The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Further Iuſtification of the aforeſaid Doctrine, which the Lord ſheweth vsus out of his word, touching his proceedings with the Children of men, againſt the people of God in our age.
THat wee may further Iuſtifie this poynt touching Gods proceeding with his people, and their enemies, and diſcuſſe the difficulties and troubles which in theſe times are in diuers places brought vponupon Gods people by their enemies, we muſt after the like manner, with due reſpect ſpeak generally, both of the proceedings of the people of God, and of their enemies.
That the light of the Goſpell hath long tyme ſhone moſt clearly in this age, as thoſe that know any thing as they ought to doe, can tell; and that the ſame hath beene ſleightly regarded, both by friendes and foes, all thoſe plainely ſee it, that hauehave receiued any light at all from the Lord our God. Many both great and ſmall, both mightie Potentates and meane men, long ſince and oftentimes, with all their mights, hauehave ſtrouen againſt the ſame, and ſought vtterly to dam and ſmother it vp, by all the meanes they could; eſteeming that to be a falſe light, which is only able to lead and guide them to the way of ſaluation. Others, that in ſome ſort had a liking thereunto, hauehave made no great account nor eſtimation thereof, but hauehave ſuffered it in ſuch ſort to ſhine, and ſo ſerued their turnes therewith, that they were content to liue where it was, and ſometimes to come where it ſhoane, without making any reckoning to accept, or, to make profeſſion thereof. And amongſt thoſe that proceeded ſo farre, that they hauehave accepted thereof as a rule of their faith, and an order of liuing well; there are many found that hauehave no care orderly, and as they ought to doe, to walke in the light thereof: ſo that on this ſide alſo many lamentable offences hauehave beene miniſtred, and doubts beene raiſed to cauſe controuerſies and errours.
This the Lord God, the Father of lights hath ſeene and beheld from the higheſt heauens, the place of his holy habitation; and it grieued him much to ſee and perceiue, ſuch great vnthankfulneſſe and ingratitude for ſo excellent a gift, then the which (next vntounto ſaluation it ſelfe) no better hath beene giuen by God vntounto the children of men: For which cauſe hee hath ſuffered the vnthankefull world, and that would not accept the louelove of the truth, to fall into ſtrong deluſions and great doubts, whereby they tooke occaſion, to cleaue vntounto and beleeue lies. So that in this our age, wee hauehave ſeene in the reformed countries of the world, many great and very dangerous diſputations to ariſe, and controuerſies to grow touching religion: whereby many men, that looke no further then vponupon the outward ſhew and face thereof, were ſo much amazed and abaſhed thereat, that they began more and more to diſlike it, and to leaue it: Theſe are deepe wayes of God, which therefore ought to hauehave mooued all Chriſtian hearts to ſearch into the intent and meaning of God; and withall to take occaſion to ſhake off the aforeſaid vnſauoury ingratitude, and to bend their mindes vntounto a more wholeſome courſe of obedience. But this hath beene practiſed by very few, and at this day is yet too much neglected.
For which cauſe the wrath of God hath beene more and more kindled, and his out ſtretched arme hath not holden backe; but in his anger he is gone foorth, and hath ſuffered the vngodly world that hardeneth it ſelfe, to fall into more hardneſſe and deluſion; as eueryevery man knoweth how much the blind world now hardneth and imboldneth it ſelfe, each one in his errours, vponupon occaſion of the preſent troubles that daily happen to the people of God in theſe dayes: for the enemies of the Goſpel, thereby take occaſion to thinke and perſwade themſelues, that they hauehave done great and good ſeruices vntounto God and yet doe, when they perſecute and ſeeke to roote out the protectours and profeſſours of the truth, and thoſe that hauehave halted betweene both, thinke themſelues happie that they (as many others) hauehave not throwen their lot into the lap of thoſe whoſe chance they thought might alter and change. Thus the Lord as he hath threatned, letteth it raigne ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, and a horrible tempeſt vponupon the vngodly, Pſal. 11. 6. wherein they ſhalbe taken & ſpoyle themſelues. For in all theſe things, thoſe wretched men doe not once remember, that when to fulfill their owne pleaſures they doe ſo, they iudge vniuſtly of Gods truth, and thereby offend againſt the generation of his Children, Pſalm. 73. 15. How oftentimes was Iſrael troubled and vexed with contentions and warres amongſt themſelues, yea and ouer-runne alſo by the Philiſtines and other enemies? whereas notwithſtanding, the Iſraelites were the onelyonly people of God, and onelyonly had the light of ſaluation among them: What inuaſions and incurſions hauehave the cruell Heathen diuers times made vponupon the Chriſtians? and yet wee know that the Chriſtians, and not the Heathens hauehave the truth on their ſide.
But theſe things the Lord ſometimes ſuffereth, to fall vponupon and come againſt his owne people, to cleanſe them, to try their faiths, & to the end that thoſe that remaine obſtinate might hauehave that which they hauehave deſerued. 1. Corinth. 11. 19. Matth. 18. 7. And thus it falleth out that ſuch miſerable men, that glorie and take moſt delight, to behold the troubles & perſecutions of Gods people, that boaſt off and perſeuer in their enmitie and peruerſe proceedings, are thoſe certainely that are moſt plagued thereby; for that by ſuch meanes they are hardened in their errors and deluſions, which lead them into perdition. Can greater plagues then theſe bee any wayes bee thought on? and all this alſo is iuſt and righteous with God, that thoſe that receiued not the louelove of the truth, that they might be ſaued, might fall into ſtrong deluſions and beleeue lies, 2. Theſ. 2. 10. 11. And that thoſe that are the cauſes of reuolting and doubts raiſed, and ſometimes ſtrongly mainetaine them, ſhould hauehave the ſame meaſure mett vntounto them, and thereby fall into perdition.
Thus it fares with them (by the wonderfull prouidence of God) as the Pſalmiſt ſaith; As they loued curſing (for they delighted in errour) ſo let it come vntounto them, Pſalm. 109. 17. Beſides all the curſes that yet hang ouer their heads, for the oppreſſion, ſhame, diſgrace, and wrongs by them done vntounto the children of God in their troubles and aduerſities: for it is moſt true and certaine, that although the Lord God ſuffer his people for a while to bee oppreſſed by their enemies, when he hath once finiſhed all his workes vponupon Mount Sion, and ſufficiently puniſhed his people, he will goe to viſite their enemies in their owne houſes, and caſt the rodde of his anger into the fire, Eſa. 10. 12. Behold how excellently the Pſalmiſt ſetteth this forth, ſaying, When God heard this (that is, that his children many times rebelled againſt him,) hee was wrath and greatly abhorred Iſrael; ſo that he forſooke the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent that he had placed among men, and deliuered his ſtrength into captiuitie, and his glory into the enemies hand, he gaue his people ouer alſo vntounto the ſword, and was wrath with his inheritance. The fire conſumed their young men, and their maidens was not giuen to marriage, their Prieſts fell by the ſword, and their widdowes made no lamentation. Thus farre it went on Gods enemies ſide, as we read, 1. Sam. 4. but marke what followeth: Then the Lord awaked as one out of ſleepe, and like a mightie man that ſhooteth by reaſon of wine: and he ſmote the enemies in the hinder parts, hee put them to a perpetuall reproch, Pſalme 75. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. which alſo wee read in the firſt of Samuel the fifth, This is the heritage of the ſeruants of the Lord, and their righteouſneſſe is of mee, ſayth the Lord, Eſa. 54. 17. That the Lord God in his time ſhall recompence tribulation to thoſe that trouble them, and giuegive reſt to thoſe that are troubled, 2. Theſſ. 1. 67. euen in the time of need, Heb. 4▪ 16. And thus it appeareth alwayes, that although the Lord ſeemeth to hauehave forſaken his people for a while, and to hold with their enemies, yet in truth, and certaintie this ſtandes firmely, That God will not caſt away righteous man, neither will hee helpe the euill doers, Iob 8. 20. how much ſoeuer he ſeemeth to ſtand againſt his owne people, and to ſtrengthen the hand of the vngodly.
Theſe are the wonderfull wayes of our God and this is the certaintie of his workes done among the children of men, which mooued the Pſalmiſt, that had a ſpirituall eie in ſome meaſure, to looke into the waies of God, and to ſet downe the truth thereof, to breake out into this ſpeech and ſay; O Lord how great are thy workes, and thy thoughts are verie deepe, a brutiſh man knoweth not, neither doth a foole vnderſtand this, Pſalm. 92. 5. 6.
Thus wee may ſee, that although the workes of God, done among the children of men, for the moſt part are hidden from vsus, and incomprehenſible, yet that which our good God hath openly made knowne vntounto vsus in his word, inſtructeth and inableth vsus with ſpeciall profit, fruit, and comfort, to marke and looke into the workes of God. It remaineth then, that wee ſet downe and further ſpeake of certaine notable fruits that grow out of that which wee hauehave before ſet downe; which wee will doe in the Chapter following. (⸪)