A Platform for the Proof of Gods Providence, Part 2
Now to the ſeconde: that God by his prouidence gouerneth all and eueryevery thing.
There are very many that can willingly graunt, that God by his prouidence gouerneth all things in generall, but that eueryevery particular thing is ruled by the ſame, they denie: with theſe men therefore I minde to deale ſomewhat largely, though not ſo learnedly, as the cauſe requireth: (& who is able to hādle it worthily?) Philoſophers hauehave in this point had ſundry opinions: Epicurus ſaid, that all things were ruled by chaunce and fortune, and that God liued idlely, and at eaſe in the Heauens: which opinion, as impious, all men in wordes condemne, and yet ſo we liue that our liues are euident proofes againſt vsus, that in heart and ſoule wee embrace it.
For ſurely if wee thought better of God then Epicurus did, wee would not walke ſo directly in Epicurus pathes as we do, or liue ſo licentiouſly as though God regarded vsus not.
The Peripatetickes, and other ſort of Philoſophers, broched another opinion, teaching that thoſe things which are aboue the Heauens, are moued, guided, and gouerned by God himſelfe: but thoſe things that are vnderunder the circle of the Moone, are gouerned partly by chance and fortune, partly by the counſailes and deuiſes of men, and partly by a brutiſh, or ſenceleſſe force of nature.
Ther is a third opiniō of the Stoickes, which is that all things are ruled by fate or deſtinie, that is by a ſecret order, and linke of cauſes: in which chaine, all things are ſo ſurely tied, that both God himſelfe and man are ſtraighted within thoſe boundes.
This was a very dainty opinion in the iudgement of the Poets: who to excuſe the weakneſſe of their God Iupiter, fained that he wept, for that he was ſo hindered by the force of deſtinie, that he could not ſet Sarpedo at liberty.
The fourth opinion is Platoes, who graunteth that God by his prouidence ruleth all things in generall, which afterward God commiteth to petty Gods, halfe Gods, and Deuils, who hauehave the charge and care of particular things: From theſe foure opinions, ſpring all other whatſoeuer, touching Gods prouidence: and there is no one opinion, which may not eaſily be reduced to one of theſe.
But ſome of vsus (euen of vsus Chriſtians) flying one danger, runne into another: and for that they dare not deny that God by his prouidence ruleth all things, yet will they not graunt, that by it, he gouerneth eueryevery particular thing, leaſt they ſhould thereby be driuen (as they thinke) to ſome abſurdities: thus whilſt they would auoide abſurditie, they commit impiety and fall away from the truth moſt dangerouſly: But farre be this from your heart (Right worſhipful) and that it may neuer poſſeſſe you: auoide the cauſe that worketh it in them, which is ignorance of the word of God: and for that God in great mercy hath kindled in your heart a deſire of knowledge, quench not that godly deſire in you, but purſue hotely with harty and feruent prayer, after knowledge, and you ſhall finde it. And if you ſhall finde it, you ſhall certainly know, that there will no abſurdity be inforced vponupon any doctrine grounded vponupon Gods worde, and that you need not feare this doctrine, as they do: I wil firſt diſcourſe briefly of the truth of it, and will proue, that God gouerneth by his prouidence all things generally, and euerie particular thing particularly: then will I anſwere to all thoſe chiefe obiections which are brought againſt it, and by which ſome vaine men thinke to make the doctrine abſurde. To the firſt:
For that this argument hath bene diuerſly handled, and men hauehave bene verie curious in diſcourſing thereof: eſpecially ſince what way ſoeuer they winde themſelues, many abſurdities do ſeeme to follow them: it will be beſt I thinke for me to keepe me in the high beaten way, leaſt ſeeking by wayes, I wander out of the way: I meane to diſcourſe ſo of this doctrine, as I am taught in the worde of God, and then diligently to remooue all thoſe things what ſoeuer they be, not beſeming ye moſt pure nature of God, which in ye iudgement of men, ſhall ſome hereof to follow.
But if my ignorance were ſo great, that I could not remoue theſe inconueniences: yet not withſtanding, are you and all Chriſtians bounde to receiue with all humilitie this true doctrine: and to blame me not, the doctrine, if I be not able to cleare it of all thoſe things, which in the iudgement of man may ſeeme abſurde: And although it is not my purpoſe, to examine all, that Philoſophers and others ſay againſt the gouerning of eueryevery thing by the prouidence of God, yet in my minde, all that they can ſay againſt it, may by this one argument be eaſily ouerthrowne. If he be a God (which they all confeſſe, & though they would denie it, yet may it eaſilie be proued againſt them) hee is a moſt perfect thing: but that which is moſt perfect, hath nothing perfecter then it ſelfe, neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect, then that which of it ſelfe, is truly and abſolutely moſt perfect: therefore there is nothing, neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect then God: here vponupon I inferre, if God did not gouerne al things in general, & eueryevery thing in particular, wee might well imagine that there was ſomething more perfect then God: euē ſuch a diety, which had charge and care of euerie particuler thing: but it is ſhewed that no ſuch diety or God-head cau be imagined.
