Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A20226
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A sermon of Gods prouidence Very godly and profitable: preached at South-shoobery in Essex, by Arthur Dent, Minister of Gods word.; Platforme, made for the proofe of Gods providence
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Dent, Arthur, d. 1607.
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1609
(1609)
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STC 6647; ESTC S116580
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16,828
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48
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A SERMON of Gods Prouidence Uery godly and profitable Preached at Southshoobery in Essex by Arthur Dent Minister of Gods word The third impression Iohn 19 vers 10. 11. Then said Pylate vnto him speakest thou not vnto mee knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to lose thee Iesus answered thou couldest haue no power at all against mee except it were giuen thee from aboue Imprinted at London for Iohn UUright 1609. A platforme made for â—e proofe of Gods prouidente that is â—r the examining of the trueth of this 〈…〉 ctrine whether God by his prouidence rule all things generally and euery creature and action particularly Text. 〈…〉 lotte is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Prou. 10. 33. IT were to be wished that all Christians did vnderstand that which with mouth they confesse when they rehearse the articles of their 〈…〉 th gathered out of the Apostles 〈…〉 ine The Consession is briefe and euery 〈…〉 rde in it very significant and well 〈…〉 erstood would roote all heresies out â—ur mindes The principles of religion are therâ— contained and if hée bée but a wâ—â— Philosopher that is ignorant in â— principles of Philosophy and if it bâ— shame for all artificers to be ignorâ— in the grounds of those artes they professe it is a greater shame for vs Christians to make shew of christianity aâ— yet to be ignorant in the rudimen to our Religion I would to God that euery one â—â— hath the name of a christiaÌ„ did throughly vnderstand were fully instruct in them then néeded not I labour much for the proofe of this doctrine For euery one of vs when we do oâ—fesse God to be almighty doe acknowledge that he by his prouidence rulâ— euery thing and that wee may knew what we say I purpose chiefly to hadle these two points First that Christ the Sonne of Gâ—â— hath the selfe same prouidence the God the Father hath Secondly tâ—â— the prouidence of God doth goueâ—â—â— all things generally and euery specâ—â— thing specially And yet in handling these two I â—â— not recite all that may be said touching his matter but only touch some chiefe pointes summarily which may helpe â—n the better to vnderstand the large and learned tracts that many notable â—en haue written hereof For the first That Christ the Sonne of GOD doth gouernâ— all things as well as God the Father is prooued by reason example and authoritie BY reason if God by his wisdome made the world that is if that the eternall wisdome of God which is his word the euerlasting Sonne of God was present with God when he made the worlde he is also with him in gouerning the world but hée was with God when he made the world therefore he is with him in gouerning of it The equity of the first proposition is grounded vpon most strong reason For as God created the world by his wisdome so it is not to be beléeued that God gouerneth the world without his wisdome otherwise hée should gouerne by chance The second proposition is prâ—â—ed by the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 1. by whom also he made the worlds By example Gen. 48. vers 13. 14. 15. Then tooke Ioseph them both Ephrainâ— in his right hand towards Israels left hand Manasseth in his left hand toward Israels right hand so hee brought them vnto him But Israell stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraims head which was the younger and his left hand vpon Manassehs head directing his hands on purpose for Manasseh was the elder Also hee blessed Ioseph and said the GOD before whom my Fathers Abraham Isack did walke the God which hath fed me al my life loÌ„gvnto this day In which words Iacob acknowleâ—geth Gods prouidence to stretch particular men euen to himselfe Then it followeth as vers 5. 