Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 14
The fourteenth Sermon vponupon the fourth verſe.
And graunt thee according to thine heart, and fulfill all thy purpoſe.
THat which ſhould hauehave beene added the laſt day concerning the former part of this verſe, is this: That wheras we hauehave heard alreadie, how we ought to ſhew our faith in this point, that we beleeue that God can and doth giuegive to eueryevery one their hearts deſire, by praying vntounto him beforehand for eueryevery thing that we doe deſire: Now it remaineth further to conſider, That if we do beleeue indeed, that God only doth giuegive to all men their deſires,Wee muſt praiſe God for all our deſires that hauehave ben fulfilled. and that without him they cannot hauehave them; then we muſt declare this faith of ours, after that we hauehave our deſires, by acknowledging, that for all things which we hauehave deſired in the whole courſe of our life, and hauehave had them, that we are wholly beholding to the goodneſſe of God for them, and ſo praiſe his holy name for the ſame. For if we deſire any thing of a mortall man, and he beſtow it vponupon vsus, we are bound to confeſſe ſo much, and to be thankefull vntounto him for the ſame: then much more vntounto God, who mooued the heart of that man towards vsus, and made him an inſtrument of his goodneſſe vntounto vsus, to fulfill our deſires. And thus doth Dauid euen for this very thing, confeſsing openly, that God had ſatisfied his deſires, when he ſaith, Thou haſt giuen him his hearts deſire, Pſal. 21.2.and haſt not denied him the requeſt of his lips: where hee ſpeaketh of himſelfe, and made that Pſalme as a forme of publicke thanksgiuing vntounto God for giuing him his deſire in the ouerthrow of his enemies. VVe in our time hauehave deſired many things in our hearts, and we hauehave not been diſappointed of our deſires: but hauehave we in all of them ſo conſidered God to be the author of them, that we hauehave giuen thankes vntounto him for the ſame? If we doe rightly examine our ſelues,But moſt men faile greatly in this praiſe. and call to mind the time paſt, we ſhall find, that for many things for which we hauehave prayed, O Lord giuegive me according to my heart, we hauehave not returned with this thankfull confeſsion, O Lord thou hast giuen me my hearts deſire, and haſt not denied me the request of my lips. And this is that that our Sauiour Chriſt complaineth of in the Goſpell,Luke 17.12. That when ten lepers did meet him, they ſtood a farre off, and all of them lift vp their voices, and ſaid, Ieſus master hauehave merciemercy on vsus: and all of them were healed. But one of them when he ſaw that he was healed, turned backe, and with a loud voice praiſed God, and fell downe at his feet, and gaue him thankes: And Ieſus ſaid, are there not ten clenſed? but where are the nine? There is none found that returned to giuegive God praiſe, ſaue this ſtranger. Thus though all of them had a great deſire to be cleanſed of that foule diſeaſe, and did crie out earneſtly vntounto Chriſt for it, yet but one of them did teſtifie his faith, that he had receiued this benefit of Chriſt. And this is a common fault in the world, that ſcarce one among ten, when they hauehave their deſires, and that of God, and when they hauehave asked the ſame of him, that are mindfull to giuegive thanks vntounto God that gaue them their deſire. Many in their wants come to Chriſt, and ſay Miſerere, to hauehave their deſires ſatisfied; but few afterwards returne with Alleluia, to giuegive praiſe vntounto him for the ſame. This is that then, which the Pſalmiſt not without iuſt cauſe ſo often & ſo earneſtly calleth vponupon men for, and all ſorts of men: That when they hauehave bene in great affliction ſome one way & ſome another, and ſo for their reliefe and comfort, they hauehave deſired this and that according to their ſeuerall eſtates; that when God hath deliuered them, and giuen them their