also as relating to that His words are these This his Justice upon the wicked is a part of his goodness towards his people as it is said The just shall rejoyce when he sees the vengeance He Psalm 58. 11. shall wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked A gloss that may receive confirmation from certain passages in Psalm one hundred thirty six Where the destruction of opposite Princes is recorded as an evidence of Gods mercy to his Church He slew famous kings for his mercy endureth for ever Sihon king of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for ever And Og the king of Bashan for his Psal 136. v. 18 19 20. mercy endureth for ever As also from that in the first of Nahum The Lord is good a Nahum 1. 7 8. strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him But with an overflowing floud he will make an utter end of the place thereof that is the oppressing city Niniveh and darkness shall pursue his enemies § 2. But the learned Critick Ludovicus de Dieu considering that in other places by name Zechar. 5. 3. the word Nakah signifieth to make void and to cut off by altering the translation of these words puts them into a posture of looking directly at the goodness of God and not with an oblique glance He renders them thus Evacuating cutting Evacuando non evacuabit succidendo non succidet Lud. de Dieu Animadvers in Exod. pag. 81 82. off or destroying he will not evacuate cut off or destroy visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation making this the sense So great is Gods goodness that even when he is angry and punisheth yet he will not utterly overthrow He visiteth indeed the sins of the fathers upon the children but it is to the third and fourth generation onely not for ever Now according to this interpretation which for ought I know may well be received the expressions import an eighth branch of divine goodness to wit Clemency in correcting here set forth by a generall declaration and by a particular instance First by a generall declaration in these words VENAKKEH LO IENAKKEH destroying he will not destroy that is not altogether not so destroy as to make a full end according to the expression in Jeremy Thus in like forms of Jerem. 46. 28. speech Delivering thou hast not delivered that is say our Translatours Neither hast thou delivered this people at all Redeeming he cannot redeem that is say they None of them can by any means Exod. 5. 22. Psal 49. 7. redeem his brother Proportionably here Destroying he will not destroy that is God wil not at all he wil not by any means utterly destroy his people however he may correct and chasten for some time Suitable whereunto is that in Amos his Prophesie Behold the eyes of the Lord God Amos 9. 8. are upon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord. § 3. This sense is exceedingly favoured by a parallel place in Jeremy I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee Jer. 30. 11. Though I make a full end of all Nations whither I have scattered thee yet will I not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure Then followeth VENAKKEH LO ANAKKECA which Pagnin rendereth And destroying I will not destroy thee It may further and yet more strongly be confirmed by a passage in the fourteenth of Numbers The hand of faith having once fastned upon God will not readily let go his hold Moses had taken fast hold of that discovery which the Lord was pleased to make of himself in this place of Exodus and accordingly upon occasion improveth it by pleading with him for Israels preservation from a totall ruine which was then deserved and threatned making use to that end of those very terms the discovery was made in and among others of those now under debate as most argumentative in the sense contended for It is as if he had said Wilt thou O Lord Numb 14. 17 18. bring an utter destruction upon this whole people What shall then become of that goodness of thine which it pleased thee to proclaim to thy servant in Sinai If thou beest resolved to punish them yet remember what thou hast said Destryoing he will not destroy If their iniquities must be visited upon their children O let it not be for ever Lord but onely to the third and fourth generation as thou hast spoken Whereas from the words in that other sense which is commonly received Moses could not possibly have drawn so strong a plea. For if God will by no means clear the guilty all Israel having at that time contracted a deep and deadly guilt what inference could be made from thence but that all Israel were of necessity to perish § 4. Secondly by a particular instance contained in the last clause Visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation For the cleerer explication whereof it will be requisite to demonstrate that God in so doing exerciseth both equity and clemency lest either should be doubted of Concerning the former Although by an express law Magistrates Deut. 24. 16. compared with 2 Kings 14. 6. Vide Grotium de jure belli pacis lib. 2. cap. 21. §. 