But if my ignorance were so great , that I could not remooue these inconueniences : yet notwithstanding , are you & all Christians bound to receiue with all humilitie this true doctrine : & to blame me , not the doctrine , if I be not able to cleare it o●●●l those things , which in the iudgement of man may séeme absurd : And although it is not my purpose , to examine all , that Philosophers & others say against the gouerning of euery thing by the prouidenc● 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 deny it , yet may it easily bée prooued against them ) he is a most perfect thing : but the 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 & absolutely most perfect : therfore there is nothing ▪ neither can we imagine any thing to be more perfect then God : herevpon I infer , if God did not gouerne al things in general , & euerie thing in particular , we might well imagine that there was some-thing more perfect then God : euen such a deity , which had charge and care of euery particular thing : but it is shewed that no such deity or Godhead can be imagined .

It is false therefore , that they herevpon would infe 〈…〉 that God by his prouidence ruleth no● euery particuler thing & the contrary is true , which we teach : for else surely that God , which they dreame of to liue idly , and at case , & to haue no care of any thing , as they babble , is not in truth a God , but as Tully somtime said of their maister Epicurus so say I of them , that they in words acknowledge a God , but in truth deny that there is any . But leauing Philosophers let vs sée what the Scripture teacheth vs : the first place I will vse for the proofe of this doctrine , I take out of the Epistle to the Hebrues the 1. Chapt. verse . 3. where it is said of the sonne of God , that Hee beareth vp , that is , mooueth and gouerneth all things by his mightie worde : hee that graunteth that he ruleth al things , excepteth no one thing from his gouernment : We may then well conclude out of this place of God , that God gouerneth all , and euerie thing .

But least I should leaue any starting hole for the aduersary to winde out at , let vs further sée what the Scriptur● 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 fewe examples , out of which the truth of this doctrine may be gathered .

And thus I do endeuour to prooue it briefly : All the creatures of God are either indued with the gift of frée choise , or else want this liberty of choise : they that haue it , are Angels , both good and euill , and men also both good and euill : they that want this liberty of choyse , are all other liuing things created by God , & also those his creatures , which haue no life : and yet of all these creatures , God hath a speciall care , so as he 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 their whole bookes : yet some I will bring , and leaue the rest for you to gather , hoping it wil be a means to bring you to the often reading of them .

