated and called vpon of them Secondly it is most cleerelye said heere That calamities are sent of God Which lifteth vp the waues thereof They mouÌ„t vp to the heauen diseend to the deep A
in this worlde are ordeined by the singular prouidence of God to some profitable and necessary vses 2 That the same ought of all men diligently to be considered and so to be taken as that they may vnderstand and acknowledge them to be doone for their enâ—truction and admonition 3 That the godly ought to take occasion of spirituall ioy and comfort by the things which they sée wrought and accomplished by the will of God 4 And speciallye when they sée the proud and cruell tirants cast down from their seates by the beck and assignement of God 5 Not that it is the part of a godly man to reioyce at the calamities of other which doubtlesse might seeme to procéede from an enuious and malicious minde but for because the subnertion of the wicked serueth to the setting foorth of Gods power and iustice secondlye to the deliuerance of the godly by whome also God shall then more franklye and freelye be praised and magnified then before 6 That God dooth oftetimes woorke diuers signes and wonders and thrust the mightye from their seates that the rest of the vngodlye might haue an example whereby to be terrified and prouoked to amendement of life at the least that their wicked enterprises might be dasht and come to nought All which things doo aswell admonishe vs touching the obseruation of Gods prouidence and wonderfull dispensation of and in all the things that are brought to passe héer bylowe as also make not a little to the matter of comfortes and consolations And like as the Prophet addeth these thinges to the present example so ought they by vs to be applied to all and euery the euents which are daylye séene to come to passe and in which the power iustice and goodnes of God are plainely discerned and made manifest And thus much touching the confirmation of this Psalme stuffed and replenished with sundry and most beautifull arguments and examples Who that is wise will obserue these thinges and they shal vnderstand the louing kindenes of the Lord. The conclusion of the whole Psalme as touching the true vse of those woordes which haue hitherto beene declared inuiting all men to the diligent consideration of all the wonderous woorkes which through the prouidence of God are dayly seene ordinarilye to come to passe and chéefly of those and such like which haue hitherto throughout the whole confirmation beene discoursed in the which the goodnes power and righteousnes of God doo most cléerely shine And trimly dooth this conclusion answer to the very beginning For in the deginning all men were prouoked to praise and celebrate the Lord for his notable and great mercy and for his infinite goodnes apparant and conspicuous in all things and now in the conclusion he bréefly prompteth vnto the mindes of all men that by the things which haue hitherto beene declared it may aboundantly be perceiued how great the mercye and louing kindenes of the Lord is and therfore that it is the partes of godly wise men diligently to obserue and mark these things that therby they may learne that they ought at all times to praise God for so notable and excellent woorkes 1. And there is heere in the Hebrue a changing of the number when as in the former part of the verse it is said in the singuler number He will obserue and then immediatlye in the plurall They shall vnderstand An vsuall phrase of speaking in the Scriptures And we learne in this conclusion 1 That there are none truly wise but the godly and on the other side that all the wicked and vngodly are fooles touching which thing 1 Corinth 1 2 and Psal 14. 2 That the true and spirituall wisdome consisteth chéefly in the obseruation of the wonderfull workes of the Lord and in the vnderstanding of his goodnes 3 We learne by the beholding of outward and visible things which are daily séene in the world that we ought to climbe vp to the comtemplation of spirituall and heauenly things especially of the power goodnes and righteousnes of God touching which thing Rom 1. 4 That by all the thinges which come to passe we ought to take occasion of well dooing and of praising God And seeing these last woords haue respect to all the thinges which are declared in the confirmation it followeth that euen in the euills that are sent aswell as in the deliuerance from euills the mercye of God ought to be considered They shall vnderstand saith he The mercies or louing kindenes of the Lord. For whether it be so that God sendeth afflictions or whither it be so that he deliuereth from them yet that he dealeth mercifully iustly and wisely we haue before sufficientlye and at large declared But to know that euen crosses and calamities also doo come to passe by the mercy of God and that the mercye of God shall not be wanting to those that are afflicted with them this is in very déed the fountaine wel-spring of all consolatioÌ„ For which cause séeing it was our purpose to entreate of Gods prouidence and of the comfortes to be drawen from the same we think we haue not doon amisse in that we haue taken vpon vs at this present to expound this Psalme before the rest It was meete indeed that we should better and more fully haue perfourmed our duty in this behalf but when we both sawe the booke to encrease beyond our expectation