yet the manifestation of Gods displeasure against us and other parts of the Christian world, ⟨image 5⟩by shooting out his three eevil arrows (so called in regard of their evil effects) Plague, Famine, Sword, hath drawn my thoughts to meditate thereon, and to publish what in mine ordinary course of Ministry I have not had occasion to preach. Indeed on special occasions I have out of the pulpit delivered some of the points handled in these Treatises: but I never finished any of them. It is without question a point of prudence to eye the divine Providence in all things. For fby it without all contradiction are all things throughout the whole world governed and disposed: especially the affairs of his Church: on which sometimes the light of his favour brightly shineth: other-times hail-stones of indignation are showered down. By a due observation hereof may our disposition to God be so ordered, as that, which God expecteth, be effected: namely Gratulation for his Favours: Humiliation for his Judgements. Now are the times wherein clouds of Gods anger have obscured the bright sky of the Church. Pertinent therefore to the present times are the Treatises following, and in that respect the more profitable to us of these times. gThe more pertinent a point is, the more profitable it is. I could wish that there were not so just occasion of treating of the fore-said three arrows, as there is. We have felt the bitterness of the plague within these six years more then in many hundred years before in this land: which arrow is now again shot against us: and how far the venom thereof (for it is a venomous arrow) may infect, who knows? Both the Palatinates, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Hungaria, and almost all Germany: ⟨image 6⟩hRochelle, Montauban, Montpellier, Nesmes, and other towns, cities, and countries in France: Bredaw in the Low Countries, and many other places in Christendom, have felt the deep wound of war, whereby Idolatry hath thrust out Piety, Superstition is set in the room of Religion, Usurpers have entered upon the rites of the true Lords and Inheritors, the blood of many millions hath been shed, more have been exiled, and all things turned upside down. S. Augustine in his time complained that the outrages of the Clergy of the Donatists so wasted the 5Churches, that Barbarians dealings might seem to be more mild.
yet the manifestation of Gods displeasure against us and other parts of the Christian world, ⟨image 5⟩by shooting out his three eevill arrowes (so called in regard of their evill effects) Plague, Famine, Sword, hath drawne my thoughts to meditate thereon, and to publish what in mine ordinary course of Ministry I have not had occasion to preach. Indeed on speciall occasions I have out of the pulpet delivered some of the points handled in these Treatises: but I never finished any of them. It is without question a point of prudence to eye the divine Providence in all things. For fby it without all contradiction are all things thorowout the whole world governed and disposed: especially the affaires of his Church: on which sometimes the light of his favour brightly shineth: other-times haile-stones of indignation are showred downe. By a due observation hereof may our disposition to God be so ordered, as that, which God expecteth, be effected: namely Gratulation for his Favours: Humiliation for his Iudgements. Now are the times wherein clouds of Gods anger have obscured the bright skie of the Church. Pertinent therefore to the present times are the Treatises following, and in that respect the more profitable to us of these times. gThe more pertinent a point is, the more profitable it is. I could wish that there were not so just occasion of treating of the fore-said three arrowes, as there is. We have felt the bitternesse of the plague within these six yeares more then in many hundred yeares before in this land: which arrow is now againe shot against us: and how farre the venime thereof (for it is a venimous arrow) may infect, who knowes? Both the Palatinates, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Hungaria, and almost all Germany: ⟨image 6⟩hRochel, Montauban, Monpellier, Nesmes, and other townes, cities, and countries in France: Bredaw in the Low Countries, and many other places in Christendome, have felt the deepe wound of warre, whereby Idolatry hath thrust out Piety, Superstition is set in the roome of Religion, Vsurpers have entred upon the rites of the true Lords and Inheritours, the bloud of many millions hath beeneshed, more have beeneexiled, and all things turn'd upside downe. S. Augustine in his time complained that the outrages of the Clergy of the Donatists so wasted the 5
- e[Greek or Hebrew] malas sagittas. Ezek. 5. 16 Metonymia effecti.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 malas sagittas. Ezek. 5. 16 Metonymia effecti.
- fMaiestati divinae gubernatio pariter & administratio universitatis incumbit. Bern super. Cant. Ser. 68.
- gQuo magis quid accomodum, eo magis commodum est.
- hThe general History of France hath a catalogue of 99 towns and places of Ostage for them of the religion, reduced in these late wars.The generall History of France hath a catalogue of 99 townes and places of Ostage for them of the religion, reduced in these late warres.
- 5Clericorum Donatistarum latrocinia sic vastant Ecclesias, ut Barbarorum fortasse sacta mitiora siat. Aug. Epist. 122.
