That Christ the Sonne of God doth gouerne all things as well, as God the Father, is proued by reason, example, and aucthoritie.

BY reason, if God by his wisdome made the worlde: that is, if that the Eternall wisdome of God, which is his worde, the euerlasting Sonne of God, was present with God, when he made the worlde: he is also with him in gouer­ning the worlde: but he was with God [...]hen made the worlde, therefore he is [...]ith him in gouerning of it.

The equity of the first proposition is [Page 4] grounded vpon most strong reason:

For as God created the worlde by his wisdome, so it is not to be beleeued, that God gouerneth the worlde with­out his wisdome, otherwise he should gouerne by chance.

The second proposition is proued by the testimony of the Apostle Hebr. 1. by whom also he made the worldes.

By example, Gen. 48. verse 13. 14. 15. Then tooke Ioseph them both, E­phraim in his right hand towards Is­raels left hand, and Manasseh in his left hande towarde Israels right hand, so he brought them vnto him.

But Israell stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraims head, which was the yonger, and his left hand vpon Manassehs head (directing his handes on purpose) for Manasseh was the elder.

Also he blessed Ioseph, and said, the God before whom my fathers Abrahā, & Izack did walk, the God which hath fed me all my life longe vnto this day.

In which wordes Iacob acknow­ledgeth Gods prouidence to stretch to particuler men, euen to himselfe.

[Page 5] Then it followeth as vers: 5. 16. The Angell which hath deliuered me from all euill, blesse the children, and let my name be named vpon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham, and I­zack, that they may growe as fish, into a multitude in middes of the earth. In these wordes, the holy Patriarke Iacob giueth that particular prouidence to the Angell, which in the former verse hee had giuen to God: And that by the name of Angell he vnderstandeth no [...]reature, is hereby proued, in that he af­firmeth, that this Angell had power to blesse: saying to him, Blesse the chil­dren: Hee then is the Angell, whome Iacob was wont to call, the Angell of the Lord, that is the Sonne of God.

Therefore in this place Iacob attri­buteth a prouidence ouer all things and persones, to the Angell: that is the Sonne of God, as well as to God the Father.

By authoritie Iohn. 5. verse 17. My Father worketh and I worke: This worke that Christe speaketh of, is not to be vnderstood of the creation onely, but also of y ^e gouerning of al things created.

[Page 6] For this particle (hitherto) sheweth that he ment not onely that first worke of his in creating all things with his Father, but also another worke, which he dayly excerciseth, which cannot be vn­derstood of any other, then of gouerning all things with his Father.

But here wee must obserue this rule, that the workes of the Trinitie are vn­deuided.

Therefore that which is the Fathers worke, is the worke also of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost.

That the Sonne of God doeth the same workes that the Father doeth, is alreadie proued: the same is to be affir­med also of the holy Ghost, by the war­rant of Gods worde, as by that I reade in the 139. Psalme Whether shall I goe from the Spirit? or whether shall I flie from thy presence? If I ascende into Heauen, thou art there: If I lie downe in Hell thou art there: let me take the winges of the morning, and dwel in the vttermost partes of the Sea, yet thether shall thine hand leade me, and thy right hand holde me: Thus is the first point breifly proued, that [Page 7] Christ the Sonne of God, and the holy Ghost, doe gouerne all things as well as God the Father.

Now to the seconde: that God by his prouidence gouerneth all and euery thing.

There are very many that can wil­lingly graunt, that God by his proui­dence gouerneth all things in generall, but that euery particular thing is ruled by the same, they denie: with these men therefore I minde to deale somewhat largely, though not so learnedly, as the cause requireth: (& who is able to hādle it worthily?) Philosophers haue in this point had sundry opinions: Epicurus said, that all things were ruled by chaunce and fortune, and that God li­ued idlely, and at ease in the Heauens: which opinion, as impious, all men in wordes condemne, and yet so we liue that our liues are euident proofes a­gainst vs, that in heart and soule wee embrace it.

For surely if wee thought better of God then Epicurus did, wee would not walke so directly in Epicurus pathes as we do, or liue so licentiously [Page 8] as though God regarded vs not.

The Peripatetickes, and other sort of Philosophers, broched another opi­nion, teaching that those things which are aboue the Heauens, are moued, guided, and gouerned by God himselfe: but those things that are vnder the cir­cle of the Moone, are gouerned partly by chance and fortune, partly by the coun­sailes and deuises of men, and partly by a brutish, or sencelesse force of nature.

Ther is a third opiniō of the Stoickes, which is that all things are ruled by fate or destinie, that is by a secret order, and linke of causes: in which chaine, all things are so surely tied, that both God himselfe and man are straighted within those boundes.

