Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Frontispiece – Dedication
VERA EFFIGIES IOHANNIS COLLINGS
S.T.P. ANNO DOM: 1678. AETATIS. 55.
Man's but a shadow, and a Picture is
That shadow's shadow. yet don't judge amiss.
Though here you onelyonly on the shadow look
What followes read. The Substance is i'th'book.
R. White ad V…um: delin et ſculp: 167…
SEVERAL DISCOURSES Concerning the Actual Providence OF GOD.
DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS.
The Firſt, Treating concerning the Notion of it, eſtabliſhing the Doctrine of it, opening the principal ACTS of it, Preſervation and Government of created Beings. With the particular Acts, by which it ſo preſerveth and governeth them.
The Second, Concerning the Specialties of it, the Ʋnſearchable things of it, and ſeveral Obſervable things in its motions.
The Third, concerning the foreign, or hard Chapters of it, in which an attempt is made, to ſolve ſeveral appearances of difficulty in the motions of Providence, and to vindicate the Juſtice, Wiſdom, and Holineſs of God, with the reaſonableneſs of his dealing in ſuch Motions.
By JOHN COLLINGES, D.D.
LONDON: Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt, and are to be ſold by Edward Giles Bookſeller in St. Andrews Pariſh in Norwich, 1678.
To the Right Honourable the Lady Frances Thompſon.
MADAM,
I Beſeech your Honour to believe me telling you, that I have been theſe thirteen years (ever ſince I had the happineſs to know your Ladiſhip) watching an opportunity, as to let your Ladiſhip know the ſenſe I have of the obligations you have been pleaſed to lay upon me; ſo to let the world know the honour I have for your Ladiſhip, growing up from my firſt obſervations of you, which was in your Ladiſhips near approaches to, and in your ſtate of Widowhood. I then obſerved, Madam, that your Ladiſhip (like the child of ſo Honourable and pious Parents) had very early entertained just, noble, and moſt honourable thoughts of the living God, which had produced in you as early a choice of him as your God, and of his ways, as your ways, with a zeal beyond the proportion which could be expected from your years. Having therefore perfected the following Diſcourſes, I congratulated my ſelf, when I had thought of your Ladiſhip as a fit perſon to entitle to them, and the rather, becauſe your Ladiſhip (having not yet ſeen many years) ſhall I hope have many days to obſerve the motions of Divine Providence, both as to Polities and Perſons; and from thence both to conclude, how true thoſe few Obſervations are which I have made, and to give ſome more eminent Divine, many a ſubject more of this nature from your own obſervation. Madam! in the few years you have yet lived, you have ſeen as many, and as quick, and inexpected rotations of Providence; as the like number of years have at any time as yet produced, or are like to produce; and yet the wheel ſeems to run nimbly, and a further multitude of years may add to your Ladiſhips wiſdom in this thing. I crave leave moſt humbly to recommend to your Honour, as the obſervation of Iſſues, ſo the confirmation of Divine Promiſes, and Threatnings in the fulfilling of them. I doubt not but your Ladiſhip will every day ſee, that it is that God who cannot lye, who hath commanded his Miniſters at all times to ſay unto the righteous, it ſhall be well with them, for they ſhall eat of the fruit of their doings; and to ſay, Wo unto the wicked it ſhall be ill with them, for the reward of their hands ſhall be given them. If Madam! the actual Providence of God at any time ſeemeth to look another way, it is but keeping your patient foot a while at the Promiſe, and Providence (like the Bee) will come home to the word of Promiſe or Threatning, bringing along with it a body laden with honey, to reward the godly and righteous man, and a ſting to ſmite and pierce thoſe through who have wrought wickedneſs, and provoked a jealous God. Our bleſſed Lord (Madam) tells us, Joh. 17.3. That it is life eternal for men to know God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent. The promiſe or predication in the propoſition of that Text, makes it evident that by the knowledg of the Father, and Jeſus Christ, is meant more than the bare comprehenſion of the nature and things of God in our understanding (as indeed knowledg and moſt other terms of ſenſe do ordinarily ſignifie in Scripture, the Greek complying with its elder ſiſter the Hebrew, which hath a great penury of words) ſo that to know God and Chriſt in the true ſenſe of that text, is not only in our underſtandings to comprehend what may be, and is neceſſary to be known of God; but to adore, love, fear him, believe in him, to chuſe him for our God. In ſhort it comprehends all thoſe acts of our minds which are either juſt conſequents, or may rationally be inferred as duties from a juſt underſtanding and due comprehenſion of him; but in regard according to the workings of our reaſonable natures thoſe acts will not, indeed cannot be exerted, without a praevious apprehenſion of him proportionable to what he indeed is, and ſo as to make him an adequate object for our affections, a juſt comprehenſion of God in our underſtandings is neceſſary, in order to thoſe other acts of internal homage, wherein the Creature ſtandeth indebted to his great Creator. So that Solomon, Prov. 19.2. did but conclude rationally, That the ſoul ſhould be without knowledg is not good. And the great Apoſtle of the Gentiles askt but a reaſonable queſtion, Rom. 10. How ſhall they believe on him of whom they have not heard?
