4. The great Mystery of Providence shall be cleared up. Providence is Regina mundi, the Queen of the world; it is the hand that turns all the wheels in the universe; Chrysostom calls it the Pilot that steers the ship of the Creation. Providences are often dark; God writes sometimes in short-hand▪ the characters of Providence are so various ⟨p. 161⟩and strange, and our eyes are so dim, that we know not what to make of Providence: hence we are ready to censure that which we do not understand: we think that things are very eccentric and disorderly; Gods Providence is sometimes secret▪ always wise. The dispensations of Providence are often sad, judgement beginning at the house of God, and the just man perishing in his righteousness, Eccles. 7.15. that is, while he is pursuing a righteous cause: though his way be pious, it is not always prosperous: and on the other side, those that work wickedness are set up, yea, they that tempt God are delivered, Mal. 3.15. though now our candle be in a dark lantern, and the people of God cannot tell what God is a doing, yet when they are in heaven they shall see the reason of these transactions*: they shall see that every Providence served for the fulfilling of Gods ⟨p. 162⟩Promise, viz. that all things shall work together for good, Rom. 8.28. In a Watch the wheels seem to move cross one to another, but all carry on the motion of the Watch, all serve to make the Alarm strike; so the wheels of Providence seem to move cross, but all shall carry on the good of the elect; all the lines shall meet at last in the centre of the Promise; in heaven, as we shall see Mercy and Justice, so we shall see Promises, and Providences kissing each other: Our light shall be clear. When a man is at the bottom of an hill, he cannot see very far: but when he is on the top, he may see many miles distant. Here the Saints of God are in the valley of tears, they are at the bottom of the hill, and cannot tell what God is a doing: but when they come to Heaven, and shall be on the top of the mount, they shall see all the glorious transactions of Gods Providence; ⟨p. 163⟩never a Providence but they shall see either a wonder or a mercy wrapped up in it. A Limner at the first makes but a rude draught in the picture, here an eye, there an hand;
4. The great Mystery of Providence shall be cleared up. Providence is Regina mundi, the Queen of the world; it is the hand that turns all the wheels in the universe; Chrysostome calls it the Pilot that steeres the ship of the Creation. Providences are often darke; God writes sometimes in short-hand▪ the characters of Providence are so various ⟨p. 161⟩and strange, and our eyes are so dimme, that we know not what to make of Providence: hence we are ready to censure that which we do not understand: we think that things are very excentrick and disorderly; Gods Providence is sometimes secret▪ alwayes wise. The dispensations of Providence are often sad, judgement beginning at the house of God, and the just man perishing in his righteousnesse, Eccles. 7.15. that is, while he is pursuing a righteous cause: though his way be pious, it is not alwayes prosperous: and on the other side, those that work wickednesse are set up, yea, they that tempt God are delivered, Mal. 3.15. though now our candle be in a dark lanthorn, and the people of God cannot tell what God is a doing, yet when they are in heaven they shall see the reason of these transactions*: they shall see that every Providence served for the fulfilling of Gods ⟨p. 162⟩Promise, viz. that all things shall work together for good, Rom. 8.28. In a Watch the wheeles seeme to move crosse one to another, but all carry on the motion of the Watch, all serve to make the Alarm strike; so the wheeles of Providence seeme to move crosse, but all shall carry on the good of the elect; all the lines shall meet at last in the centre of the Promise; in heaven, as we shall see Mercy and Justice, so we shall see Promises, and Providences kissing each other: Our light shall be cleare. When a man is at the bottome of an hill, he cannot see very farre: but when he is on the top, he may see many miles distant. Here the Saints of God are in the valley of tears, they are at the bottome of the hill, and cannot tell what God is a doing: but when they come to Heaven, and shall be on the top of the mount, they shall see all the glorious transactions of Gods Providence; ⟨p. 163⟩
- *Joh. 13.7
