Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n
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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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a Divine Constitution of Heaven for wise Ends why this is so and shall be so Solomon tells of a day of Prosperity and a day of Adversity and moreover affixeth this saying God also hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him Eccles 7. 14. Adversity saith one is set opposite to Prosperity Mr. Pemble a Vale against a Hill in a continual vicissitude and succession and this is done to the end or in such order and manner that man should or shall find nothing after him viz. of those things that may come upon him in the course of his life and after-times he cannot by wit fore-see nor by policy prevent ensuing changes and therefore it is a great part of his wisdom to arm himself with patience for all adventures In this Constitution of Heaven for an intermixture Si tristia semper acciderent quis fustineret si semper prospera quis non contemneret sed rerum tanta gubernatrix sapientia horum pernecessariâ vicissitudine eo moderamine electi suis cursum vitae temporalis alternat ut nec adversa frangant nec laeta dissolvant cum potius ista ex illis gratiora illa ex his tolerabiliora reddantur Bern. in Epistola ad Peâ—… Popiensem of Dispensations three things are observable 1. Here is a display of the Divine Attributes intended Not only is Wisdom seen in the allay of Prosperity by Adversity and of Adversity by Prosperity but likewise Goodness Power Justice have their glorious Manifesto's or Displays according to particular concernments of persons whose day is a black-cloudy or a bright Sun-shine one Not only the Word but Providence and that in Dispensations of this nature do witness that the Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression and by no means clearing the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation Numb 14. 18. In the next place The Lord by this intermixture of Whites and Blacks in the course of his Providence will make trial of persons They shall have change of pastures One while the grass is very low another while a fresh leeze is broken up for them The Israelites in the Wilderness are suffer'd to hunger and yet are fed with Manna and all this to prove them Deut. 8 2 3. Lastly God will hereby put a distinction between Earth and Heaven This World rings Changes Heaven's Serenity is never overcast with a black Cloud The Apostle Paul is admirable in the antithesis or opposition he makes on this wise here affliction there an exceeding and eternal weight of glory Here an earthly house of this tabernacle there a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 4. 17. and chap. 5. v. 1. Yea wicked men will find a difference between their state here and their state hereafter so Luke 16. 25. But Abraham said Soâ— remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented CHAP. II. 1. BE not secure because of a present Nos verò sic laetari debemus ut non immergamur sed servemus partem cordis Deo quâ etiam ferre possimus diem malum sic fiet ut mala praevisa minus discrucient nos Luth. in Eccles cap. 7. Sed nos immergimur penitus vel laetis vel adversis pii verò ubi boni mali vicissifudinem patiuntur dicunt Hic Dei ordo sive mos est neque frangantur Ibid. Tranquillity or Sun-shine of Providence in matters The Horse goes well over the Plain a rough way is at hand where it may stumble and dismount the Rider yea it may happen the Horse may trip on the Plain some little hillock or loose stone in the way may occasion a fall And in my prosperity I said but God said not so though David said so I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. 6 7. 2. Give not way to a despondency under Adversity Though the man stand in the Black he may by-and-by be in the White Note here four things 1. There is an evil of Despondency under evils of Smart 2 Good persons yea eminently good are incident to some grumblings or touches at least of this Disease 3. Parties notwithstanding their black Conclusions from the Position of their Affairs may experience God's kindness 4. Persons may even then be nearest Mercy or Mercy nearest them when they deem it furthest off So 1 Sam. 27. 1. And David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Observe here 1. Who said David a Saint and an eminent one too 2. What did he say I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul Did this one day ever come No for David lived to see the day of Saul's death 3. When was it that David said as he did Even then when Saul's glass was nigh done a few sands to run so that he who did conclude his life would be concluded by Saul's violence he that talks of falling by the hand of Saul hears tidings of Saul's falling by the hand of the Philistins 1 Sam. 30. with 2 Sam. 1. chap. 3. Take a view of the Checker-Table of Providence observe the revolutions that are in the world let not the Whites and Blacks be passed over without a good improvement It is said Deut. 8. 2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness Note here how it 's the Israelites duty to call to remembrance or keep up in memory the way and all the ways of God's Dispensations towards them they in their Wilderness-journey had ups and downs Mercies and Judgments were attendants and they are not to forget what might profitably be learn't in the company of such attendants on them in the Wilderness There are moreover two inducements why persons should take a view of this Checker-Table 1. It 's plain or obvious to men's eyes The Whites and Blacks of the Lord's Dispensations are the more visible The walk of Providence from one point to a diametrically opposite point or from the Hill to the Vale and from the Vale to the Hill be speaks men to be sand-blind or pur-blind if it be not noted Thus it 's implied in Luke 1. He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away v. 52 and 53. They then are very deaf or have an injudicious ear who hear not the loud Bell of Providence in such changes which befal themselves or others 2. As this Checker-table is plain or obvious to the eye so is it a large one There are many whites and blacks There
