The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII.
Shewing why the children of God do ſometimes meet with the afflictions of this life, threatned againſt, and most properly belonging to the wicked, and how beneficiall ſuch afflictions are vntounto them, and that all things worke to their good.
IT remaineth now to ſhew further, why as the wicked doe thus often partake of the bleſſings of this life, promiſed, due, and proper only to the godly: ſo ſometime the godly meete alſo with afflictions threatned to the wicked, and moſt properly and rightly belonging vntounto them: and that without any impeachment of their dignity; and of the priuiledges, and prerogatiues pertaining to them.
Touching this therefore, the firſt reaſon why it ſo falleth out, is like to that which before we heard of the wicked. For as the wicked ſometimes doing the outward works of the children of God, doe therefore receiue the outward rewards of the children of God, that (as I ſaid) they may hauehave nothing wherewith to blame the iuſtice of God (albeit, where there is any ſin, there neuer can be any merit or deſert before God) ſo the children of God, when they behaue themſelues as the wicked, doe ſomtimes taſt of the iudgements of the wicked in this life, that they may the better be freed from them, and from the feare of them in the life to come.
This is manifeſt by the manifold afflictions that befell Dauid after his ſinne both with Bathſheba, & againſt her husband Vrija, and alſo in numbring the people. Notwithſtanding as the Lord doth giuegive the wicked his bleſſings of this life, rather in wrath then in fauor, (as hath been before ſaid) ſo hee doth afflict his children, not in wrath but in louelove, to make them the more partaker of his holineſſe, that they may the better liue: Heb 12. 5. 6. 7. Reu. 3. 19. and to teach them his lawe; that they may hauehave the more reſt in the dates of euill, whiles the pit is digged for the wicked: Pſal. 92. 12. Such vſe did Dauid make of his afflictions, both after the former ſinnes, and alſo at other times, as himſelfe teſtifieth ſaying, It is good …or mee that I hauehave been afflicted, that I may learne thy ſtatutes: P…al. 119. 71. And this kind of affliction is called the triall of our faith, much more pretious then gold that periſheth, though it be tried in the fire: 1. Pet. 1. 7. Becauſe as fire purgeth the gold from droſſe, and as ſope maketh the linnen cleane, ſo this affliction is a meane to purge vsus of our corruption. As plowing alſo of the ground killeth the weeds, and maketh the ground the fitter to bring foorth corne: as harrowing likewiſe breaketh the hard clods, and ſo furthereth the former worke of the plough: whereby the ground ſo ploughed and harrowed may be the more fruitfull: ſo afflictions ſeem to kill the weeds of ſinne remaining in the children of God, and to mollifie the hard clods of their harts, that they may beare the more fruits of righteouſneſſe. Is it any harme to be ſo afflicted? no more then for gold to be tried in the fire: then for foule linnen to be waſhed with ſope: then for ground to be ploughed and harrowed. Therefore the man whom the Lord doth ſo correct and chaſtice is pronounced bleſſed: Pſal. 94. 12. before alledged, and Iob 5. 17. Therefore alſo the Apoſtle Iames willeth them to whom he did write to account it exceeding ioy, when they did fall into many temptations or afflictions: Iames 1. 2. yea he maketh that the firſt precept or exhortation of all the Epiſtle, that it might be the more regarded.
To ſhew more particularly how by afflictions we are taught the law of God, & purged of ſuch corruptions as do ſtil remain in the beſt, let vsus vnderſtand that the ſaid beſt of Gods children, being ready by proſperity to be puffed vp, (as before we heard by the examples of Dauid, Salomon, and Hezekiah) therefore afflictions ſerue for the represſing of ſuch pride, and to make vsus the more humble.
Dauid did no ſooner heare the afflictions threatned which afterward were inflicted vponupon him, but preſently he humbled himſelfe ſaying, I hauehave ſinned againſt the Lord: 2. Sam. 12. 13. and in further teſtimonie of that his humiliation, hee did afterward write the whole moſt dolefull and heauenly one and fifty Pſalme.
When alſo the Angell of the Lord for his numbring the people ſmote Iſrael with the plague, how did he and the elders of Iſrael humble themſelues againe? 2. Sam. 24. 17. and 1. Chro. 21. 16. as before hath been ſhewed in Chap. 18.
The like hath been before ſaid of Hezekiah out of 2. Chron. 32. 26.