26. The Angell which hath deliuered me from â—ll euill blesse the children and let my name bee named vpon them and the name of my Fathers Abraham and Izacke that they may grow as fish into â— multitude in midst of the earth In these words the holy Patriarke Iacob giueth that particular prouidence to y â— Angell which in the former verse hée had giuen to God And that by the â—ame of Angell he vnderstandeth no treature is hereby proued in that hée â—ffirmeth that this angel had power to â—â—esse saying to him Blesse the children Hée then is the angell whom Iacob was wont to call the angell of the Lord that is the Sonne of God Therefore in this place Iacob attributeth a prouidence ouer al things and persones to the angell that is the Sonne of God as well as to God the Father By authority Iohn 5. ver 17. My Father worketh and I worke This works that Christ speaketh of is not to be vnâ—erstood of the creation onely but also of the gouerning of al things created For this particle hitherto sheweth that he ment not onely that first worke of his in creating all things with his Father but also another worke which he daily excerciseth which cannot bée vnderstood of any other then of gouerning all things with his Father But here we must obserue this rule that the workes of the Trinity are vndeuided Therefore that which is the Fathers worke is the worke also of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost That the Sonne of GOD doth the same workes that the Father doth is already prooued the same is to be affirmed also of the holy Ghost by the warrant of Gods word as by that I read in the 139. Psame Whether shal I goe from the Spirit or whether shall I flie from thy presence If ascende into Heauen thou art there If I lie downe in hell thou art there let mee take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost partes of the Sea yet thether shall thine hand lead mee and thy right hand hold mee Thus is the first point briesly prooued that Christ the Sonne of God and the holy Ghost do gouerne all things as wel as God the Father Now to the second that God by his prouidence gouerneth all and euery thing There are very many that can willingly graunt that God by his prouidence gouerneth all things in general but that euery particularthing is ruled by the same they deny with these men therefore I minde to deale some what largely though not so learnedly as the cause requireth who is able to handle it worthily Philosophers haue in this point had sundry opinions Epicurus said that all things were ruled by chance and fortune and that God liued idelly and at ease in the Heauens which opinion as impious all men in wordes condemne and yet so we liue that our liues are euident proofes against vs that in heart and soule wée imbrace it For surely if we thought any better of GOD then Epicurus did wée would not walk so directly in Epicurus pathes as we do or liue so licentiously as though God
〈…〉 dly written of them Ancient lear 〈…〉 d Chrisostome in his tenth Homily 〈…〉 pon Genesis vsed this similitude saith hee in earthly matters when 〈…〉 e see these things that bee done ap 〈…〉 oued by graue and mighty men 〈…〉 e mislike not their censure not 〈…〉 in-say it but preferre their iudgement before our owne how much more 〈…〉 uld we carry the same minde of all 〈…〉 ble creatures which we know that 〈…〉 d the Creator of all things made 〈…〉 at since wee haue receiued his censure of them all that all that h 〈…〉 made was very good let vs suspe 〈…〉 our iudgments bury them in silenc 〈…〉 and let vs not dare to prefer the iudgments of al men before the Lords a 〈…〉 we may perswade our selues wi 〈…〉 strong and sufficient arguments th 〈…〉 the Lord made all things in great w 〈…〉 dome and mercy and in a worde th 〈…〉 the Lord made nothing vnaduised or without cause but though we kno 〈…〉 not the causes of his workes beca 〈…〉 of the weakenesse of our vnderstanâ—ings yet hath he made all things 〈…〉 cording to his wisdom and most mi 〈…〉 ty mercy Thus farre Chrisostome If the 〈…〉 fore by the testimonie of Aristotle 〈…〉 ture made nothing in vaine As y â— m 〈…〉 who was vtterly ignorant of true râ—gion affirmed of nature which he 〈…〉 iudged to be both blind brutish ho 〈…〉 much more are we bound to attrib 〈…〉 vnto the most wise creator of all thin 〈…〉 this â—erfection in his creation that made nothing in vaine but all thi 〈…〉 in great wisdome since all his wor 〈…〉 redounded to his glory which is 〈…〉 st and the chiefest end of all things 〈…〉 d by the common consent of all men â—â—ery thing is iudged either perfect or â—â—perfect by the attaining of his end â—here is a fourth argumeÌ„t thus made â—â—ainst the prouidence of God If God 〈…〉 ho is most wise and righteous in his â—â—dgements do gouerne all things â—â—ery particular thing there should not 〈◊〉 so great troubles in coÌ„mon wealths â—â—d