Seventeen Sermons on Amos 3, Sermon 5
THE Fifth Lecture.
AMOS 3.5.
Can a bird fall in a ſnare vponupon the earth, where no ginne is for him? Shall one take vp a ſnare from the earth, and hauehave taken nothing at all?
THat the comminations, the menacies, and threats, which the Almighty by the miniſtery of his holy Word giueth forth againſt the ſonnes of men for their impious and euill courſes in their peregrination here vponupon the earth, are not in vaine, like ſcar-crowes and bugges, for the terrifying of little children, and the ruder ſort of people, but are certaine euidences of Gods reſolution for the puniſhment of ſinne, I hauehave heretofore out of the former verſe made plaine vntounto you by a two-fold ſimilitude taken from the cuſtome of Lions; the old Lion and the young. This fifth verſe yeeldeth vsus two other to the like effect: and theſe are taken from the manner of fowlers or birders, whoſe practiſe is to lay ſnares, and ſet ginnes, and ſpread nets to catch birds with. The firſt is in the firſt branch, the ſecond in the ſecond. In the firſt there is an adumbration of the prouidence of God, by which he ruleth all things: In the ſecond there is an illuſtration of the certainty, the ſtability, the efficacie of his iudgements, which hee fore-ſheweth and fore-telleth by his Prophets. Of both in their order.
The firſt is: Can a bird fall in aſnare vponupon the earth, where no ginne is for him? Can he fall? The Vulgar Latine is, Nurquid cadet, ſhal he fall? So reade the Septuagint, ſo the Chaldee Paraphraſt. Nunquid cadit, doth he fall? So Winckleman, and ſo our Country-man Tauerner in his Engliſh tranſlation, An caſura eſſet, could ſhee fall? So Iunius.
Can a bird, could a bird, ſhall a bird, doth a bird fall foreign hal pach haaretz, in laqueumterrae, word for word, into a ſnare of the earth: ſo is it in the old Latine. This laqueus terrae, is with Iunius laqueus humilis, a ſnare lying low by the ground; with Mercer and Vatablus it is laqueus in terrâ diſpoſitus, a ſnare placed on the ground. Albertus Magnus expounds it to be laqueus in terrâ abſconditus, a ſnare hidden on the ground.
Into ſuch a ſnare can a bird fall, where no ginne is for him? foreign Vmokeſch ein lah. This ſame mokeſch is by ſome taken for a ginne. With Iunius and Druſius it is tendicula; with Mercer it is offendiculum; with Vatablus it is laqueus. Theſe, as our late Tranſlators, take mokeſch for a ginne. Others take it for him that layeth the ginne, for the fowler. So doe the Septuagint; ſo doth the Author of the Vulgar Latine, ſo doth Saint Hierome take it. With the Septuagint this mokeſch is foreign, a birder, one that catcheth birds with birdlime; with the author of the Vulgar Latine and Saint Hierome it is Auceps, a Fowler. So is it with Tauerner in his tranſlation; Doth a bird fall in a ſnare vponupon the earth, where no fowler is? Be it a ginne, or he that layeth the ginne, the birder, the fowler, it much skilleth not: for both readings hauehave their warrant: as well this, where no ginne is for him, as that, where no fowler is.
Now to the interrogation, Can a bird fall in a ſnare vponupon the earth, where no ginne is for him, or where no fowler is? The anſwer muſt be negatiue; No, hee cannot. And ſo is the anſwer made by Nicolaus de Lyra, and the Author of the Interlineary Gloſſe. So is it by Petrus Luſitanus; ſo by Mercerus, ſo by others. Can a bird fall? No; it cannot be that a bird ſhould fall in a ſnare vponupon the earth, where by the fowlers art no ginne is ſet for him.