Secondly the children of God by experiences of afflictions in themſelues are taught the more to pity other in the like affliction. Yea, this was one end of our chaſtiſement vponupon Chriſt himſelfe: Heb. 2. 17. 18.
Thirdly, becauſe by much and long proſperity the children of God are ready to be glued to this world, too highly to regard the glory of it, and too little to reſpect the world and life to come, therefore ſometimes they are afflicted, the more to weane their hearts from the world, and by the bitter fruits thereof to make them the more weary thereof, and the more earneſtly deſirous of being diſſolued, and being with Chriſt: Philip. 1. 23.
Fourthly, by afflictions they are taught to bee the more thankfull for the contrary blesſings, when they ſhall enioy them: as by pouerty to be the more thankfull for wealth: by ſickneſſe to be the more thankfull for health: by trouble to be the more thankfull for peace, &c.
Fiftly, by afflictions, eſpecially by thoſe that come vntounto them by the hatred of the world againſt them, they hauehave the better aſſurance, both that themſelues are not of the world, but of God, For if they were of the world, the world would louelove them: Ioh. 15. 19. and alſo of their future ſimilitude to Chriſt in glory: Rom. 8. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. whereof we ſhall ſpeake more afterward. And the ſame is it that the Apoſtle teacheth the Philippians, bidding them in nothing to feare their aduerſaries. Why ſo? Becauſe (ſaith he) this is to them a token of perdition: but to you of ſaluation. Philip. 1. 28. So he ſheweth by an argument taken from compariſon of equals, that euen as to be an aduerſary to the children of God, and to perſecute them, is a token and manifeſt teſtimony, to ſuch ſo long as they continue ſuch, that they ſhall periſh: ſo to be hated of them, and perſecuted by them, is a great aſſurance of ſaluation. Only this is the difference, that they that by hatred and perſecution of the children of God hauehave a great ſigne of perdition, may for all that, by faith working repentance, be ſaued, but they that once by any good teſtimony be aſſured of ſaluation, ſhall neuer periſh.
Sixtly, by ſuffering a little ſmart of the fruit of ſinne heere, they doe the better learne, both what all is that they hauehave deſerued in the life to come, and alſo what Chriſt hath ſuffered for them, in bearing the whole puniſhment of all their ſinnes: and therefore how they ought to louelove him in that behalfe, and how thankfull they ought to bee to God for their deliuerance from euerlaſting torments: in reſpect whereof, theſe light and momentany afflictions of this life, are but as fillips, and fleabites: and conſequently alſo they learne how they are to pity them that are going towards the place of ſuch torments; and how in pity they are to labor their reclaiming and conuerting.
Theſe are the principall particular points of the lawe of God, which the children of God doe learne by the afflictions of this life: the leaſt whereof is more worth then all outward proſperity: and all which might be much more enlarged: but finding this treatiſe to ariſe to a far greater volume then at the firſt I made account of, I am thereby forced in many things to write the more briefly. By this that I hauehave thus briefly ſet downe in that behalfe, it may ſufficiently appeare, that the exchange ſometimes of momentany afflictions for temporary bleſſings, is no detriment to the children of God, but rather an exceeding gaine and benefit.
If it be obiected, that ſome of Gods children are ſubiect alſo to extraordinary deaths: as Eli brake his neck falling backward… 1. Sam. 4. 18. The Prophet that had done contrary to the word of God was killed by a lyon: 1. Kings 13. 24. Noble Ioſiah died of the wound that he had taken by the ſword of the vncircumciſed Egyptians: 2. King. 23. 29. and that for going ſomewhat obſtinately (as it ſeemeth) againſt Pharo Neco: 2. Chron. 35. 2. Many of the Corinthians are ſaid to hauehave ſlept (that is, to hauehave died ſomwhat extraordinarily, & by an vntimely death) for abuſe and diſorder in the ſupper of the Lord: 1. Cor. 11. 30. If (I ſay) this be obiected, and ſo confirmed by theſe former and other the like examples, and vponupon thoſe grounds, it be further demanded, how ſuch things can be for the good of the children of God, and for the learning any thing out of the word of God, ſith the dead praiſe not God, neither is there any remembrance of God in death: Pſal. 6. 5. and 30. 9. To this I anſwer briefly, that although after death there be no learning any thing (except only either of torments to the wicked, or of ioy and happineſſe to the godly, and that by ſenſe and feeling, as the rich man and Lazarus did: Luk. 16. 23.) yet in ſuch ſicknes vntounto death, there may be before death, and (no doubt) is repentance in al the children of God, of ſuch particular ſinnes, as whereby they ſee they hauehave procured ſuch particular chaſtiſements vponupon themſelues: and ſo by iudging of themſelues for the ſaid ſins, they hauehave the better aſſurance, that they ſhall not be iudged of the Lord. Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith in the place before alledged, (after mention of ſickneſſe and death) when we are iudged, we are chastned of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world: 1. Cor. 11. 32. which is all one with the generall end of afflictions before mentioned, viz. that we may liue: Heb. 12. 9.
