Now prophecy is an irrefragable argument of providence; for if God foresees the actions of men before they are done, he cannot but see them in the doing; and those good or evil things, which beforehand he tells shall befall men, we may be sure when they happen are the effects of his providence.

2. To the doctrine of the holy Scriptures, concerning the providence of God, all the civilized heathen nations have given their suffrage, not only in word, but (which is more) in fact and practice. For though some conceited and contentious philosophers have ventured to dispute against Providence, yet they could never by all their sophistry so far prevail against the reason of mankind, and the force of primitive tradition, as to eradicate the settled belief of it. But the generality of men in every age and nation, not wholly degenerated into brutishness, have still practised upon a supposition of a divine Providence overseeing and governing the concerns of men. Of which I shall give you two or three most plain and demonstrative instances.

ous.

First, The natural worship of God, consisting in prayer and supplication to him, is and always hath been the practice of all nations not perfectly barbarFor the truth of which affirmation, I appeal to the faith of all heathen historians and writers that are at this day extant. Now what is prayer to God, to deliver us from danger, or to give us any blessing or good thing, but a direct acknowledgment of his providence over us? For to what purpose is it for any man to pray unto him, that either cannot or will not hear his prayers, or take any notice of his petitions, or grant what he desires? The divine Psalmist seems to me plainly enough to reflect on this;

Psalm lxv. 2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come: where all flesh is an expression so wide and comprehensive, as that it must at least signify the generality of mankind. Nor is it any wonder that God should be set forth by the Psalmist, even to the heathens, as a God that heareth prayer. For we all well know, that there is a providence of God over the heathens, which administers at least temporal good things to them without their prayers, and therefore may much more do so upon their prayers and supplications, though misguided, and not well directed. We know that the mariners in the ship with Jonah, (though otherwise as seamen and heathens too they might have been thought not very inclinable to religion, yet,) when they apprehended the danger of shipwreck, had recourse every man to his God by prayer, Jonah i. 5. and we know that the supreme and only true God heard their prayers, as proceeding from some honest principles of natural religion in them.

Secondly, The instituted worship of God, (for so I shall presume to call it,) consisting in sacrifices, hath been as universal a practice in all ages and nations as the former, and was indeed always joined with it. It were not very difficult (if it were our present business) to shew how from this practice, as taught our first parents after their fall, and from them derived to all mankind descending from them, some of the main doctrines of the Gospel itself may be deduced. But however this is certain, that the doctrine of providence is so legible in the custom of sacrificing, that he who runs may read it. For sacrifices unto God among the heathens, and among all nations that used them, were either for the averting of evils

that might come from him, or removing of evils already inflicted by him, as punishments of sin; or to procure those good things from him which they wanted, or to return thanks to him for good things already received; and so were all of them plain acknowledgments of divine Providence.

Thirdly and lastly, The custom of deciding doubtful matters by oaths hath been and is likewise received and practised among all nations that had or have any sense of God left in them. This as well as the former is so notorious, that I need not spend my time in the proof of it. Now what are oaths but downright appeals to the providence of God, whereby we acknowledge his omniscience, and that he knows the truth of all things; and his power and justice, that he can and will punish the authors of falsehood, and protect the lovers of truth? So firm a possession hath the belief of Providence always kept in the world.

Let us consider now those objections which some bold and self-opiniated men have brought against it. To omit here the trite and common objection of the present prosperity of some wicked men, and the adversity of some good men, (a full solution whereof you have in the seventy-third Psalm throughout,) the chief cavils of the epicureans are these two:

Object. 1. That it is inconceivable how God can at the same moment of time see and take notice of all the actions of all men on earth, especially their inward actions, the thoughts and secrets of their hearts.

Object. 2. That it seems beneath the majesty of God to regard or concern himself about so low and vile a thing as man is.

Before I distinctly answer these pretences, I shall in general observe this, that they are directly opposite each to the other. For the former objection supposes God too little to see and govern all the actions and concerns of men; the other makes him so great and so high, that he disdains to concern himself about them. In the former, the infidel pleads against divine Providence, that non potest, "it can"not" take notice of all things on earth: in the latter, he objects, non vacat exiguis, &c. "That God will "not concern himself about the little affairs of men, as being unworthy of his cares and regard."

66

In a word, the first objection sets the work of providence in the government of this world above God: the second placeth it beneath him. Thus error always contradicts, not only the truth, but itself. But let us now encounter these objections severally.

As for the first, that it is inconceivable how all the actions, yea the most inward thoughts of all men can in the same moment of time be seen and taken notice of by God; it is an objection so foolish, that any rational man may well be ashamed of it. It was as wisely as wittily said of one, "That if the "brutes were capable of a design to draw the pic"ture of God, they would paint him just like one of "themselves." So these brutish men cannot, or rather will not think of God, the infinite Almighty God, under any other notion than what is adequate to their own, not only finite, but feeble and weak measures. Thou canst not conceive how God doth see and govern all things in this world; doth it therefore follow he cannot or doth not so do? a ridiculous consequence. The beasts do not, cannot conceive how we men make ships, and tame the un

ruly ocean; how and by what maxims of policy we frame and govern kingdoms and commonwealths; how we measure the courses of the stars, and take observations of the heavenly bodies; much less how we discourse of religion and divine matters; and yet we are sure we can do, and actually do all these things. Now it is certain, that we mortal men are infinitely far inferior to the supreme God than the beasts are to us. But let us see whether these great pretenders to reason may not be convinced of their folly even by sense itself.

Thou that questionest the possibility of God's inspection of all things here below, look up and behold that glorious luminary of heaven the sun; see how in the same moment it diffuseth its light and heat into all the several parts and corners of the wide earth exposed to it, and peeps through every crevice of every the most secret place thereof. Now how canst thou see this wonderfully diffusive influence of a created light, and not grant a far more extensive efficacy to the great Creator, the Father of lights? But to come nearer to thee, consider the very powers and faculties that God hath given thee, and then thou canst never doubt of the divine power and providence over thee. Do but open thine eyes, and thou canst in a moment see to the starry heaven, though at a very vast distance from thee: now he that made thee see from earth to heaven, cannot he himself much more see from the highest heaven to this earth? And if thou questionest how God can know thine heart and secret thoughts, I ask thee how thou thyself comest to know them? Didst thou not receive the very faculty of knowing that, and all other things that are knowable by thee, from God?

1