the sons of men as shall after be spoken unto and the same Power of God is seen as it respects persons families in their particular Wilderness But 2. In point of Protection notwithstanding dangers It would fill a Volume to rehearse the many remarkable preservations which some have had whilst the Lord had wise Ends subordinate to his glory for their existence here in the world It may suffice that Christ points out the Power of God in preserving when he saith to his Disciples Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Mat. 10. 16. What a notable draught have we of the Power of God in the rescue of Peter one of the Church's Bell-weathers from the Paw of that Lion Herod Acts 12. Neither Quaternions of Soldiers nor Chains nor Iron-gate shall hold him whom God will set free It is a truth God's Peters are immortal till their work be done CHAP. II. 1. THERE is no ground to be despondent or dejected in and under troubles Despondency of spirit is an evil of sin which steals in on parties under their evil of smart David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. and yet Saul's day of death was then nearer and David lived to see the day for a confutation of his black imaginations for so is it recorded 2 Sam. 22. 1. And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul Let not the Christian then be sinking under his Saul like difficulties but ask his soul this question Can I find out an Omnipotent Distress If my Religion say nay and tell me there is but one Omnipotent in the World Why doth my dejected practice say yea or tacitly proclaim the contrary 2. Distrust not the truth of God's word as if the Lord could not be as good as his word for defect of Power 'T was Zachariah's fault that he look't too much to Second-causes and did not consider as he should the Power of God which had Nature though decayed at his beck Luke 18. 19 20. If therefore there be as great an unlikelihood of things spoken of in Scripture in point of being fulfilled as there was that Zachariah and Elizabeth being old should have a son yet give no way to cavilling-unbelief but take a view of matters in conjunction with the Power of God and so indeed we are taught in Scripture as in the case of the Jews who have lien in a forlorn estate for so many Centuries of years Rom. 11. 23. God is able to graff them in again And so likewise in the case of Antichrist Rev. 18. 8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her And so in any other difficult case let that be remembred Gen. 18. 14. Is there any thing too hard for the Lord 3. Be encouraged to go on in such work as God calleth you unto in his Providence He that hath a God of Power to set him on work and pay him wages may take the more encouragement to follow his work If God be with Moses as he promiseth saying Certainly I will be with thee Exod. 3. 12. Moses may take heart notwithstanding all blocks in the way Heaven's Warrant will bear God's Moseses out notwithstanding all the fury of the sons of the earth and the sons of hell too See Josh 1. 6 7. Jer. 1. 17 18 19. Mat. 28. 19 20. Acts 18. 9 10. 4. Resolve on the exercise of faith more and more on the Power of God Let not so glorious a Jewel lye by without taking frequent views of it by the eye of Faith Consider two things 1. Hereby you glorifie God in giving him a due estimate of his Power A clear and full exemplification for this we have in Abraham who being not weak in faith considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4. 19 20 21. 2. Hereby you consult your own good and quiet Had men more of Faith they would have less of disquiet Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me was a word spoken in season by Christ for the calming of the hearts of his Disciples John 14. 1. If it be said here I question not the Power of God It may be replied 1. It is well if you do not as good as you have had their reflections on the Power of God Moses questions how Six hundred thousand foot-men should be provided for flesh for a Month in the Wilderness Numb 11. 21 22. God tells him saying Is the Lord's hand waxed short thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to pass unto thee or no v. 23. 2. Is there not a deceit of heart here God's Will is pretended but is not the Power of God questioned A reason to evidence this is thus Because when the distress is greater the party is the more disquieted Disquiet riseth with the difficulty The Israelites at the Red-sea were made up of unbelief Exod. 14 11 12. They might have considered that the Power of God which had made a passage through Pharaoh his stony heart for their egress from Egypt could make a passage for them through the Red-sea Martha is questioning the resurrection of her brother though Christ had said the word for the encouragement of faith and what is that which staggereth her faith it is because Lazarus had been dead four days see John 11. 39 40. 