Againe (both further to amplifie that anſwer to the former obiection, and alſo now to ſhew ſome other vſes of the afflictions of Gods children in reſpect of other) they are ſo afflicted (eſpecially for particular ſins) that other as well as themſelues (liuing after their ſaid vntimely death) ſeeing how he whom they call father iudgeth euerie man (as well his own children as other) according to their worke (in this world) without reſpect of perſons, may afterward paſſe the time of their dwelling here in the more feare: 1. Pet. 1. 17. and make an end of their ſaluation with the more trembling: Philip. 2. 12.
Secondly, in reſpect of other they are afflicted, and loaden with affliction, for the manifeſtation of their faith, patience, and other graces, to ſuch as did before doubt thereof, as thinking all that they did in the worſhip of God to be in hypocriſie; and rather becauſe God had ſo compaſſed and walled them about with his mercies, then in a ſimple, and a pure louelove towards God himſelfe. Is not this euident by the anſwer of ſatan vntounto God, when God had asked him if he had not conſidered Iob and all his vprightneſſe, &c. Doth Iob (ſaith ſatan) feare God for nought? Haſt thou not made an hedge about him, and about all that he hath on eueryevery ſide? Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands, and his ſubſtance is encreaſed in the land. But ſtretch out now thine hand, and touch all that he hath, to ſee if hee will not blaſpheme thee to thy face? Iob 1. 8. 9. 10. Doth not ſatan in theſe words plainly accuſe Iob to hauehave done all that he had done, only in hypocriſie, &c? Therefore the Lord gaue him leaue to try Iob, & to exerciſe him with many afflictions one after another, & one in the neck of another, for the confutation of that ſlanderous accuſation of Iob by ſatan, & for declaration of his integrity to al the world. Yea, (by this occaſion to inſert here another benefit by afflictions to the children of God concerning themſelues) as by wraſtling a man ſomtimes knoweth his own ſtrength better then before he did; ſo oftentimes by afflictions, a man better knoweth his owne faith, and other graces of God in himſelf, for his further comfort then before he did.
Thirdly, in reſpect of other, ſometimes the children of God are ſo afflicted, that the workes of God may be ſhewed on them. Our Sauiour being asked by his diſciples of the man that was borne blind, whether he or his parents had ſinned, that he was borne blind, anſwered, Neither hath this man ſinned, nor his parents, but that the worke of God might be ſhewed on him: Ioh. 9. 2. 3.
So it ſeemeth that Lazarus was therefore ſick, & died of his ſickneſſe, (ſooner then by the courſe of nature he ſhould hauehave died) not for any ſpeciall ſinne of his owne, but for the better manifeſtation of the glorie of God, by his miraculous raiſing againe, after buriall, and after death and buriall diuers daies. So our Sauiour ſaith to his diſciples before hee was dead, This ſickneſſe is not vntounto death (viz. to lie or continue in death till the generall reſurrection) but for the glory of God, that the ſonne of God might be glorified thereby: Ioh. 11. 4. So he ſaid after he was dead and buried, vntounto Martha, who obiected, that he had been dead foure daies: Said I not vntounto thee, that if thou didſt beleeue, thou ſhouldſt ſee the glory of God? verſ. 40.
Fourthly, the godly are ſometimes taken away by an extraordinary kind of death, not onlie to teach other the more to take heede of all ſuch ſinnes as for which they are ſo taken away: but alſo to admoniſh men not alwaies to iudge other by their end, except their life hauehave alſo been wicked, but rather to hope well of them, if their former life hauehave been godly, albeit their end be ſomewhat vncomfortable.
