A Di[coarfo apon Providence. flow it~ Who poifeth the oppofit ions and contrarieties that arc i11 Nature in fo even a Balance, that none of them fha\1 ever preY ail to a total DeftruC\ion of the other? \Vho brings up the grea( Family of brute Beafts without tumult and diforder ? Do not all ihefe great and wonderful works fpeak forth the watchful Providence of God; who as he made them by his Word) fo frill governs them by his Power? Therefore whatfocvcr we receive beneficial from them, whatfocver fcems to provide for our Neccffitics or Conveniercies; it is God that hath fo difpcnfcd the Government of the World a~ to make •t ferviccable. lf the Heavens turn and move-for us, if the Stars, as fo many burning Torches, light us in the obfcurity of the Ni~ht; if the Angels proteCt: and defend us, let us acknowledge all thii. frQm the Providence of God only. lt 1s he that turns the Heavens round their Axls: He lights up the St:trs, he commands the Angels to be Miniftring Spirits Guards andCentinels about us. Jf the Fire warm us, the Air refrefh us, the Earth fupport us, it is God that hath kindled the Fire, that bath fprcad forth the Air ltablifh'd the Earth upon the Pillars of his own Decree that it lhould not be fhaken: And let us know too, that when we want thefe Creatures for our fuft entation if the Heavens, if the Angels , i f the Earth, jf the Sea, if all Things fhould fail 'us yea, bandy and fet thcmfelves againft us, yet God who provides for us by them, ea~ alfo, if he pleafe, provide for us without them. Thus we have difpatch'd t he two general Inquiries, · and have defcribcd and demonftrated unto you the Divine Providence. · The third which remains, is to anfwer fame Queftions and Doubts which may be made, and have indeed Peen ftrongly urged againft the Government of the World by Providence. · 1 As Firft, Jf the World be governed by Providence, whence comes it that wicked and ungodly Men flourifh and profper? That God fhincs upon their Ta- . bcrnacles, and drops fatncfs upon all their Paths? WHereas on tbe contrary, the Godly are often eXpofed to Poverty, Contempt, Reproaches, phfecuted by Men, afflicted by God. Would it not be as agreeable to the Divine Goodnefs, to caft abroad the Wealth, the Pomp, and Glory of th is World with an undecid ingHand, leaving Men to fcramble for them as they can, as that he fhould with a particular and ftudied Care advance thofe who contemn him, and crufh thofe who humbly trult and depend upon him ? Can l think the World is governed by the ProYidcnce of a Juft God, when ufually unjuft Men govern the World under him? When fwaggering Sinners, who d.efpifc him, have P~wer likewifc to con.troul o_thers ~ Is It W1fdom to pllt ~ Swor~ Into tha~Hand whtch will turn the _POint ?f lt agamft the giver? Or ]ufhce to 1mpower them to all tliofe Acts of Rapme, Vwlence, and Oppreflion, \\rhich they commit? And !hall we call that ProYidcnce wh ich is neither wife nor jufi:? One hath an unexhaufted Store to fupply his dilfolute Luxury and Riot, another fcarce Neceffaries to maintain a poor Life fpent in the. Commands of God. Here a wicked Di.. Jes, who worfhipped no other God but h1s own Belly, feaftsdelicioufiy every day; whilfi: a godly Laz..arus ftarvcs at this Glutton's Gate, and entertains the Dogs with licking of his Sores. And what,,doth Go_d's parti"cular Care furnilh the Glutton's Table with daily acc~fs, who. wtll n?t gtye the remaini ng Scraps to God's Children? If there be Divrne ProVidence 111 thts, what is become of the Divine Equity? This inequality of Affairs feem to perfua~e that it is not the Holy and Righteous God of Heaven, but rather the God of this World, that governs the Concerns of it, and that he fpoke Truth, when he told our Saviour, Luke 4· 6. The Power and Glory of this World is delivered unto me, and to whomfot'Ver I will, I give it. . Now to Anfwer this. Firft, This Quarrel is not of late commenced agamft Heaven ; but it hath been the Complaint of all Ages. It raifed Controvcrties among the very Heathens themfelvcs, fome ot them upon this Ground denying, and others again. by whole Treatifes defend ing the government of the World by Providence. And no wonder it Jbould puzzle them, fiilce the very bcfi: of God's Saints and Servants have likewife Itumbled at this Stone of Offi: nce. Thus the Pfalmifr, Pfal. 73· 2., 3· &c. As for me my Feet were almoft gone, my jleps had well uigh jlipt: For 1 was envious at the Foolijh, when I Jaw the profperity of the WicKed. So likewife the Prophet 'Jeremy J 2. 1 Rtghtmu art thou, 0 Lord, whm ! plead with thu, yet l et me talk with thee of thJ 'Judgment: Wherefore doth the way of the wlcked profper? Wherefore are tt!J they happy that 4Ml verJ treacheroujly l This therefore is an old grief,
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