In the 147. Psalme the Prophet saith thus of God , hat he couereth the Heauen with cloudes , and prepareth raine for the earth , and maketh the grasse to grow vppon the Mountaines ▪ But the cloudes , the raine , and the grasse are things without soule & life , and yet by his wonderfull prouidence he driueth , and ruleth at his pleasure the cloudes in the ayre : he sendeth the raine downe vpon the earth , and he maketh the grasse to grow : In the 148. Psalme the Prophet saith , that fire and haile , snow , and vapours , stormie windes doe execute his worde , and what is it to execute the word of God , but to bee ruled and gouerned by his word ? it is to be at his beck and pleasure : Againe , in the 135. Psalme , it is said , that whatsoeuer pleased ●he Lord , that did hee in Heauen and in earth , in the Sea ▪ and all the depthes : hee bringeth vp the Clowdes from the endes of the earth , and maketh the lightnings with the raine , hee draweth ●●rth the windes out of his treasures ▪ 〈…〉 d Christ our Sauiour in the ●●●● Math. biddeth vs learne how the Lil●ies of the field doe growe , they labour ●ot , neither spin : and a little afterward ●e telleth vs , that God doth cloath the grasse of the field ▪ these ●ew places ●rooue that God hath a prouident ●are , ●o kéepe and gouerne euen his lifelesse creatures , not onely generally , but also particularly : as cloudes , raine , windes , crasse , fire , haile , snow , vapours , lillies , and such like : the like prouident care he hath for other of his creatures , whome hee hath indued with ●●fe and sence , but not with rea●on , and that liberty of choyce , whereof I spake before : Wes read in the 147. Psalme , that GOD giueth to beasts their foode , and to the young Rauen●●hat cric : and in the 104. Psalme verse 14. the Prophet saith , that GOD causeth grasse to growe for the Cattell , ●nd afterward in the 27. verse he saith that all beasts , foules , and fishes , waite vpon thee O Lord that thou maist giue them foode in due season : Thou giuest it to them , and they gather it , thou 〈…〉 penest thy hand and they are fille● with good thinges ▪ This also our Sauiour Christ affirmeth in the 6. of 〈…〉 th●w , saying , behold the sowles of 〈…〉 heauen , for they sowe not , neither reap 〈…〉 no● carry into the barnes : yet y●● Heauenly good Father feedeth the● And in the ●0 . of Math. Are not 〈…〉 Sparrowes sold for ● farthing and o 〈…〉 them shall not fall on the ground wit●●ut your Father ? meaning God : by the ●ew places you may sée it sufficien● prooued , that GOD hath a prouide● care of euery particular creature , v● on whom he hath not bestowed the 〈…〉 liberty of choise , whether they ha●● not life , or haue life & sence and w●● reason . Now as for those creatures 〈…〉 whom God hath giuen that gift of fr●● choise , which I said were Angels an● m●n , some do thinke , that God in tru●● hath a speciall prouident care ou●● man whom he made after his owne 〈…〉 image and likenesse : but not ouer other creatures : which opinion how false 〈…〉 is you may easily gather out of that 〈…〉 haue already written . Others do mak● this to be the difference betwéene man 〈◊〉 man , that God taketh a special care of ●he godly , but casteth away all care of ●he wicked : but the word of God doth manifestly ouerthrow this opinion : In the 5. of Mathew . Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs , that our heauenly Father maketh the Sun to rise on the euil and on the good , and sendeth raigne on the iust and vniust . And Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy the 4. chapter , saith ●hat God is Sauiour of all men specially of those that beleeue : wherof I gather ●hat God hath a speciall care of those ●hat are his , but yet not so , as that hee ●aueth the wicked to be ruled by chance ●nd fortune : for if God haue a care of ●hose things & creatures that the wicked ●o●●esse , as of their cattell , grasse , and ●orne and such like : surely hee proui●eth also for them , the owners & matters of th●se creatures : neither can he 〈…〉 prouident and carefull for the god● ▪ but hee must also gouerne and rule ●e wicked according to the pleasure of 〈…〉 diuine power . For as a Prince ●nd Generall of an Armie is not ●nely carefull for the Troupes and companies of Soldiers that bee in his host : but also for mumtion & vittaile necessary for them , that hè may haue his army so furnished , that it may be a terror to the enemy , and may kéepe them amongst whome he lyeth incamped in such dutifull obedience , that they may bee ready to doe whatso●uer his Captaines and officers command them : so can it not be that God doth prouide for his Church , but he most , also moderate and gouerne all those things , without which his Church cannot be here vpon the earth .

Such things as appertaine to the nourishment , cloathing , safe and quie 〈…〉 harboring of the members of th 〈…〉 Church : They therefore who ar 〈…〉 not of the true Church , are yet , for th 〈…〉 benefit of Gods Church , to be ruled 〈…〉 his prouidence , so are the Patriarch 〈…〉 said to haue found fauor in the eye 〈…〉 of infidels , for that the Lord did ru 〈…〉 and mooue the hearts of infidels , whic 〈…〉 way it pleased him .

Now how God ruleth not one 〈…〉 euery particular man , but also all th 〈…〉 seuerall actions of men , is prooued 〈…〉 〈…〉 t which is in the 16. of the Pro●●rbs , commit thy workes vnto the ●ord , & thy thoughts shal be directed : ●nd by that also which is in the 4. of 〈…〉 es : goe to now yee that say . to day 〈…〉 tomorrow wee will goe into such a Citie , and continue there a yeare , and ●uy and sel and get gaine : and yet yee ●annot tell what shall bee tomorrow : for what is your life ? it is euen a vapour , it appeareth for a little time , and afterward vanisheth away : for that wee ought to say , if the Lord will , and if wee liue wee will doe this or that : Thus Iames speaking of the act●●ns 〈◊〉 doings of men , affirmeth that God ●●leth them all , so that without his ●ill wée can doe nothing , no not so ●uch as passe from one place to ano●her : and Paul confesseth that he was ●●ten hindred and staid by God , that ●e could not goe to those Churches hée ●●rposed , vntill hee had his iourney ●●anted him by the will of God : God ●●erefore ruleth al the seuerall actions 〈…〉 ll men . I wil vse onely two exam 〈…〉 , to illustrate and make plain this ●●st true doctrine , that God gouerneth the seuerall actions of all men , 〈…〉 good and bad : In the history of Iose 〈…〉 many things to this purpose are to 〈…〉 found . The end of that history w 〈…〉 that which Ioseph spake of , Genesi . 〈…〉 you thought euill against mee saith 〈…〉 to his brethren , but God disposed it 〈…〉 good : In this history these men 〈…〉 their seuerall actions are to be way 〈…〉 First father Iacob , then the breth 〈…〉 of Ioseph , Ioseph himselfe , the Ish 〈…〉 clites to whom he was sold , that 〈…〉 huswife his mistris . Putiphars w 〈…〉 Pharao and his seruants : the acti 〈…〉 of ●ll these persons are diuers & 〈…〉 different one from another , so 〈…〉 them were laudable , others dete〈…〉ble , and yet some of those better 〈…〉 others , and some of those actions 〈…〉 ther to be altogither allowed no 〈…〉 praised , and yet as Ioseph witness 〈…〉 God by his prouidence ruleth and 〈…〉 poseth them all both men and 〈…〉 actions to Iosephs good .