3. In reference to the Will of God about matters that there shall be no defect on God's part What he promiseth absolutely shall be made good what conditionally is made good likewise yea not only when the Condition is performed on our part but sometimes when failing on our part as in Martha her case Christ had told her If she believed she should see the glory of God displayed John 11. 40. yet she questioneth as v. 39. and Lazarus is raised v. 44. True then is that Heb. 10. 23. Faithful is he who hath promised OBSERVATION IX God never hath his Vacation-time though he may seem to do little or nothing sometimes in His administration of matters in the World CHAP. I. THAT Providence is not idle though it Deus nunquam feriatur Calv. seems to sit still will be evidenced 1. From positive assertions in Scripture So Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Eyes here are attributed to God to note not only his knowledg of or inspection into the affairs of the World but his
disorders and barbarous insolencies of men it will be so far from dismantling the Throne of Providence as that it will clear up the eye of faith to behold the Lord sitting there and sceptring it over the proudest and most outragious Monarchs of the World I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne saith the Prophet Isa 6. 1. and yet in the same Chapter we read how Cities were to be wasted without an Inhabitant and the houses without men and the Land to be utterly desolate v. 11. The same Prophet hath a Divine Treatise on this subject in the tenth Chapter where indeed the Prophet plays the Casuist and giveth satisfaction to the doubt Isa ch 10. There are some other Objections which the weakness or perversness of man doth start from places of Scripture I shall name them and so reply First From that passage of David 1 Sam. 24. 14. Let us now fall into the hand of the Lord and let me not fall into the hand of man Ans 1. The meaning of David is not to deny the Providence of God as reaching to the Swords and Spears of an Enemy he had not so learned Providence for he who was a man of warr was also a pious Soldier and observed God's Providence in the field See Psal 18. 31 32 33 34. Psal 78. 62. 2. The sense then must be otherwise and that either 1. By way of a comparative opposition between the righteous and eminent hand of God in the Pestilence as 2 Sam. 24. 16. and the wicked hands of men who will with their victories insult over Religion and blaspheme God with their tongues which upon this account cut deeper on the tender Consciences of Saints than Swords and Battle-axes do on their flesh See Psal 74. 18. and 137. 3 4 5 6. Isa 37. 1 14 15 with 23 24. According then to this interpretation David may be understood and if not so though not excluded then 2. By way of popular allusion David speaks after the manner of men as Benhadad 2 Kings 20. 31. or as a Child who having incurr'd his Father's displeasure is desirous to be corrected by his Father and not to be turn'd over to some base Slave for correction and the rather he desires this because he hath to do with a Father After this sort David's phrase of speech may be understood and that 1. Because he renders this as a reason for his choice For very great are his mercies 1 Chron. 21. 13. 2. Because in other places of Scripture God is set forth as a Father whose bowels turn whilst the rod is in his hand Psal 103. 13. with Hos 11. 8. Another place of Scripture is Zech. 1. 15. For I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affiiction Ans Nothing else can rationally be inferred â—…nce but an aggravation of the fury and cruâ—…y of the Church's Enemies they intended hoped and endeavoured an utter extirpation of the Church when God intended a purgation This saith a modern Divine made God as angry with those he set a-work as them against whom they were employed So hateful is cruelty and ambition to him and so different is his mind and man 's in inflicting the same punishment Compare with this Isa 47. 6. and 10. 5. 2 Chron. 28. 9. Psal 69. 26. Ezek. 25. 12. Obad. v. 10. Ezek. 26. 2. Another objection may be from 2 Cor. 4. 4. where Satan is called the God of this world Ans He who is worshipped obeyed dreaded by some as a God is still a limited Devil He who hath sinners at his nod is still at the beck of the Lord. The common Hang-man hath not the power of life and death because he is the Sherif's under-officer The Devil is an Executioner of Divine Wrath but no absolute Lord. Paul never meant otherwise for he acknowledgeth the Lord as Supream who though he permit Satan to work in the Quâ persuasione suffultus Paulus profectionem suam quam in uno loco 1 Thess 2. 18. dixerat à Satanâ impeditam fuisse alibi 1 Cor. 16. 7. in Dei permissione statuit Calv. world is still above him yea therefore above him because he doth permit him Lastly That in 1 Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care for Oxen may be objected Ans The Apostle doth not deny the Providence with respect to Oxen for that is plainly asserted in Scripture Exod. 9. 3. Psal 8. 7. Psal 114. 