14. be forbidden to put children to death for their parents sins yet God who is authour of life and death hath reserved to himself a liberty of so doing whensoever it pleaseth him by reason of his supreme dominion over all and therefore for him to inflict inferiour temporal punishments in that case cannot but be accounted just The rather if we take into consideration that children may be accounted part of the parents themselves for as a mans wife is himself divided so his children are himself multiplied However they are undoubtedly part of their parents goods and so esteemed When God had once said concerning Job Behold Job 1. 12. all that he hath is in thy power Satan by vertue of that Commission slew not his cattel and servants onely but his sons and daughters And when he had determined concerning Achan Let Josua 7. 15 24 25. him and all that he hath be burnt with fire the Israelites in obedience to that command burnt his children together with his other substance § 5. As to the latter Gods visiting on this wise will be found an act of clemency as well as of equity if it be considered First That it is but to the third and fourth generation not to all generations and for ever according to the Psalmists expostulation Wilt thou be angry Psal 85. 5. with us for ever wilt thou draw out shine anger to all generations Not to do thus is mercy witness that in
good thing is commended by its antiquity One said well that Old wood is best to burn old friends best to trust and old Sir Fr. Bacon books best to read What price do Scholars put upon an ancient Manuscript Doubtless the oldest of all Manuscripts is the book of life and the writing of our names therein the first-born of all Gods favours If God so value the first-fruits of our services as he doth how carefull should we be to magnifie the first-fruits of his goodness If old charters be of so great esteem as they are in the world how great an estimate should we set upon the most ancient Magna Charta of our Election having this seal The Lord knows who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Fourthly A leading favour Those are the most valuable blessings that have influence upon sundry others which they draw infallibly after them Such is Election Paul makes it the first linck of his golden chain and shews how introductive it is of all the rest whom God did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also Rom. 8. 30. justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Here is a chain which God Quatuor annuli sunt unius catenae quâ è coelo demissa Pater in coelum trahit electos Primus est Prâ—destinatio ad vitam in Christo Secundus Vocatio efficax ad Christum Tertius Justificatio per Christum Quartus Glorificatio cum Christo Zanch. Tom. 7. col 177. lets down from heaven that by it he may draw up his Elect thither The first linck of it is Predestination taken in a restrained sense for the Election of grace The next Effectual Vocation into this the former hath a causal influence according to what the Lord once said by his Prophet Jeremy chap. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindenes have I drawn thee Election having once pitch't upon a man it will finde him out and call him home where ever he be Zacheus out of cursed Jericho Abraham out of idolotrous Ur of the Chaldeans Nicodemus and Paul out of the Colledge of the Pharisees Christs sworn enemies Dionysius and Damaris out of superstitious Athens In what dunghil soever Gods jewels be hid Election will both finde them out there and fetch them out from thence The third linck is Justification the dependance thereof upon Election may be gathered from that passage in the same chapter to the Romans Who shall lay Rom. 8. 33. any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifies As also from the vision in Zechary where Joshuah the high priest representing the people appeared clothed with filthy garments in signe of guilt by them contracted Zechar. 3. 34. till God had commanded saying Take away the filthy garments from him Ib. v. 5. Behold I have caused thine iniquitie to pass from thee Whereupon there was a fair Miter put upon his head and he clothed with change of garments in reference to their change of condition from guilt to free justification the spring whereof is hinted to in that speech The Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke Ib. v. 2. thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee The Fourth and last is Glorification That takes in both the beginnings of glory in sanctification of which Paul in his second to the Corinthians the third chapter and last verse We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord and of which he telleth us elsewhere that all the graces of which it consists proceed from this prime grace of Election saying God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ according Ephes 1. 3. 4. as he hath chosen us in him and the consummation of glory in heaven the foundation whereof is by our Saviour clearly laid in the Fathers giving us to him by Election at first This saith he is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise John 6. 39. it up again at the last day So true is that of a Modern writer Election depends Caetera pendent ab Electione Electio à Deo Heins Hom. in Job 17. 9. p. 46. upon God alone all other blessings upon Election Fifthly A standing favour The favours of men may be suddenly changed into frowns as those of King Ahashuerus towards Hamon were who but he over night in the Kings esteem next day he will not endure the sight of him But God's are immutable All the blessings of the Covenant of grace are sure mercies according to that by the Prophet Isaiah I will make an everlasting covenant with Jsai 55. 