So as Dauid saith , Psalm 105. 〈…〉 God sent a man before them , Io 〈…〉 was sold for a slaue : For so God 〈…〉 uemeth the wicked actions of th 〈…〉 men , that the most peru●●se practises of Iosephs brethren , the shamelesse and beastly part of Putiphars wife , and other heauy actions , had a most happy end : So that euen those things that they did to Ioseph , purposing by the● vtterly to destry him , brought Ioseph to great honour : so mighty and wonderfull is God , that he is able to wake the light to shine out of darkenesse . Moreouer in the last chapter of the prophesie of Ionas , we shal sée how wonderfully God doth not onely go●erne men , but also al maner of Crea●ures sensible & vnsensible : for I read●●hat Ionas went out of the citty of Ni 〈…〉 y , & sat on the East-side of the citty , 〈…〉 there made him a booth & sat vnder 〈…〉 t in the shadow til he might see what ●●ould be done to the City : & the Lord 〈…〉 epared a Gourd , & made it come vs 〈…〉 er Ionas , that it migh●be a shadow 〈…〉 er his head , and deliuer him from 〈…〉 s griefe : So Ionas was exceeding 〈…〉 ad of the Gourd . But God prep● 〈…〉 d a worme when the morning bo〈…〉 to rise the next day , and it smote 〈…〉 e Gourd ●hat it withered : and 〈◊〉 the Sunne did arise , God prepared also a seruent East winde , & th● Sunne beate vpon the head of Ionah ▪ that hée fainted , and wished in his heart to die , and said It is better for mee to die then to liue : in this that I haue written out of Ionas wée haue these things to waie : 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 kind of beasts that be denided in their bodies , the head & breast from their belly and taile , the Gourd & the wind they are creatures without life , & yet you sée how God by his prouidence ruleth & moueth at his pleasure all th●se creatures . If Epicurus had béene at this fight , hée would haue ascribed all to chance : if Aristotle , t 〈…〉 atut all causes : if Chrysippus or Zeno Stoicks , to fate and destiny : if Plato to some petty God : and amongst them all there had not béene ●ne word of the truth of God .

But the holy Ghost attributeth the ●●urse of gouerning al th●se things to God alone , who p●●●ared them a● for Ionah his good : for by these meanes , Ionah that was wandring was set in the right way , as if you will read the chapter you may sée more fully of that which I haue already written ▪ I may safely conclude , that both all the creatures which want the gift of choice , & all they that haue it , are gouerned and ▪ ruled by God , by his most high and might● prouidence .

Of the Angels , which I placed at the first amongst these creatures , that haue the liberty of choice , I wil write now the lesse , hoping that I shal haue this backe againe to view , polish , and inlarge : 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 Hebrewes are called the ministers , and seruants of God .