This was a very dainty opinion in the iudgement of the Poets: who to ex­cuse the weaknesse of their God Iupiter, fained that he wept, for that he was so hindered by the force of destinie, that he could not set Sarpedo at liberty.

The fourth opinion is Platoes, who graunteth that God by his prouidence ruleth all things in generall, which af­terward God commiteth to petty Gods, [Page 9] halfe Gods, and Deuils, who haue the charge and care of particular things: From these foure opinions, spring all o­ther whatsoeuer, touching Gods proui­dence: and there is no one opinion, which may not easily be reduced to one of these.

But some of vs (euen of vs Christians) flying one danger, runne into another: and for that they dare not deny that God by his prouidence ruleth all things, yet will they not graunt, that by it, he gouerneth euery particular thing, least they should thereby be driuen (as they thinke) to some absurdities: thus whilst they would auoide absurditie, they commit impiety and fall away from the truth most dangerously: But farre be this from your heart (Right worshipful) and that it may neuer possesse you: a­uoide the cause that worketh it in them, which is ignorance of the word of God: and for that God in great mercy hath kindled in your heart a desire of know­ledge, quench not that godly desire in you, but pursue hotely with harty and feruent prayer, after knowledge, and you shall finde it. And if you shall finde [Page 10] it, you shall certainly know, that there will no absurdity be inforced vpon any doctrine grounded vpon Gods worde, and that you need not feare this doctrine, as they do: I wil first discourse briefly of the truth of it, and will proue, that God gouerneth by his prouidence all things generally, and euerie particular thing particularly: then will I answere to all those chiefe obiections which are brought against it, and by which some vaine men thinke to make the doctrine absurde. To the first:

For that this argument hath bene diuersly handled, and men haue bene verie curious in discoursing thereof: es­pecially since what way soeuer they winde themselues, many absurdities do seeme to follow them: it will be best I thinke for me to keepe me in the high beaten way, least seeking by wayes, I wander out of the way: I meane to discourse so of this doctrine, as I am taught in the worde of God, and then diligently to remooue all those things what soeuer they be, not beseming y ^e most pure nature of God, which in y ^e iudge­ment of men, shall some hereof to follow.

[Page 11] But if my ignorance were so great, that I could not remoue these inconue­niences: yet not withstanding, are you and all Christians bounde to receiue with all humilitie this true doctrine: and to blame me not, the doctrine, if I be not able to cleare it of all those things, which in the iudgement of man may seeme absurde: And although it is not my purpose, to examine all, that Philoso­phers and others say against the gouer­ning of euery thing by the prouidence of God, yet in my minde, all that they can say against it, may by this one argu­ment be easily ouerthrowne. If he be a God (which they all confesse, & though they would denie it, yet may it easilie be proued against them) hee is a most perfect thing: but that which is most per­fect, hath nothing perfecter then it selfe, neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect, then that which of it selfe, is truly and absolutely most perfect: therefore there is nothing, neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect then God: here vpon I inferre, if God did not gouerne al things in general, & euery thing in particular, wee might well [Page 12] imagine that there was something more perfect then God: euē such a diety, which had charge and care of euerie particuler thing: but it is shewed that no such diety or God-head cau be imagined.

It is false therfore, that they hereup­on would infer that God by his proui­dence ruleth not euerie particular thing, & the contrarie is true, which we teach: for else surely that God, which they dreame of to liue idleis, & at ease, and to haue no care of any thing, as they babble, is not in truth a God, but as Tullye sometime said of their maister Epicurus, so say I of them, that they in wordes ac­knowledge a God▪ but in truth deny that there is any. But leauing Philosophers, let vs see what the Scripture teacheth vs: the first place I wil vse for the proofe of this Doctrine, I take out of y ^e Epistle to the Hebrues the 1. Chapter. verse. 3. where it is saide of the Sonne of God, that He beareth vp, that is, moo­ueth and gouerneth all things by his mightie worde: he that granteth that he ruleth all thinges, excepteth no one thing from his gouernement: wee may then well conclude out of this place of [Page 13] God, that God gouerneth all, and euery thing.

But lest I should leaue any starting hole for the aduersarie to winde out at, let vs further see what the Scripture teacheth vs of the gouerning of euery particular thing by Gods prouidence.

Neither will I heape vp many places, but content my selfe with a few exam­ples, out of which the truth of this do­ctrine may be gathered.

And thus I do endeuour to proue it breifly: All the creatures of God are ei­ther indued with the gift of free choise, or els want this libertie of choise: they that haue it, are Angels, both good and euill, and men also both good and euill: they that want this libertie of choise, are all other liuing things created by God, and also those his creatures which haue no life: and yet of all these creatures, God hath a speciall care, so as hee disposeth of euery one of them according to his plea­sure.

The booke of Iob, and the Psalmes, do very often handle this argument, so that if I should gather out of them all their proofes, I should write out almost [Page 14] their whole bookes: yet some I will bring, and leaue the rest for you to ga­ther, hoping it will be a meanes to bring you to the often reading of them.

In the 147. Psalme the Prophet saith thus of God, that the couereth the Heauen with cloudes, and prepareth raine for the earth, and maketh the grasse to growe vpon the mountaines: But the cloudes, the raine, and the grasse are things without soule and life, and yet by his wonderfull prouidence he driueth, and ruleth at his pleasure the cloudes in the aire: he sendeth the raine downe vpon the earth, and he ma­keth the grasse to grow: In the 148. Psalm. the Prophet saith, that fire and haile, snow, and vapours, stormie windes do execute his worde, and what is it to execute the worde of God, but to be ruled and gouerne by his worde, it is to be at his becke and pleasure: Againe, in the 135. Psalme, it is said, that whatsoeuer pleased the Lord, that did he in heauen and in earth, in the Sea, and all the depthes: he bringeth vp the cloudes from the endes of the earth, and maketh the [Page 15] lightnings with the raine, he draweth forth the windes out of his treasures: and Christ our Sauiour in the 6. of Math. biddeth vs learne how the Lil­lies of the field do growe, they labour not neither spin: and a little afterward he telleth vs, that God doth cloath the grasse of the field: these fewe places proue that God hath a prouident care, to keepe and gouerne euen his lifelesse creatures, not onely generally, but also particularly: as cloudes, raine, windes, grasse, fire, haile, snow, va­pours, lillies, and such like: the like prouident care he hath for other of his creatures, whome hee hath indued with the life and sence, but not with reason and that libertie of choise, whereof I spake before: Wee reade in the 147. Psalme that God giueth to beasts their foode, and to the yong Rauens that crie: and in the 104. Psalme vers. 14. the Prophet saith, that God cau­seth grasse to growe for the cattell, and afterward in the 27. verse hee saith, that all beasts, foules, and fishes, waite vpō thee O Lord that thou maist giue them food in due season: thou giuest [Page 16] it to them, and they gather it, thou o­penest thy hand and they are silled with good things: This also our Sa­uiour Christ affirmeth in the 6. of Mathew, saying, beholde the foules of the Heauen, for they sowe not, nei­ther reape, nor carye into the barnes: yet your heauenly Father feedeth them. And in the 10. of Math. Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father? mea­ning God: by these few places you may see it sufficiently proued, that God hath a prouidēt care of euery particular crea­ture, vpō whom he hath not bestowed y ^• free libertie of choise, whether they haue not life, or haue life and sence and want reason. Now as for those creatures to whom God hath giuen that gift of free choise, which I said were Angels and men, some do thinke, that God in truth hath a speciall prouident care ouer man, whom hee made after his owne I­mage and likenes: but not ouer other creatures: which opinion how false it is, you may easily gather out of that I haue already written. Others do make [Page 17] this to be the difference betweene man and man, that God taketh a speciall care of the godly, but casteth away all care of the wicked: but the worde of God doth manifestly ouerthrow this opinion: In the 5. of Math. Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs, that our heauenly Father maketh his Sun to arise on the euil and on the good, and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust: And Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy the 4. chapter, saith that God is Sauiour of al men, special­ly of those that beleue: wherof I gather that God hath a speciall care of those that are his, but yet not so, as that hee leaueth y ^e wicked to be ruled by chance & fortune: for if God haue a care of those things and creatures that the wicked possesse, as of their cattell, grasse, and corne, and such like: surely hee proui­deth also for them, the owners & masters of those creatures: neither can he be prouident & carefull for the godly, but he must also gouerne, and rule the wick­ed according to the pleasure of his di­uine power. For as a Prince and Generall of an armie is not onely carefull for the troupes and [Page 18] companies of Souldiers that be in his host: but also for munitiō & vittaile neces­sarie for thē, that hee may haue his army so furnished, that it may be a terror to the enemie, and may keepe them a­mongst whome he lieth incamped in such dutifull obedience, that they may be ready to doe whatsoeuer his Cap­taines and officers commaund them: so can it not be that God doth prouide for his Church, but he must also moderate and gouerne all those things, without which his Church cannot be here vpon the earth.

