' " Btia -rxyrav apx^ S' ^* a^ravTa xa.) iirri xa) 'Sixfi.ixi," — ThcoplirastuS, apud Picura. Viil. Senecam dc Provid. ct Plotinum.
OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 31
they, with a better error, made a goddess of providence, because, as they feigned, she helped Latona to bring forth in the isle of Delos; intimating that Latona, or nature, though big and gi'eat with sundry sorts of effects, could yet produce nothing without the interceding help of divine providence : which mythology of theirs seems to con- tain a sweeter gust of divine truth than any we can expect from their towering fancies ^who are inclinable to believe that God for no other reason is said to sustain all things, but because he doth not destroy them. Now, that their proud, God-opposing errors may the better appear, according to my former method, I will plainly show what the Scripture teacheth us concerning this providence, with what is agree- able to right and Christian reason, not what is dictated by tumul- tuating affections.
Providence is a word which, in its proper signification, may seem to comprehend all the actions of God that outwardly are of him, that have any respect unto his creatures, all his works that are not ad intra, essentially belonging unto the Deity. Now, because God " worketh all things according to his decree, or the counsel of his will," Eph. i. 11, for whatsoever he doth now it pleased him from the beginning, Ps. cxv. 3 ; seeing, also, that known unto God are all his works from eternity; therefore, three things concerning his providence are con- siderable:— 1. His decree or 'purpose^ ^whereby he hath disposed of all things in order, and appointed them for certain ends, which he hath fore-ordained. 2, His prescience, whereby he certainly fore- knoweth all things that shall come to pass. 3. His temporal opera- tion, or working in time, — " My Father worketh hitherto," John v. 1 7, — whereby he actually executeth all his good pleasure. The first and second of these have been the subject of the former chapters; the latter only now requireth our consideration.
This, then, we may conceive as an ineffable act or work of Almighty God, ivherehy he cherisheth, sustaineth, and governeth the world, or all things by him crecited, moving them, agreeably to those natures which he endowed tltem withal in the beginning, unto those ends which he hath 2yroposed. To confirm this, I will first prove this position, That the whole world is cared for by God, and by him go- verned, and therein all men, good or bad, all things in particular, be they never so small and in our eyes inconsiderable. Secondly, show the manner how God worketh all, in all things, and according to the diversity of secondary causes which he hath created; whereof
1 " An actus divinfe providentias omnium renim conserTati'ix, sit aiBrmativus po- tentiffi, an tantum ncgativus voluntatis, quo nolit res creatas perdere." — Kcm. Apdl., cap. vi.
2 " Providentia seu ratio ordinis ad finem duo prtecipue continet: principium dc- cernens seu ipsam rationem ordinis in mente divina, ipsi Deo coKternum, et principium exequens, quo suo niodo, per debita media, ipsa in ordine etnumero disponit." — Thom.
32 A DISPLAY OF ARMINIANISM.
some are necessary, some free, others contingent, whicti produce their effects nee 'Kavrug, nee sir} to itoX-j, sed %u.ra gv/MCsQrjKog, merely b}' ac- cident.
The providence of God in governing the world is plentifully made known unto us, both by his works and by his word. I will give a few instances of either sort : — 1. In general, that the almighty Arjfiiovpyog, and Framer of this whole universe, should propose unto himself no end in the creation of all things, — that he should want either power, goodness, will, or wisdom, to order and dispose the works of his own hands, — is altogether impossible. 2. Take a par- ticular instance in one concerning accident, the knowledge whereof by some means or other, in some degree or other, hath spread itself throughout the world, — and that is that almost universal destruc- tion of all by the flood, whereby the whole world was well-nigh re- duced to its primitive confusion. Is there nothing but chance to be seen in this? was there any circumstance about it that did not show a God and his providence? Not to speak of those revelations where- by God foretold that he would bring such a deluge, what chance, what fortune, could collect such a small number of individuals of all sorts, wherein the whole kind might be preserved? What hand guided that poor vessel from the rocks and gave it a resting-place on the mountains? Certainly, the very reading of that story,Gen. vii., viii., having for confirmation the catholic tradition of all mankind, were enough to startle the stubborn heart of an atheist.
The word of God doth not less fully relate it than his works do de- clare it, Ps. xix. " My Father worketh hitherto," saith our Saviour, John V. 17. But did not God end his work on the seventh day, and did he not then "rest from all his work?" Gen. ii. 2. True, from his work of creation by his omnipotence ; but his work of guberna- tion by his providence as yet knows no end. Yea, and divers par- ticular things he doth besides the ordinary course, only to make known " that he thus worketh," John ix. 3. As he hath framed all things by his wisdom, so he continueth them by his providence in excellent order, as is at large declared in that golden Psalm civ. : and this is not bounded to any particular places or things, but " his eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good," Prov. xv. 3; so that " none can hide himself in secret places that he shall not see him," Jer. xxiii. 24; Acts xvii. 24; Job v. 10, 11; Exod. iv. 11. And all this he saith that men " may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside him. He is the Lord, and there is none else. He formeth the light, and createth darkness: he maketh peace, and createth evil: he doeth all these things," Isa. xlv. 6, 7. In these and umumcrable like places doth the Lord declare that there is nothing which he hath made, that with