A79420:169
A discourse of divine providence I. In general
A discourse of divine providence I. In general: that there is a providence exercised by God in the world. II. In particular: how all Gods providences in the world, are in order to the good of his people. By the late learned divine Stephen Charnock, B.D. sometime fellow of New-College in Oxon.A discourse of divine providence I. In general: that there is a providence exercised by God in the world. II. In particular: how all Gods providences in the world, are in order to the good of his people. By the late learned divine Stephen Charnock, B.D. sometime fellow of New-Colledg in Oxon.
London: printed by R. Roberts for Thomas Cockerill, 1684
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.
I. Adversity cannot be called absolutely an evil, as prosperity cannot be called absolutely a good. They are rather indifferent ⟨p. 95⟩things, because they may be used either for the honour or dishonour of God. As they are used for his honour, they are good; and as used for his dishonour, they are evil. The only absolutely bad thing in the world is sin, which cannot be in its own nature but a dishonour to God. The only absolutely good thing in the world is holiness, and a likeness to God, which cannot be in its own nature but for his glory. As for all other things, I know no true satisfaction can be in them, but as they are subservient to Gods honour, and give us an advantage for imitating some one or other of his perfections. Crosses in the Scripture are not excluded from those things we have a right to by Christ, when they may conduce to our good, 1 Cor. 3.22. Life and Death, things present, and things to come, are yours, and you are Christs. Since the revelation of the Gospel, I do not remember that any such complaint against the Providence of God fell from any holy man in the New Testament; for our Saviour had given them another prospect of those things. The holy men in the Old Testament comforted themselves ⟨p. 96⟩against this Objection by the end of the wicked which should happen, and the rod cease.* In the New Testament we are more comforted by the certain operation of crosses to our good and spiritual advantage. Our Saviour did not promise wealth and honour to his followers, nor did he think it worth his pains of coming and dying, to bestow such gifts upon his Children. He made Heaven their happiness, and the Earth their Hell; the Cross was their badge here, and the Crown their reward hereafter; they seemed not to be a purchase congruous to so great a price of Blood. Was God's Providence to Christ the more to be questioned because he was poor? Had he the less love to him because he was a man of sorrows, even while he was a God of glory? Such groundless conceits should never enter into Christians, who can never seriously take up Christs Yoke without a proviso of afflictions; who can never be God's Sons, without expecting his corrections.