O quàm vilium ſimilitudines rerum, quam pretioſum praedicant ſacramentum! O, ſaith Rupertus, how vile are the things from which ſimilitudes may be taken, and how precious the myſteries, that may thereby be publiſhed! This our Prophet de paſtoralibus aſſumptus, once a ſhepherd, now called to be a diſpenſer of the ſecrets of God, is content to diſpenſe them, by drawing ſimilitudes from ſuch things, as he was wont to obſerue in his ſhepherds walke. Such is that in the firſt Chapter, verſ. 2. The Lord will roare from Zion: and that in the ſame verſe, the habitations of the ſhepherds ſhall mourne; and that in the verſe before my text, will a Lion roare in the forreſt, when he hath no prey; and this in my text, Can a bird fall in a ſnare vponupon the ground, where no ginne is for him? All you ſee are paſtorall. Sufficiunt coeleſti magiſterio res non ſolùm piſcatorum, verùm etiam paſtorum, vt per corum ſimilitudines docti ſint & doceant conuenienter gloriam rerum caeleſtium. Things that fall within the knowledge not only of fiſhers, but alſo of ſhepherds, are auaileable to diuine inſtruction, that by the ſimilitudes of both, fiſhers, and ſhepherds, the glory of things celeſtiall may be manifeſted.
Such is this paſtorall ſimilitude: this ſimilitude of birds not falling into a ſnare vponupon the earth, vnleſſe by the fowlers art ſome ginne be ſet for him. It ſerueth for the adumbration of Gods wonderfull prouidence: thus. As ſnares, wherewith birds are catched, fall not on the ground at all aduentures and by chance; but are laid by the skill, induſtry and fore-ſight of the fowler: ſo the calamities and miſeries of this life, wherewith men are vſually taken and ſnared, come not by chance, but are ſent among vsus by the certaine counſell of God, by his iuſt iudgement, by his diuine prouidence.
I know that this ſimilitude is by others otherwiſe applied. Saint Hierome will hauehave it to belong to the puniſhment of ſuch as liu… in diſcord and variance; to this ſence: They who through charitie are as birds, and doe fly aloft in the libertie of the holy Spirit, through diſcord doe loſe their wings, fall downe vponupon the earth and are a prey vntounto the fowler. Did they ſtill ſoare aloft with the wings of louelove; they ſhould not need to ſcare the fowlers ſnares. For as Salomon ſaith, Prou. 1.17. Surely in vaine the n…t is ſpread in the eyes of eueryevery thing that hath a wing. Keepe then thy ſelfe aboue in the aire, as if thou hadeſt the wings of a doue, and thou art from danger: but if through variance, through ſtrife, through hatred, and other like impieties thou be ouer-burdened and preſſed downe, downe thou falleſt to the ground, and art by thine owne default enſnared. Iuſta enim eſt ruina peccatorum: for iuſt is the fall of ſinners.
Two Hebrew Rabbins, Abraham and Dauid, apply this ſimilitude to the execution of the decree of God and his ſentence: thus: If men whoſe dwellings are vponupon the earth, can by their cunning and induſtry cauſe the birds of the aire to deſcend vponupon the earth, and ſo fall into their ſnares, from whence there is no euaſion for them: how much more ſhall I, I the Lord, who hauehave my habitation in the Heauen of Heauens, bring men themſelues within the ſnare of my decree and ſentence, that there ſhall be no eſcaping for them?
Some ſo apply this ſimilitude, that by this bird they vnderſtand a ſinner, and by the ſnare his ſinne. Their explication is: As a bird ſhall not fall into a ſnare vponupon the earth, vnleſſe ſome ginne be laid for him; ſo ſhall not ſinners fall into puniſhment, vnleſſe they themſelues make ſnares of their owne ſinnes to catch themſelues withall. So may they quickly doe; and ſo ſaith Salomon, Pro. 5.22. The wickedneſſe of the vngodly ſhall catch himſelfe, and with the ſnares of his owne ſinnes, ſhall he be trapped. What then? Vis non capi laqueo? wouldeſt thou not be taken with the ſnare? rumpe ac frange laqueum: the aduice is good; teare and breake the ſnare. But how? Tolle peccatum, & fregiſti laqueum; take away the ſinne, and thou haſt broken the ſnare.
Rupertus ſo vnderſtands this ſimilitude, that he will hauehave the grace of God herein to be commended. With him this fowler ſhall be God; his ſnare the word of God, the bird to be catched, the ſoule of man. His conceit runnes thus: As that a bird falls into a ſnare vponupon the earth, it is to be attributed to the care and diligence of the fowler, that laid the ſnare; ſo, that the ſoule of man commeth to be enſnared in the word of ſaluation, which it neither can reſiſt, nor is willing ſo to doe, it is wholly to be attributed to the grace of God. For God alone ſo ſpreadeth the ſnare of his good word, that this little bird, this wandring and reſtleſſe bird, the ſoule of man, is caught and brought into the hands of the Lord her God, and ſo eſcapeth the lawes of the Deuill.