All Knowledg comes into the Soul either by the Exterior ſenſes, or by reaſoning and diſcourſe; or thirdly by Divine impreſſion and revelation. The two former are the more ordinary; the latter, a rarer and more extraordinary means of knowledg, in theſe latter days, ſince God hath ſpoken to us by his Son.
I ſpeak of Knowledg ſtrictly taken for the comprehenſion of things in our underſtanding, for if we take it in the large ſenſe even now mentioned, neither ſenſe, nor reaſon, is a ſufficient mean to it.
By ſenſe we can directly comprehend nothing of God, for who hath ſeen him at any time? he is an Incorporeal, immaterial ſubſtance, and cometh not under the cogniſance of any ſenſe, nor indeed can we ſo know any ſpiritual being; but in regard the effects both of him who is the Father of Spirits, and of ſpiritual beings that are creatures are ſenſible. Our Senſes afford us ofttimes an auxiliary help, from which our reaſon draweth juſt concluſions concerning God, from Principles which it at firſt it eſtabliſheth by the help of ſenſe. For example, That the World is, and Man is, are matters of ſenſe. Now Reaſon concludes, Nothing (unleſs a firſt being) can be the cauſe of its own existence. Hence it gathers there muſt be a God, a first being, and a first cauſe. Again, when Senſe hath ſhewed us Man a reaſonable creature, Reaſon works and tells us, He that made this noble Creature must needs be more noble, more reaſonable, more excellent.
What we know then of God muſt needs be from Reaſon or Revelation. Reaſon brings us in knowledg, by raiſing Concluſions from Principles. Theſe Principles are of two ſorts, Philoſophical, or Scriptural. I call thoſe Philoſophical Principles, which reaſon as it now reſideth in us juſtifieth, and which without the help of the Word of God are allowed by all; or the moſt of men, eſpecially if cultivated by any ingenuous education, being either common natural principles, or ſuch as are eſtabliſhed by ſtudies upon deliberate thoughts, with the help of ſenſe, and improvement of diſcourſe and ratiocination. Thus Reaſon will tell us that there is a God, but one God; That he must be the firſt being, the first cauſe, more excellent in the perfections of his being than any creature; and an hundred things of a like evidence. Or elſe it concludeth from revealed Principles, (having firſt a ſufficient evidence, That the holy Scriptures are the word of God, who cannot ſpeak falſly.) Theſe Principles now are ſuch propoſitions as without the ſurer word of Propheſie we could never have had any juſt evidence of: Such now are the Doctrines of the Trinity, The Incarnation of Chriſt, The Perſonal union of the Divine and Humane Nature in him; and many others.
In the diſcovery and juſtification of ſuch Concluſions as Reaſon gathereth from the firſt ſort of Principles, lyeth the work of a Philoſopher as a Philoſopher. In the diſcovery and proof of ſuch Propoſitions as are partly evidenced from Reaſon, but more fully from Scripture, lies the work of a Chriſtian Philoſopher.
