A discourse concerning prodigies: wherein the vanity of presages by them is reprehended. And their true and proper ends asserted and vindicated / By John Spencer, B.D.

  • John Spencer
Date:
1663
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse concerning prodigies: wherein the vanity of presages by them is reprehended. And their true and proper ends asserted and vindicated / By John Spencer, B.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    118/150 (page 96)
    Concluf.4* : t Concerning Prodigies Penal. Se<5t.2a doubt whether any of the judgements they can inftance in touch in any points and angles of fimilitude thofe already mention’d, and be- caufethey came not forth to decide caufes collaterally, but diame¬ trically oppos’d (not differences between Paul and Cephast but God and Belial) butbecaufe judaifm and Gentilifm were caufes evi¬ dently devoted in facred feripture, and-the judgements following them were but the accomplishments of its predictions, and the ex¬ ecutions of a feripture fentence upon them. But we have now no better warrant to infer the goodnefs or badnefs of fome lefler caufes and opinions men efpoufe, from the judgements which may fome- times overtake the aflertors of them> then to make judgement of the loyalty of a wife, by a water of jealoufie. For as fometimes the Per [on may fall in the caufe (becaufethat is difpleafing toGod) thus5F<?- pab fell in the expedition againft the King of Egypt 5 fo fometimes thecrfz//emayfallintheperfon (becaufehe is dilpleafing to God) as the Ifraelites in the controverfy with the men of Benjamin. Beiides we are to prel'ume that God lpeaksto us more plainly by his pro¬ vidence, then by his word, wherein he hath permitted fome lefler matters to fland in a very doubtfull light, to engage us to anexer- cife of our underjlandings to find the truth, and of our charities to thofe who (having not fuch ftrong and excercifed fenfes as our felves) chance to miftake it. It were therefore heartily to be wifht, that men had that largenefs cj heart, as not to think heaven and earth concern’d in the handing or falling of their little interefis and perfwafions; that they would leave oft (that worftkind of enclofure) the entailing Salvation Solely upon their own party; and not goe about to hedge in the Holy Dove, by appropriating the graces and influences thereof to them¬ selves. For then men would not be fo prone to believe Gods judge¬ ments defign no higher then the ferviceof their little paflionsa*nd animofities, and that he is as little able to forbear and make allow¬ ance for the miftakes and infirmities of men, as themfelves. Perfonal judgements extraordinary, are to be regarded as Gods viable fermons of repentance to a multitude under the guilt of the fame or greater ftn*' The great Lord of Hofts, fometimes decimates a multitude of offenders, anddifeovers in the perfonal fufferings of a few what all deferve, and may (without repentance) exped: Now as the ends of brands are noted to filed forth their tears in a kind of fad fenfe of the lofs of thofe parts which the fire hath already feaz’d, thus they which are (in the'phrafe of feripture) as brands plucty (forthepre- £ent) out of the fire, fhould exprefs a chriftian fenfe of the falls and or the fins of thofe perfons which God was pleas’d to make their proxies in correction. Great judgements are not to be interpreted iomuch the Jigns of our brothers fins, as the reproofs of our own. Becaufe the pregnant example of the Galileans [occurring Luk. 13.] may lend a great light and ftrength both to the particular conclu¬ sion before us, and our general argument, it will be no underva¬ luing of our pains to paraphrafe a little upon our Saviours words upon the occafion. / Verf i0