This his expoſition well meeteth with the Arminians, with thoſe new Prophets, who at this day pretending a more moderate diuinity, then ours is, as if they came out of Coeleſtius his Schoole, hauehave with their ſophiſmes and ſubtilties much diſquieted the State of the Belgicke Churches, chiefly for the point of diuine Predeſtination and the appendices thereof.
Their fourth Theſis is, touching the operation of the grace of of God in Chriſt, aCollat. Hug. Brand. pag. 216.whether it be reſiſtable or not. The grace of God, ſay they, is reſiſtable. Rupertus here ſaith, it cannot be reſiſted. He is in the right, and with him we ioyne; and thus we explaine our meaning: Man is to be conſidered in a two-fold reſpect; in reſpect of himſelfe, and in reſpect of God. If he be conſidered in reſpect of himſelfe, as he is vnregenerate, and according to his inbred prauitie, ſo is grace by him too too reſiſtable: for as much as man of himſelfe, in his pure naturals, gouerned only by nature, reaſon and ſenſe, without grace, without the Spirit of God, cannot only reſiſt, but alſo cannot but reſiſt the grace of God. So ſaith Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 2.14. foreign, the naturall man receiueth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him: neither can he know them, for they are ſpiritually diſcerned. To the like purpoſe the ſame Apoſtle, Rom. 8.7. foreign: the wiſdome of the fleſh is enmitie againſt God: for it is not ſubiect to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. It is true: the Grace of God is reſiſtable; it is too eaſily reſiſted, ex parte hominis, by man in reſpect of himſelfe.
But ex parte Dei it is otherwiſe. In reſpect of God, and his good pleaſure, it may well be ſaid to be irreſiſtible. I ſpeake of that grace of God, which is his mouing and effectuall grace, againſt which there is no reſiſtance. For to ſay, that the effectuall grace of God can be reſiſted, is to deny it to be effectuall. It implieth a contradiction, and it is blaſphemie to affirme, that God with his effectuall grace is ſubiect to mans reſiſtance.
That of Saint Paul, Rom. 9.19. Who hath reſiſted the will of God? being an Interrogation of a denier, implying that no man hath or can reſiſt it, is in very reaſon it ſelfe moſt certaine. For the ſuperiour cauſe can neuer ſuffer of the inferiour: therefore if mans will ſhould goe about to reſiſt or fruſtrate the will of God, it were euen againſt reaſon it ſelfe: for then ſhould Gods will ſuffer of mans will; which is an impoſſibilitie.
Saint Auguſtine hath a fit ſaying for the eſtabliſhing of this truth: It is in his booke Decorrept. & grat… cap. 14. Deo volenti ſalnum facere, nullum hominum reſiſtit arbitrium; If God be willing to ſaue a man, no will of man can reſiſt him. Sic enim velle & nolle in volentis aut nolentis eſt poteſtate, vt diuinam voluntatem non impediat, nec ſuperet poteſtatem; for to will, or not to will, is ſo in the power of him that willeth or willeth not, that it neither hindreth the will of God, nor ouer-commeth his power.
Thus much by occaſion of Rupertus his expoſition. Let vsus goe on. Can a bird] Dionyſius the Carthuſian will tell you, that this fowler, according to the Expoſitors, is either the Deuill, or man, or God: and that their ſnares are either Laquaei culpae, or Laquaeipoena; either ſnares of ſinne, or ſnares of puniſhment.
That the Deuill is in holy Scripture compared vntounto a fowler, I deny not: for I reade of his wiles, Epheſ. 6.11. where we are aduiſed to put on the whole armour of God, that wee may be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the Deuill. I reade likewiſe of the ſnares, 1 Tim. 3.7. & 2 Tim. 2.26. His ſnares are the ſnares of ſinne, by which he entrappeth men, and leads them captiue. But that the Deuill is the fowler in my text, I affirme not.
Nor may it be denied, but that man alſo is in holy Scripture compared to a fowler. To a fowler he is compared in a two-fold reſpect, in reſpect of others, and in reſpect of himſelfe.
