A SERMON OF THE PROVIDENCE OF God.  
Preached at Paul's Cross, the 25. of October. 1607.  
By JOHN PELLING Bacchalaur of Divinity.  PROVER. 4.13. 
Take hold of instruction and leave not: for she is thy life.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes for Nathaniel Butter, dwelling at the sign of the Pied Bull near S. Augustine's gate. 1607.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND RELIGIOUS LORD, THE LORD EDWARD SEIMAUR EARL OF Hertford, and to the right Honourable and virtuous Lady, the Lady Francis, Countess of Hertford, God's abundant graces and blessings, for this life and for the life to come.  
RJght Honourable, my singular good Lord and Lady; your Honours both having from time to time exceedingly comforted, and encouraged me in my labours of this kind, I rest assured, you will gladly accept and protect to your utmost, this sermon of mine published, my good Lord, at your command. Whereas some of good sort, and judgement, moved your Lordship to put me to it, for a further good to God's Church; and whereas also your Lordship out of your honourable and religious care, procured the right reverend father in God, the Lord Bishop of London, my especial good Lord, to require it of me; and seeing hereupon his Lordship hath vouchsafed to peruse it, and by his authority hath allowed it; having duly weighed all this, I profess that I account, God hath had a directing and a working hand in all, and have therefore obeyed, leaving all excuses, which I might probably have made: even so Gods will be done. When a public good in a man's calling, is likely to be effected, excuses for private respects, in my conscience have no place.  
Had I but imagined in time, that it should have come to this at length, by Gods help it had been better, and yet his goodness it is, that it is no worse: it is truth, and it is needful, that I dare and do avouch for my part: to take it well, and to use it well, may make it good and profitable, for your honours first, and so for others, to whom God shall give opportunity and grace.  
I have been earnestly moved to set it out as I preached it; of the words (I am sure) I have missed very few, of the matter nothing.  
Your Honours are well known to to pray together, to hear sermons together, to receive the communion the blessed body and blood of Christ jesus, and that in your public Parish-Church together; God grant more of your state, for example's sake, for their own soul's sake, and for God's glory sake, to do the like. If together also your Honours will be pleased, sometimes to read and confer seriously of this divine matter, here consecrated to your Sovereign good, let me be blamed, and most severely censured, if you find cause, to repent your well bestowing time, and pains this way.  
The Lord God of mercies fill your noble hearts with heavenly graces, and power upon both your Honours, and all yours his richest blessings, for his dear son Christ jesus his sake. London the 25 of November. 1607.  
Your honours most bounden and devoted chaplain, JOHN PELLING.   
1. PETER. 5.7. 
Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you.  
BEing to provide me for this time and place (right honourable, right worshipful, and well-beloved in our Lord and Saviour Christ jesus) I have with God's direction (I trust) settled upon these words for my Text, which I have here read unto you. I mean by God's help, not to idle out any time in handling them, your faithfulness in hearing on your part, may with God's blessing prove to you well worth the while. Observe therefore I pray you, the words, the doctrine, and the use. The words import a commandment, and a reason to induce men to obey it. The doctrine, is the doctrine of God's providence, which all that talk of, understand not the truth, nor the depth of. The use is so manifold, and profitable, that any good man may be diverse ways bettered by it; either he may be informed of that he knew not, or be resolved in that he doubted of, or be put in mind of that he remembered not, or be persuaded to that he affected not, or be comforted in his sorrows, or be moderated in his joys, or be encouraged in his well-doing, or be deterred from evil: some, all these ways, some, by more than these may be singularly benefited, God in all duly served, and his name glorified.  
The words importing the commandment are, Cast all your care on him; the words inciting men to obey it, are these, For he careth for you. Next before my text we read, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, and so comes in my text, Cast all your care on him, it must be meant, on God, for he, that is God, careth, that is provideth, for you, for you most especially, and most beneficially, that cast all your care on him.  
For men to cast all their care on God, presupposeth men's taking some care for themselves, and implieth that men should not overcharge themselves with care, nor build upon their own, but upon the care that God hath of them, who is better able to provide for them, than they can for themselves. So that to care, & to care moderately, and to account it a man's best providence, to depend most upon God's providence, is that which we are here commanded, and incited unto.  
Sith no man can care, in that measure or manner, nor rely in all his courses upon God's care, God's providence as he ought, either not knowing, or not duly considering what Gods providence is, we will by his assistance, plainly and truly deliver the doctrine, touching that great matter: plainly that it may be understood, truly, that it may be believed, and so by God's grace also well applied and used.  
In opening this doctrine, I must show first what God's providence is, 2. what things are subject unto it, 3. God's manner of working by it. In the writings of the godly learned, we find it thus described, Providentia Dei, est actio Dei externa & temporalis, qua omnia et singula quae sunt, conseruat, et quae fiunt omnia & singula disponit ad finem quem ipse determinavit, secundum libertatem voluntatis suae, idque ut in omnibus et singulis glorificetur. The providence of GOD is an outward and a temporary action of God, by which he doth preserve all things that are, universal and singular, and doth dispose of all things general and particular, that are done, and doth determine the end of them, according to the liberty of his own will, and that to this end that in all things general & particular he may be glorified. And thus, Providentia Dei est eternum, et immutabile decretum Dei, de rebus omnibus et singulis, ad suos certos usus et fines perducendis, secundum illum ordinem quem ipse praefinivit ad suam gloriam. God's providence is an eternal and an immutable decree of God, touching all things whatsoever, universal and singular, to bring them to their certain uses and ends, according to that order which God himself hath appointed to his own glory.  
That these descriptions of the providence of God have some diversity in them, they must not be thought absurd; & though they have some semblance of opposition, they must not be thought false: for well looked into they give light one to the other, and well understood they nothing cross, but every way strengthen each the other. The diversity that seems is rather in words then in matter, the one peradventure expressing more than the other, but both the truth. The opposition that seems, is that God's providence in the former description, is said to be an action of God, an outward action, and temporary; in the latter, that it is called an eternal and an immutable decree of God. How can it be an action of God, and a decree too, how temporary and yet eternal and immutable?  
There are to be considered in the providence of God, three degrees, praescientia rerum omnium, voluntas rem quamlibet ad suum finem perducendi, et actualis eiusdem voluntatis executio. God his foreknowledge of all things whatsoever, Gods will, to bring every thing to its certain end, & the actual execution of that his will. The two former of these his foreknowledge, and his will import his decree, and that in God is eternal, and immutable: the latter the execution of his decree, and that is outward and temporary. Now some handling the providence of God, define it as it is a decree of God, some as it is his execution of the same decree. They that handle it as God's decree, must needs set down those properties, which do necessarily accompany his decrees, eternity, and immutability: they that handle it as it is the execution of the same decree, must needs set it down as it is an action, and that temporary, yet both agreeing: for they that expressly handle the action, presuppose the decree, and they that expressly handle the decree, imply the action: I, to make my treatise the more full, express both.  
