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V
ER.4.
I''redeflination:
)
day
of
our vifitation,though
we fcorne it
for
the prefent,the good given
us
in
others,
is
often ordained
as an
antecedent
to
our converfions,as
whenGod
Both give us love
in
the ties
of
tome goodman,flirre
him up
to
pray
for us;Thus
vluflinthinketh
that
Stevens
prayer was
ordainedof
God,as
a
meane
to worke
Souls
converfion.
The
evills we
know be-
fore our converfions,work to this end likewife:The
Tailors
affrightment
God
had ordained
as
a
meanes
to make
him
feek
out himfelfe:
So
the
ficknefTes
which
were upon many
in
the Gofpel,madethem
feek
out
to
Chrift:So the deformity whichbefalleth fome,the
infirmities,the
fearer
and
griefes
of
miede which follow them, though they know nor
why ,
(as we fay)nor wherefore, are often difpofed
as
occafions
of
their
greateft
good,
of
preferving them from many
fins:Nay, the
fins
they
lived in
before
their
calling
,
God
maketh them occafionally worke to
thisend;For,after our converfion, they
make
us
more to love,as Mary;
more humble and merciful
,
as
Pauls
perfecuting, more diligent
in
well
doing, when we were
in
the
flefh, Xom,6.
Even
as
the
art
of
the Apothe-
cary maketh Vipers
into
Treacls;fodoth
our
God.Now
when God bath
vifited
us, we prove
then
by
experience,
that
our
good which
he
giveth
us in
our
felves
and
others,whether
it
be fpirituall
or temporall;yea,the
evill we fuller,
whether
of
finne
or
of
punnifhment,
whether the
puni(h-
meat come immediately
from
God
,
or
mediately from the hands
of
men;that
all,'
fay,are ordained
to
carry
us
home
to
the
end,
unto which
he hathchofen us.In the good things we
finde
to
helpe
us
,it
is
more
ap-
pareat,then
that
we need to
fpeakof
it;
in
good
gifts which wicked men
have,
they
are often predeftinated
for our good
;
Even
as
Carriers have
money often,not for themfelves, but for
thole
to whom they aretent
;
So men unfanûified have golden gifts, fometime for the
fake
of
others,
to
whom they
are
Pent.
Our
finnes
and evills wee fuftaine,
God doth
even ufe
them
as
Phyficke to our
foules, and
he
prepareth wicked
men
often
to
doe
that
by
his
children,which thofe
of
the
skullerie
doe
by
a
veflell
when
it is
foule,
even
to
(tour
them from their
ruff
:
Even
ashe
predeftinated
his Sonnes fufferings
3
fo ours
alfo,
whom
he
bath
prede-
Rinate,
that
we fhould be like
to
his Sonne,
as
well in fufferings
as in
glory.
Saint
Paulproveth, thatto thecalled,accordingto Gods
purpofe
oflife,all
thingsdid worke
together
unto
good;
and
he proveth
it
hence,
becaufe
God
had
predeflinated them.
Now
if
Gods
predeftination did
not contrive every thing befalleth
us
to
this
end,
his
proofe were
un-
fufficient.
The
Vfe
of
this
is;
Huh
God
ordained
meanes
by which
his
(hall
Vfe
r
come unto theend,to whichthey
are
chofen,then how doe theyreafon,
who
will
fay;
If
they be predeftinate
,
then
though
they
live never
fo,
they
fhal
be
favedt
God
had given Paulthe
life
ofall
in
the
fhip,yet
when
the
fhipmen would have left
them, Paultelleththem ;Ifthefe
men bide not
AaS::7.;.
in
the
fhip,yecannot
be
faved;Gods
decree
doth
flablifh
means,notremove
them;Thus
we
might
refute meare
in
health,medicine
in
fickneffe,&fay,
So long as
God
hath
appointed
us to
live,we (hall
live
:
The
divell
teacheth
men
in
outward things wholly
to
diftruft
God,
and relye altogether on
means;