Finally (to make an end of my anſwer to the former obiection touching the afflictions of the children of God, ſith all afflictions are threatned only to the wicked, as all bleſſings are promiſed only to the godly) though the troubles of the righteous be great, yet the Lord deliuereth him out of all. Yea (though they continue long, yet) the Lord keepeth all his bones, not one of them ſhall be broken: whereas the afflictions of the wicked ſhall ſlaie them: and they that hate the righteous ſhall periſh: Pſal. 34. 19. 20. 21. Therefore Salomon admoniſheth the wicked not to lay waite at the houſe of the righteous, becauſe though the iuſt man fall ſeuen times, yet he riſeth again; (that is, though he hauehave many afflictions, & be now vp, now preſently down, yet at the laſt the Lord deliuereth him out of all) but the wicked doe fall into miſchiefe, or do periſh, and be vtterly (at the laſt) ouerthrowne in their miſery: Pro. 24. 15. 16. Yea, though they crie, yet there ſhall be none to ſaue: yea, though they cry vntounto the Lord, yet he ſhall not anſwer them. Pſal. 18. 41.
Of both theſe, viz. of the deliuerance of the children of God out of their troubles, and of the periſhing of the wicked in theirs, wee hauehave mentioned diuers examples before, not needfull now to be repeated.
Though alſo the Lord do ſuffer the afflictions of his children to continue, yet in the end he will moſt gratiouſly deliuer them by death: and tranſlate them to himſelfe, where they ſhall reſt from their labor: and where they ſhall reap the fruit of all their workes: Reuel. 14 13. of the which reſt and other reward of their workes, all the afflictions of this life are not to be accounted worthy: Rom 8. 18. Yea, in reſpect of which moſt excellent and eternall weight of glorie, all affliction here is but exceeding light and momentany: 2. Cor. 4. 17. But of this more afterward.
In the meane time the Lord will either mitigate the ſaid afflictions of his children, or ſhew his power in their weakneſſe, not laying more vponupon them, then he giueth ſtrength to beare, neither ſuffering them to be tempted aboue their ſtrength: 1. Cor. 10. 13. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation: and to reſerue the vniuſt vntounto the day of iudgment vnderunder puniſhment, or to be puniſhed: 2. Pet. 2. 9.
Are not theſe things ſingular priuileges? Are they not excellent dignities? To hauehave the right of all the bleſſings of this life? and to hauehave the very afflictions of this life made ſo many waies beneficiall? ſo that the children of God may not only ſay that light is ſowen for the righteous, and ioy for the vpright in heart: Pſal. 97. 11. but alſo that vntounto the righteous ariſeth light in darkneſſe it ſelfe: Pſal. 112. 4.
But is this all that may be ſaid touching the bleſſings of this life, and the afflictions thereof in reſpect of the children of God? No: we may further adde both of ſuch bleſſings, and of ſuch afflictions, and alſo of all other things, that we that are the children of God, do not vncertainly hope, but fully and moſt certainly know that all things work together for the good of them that louelove God. Rom. 8. 28. What all things? yea all things: youth as well as age: weakneſſe as well as ſtrength: trouble as well as peace: ſickneſſe as well as health: pouerty as well as wealth: the ſingle ſtate as well as the married: diſgrace as well as credit: contempt as well as honor: low degree as well as high impriſonment as well as walking at large: bondage as well as freedome: loſſes as well as gaine: barrenneſſe of the body as well as fruitfulneſſe: a troubleſome wife as well as a comfortable wife: wicked and rebellious children as well as good and dutifull: death of father, mother, brother, ſiſter, husband, wife, children, and other friends, as well as the life and long continuance of them: trauelling abroad as well as keeping at home: baniſhment as well as abiding in our owne country: the hatred and diſpleaſure of men, euen of the mighty men of the world, as well as their louelove and friendſhip: dangers as well as ſafety: foule or cold weather, as well as faire and hot weather: to conclude, death as well as life: and any one thing els, as well as another.
All this is ſo to be vnderſtood, that wee may admire the wiſedome of God in turning all things to good to them that louelove Note.him: and that we acknowledge the ſtate and condition of ſuch to be the more honorable and happy: not that therefore we make choice of one thing as well as of another: but that we direct our choice according to his reuealed will: and yet to be content with whatſoeuer the Lord ſhall doe, and to poſſeſſe our ſoules in patience, as knowing that howſoeuer things fall out a while, yet at the laſt the end will be good for vsus.