Man is a fowler in reſpect of others. Hee hath ſnares, and cords, and nets, and grinnes to catch others with. Such fowlers were King Dauids enemies, his proud enemies, Saul and Doeg, of whom, Pſal. 140 5. he thus complaineth: They hauehave hid a ſnare for me, and cords, they hauehave ſpread a net by the waies ſide, they hauehave ſet ginnes for me. And ſuch are they, thoſe wicked men, Ierem. 5. 26. They lay wait, as he that ſetteth ſnares, they ſet a trap, they catch men. And ſuch are they, of whom the complaint of the faithfull is, Lament. 3. 52. Mine enemies chaſed me ſore like a bird, without cauſe. They chaſed me like a bird. It is true then, Men are fowlers in reſpect of others; fowlers they are to catch others.
Yea: and fowlers they are in reſpect of themſelues, euen to catch themſelues. Such a one is he, Pſal. 7.15. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. And he, Pſal. 9.15, 16. In the net which he hid, is his owne foot taken: he is ſnared in the worke of his owne hands. And he, Prou. 5.22. His owne iniquities ſhall take himſelfe, and he ſhall be holden with the cords of his ſinnes. Not amiſſe then hath Carthuſian affirmed, that men ſometimes doe fall, in laqueum culpae, into the ſnare of ſinne, by their owne inclination, or naughtineſſe. For as Origen witneſſeth; Quamuis non eſſent Diaboli, adhuc homines concupiſcentijs pulſarentur: though there were no Deuils at all, yet ſhould men be enſnared with their owne luſts.
Thus we ſee, Man is a fowler; a fowler to catch others, and a fowler to catch himſelfe: and his ſnares are laquei culpae, the ſnares of ſinne. Yet, that man is the fowler in my text, I affirme not.
It remaineth then that by this fowler God muſt be intended. For God is a fowler too; and he hath ſnares too: but his ſnares are laquei poenae, they are ſnares of puniſhment. Of ſnares of this kinde hee hath no want. He powres them forth like raine. This is that we reade, Pſal. 11.6. VponUpon the wicked ſhall the Lord raine ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and a burning tempeſt: this ſhall be the portion of their cup. Behold a raine of ſnares vponupon the wicked. King Dauid deuoting his enemies to deſtruction, Pſal. 69.22. Wiſheth their table to become a ſnare vntounto them, and that which ſhould be for their welfare to become a trap vntounto them. The place Saint Paul alleageth with ſome little difference, Rom. 11.9. Let their table be made a ſnare, and a trap, and a ſtumbling blocke, and a recempence vntounto them. And here behold, a mans owne table, and that which ſhould yeeld him much comfort, becomes a ſnare and a trap for God to entangle, and catch the wicked with.
Remarkable is that of the Prophet Eſay chap. 8.14. where it is ſaid of the Lord of Hoſtes himſelfe, that to both the houſes of Iſrael he ſhall be for a ſtone of ſtumbling, and for a rocke of offences; and to the inhabitants of Ieruſalem for a ginne and for a ſnare: and that many of them ſhall ſtumble, and fall, and be broken, and be ſnared, and be taken. And here againe behold: The Lord of Hoſts, he that is euer to the faithfull a rocke of refuge and ſaluation, he is to the wicked and the vnbeleeuing a ginne and ſnare to enſnare and take them with. It is not to be denied, but that God may very well be reſembled to a fowler. And him I take to be the fowler in my text. Now the reſemblance betweene God and a fowler ſtands thus: As ſnares wherewith birds are catched, fall not on the ground at all aduentures, and by chance, but are laid of purpoſe by the skill, induſtrie, and fore-ſight of the fowler: ſo the calamities and miſeries of this life, wherewith men are vſually taken and ſnared, come not by chance, but are ſent among vsus by the prouidence of God. So this text is, as before I intimated, an adumbration of the prouidence of God, by which he ruleth all things.
The point of doctrine which from hence I would commend vntounto you, is this, Nihil accidere, niſi à Deo prouiſum, that nothing falleth out in this life, no calamitie, no miſery, nothing, good or euill, but by Gods prouidence.
