Treatise of Divinity, Book 3 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of Gods Providence.
TWo things are to be discussed abovt it.Moses affirmeth Gen. 2. that God rested frō all the workes which hee had made, that is, from Creating new species, but he creates individua, daily and both governs & preserves them, and the species or kindes of things already made, Joh. 5. 17
1. That there is a Providence, wh…reby the world is governed.
2. What it is.
1. That there is a Providence which governeth the world, and that nothing is done in the world without the certaine and determinate counsell of God, is thus proved.
1. Faith which leanes and rests on testimonies of holy writ. Psal. 14. 2. and 33. 13. the 104. Psal. wholly and 91. Psal. 8, 9, 10, 11. Act. 17. 25. 28. Ephes. 1. 11. At the feast of Tabernacles, the Jewes were wont to reade the Booke of Ecclesiastes, principally because it speakes so much of the workes of Gods providence.
2. Certaine demostrative reasons, taken
1. From the causes; viz. the Attributes and nature of God.
1. There is a God: therefore providence, because he is a most powerfull and wise King.
2. The omnipotent will of God, whereby all things are done, without which nothing can come to passe.
3. His infinite wisedome, whereby he can be present with all things which are done in his kingdome
4. His justice in distributing rewards and punishments, and goodnesse whereby he communicateth himselfe to the creatures.
5. His foreknowledge of all things … unchangeably depending on the counsell and decree of God.God by his Prophet infallibly foretold suture Contingents.
6. He regards the ends of things, therefore also the meanes to those ends.
7. Hee is the first cause: therefore on him depend the second causes.
2. From tbe effects: the works of God.
1. The most wise order of things both naturall and politicke, which could not be setled, much lesse preserved, by blind nature, chance, or fortune.
2. Naturall notions, or the law of nature in the difference of honest and dishonest things,
3. Peace or torment of conscience from keeping or violating the Law.
4. Punishments & rewards agreeable to mens deeds: which prove there is some Judge of the world, and revenger of sins, whose severity we cannot shun.
5. Heroicke motions, vertues and singular gifts given by God to Princes, Magistrates, Inventers of Arts, Artificers & others, for the common benefit of mankind.
Lastly, by the same reasons it is proved, that there is both a God and Providence.
2. what providence is:
It is an externall and temporall action of God, whereby he preserveth, governeth, and disposeth all and singular things which are and are done, both the creatures, and the faculties and actions of the creatures, and directeth them both to the mediate ends, and to the last end of all, after a set determinate manner, according to the most free Decree, & Counsell of his owne will; that himselfe in all things may bee glorified.
1. The matter or object of Gods providence, is the whole world, and whatsoever isb God observeth all our particular speeches & actions, seeme they never so small & trifling. God therefore pleaseth of purpose to put into writing things that seeme not otherwise worthy the registring.in it, for God cares for, and governs all things, Substances, Accidents, things great and little, necessary and contingent, good and evill, Hebr. 1. 3. Nehem. 9. 6. The care of God for the bruite beasts, living creatures, all Meteors is described, Psal. 135. Job 37. 2. and ch. 38. Matth. 6. 26. Also concerning voluntary things and actions of men, good and bad, as Prov. 26. 1. 9. Jer. 10. 23. Psalm 139. 1. Psalm 33. 13. 15. concerning things that are contingent, Exod. 21. 13. Prov. 16. 33. Matth. 10. 29, 30.
The least and smallest things are by the God of heaven ordered & disposed of according to his owne pleasure and wisdome for very good purpose:See Psal. 104. & 147. not so much as a sparrow falls to the ground without Gods providence;God is maximus in minimis. he saith the hairs of our head are all numbred, Mat. 10. 29, 30.therefore Cicero was out when he said Dij magna cu…ant, See Psa. 147. 8.parva negligunt: and the Poet, Non vacat exiquis rebus adesse Iovi.
The reasons of this are these:God is an understanding essence, present in all places at all times, with all persons, therefore hee must needs observe and know all their motions. 2. All things are spoken and done by an influence of power derived from him. He is the most principall worker of every action, without a speciall and immediate operation of whose might the secondary cause would be dead and powerlesse. 3. God hath given us a law to order men in all their words and carriages, little and great. 4. Hee is the Judge of all the world: he must judge certainly, infallibly, and perfectly.