Such things as appartaine to the nourishment, cloathing, safe and quiet harboring of the members of the Church: They therefore who are not of the true Church, are yet, for the benifit of Gods Church, to be ruled by his prouidence, so are the Patriarches saide to haue founde fauour in the eyes of infidelles, for that the Lord did rule and moue the hearts of infidelles, which way it pleased him.

Now how God ruleth not onely e­uery particular man, but also all the seuerall actions of men, is proued by [Page 19] that which is in the 16 of the Prouerbs, Commit thy workes vnto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be directed: And by that also which is in the 4. of Iames: goe to now ye that say, to day or to morrow wee will goe into such a Citie, and continue there a yeare, and buy and sell and get gaine: and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow: for what is your life? it is e­uen a vapour, it appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanquisheth a­way: for that we ought to say, if the Lord will, and if wee liue we will doe this or that: Thus Iames speaking of the actions or doings of men, affirmeth that God ruleth them all, so that with­out his will wee can doe nothing, no not so much as passe from one place to another: and Paul coufesseth that hee was often hindred and staied by God, that he could not goe to those Churches hee purposed, vntill hee had his iourney graunted him by the will of God: God therefore ruleth all the seuerall actions of all men. I will vse onely two exam­ples, to illustrate and make plaine this most true doctrine, that God gouerneth [Page 20] the seuerall actions of all men, both good and bad: In the historie of Ioseph many things to this purpose are to bee founde: the end of that historie was that which Ioseph spake of, Genesis 50. you thought euill against me saith hee to his brethren, but God disposed it to good: In this historie these men and their seuerall actions are to be wayed: First father Iacob, then the brethren of Ioseph, Ioseph himselfe, the Ishma­elites to whom hee was sold, that light huswife his mistris Putiphars wife, Pharao and his seruants: the actions of all these persons are diuers and very different one from another, some of them were laudable, others detestable, and yet some of those better then o­thers, and some of those actions neither to be altogether allowed nor dispraised, & yet as Ioseph witnesseth, God by his prouidence ruleth & disposeth them all, both men and their actions to Iosephs good.

So as Dauid saith, Psalme 105. that God sent a man before them, Ioseph was sold for a slaue: For so God go­uerneth the wicked actions of those [Page 21] men, that the moste peruerse practises of Iosephs brethren, the shamelesse and beastly part of Putiphar [...] wife, and other heauie actions, had a most happie ende: so that euen those things that they did to Ioseph, purposing by them vtterly to destroy him, brought Ioseph to great honour: so mightie and wonderfull is God, that he is able to make the light to shine out of dark­nesse more-ouer in the last chapter of the prophesie of Ionas, wee shall see how wonderfully God doth not only go­uerne men, but also all manner of crea­tures sensible & vnsensible: for I reade that Ionah went out of the Citie of Ni­niueh, & sat on the East side of y ^e Citie, & there made him a booth & sat vnder it in the shadow till he might se what shold be don to the Citie: and the Lord prepa­red a Gourd, & made it to come vp ouer Ionah, that it might bee a shadow o­uer his head, and deliuer him from his griefe: so Ionah was exceeding glad of the Gourd. But God prepared a worme when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the Gourd that it withered: and [Page 22] when the Sunne did arise, God prepa­red also a feruent East winde, and the Sunne beate vpon the head of Ionah, that hee fainted, and wished in his heart to dye, and said It is better for mee to dye then to liue: in this that I haue written out of Ionas wee haue these things to waye: First Ionah a man, the most excellentest creature, the other baser creatures, as the Gourd, the worme, and the winde: The worme is a creature that hath life in it, and is of that kinde of beasts that be deuided in their bodies, the head and breast from their belly and taile, the Gourd and the wind they are creatures without life, and yet you see how God by his prouidence ruleth and moueth at his pleasure all these creatures. If Epi­curus had bene at this sight, hee would haue ascribed all to chaunce: if Aristo­tle, to naturall causes: if Chrysippus or Zeno Stoicks, to fate and to destinie: if Plato to some petty god: and amongst them all there had not bene one worde of the trueth of God.

But the holy Ghost attributeth the course of gouerning all these things to [Page 23] God alone, who prepared them all for Ionah his good: for by these meanes, Ionah that was wandring, was set in the right way, as if you will reade the chapter you may see more fully of that which I haue already written. I may safely conclude, that both all the crea­tures which want the gift of choise, and all they that haue it, are gouerned and ruled by God, by his most high and mightie prouidence.