Aquinas 1. quaeſt. 22. art. 2. makes this demand; Ʋtrum omnia ſint ſubiecta diuinae prouidentiae? whether all things are ſubiect to the prouidence of God? For the reſolution whereof his concluſion is: Sith God is of all things the prime cauſe, and knoweth all things in particular, it is of neceſſitie that all things are ſubiect to his prouidence, not tantùm in vniuerſali, ſed etiam in ſingulari; nor only in generall, but alſo in particular. I ſpeake not now of the prouidence of God, as it is potentialis, & immanens; but as it is actualis, & tranſiens; not as it is the internall action of God, but as it is externall; not as it is his decree of gouerning the world, but as it is the execution of that decree.
This prouidence of God, this his actuall and tranſient prouidence, this his externall action, and the execution of his inward and eternall decree, is nothing elſe than a perpetuall and vnchangeable diſpoſition and adminiſtration of all things: or to ſpeake with Aquinas, it is nothing elſe, than ratio ordinis rerum ad finem; it is nothing elſe, than the courſe which God perpetually holdeth for the ordering of the things of the world to ſome certaine end.
Such is the prouidence of God, whereof I am now to ſpeake: wch is by ſome diuided into a generall, and a ſpeciall prouidence: by others into an vniuerſal, a ſpecial, & a particular prouidence.
Gods vniuerſall or generall prouidence, I call that, by which he doth not only direct al creatures according to that ſecret inſtinct, or inward vertue, which he hath giuen to eueryevery one of them, at the time of their creation, but doth alſo preſerue them in their ordinary courſe of nature.
Of this vniuerſall or generall prouidence of God, Theodoret Biſhop of Cyrus, in his firſt Sermon concerning this argument, diſcourſeth copiouſly and elegantly: You that ſay in your hearts there is no prouidence of God, conſider the things that are viſible, and are obuious to your eies, conſider their nature, their ſite, their order, their ſtate, their motion, their agreement, their harmony, their comlineſſe, their beautie, their magnitude, their vſe, their delight, their variety, their alteration, their continuance; and then, if you can, deny Gods prouidence. Gods prouidence is manifeſt in eueryevery worke of creation: you may behold it in the Heauen, and in the lights thereof, the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres. You may behold it in the aire, in the clouds, in the earth, in the ſea, in plants, in hearbs, in ſeeds. You may behold it in eueryevery other creature, eueryevery liuing creature, reaſonable, or vnreaſonable, man or beaſt: and in eueryevery beaſt, whether it goeth, or flieth, or ſwimmeth, or creepeth. There is not any thing, but it may ſerue to magnifie the prouidence of God.
But why runne I to the Fathers for the illuſtration of a point, wherein the holy Scriptures are ſo plentifull, ſo eloquent? The 104. Pſalme containeth an egregious deſcription hereof, a faire and goodly picture, and a liuely portraiture of this prouidence of God, drawne with the pencill of the holy Ghoſt. I ſee therein the aire, and clouds, and winds, and water, and the earth, and the like, ſo ruled and ordered by the immediate hand of God, that, ſhould he remoue his hand but for a moment, this whole vniuerſe would totter, and fall, and come to nothing.
I goe on to the 147. Pſalme; There I ſee God numbering the ſtarres, and calling them by name: I ſee him couering the Heauens with clouds preparing raine for the earth, giuing ſnow like wooll, ſcattering the hoare froſt like aſhes, caſting forth his ice like morſells, making graſſe to grow vponupon the mountaines, giuing food to beaſts, to Rauens: all this I ſee, and cannot but acknowledge his vniuerſall prouidence.
I looke backe to the booke of Iob, and Chap. 9. I finde God remouing mountaines, and ouer-turning them; I finde him ſhaking the earth out of her place, and commanding the Sunne to ſtand ſtill: I finde him alone ſpreading out the heauens, and treading vponupon the waues of the ſea: I finde him making Arcturus, Orion, Pleiades, and the chambers of the South: I finde him doing great things paſt finding out, yea, and wonders without number. All this I finde, and cannot but admire his vniuerſall prouidence.
Infinite are the teſtimonies which I might produce out of the old Teſtament for this point: but I paſſe them ouer, contenting my ſelfe with only two out of the new.