For a sum of all, to show what Gods providence is, consider we yet, four more particular degrees, which are, first Creatio rerum, the second Conseruatio rerum, the third Gubernatio rerum, the fourth Ordinatio rerum, the creation or making of things, the conservation or maintenance of things, the uncontrollable command and government of things, the orderly setting and appointing unto all things their several and certain ends. All these in order, are God's providence, his decree eternal for all, and according to the same decree his actual executing all in time. Thus much as briefly and as plainly as I can possibly, to show truly, and fully what all true christians are to take God's providence to be. Next what things are, they that are subject unto it?  
They are all mankind; elect and reprobate, all men's actions, words and thoughts, good and bad: all courses men take, all matters men take in hand, and all their events, prosperous or cross: all creatures whatsoever, great and small, all in all universal, special & particular, are subject unto God's providence they are according to his eternal, and immutable decree, in time begun, continued, guided, and brought to their ends, to his glory.  
Let us take a view of David's 104. Psalm, there shall we find what things are within the view of God's providence, that in wisdom, that is, in his providence, God made, maintained, governed and ordained to set uses and ends, the heavens spread like a curtain, and light to deck all as with a glorious garment. The Moon to keep her seasons, the Sun to rise, and to know his going down, the clouds carried about like chariots, and the winds as with wings, his Angels ministering spirits, the foundations of the earth unmovable, the deep covered, the waters standing sometimes, and sometimes flying at his rebuke; The voice of his thunder to terrify, the hills to go up to, the valleys to go down to, the springs sent into the rivers, and the rivers to run among the hills, For the beasts of the field to drink and quench their thirst. Grass brought forth for cattle, and green herb for the service of men, bread to strengthen, wine to glad man's heart, and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, the day for him to labour in, and the night for him to rest in, the souls to inhabit the air, and to sing among the branches; the sappy trees, the tall Cedars for birds to rest in, the fir trees for the Stork, goats to have refuge on hills, and to Coneys in stony rocks; the lions one while to roar after their prey, and seek their meat at God, another while to get them away together, and to lay them down in their dens. The great & wide sea also with the creeping things therein innumerable both small and great: God appointed the ships to pass them, and the Leviathan, the greatest fishes as Whales, and the like to make their pastime in them. O Lord (saith David) how manifold are thy works, in wisdom, that is in thy providence, thou hast made them all, they all wait on thee, that is, depend on thy providence, things that need meat, to have it in due season, at the opening of thy hand, and thy filling them with good. Thus doth the glorious Majesty of the Lord endure: Thus doth the Lord rejoice in his works, in the works of his providence, beginning, maintaining, governing them, and bringing them, to their due & several ends. Touching man himself more particularly saith S. Paul, Act. 17. In him, that is in God, we live, and move, and have our being, more particularly yet, the Prophet David, as of himself, so of every good man living, in his 139. Psal. O Lord thou hast searched me out and hnowne me, thou knowest my down sitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts long before, thou art about my path, and about my bed, and spiest out all my ways: For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether, thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me, my reins are thine, thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I am fearfully, and wonderfully made, my bones are not hid from thee, though I be made secretly, thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy book, that is, in the book of thy providence, were all my members written, which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them, that is, none of them perfect. Whether then shall I go from thy presence? If clime up into heaven thou art there, If I go down into hell thou art there also, If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me, If I say peradventure the darkness shall cover me, then shall my night be turned to day, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day, the darkness and light to thee are both alike. All this is true of good men, so is it of bad men too. King Solomon in the 15 of his Proverbs teacheth, that the eyes of the Lord in every place behold the evil and the good. God is not properly said to have eyes but by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, after the manner of men. His eyes are taken for his all-viewing providence, in every place, Court, City and Country, public and private, God beholdeth and observeth the evil and the good, men and women, actions and intents, whatsoever.  
Our Saviour himself in the 5 of Matt. saith expressly, that God maketh the Sun to arise upon the evil and upon the good, and sendeth rain upon the just and the unjust.  
I will conclude this point with an observation of S. Chrysostome,  navis sine gubernatore. As a ship without a governor, is for no service. And as another noteth well,  corpus sine anima, as a body without a soul can do nothing: Sic mundus, so the world could never be created as it was, nor continue as it doth, and hath done, nor be governed as it is, and hath been, nor come to the appointed end it shall itself, and all things therein, Sine Dei providentia, without the providence of God. God worketh all things, according to the Council of his will: amongst all the rest, all things concerning all men, and so us here from the highest to the lowest. Thus much of those things which are subject to God's providence.  
Now to the third point, the manner how God worketh in his providence, which we are to know & acknowledge to be Vniversaliter, specialiter, & particulariter, not generally only, but particularly too: secondly Immediatè & mediatè, not immediately always by himself alone, but by means also many times, when it pleaseth him: thirdly, Immutabiliter non mutabiliter, so necessarily, that it can be no otherwise then he will, and he doth nothing contingently: fourth and lastly, Benè non malè, he worketh in every thing well, in nothing ill.  
Not generally only, but particularly also, God had a work with jonas, when he charged him to go to Niniveh, when jonas was shifting and shipped to go another way, God sets a tempest to work at sea against that ship, God cast the lot upon jonas to be cast out, God provided a Whale to receive jonas, and to set him safe on shore. Again, God charged him for Niniveh, guided him thither, provided for him there. God's hand in his providence, working particularly, is most evidently seen in this story.  
The like on Herod eaten up with worms for his pride; and on Pharaoh plagued, and confounded for his obstinacy and hardness of heart. The like on job, strangely afflicted for his trial, & more strangely crowned for his patience. The like on many other whom books do report, some notable particulars of; the like no doubt, on all men living, though men use to observe nothing but strange matters that befall them; but God is as particular in his ordinary works amongst us, as in his extraordinary; ordinary and extraordinary to him are both alike.  
The next point is that God worketh in his providence immediatè without means▪ yea against means, and sometimes mediatè by means. Without means, God created the world of nothing, he preserved Moses forty days on the Mount without food, and the Israelites forty ycares in the wilderness without change of apparel. In tempests at sea many times, when men look every hour to be cast away; In extremity of sickness, when Physicians and all give a man off; In dangerous childbirths, when women be at their wit's end; in many desperate extremities of this life, when we see no means of help in the world, it is found diverse times, that GOD cometh in with his immediate helping hand and turneth tempestuous storms to fair weather, deadly sickness to safe recovery, most sorrowful travels to joyful deliveries, the bitterest jars amongst friends, to sweet contentment, the greatest neglect and foulest disgraces (undeserved especially) into highest account, and dearest savour.  
The King's heart saith Solomon in the 21. of the Proverbs is in the hands of the Lord as the rivers of waters, & he turneth it whither soener it pleaseth him. As King's hearts, so all men's else. Our God (saith David) is in heaven, and hath done whatsoever pleaseth him: as he hath done, so doth he still, and will do, howsoever it pleaseth him, with means, or without means, or against means, means or no means to God, are both alike; only as in his providence he hath disposed how things shall be brought to pass, so it must be. That he worketh against means, is the strangest, but it is as true as the rest. In the 14 of Exod. we read that the sea divided for Moses and the Israelites. In the 2. of Kings. 2. That the river of jordan divided for Elijah, and Elisha. in the 10. of josuah, That the sun stood still for josuah. In the 3. of Daniel, that the fire would not burn Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In the 6. of Daniel, that the hungry Lions would not touch Daniel. In the 12 of the Acts, that neither Iron chains, nor an Iron gate could hold Peter. In the 28. of the Acts, that a venomous viper could do Paul no harm. If all the wicked of all the nations in the world, should band themselves against the Lord, and against his anointed, our Prince, his prophets, his servants, God can dash them all, as it pleaseth the Lord, so only come things to pass, blessed be the name of the Lord.  