3. you even the sure mercies of David Election in a special manner Our Apostle accordingly intimates in one place that the purpose of God according Rom. 9. 11. to election must stand and affirms in another that this foundation of God stands 2 Tim. 2. 19. sure having this seal The Lord knows who are his In which few words we have no fewer then three grounds of its stability a Foundation a Seal and a Science Election is the Foundation of God a firm Foundation that stands sure With us things founded upon a rock have great stability the rock of ages as he is called even God himself his good pleasure and counsel Isal 26. 4. is that upon which our Election is founded With us writings once sealed receive a confirmation thereby and become unrepealable God hath set his seal to this Decree With us knowledge or science is of things certain and unalterable not as opinion which being of things onely probable may be changed The seal here is The Lord knows who are his No wonder then if the Lord be for ever found to make good that which he said by his Apostle God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew If having named Election in the foregoing verse he presently subjoyns The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 2. Rom. 11. 29. EXERCITATION 3. Exerc. 3. An Introduction to Romans 9. Most part of that chapter expounded together with sundry passages in chapter 10 and 11. for proof of these two conclusions 1. That Paul in Rom. 9. doth upon occasion propound and prosecute the doctrine of Predestination 2. That he derives the Decree of preterition from the Sovereign greatness of God A Consectary shewing how usefull the said doctrine is to sober mindes § 1. FOr a full proof of our second Assertion That the greatness of God is abundantly manifested by his decree of Preterition we must of necessity have recourse to the ninth chapter of Pauls Epistle to the Romans as unto the proper seat of that argument although divers from abroad and some at home by forreign interpretations forced
the product of both sums be not soul-satisfaction and blessedness but vanity and vexation of spirit How often is the sword put into mad mens hands the bramble advanced to rule over better trees and walls of mud shined upon while marble pillars stand in shade How often do goats clamber up the mountains of preferments whilest the poor sheep Ambitio te ad dignitatem nisi per indigna non ducit Senec. Natural quaest in Praefat. lib. 1. Ambitio charitatis simia Charitas patiens est pro aeternis ambitio pro terrenis Didac Stella de Contemptu mundi part 1. pag. 88. of Christ feed below yea how often is greatness acquired by base and confounded by weak means Flattery held Absolons stirrup He that is every ones master now was a while since at every ones service Well might Stella call Ambition Charities ape for it also beleeveth all things hopeth all things yea and beareth all things too till what it hoped for be attained then grows intolerable it self It may further be observed that God usually taketh a course to break the staff of such pride by confounding the power of worldly Potentates not with Lions and Tigres but as Pharaohs of old by frogs and lice The Apostle I remember saith An Idol is nothing and yet the silversmiths cried out Great is Diana of the Ephesians Diana then was a great nothing Such are those men of place idolized by common people when the Lord begins to blow upon them in his wrath like those nobles of Idumea concerning whom Isaiah said All her Princes shall Isa 34. 12. be nothing § 9. Secondly as for those saints whose wings are still somewhat clogged with the birdlime of this world I humbly desire them to consider how ill it becomes the offspring of heaven to go licking up the dust of this earth the womans seed to content it self with the serpents food Any one of the posterity of Japhet after he hath been perswaded into the tents of Sem to bring on himself Canaans curse A servant of servants shalt thou be by subjecting his soul to that which God made to serve its servant the body Verily if this present world or any thing in it be over precious in thy sight O Christian thou Cujus anima in oculis ejus est pretiosa in ejus oculis mundus est parvus Dictum Hebraeorum apud Buxtorf in florileg p. 225. Pecuniam habes vel teipsum vel pecuniam vilem habeas necesse est Senec. art become vile in the eyes of God yea in thine own for none can set an high price upon things without him till he have first undervalued his soul Time was when Satan shewed our Saviour all the kingdomes of this world and the glory of them If ever the world appear unto thee temptingly glorious suspect it for one of Satans discoveries Sure I am the Scripture useth diminishing terms when it speaks of creature-comforts as in styling the pomp of Agrippa and Act. 25. 23. 1 Joann 1. 17. Bernice much phansie no reality in calling mens temporal estates this worlds Matth. 13. 22 goods not theirs but the worlds deceitfull 1 Tim. 6. 17. Habak 2. 6. Amos 2. 7. and uncertain riches thick clay and dust of the earth winde grass and the flower of grass the least things hardly things Solomon Eccles 5. 16. James 1. 11. Luke 16. 10. 