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

Now I come to that ● promised to handle in the 〈◊〉 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 gouern all things generally , and euery creature and action without exceeding toile and griefe of mind : But it agréeeth with the nature of God , that hee rest in quiet & be free from all labors : 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 toile , and griefe of minde : but for that I will not only deny it as false , but shew the reasons that m●●ue me so to do , you must know that there are diuers kinds of actions , ●ome are naturall , some are violent , other some meane : that is neither altogether natural , nor altogether violent : natural actions are they that do slow from the principles of nature it selfe , without any helpe elsewhere : such are the round motions of the heauens , th● flowing and ebbing of the Sea , th●● light things do of their natural lightnesse mount vpward , heau● things all downeward , that we breath ●nd such like : these actions are done without any labor , because they moue of themselu●s 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 long last as Aristotle ●eacheth , because they are done with force . There is another sort of actions which I called meane , whose beginnings are of nature , but yet they cannot bée done vnlesse they bee helped by some other meanes , as to eate , to drinke , to walke , and such like . But now that , that God doth , hée doth without labour , because ●●● he doth it naturally , and therefore most ●reely : againe , there is no force that can compell GOD , and therefore hee worketh of himselfe freely , and without any compulsion : neither is he trobled with griefes , but gouerneth all things according to the rule of his will : neither is there any thing more agréeable to the nature of God , then to gouerne , and preserue the whole worlde , euen with the word of his power .

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

I deny the second proposition , which is , that God cannot gouerne euery seueral creature & their actions , but he must mingle himselfe with many vncleane , and filthy matters : For that amongst the creatures , and their actions , there are many vnclean things : this consequence , though it be the ground of the proposition is false , for although the power of God is in all his creatures , & ruleth all , yet doth it not therefore follow , that the nature of God doth entermeddle with th●●●pure 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 dunghil , and though the beames thereof do heate the dunghill , as they do all other places , and things which they pierce : 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 pierceth .

When one laide this in Diogenes his dish ▪ that he went into a stewes or brothel-house , why saith he the Sunne commeth thither also , and yet is not defiled therewith : thereby shewing , that a wise & godly man though he enter into vncleane and filthy places , and come into the company of filthie persons , doth not forthwith ●o●n● himselfe to their filthines , neither is infected with their vices : If therefore this Philosopher could enter into the stewes , and come forth againe vnspotted with their vncleanesse , so that their filthinesse could not fasten vpon him : much lesse is God ( whose nature is most pure and simple in gouerning of his creatures ) infected with their filthinesse . There is a third obiection , which they thus frame : Euery wise and good gouernour , vnlesse hee bee greatly hindred ; bringeth his worke that hée fram●th , and that thing that he ruleth to a good ; perfect and wished end : This may be prooued by many examples , as by the example of a skilfull Pilot , who directeth & bringeth his ship to the purposed hauen , and such like : but nothing can let God from perfecting his workes , & 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 wée must remember this dis ▪ tinction of order : there are two sorts of orders or courses the God taketh in gouerning all things : the one of them we may call ordinary ▪ which God doth often vse , the other extraordinary with which order thogh we be not acquainted , yet doth God him-selfe know the cause why he so worketh : & yet of this may we not conclude , that God in his workes is contrary to himselfe : for if so vs there appeare some diuersity and difference in the gouernment of all things by God , certainely that difference is not of Gods rule , but of the vnstable iudgement of our troubled minds : for Gods workes are not to be balanced by our iudgements , which are deceiueable , and for the most part vntrue : Augustine proposed the example of two children , one of which is dutiful and louing to his father , the other is a wicked stubborne child : both their fathers are deadly sick , the good childe praieth earnestly vnto God ▪ to deliuer his father from his sicknes : the graceles graft thinketh euery houre twenty vntill his father be breathlesse : both their fathers died & that according to Gods appointment 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 , that childe that longed for his fathers death , as highly di●●●eased God , and yet it ▪ was Gods pleasure that his father too should die : how commeth it to passe , that that which pl●aseth 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●●nd againe displeased with the vnnaturall part of the lewd childe , & yet pleases with his fathers death .

Surely there is in God a certaine secret ordinance 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 hatre● , for this doctrine , obiect against vs , that they cannot perceiue in God this double wil , which we speake of , to wit , a secret and a reuealed will : for they say wee all know and you confesse , that God is most plaine without all shew of do●●●●nesse , and therefore his will must be also as plaine , and ●uen so is it , though we cannot comprehend it : but let them first answer to that which Augustine and wée haue proposed , and 〈…〉 ill they , nill they , they must acknowledge with vs , that this differance of 〈…〉 ill , of which I haue spoken , is not 〈…〉 operly in God , but in vs , who according to our reach and capacity , mea●●re diuine matters : and therefore in 〈…〉 espect of vs and of our capacity , ther●●éemeth to be th●● difference in the will 〈◊〉 God : According to our censure and ●●dgement , wee will iudge the birth 〈◊〉 monsters , mad men & crooked men , 〈◊〉 be an vnperfect worke of God , but ▪ 〈◊〉 the iudgment of God their creation 〈◊〉 most perfect and absolute .