Now it followeth to be showed, that God worketh by means, which I cannot declare better, then by showing what means he useth in his works: as first his Angels, that sometimes appear visibly to men, as they did to jacob in the 32 of Genesis, when he was in his journey, he calleth them the host of God; sometimes not seen at first but afterwards, as in the 2 of Kings. 6. Chap. the Prophet Elishas' man at his masters petition to God, had his eyes opened, that he saw the mountains covered with horses & Chariets of fire, which were Angels sent for the Prophets, and God's people's defence, against the mighty host of the Aramites; sometimes, and most commonly not seen at all to men, yet always in a readiness for God's service, and his children's preservation, as in the 18. of Matt I say unto you (saith our Saviour Christ) that their Angels always behold the face of my father which is in heaven.  
As it was with those little ones Christ there speaketh of, so is it with all God's children. God keepeth angels to wait upon them, though we have no proof for every one, one: yet have we for that which is as good or better. They are all, always in such a readiness, at God's commandment for man's good, that David saith in his 34 Ps. They always pitch round about them that fear the Lord, to deliver them. and the holy ghost in the 1. to the Hebrues teacheth, that they are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heirs of salvation.  
When they are seen, they have some shape given them for the time; that they are not seen, it is for that they are spirits, which are invisible to men; seen to men or unseen, God seethe them, and useth them, and they are his mighty means to preserve and to destroy: The bad Angels and all, God useth to punish sinners, and for the trial sometimes of the best men, as of joh.  
Besides Angel's ministering spirits, God hath the heavenly bodies with their light, motion and iufluence, which they have all of God to work under him, in the world, as in his Providence he hath appointed. Moses in the 1. of Genesis, and David in the 136 Psal. teach us, that God made the Sun to rule the day, the moon and the stars to govern the night. God himself in the 38 of Ioh, testifieth of a set course of the heavens, and of a pourefull rule of theirs over the earth; of the Pleyades and their sweet influence, the stars (as learned and godly men take it) which bring in the spring time. Of Orion and the losing of his bands, a star which bringeth in winter, of Mazoroth and their times, the 12 signs: of guiding Arcturus and his sons, which are likewise noted to signify the north star, and those thereabout.  
In the 9 of Ioh, we read of Gods countermanding those great Rulers of the world, the sun to rise or not, and of God his closing up the stars as under a signet  
Besides the heavens, God hath other his creatures too, as his effectual means to the maintenance, government and ordering of the whole. In the 2. of Hosea, God saith, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, the wine and the oil, and they shall hear Israel. That is, God is the fountain of all excellency, of power and virtue to the heavens: the heavens shed down their influences into the earth, the earth giveth nourishment to the corn, ivycé to the wine, fatness to the oil, all these are to enable and stir up man with gladness, and cheerefunesse, to serve under God in his providence, as he hath appointed.  
How men are this way, God his means may appear by a view of men's states in this land, public and private, Their government and their maintenance.  
In public, the king in his kingdoms is immediately under God, over the Church and common wealth, he exerciseth his sovereign government assisted by his Council. Under the King, over the Church, are the Arch bishops, and Bishops, and the rest of his majesties ecclesiastical governors.  
The Common wealth is to be considered as it is in peace, or as it may have wars. In wars are noble men especially to be generals, men of worth only to be captains, commanders, and officers. In peace, Cities and great Towns are ordinarily governed by their Majors, Aldermen, and others of the better sort; Countries abroad by the Peers of the Land, the judges of the land, the justices, & inferior officers under them.  
Private houses, are either for learning, or for housekeeping. In societies of learned men, the heads and ancients, are to govern the younger. In those that have for housekeeping, and hospitality, are the husband and the wife to rule their farnilie, children and servants. In great men's houses, chief officers in their places, are to command the rest of the household. I hus for government.  
Now for maintenance; the King is to have it royally of his subjects, the Landlord rightfully of his tenants, the Churchmen liberally by the Church livings, the Lawyers and Physicians duly by their fees, the Soldier is to live on his pay, the Merchant by his traffic, the husbandman by his flock and tillage, the craft's man by his hands, the servant by his wages, the poor and impotent, by alms and benevolence. I cannot remember all, but you may see by these, how God doth use men, his means, for government, and maintenance one of another.  
The next note is that God worketh immutably: first God is immurable himself, the Holy ghost teacheth it us in the 1. of james, With God is no variableness nor shadow by turning. In his essence he is immutable, Malachi 3. I am the Lord I change not. In his decrees, the 19 of the Proverbs, The counsel of the Lord shall stand. In the execution of his decrees Esai 14. The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely like as I have purposed so shall it come to pass. That nothing shall prevent him, or prevail against him, the 27. of the same chap. The Lord of hosts hath determined it, and who shall does mull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it away. That this holds not in some places only but in all, again the same Prophet at the 26. verse of the same 14. chapter: This is the counsel that is consulted upon the whole world, and this is the hand stretched out over all the nations.  
Now notwithstanding all this, that we see the Sun doth rise and set, the Moon doth wax and wane, the sea doth ebb and flow, the year hath winter and summer, that weather proves fair and foul, grass green and withered, flowers fresh and fading, fruits ripe and rotten, that men in their minds, prone off and on; in their bodies, sick and healthy; in their states, rich and poor; in years, young and old; All these changes, and all else, argue not, that in God the creator there is mutatio voluntatis, but that God doth velle mutationem in creatura, God wills the change in the creature. The effects may be diverse, yea contrary though the cause be one. The cause of all effects is God, in him there is no mutability, though multiplicity of power, God determineth second causes. So that in respect of God, there is no casualty of effects, though there be variety. Whatsoever God ordaineth in respect of God is necessarily that, that it is; it can be no otherwise. God worketh immutably in his providence.  
The last note touching the manner of Gods working in his providence is, that he doth all things well, nothing ill. God commandeth in 1. Cor. 14. That in his house which is his Church, All things be done honestly and by order. As in the Church, so will God have it in the common wealth too, and as in public states, even so in private houses also. In the same chap. 33. ver. God is said not to be the author of Confusion. In the 9 to the Rom. there is a question asked, whether there be unrighteoushes with God, the answer is in the same place, God forbidden. It is true, that is in the 11. of Wisdom, God hath ordered all things in measure, number and weight. And it is worthy to be noted which is in the 1. of Gen. and so often repeated at the Creation. That God saw that it was good, and when man was made and all, that God saw all that he had made, and lo it was very good; as it was with his works of Creation then, so is it, and so hath it been for his preserving and governing of things since, & so will it be for his bringing things to their set ends always. When God looks upon all the works of his providence, lo they are all good; howsoever by man's degenerating, there is malignity in the world, yet God's work in all (as he hath a work in all) be things never so many and manfold, is good.  
