The sum of sacred divinity briefly & methodically propoundedThe summe of sacred diuinitie briefly & methodically propounded

The next thing to be considered¹ in this Doctrine of Providence, is the free dispensation of Almighty God, who dealeth herein, as a sovereign Monarch, by his own absolute will and pleasure, without any the least compulsion or necessity: ^hWhatsoever pleaseth JEHOVAH, he doth in Heaven and in the Earth, in the Sea and in all Deeps. Our ⁱGod is in Heaven, he doth whatsoever he pleaseth. Therefore he is not tied to the second causes, nor enforced by any foreign power, but always and in all ⟨p. 95⟩things dealeth, according to his own good pleasure, how and which way he will; by means, without means, annulling and making void the means, and lastly, contrary and against all means: of all which we have many and plentiful testimonies in the Scripture. Of the means, 2. Kings 14. 27. He saved them by the hands of JEROBOAM the son of JOASH. Judges 2. 16. He raised them up Judges, which saved them out of the hands of their spoilers; And in a thousand other places. Therefore the counsels of God, and the inferior or second causes stand well together, and cross not one another: but to neglect (how much more to despise the same?) when God giveth thee opportunity, is not to rest upon his Providence, but to tempt or mistrust his Goodness. He provideth the means for thee, to the end thou mayest be safe; thou, in contemning of it, castest thy self away: his love and kindness cometh to be admired, thy folly and negligence is justly to be condemned. Paul ^kdid not so in the danger of his ship wrack, when being assured of the issue, that there should be no loss of any of their lives; yet telleth them plainly, Except these remain in the Ship, ye cannot be safe. MOSES had good experience of the gracious conduct of God himself, the perfect Jethro of their Voyage, Who by his Spirit, ^l