3. It is a high disparagement of God. To believe an impotent, ignorant, negligent God, without care of his works, is as bad or worse then to believe no God at all. The denial of his providence is made equal with the denial of God. Psal. 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. He denied God, Elohim which word notes God's providence. Not there is no Jehovah, which notes his essence; he denied not God, quoad essentiam, but quoad providentiam, whereupon the Psalmist dubs the Atheist fool. It strips God of his judicial power. How shall he judge his Creatures, if he know not what they think, and regards not what they do? How easy will it be for him to be imposed upon by the fair pretences and lying excuses of men? 'Tis ⟨p. 116⟩Diabolical. The Devil denies not God's right to govern, but he denies God's actual government, for he saith, Luk. 4.6. the power and glory of the World is delivered unto him, and to whomsoever saith he, I will, I give it. God had cast off all care of all things, and made the Devil his Deputy. He that denies providence, denies most of God's attributes, he denies at least the exercise of them; he denies his omniscience, which is the eye of Providence; mercy and justice, which are the arms of it; power, which is the life and motion of providence; Wisdom, which is the rudder of providence, whereby it is steered; and holiness which is the compass and rule of the motion of providence.
3. It is a high disparagement of God. To believe an impotent, ignorant, negligent God, without care of his works, is as bad or worse then to believe no God at all. The denyal of his providence is made equal with the denyal of God. Psal. 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. He denied God, Elohim which word notes God's providence. Not there is no Jehovah, which notes his essence; he denied not God, quoad essentiam, but quoad providentiam, whereupon the Psalmist dubbs the Atheist fool. It strips God of his judicial power. How shall he judge his Creatures, if he know not what they think, and regards not what they do? How easie will it be for him to be imposed upon by the fair pretences and lying excuses of men? 'Tis ⟨p. 116⟩Diabolical. The Devil denies not God's right to govern, but he denies God's actual government, for he saith, Luk. 4.6. the power and glory of the World is delivered unto him, and to whomsoever saith he, I will, I give it. God had cast off all care of all things, and made the Devil his Deputy. He that denies providence, denies most of God's attributes, he denies at least the exercise of them; he denies his omniscience, which is the eye of Providence; mercy and justice, which are the armes of it; power, which is the life and motion of providence; Wisdom, which is the rudder of providence, whereby it is steered; and holiness which is the compass and rule of the motion of providence.