deſire, they would as well by giuing thankes vntounto him declare, that they beleeue that he onelyonly did ſatisfie their deſire, as they did before by praying vntounto him. For hee ſaith, That ſome hauehave bene in captiuitie, Pſal. 107.3.and ſcattered into the enemies land, and there they hauehave wandered in the wilderneſſe and deſert out of the way, & found no citie to dwell in; both hungrie and thirstie, and their ſoule hath fainted in them. Then they cryed vntounto the Lord in their trouble, and he deliuered them from their diſtreſſe. Let them therefore (ſaith he) confeſse before the Lord his louing kindneſſe, and his wonderfull workes before the ſonnes of men: for he ſatisfied the thirſtie ſoule, and filled the hungrie ſoule with goodneſſe. VVhere he prouoketh them to be thankefull, acknowledging of the goodneſſe of God with prayſe, when they hauehave found by experience how he hath ſatiſfied their deſires; and would hauehave them ſhew that they beleeued, that God gaue them their deſires, by a thankfull acknowledging of the ſame. And ſo afterwards in the ſame Pſalme he ſpeaketh of others, whereof ſome are deliuered from ſickeneſſe and from death, and ſome from priſon and yrons, and ſome from extreme hunger; and all theſe according to their owne deſire: for he ſaith of all them, Then they cried vntounto the Lord in their trouble, Verſe 13.and he deliuered them from their diſtreſſe: and would hauehave all of them likewiſe confeſſe, to the glory of God, and the good of others, That God had giuen them their deſire: when he ſaith thus,Verſe 21. Let them therefore confeſse before the Lord his louing kindneſse, and his wonderfull workes before the ſonnes of men: and let them offer ſacrifices of prayſe, and declare his workes with reioycing: Verſe 23.and let them exalt him in the congregation of the people, and praiſe him in the aſsembly of the Elders. VVhere we ſee, that though he confeſſeth that all of them in their ſeuerall troubles doe cry vntounto God for helpe, as beleeuing that he onelyonly can giuegive them their deſires: yet he doth not ſay, that all after their deliuerances doe declare their faith in Gods prouidence, by giuing him thankes: but this he exhorteth them vntounto, and wiſheth that it might be ſo, ſaying, Let them therefore confeſſe before the Lord his louing kindneſſe: or, oh that they would thus doe.So muſt we do when he ſhall giuegive vsus our deſires, in taking away the plague. Shewing that though it be mens duty, yet many of them are ſo farre from it, that it is rather to be wiſhed and deſired, than to be looked for at their hands. Therefore if it ſhall pleaſe the Lord to be mercifull vntounto vsus, and this way to giuegive vsus our deſire, by taking away this grieuous rod from our backes, and cauſing this peſtilence to ceaſe, which hath a long time walked in the darkeneſſe,Pſal. 91.6. and deſtroyed at noone day; and of which there hath fallen a thouſand on the one ſide, and ten thouſand on the other: we muſt remember to bee thankefull vntounto him for it, and let him hauehave as many prayſes from vsus for giuing vsus our hearts deſires, as now he hath prayers for it: and let vsus remember it the rather, becauſe we are more prone to crie vntounto God in our troubles, as others hauehave done, than we are afterwards to confeſſe his louing kindneſſe, and his wonderfull works before the ſonnes of men; and to exalt him in the congregation of the people, and to praiſe him in the aſſembly of the Elders, as we hauehave heard euen now out of the Pſalme. And let vsus be heartily ſory that for ſo many deſires of ours, both for ſoule and body, for our ſelues and ours, we hauehave bene ſo vnthankefull; which might iuſtly moue him to abridge vsus now, and to cut vsus ſhort of our deſire in this thing, which doth ſo greatly concerne the good of vsus all, and of many thouſands of our brethren. And this is that, which we hauehave to obſerue out of the firſt part of this verſe.
