The Subordination of the Will of Man Unto the Will of God — William Strong

The Subordination of the Will of Man Unto the Will of God · William Strong

6. 2 Chron. 7.20. Hic non extolli ipſos homines, etiamſi ſint veri caeleſtis Doctrinae Miniſtri: ſed teſtatur Deus tantum eſſe authoritatis in verbo ſuo, ut ſibi ſubjiciat quicquid altum eſt in terra…ne Regibus quidem exceptis. Cal. Deponit Reges, diſponit regna. Dan. 4.17.The Lord doth plant Kingdoms, and pluck them up by the roots, as he threatned, I will pluck you up by the roots out of the good land that I have given you. And Jer. 1.10. I ſend thee to pluck up, to deſtroy, to build and to plant. He was the Meſſenger to deliver the word, but it was God that would do the work. He takes the moſt flouriſhing Kingdom; (for Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold) and breaks it and makes it to give place to a ſecond that was inferior to it ſelf, the breaſt of ſilver. Sometimes he doth deſtroy the greateſt Families, cuts ſhort a Pſa. 76.12. foreign Ad verbum eſt vindemi at ſpiritum, ſc. faſtum ac ſuperbiam, vinitoris inſtar: vel vitam; ſuorum cauſa, ubi opus eſt, principibus ipſis vitam adimit. Muiſ.the ſpirits of Princes, ſmites bAmos 3.15. Mos olim Regum erat; habebant duas domos, aeſtivam unam, & alteram hyemalem. Jer. 36.22. Iudg 3.20. Druſ. Eſay. 5 9. Eſay 30.25.the winter, the ſummer houſe; layes many houſes deſolate, great and fair without an Inhabitant; layes his hand upon the great Ones of the Earth; and the Mountains skip, the Towers fall: many that are in high place and eſteem, men of great Authority, their right hand ſhall wither, and their right eye ſhall be put out. The Lord will raiſe the poor out of the duſt, and lift the beggar from off the dunghil, Zach. 11.17. per brachium intelligitur robur, per oculum prudentia, ubi maturum tempus advenerit, palam fore comm flagitia ita ut in ipſorum faciem conſpuant omnes, ut ſint omnibus deteſtationi. Calv.and ſet them amongſt Princes, and make them inherit the Throne of glory. Becauſe the pillars of the Earth are the Lords, and he hath ſet the world upon them, 1 Sam. 2.8. The bowes of the mighty are broken, and they that ſtumbled are girt with ſtrength; they that were full, have hired out themſelves for bread, &c. What is the ground of all this? OnelyOnly this is his good pleaſure, He doth whatſoever it pleaſed him in Heaven and in Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep places.

2. Our wils ought to be ſubjected unto the will of God in all theſe, and herein the power of godlineſs doth in a great meaſure conſiſt; not only in a ſubjection of our wils to Gods commanding will, but unto his effecting will alſo, in whatſoever he doth in the World; and the acts ſubjecting of a mans will to the will of God herein, ought to be ſuch as theſe.

1. We ought to acknowledge and admire his wiſdom, juſtice and ſoveraignty in them. That which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the rejecting of the Iews and the bringing in of the Gentiles, which wrought as great a change in the world as any thing you have ſeen, Horū myſteririorum judiciorum que cauſas. pius & doctus Magiſter maluit ad altitudinem ſuſpendere, quam ſubtractum ab humana cognitione ſec…ctum temeraria inquiſitione diſcutere; nihil omittens de his quae non oportet ignorari, nihil contrectans de his quae non licet ſciri. Proſper devocat. Gent. l. 1. c. 13.and a far greater; and the Love of the Apoſtle to the Jews was as great as yours can be to any perſon or party whatſoever; yet he is ſo far from reaſoning and diſputing againſt it, that he admires it, adores the wiſdom and Iuſtice of God in it, * Rom. 11.33. Oh the depth of the wiſdom and the knowledge of God! The Lord doth proceed againſt men, ſo as his Judgements are a great deep, ſo that a man cannot ſee them; His pathes are in the great aPſal 77.19. Miraculum deſcribit in mari ſiccato; his verbis autem ſignificat, Deum ſemper ita gubern…e Eccleſiam, ut veſligta eju… à mundo & ratione non conſpicia…; nec quemquam poſſe illa ſequi, niſi Deum ductorem habeat, &c. Moller.waters, and his foot-ſteps are not known; but yet they are alwayes juſt when they are ſecret, bQuod non ideo iniquum eſt quia occultum eſt, … aequum eſt quia judicium Dei eſſe non dubium eſt. Proſper de vocat. Gent. l. 1. cap. 17.judicio occulto ſed ſemper juſto. Auguſtin. When you ſee Captains like great Graſs-hoppers in a Sunny day, *De Aſſyriis dicitur Judaeam vaſtaturis. 1. propter multitudinem. Judg. 7.12.2. Propter vaſtationem. Exod. 10.15.3. Propter fugam ſubitaneam; ſimulac ortus eſt ſol, celeriter avolant. Mede Coment. Apocal. cap. 9. Pſa. 76.5. Nahum. 3.12.Nahum. 3.19. the men of might cannot finde their hands; when you ſee Cities made like ripe figs, falling into the mouth of the eater, men falling into the Pits that they themſelves digged, and wicked men ſnared in the works of their own hands, then ſay, righteous art thou O Lord, and true are thy Iudgements.

2. Hold your peace, foreign Interjectio eſt imperantis ſilentium. Jerom. & ſilentium ex metu ſignificat. Nemo Deo audet impunè obmur. murare, ne. dum reſiſtere; conticeſcant jam omnes tumultus, &c. Tarnov. Quando conſurgit ad vindictam, evigilare dicitur ex habitaculo; id eſt vel è Templo, vel è coelo. Druſ.do not diſpute do not murmur, that is the command, Zach. 2.13. Be ſilent O all fleſh before the Lord, for he is riſen up out of his holy habitation. It was a great turn to ſee the power of the Perſian Monarchy broken, which the Lord did threaten he would do, and ſee ſuch a Mountain: to become a Plain, there is no doubt but there were high and hard thoughts of heart upon ſuch a change as this. But the Lord commands them ſilence, for you are but fleſh, and you look upon things with an eye of fleſh; and all that you can oppoſe it with, is but an arm of fleſh, which will profit nothing and therefore be ſilent before the Lord.Non eſt ei diſpenſationis hujus revelata juſtitia; nec ad inſpectionem ſecreti latentis admiſſus eſt; ſed ut à diſcutiendis Dei judiciis abſti. neres, oppoſita eſt ei bonitas miſerantis & volentis poteſtas. Proſper de vocat. Gent. l. 1. cap. 17.

1. Do not Diſpute. Remember the reproof Rom. 9.20. Who art thou O man that diſputeſt with God? is there any contending with him in Judgement? If not in matters of eternal Election and Reprobation, much leſs in temporal Diſpenſations. Bring forth your ſtrong reaſons, Eſay 41.21. *foreign Argumenta fortiſſima, robora, litis veſtrae. Oſſa vocat, quia ſunt veluti oſſa & nervi in corpore. Farer. foreign. Theodor. Hoc ita que tenete fratres mei, nemo vos de fide excutiat & de ſana doctrina; qui ſecit in caelo Angelum, ipſe fecit in terra vermioulum. Expaveſcis in minimis, lauda magnum, totum attende. totum lauda, &c. Auguſt. in Pſal. 148.Is there any man, or power able to make war with him? Or is there any man able by force of Argument to maintain his cauſe againſt him? Audaciam exiſtiſtimo de bono praecepti divini diſputare. Tert. Its high preſumption to Diſpute any of the commands of God whatſoever he requires us to do, much more to call him to an accompt before the bar of humane judgement for what we ſee he himſelf hath done. Keep ſilence, becauſe the Lord hath done it. They are not men that govern the World; Therefore all reaſonings and diſputings ſhould be laid aſide: We live in a diſputing age, as if men did Rule the World: Its true, it is good to reaſon concerning our own Duty; but concerning the Lords doings, diſputations are dangerous.

2. Do not repine: bear it patiently, and acknowledge the ſoveraignty of God. What though the cauſe, or the party, that thou art engaged in, Magna ſilentii laus eſt, quo confeſſus eſt Aron juſto Dei judicio extinctos eſſe, & ita ſe cohibitum fuiſſe ut cum Deo rixari non auderet. Ad animum enim refertur, ut Pſal. 39.3. Pſal. 62.1. Calv. in loc. Epheſ. 2.12. Qui extra foedus eſt, foreign eſt, ſine Deo à ſe culto, à ſe amato eo que & propitio; nonbabet foreign, jus ſibi vendicandi, poſtulandi, poſſidendi quod eſt filiorum Dei. Coc. de foeder. & Teſtamento Dei. Theſ. 1. §. 7.prevail not: let not thy heart riſe againſt it. Aaron had a great tryal, Levit. 10.13. He loſt two Sons, by an immediate ſtroke of Gods hand, in an act of ſin, and yet Aaron held his peace. A higher tryal had Abraham, O that Iſhmael might live in thy ſight! The Lord anſwers, my Covenant will I eſtabliſh with Iſaac. Abraham knew that there was no ſalvation out of Covenant, and that this Covenant ſhould not be eſtabliſhed with Iſhmael, and yet he ſits down in ſilence under the hand of God. If once the will of God be manifeſted, the ſoul ought to acknowledge it, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeems him good. This was the bleſſed temper of Ely, when he heard of the miſeries that ſhould come upon his houſe: I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers houſe; and there ſhall not be an old man in thy houſe for ever; 1 Sam. 2.31. Brachium ipſa materia cogit ut de fortitudine vitali ſermonem eſſe intelligamus. Cajet. Deſcriptio eſt eripiendi ſacerdotii; quod illius familiae robur erat & firmamentum; dignitatem & authoritatem tuam Pontificiam auſeram &c. P. Martyr. A Lap. Se tantis opibus ſpoliatos prae dolore deficiant, & propter excitati animi dignitatem invidia contabeſcant.and he that is left in thy houſe, ſhall be to conſume thy eyes, and to greive thy heart; yet he anſwers it is the Lord.

3. Exerciſe a weaned heart towards thy preſent enjoyments. It may be thou haſt loſt an eſtate, thy freinds fail, thy hopes are faln; God hath blown upon all the projects that thy heart did fancy to thy ſelf for thy own advancement; thy heart ought to be as a weaned *Significat ſe nullius rei eſſe ſollicitū, infantis inſtar, quem mater lacte alere deſut; ille tamen à matris cura pendet; ſic ſe omnem eventum Deo committere, &c. Muis in loc.child, Pſa. 131.2. Its ſpoken in reference to his dependencies, that as children look only to their mother, they have no projects for themſelves, ſo it is with me; I wait only upon God, look unto him only. Homines quā par eſt ſapere & providi eſſe appetunt. Calv. Men are prudent and provident creatures; but my heart is taken off from the dug of all my former comforts; my dependencies are upon an immediate providence for ſupply; I project nothing for my ſelf. The poor leaves himſelf with thee, Pſal. 10.14. So much the word foreign doth fignifie; foreign Eſt ita quempiam relinquere, ut eum juvare aut tueri prorſus dimiſit. Pſa. 22.1. Job 39.14. Ezech. 8 12. His verbis ſignific. dandum eſſe tempus Providentiae, ut pii homines curas in Dei finum rejiciant. Deo igitur relinquit quiſquis in ejus fidem ſe ita conſert, ut fidele depoſitorium eſſe perſuaſus, maturum redemptionis tempus placide expectet. Cal.a man puts himſelf out of his own protection into the hands of God, with an excluſive reſolution, I will ſeek no farther, I am willing to be in that condition in which he will ſet me, take the proviſion the Lord will make for me. If he will make me a Shepherd or a King, my heart is ready. Vis me paſtorem ovium? vis me Regem populorum? ecce paratum eſt cor meum; as Bernard brings in David ſo ſpeaking of himſelf.

4. Accept the puniſhment: That is the expreſſion Levit. 26.41. If their uncircumciſed heart be humbled, and they *foreign Significat, conſentit, Pſa. 50.18. & acceptavit. Eccleſ. 9.7. & hinc foreign derivatur. Avernar. A Sept. reddit per foreign. ſignificat etiam placavit & expiavit. Eſay 40.1. & inde ſenſus eſt, ad poenam tanquam meritam conſentire, ut propitiam & utilem, aequo & grato animo ferre. Videtur etiam ſubjicere ſtudium placandi Deo; alludit enim ad ſacrificia quibus ſe Deo reconciliabant. Calv. Eſay 39.8. Lam. 3.22. Gen. 32.10.accept the puniſhment; the word ſignifies to be well pleaſed with it, to acknowledge it to be leſs then their iniquities deſerve, Ezra. 9.13. As when the Lord threatned a grievous puniſhment upon the houſe of Hezechiah, He accepts the puniſhment, ſaying, good is the Word of the Lord, that there ſhall be truth and peace in my dayes. And when they were in Babylon, they acknowledge, it is the Lords mercy that we are not conſumed: And if a man ſhould accept it for himſelf, I conceive it alſo a Duty to accept the puniſhment for others, and not to have his ſpirit to riſe with impatient frettings, as if the Lord had dealt with others in a way of rigour, and paid them beyond their deſerts. Surely, there ought to be a complacency of ſoul in all the dealings of God towards our ſelves or others. An humble heart is leſs then the leaſt of all Gods mercies. And a man ſhould bleſs God, that he is not brought into the loweſt condition of men, that he ſees any creature below him. As when the two Cardinals were riding to the aLuther in tertium praeceptum. Ecce hanc beſtiam, bufonem intuitus; tam eximiam creaturā fecit …e Deus, & nunquam gratias egi quod me quo que tam deformem bufonem non fecerit; hoc eſt quod amarè fleo.Councel of Conſtance, they heard a man in the way weeping and wailing greatly; asking him what he alled, they found him looking upon an ugly Toad, and his heart was melted with the conſideration of this mercy, that God had not made him ſuch a creature, who was made of the ſame clay with it: Which made one of them cry out, well ſaid the Father, Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum, & nos cum doctrinis noſtris volutamur in carne & ſanguine. Aug.

5. Judge it to be beſt: now the will of God is manifeſted, or elſe thou doſt prefer thy will above Gods will. Bluſh at ſuch an unworthy thought, that when God hath declared what his will is, thou ſhouldſt think, that if it had been thus, it had been better; for herein thou doſt make thy will the Rule of goodneſs, and doſt prefer it unto the will of God. Surely, The bPſal. 24.1. principes non cogitent ſe dominos eſſe terrarum, ſed conſtitutos eſſe tantum vicarios. Hospitiae etiam nuſquam ſanctis defutura: Domini enim terra eſt & plenitudo ejus. Cum etiam clarificatur Dominus, annuntiatur in fidem omnium Gentium, & univerſus orbis terrarum fit Eccleſia ejus. Auguſt. in Pſal. 24.Earth is the Lords, and fulneſs thereof: The Government belongs to him. Therefore it was a gratious and wiſe admonition that Luther ſent to Melancton, who was much troubled at the preſent affairs of the Church: Ibi quo que vis eſt & facultas ea dirigendi & gubernandi, quibus providere dicitur; nam in rebus invenitur non modo natura eorum, ſed ordo quo ſibi invicem connectuntur, & una in aliam tendit ut eam adjuvet, ſive ut ab illa perficiatur, & utro que pacto res benè inſtitutae ſunt quoad ſeipſas ſigillatim, quae que dictae ſunt bonae, & generaliter quoad ordinē valdè bonae. Petr. Martyr loc.com. Provid. Rom. 8.28. Pet. Martyr.Monendus eſt Philippus, ut deſinat eſſe rector mundi, That he would leave off to govern the world; for we are no more able to Rule it, then we are to create it.