It is falſe therfore, that they hereupon would infer that God by his prouidence ruleth not euerie particular thing, & the contrarie is true, which we teach: for elſe ſurely that God, which they dreame of to liue idleis, & at eaſe, and to hauehave no care of any thing, as they babble, is not in truth a God, but as Tullye ſometime ſaid of their maiſter Epicurus, ſo ſay I of them, that they in wordes acknowledge a God▪ but in truth deny that there is any. But leauing Philoſophers, let vsus ſee what the Scripture teacheth vsus: the firſt place I wil vſe for the proofe of this Doctrine, I take out of ye Epiſtle to the Hebrues the 1. Chapter. verſe. 3. where it is ſaide of the Sonne of God, that He beareth vp, that is, mooueth and gouerneth all things by his mightie worde: he that granteth that he ruleth all thinges, excepteth no one thing from his gouernement: wee may then well conclude out of this place of God, that God gouerneth all, and eueryevery thing.
But leſt I ſhould leaue any ſtarting hole for the aduerſarie to winde out at, let vsus further ſee what the Scripture teacheth vsus of the gouerning of eueryevery particular thing by Gods prouidence.
Neither will I heape vp many places, but content my ſelfe with a few examples, out of which the truth of this doctrine may be gathered.
And thus I do endeuour to proue it breifly: All the creatures of God are either indued with the gift of free choiſe, or els want this libertie of choiſe: they that hauehave it, are Angels, both good and euill, and men alſo both good and euill: they that want this libertie of choiſe, are all other liuing things created by God, and alſo thoſe his creatures which hauehave no life: and yet of all theſe creatures, God hath a ſpeciall care, ſo as hee diſpoſeth of eueryevery one of them according to his pleaſure.
The booke of Iob, and the Pſalmes, do very often handle this argument, ſo that if I ſhould gather out of them all their proofes, I ſhould write out almoſt their whole bookes: yet ſome I will bring, and leaue the reſt for you to gather, hoping it will be a meanes to bring you to the often reading of them.
In the 147. Pſalme the Prophet ſaith thus of God, that the couereth the Heauen with cloudes, and prepareth raine for the earth, and maketh the graſſe to growe vponupon the mountaines: But the cloudes, the raine, and the graſſe are things without ſoule and life, and yet by his wonderfull prouidence he driueth, and ruleth at his pleaſure the cloudes in the aire: he ſendeth the raine downe vponupon the earth, and he maketh the graſſe to grow: In the 148. Pſalm. the Prophet ſaith, that fire and haile, ſnow, and vapours, ſtormie windes do execute his worde, and what is it to execute the worde of God, but to be ruled and gouerne by his worde, it is to be at his becke and pleaſure: Againe, in the 135. Pſalme, it is ſaid, that whatſoeuer pleaſed the Lord, that did he in heauen and in earth, in the Sea, and all the depthes: he bringeth vp the cloudes from the endes of the earth, and maketh the lightnings with the raine, he draweth forth the windes out of his treaſures: and Chriſt our Sauiour in the 6. of Math. biddeth vsus learne how the Lillies of the field do growe, they labour not neither ſpin: and a little afterward he telleth vsus, that God doth cloath the graſſe of the field: theſe fewe places proue that God hath a prouident care, to keepe and gouerne euen his lifeleſſe creatures, not onelyonly generally, but alſo particularly: as cloudes, raine, windes, graſſe, fire, haile, ſnow, vapours, lillies, and ſuch like: the like prouident care he hath for other of his creatures, whome hee hath indued with the life and ſence, but not with reaſon and that libertie of choiſe, whereof I ſpake before: Wee reade in the 147. Pſalme that God giueth to beaſts their foode, and to the yong Rauens that crie: and in the 104. Pſalme verſ. 14. the Prophet ſaith, that God cauſeth graſſe to growe for the cattell, and afterward in the 27. verſe hee ſaith, that all beaſts, foules, and fiſhes, waite vpō thee O Lord that thou maiſt giuegive them food in due ſeaſon: thou giueſt it to them, and they gather it, thou openeſt thy hand and they are ſilled with good things: This alſo our Sauiour Chriſt affirmeth in the 6. of Mathew, ſaying, beholde the foules of the Heauen, for they ſowe not, neither reape, nor carye into the barnes: yet your heauenly Father feedeth them. And in the 10. of Math. Are not two Sparrowes ſold for a farthing, and one of them ſhall not fall on the ground without your Father? meaning God: by theſe few places you may ſee it ſufficiently proued, that God hath a prouidēt care of eueryevery particular creature, vpō whom he hath not beſtowed y• free libertie of choiſe, whether they hauehave not life, or hauehave life and ſence and want reaſon. Now as for thoſe creatures to whom God hath giuen that gift of free choiſe, which I ſaid were Angels and men, ſome do thinke, that God in truth hath a ſpeciall prouident care ouer man, whom hee made after his owne Image and likenes: but not ouer other creatures: which opinion how falſe it is, you may eaſily gather out of that I hauehave already written. Others do make this to be the difference betweene man and man, that God taketh a ſpeciall care of the godly, but caſteth away all care of the wicked: but the worde of God doth manifeſtly ouerthrow this opinion: In the 5. of Math. Chriſt our Sauiour teacheth vsus, that our heauenly Father maketh his Sun to ariſe on the euil and on the good, and ſendeth raine on the iuſt and vniuſt: And Paul in his firſt Epiſtle to Timothy the 4. chapter, ſaith that God is Sauiour of al men, ſpecially of thoſe that beleue: wherof I gather that God hath a ſpeciall care of thoſe that are his, but yet not ſo, as that hee leaueth ye wicked to be ruled by chance & fortune: for if God hauehave a care of thoſe things and creatures that the wicked poſſeſſe, as of their cattell, graſſe, and corne, and ſuch like: ſurely hee prouideth alſo for them, the owners & maſters of thoſe creatures: neither can he be prouident & carefull for the godly, but he muſt alſo gouerne, and rule the wicked according to the pleaſure of his diuine power. For as a Prince and Generall of an armie is not onelyonly carefull for the troupes and companies of Souldiers that be in his hoſt: but alſo for munitiō & vittaile neceſſarie for thē, that hee may hauehave his army ſo furniſhed, that it may be a terror to the enemie, and may keepe them amongſt whome he lieth incamped in ſuch dutifull obedience, that they may be ready to doe whatſoeuer his Captaines and officers commaund them: ſo can it not be that God doth prouide for his Church, but he muſt alſo moderate and gouerne all thoſe things, without which his Church cannot be here vponupon the earth.
Such things as appartaine to the nouriſhment, cloathing, ſafe and quiet harboring of the members of the Church: They therefore who are not of the true Church, are yet, for the benifit of Gods Church, to be ruled by his prouidence, ſo are the Patriarches ſaide to hauehave founde fauour in the eyes of infidelles, for that the Lord did rule and moue the hearts of infidelles, which way it pleaſed him.
Now how God ruleth not onelyonly eueryevery particular man, but alſo all the ſeuerall actions of men, is proued by that which is in the 16 of the Prouerbs, Commit thy workes vntounto the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be directed: And by that alſo which is in the 4. of Iames: goe to now ye that ſay, to day or to morrow wee will goe into ſuch a Citie, and continue there a yeare, and buy and ſell and get gaine: and yet ye cannot tell what ſhall be to morrow: for what is your life? it is euen a vapour, it appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanquiſheth away: for that we ought to ſay, if the Lord will, and if wee liue we will doe this or that: Thus Iames ſpeaking of the actions or doings of men, affirmeth that God ruleth them all, ſo that without his will wee can doe nothing, no not ſo much as paſſe from one place to another: and Paul coufeſſeth that hee was often hindred and ſtaied by God, that he could not goe to thoſe Churches hee purpoſed, vntill hee had his iourney graunted him by the will of God: God therefore ruleth all the ſeuerall actions of all men. I will vſe onelyonly two examples, to illuſtrate and make plaine this moſt true doctrine, that God gouerneth the ſeuerall actions of all men, both good and bad: In the hiſtorie of Ioſeph many things to this purpoſe are to bee founde: the end of that hiſtorie was that which Ioſeph ſpake of, Geneſis 50. you thought euill againſt me ſaith hee to his brethren, but God diſpoſed it to good: In this hiſtorie theſe men and their ſeuerall actions are to be wayed: Firſt father Iacob, then the brethren of Ioſeph, Ioſeph himſelfe, the Iſhmaelites to whom hee was ſold, that light huſwife his miſtris Putiphars wife, Pharao and his ſeruants: the actions of all theſe perſons are diuers and very different one from another, ſome of them were laudable, others deteſtable, and yet ſome of thoſe better then others, and ſome of thoſe actions neither to be altogether allowed nor diſpraiſed, & yet as Ioſeph witneſſeth, God by his prouidence ruleth & diſpoſeth them all, both men and their actions to Ioſephs good.