Fulfill all thy purpoſe or counſell.The ſecond followeth after this manner: And fulfill all thy purpoſe. This latter part of the verſe conteineth almoſt the very ſame petition that the former did, ſauing that here is ſomewhat more, namely, that whereas men, when they hauehave a deſire vntounto a thing, and would faine hauehave it, they begin to bethinke themſelues how and which way to accompliſh it: and then taking counſell with themſelues or others, they deuiſe and determine to doe ſo and ſo: as Dauid might doe in this caſe. This counſell of his and purpoſe, whatſoeuer it was, he willeth them to pray to God for him, that he would fulfill, that ſo he might hauehave his deſire, and Gods prouidence might be ſerued thereby. This word, Purpoſe, the moſt and the beſt doe tranſlate, Counſell. And ſo the meaning of it is, that whatſoeuer he ſhould aduiſe himſelfe to doe by good counſell, for the effecting of his deſire, and whatſoeuer things he ſhould put in practiſe vponupon mature deliberation to that end: that that counſell and thoſe meanes God would bleſſe, and giuegive a good ſucceſſe vntounto, and ſo bring the thing to paſſe. So that we ſee with what humilitie and diſtruſtfulneſſe of himſelfe he ſpeaketh, acknowledging his owne inſufficiencie to be ſo great, that hee was ſo vnable of himſelfe to bring to paſſe his owne deſires, though they were good, and in a lawfull cauſe; that when he had taken the beſt counſell for it, yet that ſhould be in vaine and altogether fruſtrate, and doe him no good at all, vnleſſe God bleſſe it. Therefore here he prayeth vntounto God for his bleſsing vponupon his conſultations, and good purpoſes, and deſireth them to help him with their prayers therin: both that God would direct him to thoſe meanes that might beſt ſerue his prouidence, and that he would giuegive good ſucceſſe vntounto the ſame; and that he might not fall into any vaine courſes, or as it were crooked wayes,They aske of God good counſell, and the ſucceſſe of the ſame. which the Lord did not purpoſe to worke by. This then muſt pull down the high minds of thoſe proud conceited men, who thinke ſo highly of themſelues and of their owne wit, that they preſume that for eueryevery thing they are all ſufficient of themſelues: for in all matters that ſhall befall them, they can tell preſently what to doe, they can tell how to aduiſe themſelues ſufficiently, they hauehave counſell ynough at home, and ſo can bring all their matters to paſſe. For though I graunt it to be true, that it is a great bleſsing of God vponupon any, that in time of need they know what is to be done (for many times for want of good counſell men are in doubfull matters greatly perplexed, and almoſt at their wits end:) yet they muſt thus thinke, that when they hauehave the beſt aduiſe that can be from thēſelues or others, yet the ſucceſſe of it depends only vponupon the bleſsing of God: and ſo they muſt ſeeke vntounto God for it, as Dauid doth here, though he was very wiſe of himſelfe: For it is ſayd of him when he was but young,1. Sam. 18.30. That when the princes of the Philistims went foorth, at their going forth to warre, he behaued himſelfe more wiſely than all the ſeruants of Saul; ſo that his name was much ſet by.
