fruit of the womb as a blessing and blesseth him that hath his quiver full of these shafts but now the poor man knoweth not how to understand this and it is hard for him not to repine at the multiplying of it a great error doubtless but such as for ought I know good people may fall into we cannot trust God to provide for those which he giveth us if this hath been thy error God but pays thee in thy own kind by shortning thy number and maketh thy own secret sinful wish now to be thy Plague and Torment but this ordinarily is the sin of the poorer and meaner sort of Christians 2. Didst thou not let thy heart run out too much upon thy Children God is jealous and it is the nature of jealousy not to suffer a rival in the object beloved be it a person or a thing God is the object and he will be the prime object of his peoples love desire and delight It is his Law Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy strength it may be thy Child had more of thy heart more of thy love and and delight than God had no wonder if he hath taken it from thee this is now usually the sin of those whose circumstances in the world are better they have a fair estate in the world and Children few enough to leave it to and in such cases it is a very hard thing to keep our hearts within due bounds but our affections are ready to overflow especially if there be nothing in the temper or behaviour of the Child that takes off the edge of our affections to it 3. Doth not thy heart smite thee for the neglect of thy duty to thy Child especially if it were of any years Thy duty in instructing it or thy duty in reproving and admonishing it Elie's Sons were indeed men grown but God cut off his Children though their personal guilt justified God in his severity against them yet Eli smarted in their punishments for honouring his Sons more than God for dealing too gently with them for their most enormous wickednesses Thou mayest also neglect thy duty towards them in instructing them in making them acquainted with the holy Scriptures in admonishing them to keep the Lords Sabbaths and seeing to their external Sanctification of them This is undoubtedly a second piece of thy duty upon such a dispensation and to be humbled before God for those sins which thy conscience smiteth thee for and suggesteth to thee as probable causes of this rod of God upon thee 3. It is doubtless thy duty whatsoever thou findest to be satisfied with Gods good pleasure Rachel mourned sinfully while she so mourned as that she refused to be comforted If thou findest that probably God hath punished thy sin in the sickness pain and death of thy Child it is indeed matter of humiliation to thee it offers thee a just opportunity to resolve for the time to come to amend thy errors as to any survivors which God shall lend thee but yesterday cannot be called back again God hath done what pleased him It may be in mercy to thy Child though it be in judgment unto thee thou hast no reason to quarrel or murmure at God for any of his dispensations If it be for thy Child 's Original sin still thou hast no reason to blame God he is just and righteous in what he hath done But if God hath done it to give thy Child a quicker passage to Heaven to bring it sooner to a state of perfection to deliver it from an evil to come here thou hast reason to admire and adore the Divine goodness rather than to quarrel at Divine Justice There are a great many things that may conduce to the relief of a godly man or woman disturbed at this dispensation of Divine Providence It is a very ordinary dispensation of God though therefore it may look like a digression from the principal argument of my discourse yet it may possibly be not so judged by some of you whose case it either at present is or may be to instance in some heads of arguments which occasionally you may make use of for the quieting of your Spirits 1. Consider what-ever was the moving cause on Gods part yet the will of God is revealed The will of God is such a thing to satisfy a Christian with as nothing can be more nothing greater We have our Heaven by the will of God fear not little flock it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom We have all our grace all our glory from the will of God and shall we not thankfully accept a cross when it is the will of our Father to lay it upon our necks We pray thy will be done and shall we murmure against it when we see it done This silenced Aaron David Heli Hezekiah it leaves no room for a good Christians reply to it it is our Fathers will that is enough It is our Fathers will revealed by an Act of his Providence The Lord hath given saith Job and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. 2. Consider how many sadder cases than thine there have been Thou hast lost a Child an infant Job lost all his Children when they were grown up feasting at their elder Brothers house Aarons was a sad cause he lost his two Sons grown up in an act of sinning yet he held his peace Helies case was sad to lose two such wicked Sons in a Battel Davids case was sad God had expresly told him the Child should dye because of his sin and that by it he had made the enemies of God to blaspheme What doth David do He fasteth he prayeth he humbleth himself before God so long as the Child lived and while he had any hope but when the will of God was revealed when the Child was dead he ariseth and eateth bread as he was wont to do he saith that he should go to it it should not return to him 3. Consider Let the case be as sad as it will yet if thou lookest round about it there is mercy in it either mercy to thy Child or mercy to thee or mercy to both if thy Child be gone to Heaven there is mercy in that if it be delivered from evil to come upon the World or that part of the world where it should have had its portion there is mercy in that David's case was as sad as one can well think of any of this nature yet there was this mercy in it the living monument and remembrance of David's sin and shame was taken away 4. Suppose that God hath for thy sin taken it away and thou canst not satisfie thy self but it is so yet consider God eternally punisheth none for the sins of their correlates God may punish persons with bodily and temporal punishments for the sins of their Parents but not eternally as to those punishments every soul shall bear no
men are subdued under them by him that they have wisdom to make Laws and liberty to execute them that men in their dominions are disposed into their several orders ranks and stations so as mutually to serve one another and to uphold the whole Oh that Subjects would praise the Lord for his goodness that they have wise Magistrates good Laws that their lives are not Sacrificed to murtherers that their houses are not fired that their Wives and Virgins are not ravished that they are disposed to Trades and Occupations that they have wisdom for them a spirit to them Let every Citizen every Subject see and acknowledg the hand of the Lord in these things and bless his holy name But lastly Let the Redeemed of the Lord particularly Vse 3 see and acknowledg the Providence of God in the preserving of them in their spiritual capacities Were it not for the preserving Providence of God our spiritual life would be extinguished every moment God preserveth it by repeating his Gracious Acts in the remission of our sins in the imputation of Christs righteousness Our habits of grace would weaken we aâ—â— preserved and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation It is a great mercy and deserves a great acknowledgment that we have our lives preserved our estates preserved our wives and daughters preserved But oh how much greater is it that we have our state of Justification maintained Our principles of Spiritual Operations our habits of Grace our power to repent believe love God preserved that the influences of Grace are continued that we have the Word and Ordinances preserved Let the redeemed of the Lord say his mercy endureth for ever let them adore preserving-Providence let them consider what a subtil adversary they have Who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour What abundance of lusts and corruptions they have in their own hearts what a law in their members warring against the law of their minds and they will say that the seed of God which is in them is wonderfully preserved But thus much may serve to have spoken of the first great act of Providence which I called Preservation My next work is to speak concerning Government SERMON VIII Psal CIII 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all I AM as you know discoursing concerning the Principal Acts of Actual Providence which I told you were two 1. Preservation 2. Government All things were at first created by a Divine word of Power all things are preserved by a Divine Power He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power saith the Apostle This I have done with but Gods actual Providence doth not extend only to the upholding and the preserving of all his creatures but he governeth them also Preservation respecteth their several beings and capacities Government respecteth their motions and actions For a Discourse upon this I have made choice of this Text and chusing it with that design only I do not take my self so much concerned to enquire into its relation to what went before or followeth I shall only consider it in it self and so it giveth you an account 1. Of the Royal Seat of the Divine residence or place where God more gloriously manifests that Presence which yet filleth Heaven and Earth He hath saith the Psalmist his throne prepared in the heavens 2. The vastness of his Imperial royal influence and dominion His Kingdom saith the Text ruleth over all I shall not meddle with the first part it is the second only which I have to do with The Proposition shortly is this Prop. That he whose Throne is in Heaven governeth the whole Creation The Scripture speaketh plentifully to this point of Gods Universal dominion 1 Chron. 16.31 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoyce and let men say amongst the Heathen The Lord reigneth Psalm 96.10 Say amongst the heathen the Lord reigneth Psalm 93.1 The Lord reigneth he is clothed with Majesty c. Psalm 97.1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce Psalm 99.1 The Lord reigneth let the people tremble An Heathen Prince acknowledgeth it Dan. 4.3 34. But not to multiply Texts Reason will evince it every Superiour being hath a kind of natural right to rule over those that are inferiour to it and God being the Supreme Being and the Creator of all other beings too hath a natural right to extend a Kingdom and Dominion over all and that not only as he is Superior to them and greater than they are but also as he is the efficient cause of all the Creator of all things But to speak more particularly we will enquire 1. What Government is 2. What are the Objects of this vniversal Government and Dominion which the Proposition ascribeth unto God 3. What are those special acts by which God exerciseth this Dominion and Government Government implieth three things 1. The fixing of some ends 2. A power invested in some one or more persons upon others ordering and directing them in order to that end 3. The exercise of this Power The end of Government amongst men is usually the peace quiet and settlement of a place Gods End is his own glory He hath made all things for himself and he doth all things for himself for the fulfilling of his own Counsels and Will in order to the glorifying of his holy Name The Apostle saith Of him and for him are all things 2. Secondly Government implieth a power invested in one or more persons in order to an end Now that God hath such a power none can deny and acknowledg him to be God Once have I spoken yea twice have I heard it saith the Psalmist that power belongeth unto God He who confesseth God to be almighty and able to do whatsoever he pleaseth must own him to have a power sufficient for an Universal Government If we take Power for Authority i. e. a Right to exercise a power over such and such objects that also God hath by the very law of Nature Hath not the potter a power over the clay and is not the creature the clay and God the potter 3. But thirdly Government implieth yet something more viz. an actual exercise of this power and indeed this is the main Actual Government is the exercise of a power wherewith a person or persons are invested over some persons or things in order to some wise ends But let me come to the second Question viz. Quest What are the particular Objects of this Divine providential Government The Text saith His Kingdom ruleth over all I think that term all is to be expounded by three general heads 1. The beings and existences of his creatures 2. The motions and actions of his creatures 3. The omissions and obliquities of his creatures all these as I shall shew you fall under the government of Providence 1. The Beings and existences of his creatures the production and cessation of them the giving of them Being belongs to Creation
up amongst them so they have had an ambition still to arrogate this Name to themselves The Arians would be the only Church since that the Papists the Protestants think they have the best claim and great disputes there are for this Honourable Title I will not say this will determine the cause but it will go a great way That body of people professing Christ against whom the gates of Hell cannot prevail Matth. 16.18 In the midst of which God appears to be by a more special powerful Protection keeping it that it shall not fall Psalm 46.5 That people which the Lord keepeth and watereth every moment lest any should hurt it keeping it night and day Isa 27.3 That people round about whom the Lord is as the mountains are round about Jerusalem Psalm 125 v. 2 Who can say as Psalm 124 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us Then the waters had over-whelmed us the proud waters had gone over our souls I say that people amongst those that lay claim to the honourable Title of the Church of God seem to have the best claim for it is the Church for which God exerciseth a special Providence I will not say This alone will prove any party the true Christian Church but where-ever we see a people professing faith in Jesus Christ holding the Doctrine of the Gospel crying To the Law and to the Testimony for the trial of her Doctrine Worship and Discipline and God watching over this people strangely preserving multiplying and encreasing them using the ministry of his Word amongst them to convert and build up Souls delivering them in a constant series and succession of Providence from their Enemies far more and more mighty than they are we may join our selves to them The anointed of the Lord the Church of the true and living God is doubtless before us Though these special Providences will not make an argument alone yet they are a far better argument than the Popish pedegree they pretend to in a succession from St. Peter or Antiquity or their pretended Vnity or Miracles indeed rather to be called lying wonders I know no promises of these things to the Church to the end of the World but I know many promises for special Providence attending them And certainly that Body of Christian people called Protestants I mean that people in all the parts of the World that are now called by that name for the name beareth date but from the German Reformation but I say that Body of people united in their Doctrine and Worship can lay the fairest claim to this of any others No people hath been more strangely preserved than they witness those in the valleys of Piedmont and Lucerne and Bohemia none more strangely preserved nor whose number hath been more strangely encreased nor their Doctrines more strangely prevailed A Christian by observing which way special Providence hath most moved may get much wisdom and much help himself in making a judgment which is the true Church 2. Yea and he may also much help himself in judging of those in the World who are the true Saints and people of God who they are that dwell in the secret of the most High as the Psalmist speaketh for they generally abide under the more particular shadow of the Almighty It is true there are some rare instances of persons that walk close with God whom yet God followeth with a series of severe Providences such an instance was Job and such particular instances we see in our time to let us know that outward prosperity is not the Saints portion God hath provided some better things for his people But take now any considerable number of people in any City or Place that so far as we can judg walk more close with God and in a more strict observation of his law than others do and oppose these to a like number of persons in that place that give a liberty to their lusts and walk by no such rule and observe number for number who are most under the special Providence of God preserving them from dangers and in dangers who are most blessed with special Providences as to length of life health c. you will remember that I told you we must abate for particular instances of Gods own people whom he picks out to make examples of saith and patience and to be his witnesses unto the world in a time of trial Who observeth not how strangely God preserveth and blesseth some people that fear him and walk closely with him and I do believe the observation will justifie it self concerning any considerable number of such persons compared with a like number of others So that although none can conclude himself or herself a child of God from some particular special Providence no not from a series and course of them yet where men and women walk close with God Gods special Providences attending them will much evidence even to others that they are not hypocritical in their professions 2. But secondly The observation of Gods special Providences towards our persons our families our Church will much make us to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The love of our friend to us is not seen so much in some acts of his goodness which others experience as much as we as in some special things which he doth for us and doth not or will not do for others The observation therefore of special Providence helps much to affect our hearts with the love of God God in trying our love to him saith to us What do you do more than others and as our love to God is so tried so Gods love to us is so evidenced this is that which hath always set the hearts of the people of God admiring God This was that which set the Psalmist upon admiring Gods goodness to mankind Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou shouldest remember him If you read on you will see that which affected the Psalmist was Gods special Providences to man making him little lower than the Angels cloathing him with glory and honour putting all things under his feet c. This made David understand the loving kindness of the Lord 1 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto and this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord. God aggravates our sins from the special Providences he hath blessed us with as in the case of David 2 Sam. 12. and Saul Moses argueth the Israelites to duty from Gods special Providences to them in the four first Chapters of Deuteronomy nothing makes us so much as them to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Oh therefore observe consider what God hath done and what he daily doth for you more than
The Egyptians the Philistines the vilest Enemies cry out God fighteth against them or This is the Lords work Secondly As the Power so the Wisdom of God is seen in these methods and operations of Providence Indeed sometimes God so worketh that the Power of God appeareth uppermost and is most conspicuous in the destruction of the Enemies and in the salvation of the Lords people as in the case of Sennacherib's Army destroyed by an Angel of Pharaoh destroyed by the return of the waters c. But oft-times there 's a wonderful wisdom of God in ordering contingencies and seeming casual things to his own ends in these cases as in the case of Joseph and Haman the reflexion of the Sun upon the waters which caused the Moabites mistake and confusion But the wisdom of God is further seen in this That a mercy seldom comes but though we could see nothing of Wisdom relating to it before it came yet when it is come to pass there 's no understanding Christian but is forced to say It could never have come in a more seasonable time the wisdom of which we could see nothing of in the prospect is evident upon the event It would have been a great question whether the Israelites would have been so willing to have come out of Egypt under the conduct of Joseph when they were pinch'd with no oppressions as they were under Moses and Aaron when they had been serving in the Brick-kilns and their lives so many years together had been made bitter to them through the hard bondage which they had so long endured Thirdly The Lord doth thus more eminently magnifie his justice and righteousness Justice lieth in the distribution of rewards and punishments the first we call Remunerative the second Vindicative Justice Both are much magnified by this method of Providence Persons in the greatest heighths of prosperity or depths of 〈◊〉 are ordinarily the most remarkable objects of the worlds eyes and more regarded than those that are in a more middle-state When God lifts up a Joseph out of the dungeon and a Daniel out of the Lions den and advanceth a Mordecai for whom a gallows was set up and the three Children are taken out of a fiery Furnace He proclaimeth to all the World and they are forced to confess it that verily there is a reward for the righteous and so on the other side when a Pharaoh a Sennecharib an Haman a Nebuchadnezzar are pull'd down in the midst of all their pride and jollity from their very pinacles of honour the Justice and Righteousness of God in punishing proud and imperious Sinners is proclaimed and made more evident to all the World Lastly 4. The Lords goodness is thus more magnified and taken notice of Common and ordinary Dispensations of gracious Providence are little remarked by us what mercy do we receive every night every day from God yet how little notice do we take of it how little is our heart affected with it but now when we are brought to the pits-brink to a very low estate and then are pluck'd from it when we are in a very low estate and then delivered Gods goodness is both more proclaimed to the World and more conspicuous unto us But this will in part fall in under the second head for I told you that God is glorified by this method of his Providence not only as his glorious Attributes divers of them are by it more exalted but also as the pious and religious Acts of his people are more by this method of Providence elicited I have often hinted to you that God hath a twofold glory from his Creatures and the works of his hands The first is a meer passive glory Thus the heavens declare the glory of God the Heavens shew forth the greatness glory and power of God The second is Active wherein the creature doth some actions from which a glory doth result unto God Now by this Method of Providence God is not only glorified in the first sense as this kind of working speaketh more of his Power Wisdom Justice Goodness c. but in the second also ◠Thus God sometimes forceth an acknowledgment of his Power even from the worst of men Julian himself shall confess that Christ is too hard for him throwing up his Dagger to Heaven and crying Vicisti Galilaee The Egyptians shall cry out Exod. 14.25 Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for the Israelites against the Egyptians Nebuchadnezzar shall make a Decree Dan. 3.29 That every Nation People and Language which speak any thing against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Dan. 6.25 Darius shall write to all people Nations and Languages that dwell upon the Earth and make a Decree That in every Dominion of his Kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for he is the living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his Dominion shall be even to the end he delivereth and he rescueth and he worketh signs and wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the Lions The King of Babylon that set up the Golden-image and so rigorously commanded all should bow down to it or be thrown into the fiery Furnace heated seven times hotter than ordinary Dan. 3.26 shall bless the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him and have changed the Kings word and yielded their bodies that they might not serve or worship any god but their own God What a wonderful glory here had God given him from a wicked Pagan Prince he confesseth his Command wicked he blesseth God that put into these three hearts 〈◊〉 to disobey it and make him change his word he acknowledgeth God the true God and that he delivereth them that trust in him All this accreweth from Gods delivering these three men when they were at the lowest when all gave them over for dead men But secondly How much more glory hath God from his own people upon any such deliverance Surprizals affect us most An unthought-of evil most startleth and dejecteth us An unthought-of good most elevates and affects us Good things lessen in our opinion and estimate by a long expectation They are greatest and most affect us when we are past hopes of them Sudden and unlook'd for good raiseth our hearts to great admiration great praise and thanksgiving Now he that offereth praise saith God glorifieth me The more God is admired the more his goodness is predicated and proclaimed the more men upon any occasion speak of his honour and power and greatness the more glory God hath from them Thirdly God is more honoured by this method of Providence not only as the suddenness of it doth more affect and elevate his peoples
Vse 1. In the first place let then all men that live upon the Earth praise the Lord but especially such as are superiors and rulers over others and more especially such as are his Church The Psalmist Psal 135.1 calls to all saying Praise the Lord praise ye the name of the Lord and ver 19 20 21. He calleth in particular Bless the Lord O house of Israel Bless the Lord O house of Aaron Bless the Lord O house of Levi you that fear the Lord bless the Lord Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Hierusalem 1. This observation calleth to all the sons and daughters of men to bless the Lord. We are all sociable creatures and much of the comfort of our lives lyeth in our societies and fellowships one with another either in our family-societies or in our civil-societies or in our Church-societies We should think it a life worse than death to be condemned to live like a wild Ass alone in the wilderness Now there are some lusts of men that would spoil us of all this comfort God peculiarly sets himself against them and makes these the marks for his arrows of vengeance The Jews said of the Centurion He hath loved our nation and hath built us a synagogue We may say of our good God he hath loved mankind for he hath taken care to preserve order in humane societies and severely to chasten the invaders upon the rights of others What an ingagement doth this lay upon all men to praise the Lord Certainly sirs there is a great deal of praise and glory and homage due to God from all men as they are concerned in their several societies There is a great deal of glory due to God from families for his testimony against those lusts of men such as are murtherers and adulterers which in a short time would spoil all the comfort of those societies Certainly every family is bound to worship God and to walk with God But particularly 1. Let Rulers praise the Lord. Let all the Princes of the Earth give homage to him that ought to be served they are more especial marks for furious and ambitious mens lusts Gods Providence as you have heard is eminently seen in preventing their dangers in revenging their harms 2 Sam. 23.3 4 5. Surely then as David saith those that rule over men should be just ruling them in the fear of the Lord their light should be like the light of the morning without clouds God hath not only set them up as lights upon an hill but he hath made his special Providence to be a lanthorn about them that 't is rarely that the wind of sedition and treason prevails to blow them out and then 't is ordinarily for some eminent Provocation of God But I am not speaking to persons in that capacity You that are parents praise the Lord Gods special Providence you see reacheth you and in a great measure secureth you from that great heart-ach of rebellious and disobedient children I know you will say How then cometh this to be the great affliction of many good parents To which I answer 1. There is many a good parent may have been but like good old Ely too indulgent and cockering to their children ordinarily God keepeth up the authority of parents over their children until themselves have prostituted it and in the rebellion and disobedience of their children they may read their own sin and see as much cause to be humbled for that as any thing else as David in the case of Adonijah 1 King 1.5 6. And herein the goodness of God towards parents will be seen that if he doth not upon their endeavours secure to them the duty of their children yet he will not fail to revenge their quarrels against them 2. Let the poor and weak of the earth praise the Lord he hath declared himself the father of the fatherless and the judg of the widows a refuge for the oppressed Psal 68.5 Exod. 22.5 Psal 10.11 How are all the widows and fatherless children all the poor and oppressed people of the world bound to praise and to serve this God who hath taken upon himself the special patronage and protection of them This indeed would be the best use we could possibly make of this Observation relating to the special Providence of God if it might lay a special obligation upon all those who are thus especially concerned to magnifie God as their great patron and defender And how can they praise God more effectually than in doing those particular duties which concern them all in their respective relations or with reference to those peculiar circumstances of Providence under which they are acted I shall add but one branch of Application more and indeed it is not a new Use for it is a part of our praise and homage which we owe unto God upon this Reflexion viz. Vse 2. To all to take heed of those sins which God in his word declares himself more eminently to abhor and in the execution of Providence doth most severely punish All sin is in it self a filthy and abominable thing and the just object of every good mans hatred for should not we hate what God hateth and what hath of all things the greatest opposition to God yes we ought to hate it with a perfect hatred But such is the naughtiness of our heart that we are not so led to an hatred and abhorrence of sin from the intrinsecal evil and obliquity of it as from the dangerous and pernicious consequence of it Death eternal death is the wages of every sin but this being only matter of faith to bold sinners none having ever come from the dead to give them an account of those flames the punishments of sin in this life are those things which most deter carnal sensual men But if men will look no further nor believe any more yet let this lay some law upon us and make us afraid of those sins which I have instanced in being such whose judgment the Providence of God seldom letteth sleep so long as to another life Let this mind us not to meddle with them that are given to change that curse Kings and Rulers in their bed-chambers and are of turbulent and unquiet spirits always plotting and contriving seditions and treasons and disturbances to civil governours it is very rarely that God suffereth their designs to come to issue or their persons to come to the grave in peace 2. What a law should it lay upon the rich and great men of the earth to take heed of violent perverting justice and judgment of turning away the causes of the widows and the fatherless in judgment To consider that he who is the highest doth consider the matter and there is one higher than the highest of them who abuse their power to trample the poor under foot If men be not turned Atheists and have banished all the fear of God from their eyes and hearts it must a little give them law and lay
of sin the hearts of sinners are set in them to do evil because judgement is not executed speedily I indeavoured to discourage and check this presumption in my former observation where I confirmed to you that by how much the more slowly vindicative justice proceedeth to the punishment of sin by so much severer the punishment is when it cometh This Observation addeth further to that check for as that which men call slackness is but the long suffering and patience of God not willing that any should perish but that all should be saved by a seasonable repentance So as you have now heard at large discoursed to you neither is God thus long-suffering and patient with all and although God generally be more quick with those sorts of sinners which I have specified to you yet I desire you to observe what I first enlarged upon that there is hardly any kind or sort of sinners but God at some time or other hath picked out some or other of them to make them examples of his severity Thou maist be struck dead while the lye is in thy mouth It was the case you know of Ananias and Saphira Thou maist be cut off in the very Act of Adultery It was the case you know of Zimri and Cosbi Tremble therefore and do not sin God may grant thee many years of patience he may give thee leave to treasure up wrath to thy self against the day of wrath but thou canst not promise thy self an hours patience But above all fear those sins which God usually is so quick in punishing Fear blaspheming God or the King we live in a blaspheming age wherein have been more bold darings of God than in former times God hath revenged his glory upon some of them they have been cut off in their youth before they have lived out half their dayes If another generation riseth up and approveth their sayings wait but a while and you will see vengeance overtaking them also Fear doing any thing against the life of others who by the law of God ought not to dye Blood-thirsty men shall not live out half their days you fee Gods vengeance against this sin is very quick 2. This Observation affords a great encouragement to the service of God especially to eminent actings and sufferings for God There is a reward for righteous men if they go without it to their dying day yet they shall be recompensed in the generation of the just Heaven will pay for all but God doth not always take so long a day to recompence them Many have a reward in this life and that which is to come The Scripture is full of promises even of the good things of this life to godliness in the general and to the several parts and acts of godliness These promises indeed are not made good to every child of God in specie but only in equivalent yea transcendent mercies But even these promises are made good to many and they may be thy portion however thou shalt not miss of the greater things Particularly this layeth an engagement upon all that fear God as God calleth them to it and giveth them advantage for it to signalize themselves by eminent actings or by some eminent sufferings such you have heard God ordinarily payeth presently and besides that eternal recompence which they have in glory they are in more outward and sensible things or in more inward influences of grace recompensed in this life Those that eminently honour God he will honour and many of them have a double mess sent them from the Lord. SERMON XXXI Psalm CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Am proceeding yet in my Observations upon the motions of Divine Providence that which we call Actual Providence in its administration of distributive Justice both in the punishment of sinners and the rewarding of the righteous Divers Observations I have already made I am come to the Observat 18. Which you may please to take thus That the Providence of God doth very ordinarily with the punishments of this life chastise the past and pardoned sins of people In the handling of which I shall 1. Justifie the Observation 2. I shall shew you the reasonableness of this motion of Providence and reconcile it both to the justice and goodness of God 3. Lastly I shall make some practical application of it That it is so I shall prove by two famous instances the first of David the second Job David you know had fallen into two grievous sins Adultery with Bathsheba and the murther of her Husband Vriah God sendeth the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 12. to David to convince him of his sin who doth it by a Parable Davids heart melteth v. 13. and he saith unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. Nathan tells him the Lord hath also put away thy sin The sin you see was both past and pardoned but mark what follows v. 14. Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the Child also that is born unto thee shall surely dye He had told him before v. 10. That the sword should not depart from his house and v. 11. That he would take his wives before his face and give them to his neighbour and he should ly with them in the sight of the Sun All this was afterward justified by the Actual Providence of God The Child died 2 Sam. 12.18 Amnon defloureth his Sister Thamar and is slain by her Brother Absolon 2 Sam. 13.14 29. Absalom Davids own Son lieth with his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16.22 Absolom is slain in a rebellion against his Father c. Nay not only thus but God punisheth David with horrors and terrors in his mind with diseases in his body as you may gather from Psal 6. Psal 51. and the rest of those Psalms in which he expresseth his repentance David prayeth Psal 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions Job complaineth unto God Job 7.2 3. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work so am I made to possess months of vanity I know the words are capable of another sense as vanity may be understood for affliction and misery or the frustration of his expectations but I should rather interpret it by the words of the same Job 13.26 27 28. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the sins of my youth c. Moses and Aaron sinned against the Lord at the waters of Meribah I do not think that any of you doubt but that God pardoned their sin yet it is certain that God punished them and that for that sin God himself tells them so Deut. 32.50 51. That the Providence of God doth this is evident The second thing may seem to have more difficulty in it viz. How this is reconcileable either to
est Organon according to the subject it worketh in and by our own Spiritual actions we are prepared for the receptions of these Spiritual habits which are not the influxes of the first grace but of further grace and distributed to Souls which have their senses exercised to discern good and evil should God grant out equal measures of this grace unto all there could be no such thing as groweth in grace no such persons as Babes in grace the Kingdom of grace would be like that of glory in which there is no Infant of days nor old men of years and indeed this were enough to have spoken to this case if God did equally dispense out Spiritual strength to those who are of equal standing in the ways of God for though God will give Heaven at last which answereth the Penny in the Parable to him who comes into the Lords Vineyard at the Eleventh hour yet he doth not give equal degrees of peace and strength to those that come in to his Vineyard and work there but one hour with those who have wrought all the heat of the day Grace strengthens by exercise as habits are strengthened and confirmed by frequent acts But yet this is not enough to say in this case for all those that be of equal years and standing in the ways of God are not of an equal faith nor have an equal zeal fervency and intension of affections Nay often Christians of a much younger standing find more Spiritual strength to mortifie their corruptions and perform Spiritual duties than those who have been of many years standing in the ways of God 3. Thirdly Therefore God doubtless doth it many times to punish sin and guilt in his own People either in the neglect of ordinances and duty or some other moral miscarriages Sin doubly infeebleth a Christians Soul 1. As it Naturally deadneth the heart towards God and discourageth its exercises upon him 2. As it provoketh God to withdraw himself Sin is the aversion of the Soul from God and its Conversion and turning to the imbraces of the Creature hence it is impossible that the Soul that delighteth in sin should equally breath after and delight in God as that Soul that hateth sin and is more perfectly turned from it Sin quencheth the Holy fire in the Soul it also discourageth the Soul from its confidence in God and in its addresses to God it makes the conscience fly in a mans face and repeat to him the words of the Psalmist Psal 50. What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my law behind thee Or in the Words of the Apostle What fellowship hath light with darkness God with Belial Righteousness with unrighteousness Sin enfeebleth the Soul in all its addresses to God and discourageth it in all it exercises And 2. It provoketh God your iniquities have separated betwixt God and you saith the Prophet and your sins have made him to hide his face from you It was said by a great Commander of Souldiers That he was never afraid to dye but when his conscience smote him for some guilt of sin when the conscience of a Christian reflecteth guilt upon him he is discouraged from exercising any faith and confidence in God and ashamed in the duty of prayer to go unto God There is no Christian but findeth this in his own experience that the conscience of sin doth wonderfully prejudice his Holy boldness in his approaches to the Throne of Grace How weak is thine heart saith the Lord God seeing thou doest all these things the work of an imperious whorish Woman Ezek. 16.30 It is indeed a weakness to sin and weakness to any Spiritual acting is the first fruit of sin in the Soul for what are the Souls exercises upon God but Holy Meditation Faith Hope Spiritual desires delight a fervency zeal or heat of the whole Soul in Gods service Now sin rendring the Soul guilty and defiled how is it possible it should delight in or desire communion with an Holy God exercise any strong Faith and Hope in that God who hath declared his wrath against sinners or care to draw near to God when it apprehendeth God looking upon it afar off with an angry countenance This is another thing which maketh this motion of Divine Providence reasonable that God by it may punish the failings errors and miscarriages of People 4. Fourthly It appeareth reasonable upon the Consideration of the great differences of Christians in their practise of Godliness The promises of strength are made to those that wait upon the Lord for it Psal 27.14 wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Isa 40.31 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like the Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Now it is true every Child of God waiteth upon the Lord but every one waiteth not alike nor walketh with God to the same degree Experience will tell every Christian that the more strictly and closely and constantly he walketh with God the stronger he groweth in all Duty Infused habits are advantaged by exercise as the fire that kindled the wood for sacrifices upon the Altar first came down from Heaven but then was to be kept alive by the care and labour of the Priests so habits of Spiritual Grace are indeed infused from God yea and must also be mantained by daily influences from God yet with a concurrence also of our own labour in waiting upon God and exercising our selves unto Godliness and the more a Christian doth so exercise himself the more strong he shall grow Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on in his way and he that hath clean hands shall add strength or as our translation reads it grow stronger and stronger The more a man excelleth in acts of Righteousness the more he groweth in Spiritual strength ordinarily therefore men and women which have most communion with God and walk more closely with him have most strength to Spiritual Duties 5. Christians differences in Knowledge and Experiences of God is one great reason of their differences as to Spiritual strength 1. Their difference in Knowledge our external acts of Piety such as Prayer as to the true and excellent performance of them do depend upon our internal motions towards God as is our Faith our Love our Hope so will our fervency in Spirit in Prayer and the exercises of our Faith or hope or any other grace be for those inward habits are the principles from which our actions flow the powers which in action we exert and put forth Now these inward workings of our Souls do very much depend upon our knowledge It is true they are not the Natural and necessary fruits or consequents of knowledge Knowledge must be sanctified before it will produce any such effects many a
