A55305:204
The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…
The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By Edward Polhill of Burwash in Sussex Esquire
London : printed, and are to be sold by Thomas Shelmerdine, at the sign of the Rose-Tree in Little-Britain, 1695
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. All those rare Jewels of his Imperial Crown, cemented in his perfect Unity, do show forth their lustre according to his Will; because his Will put forth a World out of nothing, therefore doth his ⟨p. 164⟩sovereign Authority give Laws to it, and his glorious Omnipresence fill and cherish it, his infinite Wisdom ministers to the making of his gubernative Decree, and his Almighty Power ministers to the executing of it. There are infinite Orders and Congruities lying in Wisdom's breast, but his Will chooses out of them all what it pleaseth, and so makes up its decree; there are infinite possibles within Powers Arms, but his Power only exerts it self according to his Decree: Wherefore it is plain that God governs all according to his Decree.
1. All those rare Jewels of his Imperial Crown, cemented in his perfect Unity, do shew forth their lustre according to his Will; because his Will put forth a World out of nothing, therefore doth his ⟨p. 164⟩sovereign Authority give Laws to it, and his glorious Omnipresence fill and cherish it, his infinite Wisdom ministers to the making of his gubernative Decree, and his Almighty Power ministers to the executing of it. There are infinite Orders and Congruities lying in Wisdom's breast, but his Will chuses out of them all what it pleaseth, and so makes up its decree; there are infinite possibles within Powers Arms, but his Power only exerts it self according to his Decree: Wherefore it is plain that God governs all according to his Decree.
2. The various ways of Government set forth the freedom of the Governor; all things are not ruled in the same way: Matter is ruled by Forms, Bodies by Spirits, inferior Bodies by celestial, the visible World by invisible Angels, Angels and Spirits immediately by God himself. Neither do the same things always keep the same track; in Joshua's time the glorious Sun did make a stand; in Daniel's time the Fire did not burn; in Elisha's time the Iron swam, as if it had forgot its Centre; in Moses's time the floating Sea stood up as a Rock, and the flinty Rock flowed as a Sea; In Christ's time oh! what excesses of Nature! what actings by Prerogative!