this life which those that heare Gods voyce and obey his will doe abundantly enioy are infinite many view their blessednesse euen in the middest of their miseries noted alreadie in the answeres to the former obiections In the answere to the second instance in the third obiection against this doctrine God gouernes all things and if they are happiein those things which make them seeme vnhappie how blessed are they in other things wherin there is neither taste nor shew of miserie But alas how can they want store of blessings who haue Christ the fountaine of all blessings how shall God detaine that which is deare who hath giuen them his onely Son who is dearest vnto him and how shall his mercie be failing to his friends Rom. 5. when it was so abundantlie manifested when they were enemies If wee heare his voyce we are friends wee are brethren we are sisters we are sonnes vnto him If earthly parents doe loue their children and labour to profit them how should our heauenly father whose loue as farre exceedes their loue as the infinite Creator doth the silly creature faile in his loue to his children or bee wanting in his blessings toward them But I leaue the priuiledges of the godly in the blessings of this life and come to their happinesse in the life to come In the description whereof we may aime but cannot attaine He which will bee a certaine reporter must heare the matter himselfe he which will limme perfectly must view that hee would draw and he that would iudge of harmonies must heare the sounds how then should sillie man on earth whose senses were neuer partakers of this glorie be a perfect describer thereof It rests then and so in the bowels of compassion as Embassadors of Christ wee entreate you that you rather seeke to bee partakers thereof then to expect a description from another yet being the end of the hope of the faithfull it shall not be amisse to speake something thereof That there is a place of infinit ioy and blessednesse for the godlie Psalm 15. Psalm 27. Matth. 25. 1. Cor. 19. Hebr. 4.11 13. none so vilde that will call it into question for God who is truth it selfe hath alwaies both taught and promised it therefore Peter in the behalfe of himselfe and the Church the sole partakers of this blessednesse breakes forth into an hartie thanksgiuing vnto God on this manner Praised bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from death to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that perisheth not reserued in heauen for them which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto soluation Touching the word heauen it hath three significations Psalm 14.6 as Paul noteth when hee saith he was taken vp into the third heauens The error of Basilides that there are 365. heauens Euseb lib. 4. ca. 7. verie foolish first it is taken for the aire aboue vs In this sense I take it the Psalmist speaketh when he saith the Lord couereth the heauen with clouds and thus the birds of the aire are called the fowles of heauen Secondly it is taken for the firmament Psal 8.89.30 which is called the heauenly hoste or beautifull apparrell of the heauens Thirdly it is taken for the seate and habitation of God himselfe which is aboue the firmament Psal 15. Philip. 3. Psalm 103. Matth. 5. And this is the place whither Christ our forerunner is gone to prepare a place for vs that in due time he might gather vs vnto him Reuel 21. The glorie whereof being described so farre forth as we may conceiue of the same I leaue the description and come to the ioies therein contained whereof both soules and bodies shall be partakers Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.14 1. Pet. 1.4 The soule shall bee adorned with wisdome iustice and holinesse for the good graces begun in vs here shall be perfected there and that excellent estate wherein we were at first created like vnto God shall then be restored a thousand times more excellent The mind shal lose her darkenesse and bee replenished with all light it shall know the might power mercie and iustice of God without any ministerie of his word The will shal want all euill desires and in a sweete content rest and stay it selfe on God alone The bodie after the day of the Lord being ioyned to the soule Matth. 22.3 shal euer remaine glorious subiect to no changes to no infirmities not needing meate 1. Cor. 15.3 drinke apparrell or outward meanes to preserue it the agilitie thereof shall be such as that it shall mooue it selfe whither it listeth 1. Cor. 13.11.12 the proportion such as that there shall bee no defect in any member Dan. 12. Matth. 13. And thus God hauing blessed both soules bodies shall giue them a glorie which shal shine as the Sunne and Starres in the firmament and this glorie must needs be infinite for that his glorie which replenisheth all things shall cause it And whereas the pleasures of this life Iohn 2.3 either breede discontent in the possessing or griefe in the losing those blessed and perfect ioyes in heauen shall cause neither for our abundance shall not cause a loathing but we shall stil desire them nor our desiring implie a want for wee shall be filled with them and not for a time for then there was griefe in losing them but for euer and euer and therefore there is an endlesse happines in thus possessing them Oh blessed happinesse and happy blessednesse to haue health without infirmitie Rom. 8. Philip. 3. Isai 25. Deut. 8. Isai 32. 1. Cor. 13. Ioh. 18. youth without waxing old fulnesse without loathing freedom without bondage fairenesse without deformitie life without death abundance without want peace without trouble securitie without feare knowledge without ignorāce ioy without sorrow and light without darknes What is Salomons wisdome Absolons fairenesse Sampsons strength Mathusalems long life and Caesars reigne surely compared with the excellencie of these things in heauen they were but follie deformitie weaknesse a point of a moment and a seruile bondage It is excellent to know things physical but much more excellent to know metaphysicall to haue the knowledge of the blessed Trinitie the knowledge of the might of the father of the wisdome of the Son of the bountie of the Spirit Bern. in Medic. O beata visio videre Deū in seipso videre Deum in nobis nos in ipso Oh blessed sight to see God in his glorie to see God in vs and vs in him What doest thou desire O thou mortall man which may content either soule or bodie if glorious sights there you shall see the glorie of heauen of the Saints of the Angels yea of God himselfe If melodie there is the blessed consort of praising God together if to loue God