Of the Angels, which I placed at the first amongst those creatures, that haue the libertie of choise, I will write now the lesse, hoping that I shall haue this backe againe to view, polish, and enlarge: but their name teacheth vs that they are ruled by God him selfe, for they are called Angeli Angels, that is, messengers sent from God: and in the Epistle to the Hebrues are called the ministers, and seruants of God.

Thus much for the first parte, that is for the truth of this doctrine, that God by his prouidence ruled all things in generall, and euery particular thing in particular.

Now come I to that I promised to [Page 24] handle in the second place, namely to the vnfolding and answering of those arguments which are made against this doctrine. The first argument they make is this: God cannot go­uerne all things generally, and euery creature and action without exeeding toile and griefe of minde: But if agre­eth with the nature of God, that he rest in quiet and be free from all la­bours: Therefore God doth not go­uerne all and euery particular thing.

To this argument drawne thus from the nature of God, I answere, that their first proposition is false, which is that God cannot gouerne all things generally and particularly without exceeding foile, and greife of minde: but for that I will not onely de­nie it as false, but shew the reasons that mooue me so to doe, you must know that there are diuers kindes of actions, some are naturall, some are violent o­ther some meane: that is neither altoge­ther naturall, nor altogether violent: naturall actions are they that doe flowe from the principles of nature it selfe, without any helpe elsewhere: such are [Page 25] the round motions of the heauens, the flowing and ebbing of the sea, that light things doe of their naturall light­nesse mount vpward, heauie things fal downeward, that we breath and such like: these actions are done without any labour, because they mooue of them­selues without any other helpe: Other actions there are, which are done by force, and therefore are called violent, as by force to make a stone mount vp­ward, whose nature is to fall downe­ward. And such like violent actions, which cannot longe last as Aristotle teacheth, because they are done with [...]orce. There is another sort of actions which I called meane, whose be­ginnings are of nature, but yet they cannot be done vnlesse they be helped by some other meanes, as to eate, to drinke, to walke, and such like. But now that, that God doth, hee doth without labour, because hee doth it naturally, and therefore most freely: againe, there is no force that can compell God, and therefore hee worketh of himselfe freely without any compulsion: [Page 26] neither is hee troubled with greifes, but gouerneth all things according to the rule of his will: neither is there any thing more agreable to the nature of God, then to gouerne, and preserue the whole worlde, euen with the worde of his power.

A second argument of theirs is this, It is an vnmeete thing for God, and cleane repugnant to his nature, to en­termeddle in filthy, and vncleane matters but hee cannot gouerne euery seuerall creature, and their actions, but hee must entermeddle with many vn­cleane, and filthie matters: therefore hee doth not gouerne them.

I denie the second proposition, which is, that God cannot gouerne euery se­uerall creature and their actions, but he must mingle himselfe with many vn­cleane, and filthy matters: For that amongst the creatures, and their a­ctions, there are many vncleane things: this consequence, though it bee the grounde of the proposition is false, for although the power of God is in all his creatures, and ruled all, yet doth it not therefore follow, that the nature [Page 27] of God doth entermeddle with the vn­pure actions of his creatures, which may be made plaine by this similitude: the Sunne of all visible creatures most excellent (man onely excepted) doth most set forth the glory of God▪ it doth shine in euery place, so that it shineth of­ten vpon the dunghill, and though the beames thereof do heat the dunghill, as they do all other places, and thinges which they peirce, Yet for all that the Sunne is not polluted with the defile­ments and vncleanesse of it, neither doth the substance of the beames of the Sunne mingle it selfe with those things which it pearceth.

When one laid this in Diogenes his dish, that he went into a stewes or brothels house, why saith hee the Sun commeth thither also, and yet is not defiled therewith: therby shewing, y ^t a wife & godly man though he enter into vncleane and filthie places, and come into the companie of filthie persons, doth not forthwith toyne himselfe to their filthinesse, neither is infected with their vices: If therefore this Philoso­pher could enter into the stewes, and [Page 28] come forth againe vnspotted with their vncleanesse, so that their filthinesse could not fasten vpon him: much losse is God (whose nature is most pure and simple in gouerning of his creatures) insected with their filthinesse. There is a third obiection, which they thus frame: Euery wise and good gouer­nour, vnlesse hee be greatly hindred▪ bringeth his worke that hee frameth, and that thing that he ruleth to a good, perfect and wished ende: this may bee proued by many examples, as by the example of a skilfull Pilot, who direct­eth and bringeth his ship to the purposed hauen, and such like: but nothing can let God from perfecting his workes, and yet many of his creatures, as many monsters, mad men, lame, are imper­fect. Therefore God ruleth not euery generation and conception: to vnlose this knot wee must remember this di­stinction of order: there are two sorts of orders or courses that God taketh in go­uerning all things: the one of them wee may call ordinary, which God doth of­ten vse, the other extraordinary, with which order though we be not acquain­ted, [Page 29] yet doth God himselfe know the cause why he so worketh: & yet of this may we not conclude, that God in his workes is contrarie to himselfe: for if to vs there appeare some dinersitie and difference in the gouernement of all things by God, certainely that diffe­rence is not of Gods rule, but of the vn­stable iudgement of our troubled mindes: for Gods workes are not to be balanced by our iudgements, which are deceauable, and for the most part vntrue: Augustine proposed the exam­ple of two children, one of which is du­tifull and louing to his father, the other is a wicked stubberne childe: both their fathers are deadly sick, the good childe prayeth earnestly vnto God, to deliuer his father from his sicknes: the graceles graft thinketh euery hour twenty vntil his father be breathlesse: both their fa­thers died and that according to Gods appointement and direction.