14. but his purpose is to back the Doctrine of Ministerial maintenance from thence and that as mystically or typically held forth by the labouring-Oxe who had the priviledg to be without a muzzle or rather by arguing à fortiori thus Doth God take care for Oxen he doth and therefore if the Lord would have equity observed towards the labouring-beast much more should they who labour in the Lord have their double honour See 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. The Lord values a good Minister more than Oxen though some men worse than Beasts value their Oxen more than their Minister The place then being thus understood is a proof for the Doctrine of Providence for the great Lord of the World hath an eye in his Providence on the very dumb Beasts who have God for their speaker CHAP. III. THE Consectaries or Inferences from the Doctrine of Providence now follow which in short shall be pointed to A larger amplification is here waved seeing occasion will be offered to say more in the other Parts of this Treatise First then It is no less dangerous than erroneous to deny the Providence of God for Conniventia Dei non est caecitas Calv. the connivence or winking of Providence is not blindness They who will not see God in his Providence may justly feel him to their wo. If the Meditation of Providence be not a Loâ—d stone â—… draw men from Sin to Virtue God may justly make some dispensations of Quod si Providentiâ mundus regitur unius Dei nutu gubernatur non nos debet antiquitas imperitorum fabellis suis delectata vel capta ad errorem mutui rapere consensus cum Philosophorum suorum sententiis refellatur quibus rationis vetustatis assist it authoritas Minucius Eelix in suo Oct. p. 61. his to become a Mill-stone Apposite and full for this purpose is that in Zeph. 1. 12 13. And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles and punish the men that are setled on their lees that say in their hearts The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil therefore their goods shall become a booty and their houses a desolation They also shall build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vinyards but not drink the wine thereof See more by way of Commination for their Atheistical Reasonings about Providence in ver 14 15 16. 2. Behold the Foundation-stone for a religious acknowledgment of the hand of God both in prosperity and in adversity The pleasant streams of the
There is a way of inhibition which I may term excentrical or extraordinary And that there is an inhibition is clear but how is as dark to be understood He who formeth the spirit of man within him Zech. 12. 1. can and doth byass it as he pleaseth The Lord hath secret and immediate accesses to the hearts of men 2. There is a way which is more ordinary as in some measure apprehended or understood by men And this way whereby God doth often inhibit sin is by some impressions or other which are made on the spirits of men And here it may be observed 1. An impression is made by the light of Nature being blown up into a flame at such an instant by some common work of God The Heathens having not a law were a law to themselves Rom. 2. 14. They were Heathens who shewed no little kindness Acts 28. 2. they did not knock the shipwrack't persons in the head but their compassion was drawn forth towards them 2. An impression is sometimes made by means of a conviction of a party's honesty or innocency against whom fury was armed David gives Saul to understand that he was no such Male-content and enemy to him as he was traduced by a pack of Claw-backs and Sycophants about Saul he lets him know as a demonstration of his good affection to Saul That he had opportunity to have killed his Majesty but far was it from him to do so though near enough to have done so far in a moral sense near in a local sense And hereupon saith Saul I have sinned return my son David for I will no more do thee harm because my soul was precious in thine eyes behold I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly 1 Sam. 26. 21. 3. An impression is made by reason of fear and that 1. From the Laws or Constitutions of the Countrey where persons live The Gallows more than Conscience is a Lion in the sinner's way Good Laws in a Nation are the hedg and fence which keep off many a wild beast from making a prey on others they who are lions couchant would be Lions rampant otherwise Take heed what thou dost said the Centurion to the chief Captain of Paul for this man is a Roman Acts 22. 26. 2. From the displeasure of friends and relations Some would keep up a greater friendship with some sins were it not that their friends smiles would be turned into frowns Micah continues not on his theft but makes peace with his Mother whom he had wronged and whose curse he feared Judg. 17. 1 2 3. 3. From remarkable instances or examples of Divine severity God in his Providence singles out some in a way of punishment and so they become a terror to others Ananias and Saphira are struck dead great fear came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard these things Acts 5. 