But this being a matter of good moment, it ſhall not be loſt labor to inſiſt ſomewhat more vponupon it, and to make it more plaine, that all men may the better ſee, that all things worke indeed to the good of them that louelove God; that is, of his children, becauſe we hauehave heard before, that they only do louelove him, and that all the wicked are often ſaid, to be enemies and haters of him.
This therefore is manifeſt; firſt, becauſe God is with al them, that louelove him, as hath been before declared. If God bee with them, who can be againſt them? Rom. 8. 31. or, what skilleth it, who or what is againſt them? They may then ſay as Eliſha ſaid, 2. Kings 6. 16. and as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 32. 7. They that be with vsus, are more then they that be againſt vsus. God is greater then all: Ioh. 10. 29. viz. not only in power but alſo in wiſedome and goodneſſe: as before alſo hath been ſhewed. Whatſoeuer he will in heauen or in earth that he doth: Pſal. 135. 6. He will not that any thing ſhall hurt vsus: therefore nothing can hurt vsus. He will eueryevery thing ſhall doe vsus good; therefore eueryevery thing ſhall doe vsus good. The prouidence of the Lord is ſo ouer all, that neither a ſparrow lighteth vponupon the houſe top, nor an haire falleth from our head without his ſaid prouidence: Mat. 10. 29. 30. If we that are euill be ready to doe any good that is in our power to our children, ſhall not God much more be willing to doe any good to his children? Mat. 7. 11. If then God will do his children good, who can hurt? For who can reſiſt his will? His counſell ſhall ſtand, and he will do whatſoeuer he will. Iſai. 46. 10.
Againe, if any thing will hurt vsus, is it not to be feared from our enemies? yet our moſt deadly enemies, can God reſtraine from doing vsus any hurt: yea, he can force them to do vsus good? If ſatan himſelfe, euen with a great army (an whole legion of his angels) could not enter into the heard of the faithleſſe Gadarens ſwine, without leaue from Chriſt; ſhall we thinke that he can doe any hurt to them (either touching their perſons, or touching their goods) that beleeuing in Chriſt are members of his body, without leaue from him? It is manifeſt that he cannot, by the hiſtory of Iob: yea, by that hiſtory it is euident, that albeit ſatans malice be vnchangeable, ſo that he cannot but in affection bee an enemy to all the children of God; yet by the wiſe and gratious prouidence of God, he worketh the good of Gods children, and in that reſpect his malice may be ſaid to be turned into friendſhip. For was not Iob ſo much the more bleſſed in the end (euen in his outward ſtate) by how much the more ſatan had (as it were) curſed him before? The like may be truly ſaid of all other enemies of fleſh. For all ſuch enemies are but ſatans ſouldiers: which doe nothing but by his appointment: and therefore that which they are by Gods prouidence forced to do for Gods children, may be ſaid to be done by ſatan himſelfe.
The ſame is alſo manifeſt by the curſes of ſatans eldeſt ſon, againſt vsus here in England. For as all the while we had the Popes bleſſing we fared the worſe in ſoule and in body, for this life and for the life to come; ſo hauehave we not ſeen by experience, that the more he hath curſed vsus, the more God hath bleſſed vsus with peace, with honour in the eies of all nations, with increaſe of people, and abundance of all bleſſings? Touching ſuch enemies therefore of fleſh, God can either make them friends to his children: Pro. 16. 7. (yea, though they continue ſtill vaſſals vntounto ſatan) as he did Eſau vntounto Iaakob, and the Egyptians to the Iſraelites for the lending vntounto them their iewels, &c. or he can confound them, as he did the Egyptians afterward, returning againe to their former hatred againſt the Iſraelites. And as he did Sanaherib and his army, or he can ſo reſtrain them, that though their hatred with all the practiſes therof do continue, yet all ſhall be in vaine, touching any hurt to the children of God, and in the end for their good.
The more maliciouſly that the Egyptians purſued the Iſraelites being departed out of Egypt, the more glorious deliuerance did the Lord giuegive to the Iſraelites. The perſecution of Dauid by Saul made the more to Dauids aduancement. All that ſatan did by Haman againſt Mordecai and the reſt of the Iewes, wrought together for the further good of Mordecai, and the other Iewes. For thereby they had a greater liberty, and a greater hand againſt all their enemies, then euer before they had.