If there were defect, disorder, deformity, or iniquity in any of God's works, his words in the 104 Psal. touching this matter could not be true, that The glorious Majesty of GOD shall endure for ever, the Lord shall rejoice in his works.  
But somethings are so small and vile, that they seem unworthy God's gteatnesse and excellency: ut vermiculi, pulices, culices, worms,, fleas and gnats; some things seem for no use, no end, as snow, hail, and rain into the sea, some things are so unseasonable and excessive, that they rather do hurt then good, as glutts of wet in seed time, or harvest, and scorching heat, and drieth when grass should spring and grow.  
Some things are so violent, and inordinat, that they seem deadly mischievous, as fire, sword, famine, pestilence, shipwrecks, inundations; some strange, improbable, against all reason, preposterous, as wicked men to flourish, and insolently to bear sway, good men to go to wrack, and wrongfully to be kept down.  
Some so dolorous, so beyond all measure miserable, that thousands seem to have just cause to with the world rather had never been, than one thing should have befallen, that if it had pleased GOD, might easily not have been; viz. Adam's fall. What good hath man, what rejoicing, what glory hath God by any of these, especially the last? That God had his hand in all these we cannot deny: but let us take heed, we be not so weak, or so hardy, for our lines so much as in a thought to tax GOD in his providence for doing any thing amiss in all the world.  
For their satisfaction that are willing to learn, we will by Gods help give answers to the doubts before cast, and such answers, as well taken, and well applied, may give resolution to any doubt of this kind that can be moved. Where David beginneth his 148. Psal. with O praise the Lord of heaven, praise him in the height. I pray you note, that he goes on, reckoning up not only the holiest, the likeliest, and the most glorious creatures, in heaven and earth, but even the very unlikeliest that a man could imagine, the dragons that seem and are mischievous; all depths, for all that some of them seem and are to us bottomless; fire for all it is felt merciless; bail, snow and vapours, for all they seem superfluous; wind & storms for all they are tumultuous; the very beasts and cattle, for all they are unreasonable; the creeping worm, for all it so contemptible; these all fulfil his word, that is, do that in their kind, which God by his secret operation enableth, and directeth them unto: This, men ought to know and acknowledge, and not to be ignorantly, nor obstinately contentious.  
How can these things praise the Lord? Quum ipsorum consideratione laudatur Deus, ipsa laudant Deum. When by man's due consideration of these things, God is praised, then do these things praise the Lord: Vos considerantes dracones, when you consider the dragos, take good notice of him that made the dragons, and when you do wonder at the dragons, and at the greatness of God that maketh the dragons, then do the dragons out of your mouths, praise the Lord.  
Quis disposuit membra pulicis et culicis? who hath disposed in order the parts or limbs of the flea & gnar, they have their proportion, they have their life, their motion, they fly death, they love life, they seek after that they delight in, they shun & they avoid, that which troubleth them, they have sense, they are quick and active in a motion that is kind unto them, Quis disposuit ista, quis fecit ista? expavescis in minimis? lauda magnum. who hath made, who hath ordered these? art thou at thy wits end considering these little creatures? O give praise to the almighty Creator, Quifecit Angelum in coelo, fecit vermiculum in terra: he that made the Angel in heaven, made the little worm on the earth: did he make the Angels to creep upon the slimy ground, or the worms to be glorious in the highest heavens? Distribuit sedibus habitatores, he hath rightly distributed to inhabitants their dwellings, eternal habitations to immortal creatures, to corruptible creatures, corruptible places. Totum attend, totum lauda. Consider all the order of God's works, thou shalt see cause enough to praise God for all. All this most excellently hath S. Augustine, upon the 148. Psal. Again the same godly and learned father, Quare in mare pluit, why rains it into the sea? Quasi non sint etc. as though there be not (saith he) Gods creatures fishes there which are refreshed & cherished with the rain water. At quare pisci pluit, et mihi nou pluit aliquando? why doth it rain to cherish the fish, when man lacks rain sometimes? ut cogites that thou mayst think, thou art in the world as in a desert, in a journey, not at home;  amarescat tibi haec vita, that this present life may grow distasteful unto thee, that thou mayst be desirous of the life to come; or else that thou being a sinner mayest be for thine amendment well corrected.  
But why do lightning and Thunder beat upon the mountains to no purpose, and not strike down the thief that robbeth there? that were some justice; peradventure God seeketh the conversion of that thief. Even thou thyself sometimes (saith that good father) when thou schoolest thy child, dost beat the ground to make him afraid; but sometimes God strikes the true man and lets the thief go; what then? undecunque mors pio bona est, howsoever a good man cometh by his end, he dies well. And thou knowest if the wicked man repent not, he is reserved for other manner of punishments in an other world, and thou little knowest the shame and torments which peradventure he shall abide before he goes out of this.  
Quicguid ergo accoidit, whatsoever therefore happeneth otherwise then we would have it, know, that it is not otherwise than God would have it. It is according to his providence, his order; and though we understand not why things are made, why this or that is thus, and thus done, or disposed, let us attribute thus much to the providence of God, that it is not done without cause, nor without good cause; so shall we not blaspheme.  
The conclusion is, Quum ceperimus disputare, when we begin to make dispute about the works of God, why this is, and why that, he should not have done this, or that was ill done, ubi est laus dei, perdisti Halleluiah, where is thy praising the Lord, thou hast lost thy Hallettuah, thy praising the Lord. To this purpose very divinely, one of the most godly and learned of all the fathers, S. Augustine upon the 148. Psalm.  
By this we may perceive, that even the smallest creatures in their kind magnify their Creator, that that which seems to the ignorant and inconsiderate needless and unprofitable, is indeed necessary and beneficial. And beside, that when God by any means taketh away our provision here, it is to wean us hence, or to chastise us with want, for abusing plenty; with war, for abusing peace; with sickness and weakness, for abusing health and strength; with false friends, for abusing true friends; with unkindness where we love well, for our ingratitude to him, that loveth us better: with cross in our business, for our negligence in his service: and ye any of these, or all these are but gentle and loving corrections to his children, for their amendment: but with the graceless and impenitent it is not so, let them ruffle it never so much for a while, bewate their end, plague upon plague remains for them, which they shall not be able to avoid; for God faileth not in his uncontrollable providence, to see them paid that they have deserved.  
This perplexed David at the heart, as we may read in his 73. Psalm, when he saith, My feet were almost gove, my treadtings had well nigh slipped, and why? I was grieved at the wicked, I do also see the ungodly in such prosperity. and I said then have I cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency, all the day long have I been punished and chastened every morning. Yea I had almost said even as they, than should I have condemned the generation of God's children: then thought I to understand this, but it was too hard for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God, there understood I the end of these men, namely how thou dost set them in slippery places, and castest them down, and destroyest them. O how suddenly do they consume, perish, & come to a fearful end? That which David learned in God's sanctuary, that he teacheth us in this Psalm. It is worth the remembering, and applying by yourselves.  