and also that hauing set downe the chéefe and principall heads we supposed that we had giuen foorth plentye of thinges sufficient wherein the godly also by continuall meditation might exercise and solace themselues we conceiued good hope in our minde that thus labour of ours whatsoeuer it be would be allowed and accepted of all modest and well meaning men Wherefore this shal be the ende of our exposition vpon the Psalme The epilogue or conclusion THese things had I in a readines against the infinite rankes of euils and calamities that now range openly in the world to minister by way of comfort to all the afflicted but especially to the godlye and such as feare God And forsomuche as we sawe the place touching Gods prouidence to be most profitable for the raysing of fitte matter and furniture of comforts we haue taken in hand to vnfolde this vtterly omitting all other of the same sorte whatsoeuer And first of al we haue declared by way of teaching what is properlye to be vnderstoode by the name of Gods prouidence and that there is a prouidence we haue proued by many cleere and forcible reasons confuting those things that might séem to be brought to the coÌ„trary Next we haue shewed wherin Gods deuine prouidence differeth from the foreknowledge predestination and wisdome of God and likewise we haue proued that prouidence is not onely vniuersall as many suppose but also speciall and particular again dispatching all those things which we suspected might be obiected by the defenders of the contrary parte Then from hence we procéeded to teache and declare that neither fate or
manifest that he was so notable a prophet of God and a man so deere and acceptable vnto God If so be therfore he hath at any time or in any place vttred his minde giuen sentence touching this controuersie it ought to goe for payment and no more doubt to be made of it then of a heauenly Dracle But surelye he in this Psalme medling with an other matter taketh vpon him of purpose to haâ—â—â—ls this only question and beeing taken in hand dooth so exactly decipher and vnfolde the same as that no man vnlesse he will himself if he mark him well néede to erre or he deceiued about it Therefore let vs with cleere and resolute mindes heare him expounding this matter vnto vs. In the firste verse of this Psalme he propoundeth the Question and being propounded he then after vnfoldeth in the verses following and finallye concludeth it in the last Thus then he putteth it foorth O Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and thus by and by with a greater vehemencie he repeateth to the greater attention though in woordes somewhat altered saying Who shall rest in thy holy Hill And this thus propounded he layeth out afterward by many effects in this sorte Euen he saith he that walketh vprightly and woorketh righteousnes and speaketh the trueth from his hart he that slaundereth not with his tung nor dooth euill to his neighbour nor receiueth a false reporte against his neighbour he that setteth not by a vile person but honoreth them that feare the Lord he that sweareth and carefullye performeth his othe he that neither giueth his money to Vsury nor peruerteth iudgementhy taking reward Thus the question béeing decided he concludeth He that dooth these things saith he shall neuer be cast out of the house of God Now theÌ„ it is manifest which we saide that Dauid in this place vndertaketh of purpose to handle and vnfold this Question Therfore it remaineth that we harken vnto him with all diligence to the end we may perceiue what he saith and what his meaning is for which cause we will now prosecute euery thing somwhat more at large The Question he propoundeth first of all with a certaine exclamation to the intent he might bewray the greater affection of his minde and stirre vs vp the more to attention but he propouÌ„deth it which might seem very strang not to men as he ought to haue doone but to God O Lord saith he who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle because men pervie in this cace are blind and God is onlye the fit iudge And therfore that this so weighty a question might with the greater authortrie be determined Dauid would dispute it in the presence of God himselfe and before his iudgement seat that we might be giuen to vnderstand that the thing which is heere vttered is the certaine vndoubted Oracle of God For this cause therefore letting men goe who are too too much blind-folded especiallye in this matter he calleth God him self to witnes or rather to be the iudge of this controuersy as if he should say O God I now appeale vnto thée that thou being my witnes and iudge I may teach men which is the certaine and vndoubted way to eternall life touching the which all men vpon earth doo so greatlye striue among themselues all generally coueting to haue it but the gretest number going astray from it And we are to mark that in both the members of this first verse Dauid setteth before vs the heuenly and blessed life in the Tabernacle and in mount Syon For he dooth not demaund who shall one day enioy euerlasting life in heauen but who shall dwell in the Tabernacle that Moses had erected among the Israelits and abide in that holy Mountaine But all is one in effect For why that Tabernacle and that mount Syon was a figure of the heauenly Tabernacle and of eternall life as appéereth by infinit places of the holy