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THere are certain created powers, & qualifications spiritual, natural, and civil, which the infinite supreme Agent makes use on here below (as I hinted before) the vertues, gifts and graces, likewise the policie, power and authority, and consociations, all these God takes up, & carries on his interest by them in States and Kingdoms, nor was there ever R••form••tion, but God set it on by such wayes of appli∣cation, either by eminencie of gifts
and inspirations, or by eminencie of power, and some of these he used more eminently at one time, then at an∣other, as in Iosiahs and Asaes,* 1.1 when the coercive authority was the greatest wheel in the Reformation.
To conclude this, God improves Reformation by created meanes and entities, which are like wheeles and springs, and God moves by these, sometimes in the way of his omnipo∣tencie, sometimes more connaturally, and according to his way of moving, the improvements are; if he move in a connaturall way, he works with the creature little further then its own capacity, and then things may go slowly on, because he puts not out his hand to bring on the creature faster then its own strength will carry it: See this in Iosiahs, Asa's, Ezra's Re∣formation, in Edward the sixth's, Elizabeth's, where the Reformation went on gradually from one obstru∣ction to another.
God having thus laid in qualifica∣tions of severall orders for advancing his great work, they all work in their
proper subserviency & subordination, for the whole creation serves but this glorious end, that God may have his Church compleated through so many severall ages & providences, according as he hath drawn it out in kis e••••rnall Model or Idea, which is, his own wisdome or counsel; and when God is upon his work of Refor∣mation, you may observe all the lower interests are set a going,* 1.2 The stars shal fight against Sisera in their course, thus shall the natural interest help on.* 1.3 Cyrus, and Artaxerx•••• shall send out commissions & letters to their Prin∣ces and ministers of State; thus shall the politick interest help on. H••gga•• Zechariah, the people of God, shall pray and prophesie, so shall the more spiritually-organicall means help on.
2 Chron. 15.13.2 Kings, 23.2••.
Judg. 5.20
Ezra 1.1. Neh. 2.8. Ezra 7.