Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

14 DISPLAY Of 1. Prove this pofition, that the wholeworld is cared for by God and by him go- verned, and therein all men, good or bad, all things in particular, be they never fò fmall, and in our Eyes inconfiderable.. 2. Shew the manner, how Godworketh all, in all things, according to the diverfity of fecondary caufes, which he hath created ; whereof, force are neceffary, force free, others contingent, which produce their elfeas, nee -mrnüs, nee ddi ri =at,' fed xdia evleß,Cexas,merely by accident. 1. The providence of God in governing the world, is plentifully made knownunto us, both by his works, and by his word. I will give a few inflames of either fort. (r.) In general, that the almighty letierys and framer of thiswhole univerfe, should propofe unto himfelf no end in the creation of all things ; that he fhould want either power, goodnefs, will, or wifdom, toorder, and dipole theworks of his own hands, is altogether impoffrble., .. (z.) Take a particular inflance, in one concerning accident, theknowledge whereof by forcemeans or other, in tome degree or other bath fpread it felf thoughout the world, and that is that almoft univerfal deflru£tion of all by the flood, whereby the whole world was well-nigh reduced to its primitive coufufron, is there nothingbut chance to be fern in this ? Was there any circumflance about it that did not fhow a God, and his providence? Not to fpeak of thole Revelations, whereby God fore- told that he would bring loch a deluge : what chance, what fortune could colle£ti fach a finall number of individuals of all forts, wherein the whole kind might be preferred? What hand guided that poor veffel from the rocks, and gave it a reft- ing place on the mountains? Certainly the very reading of that gory, Gen. vii. ha- Iving for confirmation, the catholick tradition of all mankind, wereenough to Startle the flubborn heart of an atheift. The 'Word of God doch not lefs fully relate it, than hisworks do declare it, Pfal. xix. My Father worketh hitherto, faith our Saviour, s ten v. 17. but did not God end his works on the feventh day, and did he not then ref. from all his works? Gen. ii. 2. True; from his work of creation by his omnipotence, but his work of gubernar tionby his providence, as yet knows no ends yea, and divers particular things he doch, befidesthe ordinary courfe, only to make known that he thus worketh, yoke ix. 3. as he bath framed all things by his wifdom, fo he continueth them by his pro- vidence in excellent order. as is at large declared in that golden Pfal. civ. and this is not bounded to any particular places or things, but his eyes are in every place beholding the evil, and thegood, Prov. xv. 3. So that none can hide himfelf e, feeret places, that he (hall not fee him, Jerem. xxiii: 24. A£ts xvii. 24. Job v, lo, r r. Exod. iv. r t. and all this, he faith, that men may know from the rifin? of the fun, and from the met{, that there is none betides him, he is the Lord, and there is none elfe, he formeth the light, andcreateth darkenefs, he maketh peace, and created, evil, he doth all thefe things, Ifa. xlv. 7. in thefe and innumerable like places, doth the Lord declare that there Is nothing which he bathmade, that with the good hand of his providence he doth not govern and fuítain. Now, this general extent of his common providence to all Both no way hinder, but that he may exercife certain fpecial a£ts thereof towards force in particular, even by how much nearer than other things they approach unto him, and aremore affrmilated unto his goodnefs; I mean his church here on earth, and thofe whereof it doth confdt : For what nation is there fe great that hark God fo nigh nitro there ? Deut. iv. 7. in the government thereof he molt eminently fheweth his glory, and exer- cifeth his power ; join here his works with his word, what he bath done, with what be bath promifed to do for the confervation of his church and people, and you will find admirable iffues of a more fpecial providence; againft this he pro- mifeth the gates of hell (hall not prevail, Mat. xvi. 16. In Ole. midi} of their he hash promifed to remain, Math. xviii. 20. fupplymg themwith an addition of all things nr, sety, Match. vi. 33. defiring that all their care might be cap upon him, who careth for them, r Pet.ar. 7. forbidding any to touch his anointed ones, Pfal. cv. 15. and that be- caufe they are unto him as the apple of his rye, Zech. ii. 8. now this fpecial providence bath refpefb unto a fupernatural end, to which that, and that alone is to be con. veyed. For wicked men, an they are excepted from this fpecial care and govern- ment, fo they are not exempted from thedominion of his almighty hand; he who bath created them for the day of evil, Prov. xvi. 4. and provided a place of their own, ,dills i. as. for them to go unto.; doch not in this world Puffer them to have with`

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