Gods Three Arrows, Section 13 – Section 14
§. 13. Of aſcribing the glory of all deliverances to God.
VIII. *See §. 5.THe glory of all deliverances is to be aſcribed to God. For by that Providence which extends it ſelfe to all things, deliverances from enemies, from dangers, from diſtreſſes, from all manner of evils, are obtained. But that is the Providence of God. To whom then, if not to him ſhall the glory thereof be aſcribed? Hereof we have ſpoken *The Churches Conqueſt, on Exo. 17. 15. §. 77.before.
OnelyOnly here learne we to apply this generall point, to ſuch particular deliverances as God hath given unto us. Conſidering therefore that this our land, which hath now for many yeares enjoyed the bright, pure, comforting, ſanctifying, and ſaving light of the Goſpell, lay for many hundred yeares together in the diſmall and damnable darkneſſe of Popery, we are oft to call to mind, and duly to meditate on the means and times whereby and wherein the divine providence hath brought into our land, this light, to diſcover and drive away that (worſe then Egyptian) darkneſſe of Popery. For inſtances take theſe.
1. Iohn Wickliffe about the yeare 1371 in the raigne of Edward 3. even in the midſt of popiſh darkneſſe, held out the light of the Goſpell, wherewith many in thoſe dayes were enlightned. This fire, by the abundance of aſhes which the Romiſh Clergy heaped upon it, lay, after the death of Iohn Wickliffe, ſmothered up: yet were thoſe aſhes raked away, about 40 yeares after by Iohn Hus, and the ſparkes of that fire ſo blowne up, as dazled the eyes of the Papiſts, and made them mad againe, againſt thoſe that laboured to bring out thoſe ſparks.
2. Henry 8. diſanulling the Popes uſurped authority in England, had by Act of Parliament, the title of Supreme An. Dom. 1534Head of the Church in his owne dominions, conferred upon him, and liberty given him to reforme abuſes crept into the Church. Thereupon he made Articles, and ſent out injunctions for removing images, reading Divine Service and the Holy Scriptures in Engliſh, preaching Gods Word, catechiſing children, and performing other duties of piety, ſo as the Goſpell began to ſhine forth ſomwhat brightly in England, till about ſix yeares after thorow the ſix articles eſtabliſhed An. Dom. 1540by Act of Parliament, a cloud was gathered before that bright light. That Act for eſtabliſhing the ſix articles, was among the common ſort ſtiled the Scourge with ſix ſtrings. For many were therewith ſcourged to death. The heads of thoſe ſix Articles were theſe.
1. Tranſubſtantiation eſtabliſhed.
2. Communion in both kinds excluded.
3. Prieſts mariage prohibited.
4. Vowes of chaſtity warranted.
5. Private Maſſes allowed.
6. Auricular Conſeſſion justified.
3. Edward the 6. comming to the Crowne, diſpelled the cloud of thoſe ſix Articles, yea and from the miſt of other popiſh remainders, ſo as in his time the Goſpell ſhined out in her full brightneſſe. But yet about ſix yeares after, by his death a thicker and darker cloud, then was in the daies of Henry 8. gathered together in Queene Maries daies, and over-ſhadowed the whole Land. Then inſtead of the heavenly light of the Goſpell, an helliſh light of burning fire brake out to the deſtruction of many.
4. Queene Elizabeth by re-eſtabliſhing the Goſpell, as it An. Dom. 1558were by the brightneſſe of the ſun, put out the fore-mentioned fire, and ſo ſetled the Goſpell of peace in this land, as now 73 yeares we have enjoyed with it, much externall peace.
Theſe have beene very ſpeciall deliverances, which have apparantly beene wrought by the divine Providence. They ought oft to be thought on: that our hearts may be the more inflamed to give the glory of them to God.
To theſe might be added many other evidences of Gods Providence, in preſerving the foreſaid Queene Elizabeth from many plots and treaſons againſt her Perſon and life; as alſo in preſerving our late King Iames of bleſſed memory, and our now royall Soveraigne. But the heads of theſe have beene diſtinctly ſet downe before, §. 93. 94.
§. 14. Of aſcribing the glory of judgements to God.
IX. *See § 5.THe glory of judgements on the Churches enemies is to be aſcribed to God. For, by the fore-mentioned Providence are they executed. He is the God of vengeance. Hereof we have ſpoken aChurches Conqueſt, on Exo. 17. 14 §. 66, 69.before.
OnelyOnly here I ſuppoſe it to be moſt meet to make a particular and true narration of that judgement which bThe Downefall was Oct. 26. 1623. This preached 5. Nov. next following.ten daies ago befell the Papiſts in this pariſh: whereof there are many uncertaine reports ſpread abroad.