1. God is infinite in all excellencies, infinite in wisedome: there may as much wisdome be seen in little as in great things: all things in the world, yea even all things which might have beene as well as those that have fallen out, are subject to his wisedome and power, nothing so small, but it is a fit subject of knowing and ordering.
2. There is a necessary connexion and mutuall dependance betweene great and small things, the one supporting & upholding the other, so that it is not possible to conceive how any thing should be ordered by God if all things were not, the little things being like the pins of a house which hold the building together, or the hinges of a great gate, upon which the whole is moved.
Object.
These things are so small, as it is an abasement to the Divine Majesty to intermeddle with them.
Sol.
It is his highest commendation to be infinite, so that nothing can bee hid from his knowledge: the Lords manner of working in the smallest things is so wise and excellent, as it serveth sufficiently to free him from all imputation of basenesse in regarding them. No Philosopher would count it a base thing to be able to dispute accurately of the nature of a flea, and to give a reason of its making and working: why therefore shall it be an impeachment to Gods glory in a more perfect manner then we can conceive of, both to know and guide them.
Ob.
1. Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care for Oxen?
Sol.
He doth not take care for Oxen cheifely and principally, but subordinately as his care is toward the other bruit creatures. Psal. 36. 7. and 147. 9. Paul doth not simply exempt the Oxen from Gods care, but denieth that the law, thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne was especially written for oxen, but rather for men, that they may understand what their duty is to the Ministers of the Gospell, whose labours they make use of.
2. The kinds of Gods providence.
1. The providence of God is either 1. Generall and common to all Creatures, that whereby God taketh care of the world, and all things therein according to their nature, Act. 17. 25. Heb. 1. 3. Gen. 9. 1, 2, 3. Psal. 36. 6.
2. Speciall, that which doth peculiarly appertaine to Creatures endued with reason and understanding, viz. Men and Angels: and among them he lookes chiefly to this Elect with a fatherly care, 1 Tim. 4. 10. and of this Providence is that place before noted, 1 Cor. 9. 9. to be understood.
2. Gods Providence is either, 1. Mediate, when God governeth creatures by creatures, as by meanes and instruments. But God useth them:
1. Not necessarily for want of power in himselfe, but of his owne Free-will in the abundance of his goodnesse.
2. Providence includes meanes * which if we neglect, we tempt God.
3. God well useth evill instruments besides and beyond their own intention,Qui ordinat ad finem ordinat ad media. as the Jewes, Acts 2. 23. and Josephs brethren, Gen. 45. 5.
2. Immediate,To shew that hee is not tyed to second causes, Gal. 1. 1. when God by himselfe, without the Ministry of the creatures doth preserve and govern things. Thus the Apostles were called: thus God made the world immediately without any instruments.
3. Gods Providence is. 1. Ordinary and usuall when God governeth the world and things of the world according to the order and lawes which himselfe set in the Creation.
2. Extraordinary and unusuall, when hee worketh either against or beside that order so appointed, as in working miracles.
3. The degrees and parts of Gods providence?
1. Conservation,Nehem. 9. 6. Heb. 1. 3. Acts 17. 28. Job 12. 14, 15. Psal. 44. 2. It is that whereby God doth uphold the order, nature, quantity and quality of all and every Creature both in their kinde and in particular,Tres sunt gradus divinae pro videntiae 1 Conservatio, actio Dei, qua essentias Creaturarū quod species vel individua, continuat, eorum que agendi vires conservat. untill their appointed end, Psalm. 19. 1, 2. & 36. 6. & 65. 2. Psal. 135. 6. 7. & 136. 25. He conserves those things quoad species, which are subject to death in their individua, as trees, herbs, bruite beasts, men; Hee preserves things, quoad individua, which are incorruptible, as Angels, Stars.
