Princes and raiseth vp Princes according to his pleasure He chased the Amorites Exod. 34. 11. he fought for Israel Ios 10. 42. he gaue Hezekiah victorie 2. King 19. 34. hee giues the victorie he giues the ouerthrow in a word he rules all men the mightie of the earth Emperours and Kings The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord Prou. 21. 1. and not only so but whatsoeuer is in the earth besides with life or without life * euen â—en and â—attel â—â— 8. 8. from the lion to the creeping thing he caused a lyon to destroy the disobedient prophet 1. King 13. 24. so he gaue Samson victory ouer a lyon Iudg. 14. 12 and likewise Dauid victory ouer a lyon 1. Sam. 17. 34. He sent two be 〈…〉 stroy the fortie two children that 〈…〉 ked the Prophet Elisha 2. King 2. 〈◊〉 Frogs flies lice and grashoppers are tâ—â— Lords mightie armie he spake the word and they mustred themselues vp against Pharaoh and made war against the wicked Egyptians Exod. 8. 5. 9. 1. 10. 28. The wormes likewise obey the voice of God he sent a worme to destroy Ionah his gourd Ion. 4. 7. and so doe the serpents for he sent fierie serpents amongst the children of Israel that stang them so as many died Numb 21. 6. The Lord is he that causeth 〈◊〉 trees of the earth to flourish euen th◠〈…〉 Cedars of Lebanon and the tree 〈…〉 earth to wither like the wild figg◠〈…〉 â—atâ—â— 21. 19. he raised vp a wild gourd â—â— comfort Ionah and the next morning he caused it to die away Ion. 4. 7. Hee causeth the earth to bring forth the bud of â—he herb that seedeth seede according â—â— his kind Gen. 1. 11. he I say ruleth the earth men beasts trees plants The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the round world and they that dwel therein Psal 24. 1. Whatsoeuer pleaseth the Lord that doth hee in 〈…〉 in earth In the seas Thirdly God doth that which hee pleaseth in the sea The sea is his and he made it and his hands prepared the drie land Psal 95. 5. he diuided the red sea so as the Israelites passed through vpon dry land Exo. 14. 23. He commands the sea yea the fishes of the sea are commanded of God from the greatest to the least He caused a whale to swallow vp Ionah and the same whale to cast him vp againe vpon the drie land Ion. 2. 10. and when Simon had gone a fishing all night and could catch nothing â— at length Christ caused him to lau◠〈…〉 to the deepe and then he encloas◠〈…〉 â—ole multitude of fishes Luk. 5. 〈…〉 God saith Dauid rulest the raging of the sea when the waues thereof arise thou stillest theÌ„ Psa 89. 9. his wayes in the sea and his pathes in the great waters and his footsteps are not knowne Psâ— 77. 19. When Israel came out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from the barbarous people the sea saw it and fled Iordan was turned backward Psalm 117. Thou hast faith the Psalmist placed the earth vpon her foundations thou couerest it with the deepe as with a garment the waters would stand aboue the mountaines but at thy rebuke they flie Psal 104. 5. as if he had said If thou O God didst not curbe in and bridle the raging of the sea it were impossible but that the whole world should be ouerwhelmed with water the waters would stand aboue the mouÌ„tains but at thy rebuke they flie and Psal 33. 7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as vpon an heape and layeth vp the deepes in his treasure and yet in another Psalme The voice of God is vpon the waters he fittes vpon the floods and remaines king for euer and euer Psal 29. 10. Whatsoeuer pleases the Lord that doth he in heauen in the earth and in the sea And in all deepes First in the deepes of the sea and thus 4. Particular he deliuered Ionah beeing incompassed with the deepes Ion. 1. 2. hee makes the deepes to boile like a pot Iob. 41. 22. Secondly in the deepes of the earth The graue is naked before him Iob 26. 6. There is nothing hidden no not in the bottome of the earth but he seeth it Thirdly in the deepe of all deepes in the bottomlesse pit Reu. 20. his power is deeper then hel Iob 11. 8. hell and destruction are before the Lord Pro. 15. 11. 4. But the meaning of the place is this God ruleth not only the seas and salt waters but all fresh riuers ponds and lakes euen the deepes that spring out of the vallies and mountaines Deu. 8. 7. Oh God saith Dauid Let not the wicked haue their desire Oh cast them into the deepe pits that they rise not Psal 104. 10 Hee claue the rockes in the wildernesse and gaue the children of Israel drinke as out of the great deepes Psal 78. 15. Hee spake the word and the fountaines of the great deepe were broken vp Gen. 8. 11. The riuers of Egypt hee turned into blood Exod. 7. 17. and caused the auncient riuer the riuer Kishon to sweepe away Sisera with his mightie hoast Iudg. 5. 21. Hee turnes the floodes into a wildernesse and springs of water into drynesse againe he turnes the wildernesse into pooles of water and the drie land into water springs Psal 107. 