A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 8
CHAP. 8.
Of Gods Gouernment in generall.
Hitherto of the Creation, Chap. 5. 6. the Gouernment followeth, which is
Generally in all:
1
Small.
Great.
2
Neceſſarie.
Caſuall.
3
Good.
Euill.
Speciall, in Angels and men.
ROM. chap. 11. verſ. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for euer. Amen.
Q. THus much of the Creation, being the firſt part of the execution of Gods Decree; now followeth the Gouern ment; for which conſider Rom. 11. 36. Is then the gouernment of God, as vniuerſall as the Creation?
A. It is ſo: for it is not with God, in the gouernment of the world, as it is with him that maketh a ſhip, or buildeth a houſe, which when he hath made, he leaueth another to gouerne and inhabite: for God gouerneth whatſoeuer he hath made.
Q. How may gouernment be defined from this place?
A. It is the execution of Gods eternall Decree of Zach. 4. 10.all creatures, whereby he gouerneth them, with al that Prou. 15. 3. Ierem. 23. 23.belongeth vntounto them, directly to their proper ends.
Q. Hath God then a hand in gouerning the ſmallest matters?
A. Yes, euen the ſmall, as well as the great: for not Mat. 10. 29. 30.one ſparrow (whereof two are ſold for a farthing) falleth without the prouidence of our heauenly Father, not ſo much as a haire of our head: no (it may be truly ſaid) not the briſtle of a ſwine falleth, without the prouidence of God.
Q. But is it not a thing vnworthie of Gods infinite Maieſty, to hauehave a hand in ſmall matters; as for a King to looke to the ſmalleſt matters of his houſehold?
A. Nothing at all: no more then it is a diſgrace for the Sunne, to ſhine in the fowleſt places.
Q. How is that to bee vnderſtood then, that the Apostle ſaith, 1. Cor. 9. 9. Hath God care for oxen?
A. It is ſpoken only by way of compariſon, hauing regard to the great care he hath of men: for in reſpect he cōmanded, that they ſhould not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that did tread out the corne; by the care he hath of oxen, hee would ſhew that his care is much more for men, eſpecially for the Miniſters of his Goſpell.
Q. But it ſeemeth God hath no gouernment in things that come by caſualty.
A. Yes verily, euen of things moſt ſubiect to chance: Exod. 21. 13. Deut. 19. 5. Prou. 16. 33.for the lots are caſt into the boſome, yet the iſſue of them, and their euents, hang vponupon God.
Q. VVhat is the vſe of this doctrine?
A. Firſt, to breed thankfulneſſe to God in al things, that come vntounto vsus according to our lawfull deſire, and not to ſacrifice to our owne nets, or to ſtay our minds in the inſtruments there of, without looking vp to him Habak. 1. 16. Rom. 11. 36.by whoſe ſpeciall prouidence and gouernment we obtaine our deſires: and this vſe the Apoſtle expreſſely noteth, when he ſaith, to him be glory, &c. Secondly, to cauſe vsus to humble our ſelues vnderunder the hand of God, when they come otherwiſe to paſſe then wee deſired. Thirdly, to worke patience in vsus, as in diuers the ſeruants of God it hath done: as appeareth in Ely, ſaying, It is the Lord, let him doe what pleaſeth him.1. Sam. 3. 18.
Q. But it ſeemeth that the inequality, holden in the gouernment of men, ſhould proue, that all things are not gouerned by the Lord; for the wicked proſper moſt oftentimes, and the godly are in aduerſity.
A. Notwithſtanding this proceeding, yet the Scriptures directly declare God to be the authour hereof, and that for good vſes; becauſe, though the godly bee often in aduerſity, yet God turneth it to their greater Rom. 8. 28. Pſa. 73. &. 109.good; and the proſperity of the wicked turneth to their ruine, in that it maketh them without excuſe, and more iuſtifies Gods iudgements laid vponupon them.
Q. If God did guide all things, wee ſhould hauehave no Serpents, and other noyſome and hurtfull things; no warre, no ſickneſſe.
A. They are inſtruments and meanes of the execution of Gods Iuſtice and vengeance, vponupon men that offend againſt him: in which reſpect the Prophet ſaith, There is no euill in the City, which the Lord hath not Amos 3.done.
Q. How commeth it then to paſſe (if theſe be inſtruments of vengeance for ſinne) that they fall vponupon the good, and rather vponupon them, then vponupon the wicked?
A. The moſt godly, hauing the remnant of ſinne that dwelleth in their mortall bodies, deſerue euerlaſting condemnation; and therefore in this life are ſubiect to any of the plagues of God: As for that they are ſharplier handled oftentimes, then the wicked, it is to Rom. 5. 3. 4.make triall of their patience, and to make ſhew of the graces hee hath beſtowed vponupon them, which hee will hauehave knowne; and that it may bee aſſuredly knowne that there is a iudgement of the world to come, wherin eueryevery one ſhall receiue according to his doing.2. Theſſ. 1. 4. 5.
Q. What is the end, or effect of this generall gouernment, in all things?
A. The one is, that wee ſhould feare God; farre otherwiſe then the wicked conclude, which, vponupon that that it is taught, that all things come to paſſe by the prouidence Eccleſiaſt. 3. 11. 14.of God, according to that he hath decreed, would conclude, that then a man may giuegive himſelfe liberty to do any thing, conſidering that it muſt needs be executed, that God hath decreed.
The other, that which the Apoſtle noteth in this text, that God therefore in all things, euen in the ſins of men, is to be glorified, in regard of the good, which he draweth forth from the euill thereof.