A Staff of Comfort to Stay the Weak, Part 9
Of euils in a Commonwealth.
Ob. I Thinke there was neuer a worse age, one can not trust an other; such deceit, lying, flattering, swearing, forswearing, mischiefe, and crueltie, yea and all iniquitie: but truth and goodnesse few like and allow of.
Answ. Formertimes worse: yet the present time commonly complained off.Mans heart possessed with griefe of present euills, which he onelyonly considereth off, maketh him forget what hath been. But behold thou now the former time, and weigh the complaints of the Prophets. Osea saith, there was in his daies, no mercy, truth, nor knowledge of God in the Land; but swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and whooring, and bloud touching bloud, Chap. 4.1.2. They set trappes and laide nets to catch men, many by deceit became great, and waxed rich, Chap. 5.26.27. Brothers would supplant one another, and neighbours would walke vp and downe with slanders, and one deceiue another, they would speake peaceably with the mouth, but in hart would lay waite, Chap. 9.4.5.8. They were shamelesse in adulteries, and abominable whooredomes, like fed horses, neighing after their neighbours wiues, Chap. 5. 8. Couetousnesse and falsehood raigned in Prophets, and Priests, soothing and flattering vp the people, and that without shame, Chap. 6.13.14.15. Being in Esaus dayes as greedy dogges, neuer satisfied, Chap. 56.11. But neither they, nor the people were valiant for the truth. Ier. 9.3. None called for iustice, none pleaded for truth, Esa. 59.4. The cause of the fatherlesse, and right of the needy they iudged not, Ier. 5.28. Their Princes were rebellious, and companions of theeues, they loued gifts, and followed after rewards, Esa. 1.23. They altogether brake the yoke, and did burst the bands of their obedience towards God, Ier. 5.5. And the house of God in those wicked times by stealing, murther, adultery, and other sinnes was made a den of theeues, Ierem. 7.9-11. And therfore now no greater cause to complaine of this age than formerly hath beene, the consideration may worke patience and prayer: yet not without griefe of heart, as the euills did cause the godly men in those dayes to mourne.
Eccles. 4.4.Obiect. I can not but maruell to see the oppression of the poore, and violent peruerting of iudgement and iustice.
Answ. Maruell not at the matter: for hee that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there is greater then they, Eccles. 5.8.
Obiect. It may seeme that there is no prouidence, that God regardeth not, and that hee doth not behold, what is done here vponupon earth.
Answ. 2. Chro. 16.9 Gods eyes are eueryevery where, and knowes all and eueryevery particular mans doing. Ier. 32.19.The Lord from the place of his habitation, looketh vponupon all the inhabitants of the earth, hee fashioneth their hearts, hee considereth al their works, and beholdeth all the sons of men, Psal. 33.13.14.15. Yea he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth vnderunder the whole heauen, Iob, 28.24. Psal. 113.6.
Obiect. This may bee so in generall in a confused manner: but hee doth not take notice of eueryevery particular mans doing.
Answ. There is not any creature, that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open to his eyes, with whom wee hauehave to doe, Heb. 4.13. The wayes of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and hee pondereth all his doings, Prou. 5.21. Hee seeth a mans waies, and counteth all his steppes, Chap. 31.4. His eyes are in eueryevery place, beholding the euill and the good,1. Chro. 28.9 Psal. 7.10. & 20.12. & 94.11. Prou. 15.3. Hee tryeth the raynes and the hart, Ier. 11.20. 1. Sam. 16.7. Though it bee deceitfull aboue all things, Ier. 17.9.10. And considereth our thoughts long before.
Obiect. Be it that God seeth thus, as is saied; All things are possible with God.yet it may be, he is not able to rule and gouerne them.
Answ. God is greater than man, Iob, 33.12. And doth what he will in heauen and in earth, for there is nothing too hard for him, Ier. 32.17. Psal. 135.6.
Obiect. Then it may seeme, that hee is respectiue of persons: if hee can take order with them, and will not.
Answ. God is no accepter of persons. Deut. 10.17. 2. Chro. 9.7. Act. 10.34. Rom. 2.11.Hee doth not accept the person of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poore, for they are all the work of his hands, Iob, 34.19.
Obiect. Well, for all this, seeing that God forbids sin, and hateth iniquitie, and yet men commit sinne and iniquity: it seemeth not reasonable, that hee should suffer them to liue vponupon the earth.