In the diſcovery, proving and applying of ſuch Propoſitions as have their Evidence partly from Reaſon, and more fully from holy Writ, or as cannot be at all concluded, unleſs building upon Scriptural foundations, but are founded in Scripture, and may be illuſtrated imperfectly from reaſon, and ſhewed not to be improbable nor unreaſonable, lyes the work of the Miniſter of the Goſpel, who is to convey the knowledg of God to his people. And the true reaſon why ſome even of theſe ſilver Trumpets (which belong to the Sanctuary) give an incertain ſound, is becauſe neither the Principles of natural Reaſon, nor Revelation, appear to all men in the ſame light. We ſay, The beſt Philoſopher is not as yet born. Our age tells us how generally Principles of Philoſophy are exploded (and it may be ſome of them juſtly too) which we when we were boys thought to lye very near Demonſtration; and doubtleſs in the next age ſomething now admitted, will be judged as faulty. It hath pleaſed God to ſubject our underſtandings to this vanity. Now we having no way (unleſs God would from Heaven ſpeak to us) to know any propoſition of Truth, but from the exerciſe of our Reaſon concluding, either from Principles purely natural, or from Propoſitions of Revelation in Scripture, every one naturally judging himſelf obliged to believe, according to the evidence he hath from his underſtanding, there muſt and will be different apprehenſions until (which will never be) men have all either the ſame degrees of Natural Reaſon, or Scriptural knowledg; which will be advantaged if there be any who think that all Propoſitions are to be weighed by the ballance of Natural Reaſon, and that the holy Scripture as to the ſenſe of it muſt come into that ſcale, and make but in-weight giving only an auxiliary help to the Evidence of the moſt ſublime Propoſitions of truth. Nor is there any help for this. The Church of Rome (which your Ladiſhip knows pretends to wondrous Miracles) hath indeed deviſed a palliating cure for this, ſetting up an Infallible cheat to judg of all Controverſies, and by fire and faggots, and all barbarous cruelties, and inhumanities forcing men to acquieſce in the Deciſions of that ridiculous Judg. But in the mean time mens Conſciences apprehend themſelves before one who is no Judg in the eaſe, and the ſore feſtreth and rotteth to the bone; for the Pope can make none to alter his mind. And a little reaſon might tell the Quacks of that Colledg, that if it be not in the power of a man to believe what he hath a mind to believe, it is much leſs in the power of a foreign power to compell him to it.
The Proteſtant cure is certainly more humane and reaſonable, yea and more Apostolical too. They ſet forth ſums of ſound Doctrine, to which they only annex that of the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.15. Let us therefore (as many as be perfect) be thus minded, and if any in any thing be otherwiſe minded God ſhall reveal even this unto you. Only Proteſtants require (as the ſame Apoſtle directs) Rom. 14. That if any hath a particular faith, (different from that of the Church wherein he liveth) he ſhould have it to himſelf before God. Thus the Knowledg of God is acquired from his word, reading it, being Catechiſed out of it, hearing it opened, and preached, by the comparing of ſpiritual things with ſpiritual; by the uſe of reaſon and diſcourſe in the Velitation of Queſtions ariſing from the ſeeming contradictions in Holy Writ, &c.
But there is alſo another mean of Divine Knowledg, that is by his exterior works, by which much of the Knowledg of God is gained, improved, and encreaſed. Theſe works are either of Creation, or of Providence. Creation was the work of the firſt ſix days, from which God hath ceaſed long ſince, but the things created remain, and much of the Knowledg of God is to be gained from thence, by the help of ſenſe, which ſheweth us the things, and reaſon which helpeth us to conclude, that there being ſo many noble effects, there muſt be a firſt and more noble cauſe; there being ſo many excellent Beings, there muſt be a firſt and moſt perfect and excellent Being. Nothing created could give an Exiſtence to it ſelf: Hence the Apoſtle telleth us, That the inviſible things of God from the creation of the world, are clearly ſeen from the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, Rom. 1.20. So that they are without excuſe, becauſe that when they knew God they glorified him not as God.
For the Book of Scriptures we (bleſſed be God!) have it in our Vernacular Tongue, we have means to teach us to read, we have Catechiſms, and Confeſſions of Faith, containing the Epitome and ſubſtance of them, we have the various labours of holy and learned men, to make us to underſtand them; ſcarce any thing ſeemeth to be wanting to this age for the gaining of this excellent knowledg by this mean but perſons giving themſelves up to Reading, Hearing, Meditation, Chriſtian Conferences, and Prayer.