We read in Genesis a notable work of God's providence, in joseph, how God brought him to great honour and comforted him on every side, how God provided him to provide for old jacob, and all his. The means used were some very mean, some very unlikely, and some almost impossible, yet all in God's order direct, and by his power effectuall-Who would have thought, that of a boy keeping sheep in Chanaan, one should come to be the chiefest man under the King in Egypt? that a dream or two (a thousand to one but so many idle fancies) should import and presage matter of such weight, consequence and state? that brethren's hatred should be the way to brethren's love? that to be bought and sold as a bondslave into a strange Country, to be cast and kept in prison as a malefactor, should be the way to liberty, to more than liberty, to a place of highest honour in the Court, in all the Kingdom? So God wrought it and ordered it for joseph.  
And touching Adam's fall, and so touching any actual sin, there is Actio, and there is Pravitas actionis, the action itself is not sin, God is the author of the action, the deformity or iniquity of the action, that's sin, and that God is no author of.  
The godly learned illustrate this familiarly thus, The rider causeth the horse to go, the horse goeth lame; that he goeth, the rider is the cause, that he goeth deformedly lame, that's of the horse and not of the rider. The soul of a man is it that causeth the body to move; The body hath received some wound, or festers with some old sore, it moves, it moves deformedly, lamely, the motion is of the quickening soul, the lameness is of the wounded or corrupt body.  
But touching the sin, is God no way the author of it? No way in the world, as it is sin: For first to be able to sin argues impotency, which cannot be found in omnipotency, and to cause to sin is to bring forth more properly a defect, than an effect. But God hardened Pharaohs heart: not by making it hard that was not, but by denying him grace to mollify his heart, which God is not bound to give him, nor any man; But answer the Prophet's words in the 3. of Amos, Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it. I answer, that this is meant of Malum paenae, not culpae, of punishments which are just, and which God justly inflicteth upon sinners to their smart and grief, not of any evil, that is, of any offence or fault that God commits or causes any to commit. What was Absoloms in cest? It was both a sin and a punishmènt, a sin in Absolom, a punishment to David: the punishment was just and of God, the incest sinful, shameful, that was Absoloms.  
Take with you this rule in our learning, in divinity, which is a sound rule in this case Cum eiusdem effectus plures sunt causae, aliae bonae, aliae malae, effectus ille respectu bonarum causarum, bonus est, respectu vitiosarum malus. Admit there concur diverse causes to one effect, that effect in respect of good causes shall be a good effect, in respect of vicious causes evil. But God at least permitteth sin as it is sin, or he doth not permit it; If he permit it not, how can it be? If he permit it, either he doth it with, or against his will: If against his will, how then is God omnipotent, that he cannot stop it? If with his will, how then is God all goodness, that he will not stop it? If it be neither with nor against his will, but that he lets things go, never heeding them off or on, where is his providence that works so carefully, and so effectually in all?  
I answer. First, that Gods will is considered as it is sometimes occulta secret, sometimes as it is manifesta revealed, always as it is justa, just.  
Secondly, that sins are not measured by the secret will of God at all, but by his revealed will, which is his law; and therefore though we grant a permission in Gods secret will, of that which is sin, yet God in that, wills nothing as sin, for as nothing can be done against his secret will, so no sin is measured by it, and therefore nothing is to be called sin with respect unto it. This being certain, then still I say, that sin as it is sin, is not of God.  
But how can any thing be against Gods revealed will, and not be against his secret will, they being one? as they are diversly considered; to be secret and to be a revealed are diverse considerations; in one & the self same respect, nothing can be against the one, and not against the other; but in diverse respects it may be, one thing may be Contra voluntatem revelatam, against Gods revealed will, his law, it being the rule of right and wrong, to the creature, the measure of sin: and yet not praeter voluntatem occultam not besides God's secret will, it being not to the creature any rule of right or wrong, but it respecteth every thing whatsoever, sub ratione boni, as it is good, as it is a mean to God's glory, and so reductive, whatsoever it be, it is good.  
And further we are to know & acknowledge that to permit that which is unexcusably sin in man, is not sin in God, so we have an other infallible rule in divinity, Quum is qui permittit, inhibendi poteslatem habet absque ulla obligatione, ut & is cui permittitur agendi absque ulla coactione, Actus utrobique est voluntarius, in priore absque culpa, in posteriore absque excusatione, when he that permits hath power to forbid, & is free from any tie to permit or not to permit, to forbid or not to forbid, and that he which is permitted hath power to do without constraint, the action in both is voluntary, in the former that is in GOD the creator, without sin, in the later the creature man or Angel without excuse. But how can GOD any way permit sin, and yet be no way the author of sin? fist sine approbatione without approving it, 2. denegatione gratiae, by denying the party grace, and leaving him to himself, as God may do if he will, & it is therefore justly done because he doth it, 3. peccatum determinando ne latius serpat, by limiting it, that it shall not go so far as the tempter, or the sinner would. Lastly ordinando, as in Adam's fall, the Devil wrought most subtly tentando, man wrought actually peccando, God wrought providently dirigendo; Satan in malice tempted man to sin to despite God, man in folly sinneth to please himself, God in his providence directeth all, to the showing of mercy by sending his son to redeem some, and to the showing of his justice in bringing confusion on them that die without redemption. God's mercy and his justice, tend and▪ work both to God's everlasting glory, which is the main and most blessed end of all.  
Yet had it not been better, that Adam had been created better, that as he was created bonus good, so he had been created immutabiliter bonus, immutably good? I answer no, for first look how God created him, that was best, & therefore best, because he created him so: then to be immutabiliter bonus, immutably good is an essential property of God. It were very simple, for any man to imagine that the creature man, or Angel, should be made the creator, God.  
To conclude this point, our God with whom we have to do, is the Loxd, dominus primus, supremus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, liberrimus. The first, the highest, sole Lord of himself, and most absolutely free; the first before all in eternity: the highest above all in infinite Majesty: sole of himself, he depends on none, but all of him; he is absolute at his own liberty, his will alone is an absolute warrant for him to do withal under him whatsoever he will, to make or to destroy, to make poor or rich, to exalt high, or bring low, to reject or save, at his free pleasure, he is subject to no control or check, say he, do he, decree he, execute he, what he will, where, when, and on whomsoever.  
And if any man will, let him with any thing a good mind look into any the works of God, any one, the unlikeliest to man's reason, yet shall he find it without defect, deformity, disorder, or any iniquity, if he consider it wholly and entirely togethe; compare the beginning with the end, consider the means determinately working, from the beginning to the end, you shall find that he hath done, and doth all things well. As in the working of Arras, tapestry or the like, in a loom or frame, you shall lee here a leg and there an arm, and yonder a head, a very imperfect piece of work, if there were all: but when it is finished, every part brought in, as it is at last in due proportion, then behold the cunning head and hand have brought it to an excellent work: So consider Gods works, not piecemeal, but wholly & entirely part not the beginning from the end, nor these from the means where God useth any.  
Consider David's adultery and murder, Peter's denials and cursing, but withal the hearty repentance of them both. Consider fair Absalon's death, but with all his treason; Sampsons' eyes cruelly pulled out by the Philistines, but withal his blind lust to lewd Dalilah. Consider the little children torn in pieces by bears, but withal their mocking of God's Prophet. Consider Adam's fall, but withal Christ promised. Consider Christ's ignominious death, but withal his glorious resurrection. Take one thing with another in all God's works, I say to any man as Augustine saith, attend totum, lauda totum, consider the whole, & it will well appear, that God is to be praised, that God hath done and doth his part, in every part aright.  