indifferently behold neither perfectly But let them forsake the viewing of the earth and it is a signe they behold the heauens And therefore I conclude with Gregorie Quantum frigescit quis à curis seculi tantò surgit ardentius in amorem Dei By how much the more a man forsakes that filthie vice of louing the world so much the neerer hee attaines that blessed vertue of purely louing God A second effect of louing God is alwaies to meditate and speake of him Verborum abundantiam transmittit affectio Philos It is a true rule that our hearts are vpon our delights and much loue sends out many words Christ the busband euery Christiā espoused to him Consider this ye vvhich alwaies speake of your owne matters Jn Rom. 8. If a woman loue her husband she is euer talking and meditating on him in the time of his absence and put her by that subiect vpon any occasion yet she presently returnes vnto it againe This is verified in the Church Cant. 5. neuer satisfied but when she is talking speaking of him Therefore I conclude with Chrysostome Amantium mos est de amato semper loqui The louer is euer meditating and speaking of the partie beloued A third effect is to desire to be more neerely vnited and to bee with Christ As the louing wife is neuer satisfied in time of her husbāds absence but though she hath no want of other things yet all other are wants because her husband is wanting so Christ being in bodily presence absent from his Church she is neuer quiet till hee come vnto her or she be taken to him And therfore she saith My soule thirsteth after thee with my soule haue I desired thee Isai 26 9. Rom. 8.23 Come Lord Iesus come quickly and if thou pleasest to stay a while yet I desire to be dissolued and to bee with thee Marke this yee vvhich at no time desire to die nor Christ to come to Iudgement And thus as Bernard saith Anima amans fertur votis trahitur desiderijs The soules which loue are alwaies wishing and euer desiring either that they might goe where the beloued is or that the beloued would come to them Fourthly to haue the law of God in high estimation to meditate vpon it Matth. 21. Intrauit Iesus templum Glos Jngressus vrbem primò adijt templum to heare it with reuerence and to lay it vp in our hearts with all diligence to preferre it before our pleasures before our profits for therein is Gods loue known and assured vnto vs and thereby is ours incensed vnto him Psalm 84. Psalm 2.2 Psalm 119.15 Psalm 107. Luke 2. Act. 10.33 Act. 16.14 Act. 17. And therefore such as snatch at small occasions to hinder them from hearing Gods word such as will busie their minds about any thing saue on that thing such as will begin the day with any worke saue with reading hearing or meditating on Gods law these shew they are not his sheep because they heare not his voyce they are not of his household because they first runne not to his home Namque proprium boni filij est primò currere ad domū patris For it is the propertie of a good and louing sonne as Chrysostome saith it s he first place to runne to the house of his father Jn Matth. 21. Fiftly it is a certaine effect of our louing God to loue those which are his children and especially his Ministers which declare Gods loue to his beloued which bring glad tidings of peace which present the fauours of his loue which deliuer the seales of our redemption which offer the supplications of the Church to God and reueale his will and intent to them again Those which reiect these reiect the Lord himselfe but those which loue these with other his children shew that they themselues are Gods children because they loue the brethren for this is an vndoubted marke of Gods childe to make much of him that loues and feares the Lord. Sixtly if wee loue God wee will willingly suffer persecutions for his sake When a poore subiect that is in all dutifull affection deuoted to his Soueraigne shall haue that offered wherein his loue may be surely tried and most manifested euen then is hee most ioyfull because the declaration of his loue is the ioy of his heart much more then doe Christians in the time of persecutions when the abundance of Gods loue is most felt in their hearts when the heate of their loue is most incensed vnto him for persecutions are but bellowes which blow the sillie sparkes in vs and those strong flames in God reioyce that they may shew their little loue to God and that God may extend the riches of his loue to them And thus the Apostles hauing been beaten for preaching in Christs name departed Act. 5. reioycing they were counted worthie to suffer for his sake Seuenthly they which loue God take part with him that is when he is dishonoured by the wicked they grieue they shew their dislike they reproue much lesse do they giue the occasions of committing sinne or encourage and soothe vp men in the cōmitting of it Yet herein they must bee wise as Serpents Necessary to be obserued by Noblemens Chaplanes and Attendants on great Personages not casting pearles before swine but keeping them within limits of their calling euer cōsidering the time the place the person and the occasion offered It is strange to see how many will be holie at home before their Minister before their religious Landlord but if they come to companie with the wicked if they aime at an office if they depend vpon some mans fauour whether Atheist or Recusant presently they sute their behauiour according to his disposition and so strengthen him in his sin and proue themselues to be time-pleasers such as neuer can please God But let Gods children learne that they must shew their loue before Kings and not be ashamed God will haue the whole heart and all the affections they must neither be parted nor dissembled Ambr. in Hexam The earthly master permits it not in his seruant much lesse our heauenly Father in his children Quid enim nostro Creatore dignum referrimus cuius cibo vescimur dissimulamus iniurias For what can we offer our Creator worthie his person or fit to bee accepted whilest we professing our selues his seruants feeding on his foode and cloathed with his liuories doe yet notwithstanding dissemble the wrōgs and iniuries which are offered vnto him Eightly when we so long hold a man our friend as our friend loues God and therefore loue the poore and our enemies because God hath commanded to loue them This is a certaine effect of Gods Spirit surely then and not vntill then doe such men loue God Ipse enim Domine amat te qui amat amicum in te pauperes inimicos propter te For he O Lord doth loue thee which loues his