That of our Sauiour Chriſt, Iohn 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I worke, is fit to my purpoſe. The words are an anſwer to the Iewes, who perſecuted our Sauiour and ſought to ſlay him, for doing a cure on the Sabbath day, vponupon one that had beene diſeaſed 38. yeares. They held it to be vnlawfull to doe any worke vponupon the Sabbath day: Chriſt affirmes it to be lawfull. The ground of their opinion was; God the Father reſted the ſeuenth day from all his workes. This Chriſt denieth not, but explicates the meaning of it. Its true; My Father reſted the ſeuenth day from all his workes: yet true alſo it is, Pater meus vſus que modò operatur; My Father worketh hitherto.
He reſted the ſeuenth day from all his workes, and yet he worketh; how can this be ſo? It is thus according to Aquinas: He reſted the ſeuenth day â nouis creaturis condendis, from making any new creatures; yet notwithſtanding hee euer worketh, creaturas in eſſe conſeruando, preſeruing his creatures in their being. It may be thus enlarged: Requieuit die ſeptimo, God reſted the ſeuenth day from creating any new world, or from making any new kinds of creatures, but nor then reſted he, nor at any time ſince hath he reſted from prouiding for, and caring for, and ruling, and gouerning, and ſuſtaining the world. Neuer reſteth he, but cauſeth his creatures to breed and bring forth after their kinds, and reſtoreth things decaying, and preſerueth things ſubſiſting to his good pleaſure▪ This is that ſaying of our Sauiours, Pater meus vſus que modò operatur, my Father worketh hitherto.
My Father worketh hitherto! Hom. 37. in Ioan. 5.Saint Chry ſoſtome well diſcourſeth thereupon. If, ſaith he, thou ſhouldeſt aske; How is it, that the Father yet worketh, ſith he reſted the ſeuenth day from all his workes? I tell thee, foreign. He prouideth for, and vpholdeth all things, that he hath made. Behold the Sunne riſing, and the Moone running, and pooles of water, and ſprings, and riuers, and raine, foreign, and the courſe of nature in ſeeds, and in the bodies of man and beaſt; behold, and conſider theſe, and all other things, whereof foreign, this vniuerſe conſiſteth, and thou wilt not deny the perpetuall operation of the Father, but wilt breake forth into the praiſes of his vniuerſall prouidence.
That branch of Saint Pauls Sermon to the Athenians, Act. 17.28. In him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being; is alſo fit to the point we hauehave in hand. In him, that was to the Athenians the vnknowne God, but is indeed the only true and euer-liuing God, we liue, we moue, we hauehave our being. Saint Ambroſe in his booke De bono montis cap. 12. thus deſcants vponupon the words, In Deo moremur, quaſi in viâ, ſumus quaſi in veritate, vinimus quaſi in vitâ aeternâ: In him we moue as in the way, we hauehave our being as in the truth, we liue as in the life eternall. S. Cyprian, or whoſoeuer was the Author of that Treatiſe de Baptiſmo Chriſti, thus: In Patre ſumus, in Filio vinimus, in Spiritu Sancto monemur & proficimus: We hauehave our being in the Father, we liue in the Son, we moue in the Holy Ghoſt. S. Hilary in his Enarrat, vponupon Pſal. 13. ſeemeth to aſſigne all theſe to the holy Ghoſt: S. Cyril. lib. 2. in Iohan. cap. 74. aſcribes them all to the Sonne. S. Auguſtine lib. 14. de Trinit. cap. 12. refers them to the whole Trinity. Of the whole Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, he will hauehave it to be true, that in him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being: and he giues for a reaſon hereof, that, Rom. 11.36. becauſe of him, and through him, and in him are all things. All things are of him, and through him, and in him, and therefore in him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being.
Homil. 38. in Act. Apoſt.See, ſaith S. Chryſoſtome, how all things are his; foreign, prouidence is his, foreign, and preſeruation is his; foreign, our being is from him, foreign, our actiuity is from him; foreign, and from him it is that we periſh not. In him we hauehave whatſoeuer we hauehave, in him we liue, in him we moue, in him we hauehave our being. Who heares this, and ſtands not in admiration of the vniuerſall prouidence of God?