Eliphaz in the 5. of job discourseth the whole chapter through of this argument, of gods working in his providence, especially upon man, the last of his words are, lo thus have we inquired of it, and so it is, hear this, and know it, for thyself; we have inquired as he did at God, so it is as from God you have heard, you have heard it all, let every man know it for himself, that is, let every man make a good use of that, which touching this great matter he hath heard, for he is now unexcusably if he know it not.  
First therefore you must account this doctrine true, necessary, profitable and every way a good doctrine. Being true as it is infallibly true, than not to believe it, is erroneous, to argue against it, is impious, to delight in discourse about it, without any care or purpose, to settle positively in it, is vanity profane curiosity, the way to blasphemous Atheism.  
It being also a necessary doctrine, then to be careless whether ever one hear of it or Noah, let God in his works do, or in his word speak what he will, not to account it concerns a man, but let the world go which way it will, never to trouble one's head about such matters, this is dull stupidity, near to a dead fearing of the confcience, near to a reprobate sense. It is so profitable a doctrine, that well learned and well used, it informs a man's understanding with the knowledge of God and himself; it conforms the will to religious resolutions, it reforms the courses of a man's life, to christian obedience, it arms a distressed and an injured man with patience, it humbles a man full of prosperity, that he burst not with pride; it tempers a man given to his lascivious and luxurious appetite that he shall abstain: it cools, nay it quenches a man's fiery and sudden fury, that he shall do no mischief: it pacifieth once deep conceived displeasure, and otherwise implacable offence taken, that a man neither works nor meditates revenge; it makes men make a conscience of their doings, for their gain, for their delight, for their preferment, for any way having their will, their purpose. It makes men remember whence they came, consider where they are, what they do, and whither they shall; it keeps men the more innocent that they do no harm; It makes men the more wary that they take no harm; it teacheth men how to live well, and how to die well, which is next to eternal felicity, line he poor or rich, in high or low estate, die he in his flourishing or decrepit age, of what disease, by what means, at home or abroad, at sea or land, when, where, and howsoever.  
A doctrine so true, so necessary, so profitable, must needs be good; Why then should any mislike it? no man living can disprove the truth of it, nor avoid the necessity of it, nor do well without the benefit of it; yet some like it not, or if they like it, they like it in part not wholly.  
Some like not to be always within the view of God's providence, to be in his eyesight, in his awful presence still: some like God's providence to be maintained by it, but not to be governed by it. Some will not say but they like himself, but they are not contented with these and these his means, they will try their own devices, though indirectly to mend their means. Some like prosperity marvelously well, but they are made for no cross. Some like their beginning and their course hitherto, up and down, one time with another, but they would hear some of no end, some of no sudden end, and some of no lingering death. Some profess they are pleased with God's government, but would none of the king's supremacy. Some like not the judges of the land, nor the laws of the land, not the execution of justice, all's too sharp, too severe. Some bear the King his civil government very gently, but cannot away with his ecclesiastical government.  
Some mislike one thing and some another, some would have this alteration in the state, and some that; but he sins damnably in abusing the doctrine of God's providence, that wholly or in part approves not that, which God hath so well established for good: that believes not, that esteems not, that receives not the doctrine of God's blessed providence, that submits not his judgement, his actions, himself unto it, to be rectified by it, as every way good.  
A second general use is to keep God's order in preferring one thing before another, and in joining some things with other. Men ought therefore to prefer God before means, heaven before earth, the soul before the body, reason before affection, public matters before private, religion before policy, God's glory before man's. Men ought not preposterously to invert God's order; nor in any wise to put those things asunder, which God hath appointed to go together; as faith and works, benefit of laws and obedience to laws, a good magistrate and a good man, desert and reward, mercy and truth, righteousness and peace, knowledge and conscience, thrift and a true balance, delight and temperance, adversity and patience, wrong taking and charitable forgiving, honour and humility, wealth and beneficence: benefits received, and thankfulness, any charge in the Church or common wealth, in public or private, and faithfulness; good preparation in time, and an happy end at last.  
A third general use is, to account this doctrine not a matter of speculation, but of practice, the more we know to do the better, the more we learn of God's providence over us, the more providently to line all our days under him; which is, he caring for us, he providing for us, our casting all our care on him, in all our providence, our depending upon him. To cast all out care therefore on him, is to care as he commands and not otherwise, to care for that he allows and for nothing else, to care that we use good means well and not amiss, and to care for successes so, as that we leave them wholly to God. This is rightly to cast all our care on him, and this is to be rightly provident.  
To which there are required three things, memoria praeteritorum, cognitio presentium, precognitio futurorum. remembrance of things past, knowledge of things present, and foreknowledge of things to come. These things seem hard, (as to some any good things will) especially the last; now every man would be accounted a man of judgement, them I hope he remembers things past, compares them with things present, and observes correspondencies, dencies, and differences, he cannot then but foresee many consequences. Like causes are like to bring forth like effects. He that forgets all past, neglects all present, foresees, forecasts, prevents, provides, nothing to come, may wanton it a while, but shall want at last; may state it awhile, but must stoop at last: may have his full desire a while, but shall have his due deserts at last. For lascivious prodigaltie to bring penury, aspiring pride, to have a fall, sinful beginnings and lewd courses, to have sorrowful and shameful ends, it hath been, so it is, & will be. It is a blind wretched and an unpardonable folly, for any man to be partial in his own particular, to look carefully neither back, nor forth, to be only for the present, and but in consider at in that too. As God will have a man to be, not careless, so doth he not allow all caring: They in the 4. of the Prou. that cannot sleep except they have done evil, are like enough to be full of care. Ahab in the 21 of the first book of Kings taking his bed, & leaving his meat, either of anger, or grief, or greediness (a devouring sickness of these days too) & all for Naboths' vineyard, had his head, and heart no doubt full of perplexing cares; and jesabel his wife▪ that cheered him up and compassed the matter with forgery and blood, she had care enough, but such caring God likes not. The dogs lickte up the blood of Ahab at last, and of jesabel too; they gnawed her bones, there could nothing of her be found, when they came thinking to bury her, but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. Neither all their care, nor all their greatness could keep them from the curse of God brought upon their heads, for their bloody purchase. No tyrannous oppressors beating their brains, how they may draw, engross, enclose all to themselves; no shifting companions that live by their graceless wits, must think that God takes charge of their cares, to bless them with success to their desires. Our provident man is an honest man, that covets not another man's, that cares and provides to have for himself and his, burr without wronging of any.  