not assured of it and as to duty the case is the same of things which are not and which appear not to us 2. Because that God who hath willed us any good or the preventing or removing of any evil hath willed both the one and the other to be obtained in the use of such means as either in a natural way of working or upon the evidence of reason or direction of Scripture appear proper for the obtaining it And 3. It is the Command of God we should use means But supposing no means neglected the Predetermination of God ought to satisfie us though we miss of some good which we passionately desired or suffer under the pressure of some evil which we passionately desired a deliverance from and used all means in our power to be freed of it should also quiet us as to any fears that are immoderate and distracting our minds concerning any evil likely to befal us or any who relate to us when we have it in prospect and see it hanging over our heads It may also be of great use to still our spirits concerning means less successfully and ineffectually used to prevent such evils yet as I said before and for the reasons I before mentioned we must take heed of thinking that this certainty of the event from the Divine Prescience and Will giveth us any thing of a supersedeas as to the use of any proper means which we are equally obliged to use as if the event had been incertain and casual and might as well not have been as been 2. But there is more yet in this notion to satisfie every good Christian for if all events how ingrateful soever to us are according to the eternal purpose of God and the Counsel of the Divine Will 1. They necessarily must be good 2. The products of infinite wisdom 3. And of infinite love and goodness to such as love and fear God 1. I say they necessarily must be good I mean this of such as God hath willed to effect not such events as God hath only willed to permit But of the first sort are all evils of punishment It is not beneath God to be the Author of his own Judgments Evils of affliction are only nominally and nuncupatively evil and called so according to the language and apprehension of our sense 2. They must needs be the products of infinite wisdom The Psalmist speaking of the works of God saith In wisdom hath he made them all It is true of Gods Counsels in infinite wisdom God hath established them all so as all events are fixed in the best order imaginable for the glorifying of God which is the highest end any action can be levelled and directed to It is the highest end which God could act for because he could work for no higher he hath wrought and still worketh for himself it is the highest end that we can act for and that to which as we ought to direct all our actions so we also ought to submit all our passions The sum of all our Prayers is or should be Let the Lord be glorified If God be glorified every good man hath his highest wish his utmost design and desire Now if all events were from eternity set in order and predetermined by a Counsel of the Divine Will they must be ordered to the Glory of God because they are ordered by and in infinite wisdom which always directeth the best means in order to the best end God could not be deceived in his contrivement and proportioning of means in order to his own ends Although therefore we may and ought to mourn and be afflicted for many things which we see done under the Sun because they are brought to pass by the lusts malice and wickedness of men by their sinful corruptions and passions by which God is highly dishonoured and it may be we cannot understand what honour God can have from the event it self yet we ought at last to recollect our selves and get victory over our passions and to say Was not the hand of God in this thing Was this a slip of the eternal Counsel or was it a product of it Surely nothing slipt the Divine notice whatever happens was ordered by him who was infinitely wise in Counsel who could order nothing but in infinite wisdom and in subserviency to the great end of his actions the Glory of his Name Every good Christian therefore ought at last to satisfie himself as to what he seeth before him in the world and to say Let come what will of me and mine or of a thousand others little concerns I am frustrated of my expectations and desires I thought God might have been more glorified my way I see I was mistaken God cannot be frustrated of his ends nor be deceived as to means proper for the compassing of them This thing came not to pass without the eternal Counsel of the Divine Will God is true to his own end he would never have decreed to have permitted it nor have permitted it actually if he had not known how to have compassed his Glory by and from it when done Surely the wrath of man shall praise him I cannot see the Wisdom of God in it but there is an infinite wisdom in it and when the Lords work is finished I shall then see it and be able to understand what I now do not I cannot look to see the bottom of Divine Wisdom 3. But this is not all supposing this All events and accidents must to those who love and fear God be not only the products of infinite wisdom with respect to Gods glory which is the highest end but with respect also to their good and this not only in regard of the Promise That all things shall work together for the good of them that love God but also of his fatherly relation unto them All things are theirs because they are Christs and Christ is Gods God hath said concerning them that with an everlasting love he hath loved them and having done so all his eternal counsels all the motions of his Providence must be ordered to the Demonstration of it and this every Child of God shall first or last see It falleth out with us as with an ignorant person which goeth into a Limners Shop he seeth there a rude and imperfect draught of a picture and thinketh that it looks ugly but he seeth not the Idea of the intended draught in the Limners fancy and hath not patience to wait until he hath finished his work which if he had he would then see it a very beautiful piece Thus many of us looking upon Gods Works before they be finished we pass an ill judgment upon them But could we but see the Platform or Idea of them in the eternal Counsel of the Divine Will or stay with patience till the Providence of God had finished his work we should then apprehend it beautiful and very agreeable to the Glory Wisdom Mercy Truth and Goodness of that God which it is
produced to demonstrate to the world and that we cannot see this before is our weakness and imperfection The malice of men in the persecutions of Gods People looketh upon us with an horrid aspect these indeed God doth not effect but he hath willed they should be and hath told us they must come yea and he worketh too permitting others to bring them about and suffering them in the execution of their malice whom he could easily hinder but when these things are over we often see both infinite wisdom and goodness too in them How should the salvation of Sinners have been purchased if God had not permitted Judas to have betrayed his Master Pilate to have condemned him and the Jews to have nailed him to the Cross had it not been for the persecution of the Jews how should the Gospel have gone to the Gentiles But yet for a close of this discourse and that we may not mistake our Duty we ought not to be so far satisfied upon the Contemplation of this great truth but that 1. We must be piously affected with the sad Providences which God measureth out to his Church and People What saith the Psalmist If I forget thee O Hierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning The sad rebukes of Gods Providence ought by us to be laid to heart Though persecutions and other punishments be contrivances of infinite wisdom and products of certain and infinite love yet to the present sufferers they may be punishments of sin and marks of Divine displeasure and therefore ought not to pass over our heads without our taking some notice of them and the causing of some sad thoughts within us the crucifying of Christ was the product of infinite wisdom and goodness to the People of God but yet a just cause of sadness to the Disciples of Christ We must take things as they appear to us being not able to see to the end and bottom of Gods designs That they shall at last issue in the Glory of God and the good of his People is indeed matter of faith and will be matter of joy to us when we see it but in the mean time it is matter of sadness to us to see Gods Vineyard rooted up his People eaten up like bread and wicked men suffered to devour those that are more righteous than themselves 2. Again We have reason to be afflicted both for our own sins and the sins of others Although it be as to the event true that both our own and others sins shall issue in Gods Glory yet it is as true that God hath no need either of ours or any others lyes for his Glory and that God is both by our sins and the sins of others actually dishonoured That they are made to issue in Gods Glory is the product of Gods Wisdom not our oblique and irregular action or intention and therefore they ought to be causes of sad reflexion to us But thus far we may satisfie our selves 1. That as I said before the event was necessary and nothing that hath come to pass could with our utmost care and diligence have been otherwise than it is We may talk after the manner of men and reason after the measures of humane probabilities If such a thing had not been another had not followed but there is nothing issued in time but was ordered from all eternity 2. We ought again in this to be satisfied That of whatsoever the Lord hath promised nothing shall fail We are full of unbelief and when we see Gods Providence working as we judg directly contrary to what he hath promised we are presently giving up all for gone and lost but if every thing be wrought according to the Counsel of the Divine Will and the Holy Scriptures be such part of this will as he hath pleased to reveal to us God knoweth both what he hath said and how he hath laid things in his eternal thoughts and sooner shall Heaven and Earth pass away than any word he hath spoke Prov. 19.21 Isa 40.8 The counsel of the Lord shall stand and the word of our God shall stand for ever 3. And lastly As I have before told you we may be thus far satisfied That whatsoever doth or ever shall come to pass in the world shall serve Gods great ends because it is ordered by the Counsel of the infinitely wise God and therefore must necessarily serve his designs In the end of the world we shall say God could not have had so much Glory but for such a persecution such a disorder Surely the wrath of man shall praise him SERMON II. Heb. XI 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear THE last time I shewed you That God hath from eternity setled all events by an eternal purpose according to the Counsel of his Will nothing cometh to pass in time but what was determined before time I told you my design was to discourse concerning Gods Acts of Providence which are acts in time and particularly to discourse some things relating to actual Providence which do not fall into ordinary discourse and often give occasion of trouble to the spirits of Christians but in order to that I thought it reasonable First to discourse a little of Gods Settlement of all futurities things which were to be fulfilled in their season by an act of his eternal Counsel Nor can I yet come fairly at my intended subject without speaking to Gods first Act in time that was Creation concerning which we must suppose a Decree of God according to that known Rule in Divinity Decretum Dei ejus executio exquisitissime conveniunt nihil est in Dei opere quod non fuit in decreto nihil fuit in decreto quod non sequitur in opere That is the Decree of God and the execution of that Decree most exquisitely agree God worketh nothing but what he first decreed and he decreed nothing but hath had or shall have its issue in his working and when we say God doth any thing we by it do understand no more than a new effect of his eternal Will According therefore to the Counsel of his Will God first made of nothing the world and all that is therein And indeed according to some notion of Providence amongst Divines this is a part of it Now for a foundation of a short Discourse upon this subject I have chosen this Text. The Apostle subjoyneth the words of my Text to a description of Faith which he had given vers 1. Where he had told us That faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen In the second verse he had told us That by this the Elders had obtained a good report Here he saith By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God c. In the Text you have 1. A Divine assertion The worlds were framed by
his Book of the Trueness of Christian Religion Chap. 13. where he sheweth Providence a bundantly owned by Plato Plotinus Hierocles Aristotle Cicero Seneca and others I shall therefore only add one passage of Seneca not I think particularly by him mentioned it is in his Book of Natural Questions Chap. 45. where he calleth God The keeper and governour of the whole world Custodem rectoremque universi animum spiritum mundani hujus operis Dominum artificem cui nomen omne convenit Vis illum fatum vocare non errabis Hic est ex quo suspensa sunt omnia causa causarum Vis illum Providentiam dicere rectè dices Est enim cujus consilio huic mundo providetur ut inconcussus eat actus suos explicet Seneca Nat. Qu. l. 2. cap. 45. a Mind a Spirit the Lord and Artificer or Creator of all the world he to whom every name agreeth Will you call him Fate you will not be out For he it is on whom all things depend Will you call him Providence you will say right for by his Counsel the world is provided and taken care for that it remains steady and performeth its operations Salvian upon this Argument tells us that the Heathens acknowledged God to be in the world as the Master of a great Ship is in that abiding always in it and stirring up and down Whence he cryeth out Quid potuerunt de affectu diligentiâ Dei religiosius sentire Salvian l. 1. What could they more religiously judg and speak of God than to compare him to the Governour of a Ship who is never in the Ship idle but continually at work either in one kind or another The Pythagoreans compared God to the Soul in the body filling each part and actuating each part of the body The Platonists call him the moderator of all things The Heathen Poets speak as well and fully Virgil telleth us God is continually moving throughout all the Earth Tractusque maris coelumque profundum and the Waters and the Heavens In short none but some of the most sensual and brutish Epicureans ever so much as called this in question 5. But hitherto I have been arguing this point with you as men to convince you of it if you were Heathens and had no knowledg of the Holy Scripture When I consider you in that notion I must say to you as the Apostle speaks in another case We have a more sure word of prophecy As we by faith understand that the worlds were at first made by God so by faith also we plentifully understand that the created worlds are upheld preserved protected and governed by God I shall hereafter more distinctly prove this in my following discourse when I shall come to speak of the distinct and particular acts and objects of this Divine Providence I shall only here make use of a few instead of very many Scriptures which might be produced Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpholding all things by the word of his power He at first made all things by the word of his Power and he upholdeth all things by the word of his Power My Text saith He preserveth both man and beast Our Lord telleth us that he cloatheth the grass of the field and feedeth the Ravens Matth. 6. The Psalmist tells us that his kingdom ruleth over all And again Matth. 10.29 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing yet not one of them falls to the ground without the will of your heavenly father Acts 17.28 In him we live move and have our being Prov. 15.13 The eyes of the Lord are in all places beholding the evil and the good John 5.17 My father worketh hitherto and I work In short the places of Scripture confirming this Doctrine of Divine Providence are very many and will most of them fall under some part or other of my ensuing discourse referring to the particular objects and acts of Divine Providence And I therefore shall not in this place further enlarge upon them but come next to consider the extent or particular objects of Divine Providence I proceed therefore to a second Question Quest 2. What are the objects of Divine Providence or how far doth the Divine care extend Though the Epicureans of old would acknowledg no Providence and many of the Stoicks asserting a Fate destroyed it yet the wiser Peripateticks would grant it though but a limited one extended to some particular Beings and things and too many amongst those who are called Christians seem to inherit something of their spirit I remember that when Pharaoh saw Egypt almost destroyed he calls for Moses and Aaron and bids them go and serve the Lord but adds Exod. 10.8 But who are they that shall go When Moses replyed We will go with our young and with our old with our sons and with our daughters with our flocks and with our herds will we go He replyeth vers 10. Let the Lord so deal with me as I let you go and your little ones Thus many deal with God When they consider the vast bodies of the Creatures the great varieties of their beings and qualities their motions c. they are forced to acknowledg a Divine Providence That the world could not stand nor the parts of it hold together unless a Superior hand ruled upheld and governed them They therefore will acknowledg a Providence as to the great bodies of the Heavens c. But say they How far will you extend it When they hear us assert it as to all things the sound of the little ones in nature troubles them yea and as to the wills of men they are wonderfully disturbed We must therefore enquire what the Scripture saith which certainly cannot err as to the bounds and extent of Gods Providential care The Scripture tells us Heb. 4.13 That all things are naked and open before him with whom we have to do That the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15.3 My Text saith He preserveth both man and beast The Apostle to the Hebrews saith He upholdeth all things by the word of his power But to speak more distinctly we extend the Divine Providence 1. To all Beings 2. To all motions and actions of Beings 3. To all omissions suspensions or cessations of action 4. To all events of things 1. First I say to all Beings Beings are usually distinguished into such as have no life or such as have life Or if you please we may make use of that plain division of Beings into 1. Such as have no more than a meer Being neither life nor sense nor reason Such are the Heavens the Earth the Waters Or 2. Such as have Being and life but no sense Such are herbs and plants Or 3. Such as have Being and life and sense Such are Beasts Birds Fishes Insects c. Or Lastly Such as have not only Being life sense but Reason also Such are Angels and Men. I shall shew you that
the people of God be good and for good and the products both of infinite wisdom and of infinite goodness It is our unhappiness that we judg of events to us in this world by sense and not according to faith This maketh us call many things evil indeed there is nothing can happen to a good man truly evil for the hand of his Father must be in it Providence must have the ordering of it and never did the hand of a good Father knowingly mix a potion of poison to his child and with his own hand give it him to drink We do not ask evil of God and he that heareth our prayers will not when we ask him bread give us a stone nor when we ask him a fish give us a Scorpion If we that are evil know how to give good things to those that ask them of us much more doth our heavenly Father know how to give good things to his children asking them of him In this we may be secure If the Providence of God influenceth all the events of the world he so regulates them that although they may prove sensible joyless and afflictive evils yet they shall never prove real evils to those that fear God but in the issue appear the products as of infinite wisdom so also of infinite goodness Thus far this Doctrine of Divine Providence is a great fountain of consolation to the people of God But lastly Let us enquire what duty we may conclude from hence and that is very much I shall instance in some few particulars 1. Is there a Divine Providence and doth this influence all beings motions actions events c Let us learn then the duty of faith to commit all our ways unto God to trust in him and depend upon him It is a duty we are often in Scripture called to and that with respect to our persons and with respect to our affairs and ways 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls unto him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Our Saviour presseth it in opposition to two things 1. In opposition to the fear of man Matt. 10.28 29 30 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father But the very hairs of your head are numbred Fear you not therefore for you are of more value than many sparrows 2. Again He presseth it in opposition to too great sollicitude Matth. 6.25 Therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your body what you shall put on This he presseth from Gods Providence for the Lillies the Birds c. vers 26 27 28 29 30 31. 2. With respect to our affairs and the events of things in the world so far as they concern us 1. Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord for he shall sustain you Psal 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good Vers 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass Prov. 16.3 Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Man troubleth himself in vain both with care and fear the Child of God especially We cannot let God alone to rule and govern the world But surely if there be a God in the world an immense and infinite Being that filleth all places and infinitely active seeing and hearing all things and this God is not idle but influenceth all beings all motions and actions of beings all suspensions omissions and cessations of action in the creature all events and if he hath any Children people or servants in the world whom he loveth delighteth in careth for these people may trust him and commit themselves and their ways to him and it is their duty so to do Who may trust God who may commit their ways unto him if these should not Let me therefore say with the Psalmist Psal 115.9 10 11. O Israel trust thou in the Lord O house of Aaron trust in the Lord you that fear the Lord trust in the Lord. Be not over-solicitous be not sinfully afraid as to any events There is a God that ruleth in the earth that overseeth the world But this trusting in God must be 1. In doing good Trust in the Lord and do good Psal 37.3 Our souls must be committed to the Lord in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 There is no trusting in the Lord without walking in his way The unholy walking man hath no ground to trust God for any good he hath no promise to bottom his trust upon We must trust God in an holy walking 2. We must notwithstanding the Providence of God trust God in the use of proper means The reason for this is because the Precept commandeth the use of lawful means Trusting of God is indeed exclusive of the use of unlawful means but it always includeth the use of means that are proper and lawful To refuse proper and lawful means and talk of trusting God is to tempt him not to trust him 3. It includeth also the use of Religious means such as the waiting upon God in the use of his Ordinances The word Sacraments and Prayer For these things saith God I will be enquired of by the house of Israel Prayer is a general means instituted by God for the obtaining of any mercy But I say supposing these three things That a Child of God keepeth in the Lords way and hath used all proper means for an event which he hath desired and sought the Lord for by Prayer This Doctrine of Divine Providence sheweth him the highest reason imaginable for his committing both his person and his ways unto the Lord without any anxious sollicitude or distracting fears Because he is the Lord who careth for us therefore we should cast our care on him 2. A second thing which I shall press upon you as your duty and consequent to this Doctrine of Providence is a pious security in all conditions and with respect to all events There is a sinful security which all good men ought to avoid and to take heed of Security is the freedom of the mind from care as to this or that thing Now this is sinful two ways 1. When the ground of it is some carnal confidence a relying on some arm of flesh Cursed be he saith the Prophet that trusteth in man and makes flesh his arm Thus the Jews were often secure upon the view of their great allies and confederates Assyria and Egypt In like manner people may be secure upon the account of their relations and interests or the power and favour of men We are commanded to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils and the Psalmist tells us It is better to trust in the
them to make and to agree in Laws proper for their Government as to this he upholdeth the reason of Legislators Laws are the rules of Government 1. God hath given unto men a Divine Law for a Copy the Book of this the King of Israel was always to have before him and he was to read in it all the days of his life Deut. 17.19 Jos 1.8 The Divine Law concerns some generals but there must be many particular Laws respecting the complexions of several Kingdoms and bodies of people In the making of which the Providence of God and his influence is wonderfully seen upholding the reason of the Law-makers to the making of such Laws as are necessary and expedient and proper for the government of such a people It is true as the Hebrew Doctors were wont to say That the Spirit of God did not always touch the hearts of the Prophets so neither doth the Spirit of God always touch and direct the hearts of Legislators God suffereth sometimes the wisdom of the wise to fail them impious and wicked Laws foolish and insignificant Laws may sometimes be made to which it were blasphemy to intitle God in any efficient causation God will by these instances let us see men are but men but yet there is such an ordinary influence of Divine Providence that although some Kingdoms and Common-wealths in a Superfoetation of Laws may have some wicked and impious others foolish and insignificant yet they are not deficient in such as are necessary to maintain Justice and preserve civil order and peace Now although we must by no means intitle God to the wicked effects of men which he only permits nor to the follies and impertinencies of men yet he is justly to be entitled to the wise and prudent effects of his creatures for good useful and necessary Laws they are from the Lord who is wise in counsel from whom cometh every good and perfect gift If the Plowman be instructed by God with discretion and taught and the Thresher be instructed as to the discretion he useth by the Lord of Hosts who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working which the Prophet asserteth Isa 28.23 24 25 26 27 28. Then certainly the hearts of those who are instructed to the making of Rules for the Government of the great bodies of his people are instructed also from the Lord who is great in Wisdom and wonderful in Counsel And herein is the mighty Power and Wisdom of God seen in the preservation of Political Societies 3. A third thing wherein the Providence of God is seen in the preserving of these Societies is In the ordinary silencing of those passions in men which disorder and disturb all Government We justly look upon it as a merciful piece of Divine Providence to conceal from some beasts of great use in our lives their own strength which if known to them would make them our masters The multitude in any Polity is as an unruly beast and all Governments are preserved by their ignorance of their own strength and the bridle of Divine Providence by which God keeps them in and silenceth their passions which if let loose would quickly turn all into a tumult and confusion The Individuals of all Societies are full of boisterous and brutish passions so as a considerate man when he looketh upon such a City as this or any other great Political Body and considereth how many persons are in it of unruly tempers and passions who either know not the rules of natural Justice and Equity or if they know any thing of them their lusts and passions will not suffer them to live in any just observance of them will see reason to wonder how people of such heterogeneous tempers and different passions should ever live together a year or a month in peace and any degrees of order nor is there any thing which holds them together but the wonderful influence of Divine Providence silencing their passions and restraining those lusts in men which otherwise would set any Kingdom City or Nation on a fire and bring it quickly to an heap of rubbish and confusion It was said of old that in the degenerate state of man Homo homini lupus one man is a Wolf to another and nothing but the Divine Hand keeps them from biting and devouring each other the Lord by his Providence holds them in as the Horse and the Mule with bit and bridle When God thinks fit for the punishment of persons or Nations but a little to let loose the Reins we see what brutish passions do discover themselves in men what envy malice revenge oppression and other lusts and vices directly tending to destroy Societies So as we are only preserved because these disorders are but fits of distemper not abiding diseases in the bodies of people and the reason why they are no more is from Gods restraining influence upon unruly turbulent spirits He that ruleth the raging of the Sea and stilleth the waves thereof when they arise ruleth also the passions of men keeps them generally still and stilleth them if at any time they rise to any exorbitant heighth 't is the same power that doth them both Psalm 65.7 Thou stillest the noise of the Sea the noise of its waves and the tumults of the people It is God that saith Be still O ye inhabitants of the Islands Whence is it but from this that there are so few murthers rapes c. no more thefts and acts of Violence We see the fear of punishment will not restrain them as soon as God but takes off his restraint from them and the consideration how unreasonable multitudes appear in their fits of disorder is enough to convince men that the general tie of people have not reason enough to be a law unto themselves but are meerly governed and over-ruled by the influence of Gods restraint upon them for the preservation of his people in their political Societies 4. A fourth thing wherein the power of Divine Providence is eminently seen in the preservation of Men in their Political Societies is in discovering the secret devices and conspiracies of men tending to the disturbance and dissolution of Government in the places where they live I still understand this in ordinary causes When God hath a design to punish a Senacherib he suffers the plottings of his own sons to take effect against him God sometimes punisheth Rulers sometimes he punisheth People by such sufferances but ordinarily he doth not You have an hundred Treasons discovered for one that takes effect Here I might enlarge strangely how God brings to light those hidden works of darkness wherein the welfare of States and Kingdoms are concerned Solomon therefore gives good counsel Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King in thy thoughts nor the rich that is the Ruler I conceive in thy Bed-chamber for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter that is it shall be discovered strangely and swiftly What eminent
Providence calleth to us for and sheweth us the reasonableness of is Prayer We have reason in our distresses to seek unto God by Prayer because the Lord reigneth and it is an encouragement to us to seek him because he reigneth Whither should we go but unto him who hath power to help save and deliver Prayer therefore hath in all times of distress been the Refuge of Gods people It was a sad time with David Psalm 109.4 The mouth of the wicked and of the deceitful saith he v. 2 3. are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue They compass me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause for my love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto Prayer v. 4. Luther when he was in any strait was wont to say I will go and tell my God of it Prayer hath been the constant mean which the people of God have used for rescue out of any troubles You see it is upon a good foundation viz. The Dominion which God hath over all and his daily exercise of it 3. It calleth to you for praise and thanksgiving Prayer solliciteth for a mercy when we want it Praise acknowledgeth the gift when received and giveth unto God the glory of it Nor can it without robbery be paid at any other than Gods Altar Is there any good done by thee Let God have the glory of that thou hast done it by vertue of a power or gift which is given to thee from above yea and it is from his Governing-Power of Providence ruling directing and influencing thy heart to it His Kingdom is over our hearts our hands our tongues inclining them to every good thought word action without him we can do nothing Doth any good come unto thee Let God also have the glory of that The earthly Prince looketh that you should acknowledg your peace your trade to his Government but he is but the instrument of God in bringing these things It is the Kingdom of the Lord that ruleth over all he gives thee power to get riches saith Moses I am sure the people of God have more special reason to acknowledg God in all their peace and prosperity They are men of peace their hands are against none but the world hates them they are as sheep amongst wolves if they have any months or years of peace they are beholden to the power and ruling of God for it Is any evil kept from you It is God that doth it he that ruleth the raging of the Sea he stilleth the tumults of the people he hath the hearts of Kings in his hand and turneth them as the Waters of the South It is because the Mountain of the Lord is full of Chariots and Horses that they are not swallowed up by their Enemies every moment O see and praise the Lord for the Governance of his Providence 4. This Doctrine calleth to you for patience in adversity The people of God are subjected to trials of adversity yea â—o fiery trials as well as other men yea in greater degrees than others hence the Apostle calleth to them to let patience have its perfect work Patience is nothing else but a quiet submission to the will of God under any adverse dispensation of his Providence in obedience to his command and because it is his will and he layeth it upon us we have need of patience and the exercise of it is our duty and this Doctrine will shew you that it is but a reasonable duty Let me shew it you in two or three particulars 1. As it showeth you that all your afflictions be they of what sort and kind they will are from the Lord Job 5.6 Afflictions cometh not out of the dust nor doth trouble spring out of the ground Is there saith God by the Prophet any evil in the City and I have not done it Affliction comes not by chance or fate it comes from God and is the wise issue of his Providence in the Government of the World we have therefore no reason to fret and vex our selves against instruments They are but instruments Perhaps said David of Shimei God hath bidden him curse They possibly do ill and at last will know it but God is righteous in their unrighteousness I held my peace saith David I knew it was thy doing It is the Lord saith that good man let him do what seemeth him good 2. As it assureth us that all things shall work together for good to them that love God If God ruleth and governeth the world he certainly doth it for himself and for his own glory which glory of his being the highest design of his people all things must necessarily tend to their good to that which they above all things desire and seek after This God who ruleth the World is his peoples father and doth what-ever he doth as a father for the good and advantage of his children 3. Lastly It is a good Argument of patience As it letteth them know that their afflictions are ordered and governed by God The Afflictions Oppressions Persecutions of the people of God are not things excepted out of the Dominion of God It was you know the Centurions faith That diseases were to Christ as his servants were to him He said to one go and he went to another come and he came and to another do this and he did it So God speaketh to diseases and not to diseases only but to all sorts of afflictions Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it God first causeth then ruleth and governeth all our troubles afflictions and trials Fifthly This Doctrine calleth to all the people of God for love to him This is the Psalmists Exhortation and upon this very Argument Psal 31.23 O Love you the Lord all you his Saints for he preserveth his Saints and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer All the earth is bound to love the Lord for the exercise of his Governing-power If the Lord did not reign the worst of men would quickly find the ill effects of it they need no worse enemies than their own brethren and companions in wickedness did the Lord lay the reins upon the necks of their lusts and suffer them as they would to devour one another For as we see the ravenous Birds Fishes and Beasts do not only prey upon other but their own species so were it not for the Restraining-Providence of God in governing the world the wicked of it would see their brethren in iniquity not only preying upon the Saints and people of God but also upon those like unto themselves if lesser than themselves But I say above all the people of God as being the least flock are more especially bound to love the Lord for the Government of his Providence but this will more eminently appear when I come to discourse concerning the Specialties of his Providence with reference to them 6. Lastly This Doctrine calleth unto all for a willing
Reason That God hath this day a Church in the world and also confirm them that notwithstanding all the appearances of hostility against it yet God will have a Church to the end of the world Whoso considereth the Church of God this day especially the Reformed Church and looks back upon it even from the commencement of its Reformation cannot but fancy it as Noahs Ark in the midst of raging waters every moment threatning to swallow it up like Moses his ark of Bulrushes ready to be washed away at the return of every tide like the Burning bush which Moses saw all on fire yet not consumed You shall find the Reason why it is not so in the 46 Psalm a Psalm which Luther was wont often to call for in his troublesom time God is our refuge and strength a present help in trouble Ver. 5 God is in the midst of her The Lord of Hosts is with her the God of Jacob is our refuge he breaketh the bow he cutteth the spear in sunder he burneth the chariots in the fire Papists call for Miracles as a Note of the true Church see here a Miracle Was it not a Miracle that Luther a poor Friar renouncing his former Superstition and bidding an open defiance to the Pope and the whole power of Rome in such a time when all the World was admiring or fearing the Beast and so boldly and freely opposing himself to them as he did and falling upon them in a point of profit should not only go through all his bold attempts and die in peace but also draw unto him so many learned men and prevail so far amongst the people as that in very many if not in most parts of Germany the Doctrine of the Gospel should prevail the Mass and Popish worship should be abolished and the Truth contrary to the Doctrine of Rome should be received Was there not a special Providence think you watched over them Next to the preservation of the Apostles and the succeeding of them to the first plantation of the Gospel in the World there hath not been a more eminent and conspicuous work of special and miraculous Providence than in Gods preserving and succeeding the works of Reformation by which the Doctrine of Christ and Worship instituted by him was restored in a great measure to that Primitive integrity and purity which the great Lord of the Gospel first instituted And a due meditation of this Doctrine of special Providence may also secure the hearts of the people of God against their fears for the prevailing of the Churches enemies against it Their fears can arise but from the prospect of the multitude and rage of the Churches enemies and their judgment is but a judgment of probability made from the more common and ordinary workings of Providence but this judgment proceeds upon a false Hypothesis viz. That Gods way of Providence as to his Church is but an ordinary road and such as he keepeth towards other men Now this is false God in his workings for his Church keepeth not the beaten road of his Providence Zion hath a special Providence watching over it The eyes of the Lord are upon it from one end of the year to the other Canaan is the Land that God careth for God is known in the places of his Church for a refuge For lo the Kings were assembled they passed by together they saw it and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away Fear took hold upon them there and pain as on a woman in travel Psalm 48.3 4 5 6 God will establish it for ever Ver. 8 Watch about Sion saith the Psalmist and go round about her tell the towers thereof mark you well her bulwarks consider her palaces that you may tell it to the generations following for this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide until death We have lived to see as bold and impudent attaques made upon the Church as to that part of it that hath been studious of the stricter and severer practice of Holiness as possibly later ages have known If Christians could have been swagger'd and hector'd out of the practice of Holiness or jeer'd and drolled out of it or threatned and frighted or cudgel'd out of it there have been arguments enough of this nature used but how little have they done how few are less in love with the good and holy ways of God than before Having therefore so many great and precious Promises for the preservation of the Church and God exercising a special care for it and keeping it under a special tutelage Let us not fear but believe that God as the Psalmist saith will establish it for ever Let us therefore look off creature-appearances and humane-probabilities The Church is a burning-bush and hath been so from the very first plantation of it but we see it is not consumed because God is in the midst of it Remember this That the Church liveth not upon an ordinary common general Providence but upon a special peculiar Providence watching over it and caring for it In the next place this may serve to shew you your duty Vse 2 every one to observe the special Providences that attend your lives There is an observation of the more general Providence of God in upholding and governing the World which is our duty and a very sweet and advantageous piece of duty but this I shall hereafter further press upon you That which I would speak a few words to here is the observation of the special Providence of God relating to you What the Psalmist saith of the observations of Providence more generally Psalm 107 the last verse Whoso observeth these things is wise and he shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord is eminently true Here it speaks 1. A Spiritual wisdom 2. It will be of great use to make us understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Observe the special Providences of God towards his Church his Church in former ages his Church in our present age you will by those observations be able to make up a judgment what man is like to do against it and what God is like yet to do for that body of people that come under that Notion nay you will be able to go a great way in making up a Judgment who they are that make up the true Church of God even those upon whom the Eye of God is most and for whom his Arm is most stretched out not in this or that particular act but in a continued series and course of strange preservations There is and indeed always hath been a great dispute in the World which is the true Church of God The Jews arrogated the honour to themselves and indeed there was a time when none could claim with them but the Apostle amply declareth their rejection and the Gentiles ingraffing But though it be certain now that the Church of God is made up of those that were Gentiles yet as several Sects and parties have risen
