Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A65285
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A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
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Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.
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1692
(1692)
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Wing W1109; ESTC R32148
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1,021,388
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604
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very poor and now being warned of the Angel to go into Aegypt Matth. 2.13 the Virgin had scarce enough to bear her Charges thither see now how God provides for her before-hand he by his Providence sends the Wise-men from the East and they bring costly Gifts Gold Myrrh and Franckincence and present there to Christ And now the Virgin had enough to defray her Charges unto to Aegypt God's Children sometimes scarce know how they are fed and yet Providence feeds them Psal. 37.3 Verily thou shalt be fed If God will give his People a Kingdom when they dye he will not deny them daily Bread while they live 3. God's Providence reaches to all Affairs and Occurrences in the World there is nothing that stirs in the World but God hath by his Providence the over-ruling of it The raising of a Man to Honour whence is this but through Divine Providence Psal. 75.7 He puts down one and sets up another Success and Victory in Battel is the result of Providence Saul had the Victory but God wrought the Salvation 1 Sam. 11.13 That among all Virgins that were brought before the King that Esther should find Favour in the Eyes of the King was not without God's special Providence for by this means the Lord saved the Iews alive that were destinat'd to Destrustion Providence reaches to the least of things to the Birds and Pismire Providence feeds the young Raven when the Dam forsakes it and will give it no Food Psal. 147.9 Providence reaches to the very Hairs of our Head Matth. 10.30 The hairs of your head are numbred and surely if Providence reaches to our Hairs then much more to our Souls And thus you have seen that the Providence of God reaches to all Places to all Persons to all Occurrences and Affairs Now there are two Objections against this Doctrine Object 1. But may some say There are many things done in the World which are Excentrecal they are very disorderly and irregular and surely the Providence of God doth not â—each to these things Answ. Yes these things that seem to us irregular God makes use of to his own Glory For Instance Suppose you were in a Smith's Shop and there should see several sorts of Tools some crooked some bowed others hook'd would you condemn all these things for nought because they do not look handsome the Smith makes use of them all for the doing of his Work Thus it is with the Providence of God they seem to us to be very crooked and strange yet they all carry on God's Work I shall clear this to you in two particular Cases 1 st God's People are low why this seems to be very much out of order that these that are best should be in the lowest Condition but there is much Wisdom to be seen in this Providence as appears thus 1. Perhaps the hearts of the Godly were lifted up with Riches or with Success now God comes with an humbling Providence to Afflict them and Fleece them better is the Loss that makes them Humble then the Success that makes them Proud Again 2. if the Godly were not sometimes afflicted and suffer'd an Eclipse in their outward Comforts how could their Graces be seen their Faith and Patience If it were always Sunshine we should see no Stars if we should have always Prosperity it would be hard to see the Actings of Mens Faith Thus you see God's Providences are wise and regular though to us they seem very strange and crooked 2 dly Here 's another Case the Wicked flourish this seems to be very much out of order ay but God in his Providence sees good sometimes that the worst of Men should be exalted they may do some work to God though against their will Isa. 10.7 God will be in no Man's debt God makes use of the Wicked sometimes to protect and shield his Church he makes use of them to refine and purifie his People Hab. 1.12 Thou hast ordained them for correction As if the Prophet had said Thou hast ordain'd the Wicked to correct thy Children And indeed as Austin saith well We are beholding to wicked Men who against their wills do do us good As the Corn is beholding to the Flayl to thresh off its Husks or as the Iron is beholding to the File to brighten it so the Godly are beholding to the Wicked tho' it be against their will to brighten and refine their Graces Now then if the Wicked do God's own Work though against their will God will not let them be Loosers by it he will raise them in the World exalt them and wring out the Waters of a full Cup to them Thus you see these Providences are wise and regular which to us seem strange and crooked Object 2. But may some say if God hath a hand in ordering all things that fall out why then he hath a hand in the Sins of Men I answer No by no means he hath no hand in any Man's sin God cannot go contrary to his own Nature he cannot do any unholy Action no more then the Sun can be said to be darkned Here you must take heed of two things as you must take heed of making God ignorant of Mens sins so you must take heed of making God to have a hand in Mens sins Is it a thing likely that God is the Author of Sin that is an Avenger of it Is it a likely thing that God should make a Law against Sin and then have a hand in breaking his own Law is that likely And therefore to answer the Objection God in his Providence doth permit Mens sins Acts 14.16 He suffered all nations to walk in their own ways God permitted their sin and he would never permit their sin if he could not bring good out of it as the Apothecary can make a Treakle of Poison Had not Sin been at all permitted God's Justice in punishing Sin and his Mercy in pardoning Sin had never been so well known The Lord is pleas'd to permit it but he had no hand in it Object But is it not said that God hardned Pharoah's Heart here 's more then God's bear permitting of Sin Answ. God doth not infuse Evil into Men only he withdraws the Influence of his Graces and then the Heart hardens of itself even as Light being withdrawn Darkness presently follows in the Air but it were absurd to say that therefore the Light darkens the Air and therefore you shall observe that Pharoah is said to harden his own Heart Exod. 8.15 God is the cause of no Man's Sin 't is true God hath a hand in the Action where Sin-is but no hand in the Sin of the Action He that plays upon a jarring Instrument he is the cause of the sounding of the Instrument but the jarring is from itself so 't is here the Actions of Men so far as they are natural are from God but so far as they are sinful they are from Men themselves and God has no hand at all in them And
