support the lives of men, and to refresh and nourish when hungry, than wholesome food? yet men may eat, and not have enough, or be nourished by it, Hos. iv. 10. Indeed ordinarily God does work by means; he makes the earth fruitful by snow and rain descending upon it; whereby it gives seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; produces grass for cattle, and herb for the service of men; with other necessaries of life. Their is a chain of second causes that depend upon the first, and are influenced by it, and act in subordination to one another; the Lord hears the heavens, and the heavens hear the earth, and the earth hears the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they hear Jezreel, Hos. ii. 21, 22. And usually God supplies and supports the bodies of men by means of food, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, by giving a blessing thereunto. And he exercises his providence, commonly by the use of means, to shew men that they are to make use of means, and not slight them; no, not even when events are certain to them; as the cases of Hezekiah and Paul's mariners shew, Isai. xxxviii. 21. Acts xxvii. 31. Yet means, or second causes, are never to be depended on; but the first Cause is to be looked unto for success, and to him the glory is to be given,

11. Providence may be considered both as ordinary and extraordinary.-Ordinary providence, is what is exercised in the common course of means, and by the chain of second causes; and according to the original law of nature impressed on beings from the beginning. From this law, the ordinances of heaven, the 'sun, moon, and stars, have not departed, except in extraordinary cases; and the revolutions of day and night, and of the seasons of the year, are constantly and regularly observed; and all things act and move by an inclination of nature settled in them; fire burns, and sparks fly upwards; heavy bodies descend, and light ones ascend; in animate and irrational creatures there is an instinct of nature suitable to their natures, by which they are guided and directed, and do not ordinarily swerve from it: and even in inanimate creatures, as the meteors of the air, snow, rain, hail, &c. there is an obediential power and influence, by which they perform the will of their creator, and answer the ends for which they were made. Extraordinary providence is that in which God goes out of his common way; and which consists of miraculous operations, as before observed, such as exceed the power of nature; as when he ordered rocks to be smitten, and waters gushed out to supply the Israelities, their flocks. and their herds; and rained manna about their tents every morning in the week, except one, by which he supported them near forty years in a wilderness; and so the prophet Elijah, though the food he was fed with was ordinary and common, yet it was in an extraordinary manner that he was furnished with it; ravens brought him bread and flesh morning and evening, whilst he was by the brook Cherith: and he was supplied with food at Zarephath, in a widow's house, through the very extraordinary multiplication of an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse; and when in a wilderness, had a cake baked for him by an angel, and a cruse of water set at his head, of which he

ea: and drank; and in the strength of which he travelled forty days and forty rights.

11. Providence may be considered as universal and singular; or, as general and particular. Universal or general providence, is what is concerned with the whole world, and all things in it; and is expressed by upholding and preserving all things that are created; it is God's suntentation, preservation, and continu ance of creatures in their being; this is acknowledged by some, who yet do not agree to,-A singular or particular providence, as concerned with every individual, and especially with rational creatures and their actions. But most certain it is, that God not only in his providence is concerned for the world in general, but for all individuals in it; every star in the heavens is known by him, taken notice of, and preserved; He bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by names, Isai. xl. 26. the cattle on a thousand hills, and the thousands of cattle on those hills, are known and provided for by him; and so are all the fowls of the air, and of the mountains, and even a sparrow does not fall to the ground without his notice and will, Matt. x. 29. He looks down upon all the inhabitants of the earth, and considers their ways, and works, and actions, Psal. xxxiii. 13-15. The sentiments of the Stoic philosophers come the nearest to those of divine revelation, concerning this matter; which, according to Cicero", are, that not only mankind in general, but that singulars, or individuals, are cared and provided for by the immortal gods: and yet Seneca", one of that sect says, that the gods take a greater care of universals than of singulars; and elsewhere, that they take care of mankind in general, and sometimes are careful of singulars, as if they were not always careful of them; and Cicero, though he represents Balbus the Stoic, as saying that the gods take care of singulars; yet with this exception, that with respect to some externals, they take care of great things, but neglect small ones. Sallustius, the Cynic philosopher, is very express; he savs, Providence and fate, as they are concerned about nations and cities, so about every man; and so Plato strongly argues, that the providence of God is concerned about less as well as greater matters; and according to the christian doctrine, as will be seen hereafter; not only men, but the most minute things are under the notice of providence.