33. Whatsoeuer pleases the Lord that doth hee in heauen in earth in the sea and in all deepes Whatsoeuer pleases the Lord that he doth The limitation of this doctrine c. Yet this must be vnderstood with limitation for som things there are which God cannot doe God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. God cannot deceiue God cannot sin God cannot deny himselfe c. here then arises the difficulty how can it be said that God doth whatsoeuer hee pleases since you haue named particulars that he cannot effect nor bring to passe God cannot sinne God cannot cause that which is done to be vndone c. and therfore God is not omnipotent neither doth hee whatsoeuer hee wills But the answer is easie First God doth whatsoeuer hee pleases but to sinne to lie c. these are not pleasing to his Maiestie Secondly these are opera non potentiae sed impotentiae to sinne to die c. these proceed from weaknesse and infirmitie and therefore if God were subiect to these he were not Almightie for to sinne is a token of imperfection yea of slauery know you not saith Paul that his seruants you are whom you obey Ioh. 8. 34. If God could be ouercome by sinne hee should be the seruant of sinne and if hee could subiect himselfe to the bondage and slauerie and seruice and dominion of sinne and be vanquished and ouercome by it hee were not Almighty for this would derogate from his omnipotency because it implies a contradiction to be omnipotent and yet to yeeld to the conquest of sinne and therefore here rather appeares the mighty power of God that
commission to his creatures the winds broke forth and made warre vpon Ionah Ion. 1. 4. the waters encountered with the winds and made warre vpon Ionah nay the fish the whale opened his mouth and lay wayting to deuoure Ionah the marriners that were to land him safely in Tarshish conspired to cast him into the sea nay if God but set against vs then shall we euen like Iudas set against our selues Mat. 27. 5. Ionah did not in this extremitie plead for but against himselfe Take me saith he and cast me into the sea and so shall the sea be calme vnto you Ion. 1. 12. how can wicked persons hope for the least safetie vpon the sea if the Lord but command the stormes and winds they obey him and these shall worke their ouerthrow if hee but command the sea the ship the pirats vpon the sea the rocks these shall worke their destruction But suppose that neither heauen nor earth nor sea sets against them yet hath In the deeps the Lord an other army and when hee armes himselfe to vengeance euen the sweet waters and delightfull springs shal runne vpon the world as it were with drawne swords and hath not the Lord infinitely fought against vs with his watrie armie witnes our late floods and inundations breaking downe banks carriyng away mils bridges c. the Lord armed these fresh water soldiers with such strength and power that nothing was able to resist them and therefore still see the miserable estate of an vnsanctified man if hee escapes one euill he meeteth with an other if he escape a first he meeteth with a second for the Lords quiuer is full of arrowes and his thunderbolts are neuer spent if neither heauen nor earth nor sea yet shal the deepes reuenge Gods quarrell vpon them euen thus miserable are they in this life euen as Ionah in the whales belly was compassed with waters so are these with enemies aboue beneath and round about them And yet behold this is but their miserable The 2. vse ◠the 1. part f◠terror to th◠wicked estate in regard of this world see againe their miserable estate in regard of a better life Is it possible that an vnclean person should euer thinke to dwell with God so long as God rules in heauen consider this point in the name of God and let it be a doctrine to worke terrour and amazement in vs. God hath said it in his word that neither buggerers fornicators nor adulterers shal inherit the kingdome of heauen Eph. 5. 5. God that hath the keyes of heauen and hath the keyes of hell this God hath spoken it and how canst thou then that runnest to the harlots house and makest thy selfe a slaue to vncleannesse how canst thou euer thinke to dwell with God that euer abhorred vncleannesse and so for couetous persons that forsake the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof to surfet vpon filthie Mammon how can they ouer thinke to dwell with that God that euer abhorred couetous persons malicious persons drunkards swearers liars how can they euer hope to dwel with that God that abhors malice abhors excesse abhors swearers and liars how can such deuillish and damned persons euer thinke to bee saued since the heauen of heauens is the Lords Deut. 10. 14. God he is holy God he is righteous God he is pure how canst thou then thou that art vnholy thou that art vnpure thou that art vnrighteous how canst thou euer think to set thy foot within the gates of the new Ierusalem a stinking carkasse stinkes not more vilely in the nostrils of man then an abhominable sinner stinkes odiously in the nostrils of God Let all sinnefull wretches know this that God is their mortall enemie hee will wound the head of his enemies execute vengeance vpon his enemies Deut. 32. 41. we loath not a toad nor a scorpion worse then the Lord hateth them we hate not the deuill nor the deuill hateth not man worse then God hateth them and therefore questionles the Lord will neuer admit them into his holy kingdome neither couetous earth-wormes beastly drūkards hellish blasphemers extorting vsurers God will neuer receiue these into his sacred presence but shal send them packing with the wicked and the reprobate into euerlasting damnation whosoeuer worketh abomination and lyes shal haue no part in the kingdome of heauen Reu. 21. 27. the frogs of Egypt stanke not more rankely in the Egyptians noses Ex. 8. 14. then these smell rankely in Gods nosthrils and therefore I say God will stop his nose against them and giue them their portion with hypocrites All the fearefull all the vnbeleeuing and abhominable murderers whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and liars shall haue their part in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Reu. 21. 8. And therefore now The conclusion of the vse in generall to drawe to a conclusion as Peter saith humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God 1. Pet. 5. 6. so say I humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God God he is a mighty God able to worke your ruine vpon earth and to cast both bodie and soule into hel fire humble your selues therfore before the thron of his grace for it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Thou drunkard that destroiest the temple of God and the good creatures of God by thine intemperancy and runnest into all manner of enormities that thy drunken humour hurries thee into that makest streets and townes ring of thine vnrulines thou that art mighty to drinke wine and strong drinke how darest thou rise early and goe to bed late to follow drunkennes since God hath denounced a woe against drunkards Isa 5. 11. and that God that hath denounced a woe against thee is able to cast both body and soule into hell fire Thou couetous earthworme that makest a god of thy goods that diggest downe to hell for riches and eatest the poore as men eat bread that art choaked with the loue of the world thou greedie catterpiller how darest thou continue in this sinne since God hath said it That neither theeues nor railers nor couetous persons shall inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6. 10. and this God is able to cast both bodie and soule into hell fire Thou blasphemer of the name of God that rentest and tearest the name of God in peices and spewest forth blacke and feareful and damnable oaths and makest swearing and cursing and deuillish speaking thy best language how darest thou take the name of the Lord in vaine since God hath said it that he wil not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Exod. 20. 7. and this God is able to cast both bodie and soule into hel fire Dares a sonne offend his father durst Pilate offend Caesar Ioh. 19. 13. dares the borrower offend the lender no man will willingly offend him that is able to worke him an inconuenience and thinke wee then that it is a safe thing to
inferiour officers the sunâ—â— the moone all the planets and starres whereby he can and doth astonish and amaze wicked and godlesse and rebellious people He binds the waters in the cloud and the cloud is not broken vnder 〈◊〉 The pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe hee hath garnished the heauens framed the crooked serpent Iob. 26. 11. 12. 13. Hee commands the sunne and it riseth not â—e closes vp the starres as vnder a signeâ— hee maketh the starres Arcturus Pleyades Orion and the starres of the South Iob. 9. 7. 8. 9. He commaunds the pillars of heauen the sphearâ—â— and constellations the planets and starres Arcturus Pleyades and Orion all these are readie to obey the voyce of God and if hee please to commaund them to plague the vngodly and there is not the least of the Lords army not the least Angel starre not the least meteor but is able if God but speake the word to destroy I say not an Egypt an Asia or a world but ten thousand worlds Surely it is a wonder that any wicked man should dare to sleep vpon his bedde that they should giue sleepe to their eyes or number to their eyelidds Prov. 6. 4. beeing so infinitly beset with millions of enemies how miserably was the poore seruant of Elisha affrighted when hee saw that an hoast of men had incompassed the 〈◊〉 and cried out to Elisha alasse master what shall we do 2. king 6. 15. And how feareful were the children of Israel when they departed Egypt and were pursued by their enemies they were sore afraid saith the text and cried to the Lord Exod 14. 