Scriptures And that this is so to be vnderstood may appéer by that that if he had ment only of the outward Tabernacle and Mount he would not haue asked who should dwel in them For they were appointed to the Iewes and it was lawfull for all aswell good as bad to be conuersant in them But Dauid putting a differeÌ„ce between the good and the euill and respecting the end of the Tabernacle erected considering mount Syon after a spirituall manner demaundeth who shall rest and abide there For he that by faith frequented that Tabernable and mountaine was sure to be partaker of the life eternall and heauenly whereof these were tipes and figures on earth Therfore it is all one as if he had expressely demaunded who should be partaker of eternall life Which Question afterward he expoundeth at large that is to say by eleuen sundrye effects drawen from him that earnestlye endeuereth after the same blessed life Euerye of which are of vs to be weighed but yet so as hauing regarde of the place and time we may bréefelye teach them which otherwise if the time would suffer were well worthye to be longer stoode vpon In the first verse therfore wherin he beginneth to vnfolde the question he saith that he shal be partaker of the heauenlye life that so long as he liueth this short and transitory life here vpon earth dooth so behaue himselfe that he becommeth sound and vpright and imbraceth continually righteousnes trueth Which woordes are generall and haue a verye large signification insomuch that they may contein euen the whole perfection of the Lawe That may be called sound or vpright and is so in déed which consâ—steth of al his partes members and hath no one iot of them wanting So that man shal be of a sound and incorrupt life which euery where and at all times whatsoeuer he saith or dooth so behaueth himself that for Gods cause whome he entirelye loueth and feareth he neuer departeth from his dutie that is from the dutie of a good man so that he is Integer vitae Scelerisque purus In life vnattainted with sinne vnacquainted And therfore God who loueth this integritie making a couenaunt with his seruaunt Abraham requireth of him that he be perfite before him And that the word righteousnes is generall it is well known to all because righteousnes containeth in it selfe all vertues and the whole nature of vpright dealing and of the law of God Which also may be said of veritie and trueth But yet in this place these things seem rather to be refered to those duties that we ought to exercise towards men as appeereth by the whole sequeale of that that followeth Dauid therfore saith that he which aspireth to the heauenly life ought to frame and lead his life sincerely and to behaue himselfe without all fraud and guile towards others and so to exercise iust dealing that he hurt none but profit all rendring to euery man that which is his to be no dissembling or craftye person but to speak the truth in his hart that is
Come yee blessed into the Kingdome which was prepared for you of my Father from the beginning of the world For I was a stranger and ye tooke me in Naked and ye clothed me Hungry and thirsty and ye gaue me meat and drink For in asmuch as ye haue doone it to the poore and to such as wanted those thinges for my sake ye haue doon it vnto me But because we are not able to doo these thinges as we are men we must heere againt entreat and besoeche God that he would both giue vs that faith and strength also to obey him We therfore O almightye God and heauenly Father do most humbly beseech thee c. Sermon IIII. Psal 23. 1 God is my Shepheard I shall neuer want any thing 2 He maketh me to rest in greene pastures and leadeth me to the still running waters 3 He restoreth my life or soule and leadeth me in the path of righteousnes for his names sake 4 Yea though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euil for thou art with me thy rodde and thy shepheards staffe comfort me 5 Thou shalt prepare that is thou doost prepare the Future tence for the Present a table before me in the sight of mine aduersaries thou doost annoint my head with oyle and my cup runneth ouer 6 Thy louing kindenes shall follow me al the daies of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euer THat this Psalme is Dauids it appéereth by the title of it It is therefore commended vnto vs from Dauid as from the author thereof who was a man endued with great faith and zeale towards God but yet especially from the matter and argument which if bandleth For béere is celebrated by Dauid the singular prouidence of God toward his which he had both already tried and euen then also when he wrote this had good experience off He declareth therefore that God hath such a continuall care and consideration of his that is to say of faithfull and deuoute men that he will neuer forsake them nor leaue them destitute of any thing For firste of all he will minister vnto them aboundantlye whatsoeuer is necessary to this present life Secondly he will put from them euills and discommodities Thirdly he will followe them with this so singular louing kindenes of his not for a daye or a yeere but for euer Finallye which is the summe of all he will haue a regarde not onlye of their bodies but also and especially of their soules neither wil he imbrace them with this his fauour being seperated from him but he will take them into his owne familie where they shall