2. Government, it is that whereby God doth dispose and order all things according to his owne will and pleasure, so that nothing can come to passe otherwise then he hath determined,2. Gubernatio, actio, qua prae summa sua autoritate, potentia & sapientia de rebus omnibus disponit easque pro arbitrio suo regit. 3. Ordinatio, qua Deus pro admiranda sua sapientia & potentia omnia in ordinem redigit, fines certos & bonos constituendo, & med…o ad fines disponendo & disposita regendo. Wendelinus. Psal▪ 33. 13, 14, 15. Eccles. 8. 6. Psal. 75. 6, 7.
It is a great work of God to continue a succession of living creatures in the world, Psal. 104. 30. This is that for which God tooke order in the beginning; when having made the severall things▪ he bade them encrease and multiply, and fill the face of the earth, Gen. 1. 22. God challengeth this worke to himselfe in his speech to Job 39. 1. One generation comes and another goes. It is noted as an act of Divine blessing to encrease the fruits of the Cattle and the flockes of sheepe and kine, Deut. 28. 4. Psal. 107. 38.
Reasons. 1. If this worke were not wrought, the world would bee empty of living creatures within one age: beasts, birds and fishes and all would faile within a few yeares, and so should men be deprived of that help and benefit which they enjoy by them.
2. The powers of propagating kinds is a wonderfull work no lesse then that of Creation, done by a wisdome and power infinitely surpassing all the wisedome and power of all men.
Let us sanctifie God in our hearts by contemplating this great worke. We see the truth of one part of the narration of Scripture, in the increasing and multiplying of creatures, and we see it done by a secret and hidden way, let us therefore beleeve his promises. Can God promise any thing to us more exceeding our reason, to conceive how it should be effected, then it exceeds our reason to think how the kindes of things are increased and contin…ed in the world for so many hundreds of yeares? We can see no reason how an egge by the hens sitting upon it for a few dayes should be made a sparrow, starling, hen, or other bird.
God prepareth fit nourishment for all the creatures to eat, and conveyeth it to each of them in that quantity and season which is fittest for them, Psal. 104. 27, 28. & 145. 15. & 147. 9. & Psal. 136. 25.
Reasons. He that provideth foode for all, must know their number, their nature, and places of abode, and their severall needs, and he that knowes these particulars, must be none other but God: he must know the quantity of the thing provided for foode, and the quality of it, and the season of it, and none can doe these things but an infinite Essence, that is to say, a God. 2. God in providing for the Creatures, provideth for man who feedeth on them, and he declareth his own wisedome and goodnesse in continuing the kindes of things, and continuing them in welfare.
This should teach us faith in Gods promises, by which he hath undertaken to feed and to provide for us, soe our Saviour argues Matth. 6. 26.
Object.
The adversity of the good, and prosperity of the wicked seeme to oppose Gods providence. If there were any providence, God would see that it should be bonis benè, & malis malè.
Sol.
There is no man absolutely good or absolutely evill,God turnes the misery of the godly to their speciall good, and the prosperous estate of the wicked is an occasion of their woe▪ but as the best have some evill, so the worst have some good, and therefore God will punish that evil which is in the good, with temporall punishments, and give temporall blessings to the evill for the good that is in them: that seeing all good must be rewarded with good, and all evill with evill: the good of the good might have an everlasting reward of good: and on the contrary, the evill of the evill might have an everlasting reward of evill.
1. It refutes the fancie of Atheists and Epicures, Consectaries from Gods providence.which pretend that the observation of such slender matters, holds noe correspondence with Gods greatnesse. Aristotle said it was as vnfit for Gods knowledge to descend into these inferiour things,Gods providence is like a well-drawn picture which eyeth each in the roome. as for a Prince to know what is done in the kitchin. Wheras it is Gods greatest greatness to be infinite, the light of the Sun extends to every little hole. 2. Some say he cares for universall things only, and not singular; but then he should not care for himselfe,O tu bone Omnipotens, qui sic curas Vnum quemque nostrū tanquam solum cures & sic omnestanquam singulos. August. Confess. lib. 3. cap 11. and his knowledge should not bee infinite.
2. VVe must admire and adore the excellency of God wch knoweth all things. David contemplating this point, confesseth this knowledge is too wonderfull for him.
3. Let us often put our selves in mind of this truth, that it may worke in us a reverent care of ordering all our words and actions aright in his sight, that nothing may slip from us unworthy his eye and eare, offensive to his most great and most pure Majestie, and all-seeing eye. How carefull are wee of our speeches and actions, when wee know that they are marked by some one of note and quality.