For the Book of Creation methinks it is like a great Bible in ſome Religious Gentlemans Hall, that lyes always open; we cannot move a ſtep in the world, nor lift up an eye to Heaven, but our eye is upon one page, or another of it. If men will not read the Wiſdom of God, in the ſagacity and wiſdom of ſome Creatures, nor the power and greatneſs of God in the greatneſs and power of others, and ſo for other perfections; it is not becauſe they want means, but becauſe they want an heart to ſeek after God: as to this there is no want of any thing, but a wiſe contemplation of them, and a rational concluding from the perfections of the effects to the greater excellency and perfection of the firſt cauſe and being. The Book of Creation will learn us much of the nature and admirable perfections of the Divine Being. The Book of Scripture will learn us more of it, and inſtruct us in ſublimer Myſteries than Reaſon could diſcover: The Doctrine of the Trinity; the two Natures united in the Perſon of the Mediator. They will tell us of Gods Covenants, of Chriſts performances of the Covenant of Redemption, of the Will of God to be done by us, and the Will of God to be done unto, and upon us, in his Promiſes and threatnings. The Apoſtle ſums up all, when he tells us they are able to make the man of God wiſe to ſalvation, throughly furniſhed to every good work.
But there is yet another Book which is leſs obvious to the eye of ſenſe, than the Book of Creation is, and to the eye of Reaſon too, and upon which fewer Commentaries have been wrote, than upon the Books of holy Scripture, that is the Book of Actual Providence. A Book in which much of God is written, and from which much of God may be learned; but it is commonly taken for the Viſion of a book that is ſealed, which is given to one who is learned, with a command to read it, but he ſaith, I cannot, for it is ſealed. Some (more brutiſh than the Heathens) deny any ſuch Book, dreaming of the old Pagan Fate, or blind Fortune.
Others will allow it in part, but will have much of it ſpurious, dreaming that the World is like a Clock, which once ſet in order and wound up, goes alone without further uſe of the Workmans hand. Others will allow Divine Providence a more univerſal influence, but yet love not to hear of any Specialties of it. Some again highly conceited of their own reaſon, will ſubject the Providence of God to their rational Concluſions. Few or none make any obſervations upon the motions of Divine Providence; though certainly nothing more conduceth to true Spiritual wiſdom. Others ſtumbling at ſome difficulties relating to the motions of Providence, either wholly deny it, or form to themſelves ſtrange Ideas of God, which no way agree to his moſt holy and perfect eſſence.
This Madam! hath encouraged me to attempt ſomething both to recover the Actual Providence of God, from the Atheiſm of this age, and the groundleſs prejudices which vain men have taken up againſt it; and by it to recover for God, that juſt Fear, Faith, Love, Patience, and other homage, which both the excellency of his being, and of his holy working calleth for. And certainly, Madam, if learned men have thought it worth their while (as ſome have done) to give the World a rational account of Divine Offices, of the Modes and circumſtances of Eccleſtastical constitutions in Rites and Garments, Liturgies and Ceremonies, &c. It muſt needs be a noble work, to undertake to give the world a Rational of Divine Operations. Such eſpecially which ſeem to be the hardeſt Chapters in the book of Providence, and leaſt eaſie to be underſtood; and indeed this was my original deſign. But while my thoughts were exerciſed in this, my work grew upon my hand, conſidering eſpecially the Atheiſm of the age in which we live, together with the circumſtances of the Church and people of God in moſt European parts of the world, and the particular temptations I have obſerved attending many, and thoſe very excellent perſons. I was further drawn on by the pleaſantneſs and uſefulneſs of the ſubject in all, but eſpecially in evil times, and the apparent tendency of it to make men fear, and love, hope and truſt in, and with patience to wait upon God. Theſe things, Madam, made me reſolve to open the Doctrine of Providence more fully, though not in its full compaſs, and latitude (reſolving always to carry along with me the capacity of thoſe to whom I ſpake or wrote.) I was, Madam, the more encouraged in this from my obſervation, that amongſt the many excellent Books with which this age doth abound, there are fewer of this Argument than any other. Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick (a great Divine) treats in two or three Sermons about the Specialties of Providence, and the late eminent Biſhop Wilkins hath in a ſhort Tract learnedly and piouſly diſcourſed the ſymmetry and beauty of it. Another in a larger Diſcourſe called an Introduction into the Doctrine of Providence, hath made and a little enlarged upon ſeveral Obſervations upon the motions of it. I projected and have at laſt finiſhed a fuller Diſcourſe than any of theſe (though poſſibly much more imperfect ſo far as they did diſcourſe this excellent argument) and reſolved to divide my diſcourſe into three parts, which accordingly I have done.