But now that childe that prayed for the prolonging of his fathers life, highly pleased God: and yet it pleased not God, that his father should liue any longer: and againe, [Page 30] that childe that longed for his fathers death, as highly displeased God, and yet it was Gods pleasure that his fa­ther too should dye: how commeth it to passe, that that which pleaseth God may displease him also, and that which displeaseth him, please him? as he was pleased with the good childs kindnesse, but not pleased that his father should liue: and again displeased with y ^e vnna­turall part of the lewd childe, and yet pleased with his fathers death.

Surely there is in God a certaine secret ordinaunce which yet is iust, and a certaine ordinance open and mani­fested, which also is righteous: But certaine idle companions to draw both Augustine and vs into hatred, for this doctrine, obiect against vs, that they cannot perceiue in God this double wil, which we speake of, to witte, a secret and a reuealed will: for they say we all know and you confesse, that God is most plaine without all shew of dou­blenesse, and therefore his will must be also as plaine, and euen so is it, though wee cannot comprehend it: but let them first answere to that which [Page 31] Augustine and wee haue proposed, and [...]ill they, nill they, they must ack­ [...]owledge with vs, that this difference [...]f will, of which I haue spoken, is not [...]roperly in God, but in vs, who ac­ [...]ording to our reach and capacity mea­ [...]ure diuine matters: and therefore in [...]espect of vs and of our capacity, there se­ [...]eth to be this difference in the will of God: According to our censure and [...]udgement, we will iudge the birth of [...]onsters, mad men, and crooked men, [...]o be an vnperfect worke of God: but in [...]he iudgement of God their creation is most perfect and absolute.

If Aristotle were asked what the [...]ause were of their imperfections and [...]e formities, he would answere y ^t they [...]roceeded of a defect, and wāt in nature. But Christ saith otherwise of the man that was borne blinde in the 9. of Iohn. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the workes of God should be shewed on him: that is, that [...]od might be glorified by him. Now since the last end of al things is the glory of God, and since all those things are to bee accounted perfect, which attaine to [Page 32] their desired end, and since the glorie of God more appeareth by the imperfe­ctions of some of his creatures, then if hee had made them all in one forme and perfection, surely we may not iudge a­ny of his workes vnperfect: I graunt that if they be considered in themselues, there will appeare in them some im­perfection: but when they are referred to the glorie of God, if they illustrate and set it forth, they are euen therefore to be accounted perfect: for if no man should be mad, if none deformed, none lame, none blinde, wee would ascribe the perfection of our birth, which wee perceiued that all men haue necessarily either to nature or to our parents: and we would easily slip into this opinion, that wee had our solues also of our pa­rents: but since there appeareth such a diuersitie in the outward sormes of creatures, the prouidence of God doth more clearely appeare by that their dif­ference in shape. In the iudgement of man, many flies and wormes, and all sort of serpents are reputed not onely vnprofitable but also hurtfull: But the Lord (as Moses sheweth in his [Page 33] song) calleth them his treasures, out of which, hee draweth vengeance for his enemies, as arrowes out of a qui­uer.

These were the shafts hee shooke Pharao with: with these Antiochus, with these Herode was punished: who therefore will account them vn­profitable, or who superfluous, since the Lord him selfe hath such vses to put them to?

