The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 · Chapter 17
The .xvii. Chapter. Wherto and to what ende this doctrine is to be applied, that we may be certaine of the profite therof.
NOwe forasmuche as mens wits are bent to vaine curious suttleties, it is scarcely possible but that they shall encombre themselues with entangled doubtes, who soeuer doo not knowe the true and right vse of this Doctrine. Therfore it shall be expedient here to touche shortly to what ende the Scripture teacheth, that all thynges are ordred by God. And fyrste of all is to be noted, that the Prouidēce of God ought to be considered as wel for the tyme to come as for the tyme past: secondarily that the same is in suche forte the gouernour of all thynges, that sometyme it woorketh by meanes, somtyme without meanes, and somtyme agaynst all meanes. Last of all, that it tendeth to this ende, that God maye shewe that he hath care of all mankynde, but specially that he doeth watche in rulyng of his churche, which he vouchesaueth more nerely to loke vntounto. And this is also to be added, that althoughe eyther the fatherly fauoure and bountyfulnesse of God, or oftentymes the seueritie of his iudgemente do brightly appere in the whole course of his Prouidence: yet somtyme the causes of those thynges that happen are secrete, so that this thought crepeth into our myndes, that mens matters are tourned and whirled about with the blynde sway of fortune, or so that the fleshe stirreth vsus to murmure, as if God dydde to make him selfe pastyme to tosse menne like tennise balles. True it is that if we were with quiet and still myndes ready to learne, the very successe it selfe woulde at length playnely shewe, that God hath an assured good reason of his purpose, either to traine them that be his to pacience, or to correct their euill affections & tame their wantonnesse, or to bryng theym downe to the renouncyng of theim selues, or to awake their drowsynesse: on the other syde to ouerthrowe the prowde, to disappoint the suttletie of the wicked, to confounde their deuises. But howsoeuer the causes be secrete and vnknowē to vsus: we must assuredly hold that they ar layd vp in hiddē store with him,Psal. xl. & therefore we ought to crie out with Dauid, God, thou hast made thy wonderful works so many, that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towarde vsus. I would declare and speake of them, but they are more than I am able to expresse. For although alwais in our miseries we ought to thinke vponupon our sinnes, that the verye punishement maye moue vsus to repentance, yet doo we see how Christe geueth more power to the secrete purpose of his father, than to punishe eueryevery one according to his deseruyng.Iohn. ix. For of hym that was borne blynde he sayth: neither hath this man synned nor his parentes, but that the glory of God may be shewed in hym. For here naturall sense murmureth when calamitie commeth euen before birth, as if God did vnmercifully so to punish the sely innocente, that had not deserued it. But Christe dooth testifie that in this lokyng glasse the glory of his father doeth shyne to our syght, if we hauehave cleere eies to beholde it. But we must kepe modestie, that we drawe not God to yelde cause of his dooynges, but lette vsus so reuerence his secrete iudgementes, that his wyll be vntounto vsus, a moste iuste cause of all thynges. When thicke cloudes doo couer the heauen, and a violent tempest aryseth, then bycause bothe a heauysome mystynesse is caste before oure eyes, and the thunder troubleth oure eares, and all oure senses are amased with terrour, we thynke that all thynges are confounded and tombled togither: and yet all the whyle there remaineth in the heauen the same quietenesse and calmenesse, that was before. So muste we thynke that whyle the troublesome state of thinges in the worlde taketh from vsus abilitie to iudge, God by the pure lyghte of his ryghteousnesse and wysedome, dooth in well framed order gouerne and dispose euen those very troublesome motions themselues to a ryght ende. And surely very monstrous is the rage of many in this behalfe, whiche dare more boldly call the workes of God to accompte and examyne his secrete meanynges, and to geue vnaduised sentence of thynges vnknowen, than they wyll dooe of the deedes of mortall men. For what is more vnorderly than to vse such modestie towarde our egals, that we had rather suspende our iudgement than to incurre the blame of rashenesse, and on the other syde proudely to triumph vponupon the darke iudgementes of God, whiche it became vsus to regarde with reuerence.
