1. Faith fixes upon his Providence. The Stoic could say, That there was no living in a World empty of God and Providence: Much more may the Christian that is tossed ⟨p. 58⟩up and down in a persecuting World, say so. But his Faith tells him, that persecution comes not by Chance, Man rages, but God reigns: The World is as a tempestuous Sea, but God sits at the Sterne and governs all: He limits the fury of Persecutors; the wrath of man shall praise him; the remainder of wrath, (or as it is in the original) the remainder of wraths he will restrain Psalm. 76.10. He lets out wrath in the singular number, and restrains wraths in the plural; nothing of it comes forth but what is permitted; nothing of it is permitted but the minor part only. He it is that orders the sufferings of the Saints: Sense indeed sees only the outward Confusion, but Faith knows, that there is a live, a Divine Order in it: Sense looks at the wicked hands that are red with the blood of Innocents, but Faith looks at the holy hand that is in it: This is one thing, that bears up good men, that their Father in Heaven disposes of all.1 When Attila called himself, Flagellum Dei, the scourge of God; Lupus bid him come and do as he pleased. When Christians by Faith look on Persecutors as the rod and staff in Gods hand, they are ready to Subject themselves to the Cross: It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, ⟨p. 59⟩than for evil-doing, 1. Pet. 3.17. That interposed phrase (if the will of God be so) is very remarkable to Believers: were there nothing in their Sufferings but the Will of bloody men, they would bear them more hardly and unwillingly; but because the Will of the good God is there, they endure them more easily and freely then otherwise they would do: They know very well that God will turn all to good; his ends are far other then those of Satan and his Instruments. Our Saviour tells the Church of Smyrna, that the Devil should cast some of them into Prison, that they might be tried, Rev. 2.10. In which words it is to be observed, that Gods end is joined unto Satan's act: Satan would have them in Chains, but God would try them that their Graces might come forth as gold out of the fire. The Assyrian Monarch meant to cut off Nations not a few, Isaiah. 10.7. but God meant to chastise his People, and then to burn the Rod, Vers. 12, & 17.
1. Faith fixes upon his Providence. The Stoick could say, That there was no living in a World empty of God and Providence: Much more may the Christian that is tossed ⟨p. 58⟩up and down in a persecuting World, say so. But his Faith tels him, that persecution comes not by Chance, Man rages, but God reigns: The World is as a tempestuous Sea, but God sits at the Sterne and governs all: He limits the fury of Persecutors; the wrath of man shall praise him; the remainder of wrath, (or as it is in the original) the remainder of wraths he will restrain Psalm. 76.10. He lets out wrath in the singular number, and restrains wraths in the plural; nothing of it comes forth but what is permitted; nothing of it is permitted but the minor part only. He it is that orders the sufferings of the Saints: Sense indeed sees only the outward Confusion, but Faith knows, that there is a live, a Divine Order in it: Sense looks at the wicked hands that are red with the blood of Innocents, but Faith looks at the holy hand that is in it: This is one thing, that bears up good men, that their Father in Heaven disposes of all.1 When Attila called himself, Flagellum Dei, the scurge of God; Lupus bid him come and do as he pleased. When Christians by Faith look on Persecutors as the rod and staff in Gods hand, they are ready to Subject themselves to the Cross: It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, ⟨p. 59⟩than for evil-doing, 1. Pet. 3.17. That interposed phrase (if the will of God be so) is very remarkable to Believers: were there nothing in their Sufferings but the Will of bloody men, they would bear them more hardly and unwillingly; but because the Will of the good God is there, they endure them more easily and freely then otherwise they would do: They know very well that God will turn all to good; his ends are far other then those of Satan and his Instruments. Our Saviour tels the Church of Smyrna, that the Devil should cast some of them into Prison, that they might be tried, Rev. 2.10. In which words it is to be observed, that Gods end is joined unto Satans act: Satan would have them in Chains, but God would try them that their Graces might come forth as gold out of the fire. The Assyrian Monarch meant to cutt off Nations not a few, Esay. 10.7
- 1Spond. An. 451.