From this vniuerſall or generall prouidence of God, I deſcend to his ſpeciall prouidence. The ſpeciall prouidence of God, is that, by which he ruleth eueryevery part of the world, and all things in eueryevery part, euen the things that ſeeme moſt vile and abiect; all their actions, all their euents. EueryEvery part of Heauen he ruleth: Not ſo much as a little cloud ariſeth, or moueth, or changeth, or vaniſheth, but nutu Dei, by the pleaſure and appointment of God.
EueryEvery part of the earth he ruleth. There is not the man, that either is conceiued, or is borne, or liueth, or is preſerued, or moueth, or doth any thing, or dieth, niſi ex nutu & voluntate Dei, but by the will, pleaſure, and appointment of God. There is not ſo much as animalculum, not any the leaſt liuing creature, nor beaſt, nor flie, nor worme, that is ingendred, or fed, or ſuſteined, niſià Deo, but by God. There is not ſo much as herbula, not any the leaſt flower or graſſe, that either ſpringeth, or bloſſometh, or withereth, ſine manu Dei, but by the hand of God. Gods ſpeciall prouidence is ouer all his workes; but more peculiarly is it ouer his Church.
His peculiar prouidence ouer his Church appeareth in the wonderfull preſeruation thereof from its firſt beginning, but more euidently from the time that Noahs Arke floated vponupon the waters vntill theſe our dayes. But of all moſt famous, and to be admired, was that his preſeruation, his protection of the Church among the people of Iſrael; when they,aGen. 15.13. Act. 7.6. ſoiourning in a ſtrange land, in the Land of Aegypt, were for foure hundred and thirty yeares held in ſlauery and bondage, and were very ill intreated. Then, then at the time appointed God ſentbAct. 7.35. Moſes to be their ruler and deliuerer, who led them from out of Aegypt into the wilderneſſe. In the wilderneſſe, a place of deſolation, could their neceſſities be ſupplied? They could be, and were ſupplied. When they needed guide, God went before them; He went before themcExod. 13.21. in a pillar of a cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. So day and night was God their guide. When they wanted bread, fleſh, or drinke, mercy and miracle did concurre for their ſupply.dPſal. 78.24. Heauen gaue them bread, theeVerſ. 26. wind quailes, thefVerſ. 15. rocke waters. Of apparell they felt no want: forgDeut. 29.5. forty years together neither the cloaths vponupon their backes, nor the ſhooes on their feet, were waxen old. For the direction of their conſcienceshExo. 20.2. &c. a Law was giuen them from mount Sinai; and for the reſolution of their doubts, they had the oracles of God, from betweene theiExod. 25.22. Cherubins. They needed not to feare the force and fury of their enemies: for they found by experience that thekIoſ. 10.13. Sun and Moone, andlExod. 9.23. Pſal. 105.32. fire from Heauen, and vapours from the clouds, andmExod. 7.20. water, andnExod. 8.6. Pſal. 105.30. frogs, andoPſal. 105.31. lice, and flies, andpVerſ. 34. locuſts, and caterpillers tooke their parts. Yea, the Lord himſelfeqExod. 14.14.25. Deut. 1.30. fought for them. Very ſpeciall was the prouidence of God, for his Church in Iſrael.
As ſpeciall is his prouidence for his Church among vsus. Here ſhould I ſet the mercies of our Land to run along with Iſraels; we ſhould win ground of them, we ſhould out-run them. Be it that in Gods actuall and outward mercies they might outſtrip vsus; yet in his ſpirituall and ſauing health, they come ſhort of vsus. For, as one well ſaith, they had the ſhadow, we the ſubſtance; they the candle-light, we the noone-day; they the breakfaſt of the Law, fit for the morning of the world, we the dinner of the Goſpel, fit for the high-noone thereof. They had a glimpſe of the Sunne, we hauehave him in the full ſtrength: they ſaw per feneſtram, we ſine medio. They had the Paſchall lambe, to expiate ſins ceremonially; we hauehave the Lambe of God to ſatisfie for vsus really. Vnthankfull we, thriſe vnthankfull are we, if we acknowledge not the prouidence of God ouer his Church among vsus to be very ſpeciall.
