A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

1 The Impeachers of Gods providence, among whom there are six errors, •. Of the Stoics, who call providence by the name of fate or destiny: which runs ••orow a rank of causes, so bringing in an absolute and inevitable necessity, that pinions the arms of God and man. Theodoret beats the nose of this error flat to the devisers face. 2. Of such as tie Gods providence only to celestial things, exempting […] sublunary and corrupt matters. Jerome says,¹ this error was crept into the hearts •f the Jews; as he collects from Ezek. 9.9. The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and ••th us not. Therefore the LORD answers, mine eye shall not spare them; to show that •is power is also upon the earth. 3. Nicenus, with others, held that Gods providence extends it self to corruptible things only in a generall manner: ad rerum gene•• vel species, non ad singularia, non ad individua. But our Saviour comprehends under it not only the hairs of men, but even the feathers of birds. 4. Aquin. speaks of ••e error of Rabbi Moses the Jew; that among corruptible things, man only appertaineth to the divine providence. This Jeremie confutes. Deus universae carnis; ⁿI […] the God of all flesh; both of men and beasts. 5. Of the Platonists, that distinguish ⟨p. 618⟩three kinds of providence First, of the supreme God, that stretcheth primarily to spiritual things, in a second degree to all the world. The second, of separated substances, that move the heavens Circulariter; Intelligences. The last, of certain Demons, powers, which they place in the middle betwixt God and man. Such are those that worship Devils for a Ne noceant. 6. Of Atheists, that deny all providence, and admit only fortune. Lactantius hath confuted it by many arguments; b•• Davids conviction is the best disgrace to it, who sets a Cocks-comb on the head of it; The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. In his heart he hath Said it, but i his heart he never believed it. Look upon all creatures; they make one glorious army, marshalled into their several ranks, and marching to the will of their great general. Why do stones, plants, and insensible things, tend to the end for which they were created, when as yet they have no knowledge of it, but that they are directed by God? Young ones are no sooner borne, but they turn their mouths […] the breast of their mothers: