The Worlds Resurrection, Section 90 – Section 94
O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge &c.
Doctr.We must in the hidden misteries and secrecies of almighty God, not be curious to know impossibilities, much lesse, to obiect and except against the manner of Gods proceeding herein; but containe our selues within the precincts and limmits of his word, and adore and admire the secret counsailes of God, and not vainely and rashly attempt to finde & serch them out. Psal. 36. ver. 6.
The first reason hereof is, for that the infinite wisdome and glory of God appeareth in this, that his iudgements and secrets, (especially in matters of predestination and reprobation, and of particular euents and of the moments and times thereof) are conceiled and kept from vsus.2 Ch. 32. v. 21 God will not (as Ezechias foolishly and vainely did shew all his riches and treasures to the Babilonish ambassadours) God I say wil not in this world impart and communicate his in-most counsailes to any but by the euent only.
The second reason is, because God in dispensing of matters, hath hidden contraries as it were vnderunder contraries. viz. contrary ends vnderunder contrarie means, life vnderunder death, glory vnderunder shame, riches vnderunder pouerty. 2 Cor. 6.8.9.10. Hebr. 2.25. Thirdly the Apostle Paul, could not, nor durst serch them, much lesse we that are so much inferiour vntounto him and hauehave no Apostolicall gifts.
Vse 1. This doctrine refuteth and condemneth all curious, friuolous, and vnnecessary questions such as these following: why did God creat man apt to fall?Curious questions. why did not God preuent, or keepe him from falling? why doth God elect some & refuse others? why doth not God cause his word to bee preached in one and the same age, in all places of the world? why doth God condemne men for vnbeleife; seeing that no man can possibly beleeue, vnlesse God confer faith vponupon him? why doth God not conuert all; seeing that he can do it? why hath God and yet still doth, suffer the greatest part of the world, to remaine in error and blindnesse? why doth he at one time call more then at another? Is not God vniust & cruel to predestnat men to condemnation before they hauehave done good or euill? Vse 2. As often as in the confusion & disorders yt seeme to be in the world our faith beginneth to wauer, let vsus remember yt Gods iudgment in the whole gouernment of ye world,Psal. 36.7. is most deseruedly cōpared to a uast huge deepe, yt filleth heauen and earth: & yt which by they eie of our iudgmēt we cannot peirce into, let vsus rather reuerently submit our selues vntounto, then curiously to prie and diue into it.
How vnserchable are his waies and his iudgements past finding out.
Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord?
We must not be curious,Doctr. inquisitiue or desirous to know, any thing of God and his waies, and of his course, and order, that he obserueth in disposing and managing vniuersall and particular things,Deut. 29. v. 29 which hee hath not reuealed in holy scripture. Act. 1.6. where God hath no mouth to speake we must hauehave no eares to heare, and where hee ceaseth directing, wee must cease enquiring. Math. 12.22. wicked therefore is the practise of those that by Astrology and other indirect means seeke to know the day of mens death, and calculate issues of particular intendments. The first reason hereof is, for that they are deeper and more profound, then that mans reason can find out, and if we busie and trouble our selues herein, we shall at length be oppressed with the brightnesse of Gods maiesty & confounded in our owne vaine imaginations. Secondly, they that are curious and inquisitiue herein, fall (through Gods iust iudgement) into such intricate laborinthes, that they can neuer recouer themselues out of, and plunge themselues into such a bottomlesse gulfe, out of which they shall neuer arise. Thirdly we hauehave matter and employment sufficient, and that for our soules health, to bestow and busie our selues in all the daies of our life, in serching out, musing vponupon, and in laboring to bring into vre and practise, Gods will reuealed, which conteineth that which is aboundantly sufficient for saluation, we can neuer in this mortality sound out the depth of it, muchlesse follow and obey it: ergo, what vanity and follie is it, to omit and leaue vndone that which God hath commanded & which so highly concerneth vsus,Mich. 6, 8 Rom. 12.22 and preposterously and vnprofitably to busie our selues to know things impossible and vnlawfull for vsus to know, and the knowledge thereof would be hurtfull vntounto vsus?