And for the repreſsing of this fooliſh preſumption of our owne wiſedome, to be able to bring all matters to paſſe, the Prophet Ieremie giueth a good leſſon, ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord, Jere. 9.23.let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſedome, nor the ſtrong man glory in his ſtrength, neither the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he vnderſtandeth and knoweth me. For though a man hauehave wiſedome to deuiſe,God onelyonly eſtabliſheth and ouerthroweth mens counſels. ſtrength, and riches to bring to paſſe, (and where theſe three concurre there is likelihood of great matters) yet euen then God onelyonly bringeth the purpoſe to paſſe. For either we ſhall not reſolue vponupon the beſt, or take good counſell when it is giuen vsus, or if we doe, God can deſtroy it. This we ſee to be true in the counſell of Achitophell, who was one of the wiſeſt men of his time, in ſo much, that that which he counſelled, was like as one had asked counſell at the oracle of God:2. Sam. 16.23. when in the conſpiracie of Abſalom he gaue counſell one way, and Huſhay the Archite gaue counſell another way; though the firſt counſell was beſt at that time, yet it was not followed:Chap. 17.14. but all of them ſayd, The counſell of Huſhai is better than the counſell of Achitophell: For the Lord had determined to deſtroy the good counſell of Achitophell, that he might bring euill vponupon Abſalom. Thus we may here learne that it is in God onelyonly to ouerthrow or to eſtabliſh the counſels of men, euen of the wiſeſt, according as he is purpoſed to doe good vntounto, or bring euill vponupon them. So was it alſo in the dayes of King Rehoboam the ſonne and heire of Solomon, when in the beginning of his raigne the people came vntounto him with this petition,2. Chron. 10.4. That he would make the grieuous yoake which his father had put vponupon them, lighter, and they would ſerue him: and he bad them depart for three dayes, and then come againe for an anſwere: and in the meane time he asked counſell of the wiſe, auncient, experienced men, which had ſerued his father; and they gaue him good counſell, that he ſhould yeeld to them in this requeſt: and he after conferred with the young men, who had bene his pages and brought vp with him, and they gaue him ill counſell, (as appeared by the ſequell) That he ſhould take it vponupon him like a king, and ſpeake roughly vntounto them: and ſo he did, refuſing the good counſell of the auncient men. And thus though their counſel was good, God did not fulfill it; and though it was offered vntounto him, he did not take it; becauſe the Lord would bring that vponupon Solomon, which he had threatned by Ahiiah the Prophet, That for their idolatrie, 1. King. 11.31.ten tribes ſhould be rent away from his kingdome, in the dayes of his ſonne: as alſo came to paſſe: for when they heard the anſwere of the king, ten tribes fell away to Ieroboam, and could neuer be recouered. So that whenſoeuer we determine to doe any thing, as we ought to take counſell, and doe nothing raſhly and vnaduiſedly, as many doe (for then we ſhall thriue thereafter:) ſo we muſt alſo beleeue that God muſt bring all things to paſſe, and ſo pray to him for it continually. So that all men when they hauehave the beſt counſell in the world, if it were as good as Achitophels, they muſt ſeeke to God by prayer for his bleſsing vponupon it, if they will hauehave things to thriue & proſper with them.
When we hauehave taken the beſt counſell, we pray to God for the ſucceſſe of it.And this is true in all things: as if we hauehave to deale with men that ſeeke to oppreſſe vsus any wayes, we muſt take the beſt counſell that we can to defend our ſelues, and then pray to God, that hee would bring things to paſſe: otherwiſe our owne counſell and purpoſe ſhall doe vsus no good againſt their oppreſsions. So was it in the time of the Iewes captiuitie, when Haman for malice that he bore vntounto Mordecay, ſought his deſtruction; and becauſe his malice was vnſatiable, he thought it too litle to lay hands vponupon him onelyonly,Heſt. 3.6. but becauſe they had ſhewed him the people of Mordicay, he ſought to deſtroy all the Iewes at once that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahaſhueroſh: & to that end vnderunder the colour of the kings profit, he gat a decree to be ſealed with his ſignet, That vponupon ſuch a day all of thē ſhould be rooted out & deſtroied, both young & old, women & children. This ſeemed vntounto him very good pollicie to bring his purpoſe to paſſe; and when the poſts with the kings letters were ſent out into all places, he might hauehave thought himſelfe ſure of it: but God did not proſper it, and ſo it came to naught, and his purpoſe was diſappointed, becauſe God did not fulfill it.Chap. 5.14. And afterwards when Zereſh