but he findeth that such knowledg as David saith was too wonderful for him In my Text he doth referre pedem draw his foot backward I will go back saith he I will wade no further O the depth There are some truths and ways of God which are unsearchable We may discourse a little and more generally of them but we shall never be able to find the bottom of them It is wisdom for us in time to retreat and cry O the depth But what depth is this The blessed Apostle tells you of the wisdom and knowledg of God in man knowledg and wisdom are two differing habits a man may be a knowing man yet not a wise man Knowledg apprehends things Wisdom directs the practice to the best ends of humane life Knowledg is a speculative habit Wisdom a practical habit In God also though he be but one simple act we may conceive a difference betwixt Wisdom and Knowledg but in this Text possibly it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing expressed by two terms he is speaking of the wisdom the unsearchable wisdom of God in some particular acts of his Providence How unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out Here are two terms Judgments and Ways Both again here signifie 1. the same thing Judgments in Scripture sometimes signifie the ways and statutes of God because of the Justice and righteousness that is in them By Justice God measureth his own Words and Laws 2. Sometimes the Term signifieth corrections and chastisements because God measureth out all these likewise in Justice and in them acteth as a righteous Judg But here doubtless Judgments and ways signifie the same thing All Gods ways are Judgments ways of Justice and Equity and Righteousness The term ways is also used in more senses than one Sometimes it signifies the way of Duty wherein we ought to walk towards God or the course of mens actions so you read of the way of the wicked the way of sinners here it is applied to God and signifies The course and series of his actions towards his creatures so it signifies here Of these Judgments and ways of God of this wisdom and knowledg of God it is said They are unsearchable they are past finding out Vnsearchable that is such as we can by no means search out by no means come to the bottom of The only Proposition I shall insist upon from these words is this Prop. The ways of Gods counsels and Providence are unsearchable and not to be found out In the handling of this Proposition 1. I will endeavour to prove it to you that it is so 2. I will shew you how far it is our duty to behold and to search into them and to shew you also wherein they are unsearchable and not to be found out Then I shall make some application Let us first see how this is established from Scripture Eccles 8.17 Then I beheld all the works of God that a man cannot find out his work that is done under the Sun yea though a man labour to seek it out yet he shall not find it yea though a wiseman thinketh to know it yet he shall not find it A Text which must be understood of Gods works of Providence The Wiseman saith a man cannot find them out yea though a man labour to seek it yet he shall not find it He that spake this was Solomon a man to whom God had given Wisdom above all that had been before him and said that there should be none after him who should be like unto him He tells us ver 16 That as he was indued with Wisdom enriched with this Talent so he had not laid it up in a Napkin but had made it his business to improve it I have saith he applied my heart to wisdom and to see the business which is done on the earth V. 17 you have the conclusion That the ways of God were not to be found out yea though a wise man think to know it yet he shall not find it out Psalm 36.6 His righteousness is like a great mountain his judgments are a great deep Not a deep only but a great deep The Sea is called a great deep there is no sounding the bottom of it in many places For saith the Apostle what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is within him even so no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God and it must be so if we consider the infiniteness of the Divine Light Wisdom and Understanding His understanding is infinite Psalm 147.5 Now it is said of the works of God In wisdom hath he made them all There is the infinite wisdom of God in the works and contrivances of his Providence The Apostle telleth us he dwelleth in that light to which none can approach 1 Tim. 6.16 and so he walks in that light which none can see and fully comprehend There is no searching out of his understanding Isa 40.28 The way of the Lord is like the way of an Eagle in the air of a Serpent upon a Rock not to be seen not to be tracked Incomprehensibilis Dei sapientia inter angustias humanae rationis coarctari non potest It is the saying of a grave Author Gods unsearchable incomprehensible wisdom cannot be cooped up within the straits of humane Reason but the Doctrine is experimentally and de facto evident enough In the second place here may arise a Question How far our duty extendeth as to the ways of Divine Providence for certainly we have a duty a great duty incumbent upon us to Divine Providences I remember it is the saying of Cicero Si vera est sententia quorundam philosophorum qui omnino nullam rerum humanarum procurationem docent habere Deos Quae potest esse pietas Quae Religio Quae sanctitas Cicero de Nat. Deorum If the opinion of some Philosophers who deny that the Gods exercise any providence or take any care of humane affairs be true What piety can there be What Religion What Holiness A sentence which will let us know that there were some amongst the Heathens that were less Atheists than some amongst those who are called Christians Now the case is the same supposing this Divine Procuration or Providence if we may not or do not at all take notice of it Let me therefore discourse a little concerning the duty of man with reference to the Providence of God and then I shall shew you the boundaries of it and wherein it is unsearchable I shall open the first in three or four particulars 1. It is doubtless the duty of Gods people To see and behold the works of the Lord indeed we cannot but see them they are before our eyes every day But my meaning is to behold the things that are done in the earth as the works of the Lord. There are too many that do see and not see they see pluckings up and plantings of Nations and Families but
they see nothing of God in these effects They say not this is the Lords doing and therefore it is not marvellous in their eyes They see Pestilences sweeping away Cities and Families fires laying populous Cities waste Enemies breaking in upon Countries and strangely over-running them the hand of God sweeping away whole Families but they see nothing of God in them they consider these as terrible things as misfortunes to which the state of Humane affairs is subjected their Eyes are upon the visible wheels that turn these things but they see not the wheel within the wheel the Psalmist calleth to us to come and behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath wrought in the earth Men see desolations wrought in the Earth but they see them not as the work of the Lord as desolations wrought by him This is what the Psalmist complained of and for which he prayeth against them Psalm 28.4 5 Give them according to the works of their hands c. Because they regard not the work of the Lord nor regard the operations of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up This is a sign of an Atheistical heart to see great changes and not to see God in them the Heathens had more of Religion than this came to I remember the Poet in his description of the ruine of Troy bringeth in Venus taking Aeneas of his mettal in the last defence of his Country and from taking Revenge on Helena the cause of it by shewing him the gods at every corner and post of the City helping the Grecians to fire it and to over-turn the walls of it It is very sad that amongst Christians there should be any that in the great changes which God worketh in Nations Cities Families cannot see the great and living God at work and using creatures but as instruments in his hand but this is but a seeing and beholding the works of Providence highly useful for the production of pious affections and such acts of duty as God requireth We have a further Duty than this incumbent upon us 2. It is not only our Duty to see and behold but wistly to consider and observe these things Psalm 107.43 Whoso is wise will observe these things and he shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord a Text which in this discourse I shall make a further use of Observation implieth the application of our minds unto the passages of Divine Providence which are before our eyes as we must not be careless and forgetful hearers of the word of God so we must not be careless and forgetful observers of the works of God It is said Gen. 37.11 that Jacob observed the saying Josephs saying in the repetition of his Dream relating to eminent providential workings So it is said Luke 2.19 That when upon the birth of our Saviour the Angels had spoke to the Shepherds and the Shepherds had published the glad tidings which they had brought to the City That all who heard it wondred at those things which were spoken by the Shepherds Mary kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart To see a thing is one thing to make our minds to stand upon it to consider it and to ponder upon it is another thing This is also our Duty as to meditate on the Lords words so to meditate on the Lords works twice the Psalmist hath it I will meditate on all thy works Psalm 143.5 I muse on the works of thy hands So Psalm 77. v. 12 I will meditate also on all thy works and talk of thy doings It is our great fault that we suffer the impression of Gods works to go off our hearts too soon We hear of great changes we see great desolations God works in Kingdoms Cities and Families at first they make a little impression upon us we startle at them but by the next day they are as a tale that is told the sound is out of our ears the impression is off our minds this is now not to observe the works of the Lord not as we ought to consider the operation of his hands 3. It is thirdly our Duty modestly and humbly to search out the causes of Providences towards our selves especially We are commanded to hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Thus did Josephs brethren Gen. 42.21 when they were in prison they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our Brother when we saw the anguish of his soul when he sought to us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Job prays Job 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me this is but a searching and trying our ways an excellent help and necessary medium in order to a true repentance Indeed it is our great errour that we are very prone to search out the causes of severe Providences upon others The Barbarians seeing a Viper cleave to Pauls hand conclude him a Murtherer but we are very slow and backward to enquire into the meritorious causes of Gods severe Dispensations to our selves Yet as to others as it is our Duty to observe the Providences of God to them so we may modestly and humbly search out the causes of them Thus did Jeremiah venia praefata having first recognized God in the Justice and righteousness of his proceedings Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord in thy Judgments when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments why doth the way of the wicked prosper c So the Prophet Habbakuk ch 1.13 Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he But as to this searching into the causes of Divine Providences I put in those two words modestly and humbly Indeed God is so plain and open in his Judgments sometimes that the provocation is wrote and that in capital Letters in the front of the punishment Thus it was in the case of the Sodomites the Egyptians the Benjamites Sauls bloody house Haman the final destruction of the Jews c and thus it is still very often The Drunkard dies in his drunkenness but it is not always so The Judgments of the Lord are a great deep This enquiry therefore into causes must be modest and humble we must no more caecutire in revelatis as to the works of God than as to the word of God if we see a blood-thirsty and deceitful man not living out half his days a Dart striking through the liver of the Adulterer these are open things And when we see prophane vile wretches devouring those that are more righteous than they when we see God plaguing men according to his own heart chastening them every moment not giving them time to swallow their spittle These are secrets of Divine Providence of which we must be careful that we pass no ungrounded censure yea and we must search humbly too Our judgment in these cafes will amount to no more than a
judgment of probability we cannot pretend to an infallibility we are not of Gods counsel and his ways are great deeps 4. Lastly We ought so far to search into and to enquire into the workings of Divine Providence as may any way conduce to make us better by more adoring and revereing God more avoiding of sin more quickning up the habits and exercises of grace but to take heed of such an enquiry as will be of no use to us unless to make us Atheists or too curious searchers into the unsearchable things of God or uncharitable consurers of our brethren The reafon of this is because Duty is the End of all our beholding considering and observing the Lords works or any way enquiring and searching into them This is the main thing which God hath said to us Obey my voice Now so far as an enquiring into the Lords ways and works of Providence will help us to obey the Lords voice so far doubtless it is our Duty The voice of the Lord is in Scripture everywhere to us to fear before him to love him to trust in him to take heed of sinning against him Now so far as the searching into the causes of Divine Providence may conduce to quicken us up to these Exercises so far is it undoubtedly our duty and a very commendable practice but where it only tendeth to make us Atheists by seeing nothing of the hand of God in them but confirming a fancy in us that we have found out the reason of all in a necessary connexion or working of natural causes or only serveth us for an advantage or ground for us unwarrantably and uncharitably to judg and censure our brethren so far it is undoubtedly sinful Where the searching of the causes of Divine Providence to us or others may contribute and so far forth as it may conduce to quicken us up to repentance for them to a faith in and a dependence upon God to make us either more thankful or any way more holy so far forth it is our advantagious duty Thus Jona's reflection upon the storm he met with at Sea when he was fleeing from God Jonah 1.10 11 and Josephs brethrens reflection upon the imprisonment they met with in Egypt were both good and pious tending to bring them to a sense of their several sins against God Davids observation of Providence helped him in the exercise of his Faith 1 Sam. 17.34 35. Manoahs observation that God had accepted a sacrifice confirm'd his faith that he would not destroy them Oft-times the observing of and searching into the ways of Divine Providence hugely exciteth praise and thankfulness Psalm 107.8.15 21 31 c. Thus far now it is our duty to behold observe search into the ways of Divine Providence they are not called unsearchable to deter us from beholding seeing and considering them so far as it may help in the performance of any piece of that duty which we owe unto God God hangs out his great works of Providence to the world that men may behold them look upon them and that not superficially but wistly and considerately Well but how are they then unsearchable why doth the Apostle pronounce them past finding out That brings me to the last thing promised you in the Explication of the Proposition I shall open it to you in several particulars 1. They are unsearchable and past finding out as to the latitude and full compass of them Job ch 26 had been largely discoursing of the great works of Divine Providence his stretching out the North upon the empty places and hanging the Earth upon nothing Ver. 7 His binding up the waters in the thick clouds and the clouds not being rent under them ver 8 c. But then concludeth ver 14 Lo these are part of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand some read it These are but the borders some corners of Gods ways David telleth us Psalm 111.2 The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein It is our duty to seek out the works of the Lord and every good man hath a pleasure therein and will be modestly seeking out Gods works ay but though they will be seeking yet we shall be no more in this World than seekers Job 16.7 Who can find out the Almighty to perfection saith God Much of God is seen much of God may be found out but the perfection of Gods works as well as of his Divine Being is an unsearchable thing There are thousands of things in the workings of Divine Providence which we cannot find out infinite motions in the upholdings of it in the government of it of which we know nothing something we can by the helps of Scripture and Reason discourse how Providence upholds the great varieties of Beings in the World the Methods of God in governing the World but who can find out the Almighty to perfection Who can discourse the thunder of his power There is a terra incognita or rather a coelum incognitum in the Divine workings What Job said we may apply here A thing was brought unto me and my ear received a little thereof Many things concerning Gods workings are brought to our senses and our senses receive yea our reason receiveth a little and but a little thereof as to them we may say as the Apostle saith in another case Where is the Scribe where is the Wise man where is the disputer of this World We by study can dive a little into Gods ways but we must come out of our deepest studies crying out with our Apostle O the depth of the wisdom and knowledg of God! This knowledg is as Job saith ch 11.7 8 As high as heaven what canst thou do deeper than hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea 2. A second thing unsearchable and past finding out in these ways of God is the tendency of them while we see them come to an issue Had one of us been a companion with Joseph and seen him thrown into a pit then sold into Egypt after this thrown into a prison upon the accusation of his Mistriss we could never have judged this a Method in order to his riding in the second Chariot and being the second man in Egypt but we see at last it was so Had we been in the Court of Persia or Babylon and have seen Haman's Exaltation and his power with the King obtaining a Decree from him for the destruction of all the Jews we should never have seen the tendency of this to the ruin of Haman the exaltation of Mordecai c. Had we seen Daniel thrown into the Lion's Den we could never have read the tendency of this to his greater exaltation and fuller preferment and conquest over his Enemies and yet so it was The tendencies of Divine Providence are sometimes by us boldly determined sometimes guessed at but how
in the second place This discourse concerning the unsearchable things of Divine Providence may serve to direct us as to much spiritual duty I will shew you this in four or five particulars 1. The first is that of the Apostle Rom. 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be wise to sobriety We translate it Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly It may as well be translated Not to be wise above what we ought to be wise but to be wise soberly The Apostle Col. 2.18 makes an intruding into things which we have not seen but a sign of ones being puft up with a fleshly mind Augustine saith when a thing is obscure Et aperte divina Scriptura non subvenit temere aliquid definire humana conjectura praesumit Aug. And the Scripture doth not plainly help humane Wisdom doth but presume rashly to define any thing about it 'T is an excellent thing for a Christian to know his measures not to reach at further degrees of knowledg about the secret things of God than it hath pleased God in his Word to communicate unto us that is the true boundary of spiritual knowledg But I shall not inlarge upon this This is now opposite to that curiosity which I largely reflected upon under the first head of Application 2. This in the second place calleth to us for a deep adoration and veneration of God This is one reason why the Lord hath made his judgments so unsearchable his ways past finding out An holy and humble admiration of God is one piece of that homage which our souls owe to God He is to be admired of all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 All admiration is the daughter of some ignorance we seldom or very little admire what we fully and perfectly understand The unsearchableness of God in his ways makes him the true and proper object of our admiration and admiration giveth God the honour of his unsearchableness Take heed of denying or disputing what the Scriptures reveal of God because you cannot comprehend and fathom it Where you cannot comprehend him there it is your duty to adore and to admire him 3. This Proposition calleth aloud to all To take heed of making the motions and issues of Providence the rule and guide of their actions We are to follow the rule of the word not the windings of Providence I told you before that Providence is like a man of business that carrieth a great many designs in his head at once and seldom keepeth his road he that will bear such a man company to London or any other place which is the ultimate end of his journy may go a great deal out of his way and where he hath nothing to do and be a great while longer than he need before he cometh there neither must the opportunities which Providence offereth be always taken nor conclusions be made from the successes or frowns of it 4. Learn hence to take heed of raising either too sweet or too bitter conclusions for or against your selves from the Providences of God The indications reasons tendencies of Providence are all unsearchable things Love or hatred cannot be concluded from what is before you in this life Providence carrieth many to hell by a gale of prosperity and others into heaven by a whirlwind of adversity the way to heaven is by much tribulation some are scourged into heaven others go leaping and dancing into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone 5. Lastly Though it be our duty to be wise unto sobriety and not to search curiously into what God hideth from us though we cannot make either the motions or issues of Providence the rule of our duty or action because in our appearance it sometimes pointeth one way when the rule of the word directeth us another yet it is our duty to observe the motions and passages of Divine Providence to behold observe ponder them and to lay them up in our hearts Now what observation of Providence is our duty or what observable things there are in the workings and motions of Divine Providence must be the subject of a far larger discourse SERMON XIV Psal CVII 43. Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. WHoso wistly casteth his eyes upon this Psalm will find it from first to last a Song of Providence intermixed with frequent exhortations or wishes That men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men My Text is the conclusion of this excellent Song Whoso is wise observeth these things The Prophet Hosea hath much such a conclusion of his Prophecy Hos 14.6 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them The Proposition of the Text is plainly this Prop. It is an argument of spiritual wisdom in men to observe the motions of Divine Providence and those that do it shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The Proposition you see hath two Branches 1. That it is an argument of spiritual wisdom to observe the motions of Divine Providence 2. That he who doth observe them shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The work commended to us is the observation of Providence The honour and reward of the work is expressed in two things 1. It speaketh a man wise truly spiritually wise 2. He shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The word which we translate observeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word that signifies to keep and to observe it is often used in Scripture to signifie a keeping safely and translated by the LXX by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall keep me in the way wherein I shall walk and he that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal 121.4 And he shall give his angels charge over thee and they shall keep thee Psal 91.11 In all those Texts the same word is used sometimes it is used to signifie such a keeping of Gods Commandments as sheweth it self in practice as in Deut. 6.17 and chap. 8.2 sometimes a keeping of them in our mind as in that Text Gen. 37.10 Jacob kept the saying the LXX interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagnine saith of it Curam sollicitudinem diligentiam denotat ne quid emittatur elabatur aut excutiatur It denotes care sollicitude and diligence that nothing slip out or be let go or shaken out In short I conceive this duty of observing the works of the Lord his great and various works of Providence may be dispatched in three things 1. In a considerate beholding and looking upon them Works of Providence pass before our eyes every day but the truth is for the most part we see and do not see them that is we do not considerately and deliberately fix our eyes upon them and see them as the Lords works we see them as events in the world but consider not the operation of Gods hands in
them This is no observing of them Observing them argues a fixing of the eye of the mind as well as the body upon them without which a transient view of them is of very little significancy and import unto men 2. In a diligent reposing them in our minds this is that which we call a remembring of them The Lord doth his great work to be had in remembrance This is a consequent of the other we remember little of those things we only cursorily view as they come before us but when we six our eyes upon them and apply our minds to the knowledg of them then we remember them 3. In a continued and repeated view of them and reflexion upon them That man that suffereth not the great and daily workings of Divine Providence to pass by his eyes as a tale passeth through his ears which he heedeth not nor applieth his mind unto but fixeth his eye and mind upon them lodgeth them in his memory frequently reflecteth upon them repeateth and re-considereth them in his thoughts that is a wise man and he shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord And that brings me to the second Question in the Explication of the Proposition Quest 2. How is he wise how is it an argument of wisdom and doth he appear to be a wise man who observeth these workings of Providence Wisdom is sometimes taken in a larger sense so a knowing understanding man is a wise man sometimes in a stricter sense as it signifieth a practical habit directing the life and conversation sometimes as comprehending both and so I shall take it in the Proposition He is a wise man he will have more knowledg and understanding than another man and will know better how to order and direct himself in the several parts of his Conversation 1. He will be a more knowing and understanding man We use to say Experience is the mistris of fools Experience maketh a fool wise and indeed without it notions give little wisdom we speak in the commendation of the ablest persons in any art or profession such a one is an experienced man and the more experienced any one is in his art or course the better you account him in it Nothing is so well learned by rule and precept as by example and president Hence it is a common maxim of these times That the study of books accomplisheth none so much as the study of men doth Knowledg is much increased by experimental observation By this Much of the knowledg of God will be let into the soul We cannot see God as he is in his own light we must behold him in his word and in his works From the Word of God we get a great knowledg of God what he is as to his Divine Being and in his glorious Attributes but the knowledg which we have of God from his Word is both confirmed in us and increased by his works of Providence and our observation of them as well as of his great work of Creation And that 1. As they establish the Proposition of the word and confirm our faith in it Psal 48.8 As we have heard so haeve we seen in the city of our God God will establish it for ever Demonstration confirms us in our notions The Church had before learned it that God would establish his Church but now they were confirmed in it when they had seen it in the Works of Providence what they had before heard from the mouth of Gods Prophets and Messengers indeed a notion is but a probationer in our souls until we come to have it established by Faith and Demonstration 2. An observation of Providence doth also increase knowledg as it expounds to us the word of God and giveth us a more certain clear and distinct knowledg of the revelations of it We do not know how to expound some words of God but as we are taught the meaning of them by his Providential Dispensations in the fulfilling of it Gods dispensations in the world both toward his Church and the enemies and persecutors help us to understand both his promises and his threatnings 2. He who observeth the motions of Divine Providence will also know better how to order and direct his life I told you that Wisdom strictly taken is a practical habit directing this He that thus observeth will best know how to order his Conversation But will some say Is not this to make Providence our rule I answer It is one thing to make the Providence of God an argument to justifie our actions which the word condemneth Another thing to take occasions from Providence for the performance of our duty Providence alone is no rule of our actions but the word which is the rule of our actions is more sealed and confirmed to us by Providence Though Providences give no rule yet they wonderfully confirm and establish a rule when what we have read and heard in the word we see in the dealings of God it giveth a new life and makes a new impression of the rule upon our hearts God hath said Blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days and honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God give thee Now when we see God cutting off cruel and bloody men in the strength of their years or cutting off a stubborn and rebellious Child in his youth it wonderfully confirmeth the word to us and helpeth us to guide our Conversation so as we may not tread in their steps and be partakers of their Judgments 2. Again Though Providence be no rule as to particular actions yet it is a great help to us as to the three great principles of all our spiritual actions which are Faith Fear Love It is true the Proposition of the word is the object of our Faith when a soul giveth assent to the Proposition of the word because of the Authority of God who hath revealed it and this is the reason why wicked men though they have the Scriptures as well as others yet walk not in the light of them because they believe them not they assent not to the Propositions of Truth that are revealed in them but either say in their heart That it is but the fancy and invention of men or else flatter themselves with the hopes of impunity saying with those in Deuteronomy That they shall have peace although they walk according to the imaginations of their own hearts But now when a man observeth the Providence of God exemplifying and verifying the Word of God it much helps his faith in the word especially as to those in whose heart God hath wrought a previous habit of Faith It is true in this case the Providences of God will do little alone we have the words of Christ They have Moses and the Prophets if they will not believe they will not believe if one should rise from the dead But where a soul is first taught of God to give
a credit to his word if his faith be weak and languid the exemplifying of the thing revealed in the Word of God by the issues of Providence tendeth much to the confirmation of the souls faith and assent and therefore it is laid to the charge of the Israelites as a great aggravation of their sins That they believed not for all his wondrous works And this was the great aggravation of the sin of the Pharisees and the Jews that lived in the time when our Saviour was upon the Earth that although the Providence of God had declared Christ to be the Son of God by his doing such works as no man ever did and by such evident signs and tokens as never before were declared as to any man yet they believed him not to be the Son of God 2. As Faith is one great principle of all our spiritual actions so Fear is another Now the observing of Divine Providences much conduceth to this It is particularly remark't by the Holy Ghost upon the sudden death of Ananias and Saphira That a great fear came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard of those things And in the Law of Moses you shall find God commanding exemplary Justice to be done upon some remarkable offenders for this very end That all Israel might hear and fear It is particularly said Jonah 1.16 When Jonah had told them the cause of the storm and they had thrown him over-board Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered sacrifices and made vows Severe Providences without the word make men startle and put them into a passion of fear but when they follow a word of threatning and they do but see God doing what in his word he hath said he will do this must needs have a great power and influence upon the heart especially upon the hearts of such as before had an habit of Divine Fear wrought in them though it were smothered with the ashes of too much carnal security 3. Love to God is a third principle of spiritual action an habit wrought in the soul of every Child of God but not at all times so lively and quick and working as it ought to be Now the observation of Gods good and gracious Providences serves hugely to excite it and to blow up the Coals of it in the soul Psal 37.23 O love you the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer But this will be further enlarged upon in my discourse upon the second branch of the Proposition which I now come to discourse upon Mem. 2. Whoso observeth the Providences of God he shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I take the word understand here to signifie three things 1. Knowledg 2. A more clear and distinct knowledg 3. A more demonstrative and experimental knowledg 1. He shall know the loving-kindness of the Lord understand it with reference to the Church and People of God for Gods Providence is like the Cloud which conducted the Israelites out of Egypt and through the Red-sea it hath a light-side which hath an aspect upon Gods Israel and it hath a black and dark-side towards his enemies Now he who observeth Divine Providence will know this That all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to those that fear God Psal 25.10 A slight and transient view of Divine Providence will not bring a man to the knowledg of this but a wist view and observation of Divine Providence in the course and series of it will do it The word of God speaketh much of the Love and Favour of God to his People Providence to the strict and constant observer of it will confirm all these words God himself speaking after the manner of men to Abraham speaks as if he had not known his love and obedience to him till he had made an experiment of it and saw that he would not have withheld from him his Son even his only Son We know nothing of the loving-kindness of God before we see it experimented and brought into demonstration in comparison with what we know upon such an evidence and this we gain by our considerate observation of the motions of Divine Providence 2. He who observeth the motions of Providence shall have a more distinct knowledg of the loving-kindness of God He shall not only know that God is good to Israel and to all that are of a clean heart but he shall also see something of the Methods of God in the exercise of his loving-kindness When we speak of the Love and Favour of God to his People we are prone to understand by it nothing but pleasing Providences grateful to our senses now the loving-kindness of God is not only seen in pleasing dispensations but in adverse Providences also Whom he loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth All things are yours saith the Apostle This knowledg must be gained by observation Sense looks upon cross dispensations of Providence and it may be Reason judging of them from present appearances and effects cryeth out All these things are against me Here is nothing of promised loving-kindness in all this Is his mercy clean gone doth his promise fail for evermore But whoso observeth Divine Providence will in these things also understand the loving-kindness of the Lord and know that it is the method of Divine Providence to deal out the loving-kindness of God to the Souls of his People through crosses and tryals and afflictions in a way which at present they do not understand and know but shall know hereafter No affliction saith the Apostle is joyous at present but grievous but it bringeth forth afterward the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 3. Vnderstanding thirdly may signifie experience and indeed there is no such understanding as experience gives Every Child of God that observeth Divine Providence shall find it let the wind of it blow which way it will giving him an experiment and demonstration of the Love of God to his Soul But thus much shall serve to have spoken to the Explication of this Proposition in both branches I come to the proof of it to shew you how it appeareth That he who observeth the motions of Divine Providence and he alone shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. It will appear to you if you but consider 1. That however things go in the course of Providence yet it is most certain that they are mercy and truth to them who fear God For this we have a certain word Psalm 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies And again Psalm 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel In my former Discourse I shewed you three Objects of special Providence 1. Rational creatures are a more special object of Providence than either inanimate or brute creatures 2. Amongst rational Creatures those men and women in the World which make
up the Church are more peculiar and special objects of Providence than all others in the World 3. Amongst them such as fear and love God in sincerity are yet the more peculiar objects of Divine Providence and which God hath a most peculiar regard unto which maketh a cogent argument to prove That supposing the glory of God to be the great end of all his providential Dispensations that the Providence of God must most eminently work for the good of these as being such who most eminently serve the great end of his Glory So as he who observeth the motions of it must needs by them understand the loving-kindness of the Lord towards them Secondly The mercy and truth of Gods ways towards them that fear him are not to be read in the surface of present Providences The dark side of the cloud is sometimes towards the Israel of God and at such a time it must be by Faith that we understand that the ways all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth toward his own people Who could read the loving-kindness of the Lord towards Israel while they were in Egypt serving at the Brick-kilns and under their great oppression there but he who observed the Providence of God thus working to make them willing to go out and take possession of the promised Land he might understand this It is not every motion of Providence but the issues of it that demonstrate all the ways of the Lord to be mercy and truth and this evinceth to us that an observation of the motions of Divine Providence yea and a wist and diligent and continuing observation of them also is necessary to make us understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I come now to the Application of what you have heard upon this Argument This in the first place sheweth us one great reason of that ignorance which is in men both concerning God and concernng their own duty Men know little of God and little how to govern their actions according to any degree of Christian prudence As ignorance of and unbelief in the Word of God is one great cause so their not observing the motions of Divine Providence which have been in the World is another no small cause of it Men are much ignorant of God indeed there is but little of the knowledg of God in the World especially that knowledg which floateth not only in the brain but influenceth the heart and affections and men know little how to govern their actions by any spiritual wisdom but live directly contrary to what they own and pretend to as their highest end And we understand as little of the loving-kindness of the Lord I say one great cause of this is mens not observing the workings and motions of Providence They pass before their eyes every day but they observe them not Non tantum oculis intueri sed animum ad hanc considerationem ita exuscitare ut meliores inde evadamus To observe signifieth not only with our eyes to behold it but so to stir up our minds to the consideration of a thing that we may grow the better by it saith a grave Author Now in this Notion of it how few are they that observe these things they see stupendious Providences sometimes in the destruction of the Churches Enemies for the salvation of his people it may be at first they as all new things do affect men with a little passion according to the nature of them but they are like a flash of lightning which though at present it startles us yet the impression is presently off our spirits and I say this is one great reason why we are so ignorant of God so unskilful in the government of our lives to his ends and that we understand so little of his loving-kindness Hence it is that we cannot understand how much good God doth his Church and people by afflictions and trials They are the sensible frowns of Providence which blind our eyes that we cannot see the loving-kindness of God in all his ways We think sometimes we see God driving his Chariot in a direct road to his great ends the glory of his holy Name and the good and protection of such as fear him here we think we can easily discern Gods Wisdom and as easily understand his loving-kindness But now when the Lord drives his Chariot out of our sight and exerciseth his Church or the particular souls of his people with long and tedious Afflictions here we are at a loss and can neither read the wisdom nor loving-kindness of God But what is the reason of this but only our superficial view of Gods Providences without a wist and diligent observation of them If we would but bend our minds to observe what a wholsom influence Afflictions and adverse Providences have ordinarily both upon vvhole Churches and upon particular Christians we should even in them easily understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The Husbandman can easily understand that he could as ill want the frosts and snows of Winter as the warmth heat and sun-shine of the Summer Gideon taught the men of Succoth with briars and thorns and God ordinarily doth so teach his people Blessed is he saith the Psalmist whom thou chastenest and teachest out of thy Law David tells us Psalm 119.61 that before he was afflicted he went astray but since that he had learned to keep the statutes of the Lord. It was an old saying The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church The Church is bettered and the Soul is bettered by adverse Providences That Text Isa 27.9 is very remarkable By this that is by this severe affliction by this captivity shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and all the fruit shall be to take away sin when the Lord shall make the stones of the altar as chalk stones that crumble in pieces the groves and the images shall not stand up As an hard Winter keepeth under and killeth the weeds so the winter of Affliction much helps to the purging out of corruptions both out of the Church and also out of the particular Soul Augustine as I remember somewhere lamenteth That a Fever had done more with him to subdue and mortifie a lust than before the love of God could do with him Now I say our not observing this which is matter of no difficult observation to him that wistly eyeth Divine Providence is one great reason that men do not understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Another reason of mens not understanding it is their making of a judgment of Gods works before they are perfect If any of us should go into a Limners shop and see his first draught of a lovely picture we should discern little loveliness in it which yet we should easily discern if we would but stay until he had finished his work and laid on his life-colours It is the same case with us as to works of Divine Providence we look on them while the Lords work is yet upon the