15. brings them down to the lowest degree of entity yea to nullity saying Labour not to be rich wilt thou set Prov. 23. 4 5. thine eyes upon that which is not § 10. Let Diotrephes then say It is good for me to have the preeminence Judas It is good for me to bear the bag Demas It is good for me to embrace this present world But do thou O my soul conclude with David It is Psal 73. 28. good for me to draw near to God Thou art now as a bird in the shell a shell of flesh which will shortly break and let out the bird This crazy bark of my body ere long will be certainly split upon the fatal rock of death then must thou its present pilot forsake it and swim to the shore of eternitie Therefore O everlasting creature see and be sure thou content not thy self with a transitory portion I do not Lord thou knowest I do not Of a small handfull of outward things I am ready to say It is enough but that which I long so passionately for is a large heart full of God in Christ Thou art my sun the best of creatures are but stars deriving the lustre they have from thee Did not thy light make day in my heart I should languish for all them in a perpetuall night of dissatisfaction There are within me two great gulfs a minde desirous of more truth and a will capable of more good then finite beings can afford Thou onely canst fill them who art the first truth and the chief good In thee alone shall my soul be satisfied as with marrow Psal 63. 5. and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips APHORISME II. We are conducted to the fruition of God in Christ by Christian Religion contained in the divine oracles of holy Scripture EXERCITATION 1. The safe conduct of Saints signified by the pillar Exerc. 1. in Exodus performed by the counsel of God himself the abridgement whereof we have in the doctrine of Christian Religion How that tends to blessedness § 1. THere is no possibility of arriving at Blessedness without a safe conduct nor at glory without guidance No infallible guidance but by the counsel of God himself All which the Psalmist is like to have had in his eye when in his humble address to God he expresseth himself in this manner Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel Aph. 2. and afterward receive me to glory The Psalm 73. 24. husbands duty in relation to his wife is to be the guide of her youth Such Prov. 2. 17. hath Christ one of whose names is Counsellour been to his Church in former Isa 9. 6. times is at this day and will continue to the end of the world In Exodus we meet with the history of the Jewish Church her youth and her strange manner of guidance which when the Levites in Nehemiah came to Nehem. 9. 19. commemorate they do it thus Thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go It was not onely a seasonable act of mercy to them in that age but may be looked upon as an emblem of that safe conduct which the Church in all ages may expect from Jesus Christ For as in that cloudy-fiery pillar there were two different substances the sire and the cloud yet but one pillar So there are two different natures in
wrath verses 22 23. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Where I desire to have it punctually observed that the vessels of wrath are onely said to be fitted to destruction without naming by whom God Satan or themselves whereas on the other side God himself Electio non est causâ— tantum salutis sed oâ—nium corum quae causae rationem habent ad saluteâ— Râ—probatio vâ—rò neque damnationis â—eque peâ—â—ati quod meretur dann ationem est propâ—iè causa sed antecedens tantum Ames meduâ— l. 1. c. 25. thes 40. is expresly said to have prepared his chosen vessels of mercy unto glory Which was purposely done as I humbly conceive to intimate a remarkable difference between election and preterition in that Election is a proper cause not onely of salvation it self but of all the graces which have any causal tendency thereunto and therefore God is said to prepare his elect to glory Whereas negative reprobation is no proper cause either of damnation it self or of the sin that bringeth it but an antecedent onely wherefore the Non-elect are indeed said to be fitted to that destruction which their sins in the conclusion bring upon them but not by God I call it a remarkable difference because where it is once rightly apprehended and truly beleeved it sufficeth to stop the mouth of one of those greatest calumnies and odiums which are usually cast upon our doctrine of predestination viz. that God made sundry of his creatures on purpose to damn them a thing which the rhetorick of our adversaries is wont to blow up to the highest pitch of aggravation But is as soon blown away by such as can tell them in the words of the Excellent Dr Davenant B. Daven Aniâ—adveâ—s on Gods lâ—ve to mankinde pag. 89. It is true that the elect are severally created to the end intent that they may be glorified together with their head Christ Jesus But for the Non-elect we cannot truly say that they are created to the end they may be tormented with the Devil and his Angels For we may then say God maketh such a thing for such an end when he giveth the thing a nature and qualities fitted for such an end e. gr that he made the sun to enlighten the world because he filled it with lightsomeness Now no man is created by God with a nature and quality fitting him to damnation Yea neither in the state of his innocency nor in the state of the fall and his corruption doth he receive any thing from God which is a proper and fit means of bringing him to his damnation And therefore damnation is not the end of any mans creation § 4. We have seen our Apostle propounding the doctrine of predestination in this his discourse see how he prosecutes the same more ways then one I. By producing certain instances The persons he instanceth in if not as solemn examples yet as types and figures are at least of election Isaac and Jacob of reprobation Ismael and Esau It is the grand priviledge of Gods elect to have his covenant established with them in special manner The Messias saith the Angel in Daniel was cut off Dan. 9. 26 27. but not for himself And he shall confirm the Covenant with many The word is Larabbim with those excellent ones by whom Piscator understandeth the elect those Many whom God's righteous servant is said to justifie Isaiah 53. 11. where we meet with the same word If so who more fit to figure out them then our father Isaac concerning whom the Lord said to Abraham I will establish Gen. 17. 19. my Covenant with him for an everlasting Covenant and with his seed after him Again the style of all those who are written in heaven that is of the Elect is Hebr. 12. 23. the generall Assembly and Church of the 〈◊〉 stborn If so who more fit to typifie them then Jacob a man of all others most famous for procuring a primogeniture in an extraordinary way As for reprobation the obiects whereof are castaways well might Ismael stand for a figure of them because of him Sarah said unto her husband Cast out Gen. 21. 10 12. this bond-woman and her son for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with my son even with Isaac And her word was ratified by God himself saying to Abraham In all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her voice for in Isaac shall thy â—eed be called As also Esau who here falleth under two sad characters One of Gods hatred then which nothing more dreadfull Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated verse 13. the other of servitude verse 12. The elder shall serve the younger Concerning which Mr Ainsworth hath these words Servitude came in with a curse and figureth reprobation Ainsworth on Gen. 25. 23. Gen. 9. 25. John 8. 34 35. Gal. 4. 30 31. Therefore from hence the Prophet teacheth that God loved Jacob and hated Esau and the Apostle gathereth the doctrine of election and reprobation Romanes 9. 10 11 12 13. So he § 5. The main exception which our adversaries hitherto have been wont to take at this and the like expositions ariseth thus Jacob and Esau are considerable in a double capacity the one Personal as they were this and that individual member of mankinde the other Patriarchal as they were heads of several Nations Jacob of the Israelites Esau of the Edomites or Idumeans They suppose we cannot safely apply the oracle delivered to Rebecca unto their persons seeing Malachy long since expounded it of their posterity in these words Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith Malach. 1. 2. 3. the Lord yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness c. My conceptions concerning this matter which as I would not impose upon any far be such presumption from me so I would have no Reader contemn till he have considered them are as followeth According to their double capacity the answer of God to Rebecca about them seemeth to have had a double aspect One to their posterity regarding temporal things especially of which Malachy speaketh another to their persons eying chiefly their spiritual concernments and of that Paul treats in Romanes 9. as the context importeth Nor can this be wondered at by such as consider how usuall it hath been with God as to discover himself by degrees witness that in Deuteronomy The Lord came from Sinai Deut. 33. 2. and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran so to reserve more spiritual discoveries for Gospel-times § 6. Whereas it is further objected that the Elders serving the Younger was never verified in the
the action but the Cardinal himself How much safer is it for us to follow the tract of Scripture which to shew how effectual the influence of divine providence is upon actions of that nature is wont to compare God unto whatsoever is necessary to secure a city besieged for example unto weapons walls fortifications watchmen and souldiers To weapons both offensive and defensive Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto Deut. 33. 29. thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency To walls I saith the Lord will be unto her Zech. 2. 5. a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her To fortifications We have a strong city salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks If besides Isa 26. 1. bulwarks a city be compassed about with a river chiefly if with the sea it self we account it strongly fortified Hear the same Prophet The glorious Isa 33. 21. Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams To watchmen Except Psalm 127. 1. the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain Lastly to souldiers The Lord is a man of war yea the Lord Exod. 15. 3. is a whole army of men both Van and Reer The Lord will go before you and Isa 52. 