Gods Providence and Mans Troubles.

GOds Providence is a most sure and powerfull action of God by which he hath •rom all Eternity fore-seene and fore-ordeyned unto every thing both the end whereunto, and the meanes whereby they shall be brought to their ends: As also moderat•th and governeth the whol• World, and every thing both great and littl• therein contayned. And although God take care for all things without any meanes, yet that all things are ordin•rily governed indeed not by* God only, but by meanes thereunto ordayned by God himselfe, notwithstan∣ding that often times also * without, yea, and against meanes he effecteth the same. And alth•ugh G•ds Providence be immu••able, yet that imposeth not simply a necessity unto things, but that every Secundary cause worketh accor∣ding to its owne Nature some necessarily, other some accidentally, and yet that this also dependeth on the Divine Providence, in respect whereof all things necessarily come to passe.

Gods Providence hath two parts

• Knowledge, and
• Government.

Gods
• Knowledge Is that whereby all things from the greatest to the least are* manifest before him at all times (so saith David.) Gods eyes*will consider, his eye-lidds will try the children of men: (And againe he saith) God •b•seth himselfe to behold the things that*are in Heaven and Earth: From the beginning of the World he know•th all his work•s.
• Government Is that whereby he ordereth all things and directeth them to* good ends, and it must be extended to the very least things that* are in He•ven and earth, •s to Sparrowes, Oxen, to the haires of* our head, L•llies of the field.
• Note There are three things included in the name of Providence, 1. A fore-knowl•dge of all things. 2. A will to bring •very thing to his end. 3. The very actuall government of things*

By the Providence of God
• •dam and Heva Before they wer• created had all things provided for Being naked in B••y •a• Skinnes of beasts to cloath t•ē*
• •dam and Heva Being naked in ••ul •a• Christs righteousnes to〈…〉
• Abraham Being about to sacrifice his only Sonne Isaac, had a R•mme* in steed of him to be 〈…〉fired
• David Being compass•d with Souls Army ready to take him, Tid•ng• of an Invasion made by the Philistines•n his Land being* brought him, removed his Army ag•ine, so as David then, and many other times escaped from him.
• David I retending evil• to Nahal, was prevented by Abigcil,*
• David By the counsell of Huyhai, brought to nought the counsell of*
• David • chitophell given against him, So as that Absa•on his sonn• con∣spiring* was with Achitop•e• brought to utt•r ruine
• Daniell•n the Lyons den was preserved, his Accus•rs perished,*
• Daniell•y expounding of the Kings dreame escaped, many wise men de∣stroyed.*
• Elias In the time of Famine was by Ravens fed, by a Widdow relee∣ved,* and by an Angell nourished.*
• Elisha Being compassed with an Army of Syrians to take him, they* were s••ucken blinde, so he escaped them.
• Ester And Mordecai with the Jewes were delivered from King*Ahashuerosh Decree, and Haman that procured the same, w•• hanged on his owne Tree.
• Hagar Wandring in the Wildernesse espied a Well with which shee* releeved her sonne Ismaell.
• Ioseph Being sold unto the Midianites by his Bretheren, thereby pre∣served* his Father in time of Famine.
• Ioseph He was delivered when his appointed time came, and the coun∣sell* of the Lord had tryed him.
• Ioshuahs Spyes sent to Iericho were hid by Rahab, she was thereby with* all hers saved.*
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• The Israelites The more they were by the Egyptians oppressed the more* they encreased, being at last from Pharaohs bondage deli∣vered.*
• And being made the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the* people, their enemies opened their mouthes against them, and feare and a snare with destruction being come upon them, were made by the Lord to be pittyed of all them that carried them away captives and delivered from their enemies.*
• Ionathan and Ahimaz Being sent by Hushai to David and pursued by Absolom, were* hid in a Well and so delivered by one of Bahurim.
• Ionab Had a Fish in the Sea provided to save him, and a Guord on the* Land, in heate to shadow him.*
• Iobs Steps were numbred, and his latter dayes blessed,*
• Iehoshaphat Was delivered from the Ammonites and other: the Lord set∣ting* their own swords to slay each other.
• Iephta Being expelled by his Bretheren at the first became to be a Cap∣taine* over them at the last.
• Ieremiah In his captivity was provided for by the Enemy,*
• The King of Israel Was often times told by the Prophet Elisha what was intended* against him by the King of Siria.
• Moses Being by his Parents to be hid no longer, was taken up and put* to nurse by Pharaohs Daughter.*
• The Oyle Of the Widdow was so increased, as she became able to pay that* which she was indebted.
• Paul Was by the Captaines command so guarded, as that he was from* the J•wes vowing his death delivered.*
• Samaria Being by the Sirians besieged and almost famished: were by their Enemies owne provision at last unthought of by them* relieved.
• Shadrach Meshech Abednego Being cast into the fiery Furnace were delivered, and they that* bound them were in the flame of the same fire burned.
• Creatures of all kinde Before they were created and made, had for each kinde severall* things provided. And
• Creatures of all kinde Being in the Floud destroyed part of each kinde were in Noahs* Arke preserved.
• Fowles Sowe not nor reape, and yet they are sed,*
• Lillies Of the Field spinne not, and yet they are cloathed,
• Lyons Roare after their prey: and have their meate,*
• Ravens Cry being young, and they have foode to e•te,*
• Sparrowes Without licence fall not, though of price little valued,*
• All Beasts Provided are for what they stand in neede,*
• Mens Haires are numbred: what shall befall it's decreed,*

