The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. That notwithſtanding, that Gods workes done and wrought among the Children of men are ſo wonderfull, and vncomprehenſible, yet we may learne and find out many ſpeciall things, & reape much benefit, by his ſaid works ſo wrought and done among them.
AS it is a moſt godly and holy thing, and very commendable, for men in all accidents that happen here on earth among the Children of men, to note the finger of God to bee therein, and to aſcribe the ſame to Gods powerfull prouidence; ſo we muſt not ſlightly refuſe or neglect, to conſider what God the Lord in his wonderfull wiſedome hath ſecretly purpoſed and intended by this or that courſe, croſſe, or calamitie, that hee bringeth in ſundrie wiſe vponupon his choſen people, ſeeing experience teacheth vsus, that the ſeuerall things that happen vntounto vsus during our liues many times produce ſtrange, and far other effects, then men expect from them. It ſeemed that our caſe once would hauehave gone but hardly, and would hauehave beene but ſorily ſupported or countenanced, when as long ſince, hee on whom wee then much relied, and vnderunder whoſe protection wee hoped to reſt quietly, by a wicked blow was taken from vsus; And yet neuertheleſſe, ſince that time it hath gone with vsus better and better. We were likewiſe once perſwaded, that when ſuch or ſuch of our friends ſhould grow ſtronger, that our affaires would then hauehave better ſucceſſe, and goe more proſperouſly forward, and yet ſecretly it fell out otherwiſe.
This might moue ſome men to conceiue and ſay, that ſeeing it is ſo with the workes of God that are wrought among the Children of men, that his wayes and his proceedings are ſo ſtrange and vnſearchable, how can we then out of Gods workes learne any certaine or ſpeciall thing, touching and concerning our owne ſtates, and our duties towardes God in his workes, whereunto notwithſtanding, we are ſo earneſtly, and oftentimes exhorted, and incited in the holy Scriptures, Pſal. 92. 6. 7. Eſa. 28. 23. 24. Hoſ. 14. Pſal. 107. Eſpecially, ſeeing it falleth alike with the godly and vngodly man, in all their worldly proceedings, wherein oftentimes ſo vnexpected things happen and fall out, how can we take occaſion thereby to prayſe and glorifie the Lord, or to humble our ſelues before him, in regard of his extraordinary works, as if he had done ſome ſpeciall thing for vsus, when as we fare no better then other men commonly do, and it is yet vncertaine what will further proceed thereof?
I anſwere, although inſtantly by Gods ordinary or extraordinary workes wee cannot conceiue Gods fauour and affection towardes men, nor mans ſtate in regard of God, thereby to take occaſion, ſpecially, for the ſame to prayſe the Lord our God, and to ſeeke after him; notwithſtanding when we once well know & perceiue mans ſtate in regard of God, and our owne or any other mens ſpeciall ſtate in that kind, wee may by the ordinary workes of God here done amongſt men, learne and conceiue many good things; as for example, when we know a man to be one that truely feareth God, and yet ſee that notwithſtanding many croſſes and troubles befall him, and happen to him in this life, we may thereby learne, That God the righteous Iudge of all the world, findeth cauſe & matter enough, when it pleaſeth him, To try the beſt men that liue here on earth, by laying great tribulations vponupon them, and by many miſeries to proue their patience, Iob 4 Whereby alſo we are further admoniſhed, That although we are commanded to liue holily, and as much as in vsus lyeth to ſeeke to doe the ſame, yet that we muſt not perſwade our ſelues, that all things therefore here on earth ſhall fall out well & proſperouſly with vsus according to our deſires; but rather muſt make our account that neuertheleſſe many tribulations and croſſes may fall vponupon vsus here in this world, and thereupon prepare and arme our ſelues patiently to endure them. But that we may the better perceiue and vnderſtand how to reape much profit by Gods workes done among the Children of men, we muſt know that although they are things that are vnſearchable by men, to conceiue why God dealeth ſo diuerſly with one vngodly man, in reſpect of another vngodly man, that is like vntounto him, that the one fareth cleane contrary to the other, as for example, giuing the one vngodly man much wealth and proſperitie, and laying much aduerſitie, and many plagues vponupon the other, as alſo why God impoſeth as much, and the very ſame on a righteous man, that he doth on an vngodly man, and maketh no difference in outward ſhew betweene them therein, giuing both the one and the other, eyther wealth or pouertie at his good will and pleaſure, yet we may by the word of God find out and know, why God doth ſo vntounto them, or to any other man that is godly or vngodly; For the Lord our God, that is a wiſe God, hath opened many things vntounto vsus in his Word, concerning his will & dealings with the Children of men, which if we marke and well conſider the ſame, wee ſhall learne many things touching the ordinary workings of God among men; whereof in the next Chapter I will make a further declaration out of the ſame Word.