The Eye and Wheel of Providence, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Sect. 1. How Gods Providence reacheth the Wicked. Of his ſuffering the wicked to rage against his People. A Queſtion, Whether a Chriſtian may flie in time of perſecution reſolved?
HAving ſpoken of the ſpecial Providence of God toward the Godly; I ſhall ſhew how it reacheth the wicked and ungodly.
1. Gods Providence is to be obſerved in ſuffering the wicked to rage againſt the people of God. The Gentiles are ſaid to rage againſt Chriſt and his Kingdom, and God ſits in Heaven, and laugheth them to ſcorn, Pſal. 2.1,—4. The word here tranſlated [rage] ſometime ſignifieth to run together, and becauſe in ſuch a concourſe there is a great noiſe, therefore is it tranſlated [rage] and ſo it may very fitly be ſaid of the multitude,Turba turbulenta. for the multitude is turbulent. The Lord for a time lets looſe the wicked, layes the reins in their necks, giving them leave to revel, during which time they are very active, and do what miſchief they may, and when at any time they do not openly break forth, it is not for want of malice, but for want of power. Wicked men are the Devils bandogs and maſtiffs to hunt Chriſts ſheep, and perſecute his people, when God permits them by his providence. Pharaoh requireth the Iſraelites Midwives to deſtroy the male children of the Hebrews. Saul perſecuteth innocent David. Sennacherib cauſleſly maketh war upon Hezekiah. The wicked hate the godly, therefore they perſecute them; They are not of the world, therefore the world hateth them, John 15.19, 21. Cain ſlew his brother, becauſe his own works were evil, and his brothers good, 1 Joh. 3.12. And David ſaith, They that render evil for good are mine adverſaries, becauſe I follow the thing that is good, Pſal. 38.20. When Chriſt ſtedfaſtly ſet his face to go to Jeruſalem, he ſent meſſengers before his face, who went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him, but they did not receive him, becauſe his face was as though he would go to Jeruſalem, Luk. 9.51, 52, 53. The great reaſon of their rudeneſſe was, becauſe he was a Jew. Now the Jews and they were affected either to the other, Iohn 4.9. as the Aegyptians and Iſraelites, Ita oculi loqui dicuntur, quia ſaepenumerò innuunt quod dictum volumus. Ità facies ire dicitur, quia ſaepè prae ſe ſert quo iter deſtinatum eſt.Gen. 43. Tremellius tells us, That howſoever the Samaritans hated the Jews alwayes, and for divers cauſes, and therefore would have nothing to do with them; yet now eſpecially, they hate Chriſt and his company, becauſe they perceive him to be going up to Jeruſalem, to keep the great Paſſeover, and therefore contemned their Temple built at Mount Gerizim by Sanballat a Governour of King Darius, Joſeph. Antiq. l. 11. c. 7. Tacit. Annal. lib. 12.in favour of one Manaſſes a Kinſman of his, whom (being depoſed from his office in Jeruſalem for ſome miſdemeanours) he made Prieſt there, as good Authors do affirm. Hence we ſee, That there is no greater hatred than ariſeth from diverſity of Religions, as appeareth in the woman of Samaria, John 4. to our Saviour; for he no ſooner askt of her a little water, but ſhe calls him Jew. And here our Saviour doth not ſend to this village, that all the principal people therein ſhould come forth to meet him, but only deſireth to have lodging and other neceſſary proviſion for himſelf and his company for their journey, which they refuſe to afford him.
Queſt. Here I ſhall propound a Queſtion, viz. Whether it may be lawfull for a Chriſtian to flie in time of perſecution to eſcape the rage and fury of perſecutors?
Reſp. I anſwer, that he may in ſome caſes, and at ſome times; and at other he may no; as namely when God may be more glorified by his flight, then by his abiding by it, as when by thus doing he may reſerve himſelf for a greater Good. Nor is it in ſuch a caſe any argument of puſillanimity and cowardize to fear and flie: The ſaying is, That ſouldier that runneth away may turn again and fight, but he that keepeth his rank, and is killed depriveth himſelf utterly of that hope. Much in ſuch a caſe, Ariſtippus once being at Sea in a tempeſt, and ſeeming affrighted (as all men and all creatures naturally fear their deſtruction) a certain rude fellow that was with him in the Ship ſaid; You Philoſophers teach that death ought not to be feared, how cometh it then to paſſe, that thou being a learned Philoſopher feareſt death more than I that am a plain fellow? To whom the Philoſopher ſaid, It's true, indeed I teach that Death is not to be feared, nor would I fear it in ſome caſes, viz. to do my Countrey ſervice; but I fear in this ſort to loſe my life, and ſo deprive my ſelf of all opportunity of ever doing my Countrey any more good. There's ſome cauſe why I ſhould fear more than thou, becauſe I ſhall loſe more than thou, for my life is more worth than thine; I muſt loſe the life of a Philoſopher, thou but of a baſe companion.
