The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. That there is no cauſe why men ſhould bee ſo much abaſhed, when they ſhall conſider how the enemies of Gods people, when they incounter in battaile with the people of GOD, and hauehave the vpper hand and ouerthrow them.
YET this is not all, that which cauſeth greateſt diſlike in the hearts of many men, touching the workes of God done among the ſonnes of men; the chiefeſt reaſon conſiſteth herein, that men oftentimes ſee and behold, that not onelyonly many vngodly men liue in great proſperitie, and many righteous men in great miſerie, but that men ſee and obſerue that the vngodly oftentimes oppreſſe the godly, and that when Gods people and their enemies, encounter in battaile and fight together, many times their enemies hauehave the victorie and ouercome them. This is the point that produceth greateſt difficultie, and many men cannot be reſolued, how it ſhould come to paſſe that the ſeruantes of the moſt high God, that hauehave his cauſe in hand, that are iealous of his glory, and fight for his truth, ſhould be ouercome by thoſe that are Gods enemies, that Gods cauſe ſhould turne the backe, and falſhood and deceit hauehave the vpper hand; this by many men cannot be conceiued nor conſidered as it ſhould bee, for that as things are brought to paſſe, they ſee nothing but contrary effects. The vngodly are hardened in their vngodlineſſe, and the godly weepe and mourne, all thinges are worſe and worſe, and the name of the Lord by this meanes ſlandred, and euill ſpoken of, and his truth blamed.
I anſwer, we muſt needes confeſſe and acknowledge, that theſe are moſt profound wayes of God, but the Lord alſo in his holy word hath giuen vsus to vnderſtand, what the meaning is of theſe his moſt wonderfull workes, and telleth vsus that he hath reaſon ſo to doe, both in reſpect of the godly, and the vngodly, and of his people, and their enemies; and firſt giueth vsus to vnderſtand, that in theſe occurrents hee is patient, and long ſuffering, Luk. 18. 7. That he is not ſo haſtie as wee are, Pſal. 116. 11. Hee can indure that his cauſe, and his peoples cauſe ſhould ſometime bee hindred, and that the vngodly ſhould domineire, as if Baal or Aſ…aroth, and not the God of Iſrael ruled and gouerned the world, and teacheth vsus further that he ſuffereth it ſo to bee, thereby the more to aduance his honour, when hee once begins ſo to riſe vp, that his enemies are driuen backe, and that he lifteth vp againe the heads of his people, which before were deiected and caſt downe. Thus he witneſſeth, that for the ſame cauſe he ſuffereth his people of Iſraell to be humbled, that afterward he might aduance them, and that ſo all the world might ſee that it was neither their policie, wiſedome, nor power, but his bleſſings that had releiued, and rayſed them vp, Deut, 8. 9.
Here what the Lord to this end ſayth by the Prophet; The earth mourneth and languiſheth, Lebanon is aſhamed and hewen downe, Sharon is like a wilderneſſe, and Baſan and Carmell ſhake off their fruits; now will I riſe ſayth the Lord, ſeeing my people are ſo much confounded, and eueryevery man thinketh, that they are wholy ouerthrowne, now will I be exalted, now will I lift vp my ſelfe, Eſa. 33. 9. 10. I hauehave a long time houlden my peace, ſayth he, I hauehave beene ſtill and refrayned my ſelfe, now will I cry like a trauelling woman, I will deſtroy and deuoure at once, Eſa. 42. 14. the enemies of my people. This is Gods purpoſe when he ſuffereth his people for a time to be ouer-run and maſtred by their enemies: which if we conſider well, we will no longer bee abaſhed thereat, nor ſtumble at Gods workes, though things goe neuer ſo croſſe for a time with Gods owne people, and that the enemies of the Goſpell thereby ſeeme to growe ſtrong.
When we reade of the proſperitie of Hammon the cruell and ſworne enemy of Gods people, and vnderſtand that he proceeded ſo farre, that all the people of Iſraell were iudged to die, and that hee being their greateſt and bittereſt enemie, had the execution thereof committed to him, would not men therby conclude, looking vponupon the outward vntoward proceedings, that the Lord had abandoned and forſaken his people of Iſraell; yet we know in the end, that the higher that Hammon the enemie of Gods people did clime, the neerer the deſtruction of the Children of Iſraell ſeemed to be, and the more the enemies of Gods people being diſappointed of their purpoſes were confounded, the more honor the Lord did then reap vntounto himſelfe, by the deliuerance of his people. So wonderfull is God the Lord in his workes: wherby it appeareth, that euen then when he ſuffereth the cauſe of his people in a manner to fall vntounto the ground, he ſtill houldeth the rudder in his hand, and hath an eye on them, and a care that they ſhall not altogether be ouerthrowne.