In the firſt Part, Madam, after two Preliminary Diſcourſes; the firſt concerning Gods Predeterminations, (where I had no mind to meddle with any preſent Controverſies, that was not a popular work,) the ſecond concerning Creation; Your Ldiſhip will find me plainly diſcourſing of the Nature of Providence, in the notion in which alone I intended to ſpeak to it. There I have from Scripture and Reaſon proved, That there is a conſtant care of God extended to the whole Creation: That the Creature ſtands not in its own ſtrength, nor moveth meerly from a principle within it ſelf; nor is governed meerly by its fellow-creatures in a ſuperior order, much leſs acteth caſually, or under the neceſſity of any fate; but is under the daily inſpection, government, care and influence of the firſt cauſe, its great Creator, who both preſerveth and governeth it. There I have ſhortly ſhewed the particular acts by which God preſerveth and governeth created Beings in their ſeveral capacities: A point, Madam, of inexpreſſible uſe, to poſſeſs us of a true notion of God, of our daily dependencies upon him, and (conſequently) our duty toward him. David ſaith he was fearfully and wonderfully made; we are fearfully and wonderfully preſerved.
In the ſecond Part I have diſcourſed 1. Of the Specialties of Providence, more eſpecially to the Church, and to every individual ſoul that loves and fears him, ſhortly opening wherein they lye, and ſhewing the reaſonableneſs of it. 2. Then I more ſhortly diſcourſe the unſearchable things of it; for Madam, who dare pretend more than to ſhew a part of his ways? Who can by ſearching find out God? Who can find out the Almighty to Perfection? This I have done to check curioſity, and keep off good people from vain gueſſes and Prophetical concluſions without bottom. 3. From that the diſcourſe will lead your Ladiſhip to conſider the duty of a good Chriſtian, in the obſervation of the motions of Providence, and the advantage from it reſulting to an obſerving ſoul. To help my Reader in this I have made ſeveral obſervations upon the motions of Providence. Some of which lie plain enough to every eye, all I think are juſtified enough from Scriptural and other inſtances, only perhaps the reaſonableneſs and juſtice, and wiſdom of God in them, is not or hath not been ſo obvious. Others (poſſibly) have not been ſo remarked, and are little more than recommended as probationers for a good mans obſervation.
There is, Madam, a great variety in the methods of an infinitely wiſe God by which he ordereth the Univerſe, and particularly that people in the world which he hath ſet apart for himſelf, In the ſame work Gods Providence moveth not at all times in the ſame method, or by the ſame means, yet in many things the motions of Providence have much uniformity if we wiſtly obſerve them.
And as from the reading, and obſervation of the Syntax and conſtruction uſed by Authors in ſeveral languages, Grammarians have made their obſervations, from whence they have formed Rules, few of which are yet without their exceptions: ſo from the obſervation of the motions of Divine Providence in the world; the reading of the Sacred Hiſtory, and conſidering what the great God hath been doing, and is doing in the world; conſiderate Chriſtians may gain a great knowledg of God in his ways, and give a very probable conjecture, if not form a certain judgment, both what God is about to do, and what Iſrael ought to do. For (ſaith the Wiſeman, Eccleſ. 1.9, 10.) the thing which hath been it is that which ſhall be done, and there is no new thing under the Sun. Is there any thing of which it may be ſaid, ſee this is new? it hath been already of old time which was before us. The Sinners of the world are but acting over thoſe luſts of hatred to God, malice, revenge, cruelty, luxury, which their forefathers periſhed in acting many years ago. And the Saints in the world are but making the ſame defence, fighting the ſame good fight, finiſhing the ſame courſe which Abel began in the Old Teſtament, and was carried on by Elijah, Zachariah, and all the Prophets, by John Baptist, and the Captain of our Salvation; and Gods motions of Providence will appear much the ſame: as to circumſtances of time and place, &c. they may alter, but ſubſtantially they muſt be ſo, becauſe of the certainty of the word both of promiſe, and threatning. The ſtudy of Actual Providence (for which the Hiſtorical part of the Scripture which we count moſt uſeleſs, is of great uſe) is a noble ſtudy, and the obſervation of the daily motions of it, is highly conducive to make us ſpiritually wiſe, and to help us to underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord, both towards his Church, and individual ſouls which love and fear him. I have, Madam, been ſomething large in theſe obſervations, but yet how little a portion of Gods ways have I here diſplayed? I ſhall yet think I have done a great work, if I have but ſet an example to ſome other Divines of greater parts, knowledg, judgment and obſervation, to carry it on, for doubtleſs, many more obſervations might be made, which would both much increaſe our knowledg, and direct our practice.
