The Sovereign Efficacy of Divine Providence, Title page – To the reader
The Soveraig… Efficacy of Divine Providence; Over-ruling and Omnipotently Disposing and Ordering all Humane Counsels a…d Affairs, Asserted, Demonstrated and Improved, in a DISCOVRSE Evincing, That (not any Arm of Flesh, but) the right Hand of the Most High is it, that Swayeth the Vniversal Scepter of this Lower World's Gover…ent. Oft Wheeling about the Prudentest Management of the Profoundest Plotts, of the Greatest on Earth; un…o such, Issues and Events, as are Amazingly contrary to all Humane Prob… …lities, and cross to the Confident Expectation of Lookers on. As Delivered in a SERMON Preached in Cambridge, on Sept. 10. 1677. Being the Day of ARTILLERY ELECTION there.
By Mr. VRIAN OAKES, the late (and still to be Lamented) Reverend Pastor of the Church of Christ in Cambridge: And Learned President of Harvard Colledge.
Psal. 29. 10.
The Lord sitteth upon the flood: yea the Lord … …teth King for ever.
Isai. 41. 14, 15.
Fear not thou worm of Iacob. I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer. Thou shalt thresh the Mountains.
Rom. 11.36 .
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
BOSTON In NEW-ENGLAND: Printed for Sa…wall 1682.
TO THE READER
Christian Reader,
WHat thou art here presented with, is a part of the pious, & profitable Labours of that faithful Embassador of Christ Mr. URIAN OAKES: who having served his generation by the will of God, in the Gospel of His Son; and being willing to exchange this for a better World; did in his passage hence, let fall, & (as somtime Elijah his mantle) leave behind him this, with other useful Fruits of his well-studied, & elaborate Meditations: By which, and an amiable, exemplary, instructive, well-ordered, christian Conversation, he being dead, yet speaketh.
It will be a sin, & shame to such as knew, & had opportunity to enjoy him, to forget how great a price we had in our hands, while for a few years, we were permitted by Him, who walking amidst the golden Candlesticks, holds the Stars in His right hand, to have the heat, & help of so burning, & shinning a Light: Alike blameworthy shall we be, and guilty of a greatly-provoking Evil, if we mind not how much we have lost, & are tremendously weakened by the fall of so principal a Pillar; and what cause we have to lament, that by an immature, & (as to us) a too too early Death, & dissolution, so bright-shining a Star is now no more visible; being removed & taken up to shine in a higher Orb. It is doubtless a sad Omen, & presage of a near approaching Night of blackness, & darkness, when our heavenly Father calls to put His children to bed. The removing & taking away of Shepherds, & principal Men from a People, what is it, but a casting down their Pillars, a plucking up their Stakes, a bereaving them of their Chariots & Hors-men, & leaving them without their Defence & Strength. Let not an unaffected, senseless stupidity under that late dreadful Dispensation, of a provoked God, give occasion to take up against us that sad Complaint Is. 57. 1. The righteo…s perisheth, and no m…n layeth it to heart: and merciful men(or men of Godliness) are taken away, none considering&c. Surely, from the going away of such, survivers may conclude that Evil is coming. Let Noah be sh…t into the Ark; Lot removed; and zealous tender hearted Josiah laid to sleep in his bed of dist: and the appointed executioners of God's direful displeasure, Elements & Enemies, shall immediatly set upon & assault to their confusion, a People ripe for ruine. Oh that we were wise to lay to heart & Consider!
The eminent Worth, & rare Accomplishments of the (now blessed) Author, none but such as knew Him not, or envied Him, can, or will deny. The rare Beauties, & Sweets of Nature, Learning, and Grace which the Great God had endowed, & adorned Him with, were such, & so attractive, that nothing but unacquaintance disingenuity, & prejudice could secure from being captivated, and held fast in the pleasant bonds of Love, & Delight. Had all the Art, and Grace He was filled, & furnished with, been tunned up into an ill-sented Cask, tainted with Haughtiness, Peevishness, & Vanity; their Flavour, and delightful Sweetness would have been lost in a nauseous unpleasancy. What He was to my self, I cannot without renewing my grief, express; OnelyOnly I shall say, He was (what is rare, & hard to be found in this lower World) a delightful, loving, profitable, fast & faithful Friend: Being gone, I cannot forbear following with David's Elegie, & Complaint for his beloved Jonathan; I am distressed for thee my dear Brother, very pleasant hast thou been unto me: but, The Lord liveth, & blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my Salvation be exalted. Amen.
The designe of this Sermon, as left by the Author written with his own Hand, now Published in Print, is to vindicate the Glory of the blessed God in His All-ruling, Wonder-working Providence as soveraignly disposing the Issues▪ & Events of all humane Counsels, & Affairs. The most High doth …, (as to His Declarative Glory) even from His dearest & bes… Servants: For they be clogged, & cumbered with the …me remain…ers of Ignorance, Atheisme, Unbelief, Carnal Reason, &c. While we are too intent in gazing upon the Living Creatures, and the dreadful Wheels, (which by their swift, and whirling Motion do oft raise a Cloud of dust) we soon lose the sight of Him who sits above upon the Throne, overruling, and Working all things according to the Counsel of his own Will. We are apt to be too fearful, and distrustful in our Entrance upon; and too forgetful of God in the Issues of great and doubtful Affairs; quicker of sight to discover an host of Aramites, than to discern an Army of Angels, like him 2 Kings, 6. 15, 16, 17. and more ready to give too much to Creatures, than to ascribe unto God His due Judg. 7. 2-6. Prevention of, and help against Evils, so prejudicial to our selves and dishonourable to God, was the aim of the Author in this ensuing seasonable, and serious Discourse; worthy to be perused by all unto whose hands it may come: The Face of Affaires, in the Times now passing over our heads, is such, and so agreeable to what TRVTH Himselfe foretold Luke, 21. 25, 26. as proves it (beyond dispute) needful to be perused, prayed over, and improved, unto a securing to our selves Comfort; and to the blessed God His ever due Glory. That it may be so, is the unfeigned wish of him who is
Thine in the Lord Iesus IOHN SHERMAN.