him and the sorrowes of the graue caught hold vpon him he cannot but breake forth vnto the acknowledgment of this dutie I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice my prayers That is compassed him about as he saith elsewhere with songs of deliuerances Exod 21. Deut. 6.5 When the Lord would excite his people to the keeping of the first and great commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which as Christ expounds it in his answere to the demand of the Pharisaicall Lawyer is no other thing but to loue the Lord with all our heart Matth. 22.37 with al our soule and withal our mind His arguments of perswasion are taken from his fatherlie care and mercie vnto them saying that hee was their God which brought them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage So that this is a speciall vse to bee made of Gods benefits and great care ouer vs that when as hee doth superabound in blessings wee should abound in loue the onely sacrifice which God accepts and that onlie dutie which we may best performe Hoc praeceptum breue leue vtile est This lesson to loue God for his benefits is short light and profitable Short that all may learne it none can complaine of length or hardnesse light that the sick man in his bed the poore man in his want the captiue in his bondage the prisoner in his chaines and that which is hardest the rich man in his wealth without selling his substāce may learne to performe it Profitable none can complaine of losing thereby nay who euer loued the Lord which hath not thereby gained his owne soule which is more then the world and God himselfe more then a thousand soules Nor doe those benefits onely whereof wee haue an euident sense and feeling moue vs to loue the Lord but euen those also whereof wee are made partakers by their more remote operatiō which being lesse sensiblie felt as causes farther remoued Prouocations to make vs loue God are not so easilie perceiued by vs and yet continuallie admonish vs to loue the Lord. Caelum terra omniae quae in ijs sunt eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine Heauen and Earth saith Augustine and all things therein contained Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem doe make a continuall cry round about me that I should loue thee O Lord. They shew thy worthinesse and declare thy bountie such a world such heauens such an ocean such an earth such spirituall such earthlie creatures insensible sensible reasonable all wonderfully framed Quocunque te vertis veritas vesti◠ijs quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteriora relabentem ipsis exteriorum sormis intus reuocat Aug. de Arb. lib. Lord how mightie how wonderfull how wise art thou that made them and therefore worthie our loue and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to increase to multiplie them yea more to fill vs with them for thou hast said Wherin haue I grieued or failed you and we could not tell thou hast said What could I haue done more to my vine then I haue done but wee could not iustlie complaine and therefore thy bountie thy superabundāt bounty must needs make vs to loue thee Vnto this loue meere nature excites vs the horse loues his keeper the dogge his master the hawke the faulkner the seruant the Lord the sonne the father Pudeat ab exiguis enimalibus nos trahere mores Seueca shall these follow the course of nature and shall wee degenerate doe these loue that they might liue here and shall not wee loue our Lord our Master our Father that wee might liue eternally Nor doth nature onely teach this but reason also Bern. Quod nisi per ipsum valuit esse sine ipso non potest sustineri Quisque ita conditus est vt ipsum necessariò habeat protectorem quem habuit conditorem Euery one is so framed that hee must necessarily haue him to be his protector whom he had to be his maker because that which could not haue his beeing but from him cannot be sustained but by him Now God being this sole protector there is good reason why we should loue him A protector that is wise and can dispose for our good omnipotent therefore able to effect it mercifull and therefore will doe it iust and therefore will not decerue faithfull and therefore will not forsake if man wil euer chuse an absolute friend why should not man in reason chuse such a friend Foure things mouing to loue others what can hee desire that this blessed friend affoords not vnto him if delight there is pleasure at his right hand for euermore if alliance in Christ he is thy gratious father if present gaine thou art fild with his benefits and compast with his deliuerances if future glorie thou art not onely attended with a guard of Angels in this life Ama vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona satis erit August but shalt further be crowned with euerlasting glorie in the life to come And therefore reason teacheth that wee should loue God such a father so delightfull so gainefull so profitable to those that place their affections vpon him And though these doe continuallie craue our loue yet the riches of his grace and mercie do challenge it much more they doe mooue but this compels vs to loue him The consideration of this being the fountaine of all Christian duties yea giuing life and taste vnto them and yet alas slenderly regarded