Vse 1. Let vsus leaue and bid adue to all vaine speculations, wherein we do nothing but offend God, wearie and wast our wits, and trifle out our times vnprofitablely, much rather let vsus exercise our selues and senses in serching the holy scripture and then labour chiefely to know and practise these things that concerne our faith, sanctification & saluation; herein wee shall finde imployment ynough though we hauehave the wisedome of Salomon and could liue as long as Methusala did.
2 Vse. It must teach vsus to rest contented in Gods counsailes and subscribe to his will, and when wee see many thinges to crosse our expectation & iudgement; we must not accuse God of iniustice and want of wisdome.
For hee alone knoweth what to doe and how to determine of all thinges and persons, and what is most agreeable to his diuine Maiestie, and whatsoeuer he doth is alwaies good (in regard of him-selfe) and nothing could be done more wisely and in better order: and therefore we must rather with al reuerence adore these hidden secresies, then any way carpe or cauell at them.
3 Vse. Wee are admonished hereby to be thankefull to God for his wisedome and manner of disposing and gouerning all things,Iob. 1. v. 27. euen then when his iudgements & corruptions inflicted vponupon our selues, seeme bitter, harsh and intollerable.
who was his Counsailer?Doct.
Doctr. God in the decreeing and disposing al things, and in procuring mans saluation needeth no counsail, vseth no mans aduice, but doth all thinges according to his owne good pleasure, & after the counsaile of his owne wil, Psal. 115 v. 3. Eph. 1. v. 5.9.
The reason hereof is, because he is omnipotent, most wise, and God all sufficient vndependent of any other, and of whom all persons, and thinges, hauehave their beeing and dependance.
Secondly, GOD doth act and put in execution nothing in time but that which hee purposed and decreed before all times,Pro. 8. for otherwise he could not be wisdome it selfe, neither could the Sonne of God, his wisdome be, begotten before the Creation of the world.
1 Vse. Therefore let vsus not murmure, or repine against any of his creatures and his workes, neither lette vsus measure them after our owne shallow reason and vnderstanding, for the reason and beginning of it cannot be comprehended;Iob 38.29.40.41. Psa. 39.17.18. it surmounteth all mens wits and capacities, and if Gods wisdome in the least creatures be past finding out, how much more in the mattter, and mistery of mans predestination and redemption?
Or who hath giuen vntounto him first, and he shalbe recompensed?
God is debter and beholding vntounto no man, and no man can alledge any seruice worke or study whereby he bindeth God to himselfe,Doctr. or should moue him to elect, preserue and redeeme and glorifie him. Isa. 16.2. Luke. 17.9 10.
Psa. 8.4.Reason hereof. No man can ad any thing to God, for all that we hauehave, we receiue it onelyonly from Gods mercy, and we depend vponupon his goodnesse for it Psa. 16.2.23.
2. Reason: Gods power, will and decree, is free and absolute and hath no respect or relation to any thing from without his essence whatsoeuer. Rom. 9.15.
1. Vse. If God should (for our correction or triall) depriue & bereaue vsus of wife, children, health, liuelihood, goods, houses (as he did his good seruant Iob) we must stay and comfort our selues herein,Math▪ 20.15. for all these thinges are Gods, they were giuen vsus by him, and therefore they are not ours, and he alone may iustly doe with his owne what seemeth good to his diuine will and pleasure.
2. Vse. Here all humaine merits and fore-seene workes in the patriarkes and fore-fathers and their posterity, are debarred from any mouing or procuring cause of GODS fauour and mercy, declared vntounto Iew or Gentile: for of them-selues men can doe nothing that is good, and therefore all proceedeth from Gods meere mercy.