There are also in thē many profitable things for man, whereof some we know not, other some the Phisitians know, as Nicander & others haue very lear­nedly written of them: Ancient lear­ned Chrisostome in his tenth Homily vpon Genesis, vsed this similitude: [...]f (saith hee) in earthly matters when wee see these things that be done, ap­proued by graue and mightie men, wee mislike not their censure nor gainsay it, but preferre their iudge­ment before our own: how much more should we carry the same minde of all visible creatures, which we know that God the creator of all thinges made? That since wee haue receaued his [Page 34] censure of them all, that all that hee made was wery good, let vs suspende our iudgements & bury them in silence, and let vs not dare to prefer the iudge­ments of all men before the Lords: and wee may perswade our selues with strong and sufficient arguments, that the Lord made all things in great wis­dome and mercy, and in a worde, that the Lord made nothing vnaduisedly or without cause: but though we know not the causes of his workes, because of the weakenesse of our vnderstan­dings: yet hath hee made all things ac­cording to his wisdome and mos [...] mightie mercy.

Thus farre Chrisostome: If therefore by the testimonie of Aristotle, nature made nothing in vaine, As that m [...] who was vtterly ignorāt of true religiō affirmed of nature, which he yet iudge [...] to be both blinde and brutish: how much more are we bound to attribut [...] vnto the most wise creator of all thing [...] this perfection in his creation, that he made nothing in vaine, but all thing [...] in great wisdome: since all his worke [...] redounded to his glory, which is th [...] [Page 35] last, and the cheifest end of all things, and by the common consent of all men, euery thing is iudged either perfect or vnperfect, by the attaining of his ende? There is a fourth argument, thus made against the prouidence of God: If God who is most wise and righteous in his iudgements, doe gouerne all things, & euery particular thing there shold not be so great troubles in cōmon wealths, and specially in the Church, whereof the Lord hath a speciall care, for that it is his Sanctuarie: but both in Church and common-wealth there is great vn­quietnesse, so that all lawes both diuine and humane are openly violated: good men most cruelly are delte withall, e­uill men do reioyce and triumphe in their wickednesse without controle­ment: God therfore gouerneth not all things that are in common-wealths and in the Churches.

This argument thus drawne from the nature of Gods iustice (which se­meth to be contrary to his gouernement by his prouidence, if he shold see, mode­rate, and suffer all these outrages and disorders) is one of the cheifest proppes [Page 36] of Epicurus his opinion: And this argu­ment troubleth many that now liue, & dayly labour to bringe Epicurus name in obloquie with all men, & yet are con­tent to liue like Epicures: and this ar­gument also the Turkes, and our capi­tall enemies (the papists) obiect most a­gainst vs: and sure it carrieth such waight with it, that Dauid confesseth that he was so astonied, that his feete were almost gone: & his steppes had wel­nere slipt, when hee saw the prosperitie of the wicked, and punishments and hard entertainement of the godly, vn­till he went into the sanctuarie of God: then vnderstoode he their ende, that is vntil Dauid entered into Gods schoole, & learned by his worde & holy spirit, that he ordered all things most wisely, & iu­stly. After Pomp [...]y had bene put to the worst in the battaile fought betwixt Caesar and him, in the confines of Phar­salos, and escaped by flight to Mytilene, he went to Cratippus, and disputed with the Philosopher in his garden, whether he thought there was any God which by his prouidence ruled in earth: and for that before in very bad quarels [Page 37] [...]ee had had most prosperous successe, as when he had subdued, and in battaile vanquished the inhabitants of the East part of the worlde, and was now in a most good cause ouercome, stripped of his armie, and forced to flie away him­self alone most shamefully: he hereof ga­thered that God regarded not what was [...]one amōgst men, but y ^t all things were [...]one by chāce. Thus doth the wise mē of [...] world iudge & speake of such euents. But the holy ghost teacheth vs to iudge [...]ar otherwise of them: When Moses in his song Deut. 32. was to deliuer to the [...]eople the threatnings of God, if they were disobedient, which afterward the [...]ebellious Israelites felt, he vseth this preface: Perfect is the work of the migh­ [...]ie God: for all his waies are iudge­ment: God is true & without wicked­nes, iust and righteous is he: teaching hereby that whatsoeuer the world doth prate of the causes of affli­ctions, that God with great wis­dome, doth sende forth of his trea­sures all sortes of calamities: some-time by them to punish the wicked, sometime to exercise the godly [Page 38] with them. For the sinnes of the peopl [...] the hipocrite doth raigne: that is, tirant [...] sit in the throne of Iustice, which vnder pretence of executing iustice, ar [...] but hipocrites and oppresse the people: Iob 34. verse 30.