and lesse performed it will not be vnprofitablie though perhaps vnfitly annexed to this my purpose to shew Gods loue to vs thereby to excite ours to him againe Wherein consider the state we were in vessels of wrath bondslaues to sinne to our owne lusts to Satan of our selues castawaies for euer the state we now are in vessels of glory free denizens of heauen children of God heires of eternall happinesse how this is accomplished Iohn 3.16 in that God sent his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs from that fearefull miserie and to bring vs to this exceeding glorie but how by deposing his crowne of dignitie his glorious estate his absolute honour his perfect ioyes and so to become man in the flesh to vndergo hunger nakednesse want with other infirmities whereunto mankind is subiect sinne onely excepted This is wonderfull loue but behold greater hee became Asham as Isaiah saith a sacrifice for sinne hee drew vs as Hosea saith Hosea 11.4 with the coards of man that is as the Septuagint expounds it was willinglie bound with coards himselfe that hee might vnloose the coards wherewith wee were tied Ephes 2.18 Hee redeemed vs as Paul saith with his bloud shed on the crosse an ignominious death a fearefull death in which hee vnderwent the furie of his father and the torments of hell both
A LEARNED AND PROFITABLE TREATISE OF GODS Prouidence Written for the instruction and comfort of the Godly for the winning and conuersion of Sinners and for a terror to the obstinate and prophane Diuided into sixe parts By RALPH WALKER Preacher of the Word DEVT. 2.7 The Lord thy God hath bin with thee this fortie yeeres and thou hast lacked nothing AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1608. TO THE WORTHIE ANCIENT AND most vertuous two houses of the Right Honourable the Lord Harington Baron of Exton in the Countie of Rutland and Sir William Fitzwilliam of Milkton in the Countie of Northampton Knight grace and peace be multiplied from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ RIght Honourable and right Worshipfull finding you alwaies hand in hand neerely vnited with those firme combining bonds of nature vertue loue and pure religion I haue presumed hoping without offence to any humblie to craue you ioynt-Patrons of these my indigested labours which being accepted as they are presented signes of my humble loue and dutie and may further seeme worthie the iudicious reading I haue my desire and the labour I trust will prooue lost on neither side The subiect is very diuine answering your affections exceeding high not vnbefitting your personages most necessarie and therefore not vnworthie your studies Touching my own meannesse the Heathen man pleades for me Non quis sed quid dicit attendito Sencca Not who saith but what is said ought to be considered Christ is that good Sower his Ministers but as baskets containing the seede Christus seminat nos Cophini seminantis amongst which since it hath pleased him to account mee as one of all other though most vnsufficiēt my hope is that I may inclusiuely say with Augustine Aug. de Doct. Christi Etiam in nobis aliquandò ponere dignatur quod velit spargere Euen into vs silly ones doth Christ sometimes vouchsafe to put that which hee purposeth to sow amongst his childrē But the phrase is rude I wish Right Honorable that I could play the Rhetorician docendo delectando flectendo Aug. de Doctr. Christ. lib. 4. in teaching delighting perswading yet since the first is a worke of necessitie the latter of victorie and that other but of meere delight it shall reioyce me to performe the two chiefe leauing the lesse necessarie to those that excell therein Seneca Non delectent verba vestra sed prosint Our words must rather bring profit then procure delight The sicke man respects the good potions and not the eloquence of the Physition and it is a rule in Ambrose Melius est vt nos inteliigant populi quà m vt commendent Grammatici Ambros rather to speake that the meanest may cōceiue then that the Grammarian may commend But aboue all the precept of the Apostle Let all things bee done to edification is most to be respected In graue and diuine sentences it often prooues vt dum numerus addatur pondus detrahatur that whilest men adde an eloquent forme of words they detract from the substance of the matter August where wee onely desire that that which is shut may be opened what good doth the golden key if it will not open and what hurt doth the wooden key if it doth open If the method seeme preposterous Bern. ad Eug. I appeale as Bernard to Eugenius Confusa disterminat consideratio If due considerations will reduce all into order Wherein my hope is the greater in that experience doth teach that the most worthie and best affected verum magis amant in verbis August quà m verba do rather looke to the truth deliuered then respect the manner of deliuerie If nothing is said but what was heard before yet facilis est obliuio boni Hieron A good thing saith Hierome is soone forgotten and therefore not vnprofitable to recall things to minde that we may not be vnmindfull The end of all Sunt qui scire volunt eo tantùm fine vt sciant turpis curiositas est alij vt sciantur turpis vanitas est alij vt scientiam suam vendant turpis quaestus est aly vt aedificent prudentia est Bern. whether it be only to know which is but curiositie or that I may bee knowne which is but vanitie or that I may sell my knowledge which is but auarice or that I may helpe others which is Christian prudencie I leaue to God that can iudge the truth and to you his deare children that haue learned to thinke the best And thus committing your Honorable estates to the Almighties sauing protection my labours to your fauourable censures and my selfe to your due command I rest Euer bound in all dutie alwaies deuoted in pure loue Ralph Walker To the Reader COnsidering Christian Reader the precept of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 6.33 the practise of all Gods children Luk. 12.31 Jn Cant. Ea prius ampliusque curare quae sunt viciniora saluti First and chiefely as Bernard saith to respect those things which are most