The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. How wee may profit by all the workes of God which hee doth vntounto vsus, and other men in this world.
THat we may reape good and conuenient fruit here on earth, by the workes of God done among men, wee muſt by that which happeneth vntounto vsus, as alſo to others, yea and out of all things that are done in the world, and which are known vntounto vsus; diligently conſider, and be thereof thoroughly perſwaded, how true eueryevery word and ſillable of Gods holy word is, how firmely and certainely it is fulfilled, and how conſtantly and peremptorily that daily proceedeth and falleth out in this world, which he ſaith in his word, that hee will bring to paſſe: that in all things, and at all times we may ſay with the Church of God; As we hauehave heard, ſo hauehave wee ſeene in the Citie of the Lord of hoſts, in the Citie of our God, God will eſtabliſh it for euer, Selah, Pſalm. 48. 8. And with Salomon ſpeaking to the Lord; That which thou haſt promiſed to him, and ſpakeſt with thy mouth to thy ſeruant Dauid, my father, and haſt fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day, 2. Chron. 6. 15.
And to the end that this may bee thus effected to our comfort and benefit, we muſt indeuour our ſelues in the whole courſe of our liues, narrowly and earneſtly to marke and conſider whatſoeuer falleth out, of any weightie conſideration, that we here ſee done, or ſuffer in this life, be it temporall, or ſpirituall, and whatſoeuer is againſt vsus that is done in the world, and commeth to our knowledge, and compare them with that which God hath made manifeſt in his word, and proteſted that he …, bring to paſſe, or effect; and accordingly n…t… and conſider ſeriouſly and vndoubtedly, that what ſoeuer God hath foreſhewed in his word, hee daily bringeth to paſſe in his workes.
To this purpoſe, God hath giuen vsus a liuing ſoule, and hath taught vsus more then the beaſts of the earth, and made vsus wiſer then the fowles of heauen, Iob 35. 11. to this end hee hath ſet vsus vponupon the ſtage of the world, that wee might plainely ſee and marke (for our comfort and conſolation) the waies of the children of men here vponupon earth, together with the ſeuerall euents, that proceed and ſpring from thence by Gods heauenly prouidence. Vnreaſonable beaſts that liue here among vsus, as Dogs and Catts, ſee what is done in the world, and ſee it with as cleere eyes, and many times better and plainlier then men doe. If man then doe not endeauour himſelfe (with the inward eyes of his vnderſtanding) not onelyonly to ſee and marke what is done, or what paſſeth in the world, but which is more, to marke the finger of God to bee therein, and thereby to learne the truth and conſtancy of God, ſuch a man differeth not much from a beaſt or an vnreaſonable creature, Pſal. 49. 21. Pſal. 32-11. in regarde of ſpirituall life, whereon the difference betweene the one and the other wholy dependeth, yea hee is therein, worſe then an vnreaſonable beaſt, for heauie plagues hang ouer the heads of ſuch careleſſe and brutiſh perſons as hauehave no regarde vntounto the workes of the Lord. Heare what the Pſalmiſt ſayth; becauſe they regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his handes: hee ſhall deſtroy them and not build them vp: Pſal. 28. 5. which in truth is a moſt fearefull threatning and ſheweth that God eſteemeth and holdeth ſuch careleſſe men to bee moſt wicked: To which purpoſe alſo Salomon ſayth: Wicked men regard not that which is right, but thoſe that feare the Lord marke all things: Pro. 20. 5. For this cauſe wee are often times warned and aduiſed to this diligent marking in holy Scripture, Seeke you out of the booke of the Lord and reade, noe of theſe ſhall fayle, none ſhall miſſe her mate, for his mouth it hath commaunded, and his ſpirit it hath gathered them together: Eſay 34. 16. Ioſu. 23. 14. this alſo Iobs friendes and Iob himſelfe alſo marked diligently, in the whole courſe of their liues, as in the whole booke of Iob it is ſufficiently declared; And all the miſvnderſtanding that they had among themſelues, touching Gods workes partly conſiſted heerein, that they vnderſtoode not the word of God ſo plainely as wee doe, and partly alſo by reaſon of the extraordinary ſtrange and vnaccuſtomed dealing of GOD with IOB, which hee as then for a time layd vponupon him, for a warning comfort and ſtrengthening of all his people as long as the world ſhould endure, as alſo to that end he cauſeth it to bee written, Ier. 4. 13. Now from hence alſo it further appeareth, that to the end wee may truely to our comfort, and with ſome fruite conſider of all the workes of▪ God wrought among the children of men, there are 4. thinges ſpecially, and very neceſſarily to bee obſerued. Firſt, ſome diſtinct knowledge of Gods proceedings manifeſted vntounto vsus in the holy Scriptures. Secondly, a diligent marking of all Gods workes, wrought heere among the children of men. Thirdly a comparing of that which he doth in this world, with that which hee witneſſeth in his word. Fourthly a conſtant noting of the ſeuerall fruites, that ſpringe from the finding out of the truth of God opened vntounto vsus in his word and works. And of all theſe 4. in the chapters enſuing, wee will ſpeake ſome what more at large.