4. God hath a generall providence about all things, yea even in sins. God determines sin in regard of time and measure, and orders it: and evils of punishment, Job 1. 21. and 2. 10. The Lord hath taken away: when the Sabaeans spoiled him, Amos 3. 6. Is there evil in a Citie, and the Lord hath not done it? & Esth. 6. That the King should not sleep that night, and that then he should call for a booke rather then anything else, & that book of the Chronicles, and that in that Book he should light on that place which specified Mordecais service.
We shall never feelingly applaude and acknowledge Gods wisedome, justice, goodnesse, or other excellencies, if we contemplate not the exercise of them in the workes of his providence, but in observing these, we shall surely attaine an high esteeme of him, and be ready to confesse his worth. When Gods works imprint not in our hearts a reverent fear of him, a hearty love to him, a confident trusting in him, a dutifull submission to him, and the like vertues, they are fruitlesse to us, and we receive no profit by them.
In respect of God, there is no confusion, but he rules wonderfully in the midst of all disorder that seemes to be in the world, wisely disposing of the same to the glory of his great name, Eccles. 5. 7. & 3. 17. Esay 26. 20, 21. Job 21. 30.
It teacheth us thankfullnesse and patience if things make for us,Eliz. Young. to praise God: if against us, to be humbled.
If thou beest hungry and in penury, murmure not nor repine, but say with the blessed Martyr; If men take away my meate, God will take away my stomack. Merlin during the massacre at Paris, some fortnight together, was nourished with one egge a day laid by an hen that came constantly to the hay-now where he lay hid in that danger. The whole power almost of France being gathered together against the City Rochel, *I trust God which hitherto hath preserved and led me by the hand, will not now of his goodness suffer me to go alone. Queen Elizab. Stow Chron.and besieging them with extremity who defended the Towne: God in the time of famine and want of bread, did forsome whole months together daily cast up a kinde of fish unto them out of the Sea, wherewith so many hundreds were relieved without any labour of their owne.
Be of good comfort brother (said Ridly to Latimer) for God will either asswage the fury of the fire, or else strengthen us to abide it.
In the time of the massacre at Paris, there was a poore man, who for his deliverance crept into a hole, & when he was there, there comes a Spider and weaves a Cob-web before the hole; when the murtherer came to search for him; saith one, certainly he is got into that hole: No saith another, he cannot be there, for there is a cob-web over the place; and by this meanes the poor man was preserved.
Let us observe the signall acts of Gods providence of late in this Kingdome.Psal. 106. 2. Hee studies not the Scripture as hee should, which studies not providence as he should;Psal. 92. 4, 5. wee should compare Gods promises and providence together.Psal. 107. ult. What we hear of him in his word with what we see in his workes.Psal. 48. 8. Wee should make a spirituall use of all occurrents, look above the courage of a Commander, the cowardise of an enemie.
How much of God hath been seen in many battles, at Keinton, Gods providence is most conspicuous in the managing of waters, for contingences are no where more ticklish then in warre, therefore hee is often stiled the Lord of Hosts.Newbery, Marston-moare, Naseby. Gods providence appeared in calling this Parliament then, when the people thought there would never be Parliament more, when our lawes, liberties, and religion were almost gone. God over-ruled the hearts of the people in the election: his providence was wonderfull as in calling, so in continuing this Parliament, and in keeping our Worthies together, when there were so many plots against them, and many fell off from them, many persons and letters have been strangely discovered.
Austin preaching once forgat what hee had purposed to utter, and so made an excursion from the matter in hand, & fell▪ into a discourse against the Manichees. Possidonius and others dining with him that day, Augustine told them of it, & asked them whether they observed it. They answered that they observed it, & much wondred at it. Then Augustine replyed, Credo quòd aliquem errantem in populo dominus per nostram oblivionem & errorem curari voluit. Two days after one came to Augustine before others, falling at his feet and weeping, confessing also that he had many yeares followed the heresie of the Manichees, & had spent much monie on them; but the day before through Gods merciemercy, by Austines Sermon, hee was converted, and then was made Catholike.
FINIS.