and of a Providence, 3 ibid. The World can be no more governed, than made by Chance, An Infinite and Eternal Mind, which fees and knows all Things, must govern the World, 5 8 He who made the World, cannot be unconcerned for his Creatures, No Philofophers, except the Epicureans, who acknowledged a Deity, denied a Providence, The fame Arguments, which prove the Being of a God, prove a Providence, The Strength of Atheism confifts in contradi&ing the Univerfal Reafon of Mankind, 12 Chap. 2. T 9 10 HE General Notion of Providence, and particularly con cerning a Preferving Providence, 18 The Nature of Prefervation, as diftinguish'd from a Governing Providence, A 3 ibid. The The First A&t of Prefervation, in upholding and preferving the Being and Natures of all Things, Pag. 20 The Second A&t of Prefervation; God's Cooperation and Concourfe with Creatures, in all their Actions, 24 Some Difficulties of Providence answered: as 29 36 Chap. 3. Concerning God's Governing Pro 38 vidence, God's Government of Caufes, and of Events, 39 God's Government of Natural Caufes, and wherein it confifts, ibid. 55 "God's Government of Accidental Caufes, or what we call Chance and Accident, 45 God's Government of Moral Caufes, or Free Agents, The Difference between God's Government of Men confidered as Reasonable Creatures, and as Inftruments of Providence, 56 Concerning God's Government of Men's Minds, their Wills and Paffions, Concerning God's Government of Men's Acti ons, 59 ibid. God's Government of Good and Bad Men, more particularly confidered, God's Government of Events, 66 69 What is meant by Events in this Question, ib. Con a Voluptuous Man is much the worse, because he uses them to his own hurt. When High Places and Dignities make Men proud and infolent, it forfeits the Honour of them; and he who forgets, and by forgetting lofes the next World, has a very hard Purchase of this. Nay, fuch Men do not only difappoint God's Goodness to themselves, but fruftrate the Gracious Designs of his Providence, in making. them the Inftruments and Minifters of his Goodnefs to others. For those who take no Notice of the Divine Providence, but are very unthankful to God for what they have, are fo far from doing any good, that they generally do great Mischief to others, as well as to themfelves. Those who are fenfible that they receive all from God, and are thankful for it, remember that they are but God's Stewards; which is a great Honour, but a great Truft too, and requires Faithfulness: In Thankfulness to God, who has fo liberally provided for them, they think themselves bound to imitate his Goodnefs, to fupply the Wants, and undertake the Patronage of those who want their Help, and in the Judgment of Prudence and Charity deserve it. But an unthankful Man has no more Regard to his Fellow-Creatures, than he has to God: A Covetous Man, who will not fupply his own Wants, to be fure will not relieve the Wants of others: And if a Voluptuous Man does any Kindness, the Receivers pay dear for it; for he makes them the Partners, or Inftruments of his Lufts. A Rich Sinner helps to debauch a whole Neighbourhood, and a Powerful Sinner to opprefs them; and the daily Experience of the World tells us, what Mifchief Riches, and Ho nour, nour, and Power, do in the Hands of Wicked and Unthankful Men. This, I think, may fatisfy any confidering Man, in the Abfolute Neceffity of Praife and Thanksgiving; which is not only fuch an Acknowledgment of the Divine Glory as becomes Creatures, but is neceffary to our own Happinefs, to our wife Improvement of the Bleffing of God, and to the good Government of the World; and all Men muft confefs, that this is a wife and juft Reafon for God to recal his Gifts, to take away what he had given to unthankful Men, and to give them no more; not only because they difown their Benefactor, but because they abufe all that he gives them, to their own, and to other Men's hurt. All that he gives, is loft on them; He lofes the Praife; and they themselves, and every body else, the Comfort and Advantage of it. And thus I have finifhed this Difcourfe of Providence; whereby I hope it will appear, that there are great Reasons to believe a Providence; that the Objections againft it are Ignorant Miftakes; and that nothing tends fo much to the Eafe and Comfort, and good Government of our Lives, as to acknowledge God to be the Supreme and Sovereign Lord of the World. THE END. |