12. the God of Israel will be your rere-ward II. Over civil affairs I have been told that during the late treaty of a match between the Prince of Wales that then was and the Infanta of Spain the Earl of Bristol then Embassadour at Madrid when things went exceeding Reported by Mr Stephen Marshall cross to his designes fell into a deep perplexity could not rest for divers nights till a Gentleman that lay in his chamber took the boldness to speak to him and said My Lord I have observed much perplexity and thereupon much restlesness in you I humbly beseech your Lordship to consider that the world was well governed five thousand years and more before you were born and will be so when you are dead I pray you therefore be not troubled at any thing but refer the issue to God Whereupon he is said to have fallen to rest Our way to be quiet is to do the like upon all occasions to drive up things to divine Providence and there to rest Time was when Daniels head and heart was filled with the visions of God by which the great changes that were to happen in the government of the world had been newly made known to him viz. the wheeling about of Monarchy from the Babylonians who then were in the highest of their power to the Persians thence to the Grecians and thence to the Romanes from an head of gold to a breast and arms of silver from them to a belly and thighs of brass and from them to legs of iron and to feet part of iron part of clay yea in the end to a little stone cut out without hands which brake the whole image in pieces He notwithstanding quarrelleth not with Providence for intending so notable so destructive changes to the government then in being goeth not about to demand any account thereof from God of such alterations but betaketh himself quietly to the praise admiration of him by whose wisdome and power they were all in their seasons to be accomplished Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven Daniel answered and said Blessed be the name of Dan. 2. 19 20 21. God for ever and ever For wisdome and might are his And he changeth the times and seasons he removeth kings and setteth up kings We should do well however things go to make Austins resolution Felix sit mundâ—s evertatur mundus benedicam Domino qui fecil mundum August ours Let the world sink or swim be ruined or prosper I will still bless the Lord who made the world As for the late wheelings of Providence here in this Isalnd and alterations thereupon I for my part say with Anselm once Si quis potest intelligere Deo gratias agat si non potest non immittat cornua ad ventilandum sed submittat caput ad venerandum Anselmus Epistola de fide ad Vrbanum Pap. cap. 2. Archbishop of Canterbury If any be able to understand them let him give thanks to God if any be not let him however bow dovvn his head to vvorship God not lift up his horn by vvay of debate and ventilation § 4. An objection against the third proposition concerning Gods special care and providence over the Church and the members thereof may be formed thus The Church of all Societies the Saints of all men are the most in sufferings Yea some Churches by name those seven in Asia which vve reade of in the Revelation have been extinguished From vvhence some are apt to infer vvant of care and providence rather Answ Be it granted that the militant Church is for the most part in a Non oportet membra deliciari sub capite spinis coronato suffering condition and that Christ our head being a man of sorrows typified by the brazen altar upon vvhich the fire vvas continually burning a vvife of pleasures did not become him nor members used to overmuch delicacie That every vessel of mercy must expect scouring in order to brightness and hovvever trees in the vvilderness grovv vvithout culture trees in the orchard must be pruned in order to fruitfulness and corn-bearing fields broken up vvhen barren heaths are left untouched yea that in some particular instances the candlestick hath been removed and the place unchurched yet the inference is not solid because first All afflictions are advantagious to the godly They often help to make bad men good alvvays to make good men better David could say It is good for me that I have been afflicted Psal 119. 71. Of the godly captives of Judah the Lord saith He had sent them out of Jer. 24. 5. that place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good Secondly because the promises made concerning the Churches preservation such as I insisted upon above in the second Exercitation of this Aphorisme are for the most part misunderstood and consequently misinproved Learn vve for the future to embrace them vvith these three cautions § 5. I. That they do in especial manner concern the Church Catholick not this or that particular Nation or Congretion If that in the beginning of Esaias the tvventy seventh vvere to be considered as a National Church vve all knovv it hath been ruined long since notvvithstanding the promise there made vvhich must therefore be understood of it as a type of the Church universal that is so vvatered and kept as to be inexpugnable Look as by vertue of the Covenant made vvith Noah that the vvhole earth should never be again overflovvn vvith a general deluge vve may be sure it never shall yet there have since and may still be divers inundations whereby