his wife & all his friends gaue him this counſel, That ſeeing he was in ſo great fauor with the king & the queen, as to be inuited with the king vntounto a banquet which the queene had prepared, and none but he was inuited; that he would make a gibbet of fiftie cubites hie, and in the morning when hee went vntounto the king, that he would ſpeake vntounto him, that Mordecay might be hanged thereon; and then he ſhould goe ioyfully with the king vntounto the banquet. And that alſo pleaſed Haman well, and he purpoſed to doe ſo. But this tooke no place neither, becauſe God did not proſper it, but contrariwiſe himſelfe was hanged on it by the commaundement of the king: and thus he could not bring his purpoſes to paſſe, becauſe God did not fulfill them. But on the other ſide, when Hester and Mordecay did heare of this wicked decree, and did aduiſe with themſelues what was beſt to be done for the ſafegard of the life of the Iewes; and at the laſt did reſolue vponupon this,Chap. 4.8. That the queene ſhould goe into the king, and make ſupplication for her people: and ſhe did ſo. This good counſell, and the ſucceſſe thereof, they commended vntounto God in prayer, yea in faſting and prayer, three daies and three nights together; and this God bleſſed, and brought it to paſſe: ſo that they had libertie from the king,Chap. 8.11. both to ſtand for their owne liues, and to deſtroy all the power of the people that vexed them, both children and women, and to ſpoyle their goods: and they did ſo. And truly, if all men in all controuerſies which they hauehave with their aduerſaries, would firſt take good counſell, according to Gods word; and then acknowledge, that the ſucceſſe of it is in Gods hand, and pray earneſtly vntounto him for it: they might proſper more in their ſuites at the law, than they doe. But becauſe they neglect this, and for the moſt part ſeeke for craftie counſell, ſuch as hath no promiſe of Gods bleſsing, becauſe it is contrarie to the law of charitie; and then in ſuch caſes they neither doe nor can pray to God for his bleſsing vponupon it, that he would fulfill all their counſell: therefore it is not ſo. And thus we ſee, why ſome are ouerthrowne in their good cauſes: namely, they ſeeke not to God, that he would fulfill all their counſels, but thinke themſelues ſufficient without his bleſsing, and ſo God leaueth them to themſelues, that by experience they might ſee it to bee otherwiſe. Therefore let vsus profit vntounto our dutie by other mens harmes.
Furthermore, whereas Dauid was a king, and now gone out to warre, and willeth the people at home to pray to God for him, That hee would fulfill all his purpoſe and counſell; wee muſt vnderſtand thus much, that as he was wiſe himſelfe, ſo he had his counſell both for warre and for peace, as all kings hauehave; and they were to aduiſe him in eueryevery action what was beſt to be done: yet he reſted not in that,We ought to pray that God would bleſſe the conſultations of the king and his counſellors. but deſireth the people, that they would pray, That God would fulfill all, which by his grace they ſhould determine: and they did ſo. So muſt we doe for the kings highneſſe. And though he be godly and wiſe himſelfe, and hath many worthie noblemen of his moſt Honourable priuie Counſell, who are of great wiſedome and long experience: as they muſt not reſt in their owne deuices, but commend them vntounto God in prayer, and deſire others alſo that are about them, that they would doe ſo; and by this meanes might they greatly proſper: ſo is it our bound dutie to pray vntounto God for them, that he would bleſſe their conſultations, and bring them to paſſe, for the good of his Church, and profit of this realme. And as they doe weekely meet at the Counſell table, and ſometime oftner, for matters of State; ſo we ſhould continually commend them to God in all our prayers: ſo ſhall we hauehave the benefit of our owne prayers, when God ſhall fulfill the good things that they purpoſe. And as we ought to doe thus alwais, ſo eſpecially againſt the Parliament, we ſhould pray that God would fulfill all the good purpoſes of that great aſſembly, for the rooting out of Poperie, and all remnants of ſuperſtition,Eſpecially all conſultations in the Parliament houſe. and all other abuſes, and for the eſtabliſhing and enlarging of the preaching of the Goſpel, and all other good orders in all places. Otherwiſe we ſee, that good counſell may be giuen, but not followed; and if it be, yet not brought to paſſe: and ſo there ſhall not that good be done that might, and which many good men in the Parliament houſe intend. Therefore as we deſire to enioy the common benefit of our time, ſo let vsus pray, not onelyonly for the King, but for all our gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth, That God would fulfill all their purpoſes.