auaileable to saluation I cannot but wonder at the common course of the world that whereas the knowledge of the Prouidence of God is most requisite to this purpose being both an introduction to the rest and also simplie necessarie in it selfe and that the whole world being a schoole of the same euery creature a Tutor Quocunque te vertis veritas vestigijs quihusdam quae operibus suis impressit tibi loquitur Aug. de lib. Arbit euery action a proofe and euery motion a plaine Demonstration that yet notwithstanding as lamentable experience doth teach most men if not in all yet in some points are whollie ignorant of the same Whether this doth proceede from shame to enquire sloth to learne neglect to know scorne to bee taught or from a perswasion that wee see well alreadie Multa nesciuntur aut sciendi incuria aut discendi desidia aut verecundia inquirendi quidem huiusmodi ignorantia non habet excusationem Bern. in Epist. Ad Valent. Jn Moral like the foole in Seneca who though her eyes were quite out yet would sooner beleeue the house was darke at noone day then that shee had lost her seeing this ignorance thus farre growing or thus arising can pleade no excuse Aliud est nescire aliud nolle scire It is one thing saith Augustine not to know and another thing to refuse to know Gregorie notes the difference Nescire ignorantia est scire noluisse superbia est Not to know is ignorance but to refuse to know is arrogancie And who doe refuse Chrysostome telles thee Quibus fuit inueniendi facultas si fuisset quaerendi voluntas Those which had meanes to know if they had had willes to seeke Augustine telles mee there are two persons commendable in Religion De vtilit credendi the one hee which hath found the truth the other hee which would finde it If
stroke according to the good pleasure of his will Who moued the man to cut the wood who directed the traueller to passe that way at that same time vnder that same tree who caused the axe to fall at that very instant of his passing by and by the falling to giue him his deaths wound Was it not a particular worke of God in plaguing Herod Pharaoh Manasses Nebuchadnezzar and the rest his enemies Who caused that mightie winde to arise vpon the ship in which Ionah was flying from Gods presence was it not a speciall worke of God in afflicting Iob in suffering the Caldeans to spoile him of his goods In that the seede of Abraham went into Egypt and so long continued captiue to Pharaoh was it not a speciall worke in causing their deliuerance in giuing them bread from heauen water foorth of the rocke apparell that should not weare the cloude to keepe them from heate of the day the pillar of fire to enlightē them by night to make the sea stand on heaps for their deliuerance to cause it to returne vpon Pharaoh and his hoste to cast out the nations before his people and thus miraculously to bring them safe to the promised Countrie Was it not a speciall worke of God in causing Ioseph to dreame such dreames Genes 37. in suffering his brethren to take occasion thereby to slay him in preuenting their purpose by the counsell of Iudah in sending the Ishmaelites to whom they might sell him in mouing Potiphar chiefe steward of Pharaohs house to buy him Genes 39.1 and lastly being bought in making him chiefe Ruler ouer Pharaohs house Surely this was a worke of Gods wonderfull loue and exceeding mercie to his Church accomplishing that comfortable promise that in the time of dearth his children shall haue enough Yea it was a worke of God manifesting his especiall and particular Prouidence ouer Ioseph and by consequence ouer euery of his children And that both these are true it euidētly appeares in that Iosephs brethren being astonished at the sight of Ioseph and his dignitie and vpon consideration of their former demeanour of themselues vnto him wonderfully grieued Ioseph Aspeciall vvorke of Gods grace and an euident marke of his children Gen. 45.5 hating reuenge and resolued to blesse where hee was cursed and to do good vnto those that had done euill vnto him saith vnto them Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that yee sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation First vsing words of comfort secondly shewing his deliuerer and causer of his preferment God himself of his especiall Prouidence and lastly the end of all namely the good of his Church Therefore if the axe of Gods iudgement fall vpon vs if thou art afflicted in thy bodie robbed of thy goods tost in thy passage exiled thy countrie hated of thy brethren deliuered by God findest fauour with the Prince art aduanced to honour in all these being either fatherly corrections to withdraw vs from sin or pleasing blessings to moue vs to holinesse let vs acknowledge Gods especiall working for the declaration of his mercie and iustice But these mens opinions being declared and in briefe confuted I proceede vnto the certaine order of Gods gouerning all things Gods order of gouerning may bee said to be after a threefold maner First Gods order of gouerning by his Prouidence threefold sometimes without meanes Secondly sometimes contrarie to the nature of second causes and meanes Thirdly most vsually by thē according as their nature requireth And first of all of his gouerning without meanes 1. VVithout meanes A King that is Gouernour of a large and ample kingdome doth not onely rule himselfe but hath also vnder him Counsellors and Magistrates for the same purpose These are meanes of gouerning which Princes must needes haue because one cannot see all abuses heare all causes punish all offences but with God whose wisedome and power is infinite from whom nothing is hid and vnto whom to will and performe are both alike there is no such inabilitie no such necessitie And therefore to shew his might power he will sometimes worke without the vse of second meanes Instances are plentifull By whō did God create Adam Eue Genes 1.27 by whose ministerie did he giue thē a law Genes 3.8 whose voyce did he vse in reproouing their disobediēce who called Abraham forth of his natiue country Genes 12. brought him into Canaan By whom doth God sanctifie Ephes 2.22 and regenerate the elect is it not by his holy Spirit which is one with himselfe Exod. 34. Who stepped betweene God and the Iewes to put the vaile of ignorance before their eyes and to pluck it from the eyes of the Apostles 2. Cor. 3. By what secondarie meanes was that blessed cōception in the wombe of the Virgin Mary Matth. 