The Lord
• Care not then for the morrow, for the morrow shall care for it* selfe, sufficient to the day is the evill thereof.
• Covereth the Heavens with cloudes, prepareth raine for the* Earth.*
• Createth the Smyth, &c. and the destroyer to destroy,*
• Changeth times and seasons, taketh away and setteth up Kings,*
• Bringeth downe the high Trees, and exalteth the low Trees,*
• Formeth the light, and createth darkenesse, maketh Peace, &c.*
• Killeth and maketh alive, bringeth downe and raiseth up,*
• Maketh the Wound and bindeth it up, smiteth and maketh* whole.*
• Seeth all the wayes of man, and counteth all his steps,*
• Moveth the heart of man at his pleasure, setteth the wayes* of man before his eyes, pondereth all his doings: and puts his* teares into his bottell.*
• What is he then that saith there should some thing be done*Page  30 without the Lords Commandement▪

Use.

1. The * Providence of God leaveth no place for fortune, for Salomon affirmeth, that even the * whole disposition of the Lot is of the Lord: It is therefore plaine, that the Lord ordereth all things by his providence, and yet is not busied or turmoyled with any thing.

2. The poynt of Gods Providence is a great comfort to Gods Church, for that God moderateth the Divell and wicked men that they shall not hurt the people of God, according to Da∣vids* saying, The Lord is at my right hand, therefore I shall not slide: Iosephs bretheren being affraid because they had sold him into Egipt, Ioseph confesseth that it was God that sent* him before them and that for their preservation. David also being like to be stoned by his owne Souldiers, knowing they* could doe no more against him then the Lord would have done,* comforted himselfe in the Lord: and being cursed by Shimei, said, that he cursed because God bid him curse.

3. There is no punishment so grievous▪ corporall or Spirituall▪ against which Gods Providence is not marvelous availeable, so that by beleeving therein he shall have peace and consolation.

Reade▪ Gen. 12. 10, 20. Chap. 20. 8. Chap. 24 15 Chap. 26. Lev. 14. 34. Iudg. 1. 24. Chap. 15. 19. 2 Sam. 17. Chap▪ 27. 27. 1 Sam. 19. Chap. 20. Chap. 29. Chap. 30. 1 Ki•g. 18. 2 King 6 17 Chap. 11. Chap. 5. Chap. 8. 2 Chron. 10. 15. Chap 22 7. Ruth. 1. Chap. 2. Io• 39. Chap 37. 5. Prov. 16. Chap. 21. •0. Psal. 33. 15. Psal. 147 Psal. 139. Psal. 29. 3. Ezra 1. Amos 3 4. Mat. 2. 13. Chap. 10. 9. Luk. 22. 35. Acts 5. 17. Chap. 12. 6. Act. 9 24. Chap. 16 24. 2 Tim 4. 17. 2 Sam. 14. 2, &c.

Read of Means 1 King. 22. 25. Psal. 139. 1. Ezek. 34. 11, &c. Isa 54 16.