That it's lawfull at ſometime to fly in time of perſecution, our Saviour makes moſt evident, Mat. 10.23. bidding his Diſciples, if they were perſecuted in one City, to fly unto another: he doth not appoint them to fly in time of danger, becauſe he could not ſave them in the midſt of dangers, for he gave a taſt of this at the time of his apprehenſion; but he inſtructeth mans frailty not to tempt God, when there is a way open for him to eſcape, ſaith Austin. Aug. contra Fauſt. l. 82. c. 36. Hilar. Can. 10.He bids them to fly from one place to another, ſaith Hilary, becauſe the preaching of the Goſpel being driven from Judea, ſhould paſs into Grecia, and from Grecia to all the reſt of the Gentiles, and ſo all Nations ſhould believe at the preaching of the Apoſtles.—Chriſt himſelf divers times conveyed himſelf from the Jews, when they would have wronged him: when Herod ſought him to have put him to death,Remigius ſaith, this precept of flying belongeth to the weak, for whom it is better to flie, than in the midſt of torments, to deny the Chriſtian Religion. he would not be found, Mat. 2. when the Jews would have ſtoned him, he conveyed himſelf from them, Joh. 8. and when they had him in their hands, and carried him up an hill to throw him down head-long, yet he paſſeth thorow the midſt of them, and they cannot hold or hurt him, Luk. 4.29, 30. he made an eſcape, not becauſe he would not ſuffer,Voluntariè paſſus eſt Chriſtus, nòn enim paſſionem fugit, ſed patiendi tempus expectat. but becauſe he would not ſuffer yet, his hour and time was not yet come; nor had he yet accompliſhed that whereunto he was appointed: and this he did, either by blinding their eyes that they might not ſee him, or binding their hands that they could not touch him. When the Jews laid wait to take Paul, he is contented to make an eſcape, by being let down at a window over a wall in a basket, Act. 9.25. becauſe the time was not yet come, that he ſhould by ſhedding his bloud glorifie God: but when Agabus tells him that the Jews would bind him and impriſon him, (and therefore his friends diſſwade him from going up to Jeruſalem) he willeth them to quiet themſelves, and not trouble him, for he was reſolved and ready not only to be bound, but to die at Ieruſalem, or any other place, for the Name of the Lord Jeſus, Act. 21.13. The truth is, when men in likelyhood may more glorifie God, and benefit their brethren by flying than dying, they may provide for themſelves by that means, elſe not: as that worthy Martyr our own Countreyman, Dr Rowland Tailor ſometime ſaid, (being asked his judgement of divers that fled for Religion, in the perſecution in Queen Maries dayes) his anſwer was, that he approved their fact, and thought they did both wiſely and godlily, and then being askt, why himſelf would not accompany them, gave this anſwer, that their caſes were not like, for they were young men, and likely enough to live and return to do good ſervice to God and his Church, when it ſhould pleaſe him to ſend more calm and peaceable times; but for his own part, he was old, ſpent, and unfit for travell, being likely to die in the Journey, and therefore now or never was his time to glorifie God by dying and frying;Fox's Martyrol. and this reſolution he put in execution, and by being burnt for the truth, lighted ſuch a candle on earth, as (doubtleſs) lighted many others the way to Heaven. Danaeus ſaith,Danaeus Epiſt. Genevenſ ante Auguſt. de haereſib. that the burning of his Maſter Burgius at Paris An. 1559, kindled in him a greater love to Religion, cauſing him to leave the ſtudy of the Civil Law, and to give himſelf wholly to Theology.
Sect. 2. Of Gods reſtraining the rage of the wicked, ſhewed in divers particulars.
2. IN the ſecond place,Let the rage of Tyrants be never ſo great, they ſhall not prevent Gods purpoſe, nor hurt the godly, till they have done that wherto they are appointed. Gods providence is manifeſt in reſtraining the wicked from the execution of their rage, and malice againſt the people of God. Wicked men of themſelves are very wilfull and obſtinate ſinners, and will not be reclaimed by fair means and gentle perſwaſions, and therefore the Lord can and doth often compell them as with bit and bridle, he will reſtrain them from and conſtrain them to whatſoever he pleaſeth, Lev. 26.27, 28. and Prov. 26.3. Solomon tells us, that a whip is for the horſe, a bridle for the aſs, and a rod for the fools back. Now God hath many bridles, the choice whereof he may take, and make uſe of at his pleaſure; as
1. His own will, which none is able to reſiſt.
2. The Law of God, which oftentimes reſtraineth and keepeth in ſome order the moſt headſtrong ſinners.
1. By ſetting before them the unprofitableneſs and incommodiouſneſs of ſuch or ſuch a ſin: thus Joſephs brethren were hindered from killing him upon this conſideration, Gen. 37.26, 27. Iuda ſaid to his brethren, What profit is it if we ſtay our brother, and conceal his bloud? therefore they ſell him to the Iſhmaelites.
