Divine Providence

Stephen Charnock (1628-80) was an English Puritan thinker known for his practical preaching and ability to explain deep doctrinal concepts clearly and persuasively; he also had an interest in physics. He served as a pastor in Dublin, Ireland, for several years before political and religious upheaval resulted in his ejection from pulpit ministry in 1660, along with more than two thousand other nonconformists. Although forbidden to preach publicly, he continued to study and write for fifteen years. When government restrictions eased, he co-pastored a church in London with Thomas Watson from 1675 until his death. He left behind "considerable treatises on some of the most important points of religion" that were collected soon afterward and published posthumously.