A discourse of constancy in two books chiefly containing consolations against publick evils written in Latin by Justus Lipsius, and translated into English by Nathaniel Wanley ...

CHAP. VII.

The end of Calamities alwayes directed to good; though often administred by wicked Men, and for their evil ends. The force of them is broken and allay'd by God. All things are guided to our advantage. VVhy God uses wicked Men as his Instru∣ments therein.

CAlamities then are good in their Original; they are so also in their End, because they are alwayes dire∣cted to our good. You vvill say vvhich vvay? Is not mischief and ruine the manifest end of Warr and Slaughter? It is I confess if you look at Men, but not if you look upon God. That you may the more clearly apprehend this, It vvill be requisite thus to di∣stinguish of divine punishments; some are simple and others are mixt: Those

I call simple vvhich are immediately from God; vvithout the intervening of any humane Contrivance or Assi∣stance: The mixt, are such as are from God too; but acted and perform∣ed by Men. Of the former kind are Famine, Barrenness, Earth-quakes, Inundations, Diseases, and Death: Of the latter, Tyrannies, Warres, Oppressions, Slaughters. The first sort are pure and innocent, as being deriv'd to us from the purest Foun∣tain: In the other I vvill not deny, but there is some mixture of filth, inasmuch as they pass through, and are convey'd to us by the impure Channels of Affections. Man inter∣meddles therein, and then vvhat vvon∣der is it, if Sin and corruption do dis∣cover it self? That is the vvonder that such is the merciful Providence of God, as can convert that poyson into Medicine, and that Sin into good. See you that Tyrant there, who breaths out nothing but threatnings and slaugh∣ter,

vvhose delights are in doing mis∣chief, and vvho could be content to perish himself, provided he might thereby accomplish the destruction of others: Let him alone a while, he shall fail in his designes; and God by a se∣cret and indiscernible thread (vvhile he thinks and vvills nothing less) shall guide him to his end. As the Arrow vvithout any sense of its own, arrives at that mark vvhich the Archer intend∣ed; so do vvicked Men. For that su∣pream power doth inhibit and restrain all humane powers, directing and dis∣posing all their vvandring steps unto that best end of his. As in an Army the Souldiers are variously affected; spoile encourages this, glory him, and hatred that other; but all fight for their Prince and Victory: So every of these wills of ours, whether they are good or evil, serve under, and fight for God, and amidst the greatest va∣riety of their own designed ends, do at last touch upon this (as I may so call it)

End of Ends. But you vvill say vvhy does God use the help of the vvicked? Why does not he himself send that better sort of Calamities amongst us; at least the worser by more desirable instruments? Thou art over curious∣ly inquisitive O Man: Neither am I certain vvhether I am able to explain these Mysteries of Providence. But this I know, that he sufficiently com∣prehends the reason of his actings; even at such times as we are not able to discern the least of it in them. But vvhat is it that appears so strange, and unusual to us? The Ruler of a Province condemnes a malefactour ac∣cording to the Laws; and commits the Execution of his Sentence to Bru∣tianus or the Lictor. The Father of a great Family sometimes corrects his Son himself; at others commits it to the care of a Servant or Tutor. Why should not God have the same liberty? Why should not he vvhen he so pleases chastise us vvith his own hand? And

when he sees it good vvith anothers. There is no wrong or injury done to us in all this. Does that Servant hate you? Doth he come vvith a Mind to do you a mischief? It matters not, overlooking the instrument of vvhat you suffer: Look back to the Mind of him that hath commanded it. For assuredly the Father that requires it stands by; nor will he suffer one stripe to be superadded to what himself hath prescribed. But you ask again; why is Sin here immixed? and why are these divine Arrowes dipp'd in the poyson of Affections? You put me upon a difficult task, which yet I shall adventure upon; and my answer is, that God may declare his Wisdom and Power. They are St. Austine's words; he judg'd it better to make evils good, than to permit no evills at all. For vvhat greater instance can there be of Wisdom and Goodness, than to bring good out of evil, and to make those things Conspire

our welfare, which were found out for our ruine. You commend that Physitian who successefully mixes his Treacle with a Viper. And why should you resent it in God, if vvith this Plaister of Calamities, he shall intermixe something that is hurtfull, vvithout any damage of yours. For he doth certainly decoct and evapo∣rate all the adhering poyson, by the secret fire of his Providence. Lastly, this magnifyes his power and glory; to vvhich all things are by himself of Necessity referr'd. For vvhat can more lively express his power than this? That he not only overcomes those Enemies that wrastle with him; but also overcomes them in such a manner, as brings them over to him∣self, and causes them to take Armes in the pursuance of his Victories: Which every day comes to pass, vvhen the vvill of God is done by evill Men, though not of them; since he so manages all those things which

the vvicked do in opposition to his vvill; that none of them are besides his will. And vvhat greater miracle can there be, than that vvicked Men should make vvicked Men good? Ap∣proach thou Cajus Caesar, and at once tread under Foot the two Sacred Names of thy County, and Son in Law. This thy ambition vvithout thy know∣ledge shall be subservient to God; yes to thy Country it self, against vvhich it vvas taken up: For it shall prove the reparation and establish∣ment of the Roman State. Thou Attila fly from the remotest parts of the World, and thirsting after blood and spoile, Sack, kill, burn, and wast; all this cruelty shall fight for God, and prove nothing else but an awakening of the Christians from slumbring in the Beds of Pleasure and Security. You two Vespasians what do you? Ruine Iudea and the Jews: Take, and raze the whole City; but for what end? As you indeed intend

it; for the glory and enlargement of the Empire, but you mistake your selves, you are only the Lictours and Executioners of the divine venge∣ance upon an impious Nation. Go ye vvho possibly have martyr'd the Christians at Rome, and revenge the Death of Christ in Iudaea. All ages are full of such examples, how God by the sinful desires of some Men hath accomplished his own good pleasure; and by the injustice of o∣thers, hath executed his own just and righteous Judgments. Let us therefore Lipsius rather admire than busily pry into this recluded Power of his Wisdom, and let us know, that all sorts of Calamities are good in their events: Although this Mind of ours be so blind as not to discern it, or so flow in its apprehensions as not to reach and comprehend it. For their true ends are oftentimes obscure as to us; to vvhich not∣withstanding (though vve are igno∣rant)

they at last arrive: not unlike those Rivers vvhich though they re∣tire from our sight, and creep under ground, do nevertheless find the vvay to pour themselves into the bosoms of their own Seas.