Therfore no man shal wel & profitably wey the Prouidēce of God but he yt considering that he hath to doo with his creatour and the maker of the worlde, dooeth with suche humilitie as he ought submitt himself to feare and reuerēce. Hereby it cometh to passe, that so many dogs at this day doo with venimed bitynges, or at leaste barkynge assaile this doctrine, because they will hauehave no more to be lawfull for God, than their own reason informeth them. And also they raile at vsus with al the spitefulnesse that they are able, for that not contented with the commaundementes of the lawe, wherin the will of God is comprehended. We doo further saie, that the worlde is ruled by his secrete counsels. As though the thyng that we teache were an inuention of our owne brayn, and as though it were not true that the Holy ghost doth eueryevery where expressely say the same, and repeteth it with innumerable formes of speeche. But because some shame restraineth theim, that they dare not vomyte out their blasphemies against the heauen: they fayn that they contende with vsus, to the ende they may the more freely play the madmen. But if they do not graunt that what soeuer happeneth in the worlde,Ps. xxxvi vii. is gouerned by the incomprehensible purpose of God, let them answere to what ende the Scripture sayth, that his iudgementes are a depe bottomlesse deapth. For where as Moses crieth out that the wyll of God is not to be sought afarre of in the cloudes, or in the deapthes, because it is familiarly sette foorth in the lawe: it foloweth, that his other hidden will is compared to a bottomlesse deapth.Rom. xl.xxxiii. Of the whiche Paule also saith: O deapth of the richesse and of the wisedom and of the knowlege of God: howe vnsearchable are his iudgementes, and his waies paste fyndyng out? for who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde, or who hath bene his counsellour? And it is in dede true, that in the gospel and in the law are conteyned mysteries whiche are farre aboue the capacitie of oure sense: but for asmuche as God for the comprehendyng of these mysteries whiche he hath vouchesaued to open by his woorde, doeth lighten the myndes of them that be his, with the Spirite of Understandyng: nowe is therin no bottomlesse deapth, but a way wherin we muste safe walk, & a candell to guyde our feete, & the light of life, and the schoole of certayn and plainly discernable trueth. But his meruailous order of gouernyng the worlde is worthily called a bottomlesse deapthe: bicause while it is hidden from vsus, we ought reuerently to worshyp it. Ryghte well hath Moses expressed theym bothe in fewe woordes.Deu. xxix xxix. The secrete thynges (saieth he) belong to the Lorde our God: but the thyngs reueled belong to vsus and to oure children for euer. We see howe he byddeth vsus not onelyonly to studie in meditation of the lawe, but also reuerently to looke vp vntounto the secrete Prouidence of God.Iob. xxvi xiiii. And in the booke of Iob is rehersed one title of this deapth, that it humbleth our myndes. For after that the author of that boke in surueying vp and downe the frame of the worlde, had honourably entreated of the woorkes of God, at length he addeth: Lo, these be part of his waies, but howe littel a portion heare we of hym? Accordyng to whiche reason in an other place he maketh difference betwene the wisedom that remaineth with God, and the measure of wisedome that he hath appointed for men. For after he hath preached of the secretes of nature, he sayth that wisedome is knowen to God onelyonly,Iob. xxviii.xil. and is hidden from the eies of all liuyng creatures. But by and by after he saieth further, that it is published to the ende it should be serched out, because it is sayd vntounto man, beholde the feare of God is wisedom. For this purpose maketh the sayeng of Augustine: Bycause we knowe not all thynges whiche God doeth concernyng vsus in moste good order,Li. lxxxiii quest. ca. xxiii. that therfore in onelyonly good wil we do accordyng to the law, because his Prouidence is an vnchaungeable lawe. Therefore sithe God dooth claime vntounto hym selfe the power to rule the worlde, whiche is to vsus vnknowen, let this be to vsus a lawe of sobrenesse and modestie, quietly to obey his soueraigne authoritie, that his wyll maye be to vsus the only rule of iustice, and the most iust cause of all thynges. I meane not that absolute will, of whiche the Sophisters doo babble, separatyng by wicked and prophane disagremente his iustice from his power, but I meane that Prouidence, whyche is the gouernesse of all thynges, from whiche procedeth nothyng but right: although the causes therof be hidden from vsus.
Whosoeuer shalbe framed to this modestie, they neyther for the time paste wil murmure against God for their aduersities, nor lay vponupon him the blame of wicked dooynges, as Agamemnon in Homer dyd, saying, I am not the cause, but Iupiter and Destenie: nor yet agayn as caried awaie with Destenies, they wil by desperation throwe them selues into destruction, as that yong man in Plautus whiche saide: Unitable is the chaunce of thynges: the Destenies driue men at their pleasure, I will get me to some rocke there to make an ende of my goodes and life togither. Neither yet (as an other did) they will pretende the name of God to couer their owne mischeuous dooynges: for so saith Lyconides in an other comedie: God was the mouer. I beleeue it was the will of the gods: for if it had not ben their will, I knowe it should not so come to passe. But rather they will searche and learne out of the Scripture what pleaseth God, that by the guiding of the Holy ghost they may trauayle to atteyne thervnto. And also beyng ready to folowe God, whether soeuer he calleth, they shewe in dede that nothyng is more profitable then the knowledge of his doctrine. Uery foolishly doo prophane men turmoile with their fondnesses, so that thei in maner cōfound heauen & earthe together as the saying is: If God hauehave marked the point of our death, we can not escape it: then it is laboure vainely loste in takyng hede to our selues. Therfore where as one man dareth not venture to go the way that he heareth to bee daungerous, least he be murthered of theues: an other sendeth for Phisitians, and werieth himselfe with medicines to succour his life: an other forbeareth grosse meates for feare of appeiryng his feble healthe: an other dreadeth to dwell in a ruinous house: Finally where as men deuise all waies and endeuour with all diligence of mynde wherby they may atteyne that whiche they desire: either all these remedies are vaine, whiche are sought, as to reforme the will of God, or ells life and death, health and sicknesse, peace and warre, and other thyngs, whiche men as they couete or hate them, doo by their trauaile endeuour to obteyne or escape, are not determined by his certain decree. And further they gather, that the praiers of the faithfull are disordered, or at the least superfluous, wherin petition is made that it will please the Lorde to prouide for those thynges whiche he hath already decreed from eternitie. To be short, they destroy all coū sels that men doo take for tyme to come as thynges agaynst the Prouiuidence of God, whiche hath determined what he woulde hauehave doone, without callyng them to counsell. And then what soeuer is alredy hapned, they so impute it to the Prouidence of God, that they winke at the man whom they knowe to hauehave done it. As hath a ruffian slaine an honest citezen? he hath executed the (say they) the purpose of God. Hathe one stollen, or committed fornication? because he hath doen the thyng that was forseene and ordeined by the Lorde, he is a minister of his Prouidence. Hath the sonne carelessely, neglectyng all remedies, wayted for the death of his father? he coulde not resist God that had so before appointed from eternitie. So all mischeuous dooynges they call vertues because they obey the ordinance of God.
But as touching things to come, Salomon doth well bring in agrement togither the purposes of men with the Prouidence of God. For as he laugheth to scorne their follye, whiche boldely doo enterprise any thyng without the Lorde, as though they were not ruled by his hande: so in an other place he speaketh in this maner.Prou vi.ix. The harte of man purposeth his waie, but the Lorde doeth direct his steppes, meanyng that we are not hyndered by the eternall Decrees of God, but that vnderunder his will we may both prouide for our selues, and dispose all thynges belongyng to vsus. And that is not without a manifest reason. For he that hath limitted our life within appointed boundes, hath therwithall left with vsus the care thereof, hath furnished vsus with meanes and healpes to preserue it, hath made vsus to hauehave knowledge before hande of daungers, and that they shoulde not oppresse vsus vnware, he hath geuen vsus prouisions and remedies. Nowe it is plaine to see what is our duetie: that is to say: If God hath committed to vsus our owne lyfe to defende, our duetie is to defende it. If he offer vsus helpes, our duetie is to vse theim. If he shew vsus daungers before, our duetie is not to runne rashly into theim. If he minister vsus remedies, our duetie is not to neglect them. But no daunger shall hurt, vnlesse it be fatall, which by al remedies can not be ouercome. But what if daungers be therefore not fatal, because God hath assigned thee remedies to repulse & ouercom thē? See how thy maner of reasoning agreeth with the order of Gods disposition. Thou gatherest that daunger is not to bee taken heede of, because forasmuch as it is not fatal, we shal escape it without takyng hede at all: but the Lorde doeth therfore enioyne thee to take hede of it, because he will not hauehave it fatall vntounto thee. These madde men do not consyder that whiche is plaine before their eyes, that the skil of taking coū sell and hede is enspired into men by God, whereby they may serue his Prouidence in preseruing of their owne life: as on the other syde by negligence and slouthe they procure to them selues those euils that he hath appoynted for theim. For howe commeth it to passe, that a circumspecte man whyle he prouideth for him selfe, doeth wynde hym self out of euilles that hang ouer hym, and the foole perisheth by vnaduised rashenesse, but for that bothe folly and wisedom are the instrumentes of Gods disposition on bothe partes? Therfore it pleased God to hyde from vsus all thynges to come, to this ende that we shoulde mete with them as thynges doutefull, and not ceasse to sette prepared remedies against them, till either they be ouercome or be past all helpe of care. And for this cause I hauehave before admonished that the Prouidence of God doeth not alwaye shewe it selfe naked, but as God by vsyng of meanes doeth in a certaine maner clothe it.
The same men doo vnorderly and vnaduisedly draw the chaunces of time past to ye naked prouidēce of god. For bicause vpō it do hāg al thīgs whatsoeuer happē, therfore (say thei) neither robberies, nor adulteries, nor manslaughters are committed without the will of God. Why then (say they) shall a thefe be punished, for that he spoyled hym whome the Lordes will was to punishe with pouertie? Why shall the murtherer be punished which hath slaine hym whoes life the Lorde had ended? If all suche men doo serue the will of God, why shall they be punished? But I deny that they serue the will of God. For we may not say that he whiche is caried with an euill mynde doeth seruice to God as commaunder of it, where in dede he doeth but obey his owne wicked lust. He obeyeth God, which beyng enformed of his will doeth labour to that end, whervnto Gods will calleth him. But wherby are we enformed of his wil, but by his worde? Therfore in doyng of thinges we must see that same wil of God, whiche he declareth in his worde. God requireth of vsus only that whiche he commaundeth. If we doo any thyng against his cō maundement, it is not obedience but obstinacie and transgression. But vnlesse he wolde, we should not doo it. I graunt. But doo we euil thinges to this ende to obey hym? But he doeth not commaunde vsus to do them, but rather we runne on headlong, not minding what he willeth, but so raging with the intemperance of our owne lust, that of sette purpose we bende our trauayle against him. And by these meanes in euill doyng we serue his iust ordinance, because accordynge to the infinite greatnesse of his wisedome, he hath good skill to vse euill instruments to doo good. And see howe foolishe is their manner of arguyng. They wold hauehave the doers vnpunished for mischeuous actes, because they are not committed but by the disposition of God. I graunt more: that theues and murtherers & other euill doers are the instrumentes of Gods Prouidence, whom the Lorde dooth vse to execute those iudgementes whiche he hath with himselfe determined. But I denye that their euyll dooynges ought to hauehave any excuse therby. For why? shall they either entangle God in the same wickednesse with theym, or shall they couer their noughtynesse with his rightuousnesse? They can doo neyther of boeth. Because they should not be able to excuse themselues, they are accused by their owne conscience. And because they should not be able to blame God, they fynde all the euill in themselues, and in hym nothyng but a lawful vse of their euilnesse. But he worketh by them. And whēce I pray you, commeth the stinke in a dead carrion, which hath ben boeth rotted and disclosed by heate of the sunne? All men doo see that it is raised by the beames of the sunne. Yet no man dooth therefore saie, that the sunbeames doo stinke. So whē there resteth in an euil man, ye matter and gyltinesse of euyll, what cause is there why it should be thought that God is any thyng defiled with it, if he vse their seruice at his pleasure. Away therfore with this doggishe frowardnesse, whiche maye in dede afarre of barke at the iustice of God, but can not touche it.
But these cauillations or rather dotyng errours of phrenetike men, shall easily be shaken awaye, by godly and holy meditation of ye Prouidence, whiche the rule of godlynesse teacheth vsus, so that thereof maye growe vntounto vsus a good and moste pleasant fruite. Therfore a Christian hart when it is moste assuredly persuaded, that all thyngs come to passe by the disposition of God, and that nothyng happeneth by chaunce, wil alway bende his eies to hym as to the principall cause of thynges, and yet will consider the inferiour causes in their place. Then he wyll not doute that the singular Prouidence of God doeth watche for his preseruation, whiche Prouidence will suffre nothyng to happen, but that whiche shall tourne to his good and saluation. And because he hath to doo first of al with men, & then with the other creatures, he will assure hym selfe that Gods Prouidence dooth reigne in bothe. As touchyng men, whether they be good or euill, he will acknowledge that all their counselles, willes, enterprises and powers are vnderunder the hande of God, so that it is in Gods will to bowe them whether he list, and to restraine them so ofte as pleaseth hym. That the syngular Prouidence of God doeth kepe watche for the safetie of the faithfull, there are many & most euident promises to witnesse.Psal. iv.xxiii. i. Pet. v.ix. Psa. xci.i. zach. …i.viii. Esa. xxvi.ii. Cast thy burden vponupon the Lorde, and he shall nourishe thee, and shall not suffer the rightuous to fall for euer, because he careth for vsus. He that dwelleth in the healpe of the hyest, shall abyde in the protection of the God of heauen. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of myne eie. I will be thy shielde, a brasen walle: I wil be enemie to thy enemies. Although the mother forget her children, yet will I not forget thee. And also this is the principall entent in the histories of the Bible, to teache that the Lord doeth with such diligence kepe the waies of the Sainctes, that they doo not so muche as stumble against a stone. Therfore as a little before we hauehave rightfully reiected their opinion whyche doo imagine an vniuersall Prouidence of God, that stoupeth not specially to the care of eueryevery creature: yet principally it shall be good to reknowledge the same special care toward our selues. Whervppon Christ after he had affirmed that not the sparowe of leaste value,Math. x.xxix. doeth fal to the grounde without the will of the Father, doeth by and by apply it to this ende, that we shoulde consider that howe muche we be more woorth than sparrowes, with so much nyer care doeth God prouide for vsus, and he extendeth that care so farre that we may be bolde to truste that the heares of our head are numbred. What can we wishe our selues more, yf not so muche as a heare can fall from our head but by his will? I speake not onelyonly of all mankynde, but bycause God hath chosen his churche for a dwellyng house for himselfe, it is no doute but that he doeth by singuler examples shew his care in gouerning of it.
The seruant of God beyng strengthened with these both, promyses and examples, will ioyne with them the testimonies whiche teache that all men are vnderunder Gods power, whether it be to wynne their myndes to good will, or to restraine their malice that it may doo no hurt. For it is the Lorde that geueth vsus fauour not onelyonly with them that will vsus well,Exo. iii, xxi, but also in the Egyptians, and as for the maliciousnesse of oure enemies, he knoweth howe by diuerse waies to subdue it. For somtyme he taketh away their wit from them, so that thei can conceiue no sound or sobre aduise, like as he sent foorth Sathan to fill the mouthes of all the Prophetes with lying to deceiue Achab.i. Kings xxii.xxii. i. Kinges xii.x. He made Rechabeam mad by the yong mens counsell, that he myght be spoyled of his kyngdome by his owne folly. Many tymes when he graunteth them witte, yet he maketh them so afraide and astonished, that they can not will or goe about that whiche they hauehave conceiued. Sometyme also when he hath suffred them to go about that whiche luste and rage dyd counsell theim, he doeth in conuenient tyme breake of their violences, & suffreth theim not to procede to the end that they purposed. So dyd he before the time bryng to nought the counsell of Architophell that shoulde hauehave been to Dauids destruction. So also he taketh care to gouerne al his creatures for ye benefit & safetie of them yt be his,ii. Sam. x…ii.vii. yea & to gouerne the deuill hym selfe,Iob. i.x.i. whiche as we see durst enterprise nothyng againste Iob withoute his sufferaunce and commaundement. Of this knowledge necessarily ensueth both a thankfulnesse of mynde in prosperous successe of thynges, & also pacience in aduersitie, and an incredible assurednesse against the time to come. Whatsoeuer therfore shal betide vntounto him prosperously and accordyng to his hartes desyre, all that he will ascribe vntounto God, whether he fele the bountie of God by the ministerie of men, or be holpen by liuelesse creatures. For thus he wil thynke in his mynde: Surely it is the Lorde whiche hath inclined their myndes to me, which hath ioyned them vntounto me to be instrumētes of his goodnesse toward me. In plentie of the frutes of the earth, thus he will thynke, that it is the Lord whiche heareth the heauen, that the heauen may heare the earthe, that the earthe also may heare her fruites. In other thyngs he wil not dout that it is the only blessyng of the Lorde, wherby all thyngs prosper, and being put in mynde by so many causes he wil not abide to be vnthākful.
If any aduersitie happen, he will by and by therin also lifte vp his mynde to God,Gen. xlv.viii. whoes hande auaileth muche to emprint in vsus a paciēce and quiete moderation of hart. If Ioseph had still continued in recordyng the falsehode of his brethren, he coulde neuer hauehave taken a brotherly mynde towarde theim. But because he bowed his mynde to the Lorde, he forgat the iniurie, and inclined to mekenesse and clemency, so farrefoorth that of his own accorde he conforted his brethren and said: It is not you that solde me into Egypte, but by the will of God I was sent before you to saue your lyues. You in dede thought euill of me, but the Lorde tourned it to good. If Iob had had respect to the Chaldees, by whom he was troubled, he would foorthwith hauehave been kendled to reuenge.Iob. i.xxi But because he did therwithall acknowledge it to be the work of God, he comforted hymselfe with this moste excellent saying: The Lorde hath geuen, the Lorde hath taken away, the Lordes name bee blessed. So Dauid: when Semei had railed and cast stones at hym, if he had looked vponupon man, he would hauehave incouraged his souldiours to reacquite the iniurie.ii. Sam. xvi.x. But because he vnderstode that Semei dyd it not without the mouyng of the Lorde, he rather appeased them. Lette hym alone (said he) for the Lorde hath commaunded hym to curse. With the same bridle in an other place doeth he restraine the intemperance of sorowe. I helde my peace (saith he) and became as domme, bycause thou O Lorde,Psalm. xxxviii.x. diddest it. If there be more effectualll remedy agaynst wrath and impacience: surely he hath not a little profited whiche hath learned in this behalfe to thinke vponupon the Prouidence of God, that he may alway call backe his mynde to this poynt. It is the Lordes will, therfore it must be suffred, not onelyonly because it is not lawfull to striue agaynst it, but also because he willeth nothyng but that whiche is both iust and expedient. In fumme this is the end, that beyng wrongfully hurt by men, we leauyng their malice (whiche woulde doo nothyng but enforce out sorowe, and wheat our mindes to reuenge) should remembre to climbe vp vntounto God, and learne to beleue assuredly, that what soeuer our enemie hath mischeuously doon against vsus, was bothe suffered and sent by gods disposition. Paule, to refraine vsus from recompensing of iniuries doth wisely put vsus in minde,Ep. vi.xii that we are not to wrastle with fleshe and bloud, but with the spiritual enemy the deuil, that we may prepare our selues to striue with him. But thys is the most profitable lesson for the appeasyng of al rages of wrath, yt God doth arme as wel the deuill as al wicked men to stryue wt vsus, and yt he sitteth as iudge to exercise oure patience.De. xxviii But if ye misfortunes and miseries yt oppresse vsus, doe chaunce without ye worke of men, let vsus remēber the doctrine of ye law: whatsoeuer is prosperous floweth from the fountayne of gods blessing, and yt al aduersities are his cursinges: and let ye most terrible warning make vsus afraid: If ye walke stubbornly against me, I wil also walke stubbornly agaynst you. In which is rebuked our sluggishnesse, when according to ye commō sense of ye flesh accompting al to be but chaūce yt happeneth, of both sortes we are nether encouraged by ye benefites of God to worship him,Lam. iii.xxxviii. Amo. iii.vi. Es. xlv.vi nor prycked forwarde wt his scourges to repētaūce. This same is ye resō, why Hieremy & Amos did so sharply rebuke ye Iewes, because they thought yt things as wel good as euil came to passe wtout the commaūdement of God. To ye same purpose serueth that sermon of Esay. I the God that create lyght and fashyon darkenesse, that make peace and create euil. I God doe make all these thynges.
And yet in the meane time a godly man wil not winke at the inferior causes. Nether wil he, because he thinketh them the ministers of gods goodnesse bi whō he hath receiued benefite, therfore let them passe vnconsidered, as though they had deserued no thanke by their gētlenesse: but he wil hartily thynke hymselfe bounde vntounto them, and wil willingly confesse hys bonde, & trauail as he shalbe able and as occasion shall serue, to recōpence it. Finally in benefites receyued he wyl reuerence & prayse God as the principal author, but he will honor men as ye ministers, and as ye truth is in dede he wil vnderstande yt he is by the wyll of God bounde to thē, by whoes hand it was gods wil to be benefitial vntounto hym. If he suffer any losse by negligence or want of foresight, he wil determine in hys mind yt the same was done in dede wt the wil of God, but he wil impute it also to hymselfe. If any man be dead by sickenesse whō he hath negligently handled, wheras of duty he should hauehave taken good hede vntounto him: although he be not ignoraunt yt the mā was come to his appoynted tyme beyond whych he could not passe, yet will he not therby lessen hys offense, but because he had not faythfully discharged hys duty towarde hym, he wil so take it as if he had perished by fault of hys neglygence. Much lesse when there is vsed any fraude, & conceiued malice of mynde in committing either murther or theft, wil he excuse it vnderunder pretēce of gods Prouidence, but he wil in one selfe euil act seuerally behold both ye righteousnesse of God and the wickednesse of man, as both doth manifestly shew thēselues. But principally in thynges to come he wil hauehave cōsideration of such inferior causes. For he wyl reckē it among the blessinges of God if he be not disappoynted of ye helpes of men which he may vse for hys safety. And so he neither wil be negligēt in takyng of counsell, nor slouthful in crauyng their helpe whō he seeth to hauehave sufficiēt wherof he may be succoured: but thinking yt whatsoeuer creatures can any thyng profyt him, ye same are offred into hys hand by God, he wil apply thē to hys vse as ye lawful instrumētes of gods Prouidence. And because he doth not certaynly know what successe ye businesse wil hauehave that he goeth about, (sauing yt in al thynges he knoweth that the Lord wil prouide for hys benefyte) he wil wyth study trauaile to yt which he shal thynke expedyent for hym selfe, so far as he cā cōceiue in mynde & vnderstanding. And yet in takyng of counsels he wil not be caried on by hys own wyt, but wyl cōmit & yeld hymselfe to ye wisdom of God, that by the guiding therof he may be directed to ye ryght end. But hys confydence shal not so stay vponupon outward helpes, yt if he hauehave them he wyl carelesly rest vponupon them, or if he want them he wil be afraied as lefte destitute, for he wyl hauehave hys mynde alway fastened vpō the Prouydence of God, neyther wyll he suffer hymselfe to be drawē away frō the stedfast beholdyng therof, by consideration of present thynges. So though Ioab acknowledged that ye successe of battail is in the wil and hand of God, yet he gaue not hymselfe to slouthfulnesse but did diligētly execute yt whych belonged to hys callyng, but he leaueth it vntounto ye Lord to gouerne ye end. We wil stand valiant (saith he) for our natiō, & for the cities of our God.ii. S…. x.xii. But ye Lord do what is good in his eies. This knowledge shal despoyle vsus of rashnesse & wrongful cōfydēce, & shal dryue vsus to cōtinual calling vpō God: & also shal vpholde our mindes wyth good hope, so as we may not doute assuredly and boldly to despyse those dangers that compasse vsus about.
In this point doth ye inestimable felicitie of a godly minde shew forth it selfe. Innumerable are the euils yt do besege mans lyfe, & do threaten hym so many deathes. As, not to go further thā our selues: for asmuche as our body is a receptacle of a thousāde diseases, yea ha…h enclosed and doth nourishe within it the causes of diseases, man can not carrye him selfe but he must nedes also cary about wyth hym many formes of hys own destruction, & draw forth a lyfe as it were entangled wt death. For what may it els be called, where he neyther is cold, nor sweateth without peril? Now whether soeuer y• turne thee, al thynges yt are about thee are not only vntrusty frendes to thee, but do in maner opēly threaten & seme to shew thee present death. Go into a ship, there is but a fote thicknesse betwene thee & death. Sit on horsebacke in ye slippyng of one fote thy lyfe is in daunger. Go through ye stretes of the citie: euen how many tyles are vpō the houses to so many perils art thou subiect. If there be an iron tole in thy hande or thy frendes, the harme is ready prepared. How many wylde beastes y• seest, they are al armed to thy destructyon. If thou meane to shut vp thy selfe, euē in a garden well fensed, where may appeare nothyng but pleasantnesse of aire & groūd, there somtime locketh a Serpēt. The house whych is continually subiect to fyer doeth in ye day tyme threaten thee with pouertie, & in the nyght tyme with falyng vponupon thy hed. Thy feld forasmuche as it lyeth opē to hayle, froste, drowth & other tempestes it warneth thee of barrennesse, & thereby famyne. I speake not of prysonninges, treasōs, robberies, opē violence, of which part do besege vsus at home, & part do folow vsus abrode. In these streightes muste not man nedes be most miserable, which euen in lyfe halfe dead doth painfully draw forth a careful & faintyng breath as if he hadde a swearde contynually hangyng ouer hys necke. But thou wilt say that these thinges chaunce seldome, or at least not alwaies, nor to all men, and neuer all at ones. I graunte but seyng we are putte in minde by the examples of other, that the same thinges maye happen to our selues, and that our lyfe ought of duty no more to be fre thā theirs, it can not be but that we must dred and feare them as thynges yt maye light vponupon vsus. Now what can a man imagine more miserable thā such a fearefulnesse? Beside that, it is not without dishonorable reproche of God to say, that he hath set open man the noblest of al hys creatures to their blinde and vnaduised strokes of fortune. But here my purpose is to speake onelyonly of the misery of man, which he should fele if he should be brought subiecte vnderunder fortunes dominion.
But when that light of Gods Prouidence hath ones shyned vponupon a godly mā …he is now releued & deliuered not only from the extreme anguishe and feare wherwt he was before oppressed, but also from al care. For as iustly he feareth fortune, so he dare boldly commit hymselfe to God. This is (I say) his comfort, to vnderstande that the heauenly father doth so holde in all thynges wyth hys power, so ruleth them wt hys authoritie and countenaunce, so ordreth them wt his wisdome, that nothyng befalleth but by hys apointment: and yt he is receiued into Gods tuitiō, & cōmitted to the charge of Angels, and can not be touched with any hurt of water, nor fyer, nor wepō, but so far as it shall please God the gouernor to geue thē place.…s. x…i.iii For so is it song in the Psalme. For he shal deliuer thee from the hunters snare, and from the noysom pestilēce. He wil couer thee vnderunder hys wynges, & thou shalt be sure vnderunder hys fethers. His truth shalbe thy shield & buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid of the feare of the night, nor of ye arrow yt flyeth by day, nor of the pestilēce that walketh in ye darknesse, nor of ye plage that destroyeth at none day. And from thense procedeth that boldnesse of the Saintes to glorye: The Lord is my helper.Ps. …xviii vi. I wil not feare what flesh may doe to me. The Lord is my protector, why shal I be afrayed? If whole campes stande vp agaynst me, if I walke in the middest of the shadow of death. I will not cease to hope well. Whense, I pray you, hauehave they this that their assurednesse is neuer shaken away from them? but hereby, that where the world semeth in shewe to be without order whirled aboute, they knowe that God worketh eueryevery where… whoes worke they trust shalbe for their preseruation. Now if their safetie be assailed either by ye deuil or by wicked men, in that case if they were not strengthened with remembrance and meditation of Prouidence, they must nedes by and by be discouraged. But when they cal to minde, that the deuil and al the route of the wicked, are so eueryevery way holden in by the hande of God as wt a bridle, yt they can neyther conceiue any mischiefe agaynste vsus, nor goe aboute it when they hauehave conceiued it, nor if they goe neuer so muche about it, cā stirre one finger to bring it to passe but so far as he shal suffer, yea so far as he shal cōmaunde, and yt they are not onelyonly holden fast bounde with fetters, but also cōpelled wt bridle to do seruice: here hauehave they abundātly wherwt to comfort thēselues. For as it is the Lordes worke to arme their furie and to turne and direct it whether it pleaseth him, so is it his woorke also to appointe a measure and ende, that they dooe not after their own will licentiously triumphe.i. The. ii.xviii. i. Cor. xvi vii. With which perswasion Paule being stablished, did by the sufferaunce of God appoint his iourney in an other place which he said was in one place hindred by Satā. If he had onelyonly sayed that he had been stopped by Satan, he should hauehave semed to geue him to much power, as if it had ben in Satans hande to ouerthrowe the very purposes of God: but when he maketh God the iudge, vponupon whoes sufferaunce all iourneyes doe hang: he doeth therewithall shewe, that Satan whatsoeuer he goe about, can atteine nothing but by gods wil. For the same reason doth Dauid because for the sondrye chaunges wherwith mans life is tossed and as it were whirled aboute, he doeth flee to this sanctuary, saieth that his times are in the hande of God.Psa. xxxi.xvi. He might hauehave said either the course of his life, or time in ye singular nomber. But by the worde Times, he meant to expresse that howesoeuer the state of man be vnstedfast, whatsoeuer alterations do nowe and then happen, they are gouerned by God. For whiche cause Rasin and the king of Israel,Esa. vii.iiii. when ioyning their powers to the destruction of Iuda, they semed as fierbrandes kindled to wast and cōsume the land, are called by the Prophete smoking brandes, which can do nothyng but breath out a little smoke.Eze. xxix.iiii. So when Pharao was terrible to all men by reason of hys richesse, strength and number of men, he himselfe is compared to a beast of the Sea, and hys army to fishes. Therfore God saieth that he will take the Capitaine and the army with his hoke & draw them whether he liste. Finally, because I will not tary long vponupon thys point, if a man marke it he shal easily see that the extremitie of al miseries is the ignoraunce of gods Prouidence, and the chiefe blessednesse standeth in the knowledge therof.
Concerning the Prouidence of God, thys that is saied were enoughe for so much as is profitable both for the perfect learning and comforte of the faithful, (for to fil the vaine curiositie of men, nothing can be s…ffycyent, neither is it to be wished that they be satisfied) were it not for certayne places, whiche seme to meane otherwyse than is aboue declared, that God hath not a stedfast and stable purpose but changeable accordyng to the disposition of inferior thynges.Ge. vi.vi i. Samu. xv.xi. Ier. xviii viii. Firste, in some places is spoken of the repentaunce of God, as that he repented hym of the creatyng of man, of the aduauncing of Saul to the kingdome. And that he will repent hym of the euil that he had determined to lay vponupon his people, so sone as he perceiueth any conuersion of them. Agayne there are rehearsed diuerse repelles of hys decrees.Ion. iii.iiii. He had declared by Ionas to the Niniuites that after .xl. dayes ones past Niniue should be destroyed, but by and by he was turned with their repentaunce to a more gētle sentence.Esa. xxxv iii.v. ii. Kin. xx.…. He had by the mouth of Esay pronounced death to Ezechias, which he was moued by his teares and prayers to differre. Hereupon many do make argument, that God hath not appoynted mens matters by eternal decree, but yerely, daily & hourely decreeth this or yt, as eueryevery mans deseruinges are, or as he thynketh it equitie and iustice. Concerning his repentaunce thys we ought to holde, that the same cā no more be in God, thā ignoraunce error and weakenesse. For if no man do wittingly and willingly throw hymselfe into the case yt he nede to repente, we can not say yt God doth repēt, but yt we must also say, yt God is ignoraunt what wil come to passe, or yt he can not auoide it, or yt he headlong and vnaduisedly runneth into a purpose wherof he by & by for thinketh him. But yt is so far from ye meaning of the Holy ghost, yt in the very mē tion making of repentaunce he denyeth that God had any repenting at all, because he is not a man that maye repente. And it is to be noted that in the same chapter they are both so ioyned together, y• the comparison doth very well bryng the shewe of repugnancie to agrement. His changing is figuratiuely spoken, that God repented that he had made Saul king,i. Samu▪ xv, xxix. by and by after it is added. The strength of Israel shal not lye, nor shalbe moued with repenting. Because he is not a man that he may repent. In which wordes his vnchangeablenesse is affirmed plainly without any figure. Therfore it is certayne yt the ordinaunce of God in disposyng the matters of men, is perpetuall and aboue al repentāce. And that his constance should not be doutefull,Nu, xxiii xix. his very aduersaries hauehave been compelled to beare hym witnesse. For Balaam whether he would or no could not choose but brust out into this saying: yt he is not like a man to lye: nor as a sonne of man to be changed, and that it is not possible that he shoulde not doe that he hath sayed, and not fulfill what soeuer he hath spoken.
What meaneth then this name of Repentaunce? euen in the same sort that al the other phrases of speache which do descrybe God vntounto vsus after the maner of men. For, because our weakenesse doth not reach to his …ienesse, that description of hym whiche is taughte vsus, was mete to be framed lowe to our capacitie that we might vnderstande it. And this is the manner how to frame it low for vsus, to paynt out hymselfe not such a one as he is in himselfe, but such a one as he is perceiued of vsus. Wher as he hymselfe is without all mouing of a troubled minde, he yet testifieth that he is angry with synners. Like as therfore whē we heare that God is angry, we ought not to imagine that there is any mouing at all in him, but rather to consider that this speche is borrowed of our cōmon sense, because God beareth a resemblance of one chafed & angry so ofte as he exerciseth iudgemente: so oughte we to vnderstande nothing ells by this worde Repentance but a changing of dedes, because men by changing of their dedes are wont to declare that they mislike them. Because then eueryevery change among men is an amendment of that whiche misliketh them, and amendement commeth of repentaunce: therfore by the name of repentaunce is meant that, yt God changeth in his workes. In the meane time yet neither is hys purpose nor his will turned, nor his affection changed, but he foloweth on with one continuall course yt which he had from eternitie foreseen, allowed and decreed, howesoeuer the alteration seme soden in the eyes of men.
Neyther doeth the holy history shew that gods decrees wer repelled, when it sheweth that the destruction was pardoned to the Niniuites which had been before pronounced,Ion, iii, x Esa, xxx… v, and that the life of Ezechias was prolonged after warning geuen hym of death. They that so construe it are deceiued in vnderstanding of threteninges: whiche althoughe they do simply affirme, yet by ye successe it shalbe perceiued that they cōteined a secret condition in thē. For why did God sende Ionas to ye Niniuites to …ell them aforehande of the ruine of their citie? Why did he by Esaye geue Ezechias warnīg of death? For he might hauehave brought to nought both him and thē without sending them any worde of their destruction. He meant therfore an other thing, than to make them by foreknowing of their death to see it comming a farre of. Euen this he meant: not to hauehave them destroied: but to hauehave them amended that they should not be destroied. Therfore this that Ionas prophecied that Niniue should fal after .xl. daies, was done to this end that it should not fal. That hope of longer life was cutte of frō Ezechias, was done for this purpose that he might obteine longer life. Now who doth not see that God meante by such threateninges to awake them to repentaunce, whom he made afraide to the ende that they might escape the iudgemente whiche they had deserued by their sinnes? If that be so agreed, the nature of the thinges themselues doth leade vsus to thys, to vnderstande in the simple threatening a secret emplied condition, which is also confirmed by like examples. The Lord rebuking ye king Abimelech for that he had taken away Abrahams wife from him,Ge. xxvi.iii, vseth these wordes. Behold thou shalt die for the woman that thou hast taken, for she hath a husband. But after he had excused himselfe, God said thus. Restore the wife to her husbande, for he is a Prophete and shal pray for the that thou maiest liue. If not: know that thou shalt die the death and al that thou hast. You se how in his first sentēce he vehemently striketh his minde to bring him to be more hedefully bent to make amēdes, and in the other doth plainly declare to him his will. Seing the meaning of other places is lyke: do not gather of these that there was any thing withdrawen from the first purpose of God, by this that he made voide the thing whiche he had before pronounced. For God doth prepare the way for hys eternall ordinaunce, whē in geuing warning of the punishment he moueth those to repentance whome his wil is to spare, rather than varieth any thing in his wil, no not in his word sauing that he doth not expresse the same thing in sillables which it is yet easy to vnderstand. For that sayeng of Esaie must nedes remaine true:Esa, xiiii.xxvii, The Lord of Hostes hath determined, and who shalbe able to vndoe it? His hande is stretched oute, and who shall turne it away?