A treatise of divine providence I. In general, II. In particular, as relating to…

I. This is no dishonour to God, to take care of the meanest Creatures. 'Tis as honourable for his power to preserve them, and his Wisdom to govern them, as for both to create them. 'Tis one part of a mans righteousness to be merciful to his beast which he never made, and is it not a part of Gods righteousness, as the Rector of the World, to take care of those Creatures which he did not disdain to give a being to?

I. This is no dishonour to God, to take care of the meanest Creatures. 'Tis as honourable for his power to preserve them, and his Wisdom to govern them, as for both to create them. 'Tis one part of a mans righteousness to be merciful to his beast which he never made, and is it not a part of Gods righteousnes, as the Rector of the World, to take care of those Creatures which he did not disdain to give a being to?

II. It rather conduceth to his honour.

1. The honour of his goodness. It shows the comprehensiveness of his goodness which embraceth in the arms of his Providence, the lowest Worm as well as the highest Angel. Shall infinite goodness frame a thing, and make no provision for its subsistence? At the first Creation he acknowledged whatever he had created, good in his kind, good in themselves, ⟨p. 13⟩good in order to the end, for which he created them; 'tis therefore an honourable thing for his goodness to conduct them to that end, which in their Creation he designed them for; and not leave them wild disorders unsuitable to the end of that goodness which first called them into being. If he grow out of love with the operations of his hands, he would seem to grow out of love with his own goodness that formed them.