1.23 Surely these were effected by God without the vse of second causes Neither is this true in the things of a better life only but also in things concerning this life Genes 1.2 After the Lord had created the Seas Moses saith that the Spirit of the Lord did moue vpō them not only making them goodly in proportion but also blessing and maintaining them By what second meanes did God maintaine Noah his familie Genes 7.23 and other his creatures so long in the Arke together Where were the birds that hatched the Quailes in the euening and the ground that yeelded Manna in the morning for Gods people Exod. 16.13 Deut. 29.5 What second meanes were there of preseruing the childrens shooes from corruption in the wildernesse who kept Elias 1. King 19.8 who preserued Moses in the Mount fortie daies together Exod. 2.18 Surely all these and sundrie other are effected by Gods immediate power And therefore this is an euident truth that God doth somtimes worke without the vse of second causes Touching the second maner of Gods gouerning namely 2. Contrarie to the nature of second causes sometimes against and contrarie to the nature of subordinate meanes sundrie instances may be giuen forth of Gods word The red Sea Exod. 10.19 contrarie to nature Ios 3.1 at Gods commandement stood on heapes and Iorden against his course was diuided in the middest that Gods people might passe thorow them It is against the nature of the Sunne to haue his course staid and to be caused to retire backe againe It is against the nature of the fire in that God by his speciall Prouidence preserued Sadrach Mesech and Abednego for whereas they being matter subiect vnto burning were cast into it yet no part of them were cōsumed It is against the nature of a corruptible body bound with ropes Ioh. 11.4.44 and lying dead in the graue to become sweete againe to arise to haue the ropes fall off and to be as liuely a bodie as it was before These with many other wee know that God in his
of saluation also And therfore as God doth predestinate to saluation so hee doth predestinate withall the vsing of the meanes whereby men shall be saued as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall plainly teacheth And howsoeuer we dare not teach that the omitting of these things is the cutting vs off from saluation because God is not tied vnto outward meanes yet we truly affirme that the contempt of thē knowing them to bee meanes of saluation ordained by God doth cut men off that they cannnot bee saued Now if it be an omitting of the meanes to haue a price in our hands to buy them and not to haue the hearts to disburse it whether our seeking of occasions to be absent from the word blessed Communion whether our backwardnesse to come when wee are so often inuited whether our small regard in hearing and lesse in practising be an omission or a contempt I leaue to God and mens consciences to determine only this I am sure it is too nice a distinction to stand vpon in matters of saluation the failing in the one is a signe of falling into the other and in thee that art not able to answere an idle thought it will bee Christian wisedome to preuent so vile a deede But let these men remember that since the Law leades vs to Christ The Gospell is the povver of God to saluation and the Gospell begets faith and repentance comforts vs in aduersitie humbles vs in prosperitie declares Gods loue vnto vs shewes how wee should loue him reueales his power our weaknesse his wisedome our folly his grace our naturall miserie enlightens our dark vnderstandings informes our iudgements confirmes our faith reformes our lines that therefore these blessed meanes with others ordained in them are sole declarers of the way to happinesse excite vs to walke in it who otherwise would not enter it and being entred doe keepe vs in the same And therefore as the man that desireth to be at a citie shall neuer come at it if he reiecte the waies leading to the same so many fooles wishing after many daies spent in the lusts of their flesh to bee at new Ierusalem and yet all their life time reiected the waies that God appointed for the leading vnto it will rather despaire in what they desire then haue any assurance of their comming thither Therefore howsoeuer the wicked and foolish desire to die the death of the righteous and at last to be partakers of their blessednesse and yet reiect the meanes whereby they should attaine it like men that desire their health and yet are neuer well but when they fall into surfets yet let the righteous haue these blessed meanes euermore in high estimation let them be sweeter to them then the honey and honey combe for by them Gods seruants are taught and in keeping them there is great reward Vse 2 Secondly whereas God is not so tied to meanes but that he sometimes worketh without them and sometimes against thē we learne euen thē to trust in the Lord when miseries doe most beset vs and when no apparent meanes of deliuerie can appeare vnto vs. God will diuide Iordan and make the sea to stand on heapes that his children may passe and be deliuered God can strike the stonie rocke cause the heauens to raine Manna make the walles of Iericho to fall at the sound of a trumpet put a hooke in the nostrels of Zenacherib make a little oyle and meale a long time to nourish his children hee can feed them by the fowles of the heauen he can cause the irons to fall off and the gates of the prison to open of their own accord hee can muster an armie of his meanest creatures able to subdue the mightest Princes therefore since this mightie and fearefull God is one and the same whose mercie is not diminished nor his arme of power shortned there is good cause why we should alwaies hope in him and then especiallie when we are most destitute of apparent helpe and comfort Luke 15. The father wil