2. By affrighting the ſinner with the danger that attendeth the committing of ſuch or ſuch a ſin: God ſometimes cooleth the purpoſes of ſinners by his Law, terrifying them with the thoughts of death and judgment, and of Hell-torments, and of the great account which they muſt ſhortly make, at the Bar of the Judge of the whole world.
3. Sometime by ſetting before them the impoſſibility or difficulty of committing ſuch or ſuch a ſin: by this conſideration the Scribes and Phariſees were often hindered from laying violent hands upon Chriſt, Mat. 21.42.
4. Sometimes he layes a ſecret reſtraint upon mens ſpirits, as upon the Canaanites, not to purſue the ſons of Iacob, after the horrid murder done by Simeon and Levi upon the Shechemites: the like reſtraint was upon the Popiſh Party, when Pope Pius the fourth moved the King of Spain, the King of France, and the Duke of Savoy, to make Warre againſt Geneva.
5. By his powerfull hand upon men, as by his ten plagues upon Pharaoh: ſo the Lord ſaith to Sennacherib, I will put my book into thy noſtrils, and my bridle into thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou cameſt, becauſe thy rage againſt me, and thy tumult is come up into my ears, 2 Reg. 19.28. a bridle ſuffers the Horſe to breath, but not to bite. So he threatens Pharaoh King of Aegypt, Ezek. 29.4. and Gog and Magog, the chief Princes of Meſech and Tubal, Ezek. 38.1, 2. ſuch bridles are ofttimes ſickneſſes, impriſonments, baniſhment, and whatſoever whereby ſinners are reſtrained of their wills, and conſtrained to ſubmit to the will of God. It's reported of the Numidians, that they were ſuch excellent Horſemen, that they could ride without bridles, whom ſome Authors call infraenos & gentem neſciam fraeni. Virgil. Aeneid. 4. Auſon. in grat. Act. Symſon. in Pſal 32.This then is a ſhame for thoſe that profeſs themſelves Chriſtians, to be like a Horſe, whoſe mouth muſt be held in with bit and bridle, Pſal. 32.9. It ſufficeth a good natur'd child to ſee the rod, though he never feel it; and it's great wiſdome for us to be reclaimed by the rod of Gods mouth, that ſo we may not feel the rod of his hand. In a word, the very Philoſophers could ſay,Liberalis animus dicitur nòn trahitur. A liberal mind is led not drawn; and the Scriptures tell us, that of all Sacrifices free-will offerings were beſt accepted.
Sect. 3. Of the terrible executions God doth ſometimes on wicked men; many notable Examples of Gods dreadfull Judgment on perſecutors.
3. GOD's Providence is wonderfull ſometime in doing dreadfull executions upon wicked men, and the Enemies of his Church and Kingdom. Such as are dreadfull,
1. In their kind, as when the Sea overwhelmed Pharaoh and his hoſt, that for many years had tyrannized over the people of God: And the earth ſwallowed up Corah, Dathan and Abiram, and a fire brake forth, and conſumed an hundred and fifty men that offered incenſe.