11. In some places where people have not had such means of illumination by the full and clear opening of the Scriptures yet there is a standing at a distance from some sins even to a wonder And what is the bridle but remarkable punishments which have befallen Adulterers Murderers and Perjured persons and the like There is much of a Catechizing-Providence to be observed this way 4 From what may after be repaid home by parties themselves or their friends in case persons take not wit in their anger against such David wills Saul's Courtiers to leave off their lying insinuations as is probable in Psal 4. 2. the wind might set at another point and then what becomes of them Gideon tells Zebah and Zalmunna They who were slain by them at Tabor were my brethren even the sons of my mother as the Lord liveth if ye had saved them alive I would not slay you Judg. 8. 18 19. Some are awed this way as Gideon's speech may imply though others are not Abuer had a sense of this in that speech of his to Asahel Turn thee aside said he from following me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground how then should I hold up my face to Joah thy brother 2 Sam. 2. 22. Fifthly Providence bears down sin by way of limitation The Lord sets bounds unto the raging-sea of corruption An arm of it flows in and it is but an arm righteously so permitted and yet wisely limited by the hand of God Achitophel's counsel takes effect in Absolom's defiling his father's Concubines 2 Sam. 6. 21. Providence herein makes good the truth of the word spoken 2 Sam. 12. 11. Howbeit Achitophel's counsel takes not in pursuing after David 2 Sam. 17. 14. Shimei had malice enough in his heart to have stain'd his hands with the blood of a good King by way of assassination but he only rails and throws stones at David and his servants 2 Sam. 16 6 7. Sixthly By way of detection which puts a stop sometimes in some cases Esau hated Jacob and said The days of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob and these words of Esau her elder son were told Rebeccah Gen. 27. 41 42. Jacob hereupon is sent away from his father's house v. 43 44 45. but more of this in the next Observation Seventhly By way of regulation or converting even the sins of men to a good use As there is a mystery of iniquity so there is a mystery of Providence in and about sin Physicians know how to make use of a Viper for the good of their Patients The All-wise God knows how to make use of the Vipers of the world with their venom Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee saith the Psalmist Psal 76. 10. Eighthly By way of destruction 1. Of the Power of men 2. Of Men in power It may be observed how the ability to hurt is broken absolutely or comparatively Shebna the Treasurer is to be discarded Isa 22. 19. Arise O Lord saith the Psalmist for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly Psal 3. 7. Providence hands them a shaming-blow for that seems to be meant by smiting on the cheek They are box't and kick't to their disgrace Their teeth are broken and no need to fear their teethless jaws Or if they are not formally or properly so broken yet equivalently Suppose they have Power Wealth with Malice enough yet all avails not for they are check't by a greater Power Thus the Decree of Darius for building the Temple silenceth whatever prejudices and hatred might be amongst the under-officers of the King Ezra 6. 6 7 8 9 10 11. Hither may be referred inflicted diseases as hereby men are more or less disabled or incapacitated for the commission of sin Gen. 20. 6 17. Again As Providence destroys the Power of men so Men in power When men become monstrous in sinning no wonder if God become prodigious in punishing Providence consults the good of Societies of men in making those to breathe their last who have made others to
Children are often the sluces of sorrow Dinah was ravish't Gen. 34. â— Simeon and Levi make their Father Jacob to stink among the Inhabitants of the Land Gen. 34. 30. Reuben lay with his Father's Concubine Gen. 35. 22. Joseph is hated of his brethren and pack't away into Egypt to the grief of the old man who taking it for a concession that Joseph was dead refused to be comforted Gen. 37. 35. 4. Servants prove vile and abominable Good Mephibosheth's servant was a false accuser of his Master and hook't away half of his Lord's Estate 2 Sam. 16. 3 4. with 2 Sam. 19. 24 to 30. 5. Superiors as Parents and Masters with Mistresses are sometimes curst-creatures Jonathan is called by his Father Son of a perverse rebellious woman yea a Javelin is cast at him from the hand of a Father 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. Nabal a Master of servants and a slave to frowardness 1 Sam. 25. 17. Sarai though a good woman yet had a pang of frowardness Gen. 16. 5 6. 4. Choice Friends bring up the rear of sorrows Death cuts the knot of Friendship I am distressed for thee my brother Jonathan said David 2 Sam. 1. 26. If the Worm feed not on them in the grave yet some Ear-wig doth hurt A Whisperer separateth chief friends Prov. 16. 28. yea there is some unmortified lust by reason whereof the friend is metamorphosed into a bloody enemy so Psal 41. 9. Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me Secondly As it concerns to observe when the Creatures become Corrosives so to improve this corroding-Dispensation Let it be a means to eat out the proud-flesh of some sin or other which is the procuring-cause of all The Creatures frown but doth not God frown on some sin in their frowning It would better become persons who cry out of Superiors to consider how the taking cold in the feet is often the cause of disorder in the head The sins of people Wives Children Servants are the cold Vapours which cause a Distemper The head-ake of some above others becomes an heart-ake to and from those below others Eye then sin so as more to be abased for it and creatures less in way of disquiet So doth the Prophet teach Lam. 3. 40. The overtaking of sin with Hue-and-Cry is the best Remedy under such Maladies OBSERVATION XVIII The great God is greatly to be seen in the meanest or least of His Creatures CHAP. I. 1. THE meanest or least of the Creatures set off more the beauty of the Universe A Giant is the more conspicuous when a Dwarf is brought forth on the stage with him Behemoth or the Elephant is said to be the chief of the ways of God Job 40. 19. the vast extensions of the Elephant are the more illustrious when compared with the small dimensions of a Worm or Flye 2. The very smalness or littleness of the Sicut enim artifices illi peritissimi ingeniosissimi habentur qui in arctissimo spatio plurimum artis ostendunt ut qui sub muscae umbra currum equos repraesentavit sic Deus si non tantam in minutis animaleulis potentiam quantam in majoribus ostendir at sapientiae certe majus specimen edidit Cartwright in Prov. p. 1466. Creatures doth set forth the Wisdom of God The curious workmanship about a Watch or some lesser piece of Artifice doth commend the skill of the Artificer Creeping things and Birds flying as well as Beasts and Cattel do bear a part in the Quire to sound forth the praises of their Maker and Preserver Psal 148. 10. with v. 7. 3. The Creatures by reason of their meanness did not hold back the sentence of approbation at their creation or when they were first ushered into the world The History of the Creation comprehends little fishes birds and creeping things God saw what was then created that it was good Gen. 1. 20 21 25. 4. The meanest Creatures have their ordinary use for which they serve They are not dumb Cyphers in the World's Arithmetick The Herb is said to be for the service of man Psal 104. 14. Even Serpents and Vermin are serviceable in attracting to themselves that Venom which otherwise might be of dangerous consequence to man Worms and Flyes are baits for Fishes and food for Birds 5. What is wanting in the meanest of Creatures one way is salved up another There be four things which are but little upon the earth but they are exceeding wise The Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the summer the Conies are but feeble folks yet make they their houses in the rocks the Locusts have no king yet go they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in the kings palaces Prov. 30. 24 c. 6. There is a display of the glorious Attributes of God in and about the meanest of Creatures and that in a more than ordinary way as He is pleased to make use of them We may behold as in a glass 1. The Goodness or Mercy of God 2. Wisdom 3. Power 4. Justice or Severity 1. The Goodness or Mercy of God is seen as when he useth them for the help of man The Ravens in a time of famine bring Elijah bread and flesh 1 Kings 17. 6. The stories are known how Moulin at the time of the Parisian-Massacre was cherished for a fortnight by a Hen which came constantly and laid her Eggs there where he lay hid And at Cales how an English-man who crept into an hole under a pair of Stairs was there preserved by means of a Spider which had woven its Web over the hole and so the Soldiers slighted the search there There are other stories which I have mâ—t withall as that of Aristomenes who being thrown into a ditch for dead with others found out his way for egress by means of a Fox which came thither and pointed a passage The Lord Mountjoy coming from Ireland had likely perisht with his company in the ship had not Providence befriended them to a wonder and that by means of certain Sea-birds The story thus Fynes Morryson Itinerary Part 2. p. 296. The sky being overcast with a thick fog and we bearing all sails we fell suddenly upon the Skirvies an hideous great black Rock where after so many dangers escaped in the Warrs it pleased God miraculously to deliver us from becast away as it were in the very Haven for certain Birds called Gulls seeing our ship ready to rush upon them and their desart-habitation with full sails rose crying and fluttering round about us whereat the Governour of the Pinace being amazed looked out and beholding that terrible spectacle cried to the Steer-man Aloof for life which fearful voice might have daunted him as it did most in the ship but he stoutly did his work answering Helm a board which done the ship by force of the stern and
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