neuer declare his loue so euidently to his sonne as when others doe oppose themselues most stronglie against him and shall not God both in power and mercie infinite at such times especiallie regard his children Bern. in Cant. Nihil omnipotentiam deiclariorem reddit quà m quod omnipotentes facit omnes qui in se sperant Nothing more declares the omnipotencie of God then Gods making those to be conquerers in all things that put their trust in him And therefore saith Dauid They trusted in thee Psalm 18. and were not confounded No meruaile O Lord for thou art the rocke the shield the fortresse the horne the refuge the strength of thy people how then can they fall 1. Iohn 3. thou art iust in thy promises how then can they bee destitute of aide when thou hast promised that if they aske thou wilt minister it vnto them thou hast elected them of thy grace Luke 11. and redeemed them of thy rich mercie how then since thou hast giuen the greatest the dearest shouldest thou denie the lesse or that which is of smaller value Tria considero in quibus spes mea tota consistit charitatem adoptionis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis I consider three things saith Bernard wheron my whole hope is staid in the greatest troubles Jn Cant. Gods loue in adopting his truth in promising and his power in deliuering what then if the tempest grow strong Psalm 46.2.3 and the waues of this troublesome sea rise on high what if sands and rocks inuiron thee that thou art likelie to bee eaten vp of the one or broken on the other what if the tacklings breake and the mast blow ouer yet trust in the Lord this threefold cord fastned on Christ makes a strong cable and a firme anchor whereon whosoeuer relieth shall neuer perish in the greatest tempest though both the wind and the tide bee against them For if Gods Prouidence extends to his meanest creatures then much more to his children as Christ himselfe teacheth and if at all times Matth. 6. sure then especially when the greatest troubles dangers beset them Wherefore we conclude that since the Lord of hosts is with vs Psal 46.1.4.7 As Shiloah that comforted Hierusalem and the God of Iacob our refuge therefore there is a riuer whose streame shall euer make glad the citie of God therefore if we make him our hope and strength he will be a help readie to be found in the greatest troubles Lastly Jn that God is Inflicter of all punishment since it is a priuiledge belonging to God alone to bee the inflicter of all punishment we are taught in all Christian wisdome to repent vs of our sinnes to take hold on Christ to clense our selues from all filthines of the flesh and of the spirit and to grow vp vnto holinesse in the feare of the Lord that so he may be induced not to enter into
iudgement with vs. For surely though the world makes but a iest at sinne and a toy to commit iniquitie though they play with it as the fish with the bait in her mouth not regarding the hooke till she see it hath caught her yet at last they shall find that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Hebr. 10. and that when his register of what is done amisse shall bee opened before them they shall not be able to abide it As is the meanes the theefe can vse for his deliuerie and the disposition of the Iudge before whom hee is to bee arraigned so is hee raised vp to hope or driuen downe to despaire Now all haue sinned if wee vse the meanes Christ Iesus the sole Redeemer of the world by a liuely faith exercised in the workes of righteousnesse wee shall be freed from the censure of condemnation but if thou shalt reiect Christ and vnrepentantly delight in the workes of darknesse behold the nature of the Iudge and from thence the fearefulnesse of his iudgement and so auoide I beseech thee the sinnes that will cause it First therefore we consider that God is infinit in mercie here and therefore will very seuerely punish in the life to come The meanes of present maintenance addes to the grieuousnes of the theft and the clemencie of the Prince makes the rebellion more punishable how then shal the wicked appeare before the Lord when the heauens and the earth with all things therin cōtained shall declare both his worthinesse and bountie whē his Ministers shal obiect their infinite sermons their preaching of the Gospel their daily exhortations when his Angels obiect their attendance seruice ministerie when as Christ himselfe shal obiect his poore estate the obseruations of the wicked the contradictions of his enemies the reproches of the scornful the scarres in his bodie the speare in his side the nailes in his feete the bowing of his head the spreading of his armes the shedding of his blood and all for to cleanse thee how strict will God bee in punishing when thou wouldest not be clensed Secundum magnitudinem misericordiae in praesenti erit magnitudo furoris in futuro As God is most abundant in mercie now so he will be most furious in punishing thē And therfore saith Gregorie Greg. in Moral how shall he endure his displeasure there that contemned his rich mercy heere The second consideration is of the iustice of God If hee spared not Adam for eating the forbidden fruit Genes 3. if not the whole world because they rebelled against him Genes 7. if not the Angels that sinned 2. Pet. 2.4 but committed them to chaines of perpetuall darknesse yea if hee punished his righteous Sonne for the sinnes of the elect Eph. 2.13 Esay 53.8 rather then sinnes should go vnpunished how hopest thou to escape which art by nature the child of wrath Ephes 2.3 which art but one which maiest not be compared to the Angels which art a wicked seruant what shall become of the vnprofitable shrubbe of the desert when that goodly Cedar of Paradise shall be stricken Hieron Dan. 7. Malach. 3. Isai 30. Ose 11. Amos. 4. Apocal. 6. Neither shall God appeare to the vnrepentant in the strictnesse of his iustice only but also in the zeale and furie of the same so that then they shal crie Hide vs from him that sitteth on the throne and from the furie of the Lambe Tunc nec diuitiae diuitibus prosunt He that by nature is a lambe is enforced by sinne to shevv himself a Lion nec paerentes parentibus intercedunt nec Angeli pro hominibus verbum faciunt quia natura iudicij non recipit misericordiam At that time saith Chrysostome riches shal not profit them one mā shal not make intercessiō for another the Angels shall not pleade for them Ezech. 