6. With thankfulneſs and faith expect the good that the Lord will bring out of it. If thy deſign had gone on, be it what it will, it had been but particular, to have ſerved a preſent turn; but the Lords end is general, and ſutes with all the glory of his other actions in all times, and in all Ages paſt and to come. And the order of thoſe muſt not be inverted, nor the glory of them defaced for thee. Therefore ſay, ſurely, all things ſhall work together for good for thoſe that love the Lord. God in all this doth but carry on his own deſign, the plot of his eternal Counſel. De operibus Dei non eſt judicandum ante quintum actum. And the rather we are with thankfulneſs to expect, what God will bring to paſs, becauſe he hath in the book aRev. 5.1. Liber intus & foris ſcriptus & ſeptem ſigillis obſignatus eſt; Codex ſatidicus ſeu conſiliorum Dei, quo ſcries & ordo rerum geſtarum ad ſccundū illū & glorioſū Chriſti adventū pertexebatur. Mede.of the Revelation fore-told us all the deſignes that he hath upon the world untill the end thereof. The Lord made all things for himſelf. Prov. 16.4. bQuamvis Deus nihil propter utilitatem propriam fecerit (eo quod nullo indiget) tamen omnia propter ſemet ipſum ut ultimū finē operatus eſt. Cajet. in loc. Pſal. 43.5. foreign teipſum deprimes. Mont. foreign tumultuaberis. Ʋt quid me conturbas anima, ita vertit Auguſt. Mentes noſtras ad gratiae abſconditae intuitum procul evehit; os ſibi in praeſentiâ ſat…tur obſtructum eſſe; ſpem ſuam in …ongum tempus extendit, & ſibi promittit quod non apparet. Calv.that is, for his own ends, and he doth rule all things ſo as may accompliſh thoſe ends. As therefore in ſpiritual diſpenſations the Lord doth ſometimes lift up the light of his countenance upon his people, and ſometimes he doth hide his face from them, their hearts are caſt down, or as the word ſignifies, they do caſt down themſelves: the heart makes a noiſe or there is an uproar or tumult in the ſoul, not being pleaſed with the preſent diſpenſations. This is a mans fault that he ſhould reprove and reaſon his ſoul out of, from a principle of faith, ſaying I ſhall yet praiſe him; that is, not only the Lord will turn to me again in mercy, and remove the affliction; and when his hand is changed towards me, he will give me matter of praiſe, as now I have matter of ſorrow: But there is this farther in it, that though in this preſent diſpenſation I can ſee nothing but matter of trouble and ſorrow, yet I ſhall ſee God working all things ſo, for his glory, and my good, (which are bound up together) that this which is now to me matter of grief, ſhall be unto me in time to come, Laudo Deum, ut qui hactenus mecum egerit liberaliſſimè, nunc etiam pro liberrinia poteſtate inculpabiliter. Cocceius in loc. We have ſo much bleſſing in our affliction as we can bleſs God for our affliction. Caryl.matter of prayſe.

There are two famous inſtances of it in the Scripture. Job. 1.21. Bleſſed be the name of the Lord. He doth as well bleſs God for taking, as for giving. Now as we love God becauſe he loved us firſt, ſo we can never bleſs God for any thing, but when we do apprehend that there is in it a bleſſing from God unto us. And the Lord doth as well bleſs by taking, as by giving; therefore we ſhould bleſs him in both, who is bleſſed for evermore. The other inſtance is that of Chriſt, Scipſum & nos ſecum Chriſtus attollit ad conſiderandum Dei occultum judicium, quod adorat & praedicat, ne nos illud ſub examen vocare audeamus; in quo filius Dei ſe acquieſcere teſtatur, & quo Patri gratias agit. Par.Matth. 11.25. I thank thee O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto Babes. He doth thank God for hiding as well as revealing. To let the greateſt part of the world to walk in their own ways, to live without God in the world: to have no taſte or ſavour of the great things that he hath wrought, that Chriſt hath purchaſed; and theſe many of them men of the greateſt parts, the higheſt place, the moſt improved abilities; yet laid aſide *Liberatur pars, hominū parte percunte; latet diſcretionis iſta ratio, ſed non latet ipſa diſcretio; quid calumniamur juſtitiae occultae, qui gratias debemus miſericordiae manifeſtae? Laudemus & veneremur quod agitur, quia tutum eſt neſcire quod tegitur. Proſper de vocat. Gent. l. 1. cap. 15.as veſſels in which there is no pleaſure: Thoſe upon whom the Spirit of God in his common works hath beſtowed ſo much coſt, a man would think it ſad to conſider: but when the will of the Lord is manifeſted, it is the duty of the Saints as it was of Chriſt, not only to be ſilent and ſubmit to it, but even to bleſs God, and to be thankful for ſuch diſpenſations. He that abounded in his foreign, or loving kindneſs to mankind, he that ſought their ſalvation above his life; yet if the Lord will hide the things of ſalvation from the wiſeſt of them, he is not only well pleaſed, but, it being the will of God to glorifie his Juſtice in the one, as well as mercy in the other, he doth bleſs God for hiding as well as revealing.

7. Take heed of ſtanding in the way of God when he is going forth in judgement. Whatſoever God hath a deſign to effect, take heed how you ſeek to hinder and ſet your ſelves in a way of oppoſition. For if he will work, none can let; all thoſe that ſtand in his way to hinder his purpoſe, though it be with harmleſs and ſimple (nay it may be) with honeſt intentions, they ſhall ſurely fall in them. Populus Iſrael non ſatis muris & munitionibus ſuis fidens, auxiliares copias haſtatorum & ſagittariorum ſibi adeſſe optat, quibus hoſ…bus poſſit reſiſtere; has videbis ſp narum ac veprium nominibus ſign…ficatas. Forer.For it is but ſetting the briers and thorns againſt him in battel; he will go thorow and burn them at once. Iſay 27.4. The Lord is gone forth againſt Jeruſalem, and they will go down to Egypt for help, and they glory in the ſtrength of Egypt; now the Egyptians come in to their aſſiſtance, and they think ſurely that will turn the ſcales; the Lord ſays they ſhall prevail as much as when a Lyon greedy of his prey comes to a ſheepfold and takes away a Lamb out of the flock, and the ſhepherd comes unto its reſcue; will the Lyon be affrighted, Leoni ſeſe comparat potentiſſimo animali & praedae avidiſſimo. Calv. Non habet terra magis notae audaciae, cui ſe comparet Dominus Forer.or ſhall the Lamb be delivered? No, he will hold on his courſe, and will not abaſe himſelf for their noyſe. And they that are taken in for their help ſhall be ſo far from ſuccouring them, that the Lord will riſe up against the help of them that work iniquity, and they that help, and they that are holpen ſhall fall together. So that if God be going forth in Judgement againſt a Perſon, a Family, a Nation, its very dangerous for any man to come in for their ſuccour, and think to turn God out of his way; they ſhall be ſo far from prevailing for them, Artifices vanitatis Judaeos vocat, quod inani praeſidio ſe adverſus Dei manum vindicem munire cogitarent illicito auxilio Aegyptiorum. A lap. Minatur tam iis qui auxilium ferent, tam iis qui corum auxilio utentur. Calv.that in their very aſsiſtance they ſhall periſh; For the Lord will not only riſe up againſt them that work iniquity, but all thoſe that come in for their ſuccour, and joyn themſelves with them. And this is the ſpeedieſt way to periſh with them. For as he that partakes in their ſins, ſhall partake in their plagues: So ſhall he that comes in for their ſuccour alſo, Iſaiah 31.2, 3, 4. There are two famous inſtances of this in the Scripture. One of Ahaziah King of Judah. Joram the Son of Ahab made War againſt the Aſsyrians, Duo Reges comprehenſi tenebantur in naſſa Dei, nec amplius erat ad evadendum locus, &c. Pet. Martyr. Juſtum congruū que ſuit hoc Dei judiciū, qui eos congregavit in agrum Naboth, ut in eo caederentur. Achaziah enim erat ex parte matris Athaliae nepos Achab. A lap. in loc.was wounded, and returned unto Jezerel to be cured of his wounds: Ahaziah King of Judah in curteſie and civility came down to viſit him becauſe he was ſick, 2 Kings 8.29. But he took ſuch a time, when the Lord was going forth in Judgement againſt the Houſe of Ahab: therefore Jehu, who was the Inſtrument of Gods vengance, being in his march, came upon Ahaziah and he dyed for his curteſie, by the ſame hand that Joram did. And in the ſame way of complement, the brethren of Ahaziah loſt their lives alſo, 2 Kin. 10.13, 14. Another inſtance we have that is yet more remarkable, and that is of Joſiah, a gracious Prince, and one that had wrought the moſt glorious and thorough Reformation in Judah, of any of the Kings of Judah: The Lord had appointed Pharoh Necho King of Egypt to execute Judgement upon Carchemiſh, a City belonging to the Babylonian or Aſſyrian, which lay by the River Euphrates and by the Egyptian Conqueſt there, to make way afterwards for his own ruine, (for there in a few years after was Necho himſelf ſlain, and there the glory of Egypt fell) Judah being the neareſt paſſage, Pharoh deſires Joſiah to give him leave to paſs thorow his Countrey, promiſing him ſecurity, not to injure, nor moleſt him, telling him that God had commanded him to make haſte, and therefore he ſhould forbear from medling with God, who was with him. 2 Chron. 35.21, 22. Jerom ſaith, foreign. Quaeſt. & Responſ 79. I believe that this religious and vertuous Prince Joſias was not ſtirred up only by politick reſpects to ſtop the way of Nccho, but thought himſelf bound in Faith and Honour to do his beſt, in the defence of the Babylonian Crown, whereunto his Kingdom was obliged, either by Covenant or by the gift of ſuch part as he held in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes. Sir Walter Raleigh Hiſt. of the world. pag. 1. l. 2 cap. 28. §. 2.that Pharoh had this diſcovery of the mind of God from Jeremiah the Prophet, per oraculum non ſcriptum ſed viva voce editum: A lap. goes the ſame way, and Juſtin Martyr. And that Joſiah did not in this obey the voyce of Jeremiah the Prophet, who commanded him from the mouth of the Lord, That he ſhould not go forth to meet the King of Egypt in Battel; Joſiah had formerly had ſufficient experience of the falſhood of the Egyptian, and of his oppreſsion, being a Neighbour, and he was in League and Covenant with the King of Babylon, owing to him fealty and allegiance: Now ſhould he falſifie his word? ſhould he break his Oath? forget his Covenant? become a Traytor to his Prince? thus he goes forth (fatali ferocia, ſaith Peter Martyr; Bello temerè ſuſcepto, ſo Dr. Ʋſher *Joſias contra Neconem bello tem…re ſuſcepto, in cō valle Megidduntis occiſus eſt. Annales vet. Teſt. p. 117. M…rtuo principe optimo, cujus vita tutum reddebat populū à captivitate Baby…m…c…i, malorum Iliacte jam ingruente, ſuperioris anni Jubilas verſus eſt in threnodiam. ibid. 2 Kin. 22 20 Z…ch. 12.11. 2 Chron. 35.24, 25.) againſt Pharoh Necho, & would not be perſwaded to turn from him. But ſhall Joſiah turn God out of the way of his Judgements? No; this gracious Prince after ſo glorious a work of Reformation muſt periſh in his own obſtinacy, becauſe his will is not ſubjected unto the will of the Lord, though it be for the Lamentation of Judah afterwards by a Statute for ever. It is dangerous therefore for our wills to riſe againſt Gods will, ſo as to ſtir us up to ſtand againſt God when he goes forth in Judgement againſt a perſon or a people; for you cannot by all your oppoſition turn God out of his way, but in your way of oppoſition you ſhall periſh.

8. Pſal. 8.9. Heb. 2.8. Ezech. 1.26, 27, 28.Endeavour to ſee Chriſt glorious in all his goings forth in the world. For he is as well King of Nations as King of Saints; and his glory is as well ſeen in his providential as in his ſpiritual adminiſtrations. So do the Saints ſee him with a ſpiritual eye, even then when he doth ariſe to ſhake terribly the Earth, Hab. 3.3, 4. Its ſpoken of the Lords going forth for his people, in their deliverance, and for the deſtruction of their Enemies. Manus pro actionibus quae manibus ut plurimū perficiuntur. 2 Sam. 22.17. Eſay 20.2 Hag. 1.1. Glaſſ. Rhet. Sacr. p. 9. Cornu ſignificat 1. Robur & potentiam; ita Calv. in hunc locum, potentiam Metaphoricè per cornua deſignat, ſc. ſplendorem hunc cum potentia conjunctum fuiſſe. 2. Radium cornui ſunilem, rutilantem; cornua radii ſunt quales emittere ſolent cornua ſpendentia. Druſ. Tarnov.His brightneſs was as the light, and he had horns coming out of his hands; there was the hiding of his power: By theſe hands of the Lord, is meant his adminiſtrations, diſpenſations, and actions in the world; the hand being the inſtrument of action; therefore all things below are called the work of his hands, Pſal. 8.6. The horns that come out of his hand, are interpreted to be radii, or ſplendores, raies or beams of light which were as it were horns. The ſame word is uſed of Moſes, Exod. Dicit potentiam ejus abſconditam eſſe, quia nolebat Deus promiſcuè per totum orbem virtutem ſuā palam facere, ſed peculiariter populo ſuo: Quemadmodum dicitur, Pſ. 31.19. magnitudinem bonitatis ejus abſconditam eſſe ſolis fidelibus: qui eum timent & reverentur. Calv.34.29. His face did ſhine, the word foreign ſignifies horns, and ſo the vulgar renders it, quod cornuta eſſet facies ejus. So that the Lord in all his diſpenſations was glorious. His works had a luſtre, beams, a brightneſs that went with them, and yet there was the hiding of his power: That is, he doth ſo work by inſtruments, and ſecond cauſes, that his hand is not ſeen but by a ſpiritual eye; yet to him that hath ſuch an eye, the hand of the Lord is exceeding glorious. There are horns come out of it, but there is a latibulum potentiae in all the diſpenſations of God towards the men of the world. Now to ſee horns in the hand of Chriſt, to ſee him glorious in his adminiſtations, even when his power is hid from the reſt of the world under inſtruments and ſecond cauſes, this is the duty of all the Saints. So doth the Church, Iſaiah 63.1, 2. *Non agit de Chriſto patiente & iram Dei placante, ſed de Chriſto Rege ſuos potentiſſime ab hoſtibus externis liberante & contra cos defendente, &c. Tarnov. exercit. Bibli. p 418. &c.Who is he that comes from Edom, with garments died from Boſrah glorious in his apparel? &c. To ſee the Lord cloathed with a Veſture dipt in blood, and his name called the word of God, Revel. 19.13. His name was the Word of God *Antealudibrio pene habuit verbum Dei, acſi tantum eſſent magnifica verba; ſed ſub phiala ſeptima myſterium Dei conſummatū erit, & tunc maximè florebit Divini verbi authoritas, cōſtantiſſima ejus veritate in ſingulis perſpecta. Brig. in loc.from the beginning: but then he was the Word revealing and diſcovering the promiſes, and the truths of God: but now he is the Word of God fulfilling and accompliſhing of them. A place parallel to it is Exod. 6.3. By the name Jehovah I was not known to them: The Lord was known by the name Jehovah, when he did give a being to the promiſes; ſo Chriſt was then called the Word of God; but then, he did manifeſt himſelf to be Jehovah, when he did fulfil theſe promiſes. To ſee the Lord glorious in his adminiſtrations, however they be cloathed by inſtruments and ſecond cauſes; to rejoyce in all appearances of Chriſt, is our duty, though they be terrible to the reſt of the World: Whatſoever †Amictus quidam gloriae Dei in ultione adverſus hoſtes. Metaphorâ ab Heröe armis induto & in arenam adverſus hoſtes deſcendente, deſumptâ. Glaſſ. Rhet. Sacr. p. 160. Eſay 63.1.apparrel he goes forth in, he is infinitly glorious.

9. When the will of God is manifeſted, the ſoul ſhould keep it ſelf from all diſquieting paſsions, all unpleaſingneſs of ſpirit whatſoever: When I once ſee it is the will of God, I will not grudge at it, I will not mourn under it as if I would have it otherwiſe; only I will mourn for my ſin that hath been the cauſe of it. This was Davids caſe for his child, his heart was ſet upon him, 2 Sam. 12.20.21. David acquieſcit ſententiae, quā definitivam facto ipſo intellexit; agnita voluntate Dei acquicſcunt ſancti. Lavit ſe David ut ingrederetur Templum D… mini; ille percuſſerat, non tamen eū habuit pro hoſte ſuo, ſed acced…t, & eum adorat ſupplex, &c. Petr. Martyr.and he prayed earneſtly for him, with faſting; yet the child muſt die: and aſſoon as he ſaw the will of the Lord was manifeſted, he mourns no more, but with a ſubmiſſive ſpirit ſtoops under it. A man ſhould not continue the diſquiet of his ſpirit when the will of God is manifeſted, but with all meekneſs acknowledge his wiſdom and ſubmit to his will. It is an evil that the Lord reproves in Samuel, 1 Sam. 16.1. How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, ſeeing I have rejected him that he ſhould not raign over Iſrael? The ſentence of Sauls rejection was gone forth from the Lord, and made manifeſt unto Samuel, V…detur quod illicitus fuit iſte planctus, niſi Samuel ignoraſſet reprobationem Saulis. Pro hoc lug…h…t Sam…l, quia defini…at Deus eum ab…icere; noluiſſ…t tamen Samuel qu…d … Saul; Lititus tamen fuit, quia lagebat ſolum ex quadam compaſſione, ut patet de poenis damnatorum aeternaliter, quia nulli licet pro …is orare; …tum autem eſt pro illis dolere, nihil orando. Toſtat in 1 Sam. 15.9.41.though he was not as yet removed from the Government of the Kingdom, no not in many years after. Now Samuel mourned for him, becauſe he was rejected of God: but when the will of God was made manifeſt, for him to diſquiet and trouble himſelf therein, as if all the future happineſs of Iſrael depended upon this one man, and that he did not rather look out, Audiverat Samuel Domini ſentenam de Saule exauctorando; tamen non poteſt primo intuitu quinam id fiat animadvertere. Agnoſcens unctum Samuel Dei mandato, non poteſt repentè reverentiam illi abjicere. Non ſatis in peculiari hoc facto animadvertit, quid à ſe Deus poſtuinret, ſc. Deum ut agnoſceret velle Saulis abrogare imperium, quod dederat, quia ipſius voci non obtemperaſſet. Calv. homil. in 1 Sam. 16.1. Pro toto corpore, pro ſtatu regni non debuit orare, quoniam ſciebat jam actum eſſe de populo illo. Calv.or ſeek to God for one more faithful to ſucceed: this was Samuels ſin, and for this the Lord reproves him. Nay, when the ſentence is gone forth from the Lord, he forbids his people to pray, Jer. 7. Pray not for this people, for I will not hear thee. The will of God being manifeſted, a man ſhould be ſo far ſatiſfied with it, that he ſhould not pray againſt it, though it be the greateſt miſery that can befall the Church of God in this life; As that of the captivity was. For our prayers ſhould be according to the will of God, as it is revealed; and if the Lord hath once revealed his will, we ſhould not pray againſt it; neither ſhould our ſpirits riſe againſt it, but we ſhould ſtrive for a holy and ſweet compoſure of heart under it, and not be indulgent to ſullen and diſcontented mournings, as if I would it had not been ſo, or as if I would have had it otherwiſe.

10. When the Lord doth manifeſt his will, be you inſtrumental and co workers together with him; for that is our duty in reference to the effecting will of God. So do the Angels: When the man among the Myrtle Trees goes forth, immediately the whole heavenly Hoſt are on horſe-back behinde him, *Chriſius ſpecie humana ad tempus aſſumpta, inſidebat equo, ut celeritas auxilii & majeſtas dominii indicaretur, cujus ſtipatores ſunt Angeli, alii que Majeſtatis divinae Miniſtri, qui Chriſto Regi, ut Equites inſtructi inſerviunt, ſive ad judicia impiis praeſtanda, ſive ad beneficia piis conferenda maxima cum celeritate. Tarnov. Effuſio Phialarum ſignificat ruinam Beſtiae Antichriſtianae, & Septem phialae totidem ſunt iſtius ruinae gradus; eſt enim effuſio irae Dei. cap. 15.1. Mede.Zach. 1.8, 9. As ſoon as Chriſt appears, when he doth advance, ſo do they for the Churches deliverance. And when Jeſus Chriſt goes forth againſt Antichriſt (whom he will ſurely deſtroy with the brightneſs of his coming, and all the powers on Earth ſhall not be able to cure him the deadly wound given him under the Vials already poured out;) There are Angels that joyn with him in the work. For the Vials are filled with wrath, Revel. 15.7. by the prayers of the Saints: And by one of the four Beaſts (ſpoken of, Chap. 4.) given unto the Angels the Actors with God in this work: Called Angels (as I conceive) not properly becauſe heavenly Angels, thoſe miniſtring Spirits: though it is true, all is done by the conduct and aſſiſtance of the Angels: or they are Principalities and Powers in the Government of the World under Chriſt; Angeli ſunt homines purioris Eccleſiae cives, ut apparet e… loco unde prodeunt & amictu; ſunt enim veſtes filiorum Aronis Exod. 28.42. Brightm. Quae multorum manibus peraguntur, Angelo tanquam rei gerendae praeſidi & Duci tribuuntur, quoniam Deus Angeles a dhibet providentiae ſuae adminiſtros, in rerum humanarum converſionibus ciendis & gubernandis. Mede.but theſe Angels are men: not individual perſons, but men joyned together in a body to effect this work: For they are deſcribed to be cloathed with linnen, and their breaſts girt with golden girdles, that is, amictu Sacerdotali ornati; they had the Ornaments of the Prieſts upon them, becauſe they are called and anoynted of the Lord unto this ſervice, and becauſe they are made Prieſts unto God by Jeſus Chriſt. Theſe Angels do come in their order, and do pour out their Vials; and when the Lord is pouring out any of theſe (and that he is now eminently doing it, is confeſſed by all our Divines) it is good for a man to be inſtrumental, to be of the number of theſe Angels, to bear our part by prayer and paines, or whatſoever elſe we may contribute unto this work, ſaying, if the Lord will deſtroy the man of ſin, I will be ſo far from having a hand in ſupporting of him, that I will put forth my hand alſo towards his ruine. For this is the Amaleck with whom the Lord will never have peace from Generation to Generation. And when Antichriſt ſhall be ſubdued, and all Antichriſtian powers, there will be found Armies following of Chriſt upon white horſes, Exercitus non tam ad praelium inſtrui videdetur, quam ab triumphum. Bright.a token of triumph and victory, Revel. 19.14. And no man ſhall ride with Chriſt in triumph when the victory is won, who hath not rode forth with him againſt Antichriſt unto the Battle.

3. A great part of the power of godlineſs doth conſiſt in a ſubmitting of our will unto the will of God in his ordering, effecting, diſpoſing of the things of the world. And the grounds of it are theſe:

1. Godlineſs is nothing elſe but exalting of God in the ſoul; as it is the abaſing of God in the ſoul that is properly ungodlineſs, low thoughts and vile apprehenſions of God; and therefore the luſts of mens hearts are called ungodly luſts, Iude 19. *foreign, Hebraiſmo ſignificante quotidianam vitae conſuetudinem. Eſt foreign. Eſt in abſtracto, & abſtractum denotat eſſentiam: Cupiditatis eſſentia in averſione à Deo conſiſtit. Eſt etiam vice Epitheti, ſicut civitas ſanctitatis eſt ſanctiſſi ma, & populus anathematis, ſc. ſummo anathemati devotus, ita cupiditates impietatum, eſt planè impiae, vel impientiſſimae. Gloſſ. Gram. ſacr. p. 110. Grotius in loc.God is ſaid to exalt himſelf, Pſal. 57.5. Pſal. 21.13. Pſal. 148.13. Be thou exalted in thy own ſtrength: And we are ſaid to exalt God though he be the moſt High, Iſai. 25.1. Thou art my God, and I will exal thee. †Potentia infinita in ſe exaltari nequit ſed reſpectu noſtri cum fortitudinem ſuam potenter nobis oſtendit. Exaltare dicimur, cum quempiam ad dignitates aſcendere facimus, cum laudibus aut veneratione eve…imus, &c. Forer. Ʋnde foreign ab…tio eſt, quia in altum elevatur dum offertur, & quod offertur Deo ad elevationem. Aven. Preſton of mans uprightneſs. pag. 36.God exalts himſelf by his works, and the Saints exalt him in his worſhip: and it is in theſe high apprehenſions of God that godlineſs doth mainly conſiſt. Now in this ſubmiſſion of will, God is very highly exalted in the hearts of the Saints.

Firſt, Hereby we acknowledge his ſoveraignty, that he alone hath right to govern the world, becauſe they are all the works of his hands: Deus unus in poteſtate habet regnum dare & auferre; Deus verus hoc agit occulto judicio, non continuò beatos facturus quibus terrenum regnum dederit, nec continuò miſeros quibus ademerit, ſed temporalia regna quibus voluerit, & quando voluerit, ſecundum praedeſtinatum ordinem ſeculorum, vel ſinendo, vel donando diſtribuit. Aug. de conſenſu Evangel. l. 1. cap. 11.He is God over all; all are in his hands as clay is in the hand of the Potter. He only did give the Creatures their being, he only can give them a Rule, and appoint them to an end: therefore let God alone with the Government of the world. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: He builds and deſtroys, he plants and plucks up at his pleaſure, and gives no account of any of his matters. He depoſeth Kings and diſpoſeth Kingdoms; and this God will have men acknowledge as the great honour that is due to him, that the moſt high Rules in the Kingdoms of mortal men. Dan. 4.17. Therefore doth the Lord great things, and works great changes in the world, that men may acknowledge his Soveraignty. In this did the holineſs of Ely appear, 1 Sam. 3.18. He is *Hoc nomine Dei, 1. foreign. 2. creaturarum à Deo dependentiam. 3. Dei aeternitatem. 4. immutabilitatem. 5. omnipetentiam. 6. veritatem ſignificat. Flac. Illyric. clavis ſcript. part. 2. p. 612. Domus magna qualis Deo eſt hic mundus. Grot. Caeterum non convenit inter Interpretes an domus magna Eecleſiam ſolam, an totum mundum ſignificet: contextus huc potius ducit ut de Eccleſia intelligamus. Cavl.Iehovah, one that hath an abſolute ſoveraignty over all the Creatures, and unto his authority I ſubmit; let him do what ſeems him good. The world is but the Lords houſe, 2 Tim. 2.20. As in a great houſe there be ſome veſſels to honour and ſome to diſhonour; ſo it is in the world; let God alone with the Government of his own Family.

Secondly, foreign mirificatus eſt, arduus & excellens ultra captum noſtrum; ſc. ardua ſunt conſilia quae homines nequaquam aſſequi potuiſſent, & juxta conſilia ardua magna opera. Forer.Hereby we ſubſcribe to his wiſdom that he only is able to govern the world: For he is wonderful in counſel and excellent in working, Iſai. 28.29. Though we cannot ſee the reaſon of his actions, yet the ſoul can ſay he only is wiſe, and there is no ſearching of his underſtanding. And when the Lord ſhall have perfected his work, and this rude draught of things ſhall be finiſhed, there will then appear a glorious harmony in thoſe things that for the preſent duplicate page duplicate page ſeem to be nothing elſe but as the Earth was at its firſt creation without form and voyd. But as the Lord then drew out each creature in its order and degree untill he brought forth this glorious Fabrick, that men and Angels admire: So he will do in the works of his Providence alſo. For there is as great wiſdom of God ſeen in works of Providence as in the work of Creation: Sometimes his ways are in the Sea, and his pathes in the great waters. foreign. Chryſ. foreign, &c. Oecum. Vide quantus honos hominum, quod haec arcana conſilia per ipſos Deus innoteſcere Angelis voluit: Multa & magna mandata ſuerant Angelis data, ſednullum huic par. Grot.His wayes are myſterious, and he makes it his glory to out-wit the Creatures, as he did go beyond the wiſdom of the Angels in the work of Redemption, and ſo (if I may ſo ſpeak) he ſet them to School again, Ʋnto them is made known by the Church, the manifold wiſdom of God, Epheſ. 3.10. So he deals with his Saints in the ways of providence alſo. Therefore as the Angels do, ſo likewiſe do the Saints admire his wiſdom in the work, even when the reaſon of it they cannot comprehend: And they do not think it ſtrange that God in his ways ſhould go beyond their apprehenſions: As in the anſwer of their prayers he is able to do above whatſoever we are able to ask or think; Epheſ. 3.20.ſo likewiſe in the Government of the world, and in the ordering of all things here below; there is a wo pronounced againſt him that ſtrives with his maker; Iſai. 45. v. 9. 10. There are two things the Lord cannot take well from the Potſheards of the Earth. That they ſhould ſay, *Si ad diſceptationem veniendum ſit, tam firmas ac ſolidas habebit rationes, ut convictos obmuteſcere cogat; ne que verò compeſcit hominum proterviam, quod ratione deſtituatur: ſed hanc ſibi poteſtatem vendicat ne ab hominum figmentis vocetur ad rationem reddendam. Cal.What makeſt thou? what begetteſt thou? Or, what haſt thou brought forth? That is, the Lord will not be called to an account by the Creature, but men are to acknowledge his wiſdom, and to ſtoop to his will even when the reaſon of it is hid from them. And therein properly is grace ſeen. As it is reported of one †Caſſianus l. 4 c. 24. Ʋbi & monet Monachos, ut praeter Abbatis mandatum, nulla penitus voluntas vivat in eis, &c. Obedientia manca eſt quae ſubjicit ſuperiori voluntatem non intellectum, manum non animum. A lap. in Mal. 1.8.Johannes Abbas that he was commanded by his Confeſſor to go ſome miles every day to water a dry ſtick, Obedientia eſt perfecta abnegatio propriae animae & corporis, mors voluntaria, vita ſine ſollicitudine, navigatio ſinè damne, ſepultura voluntatis; eſt iter facere dormiendo, onere ſuo aliis impoſitio. Climachus grad. 4.which he did out of reſpect purely to the command, and he diſputes not the reaſon of it. Should not we much more acknowledge the wiſdom of God, though we are not able to comprehend the grounds of it? Secondly, that the thing formed ſhould ſay to him that formed it, he had no hands. Extremam apponere manum, Calv. is to finiſh a work. And to ſay he had no hands, is to object that he left his work unfiniſhed, Opus tuum impolitum eſt & informe, acſi pedibus non manibus eſſet elaboratum. A lap. in loc.or that he was not able to bring it to paſs. And it is all one as to object ignorance and impotence unto God.