Secondly in matter of reprobation none hath cause to be offended with God or to complaine of his proceedings, for his power and authority is free, and absolute, and he supreme of al creatures, and he may dispose of them as best seemeth good vntounto his heauenly wisdome, and he is not to render any reason of his doings to any.
Lastly the very Reprobates are ordained in Gods decree & (touching the euent) to shew forth GODS glory as well as others,Rom: 9.22. for the glory of his Iustice shalbe manifested in and vponupon them.
For of him are all things.
In that all things hauehave their being,Doctr. creation and preseruation from God onelyonly, and so are of him directed, ordered, and gouerned, we learne that he is God all sufficient both for himselfe and all his people and seruants, and that not only for their temporall life and happines, but much more for their regeneration, redemption and eternall saluation. Gen. 17.1.
He is our Shepheard how then can we want any thing? He hath Heauen and Earth at commaund and how then can his be destitute of that which is good for them? he was perfect and complet in him-selfe before the creation, and therefore his workes ad nothing to his owne nature and essence: and (to conclude) he worketh all things both in wordly and spirituall matters according to the pleasure of his owne will only, without any let or restraint.
Let vsus therefore in no danger, temptation and necessty be daunted and discouraged,Psal. 23.1. for our God whom we serue is able to saue and deliuer vsus, he knoweth how to proceed, and he is a most faithfull creator and an indulgent father vntounto vsus, only let vsus betrust him with the ordering of our affaires, and commend and betake our selues, liues maintenance and affaires vntounto his gratious disposition, and he will neuer faile, nor forsake vsus.
For him are all things.
Seeing that all things,Doctr. yea the very reprobate and all the workes and wonders of GOD, are ordained to set forth the glory either of Gods mercy, or of his iustice we must not in hidden things dispute and repine and expostulate with GOD but patiently submit all to his good will and Pleasure, giuegive him the glory in all things Psa. 115.2. Luk. 17.16. 2. Cor. 10.17. Dan. 9.7. Apoc. 14.6. Ioh. 5 44.
For hereby we declare and testife our obedience,Rom. 9.22. duty and thankefulnesse. God hath created vsus to this end and requireth this tribute and sacriáce at our hands.
Secondly, the title and interest in all things, and the power whereby they are.
Ioh. 5. v, 44. Ioh. 12. v. 43.1 Vse. Heereby are mette withall, and encountred all that seeke their owne glorie (as the Rulers in Christ his time) and seeke not Gods glory at all.
Secondly all Pharisies, Iustitiaries and Papists, who boast and brag of their owne merits, and looke to be saued (in part) by their owne deeds and workes, and not by Gods mercy and Christ Iesus his satisfaction and mediation only.
2 Vse. We must bee wary and carefull, that we neuer vsurp or diminish any part of Gods glory, for God is most iealous of his honour, and cannot indure that it should in any wise be impaired or impugned.
3 Vse. We must in all our wordes and works, consultations and actions, acknowledge, praise & honour God as the chiefe good and the most excellent cause of all thinges, and constantly maintaine and aduance his glory: otherwise if we honour not him he wil neuer honor vsus here, much lesse gloryfie vsus in the life to come.
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Faults escaped in printing.
Pag. 11. l. 1. as these. pag. 14 l. 18. auoy ded pag. 22 l. 18. and drawne. such. pag. 25. l 7. this cōsequence vvas but pag, 27. l. 12. yeelded n… pag. 29. l. 33. Night, pag. 36. l. 2. by good meanes. pag. 50 l. 13. Remainders, pag. 51. l. 14. an occasion. pag. 54. l. 1. read 1. Pet. 1. 13. pag. 58. l. 30. attendance, pag. 59. …. al we Gentiles, pag. 62. l. 13. VVorld, pag. 69. li. 9. is holy, and 19. God offereth and ibid. l. 28. and discerne them.
End of the text · Thomas Draxe, The Worlds Resurrection (1608)