In the third and laſt part of my Diſcourſes, Madam, I have endeavoured to expound ſome difficult Chapters in the book of Providence, and to deliver the name of that glorious God, whom we ſerve, from thoſe prejudices, which nothing but the luſts of men have raiſed in the world againſt him, and his righteous ways. To reconcile the ways of Divine Providence both to thoſe Propoſitions of truth, which lye plain in the word, and to thoſe Promiſes and Threatnings which are the Indications of his will in that word, both with reference to Saints and Sinners.
I think, Madam, I diſcern two great Errors in the world: 1. The Judgment of Truth. 2. Of the love and hatred of God from motions and iſſues of Providence. Hence becauſe God in his Providence hath ordered the Production of Men and Women, giving them life and being, and his Goſpel to be preached in their hearing; ſo as they are externally called to repent and to believe, men conclude, There is no election of perſons, That Chriſt hath died for all and every man; That every man hath a power to repent, believe, love God, hate ſin, &c. And I wiſh a modeſt denial of Divine Truths were the worſt: but we are fallen into a rude and ill mannered age, when every puny hath boldneſs enough to ſay, If this be ſo, then God is an impostor, and mocks and deludes, he is unjust, cruel. I tremble to recite it; when-as the truth is, it is neither ſo nor ſo. Let what will be concluded concerning theſe Propoſitions, no ſuch thing will follow. I have, Madam, endeavoured to reconcile theſe Providences of God to the truth of theſe Propoſitions, which ſome invidiouſly charge with ſuch conſequences, and to let theſe bold men underſtand that God is equal, his ways equal, and admirably correſponding with thoſe notions of truth ſo much diſtaſt them; only they are ignorant, and do not rightly judg concerning a righteous God.
The ſecond Error is more common: The judging of the love and hatred of God from his Providential diſpenſations to us. Hence are our temptations to call the proud happy, to bleſs them whom the Lord hath curſed, and becauſe they are rich and proſper; and as to our ſelves, to charge God fooliſhly, as if either he did not deal juſtly or kindly with us, becauſe we are tempted or afflicted more than others, or becauſe we are devoured by wicked men.
I have, Madam, attempted to remove theſe ſtumbling blocks out of the ways of Gods people, and to reconcile both theſe motions of Providence, and all its motions in the diſpenſations both of first and further grace, to his Wiſdom, Goodneſs, and Holineſs, and to our reaſon; as alſo to reconcile Gods Providential permiſſions of ſin, and ſinners, his puniſhment of one ſin with another, to the purity and holineſs of God; and to deliver Gods Providential diſpenſations of this nature from the uſual and ignorant imputation, that this is to make God the author of ſin; what I have done of this nature, I leave to your Ladiſhip, and every ſober Reader to judg. The whole, Madam, was compoſed for popular diſcourſes. Thoſe that dwell in Kings houſes may be allowed perhaps to cloth their Diſcourſes in the ſoft raiment of fine and delicate words. It was not ſo fit for me who was to ſpeak of great things to a plain people, and whoſe deſign was that of S. Paul, not to have the faith of thoſe to whom I ſpake, ſtand tottering upon the wiſdom of men (which varieth much in individuals) but in the power of God. I am far from thinking theſe Diſcourſes perfect in any part of them. I have laid the foundation, God raiſe up wiſe and maſter-builders to ſuperſtruct. If I miſtake not, the foundation I have laid, is not upon the ſand, and uncertain bottom of humane reaſon, but upon the Apoſtles and Prophets, Chriſt himſelf being the chief corner stone.
Madam, I moſt humbly beg pardon of your Ladiſhip and noble Husband, for no further taking notice of him in this Epiſtle. I had not, when I wrote it, knowledg enough of him to entitle me to ſuch a preſumption; I now ſo far know him, as to let me know he will not be diſguſted at what is offered to your Ladiſhip; and to aſſure me, he is one who owneth and adoreth Divine Providence; and if he had no other motives, I pretty well am aſſured alſo that its diſpenſation towards himſelf in diſpoſing ſuch a Lady to his boſom, and making him ſuch a Father in our Iſrael, by your Ladiſhip, as he is, and I truſt ſhall further be, would be ſufficient. I moſt humbly beg, Madam, all the Bleſſings of Heaven and Earth upon him, and upon your Ladiſhip, and all thoſe whom God hath given you, and crave the honour to ſubſcribe my ſelf,
May 1. 1678. Your Honours moſt humble Servant, JOHN COLLINGES.