Then ought we much more thus to pray for our ſelues, if we were a great deale wiſer than we are; for when we hauehave taken the beſt aduice, and thereupon do things to one end, they may fall out to another,And all our own counſels and purpoſes. yea cleane contrarie to that which we purpoſed, and ſo we ſhall be diſappointed. As for example, in matters of mariage (which is an ordinarie thing) ſome think to ioyne themſelues or their children in alliance with ſuch and ſuch, hoping thereby to aduance their houſes:As in matter of mariage. but it falleth out otherwiſe, and by that meanes they come to ruine, and ſo God doth not fulfill their purpoſe. And this was the very caſe of king Iehoſhaphat, 2. Chron. 18.1. Chap. 21.6.who ioyned himſelfe in affinitie with Ahab king of Iſrael, by ioyning his eldeſt ſonne Iehoram in marriage with his daughter: and though Iehoſhaphat had riches and honour in abundance, yet the king of Iſrael was greater than he, as hauing more tribes and people to rule than he, and ſo his kingdome much bigger: yet that was the cauſe of the ouerthrow and vtter ruine almoſt of his houſe. For, to ſay nothing of this, how Edom preſently rebelled, and fell away from him, and made a king ouer them;Verſ. 8. nor how Iehoram fell into idolatrie after the manner of the kings of Iſrael, and compelled the people thereunto;Otherwiſe they may fall out to a clean contrary end. for which he came to a miſerable end, being ſicke of ſore diſeaſes, ſo that his guts fell out at the end of two yeares: all his children afterwards were ſlaine by the Aramites, ſauing the youngeſt, whom they made king in his fathers roome: and this man Ahaziah was ſlaine by Iehu: Chap. 22.7.and it is ſaid, that his deſtruction came of God, in that he went to Ioram his fathers brother by mariage, being the ſonne of Ahab: for when he was come to him, he went foorth with Iehoram againſt Iehu the ſonne of Nimſhi, whom the Lord had annointed to deſtroy the houſe of Ahab. And ſo doth it fall out with many in this kind, euen in our daies, when they doe not commend their purpoſes to God in prayer, to direct them, and bleſſe them: as Iehoſhaphat, though a good man, yet in this action had not his direction from God, neither is it ſet downe in the text, that he ſought it of him.But it fell out well in the marriage of Izaak. But it ſucceeded more happily with Abraham, who when he ſent his ſeruant to prouide a wife for his ſonne Izaack; as he did direct him in the right way, and aſſured him of good ſucceſſe by the promiſe of God,Gen. 24 7. ſaying, That he would ſend his Angell before him: ſo this man his ſeruant prayed vntounto God, that he would proſper him,Verſe 42. O Lord, God of my maſter Abraham, if thou now proſper my iourney which I goe, &c. And Izaack alſo, for whom this marriage was ſought, did not neglect to pray vntounto God for good ſucceſſe, and to fulfill his fathers good purpoſe towards him:Verſe 63. for it is ſaid, that whiles his fathers ſeruant was in his iourney, he went out to pray in the field toward the euening: and ſo God did heare all their prayers, and gaue good ſucceſſe to this purpoſe of mariage.So is it in all matters for the world. So is it for matters of the world, a man thinketh to enrich himſelfe, and therefore he mindeth to buy & ſell, or to take a farme, or to deale in marchandiſe, &c. and euen the ſame things turne to his vtter decay: and by that meanes they find it to be true,Pſal. 127.2. That it is in vaine to riſe vp early, and to goe to bed late, and to fare hardly: for either in them they ſhall not proſper, or els there ſhall come ſome great loſſe that ſhall hinder them; that they might learne by experience to commend all their purpoſes to God in prayer. Therefore whatſoeuer good we purpoſe either for our ſelues, or for our children, or for our friends, let vsus pray heartely vntounto God to fulfill them; els we may purpoſe one thing, and God by the ſame meanes that we vſe, ſhall bring to paſſe another. And how God can alter mens purpoſes, we ſee it in the example of Iacob, God can alter all mens purpoſes. Gen. 37.14.and of his children. He ſent his ſonne Ioſeph into the fields to his brethren, who were there keeping of his ſheepe, with this errand, Goe ſee whether it be well with thy