2. Dreadfull for the manner of them, as it was in the caſe of Haman; he that before had abundance of Honour, Favour, Riches, did now boaſt of a new addition, telling his wife and friends, that he was invited by the Queen to a banquet, and having by their advice erected a Gibbet for Mordecai's deſtruction, when on the morning he went with a petition for his life, he was forced by the King to be Mordecai's Lacquey, and when he came to the banquet, he was immediately condemned to be hanged upon the ſame Gibbet. So Herod, when he was applauded as a God, was immediately ſmitten by an Angel, and devoured by worms. Pharaoh cauſeth the male-children of the Iſraelites to be drowned in the River Nilus, and is himſelf drowned in the Sea,Look upon Domitian, Decius, Diocleſian, Julian, Herod, Antiochus, and many ſuch like Princes perſecuting the Church; all of them have miſcarried by ſome fearfull death or other. Goſſens Trumpet of War. Exod. 14. Saul that perſecuteth guiltleſſe David, killeth himſelf, and becometh his own Executioner, 1 Sam. 24. Sennacherib, that in a meer humour made war againſt Hezekiah, is brought to an unnatural and untimely death by his own children, 2 Kings 19. Hiſtories tell us of the Emperour Domitian (that perſecuted John the Evangeliſt) that he was ſlain in his Chamber by his own ſervants, and not without the conſent of his own ſervants, and not without the conſent of his own wife Domitia, as Suetonius tells us.Sueton. in Domit. Likewiſe Nero, who deviſed all the tricks that the Devil could furniſh him with to perſecute the Chriſtians,Great were the Emperours of Rome, and the Tyrants of Greece, but as wicked as they were great; and of the Romans thirty were ſlain by thoſe in whom they repoſed moſt truſt being ſervants, ſouldiers, wives or children unto them, and four being fearfull of their enemies, or weary of their own lives, became ſelf-murtherers. So of all the Tyrants of Greece three only left their Progeny heirs of their Tyranny. More's Demonſt. and make them odious to the State, and ſet the City of Rome on fire, and laid the blame of it upon them, at length ſeeing himſelf hated of all men, ſlew himſelf. And in Trajan's time, who alſo made cruel Decrees againſt the Chriſtians, his Palace was burnt, Tiber overflowed, the plague and famine waſted much of his people. The like may be ſaid of M. Antonius Verus, and of Lucius Septimus Severus, who being driven out of his Empire by civil wars, and dying at York, uttered this deſperate ſpeech, Omnia fui, & nihil mihi prodest. I have gone thorow all eſtates and conditions, but nothing doth me any good at all. We read likewiſe of Julius Maximinus, who having made a Decree againſt the Chriſtians, and being in the Act perſecuting them, periſhed in an inſurrection and mutiny of his ſouldiers who hated him, and for his cruelty killed not only himſelf, but his ſon alſo, crying out, There ſhould not a Whelp eſcape of ſo bad a breed. Item, Decius the Emperour, a great Perſecutor of the Chriſtians, had his body ſwallowed up of a Quickſand or Quag-mire. Likewiſe Lycius Valerianus who being taken captive by Sapor King of Perſia, was a long time uſed as his Stirrop to help him to Horſe-back, and at laſt growing weak and unſerviceable for that purpoſe, had his skin flawed over his ears. Likewiſe Valerius Aurelianus, who was firſt admoniſhed with a thunderbolt falling between his legs, and not making a right uſe of it, but perſiſting in his perſecutions, trod in Nero's ſteps, and was his own Executioner. The Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory is ſtored with ſuch miraculous deſtructions of Hereticks,Reſtorer of the French eſtate, pag. 38. among which Arius is notable: for even when he thought himſelf moſt aſſured, and as it were to have ſet his foot on the throat of that good Paſtour Alexander his Adverſary, he burſt in ſunder, and his bowels fell out at the ſame Alexanders prayer. The conſideration of theſe tragical ends upon theſe enemies of the Church, may make us ſay with the Pſalmiſt, The righteous ſhall rejoyce when he ſeeth the vengeance; he ſhall waſh his feet in the bloud of the wicked; ſo that a man ſhall ſay, Verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtleſs there is a God that judgeth in the earth, Pſal. 58.10, 11. Heaven, Earth and Sea, ſaith one,foreign. Niceph. Gregor. l. 7 do fight againſt a wicked man, as a fugitive from Providence, and a diſturber of juſtice.
3. In reſpect of the meaſure of them: Reward Babylon, as ſhe hath rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which ſhe hath filled, fill to her double, Revel. 18.6. By this it appeareth, that whereas other Princes rule in the midſt of their Subjects, the Lord ruleth in the midſt of his enemies, Pſal. 110.2. And this maketh much for the comfort of the people of God, that the Lord in his ſevereſt judgements executed upon his enemies, is alwayes mindfull of his love and mercy towards them. The Lord doth on purpoſe ſink the veſſels of wrath, that he may waft over and ſafely tranſport the veſſels of mercy to the haven; he uſually makes way for the ſaving his children by the ruine of his enemies. The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth; the wicked is ſnared in the work of his own hands: Higgaion Selah, Pſa. 9.16.Rem valdè medirandam. Junius ad loc. The wonderfull events which the ſuperſtitious attribute to Saints and Idols, the Polititians to their plots; ſome to their own worth; others to the means and extraordinary concurrence of ſecond cauſes, and the ignorant to Chance and Fortune, the Penmen of the holy Scriptures do ever aſcribe to the Lord; they held it their beſt analyticks, to reſolve all ſuch effects into their firſt principle,Dr Prideaux Lect. in Pſal. 9.16. as a learned Divine of ours hath well noted.