Believing and righteous Abraham in the 22. of Genesis, when Isaac put out a word to him as they were going together, Behold my father, the fire and the wood, but where is the Lamb? Abraham being resolved whatsoever became of himself, or his son, that God's commandment must be obeyed, his promises would be performed, and not being able to reach by any reason to the possibility and secrecy of God's work in this, he answers, My son, God will provide, as if he had said, we must depend upon God's providence, that must satisfy thee and me, God knoweth what he hath to do, he seethe what we do, God will provide for us, doing that which he commands. Let us go on our way, and cast all our care on him, for he careth for us. So let any good man resolve, that what God commands must be done; a man so resolving always, be sees no other but it will go hard with him sometimes; But let God have his sacrifice in thine heart, resolve above all things in the world for his service, and God will provide for thee, both to be able to serve him, and to provide for thee and thine in his measure, in better sort it may be for the particular, than thou canst now think.  
A man may care to have about him, to leave behind him, this is providence; but he must have a care that his gathering be without doing wrong by violence or fraud, this is obedience; both must go together where men cast all their care on God, and look that God shall care for them.  
But men shall be tempted to the contrary. In the 4. of Matthew, and in the 4. of Luke, the Devil is said to tempt our Saviour Christ himself having him at an advantage (as he thought) in this world, in human nature, and at a time (after forty days fasting) hungry, subject unto God's providence, he thought to make him sin against it, as either to trust wholly to means and those indirect (make bread of stones) or to trust wholly upon God's providence without means (Cast thyself down hence from this pinnacle) or the end of all God's glory to set it at nought; showing him all the kingdoms of the world (if it were but in a vision that's all one) H showed them him in the twinkling of an eye, and said unto him, all this power will I give thee, and the glory of these kingdoms, for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. If therefore thou wilt worship me, they shall be all thine. Our Saviour shaked him off at last, and it was time, Hence from me Satan. If our Saviour Christ had not been even providence itself, he had hardly prevented Satan's most mischievous subtlety. Hear was every way laid for him: Had he been covetous, here was a world: had he been ambitious, here were all the Kingdoms of the world: had he been tyrannous, here was all the power of those kingdoms; had he been popularly vainglorious, here was the glory of all the power of the kingdoms of the world, not showed him only but offered him; not driving him out with lingering expectation, all is offered him at once: not at any hard rate, but of free gift: and lest there should be doubts made, that Satan's offer was greater than he was able to perform, he saith it is all his own, delivered him, and lest it should be objected, it was delivered him to keep and not to do away, he saith it is his to give, if he will: and lest it should seem restrained to some one, he addeth, To whomsoever I will, I give it. Lest it should be thought there were too many, that would look for it, he saith, They shall be all thine: and lest this should be condemned for prodigal folly, there is a soucraigntie reserved, If thou therefore wilt worship me: who would stand for so small a matter, when his gains & advancement should be so infinite? the whole world could afford no more, and who would wish to have it all for less? All this, nay half this, to a man not very provident had been enough to have made him forget all matter and ceremony of God's glory. But by that we have here learned, we find in the offer to be no good intended, the condition impossible so much as with safety, the title Satan pretended to have, was false; the delivery never made to him, the gift was by no right in him, the show of all was but a snaring devise, the offer of earthly kingdoms, to make him lose his heavenly kingdom, the offer of power on earth, but to surprise him with the power of hell, the offer of so great glory, but to bring upon him the more shameful confusion. That labour of Satan's was lost, he prevailed not against our Saviour.  
But doth he now cease? is he not as subtle, as strong, as stirring, as tyrannous as ever he was? is it not his soliciting still to have men mistrust God's providence, and build only upon means, be they never so indirect? or presume upon God's providence, & so tempt God, contemning his means? or to forget giving God his glory, and therein to give Satan a worship? and thereby men to lose their part in Christ jesus? know we not that he is called in the 2. to the Corinth. 4. the God of this world? in the 12. of john the prince of this world? in the 2. Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephe▪ the prince that ruleth in the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of diso bedience? in the 12 of the Revelation, though read dragon? in the 3. of Genesis, the serpent? in the 13. of Matth. the enemy? in the 8. of john, the father of lies & a murderer? in the next verse after my text, a roaring lion seeking whom he may denoure? do we not learn by all these scriptures that he is set to destroy man, body and soul? It is he that causeth schism, heresy, and hypocrisy, in the Church; disorders, and rebellions in Common wealths; ambition in Princes Courts; corruption in Magistrates, refractory disobedience in subjects; looseness in youth, peevish morosity in old age; greediness and oppression in the rich, unthankfulness, impatience and shifting in the poor & needy; superstition in the simple, profaneness in the witty; discord in families, falsehood in trust and friendship, abuse of meats and drinks, pride in apparel, excess of ease and sport, impediments to well doing incitements to ill; and he taketh his advantage, by fitting tempting suggestions inwardly, to every humour, and by presenting pleasing objects outwardly to serve every man's appetite.  
Satan is he whom Solomon speaks especially of in the beginning of the 23. of Proverbs, When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler, consider diligently what is set before thee, and put the knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to thine appetite: be not desirous of his dainty meats, for it is a deceivable meat.  
Let Satan make never so fair shows, his end is sin and destruction; any thing a provident man will strive hard with himself rather then come to that. One would think it impossible, that any, whom Satan entertains with his sweetest with his most delicious sins, if the party knew he would bring him to uncurable wounds, known to come of no honest cause, that he would bring stinking rottenness upon his filthy hairy, or filthier unhairy scalp he would never have the heart, (one would think) to go on still in his wickedness. It is withal the devils allurements, though he would not be mistrusted, as with that wine Solomon speaks of in the 23. of his Proverbs, It goeth down pleasantly, but in the end thereof it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a cockatrice. And as with the bread of deceit, in the 20 of the Proverbs, it is at first sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel. And as it is with the slothful in the same Chapter, The slothful will not blow because of winter, therefore shall he beg in summer, & have nothing: So it is with any iniquity, Satan draws men unto, he will make them believe, they shall never be spied; but the truth is, that the ways of man, are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his paths. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the chords of his own sin. Pro. 5. joab in the 2. of Sam. 3. came to Abner, he took him aside, in the gate to speak with him peaceably, & smote him under the fift rib, that he died. The same joab, the 20. of the same book, came to Amasa, saying art thou in health my brother; and took him by the beard as though he would have kissed him, but Amasa took no heed to the sword in joabs other hand, for therewith he smote him in the fift rib too, and shed out his bowels to the ground.  
He that knew joab had served two so before, would not trust him (for all his complementing) to make the third, if he were any thing a provident man. We know the Devil doth▪ thus still, what improvident men than are they, that will trust him at all, that can think the Devil means any man any good?  