7.19 because the nature of the iudgement admits not of mercie Mallent omne tormentum sustinere quà m faciem Iudicis irati videre They had rather saith Augustine suffer any punishment Prou. 11.23 then behold the angrie countenance of that fearefull Iudge whom by their sins they displeased The third consideration is that he to whom it belongeth to punish sinne is an Al seeing God Many breake the lawes of the Prince vpon hope of concealing their offence but the sinnes we commit against the Prince of Princes cannot be hidden hee knowes the secrets of the heart Iob 11.11 1. King 16.19 Psalm 139.3 Ierem. 16.17 searcheth the reines and vnderstandeth the thoughts long before Thou compassest my pathes saith Dauid and my lying downe and art acoustomed to all my waies Whereupon saith the Glosse God doth so consider the waies and compasse the paths of euery one that euery idle word and vaine thought shall be iudged Lord how shall the wicked be able to appeare before thee whē not one but all their sins shal be mustered in thy presence how shall they be able to vndergoe thy censure for all in nūber like the sands of the sea whē they cannot make answere for one and that of the smallest Ierem. 29.23 Malach. 3.5 But what men haue committed that cannot be concealed for God is both the Iudge and the witnesse Boetius Indicta est probationis necessitas cum agamus coram oculis Iudicis cunctae cernentis In the diuine law the necessitie of proouing is forbidden because wee doe all things in the sight of the Iudge that shall trie vs Sicut capillus non perit de capite ita nec momentum de tempore As the haire perisheth not from the head but God takes note of it so no time passeth saith Bernard but God keepes account of it Therefore seeing our sinnes are so infinit and that they are al knowne vnto God who shal iudge them it behooueth men to feare the committing of moe because the account they are to make is so large alreadie The last consideration is that this Punisher of finne is Almightie Isai 14.27 Isai 51.15 Matth. 10.18 Iames 4.12 Isai 47.11 He is a God of armies the Lord of hosts is his name when he will saue none can destroy and when hee will destroy none can deliuer Chrysost Nee resistendi virtus nec fugiendifacultas we haue neither power to resist nor meanes to flie away Hee which caused the mountaines to shake at his Maiestie in giuing the law he shal cause the proudest sinner to feare and tremble when hee shall denounce his sentence of iudgement vpon the violaters thereof Qui ceciderun ad vnam vocem Christi monituri quid facient sub voce indicaturi August in Ioh 18.6 If the souldiers fell downe at the voice of Christ in the forme of a seruant admonishing them how shall the stoutest gallant bee strooke to the ground at the voice of the Lord of life in his glory and Maiesty iudging them Therefore howsoeuer the world the flesh and the diuell doe deceiue men howsoeuer they iudge the seruing of God lost labour and that they had rather liue and die in their sinnes then remember their Creator in the daies of their youth yet let them at last returne to the truth againe the nature of their sin is a beastlike rebellion the punishment eternall destruction the punisher Almightie thou canst not escape him Maiesticall thou canst not abide him Al-seeing thou canst not hide thy selfe nor thy sinnes from him Iust for he punished his righteous Sonne and therefore will not spare his vile seruant Rich in mercie now and therefore will abound in wrath and furie in the life to come therefore when thou art entised to continue in thy sinnes and to deferre thy conuersion to God say vnto thy soule Genes 16. as the Angell to wandring Hagar O my soule from whom hast thou fled from the Lord of life a gratious God and mercifull father to all those that obey him and what art thou doing defiling thy selfe with sinne and iniquitie and enfolding thy selfe in infinite miseries And whither art thou going to be punished by an Almightie most iust and Al-seeing God now most mercifull but when he shall enter into iudgement exceeding furious now gentle then angrie now long suffering then auenging therefore O my soule what canst thou answere when hee demands an account what wilt thou doe when hee shall enter into iudgement with thee peccata latere erit impossibile peccatorem apparere intollerabile That thy sins should be hid it is impossible that a sinner should appeare it is intollerable Backe then againe O my soule goe to the Lord thy God right humblie confesse thy sins and acknowledge thine iniquities say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and earth and am not worthie to bee called thy seruant but O Lord rich in grace infinite in mercie true in thy promises for thy deere Sonnes sake put away my sinnes instruct mee that I may strike my hand vpon my thigh and vnfainedly repent for them Shew me thy saluation that they swallow mee not vp worke in mee by thy holy Spirit and word a true faith in Christ Iesus my gratious Redeemer and being thy redeemed O my sweet Sauiour stay mee with thy Spirit that I fall not frō thee vphold me with thy grace that I be no more the seruant of sin yea create in mee a new heart and a new spirit that as I haue been a weapon of vnrighteousnesse euer heretofore so I may be a member of righteousnesse alwaies hereafter that as thou hast been infinit in mercie to mee I may encrease in obedience to thee then shall I no longer feare the terror of the great Iudge but to the ioy of my heart say my Redeemer liueth then shall I desire no longer the deferring of thy comming as the wicked seruant but as a good child desiring alwaies to see the face of his father and as one in pure loue espoused wishing no thing so much as to bee with her beloued euen so will I for my selfe and all that loue thy comming crie Come Lord Iesus come quickly euen so for thee and vs al Amen Amen FINIS