And ſo all the miſ-vnderſtanding, wrong iudging, miſ-conſtruing & ſtumblings at Gods workes conſiſts herein, that we onelyonly looke vponupon exterior things, and neuer remember to goe into the Sanctuary of God, to looke into the end of his wayes, and what his ſecret meaning is therein. Marke what I ſay. Queene Eſter that was a great friend to the people of God, and ſought what meanes ſhe could to deliuer the people of Iſraell from that danger, and to bring Hammon to confuſion, what courſe did ſhee take. Shee inuited the King and Hammon with him to be her gueſts, ſhee receiued and intertained him friendly, and Hammon could perceiue no other but that he was very welcome to the Queene, and boaſted thereof to his friends; And yet that was not enough, Heſter bad him to be her gueſt the ſecond time, and ſhewed him a fayre countenance from time to time. Now what might the Iewes that knew not Queene Heſters meaning, hauehave conceiued and iudged hereof? might not they hauehave thought, that Heſter alſo conſented with Hammon to helpe to root out and confound the Iewes? But the meaning was cleane contrary: ſhee ſought to bring Hammon to confuſion, and to deliuer the Iewes from death; the iſſue thereof ſheweth it plainely, Heſt. 5. 7.
Thus the Lord our God many times worketh with the enemies of his people, hee ſeemeth for a while to draw them on, and to leaue his owne people, to make them the more confounded and aſhamed, when vnexpectedly hee ouerthroweth them, and deliuereth his people from them. Touching theſe wayes of God therefore wee muſt attend Gods pleaſure, and in the meane time patiently expect his leiſure. And this God declareth vntounto vsus in his Word touching his ſtrange workings aforeſayd, which to men ſeeme ſo offenſiue, yea, which is more, our good God ſheweth vsus yet more ſpeciall and waightier cauſes, wherefore at ſometimes he ſuffereth his owne people to be oppreſſed by their enemies, and letteth them fall into great miſeries and troubles, whereof ſome conceiue, the enemies of Gods people, others Gods people themſelues. Touching his owne people, ſomtimes he ſuffereth them to fall into the hands of their enemies, and by that meanes ladeth them with a heauie yoake; becauſe they did not endeuour themſelues wiſely, and as it became them, to beare his Fatherly yoake on their necks. Heare what the Lord to that end ſayth to his people: Becauſe that thou ſerueſt not the Lord thy God with ioyfulneſſe, and with gladneſſe of heart, for the aboundance of all things; therefore ſhalt thou ſerue thine enemies, which the Lord ſhall ſend againſt thee, in hunger, and in thirſt, and in nakedneſſe, and in want of all things, and he ſhall put a yoake of iron vponupon thy necke, and all this the Lord doth, as hee himſelfe alſo witneſſeth, that his people might know what difference there is betweene ſeruing of him, and ſeruing the Kingdomes of his enemies, 2 Chro. 12. 8. Therefore for that his people by the ſubtiltie of Sathan, the temptations of the world, imbecilitie and careleſneſſe ſometimes eſteeme not of the ſweete yoake of Chriſt, and calme running water of Shilo as they ſhould doe, the Lord layeth a heauie yoake vponupon them, and bringeth them into deepe, and many waters of oppreſſion; wherein what ſtrange thing doth the Lord? What doth he I ſay, that ſhould moue men in any manner to diſlike? When we vſe to do the ſame (and thinke and perſwade our ſelues that we doe wiſely) with our owne Children; that ſometimes wee put to hard Schoole-maiſters, and cruell teachers for a tyme, that they might learne and know how eaſie a yoake they beare on their ſhoulders in their Fathers houſes, which yet when we doe, it is out of meere louelove, and for the good and profit of our Children.
