The Providence of God in Sudden Death, Title page – Dedication
THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD In ſudden Death ordinary and extraordinary vindicated and improved.
In a funeral SERMON for Mrs. MARY REVE, Wife to Mr. NICHOLAS REVE, Merchant.
Firſt preached to the English Church in ROTTERDAM, January 14. 1685. and ſince enlarged By JOSEPH HILL. B. D.
At ROTTERDAM, Printed by REINIER LEERS.
M.DC.LXXXV.
TO RICHARD HUNTINGTON Eſquire.
SIR,
THis Sormon which I preached for your daughter's ſake' out of my reſpects to her, and ſuppoſal of this office for her had she died with you, I now ſend you enlarged and printed. Not for any ſollicitations, which is the uſual modeſt excuſe, although I wanted not theſe from ſom Gentlewomen in her late condition: but becauſe I have not ſeen this ſubject, notwithſtanding the many occaſions thereof, handled by any, thô it may be by ſome, and I not know it. And eſpecially, becauſe God's providence which is as the ſoul in the worlds body, ruling and acting all things in it, is frequently miſunderſtood by many. Some not only complaining when their exſpectations are crost, as Cato did, of its darknes and obſcurity, and ſaying with Brutus, that vertue is but nomen inane, an empty name, when they ſee ſuch things befal the vertuous: but are even ready with Epicurus to deny it altogether, becauſe of its ſeeming irregularity. Others reading the many temporal promiſes in the Old Teſtament, mostly relating to the Jews, and ſome to particular perſons, as David, or ſuch places of Scripture, as Pſalm 91, are apt to judge providence to be ſo far from fulfilling the word, that it is contrary to it; and being not able to reconcile them, are greatly ſtaggerd and perplext. I have therfore caſt in my mite of endeavors to reconcile God's word with his works, in this one branch of ſudden death, for ſatisfaction therein: and from that ordinary in the Text and example taken occaſion ſince, to treat of moſt of thoſe extraordinary in Scripture, for the better illuſtrating thereof, and this kind of providence both in general and particular, in infants as wel as aged, by reaſon of the litle one we have alſo loſt. The bleſſing of heaven accompany it for good to thoſe that peruſe it, that God may have the glory of his truth and faithfulnes in his word, and of equity and righteouſnes in his works. For your ſelfe, Sir, I am ſenſible what a ful and home blow God hath reacht you, in cutting down tree and fruit together: the loſs of ſuch a daughter with a grandſon is great, but it is the will of your heavenly Father, to which I hope you have learnt to ſubmit. You might perhaps have been better ſatisfyed, if she had died by you, rather than at this diſtance; but thô Rebekah like she left her native country, and Father's houſe, yet not God's, nor without his eſpecial providence, who ſets the ſolitary in families, and fixes the bounds of our habitations. And here she liv'd beloved, and died lamented, and thô she is buried in the duſt, yet not in oblivion: all which to her is indeed fruitles, yet may ſomwhat alleviate your ſorrow, that she was amongſt thoſe that valewd her worth. That this sharp affliction may be ſanctified ſo that you may make the best improvement thereof, and that the bleſsed Spirit, which is ſtiled the Comforter, may comfort you and all concernd therein, is the prayer of
SIR, Your Servant in the Lord. J. H.