Thirdly, Hereby we manifeſt that we delight to ſee God work his own glory out of all the croſs actions of the Creatures. There is but one thing that the Saints take care of, which is the great end of all their deſires, the ſcope of all their endeavours, which they would ſecure more then their lives, and that is Gods glory, for which they account not their lives dear. This glory of God is twofold, Gloriam Dei praedicat Scriptura 1. foreign, & eſſentiam denotat & proprietates eſſentiales. 2. foreign gloria Dei in operibus ejus glorioſis elucens; ſic terra gloria Dei plena eſt. 3. foreign, celebrationem & agnitionem illius Majeſtatus. Gerh. loc. com. 2. ſect. 18. p. 317. Glaſſ. Rhet. ſacr. p. 46. Periculoſum eſt ſibi placere cui cavendum eſt ſuperbire. Ille autem qui ſuper omnia eſt, non extollit ſe; nobis nam que expedit Deum noſſe, non illi; unde patet quod Deus ſuam gloriam non quaerit propter ſe ſed propter nos. Aquin. 2. 2ae. q. 132. ad. 1^um. Eo fortior adverſus …aeli minas ſurge, & cum mundus undi que exarſerit, cogita te nihil habere de tanta m…le perdendum. Sen. q. nat. l. 2. c. 59. Pſa. 76.10. Neceſſe eſt omnes homines quantumvis feroces & furentes tibi cedere, & ſi quid furoris adhuc vertet, ita coercet ut erumpere non poſſit. Muls. foreign Sym.either eſſential, and ſo his glory is himſelf, which no man hath ſeen nor can ſee; or manifeſtative, the ſhining forth of his excellency, in the diſcoveries of his Attributes. Now that the glory of the Lord might ſhine forth as the Sun, though all the Stars be eclipſed, he is well pleaſed. If the Lord pleaſe to make me a footſtool that he himſelf might be exalted, into his own Throne, I rejoyce in my own abaſement. If he will get himſelf a name by the ſhaking of the earth and heavens, by the overthrows of Kingdoms, as he will do by the general conflagration of the world at the laſt day, a Saint can with rejoycing ſtand upon the ruines of all things and ſay, I have loſt nothing, my end is ſecured: God that made all things for himſelf, he rules all things for himſelf; he will provide for his own glory in the midſt of all the tumuls and turnings that are below. Now if he will cauſe light to ſhine out of darkneſs, and win to himſelf glory by working a harmony out of the diſcords of the Creatures, Finis ſolus in mediis amari debet; ergo finis ſolum eſt ratio motiva voluntatis, & media qua talia tantum terminativa. Scot. diſp. 3.8. Gibeuf. de libertate creat. l. 1. cap. 11. §. 2.in this I can and will rejoyce. This is indeed the great happineſs of a Saint; though in his inferior ends he may miſcarry, yet he is always ſecured in reference to his utmoſt end. Whereas all ungodly men, as they many times fail in their ſubordinate ends, ſo they always miſs of their utmoſt end, and therefore muſt needs be miſerable; for the rule is, finis ultimus perficit tam agentem quam actionem. Omnis finis ſecundarius ex ultimo acquirit perfectionem. Keker. log. de fin. c. 18.Therefore nothing can make a man happy but the ſecuring of his utmoſt end: And nothing can make a man miſerable but his miſſing of his utmoſt end. While a man therefore ſees that to thrive and proſper, God anſwering cardinem deſiderii, as Auſtin ſpeaks of prayer, though he fails in many other things, which he in his judgement conceived neceſſary means conducing thereunto, yet he is fully ſatisfied and well pleaſed.

2. The power of godlineſs conſiſts much in ſelf reſignation unto God; and the happineſs of the Saints is, Fuerunt aliis hominibus cum Ethnicis tum Chriſtianis loca quaedā exſtructa, & reditus conſtituti ad pauperum relevandom miſeriam; & is cui haec provincia demandata fuit dicitur foreign, cum parvuli vel parentibus erant orbati, vel publicè expoſiti, & à parentibus non agniti. Greg. Tholoſſ. Synt. juris, l. 15. c. 28. Pupillus eſt 1. Qui omni hominum praeſidio caret, & ope humana deſtituitur. 2. Qui ſuae ignorantiae, nuditatis & inopiae conſcius eſt. 3. Qui ſe totum curae tutoris ſui committit, ac proinde humilis eſt & à tutoris metu & mandatis ſolus pendens. Tarnov. in Lam. 5.3. Zanch. in Hoſe. 14.3.to be in themſelves fatherleſs, to be put out of their own protection and proviſion, Hoſea, 14.3. The Church is deſcribed leaning upon her beloved, Cant. 8.5. her ſupport is out of her ſelf, there ſhe takes up her repoſe, Pſal. 10.14. The poor leaves himſelf with thee, they commit their ſouls unto him in well doing, 1 Peter 4.19. And they commit their wayes, Pſal. 37.5. to him in the iſſues and ſucceſſes of them. Now a man that does commit all his own and the Churches affairs into the hands of God, brings all to him, and leaves them with him, let him do what ſeems him good, which way ſoever God caſts it, his ſoul is ſatisfied, and he is quiet under his diſpenſations. Grace makes a man ſolicitous for nothing but duty, as it makes a man to fear nothing but ſin; It is never troubled about events; but when the duty is done, though the event anſwers not his deſires, he can as well quiet his ſoul in God, as if he had had all the ſucceſs in the world. So doth the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Iſai. 49.4. *foreign ſigninificat laborem cum ſingulari moleſtia conjunctum. A Septuag. redditur per foreign, uti Hab 2.13. foreign Eſt humor nativus in quo vigor & robur corporis conſiſtit: qui à laboribus aſſiduis & indefeſſis deficit & exareſcit.I have laboured in vaine: one word ſignifies to labour with a mans might, with his utmoſt diligence, even unto faintneſs and wearineſs: and the other word doth ſignifie humidum radicale: It is the ſame word that Chriſt uſeth Pſal. 22.15. My ſtrength is dried up like a Poſtſheard, and yet even in that labour the event and the ſucceſs is expreſt to be foreign for confuſion, which he intended for preſervation, and for deſtruction which he intended for edification; yet my work is with the Lord, and my reward with my God. †Bis glorificatur Deus ſi votis ſucceſſus reſpondeat; ſed ubi nihil omiſerint verbi miniſtri, non eſt cur eos poeniteat Deo placuiſſe. Calv.A ſoul by reaſon of this ſelf reſignation can ſit down ſatisfied and give up himſelf to God as freely, having done his duty, as if the ſucceſs had anſwered his deſires. So may a faithful Miniſter lie down in his grave, and yield up his ſoul, 2 Cor. 2.15. foreign. Chryſ. Ʋter que Deo gratus eſt odor, & quo electi recreantur in ſalutem, & quo reprobi enecantur. Et ſi Deo ſuavis eſt odor, nobis quo que eſſe debet, & abunde ſufficere ſi juſtam reprobis damnationem afferendo Dei gloriam promoveat. Calv.with as much comfort as if the people had been gained. So may a gracious magiſtrate, as if the people had been preſerved and eſtabliſhed. And in this mainly doth the power of grace conſiſt, it enables a man to reſign all things, The ſtate of Churches, Kingdomes, Families, into the hand of that God unto whom he hath committed his ſoul; and he is as truly quieted in Gods diſpoſing of the one as the other.

3. The power of godlineſs is mainly ſeen in a mans ſubmiſsion unto the word. foreign ſignificat doctrinam Evangelicam inſtar typi cujuſdam eſſe cui innitamur ut ejus figurae cōformemur. Beza. Ita foreign ſumitur. Heb. 8.5. Grot.A gracious heart is moulded to it, as it was begotten by it, Rom. 6.17. And the word is the Scepter of the providentiall, as well as of the ſpiritual Kingdom; the Lord rules all things by his word in the world, as well as in the hearts of the Saints. For as he hath ſtretched forth the expanſum of the Heavens over the natural, M. Tho. Goodwin. Ep. Dedicat. to the return of prayers. Pſal. 149.9. Judicium ſcriptum intellige mandatur divinum, quod iis arma haec pro libertate ſeu potius pro regno Chriſti propugna…do & amolificando induit. Non ſuae rationis ſed Dei jud. cum ſcriptum exequi debent. Jer. 1.10. Vendicat Deus ſummum imperium ſermoni ſuo; tantae eſt virtutis & potentiae, ut emineat ſupra omnes mortales nedum ſupra unam gentem. Calv. Rev. 19.15.21. Verbum gladio comparatur propter vim pentrandi, Heb. 4.12. & propter vim nocendi, Mat. 10.34 Glaſſ. Rhet. Sacr. p 397. Edvardus ſextus Angliae Rex, cum coronationis die tres gladii ei offerrentur in ſignum quod brium regnorum Monarcha eſſet, reſpondit, unum gladium adbuc deeſſe, ſc. volumen ſa…rorum Bibliorum; ille, inquit, gladius ſpiritus eſt & omnibus his longe anteſerendus. Wolfius lect. memoral. cent. 16. An. 1550.ſo he hath the expanſum of the word over the rational world: As appears by comparing, Rom. 10.18. with Pſal. 19.23. Now as they rejoyce to ſee the word to run and be glorified in the ſouls of men when they believe, which is Chriſts ſpiritual Kingdom; ſo likewiſe when great things are accompliſhed by it, in the world which is Chriſt providential Kingdom. We ſee Pſal. 29. the great effects of the Word in the diſpenſations of providence in the world. The word of the Lord is powerful, it is full of majeſtie, it breaketh the Cedars, it maketh the mountaines to skip like a calf: Lebanon and Syrion like a young unicorn, &c. Therefore in all the great changes that Chriſt makes in the world, when he hath accompliſhed them all, then his name is called the word of God, Revel. 19.13. And the ſword by which he deſtroys his enemies is the ſword that goes out of his mouth. The Saints delight to ſee the word of God proſper and prevail, Dan. 9.12. foreign He hath cauſed his word to ariſe, when the word doth not lie deſpiſed, but is exalted by the wonderful effects that are wrought by it, the Saints receive therein abundance of ſatisfaction, becauſe they are the Rules of this word into which their hearts are moulded. Not only as governing the ſpiritual, but alſo the providential Kingdom.

4. The power of godlineſs lies mainly in emptying a man of his own ends. Sin lies mainly in ends, and in that alſo doth the main of godlineſs lie. Rom. 14.8.Now a man that is Gods ſervant, foreign, Vobis tantum & veſtro commodo ſpectatis, non quomodo mihi obſequamini, ſed tantum quomodo veſtro morem geratis animo. Yarnov.muſt have no ends of his own. As he muſt do his maſters work, ſo he muſt aym at his maſters end, or elſe he is his own ſervant, his own will he doth and not his maſters. As it appears in the inſtance of Iehu, and in their faſting, Zach. 7.5. When you fasted, did ye at all faſt to me, even to me? did you not faſt to your ſelves, and eat and drink to your ſelves? God owns nothing as a ſacrifice unto him in which his end is not ſought. Now a man that hath no ends of his own, how will he be pleaſed to ſee Gods ends proſper, and to be effected? and there is nothing makes a mans ſpirit bitter, when Gods work is finiſhed, but when a man hath miſſed his end in it, Hab. 2.1. I will ſtand upon my watch-Tower and ſee, &c. Every godly man hath a watch-Tower. *Militis perſonam gerit; conſiſto ſuper munitionem, id eſt, verbum Dei à mea parte ſtat, quo confido, & cui credo, unde & loquo… & aliis praedico. Si enim ille nutaverit, qui verbi dux & adſervator eſſe debeat, tum actum eſt, vexillum ſuccumbit, & vigil interemtus eſt. Luth. S…abo in ſpecula mea, id eſt, in prophetiae meae ſublimitate. Jerom.Some underſtand it to be verbum Dei. I will look into the word, and obſerve there how God accompliſheth all things, and brings them to paſs, and how his works are a fulfilling of his word. But †Si quis propius expendat rationem Metaphorae, facile intelliget ſpeculam eſſe receſſū mentis, ubi a mundo nos ſubducimus, &c. Si non ſtatim apparuerit aliquid ſpei, tamen non frangar animo ne que deſeram ſtaione… meam. Calv.others underſtand it to be receſſum mentis, a mans own retiring thoughts and meditations, the obſervations of a gracious heart. The Saints by the word can diſcern what purpoſes and deſigns God hath upon the world, and they obſerve how by his works he doth go on to effect and accompliſh theſe deſigns. Now to ſtand by, Hoc ſanctis Angelis gaudium affert quod diabolo regnum minuitur, Deo verò regnum augetur; vide quanta ſit humana malitia & iniquitas propter quoà Angeli benedicunt Deo & laetantur, homines murmurantes invidia flagrant. Stella in loc. 15.10.to retire a mans ſelf, and obſerve how in Gods workings thorough all the confuſions of the world, he doth accompliſh his own purpoſes, and that they are all turned about to bring to paſs what he hath determined ſhould be done; thus to ſee Gods ends accompliſhed, a Saint can exceedingly rejoyce in it: This is the very joy of the Angels and Saints in Heaven; and whoſoever hath no ends of his own, he muſt needs rejoyce to ſee God in his workings bring to paſs his ends.

Ʋſe. 1 Firſt, It reproves all thoſe that profeſs godlineſs, and yet their wils are exceeding oppoſite unto the will of God and his diſpenſations in the world. God works, but they cannot approve it; they would have it otherwiſe if it were in their power: And this is a temper of Spirit that may befal a gratious man. We ſee it did Jonah, chap. 4. God had cauſed a gourd to ſpring up in a night, and it was a preſent convenience unto Ionah, for it was a ſhelter unto him from the Sun, and he ſate under the ſhadow of it; this gourd the Lord ſmote by a worm at the root and it withered: For this act of God Ionah is angry, Non ignorat Deum loqui, & tamen non deponit animi ſerociam; cum ſemel excaecatae ſunt hominū mentes aliquo praepoſtero affectu, etiamſi Dominus è coele fulminet non exaudiunt, & adhuc violenter occurrere non deſmunt. Calv.and he would juſtifie his paſſion before God, he did well to be angry even unto the death. If there be a ſlight advantage, a ſmall convenience, that a mans heart is ſet upon, as it was in this inſtance (for it is ſaid, he was exceeding glad of the gourd,) he is very apt to riſe in diſcontent againſt any of the acts of God that ſhall deprive him thereof. And this is the true occaſion of all the grudgings and murmurings in the ſoul: Every mans heart is full of bitterneſs, repinings, and diſcontents; the tidings they hear of the ſeveral workings of God in the world is to them as Vinegar is to the teeth, and ſmoak to the eyes, according as their party is concerned in it: It is a terror to hear the report. The evil of ſuch a frame of heart I ſhall ſet forth by theſe enſuing conſiderations.

