The Eye and Wheel of Providence, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Argum. 5. Argum. 6.
Argum. 5 FUrthermore, the ſeverall diſpoſitions of people, according to the Climats in which they live, do notably prove there is a Providence. Tacitus tells us,Tacitus. Caeſars Comment. that the Magiſtrate commandeth nothing in Germany, but with the Sword in his hand: and Caeſar ſaith, that the Germans made little account of any thing but war and hunting: and Solinus ſaith, The Scythians did ſtick a Sword into the ground, Solinus.the which they worſhipped, placing the end of all their actions, Laws, Religions and judgements, in their force and Arms; and whether we have not had many of theſe mens Religion of late among us, let any indifferent perſon judge. The naturall diſpoſition of the Northern Nations, is quite contrary to them of the South, and the people of the middle Nations to both. The Northern Nations are laborious and exerciſed in Manuall Arts; the greateſt Law-makers, States-men, eloquent Orators, Poets and Hiſtoriographers, are in a manner all of the middle Nations. The Southern people are full of ſagacity, and ſubtill ſearchers in occult Sciences to inſtruct others; the Aegyptians, Chaldeans and Arabians, (thoſe Southern people) have brought to light the hidden Sciences, both Naturall and Mathematicall. This may be ſpoken for the generall qualities of people of all Countreys; but as for the particular, there are in all places and in all Countreys men of all humours, as Bodinus noteth: and we may ſee in every Countrey,Bodin de Republ. l. 5. c. 1. how wiſely God in his Providence hath tempered the ſocieties of men. All are not of one diſpoſition: ſome are hot and fiery, ſuddain, raſh and violent in their actions and motions; others are more ſolid, of riper wits, and more deliberate in their doings: ſome again are very dull, and of blockiſh ſtupidity; others are very quick, and full of agility: ſome need the bridle, and ſome the ſpur. If all men were hot and heady, the world would ſoon be in a flame; if all were dull and heavy, it would lie flat and dead. Stirring wits, ſaith one, like working Barm, Struth. obſerv. Cent. 1.put the drowſineſs of the ſimple to working, and the ſlowneſs of the other tempereth their forwardneſs, and both theſe extreams are brought to the golden mean. It's worth while to mark this diſpoſition, and Gods Providence bringing all to a right temper and good end; and wiſe men have obſerved, that great and noble ſpirits have leaſt paſſions, and that the loweſt and baſeſt ſpirits are moſt ſubject to paſſion. If Princes power were in the hands of rurall Peaſants, or the paſſions of private men in Princes, the world would ſoon totter; but Gods Providence hath wiſely ſevered them, that power without paſſion may be beneficiall, and paſſions without power may be harmleſs.
Argum. 6 The laſt Argument is drawn from the conſideration of the fragility, and mutability of all outward things: if we read ſacred and prophane Stories, we ſhall ſee the truth hereof abundantly. Nebuchadnezzar that lofty Prince would mount up to Heaven, and ſet his Throne among the Stars, and God tumbleth him down, making him to eat graſs with the Oxen,Dan 4 34, 35. and for divers years to lead a life in bruitiſhneſs; and when his underſtanding and di…ity is reſtored to him, he acknowledgeth Gods Providence and his Soveraignty over him. Belſhazzar in the midſt of great feaſting and jollity, heareth the great Clock ſtrike his hour, and ſeeth a mans hand in the Wall, drawing a dreadfull ſentence againſt him. Caeſar is maſſacred in the midſt of the Senate; and Valerian the Roman Emperour, becometh a footſtep for Sapor King of Perſia to mount on Horſeback: the proud Bajazet is carried about in a Cage by Tamerlane. Munſt. Coſm. in Germ. p. 299We read likewiſe of Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany, a valiant Prince, that after victory gotten by him in fifty two pitcht Battels, he was depoſed in his old age, and brought to that neceſſity, that he made ſuit to be a Prebendary in the Church of Spire which he had built, which was denied him; whereupon it is ſaid, he brake forth into thoſe words of lamenting Job, Have pity upon me O my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me. And Procopius tells us of Geliver Prince of the Vandals, brought to that miſery,Pr…cop. de bello Gothico. that he wrote to a Friend of his, to ſend him a Harp, a Spunge, and a Loaf; a Harp for his ſolace, a Spunge to dry up his tears, and a Loaf to ſtaunch his hunger.Sr Rich. Barckl. de ſummo bono. One ſaith of unſtable fortune, as it is commonly called, Hos premit, hoſ que levat, hos dejicit, erigit illos. Cogit & in varios homines deſcendere caſus. Heidfield. Sphinx. Philoſ. Seſoſtris that proud King was aptly taught the uncertainty of earthly enjoyments, by the example of four Kings, whom (when he had taken them priſoners) he cauſed to draw him in a Chariot; in which action one of the Kings turned his face alwayes backward, and being demanded the cauſe, he anſwered, as he beheld the Wheels of the Chariot, the ſame that was on high did on a ſuddain come down below, and thereby he called to mind the unſtable condition of men, which anſwer cauſed Seſoſtris to uſe them more mildly and courteouſly aftrewards. In this world we have no certain nor ſure eſtate, no abiding City in a periſhing world: though the earth be ſo eſtabliſhed by Gods Word, that it abideth for ever, yet all things on the face thereof do evaniſh by changes. A ſerious and frequent meditation of change, is a good way to make our eſtate certain.