Yea, when ſatan alſo getteth ſome of the children of God to be his inſtruments, and factors (as it were) to worke ſome miſchiefe againſt ſome of the better children of God, God doth no more fauor this proceeding, then if it were altogether by ſatan himſelfe, & by ſuch as do belong vntounto him: yea, though ſuch things be begun by ſome of the children of God themſelues, and afterward ſeconded by ſome other altogether wicked, yet this ſhal not procure the hurt of thoſe better children of God, but rather the further good both of them, and alſo of thoſe whom ſatan draweth to practiſe miſchiefe againſt them whom he eſpecially hateth. Is not al this manifeſt by the hiſtory of Ioſeph? For did not ſatan firſt prouoke Ioſephs brethren againſt him? euen to ſell him out of the country to certaine Iſhmaelite merchants? Did not theſe ſecond the former practiſe of Ioſephs brethren by ſelling him further off, namely to Potiphar in Egypt? Was not all that ſeconded againe by Potiphars wife; firſt moſt wickedly tempting Ioſeph to adultery? and ſecondly (when that way ſhe could do nothing) by falſe accuſing him to her husband of a rape offered by him vntounto her? was not that alſo ſeconded by the vniuſt dealing of Potiphar, in committing Ioſeph to the kings priſon, without any examination of the complaint of his wife? When Ioſeph had lien long there, and at laſt interpreted the dreames of Pharaohs butler & baker, might not all the former hard dealing againſt him ſeem to be yet furthered by the butlers long forgetfulneſſe of him? yet al theſe things wrought together at the laſt, both for the great aduancement of Ioſeph, according to his former dreames (the cauſe of all the former hatred of his brethren againſt him) and alſo for the good of his brethren themſelues, and of all their houſes. So we ſee that God that fetcheth light out of darknes, can make the ſins of his children ſomtime to worke for their outward good: not to incourage any to ſinne, but to comfort all belonging vntounto him, againſt too much feare of the iudgements deſerued by ſinne, and to ſhew the exceeding priuilege of his children in this behalfe.
Thus much of the working together of the practiſes of ſatan & of his inſtruments for the good of the children of God: whereby the ſaid children of God may the better aſſure themſelues, that much more wil other creatures worke for their good.
I ſhall not need to ſpeak any thing in this behalfe of the Angels in heauen. For no man will make any queſtion of their working together for the good of Gods childrē: euen for their good in this life, and of this life (which is the point now principally in hand) ſith they pitch their tents round about them to preſerue them from dangers, & do otherwiſe attend vponupon them for their good, both aliue and dead: as afterward we ſhall heare.
Touching vnreaſonable creatures, we read how the rich mans dog in the Goſpell came and licked the ſores of poore Lazarus: Luk. 16. 21. Balaams Aſſes mouth was opened to reproue Balaam for going to curſe the Iſraelites: Numb. 22. 28.
The greedy rauens that are ready to take meat from men, brought bread & fleſh to Elija morning & euening: 1. Ki… 7. 6.
Th Lord did ſo bind the fierce & roring lions to the peace towards Daniel, that he being thrown into their den amongſt them, continuing there an whole night, and the dens mouth being couered with a great ſtone, none of them did him any hurt: Dan 6. 22. And yet the ſame lions caught Daniels accuſers with their wiues and children (being by the commandement of the king caſt into their den) and brake all their bones in pieces, ere they came at the ground of the denne: verſ. 24.
That lion alſo that had commiſſion from God, to kill the Prophet that had behaued himſelfe vnlike a child, in tranſgreſſing the word of God, by vertue of the ſame commiſſion was not only reſtrained from doing any hurt to the dead body of the ſaid Prophet, or to his Aſſe whereon he rode, but alſo attended thereupon, that no other wild beaſt might teare in peeces either the ſaid dead body of the Prophet, or his Aſſe, but that the ſaid dead body might be kept ſafe to be buried. When alſo the other Prophet that had deceiued that Prophet came to fetch the ſaid body to bury the ſame, the lion ſuffered him quietly to take it, to lay it on his Aſſe, and to cary it away: 1. Kings 13. 24.
The caterpillers, graſhoppers, flies, lice and frogs were ſent to plague the Egyptians for the good of the Iſraelites, and to procure their more ſpeedy deliuerance out of the land of Egypt.