1. It is a ſin, and a great provocation againſt God. The Lord came to Jonah and did reaſon the caſe with him, doſt thou well to be angry? Ex uſu ſanctae linguae talis interrogatio negat vehementiſſimè, ſicut contraria quam maxime affirmat. Tarnov. in loc.The interrogation is both a vehement negation and a ſharp reprehenſion: He did not well in ſo doing. And this ſhould be enough to any gracious heart, who ought to tremble at ſin more then Hell. And it is a ſin that a man is exceeding prone to, yea, even the beſt men: For who could have thought, that Jonah who was ſo lately in the Whales belly, which he cals the belly of Hell, and was ſo greatly humbled under the mighty hand of God, and ſo graciouſly and miraculouſly delivered, but that he ſhould have been well pleaſed with whatſoever God ſhould do? ſo a man would think of thoſe alſo that have been greatly afflicted, and now gloriouſly delivered; yet after all this Jonahs ſpirit is diſcontented for a trifle, he is angry though it be but for a gourd. But let ſuch perſons conſider, the Lord himſelf will reprove it as an evil, he will not ſuffer it in his own people. Therefore ask thy ſoul in the midſt of its bitterneſs, what ſhall I anſwer when the Lord reproves? Is this a frame of ſpirit which I am able to juſtifie before God, or ſhall I ſay with Jonah, I do well to be angry, and ſo add iniquity to iniquity?

2. It is not only a ſin, but it is a high degree of ſinning; it is ſinning againſt God with an high hand, which will appear in two things.

1. Hereby a man doth exalt his will above Gods will, and makes his will the rule of goodneſs: As if the will of the Lord were evil, and his will good, which is the higheſt pitch of Atheiſm that the Devil himſelf can be guilty of; Now when the Lord hath manifeſted his will, that there ſhould be ſuch ſpeakings in the heart as theſe. But I ſhould have judged it better if it had been otherwiſe; what is this but to ſay, If my will had been done it had been better? for my will is the rule of goodneſs and not Gods will; contrary to the frame in Ely, Let him do what ſeems him good; for that is good which is ſo in his account, that which agrees unto his will, and not unto mine. Secondly, Hereby a man doth put God out of the throne of Government, and takes upon himſelf the Government of the world, ſaying with Abſolom, Oh if I were made a Judge and a Ruler in Iſrael, I would do you juſtice. So theſe, if the Government of the world were in my hands, it ſhould be far better with the world then it is: If it were in my power, if I had the ordering of all things; ſo that though the Lord ſits in Heaven, and his Kingdom rules over all, yet as man in every ſin denies the wiſdom and the equity of his Law, as if he could make a better Law; ſo in all ſuch diſcontents and murmurings, he denies his Soveraignty in Government. And if it were in his power, his will is to take the Government out of his hand into his own, and then things ſhould be better ordered, and there ſhould not be ſuch diſtreſſes upon the Churches, and ſuch confuſions in the world as now there are.

3. Hereby thou makeſt thy ſelf wiſer then God; for he that will undertake to correct another mans actions, muſt therein at leaſt ſuppoſe himſelf to be wiſer then he. And therefore men that would bring in new inſtitutions into the worſhip of God, and will not be content with thoſe that he hath appointed, they do charge God with folly, and make themſelves wiſer then God. And therefore ſome of our Divines obſerve, that it is a greater ſin in Gods ſevice, to do what we ſhould not, then to omit what we ſhould. For by the one we ſhew the difficulty of the Law, foreign. Chryſ. hom. 2. in Rom. Miles poteſtati obediens hominem occidit, &c. unde punitur ſi fecerit injuſſus, inde punietur niſi fecerit juſſus. Quod ſi ita eſt jubente Imperatore; quanto magis jubente creatore? Aug de Civi…. l 1. c. 26.but by the other, we charge the Law with folly. In the one we manifeſt our weakneſs to do the will of God, in the other our impudence to controll the wiſdom of God. And as it is in the inſtitutions of God, ſo it is in his operations. He that ſaith I would not have it thus, or thus, if it had been thus it would have been better, doth nor only ſet up his own will againſt Gods, but exalts his own wiſdom above Gods. But it will be found in this as in matters of inſtitution, Vain man would be wiſe. But howſoever we may account it as part of our wiſdom, it will be found to be but as mimicall dancings, foreign eſt puerorum more ludere. Talis ab uſus ſacrificiorum erat apud Gentiles ex ſacrificio epulum ex epulo facta eſt potatio; ex potatione comus, ex como ludus, &c. Epicharm. apud Athanaeum. l. 2. Surrexerunt ludere, intellige ſacrae ſcripturae, verecuudiam; luſum niſi impudicum non denotaſſe. Tertul. de jejunio contra phyſicos, &c.and as Childrens plays before God in the end. And ſo the word 1 Cor. 10.7. doth ſignifie, Exod. 32.6. The people ſate down to eat and to drink, and roſe up to play. But men ſay, we think this would be better for Gods glory: that is as much as to ſay, you take more care for the glory of God then he doth himſelf. But if you took ſo much care of the glory of God, you would have reſpect to his Commands, and not ſin againſt him out of pretence of zeal for his glory. And it is as much as to ſay you know wayes that will make more for the glory of God then he himſelf doth. If the Lord would put the buſineſs into your hands, you could find out a way to ſecure his glory far better: that God doth not take a right courſe to glorifie himſelf, but were it in your power you would do it: As John the Baptiſt under a pretence of humility, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comeſt thou to me? And Peter, Lord, Thou ſhalt never waſh my feet; did ſhew forth the higheſt pride, in making themſelves wiſer then Chriſt. But you will ſay it would be better for the Churches: What is this but to charge God with want of love, tenderneſs, and faithfulneſs, as if the Churches were dearer to you, then they are to him? Chryſoſt. brings in a man complaning of the afflictions of the Saints. There was ſuch a man that did uſe to give much to the poor, was very beneficial to the Saints, but he fell among Thieves, and was robbed of all that he had, or ſuffered ſhipwrack and loſt a great eſtate, and now the bowels of the poor are deprived of their former refreſhments. Oh what pitty was it that the hand of ſuch a man ſhould be ſtraightned to whom the Lord had given ſo large a heart! foreign, &c.foreign. Have you more care of the poor, then God their Maker? He brings in the Example of Job, who ſaith he did not eat his morſels alone, but the poor were nouriſhed with his bread, and cloathed with his Fleece, and their bowels did bleſs him in the ſtreets. But now his Eſtate is waſted, his Flocks and Heards are conſumed, by which ſo many poor were ſupported. Had it not been better that he had had his Eſtate ſtill, that did ſo much Good with it while he had it? Nay, *foreign, &c.he brings in Job ſpeaking, Though for my part I was unworthy to enjoy an Eſtate, yet the Lord ſhould have ſpared it for the poors ſake upon whom I did expend it.

But he ſayes no ſuch thing, thinks no ſuch thing, foreign. He was not ſo glorious and eminent, when he fed the poor with his abundance, as when he did bleſs God and gave thanks in the loſs of all things. Nay, he brought a greater glory to God, and gave a greater wound to the Devil by his example of ſuffering and patience, and became of far greater uſe to the Church and to the Saints, then ever he could have been by his Eſtate if he had enjoyed it. Jam. 5.11.We have heard of the patience of Job, and what end God made with him; had it not been for his ſufferings, we ſhould hardly ever have heard of Job or of his patience. But now the Lord hath ſet him forth for a pattern to his Saints in all after Ages.

4. In all your diſcontents, is this the way to prevail with God? Non faciet recedere, non revocabit, ſed perficiet quod verbo minatus eſt. Eſt Mioſis. A lap.Will this make him change his hand? or call back his word? Iſa. 31.2. foreign He will not call back nor make voyd his word. His counſels being ſet, it is not all frettings of your hearts againſt them that will cauſe him to take other counſels, or will turn him out of the way. Pſal. 33 11.The thoughts of his heart are from everlaſting, and therefore it is your wiſdom, much rather to ſtrive to bring about your wils to his will, for there is no hope of bringing his will to yours. Jam. 1.17. Balaam in ſtead of diſſwading the King from his evil enterpriſe, God having formerly forbidden him to curſe the people, he attempteth under the colour of Religious actions, building Altars, and offering Sacrifices, to change the minde and counſel of God, and to obtain his favour to curſe his people. Ainſw. in Numb. 23.1.In him there is no variableneſs, nor ſhadow of change. You may change your courſe as Baalam did, and try if upon this mountain you can finde God to change his minde, and go from one high place to another, and think to prevail, but you do but deceive your ſelves, loſe your labor, and the Lord doth deride all ſuch vain enterpriſes of men; for the thoughts of his heart endure throughout all Ages.

5. This is the way to provoke God to go forth in diſpleaſure, and to croſs thy will ſo much the more. If the Lord go forth in a way of judgement, Te pares ad ſuſtinendum impetum irae meae, aut ut occurras mihi vera reſipiſcentia & emendatione. Druſ.the means to pacifie him, is to meet him, as we are commanded, Amos 4.12. Prepare to meet thy God O Iſrael. Not to meet him in a way of oppoſition, to ſet up thy will againſt his, to ſet the battle in array againſt him, Eſay 27.4.for that is but to ſet bryars and thorns againſt him in battle, but thou muſt meet him in a way of ſubmiſsion, as Abigal met David, when he was comming down to deſtroy Nabal and his Houſe, 1 Sam. 25.32. So when we are under the hand of the Lord, and our ſpirits ſtoop and ſay, It is beſt Lord, beſt for me, and for thy Churches. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeems him good; this is the onelyonly way to prevail with God. But if men be like a wild *Eſay 51.20. foreign his tantum legitur ſacris bibliis, hoc in loco & Deut. 14.5. à Sept. redditur per foreign, & foreign bovem ſylveſtrem ſignificat, eſt animal ſuperbum, & ferox, 1. Quod jugum ferre nequit, 2. Quod ſe circumſcribi non patiatur, & ideo derivatur à foreign Limitavit, per antiphraſin. 3. Quod illaqueatum & irretitū cunū & venatorū furori ſit expoſitum. 4. Quod omnibus in platea ſpectandū proponitur. foreignBull in a net, when they are full of the fury of the Lord, and like a raging Sea, that cannot reſt, this is the way to provoke God, to go on in diſpleaſure. Nay, it is a very great Argument that he intends to go on, †Si non eruditi fueritis mihi. Montan. ut caſtigati, ut redeant.Levis. 26.24.

If a man be not corrected to him, he will puniſh him ſeven times more untill he hath deſtroyed him. And God doth every thing by weight and meaſure, makes every thing glorious in its time; at the laſt day (which ſhall be a day of revealation) the Books ſhall be opened, the Book of Providence as well as the Book of Life; and we ſhall ſee a glorious harmony in all the works of God: Yea, thoſe works which ye would have had otherwiſe, you ſhall ſee how neceſſary they were to come in their places and ſeaſons; and then what ſhame would it be to you, before men and Angels (if the Saints could be aſhamed at the laſt day) that the whole plot of God ſhould have been changed, and the glorious order, and beautifull agreement of all his Providences been defaced, that ſo your will might be accompliſhed to ſerve a particular end, ſome low and inferior deſign? as if the whole order of the Creation ſhould be perverted for us. And we may as ſoon expect, that God ſhould change the works of Creation, as the works of Providence, and as ſoon finde out a better order in the one, as in the other.

Ʋſe. 2 When you look upon the ſeveral turns of Providences that are now in the world, do you labor to ſubmit your wils unto Gods without fretting, and without murmuring; do not riſe up againſt the mighty hand of God, but humble your ſelves under it, and in due time he will exalt you, 1 Pet. 5.6. It may be ſometimes the Lord orders things ſo, that they do act contrary to your deſires and expectations; ſometimes the Clouds give their rain unſeaſonably, and the winds unſeaſonably blow; the ſtars by their influences ſeem to fight againſt you, and ſometimes after all your labor, the Earth doth not yield her encreaſe, but thorns do grow inſtead of wheat, and cockles inſtead of barly. It may be the Lord denies thee the fruit of the womb, or elſe gives a comfort, as he did a Guord to Jonah for a day, and he blaſts it at night; though it be the deſire of thine eyes, and the joy of thy heart; it may be the Lord doth ſet up the right hand of thy Adverſaries, and they that hate thee, triumph over thee; and the Church is broken in the place of Dragons, and covered with the ſhadow of Death: Now ſay with a heart melted, into the will of God, Let the will of the Lord be done: Math. 26 42. Diſtinguitur in Chriſto vo luntas ut eſt natura quae dicitur foreign, voluntas ut eſt ratio, quae dicitur foreign, Aquin. p. 3. q 18. a. 3.0.He is the Lord and his will is the Rule of goodneſs. And although the will of nature would ſeek its own preſervation, yet let it ſtoop unto the will of Duty: And ſay, while the Lord is pleaſed to have it ſo, I do not deſire to have it otherwiſe. We are to pray with ſubmiſsion unto his will in our works, Jam. 4.15. If the Lord will, we will do this or that; foreign. Chryſ. hom. 84. in Math. Voluntatem noſtram voluntati divinae pleniſſimè unire, ſine retractione cordis cum quadam complacentia mentali medullium in omnibus adverſis quae contingere poſſunt ut divinum beneplacitum fiat ei ſummum, de…rium ſive ſint adverſa exteriora, perſecutiones, diviſiones, ſcandala; ſive interiora, ut ſubtractiones gratiae, divinae influentiae, conſolationis aternae; ſive obnubilationes mentis vel infrigidationes affectuum ſive tentationes, Harph. Theolog. Myſtic. p. 570.and therefore we are to ſubmit to his will in all his works, and ſay, If the Lords will be ſo, we have no will of our own, we will not the contrary. Now to bring a ſoul into ſuch a frame, there are theſe enſuing conſiderations which the Saints may finde uſeful in all theſe great concuſſions and ſhakings of Kingdoms and Nations.