If Aristotle were asked what the 〈…〉 use were of their imperfections and 〈…〉 eformities , he would answere that 〈…〉 ey procéeded of a defect and want in 〈…〉ture . But Christ saith otherwise of 〈…〉 e man that was borne blind in the 9. 〈◊〉 Iohn . Neither hath this man sinned , 〈…〉 or his parents , but that the workes of 〈…〉 OD should be shewed on him : that 〈◊〉 , that God might be glorified by him . 〈…〉 ow since the last end of al things is the 〈…〉 ory of God , and since al things are to 〈◊〉 accounted perfect , which attaine to their desired end , and since the glory God more appeareth by the imperfections of some of his creatures , the 〈…〉 he had made them all of one forme 〈◊〉 perfection , surely we may not iudg 〈…〉 ny of his workes vnperfect : I gr 〈…〉 that if they be considered in themselue 〈…〉 there will appeare in them some i 〈…〉 perfection : but when they are refer 〈…〉 to the glory of God , if they illustra 〈…〉 and set it forth , they are euen therefo 〈…〉 to be accounted perfect : for if no m 〈…〉 should be mad , if none deformed , no 〈…〉 ●ame , none blinde , wee would ascri 〈…〉 the perfection of our birth , which w 〈…〉 perceiue that all men haue necessar 〈…〉 either to nature or to our parents : a 〈…〉 we would easily slip into this opinio 〈…〉 that wee had our selues also of our p 〈…〉 rents : but since there appeareth su 〈…〉 a diuersity in the outward form●s 〈◊〉 creatures , the prouidence of God ●o 〈…〉 more clearly appeare by that their difference in shape . In the iudgement 〈◊〉 man , many flies and wormes , an● 〈…〉 sort of serpents are reputed not one 〈…〉 vnprofitable but also hurtfull : B 〈…〉 the Lord ( ●s Moses ●h●weth in 〈◊〉 〈…〉ng ) calleth them his treasures , out 〈…〉 f which hee draweth vengeance for 〈…〉 s enimies , as arrowes out of a qui 〈…〉 er .

These were the shafts hee shooke 〈…〉 harao with ; With these Antiochus , 〈…〉 i th these Herod was also punished : 〈…〉 ho therefore will account them vn 〈…〉 ofitable , or who superfluous , since 〈…〉 e Lord himselfe hath such vses to 〈…〉 t them to ?

There are also in them many profitable 〈…〉ings for man , wherof som● we know 〈…〉 t , other-some the Phisitians know , 〈◊〉 Nicander & others haue very lear 〈…〉dly written of them : Ancient lear〈…〉d Chrisostome in his tenth Homily 〈…〉 pon Genesis , vsed this similitude : ( saith hee ) in earthly matters when 〈…〉 e see these things that bee done , ap 〈…〉 oued by graue and mighty men , 〈…〉 e mislike not their censure , not 〈…〉 in-say it , but preferre their iudgement before our owne : how much more 〈…〉 uld we carry the same minde of all 〈…〉ble creatures , which we know that ▪ 〈…〉 d the Creator of all things made ▪ 〈…〉 at since wee haue receiued his censure of them all , that all that h 〈…〉 made was very good , let vs suspe 〈…〉 our iudgments & bury them in silenc 〈…〉 and let vs not dare to prefer the iudgments of al men before the Lords : a 〈…〉 we may perswade our selues wi 〈…〉 strong and sufficient arguments , th 〈…〉 the Lord made all things in great w 〈…〉 dome and mercy , and in a worde , th 〈…〉 the Lord made nothing vnaduised or without cause : but though we kno〈…〉 not the causes of his workes , beca 〈…〉 of the weakenesse of our vnderstandings : yet hath he made all things 〈…〉cording to his wisdom and most mi 〈…〉 ty mercy .

