An Antidote Against Heresy, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Of Divine Providence.
GOD having made the world of nothing, did not leave it to it ſelf,Truth. but doth ſtil by his Almighty power and wiſdom ſuſtain and govern the ſame; preſerving all things that are, and diſpoſing all things that are done freely, and according to his own good pleaſure; ſo that nothing is, or comes to paſs raſhly, or by chance, but according to the counſel of his heavenly will.
Errours.Adverſaries to this truth are, 1. Atheiſts and Epicures that deny all Providence, holding, That all things were created, and are dayly acted by chance and fortune. 2. Stoicks and Stoical Patrons of fate and deſtiny, that have deviſed a certain chain of ſecond cauſes, wherewith they have tyed Gods hands, as it were, and not left him the liberty to change, alter or order things at his own will and pleaſure. 3. Familiſts hold, That all things are ruled and ordered by nature. 4. Some place many things in our own power and freewill, which they ſay are not ſubject to Providence. 5. Worldlings aſcribe all the good that befalls them to their own wiſdom and endeavours. 6. Divers imagine that Gods Providence doth not reach unto every ſmall and trifting matter, conceiving it not agreeable to his Majeſty and greatneſs, even as it is too low and baſe for a Prince to look into the affairs of his Kitchin.
AntidoteThat there is a Divine Providence over-ſeeing and over-ruling the whole world, and all things therein, is clear, becauſe there is a God infinite in wiſdom and power, which were not ſo, if any thing came to paſs by chance or fortune, or could be done without him, or beſide his will and pleaſure. The whole Scriptures bear witneſs unto this truth; and in particular, Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place. Pſal. 113.6. He abaſeth himſelf to behold things done in heaven and earth. Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in heaven and in earth, &c. For Iſai. 43.13. If he work, who ſhall hinder it?
1. Firſt, God doth order and diſpoſe all things freely according to his own good will and pleaſure, without the leaſt compulſion or reſtraint: and it pleaſeth God to do many things contrary to the courſe of nature, as when he cauſed the Sun to ſtand ſtill at Joſhua's command, and go back at Hezekiah's requeſt, to ſhew that the order or courſe of nature is nothing elſe but a Law or Statute of his own making, that he can repeal, alter and change when he pleaſe; and that all ſecond cauſes are but ſeveral links of Divine Providence that depend one upon another, and all upon God.
2. Secondly, Gods Providence extends to all creatures, even the moſt baſe and vile, Pſal. 104.27. All creatures wait upon him, Pſal. 147.9. The poor Ravens as well as the ſtately Lions, the peaſant as well as the Prince, Pſal. 82.1. God ſtands in the Congregation of Princes, Pſal. 113.6. He takes the ſimple out of the duſt, and poor out of the mire, Pſal. 146. He relieveth the oppreſſed, and looſeth the priſoner. Pſal. 33.13. The Lord beholds all the children of men, and conſiders all that dwell upon the earth.
3. Thirdly, To the moſt caſual actions, Prov. 16.33. The lot is caſt into the lap, but the whole diſpoſing thereof is from the Lord: and what more caſual then lots?
4. Fourthly, To the moſt trivial things, Mat. 10.29. An hair doth not fall from our heads without his Providence, and what more trivial?
5. Fifthly, Even wicked and ſinful actions are ſubject to Divine Providence; ſo that ſin it ſelf is not committed without or beſide his will, his moſt wiſe Providence ordering and turning it beyond the purpoſe or intent of the ſinner to his own glory and good of his people, Acts 4.28. His hand and Counſel fore-determined whatſoever was done againſt Chriſt: So that God was an actor in the buſineſs as well as Judas, and yet God was juſt and righteous, Judas wicked and ſinful, becauſe in all one thing which they both did, there was not all one cauſe or end for which they did it. Auguſt. Epiſt. 48. ad Vincent.
Object. But if God have ſuch a hand and ſtroke in ſinful actions, then he is the Authour of ſin.
Sol. God forbid; God doth not infuſe any evil or malice into us, but in him we live and move, and ſuch as we are, ſuch we are moved by him, unleſs he pleaſe to alter and change our nature. The earth gives ſap to all trees, but that ſome bring forth evil fruit, the fault is not in the earth, but in the evil quality or diſpoſition of the trees. God is an actour in …inful actions, and yet is not the Authour of ſin for all that: God hates ſin, whereof, if he were the Author, how then ſhall he be the Judg? How ſhall he take vengeance? Rom. 3.5, 6.
All things, then, that are, or are done …n the world, are ſubject to Gods Providence; both Angels and men; bruit creatures, and devils themſelves; all degrees of men, high and low; their perſons, life, liberty and eſtates; all their actions, both natural, and voluntary; good and bad; nothing ſo ſmall that is hid from his ſight; nothing ſo caſual, but he directs it; nothing ſo trivial, but he takes notice and diſpoſeth of it.
Great are the works of the Lord, inſomuch that after a marvellous & unſpeakable manner, that is not done beſide his wil, that yet is done againſt his will, becauſe it ſhould not be done if he did not ſuffer it; neither doth he ſuffer it againſt his will, but with his will; neither would he, being good, ſuffer evil to be done, unleſs, being alſo Almighty, he were able to bring good out of evil. August. Enchirid. cap. 100.