specially in the Church whereof â—â—e Lord hath a speciall care for that it 〈◊〉 his Sanctuary but both in Church â—â—d common-wealth there is great vnâ—â—ietnesse so that all laws both diuine â—â—d humane are openly violated good â—en most cruelly are dealt withall eâ—ill men doe reioyce and triumph in â—â—eir wickednesse without controleâ—â—ent God therfore gouerneth not all â—â—ings that are in common-wealths â—â—d in the Churches This argument thus drawne from â—â—e nature of Gods iustice which séeâ—eth to be contrary to his gouernmeÌ„t 〈◊〉 his prouidence if he should sée moâ—â—rate and suffer all these out-rages 〈…〉 orders is one of the chiefest props of Epicurus his opinion and this argâ—ment troubled many that now liue 〈…〉 dayly labor to bring Epicurus name 〈…〉 obloquy with al men and yet are coâ—tent to liue-like Epicures this argâ—ment also the Lurkes and our capâ—tall enemies the papists obiect m 〈…〉 against vs and sure it carrieth s 〈…〉 waight with it that Dauid confesse 〈…〉 y â— he was so astonied that his féet we 〈…〉 almost gone and his steppes had w 〈…〉 neare slipt when he saw the prospe 〈…〉 ty of the wicked and punishments a 〈…〉 hard entertainement of the godly vâ—till he went into the sanctuary of G 〈…〉 then vnderstood he their end â—hat vntill Dauid entred into Gods school learned by his word holy spirit he ordered al things most wisely a 〈…〉 iustly After Pompey had bin put t 〈…〉 worst in the battaile fought betw 〈…〉 Caesar him in the consines of Ph 〈…〉 salos escaped by flight to Mytele 〈…〉 he went to Cratippus and disput 〈…〉 with the Philosopher in his Gard 〈…〉 whither he thought there was a 〈…〉 God which by his prouidence ruled earth and for that before in very 〈…〉 〈…〉 uarels hee had had most prosperous 〈…〉 ccesse as when he had subdued in 〈…〉 aitaile vanquished the inhabitants â—f the East part of the world was 〈…〉 ow in a most good cause ouercome 〈…〉 ripped off his army forcâ—d to fly aâ—ay himself alone most shamfully he â—ere of gathred that God regarded not â—hat was done amongst men but y â— al â—hings were done by chaÌ„ce thus doth 〈…〉 wise men of y â— world iudge speak of â—uch eueÌ„ts But y e holy Ghost teacheth â—s to iudge far otherwise of theÌ„ when Moses in his song Deu. 32. was to de 〈…〉 uer to the people the threatnings of God if they were disobedient which â—fterward y e rebellions Israelits felt â—ée vseth this preface perfect is the worke of the mighty God for all his waies are iudgement God is true and without wickednes iust righteous is 〈…〉 e teaching hereby that whatsoeuer 〈…〉 e world doth prate of the causes of â—fflictions that GOD with great â—isdome doth send forth of his trea 〈…〉 res all sortes of calamities some 〈…〉 me by them to punish the wick 〈…〉 sometime to excercise the Godly with them For the sins of the peoplâ— the hipocrite doth raigne That is tâ— rants sit in the throne of Justicâ— which vnder pretence of executiâ— iustice are but hipocrites and oppreâ—â— the people Iob. 34. verse 30. Woe be to thee saith the Prophâ— Isaiah which spoylest for thou shaâ— bee spoiled And indéed one tyraâ— plagueth another and though tyrant be a plague to al natioÌ„s kingdomeâ— yet are they themselues in due timâ— in like sort punished by other tyrantâ— In the person of Sennacheâ—ib y â— iudgâ—ments of God are very liuely set for by the Prophet Isaiah in the teâ— Chapter of his prophesse The Loâ— stirreth vp the king of the Assirians punish the easterne people Sennach rib was a wicked man he is ascoâ—â— to wicked peoplâ— yea he cruelly verâ— the people of God he spoileth almoâ— all Palestina hee besâ—egeth Ierusalâ— the chiefe Citty of that Country Aâ— thus saith God of him by the Prophâ— in that place O Ashur the rod of â— wrath and the staffe in their hands my indignation I will send him tâ— dissembling nation and I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoyle and to take the prey and to treade them vnderfoote like the mire of the streete But hee thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so and so forth And a little after thus saith God by the Prophet of him But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vppon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visit the fruite of the proude heart of the King of Ashur and his glorious and proude lookes Because he said by the power of myne owne hand haue I done it and by my wisdome because I am wise And a little after this thus saith the Prophet shal the axe boaste it selfe against him that heweth therewith If Pompey had looked on this example thus laide forth by the Prophet hée might haue bâ—ne better