So as Dauid ſaith, Pſalme 105. that God ſent a man before them, Ioſeph was ſold for a ſlaue: For ſo God gouerneth the wicked actions of thoſe men, that the moſte peruerſe practiſes of Ioſephs brethren, the ſhameleſſe and beaſtly part of Putiphar… wife, and other heauie actions, had a moſt happie ende: ſo that euen thoſe things that they did to Ioſeph, purpoſing by them vtterly to deſtroy him, brought Ioſeph to great honour: ſo mightie and wonderfull is God, that he is able to make the light to ſhine out of darkneſſe more-ouer in the laſt chapter of the propheſie of Ionas, wee ſhall ſee how wonderfully God doth not only gouerne men, but alſo all manner of creatures ſenſible & vnſenſible: for I reade that Ionah went out of the Citie of Niniueh, & ſat on the Eaſt ſide of ye Citie, & there made him a booth & ſat vnderunder it in the ſhadow till he might ſe what ſhold be don to the Citie: and the Lord prepared a Gourd, & made it to come vp ouer Ionah, that it might bee a ſhadow ouer his head, and deliuer him from his griefe: ſo Ionah was exceeding glad of the Gourd. But God prepared a worme when the morning roſe the next day, and it ſmote the Gourd that it withered: and when the Sunne did ariſe, God prepared alſo a feruent Eaſt winde, and the Sunne beate vponupon the head of Ionah, that hee fainted, and wiſhed in his heart to dye, and ſaid It is better for mee to dye then to liue: in this that I hauehave written out of Ionas wee hauehave theſe things to waye: Firſt Ionah a man, the moſt excellenteſt creature, the other baſer creatures, as the Gourd, the worme, and the winde: The worme is a creature that hath life in it, and is of that kinde of beaſts that be deuided in their bodies, the head and breaſt from their belly and taile, the Gourd and the wind they are creatures without life, and yet you ſee how God by his prouidence ruleth and moueth at his pleaſure all theſe creatures. If Epicurus had bene at this ſight, hee would hauehave aſcribed all to chaunce: if Ariſtotle, to naturall cauſes: if Chryſippus or Zeno Stoicks, to fate and to deſtinie: if Plato to ſome petty god: and amongſt them all there had not bene one worde of the trueth of God.
But the holy Ghoſt attributeth the courſe of gouerning all theſe things to God alone, who prepared them all for Ionah his good: for by theſe meanes, Ionah that was wandring, was ſet in the right way, as if you will reade the chapter you may ſee more fully of that which I hauehave already written. I may ſafely conclude, that both all the creatures which want the gift of choiſe, and all they that hauehave it, are gouerned and ruled by God, by his moſt high and mightie prouidence.
Of the Angels, which I placed at the firſt amongſt thoſe creatures, that hauehave the libertie of choiſe, I will write now the leſſe, hoping that I ſhall hauehave this backe againe to view, poliſh, and enlarge: but their name teacheth vsus that they are ruled by God him ſelfe, for they are called Angeli Angels, that is, meſſengers ſent from God: and in the Epiſtle to the Hebrues are called the miniſters, and ſeruants of God.
Thus much for the firſt parte, that is for the truth of this doctrine, that God by his prouidence ruled all things in generall, and eueryevery particular thing in particular.
Now come I to that I promiſed to handle in the ſecond place, namely to the vnfolding and anſwering of thoſe arguments which are made againſt this doctrine. The firſt argument they make is this: God cannot gouerne all things generally, and eueryevery creature and action without exeeding toile and griefe of minde: But if agreeth with the nature of God, that he reſt in quiet and be free from all labours: Therefore God doth not gouerne all and eueryevery particular thing.
To this argument drawne thus from the nature of God, I anſwere, that their firſt propoſition is falſe, which is that God cannot gouerne all things generally and particularly without exceeding foile, and greife of minde: but for that I will not onelyonly denie it as falſe, but ſhew the reaſons that mooue me ſo to doe, you muſt know that there are diuers kindes of actions, ſome are naturall, ſome are violent other ſome meane: that is neither altogether naturall, nor altogether violent: naturall actions are they that doe flowe from the principles of nature it ſelfe, without any helpe elſewhere: ſuch are the round motions of the heauens, the flowing and ebbing of the ſea, that light things doe of their naturall lightneſſe mount vpward, heauie things fal downeward, that we breath and ſuch like: theſe actions are done without any labour, becauſe they mooue of themſelues without any other helpe: Other actions there are, which are done by force, and therefore are called violent, as by force to make a ſtone mount vpward, whoſe nature is to fall downeward. And ſuch like violent actions, which cannot longe laſt as Ariſtotle teacheth, becauſe they are done with …orce. There is another ſort of actions which I called meane, whoſe beginnings are of nature, but yet they cannot be done vnleſſe they be helped by ſome other meanes, as to eate, to drinke, to walke, and ſuch like. But now that, that God doth, hee doth without labour, becauſe hee doth it naturally, and therefore moſt freely: againe, there is no force that can compell God, and therefore hee worketh of himſelfe freely without any compulſion: neither is hee troubled with greifes, but gouerneth all things according to the rule of his will: neither is there any thing more agreable to the nature of God, then to gouerne, and preſerue the whole worlde, euen with the worde of his power.
A ſecond argument of theirs is this, It is an vnmeete thing for God, and cleane repugnant to his nature, to entermeddle in filthy, and vncleane matters but hee cannot gouerne eueryevery ſeuerall creature, and their actions, but hee muſt entermeddle with many vncleane, and filthie matters: therefore hee doth not gouerne them.
I denie the ſecond propoſition, which is, that God cannot gouerne eueryevery ſeuerall creature and their actions, but he muſt mingle himſelfe with many vncleane, and filthy matters: For that amongſt the creatures, and their actions, there are many vncleane things: this conſequence, though it bee the grounde of the propoſition is falſe, for although the power of God is in all his creatures, and ruled all, yet doth it not therefore follow, that the nature of God doth entermeddle with the vnpure actions of his creatures, which may be made plaine by this ſimilitude: the Sunne of all viſible creatures moſt excellent (man onelyonly excepted) doth moſt ſet forth the glory of God▪ it doth ſhine in eueryevery place, ſo that it ſhineth often vponupon the dunghill, and though the beames thereof do heat the dunghill, as they do all other places, and thinges which they peirce, Yet for all that the Sunne is not polluted with the defilements and vncleaneſſe of it, neither doth the ſubſtance of the beames of the Sunne mingle it ſelfe with thoſe things which it pearceth.
When one laid this in Diogenes his diſh, that he went into a ſtewes or brothels houſe, why ſaith hee the Sun commeth thither alſo, and yet is not defiled therewith: therby ſhewing, yt a wife & godly man though he enter into vncleane and filthie places, and come into the companie of filthie perſons, doth not forthwith toyne himſelfe to their filthineſſe, neither is infected with their vices: If therefore this Philoſopher could enter into the ſtewes, and come forth againe vnſpotted with their vncleaneſſe, ſo that their filthineſſe could not faſten vponupon him: much loſſe is God (whoſe nature is moſt pure and ſimple in gouerning of his creatures) inſected with their filthineſſe. There is a third obiection, which they thus frame: EueryEvery wiſe and good gouernour, vnleſſe hee be greatly hindred▪ bringeth his worke that hee frameth, and that thing that he ruleth to a good, perfect and wiſhed ende: this may bee proued by many examples, as by the example of a ſkilfull Pilot, who directeth and bringeth his ſhip to the purpoſed hauen, and ſuch like: but nothing can let God from perfecting his workes, and yet many of his creatures, as many monſters, mad men, lame, are imperfect. Therefore God ruleth not eueryevery generation and conception: to vnloſe this knot wee muſt remember this diſtinction of order: there are two ſorts of orders or courſes that God taketh in gouerning all things: the one of them wee may call ordinary, which God doth often vſe, the other extraordinary, with which order though we be not acquainted, yet doth God himſelfe know the cauſe why he ſo worketh: & yet of this may we not conclude, that God in his workes is contrarie to himſelfe: for if to vsus there appeare ſome dinerſitie and difference in the gouernement of all things by God, certainely that difference is not of Gods rule, but of the vnſtable iudgement of our troubled mindes: for Gods workes are not to be balanced by our iudgements, which are deceauable, and for the moſt part vntrue: Auguſtine propoſed the example of two children, one of which is dutifull and louing to his father, the other is a wicked ſtubberne childe: both their fathers are deadly ſick, the good childe prayeth earneſtly vntounto God, to deliuer his father from his ſicknes: the graceles graft thinketh eueryevery hour twenty vntil his father be breathleſſe: both their fathers died and that according to Gods appointement and direction.
But now that childe that prayed for the prolonging of his fathers life, highly pleaſed God: and yet it pleaſed not God, that his father ſhould liue any longer: and againe, that childe that longed for his fathers death, as highly diſpleaſed God, and yet it was Gods pleaſure that his father too ſhould dye: how commeth it to paſſe, that that which pleaſeth God may diſpleaſe him alſo, and that which diſpleaſeth him, pleaſe him? as he was pleaſed with the good childs kindneſſe, but not pleaſed that his father ſhould liue: and again diſpleaſed with ye vnnaturall part of the lewd childe, and yet pleaſed with his fathers death.
Surely there is in God a certaine ſecret ordinaunce which yet is iuſt, and a certaine ordinance open and manifeſted, which alſo is righteous: But certaine idle companions to draw both Auguſtine and vsus into hatred, for this doctrine, obiect againſt vsus, that they cannot perceiue in God this double wil, which we ſpeake of, to witte, a ſecret and a reuealed will: for they ſay we all know and you confeſſe, that God is moſt plaine without all ſhew of doubleneſſe, and therefore his will muſt be alſo as plaine, and euen ſo is it, though wee cannot comprehend it: but let them firſt anſwere to that which Auguſtine and wee hauehave propoſed, and …ill they, nill they, they muſt ack…owledge with vsus, that this difference …f will, of which I hauehave ſpoken, is not …roperly in God, but in vsus, who ac…ording to our reach and capacity mea…ure diuine matters: and therefore in …eſpect of vsus and of our capacity, there ſe…eth to be this difference in the will of God: According to our cenſure and …udgement, we will iudge the birth of …onſters, mad men, and crooked men, …o be an vnperfect worke of God: but in …he iudgement of God their creation is moſt perfect and abſolute.
If Ariſtotle were asked what the …auſe were of their imperfections and …e formities, he would anſwere yt they …roceeded of a defect, and wāt in nature. But Chriſt ſaith otherwiſe of the man that was borne blinde in the 9. of Iohn. Neither hath this man ſinned, nor his parents, but that the workes of God ſhould be ſhewed on him: that is, that …od might be glorified by him. Now ſince the laſt end of al things is the glory of God, and ſince all thoſe things are to bee accounted perfect, which attaine to their deſired end, and ſince the glorie of God more appeareth by the imperfections of ſome of his creatures, then if hee had made them all in one forme and perfection, ſurely we may not iudge any of his workes vnperfect: I graunt that if they be conſidered in themſelues, there will appeare in them ſome imperfection: but when they are referred to the glorie of God, if they illuſtrate and ſet it forth, they are euen therefore to be accounted perfect: for if no man ſhould be mad, if none deformed, none lame, none blinde, wee would aſcribe the perfection of our birth, which wee perceiued that all men hauehave neceſſarily either to nature or to our parents: and we would eaſily ſlip into this opinion, that wee had our ſolues alſo of our parents: but ſince there appeareth ſuch a diuerſitie in the outward ſormes of creatures, the prouidence of God doth more clearely appeare by that their difference in ſhape. In the iudgement of man, many flies and wormes, and all ſort of ſerpents are reputed not onelyonly vnprofitable but alſo hurtfull: But the Lord (as Moſes ſheweth in his ſong) calleth them his treaſures, out of which, hee draweth vengeance for his enemies, as arrowes out of a quiuer.
Theſe were the ſhafts hee ſhooke Pharao with: with theſe Antiochus, with theſe Herode was puniſhed: who therefore will account them vnprofitable, or who ſuperfluous, ſince the Lord him ſelfe hath ſuch vſes to put them to?
There are alſo in thē many profitable things for man, whereof ſome we know not, other ſome the Phiſitians know, as Nicander & others hauehave very learnedly written of them: Ancient learned Chriſoſtome in his tenth Homily vponupon Geneſis, vſed this ſimilitude: …f (ſaith hee) in earthly matters when wee ſee theſe things that be done, approued by graue and mightie men, wee miſlike not their cenſure nor gainſay it, but preferre their iudgement before our own: how much more ſhould we carry the ſame minde of all viſible creatures, which we know that God the creator of all thinges made? That ſince wee hauehave receaued his cenſure of them all, that all that hee made was wery good, let vsus ſuſpende our iudgements & bury them in ſilence, and let vsus not dare to prefer the iudgements of all men before the Lords: and wee may perſwade our ſelues with ſtrong and ſufficient arguments, that the Lord made all things in great wiſdome and mercy, and in a worde, that the Lord made nothing vnaduiſedly or without cauſe: but though we know not the cauſes of his workes, becauſe of the weakeneſſe of our vnderſtandings: yet hath hee made all things according to his wiſdome and moſ… mightie mercy.
Thus farre Chriſoſtome: If therefore by the teſtimonie of Ariſtotle, nature made nothing in vaine, As that m… who was vtterly ignorāt of true religiō affirmed of nature, which he yet iudge… to be both blinde and brutiſh: how much more are we bound to attribut… vntounto the moſt wiſe creator of all thing… this perfection in his creation, that he made nothing in vaine, but all thing… in great wiſdome: ſince all his worke… redounded to his glory, which is th… laſt, and the cheifeſt end of all things, and by the common conſent of all men, eueryevery thing is iudged either perfect or vnperfect, by the attaining of his ende? There is a fourth argument, thus made againſt the prouidence of God: If God who is moſt wiſe and righteous in his iudgements, doe gouerne all things, & eueryevery particular thing there ſhold not be ſo great troubles in cōmon wealths, and ſpecially in the Church, whereof the Lord hath a ſpeciall care, for that it is his Sanctuarie: but both in Church and common-wealth there is great vnquietneſſe, ſo that all lawes both diuine and humane are openly violated: good men moſt cruelly are delte withall, euill men do reioyce and triumphe in their wickedneſſe without controlement: God therfore gouerneth not all things that are in common-wealths and in the Churches.
This argument thus drawne from the nature of Gods iuſtice (which ſemeth to be contrary to his gouernement by his prouidence, if he ſhold ſee, moderate, and ſuffer all theſe outrages and diſorders) is one of the cheifeſt proppes of Epicurus his opinion: And this argument troubleth many that now liue, & dayly labour to bringe Epicurus name in obloquie with all men, & yet are content to liue like Epicures: and this argument alſo the Turkes, and our capitall enemies (the papiſts) obiect moſt againſt vsus: and ſure it carrieth ſuch waight with it, that Dauid confeſſeth that he was ſo aſtonied, that his feete were almoſt gone: & his ſteppes had welnere ſlipt, when hee ſaw the proſperitie of the wicked, and puniſhments and hard entertainement of the godly, vntill he went into the ſanctuarie of God: then vnderſtoode he their ende, that is vntil Dauid entered into Gods ſchoole, & learned by his worde & holy ſpirit, that he ordered all things moſt wiſely, & iuſtly. After Pomp…y had bene put to the worſt in the battaile fought betwixt Caeſar and him, in the confines of Pharſalos, and eſcaped by flight to Mytilene, he went to Cratippus, and diſputed with the Philoſopher in his garden, whether he thought there was any God which by his prouidence ruled in earth: and for that before in very bad quarels …ee had had moſt proſperous ſucceſſe, as when he had ſubdued, and in battaile vanquiſhed the inhabitants of the Eaſt part of the worlde, and was now in a moſt good cauſe ouercome, ſtripped of his armie, and forced to flie away himſelf alone moſt ſhamefully: he hereof gathered that God regarded not what was …one amōgſt men, but yt all things were …one by chāce. Thus doth the wiſe mē of … world iudge & ſpeake of ſuch euents. But the holy ghoſt teacheth vsus to iudge …ar otherwiſe of them: When Moſes in his ſong Deut. 32. was to deliuer to the …eople the threatnings of God, if they were diſobedient, which afterward the …ebellious Iſraelites felt, he vſeth this preface: Perfect is the work of the migh…ie God: for all his waies are iudgement: God is true & without wickednes, iuſt and righteous is he: teaching hereby that whatſoeuer the world doth prate of the cauſes of afflictions, that God with great wiſdome, doth ſende forth of his treaſures all ſortes of calamities: ſome-time by them to puniſh the wicked, ſometime to exerciſe the godly with them. For the ſinnes of the peopl… the hipocrite doth raigne: that is, tirant… ſit in the throne of Iuſtice, which vnderunder pretence of executing iuſtice, ar… but hipocrites and oppreſſe the people: Iob 34. verſe 30.
Woe be to thee (ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah) which ſpoileſt, for thou ſhalt be ſpoiled: And indeed, one tyrāt plagueth another, & though tyrants be a plague to all nations & Kingdomes yet are they themſelues in due time in like ſort puniſhed by other tyrants▪ In the perſon of Sennacherib the iudgements of God are very liuely ſet forth by the prophet Iſaiah in the tenth Chapter of his propheſie: The Lord ſtirreth vp the King of the Aſſirians to puniſh the eaſtern people: Sennacherib was a wicked man, and he is a ſcourge to wicked people, yea hee cruelly vexed the people of God, hee ſpoileth almoſt all Paleſtina, he beſeigeth Ieruſalem the cheife Citie of that country: And thus ſaith God of him by the Prophet in that place: O A ſhur the rod of my wrath and the ſtaffe in their hands is mine indignation: I wil ſend him to a diſſembling nation, and I will giuegive him a charge againſt the people of my wrath, to take the ſpoile, and to take the pray, and to treade them vnderfoote like the mire in the ſtreete. But he thinketh not ſo, neither doth his heart eſteeme it ſo: and ſo forth. And a little after, thus ſaith God by the Prophet of him: But when the Lord hath accompliſhed all his worke vponupon Mount Sion and Ieruſalem, I will viſit the fruite of the proude heart of the King of Aſhur, and his glorious and proud lookes, Becauſe hee ſaid, by the power of min own hand hauehave I done it, and by my wiſdome, becauſe I am wiſe: And a little after this, thus ſaith the Prophet, Shal the axe boaſt it ſelfe againſt him that heweth therewith? If Pompey had looked on this example, thus laide forth by the Prophet, hee might hauehave bene better occupied & inſtructed, thē he was by his toying with Cratippus: and this would hauehave taught him, that thought the Lord ſuffereth tyrantes to bee for a time a plague to any nation, yet in his appointed time hee ſuffereth them to bee puniſhed by other tyrantes, and to hauehave the ſame meaſure that they meaſured vntounto others: Now if wee compare Sennacherib, and Pompey that gloried in this Litle The greate: which name Silla gaue him for his victories: wee ſhall finde many things a like in their hiſtories. Both of them was an are in the hand of God to ſtrike the people of the Eaſt: both of them deſtroyed Paleſtina, and afflicted the people of God: Sennacherib deſeiged Ieruſalem, Pompey tooke it, the Aſſirian was put to flight by an Angel, and was ſlaine in his temple, that is in his ſanctuarie, by his owne Sonnes: Pompey was put to flight by Caeſar, and flying to Ptolomie King of Egipt, whoſe father being diſpoſſeſſed of his Kingdome, he had reſtored againe to his crowne, & therefore Ptolomie ſhould hauehave bene as a ſonne vntounto Pompey, was there in Egipt with him miſerably ſlaine. So vnſearchable are the waies of Gods iudgements: for that which Michah ſpeaketh of the Caldeans in the 4. chap. of his propheſie: They know not the thoughts of the Lord, they vnderſtand not his counſell, therefore they ſhall be thraſhed as ſheaues in the barne, may be ſpoken of all theſe Giants and proude tyrantes, who for that they know not the counſaile of the Lord, ſhall in his appointed time beare the puniſhement of their pride: Neither doth the holy Ghoſt teache vsus, that the wicked onelyonly are puniſhed, but that the Church of God is alſo afflicted though for another ende and purpoſe: And there may many reaſons be brought, to ſhew why the Churche of God is ſubiect to ſo many calamities, but I will at this time alleadge onelyonly three, by which as by many other wee may know, that the Lord in truth and iudgement, doth exerciſe his Churche with afflictions. The firſt is that ſo long as we cary about with vsus this burthen of corruption, we are not onelyonly ſubiect to ſinne, but doe continually by ſinning prouoke the Lorde to deals in iuſtice with vsus: And therefore it is agreeable to the iuſtice of God, that wee bee chaſtened of the Lord with a fatherly rod, which may kéepe vsus in obedience: yea wee muſt all ſay with Ieremy in the third chapter of his Lamentations, verſe 22. It is the Lords mercies, that wee are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſions faile not.
My ſeconde reaſon is this: It is beſt for vsus to bee humbled vnderunder the mightie hand of God: for wee know how feirce and haughty minded we are by nature, ſo that it is neceſſarie for vsus, that God keepe vsus vnderunder his ſchooling, and ſo hauehave vsus in ſome awe: Therefore Dauid ſaith in the 119. Pſalme, ver. 67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray: but now I keepe thy word. And ver. 71. It is good for me that I hauehave bene afflicted, that I may learne thy ſtatutes. The third reaſon is deliuered by Paul in his firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians the 11. Chapter verſe 32. When wee are iudged wee are chaſtned of the Lord, becauſe wee would not be condemned with the world: Therefore let vsus conclude this whole diſcourſe with Moſes thus: The iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous, neither let vsus meaſure them according to our own cōceit & iudgemēts which are very deceauable, but let vsus know that the godly are puniſhed for their ſinnes they dayly commit, that they may be humbled, and that they periſh not with the wicked: but God in puniſhing the wicked, doth ſhewe and open the treaſures of his long ſufferance, patience and iuſtice: but when hee afficteth vsus, he maketh vsus like to his owne Sonne Chriſt, and ſtirreth vp in vsus an earneſt deſire to be diſſolued and to be with Chriſt.
Let vsus in the meane time giuegive our ſelues to harty and earneſt prayers, praying continually with the Saints of God:
Come Lord Ieſus, yea come quickly. Amen. Amen.
End of the text · Arthur Dent, A Platform for the Proof of Gods Providence (1608)