brethren, and how the flockes prosper, and bring me word againe. Thus we ſee what he purpoſed in ſending him forth. But when he came among them, they ſold him into another countrey, and ſent his coat home to his father dipped in blood, as though he had been ſlaine with ſome wild beaſt: ſo Iacob was diſappointed of his purpoſe. And ſo were the brethren of Ioſeph alſo: for firſt of all, they ſought to kill him, and after they ſold him for a ſeruant, that he might neuer be aboue them, according to that which God had ſhewed him in dreames: but by this meanes he came into Aegypt, and there in proceſſe of time he was made ruler of the whole land: and in the time of famine his brethren came thither to buy corne, & bowed before him, & did him great reuerence, when they knew it not: and ſo Gods purpoſe was eſtabliſhed, and not theirs, who had ſent him thither beforehand for their preſeruation,Chap. 48.5. as himſelfe afterwards doth confeſſe vntounto them.
The like may be ſaid of our owne iournies:As when they purpoſe any iournie. A man ſhall purpoſe ſuch a thing, to goe to ſuch a place at ſuch a time, and either things ſhall ſo fall out from day to day, that he ſhall not compaſſe it, and ſo it ſhall ſtill be deferred againſt his will; or els when he doth go, things ſhall fall out otherwiſe with him, than he thought, and ſo he ſhall goe to another end than he purpoſed at the firſt. And this the Apoſtle Paule by good obſeruation confeſſeth of himſelfe,Rom. 1.10. That he had a long time purpoſed to come to Rome, that he might preach the Gospell there to them, as he had done vntounto others: yet he was put off from the execution of this purpoſe many yeares, and at the laſt he commeth thither; but after another manner, and not as he looked for: for he was ſent thither as a priſoner, and was caried by force, he being compelled beforehand by the malice of the Iewes (who ſought to kill him ſecretly,Act. 23.12. and fortie men had bound themſelues with an oath to doe it) to appeale vntounto Caeſar the Emperour of Rome.Let vsus therefore ſubmit all our purpoſes to the will of God. Thus he had not his purpoſe in his iourney, when and as he would. Therefore let vsus ſubmit all our purpoſes vntounto the will of God, and deſire him to hauehave them fulfilled, ſo farre forth as it pleaſeth him, as Paule did, praying, that at one time or other he might hauehave a proſperous iourny by the will of God to come vntounto them: and when we ſee that it is not his will (as Paule ſayth,Rom. 1.13. he was hetherto letted) let vsus be contented to ſtay at home, and to be croſſed in our purpoſes. And yet if our deſires be good, let vsus continue in them, and pray as he did, that at one time or other we might hauehave a proſperous iourney by the will of God. And let vsus not be ſo obſtinatly ſet vponupon any thing (as the manner of ſome is) that we ſhould be reſtleſſe, when we hauehave not our mind and purpoſe in eueryevery thing: for then if we be headſtrong, as the Lord can hinder vsus whether we will or no; ſo if we will needs doe according to our owne purpoſe, we ſhall find, that all things ſhall not fall out as we looked for. And this we ſee plainely in the example of Balaam the ſorcerer, who would needs goe at the requeſt of Baalack king of Moab,Elſe he can croſſe and puniſh vsus in them. in hope of great gaine and preferment that was promiſed vntounto him, to curſe the Iſraelits, and ſo to root them out by his inchantments. The Lord did ſufficiently ſhew him (by the courſe of his prouidence, and ill ſucceſſe that he had in the way) that it was not his will that he ſhould goe;Num. 23.7, 8. yet he would needs goe on. But when he came there, he was driuen to doe cleane contrarie to his purpoſe, euen to bleſſe them, though he ſought diuers times, and ſet his diuinations to curſe them: wherupon the king of Moab was greatly angry with him, and it is moſt like that he loſt his reward, and ſo he was diſappointed of his purpoſe in this iourney, where he was not contented to be ordered by the Lord, but would go (as it were) againſt his will. And in his returne home he was ſlaine in battell by the Iſraelites.Num. 31.8. Thus when he thought that he had had his purpoſe, then did he moſt of all miſſe of it, becauſe God did not fulfill it.
