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A34921
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Isagoge ad Dei providentiam, or, A prospect of divine providence by T.C., M.A.
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T. C., M.A.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing C6818; ESTC R4623
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270,847
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560
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Toreys and Oppugners of Providence Jesurum had a confluence of good things and yet waxed fat and kicked Deut. 32. 14 15. Saul was advanced to a Kingship he who was Farmer-Kish his son is Lord of all the Farms in Israel and he forgets to do homage to the Lord of Lords who had promoted him 1 Sam. 15. 11. And as there are Exemplifications of such who resist Providence smiling so there are likewise of such who oppugn Providence frowning Pharaoh's heart is hardned and that notwithstanding the several plagues inflicted Ahaz in the time of his distress did trespass yet more against the Lord 2 Chron. 28. 22. When the fourth Angel poured forth his vial men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the name of God which hath power over these plagues and they repented not to give him glory Rev. 16. 9. These Instances may suffice Others of both sorts of Resisters who wage warr against Heaven might be added Let it be our care to depart from the Tents of these men as Moses spake of Dathan and Abiram who were Rebels against Providence Numb 16. 26. And to the end we make no stay but stye the Tents of such fighters against God remember we two things 1. Other sins make men Beasts this sin makes men Devils The Drunkard and Glutton fill their paunches with the Creatures but oppugners of Providence do more notoriously violate the Law of the Creator Ye are saith Christ to the stubborn Jews for whom God had done much in giving them the Land of Canaan and against whom Gods had lifted up his hand for now they had the Roman yoak on their necks of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do Joh. 8. 44. 2. What do men get by their resisting of Providence Balaam was very near destruction in his perverse way as the Angel declares unto him Numb 22. 32 33. And though Providence do not by and by appear in its garment dipt in blood yet it 's folly for men to promise themselves victory over Providence for they may sooner sink with Elder-guns an Armado of strong-built Ships and batter down Rocks of Adamant with Snow-balls than be too hard for Providence God is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardned himself against him and prospered Job 9. 4. SECT VI. 6. VVATCH against an unmortified itch after excentrical or extraordinary Dispensations of Providence As there is an itch after novelties in regard of Teachers 2 Tim. 4 3 so there is an itch after this and that transcendent appearance of Providence Providence is not welcome if it come not with a gold ring in goodly apparel as James speaks in another case James 2. 2. The Jews saith Paul require a sign 1 Cor. 1. 22. And saith Christ to the Jews Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe John 4. 48. Some there are not unlike the Jews they regard not Providence in the plain garment they would have it in such a robe or else it 's no guest for them Luther was of another mind The Devil saith he hath often tempted me as he did Austin who deprecated lest an Angel should appear to him that I should request some sign from God but far be it from me that I should assent to this temptation The Martyrs without the apparition of Angels being confirmed by the Word of God alone dyed for the Name of Christ and why should not we acquiesce A clear enough and glorious apparition is Baptism the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper the power of the Keys the Ministry of the Word all which do not only equal but exceed all apparitions of Angels Thus Luther And he likewise observeth how the Devil hath greatly deluded parties who have been gaping after Visions and I know not what discoveries Gregory the Great was a man too credulous to fancies and apparitions as the same Author observeth Gregorius ut videre est in ejus Dialogis credidit simpliciter omnibus apparitionibus Sicut inter reliqua de festo S. Michaeliâ— multa commonti sunt In monte Gargoro Michaelem templum consecrâsse bovem confodisse qui eo die festo araverat Ego dixissem quid tibi cum monte Gargoro cujus Dominus est Rex Apuliae tu non es Michael sed Diabolus I find in a Spanish Writer one Torreblanca Villalpandus a story of one Magdalene de la Cruz who would break Vessels and set them together again bring forth Roses in the Winter and Snow in the Summer yea and that which is more to be admired whilst the Body of the Lord meaning the outward Elements used by them or rather abused after the Popish manner was carried about in the streets she would cleave into two parts the Walls of the Monastry that she might worship the Host and then again would make them unite And this saith he further dilating of the disjunction of the Monastry might be done not only by a meer delusion or a deceit but also by local motion for the Devil could open the Walls whilst the Body of the Lord did pass by and for that time sustain the pile lest the stones should fall out and after with the same celerity and dexterity return them into their place again Thus Villalpandus in his second Book that of Operative Magick chap. 10. He was Doctor of Law and Advocate for the King of Spain in one of his Courts and hath written four Books of the invocation of the Devil the second of which hath this Narrative To conclude then this sixth Caution Let men beware of making leight of God's ordinary Dispensations of Providence Saul who neglects a living Samuel is punished with a deadly one The Jews who would have Providence go out of its road in Christ's coming down from the Cross are justly denied so that their itch after an extraordinary Providence prov'd a Plague-sâ—…e to themselves It was the fault of Thomas who said Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Joh. 20. 25. Let that tacit-check of Christ given to him be thought upon by us v. 29. Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed SECT VII 7 TAKE heed of inferring an interest in the special favour of God because of some remarkable preservations and deliverances I deny not but external preservations to some are argumentative of God's love By this I know saith David thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Psal 41. 11. I dare not assert David to be out in the conclusion when I consider the premises for he was a man after Gods own heart and had an interest in the Lord's Promises general and particular made to himself The waters therefore passing through such a channel are of another tang than other waters which flow into the cisterns of