On the other ſide, touching the enemies of Gods people, although then they ſeeme ſpecially to bee happie and bleſſed, when in that manner they get the vpper hand of Gods people, and deuoure them like bread; yet the truth is, that no greater plague can happen vntounto them, then when they are permitted to oppreſſe and wrong the people of God, and to waſh their hands in their bloud; which the Lord in his great wrath ſometimes permitteth to be done, when hee determineth to ſuffer them to fill vp the meaſure of their wickedneſſe, and to haſten their Iudgement, and vtter deſtruction. Euen then when they ouercome and ſpoyle the people of God, and lead them Captiues away with them as a prey, They doe nothing els but in a manner heap vp a great deale of wood, ſtubble, and ſtraw, with coles of fire vnderunder them, which at the laſt burnes them all vp. For ſo the Lord himſelfe witneſſeth, ſaying; In that day will I make the wilderneſſe of Iudah like a harth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a bundle of ſtraw, Zach. 12. 6. And againe, And in that day will I make Ieruſalem a burthenſom ſtone for all people; all that burthen themſelues with it ſhall bee cut in peeces, though all the people of the earth bee gathered together againſt it, Zach. 12. 3. Hearken what the Lord in this reſpect againe and againe commaundeth, and oftentimes willeth his Prophets to ſhew to the world: Thou Son of man ſayth he, Propheſie to the mountaines of Iſraell, and ſay; Ye Mountaines of Iſraell, heare the word of the Lord; Thus ſayth the Lord; Becauſe the enemie had ſayd againſt you, Aha, euen the auncient high places are ours in poſseſſion, Therefore propheſie and ſay; Thus ſayth the Lord God; Becauſe they hauehave made you deſolate, and ſwallowed you vp on eueryevery ſide, that you might be a poſſeſsion vntounto the reſidue of the Heathen, and yee are taken vp in the lips of talkers, and are an infamie of the people, Therefore yee Mountaines of Iſraell, heare the word of the Lord God; Thus ſayth the Lord God to the mountaines, and to the hills, to the riuers, and to the valleyes, to the deſolate waſts, and to the Citties that are forſaken, which are become a prey and deriſion to the reſidue of the Heathen, that are round about. Therefore thus ſayth the Lord, ſurely in the zeale of my ielouſie I hauehave ſpoken againſt the reſidue of the heathen, and againſt all Idumea, which hauehave appoynted my Land into their poſſeſsions, with the ioy of all their heart, with diſpitefull minds, to caſt it out for a prey, Propheſie therefore concerning the Land of Iſraell, and ſay vntounto the mountaines, and to the hils, and to the riuers, and to the valleyes; Thus ſayth the Lord God, Behold I hauehave ſpoken in my ielouſie, and in my fury, becauſe you hauehave borne the ſhame of the heathen, therefore thus ſayth the Lord God, I hauehave lifted vp mine hand, ſurely the heathen that are about you they ſhall beare their ſhame. But yee O Mountaines of Iſraell, you ſhall ſhoot forth your branches, and yeeld your fruit to my people of Iſraell, for they are at hand to come, Ezech. 36. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. And for that the Lord intendeth to deale in this manner with his owne people, and with their enemies when they ouercome and oppreſſe them; he pronounceth a woe vntounto Aſſyria, by the Prophet Eſay; & that for this cauſe, becauſe they were to ouer-run and oppreſſe the people of Iſraell for a tyme, like durt in the ſtreete; ſaying, O Aſſyrians the rod of mine anger, and the ſtaffe in their hand is mine indignation. I will ſend him againſt an hypocriticall Nation, and againſt the people of my wrath, (where hee vnderſtandeth his owne people, that becauſe of their ſinnes had a long tyme ſore offended him) I will giuegive him a charge to take the ſpoyle, and to take the prey, and to tread them downe like the mire in the ſtreets, Eſa: 10. 5. 6. To this end alſo the Lord witneſſeth, that hee delayed to take reuenge for the bloud of his Children, vntill more of them were ſlaine for his truth ſake, that at one time he might viſite the enemies of his truth in their owne houſes & make a iuſt reckoning with them, Apo. 6. 9 10. 11. Wherby it is manifeſtly to be ſeene, That the Lord ſuffereth the enemies of the truth ſomtimes to hauehave the vpper hand, becauſe that alreadie by reaſon of their great ſinnes and offences committed againſt him, they hauehave in ſuch manner offended him, that in his wrath he thinketh it fit to ſlacke the bridle vntounto them, and to ſuffer them to proceed from bad actions to worſe, for their heauier iudgement and condemnation.
This alſo muſt be vnderſtood and conceiued in matters of leſſe moment, wherein the Children of the world without reaſon and lawfull ground, get the vpper hand ouer the Children of God, as when they meete together in battaile in the field, or in any towne, or in prayer, or at a marriage, or ſuch like, and there are ſlaine, murthered or ſpoyled, & in all other ſuch like occurrents. And thus the Lord findeth occaſion both in regard of his owne people, and of their enemies, now and then to make his people the foote and not the head, that he ſuffreth them to lie vnderunder feete, and the enemies of the truth to tread vponupon them; which whoſoeuer well waigheth and conſidereth with an vnderſtanding heart, hee ſhall ſoone perceiue & ſee, that there is no cauſe of doubt to be made, or ſcandall to be found in theſe workes of the Lord.