1. Whatſoever the Lord doth, he doth by counſel. It is not barely an act of will, but of will guided by counſel, Epheſ. 1.11. He works all things according to the councel of his own will: And this councel is taken from eternity. Pſal. 56.8. Pſal. 139.16. Eſt liber providentiae Dei generalis omnes creaturas concernentis, à quo deleri eſt morti tradi, Exod. 32.32, 33. Eſt & liber vitae, qui catalogus eſt, ſive ſingularis illa ſalvandorum cognitio. Glaſſ. Rhet. Scar. p. 157.The Lord hath a book of providence, as well as of life; In thy book are all my members written. And that book in the Revelation that was ſealed with ſeven Seals, is not the book of Gods Election, but the Book of Gods diſpenſations in the world, Liber fatidicus, the Book ſetting forth the counſels, and deſigns of God upon the after Ages of the world. They are not Counſels taken up De novo, or as occaſion ſerves, upon a particular intereſt, and for a particular end, but they were counſels taken up in reference unto the general frame and ordering of all things, and that from everlaſting. Therefore Zach. 6.1. the Inſtruments of vengeance are ſaid to be Chariots that came forth from between the Mountains of Braſs; Non dubium eſt quin per montes intelligat providentiam Dei vel arcanum conſilium, quo omnia decreta ſunt ante creationem mundi. Calv. Montes duo ſunt, ſapientia & decretum; dispoſitio & definitio; potentia & providentia Dei; praeordinatio, & executio. A lap. Judicia Dei abyſſus multa; quapropter Angeli qui ea exequuntur, prodeunt è profunda valle inter duos montes, ſc. ex cujus abdito firmiſſima & ineluctabilia conſilia. Druſ. Tarn. in loc.which is to be underſtood of the Decrees of Providence, which are as Mountains of Braſs, unchangeable. Therefore ſhould not my will ſtoop? Should I ſubmit unto the Decree of God, in reference to my eternal eſtate, and ſhal not my wil be ſubject unto his Decree, in ordering of Providences in reſpect of the things below? all which do conduce unto that eternal end. Shall not the Lord have what deſigns upon the world he pleaſeth? when the Earth is the Lords and the fulneſs thereof; of him are all things, as the firſt cauſe, and therefore to him ſhould all things be as the laſt end.

2. He hath committed all things in the matter of Government unto the Son. He hath laid the Government upon his ſhoulders, not only in the ſpiritual, but in the providential Kingdom alſo; which ſome Divines call a Kingdom of power, which is exerciſed over all men and all creatures, and a Kingdom of Grace which is exerciſed over the Church; Aſſemblies Catech. p. 53.both which are intended in that petition, Math. 6.10. Thy Kingdom come; for therein we deſire, That Christ would ſo Govern all the creatures, Dr. Ʋſhers Sum of Chriſtian Religion. p. 361.both in the natural courſe of things, and in the Civil and Domeſtical Government of men; yea, Hen. Scudders Key of Heaven. p. 153. Mr. Tho. Goodwins Serm. the Intereſt of England, p. 44.in the Rule of Devils themſelves, in ſuch ſort as they may ſerve for the good of his Church: And therefore he is called King of Nations, in reference to his works, Jer. 10.7. as well as King of Saints, in relation to his worſhip, Rev. 15.3.

This will clearly appear out of the word under theſe conſiderations:Propheta non tantum in Coelo Deum regnare docet, verum moderari res terrenas, & hac ratione extendit ejus potentiam per quatuor mundi plagas, &c. Calv.

1. That the Rule and Government of all the creatures in Heaven and Earth is in the hand of the Son, Ezek. 1. We have ſet forth the order, and ſubordination of cauſes in the Government of all things: The Wheels note, the changes and turnings of all things below, but theſe are governed by the the living creatures; the Lord making uſe of the Miniſtry of the Angels in the ordering of all things; for the ſpirit of the living creatures is in the Wheels. But ver. See the Expoſition of Mr. w. Greenhil of this Viſion.25.26. is a Throne above that of the Angels, Over the heads of the living creatures a Firmament: upon the Firmament the likeneſs of a Throne, and upon the Throne the likeneſs as the appearance of a man. That this is to be underſtood of Chriſt, is granted generally by Interpreters, and that the Throne notes a Kingly power, and that the voyce from the Firmament, unto the living creatures, was to order and command them in their Adminiſtrations. And the ſame is ſet forth plainly, Joh. 5.22. The Father judgeth no man, Judicium pro Imperio & poteſtate accipit ſecundum phraſia linguae Hebraicae. A Patre Chriſto traditū eſtregnū ut arbitrio ſuo Caelū ac Terrā moderetur. Nec ſenſus eſt quaſi Pater prorſus ſe abdicarit à judican li poteſtate & authoritate, ſed quia judicat cum Filio, in Filio, & per Filium. Calv. Kemnit. Pater in ſua propria perſona neminem regit, ſed per Filium; Ita tamen ut Chriſtus eſt vicarius Patris, ab co dependet & ci in regiminis adminiſtratione ſubordinatus eſt. Calo. 2. c…it. ſac. c. 5. §. 283.but he hath committed all judgement to the Son. Judgement is after the manner of the Hebrews, put for the Government and Adminiſtration of all things, as is it uſed, Jer. 23.5. & 33.15. and the ſame is intended which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, 1 Cor. 15.26, 27. He hath put all things under his feet; and in that he ſaith all things, its manifeſt that nothing is excepted, but he that did put all things under him: Not as if the Father had put himſelf out of Authority; but two things are here plainly ſet down, as Paraeus hath well obſerved. 1. That all things in Heaven and Earth are by the Father ſubjected unto Chriſt, as the Ruler of them all. 2. That they are ſo by the Father given into the hands of the Son, as that the Father ſtill retains the Government in himſelf; Chriſt being in the Kingdom but the Fathers ſervant. The ſame is plainly aſſerted Mat. 28.18. Joh. 17.2.

2. This Kingdom and Rule over all the works of God doth belong unto Chriſt, not only as he is the ſecond Perſon, and ſo equal with the Father; but being God Man, Pedibus ſubjicere eſt in poteſtatem tradere; & pedious conculcare eſt hoſtibus inſultare. Glaſſ. Rhet. ſacr. p. 349. Super Angelos conſtitutum accipimus unigenitum F…ium, & nulla creatura ſubjecta non erit, cui primates ſpiritus ſubj…ciciuntur. Aug. in Pſal. 8.having undertaken the Office of Mediator, ſo was the Government put into his hands immediately, which is evident. 1 From the manner of the derivation of this Kingdom; it comes unto Chriſt by donation, and therefore muſt come under an Act of Will, which as he was God he could not do. Joh. 5.22. It is foreign, he hath given all Judgement to him, foreign Heb. 1.2. Whom he hath appointed or put heir of all things, foreign Heb. 2.7. which ſignifies to ſet a man in an office, to conſtitute a man to an employment, Act. 6.3. Tit. 1.5. Math. 24.47. And ſo much is plainly expreſſed, Joh. 5.27. He hath given him authority to execute Judgement, becauſe he is the Son of man. 2. From the time of its reſignation; for the Kingdom is but Oeconomical, committed to Chriſt by way of Office, and for a time, and then he is to deliver it into the hand of the Father, that God may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.24, 28. *Poteſtates legitimas à Deo que ordinatas comprehendo; ſicut finem accipiet mundus, ita & Politia & M…giſtratus, tum in Coelo principatus Angeizci, tum in Eccleſia ceſſabunt M… niſtr… & praefectura…, &c. Cal. in loc.But firſt he muſt put down all Rule, and Authority, and Power, which hath been ſubſtituted by him; either Eccleſiaſtial Officers in the Church, or Civil in the State; yea, I conceive it to be extended, even to the Principality of the Angels alſo, which as it began under the Mediatory Kingdom, ſo it ſhal end with it.

3. The Lords intent in ſetting Chriſt over the Kingdom of Providence, was, that he might Rule and over rule all things for the good of his Church; for whoſe ſake he undertook it, for whoſe good he adminiſters it, and when their number is fulfilled, he will deliver it up, as having finiſhed the work that was given him to do, and therein accompliſhed all his Fathers ends, Joh. 17.2. Thou hast given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him. And Eph. 1.22. He *Magna conſolatio quod tantum Imperium habet is, qui id exercet Eccleſiae bono, ſicut caput conſulit corpori. Grot. God of his grace hath not only given us a head, but ſuch a head to whom all things are ſubject. Baines in Eph. 1.hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is his Body, &c. And there is required of us a ſubjection unto Chriſt, as King, in both theſe Kingdoms, committed unto him by the Father; and to ſubmit unto him in the one and not in the other, is to deny Chriſt that honor which God the Father hath inveſted him with. Now Chriſt is God the Fathers ſervant in the Government, Eſay 42.1. As he is called Gods King, Pſ. 2.6. He rules from him, he rules for him: And as Chriſt is his Fathers ſervant, ſo ſhould we be the ſervants of Chriſt. Chriſt ſerves all the plots of his Father; all *Joh. 5.19 20 Pater niml facit niſi per Falium; & Filius nihil facit, niſi quod Pater per ipſum operatur. Oſtendit Patrem eſſe authorem eorum quae Filius facit; ſimul & Filium eſſe agens intelligens qui videt & cognoſcit quae Pater cum ipſo & per ipſum operatur. Nec dicit alium n…v… mun lum, ſed quod videt Patrem in p…fenti faciente…, hoc Filius unà cum Patre facit. Kemnit.his eternal Counſels are made known unto him, he does only accompliſh what God the Father hath decreed. So ſhould we alſo be the ſervants of Chriſt, to ſerve all his ends and deſigns, as Chriſt doth his Fathers. Now there is a double engagement lies upon Chriſt in reference to this Kingdom of Providence.

Firſt, Ratione Officii, as there is a truſt put in him by God the Father; and ſo we may reſt aſſured he will be faithful unto him; For he hath accompliſhed all things, and hath not ſpared his own life; he loved it not to death, in reference to his ſpiritual Kingdom; therefore he will be faithful alſo in the providential Kingdom, which is given him not only as part of his Office, but as a part alſo of his reward, being ſet at the right hand of God; and thereby being made both †Act. 2.36. Chriſtus fuit Rex & Dominus ex quo coepit eſſe Mediator, & non demum factus eſt poſt reſurrectionem; ſed locus intelligi debet de ſolenni declaratione quae tum facta eſt cum Chriſtus conſedit ad dextram Patris. Maccov. Theſ. Theolog, par. 3. diſp. 15.Lord and Chriſt.

Secondly, Ratione Dominii; for he did purchaſe all the creatures. There was not only a debt which he paid, but there was a purchaſe which he made, and that was of all the creatures, *Conſtituit Chriſtum haeredem omniū, Heb. 1.2. Sumus & nos cohaeredes Chriſti, Rom. 8.17. Cujus haeredes ſumus? Dei, cujus & Filii. Quae Dei haereditas? Omnia ſunt Dei; omnia igitur noſtra quae Dei ſunt; ſumus enim haeredes ex aſſe, 1 Cor. 3.21. Haereditas Chriſti gemina eſt; gloriae & dominii; in utram que partem nos ut fratres recipit. Par. in Rom. 8.17. Chriſtus meruit nobis omnia bona ſupernaturalia & omnia auxilia, ſive praevenientia, ſive ſubſequentia; ac univerſa illa bona et ſi bona ſint nobis extrinſeca, quae rationem induunt mediorum ad noſtram ſalutem. Vincent. Aſturicenſ. de habit. Chriſti grat. praelect. q 5. p. 259. Reinolds in Pſal. 110.4 p 455.for the Churches ſervice; he bought the ſervices of ſome, and the perſons of others: He bought ſome as ſons, others as ſervants: Which may be the meaning of (though it be commonly otherwiſe interpreted,) 2 Pet. 2.2. They denied the Lord that bought them. In both theſe reſpects we may be ſure, as a purchaſe made by himſelf at a dear rate, and as an office committed to him by his Father, he will order all things ſo, as they ſhall be to his own glory, and his Fathers ends: And therefore we ſee that all the changings and ſhakings in the world are attributed to Chriſt, Heb. 12.25, 26. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaks from Heaven, Relativum … non poſſumus referre niſi ad foreign, hoc eſt ad Chriſlum quem Moſi oppoſuit. Par. Illud non ad coelum ſpeciatim refertur ſed ad rem totam. Magnas antehac fcci rerum mutationes, ſed reſtat longè major. Grot.whoſe voyce then ſhook the Earth, &c. It was Chriſt that did ſhake the Earth in the giving of the Law. And it is he that is ſaid once more to ſhake not only Earth, but alſo Heaven.

3. Chriſt hath made his Providential Kingdom ſubordinate unto his ſpiritual Kingdom: Propter Eccleſiam in mundo durat mundus, alioquin uno momento conflagraret coelum & terra, quia mundus non eſt dignus uno grano tritici; ſiquidem plenus eſt blaſphemiis & impietate. Niſi oratione & doctrina ſuſtentaret Eccleſia mundum, uno momento perirent omnia. Luth. in Gen. 30. & 34.he doth rule all things in the world onelyonly for the good of his people; It is for their ſakes the world ſtands, and therefore it is for their good and in ſubordination thereunto, that the world is governed.

For firſt, All creatures made for mans uſe were at firſt put under mans Covenant, and therefore when man ſinned, his curſe did reach unto them alſo, Gen. 3.17. If there had not been a ſecond Covenant revealed, man had periſhed, and all the creatures for his ſake.

Secondly, It is by the Covenant of Chriſt, and under the Government of Chriſt that they are at this day eſtabliſhed, Eſay 49.8. I will give thee for a Covenant of the people to eſtabliſh the Earth: It muſt have the ſame extent with the people to whom he is given as a Covenant; but that was not to the Jews only, and therefore it cannot be reſtrained only to the Land of Judea. Pſal. 93.1. & 97.1. is commonly expounded of the Kingdom of Chriſt.

Thirdly, The creatures for this cauſe, wait to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. The Vanity which I conceive the creature is ſubjected to, is a Vanity of ſervice to the luſts of Satan and Sinners; and the reaſon why they are by God ſubjected thereunto, is, becauſe the Lord hath a number of Sons to be carryed through the Wilderneſs of this World and when they are perfectly delivered from corruption, then ſhall the creatures be delivered from the bondage of corruption. Quemadmodum mundus propter hominem conditus eſt, & propter lapſum illius corruptus, ita ad gloriam electorum diſſolutus reſtituetur. Gomar. in Rom. 8.

Fourthly, The continuance of the World is only to advance the ends of the Kingdom of Chriſt: Its attributed to the patience of God, 2 Pet. 3.9. Rom. 9.22. but all the attributes of God are exerciſed by Chriſt in his Government, and it is for to bring men to repentance, which only belongs to the ſecond Covenant, and till the Kingdom of Chriſt be perfected, the World is reſerved by the Word of God, and then ſhall the ancient curſe be executed, All things ſhall be diſſolved; the Earth and the works that are therein ſhall be burnt up. And for this cauſe, Epheſ. 11.22. it is ſaid, he is made head over all things unto the Church *In b…num Eccleſiae … tinet hoc I… p…r…um G…o…. in loc. Eph. 1 23. Rev. 21.9. Jer. 12.7.. He is the head of the Church, and over all things, for the Churches ſake. The Church is his body, the Lambs wife, the dearly beloved of his ſoul; therefore ſeeing it is for their ſakes that he hath undertaken the Government of all things, ſurely all things ſhall be ſo ordered, as they ſhall turn to their ſpiritual good and advantage in the end. Conſider how dear the Church is unto God the Father *Joh. 16.27. foreign apud Graecos ultroneum ſignificat, ſc. Pater ultro vos diligit, etiam nemine rogante, Eraſm. unde Nonnus vertit foreign., that he did commit it as a depoſitum unto Chriſt to keep. They are therefore ſtiled Thoſe whom thou haſt given me |Jo. 17.11. Act. 20.28. Quam heminibus impoſſibile eſt, mixtum fermentum ſeparare à paſto, tam impoſſibile eſt diabolo Chriſtum ab Eccleſia ſua ſeparare. Luth.. And conſider how dear the Church is to Chriſt who hath purchaſed it with his own bloud: Therefore if the Father will truſt him, and if he be ſo far engaged, that he ſhall looſe all his ſufferings if the Church miſcarry; we may truſt him much more. He will ſurely order all things in a way of Providence, ſo as ſhall tend to their advantage, though it may be for the preſent they cannot ſee it: For he is the Wiſdom of God, and the glorious Artificer, that the Lord doth and will uſe in the accompliſhing of all things. And therefore he is called foreign a cunning workman, Prov. 8.30. *Duo habet ſignificata. 1. Artificem probatum. 2. In ſua arte excellentem Jer. 46.25. & 52.15. Nah. 3.8. Septuag. vertunt foreign. Glaſſ. Onomat. p. 61.The word doth ſignifie Artificem arte ſua excellentem, and it is ſo rendred, Cant. 7.1. Therefore as when ye are ſtrangers to the Myſtery of an Art, and look upon ſome curious Artiſt, ye wonder what he is doing, and how he will bring about his end: but yet ye truſt him with it, and ſay, Let him alone, we are to confide in him in his own Art: and ye can take pleaſure to ſtand by and look on; ſo ſhould ye do unto Chriſt in the Government of the world, truſt him with it, for he will effect all that … in his heart. He is the cunning Artiſt, able to do above what you can ask or think.