Now followeth the particular or ſingular prouidence of God. It is that by which he prouideth for eueryevery particular creature. That there wasrIonah 1.4. ſent out a great wind into the ſea to raiſe a tempeſt againſt a ſhip that was going to Tarſhiſh; that there was a preparation of a great fiſh ſVerſ. 17.to ſwallow vp Ionah, and of a Gourd tIonah 4 6.to be a ſhadow ouer his head againſt the Sun-beames, and of a worme uVerſ. 7.to ſmite that Gourd, it was wholly from the particular prouidence of God. From the ſame prouidence it is, that the Sunne riſeth on the euill and the good, and that the raine falleth on the iuſt and on the vniuſt, Mat. 5.45. From the ſame it is, that the Lilies of the field are ſo arayed, as Solomon in all his glory was not ſo, Mat. 6.28. From the ſame it is, that the haires of our head are all numbred, Mat. 10.30. What? Are the haires of our head numbred? Serm. de Martyr.Are they all numbred? Quid timebo, ſaith Saint Auguſtine, quid timebo damna membrorum, quando ſecuritatem accipio capillorum? Surely I that hauehave ſecurity for the haires of my head, will not feare the loſſe of any member I hauehave. Yet if it ſhall pleaſe God to ſmite me in any member I hauehave, in arme, or in legge, Pſal. 22.14.or in all, ſo that I be, as if all my bones were out of ioynt; I ſhall euer acknowledge the hand of God, and his particular prouidence, without wch not ſo much as a little ſparrow falleth on the ground, as it is teſtified by our Sauiour Chriſt, Mat. 10.30. So true is my propounded doctrine, Nihil accidere, niſi à Deo prouiſum: that nothing falleth out in this life, no calamity, no miſery, nothing, good or euill, but by the prouidence of God.
The obiections, that are by the ignorant caſt out againſt this holy and comfortable doctrine, I cannot now ſtand to refute: they may, if God will, be the ground-worke of ſome other meditation. For the preſent, that I be not ouer-troubleſome vntounto you, I will adde but a word of vſe, and application.
The firſt vſe may be, to ſtirre vsus vp to glorifie God for all his mercies. For ſith we know, that whatſoeuer befalleth vsus in this life, it is by the prouidence of God, what ſhould come out of our mouthes, and hearts, but that of holy Iob, Bleſſed, Bleſſed be the name of the Lord for it? In the time of our proſperity, when the face of the Lord ſhineth moſt cheerefully vponupon vsus, what ſhould pierce the inward parts of a childe of God, but theſe or the like motions? O Lord! Lord! that the hearts of theſe men my righteous friends or others, are turned vntounto me, it is of thee alone. Of thee alone it is, that I hauehave their louelove, their fauour, their benefits▪ thou alone art the fountaine, they are but the inſtruments. Thy inſtruments they are, ſuch as next after thee I will thankfully regard, but neuer before thee, nor without thee. Alſo what any other creature yeeldeth me of comfort, profit, or good any way, the power, the ſtrength, and the means thereof is from thee alone, from thee my God, my ſtrength, my hope, and my ſtay for euer.
A ſecond vſe may be to worke patience in vsus, euen through our whole life, and in our greateſt afflictions. For ſith wee know, that whatſoeuer befalleth vsus in this life, be it to the fleſh neuer ſo ſowre, it commeth to paſſe by the prouidence of God; why ſhould any one that is the childe of God murmure or repine, when he is fed with the bread of teares? O then!Pſal. 80.5. when wee are pinched with aduerſity, let vsus not imagine, that God is our enemy; beleeue we rather, that, of his good and fatherly purpoſe, he chaſteneth vsus for the remnant of ſin, abiding in this corrupted nature of ours, thereby to ſtirre vsus vp to the exerciſe of true Chriſtian patience. VponUpon this beleefe I am reſolued neuer to looke ſo much at any ill, that ſhall betide me, as at the bleſſed hand, that ſhall be the guide thereof.
A third vſe, which for this time ſhall be my laſt vſe of the doctrine now deliuered, is to driue vsus to our knees early and late, to begge and deſire at this our good Gods hand, the continuance of his euer ſweet prouidence ouer vsus, and for vsus, that by his good guidance wee may quietly ſaile ouer the ſea of this wicked world; and when his bleſſed will ſhall be, we may arriue in the hauen of eternall comfort, euen his bleſſed, and glorious, and euerlaſting Kingdome; to which the Lord grant vsus a happie comming, for his dearely beloued Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, to whom with the Father in the vnitie of the holy Spirit be all praiſe and power.
Amen.