IV. Providence may be considered as both common and special. Common providence is that which belongs to the whole world, and all the creatures in it, and to all mankind, and is exercised in the common and ordinary way;. for God is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works, Psal. cxlv. 9. Special providence is what concerns the church of God in all ages. The Jewish church, under the former dispensation, was distinguished from all the people of the earth, and chosen to be a special and peculiar people, and had special favours bestowed upon them; and the christian church, under the gospel-dispensation, was particularly cared for at the beginning of it, and remarkably

W

De Providentia, c. 3.

* Ut supra.

"De Narura Deorum, 1. 2. prope finem. Diis, c. 9. * De Legibus, 1. 10. p. 95, &c. in Epinomide, p. 1008.

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increased and preserved under the persecution of the heathen emperors; and which has been, and will be, nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, in the wilderness, during the reign of antichrist, and then will become great and glorious. Moreover, God, as the God of providence, is the Saviour and Pre server of all men;, but especially of them that believe, 1 Tim. iv. 10. And the providence respecting God's elect, will be particularly considered hereafter.

v. Providence may be considered as real and moral: real, is what concerns things, and the essence of them, by which they are sustained and preserved. Moral providence, or what is commonly called God's moral government of the world, respects rational creatures, angels and men, to whom God has given a law, as the rule of their actions, which consists of precepts and prohibitions, the sanctions of which are promises and threatenings; and it is explained and enforced by instructions, persuasions, admonitions, &c. and according to which reasonable law, a reasonable service is required of reasonable creatures. God deals with them as their works and actions appear to be. Of this providence of God, respecting angels and men, especially in their first estates, and change of them, a particular notice will be taken of in some following chapters. I shall next observe,

III. The Author of providence, the efficient Cause of it, and the instruments made use of by him in the administration of it. God, that is in the heavens, and looks down upon the earth, does in it whatever he pleases; he sitteth King for ever, and his kingdom rules over all. Elihu puts such a question as this, Who hath disposed the whole world? Job xxxiv. 13. the answer to it must be, He that made it, has a right to dispose of it, and of all things in it; and he does dispose thereof according to his pleasure; All things are of him, in creation; and all things are through him in providence; and all things are to him, directed and ordered to his glory, Rom. xi. 36. God, Father, Son, and Spirit, are the one efficient Cause and Author of providence. God, the Father of Christ; My Father worketh hitherto, not in creation; for the works of creation were finished in six days; and then God ceased from his work; but in providence, in which he worked from the beginning of the world, to the time of Christ on earth; and continued to work; for he says not, my Father hath worked, but worketh, continues to work in a providential way; for the work of providence is his work; Who worketh all things after the counsel of his will, Eph. i. 11. which is said of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus; who has blessed his people in Christ, chosen them in him, and predestinated them by him to the adoption of children; and who is spoken of all along in the context to the passage cited. Our Lord addresses his Father as the Lord of heaven and earth, the Maker and Possessor of both, and Governor of them, when he is speaking of a sovereign act of his in providence; hiding some things from the wise and prudent, and revealing them to babes; and adds, All things are delivered unto me of my Father, to sub serve the ends of his mediatorial kingdom in a providential way, Matt. xi. 25.

VOL. I.

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Christ, the Son of God, is equally concerned with his divine Father in the work of providence; My father worketh hitherto, as before observed; and I work, the same work jointly along with him; for whatsoever things he, the Father, doth, those also doth the Son likewise, John v. 17, 19. By him all things consist; are sustained, upheld, preserved, and supplied, and guided, to answer the ends for which they are created by him, Col. i. 16, 17. Nor is the holy Spirit to be excluded from the work of providence, who had so great a concern in that of creation; the heavens were garnished by him; yea, the host of them were made by him; he moved upon the waters that covered the chaos, and brought it into a beautiful form and order; and several of the works of providence are particularly ascribed to him; the renovation and reproduction of things every returning spring are ascribed to him; Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, and they are created; tbou renewest the face of the earth, Psal. civ. 30. the. government of the world, and the ordering and disposing of all things in it, are attributed to him, without the counsel and direction of others; Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, &c. or, being his counsellor, hath taught him? &c. Isai. xl. 13, 14. And he that is so much concerned in the regeneration, conversion, and sanctification of men, and has been in all ages of the world, with which the affairs of providence are so closely connected in numberless instances, can never be shut out of the administration of them. Father, Son, and Spirit, are the efficient cause of providence; and to whom, and not to fate, fortune, and chance, are all things in it to be ascribed. The instruments God makes use of in the administration of providence are many; some of the principal of which are as follow:

1. Angels, good and bad. Good angels are the ministers of God that do his pleasure; these stand continually before him, wait his orders, hearken to the voice of his commandments, and are ready to perform any service he shall enjoin them, or send them to do; These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth, into the several parts of the world, when sent by him, to execute his will and pleasure; they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who are heirs of salvation; to guard and -protect them, and do many good offices for them, as has been observed in a preceding chapter; see Psalm ciii. 19, 20. Zech. vi. 5. Heb. i. 14. Evil angels are also sometimes employed in the affairs of providence; either for the inflicting of punishment on wicked men, or for the correction and chastizement of the people of God. They were made use of in the plagues of Egypt; for the Psalmist says, God cast upon the Egyptians, the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, by sending evil angels among them, Psal. lxxviii. 49. in the execution of what particular plagues they were concerned, it is not easy to say; probably they were sent at the time of the plague of darkness, to terrify and affright, and add to the hortor of that dreadful scene. An evil spirit offered himself to be a lying spirit, in the mouths of Abab's prophets, which he had leave to be, and thereby brought about, in providence, the death of that prince, in a

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battle at Ramoth-Gilead, as was foretold, 1 Kings xxii. 21-34. Satan, the adversary of good men, obtained leave from the Lord, to destroy the substance, family and health of Job; which was granted for the chastizement of him, and for the trial of his faith and patience. The same malicious spirit put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray his Lord, as was foretold; whereby the cru cifixion of Christ, according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, was effected; and by that the redemption and salvation of men. The coming of antichrist, was after the working, and through the efficacy of Satan, by divine permission, with all power and signs, and lying wonders; with which so many things in providence have been so closely connected more than a thousand years past, and will be to the end of his reign.

11. Kings, princes, and civil magistrates, good and bad, have been, and are, instruments in the hands of God, for the executing of his providences in the world; the powers that be, are ordained of God, and are ministers of his, to some for good, who do good and behave well; to others for evil, for vengeance, to execute wrath upon them, Rom. xiii. 1, 4. and because they have their power and authority, their commission and capacity from God, and are his vicegerents, and act under him, and personate him, and are representatives of him; hence they are called gods, Psal. lxxxii. 6. By him good kings reign and princes decree justice; from him they have wisdom and capacity to make good laws, and power to put them in execution, for the good of men; such an one was David, raised up by God to fulfil his will; there have been but few of this sort; but some there have been, and more there will be in the latter day, when kings shall be nursing fathers to Zion, and queens nursing mothers; the seven angels that shall have the vials of God's wrath to pour forth on the antichristian states to their destruction, are seven christian kings, or protestant princes, who will have a commission from God to do that work. Evil kings, however, such who have had no true knowledge of God, have been raised up, and made use of in providence, to do great things in it; either for the good of the church and people of God, as Cyrus king of Persia, whom the Lord girded, though he knew him not, and held his right hand to subdue nations, and particularly Babylon; that he might be in a capacity, and have an opportunity of letting go the captive Jews in it, and of delivering them from their bondage, and of giving them liberty to rebuild Jerusalem, and the temple in it, as was foretold of him two hundred years before he was born, Isai. xliv. 28. And sometimes wicked princes have been used as scourges of God's people, and for the correction of them; as Sennacherib king of Assyria; of whom it is said; Assyria, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation! that is, the indignation of God, the execution of it, was put into his hands, as a rod and staff, to chastize the people of the Jews for their hipocrisy and other sins, which were provoking to God; Howbeit he, the Assyrian monarch, meanuth not so; neither doth his heart think so, that he is an instrument, in the hand.