4. The Lord Chriſt hath ſubſtituted this Spirit as his Prorex. The Spirit doth govern for him both in his providential Epheſ. 2.22. 2 Cor. 3.18.*Rom. 8 14. Spiritus ſanctus replet totum orbem terrarum; aliter autem replet ſanctificante gratia, ſicut ſanctos, aliter atteſtante at que ordinante praeſentia, ſicut omnia. Aug. ad Simplician. l 2. q. 1. u Spiritus ſanctus nunquam otioſus eſt in piis, ſemper aliquid agit, quod pertinet ad regnum Dei. Luth., and in his ſpiritual Kingdom. Chriſt dwels in the hearts of his Saints by his Spirit, and he rules all the affairs of the world by the ſame Spirit. It was by the Spirit that the world was created; the Spirit moved upon the face of the waters: The word foreign |Sicut aquila ſuper pullos ſuos alas motitat, ill…s ſovens & ſuſtentans, &c. Mercer.ſignifies to move upon them as the wings of a fowle move upon her young, to bring them forth. The ſame Spirit that moved upon the creatures in their creation, doth by the ſame wings in a way of providence move upon them to perfection. And therefore when the Angels aEzeck. 1.12.20. Spiritus non accipitur pro animo vel conſilio, nec pro voluntate aut anima hominis, prout Calv. Sed ſpiritus Dei eſt, aequabiliter impellens tam rotas quam animalia. Caeli ac mundus ſunt quaſi currus Dei praeſidentis ſpiritus; per Angelos gyrat Coelos, tempora & omnia creata; ca que ſuaviſſime ac fortiſſime regit & movet. A lap. Greenhil in loc.act the wheels, the Spirit of Chriſt moves them; which way the Spirit went, thither their Spirit was to go, Ezek. 1.20. Therefore Zach. 4.7. bSpiritum vocat virtutem à Dei ſpiritu manantem, qua animi eorum confirmabantur & excitabantur ad opus faciendum, uti Ezra. 5.1. & Hag. 2.5. Druſ.It is not by power nor by might, but by my Spirit; The Spirit wrought it in a providential way, by raiſing up the ſpirits of men. Zach. 6.8. cPer vocem ſpiritus quidam vindictam Dei intelligunt, quae cum ad ſatietatem effuſa ſit, tum ſpiritum Dei vindictae cupidum ſedare, vel facere acquieſcere dicuntur. Pemble, &c. Traditum eſt mihi ab Hebraeis, quod Alexander & omnes Macedones qui egreſſi ſunt poſt Medos & Perſas requieſcere ſecerunt Spiritum prophetalem, eo quod Dei voluntatem contra Medos impleverint. Jerom in loc.They that are gone out into the North Countrey have quieted my Spirit in the North. There was a great deſign of God to accompliſh, and the Spirit would never be pacified; he was reſtleſs as it were, till this work was fulfilled. For the Spirit is as truly engaged in it, being the Spirit of Chriſt Mediator, as Chriſt himſelf is engaged unto God the Father.

5. The Lord hath erected another ſubordinate power, which is that of the Angels. For the Wheels do not move alone, but the Spirit of the living Creatures is in the Wheels. Ezech. 1.20. Omnino hoc verum eſt quod Deus mundum hunc viſibilem gubernat non tantum per homines ſed etiam per Angelos. Lu ther in Gen. 19. &c. Angelorum officium duplex eſt; ſuperius canere gloriam in excelſis Deo: Inſertus erga nos & creaturas eſt vigilare, gubernare, militare, &c. in c. 32.Now the living creatures are the Angels, Ezech. 10.20. And for this cauſe they are ſaid to be miniſtring Spirits for the good of the Elect. And they not only miniſter to the Saints, but they miniſter to Chriſt alſo, in all his works in the world, for the Saints ſake: Therefore in Revel. 8.1. & 16.1. the Trumpets and the Vials, are ſaid to be given into the hands of the Angels. They being the Inſtruments chiefly uſed in them; and all other perſons ſhall be acted, moved by their miniſtry. Now we know they are holy Angels, they know the will of God as they ſee the face of God: and they are faithful unto Chriſt, unto whom as Servants they are ſubjected. For he was made lower then the Angels, Heb. 2.7. foreign but for a little time; Col 2.10. 1 Pet 3 22.but now he is exalted a bove Angels, and Principalities, and Powers, and they made ſubject to him; and we know that Chriſt is their head, and they make up one body in Chriſt with the Saints, for there is an foreign of things in heaven and things in earth, Metaphora ducta eſt à re oratoria. Camer. Eſt aera in ſumma colligere; ut Rom. 13.9. Per Chriſtum tanquam caput. Grot. foreign. Oecum. Sicut mali Angeli & diaboli inviſibiles inſenſiores hoſtes ſunt, quam viſibiles; ita opti… & conſtantiſſuni amici ſunt Angeli inviſibiles, qui fide & benevolentia & …mnibus officiis amicitiae viſibiles amicos longè ſuperant. Luth. in Gen. c. 24.Eph. 1.10. We are all ſervants of the ſame Family, and brethren. The Angel himſelf acknowledges, Rev. 19.10. I am thy fellow-ſervant & of thy b…ethren. Now we need not doubt but they will order all things for the Churches good, knowing the mind of God fully in all his works, in which they are imployed; which makes them to go and come like lightning. When therefore the Spirit works, and the Angels work, and all of them concur; ſhould man repine? ſhould man reſiſt?

6. The motions of providence in ordering the affairs of the world, are ſometimes croſs and perplex motions, going beyond the reach of the ableſt and moſt skilful men. There is as it were a Wheel in the midſt of a Wheel, Eze. 1.16. Complexio tranſverſa; they move like the motions of Watches, Cur duplices fuerint Rotae videndum eſt; nempe quia Deus non videtur tenere rectum curſum, ſed habere varias converſiones & quaſi inter ſe contrarias, acſi diſtraheretur agitatio ubi inſpirat vigorem credturis, &c. Calvin in loc. Rotae erant implicatae, ne ſperemus illarum motionum rationes à nobis percipi; ſi ſecundum humanam rationem de operibus Dei & eventis judicamus, tanta eſt preplexitas, ut nos explicare non poſſimus, &c. Lavat.croſswiſe, one Wheel acts another by a croſs and a quite contrary motion, ſo that the greateſt Stateſmen, the wiſeſt Polititians are puzled by it, they know not what myſteries there are in Providences. They cannot diſcern whether the Wheels move forward or backward. As ſometimes when the Scots moleſted this Nation, the Inhabitants called in the Saxons for their Affiſtance, but they did effect that, which they did intend to avoid, for they conquered and ſubdued the Nation to themſelves. The motions of Providence are ſo perplex and various, that it comes not within the compaſs of the wiſdom of man to gather any certain Concluſions from them. The Lord will not have man to finde any thing after *Eccleſ. 7.14. ſc. Ʋt nihil divinarum praerogativ… rum homo ſibi arrogare poſſit. Cocc.him.

7. The Wheels are ſometimes lifted up from the Earth †Multa ſaepe videmus fieri intempeſtivè, noſtro judicio; ſed ſciamus Angelos peragere ſuū officium, & ipſorum motu vel inſpiratione rapi, quae per ſe nullum motum haberent. Calv., Ezech. 1.19. God doth many times go out of the way of his ordinary Providence, and doth raiſe the Spirits of men, and enable them to unwearied ſervices; he that is feeble ſhall be as David *Erit alter David, hoc eſt bello fortis ac ſummus; & qui infeliciter egerit, futurus ſit Davidi ſimilis, ſc. foelix & fortunatus, Druſ. in loc. Jer. 37.10 foreign transfoſſi. Cum de ſanctiſſimis viris Johanne Huſs & Hieronymo Prag…nſi cogite, cum ſumma admiratione hanc ipſam animi magnitudinem intueor. Qui duo ſe totius mundi judiciis oppoſuerunt. Luth. in Gen. cap. 7. Lutherus odium & impetum totius orbis ſuſtinuit. Sleidan. Dei gratia hoc inſigne donum expertus ſum, ut contra Caeſaris, Pontificis, Principum, Regum, & totius fere mundi voluntatem, docendo & ſeribendo Jeſum Chriſtum liberrime confeſſus ſum, etiam inter mille pericula vitae, Luth. Tom. 4. p. 404. Nihil eſt humanis viribus laboratum, quod non humanis ae que viribus deſtrui poſſit, quontam mortalia ſunt opera mortalium, Lactan. l. 7., Zach. 12.8. That is, as valiant in War as David; and the houſe of David (So the Saints and the Faithful Ones of God are called) ſhall be as an Angel of God; their Spirits elevated even to Angelical ſtrength and courage. The Lord did never ſo ſettle any Nation or People, but he did reſerve to himſelf a power of alteration. He did never ſo exalt any man, but he did reſerve to himſelf a power of degradation. Ezech. 21.10.26. Remove the diadem, take away the crown, it ſhall be no more. Deponit Reges, diſponit Regna; and the ſword, ſhall be the Inſtrument by which it ſhal be effected: It is the *foreign Tribus Judah quae hactenus contempſit virgam qua à Deo caſtigata fuit, deſinet eſſe regnum. Lavat. foreign enim tribus eſt. Gladius Chaldaeorum ſceptrum, hoc eſt, regnum Filii mei, ſc. Iſraelis; ſuccidet facilius omne lignum, ſc. omnem alium populum. A lap. Sed haec interpretatio optimè quadrat. Gladius Chaldaeorum eſt virga vel ſceptrum Filii mei contemnens omne lignum. Pſal. 17.13. Eſay 10.5.rod of my Son, contemning every tree; and no tree ſhall eſcape, not the Cedars of Lebanon; for it is the Scepter of my Son; men may make a great difference betwixt Cedars and ſhrubs, but the Sons Scepter makes no ſuch difference.

8. Ezech. 1.18. Et Rotae & cherubim erant oculis pleni circū, ſc. non in unico tantum loco ſed undiqua que , omni ex parte; hi oculi ſigni ficant 1. Circumspectionem & vigilantiam in orbis regimine. 2. Motus vel rerum eventus eſſe certiſſimos, licet inſtabiles & impliciti nobis videantur. 3. Pulcherrimos eſſe, ſc. ocellis quaſi ſtellis lucidiſſimis ornatos. Calv. A lap.He hath diſcovered to us in his word what ends he hath to accompliſh in and upon the world; and we know he carries on all things for the accompliſhment of thoſe ends. For the Wheels are full of eyes; Non caeco feruntur impetu; they are not carryed on barely by the force, and according to the wills of ſecond cauſes, but by counſel; and though we ſee not how they tend to the effecting of theſe ends, yet they ſhall ſurely be accompliſhed, and in this our hearts ought to reſt; the ends are theſe.

1. What ever mens ends are, Per terram hujus mundi regna intelligo, leges & conſtitutiones, cum bellicis tumultibus replentur cuncta, uti Hag. 2.22.23, Et per Coelum cultum intelligo & religionis ſtatum in Eccleſiâ Chriſtianâ, ſc. dogmata fidei, media cultus, Minſtros ordinarios, &c. uti Dan. 8.10. Tali concuſſione ad primum Chriſti adventum viam paravit, talt etiam ad ſecundum. Magnas antebac fetit rerum mutationes, ſed reſlat longe major. Grot.the Lord intends by theſe ſhakings to remove the things that are made, Heb. 12.27. whatſoever hath been brought into the Church or State, as an invention of man for politick ends, ſhall be deſtroyed; and he will ſhake both, to that end that he may remove them, That the things that cannot be ſhaken may remain.

2. Rev. 17.13. Niſi pon…if…x Romanus redigatur in ordinem, actū eſt de omni re Chriſtiana. At quis in ordmem rediget? Chriſtus illuſtratione adven. tus ſui, & non alius. Qui habet aures audiendi audiat, & à bello Turcico abſtincat, donec nomen Papae ſub Caelo valedixit. Luth. Tom. 2.That he may thereby make way for Antichriſts ruine, who was ſet up by made things only; the Kings of the Earth giving foreign their force of arms, and their power of Laws unto the Beaſt; and ſo far as the Laws and Government of any people are blended with this power of Antichriſt, ſo far will the Lord ſhake that people, that thereby he may make way for Antichriſts downful, ruining him by the ſame means he aroſe.

3. Pro regnis cornua poſui…; hanc habet ſancta ſcriptura conſuetudinem ut regnū ſemper interpretetur in cornibus. Hieron. 1 King 22. 11. Dan 7.7, 8, 21.24, & 11.20. Jer. 50.28.That he might take away the horns by which his people have been puſhed, Zach. 1.21. And this he will do, though it be by a power that ſhall afterward periſh, if they prove horns alſo; as the Aſsyrian was deſtroyed by the Perſians, who afterward when he advanced his horn againſt the Church, was alſo to periſh by the Grecian; for the vengeance is the vengeance of the temple.