will strengthen us in our sufferings Psal. 37.39 He is their strength in the time of trouble Either God makes our burden lighter or our Faith stronger He will compensate and recompence our sufferings Mat. 19.29 Every one that hath forsaken Houses or Lands for my name sake shall receive an hundred fold and inherit Life everlasting Here are encouragements to suffer affliction but there is no encouragement to sin God hath brandish'd a flaming Sword of threatnings to deter us from sin Psal. 68.21 God shall wound the Hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in his trespasses There is a flying Roul of Curses which enter into the House of a sinner Zac. 5.4 if a Man sin be it at his peril Deut. 32.42 I will make mine Arrows drunk with Blood God will make Men weary of their sins or he will make them weary of their Lives Thus sin is worse than Affliction there are Encouragements to suffer Affliction but no Encouragement to sin 8. When a Person is afflicted only he himself suffers but by sinning openly he doth hurt to others 1. He doth hurt to the Vnconverted one mans sin may lay a stone in another mans way at which he may stumble and fall into Hell O the Evil of scandalous Sin some are discouraged others hardned thy sinning may be a cause of anothers damning Mal. 2.7 8. The Priests going wrong caused others to stumble 2. He doth hurt to the Converted by an open scandalous sin he offends weak Believers and so sins against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 Thus sin is worse than Affliction because it doth hurt to others 9. In Afflictions the Saints may Rejoyce 1 Thes. 1.6 Ye receiv'd the Word in much Affliction with Ioy Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods Aristotle speaks of a Bird that lives among Thorns yet sings sweetly so a Child of God can rejoyce in Affliction St. Paul had his Prison-songs Rom. 5.3 We glory in Tribulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word signifies an Exuberancy of Joy a Joy with Boasting and Triumph God doth oft pour in those Divine Consolations as cause the Saints to rejoyce in Afflictions they had rather have their Afflictions than want their Comforts God doth candy their Wormwood with Sugar Rom. 5.5 You have seen the Sun shine when it rains The Saints have had the shining of Gods Face when Affliction hath rained and drop'd upon them Thus we may rejoyce in Affliction but we cannot rejoyce in sin Hos 9.1 Rejoyce not O Israel for Ioy as other people for thou hast gone a Whoring from thy God Sin is Matter of Shame and Grief not of Joy David having sinn'd in numbring of the people His Heart smote him 2 Sam. 24.10 as the pricking of a Vein lets out the Blood so when sin hath prick'd the Conscience it lets out the Joy 10. Affliction is a Magnifying of a Person Iob 7.17 What is Man that thou shouldest magnifie him and visit him every morning That is visit him with Affliction How do Afflictions magnifie us Answ. 1. As they are signs of Son-ship Heb. 12.7 If ye endure Chastening God deals with you as Sons Every Print of the Rod is a Badge of Honor. 2. As the sufferings of the Godly have raised their Fame and Renown in the World the Zeal and Constancy of the Martyrs in their Suffering have Eterniz'd their Name O how Eminent was Iob for his Patience Iam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job Iob the Sufferer was more Renown'd than Alexander the Conqueror Thus Afflictions Magnifie a Person but sin doth not magnifie but vilifie him When Eliâ—s Sons had sinn'd and prophan'd their Priesthood they turn'd their glory into shame the Text saith They made themselves Vile 1 Sam. 3.13 Sin casts an indelible Blot on a mans Name Prov. 6.32 33. Whoso commits Adultery with a Woman a Wound and Dishonour shall he get and his Reproach shall not be wiped away 11. A man may suffer Affliction and bring Honour to Religion Pauls Iron Chain made the Gospel wear a Gold Chain suffering Credits and propagates the Gospel but committing of sin brings a Dishonour and Scandal upon the ways of God Cyprian saith when in the Primitive Times a Virgin who vow'd her self to Religion had defil'd her Chastity Totum Ecclesiae Caetum erubescere Shame and Grief fill'd the face of the whole Congregation When scandalous sins are committed by a few they bring a Reproach upon all that profess As three or four brass shillings in a summ of Mony make all the rest suspected 12. when a mans Afflictions are upon a good Account that he uffers for Christ he hath the Prayers of God's People 'T is no small priviledge to have a stock of Prayer going 't is like a Merchant that hath a part in several Ships Suffering Saints have a large share in the Prayers of others Acts 12.5 Peter was in Prison but Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church to God for him What greater Happiness than to have God's Promises and the Saints Prayers But when a Man sins presumptuously and scandalously he hath the Saints bitter Tears and just Censures he is a burden to all that know him as David speaks in another Case Psal. 31.11 They that did see me without fled from me So a scandalous sinner the People of God fly from him he is like an infected person every one shuns and avoids him 13. Affliction can hurt a Man only while he is living but sin doth hurt when he is dead as a Mans Vertues and Alms may do good when he is dead so a Mans sin may do Mischief when he is dead When a Spider is kill'd the Poison of it may do hurt so the Poison of an Evil Example may do much hurt when a man is in his Grave Affliction at most can but last a Mans Life but his sin lives and doth hurt when he is gone Thus you see sin is far worse than Affliction 2. Sin is worse than Death Aristotle calls Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Terrible of Terribles and Iob calls it The King of Terrors Iob 18.14 but sin is more deadly than Death it self First Death tho' it be painful yet it were not hurtful but for sin It is sin that imbitters Death and makes it sting 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is sin Were it not for sin tho' Death might kill us it could not curse us Sin poisons Deaths Arrow so that sin is worse than death because it puts a sting into Death Secondly Death doth but separate between the Body and the Soul but sin without Repentance separates between God and the Soul Iudg. 18.24 Ye have taken away my Gods and what have I more Death doth but take away our Life from us but sin takes away our God from us So that sin is worse than Death Thirdly Sin is worse than Hell In Hell there is the Worm and the Fire but sin is worse 1. Hell is of God's making but sin