wheel we see nothing in it that resembleth God the great workman we see in it nothing of the Divine Wisdom possibly nothing of the divine goodness and loving-kindness but could we have patience till the Lords work came off the wheel we should easily see it in quite another representation we often see in Gods works of Providence nothing but confusion and blood and trouble and multiplied troubles and disturbances to those who most fear him and desire to walk most closely with him But in the evening of that day saith the Prophet Zech. 14.6 it shall be light The day neither light nor dark but in the Evening it shall be light Gods peoples days sometimes are plainly darkness thick darkness but would we have patience to the evening of them we should see light The Evening is the close and making up of the day When God cometh to close up his days work did we but observe Divine Providence we should easily understand that it would be light Sorrow may be for a night but joy shall be in the morning So as I say again This is one great reason why at all times we cannot understand the loving-kindness of the Lord to his Church and his people because we do not observe the motions of Divine Providence but take only a slight and superficial view of them I shall conclude this Discourse with an Exhortation to the duty of the Text The observation of the motions of Divine Providence Vse 2 In my last discourse I discovered to you some unsearchable things in Divine Providence and cautioned you against too curious an Enquiry into them My business now is to call upon you non caecutire in revelatis not to be blind as to those things which God hath revealed This also is your duty as well as the other by the former you acquit your selves from an unwarrantable curiosity by this from a wretched unthankfulness The Providence of God is daily working in order to the fulfilling of Gods great end the glorifying of his great and holy Name the establishing of his people c. 1. Do not rest in a meer view of what is done in the World but fix your eyes upon it Lay up the things in your heart let your thoughts dwell upon them the remarkable passages of them especially You see and hear of Wars and rumours of Wars inundations fires changes and over-turning in Nations of powers and Dominions you at present understand not the tendencies and indications of them you cannot make up a judgment of them and prophecy what will and shall be from them but yet observe them lay up these things in your minds yea and let them not pass out of your minds as we are to hear for the time to come so we are to behold and observe the motions of Providence with a respect unto a time to come too Do not think you can expound every Providence presently the vision oft-times is for an appointed time and is to be expounded by time in the mean time only to be diligently marked and observed taken notice of as a great work of God the meaning of which we shall understand hereafter Divines say That the meaning of many Providences and our clear understanding of them is one of those things wherein our knowledg shall be bettered and perfected in the day of Judgment and till that time when the hidden things of God as well as of men shall be made manifest we must be content to know but in part 2. Do not secondly observe meer single acts of Divine Providence but let your Eye follow it in its motions God sometimes hath his works a long time upon the wheel especially those relating to his Church I will give you two famous instances 1. The establishing of his ancient Church of the Jews in Canaan The promise was out for it Gen. 12 to Abraham it was more than five hundred years before this work was off the wheel of Providence four hundred years before they went out of Egypt where they were in bondage forty years they travelled in the wilderness then during all the time of the Judges yea and in Sauls time too they were but in a very unquiet condition In David and Solomon's time they came to a setled estate in the promised Land There was a Promise given out unto Christ for having the ends of the earth for his possession David mentioneth it Isaiah prophesieth much of it After this Christ comes was crucified c. And it was three hundred years after this before these Promises had any considerable accomplishment Indeed as to particular persons their beings are of shorter duration and the Providence of God brings about the promises to them in much shorter periods or they could see nothing of Gods loving-kindnesses in the issues or contextures of them but take heed there of resting your Eye upon the observations of some single acts of providence relating to them those who should thus have observed the motions of Providence with reference to Abraham Jacob Joseph David Daniel Job would have seen little of that loving-kindness of the Lord to them which yet is evident enough to all that keep their Eye upon their story to the winding up of their bottoms Now to this observation of Providence you have two great Arguments in the Text 1. It is an Indication of spiritual Wisdom A wise man looketh not only at present things but at things past and yet to come Now Wisdom is a lovely thing It is justified of her children saith our Saviour Every man desireth the reputation of a wise man and studiously avoideth the reproach of a fool Two things speak a fool 1. To observe and mind nothing Or 2dly Meerly to take notice of things present and gather conclusions from them 2. Thus you shall understand the loving-kindness of God Then you will see that all the paths of God towards his Church are mercy and truth Truth not a word failing of the promise and mercy working for the good of them that love God yea thus you that fear the Lord shall understand the loving-kindness and truth of God to your particular souls A thing the evidence of which is and ought to be of more value to you than the whole World I will conclude my Discourse by giving you three Cautions to direct your observation 1. Observe the Providence of God when it seemeth to move contrary to his Word but never determine the Indication of it without the Word Indeed the Providence of God never moveth contrary to the Word it is always a servant to some Declaration of the will of God in some promise or threatning but it often seemeth to us to move contrary which made the Psalmist cry out Doth the promise fail for evermore The reason of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that deceiveth us is our imperfect knowledg or understanding of the Word of God and non-acquaintance with the Counsels of God and contrivances of his Wisdom and the variety of those
take away his life pursueth him with an Army from place to place David had a pitiful company with him is forced to flee to Gath there to dissemble himself mad would any one have thought that had seen David among the Philstines scrambling on the walls that he should ever have been King over Israel and Judah At length Saul and Jonathan the next heir are slain in Battel then Ishbosheth is set up but yet after all these oblique and seemingly contradictory motions of Providence it cometh home to the promise David is setled in the Throne of Israel and Judah 4. Let a fourth instance be that of the Gospel Church God had promised that he would set his King upon the holy hill of Zion Psalm 2.6 v. 8 That he would give him the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession and promises of this nature are everywhere multiplyed by the Prophets Isaiah especially Our Lord when he ascended up into Heaven gave out a Commission to his Disciples in order to this effect Go preach and baptize all Nations c. Now at the first the Providence of God seemed to move as if the thing should presently have been done You read Acts 2 That the Spirit of God descended and there were then at Jerusalem saith the Text devout men of every Nation under Heaven Parthians Medes Elamites Mesopotamians Jews Cappadocians men of Pontus Asia Phrygia Pamphilia Egypt Lybians Cyrenians Romanes Cretes Arabians and heard the Apostles in their own language speaking of the great works of God Here were now Preachers made for all the World would not one have thought that surely at this time all the ends of the Earth should have been given unto Christ Peter at one Sermon converts two thousand soon after there were five thousand added to the Church But all on the sudden the Providence of God turneth the Gospel groweth out of repute and the Apostles that preached it too both with Jews and Gentiles James is put to death Peter hardly escapes The Church the only Gospel church God had at that time at Jerusalem was scattered and broken the Apostle complains That they were made as the filth of the world and as the off scouring of all things The Jews persecute them the Gentiles in all places rise up against the Preachers of the Gospel bonds stripes and imprisonments waited for the Apostles in all places where they came Paul saith he thought that God had set them forth as men appointed unto death spectacles to the World Angels and men Few of the great Ministers of the Gospel died their natural death the Christians were a sect everywhere spoken against all courses almost imaginable taken to root them out of all places for three hundred years together But at length the Providence of God cometh in a great measure to work up to the direct fulfilling of the many promises of this nature Constantine an Emperour of a great part of the World ariseth and commandeth and encourageth the preaching of the Gospel And thus it came to be spread and accepted in most known parts of the World Indeed there is hardly any instance can be given of any great work of Providence respecting Churches Nations or particular persons as to which this Observation will not justifie it self 5. For another instance may we not bring in if not all yet very many of your particular Souls who fear the Lord. You also upon believing receive the promises The promises are made of old but we receive them we come to have a title to them in the day when God opens our eyes and opens our hearts to a receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ turning our hearts from dead lusts and sins to serve the living God In that day I say we have a first right to all the Promises whether respecting joy and peace or spiritual strength and assistances Now very-often at the first of our conversion the Providence of God moves directly towards them the Soul finds a great life to Duty a great zeal against sin great joy and peace in believing glimpses of the glory of God But after this very ordinarily follow very dark hours and the Soul like Jonah cryes out of the belly of Hell The Soul that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his Servant yet walketh in the dark and seeth no light cryeth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and hath a thousand fair and foul days in its journey to Heaven I know particular cases must here be excepted but I speak of the ordinary Methods of Divine Providence with Souls whom God bringeth to glory 6. I will conclude this Discourse with the instance of the great work of Providence in the Reformation of his Church in this latter age whether you look upon it in Germany France or England In Germany it began with Luther an eminent Servant of of God though like Elias of like passions and infirmities with other men how strangely did the Providence of God in the beginning work towards the accomplishment of it That Luther who was a poor Monk should be preserved to plant the Doctrine of the Gospel and should diffuse it so far as he did and be preserved to do it against all the rage both of the Pope and Emperour 28 or 29 years was a great favour of Providence to the infantile Reformation but afterwards how the Providence of God gave check to it is sufficiently known yet it kept its ground and gained For England we know from our story That King Hen. 8 laid the first stone we also know how Providence at first favoured the work during all the reign of Edward the sixth but in Queen Maries time for five years together it seemed to move directly cross the Popish Superstitions were restored in all parts of the Nation Multitudes burnt for the profession of the Gospel others fled into foreign parts to secure their lives But the Providence of God returned again to its work in the time of Queen Elizabeth But I have spoken enough to justifie the Observation Let me in the next place endeavour to give you a reasonable account of these transverse motions of Providence not that I dare presume to give you the reasons why God moveth thus or thus for who hath been his Counsellor at any time but so far forth as to shew you that these motions of Providence are approvable to our Reason so as we may judg the Lords ways but proportioned to his wise and great designs 1. In the first place certainly one reasonable account to be given of these motions must be the variety of designs which the Providence of God ordinarily carries on together I have hinted this to you before suffer me here to enlarge a little upon it again I then compared Providence to a man of great business and dealings in the World who though London or some other great place be in his Eye as the end of his Journey where his business lies
God thus speaking to you under its darkest Dispensations Think you that I am about to destroy the Promise or by my motions to make it of no effect No I am come not to destroy a tittle of a promise Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not a tittle of the promise shall fail I am not by these motions destroying the promise whatever your sense may dictate to you or whatsoever your reason may prompt to you I am but fulfilling the promise Therefore I say at such a time look to your hearts that they abide by the promise Let it be the case of the Church in which we live or the case of any particular Soul still keep to the Word the promise to the Church is sure the promise to the particular Soul is sure Providence is not moved out of its way it is only got a little out of thy sight if thou canst but wait for it it will come into thy road again and go with thy expectation most certainly to the fulfilling of the Promise Take that one word Eccles 8.12 13 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God Consonant to which is that Isa 3.10 11 Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Now these words both of Promise and of Threatning are sure words yet such as to which the Providence of God makes our faith stagger more than as to any other It often goes out of what we take to be its road in order to the accomplishment of these words we see wicked men prospering growing great in power honour riches yet their ways are such as he that runneth may read that the fear of God is not before their eyes Well be it so yet let not your hearts fail as to the promise keep close to it you will see Providence return to what you call its Road again If a Sinner do evil an hundred times if he liveth an hundred years yet the Word of the Lord shall be justified upon him So if a child of God be chastened an hundred times if Religion and Reformation and the interest of God in the World be brought under the hatches an hundred times yet Magna est Veritas praevalebit Truth shall prevail at last and Gods people shall have the day at last Consider O Christian thou canst not give God a greater honour than to believe when thou doest not seee This is a faith like Abraham's who believed in hope above hope or contrary to hope Rom. 4 who believed when he had nothing else to trust to but that God was able to raise up and save from the dead Say in the prosperity of Sinners I will have nothing to do with them For I know it shall be ill with them though they thrive and prosper some months and years yet I know the reward of their hands shall be given them In the adversity and afflicted estate of Gods people say with those will I cast in my lot for I know it shall be well with them Take heed that the Providence of God draw you not from the Promise Lastly will some say What is our duty with reference to Providence at such a time I will open this in four or five particulars with which I will shut up my Discourse upon this Observation 1. Search and see whether some miscarriages of thy own hath not carried Providence out of thy sight and turned it out of its right line I told you before that Providence is never out of its way it is always moving upon Gods Errand but it is often out of our sight and our sins are the cause of that its motion You know under what a multitude of Promises the Jews were as the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob as the posterity of David c. Promises for great measures of outward prosperity notwithstanding which they were carried captives into Babylon and there endured an hard bondage of seventy years Isaiah tells them the Reason Your iniquities have separated betwixt God and you and your sins have made him to hide his face from you What do the godly amongst the Jews under this Dispensation Lam. 3.39 40 Let us say they search and try our ways and return again to the Lord this is undoubtedly the duty of the Church the duty of every particular Soul When thou seest God turned out of his way as thou thinkest and not doing by thee as thou didst expect search and see whether thy miscarriages have not caused that withdrawing or turning aside It is true Gods punishments of his people are not always for sin he may sometimes do it to try their faith their patience their adherence to him but this is a secret to us Two things are certain in this case 1. That God doth most ordinarily punish them for their sins 2. That he never punisheth them but they have sin'd enough to warrant it an act of justice and to give them cause of suspicion and of Soul-humiliation so as a searching and trying of their ways in the day of divine chastenings can never be improper or out of season 2. Look to your faith in the Promise It is the Promise is the object of Faith and Providence no further than it relateth to the Promise A time of dark Providences is usually a time of great temptations It is so oftentimes on Gods part that is God designs his peoples trial It is so often from Satan who takes the advantage of those hours to suggest to the Soul It is so as to the World they pierced Davids heart in such an hour as with a sword when in it they said unto him Where is thy God become Psalm 42. It is so in it self considering that we are but flesh and how ready the language of that is Surely I have cleansed my hands in vain I have washed mine hands in innocency for nothing Or that of Saul This evil is of the Lord why should I wait for him any longer Therefore I say Look to your Anchor-hold in such a day Thus doth David Why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou disquieted within me trust thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Psalm 42. So doth the Church Micab 7.8 Rejoyce not over me O mine Enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me The Heathen Poets have a story that Vlysses in his sailing home being to pass the Syrens who were wont to allure Mariners with their melodious tunes towards them while their ships were dashed in
pieces upon Rocks to avoid the temptation caused himself to be tied to the Mast of his Ship I would have every Christians heart tied to the Promise as to his Mast that he might be out of the danger of all temptations from Providence Thirdly which indeed is a consequent of this Resolve to wait upon God under all the hidings of his face I call'd this a consequent of the other for he that believeth maketh not haste saith the Prophet This was the Churches resolution Isa 8.17 I will wait upon him that hideth his face from the house of Jacob. Temptations in an evil day can have no advantage but upon our Souls precipitancy The Soul that is resolved to wait upon God hath much defeated all Tempters and is out of all their Gunshot I remember the speech of the three Children to the King of Babylon We are not say they careful to answer thee in this matter The God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thy hand however we will not fall down before the image which thou hast set up If he will not presently deliver us we are resolved to wait on him Fourthly To waiting must be added Prayer I will look unto him for he will hear me Prayer is the Catholick remedy both for the aversion of any Judgments and for the obtaining of any mercy Fifthly To all this add but that of the Psalmist Psalm 37.34 Wait upon the Lord and keep his way and thou shalt inherit the promise made to it He shall exalt thee to inherit the land and when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it But I shall proceed no further in this Discourse SERMON XVI Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. HAVING shewed you it to be the duty of Gods people to observe the motions of Divine Providence which are the things spoken of in this Text and shewed you what a great indication of spiritual Wisdom such an observation is and how great a mean to make us to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord I came in my last Exercise to commend unto you some remarkable Observations concerning them I finished my Discourse at that time upon my first Observation without any further preface I shall now proceed to a second which you may take thus Observ 2. The Providence of God in the fulfilling of the words both of promise and of threatning doth ordinarily fulfil the first when the people of God are at the lowest and the latter when his Enemies are at the highest I shall handle this in the same method as I did the other speaking to it shortly 1. By way of Explication 2. Confirming the Observation and giving you the reasons of it and lastly making some Application of it For Explication 1. I must desire you still to observe what I before told you and now repeat That the Providence of God in all its motions is but a Servant of the Word it fulfilleth the will of God That it is the spring from which all its motions do proceed both the secret and revealed will The will of God is but one but part of it is revealed part concealed So much of it as is necessary in order to our Salvation is revealed whether respecting our rule of life or respecting what shall happen to us or others to Nations and Kingdoms and Churches in this life or to particular Souls in or after this life Now what God hath thus revealed Providence brings to issue and here is the ground both of our prayers and praises 2. For the Promises I say you shall observe It is the ordinary method of Divine Providence to bring them to an accomplishment upon the Church and people of God when they are at the lowest in all humane appearance in the lowest state of dejection in the lowest degree of affliction when they are lowest as to their outward state lowest as to their hopes 3. I added thirdly That it ordinarily gives a being and fulfilling to the threatning when Gods Enemies are at the highest The people of God are those to whom the promises are made they are the heirs of them they are those to whom are given the great and precious promises wicked men are they to whom the threatnings belong they are the children of wrath the heirs of the Curses the work of Providence in reference to them those of them that will not be reformed is to bring all the Curses that are written in the book of God upon them But I say you shall observe That the time in which the Providence of God fulfilleth these words of Threatning upon them is when they are at the highest in the highest hopes of the contrary on the highest mountains of prosperity Let me endeavour to justifie this Observation by some instances and those concerning bodies of people or individuals You know the people of the Jews were the only people under Heaven until Christs ascension that God owned as his people Individuals there were that were not Jews as Job and others but I say for a body of people there were no other Gal. 3.16 To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made Rom. 9.4 Who are Israelites to whom appertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises The Promises made to Abraham Isaac Jacob. David c. The Promises of inheriting Canaan coming out of Babylon destroying their Enemies c. Now these promises being given out it was the work of Divine Providence to give them a verification and to fulfil them Observe what times the Providence of God doth it in It bringeth the children of Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan not while Jacob or Joseph were alive Joseph was a great man and could have given a probable conduct to that great work The Israelites while he lived were in a very flourishing condition multiplying exceedingly and being in a very prosperous state every way But this is not a time when the Providence of God will accomplish the Promise Joseph must die and another King rise up that knew not Joseph The children of Israel are diminished their little ones slain their whole body oppressed with hard labour and brought to as low a pass as you can well imagine a people to be not wholly blotted out This is the time that Providence will accomplish the promise for their coming out of Egypt They pass the Red-sea in a very formidable body like enough to make their way through the Wilderness and a variety of Enemies into the promised Land But before the Providence of God brings them in they must be broken in a great measure destroyed all dead unless Caleb and Joshuah who came out of Egypt and their body wholly a new generation then they shall pass over Jordan Read over all the story of Judges and observe God seldom delivered them from their oppressors until they were brought
as low as could be After that time when the men of Jabish Gilead were ready to take the basest terms then God sends Saul to their rescue when there was not a sword nor a spear found in all Israel but in the hand of Saul and Jonathan then will God deliver them from the Philistines They shall be delivered out of the captivity of Babylon but not till they had been worn out there seventy years when one would have thought scarce any should have been left to have returned and those that were so linked with alliances to the Babilonians so fixed in another Country as few of them should ever have been perswaded to have come out and have gone to build a new a desolate City The promise of Christ their great King shall be made good to them but when when the Scepter is departed from Judah and the Law-giver from his feet When the Jews are made tributaries to the Romans for particular persons the cases are very many Abraham shall have the Child of the promise when he is an hundred years old Joseph shall be exalted out of a dungeon Isaac shall be rescued when the knife is at his throat David shall have the Kingdom when he is brought to the lowest Ebb and that is the time when Job shall be restored to a prosperous state and his latter end shall be greater than his beginning The three Children and Daniel shall be delivered and exalted but not till the former be actually thrown into the fiery Furnace and Daniel into the Lions Den. Peter shall be delivered out of prison but not till the very night before his execution was designed Paul shall be delivered when he despaired of life and had the sentence of death in himself 2 Cor. 1.9 In short you shall observe this the constant course and method of Divine Providence Secondly The observation is as true on the other hand when Pharaoh with his Host was in their highest ruff and he says I will pursue I will overtake them I will satisfie my lust on them then shall he be drowned in the Red-sea when the sins of the Amorites are at the full then and not before will Providence destroy and root them out When Sisera is in his greatest heighth then will God by Woman bring him down When Sennacherib is at his heighth then shall he perish The like instances might be given of Belshazzar Haman in short of all the Enemies of God and his people of whom we have any Scriptural record I remember when Gideon had his great Army God said they were too many for him to conquer by and reduceth them to three hundred then maketh them victorious The people of God though under some misery and oppressions may be too many or in too good a condition for him to deliver them and the Enemies may be too low or in too pitiful a condition for the Lord of Hosts to encounter them He will then deal with Pharaoh Sennacherib Haman Belshazzar Herod when they are at the highest and think themselves out of the reach of divine Power and Justice When all the World almost is turned Arian he will begin to root out Arianism When all are made slaves to the Pope and he can with his Bulls fright the greatest Prince that is the time Providence will chuse to begin Reformation Let us a little enquire into the Wisdom of God in this method of working God in all his great workings both of Judgment and Mercy in all his great motions of Providence is pursuing one and the same great end viz. the glory of his great and holy Name he can work for no higher he will work for no lower or lesser end The deliverance and good of his people is subordinate to this so is the ruin and destruction of their Enemies so that this must be the reason of this method of Providence Because thus God is most glorified by delivering his people when they are at the lowest by destroying his Enemies when they are at the highest God is most glorified My further Work must be to demonstrate this God is thus most glorified 1. By a Declaration of himself in his glorious Attributes 2. By Eliciting pious actions from his Creatures 1. By a Declaration of himself that men may know that he is God and he alone and the work is his and his alone There is as I have told you a mute Glory which ariseth unto God from his own works as the Psalmist saith The heavens declare the glory of God As all Gods works of Creation so all his works of Providence declare the glory of God and he doth them to be had in remembrance that he might by them be glorified and get himself a great Name in the Earth God is divers ways eminently magnified and made known to the World by this method of Providence in its workings divers Attributes of his are remarkably by it published to the World I will instance in some His power his wisdom his justice and righteousness and his goodness and mercy 1. The power of God is thus more magnified Power is a great Attribute of God Once have I spoken saith the Psalmist yea twice have I heard it that power belongeth unto God Hence he is so often call'd The great God Now the power of God is never so eminent in the view of the World as when he raiseth up his people out of the dunghil and pulleth down the Sinners in the heighth and pride of their glory When God falleth upon a Nebuchadnezzar crying out Who is that God who shall deliver you out of my hands Dan. 3.15 Upon a Sennacharib saying Who are they amongst the gods of the Nations that have delivered their people out of my hand that the Lord should deliver you out of my hand Isa 36.20 Upon a Pharaoh saying Who is the Lord that I should obey him Exod. 5.2 Then doth the Lord make the greatness of his might and power known God lets them then see that wherein they thought spake and acted proudly he can be above them Power is never so magnified as when an opposite power is greatest when men most think they are out of Gunshot I remember the story of Gideon which I hinted before you have it Judg. 7.2 The people saith God are too many for me lest Israel vaunt himself against me and say my own hand hath saved me Ver. 3 They were reduced to twenty two thousand Ver. 4 God saith They are yet too many for me In short they must be brought to three hundred and by them God will work here now Gods Arm was made bare when there is a plenty of means and probabilities and God worketh by and in the use of them it is still God's arm that brings Salvation but it is as it were a cloathed-arm and the arm the power and strength of God is hidden and concealed but when God works contrary to humane probabilities and without such means there the arm of the Lord is made bare
calls to us for Psalm 37.1 Neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity And the Wiseman Prov. 3.31 Envy not the Oppressor Prov. 23.17 Let not thy heart envy Sinners You have an usual saying It is better to be envied than pitied the meaning is to be in a state of prosperity which usually is the Object of Envy than in a state of adversity which is usually the Object of pity It is not so here It is better to be a child of God though an Object of pity than a Sinner though an Object of Envy Prosperity slayeth the fool nor is he ever so near ruin as when he is at the highest There is a story of a custom they had in Persia to gratifie a condemned Malefactor for an hour before his Execution with whatsoever he should desire which of us should have envied such a poor wretch for that hours pleasure Sinners are never so near ruin as when they are at the highest O then envy them not in their heighths 2. Much less fret and repine against God for allowing them such a preheminence over thee as to their outward estate God hath his wise and just ends in it both in suffering them to grow high and thee to continue in a low and afflicted state by the former he ripeneth them for Judgment by the latter he prepareth you for Mercy Fret not because of evil-doers saith the Psalmist Psalm 37. ver 1. We cannot dive into the bottom of Gods Counsels but if this observation of the motions of Providence be true we may see cause enough not to fret our selves nor to murmur and repine at God we have no reason to repine at God when we see his Providence working towards our deliverance and towards the downfal of his and our Enemies Thus it is according to this Observation when we are brought most low and the Enemies of God are suffered to mount most high 3. Certainly if this be true the flourishing state of sinners should be no temptation to us so much as to desire to take part with them Solomon joins them together Prov. 3.31 Envy not thou the Oppressor neither chuse any of his ways My son saith Solomon If sinners entice thee consent not thou unto them though they say we shall find all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil The words of Sinners are nothing so enticing as their prosperous state for riches and honour and rule and pleasures not many can resist the temptation of them but certainly if the heighths of these to sinners be prognosticks of their ruin if we could consider their pride their riches honours plenty dominion as things which set them nearer unto ruin they would be no temptations desire not to rise and thrive and grow great and domineer with wicked men lest thou also fall with them 2. But in the last place let us from hence conclude the duty of a child of God in his lowest state or in the lowest state of the Church and people of God I will open it in few particulars and so conclude First To glory in Tribulation The Apostle maketh this one of the fruits of justifying faith Rom. 5. St. James would have the rich Christian rejoyce in that he is made low Ja. 1.10 A depth of misery in the people of God always makes way for mercy and the redemption and salvation of the people of God is never nearer than when in humane appearance it seems to be furthest off Indeed this must be the rejoycing of faith for the eye of sense at such a time is quite put out Besides the circulation of Divine Providence which is evident to those who look wistly upon the motions of Providence in the World there is a great deal more to give the people of God at such a time cause of rejoycing they are more prepared for mercy their Enemies are more prepared for vengeance it is then a fit season for God to work for his glory c. Secondly This should learn the people of God patience under all their sufferings pressures and oppressions Patience is a grace of which we may say as Solomon of a Friend or a Brother It is made for adversity There are many arguments to perswade Patience that is a quiet calm submission to God under frowns of Providence but nothing more effectual to our hasty and impatient frail natures than to hear that the burthen of God upon our shoulders shall not lie there long when we can hope that Nubecula est transibit it is but a storm and it will over What said our Saviour to his Disciples Could not you watch with me one hour The prospect of the shortness of an Evil doth very much alleviate it and relieve our spirits under the burthen of it That miserable Emperour had no other relief under his most cruel torments than Hoc non est Eternitas this is not Eternity Now what an argument is this for a Christians patience and fortitude for him to think when his case is worst when his burthen most pincheth him then his deliverance is nearest even at the door They say in a dark morning the darkness is always thickest just before break of day In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen I am sure it is always darkest just before break of day with the Church and the people of God As the pains of a Woman in travel encrease so the hour of her delivery more hasteneth and there is no worse sign of a long travail to her than little and lingring pains The Women at such a time will sometimes say to those that enquire after the Woman in pangs We want more pain Truly it is so oft-times with the Church of God They want more pain more pressures and oppressions they are not brought low enough for a mercy O let us be patient then under the greatest trials Great trials never last long You know what the Martyr said We have a bad Dinner but we shall have a better Break-fast Thirdly This calleth aloud to the people of God at such a time for the exercise of faith Indeed this is the proper time for faith to work As too much light blinds the Eye instead of helping it so doth sense blind the Eye of Faith Sense followeth Providence but Faith stands by the Promise and exerciseth it self upon that When the Providence of God is most out of our sight then is the time to lay the fastest hold upon the Promise As there are degrees of darkness in nights some are much more dark than others so there are degrees of darkness in the Churches nights sometimes there is a darkness in it which may be felt when Providence is so far from giving a light to us like that of the Sun that it doth not give us the light of a Candle Here now Christians stand concerned to shew that they do not live by the light of Providence but by faith in the word of God which still is the same and
is a divine stamp too though of a different nature what means are proper must be used how mean soever they appear in our eyes What proportion was there betwixt Jonathan and his Armour-bearer and the whole Garrison of the Philistines between Jeroboams Army and Abijahs This but four hundred the other eight hundred thousand between the Army of Asia and that of the Ethiopians and Lubims 2 Chron. 14. God often works yea he ordinarily worketh by small means and Providence brings forth its great work in the day of mans small things If we be sure that we are in Gods way and about his work let the means be what they will if lawful and rational it is our duty to use them God must be honoured in his own Institutions and sought in his own way though the means be small and our humane hopes small yet if we expect Gods blessing this mercy must be sought in the use of those means which the Providence of God layeth before us 2. But secondly The duty of a Christian will lye much in the exercise of his Faith in God beyond the probability of the means This is the great duty of a Christian and the very end which God aimeth at in cutting us short of means many times I think we may say Vbi media deficiunt ibi fides incipit where means begin to fail there faith begins to work Where we are out of sight as to means there 's a room for faith For it is saith the Apostle the evidence of things not seen By faith here I mean a trusting and relying upon God as a God able and faithful But to open this a little more clearly to you I will shew you 1. In what cases we may warrantably exercise a faith in God beyond the vertue and probability of means 2. What means we may use for the help of our faith in this case 3. What encouragements we may take to our selves in such a case to set our faith on work 1 Quest In what cases may a Christian exercise faith in God for the accomplishment beyond the vertue efficacy and probability of humane means to be used in order to it 1. To this I answer The object of faith must be a Promise It is ridiculous to talk of an exercise of faith in God for an accomplishment for which we have no word to warrant us in the expectation of it But now a Promise may be either particular or General of old many had particular persons and the Nation of the Jews had particular promises made to them by God immediately or mediately by his Prophets we have no such God hath left us unto his written Word There are many general promises which shall be made good still to particular Churches and persons Hence is our difficulty to conclude what it is we may exercise a faith in God for bringing to pass To direct you a little 1. Where you have a particular promise the case is plain Some such there are as for the destruction of Antichrist c. 2. In the want of a special particular Promise a general promise is a sufficient object for our faith General promises made to the Church and people of God are applicable to particular Churches and particular Saints 3. Every Precept doth imply a Promise God hath certainly promised a blessing upon the doing of that which he hath commanded us to do no man serveth God for nothing 4 Whatsoever issue certainly conduceth to the glory of God is under a Promise God hath resolved to glorifie himself and he ordereth all his actions in order to that end The substance of all this amounts to thus much We may exercise a faith in God and trust in him for accomplishing by his Providence whatsoever in his Word he hath either more particularly or generally promised or whatsoever he hath commanded us to act in tendency unto or whatsoever doth certainly tend to the glorifying of his great and holy Name Now if any thing of this nature be upon the wheel although we see the present visible means in order to the accomplishment of it be small and in all appearance disproportioned to the greatness of the event yet a Christian using what lawful means the Providence of God lays before him may warrantably trust in God for the exerting a further power for the accomplishment of it than is in the means which at present are apportioned to it But this is now an hard thing to us Let me therefore secondly direct you what you should do in a day of small things for the advantaging of your faith in this noble Exercise I shall offer but two things in the Case 1. Keep your Eye as much off the means and as much upon God as you can We have so much of sense and reason in us that we are very prone from one or other of them to take all our measures about future events If we would keep our hearts steady in a time of such exigencies as these we must shut the Eyes both of our sense and reason Faith credits a Proposition neither upon the demonstrations of the one of these nor the conclusions of the other but the meer authority of God Men count it wisdom when they are upon precipices never to look downward but upward if they look downward their weak heads are apt to be giddy Christians in such stresses of Providence as these are have nothing else to do if they look downward their sense their reason saith how can these things be If God would make windows in heaven saith that Nobleman these things could not be Our poring upon means in the day of our small things hindereth the exercise of our faith in God If the foundations be destroyed saith the Psalmist Psal 11.3 what can the righteous do Means are the foundations of our natural hopes now if these be destroyed if there be little or nothing of these what can we do Wicked men are indeed at their wits-ends they despond and despair but saith the Psalmist v. 4 The Lord is in his holy temple the Lords throne is in heaven his eyes see his eye-lids try the children of men God is still where he was and hath the same power the same knowledg of things the same rule and dominion Twice in Scripture Abraham is propounded to us as a noble Example and a father of the faithful in this thing Rom. 4. God had promised him a Son a Son of his Wife Sarah he grew to be an hundred years old his Wife many years past child bearing here was no means yet Abraham believeth for a Child and he was not weak in the faith saith the Apostle Rom. 4.18 19 20. How doth he behave himself The Apostle telleth you That he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old nor yet the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the Promise but was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised
he was able to perform Abraham that he might keep up his heart fixed on the promise he considered not the nothingness or improbability of the means he considered nothing but the power and faithfulness of God God had said it there was a promise for it a promise from him who could not lye then he considereth that he who had promised was able also to perform an honest faithful man may sail in his promise because he may not be able to perform but as God was faithful so he was also able he keeps his Eye off means fixed upon God So again Heb. 11.17 18 19 By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promise offered up his only begotten son of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead Abraham had a promise that in Isaac his seed should be called God calls Abraham with his own hand to slay Isaac he could not but have such thoughts as these Lord if Isaac be gone where is thy promise what becomes of thy word how shall my seed be called in him how shall I be the father of the Jewish Nation if Isaac be he in whom my seed must be called and he be dead before he hath a child He had nothing to relieve him under these thoughts but this That God was able to raise him from the dead hither he flies and keeps up his faith in the Promise by turning his eye off from the means and meerly considering the power and faithfulness of God You shall find Asa doing thus 2 Chron. 14.9 10 11 Asa had but an Army of five hundred thousand Zerah the Ethiopian cometh out against him with an Army of a million and three hundred Chariots there was double the number he had If he had look'd upon the means he must have desponded how should five hundred thousand deal with ten hundred thousand but he looks off the means and fixeth his Eye upon God Ver. 11 He cryeth unto the Lord and saith Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee Secondly In such a day consider the experiences of Gods people consider what they did and how they sped What they did that you heard in the instance both of Abraham and Asa They shut the Eyes of their sense and natural reason they took off their Eyes from all consideration of means and eyed only the certainty of the Promise the faithfulness of God and the power of God So did Abraham so did Asa Then 2. Consider how they sped Abraham had a Son at the set-time Abraham had his Son reprieved when the knife was at his throat and his seed was called in Isaac The Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Juda c. saith the Text 2 Chron. 14.12 13 14. Now it is a great encouragement to us in the exercises of our faith to consider the experiences of other of the Servants of God in their exercises of Faith Our father 's trusted in thee saith David Psalm 22 they trusted and were delivered The strength of this lieth in the stedfastness and unchangeableness of God he is the same his name is I am David as to Goliah raised up his faith upon his former experiences in slaying the Lion and the Bear 1 Sam. 17 and upon the experience of others Psalm 22 nothing is more conducive to help and relieve a Christian weak as to his faith in the day either of small things as to the Church of God in which he is considered as a member or in the day of small things as to his own personal concerns God chuseth the day of small things to be seen in it is the day which Providence chuseth to shew it self great in And you may thus advantage your faith in God in such a day Now for your further encouragement in this exercise of faith in God beyond the visibility or apparent probability of means I shall offer these things to your consideration 1. That it is Gods ordinary time and method of working This is that which I discoursed to you in justification of the Observation and proved it to you from a plenty of instances and therefore shall not enlarge here 2. That God never worketh with so much advantage to his own glory as in such a time when he fulfilleth his Word in the day of mans small things We never need doubt Gods pursuing of the great ends of his glory He doth all things for himself his glory is the end of all his great works Now I say God never worketh more for the advantage of his glory than in such exigents then is his power and the greatness thereof most eminently made known Then shall his people more see and confess the Arm of the Lord. 3. Consider thirdly this is the proper work of faith It is true we ought to exercise Faith in the use of means let them be never so great never so probable for the accomplishment of the the End but the proper place for faith is where means are weak or wanting to put the Soul in hope against hope It is the evidence of things not seen as patience is an habit of grace given the Soul for a day of adversity so faith is made for an hour of sensible darkness 4. Lastly Nothing so pleaseth and engageth God as such an exercise of faith Asa 2 Chron. 14.11 useth it as an argument with God Help us O Lord for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this great multitude The next Verse saith God smote the Ethiopians 2 Chron. 13.18 You will find that Jeroboam's Army was full double to the number of Abijah's and could not have been conquered without some extraordinary influence of God upon Abijah's side Now would you know what engaged the Lord of Hosts ver 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers See the contrary 2 Chron. 16.7 Hanani the Seer cometh to Asa and telleth him Because thou hast relied on the King of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God therefore the Host of the King of Syria is escaped out of thy hands Thus I have shewed you a second thing in which I conceive the duty of a Christian lies in the day of small things viz. The exercise of a faith in God beyond the vertue and probability of the means 3. A third piece of his duty is To beware of the use of sinful means in order to the accomplishment of what he desireth It is a great vanity to which through our misapprehension of means we are very subject if we want lawful means to make use of
a knowledg too high too deep for thee Providence usually bringeth home both the promises to the Saints and the threatnings to the Sinners in a way quite different from what they looked for or it may be expected it in I have spoken enough already to take Christians off this but yet because it is a great point a thing wherein we are prone to slip and wherein our slipping is more than ordinarily dangerous let me spend a little time further to argue you out of this vanity and to direct your Souls in the expectation of the fulfilling of Divine Promises 1. Consider how much the strength of your souls is spent and how vainly in the expectations of your own fancies As the expectation of that for substance which God never promised is but the expectation of our own fancy so neither is the expectation of what God hath promised under such circumstances as are no part of the promse Now the strength of our Souls runneth much out in such expectations Let a man but fancy that in such a year Babylon shall fall The Jews shall be called The thousand years shall begin That by such a time the Church in distress or his Soul in distress shall be delivered It is strange to observe how the Soul will spend it self upon such a Notion the thoughts of men run upon it their wits are bent to interpret dark Scriptures into their own fancies it presently becomes the main article of their faith and the great argument of their hope and the whole subject of their discourses and at last possibly they are enforced to acknowledg that they had a lye in their right hand The Prophet useth the expressions upon an higher argument but yet they are applicable here Why spend you your strength for that which is not bread and your labour for that which will not profit There is nothing that is bread for a Soul but the Word of God it hath pitied my Soul many times to observe many otherwise I hope serious persons how they have spent themselves in such Enquiries and expectations as these Consider secondly how the faith of your souls is often endangered and shaken by your disappointments in these things I do but name this again for I before enlarged upon it How ready are we to dis-believe the Promise wholly because it comes not in the circumstances that we fancied it would come The Apostle was aware of this great Evil and therefore when some had been prophecying in the Church of the Thessalonians of a sudden coming of Christ to Judgment he writeth to that Church 2 Thess 2.1 2 Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as if the day of Christ were at hand Let no man deceive you by any means The Apostle saw that this hasty and ungrounded expectation of Christs coming under such circumstances as he had now here revealed did not only tend to the troubling of Christians when they saw themselves disappointed but also to the shaking of their faith as to the thing it self and therefore beseecheth them by the coming of our Lord Jesus and by their gathering together unto him what can be the meaning of that but this If ever you expect the joyful coming of Christ and would keep your faith steady as to it if ever you would be with us gathered unto him concern not your selves in those who would limit the Promises to the circumstances of their own fancying Let them pretend Revelations of the Spirit or wrest the word of God yet faith the Apostle let them not deceive you You have an eminent instance of this shaking of Christians faith so consequential to this limiting of God to circumstances Luke 22.31 There was a Promise of redeeming Israel Christ had been crucified and three days were passed and they had heard nothing tending to their expectation say they We trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel and besides all this to day is the third day since these things were done Their faith began to shake as to the main Promise because Providence in the accomplishment of them did not fit it with the circumstances which they had fancied Thirdly Consider it much hindereth that duty of waiting upon God which the Scripture so often presseth upon us I need not mention particular Scriptures there is hardly any one duty more pressed upon Christians in Scripture than this patient waiting upon and for God Now how doth that Soul wait upon God that limits God to his circumstances of time place means persons he indeed waiteth upon those circumstances a while but when he is disappointed as to them he knoweth not how to wait upon God any longer The Soul which truly waiteth on God leaveth circumstances unto him You will say unto me in the next place What then is the duty of a Christian with respect to the Promises whether concerning the Church or his own soul in particular I answer to receive and embrace them and be perswaded of the truth of them and leave unto God the way time manner and circumstances for fulfilling of them which he hath not revealed going on in the way of our plain duty till God shall please to give a being to his Word You shall see your duty Heb. 11.13 These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth What promises were these The promises of Canaan of the Messias Abraham saw Christs day and rejoyced saith our Saviour They received these promises in their ears God revealed his will for these things they saw them afar off as things like to come to pass many years after they were perswaded of them of the truth of them that God would give them a being they embraced them with thankful believing hearts and lived so as that they confessed themselves strangers and pilgrims of the Earth in a constant course of self-denial and fulfilling the will of God and in a crucifixion to the World they never stood troubling themselves to search out the particular time and circumstances when and which way God would do these things but kept in the faith of the Promise leaving circumstances unto God Let us go and do likewise I shall conclude this discourse with a Text of our Saviours Luke 17.20 21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come He answered and said the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation Neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you Let me a little open these words to you The Kingdom of God that is the great things which concern the Kingdom of God these are not brought to pass and come
to keep them there He thus endeared the Jews to him and thus transplanted a Colony yea and secured Hierusalem to his obedience which was before under the Command of the Babylonians who were his Enemies 3. The sending of the Messias was a great product of Divine Providence he was to introduce a new way of worship to preach what to them in their corrupted state was a new Doctrine had the Jews been in their heighth this would by no means have been endured by them See how God fitteth the worlds circumstances to this great product of Providence The scepter is departed from Judah and the lawgiver from his feet the Jews are become Tributaries to the Romans and under their power so they were not so brisk as they would have been There is a general peace over all the world so as the Romans were not so jealous of making parties and factions people were more at leisure to listen to the Gospel and Prince of peace Now comes the Lord Jesus Christ If we should carry the business a little further What great work hath God ever done since in which we may not see a remarkable fitting of the worlds circumstances to the production of it I will instance but in one or two things referring to the Protestant-Reformation Our reformation you know was began in the time of Henry the Eight How did God fit our circumstances to it King Henry shall fall out with the Pope because he will not allow his divorce and so shall break with him and set up a purer course of Religion it was hardly to have been imagined how England should have been freed from Popery at another time by the advantage of the chief Magistrates assistance There was a strange concurrence of Divine Providences in the reformation which was begun in Germany Luther was raised up a man of a most invincible spirit and courage Printing was found out a-few years before in that very Countrey in 1440 by which means Luther's and others books were presently diffused throughout all Europe V. Sculteti annales l. 1. c. 1. The knowledg of Arts and Learning were just restored to the world after the long darkness and ignorance in which Popery had muffled the world Many secret favourers of Religion were admitted to great places in the Popish-Church who either out of favour to the reformed Religion or out of love to their learning shewed great kindness to the first Reformers several great Princes of Germany were also prepared some possibly out of conscience others out of principles of honour favouring and protecting Luther In short the Providence of God hath hardly at any time produced any great work in the change of the State of the Church or of any Kingdom but his fitting of the circumstances of the world to it have been strangely obvious and remarkable to every observing eye 2. Let us secondly take a view of the Providence of God working as to particular persons with reference to things of a more outward concern take it in the instances of Joseph of David of Haman of the three Children and Daniel David was to be brought to be King over Israel and Judah from a Shepherds boy to be a great Prince he shall first kill Goliah he shall be sent for to Court to drive away Sauls evil spirit with his Harp he shall marry the Kings Daughter and grow great with Jonathan Joseph is to become a great man in Egypt he shall first be recommended to Pharaoh grow great with him a famine shall come he shall save much people alive and thus be in great honour and in a capacity to serve his Fathers family The Providence of God designs to preserve the Jews to advance Mordecai to ruin Haman An Hebrew Lady by a strange Providence shall come to be Queen and one that shall be Mordecai's Neece Haman shall be found upon the bed with Esther and mistaken in his Complement to her as if he had a design to force her c. Infinite are the instances which might be brought 3. Let us consider the motions of Providence with reference to the souls of people as to their best and most spiritual concerns If God hath much people in Macedonia St. Paul shall be called thither he ordereth Ministers to places or particular persons to a Ministry proper for the work in a strange way many a time when he hath a design to do good to particular souls But here let me recommend one observation to you When he designeth the tryal of a Child of his with inward troubles and temptations he usually fits it with an unhealthy body suted to such impressions and when he designeth the restoring of quiet and peace to the spirit he ordinarily fits it with an healthy body Not that all the trouble and disquietudes of the spirit floweth from the indisposition of the body the contrary is evident enough to any who diligently observe Christians at such times and may know many others under the same kinds and possibly greater degrees of bodily distempers whose minds are not so disturbed who have no such temptations c. But seldom it is but such inward troubles are circumstanced with bodily disturbances and so on the contrary it is rare to find a peaceful quiet rejoycing spirit but it is suited also with a freedom from bodily distempers especially such as have an influence upon the head and affect that But I shall enlarge no further upon what is so evident to any who observeth any thing of the motions of Divine Providence Reas Now the Reason of this is evident Because though the Providence of God sometimes produceth things miraculously yet it ordinarily produceth them by the way of means some means although possibly not adequate and fully proportioned to the production The Providence of God is a servant to his Glory that is the end for which it works for which it always worketh and can work for no other end but it doth not always work for the glorifying of God in the same Attribute sometimes it glorifieth his Power sometimes his Wisdom sometimes his Goodness and Mercy c. It glorified Gods Power in the destruction of Pharaoh he was ruined by the immediate supernatural hand of God but ordinarily the Providence of God worketh by means and the Wisdom of God is most eminently seen in contriving and ordering and disposing means unthought-of and yet ordinarily the Power of God is also glorified the means being such as are very unlikely or improbable to produce such an effect Now this being granted that the most ordinary way of Gods working is by means little or much there must be an ordering and preparation of them and this is the reason of Gods fitting adjacent circumstances to his work which he produceth those circumstances being the ordinary means which God thinks fit to make use of to work in with and by And here the great Power and Wisdom of God is seen in ordering the affairs of the world so as they shall sute his great
which then hindered his being revealed and would let until he should be taken away The Roman Empire hindered nor is that hinderance yet taken away 'T is true there is but a stump of that Empire remaining in Germany Spain France England many other great boughs are lop'd off it but most of them kept their Antichristian favour though they changed their temporal Lords and set up for and by themselves as to temporal subjection and dominion You see and hear how fierce the French the Spaniards the Portugals c. the house of Austria are for the Romish Religion 'T is true England hath broke that yoke off its neck so hath Holland the Gospel hath got a great foot in Germany France Denmark Poland Sweden Hungary but yet the Devil hath a large Chappel in most of those places It is the National Religion of France Spain Portugal Italy the Imperial Proper-territories God is fitting the circumstances of the World much to his promised Work of destroying this Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth with the brightness of his coming England is fallen off Holland is fallen off a great part of Switzerland many Cities and Territories in Germany Sweden and Denmark great numbers in France God is by degrees doing his work and a great deal is done within the space of a hundred and fifty years last past for it is no longer since Luther began to shake his Throne but yet the circumstances of the World do not look as if it were like to be a work we should see in our age nor it may be our childrens children Methinks the Scripture looks as if that man of sin should die a natural death not a violent one I mean that that Religion should be loathed out of the World not fought out of it God will consume it with the Spirit of his mouth and with the brightness of his coming Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord I tell you but my judgment that before the fall of Antichrist you must yet see a greater falling off from Popery by the Princes of other Nations and their people The Worlds circumstances do not yet seem fitted to that great Work God may work Miracles in the case but I know no ground we have to expect them I am very confident that Antichrist is in his wane much past his full declining every day and therefore the fears of some that that ridiculous Religion should again over-spread England or Holland or any other reformed Church do not much afflict me I take that for granted that Babylon is falling but when we shall hear that joyful sound Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen that I cannot tell you but in the general I think we must first see the World otherwise circumstanced than it is 2. By this observation of the motions of Providence you shall also understand much of Gods set time as to shewing mercy to your own particular soul viz. when your bodily or spiritual circumstances are fitted for the desired mercy 1. I say first when your bodily circumstances are fitted to it There is nothing more evident than the dependance of our minds upon our bodies and the influence that some bodily distempers especially have upon our souls and minds now although it be true that God can work miraculously and by light can break through a darkness be it never so thick and ravish a Soul with unspeakable joy and peace though at that time it be yoked to a dark cloudy melancholick disturbed body yet God useth not to work Miracles ordinarily but to move in a more ordinary course of Providence by the use and application of means that are proper so that as it is seldom but God useth the disorders and disturbances of the body to influence and afflict the mind and to be at least an adjuvant cause when he will trouble a Soul so he usually restoreth health and a better constitution of body when he intends to restore peace and quiet and a composure of spirit I say ordinarily he doth so And hence again in the next place 3. We by giving attendance to this Observation may learn our duty in reference to the use of Means so as to use what is proper to its season for there is great wisdom to be used in apportioning means For Example as to the bringing down of Antichrist if Gods time be not come the means are not girding our swords upon our thighs c. I question whether that will ever be a Mean proper to be used in that case but endeavouring by all means possible to loath the World of Popish superstitions and ceremonies and all the idolatry of that Synagogue and of all the cheats they put upon the World and alienate the hearts of people from them So for calling the Jews the means to be used is not inciting them to get into a body and heading them c. but to convince them of their errours to endeavour the sweetning of their spirits the enlightning their minds with the knowledg of the truth of the Gospel and reconciling them to the Christian Religion and shewing them the Examples of an holy life and conversation So in case of particular Souls where the discomposure of the mind is originated in or further advantaged by bodily distempers which is a thing very frequently happening I do not take it to be the duty of a Christian meerly to pray and hear but also to use natural means proper for the abating of these distempers yet not this without Prayer and use of Ordinances both for the blessing of God upon such means and for the further influences of his supernatural grace for God fitteth the circumstances of the person that is to receive the mercy to the desired mercy when he intendeth the bestowing of it as well as the circumstances of the World to the mercy which in his set-time he intendeth for his Church so as I say this observing of this method of Providence duly attended to addeth spiritual Wisdom to a Christian as in discerning of Gods time for mercy so also in directing him to his duty as to proper means to be used by him in the way of his duty in order to the obtaining of the mercy teaching him to know what Israel ought to do what a good Christian ought to do under the circumstances under which God hath brought him 2. By an attendance to this working of Providence you shall understand much of the loving-kindness of the Lord very much of the goodness and love of God to Nations and Churches is seen in this his fitting of the worlds circumstances to his designs before he produceth them as his designs are effected without tumult and bloodshed which otherwise through mens opposition to it would not be avoided With how much bloodshed in all humane probability must the Children of Israel have first came out of Egypt then out of Babylon had not God fitted the circumstances of the world to those designs of his Providence
a special Providence But it is not to be thought that God should do much for Hypocrites and Formalists What advantages they have from the Providence of God they have for the sake of those better servants of God with whom they are joyned in an external communion And certainly in the last place this obligeth all within the Church of God to a more special duty Doth God subordinate all his great actions and motions in the world to his gracious designs and counsels relating to that body of people of which we are a part Surely then it were but reasonable for us to subordinate all our little actions in the world to the honour and glory of God Gods glorifying of himself is his great design he aims at no other end and it ought also to be our highest design He hath chosen a certain people out of the world and marked them out for himself as the people in whom and by whom he will be more especially glorified This people is called his Church God subordinateth all his great actions in the world to his gracious designs upon and for these certainly in reason Whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we should according to the Apostles Precept do all to the glory of God His people are those whom he hath created whom he hath formed for himself all the world is nothing to God in comparison of them they are the dearly beloved of his Soul What love reverence obedience is but reasonable on our parts towards this great God What ingratitude must it argue on our part to prefer any thing in design or action to the Honour and Glory of this God We can never live enough unto nor do enough for that God who hath done and doth do so much for us This Observation might be many other ways improved but I shall add no more SERMON XXI Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Proceed yet in making some Observations upon the motions of Divine Providence A seventh Observation I shall make is this Observ 7. It ordinarily enforceth wicked men who mean nothing less yet to do the Lords work It is the great art of a Politician to serve himself of every humor A good Pen-man will write almost with any Pen and a good work-man will work with any tool and the great and wise God herein sheweth the greatness of his Wisdom that he also works with any tools and doth his business by any instruments The Stars shall fight in their courses against Sizera the Sun and the Moon against the Canaanites the Frogs the Lice and the Flyes against Pharaoh the Earth against Corah Dathan and Abiram Now in this there shines forth a great deal of Divine Power thus God sheweth himself to the world to be the Lord of hosts to have all the hosts of Heaven and Earth at his command So that as a great General who hath several Regiments under his Command at his pleasure he sometimes commandeth out one sometimes another as it pleaseth him upon a particular service so doth our great and mighty God and as that great Commander shewing his vast Army to his friend is reported to have said there is not one of these but if I bid him throw himself down a Precipice or into a River he will do it so there is not any company of inanimate or brute Creatures not one Company in the whole Army of the Lord of Hosts but like the Centurion's servants if he saith unto them Go they go if Do this they do it But though much of the Wisdom and Power of God be seen in this yet it is more eminently seen in the use he makes of wicked men to accomplish his designs which is a thing very usual in the motions of Divine Providence As that Politician doth most shew his Wisdom that maketh his Enemies serve him so God in this doth commend to us his infinite Wisdom to make use of the Sons of men that have a perfect hatred and enmity to God and all his holy designs that they shall serve him and accomplish his designs Now this Observation justifieth it self by a great variety of instances You have one in holy Writ very plain Isa 10.5 6 7. O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them like mire of the streets Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so Assyria you see was the Rod of Gods anger Gods indignation was his staff Thou couldest do nothing against me saith Christ to Pilate if it were not given thee from above He went upon Gods errand when he went against Gods People the Jews they had proved an hypocritical people and God had determined to make the people that had been the dearly beloved of his soul the people of his wrath God gave him his charge to spoil to take the prey to tread down the people O but how should God perswade the Assyrian to serve him The Assyrians were Enemies to the true God the Text telleth you Howbeit he meaneth not so neither is it in his heart to think so He thought of nothing less than serving of Gods design that which he thought of was plunder and spoyl and prey for his Soldiers as the Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 12.16 Being crafty I took you by guile so we may say of God being wise infinitely wise he took the Assyrian by guile or rather by his infinite wisdom This is that which the Psalmist saith Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee The wrath of man shall praise God How can that be James tells us That the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God Well but for all that it shall praise God God will make use of their wrath and malice to bring forth his great designs Who would ever have thought that Pharaoh the King of Egypt should have been a great instrument to have brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt Yet he was rather a greater instrument in it than Moses was Moses did no more than lead out of Egypt a willing people and sollicit Pharaoh to give his consent Pharaoh was Gods instrument to make them willing he meant nothing less he saw the people grew great and mighty Come on saith he let us deal wisely that is subtilly with them lest they multiply and it come to pass when there falleth out any war they joyn also unto our enemies and fight against us and so get themselves out of our land here was all he aimed at in his oppressing them to bring them low and keep them still under his subjection Observe how God made use of this The Children of Israel were now seated and settled and multiplied in a fertile
Joseph a great friend to his people and Daniel with wisdom to interpret these dreams to them this brought them both into high and great favour with those mighty Princes in subjection to whom the Jews at those times were This indeed is not an ordinary work of Providence but what God hath done The second is more ordinary men have a curiosity to see and have fine pieces of work done to hear rare musick to see fine mathematical operations Indeed some of these things are very useful but a curiosity in many of them is but vanity Solomon after a long experience so concludes it but the wise God often makes a most remarkable use of this lust in mens hearts David's skill at his harp brought him to Court. And many sober persons skill dexterity and activity in arts and sciences hath made them very acceptable to those that have had the power of the world in their hands and put them into great capacities to serve the interest of God in the world where God hath both shewed his Wisdom in making use of mens lust of curiosity for his own glory and also in making his own common and ordinary gifts so serviceable also 4. A fourth lust which you shall observe God to make an ordinary use of is that of covetousness The People of God many times buy their peace and tranquillity sometimes they obtain it by their usefulness in trade and traffick and the detriment the publick revenue would have by rooting them out sometimes they make themselves friends with their industrious hands sometimes with their liberal hand This was but our Saviours counsel Luk. 16.9 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness It is particularly said of Joseph when he was a servant to Potiphar Gen. 39.2 3. That the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand and Joseph found grace in his sight and he served him and he made him overseer over all his house and all that he had he put into his hand This was Gods first step to bring Joseph into a great capacity that he might be able to protect his people 5. I will instance but in one lust more that is the malice hatred and cruelty of wicked men Psal 76.10 Surely the wrah of man shall praise thee Now this seems a strange thing but there is nothing more ordinary than this The malice and cruelty of Pharaoh contributed much to the Children of Israels coming out of Egypt had they not been so cruelly dealt with they would never have been so willing to have removed it is no better than madness not to be justified by Religion nor yet by Reason for private persons to rise up in arms against their rulers but Solomon tells us Oppressian makes wise men mad and God sometimes makes use of the madness both of his Enemies and of his own People to bring about his own designs Far be it from me either to incourage or to justifie such actions my business is only to shew you how far God makes use of mens lusts But the most ordinary and regular way which God maketh use of in this case is by making the soberer part of the Princes and Rulers of a Nation sensible of the greatness of their peoples sufferings and the unreasonableness of the rage and madness of their adversaries and giving them bowels of compassion to their brethren though it may be they be not of their minds I remember I have somewhere read it in one of the French Historians that a great Peer of that Nation though a Papist in the midst of that woful havock the fury of the Romish Priests were making stood up in Counsel and said He had no patience to see French-men so used And this is very ordinary the men of the world are not all of a complexion some of them are men of Honour and Vertue men of Justice Charity and Mercy persons almost perswaded to be Christians not far from the Kingdom of God in short men of moral vertue abhorring sottishness and cruelty others of them are men of blood and violence and cruelty These latter are they that make the great havock in the Church of God breathing out like Saul Act. 9. threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord and commonly like Saul they have letters from the high-priests to Damascus to the synagogues It is much but it is observable from the very beginning of story that the greatest cruelty and rage which the People of God that have desired to walk more strictly and holily with him have met with hath been from the corrupt Priests and Ministry It was thus upon the first general corruption of the Priesthood in Israel that was you know upon the revolt of the ten Tribes in Jeroboam's time for though before that there were personal corruptions as that of Hophni and Phinehas yet generally they kept to the Law of God but in Jeroboam's time the body of the Priests was corrupt for the Scripture said That Jeroboam made of the meanest people priests of the high places whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of the priests of the high places 1 King 13.33 It was not to be thought that so great a body of that people should all be corrupted many there were that kept close to the instituted worship of God at Hierusalem and would go thither though abundance of the people as Hosea saith Willingly walked after the Commandment Hos 5.11 The Commandment of Jeroboam the son of Nebat the Commandment of which you read 1 King 12.28 29 c. yet many would not Now as to these the Prophet Hosea tells us Hos 5.1 The Priests were a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor and the revolters were profound to make slaughter So it was in our Saviours time the Priests and Scribes and Pharisees were the cruel Enemies of Christ and his Disciples as you read in the Gospels and the story of the Acts of the Apostles And so it always hath been and still is in the Church of Rome their Priests and Jesuites are the bloody men the cruel men against those that cannot comply with them But now there are a great many others that are persons of better nature and temper that hate sensuality and cruelty and injustice and oppression Now God often makes use of the immoralities of the Enemies of the People of God to bring about his designs for their liberty and deliverance men of honour and vertue abhor the sensuality and beastliness of the great Enemies of the Church and although themselves possibly be not of the minds of the People of God yet they abhor injustice and oppression and cruelty and sensuality and this makes them favour the poor servants of God as men that have done nothing worthy of such deaths or bonds or to be so unreasonably dealt with and thus God
to us as a God that may at any time under any face of things be trusted We cannot see a worser face of things than when wickedness is at the heighth men in the heighth of rage and malice against the People of God when all kind of filthiness and sensuality abounds in a place when the vilest men are exalted and the wicked walk on every side they are put together Psal 12.8 But under such dispensations Christians trouble not your selves as to Gods care of his Church indeed it is and ought to be an afflicting dispensation 1. For the glory of God Under such a face of things the holy Name of God is blasphemed the honour of God is at present laid in the dust 2. Such a time must needs be a time of great suffering to the holy and innocent servants of God Many particular servants of God must be made great sufferers under such a Providence But yet incourage your self in God he that can bring light out of darkness can and will bring good out of such an evil as this is The Providence of God doth ordinarily compel even the worst of men to do his work howbeit that they mean not so one way or other they shall do the Lords work if no other way yet by making their own folly manifest to all men God often brings wicked men upon the stage to make them more abominable There are many in the world men of sobriety and vertue would not have believed there had been such horrible injustice and oppression such horrible and insatiable avarice such merciless cruelty in the hearts of many sinners if they did not see them play their parts upon a stage in the world In the mean time know that you trust in a God that knoweth how to make use of mens malice and to make the maddest and desperatest sinner serve his purposes Vse 2. In the second place what a foundation doth this notion lay for an Exhortation to all to break off their sins by true repentance and to give unto God a voluntary chosen service 1. To break off their sins by a true repentance I remember our Lords words to Saul out of Heaven Saul Saul saith he why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Suppose a person whose heart the Devil hath filled with all malice that if he could he would pluck God out of Heaven and root out the Name of God from the Earth yet methinks this should discourage him in his fullest career and madness to think that he that sitteth in the Heavens laugheth him to scorn and when he hath done all he can he shall but have effected the Lords counsels and done the Lords work although he meant not so Let therefore the sinners of the Earth be instructed and learn wisdom they cannot do what they list and many times wherein they think and talk proudly God sheweth himself above them and they do Gods work quite besides and contrary to their own intentions There is no encountring with a God who can make the wrath of man to praise him and restrain the remainder of it when he pleaseth 2. If this be so certainly it is wisdom in men designedly and intentionally to serve God otherwise they lose their reward at least their spiritual and eternal reward We find God with temporal rewards sometimes rewarding men that do some things at his command though their hearts in the action be not right with God so Jehu was rewarded his Sons inherited the Throne to the 4th generation but God at last visited the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu But no man hath a spiritual reward inward joy and peace of conscience nor shall have an eternal reward but that man who with purpose of heart serveth the Lord. SERMON XXII Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Proceed yet in making some Observations concerning the motions of Providence in the preservation and government of the world An eighth Observation which I shall make and a little enlarge upon is this Observ 8. That the Providence of God is wonderfully seen in bringing to light hidden counsels of darkness and punishing of sins which tend to the disturbance of civil societies Indeed there are not many sins but have an ill influence upon humane society and the reason is because there is no law in the world so fitted to the prosperous beings of Societies as the law of the Lord is but yet there are some which tend to a more eminent disturbance and confusion in them Such are now plottings and treasons against Princes whom God hath made the heads of these Societies Seditions and raising up mutinies murthers c. These make great gaps and disorders in political bodies and you shall observe the Providence of God bearing an eminent testimony against them Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King nō not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter it shall be discovered it shall be suddenly discovered and by ways that one would never think of Two things you shall observe in the workings of Divine Providence as to this thing 1. That it is very rarely that the Providence of God suffereth any such designs to come to any effect and issue 2. That if at any time he doth for the punishment of flagitious rulers suffer them to come to issue he very rarely suffereth the actors in them to go down to their graves in peace This abundantly justifieth it self in the story of Scripture and in all other story 'T is very rarely that the Providence of God suffereth conspiracies to take effect Of an hundred plots that you read of in story to take away the lives of Princes and make disturbances in political affairs it is very rare to read of any that take effect Job 5.12 either the Lord makes their own hearts to fail them or weakneth their hands that they cannot find their enterprize or put 's it into the hearts of some of the conspirators to reveal the matter or causeth some strange impression and jealousies in those whose lives are aimed at some way or other the Providence of God worketh to crush the cockatrices egg before it hatcheth into a serpent Our Queen Elizabeth was a famous instance of the special Providence of God in this kind over such as God maketh rulers over others What a strange discovery had we of the Powder-treason in this Nation But this is but the first thing which I commended to you under this Observation 2. Sometimes the Providence of God for his wise ends doth suffer such conspiracies to come to issue either for the personal sins of such rulers or for the sins of the people over whom God hath set them but when he doth he rarely suffereth the actors in them to go down to their graves in
against murther Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he man The Image of God in man lay much in his Knowledg Wisdom Righteousness dominion over other creatures If God sendeth a people a Prince in whom nothing of the Image of God can be seen in the three former things Knowledg or Wisdom or Righteousness yet he hath given unto all Rulers a dominion over his creatures and that not only over brute and inanimate creatures every man hath such a dominion and is a great Prince but over rational creatures and herein much of the Image of God who is the King of kings and Lord of lords and ruler of Princes is to be seen Now I say considering this great relation of Rulers to God it is but reasonable that God should watch over them with a special eye of Providence maintaining his own Ordinance his own Creatures his own Vicegerents in the Earth 2 But secondly The reasonableness of it will appear if you consider the usefulness of Rulers unto men Upon the former account I have shewed you how God consulteth his own glory I shall now shew you how God in these motions of Providence consulteth our good It is usually said and I think very truly Better Tyranny than Anarchy better a very ill oppressive government then no government He that would pluck up the government of any place would but pluck up the bridg which in a short time himself will have occasion to go over so that God in his special Providence towards and for Rulers sheweth a special kindness to humane society What do laws signifie without Executors of them Now this is the office of Rulers to execute the Laws and if some of them be partial in the execution of them and spare some transgressors yet there 's none of them but in many things do execute justice and keep up something of the face of order of humane society But I have hitherto only instanced in one sort of sins eminently disturbing humane societies treasons seditions conspiracies c. I come now to a second 2. Oppression is another sin of this nature and this must be the sin of Superiors and men that are in power over others I may joyn with it tyranny and cruelty they are of a great cognation one to another Oppression is one of the crying sins of a Nation and the Providence of God is eminently seen in giving testimony against it this was that sin for which God so plagued Pharaoh Exod. 3.7 For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord and the vengeance of God is so certain against oppressors that the wise man calleth to us Prov. 3.31 Envy thou not the oppressor and chuse none of his ways Doth he flourish doth he grow rich and great Envy him not chuse none of his ways It is very seldom that God letteth eminent oppressors escape If they be amongst inferiour Rulers God stirreth up their superiours against them at one time or other If chief rulers be oppressors God hath other ways to punish them either immediately by his own hand as he did Pharaoh or suffering people to throw off the reins of Government which was the case of Abijam though he did but threaten oppression 1 King 12.11 All men are not wise the most of people are over-ruled by their own lusts and passions and not governed by reason but even for wise men Solomon tells us Eccles 7.7 That oppression will make them mad put them out of the government of their reason It is indeed madness and nothing but madness for private persons to rise up against a government but we see it sometimes done and usually oppression eminent and general oppression gives the occasion and is the proximate cause of it but one way or other God ordinarily revengeth oppression by signal Providences and therefore the wise man saith Eccles 5.8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor and the violent perverting of judgment and justice in a people marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there is higher than they Now the reason of the special and remarkable Providence of God in this case may be conceived to be 1. Gods great love to Justice and Judgment 2. His great kindness to Political Societies God is a just and righteous God and loveth justice Justice is an essential Attribute of God he could not be God if he could be unjust he giveth to every one their due and he cannot but give every one their due and the righteous God loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity Now oppression is nothing else but a violent perverting of Justice and Judgment by him that hath power on his side Solomon saith Prov. 14.31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his maker he reproacheth his Maker because it is God that hath made his brother poor and put him under his feet Again he reproacheth his Maker because God hateth and abhorreth all oppression and injustice he pretendeth to rule in the place of God but he reproacheth his Maker God dealeth so by none his law directeth the quite contrary Again he reproacheth his Maker because God hath taken the poor the stranger the fatherless and the widow into his special protection and hath given many particular laws about them and given the world a particular charge concerning them 2. As God is a God of Justice and loveth that so he hath also a great kindness for humane societies and for brotherly love God hath in Creation disposed man to society he is not like the wild Ass that loveth to be alone in the wilderness he hath also disposed them to trades and employments serving one another so as though a beast or a bird could live without one another yet men can live in no degree of felicity outward felicity without company nor can society be well maintained without justice and brotherly love injustice violence and oppression break all humane society There is nothing that breaks humane society more than oppression doth when the greater devour the lesser and the richer swallow up those that are more poor that they might be left alone in the Earth There 's nothing more opposite to brotherly love the ligament of humane society than oppression is and therefore the special Providence of God in the punishment of it and delivering the oppressed from the bondage of it is not to be judged a strange thing but exceeding consonant to the nature of God 3. A third sin which makes gaps in humane societies is murder a private willful taking away the life of another I say private for if it be done by the hand of Justice it is no murther I add wilful to distinguish it from casual homicide when one is the cause of the death of another not in the least intending him death or any harm tendent to it It was one of Gods Precepts to Noah Gen. 9.6 Whoso
will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Am still communicating to you some Observations which I have made concerning the motions of Divine Providence not only for your instruction but to quicken you also to make Observations your selves upon the motion of it that you may increase in spiritual Wisdom I proceed to a Tenth Observation Observ 10. That the Providence of God is eminently seen in the preservation and protection of his faithful Ministers and such both amongst them and other orders of men who keeping themselves within the latitude of their duty have been great adventurers for God in their generations 1. The Providence of God preserveth both man and beast it is God that upholdeth our souls in life and there is no man but in him lives moves and hath his being 2. Nor is there any man that liveth any considerable time in the world and keepeth any ordinary record of his life but will see reason as to say with David O Lord I am fearfully and wonderfully made so also Lord I have been fearfully and wonderfully preserved But yet as I have shewed you there are specialties of Divine Providence some persons that the Lord seemeth to carry upon eagles wings and to preserve in a more eminent and special manner sometimes in a way of miraculous Providence sometimes in a way of extraordinary Providence in a way beyond other men Now I have long since hinted you three sorts of men whom God thus preserveth 1. Such as are Gods Vicegerents Magistrates and Rulers of others This I have abundantly shewed you when I shewed you how eminently the Providence of God is seen both in discovering and bringing to light and also in punishing such sins as tend to the eminent disturbance of humane Societies 2. Such as God useth for the Ministers of his Word 3. Such as make the boldest adventures for God and in his service keeping themselves within the latitude of their duty I am to justifie now this Observation to you I will open it and prove it then shew you the reasonableness of Divine Providence in these extraordinary motions And lastly I shall make some Applications First let me open it to you 1. It is to be understood of godly faithful and painful Ministers and mostly of such of whom God hath made or doth make or intend to make an eminent use in his Church As there are no persons more justly a hatred in the house of God abominable to all men of any sobriety then leud or lazy Ministers so there is nothing of any special Providence promised to them and it is more than I have observed if God as to their issues in the concerns of this world hath not left them to a common share with others and if there hath been any difference made by his Providence it hath been to their disadvantage they are more vile than others and dishonour God more than others and God often makes them and their families to smart more than others It is that which God hath said in the case Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 We have had a great deal of enquiry in the times wherein we live into the causes of the contempt of the Clergy Lev. 10.2 3 4 one hath guest this thing another that for my own part I have been young and am growing old I never yet knew a painful able preacher living an holy and exemplary life be his perswasion what it would under a greater contempt than other men there are some Sons of Belial will contemn all that are not as much Atheists as themselves If Ministers will regard nothing but striking their flesh-hook with three teeth into the Lords pot to feed themselves if they will heap up parsonage upon parsonage till there be no room left in the Earth and grasp more souls than they can manage putting out some to pitiful nurses where they are starved and affording the other but dry beasts if they will make themselves vile like Hophni and Phineas it is no wonder if they be contemned by men of any sobriety The Psalmist Psal 15.4 makes it the mark of one that shall dwell in Gods holy hill in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord for others God secureth their honour eminently 2. Nor is it to be extended to every godly Minister and at all times The best of Ministers have their personal sin for which God may punish them by the common fate of others God eminently shewed himself for Moses and Aaron in the case of Corah Dathan and Abiram he made the Earth to open its mouth and to swallow up their opposers but when they had provoked the Lord at the waters of Meribah they took their common fate with the rest of the Israelites and dyed in the wilderness when they had had no more than a prospect of the promised land Several instances might be given of eminent Prophets of old and Ministers of the Gospel that have perished in common judgments more especially when it hath pleased God to pick out some of them for Martyrs and to make them witnesses with their blood to seal the Truths they have preached And indeed this special Providence of God hath been most remarkable in times when God hath been beginning some great work which was the case of the Apostles in the first Plantation of the Gospel and of those eminent servants of God which since that time he hath made use of in the reformation of the Church or upholding the interest of pure and true Religion in a time of great Apostacy and defection 3. The special Providence of God hath not been seen uniformly in those cases but several ways 1. Sometimes in providing food for them and theirs whereas otherwise they must have starved or at least been so employed as they could not have attended the work of God upon their hands 2. Sometimes in keeping them from such dangers which have been very near to them plucking them as brands out of the fire 3. Sometimes in the delivering of them out of their Enemies hands rescuing them from the Lyon when they have been in his paws sometimes one way sometimes another accordingly as it hath pleased the infinite wisdom of God to work for them 1. The Providence of God hath been eminently seen in the providing of necessaries for his Ministers I need not tell you what special Laws God made in the case of his Ministry among the Jews his Priests and Levites were particularly taken care of but this being the setled maintenance for those that were employed about the Tabernacle and the Temple when the Priests were generally corrupted and God to uphold a faithful Ministry amongst his people raised up some extraordinary Prophets that should faithfully reveal his will unto people they had little or no advantage but the Lord never failed to provide for them He provideth a
taken them off from that pursuit of the world by which others procure themselves a livelihood he hath told them they should live upon his Altar he hath told us 1 Cor. 9.7 That no man goeth to a warfare at his own charge none planteth a vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof nor feedeth a flock and eateth not the milk thereof he seeth them out of obedience and conscience to him refusing the bread they might have men will not provide for them he will Ravens shall bring them meat every day but they shall be fed This is but a reasonable motion of Divine Providence I shall make a short Application of this discourse Vse 1. This in the first place lets you see the fountain of that bounty which the many painful and faithful servants of Christ have experienced in all times and even in the days wherein we live It hath pleased God in all times to raise up friends to his faithful Ministers I remember when Abigail came to meet David coming against her husband and had stopt his journey David saith unto her 1 Sam. 25.32 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee to meet me this day and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou c. First he blesseth God then he blesseth her the faithful servants of God yea the Churches of God who by this means enjoy any thing of the labours of their shepherds have reason to bless those whom God hath made his instruments to support those upon whom others had no pity Yea verily and what our Saviour said of the woman that spent her box of Oyntment upon him I think I may apply here Wherever the Gospel is preached what they have done shall be told for a memorial of them If a cup of cold-water for a thirsty Prophet shall obtain a Prophets reward the greater kindnesses of many shall certainly be rewarded they have but put a little money into the bank which God keeps in Heaven But we have more reason to look upward to him who hath the hearts of all men in his hand and openeth them as he pleaseth God hath in it shewed his special Providence for his faithful Ministers let us therefore say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath stirred them up It was the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches in Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3. which taught them in a great tryal of affliction and deep poverty to abound in riches of liberality and willingly of themselves to give to their power yea and above their power Let it be written to posterity for a memorial of the people in England that for so many years together in the midst of a devouring pestilence many consuming fires expensive wars and a deadness of trade they have refreshed the bowels of so many hundreds if not thousands of Gods messengers but let God have all the glory who hath given the heart though their hands distributed the money Vse 2. In the second place Let me cry out O house of Aaron trust in the Lord O house of Levi trust in the Lord Trust in the Lord and do good saith David so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37.3 Let us be faithful to our masters service and do the work which he hath given us to do and verily we shall be fed I cannot say God will provide Coaches and delicate things for us but necessaries we shall not want Herein let us exercise our selves to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men and as to other things we may trust a Providebit Deus God will provide for us and ours The experience of these times if wistly attended to certainly is enough to keep any from being tempted through fear of want to debauch their consciences by doing any thing which is apparently sinful or but so judged and suspected by them We see some fed with great provisions faring deliciously every day whiles others like Daniel and his partners have been fed with little more than pulse and water and at the end of some years it appeareth they look fairer as to worldly circumstances than those who have had far better commons Vse 3. Lastly This observation commendeth confidence and courage to all in the Lords work in opposition to fear and cowardise I would not be mistaken be sure in the first place you be in Gods work that which by his word appeareth to be the duty of one in thy circumstances nothing but the conscience of having been surprised in the way of our duty will bear us up under sufferings be therefore in that point well satisfied having done that observe those rules of Prudence which reason directs thee in such cases this done fear nothing Remember the Providence of God most eminently watcheth over the boldest adventurers in the way of their duty They are the words of our blessed Lord Mar. 8.35 Whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel shall save it They observe in war that the soldier that turns his back and flyes is in much more danger than he who stands to it and that nothing makes a conqueror so much as resolution and bold adventuring it is so in our spiritual fight with the world be then of good courage in it and quit your selves like men remember God is with you and if so there 's more with you than can be against you God indeed in our combats with the world doth not always keep us shot-free and bring us off without a scratch but those whom he doth bring off are ordinarily those who are most valiant and adventurous however it is better to fall valiantly than cowardly and our Lord hath told us That if a man will save his life he shall lose it if he hath such a mind to sleep in a whole skin that he will neglect his duty and do that which his heart condemneth him for doing he shall lose what he hoped to save by it be it life reputation estate c. It speaketh great unbelief and distrust in God to be cowards in plain and certain duties Be prudent but take heed of forbearing necessary duty out of prudence or being faint in the performance of it That can be no prudence If a man fainteth in the day of adversity Solomon saith that his strength is but small his faith is but small and his observation of Gods Providence in such cases hath been very small too But I shall add no more upon this Argument SERMON XXV Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Have done with the Tenth thing in the motions of Divine Providence which I commended to your observation I proceed now to another Observ 11. The Providence of God maketh a very frequent and remarkable use of the sins of people though it be always spotless in making such use of
and ungodly There is a time when the vilest are exalted and the wicked walk on every side This is their hour and the power of darkness as our Saviour saith Luk. 22.53 And there is a time again When ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Zech. 8.23 There was a time when the seed of Jacob prospered in Egypt Joseph was advanced and he was a protection to them A while after the wheel turns and there arose a King that knew not Joseph and then the Israelitish spoke in the wheel of Providence was at the ground but in a little while up it gets again The Children of Israel go out of Egypt with colours flying and drums beating and Pharaoh and his Host were drowned in the red Sea This was now their hour But soon after the wheels turn again and they are almost devoured in the wilderness But as soon as they were on the other side of Jordan they were again in a prosperous state Soon after they were oppressed first by one Pagan Adversary and then by another but in Davids and Solomons time it was again an halcion-time with them And when they were in Canaan that party of them after Solomons time which adhered to God had their vicissitudes as they had good or bad Princes so it fared with them In the seventy years of the Babilonish Captivity they had a very sad time but when that was out they had again a kind hour and in the very time of the Babilonish Captivity they doubtless had great vicissitudes and the case was much different with them when the three Children were thrown into the fiery fornace from what it was when they were advanced to great honours or when Daniel was thrown into the den of Lyons from what it was when he was made the first president When they were come again into their own land it was not above fifty years before Ahasuerosh disturbeth their settlement Ezra 4.6 After a few years more they perfect the building both of the Temple and City Soon after they were oppressed first by the Grecians when it was a very sad time with them then by the Romans under whom they enjoyed more liberty till after the crucifying of Christ soon after which God said to them Lo ammi you are not my people The like observation might be made of the Christian Church-Catholick and the several parts of it God will not always chide nor keep his anger for ever Psal 103.9 The needy shall not always be forgotten Psal 9.18 he hath said He will not contend for ever neither will he be always wroth The same observation might be made of particular persons and parties fearing God Jacob had his time of hard service and his time of liberty Joseph one while is a prisoner another time the second man in the Kingdom David had a time when he was hunted like a partridg on the mountains and his time when he ruled happily and peaceably over all Israel and Judah 2. The second part of my Observation was that as to these good things the Actual Proridence of God ordinarily moveth to the seeming advantage of wicked men I say seeming advantage upon a double account 1. For first Wicked men have no real advantage from any good things they have their morsels are all dipt in wrath and they turn to their real loss and disadvantage as they draw out their lusts and aggravate their eternal condemnation 2. I much question whether they have that seeming advantage which they appear to have If we consider the disproportion in the numbers of such as fear the Lord and such as fear him not I believe we shall find God as to the things of this life do as much for his people as for wicked men It is true we see more wicked men than good men in places of honour and power we see more of them than of these prosper in the world and grow great and rich but therefore what disproportion is there betwixt the number of the one and of the other But however certain it is that the servants of God have many of them found this a rock of offence to them and have stumbled upon this temptation so did Job chap. 21. David Psal 73. Jeremiah Jer. 12.1 Habbakuk c. And this appearance hath been a temptation to others to deny or at least to dispute the Providence of God I shall therefore give you a more particular account of this when I come to open the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or hard Chapters of Divine Providence In the mean time I take notice of it only as matter for our observation and supposing that it is so I shall hereafter shew you that it is but a reasonable motion of Providence But truly upon a stricter observation I believe we shall find Divine Providence as to these things more circular in its motions and equal in its distributions than we usually judg it being deceived by not wistly observing the disproportion of each party in its numbers and that of Solomon Eccles 9.1 2. will hold that the love or hatred of God is not to be judged from what doth in this life happen unto men 3. But thirdly which I should have added to the observation and crave your leave yet to add it in the dispensations of special grace and those good things which are truly spiritual the Providence of God is inaccountable here the way of Providence is like the way of an Eagle in the air a Ship upon the Sâ—â— or a serpent upon a rock it cannot be tracked It is true our Saviour saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor receive the Gospel so I should rather translate it as in the passive voice then as our translation doth as if it were the middle voice The poor preach the Gospel and the Apostle telleth us That God hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in grace and heirs of the kingdom And again you know your calling brethren not many rich not many wise not many noble c. yet the Providence of God doth deal out special grace to the rich as well as to the poor Abraham and Lot and Isaac and Job and David and Solomon Joseph and Daniel and Joseph of Arimathea were all rich men though as the number of the poor far exceedeth the number of them who are possessors of great Estates so the number of holy persons of mean estates bears the like disproportion to the number of such persons that are great and abound in this worlds goods neither doth the Providence of God deal out these riches of special grace as if they were inheritances Was not Jacob and Esau brethren yet the Lord loved Jacob and hated Esau You often in Scripture read of good men that had very bad children and of bad men that had very good children Jeroboam
was a wicked man one that made Israel to sin yet in Abijam his son there was some good thing found towards the Lord. Abijam the King of Judah was a man that walked in all the sins of his Fathers 1 King 15.2 Yet ver 11. Asa his son did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa was a very good man but Jehoram his son walked in all the ways of the Kings of Israel 2 Chron. 21.5 so did Ahaziah his son Jonathan was a good man 2 Chron. 27 but Ahaz his son walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and made images for Baalim yet the son of Ahaz Hezekiah was an excellent man Manasses his son was a very wicked man the greatest part of his life indeed 2 Chron. 33.13 14 15 being carried into Babylon and bound in fetters he besought the Lord and the Lord was intreated of him and then the Scripture telleth us That he knew the Lord was God and he began something of reformation ver 15. Ammon his son was a very wicked Prince but Josiah his son an excellent man but we read no good of any one of his sons Thus as to the dispensations of saving-grace we see the Providence of God is not to be tracked sometimes given to the son of a good father at another time denied to the seed of those in Covenant with God and given out to the children of most vile and wicked parents and this is no more than we yet see every day in the dealings of God But it is time that I should shew you the reasonableness of these motions of Divine Providence 1. Why the Providence of God moveth in such a circular motion in the distribution of the good things of this life It will appear reasonable to you 1. If you consider both Gods general relation to all his creatures and also his special kindness and the demonstration of it to his people together with his faithfulness to his promises 1. I say his general relation to all his creatures they are his creatures he their Creator they by Creation his children and he their father It is true they are undutiful children and do not answer the law of their Creation God may say to them If I be your father where is my honour But yet children they are God intends them not the inheritance and therefore God doth by them as Abraham by the children he had by Keturah Gen. 25.5 To whom he gave portions and sent them away A father hath many children some elder some younger some more dutiful whom he loveth with a more peculiar love but he hath something of a fatherly affection for them all he giveth them all portions more or less Some have their portion in this life as David speaketh Psal 17. Son remember saith Abraham to Dives thou hadst thy good things in this life thy good things So Lazarus had a right to a childs portion Joseph sent all his brethren a mess though to Benjamin he sent seventimes as much as to the rest 2. But besides this some wicked men have another relation to God as servants in some special service none of them are universally Gods servants but in some special service many wicked men are Gods servants And no man shall serve God for nothing This was Jehu's case which procured him the Crown for four generations for the service he did God against the house of Ahab Then if we consider 1. Gods special kindness to his people declared so often in Scripture and the reasonableness that God should make some demonstration of it that all the world may know that God will honour those that honour him and how impossible it is that the men of the world should take notice of this and be convinced of it meerly from spiritual rewards of which they have no certain cognisance or from eternal rewards you will see it but reasonable that God in his Providence should dispose even of the goods of this life unto his own people though not to all yet to many of them and that they should have their turns in these distributions of Providence and not be always or all of them poor and needy or vile and contemptible in the eyes of the world Especially seeing that as the Apostle saith Godliness hath the promise as well of this life as of that which is to come And our Lord hath commanded us to seek the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof upon the encouragement of a gracious promise that the things of this life shall be added to them Further if there should be no circulation of Providence in these distributions how should those Scriptures be fulfilled wherein God hath told us Psal 30.5 That the rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the righteous that he will take care that the spirits should not fail before him nor the souls that he hath made that his anger endureth but for a moment that sorrow comes for a night but joy shall come in the morning c. And those many other promises for the good things of this life which are made to the People of God in Scripture though they are not to be interpreted into an extent of that latitude as if they should be the constant portion of the Church and People of God or of every child of God Yet how should they be made good if there were not some circulation of Providence in the distribution of the good things of this life if it should not go sometimes well as well as sometimes ill with the Church and People of God 2. The reasonableness of this motion of Divine Providence will appear to you from Gods love and zeal to Justice Justice lyes in giving to every one their due God must be just and his Justice must be declared to the world that all may know that the God of Heaven is a righteous God Now this Justice of God requireth such a circulation of Providence as I have commended to your observation If you will but consider that as the whole life of wicked men is a life of rebellion and disobedience So God never had a Church in the world nor any particular Saint but had their corruptions and were guilty of many miscarriages which subjected them to the vindicative Justice of God Now for the People of God if I may so speak with holy Reverence God hath tyed up his own hands he cannot punish them with eternal punishments he hath accepted a price a satisfaction for them so as now There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus But he hath a controversie even with Judah and he must punish Jacob according to his ways and according to his doings he must recompence him Hos 12.3 This can be no otherwise than by denying of them some good things in this life either such spiritual enjoyments as the denial of is yet consistent with their enjoyment of the eternal inheritance or those
and constant one way or other Gods Providence is always doing them good and rewarding their righteous deeds and this must necessarily be true upon the Apostles Hypothesis That all things shall work together for the good of them that love God But I hasten to the Application Vse 1. In the first place let me recommend this to your observation Though there be such a vast difference between good and evil in their own intrinsick natures as might justly allure us into the embraces of the former and scare every man from the pursuit of the latter yet such is our nature that we stand in need of encouragements to the former by rewards and by the terrors of the Lord to be scared from the latter and there cannot be any thing more effectual with us to discourage sin and incourage goodness than if we can effectually perswade our selves that the punishment of sin is both certain and constant and the reward of righteousness is so also This is the point I have endeavoured to demonstrate and you have heard that the reason of any ones presumption of the contrary is their looking at nothing as a punishment or a reward but what is sensible than which we cannot be guilty of a greater mistake nor any of worser consequence as to the malign influence it will have upon our lives and consequently upon our eternal state But consider what hath been said and judg whether a man can do any thing to the greater ruin of himself than to go on in an impenitent and resolved course of sinning against God Possibly you do observe that as to outward things it is much one with a profane swearer and blasphemer as with the man that reverenceth the glorious God and feareth an oath Eccles 9.2 with the drunkard as with him that is sober with the chast as with the unclean with the Sabbath-breaker as with him that remembers to keep holy Gods day nay the profane lawless sinner is in greater honour and power than the other richer than the other and this incourageth thee to joyn with them But poor creature hath he that hath many blessings but one curse think'st thou Observe well that same prosperous sinner and tell me if every day he doth not grow worse if according to his pastures he be not filled with all the fruits of unrighteousness if he be not given up to a blind mind an hard heart vile affections if thou doest not observe that his conscience is seared and branded with an hot iron as it were that he grows past feeling If thou seest this say not he is not punished he is punished with a witness Is a sealing up to damnation no punishment According to our law you know malefactors are first seared with an hot-iron upon their next miscarriage they are hanged It is Gods method when once a soul is seared with an hot-iron given up to be past feeling to damn him next without mercy Look well upon the sinner and thou wilt discern God is angry every day with him he is every day fitting for Hell flames Is this no punishment On the other side thou seest the man according to Gods heart walking sadly he is plagued every night chastned every morning he is poor and needy hungry and thirsty in prisons in deaths often pursued by the falcons of the world as a partridg upon the mountains persecuted on all hands Thou concludest contrary to the Scripture That he hath washed his hands in vain and cleansed his soul to no purpose verily there is no reward for the righteous But harken poor creature Had Esau's Father many blessings and hath Jacob's God but one sort Thou seest his poverty and want but doest thou see how he hath learned in all estates to be content and hath changed his name into a quod vult Deus And certainly godliness with contentment is great gain A poor contented Lazarus is an happier and richer man than a discontented covetous Dives Thou seest how he is afflicted every day how full of troubles his life is but thou doest not see the serenity of his spirit the peace of his conscience his joy in the Holy Ghost his glorying and rejoycing in tribulations as his tribulations work patience his patience experience and his experience hope Mark sirs the upright men consider the just men you will see their ends to be peace yea in this life you will see them more indisturbed by troubles and inconcerned in the ruffles of the world than other men The more you observe the more you will be confirmed in this truth that the Providence of God will certainly reward yea is constantly rewarding him that worketh righteousness Vse 2. But secondly what a trembling and terror should this Observation strike into the loins of every sinner what an engagement should it lay upon them to repent and turn from the wickedness of their way Each part of this Observation ought to be improved for this purpose Impunity in sinning is a great encouragement to the sinner the heart of man stands bent to his lusts and if he fancieth that he may escape the hands of Divine Justice or that he doth escape and thrive and prosper in his wicked courses it wonderfully imboldneth him to go on but if the vengeance against him be certain if his iniquity will certainly find him out that he may as well hope not to dye as not to be thrown into Hell when he dyes and if the wrath of God be already kindled against him and God be already punishing him What hope what incouragement can he then have Now this you have heard is the sinners case I remember when that great plague was began amongst the Israelites upon their murmuring against Moses and Aaron after the death of Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.46 Moses biddeth Aaron take a censer and put fire therein from the Altar and put incense thereon and go quickly to the congregation saith he and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun Is here an impenitent sinner before the Lord one that hath been a drunkard a swearer a profane person or that hath lived without God in the world that blesseth himself with vain hopes or presumptions that he shall escape the Judgment of God or may escape it that his soul is at present free from fears he thriveth he prospereth in the world and his prosperity blindeth his eyes that he cannot see the hell into which he is dropping and so maketh no haste to deliver himself from the wrath that is to come To such a one let me speak oh that my counsel might be acceptable take thy censer put fire thereon from the Altar and put on incense and go quickly and make an atonement for thy soul These are indeed things not in thy power but my meaning is Betake thy self quickly to the great work of repentance which lyes not so much in tears and humiliation as in the change of thy heart in thy
turning from the wickedness of thy way breaking off from thy sinful courses Betake thy self unto the Lord Jesus Christ It is he who hath the golden censer to whom is given much incense Rev. 8.3 It is he Rom. 5.11 By whom we must receive the atonement Whatever you may think wrath is gone forth against you the plague in your souls is begun you are in health not sick not in pain as other men not so crossed in your estates and relations as some other men but for all this wrath may be gone forth against you the plague may be begun within you Let me examine you a little do not you find that your mind is more blind your understanding more dark your affections more vile and sensual your consciences are more benummed and stupid Is not the plague then began Can there be more dreadful indications of Divine Wrath against you The ax is laid to the very root of your tree if you do not now bring forth better fruit you will suddenly be cut down and cast into hell-fire Again What an incouragement to repentance is it to hear That he who worketh righteousness shall most certainly be rewarded yea that he is rewarded every day Thou that livest and goest on in a course of bold and presumptuous sinning what peace hast thou when thou lyest down or when thou risest up Art not thou like a bankrupt in the world or one who is much behind-hand that cannot abide to look into his books no more canst thou endure to behold thy conscience or to call thy self to an account it may be thou hast quietem ex somno such a quiet as a man in a dead sleep hath The man that worketh righteousness can call himself often to account and when he hath done lye down and sleep in peace either in a full assurance or a good hope at least through grace that God hath pardoned and accepted him Let therefore my counsel this day be acceptable unto you break up the fallow-grounds of your hearts sow unto your selves in righteousness believe that the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect thereof quietness and assurance for ever Vse 3. Finally What an encouragement here is to the people of God under all Gods severe dispensations to them to go on doing good Do not desame the God of Heaven with saying or thinking that you cleanse your hands in vain nor that he taketh a long day to reward them that work in his work Behold saith our Lord I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every one according as his work shall be It will not be long before Christ will come with this great reward but as he punisheth the wicked so he rewardeth also the righteous man every day it may be he doth not reward thee with a long life an healthful body a plentiful estate other accomodations of this life his wisdom seeth not these things fit for thee he knoweth thy heart thy temper but hast thou not a quiet conscience a serenity of mind or art thou not strengthened with might in the inward man doth not Christ dwell in thy heart by faith art thou not rooted and grounded in love and able in some measure to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg that thou mayest be filled with all the fulness of God Thou art it may be troubled on every side but art thou distressed thou art perplexed but art thou in despair thou art persecuted but art thou forsaken thou art cast down but art thou destroyed Thou bearest about in thy body the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in thy body 2 Cor. 4.9 10. Is this no reward It may be it is not the reward thou lookedst for but it is that reward which God seeth fittest for thee It is not all that thou shalt have when he shall come whose reward is with him and he telleth thee that will be quickly thou mayest expect fuller and greater things in the mean time thou hast a viaticum an enough for thy passage through the wilderness The work of God is a wages to it self but God gives thee wages besides yea and eye hath not seen nor hath ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive What great things God hath further prepared for them that love him say not then that thou servest God for nothing and faint not nor be weary of well-doing for you shall reap if you faint not SERMON XXVIII Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. THe these things mentioned in the Text as I have formerly told you and you may easily assure your selves from the Context of the Psalm are the great and various motions of Actual Providence concerning which I am recommending to you divers things that I conceive as true so very observable Thirteen I have discoursed I proceed to another which will also concern the motions of this Actual Providence in the distribution of rewards and punishments The Observation is this Observ 14. The Providence of God doth sometimes reward the intentions of his people where he doth not allow of and approve the actions which should be the product of those intentions and very often reward some actions from which he hath service where he by no means allows the agents design and intention In the handling of which I shall first justifie the Observation by instances Secondly I shall shew you the reasonableness of this motion of Providence And lastly I shall make some Application of it I say first The Actual Providence of God doth sometimes allow of approve and reward the general good intentions of his people when yet he doth not and will not allow of those actions which should be the product of such designs and intentions This evidently appeareth in that famous instance of David recorded in holy Writ both in the 2 Sam. 7. and in 1 Chron. 17. The story is this David's life until that time had been a life of a great deal of trouble and distraction he had many Enemies both before and after he came to the Throne but at length God saith the Text had given him rest round about from all his enemies The good man presently begins now to think what eminent service he should do for God At length he considers that there was no publick place for the Worship of God nothing but a Tabernacle he had built himself a fine house of Cedar but the ark the symbol of Gods Presence with his People that dwelt in Curtains as he expresseth it ver 2. But this being a thing which concerned the Worship of God as to which above all things the Lord our God is a jealous God David though a great Prince a great Prophet a man according to Gods own heart would do
in gold and in silver and in brass and in the cutting of stones to set them and in cutting of wood to make any manner of cunning-work and God put into his heart to teach others Hence it is we see such a strange improvement as we call it in gifts and parts in persons called of God to offices of the magistracy or ministry That once fixed in those relations there is as is said of Saul another spirit given them they are quite other men than they appeared to the world before The Actual Providence of God attending persons in new works and new relations with new spirits new gifts and abilities And indeed this working of Providence seemeth so reasonable that the contrary cannot be supposed without a blasphemous impeachment of the wisdom of God Which of us unless surprized by our own ignorance or over-born with some foolish lust or passion of our own would set any person about our work that is in nothing fit for it Indeed our reasonable nature will not allow us wilfully to commit such a mistake to suppose ignorance or any bias of passion in God were but to blaspheme Who can without blasphemy say God hath called a fool to be a magistrate or a coward to be a soldier or an ignorant person that cannot speak or not speak sense to be a Minister It is true Gods gifts are inequally distributed according to the good pleasure of his own will some have greater abilities for magistracy and ministry than others have and so are more eminently qualified for their work but there are none called of God to any employment but are in such a competent measure qualified for it and the principal acts of it that they are able to do that work and I say but to suppose the contrary concerning God were either to suppose that God was surprized with some ignorance or biassed with some passion or did that which no reasonable creature would do But here ariseth a question Quest How then comes it to pass that we see in the experience of all ages persons employed in works and relations by no means nor in any degree qualified for the work of their relations cometh this without God Is there any thing which escapeth his Providence I answer We are now speaking not of the permissions of Providence but the efficiencies of it Persons at works and in relations which they are in no measure fit or qualified for are great evils to the world and these evils are not in Nations and Cities without Gods permission and sufferance The short of it is this That sometimes it is in the heart of God to bless and prosper a people and to vouchsafe his presence amongst them when he doth so he doth accordingly adequate and proportion means in order to that end For Magistrates if he doth not give them men according to Gods own heart such as David and Solomon yet he gives them such men whom he hath fitted with a sutable spirit to their work that whatever they be as men are good governours men of valour and courage men of prudence and conduct that know how to manage affairs of state When God hath a contrary design to chastise and afflict a people and to punish men for their sins he suffers such to come in either by election or succession as are no ways fitted for the duties of those great relations So for Ministers when God designeth to grant and to continue to a people his presence and blessing he gives them faithful Ministers and such as are able to teach others to reveal the whole Counsel of God to them to speak a word in season to the souls that are weary to bind up the broken in heart c. But when he hath designs to chasten and scourge any people he suffereth such to get into the Ministry as are described Isa 56.10 Blind and ignorant watchmen dumb dogs that cannot bark sleeping lying down to slumber greedy dogs which can never have enough shepheards that cannot understand c. you have this Isa 1.25 26. And I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away thy tin that is I will return in mercy to thee and what followeth And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousness and so for the Ministry Jer. 3.14 15. God ver 14. saith Turn O back-sliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a tribe and will bring you to Zion and I will give you pastors according to my heart which shall feed you with wisdom and with understanding So again Jer. 23.3 4. vers 3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countreys whither I have driven them and will bring them again to their folds and they shall be fruitful and increase and I will set up shepheards over them which shall feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed neither shall they be lacking saith the Lord On the contrary when God is in a course of vengeance and judgment against a people when God hath forsaken a people he suffereth a ministry that prophecy lyes but sends them not Jer. 27.14 15. For they prophecy a lye unto you for I have not sent them saith the Lord yet they prophecy a lye in my name see the same Jer. 14.14 15. Jer. 23.21 22. vers 38. The sum of this discourse is this That when the Providence of God is moving in a way of mercy towards any Nation Church or Family he sets persons in relations to them and calleth them to work in them whom he hath fitted and doth fit for the several parts of their work with such gifts and graces of his spirit as qualifie and capacitate them for the work and relation to which God calleth them and this he doth by way of efficiency pouring out his spirit upon such persons but when he is proceeding in a way of wrath and judgment against a people either finally to destroy them or severely to chasten them for their iniquities then he suffereth such Rulers and such Ministers to be over them or such governours in any societies as are no way fit for their work Rulers that have no wisdom nor understanding proportioned to their relation no courage nor valour no principles of justice and righteousness but such as will as the Prophet Amos expresseth it sell the needy for a pair of shooes and the poor for a piece of silver and suffereth Ministers to rise up and be allowed that are blind dumb ignorant greedy indeed not fitted at all for their work or the several parts of it but only fitted for Gods design to be a scourge and a plague to the people amongst whom they go to seduce them to tear to rend and to devour them and this you shall observe to be the constant motion of the Actual
now is a place and relation the fitting of a person for which requireth Knowledg Wisdom Courage You have heard that when God calleth any person to a place he usually fitteth them with a spirit for it as he gave unto Saul another spirit the Scripture saith a spirit quite different from what he had when he was a private person But you are not now to expect this in a way of Enthusiasm but in the use of means reading books gaining of knowledg indeavouring to bridle such passions as become no man but are least of all beseeming Magistrates Courage indeed is a thing that is hardly got by art though natural courage be governed and regulated by it and often is given by God more immediately when any whom he hath called to any new relation hath more especial need of it But above all remember the course that Solomon took when God appeared unto him in Gibeon upon his taking upon him the government of Israel and Judah He prayeth unto God that he would give him a wise and an understanding heart to judg his people O forget not this hath God called thee to be a Magistrate and doest thou distrust thy self lest thou shouldst fail in Wisdom or in Courage as to the work of God which in that relation will lye upon thy soul Remember what God said in some anger to Moses excusing himself from what God had call'd him to to go into Pharaoh to speak for the dismission of his people and Moses excused himself saying Exod. 4.20 O Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue and the Lord said unto him vers 11. Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind Have not I saith the Lord Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say Remember that and go and beg of God to supply unto thee what thou findest wanting in thy self beg Wisdom of that God who is only wise and courage of that God who giveth courage unto man Hath God called thee to the work of the Ministry and though thou darest not say but God hath in some measure fitted thee for it yet thou feest thou art far short of others far short of what thou conceivest thou oughtest to be I have told thee that God useth with his call to a new work to a new relation to give a new spirit but it is thy work and duty here to work together with God Thus the Apostle exhorteth Timothy 1 Tim. 4.12 13 14. Be thou an example of believers in word in conversation in charity in faith in purity till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine neglect not the gift which was given thee by prophecy c. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them Art thou called to be a Minister Stir up neglect not the gift of God which is in thee study meditate of these things There are means to be used for thy improvement in thy ministerial abilities Natural means that is exercise by preaching thou shalt learn to preach and by praying thou shalt improve in the gift of prayer Moral means these are searching the Scriptures study comparing spiritual things with spiritual Meditation Religious that is Prayer The Apostle saith of the work of the Ministry Who is sufficient for these things Whatsoever thy gifts and abilities be thou hadst need profit and improve in them If thou wilt improve them and obtain the blessing from God of a further fitting thee for the work to which thou art called it lyeth upon thee to use such means as God hath appointed in order to that end Luther was wont to say that there are three things which make a Divine Temptations Meditation and Prayer the two latter I am sure must be much our own work we must not expect that God should immediately qualifie us from Heaven as he did in the first Plantation of the Gospel by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost God having so supplied the first necessities of his Church when the generality of the first Preachers of the Gospel were illiterate men and wanted advantages of education which then lay on the other side hath since that time left his Ministers to the use and application of more ordinary means in the use of which he ordinarily concurreth with his blessing and not otherwise The same might be said of more inferiour relations such as those of conjugal and parental relations God ordinarily when he calleth men to them doth sute men with spirits fit for them but the concurrence of their own indeavours must be understood with which God will concur with his own blessing Art thou therefore called to the relation of an husband or wife and doest thou fear thy own spirit the like also may be said of a parental relation Having entred into it asking counsel of Gods Word and observing the rules of it thou hast reason to trust God for the fitting of thy spirit for it and the duties of it but still using all due means which on thy part are to be used such as the mortification of those passions which appear to thee most indisposing thee for the duties of such relations applying thine heart what in thee lyeth to them and constant and fervent prayer to God to make up in thee what thou findest wanting in thy self for the due managery of them according to the Will of God SERMON XXXIV Psalm CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Have entred into a large field How great a Volume might be wrote de observandis Providentiae concerning the observable things of Divine Providence I have seen a picture one of those you call kitchin-pieces concerning which it hath been proposed to me that for so many hours I should view it as curiously as I could yet the proposer would for any wager undertake to shew me something in it which I did not observe Truly Providence is such a thing I can never look upon it I can never take the motions of it into my thoughts but some new observation tendreth it self to my thoughts I must turn my eyes from this wonderful work for I see they will not be satisfied with seeing my mind will never be filled with observing Many observations I have already made and behold yet a troop cometh But they have all a tendency to the augmentation of spiritual Wisdom in my own and your souls Whoso is wise will observe these things saith my Text they have a tendency to make you to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Where can we be better employed what can we better do Methinks I could say with the disciple upon the Mount of transfiguration It is good for us to be here let us build our selves tabernacles One for me the speaker others for you
that are to be my hearers Let me therefore go on Doth therefore any of you say unto me Seer What seest thou I answer yet once more I observe in the motions of Actual Providence Observ 21. That God commandeth his sensible blessings most upon those individual persons and those societies of the children of men that live in the most exact conformity to the Divine Rule Here are two terms in this Observation upon the Explication of which I will a little insist Quest 1. What is meant by sensible blessings Quest 2. What I mean by the most exact conformity to the Divine Rule Good things are distributed several ways in order to our comprehension of them by our understandings amongst others this is one distribution of them they are either sensible or insensible By sensible good things I understand such as are obvious to our senses and perceptible by them By insensible such as have a reality of good in them but yet not such as our senses discern Thus David saith It is good for me that I have been afflicted but yet afflictions are not sensible good things all such are the objects of our joy and delight Now saith the Apostle no affliction at the present is joyous but grievous but it bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised therewith But I say God commandeth sensible blessings mostly upon persons and societies living in the best square and most exact conformity unto the Divine Rule 2. Further yet Sensible blessings are capable of a double notion they are either such as are obvious only to the inward senses of those that are made partakers of them such are peace of conscience joy in the holy God that serenity and tranquillity of mind which is the effect of righteousness the new-name which none knoweth but he that hath it but there are other good things which are the objects of our more exteriour senses such are health prosperity success in trade c. blessings in relations c. Now my Obsersation is That the Actual Providence of God doth usually distribute good things of this nature to such persons and such societies of persons as live to the truest square and exactest conformity to the Divine Rule That is a general and must be opened also The Divine Rule as to families and persons is of a great compass but the whole of it is reducible to three heads viz. Piety Justice and Charity under each of these are several particulars but none which fall not under one of these generals 1. Piety consists in the internal and external acts of homage which we owe unto God Our internal acts are Fear Faith Love Our external acts are principally Prayer and Praise reading the word c. 2. Justice is an habit disposing us to give every one their due 3. By Charity I mean here mutual brotherly love Now look where these things best prosper there God commandeth most sensible blessings in the ordinary motions of his Provilence Particular instances may be exceptions from a general rule but ordinarily it is so What the Psalmist saith of one of these is true of all There God commandeth the blessing Psal 133.3 There where it may be interpreted with reference to the words which immediately precedes the mountain of Zion but I take it to be far more proper to refer it to the first verse which contains the argument of the whole Psalm O saith the Psalmist how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity This he illustrateth by two similitudes the one is the oyl which was poured upon the head of Aaron and ran down to the skirts of his garment Vers 2. The other is the dew of Hermon that descended on the mountain of Zion for saith the Psalmist there the Lord commandeth the blessing even life for evermore There where where brethren together dwell in unity it is as true there where Religion is exercised where all relations give their due one to another there God commandeth the blessing Now for the proof of this I shall but appeal to your experience and what you see every day 1. Look into the world there you shall see nations of various complexions some in which the true God is worshipped in a true manner others wherein Devils are worshipped or stocks or stones or if the true God be indeed worshipped yet it is not as he hath directed but by images and superstitious rites and observances some nations that are nothing else but rapine and violence and oppression full of strife and hatred and malice and wars and dissensions You on the other side will see other Nations amongst whom the true God is worshipped and that in a true manner where are good laws against oppression and injustice and for distributive and commutative Justice where men are not hunted and persecuted for their consciences towards God Mark if God doth not command the blessing of riches trade c. more upon the latter than the former It is true some of those Countreys where these iniquities are found are naturally richer than others in minerals and the Native Commodities of the Countrey but for adventitious riches which come from Trade and Commerce and for other sensible blessings observe if they be not poured out in a greater plenty upon Nations that in matters of Religion civil Justice and Unity have been regulated by laws conformable to the Word of God than upon other Nations where none of these things have been regarded 2. If you will straiten your prospect look upon any Cities or Towns or any kind of political societies you will see some of these places such as Egypt was of which Abraham said The fear of God was not in that place where all their Religion is to persecute those that have any thing of Religion in them No rules of justice and brotherly love are observed but they are full of violence and oppression and fraud there is nothing in them but the inhabitants biting and devouring one another the cry of the oppressed is in their street Other places you will find where Religion is cherished and countenanced where the word of God is livelily and powerfully preached and men live in some seeming awe of it where rules of civil Justice are observed and men can have Justice in Courts of Judicature and the people live in peace and amity one with another observe again which of these God most commandeth his blessing upon I might appeal to your like observation concerning families and particular persons But it is no more than every one may observe Consider what an Hell upon Earth some Cities some Families are in comparison of others and see what makes the difference both in the beauty and in the prosperity of them And it needs must be so if you please to consider 1. The natural tendency of these things to so happy products 2. That God in pursuance of his many promises doth there command the blessing First In
pass in a natural order and by natural ways and means suffering poor sinful wretches to walk in their own ways and then penally producing the effects the natural and proper effects of such courses and giving them the fruit of their own doings filling them with their own ways and with that calamity and misery which they like foolish people have pulled down upon their own heads and could reasonably expect no other issue than what they meet with Vse 3. In the last place how doth this call upon all men after the example of holy David to make the word of God a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their paths Not to be conformed to the world but transformed through the renewing of their minds that they may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 You remember I reduced the whole will of God concerning us to three heads indeed two comprehend all 1. Piety towards God 2. Probity or honesty of conversation before men now that last comprehendeth all acts of justice and charity or kindness and Brotherly love 1. Let Magistrates command their Subjects Masters of Families command their Eamilies the fear of the Lord and set examples of Religion before them let them give people liberty to serve and worship God and exhort and encourage them to do so Let them restrain irreligion and prophaneness observe if those Nations those Towns and Cities those Families do not most thrive amongst whom God is most strictly served and worshipped if in those places where there is least of Religion there be not also most beggery and poverty like an armed man rushing in upon them Hark what Solomon saith Prov. 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding v. 16. Length of days is in her right hand and in her left riches and honour 2. Let every one maintain justice and judgement giving to every one their due according to the capacities in which they are Magistrates truly dispense distributive justice giving out rewards to good men and inflicting punishments upon evil men according to their merits discountenancing all violence and oppression all luxury and intemperance in short all manner of sin and debauchery Let private persons give their due to their Superiors their Inferiors and Equals for what is that which God requires but to deal justly Let them be just in their dealigns one with another not cozening and cheating and defrauding one another 3. Finally Let all men according to the Apostles exhortation study to be quiet to forbear biting and devouring one another and indeavour to live peaceably and at unity following peace with all men and doing what good offices lie in their power each to another according to the command of God All these things now have promises of spiritual blessings and eternal happiness of a life to come but if that be too far off for men who have not faith to be affected with and moved by there are you see other promises to incourage these things even promises of sensible goods length of days riches and honor and whatsoever our sensitive appetite desireth and calleth good as grateful and acceptable to it Mal. 3.10 Bring you saith God all the tythes into the Storehouse that there may be meat in my House and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts If I will not open unto you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room to receive it and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of the ground neither shall the vine cast her fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord of hosts The Prophet there mentioneth but one thing not robbing God of his tythes but certainly it is to be understood synecdochically We may certainly by warrant of that Text speak to all people all families all persons Worship God set up the practice of Religion in all your Societies do justly study peace and amity one with another and try God herewith if he will not open to you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it We complain that poverty is breaking in upon us like an armed man Trade faileth Estates waste men every-where come to beggery We must lay all the fault upon our selves God is not altered in the course of his Providence the change is in us The world as to matters of justice is grown but one great cheat every one studies by violence to oppress his neighbour the greater devours the less like the fish in the Sea men in their Trades and dealings do but study to circumvent one another and to go beyond them in buyings and sellings and bargains and exchanges Men are grown generally like Ishmaelites every mans tongue and hand is against his Brother and his Brother's is against him again God never commanded a blessing upon any part of the world that was of such a complexion Let me conclude all with the Apostles words 1 Pet. 3.10 11 12. He hath been perswading in that Chapter the relative duties of Wives and Husbands in the seven first verses vers 8. he speaks more generally Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing c. Now mark the Argument he useth vers 10. For he that will love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil And this is demonstrated by the frowns of his Providence upon them The Apostle takes this out of Psal 34. So that you see it is the Doctrine of both Testaments and what you shall observe God confirming every day in the issues of his Providence daily fulfilling his word But I shall add no more upon this Observation and also here shut up my discourses upon the Observanda Providentiae And hereafter pass on to the last part of my intended Discourse concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the difficult things of Divine Providence in the motions of which it is true which the Apostle saith of Pauls Epistles there are many hard things difficult to be understood which ignorant and unstable persons are very prone to wrest to their own destruction to prevent which God willing I shall attempt something in my succeeding Discourses upon this Argument A DISCOURSE Concerning DIVINE PROVIDENCE PART III. Goncerning the difficult things of Divine Providence Galat. III. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe I Am now come to the last part of my
acquittance in the actual justification of a sinner and the forgiveness of his sins but I have spoken to that before when I spake to that Observation That God with the afflictions of this life doth often punish past and pardoned sins I shall therefore pass on to the application of this discourse which I shall dispatch in two words of exhortation 1. To own God in all your troubles and afflictions The second shall be to study such an improvement of your afflictions as instead of quarrelling at Divine Providence in these dispensations you may see reason to bless God for them Vse 1. In the first place Doth not affliction spring out of the ground nor trouble out of the dust O then in the day of your troubles look not only upon the ground let not your eyes be meerly upon the dust It is the silly Dog that runs after the stone that is thrown at him and biteth that wiser creatures such as man is overlook that and consider the hand that hurled it Afflictions of all sorts are but stones out of the sling of Divine Providence they are Gods messengers he saith to the Disease go and it goeth come and it cometh Art thou sick see the Lord calling for the disease that disordereth thee Art thou reproached see also this affliction not rising out of the dust Shimei cursed David Perhaps saith David God hath bidden him curse It is strange how much light to this purpose shone upon the Heathen I remember Virgil an heathen Poet in the story of the taking of Troy bringeth in Aeneas telling great stories of his valour in that night Troy was taken he tells us that he at last saw Helena the strumpet for whom as that fable goes all that misery came upon that place and was about in his heart to kill her two things the Poet representeth as hindring him 1. That he should get no reputation by killing a woman But a second was his Mother Venus appeared to him and tells him Non tibi Tyndaridis facies invisa Lacenae Culpatusve Pani verum inclementia Divum Has evertit opes sternitque a culmine Trojam That he was not so much to blame Helena the Grecian strumpet nor Paris the Trojan adulterer that by his fetching her from her Husband a Nobleman of Greece had given occasion to that war but the anger of the gods they were Heathens that was their dialect and then the Poet goes on describing how Venus shewed her son Aeneas Neptune o'returning the foundations of the walls with his Trident. Juno keeping the gates open and calling in the enemies her favourites from the Ships to invade the City and Minerva in another place battering down the Towers and Jupiter himself putting valor into the Grecians Even the Heathens by the light of nature understood their afflictions coming from a Divine hand Certainly Christians that have the Scriptures should understand more Art thou or are thy relations sick See God standing at thy beds head and giving strength to thy disease art thou in Prison see the hand of God locking the prison door upon thee and keeping thee in bonds could we do this let me but instance in two or three excellent effects which would follow our recognizing God as the Author of our afflictions 1. It would restrain both our hands and tongues from all thoughts of private revenge upon instruments of evil to us O how ready if any hath done us evil are we to say I will do unto him as he hath done unto me How natural is a Lextalionis An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth and an ill word for an ill word and an ill turn for an ill turn Indeed the Magistrate ought sometimes to give it he is the Minister of God to revenge evil but could we but say with David perhaps God hath bid him curse God hath bidden him to smite me with his tongue or with his fist of wickedness We should leave vengeance to him who hath said Vengeance is mine and I will repay it I speak not this exclusively to any thing but thoughts of private revenge It is lawful enough to seek for satisfaction for injuries done us in our names or estates by the Magistrate and according to the laws of the Nation in which we live But I say the consideration of the hand of God in all the evils that come upon us should bridle our thoughts as to private revenge 2. A due consideration of this would also stop our mouths as to all effluxes of impatience could we but say concerning every evil that befalls us this evil is of the Lord we should presently think Who shall say unto him what dost thou It is the Lord said that good man let him do what seemeth him good I held my peace saith David when I understood it was thy doing Indeed our rational nature is so far convinced of Gods soveraignty and justice and right to do with his creatures especially sinful creatures what seemeth him good that it is in some measure disposed to be silent before the Lord but especially every renewed and sanctified nature readily puts its mouth in the dust and cries out Why doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin The justice of God the wisdom goodness and mercy of God stopeth his mouth 'T is true we are but flesh and the best of Gods people have their fits of impatience Job you know had so but Godly men will quickly come out of them as Job did Job 40.4 Behold saith he I am vile what shall I answer I will lay my hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer twice but I will proceed no further 3. This would turn our eye in the days of our afflictions upon our hearts and make men think of searching and trying their hearts and turning again unto the Lord. While men think of their afflictions as springing out of the ground and arising meerly from the dust the natural accident of their frail bodys which being dust must be crumbled again to dust by such means they only look to the Physician for a repair of their lapsed health while they only eye their troubles as arising from men they look for nothing but a Buckler to defend themselves or some cudgel to thresh their adversaries with requiting them for the evil they have done them But when they come once to see God in their afflictions and to look upon them as coming from a Divine hand from the great God of Heaven and Earth then they begin to smite upon their thighs and to say What have we done Let this be therefore our business of what kind soever our Affliction be Vse 2. In the second place let not this only engage us to own God as the author of our evils of punishment but also to apply our selves unto God as to him who alone can help us in our times of trouble Nature directs it how ready are we in our bodily pains
that it is such a creature as by his rebellions hath reproached the Sovereignty of his maker but this is but one good which God obtaineth by those punishments 2. Again God by the punishment of sinners though he obtaineth not their amendment and reformation obtaineth yet another more Vniversal good and that two ways 1. In the reformation and preventing at least the wickedness of others 2. In the upholding of the government and discipline of the world This is one end of punishment by mens Laws therefore are some malefactors hang'd up in chains by the way-side that all who pass by may take notice and be afraid of committing such wickedness God by punishing and troubling sinners strikes a terror into the hearts of others that if he pleaseth not to sanctifie their affliction to their salvation yet by it much sin is hindred in the world from whence his name had been dishonoured Yea and Lastly Government and discipline is in some measure kept in the world and Gods authority is upheld These ends now God obtaineth in the punishment of the vilest and worst of men though it may be they instead of being reformed and amended do but blaspheme because of their plagues yet others seeing them are afraid and take heed of such courses O! what a place of murthers and frauds and beastly lusts and all sorts of disorders would the sordid passions of men make the world were it not for the troubles and afflictions with which God followeth some sinners for though some are to be corrected and restrained by nothing yet doubtless multitudes of people are at least restrained by the exemplary vengeance which they see God taking upon some sinners either immediately by his own hand or by the hands of magistrates who do not bear the Sword in vain but are a terror unto evil doers Now let us but consider the great God as willing his own glory and that in every attribute that of justice as well as that of mercy or consider God as the great and mighty soveraign of the world whose interest it is to keep up his authority amongst men and an aw and reverence of those rules which he hath pleased to prescribe for the regulation of mens lives Or as he is a most pure and holy God offended and injured by the sins of men whose concern it is to restrain the exorbitancies of creatures or finally as an only wise and prudent governor to whom it belongeth so to carry himself observing rules of justice still towards individuals as may best conduce to the peace good and tranquillity of the whole I say which way soever an intelligent person doth consider God it appears but an exceeding reasonable motion of Providence that he should plague and chastise some sinners though he knows they will get no good but instead of being amended will be made worse like Ahaz Vse 1. Let us observe from hence in the first place how just and reasonable the ways of Divine Providence are O house of Israel saith God are not my ways equal are not your ways unequal The reason of our quarrellings at the motions of Divine Providence is our weighing them with false weights and a deceitful ballance or our superficial and perfunctory consideration of them The truth is we do ordinarily accuse God as inequal in those things wherein he acteth after the manner of men whose equity yet we never question we will allow the Potter to have power over the clay and to make this piece of clay a vessel of dishonour and that a vessel of honour yet we will not allow the Lord of the whole earth the Potter to the whole world of men who are but so many pieces of clay in his hand to do the like we will allow a soveraign Prince a power to kill and to save alive whom he pleaseth but we will not allow that Princes maker to have the same jus absolutum the same soveraign power though it be granted that he never executeth it but upon the demerits of his creature we can allow an earthly Prince a power to punish Wives for the errors of their Husbands and to disinherit Children for the treasons of their Parents but we think it much to allow a power to God justly to punish relations for the sins of their correlates We can understand the justice and reasonableness of men in punishing some malefactors with such punishments as leave no room for repentance and amendment but must call Gods justice holiness and goodness in question if he doth but the same thing we do every day But O you sons of men are not the Lords ways equal Let us learn under tremendous dispensations of vindicative justice to lay our hands upon our mouths to acknowledg and confess the Lords righteousness and instead of disputing the issues of Divine Justice to adore them and fulfil the Lords ends in them Vse 2. This in the second place may shew us one cause of rejoycing in the executions of Divine Justice upon mischievous and incorrigible sinners The truth is it speaketh both an ill temper and worse Christianity to rejoyce meerly in the evils that befall the worst of men Charity wisheth well unto all and obligeth men to mourn with those that mourn But upon other accounts the cutting off of sinners is matter of joy Psal 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance and he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked Gods coming with vengeance is made the matter of a promise Psal 35.4 It hath been made the matter of Gods peoples prayer Jer. 11.20 But O Lord of hosts that judgest righteously that triest the reins and the heart let me see thy vengeance on them for unto thee have I revealed my cause so Jer. 20.12 And certainly it is also matter of praise and thanksgiving and that upon more accounts than one 1. As God by it gaineth the glory of his justice and gets himself honour Gods glorifying of himself and making his name great is what the people of God ought continually to rejoyce in We see sometimes persons and parties in the world opening their mouths against Heaven and bidding a bold defiance to the God that reigneth there and daring Divine Justice a long time we cannot but stand and tremble at it The patient God at last taketh these wretches so doing and cuts them off in the midst of their bold defiances They have it may be some years as complements of their discourse challenged God to damn them and the Devil to take them God at length falleth upon them teareth them in pieces makes them to know there is a God in Heaven that judgeth the earth Now when the righteous man seeth this vengeance he hath reason to rejoyce that God hath made known himself vindicated his glory c. It is matter of trouble to them to see any go down into the pit but it is matter of rejoycing that by this they are made to know that there is a God 2.
