The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. That Gods proceedings with and towards the children of men, cannot by man be comprehended.
THus then it appeareth, that the wayes of God are vnſearchable. For who can iudge of and imagine the reaſon, or cauſe why God ſendeth trouble, aduerſitie, pouertie, and miſerie vntounto one righteous man, that feareth God, ſhunneth euill, and liueth as vprightly as any other of his eſtate and degree can or may doe; and on the contrary exalteth and raiſeth another righteous man to great wealth that is not altogether ſuch a one in all degrees as the former? On the other ſide, who can enter into Gods counſell, to know why God ſendeth great trouble and miſery to one vngodly man that is not wickeder then his neighbour: and on the contrary, giueth another vngodly perſon, that in no ſort is any thing better then the other; great wealth, happy ſtate on earth, and all proſperitie? Nor are we to wonder, when we ſhall behold that which oftentimes wee ſee to happen here vponupon earth: That on the one ſide, a righteous man that is zealous of Gods honour, fighteth for the defence of Gods cauſe, and ſeeketh to aduance and further the ſame, is many times ſo much croſt and ouerth warted in his proceedings, that it ſeemeth that both heauen and earth are bent againſt him, and is in ſuch perplexitie, that he knowes not which way to winde or turne himſelfe, as Dauid was when the towne of Ziglag was ſpoyled, and his owne people conſpired againſt him, 1. Sam. 30. 6. On the other ſide, that an vngodly man, that indureth no manner of aduerſitie, is an vtter enemy vntounto God, and ſeeketh by all the meanes that the can, vtterly to extirpate and roote out the memorie of his moſt holy name out of the earth, and yet is oftentimes ſo much holpen and ſeconded in his wickednes, that heauen and earth and all things therein ſeeme to hold with him, and hee bringeth his affaires vntounto ſo happie and proſperous an end, that he is a terrour and feare to the miſerable and ſmall troopes of the righteous. Who can tell or finde out the true ground of theſe wayes of God? See we not that God many times calleth a righteous man out of this world in the flower of his youth, concerning whom in all mens iudgements it had better, and it might hauehave beene wiſhed, that hee might ſtill hauehave continued, and liued longer here on earth, being one that did ſo much good in his owne houſe, in the place wherein he dwelt, and in his calling wherein hee liued: and on the contrary, ſuffereth an vngodly man to liue long and many yeares here in the world, being an vnprofitable member, that fareth like a roaring Lion and a rauening Beare among his houſh…d, ſpending and conſuming all that hee hath or can come by, wronging his wife and children, defiling the place where hee liueth with ſcandalous and wicked actions, and which is more, leading many others with him into deſtruction, and by his long life withholding and keeping others out of ſome neceſſarie places of ſeruice, who, were they imployed in the ſame would doe much good: Who can declare or truly imagine the ground of this proceeding? Doth it not oftentimes fall out, that an vngodly man is ſtricken with an apoplexie while hee is buſie about his wicked actions in ſome one kind or other? and alſo that a righteous perſon is ſtricken by the hand of God, while hee laboureth about the furtherance and aduancement of Gods glory and is onelyonly carefull thereof? That the Lord ſtriketh an vngodly Arrius, cauſing his bowels to burſt, and his guts to fall out of his belly, as hee ſitteth vponupon the ſtoole to eaſe himſelfe, and ſo dieth; and that the ſame God bringeth a righteous man his aduerſary to the like death: who would not be abaſht thereat, to conſider of ſuch incomprehenſible wayes and workes of God? And when men ſhall obſerue and weigh with themſelues, in what manner of oppoſite condition, they ſee and behold both the godly and vngodly, they muſt needes, and cannot chuſe, but acknowledge and confeſſe that the Lord worketh moſt wonderfully and vnſearchably therein.
There are two godly men of one ſtate and qualitie, that both liue in great proſperitie and wealth, and two other godly men, that both liue in great trouble, penurie, and miſerie: alſo there are two vngodly men of one calling and condition, that both liue in great wealth and worldly happineſſe; and two other vnrighteous men, that are vnhappy and indure great miſery. And there are two godly men of one calling, whereof the one proſpereth in all his affayres, the other is croſt and troubled. There are two vngodly men of one condition, whereof the one is croſt in his affayres, the other proſpereth. There is a godly and an vngodly man, who although they be both of one calling in worldly affayres; but yet differ much in their liues and conuerſations touching Gods ſeruice, that both liue in great proſperitie: And there is a godly and an vngodly man, of one condition for worldly matters, that both are croſt and indure much trouble and aduerſitie. There is a godly & an vngodly man, of one ſtate and condition, whereof the godly man hath proſperitie, and the vngodly man aduerſitie: And againe, there is an other godly man and an vngodly man of one calling in the world, whereof the godly man hath much aduerſitie and many croſſes, and the vngodly man great proſperitie. What profoundneſſe of Gods workes are theſe? what wonderfull wayes of God are theſe? Many men paſſe theſe things ſleightly ouer; but thoſe that hauehave vnderſtanding, and know the word of God, marking and beholding theſe things daily to come to paſſe in the world, thereby note how wonderfully the Lord worketh in things that happen vntounto the children of men. Who can enter into the depth of theſe waies of the Lord? who can tell the reaſon thereof?
In all reſpects then, the workes of God are wonderfull to the children of men, and wholly vnſearchable. He hath his wayes in the Seas, Pſalm. 77. 19. And his footſteps are not knowne, and his waies paſt finding out: There is no wiſedome nor vnderſtanding, nor counſell againſt the Lord, Prou. 21. 30. Our goodneſſe extendeth not to him, Pſalm. 16. 2. Neither can our wickedneſſe hurt him, Iob. 35. 6. 7. 8. Therefore it fareth ſo with the workes of God, that whatſoeuer God doth, it ſhall bee for euer, nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it, Eccleſ. 3. 14; in ſuch manner as experience teacheth, that although thoſe that are moſt diligent and carefull in their affayres, goe forward therewith, yet many times, euen the moſt diligent and carefull men faile and are croſt in their proceedings: ſo that we may well ſay with Salomon; I returned and ſaw vnderunder the Sunne, that the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battaile to the ſtrong, neither yet bread to the wiſe, nor yet riches to men of vnderſtanding, nor yet fauour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all, Eccleſ. 9. 11. And therefore conſider wee the time and the chance, which God the Lord hath onelyonly reſerued to himſelfe, Acts 1. 7. ſo that it dependeth wholly on him.
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