The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. How we muſt compare that which God doth in this world with that which hee hath ſet downe in his word, that we may draw ſome good fruit from the workes of God for our comfort
THe third thing that is needfull hereunto, that out of the workes of GOD done among the Children of men, we may know the truth of God ſet downe in his word for our comfort and conſolation is, that we collect and gather together whatſoeuer by diligent ſearching into the word of God; and narrowly marking of Gods workes, touching Gods proceedings and dealings with the ſonnes of men, we hauehave learned, that by comparing ſpirituall things with ſpirituall things, by meanes thereof we may duely and clearely begin to perceiue and vnderſtand the truth and certaintie of Gods word, and how that heauen and earth ſhall ſooner paſſe away then one tittle of Gods word ſhall fayle; ſo that we may be able to ſay being holpen by the aforeſaid obſeruation. That this was done in England, this in France, this in Germany, this in our Countrie, in our towne, in our village, in our houſe, according to that which the Lord witneſſeth in this or that place of his Booke, that it ſhould fall out ſo and in ſuch manner, although in mens opinions it was otherwiſe expected to be done. Now further, that wee may bring theſe things the better about, and thereby to reape that profit and fruit, which we deſire to doe by theſe thinges that are done and happen here in this world, we muſt ſpecially adde theſe two thinges thereunto.
Firſt, and before all that we accuſtome our ſelues in all things that happen to fall out, and come to our knowledge, to note the finger of our God to be therein, and withall hold this for certaine, and moſt true, that as in all things that we ſee and behold men to doe, not the body of man worketh onelyonly, but the ſoule eſpecially which we ſee not, ſo that likewiſe the Lord our God, which gouerneth all things by his mightie Word, hath his finger ſecretly in all things that are done, much more then Ioab had his hand in the buſineſſe of the woman of Tekoa, 2 Sam. 14. though in an holy manner, and that altogether incomprehenſible, whereby he alwayes worketh well, and produceth much good, euen by meanes of the wickedſt inſtruments in the world, by vngodly Aſſur, that is, the rod of his anger, and by the Deuill himſelfe, whom hee vſeth often times to plague his people by, Eſa. 10. 5. 6. and 1 Chron. 22. 20. So that we muſt endeuour to bring our ſelues to ſee the working of Gods finger to be alwayes in eueryevery thing that is done in the world, and to thinke and perſwade our ſelues, that it is the Lord our God that hath done this, thus and in this manner, either by furthering, or by hindring the ſame in this or that manner, and cauſing or ſuffering it to fall out the one way or the other. And accordingly whatſoeuer hapneth to croſſe the proceedings of Gods children, learne alwayes to ſay vntounto our ſoules, behold, this our God hath done, or permitted to be done. This the vngodly vſe not to doe: they doe not once marke the finger of God in any thing that hapneth vntounto the Children of men; but their manner is, to aſcribe it to the loweſt and neareſt cauſes, and to depend wholy thereupon, looking no higher, nor further then the gates of the Towne wherein they dwell, vnleſſe it be a thing that is vnaccuſtomed, and ſuch as doth not vſually fall out; and then it may be they will ſuppoſe, that it proceedeth from God, as the ſorcerers of Egypt, marked the finger of God to be in the lice that Moſes brought vponupon the Egyptians, becauſe they could conceiue no naturall cauſe whereby it might be effected, Exod. 8. 17. 18. 19. but ſuch as are godly and know Gods word, note the finger of God in all things, as that which is moſt neceſſary to bee conſidered, they thereby may obſerue the workes of God, to fall out according to his word, and may draw and reape conuenient fruits from the ſame.
Secondly, that we accuſtome our ſelues when any thing worth the noting falleth out in the courſe of our liues, that is, againſt our ſelues, or others, whether they bee particular perſons, or whole Nations, to quicken our witts thereby, and to ſtirre vp our memories, to call to mind and remember, whether there be no one place of Scripture, that witneſſeth ſomething touching the ſame, whereby it is foretold, or whereunto it may be likened: as for example, we ſee a man run vp and downe about his worldly affayres vponupon the Sabboth day, and when he hath done, we ſee all that he did was in vaine; heare ſhould we remember, what is ſayd vntounto vsus, Exod. 16. 27. to wit, And it came to paſſe that there went ſome of the people on the Sabboth day (which was the reſt of the Lord) for to gather Manna, and they found none. This was the practiſe of Chriſts Diſciples, and God gaue them vnderſtanding thereby: ſee Ioh. 2. 16. 17. 22. and Ioh. 11. 16.
Now to finde conuenient places of Scripture, touching theſe thinges that may bee compared with that that hapneth in the world, wee muſt in that that is done diligently conſider what the ſpeciall cauſes were why thoſe things fell out and came ſo to paſſe as they did, as namely, why ſuch and ſuch things hapned ſo well or ſo ill; and wherein they finde themſelues to hauehave a part in the gracious promiſes of the Lord, and the Lord hath promiſed ſuch good to come to them, as they then finde, or wherein they feele and know themſelues culpable of the threatnings of God, whereby things hauehave ſo happened vntounto them as they hauehave fallen out. And if we can finde no certaine ſpeciall cauſe thereof, but the contrary rather, then we muſt, as in Iobs caſe, aſcribe the event to the mighty power of God, and accordingly behaue our ſelues therein.