God suffereth the wicked to remaine vponupon the earth.Answ. God giueth not account of any of his matters, Iob, 33.13. But what if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power knowne, doth indure (with much long suffering) the vassals of wrath made vp to destruction, Rom. 9.22. Otherwise they should soone be cut down, and the Lord would raine vponupon them snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, this should bee their portion to drinke, Psa. 11.5.6.
Obiect. Mee thinke yet, they should not be suffered to doe what they list, as wee see they doe daily.
Answ. They doe not what they list,The wicked do not what they list. though wee thinke so, and that they themselues also bee so perswaded. It is the Lord that doth onelyonly whatsoeuer hee pleaseth, Psalm. 115.3. Iob, 23.13. But they doe not what they will, for they can not speake but as hee will, Prou. 16.1. Nor goe, but by his direction, Vers. 9. Ierem. 10.23. Prou. 20.24. Their power, counsell and consent doe that, which Gods hand and his counsell determined before to bee done, Act. 4.28. Therefore in all these things which come to passe, wee may say with Ely: It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good,2. Sam. 16.10.11. 1. Sam. 3.18.
Obiect. But it may not seeme credible, that the Lord doth heare and see all their wayes, & the iniquitie which they doe commit; for it is so horrible, & the villany therof in many so outragious, that man can not indure it. Can God heare and see, and let them alone?
God beholds the wicked, and seeth what they doe.Answ. Mine eyes (saith the Lord) are vponupon all their waies, they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquitie hid from mine eyes, Ier. 16.17. For he that planted the eare, shall hee not heare? hee that formed the eye, shall not hee see? and hee that teacheth man knowledge, shall not hee know? Psal. 94.1.10.
Obiect. Belike then, the Lord is not angrie with them, and therefore may they continue and proceede on, without feare of punishment.
Answ. Esa. 42.14. God is angry with the wicked, though hee forbeare to reuenge himselfe for a season.Though the Lord keepe silence a long time, when men do these things: yet one day will he reproue them, and set their sinnes in order before them, Psalm. 50.21. In the meane season, hee is angry with the wicked eueryevery day, Psalm. 7.11. And hee seeth and beholdeth mischiefe and spite, to requite it with his hand, Psa. 10.14. For the wicked, and him that loueth violence, doth his soule hate, Psal. 11.5. Yea hee hateth all the workers of iniquity, abhorring the bloudie and deceitfull man, Psalme 5.5.6.
Obiect. The mighty sit in iudgement to iudge others: but none taketh notice of their proceedings.
Answ. Yes verily, God standeth in the congregation of the mightie. Hee iudgeth among the Gods, Psalm. 82.1. And sitteth in the throne iudging right, Psal. 9.4. For the righteous Lord loueth righteousnes, his countenance doth behold the vpright, Psal. 11.7.
Obiect. The poore complaine, the oppressed are not releeued, the fatherlesse and widowes are neglected, their cause cōmeth not before thē.
Answ. The poore afflicted, hauehave God for their iudge, hee pleadeth for them.The Lord executeth righteousnesse and iudgement, for all that are oppressed, Psal. 103.6. Hee heareth the cry of the afflicted, Iob, 34.28. Hee heareth the poore, Psal. 69, 33. He deliuereth the poore in his affliction, Iob, 36.15. The Lord will maintaine the cause of the afflicted, & the right of the poore, Psal. 40.12. He is a father of the fatherlesse, and a iudge of the widdow in his holy habitation, Psalm. 68.5. Hee wil deliuer the needy when hee cryeth, the poore also, & him that hath no helper, Psal. 72.14.
Obiect. But these want an aduocate and Lawyer to plead for them, and therefore are they spoyled, of those that seeke their ouerthrow.
Esa. 3.13.14.Answ. The Lord will plead the cause of the poore and afflicted, and wil spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them, Prou. 22.23. For their Redeemer is mightie, Prou. 23.11.
Obiect. Though a man may hauehave his cause pleaded, iustly defended, and sentence on his side pronounced, yet it may want execution.
Answ. The Lord also executeth righteousnes and iudgement, for all that are oppressed, 103.6. He establisheth equitie, Psal. 99.4. For righteousnes & iudgement, are the habitation of his throne, Psal. 97.2.