You look not I hope, for one to come from the dead, to tell you what torments, those desperate wretches suffer in hell, which knowing in their life time, the Devil would mischief them, would yet needs follow him. Neither would any man here, willingly (I think) see a hand writing before him, thou art weighed in the balance, and art found too light. David himself peradventure, but that he came to him with a parable, would not have heard so patiently as he did, Nathan the Prophet saying unto him, Thou art the man. It may be some care neither for GOD nor Devil, if they will hear neither the Law nor the Prophets neither Christ, his Evangelists, nor Apostles, neither will they hear, to any purpose any other. It may be some, if they had any fear stricken into them, would think more awfully of God, and his providence then ever they did. The asmightie may shoot an arrow of his hot pestilence, at the heart of that man, if the striking of others will not serve, that may. It may be some man (and he's not the worst) feels his conscience so gripping him, for forgetfulness of his dueie to God, this way many times, that he says between God and himself; I am the man, I am the man that have sinned, and by God's grace do verily purpose amendment. The best of us can be no better minded. Then men and brethren what shall we do? What ever we have done, let us hereafter, neither presume upon god's providence, for our defence, preservation, and maintenance, but use means in time; no unlawful means at all, nor lawful means unlawfully, we must use them as God's means, accounting them of no power without him. Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build, it, Except the Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh but in vain. Nor let us put our trust in means, as lame Asa did to physicians, whereby he was noted both to distrust and to displease God. Let no man trust in his riches, He that trusteth in his riches shall fall. Prou. 11. Let no man trust to his own wisdom, Trust in the Lord withal thine heart, lean not to thine own wisdom in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thee in all thy ways. Pro. 3. And let us be more thankful unto God and man, for the happiness we have, and have had, especially by the gospel so long, so sincerely, so freely preached, so sovereignly established, even exclusive, all other religions kept out. No nation in the world, before Christ's time, nor since, till this latter age (we in this land) ever had the like; nor at this time is there under heaven, the like glorious christian monarchical state; which is absolutely the best, O praise the Lord of heaven, praise him in the height.  
And whereas, we have obtained so great quietness, and so many worthy things have been and are done unto this nation, through the providence of GOD, raising up mighty means thereto, we are to acknowledge it, under God, wholly and in all places, with all thanks, to have come, from the sacred, noble, & blessed government of this Church and commonwealth. O that our religious thankfulness and endeavours, had been or were now answerable to God's incomparable goodness, the abundance and excellency of his means amongst us. And we must be more peaceable too, if we keep God's order, than we have been many of us. As much as lieth in us, we must have peace with all men, we must seek it, we must ensue it. Blessed be the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. our blessed saviours own words in the 5. of Matth. only by pride doth man make contention, but with the well advised is wisdom. Prou. 13. what wisdom? the wisdom that is from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without hypocrisy. james. 3. But men must do as God's spirit guides them; try the spirit whether it be of God, if it be, there is unity in it, there is peace with it, and there is a bond upon that peace, that it be duly kept, especially the public peace. And for private wrongs done, we must not be so revengeful as commonly we are, striking and stabbing. We must acknowledge God's hand in the greatest injuries that are done us, and for our good if we have grace, as David in the 16. of the 2. book of Sam being cursed & railed on to his face, he accounted that God had a stroke in it, he revenged it not, and when an other would have done it for him, he would not suffer it. when wrongs are offered us, we may seek redress by lawful means, revenge by none.  
Mens pointing the field, upon their private quarrels, is not justifiable before God, a christian man can have no sufficient warrant for it, it is barbarous.  
Thou art disgraced; it may be thou hast deserved it, than what wrong hast thou? or thou hast not deserved it, there's place for patience, for charity; but that's base: but that's not so, let King Solomon (that was thy better I am sure) teach the. It is a man's honour to cease from strife. Pro. 20. and it is a man's glory to pass by an offence. Prou. 19 and he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty man, and he that can rule his own mind, is better than he that winneth a City. Prou. 16. It is indeed a sinful tempting of GOD, that men without cause do adventure their lives, it argues a man dissolutely resolute, there's the fairest of it.  
But God hath appointed every man his end; true, therefore stay till it come. why that may be the time, and the place: yet thou mayst be guilty of thine own death by seeking it, and God may punish thee with final impenitency for thy desperatues. But thy purpose is to kill, and not to be killed. That's worse, for than thou art guilty of an other man's death, and thine own too. But thou wilt fly or get thy pardon; thou canst never fly from God's presence, & though thou gettest thy pardon for thy murder, yet thou mayst be damned for it: and for all thy flying thou mayst be taken, and for all thy suit thou mayst miss thy pardon. Then thou wilt repent, God may forgive thee. God will not forgive thee, unless thou very heartily repent thee, which thou art not sure to do when thou wilt.  
But thou dost not mean to kill, nor to be killed. Ah, thy heart faints thee; nay but thou art bold upon thy skill, and thy judgement: thy adversary may put the besides both: but thou knowest thou art too good for him; many have made that reckoning, that have come short home. But thou hast often tried & been tried, and art safe: thank God, and leave there. But thou mayst be provoked; thou mayst fairly, because honestly refuse it. But that's against thy nature; tell not me of thy nature, I tell thee of God's grace, and thy duty. Say what can be said, there is no providence, no well advised wisdom, no christianity in it.  
But can no man warrantably without tempting God, put his life in hazard? One may, if he be assaulted when he cannot avoid it, that's necessity. If a man be at sea upon good occasions, he is in his way, he follows his vocation; or if a man be called to serve his Prince or Country in battle, that's honourable. And if a man be set apart to suffer for God's truth sake, that's glorious.  
Some can be content to put up injuries, and to hold their lives precious enough, but they are overwhelmed with sorrows which come upon them whether they will or Noah, for the loss of their goods, their friends, their children. Let them remember jobs losses greater than theirs, and his patience greater than his losses, in the 1. of job. Let them remember what he did and what he said, when his sorrows came one upon another's neck unto him, he arose indeed and rend his garments, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, he had sense of his grief, but he worshipped and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither, the Lord haih given, and the Lord hath taken it, and blessed be the name of the Lord.  
Some are otherwise poor, distressed, and diseased, and have no comfort in the world. Let them remember Lazarus in the 16. of Luke. that lived and died (for this world) most miser ably, but his comforts after wards made amends for all. but God was present at hand with them: so he is with us; and can help us, and we know that all things work together for the best to them that love him. Romans. 8.  
But touching this point that God hath appointed every man his end, what express scripture have we for that? In the 14 of job, we read touching every particular man, words thus spoken to God Are not his days determined? the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds, which he shall not pass.  
If it be so, were it not yet better that men might know the time? why? for preparation against the time: that's somewhat: for it is seen indeed, men do prepare themselves to death when they find they can live no longer, and part of their preparation is, in their affections to leave this world, and to desire heaven, but that's not so good, to be content to go, or to desire heaven, when we can stay here no longer.  
The right preparation is before extremities come, considering the certainty, that such a time will come, & the uncertainty when; seeing it may come at any time, men are to prepare, that they may be ready at all times. Very few do so; it is too true, but all should do so. It is God's order, our Saviour himself hath set it, in the 13 of Matth. Take heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is, as if he had said directly, the less you know the set time, the more ought you to be always in a readiness, by taking heed that ye be not taken at unawares; by watching for the time, come it whensoever God please: by prayer to God for grace, and mercy, grace to cast all our care on him, mercy that he would care for us, that whether we live, or die, sooner or later, we may be the Lords.  
Thus much of the words, a commandment, and an inducement to obedience; the doctrine, God's providence, what it is, what things are subject unto it, and God's manner of working by it; the use, our being provident, in settling our judgement, in observing God's order, and in christian practice. I have instanced in some particulars, you may apply it to many more. Let these words of my mouth, and this meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, and effectual in this audience, O Lord my strength and my redeemer. To God the Father, God the Son and God the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour, power and glory, now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.