Thus farre Chrisostome : If the 〈…〉 fore by the testimonie of Aristotle , 〈…〉ture made nothing in vaine . As the m 〈…〉 who was vtterly ignorant of true r●gion , affirmed of nature , which he 〈…〉 iudged to be both blind & brutish : ho 〈…〉 much more are we bound to attrib 〈…〉 vnto the most wise creator of all thin 〈…〉 this ●erfection in his creation ▪ that made nothing in vaine , but all thi 〈…〉 in great wisdome : since all his wor 〈…〉 redounded to his glory , which is 〈…〉st , and the chiefest end of all things , 〈…〉 d by the common consent of all men , ●●ery thing is iudged either perfect or ●●perfect , by the attaining of his end ? ●here is a fourth argument , thus made ●●ainst the prouidence of God : If God 〈…〉 ho is most wise and righteous in his ●●dgements , do gouerne all things , & ●●ery particular thing , there should not 〈◊〉 so great troubles in common wealths , ●●d specially in the Church , whereof ●●e Lord hath a speciall care , for that it 〈◊〉 his Sanctuary : but both in Church ●●d common-wealth there is great vn●●ietnesse , so that all laws both diuine ●●d humane are openly violated : good ●en most cruelly are dealt withall , e●ill men doe reioyce and triumph in ●●eir wickednesse without controle●●ent : God therfore gouerneth not all ●●ings that are in common-wealths ●●d in the Churches .

This argument thus drawne from ●●e nature of Gods iustice ( which sée●eth to be contrary to his gouernment 〈◊〉 his prouidence , if he should sée , mo●●rate and suffer all these out-rages & 〈…〉 orders ) is one of the chiefest props of Epicurus his opinion and this arg●ment troubled many that now liue 〈…〉 dayly labor to bring Epicurus name 〈…〉 obloquy with al men , and yet are co●tent to liue-like Epicures : & this arg●ment also the Lurkes , and our cap●tall enemies ( the papists ) obiect m 〈…〉 against vs : and sure it carrieth s 〈…〉 waight with it , that Dauid confesse 〈…〉 that he was so astonied , that his féet we 〈…〉 almost gone : and his steppes had w 〈…〉 neare slipt , when he saw the prospe 〈…〉 ty of the wicked , and punishments a 〈…〉 hard entertainement of the godly , v●till he went into the sanctuary of G 〈…〉 then vnderstood he their end , ●hat vntill Dauid entred into Gods school & learned by his word & holy spirit he ordered al things most wisely , a 〈…〉 iustly . After Pompey had bin put t 〈…〉 worst in the battaile fought betw 〈…〉 Caesar & him , in the consines of Ph 〈…〉 salos , & escaped by flight to Mytele 〈…〉 he went to Cratippus , and disput 〈…〉 with the Philosopher in his Gard 〈…〉 whither he thought there was a 〈…〉 God which by his prouidence ruled earth : and for that before in very 〈…〉 〈…〉 uarels hee had had most prosperous 〈…〉 ccesse , as when he had subdued , & in 〈…〉 aitaile vanquished the inhabitants ●f the East part of the world , & was 〈…〉 ow in a most good cause ouercome , 〈…〉 ripped off his army , & forc●d to fly a●ay himself alone most shamfully : he ●ere of gathred that God regarded not ●hat was done amongst men , but that al ●hings were done by chance : thus doth 〈…〉 wise men of the world iudge & speak of ●uch euents . But the holy Ghost teacheth ●s to iudge far otherwise of them : when Moses in his song Deu. 32. was to de 〈…〉 uer to the people the threatnings of God , if they were disobedient , which ●fterward the rebellions Israelits felt , ●ée vseth this preface : perfect is the worke of the mighty God : for all his waies are iudgement : God is true and without wickednes , iust & righteous is 〈…〉 e : teaching hereby that whatsoeuer 〈…〉 e world doth prate of the causes of ●fflictions , that GOD with great ●isdome , doth send forth of his trea 〈…〉 res all sortes of calamities : some 〈…〉 me by them to punish the wick 〈…〉 , sometime to excercise the Godly with them . For the sins of the peopl● the hipocrite doth raigne : That is , t● rants sit in the throne of Justic● which vnder pretence of executi● iustice , are but hipocrites and oppre●● the people : Iob. 34. verse 30.