10. A â— so I say it is a wonder of wonders that men should be so secure that they should not tremble euen as Belthazar trembled when hee saw the hand writing vpon the playster of the wall Dan. 5. 5. that their hearts should not faile them that dismaiednes and fearâ—â—ould not swallowe them vp When â—mies not of Egyptians but Angels â—ursue them nay when as all things created from the earth to circumference of heauen the lion the beare the great beare the lesser beare the crooked serpent Pleyades and Orion all â—ods heauenly hoast bidde them battell and set themselues continually in battell array against them Secondly how can they thinke to be In earth safe vpon the earth or to prosper vpon the earth since God is the ruler of the earth methinkes euerie vngodly wretch should bee of Cains minde that feared least euery man hee met with were appointed for his executioner Gen. 4. 14. May they not iustly feare that the earth will take part with her Lord and maker and swallowe them vp as it did Korah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 1 2 3. yea that the least worme and creeping thing should be made strong enough to destroy them thus proud Herod was worried with wormes Act. 12. 23. and so we reade in Ioel that the Lord plagued the nation of the Iewes with most contemptible creatures grashoppers cankerwormes catterpillars and palmer-wormes Ioel 2. 25. Pope Adrian was slaine by a gnat others with the stone of a raison some with an hair in their broth some one way some an other and methinkes then that euery vile person should feare the vilest and basest of Gods creatures euen frogs flies and lice least these should be appointed for their destruction that they should feare to walk in the aire for feare of infection or yet to remaine in their houses for feare least their houses should reuenge Gods quarrell vpon them may they not feare that euery morsell they eate should bee their bane and euery droppe of liquor they drinke should be their poyson but what saith Salomon Sentence against euill is deferred and therefore the heart is fully bent to doe wickedly Eccles 8. 11. God doth not open the sluces and floodgates of heauen vpon vs as he did vpon the old world Gen. 7. 17. the earth doth not open her mouth to deuoure as in the time of Moses Numb 16. 1. God raineth not downe vpon vs fire and brimstone as he did vpon Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 24. We see many an old sinner many an olde adulterer many an old swearer many an old drunkard and therefore men draw on sinne with cords of vanitie Isa 5. 18. and commit all manner of wickednesse with all greedinesse these let them know though God bee patient waiting for their conuersion yet as he is patient so he is iust and therefore though he forbeares long as he is slow to anger Exo. 34. 6. yet euen as a streame beeing stopt carries all before it or as wet wood being once kindled burns the faster so though his wrath hath beene a long time kept in with the floodgates of his mercy yet in the ende his furie shall breake out like a violent streame to the vtter destruction of the wicked Long did hee beare with the olde world long did his spirit striue with man Gen. 6. 3. but in the ende hee turned the whole world into an Ocean Gen. 7. 17. long did he striue with Ierusalem but at length she was made a prey to the teeth of her enemies Psal 124. 6. not one stone left vpon another long may the Lord beare with the wicked but as sure as God is iust so assuredly in the ende his wrath and iealousie shall smoake against them Deut. 19. 20. how then can they sooth vp themselues and flesh vp themselues in their sinnes how can they think to be safe vpon the earth since the righteous Iudge of the whole world Gen. 18. 25. is Lord ouer the earth or how can they think to thriue and prosper vpon the earth since the earth is the Lords and the plentie of the earth Psal 24. 1. Gold is mine saith God and siluer is mine saith the Lord of hostes Hag 2. 9. Except the Lord builds the house they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepeth the city the keeper watcheth in vaine Psal 127. 1. what a madnes is this in a besotted worldling to carke and to care and to digge and ditch and delue and beat his braines and rise early and goe to bed late Psal 127. 2. as if they would command the earth in despight of heauen I tel thee whosoeuer thou art if God but command the heauens aboue shall be as yron and the earth as hard as brasse your land shall not giue her encrease nor your trees their fruit Leu. 26 19. and therefore cease from your immoderate labour and sue for Gods blessing for without it you sow much but bring in but little and put all your earnings into a broken bagge Hag. 1. 4. Thirdly how can a reprobate thinke In the sea to bee safe vpon the sea since God likewise rules the seas I remember what I read of Ionah When Ionah fled from the presence of the Lord to Tarshish he betooke him to the sea Ion. 1. 3. but as soon as euer God gaue