Woe be to thee (saith the Pro­phet Isaiah) which spoilest, for thou shalt be spoiled: And indeed, one ty­rāt plagueth another, & though tyrants be a plague to all nations & Kingdomes yet are they themselues in due time in like sort punished by other tyrants▪ In the person of Sennacherib the iud­gements of God are very liuely set forth by the prophet Isaiah in the tenth Chapter of his prophesie: The Lord stirreth vp the King of the Assirians to punish the eastern people: Sennacherib was a wicked man, and he is a scourge to wicked people, yea hee cruelly ve­xed the people of God, hee spoileth al­most all Palestina, he beseigeth Ierusa­lem the cheife Citie of that country: And thus saith God of him by the Pro­phet in that place: O A shur the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignation: I wil send him to a [Page 39] dissembling nation, and I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath, to take the spoile, and to take the pray, and to treade them vnder­foote like the mire in the streete. But he thinketh not so, neither doth his heart esteeme it so: and so forth. And a little after, thus saith God by the Pro­phet of him: But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vpon Mount Sion and Ierusalem, I will visit the fruite of the proude heart of the King of Ashur, and his glorious and proud lookes, Because hee said, by the power of min own hand haue I done it, and by my wisdome, because I am wise: And a little after this, thus saith the Prophet, Shal the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith? If Pompey had looked on this example, thus laide forth by the Prophet, hee might haue bene better occupied & in­structed, thē he was by his toying with Cratippus: and this would haue taught him, that thought the Lord suf­fereth tyrantes to bee for a time a plague to any nation, yet in his appoin­ted time hee suffereth them to bee pu­nished [Page 40] by other tyrantes, and to haue the same measure that they measured vnto others: Now if wee compare Sennacherib, and Pompey that glo­ried in this Litle The greate: which name Silla gaue him for his victories: wee shall finde many things a like in their histories. Both of them was an are in the hand of God to strike the people of the East: both of them destroy­ed Palestina, and afflicted the people of God: Sennacherib deseiged Ierusa­lem, Pompey tooke it, the Assirian was put to flight by an Angel, and was slaine in his temple, that is in his san­ctuarie, by his owne Sonnes: Pompey was put to flight by Caesar, and flying to Ptolomie King of Egipt, whose fa­ther being dispossessed of his Kingdome, he had restored againe to his crowne, & therefore Ptolomie should haue bene as a sonne vnto Pompey, was there in E­gipt with him miserably slaine. So vnsearchable are the waies of Gods iudgements: for that which Michah speaketh of the Caldeans in the 4. chap. of his prophesie: They know not the thoughts of the Lord, they vnder­stand [Page 41] not his counsell, therefore they shall be thrashed as sheaues in the barne, may be spoken of all these Giants and proude tyrantes, who for that they know not the counsaile of the Lord, shall in his appointed time beare the punishement of their pride: Nei­ther doth the holy Ghost teache vs, that the wicked onely are punished, but that the Church of God is also afflicted though for another ende and purpose: And there may many reasons be brought, to shew why the Churche of God is subiect to so many calamities, but I will at this time alleadge onely three, by which as by many other wee may know, that the Lord in truth and iudgement, doth exercise his Churche with afflictions. The first is that so long as we cary about with vs this burthen of corruption, we are not onely sub­iect to sinne, but doe continually by sinning prouoke the Lorde to deals in iustice with vs: And therefore it is agreeable to the iustice of God, that wee bee chastened of the Lord with a fatherly rod, which may kéepe vs in obedience: yea wee must all [Page 42] say with Ieremy in the third chapter of his Lamentations, verse 22. It is the Lords mercies, that wee are not con­sumed, because his compassions faile not.

My seconde reason is this: It is best for vs to bee humbled vnder the mightie hand of God: for wee know how feirce and haughty minded we are by nature, so that it is necessarie for vs, that God keepe vs vnder his schooling, and so haue vs in some awe: Therefore Dauid saith in the 119. Psalme, ver. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now I keepe thy word. And ver. 71. It is good for me that I haue bene afflicted, that I may learne thy sta­tutes. The third reason is deliuered by Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinth­ians the 11. Chapter verse 32. When wee are iudged wee are chastned of the Lord, because wee would not be condemned with the world: There­fore let vs conclude this whole discourse with Moses thus: The iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous, neither let vs measure them according to our own cōceit & iudgemēts which [Page 43] are very deceauable, but let vs know that the godly are punished for their sinnes they dayly commit, that they may be humbled, and that they perish not with the wicked: but God in pu­nishing the wicked, doth shewe and o­pen the treasures of his long sufferance, patience and iustice: but when hee af­ficteth vs, he maketh vs like to his owne Sonne Christ, and stirreth vp in vs an earnest desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ.

Let vs in the meane time giue our selues to harty and earnest prayers, pray­ing continually with the Saints of God:

Come Lord Iesus, yea come quickly. Amen. Amen.