Touching ſenſeleſſe creatures: when God commanded the fire not to hurt Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, it did not ſo much as burne any haire of their head, or ſcorch their garments, neither was there any ſmell of fire about them: Dan. 3. 27. yet ſo hote was the fornace made, that the flame that came out of the mouth thereof, deuoured thoſe men that brought foorth Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, verſe 22. not being put into the fire, but only comming neere it, to caſt in Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego.
The fire that came downe from heauen, and conſumed the two captaines and their fifties ſent to fetch Elija, did not ſeaſe vponupon the third captaine and his fifty, that by humbling himſelfe to Elija, and crauing his fauor, ſhewed himſelfe to be one of the children of God: 2. Kings 1. 14.
The fire that conſumed Sodom and Gomorrha had no power ouer Lot, and them that went out with him.
Though the aire be neuer ſo dangerouſly infected, yet ſuch as dwell in the ſecret of the moſt high, and abide in the ſhdow of the Almighty (that is, the children of God that truſt in him) God will preſerue from the noiſome peſtilence, that killeth in the darkneſſe, and from the plague that deſtroieth at noone day: ſo that although a thouſand fall on their left ſide, and ten thouſand on their right hand, yet it ſhall not come neere them. Pſal. 91. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7. Yet this and other things touching outward preſeruations muſt ſtill be remembred to be with condition, if it ſhall be good for them to liue, and not better by death to be deliuered from euils to come, Iſai. 57. 1.
Did not the liquid waters of the red ſea, and of Iordan (contrary to their nature) ſtand vponupon heapes, and become like a wall for the good of the Iſraelites? Did not the hard rocke (a part of the earth) giuegive water likewiſe vntounto them?
This that I hauehave ſpoken of theſe creatures, is to bee vnderſtood of all other: becauſe God hath promiſed to make ſuch a league with all creatures for his children, that the wolfe ſhall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard with the kidde, and the calfe with the lyon, and the ſucking child ſhall play vponupon the hole of the aſpe: and the weined child ſhall put his hand vponupon the cockatrice hole, and that nons ſhall hurt or deſtroy in all the mountaines of his holineſſe, &c. Iſai. 11. 6. &c. and 65. 25.
The like almoſt is that his promiſe of ſuch a couenant with his people, that hee will cauſe the euill beaſts to ceaſe out of their land, that ſo they may dwell ſafely (euen) in the wilderneſſe, and ſleepe in the woods, Ezek. 34. 25. that is, in the places of greateſt danger. If the Lord hauehave made ſuch a couenant for his children with all creatures, what creature dare to tranſgreſſe it?
When Abimelech king of Gerar commanded all his people that none ſhould hurt Izaak nor his wife, did not Izaak then liue in the more peace, ſo that hee ſowed in the land, &c. which before he had not done? Gen. 26. 11. Was the word of an heathen king to his heathen people (that were worſe than vnreaſonable creatures) of that authoritie? and ſhall not the word of God be as authenticall with all his creatures?
The very couenant of God with his children, bindeth all other creatures to the peace & good behauiour towards them. If once it be knowen that a king hauehave made a league with another people, betwixt whom and his people, there was before hoſtilitie and open warres, doe not all ſuch a kings ſubiects lay downe all their weapons of warre, and frame themſelues to liue in peace, with the other with whom they before had had mortall war? Is the league of a mortall king of that force with his ſubiects for their former enemies, and ſhall not the league of the immortall God with his children be of much greater force to bind all his creatures to the good behauiour towards his ſaid children, albeit by their ſinne they hauehave brought the reſt of the creatures to be ſubiect to vanity? Rom. 8. 20 21. Verily no king is of that ſoueraignty ouer his ſubiects (either by right, or by tyranny and violence) that God is ouer all his creatures. Is not eueryevery creature to God as the pot to the potter? Rom. 9. 21.
This that hath been ſpoken of the working together of all things to the good of them that louelove God, is the greater priuiledge for ſuch as do ſo louelove God, and who by ſuch louelove doe the better ſhew themſelues to be the children of God, becauſe it followeth on the contrary, that all things worke together to the hurt of them that doe not louelove God: and ſo do ſhew themſelues not to be the children of God. This point is ſo plaine by the contrary point before largely handled, that it ſhall not need any further confirmation. Thus much for the benefits concerning this preſent life, belonging to the children of God.