Therefore when we purpoſe any thing, and hauehave taken counſell for it, and hauehave alſo very good meanes to bring it to paſſe, let vsus pray vntounto God, that if it be his holy will, he would fulfill it. And in matters of great moment, let vsus not content our ſelues with our owne prayers, but deſire others to pray to God for vsus, as Dauid did here deſire the people thus to pray to God for him, The Lord graunt thee according to thine heart, and fulfill all thy purpoſe: ſo may we ſpeed well of our purpoſes, as he did. And when we hauehave purpoſed ſo and ſo; and it hath fallen out otherwiſe, not according to our purpoſe, (as in many things often it doth, and they that are wiſe to obſerue things, ſhall ſoone perceiue it) it is to teach vsus to depend vponupon Gods prouidence, who onelyonly bringeth all things to paſſe, according to his owne decree; and let vsus make that good vſe of it. That when we ſee, how in diſappointing vsus of our purpoſes, the Lord hath ſometimes prouided better for vsus than we had purpoſed our ſelues;How we ſhold profit, when we are diſappointed of our purpoſes. we might be thankefull vntounto him, and learne thereby in all things to depend vponupon him, who hath ſo greatly ſhewed his care ouer vsus, and not to truſt too much to our ſelues. As we muſt needs confeſſe, that in many things the Lord hath thus dealt with vsus. But if things fall out worſe with vsus, than we had purpoſed, (as ſometimes alſo it doth) we ſee how God can hinder vsus of our beſt purpoſes, that ſo we may alwaies in them pray vntounto him, that he would bleſſe them. And let vsus for all our life paſt and for all things that hauehave befallen vsus in the ſame, acknowledge and confeſſe, as the truth is, to the glorie of God, & our own cōfort, That whatſoeuer good we hauehave purpoſed for our owne benefit, or the welfare of others, and it hath ſo come to paſſe; that it was God only, that did fulfill them,And whē they be fulfilled. whatſoeuer the meanes were: for both they and the ſucceſſe of them were of him, and ſo let vsus be thankefull vntounto him for the ſame. And let vsus not aſcribe them either to our good fortune and chance, as though things fell out vncertainely, we know not how: neither to our owne wit and policie, to our own ſtrength and power, as though we were ſufficient in our ſelues: as many are too ready to ſay, I may thanke my good fortune for ſuch a thing, or I may thanke my ſelfe for it, or my wit, or my hands for this that I hauehave: but let vsus thanke God, who onelyonly bringeth to paſſe the purpoſes of all men. So ſhall we for the time to come learne to depend vponupon him for our ſelues and for all ours, beyond that that we can ſee; when as we remember how for the time paſt he hath prouided better for vsus, than we had purpoſed, or could hauehave done for our ſelues. VVhereas when it is otherwiſe, God looſeth his praiſe, and we the fruit of his fatherly dealing and mercifull prouidence towards vsus. And this is that that we hauehave to obſerue out of the fourth verſe.