worship him purely and sincerelye so long as they liue héere and afterward departing from hence he will reward them with a most blessed and happy life togither with himselfe in heauen This is that same care and singular prouidence of God touching good and godlye men the which Dauid hauing proued by experience singeth and celebrateth in this Psalme first by a certaine Allegory and similitude taken from the Shepheard of the Sheep in the first 4. verses and then also simply and without a figure in the two last And whatsoeuer he vttreth heere touching the louing kindenes and fauour of God towards him standeth vpon one groundwoork or foundation which is in the beginning of the Psalme where he saith God is my shepheard I shall want nothing which verily is a most certain and sure reason but yet such a one as wil be more manifest if to this Enthimeme the proposition which is wanting be added in this wise He whose shepheard God is can neuer lack any thing But God saith Dauid is my shepheard Therfore shall I neuer want any thing The proposition of this argument is so well knowen and certaine to all that there was no néed to set it downe For who is he if he acknowledge and beleeue that there is a God that knoweth not that is the only fountain of all goodnes and almighty and therfore can by no meanes be letted but that he will make thē whom he loueth from his hart to become most happy and blessed And therefore this being omitted wherof Dauid was most certainly perswaded Dauid assumeth But God is my shepheard and concludeth that he shall neuer want any thing But because this assumption might be doubted off to witte whither God had taken Dauid into his flock that is to say into his protection and tuition that he might become his Shepheard that dooth Dauid confirme by the effects of a good and diligent shepheard For he continuing the similitude borowed from the Shepheard of the shéepe rehearseth fiue things whereby he proueth it What is therfore the dutie of a good shepheard This was very well knowen to Dauid though he were a King for he himselfe had sometimes béene a Kéeper of Shéepe he might then easily describe the office of a good Shepheard and this is first required of a good Shepheard that he prouide his shéepe of swéete and plesant pastures for meat and of wholesome and commodious waters for drinke and that renuing or restoring their life he maye driue them too and fro both to the Pastures from the soldes and to the foldes from the pastures not through dangerous places beset with Briers or Flint stones but through plaine and smoothe paths least either they hurt their bodies with the briers or their feete with the stones Finallye that he may diligently defend thē from wilde beastes and from all hurt and danger But Dauid sheweth that God had so béene affected towardes him in the three verses next after the first God saith he my shepheard leadeth me his sheepe to the greene pastures that is to fruitfull or plesant pastures and such as are commodious to feede shéepe wherein I maye both conuenientlye rest and also be defended from the heate of the Sunne and from other discommodities Then he leadeth me to the plesant pastures where I may satisfie my self with holesome hearbes at my pleasure and afterward to auoid the ouer great heat of the Sunne and other hurtes and annoyances he causeth me to rest in the foldes or coates Secondlye the same my Shepheard leadeth me to the waters not violent and boisterous like a streame for such kinde of waters were nothing fit either to asswage the thirste or the heat but to the still and calme running waters with the which I may both satisfie my thirste gotten with féeding and with the heate of the Sunne and also coole and refreshe my selfe Thirdly he restoreth saith he and renueth my life Which may be referred to that that went before so when he leadeth me to such fruitfull Pastures and to such commodious running waters he recreateth and refresheth my life or to that also which followeth He restoreth my life in leading me along through smoothe and plain pathes or certes to them both How dooth God restore the life of Dauid his sheepe euen by leading him to the
as héere amongst vs both before and after such banquets the handes commonly are wont to be washed with sweete water And this betokeneth the abundance and plenty of thinges whereunto also belongeth that which he addeth My cup runneth ouer For by these phrases of spéech Dauid signifieth that God of his goodnes had not only ministred vnto him that which was necessary for the main tenance of this life but also he saith that he had giuen him so great plenty of al good things beside that ouer and aboue his necessary vses he had also wherin considering Gods bounty and liberality towards him he might recreate and refreshe himselfe God is not sparing toward his but very bountifull ministring euen those things that are more theÌ„ sufficient that so hauing experience of his great goodnes towards them they might the more willinglye and chéerefully serue him But that which he setteth downe in the last verse is especiallye to be marked For he prophesieth euen of the future and perpetuall benefites of God towards him when he saith He shall followe me with this his fauour all the daies of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euer For he signifieth that this grace should be eternall and much more continuall wherein he declareth what he looked for at Gods hand For if so be a Prince should make some one of a poore man riche or of base degrée noble and aduance him to great honour to th' intent he might shortly after thrust him from it and cast him downe headlong this were not to be accounted a benefite but rather an iniury But God is not wont so to behaue himselfe toward his that doo sincerelye woorship him this Dauid confirmeth when he saith that he is not to feare any such fall but rather saith he God will alwaies pursue me with his liberalitie and louing kindenes Declaring that the chances of Fortune as they are called though they be sundry vncertain yet are not to be feared of those who haue God to be their God And in the last place he saith that he shall dwell in the house of God a long time In the which place there is something more also conteyned then in the former where he entreated of the happines of the body and of the lifâ— present For Dauid had saide that all thingeâ— necessary for this life should be ministred vnto him of God and that he should also be defended and preserued from all euill Thirdly that these benefites should so long continue as his life did last but these thinges though they be great yet were they not inough except also regarde might be had and that principallye of the soule and of the heauenlye life which is to remaine for euer most happy and blessed of this therfore he speaketh in this verse And first Dauid saith that he shall not only enioye so many benefites appertaining to the commodious passing of this life and liue honorablye at home in his owne house but which is much more that he shall abide in the house of God to witte in the Church that is to saye that he being endued with the sincere knowledge of God shall alwaies purelye and reuerentlye woorship him in the Church wherein consisteth the foode and life of the soule And where he maketh mention of the continuance of time there is no doubt but that in these woordes is concluded the hope of the heauenly and everlasting life For that Church or Temple of Ierusalem was a figure of that heuenly and celestiall Temple not made with hands into the which Christ hauing made an eternal expiation and satisfaction for sinnes is said to be entred Heb. 9. So then there is no question but that Dauid lifteth vp his minde to that most blessed life when he thus speaketh and that he pictureth out that life in these woords which was represented by the Temple and the diuine worship and begun alreadye vpon this earth And therfore this is that singular and certaine Prouidence of God toward his which Dauid hauing experienced in his own person commendeth and describeth in fauour of al the godly For doubtlesse in this Psalme seemeth to be described the highest happines and felicitie and the way that leadeth vnto it so that this Psalme hath a patterne in it of all that euer is to be desired For why if for examples sake then haddest libertie giuen thée to wish what thou wouldest what couldest thou better or more desire to haue then that al things which are necessarye to the commodious passing of this present life might be richlye and plentifully ministred vnto thée by the hand of God euen in the despight of all thine enemies and euill willers Secondly that God himself beeing the gouernour of this whole worlde would so receiue thée into his custodye and protection that he would perpetuallye put away all euils from thée or if at any time any aduersitie befall thée that he would alwaies be so present with thée that it might nothing at all hurt and annoye thee Further that he would followe thee with this his so excellent fauour not for one yéer or two but during all the whole course of thy life Finally that hauing alwaies a speciall care not onlye of thy body but also of thy soule that is to say of thy chéefe and principall part he would enlighten it with the true knowledge of his will and not suffer it to wander in errors neither graunt thee only to liue so commodiouslye at home in thine owne house but also translate thâ—â— into his owne pallace that thou mightest dwell and abide with him Last of all when the soule shall be loosed from the hands of the body that he would translate thée to the heuenly most happy life where thou maist liue with him most blessed for euer Then these things there is nothing more to be desired neither séemeth any thing to be pretermitted that is of any weight or moment And therfore this Psalm contemeth a most perfect patterne of al things that are to be wished and desired Now then we al couet that which is good and good the greater that it is the more it is to be counted we should all therfore couet to be in the true and vndoubted possession of so great felicitie For who would not wish that he might both be partaker of all good thinges and vtterly void of all euil and that he might perpetually abide in this estate againe that being endued with the true knowledge of God he might liue peaciblye héere and after thâ—â— life be translated to the Kingdome of heauen and life euerlasting this is the thing that all that are of sound iudgement doo most cheefelye desire But so great a happines is offred to all mortall men yea and all are inuited vnto it of God himself For albeit Dauid speketh but of himselfe alone and saith that he was alredy come vnto it telling it foorth in such wise as though being out of all daÌ„ger he