be observed that the Church of God hath thriven by Oppositions So attests Paul Phil. 1. 12. The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel The like Tertullian As often as we are mowed we are sowed The same Nec quicquam tamen proficit exquisitior quaeque crudelitas vestra illecebra magis est sectae Plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis Tertul in Apolog. Quicquid enim Papa quicqu id Caesareani molirentur contra Evangelium id omne Christus in Evangelii commodum convertit Bulla Papae sulmen Caesaris non consternarunt sed animarunt homines ad Evangelium amplexandum Scult in Annal. part 1. p. 117. Prodiit saevissima bulla à Pontifice nihil aliud quam exacerbavit incendium sequutum est etiam saevius Caesaris Edictum qui totus in hanc rem propensus est ea res linguas quorundam calamos coercet at non mutat animos Erasmus in Epistola Ibidem p. 75. correspondency of Providence in after-times with foregoing-times may be noted It is left on record how the Popes Bull and the thundering Edict of the Emperor in Luther's days did rather encourage to than discourage from a closure with the Gospel 2. As for Errors and Heresies with which the Church of God is often pestered These are an occasion whereby the Truths of God Ita nihil obsistere divinae gratiae potest quo minus id quod voluerit impleatur dum etiam discordiae ad unitatem trahunt plagae in remedium vertuntur ut Ecclesia unde metuit periculum inde sumat augmentum Ambros lib. 2. de Vocat Gent. shine the more glorious It is conceived by some The occasion of John his writing the Gospel was the Errors broached by Ebion and Cerinthus who did play the Devils with the God-head of Christ Paul's Pen walks to Corinth when Disorders and Error in that point of the Resurrection had an unhappy rise there He withal informs saying There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 1 Cor. 11. 9. Truth and Godliness like a Torch burn the brighter being thus beaten We had not had such deep searches into Truths had not the Spirit of Error possest the heads of men Scarce an Error but hath had some Treatise or other written against it 3. Apostasies from the Church of Christ are matter of lamentation yet the Lord knows how to render these as useful to others for their encouragement and confirmation in the ways of God God's Judgments on Apostates are a Beacon set on fire to warn others What befel Judas Mat. 27. 5. might be of great use to the Disciples and others at Jerusalem as Peter intimates Acts 1. 18 19. Arrius was a Firebrand but how extinct when he voided his bowels History doth mention Spira whom I judg not as to his final state God might carry him to Heaven through the gates of Hell was on the rack of a tormenting-conscience I make no question but his Tragedy had a considerable influence to promote the Truth through God's Providence Spira's declining set forward Vergerius his enclining to the ways of the Gospellers * Ibi cum esset spectator fuit hujus tam miserabilis exempli quod diximus Eo permotus quum iram Dei qua miser ille perculsus fuit propter abnegatam veritatem coram ipse vidisset magisque confirmari câ—epit tunc plane constituit relicta patria posthabitisque rebus omnibus in voluntarium exilium abire potius eo proficisci ubi Christum libere profiteri posset Sleid. com 1. lib. 21. As there was a Providence in Vergerius his being there where poor Spira was hung up in the chains of a tormenting-conscience so there was no less of Providence in his improving of that sad spectacle 2. In Temporals Hindrances become Furtherances Instances there are in divers cases As 1. In Marriage so a likely progress was made in Ruth's disposal to the Kinsman Boaz tells of him and promiseth he will see what will be done Ruth 3. 13 18. and accordingly Boaz convenes the man who providentially came by before the Elders of the City the business of the Purchase is broke to him and by and by all is broke to pieces howbeit this hindrance is a furtherance of marriage with a better man even Boaz himself as we have the story in the fourth Chapter of Ruth 2. In impoverishments or losses Men may be the better fitted for prosperity by sanctified adversity The Lord who makes poor to a wonder can make rich to a miracle The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning Job 42. 12. 3. In Sickness which may make way for further Health as God is pleased to order it and sanctifie his Dispensation Hezekiah dies not but hath a lease of fifteen years added to his life Isa 37. 5. An improved sickness may both physically and morally conduce to health A man learns in part to be his own Physician and to glorifie God more with his health than formerly 4. In Debasements and Reproaches Joseph is advanced and that by them who in their actings intended his utter downfall The sold Slave becomes a Prince in Egypt and his Mistress her defamation might after make for his reputation False aspersions do oftentimes redound to the glory of the aspersed and the infamy of the aspersers The lip of truth shall be established for ever but a lying tongue is but for a moment Prov. 12. 19. 5. In Defeats of Arms. It is noted in the Life of Tamerlan That what did fall out as probable letts did prove a furtherance for a Victory The loss of a battel is sometimes a preface to a compleat conquest The Israelites are smitten by the men of Ai Josh 7. 5. and their being smitten is an inducement to the men of Ai to be more forward than wise in the management of their next battel Josh 8. 16 17. It is then an experienced Observation That some lose by their Victories and others gain by their Defeats 6. In Journeys Jacob was to return to his Countrey there was an Esau in the way he comes forth with Four hundred men and well for Jacob that the wild Ruffians were under the command of Esau who hurts him not A general Rendezvouz might be preventive of plundering and butchering straglers see Gen. 32. and 33. CHAP. II. 1. THERE is no reason to be peremptory in concluding a nullity of matters because of some interponent hindrances Unbelief and Despondency do too often make a riot in the Soul God's word is questioned because there are great blocks in the way of his Promise Men look more to the blocks than to God who can remove them yea so play the Sacred Carpenter with them as to make an hepping-stock of them for an ascent to Favours intended What though the Hindrances be not only single but complicated ones Yet is any thing too