4. That the Kingdom and Dominion under the whole Heavens may be the Lords *Chriſtus Mayeſtatem ſua… viſibilem qu…d… … …pſ… … fingend… …o…da, ut co… r… ſuas & …reptra ont… pedes ein… …, Bright. In fine ſexti …all… …nni mal… …mnis …, & regnet per annos …ll… juſintia, ſu que tranqu…ll…as … à labor…u…, quos mundut jam d… perpeſſus eſt. Lacta…t. de Divino … cap 14.. To that end he doth take unto himſelf his great power and raign, Revel. 11.15. But here comes in a caſe neceſſarily to be anſwered, which will ariſe in the minds of mo… it being the great ſcruple and ſtumbling block of theſe times, and …e cauſe why men fall not in with the preſent Acts and Adminiſtrations of God in the World. Or, Dan. 11.33. Inter multos Apoſtatas praedicit ſore quoſdam qui in puro Dei cultu retinebunt populū. Quanquam hoc non praeciſè reſtringo ad ſacerdotes, tamen non dubito quin Angelus ab ipſis incipiat. Et tanta eſt Spiritus gratia in fulciendis doctoribus, ut non ſuccumbant, quamvis cum gladio, igne & exilio pugnandum eſt. Calv.if this be not the true cauſe (as there is reaſon to ſuſpect it in many) yet this is the great pretence that is held forth. Men ſay, did I know that this were the will of God to effect, yet that is not to be my rule, for there is voluntas propoſiti which is the rule of Gods actings; he works all things according to the counſel of his own will: but this is not to be looked upon as the Rule of what God would have us to do. It is voluntas praecepti that we are in all things to have reſpect unto. As the Lord many times will have his people to be afflicted, diſtreſſed, impriſoned, yea, and many to fall by the ſword, to trie them and purifie them, and make them white unto the time of the end, Dan. 11.37. For whatſoever Propheſies there are which the Lord hath ſpoken, Eccleſiae figura …olumba eſt, quae cum omnium injuriis pateat, non tamen reddit injuriam, ſed patitur. Luth.he will ſurely effect. The viſion ſhall ſpeak and not lye, it ſhall come and not tarry, he will not call back his word. It is no good argument then, that becauſe God will afflict his Church, therefore I ſhould deſire that the Church ſhould be afflicted, Pſal. 122.6. Eſay 62.7. Eſay 33.20.and ſhould deſire to be an Inſtrument in the hand of God therein. The rule given me is this, that I ſhould pray for the peace of Jeruſalem, and that God would make it *1. Eſt Eccleſiam glorioſam reddere, ut illiuc materia laudis Eccleſiae effu… geat. 2. Ʋt eam meritò omnes Gentes laudent & toti orbi ſit Eccleſia in laudem & gaudium. foreign 1. Diem afflictionis & calamitatis quem iis praedico, non optavi eis; ſed cum dolore cogor eum praedicere, quia tu D… mine id mihi jubes. A Lap. 2. Diem doloris, vel diem anxium redditur; ita vocat militiam illam quae manet omnes veros paſtores, & ad munus propheticum tantum reſtringit. Calv.a praiſe in the Earth, and a quiet habitation; and the promiſe is, they ſhall proſper that love thee; and therefore though Jeremiah in Obedience unto God muſt pronounce the woful day, and tell them what the Lord will do, yet he doth profeſs he doth not deſire the woful day, Jer. 17.16. He did ſpeak it as being commanded by God, but not as a thing deſired by him, though he did tell them from the mouth of God what he would do: yet it was not that which he would have a hand in to effect. His rule of duty was, to ſeek the good of Jeruſalem, and pray for the peace of it, till the Lord forbid him, pray no more for this people, for I will not hear thee, Jer. 7.16. †Voluntas Divina ad quam ſe conformare d…bet voluntas humana, eſt voluntas praecepti; quippe quo docetur quid Deus v…lit eſſe noſtri offic…t ut …aciamus; non autem eſt voluntas decreti, quo ipſe apud ſe ſlatuit, quid velit fieri, five ſinendo ut fiat, ſive ipſe factendo. I wiſſe vindic. l. 2. p. 175.. It is not therefore the effecting will of God that is to be my rule in deſiring or acting; it may be a ſin in me, to joyn in that which I know God will effect, 2 King. 8.10, 15. when Benhadad was ſick, he ſent unto Fliſha the Prophet to enquire whether he ſhould recover of his diſeaſe; *Duae ſunt partes oraculi; in prima de vita ex aegritudine respondit, in altera de Regis vita abſolutè. Morbus tum non eſt lethalis; ex hoc morbo non morieris; abſolute tamen morte morieris; quia priuſquam à morbo conva…eſcat ab ipſo Hazael occiſus eſt. Pet. Martyr. Ca…etan.he told him that his diſeaſe was not mortal, but that he might recover: but yet the Lord had ſhewed him that he ſhould ſurely die. This he uttered as from God unto Hazael his Meſſenger; yet Hazael did wickedly, to take a thick cloth and dip it in water, and ſpread it upon his face, thereby to ſmother him, and to haſten his death. And we know, that though God be not the Author †Reſp…ctu Dei bonum eſſe dicimus, ut mala fiant; & quomodo bonum? duntaxat in genere conducibilis ad illuſtrandam gloriam De…. ſc. gloriam divinae juſtitiae punientis, & miſericordiae parcentis. Et ut fiant mala; à quo? Non à Deu, ſed duntaxat ab homine. Et quomodo ut fiant? ſc. Deo duntaxat permittente, non autem efficiente aut in agendo deficiente. Twiſſe vindic. lib 2. p 175., yet he is the Orderer of ſin, and he doth accompliſh great things oftentimes even by the ſins of men; yet this is only by the permitting, and not the effecting will of God; Though the Lord doth permit that it ſhal be done, yet he hates the act, and is diſpleaſed with the Actor; As the Lord employed Nebuchadnezzar againſt Jeruſalem; he ſaith, he is my ſervant, and I ſend him againſt an Hypocritical Nation, the people of my wrath; and I give him a *Biſariam praecipit Dous; v…l voluntate patefacta per verbum hominibus traditum, vel voluntate occulta, quae eſt providentia ſive decretum arcanum, quo ſic omnia moderatur ut ſine eo & contra illud nihil poſſint ſacere aut omittere. Hoc ſenſu …rbum praecipiendi ſumitur, ſc. pro ord…are & d…cernere. 2 Sam. 16.10. Eſay 5 6. Jer. 33.22. Urſin. Calv. &c. vide Pet. Martyr … 2 Sam. 16. quaeſt. An Deus ſit author peccati, & quomodo illud praecip… p. 275.charge to take the ſpoyl and the prey, and to tread them down as mire in the ſtreets, Iſa. 10.6. And yet all this was but the permitting will of God. So the ten Kings, the Lord did put it into their ‖Rev. 17.14. Fontem oſtendit unde Imperatores forent per ta… longum inter vallum adeo obſequentes; ab eo proficiſcitur in cujus manibu… ſunt c…da R…gum; hic juſto judicio quos vult occaecat. Bright.hearts to give their Kingdoms unto the Beaſt, that Antichriſt might be ſet up, which hath been the ground of all the miſeries that have been brought upon the Chriſtian Churches ever ſince: yet i… was their ſin, and only the permitting will of God. He did neither approve the act, nor acquit the Actors. So the Lord will have Ahab to fall a… Ramoth Gilead: Satan offers his ſervic… to perſwade him, and to be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of his Prophets, and the Lord ſaith, thou ſhalt perſwade him and prevail, go forth and do ſo. Satanae voluntas ſemper eſt iniqua, ſed poteſtas nun. quam injuſta. Gregor. Deus iratus dat amanti quod male amat: Multi enim miſeri ſunt habendo quam carendo. Amando res noxias miſeri, habendo ſunt miſeriores. Auguſtin in Pſal. 26.Yet it was only Gods permitting will; the Act and the Agent were both hateful unto God, as not doing that which was good in his ſight.

Queſt. How therefore ſhould a man know whether Gods effecting will and commanding will be the ſame? And that what I do, be done in ſubmiſſion unto both, whether it be Gods permitting will only? (For the Lord may ſuffer evil Inſtruments, yea he may ſuffer good men in an evill way, as appears in Jacobs getting of the bleſsing.) Or, whether it be the effecting will of God, ſo as he allows the act, and approves the Actor. If I had Rules for this, then I could reſt ſecurely in reſpect of all the dealings of God in the World.

Anſw. Before we come to give an anſwer to this great enquiry, I muſt premiſe theſe two things:

1. That all prejudiced and pre-engaged wils be laid aſide. There is a meekneſs of ſpirit with which the Word is to be received, Jam. 1.21. called the meekneſs *Status regimiais apud Hebraeos cauſam denotat, & ſenſus eſt, manfuetudo à ſapientia provenions vel effectum denotat, & ſenſus eſt, verae ſapientiae effectum & foreign eſt prudens manſ…o. Glaſſ Gram. ſa…. p. 101. &c. Gomar. in loc.of wiſdom. Jam. 3.13. The words of the wiſe are heard in quiet †Si audiantur animo tranquill… & non perturbato. Co…h., Eccleſ. 9.17. more then the cry of him that rules among fools. Advice given with a calm, humble, and ſubmiſſive ſpirit, and received with a minde free from paſſion and pre-engagements, prevails with men much more, and ſinks deeper then the proud, confident, and cenſorious dictates of men, whoſe affections engage and byaſs their judgements. In all caſes of difference a man ſhould fear himſelf in this, leaſt he ſhould ſhut his eyes againſt any truth delivered. It was that which Luther found by experience. Hoc meâ experientiâ diſco quod non habeo tam magnam timendi cauſam extra, quam intra me. Therefore be jealous of your ſelves, eſpecially, in thoſe things wherein ye have received prejudice before-hand, and know it is one of the greateſt judgements that can befal a man, to be given up to believe a lye, to have his heart deeply engaged in a wrong cauſe, and to appear much for that which will prove a falſhood at the laſt day. And it is a moſt dangerous ſign that thou art ſo, the leſs fearful that thou art of thy ſelf in it, with the greater confidence and gloriyng of Spirit that thou doſt go on; and with the more bitter, violent, and cenſorious ſpirit towards others that are not of thy minde and judgement; Ne pergas quaerere quid cor durum ſit; ſi non expaviſti, tuum eſt. Bern.

2. I deſire you not to expect from me State-conſiderations belonging, to the conventions of Kingdoms and Nations, or the municipal Laws of the Commonwealth.

Firſt, It being but an Ordinance of man, 1 Pet. 2.13. therefore different in ſeverall States and Kingdoms, all being not bound unto the ſame conſtitution. God gave unto the Jews their judicial Laws; and therefore ſaith he was their King; for the Legiſlative power he reſerved unto himſelf, though the executive power he did commit unto Officers under him. But that Commonwealth being diſſolved, though for the moral equity all people ſhould have reſpect unto thoſe Laws, yet the Lord hath left the Legiſlative power unto themſelves to chuſe the Laws by which they will be ruled, and unto which they will ſubmit: And as they are different in ſeveral Kingdoms, ſo they may vary in one and the ſame Kingdom, as the Nation ſhall finde them prejudicial unto that body, for the good of which they were at firſt intended. And though after the Captivity the people of the Jews were governed by Kings no more; for the Lord had ſaid that in Zedechiah the Kingly form of Government ſhould ceaſe, Ezeh. 21.25, 26. Thou profane wicked Prince of Iſrael, whoſe day is come, when inquity ſhall have an end. Thus ſaith the Lord God, Remove the Diadem, and take off the crown, this ſhall not be the ſame; exalt him that is low, and abaſe him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it ſhall he no more, until he come whoſe right it is, and I will give it him. And yet when Kings ceaſed, the Scepter departed not from Judah *Equidem ego ſceptrum eſſe nil aliud niſi Majeſtatem imperii opinor, eam nempe quae ipſi reipublicae aſſidet: Quare quorum reſpublica eſt, corum & Sceptrum dici debet. Non receſſit ſceptrum, etſi mutatus reipub. ſtatus ſit, ac penes Optimates modò Pontificeſ que ſumma fuerit. imperii. Nimis ineptè faciunt, qui hic in arctum deſilierunt, & nominis hujus honorem haud pertinere niſi ad Reges autumant. Quicun que enim populus ſuâ quâdam republicâ ſuiſ que legibus utitur, is recte gloriari de imperio de que ſceptro poteſt. Cunaeus de repub. Heb. l. 1. c. 9. Ejecto regio nomine, juris ſtatuendi poteſtas in ſenatum tranſlata eſt, & ei omnia jura & inſignia regum data, legeſ que Regum in contemptum abiêre. Et Majeſtatis crimen eſt, quod adverſus populum Romanum vel adverſus ſecuritatem ejus committitur. Ulpian. l. 1. §. 1. F. ad legem. Jul. majeſt.. Gen. 49.10. After the Captivity it is no more termed a Kingdom, but the Commonwealth of Iſrael, Epheſ. 2.12. and yet while they are governed by their own Laws, and their own Officers (though their Monarchy was changed into an Ariſtocracy) the Government ſtill remains for ſubſtance the ſame, under a different Form; and when they have no King, yet the Scepter remains with them ſtill.

Secondly, The Lord hath eſtabliſhed two ‖Dr. Ʋſhers Speech in the Caſtle Chamber concerning the Oath of Supremacy. p. 3.diſtinct powers upon Earth, and will preſerve them diſtinct unto the end of the World; the power of the Sword, and the power of the Keyes; and he hath appointed two diſtinct Officers for the management of both theſe, the Magiſtrates, and the Miniſters. The Inſtitutions of Chriſt his Word, Seals and Cenſures, theſe properly belong unto the Miniſters; and when they meddle out of theſe, they may fear to hear that queſtion of Chriſt, who made thee a Ruler or a Judge? and if Jeſus Chriſt being a Miniſter of the Circumciſion, would not take it upon him, (though as Mediator the Government of the world did belong to him) how much leſs ſhould any Officer under him take upon him to decide controverſies, and determine Titles in matters Civil, which I dare not arrogate ſo much to my ſelf as to underſtand, much leſs to contradict Authority, and to engage the people therein. The power of the ſword belongs to the Magiſtrate; And if the Magiſtrate will with Ʋzziah, undertake the Inſtitutions of Chriſt, he muſt be content to hear, it appertains not to thee to burn Incenſe, but to the ſons of Aaron that are conſecrated thereunto, 2 Chron. 26.18. If Peter alſo … bold to draw the ſword, he … to hear, Put up thy ſword … place. He is commanded to … as a weapon that he hath no … to uſe. And truly it hath be … juſt with God that the … Office hath been ſo much … by others, becauſe they have … ſo much beyond their own pale in the execution thereof. And to me the Institutions of Chriſt, which are the proper ſubject of our commiſſion, are of that vaſtneſs and extent, that we ſtand in need of no ſuch *2 Tim. 2.4. No man that warreth intangleth himſelf with the affairs of this life. Milites inſtituti obſequiis non deputabantur, nec privata uſdem negotia …andabantur: ſiquidem incongruum videbatur unperatoris militem, qui … & annonâ publicâ p…ſcebatur, utilitatibus vacare privatis. Vegetius cere milit. l. 2. Graviter commoti ſummus ego & collegae mei qui praeſentes aderant, cum cognoviſſemus, quod Geminius victor de ſaeculo excedens, Gemintum Fauſinum Presbyterum tutorem Teſtamento ſuo nominaverat, quando ſingult divino Sacerdotio honorati & in Clerico miniſterio conflituti, non niſi altari & ſacrificits deſervire & precibus at que orationibus vac…ne debeant. Nemo militans Deo obligat ſe moleſtiis ſaecularibus: quod …m de omnibus dictum ſit, quanto magis moleſti…s & laqueis ſaecularibus o…gart non debent, qui divinis rebus & ſpiritalibus occupati, ab Eccleſia recedere, & ad terrenos & ſaeculares actus vacare non poſſunt: ut qui operationibus divinis inſiſtebant, in nulla re avocarentur, nec cogitare nec agere ſacularta cogerentur? Cyprian. 1 p 66. Dominum Jeſum, in cujus nomine ſecurus haec dico, teſtem invoco ſuper animam meam, multo mallem per ſingules dies certis horis aliquid manibus operari, & caeteras horas habere ad legendum & orandum, aut aliquid in divinis literis agendum liberas quam tumult …ſiſſimas perplexitates cauſarum alienarum ae negotiis ſaecularibus pati, &c. Auguſtin de opere Monarch. cap. 39excurſions.

To come now to the Anſwer it ſelf: There are ſeveral conſiderations according to the Rules of the word to be offered to you.

The Subordination of the Will of Man Unto the Will of God, Text (2 of 4)