so is himself thrust on to his own ruin Exod. 14. 5. David his good service done for Israel hath an influence on the Elders of Israel to bring them to Hebron Also say they in time past when Saul was King over us thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel 2 Sam. 5. 3. There is an adaptation or connexion of Means in order to this or that which comes to pass And that as the Means are proper or suitable in order to the End intended as Noah's Ark is proper to prevent drowning by the Flood Gen. 6. 14. or as the Means are not so proper in order to the End intended by the Agent though proper and effectual to bring about what the Lord righteously had determined The Wisdom of God is seen in the follies of men Rehoboam in following the câ—unsel of young raw-headed Courtiers 〈◊〉 of clucking the Chickens under the Royal 〈◊〉 pecks them from him See 1 King 1â— 14 15. 4. There is an adaptation in regard of Opportunities for matters Abraham falls in opportunely on Chedorlaomer Gen. 14. 15. Saul looks after the Seer the Maidens said Behold he is before you make haste now c. 1 Sam 9. 12. David chargeth upon the Amalekites when behold they were spread upon all the earth eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah 1 Sam. 30. 16. There was a wonderful concourse of circumstances in the slaying of Ishbosheth the Cut-throats took the season for their design it is said they went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth who lay on a bed at noon and they came thither into the midst of the house as though they would have fetched wheat and they smote him under the fifth rib 2 Sam. 4. 5 6. Occiditur Ishbosethus ab istis sicariis idque voluntate Dei ita enim solet malos punire per malos Non quod Deus suggerat hominibus peccata sed quod illis cum suâ sponte erumpant abutatur Pet. Mart. in locum Ad-haec Cogitare debemus quoties Deus vult aliquid fieri omnes occasiones statim ejus voluntati inservire Adsunt in tempore frumentarii omnium animi erant in eo solo negotio occupati rex deseritur solus in cubiculo Ibidem CHAP. II. 1. TAKE notice of an Argument to prove Providence from the adaptation or connexion of things The admirable adaption of matters may silence Atheistical cavils It is said of Galen That upon the view of the wonderful adaptation and connexion of the parts in a Body defected he was much affected yea pens a Tract in commendation of the Author of Nature What then may be observed in the little World MAN as he is termed by some may as well be observed in Item si nulla Providentia sit quomodo animalium corpora tam providenter ordinata sunt ut singula quaeque membra mirabili ratione disposita sua officia conservent Lact. Instit lib. 3. c. 17. the great World to the praise of God who wisely orders all in all The Psalmist takes notice of the wonderful disposition of things Psal 4. he begins and concludes with an O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth 2. Learn what to judg of Contingencies or of this or that which happeneth in a business These are links in the Chain of Providence They are Scouts of Heaven's Army though we are apt to look on them as straglers In the History of Joseph it may be observed how the brethren took occasion from the dreams to malign him they had him now off from his Father's House and Joseph is a confined man in the Pit his Prison and whilst there the Midianites pass by and they Merchants who did not it seems scruple the bargain but gave Twenty pieces of silver for him Here is an adaptation of Agents Occasions Means Opportunity and all concurr to bring about what the Lord had wisely and righteously determined The Dreams were now on Horse-back in order to fulfilling when Joseph is posted away to Egypt All these Contingencies like the sheafs in the Dream do obeysance to Providence 3. Resolve by way of Moral practise on an adaptation or connexion of your duty according to Scripture with the good End propounded If you would go to Heaven turn not your backs upon the path which leads thither Holiness is the road-way to Happiness without it no man shall see the Lord Heb. 13. 14. He that believeth shall be saved Mar. 16. 16. The man will be found a foolish builder who builds on the sand not on a rock so teacheth our Saviour Mat. 7. 24 25 26 27. Moreover in reference to Civil Affairs a connexion is there to be observed An honest Calling is to be followed honestly A man must keep his shop if he would have his shop keep him The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags Prov. 23. 21. 4. Meditate on the rich display of the Divine Attributes in the adaptation or connexion of things Here is a large field for an Isaac's walk Isaac who went out into the field to meditate might see and did after hear a story of a wonderful adaptation of matters in the Marriage-journey see Gen. 24. The adaptations or connexions of things here to be meditated on are not only personal which refer to the Lord 's ordering our particular concernments how he provides protects directs supports and the like but also publick There are National adaptations or connexions of things in which God's glory doth shine forth These the godly heretofore have noted as in Neh. 9. there is a large Catalogue there of such adaptations and connexions The Book of Esther presents us with a notable draught of such connexions What a wonderful over-ruling Providence was there in the marriage of the King with one of his honest Subjects in the treachery of Bignatha and Teresh intended against the King Mordecai's discovery of the Plot the King 's not sleeping c. God kept Court at the Court his Providence was waking whilst the King cannot sleep the Lord reads his Church a Lecture of Providence whilst the King hath the Book of Records of the Chronicles read before him and knows how and when to make use of the Hamans at Princes Courts to promote godly Mordecai's for the good and welfare of his Church or People OBSERVATION XII There is a liberty of God to salve up some other way what is wanting in regard of a visible and proportionable adaptation and connexion of things or There is an Extraordinary Walk of Providence in the World as well as an Ordinary one CHAP. I. THE Lord keeps not always within the pales of an ordinary and visible dispensation of things such a Walk is too narrow for an Infinite Soveraign and All-wise God Look we abroad into the