that they may hear and fear and do no more wickedly Let us therefore make it our business so to improve such Providences that God may have his end upon us by our hearing seeing fearing and avoiding those sins against which we see the wrath of God so remarkably revealed Thou seest in the world debauched drunkards filthy adulterers profane Sabbath-breakers prodigious blasphemers mischievous Nimrods great hunters and persecutors of such as fear God some of them it may be young men some with numerous families others of fair estates c. healthy bodies like enough to have lived in the world many days On a sudden with David Psal 73.18 Thou seest them cast into destruction brought into a destruction as in a moment utterly consumed with the Lords terrors thou seest them written childless or with Ananias and Saphira struck dead thou seest them as David Psal 37. saw the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay-tree by and by he passed away and lo he was not thou soughtest him and he was not found thou seest them their families their estates consuming like the fat of lambs into smoke consumed away This age if you observed it hath afforded you many such sights how many young wretches have you seen cut off in the beginning and strength of their years Knots of Hectors as this age calls them in whose constitution nothing could be seen but that they might have out-lived hundreds of us and in a few years they are tumbled into their graves you seek for them and not one of the old brood found O let all of us hear and fear and take heed of those leud courses which God hath in our sight so revenged upon them It is one end of these severe punishments of God that others should learn righteousness Let us by these warnings be startled and take heed of those sins in which they lived and which we may reasonably judg brought this quick vengeance upon them Vse 4. Lastly Doth God sometimes punish sinners who he knoweth will but be worse not at all amended by his rod And is this consistent with his Holiness and Justice O let every one of us then that hath been afflicted or that shall fall under the afflicting hand of God in any kind make it our business to search what Gods end was in his afflicting us whether he aimed at our good or meerly his own glory and the good of others Let me tell you it will be a very sad reflexion for us to reflect upon Gods visiting us with some grievous sickness or punishing us in our estates and relations c. and not to be able to satisfy our selves that God aimed at more in his bitter Providences than the getting himself glory upon us or the bettering of others for there is none comes out of an affliction but he comes out better or worse more hardned or with a more softned and tender heart more holy or more profane and stupid But you will say to me How shall we be able to make up this Judgment who knows the aims and intendments of a man in action but the spirit of a man that is within him and who knows the aims and intendments of God save only God himself I answer God is never frustrated of his end man may as not being able to accomplish it God cannot 'T is easie therefore to know the Counsels of God concerning thee in this case by the effects Examine therefore what effects hath thy affliction had upon thee Wherein art thou more amended The amendment of a person upon the sad Providences of God lyes much in these two things Repentance and Mortification 2. Having a better heart for duty and being more diligent in the practice of it Search and examine thy soul then upon these two points Say to thy self 1. My soul thou hast drank of the waters of Marah God hath dealt bitterly with thee I have been at the very brink of the grave I have lost a fair estate God hath crost me in my dearest relations What sins have I the more reflected upon for these things wherein have I been more humbled for the mighty hand of God upon me or mine what sin more have I left am I grown less worldly and carnal what lust have I got a further victory over have I a better command of my passions am I grown meeker am I more humble is my spirit more broken do I see more of my own vileness than I did have I learned with Job to abhor my self and to repent in dust and ashes to lay mine hand upon my mouth Or 2. Enquire of thy soul wherein by this affliction either thy habits of the grace or practice of piety and godliness hath been advantaged whether thy faith or patience be improved thy meekness and humility improved or any of those habits of grace which use to grow under the rod. Enquire of thy self wherein thou art improved as to the practice of Piety whether thou hast since thy affliction learned to keep the Lords statutes to walk in thy house in a more perfect way Give me leave to mind you what you see every day It is the sign of a decaying plant not to shoot forth and look more green after a shower much more to wither and dwindle after it Afflictions are Gods showres almost all sorts of people in this Nation have had great plenty of them within the age we have lived in the face of Religion amongst us at this day gives little evidence that Gods aim in it was the amendment and reformation of the persons under those troubles and afflictions which they have met with it concerneth us to look to our selves If Gods end was only to try what we would be to vindicate his own glory his power justice and holiness upon us to deter others from the like practices whatever good may by our afflictions be occasioned to God in the vindication of his glory or to others in their learning righteousness it is but a sad symptom of ruin to our selves SERMON XL. 1 Kings XIV 1. At that time Abijah the Son of Jerobam fell sick Vers 17. The child dyed I Am opening to you the hard Chapters of Divine Providence Actual Providence justifying the Lords ways to be equal even where they appear less equal to our sense and reason I am at present discoursing the Equity of Punitive Providences I have here shewed you how consistent it is with the Justice Holiness and Goodness of God to be the Author of evil to though not in the Sons of men the Author of the Evil of punishment though not of the evil of sin I have shewed you how consistent it is with the Attributes and Perfections of the Divine Nature to punish and trouble his own people even such as he hath accepted of a satisfaction for their sins at the hand of his Son whose iniquities he hath pardoned c. How consistent it is with the Wisdom Justice Holiness and Goodness of
sayest thou O Christian that the Lords ways are not equal or that the Lord dealeth hardly with thee God dealeth with thee but as every wise and prudent father dealeth with the Child of his dearest love and thus I have spoken to two of the Questions which fall under this head But there is yet a third would be spoken to and the rather because it may be a temptation that seized the hearts of many of Gods people in former times that is How it consisteth with the justice wisdom and goodness of God in the motions of his Providence to make the vilest and worst of men his Instruments to chasten the best and dearest of his own people it was Habbakuks complaint Hab. 1.13 why holdest thou thy peace when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he and maketh men as fishes of the Sea as the creeping things which have no ruler over them But that will be my next Text where I shall speak something relating to that dispensation of God and afterwards shall more largely apply both what I have spoken and what I shall further speak on this Argument SERMON XLIV Habbakuk I. 13. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity wherefore lookest thou on them that deal treacherously and holdest thy Tongue when the wicked man devoureth the man that is more righteous than he And makest men as the Fish of the Sea as the creeping things that have no ruler over them I Begin as you see where I left in my last exercise I left with a quotation out of the prophecy of Habbakuk which is now my Text nor could any thing be more proper for you see it containeth in terms the Question I am this day speaking to In the beginning of this Chapter and Prophecy the Prophet had been complaining unto God of the exceeding wickedness and incorrigibleness of the Jews God replying to him had told him what possibly he did not expect desiring not the ruin but reformation of his people that he was about to put an end to their wickedness v. 6. Raising up the Caldeans a bitter and hasty nation which should march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwellings which were not theirs terrible and dreadful c. An enemy every way qualified to execute Gods utmost vengeance upon this people This quite surpriseth and astonisheth the good prophet and sends him in hast unto God again v. 13. saith he Art not thou from everlasting O Lord my God mine holy one we shall not dye O Lord thou hast ordained them for Judgment and O mighty God thou hast established them for correction then follow the words of my Text Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity wherefore lookest thou on them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he Habbakuk lookt upon this as a very sad dispensation and what stumbled him as to the righteousness of God therefore he puts it in that phrase the man that is more righteous than he and addeth and makest men as the fishes of the Sea as creeping things of the Earth which have no ruler over them Those brute sensitive creatures are not ruled by any rules of justice or righteousness those of them that have most natural strength and power devour those who have less but now men are reasonable creatures and should be acted by principles of reason and justice amongst them might should not overcome right But O Lord in this dispensation of thy Providence thou seemest to govern the reasonable part of the world like the brutish and sensitive part of it The Jews though they be a sinful people yet they are more righteous than the Caldeans they are a brutish people and have no right against the Jews shall thy Providence so order the affaires of the world that those who have most power in their hand though they have no right shall trample down thy people and eat them up like bread Lord this were to make men like the fish of the Sea like the creeping things of the Earth which have none over them to govern them by any rules of justice or righteousness Lord why doth thy Providence thus govern humane affaires This I conceive the sense of the words The question which remains to be spoken to is this Quest How it can consist with the Justice of God in the motions of his Actual Providence to suffer wicked men to devour those who are more righteous than themselves I am the more willing to speak to this because it is a dispensation under which many of those that fear the Lord in this nation have suffered we have seen good men rifled their goods taken from them we cannot say but they have deserved this and far more than this from the hand of Divine Justice but though they have deserved this yet we are ready to think it is hard that they should suffer this from such miscreants as take the Spoil and God will certainly one day fetch the blood of his people and their abominations out of their mouths We are prone to think that God should not suffer his people to be devoured by those who are more unrighteous then they are The Text gives you an account 1. Of a great disorder in the world at least a dispensation of Providence which Habakkuk thought so Men dealt treacherously the wicked devoured the men who were more righteous than themselves 2. It gives you an account of Gods carriage under this disorder God looked upon men that is he seemed to look upon the men that dealt treacherously and to hold his peace while Sinners devoured the more righteous persons God by the motions of his Providence seemed rather to favour than frown upon these disorders Hence might be observed these two propositions 1. Prop. That it is no unusual dispensation of Providence for God to suffer the wicked to devour those that are more righteous than themselves 2. Prop. That this dispensation hath been matter of stumbling and a very sore temptation even to the servants of God For the first as to matter of fact there is nothing more demonstrable look over the whole History of Scripture the History of all times you will find it true the world began with Cains killing Abel it went on with the Egyptians the Amalekites the Philistines the Babilonians devouring of the only people which God had in the world Now I say this hath been heretofore and doubtless is at this time a great temptation to Gods people Habakkuk complains of it in the Text. Job complained Job 30.1 That those who were younger than he had him in derision even those whose Fathers he would have disdained to have set with the dogs of his table Shemei a dead dog as he called him cursed David and Doeg the Informer prevails against all the Lords Priests Judas another Informer devoureth him who is the
Lord of life It is a dispensation that hath often put the servants of God into unseemly passions James and John would have had fire come down from Heaven as in Elijahs time to have destroyed the Samaritans Peter was out of patience to see the Informer come with a company with Swords and Staves to take his Master and in his passion draweth a Sword and with it cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest David himself when God offered him the choice of three Judgments desired rather to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men I say it is and hath often been a very sore temptation advantaged partly from Nature partly from some Religious reflections That which in humane nature advantageth this temptation is 1. The disdain every man naturally hath to suffer an injury from one beneath himself when Gideon would have had his Son Jether have fallen upon those two Eastern Princes Zeba and Zalmuna they said rise thou up and fall upon us men have a natural disdain and scorn to suffer from their inferiours we see it in every days experience Now although every child of God is low in his own eyes and in honour preferreth every Saint before himself yet as St. Paul sometimes magnified his office against the false Apostles and counterfeits of his age though he judged himself the least of the Apostles and unworthy of that great Name so they cannot but magnifie themselves in comparison of open profane miscreants that are the scum and off scouring of the place in which they live such as are common drunkards lyars swearers Sabbath-breakers and guilty of other debaucheries the very scabs of the body politick and spots of the Assemblies to which they are united 2. Every man naturally hath a regret at the receiving of injuries from those from whom he hath deserved no such thing Now the People of God are persons of innocence who have done no wrong to their worst Enemies they have loved their Enemies prayed for them been ready to do any offices of love to them and know not how to bear an injury from those to whom they have done no wrong This was that which troubled Davids Spirit Psal 35.12 13. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my Soul but as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sackcloath I humbled my Soul with fasting and my prayer returned into my own bosom I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourned for my mother But in mine adversity they rejoyced and gathered themselves together yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me and I knew it not yea they did tear me and ceased not with hypocritical mockers at feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth Lord how long wilt thou look on Rescue my Soul from their destructions 2. This temptation is likewise advantaged from some Religious reflections 1. From a reflection upon the purity and holiness of God O Lord saith our Prophet in my Text thou art of purer Eyes then to behold iniquity How a just and pure and holy God should look on and hold his peace to see a company of vile wretches tearing and devouring his own people this is a knowledg at first view too wonderful for them 2. From a reflexion upon the promises and threatnings of God they look into the holy word of God and find that full of promises of good to Gods People of threatnings of wrath and vengeance to wicked men instead of this they see vile men building up Palaces to themselves upon their ruins and adorning themselves with their Ornaments the houses of the profane furnished and adorned with that which is not theirs instead of the wicked mans preparing garments and the just mans putting them on as Job speaketh they see good and righteous men preparing garments and leud and ungodly men put them on they see the spoil of such as fear the Lord in the tents of leud and ungodly men 3. From a reflexion upon the Decrees of God O Lord saith our Prophet thou hast ordained them for destruction O mighty God thou hast established them for correction they consider leud and wicked men as men whom God by a fixed act of his Will hath ordained to judgment as persons who by the established counsel of God are to be destroyed and they cannot expound the Providence of God into a consistency with his eternal purpose when they see them not only live prosper and grow old but also live by the death of such as fear God and build their nests on high with feathers which they have plucked from their wings From these and other causes ariseth this trouble and coil in the spirits of Gods people Fluctus est Tentatio est as Augustine saith it is a great wave a great temptation and trouble and even Gods own people here are ready to think they see a knot in the thred of providence a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence in the even ways of the Lords dealing Let me indeavour in a few words to unty this knot to remove this stone Four or five things I shall speak one or other of which or all together will make this way of the Lord plain to every sober and understanding Christian 1. How is God to his people more hard or unrighteous in such a dispensation than he was to the son of his dearest love Our blessed Lord hath taught us That the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord Matt. 10.24 25. 'T is true the chief Informer against our Lord was one of his hoshold Judas but he was a son of perdition the only ill member of all the 12. Who were his witnesses but a company of perjured wretches who could not agree in their testimony Who mockt him and scourged him Herod a monster for all manner of wickedness Who were they that spit upon him that cried out crucifie him crucifie him that gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink were they not the abjects of the people Thou art not able to conceive of Gods righteousness in giving thee over and thy estate over to a Renegado an apostate from his former profession to wretches who make no conscience what they say what they swear what they do How was he righteous in giving over the Son of his love to such wretches We are never so like to our Lord and Master as when we are betrayed by a Judas informed against and testified against by false and perjured wretches mockt and abused by the abjects and off scouring of the people If God might be a just and righteous God in suffering these things to be done to the green tree surely he may suffer them to be done unto us who are dry trees Thou art troubled that God should suffer profane scoffers to call thee
shall not fall Mat. 16.18 The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Psal 94.14 For the Lord will not cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance Mica 4.4 11 12. So quite through this Psalm there are many promises of the same import Now the work of faith is to perswade the soul of the certainty and undoubted verity of these words of God to settle the soul in this perswasion That sooner shall Heaven and earth pass away than any of these things shall fail which God hath spoken Then the work of faith is further to carry out the soul without any carping trouble or disputing to rest wholly upon these words A Christian seeth the word of God what he hath said for its relief now faith teacheth the soul to agree this as the word of him who cannot lye or repent and calleth upon the soul to trust in God for the fulfilling of it to roll it self upon the promise and to commit it self its cause its way unto the Lord the soul of a Christian is very solicitous and careful for the concern and interest of God in the world faith teacheth the soul to cast its care the burthen of its spirit upon the Lord assuring it that God careth for it Faith speaketh to the soul in the language of Solomon Eccles 5.8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Justice and Judgment in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they I say this is a great piece of the Child of Gods duty in such a time when the vilest men are exalted and the wicked walk on every side and the people of God are troden under foot as the mire in the streets It is the Will of God concerning them The just shall live by faith This is the proper time for the exercise of Faith when the eye of sense faileth Faith is the evidence of things not seen the substance of things hoped for The proper operation of Faith is where sense faileth where God is trusted and not seen Blessed are they saith our Saviour who have not seen and yet believe This is Opus diei in die suo Though the people of God ought to be careful of all duty at all times yet they ought to have a special regard to the duty of their day the seasonableness of a duty addeth much to the weight and importance of it The foundations are shaken saith the Psalmist Psal 11.3 4 What shall what can the righteous do Mark what follows The Lords Throne is in Heaven his eyes see his eye-lids try the children of men This is that life which the Saints have lived yea and they have lived well upon it When David had lost all the Amalekites had taken Ziglag and in it all that he had 1 Sam. 30.6 the Text saith David encouraged himself in God the Truth Power and Goodness of God nor did he hope in God in vain as you shall read in that story What had Hezekiah to live upon but Faith when Sennacherib had besieged him with his mighty Army and ranted against him and the God of Heaven too after that rate you read What had all the Patriarchs all the Saints and Servants of God to live upon but Faith of whom you read Heb. 11. Nor is there any life which so glorifieth God as this it eminently glorifieth three Attributes of his his Power Goodness and Truth No man will trust in a bruised Reed or lean upon a broken Staff therefore the Apostle speaking of Abrahams faith Heb. 11. saith He believed that God was able to raise him from the dead and again Rom. 3 He believed that he who promised was able to perform It giveth God the glory of his goodness for the expectation of his soul is the Mercy and Goodness of God and it also giveth God the glory of his truth for the proximate object of Faith is the Word and Promise of God O therefore let this be your care when you cannot live by sense live by Faith It is the happiness of a Child of God he hath something to live on in the worst of times Psal 34.10 The young Lions shall be hunger-bit but there is no want to them that fear the Lord. One would think that of all creatures the Lion should be most out of danger of being hunger bit The Lion the King of the Forest all other Beasts are subject to this Beast yet if an old Lion that cannot run for its prey that hath lost much of its strength may be hunger-bitten one would think a young-Lion that is in its full strength should not Yes saith the Psalmist a young Lion may be hunger-bitten those that have most of the world wicked men that have greatest honours greatest power great advantages to provide for themselves they may be hunger bitten they may come to want but there shall be no want to them who fear the Lord there shall be no time so ill but they shall live if they cannot live upon bread they shall feed upon truth How much better is the estate of a godly man than that of his neighbour It is a great point this a great piece of duty Let me therefore a little further enlarge upon it three ways 1. Shewing you how a Christian may know if he liveth this life 2. Directing you in order to it 3. Perswading it by Arguments 1. Will some Christian say how shall I know if I live this life Suffer me to give you five or Six Characters of it 1. It is a Spiritual life Our life saith the Apostle is hid with Christ in God What Christ sometimes said to his Disciples when they would have had him to have eaten something that a Child of God may say to all the world I have meat to eat you know not of His life is a spiritual life such is the life of Faith both with respect to the subject and to the object of it As to the subject of it it is the soul that lives the body lives by bread the soul lives by truth by the promise There are many that in evil days their bodies have enough to feed upon but their souls have nothing hence their hearts become like Nabals dead as a stone yea and as to the object it is spiritual too he that feedeth upon truth feedeth upon Jehovah It is the truth of God in the word which the soul liveth upon the soul of a Believer can no more live upon Words and Syllables than another soul No but it is the truth of God in these words his power and ability to perform what he hath said his inclination and good-will to the performance and his truth and faithfulness Every life in an evil day is not a life of faith some may live upon fancy and foolish hope some may live upon means with which their eye feedeth them another may live upon a Roman spirit of his own Tu
mean time he is in the love and favour of God he may have communion with God and God will provide for him These and an hundred such things as these afford matter enough for the child of God to delight himself in the Lord at all times 2. Consider again how equitable it is that Children should at all times delight themselves in him because he at all times delighteth himself in them whom the Lord loveth he chastneth as a Father his Son in whom he delighteth his chastening is not a dispensation of wrath but of wisdome Observe how he speaketh to his afflicted Church Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with saphires Christ was anointed to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness Isa 64.1 3. Though his people have lien amongst the Pots as the Psalmist expresseth it yet he hath a pleasure in them 3. Let me Thirdly offer to your consideration the advantage of this delighting your selves in the Lord in a day of Evil. It would arme the Soul against all the temptations of an evil time 1. It would abstract the mind from the world we see if the Husband delights in his Wife or a Father on his Child how it draweth off their hearts from all other objects that all are nothing to them in comparison of that object in which the great delight of their heart is 2. It would fill the mind of a man so as it should say to all the world as Esay I have enough I have enough keep what thou hast unto thy self or as Jacob whose delight was in Joseph It is enough is Joseph yet alive It is enough 3. It would give the Soul a rest The mind of a man resteth in the object of its delight 4. Finally it would wonderfully quiet the mind as to the Will of God we are usually satisfied with what is done by those persons whom we principally love and delight in Let this therefore be our study our great labour and business to bring up our hearts to a delight in the Lord. Study his attributes that you may know what he is in his Power Goodness Truth Wisdom c. Study his promises which concern this life or that which is to come particularly those which more specially sute thy circumstances Consider the examples of the Saints and Servants of God in thy circumstances meditate upon these things whet them upon thy heart say often to thy self This God is in himself Thus and thus he hath revealed himself and he who hath said it is Power Goodness Truth c. But this is enough to have spoken to this other piece of a Christians duty under such dispensations of Divine Providence I proceed to another piece of Duty 4. Depart from evil and do good You have it vers 8. Fret not thy self in any wise to do Evil. And vers 3. Trust in the Lord and do good you have them both together Psal 34.12 and 1 Pet. 3.12 Now this doing of good is a very large term according to the intent of all that duty which is required of us by the precepts of the first and second table There is a duty which we owe unto God all which is comprehended under the first and great commandement Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul and all thy Strength Thus that man doth good that loveth and feareth God that prayeth unto him and performeth all those acts of homage and worship which God hath in his word required as much and as zealously and warmly in the worst as in the best of times this is properly a doing of good it is honest and just and what God requireth of us it bringeth profit and advantage to our selves it will bring comfort sweetness and peace to the Soul So that take good in what notion you will this is a true doing good Again there is a good which may be done to our selves or to others the Apostle commandeth us to do good to all Gal. 6.10 thus our Saviour commandeth us to do good to them that hate us and the Apostle Heb. 13.16 commands us not to forget to do good and to distribute and it is one piece of our doing good Isa 1.17 to judge the fatherless and relieve the oppressed Further yet there is a good of our general calling This is comprehensive of the whole duty of a man considered in no further capacity than that of a creature towards God or that of a Christian relating to the Lord Jesus Christ and owning him There is a good of our particular calling respecting us with reference to our Relations as Magistrates or Subjects Husbands or Wives Ministers or flock Parents or children Masters or Servants Finally there is a good of a particular season the works and business of our day relating to the particular circumstances and dispensations of Providence under which it pleaseth God to bring us Having thus far discoursed of good and distinguished of that it is easie to understand what Evil is It is either the omission of some of these duties or the commission or doing some things which are opposite to them I take the precepts of the text in the large sence A Christian ought to do all manner of good and to abstain from all omissions of any duty or commissions of any thing which is contrary to that duty which God expecteth from him either in his general calling or in his particular Relation he is at all times to eschew evil and to do good The precepts of God Psal 37.26 Isa 1.16 17. 1 Pet. 3.12 concern him and oblige him at all times but it is their more especial duty with reference to evil times and indeed this is the readiest way to make times better Evil times are so called upon a double account either with respect to sin or to punishment These times are evil times wherein sin aboundeth and the love of many groweth cold now our sins contribute to the aboundings of sin in the time wherein we live we use to say that if every man would sweep his own door the streets would be clean Times are also called evil with respect to punishment to some judgments of God that are abroad in the world now for us to do good to depart from evil and do good is the way to have the judgments of God averted from us Wash you saith God Isa 1.16 17. make you clean put away the evil of your doings from you come let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet you shall be as snow though they were as crimson you shall be as white as wooll You have it vers 6. Do good and thou shall dwell in the land and as we Translate it verily thou shalt be fed Zeph. 2.3 Seek you the Lord all you
1. A silence from passion mourning within our selves fretting vexing c. a man breaketh this silence when he is overborn with fear or grief or anger These three ways the Soul is disturb'd and maketh a noise under the dispensations of God which breaketh this Religious silence 1. By Anger fretting fuming and vexing himself at Gods dispensations This was Moses and Aarons failing at the waters of Meribah and Jonas his error when the Gourd failed him as to its shelter But of this I have spoken fully already when I handled the Negative part of a Christians duty under Gods dispensations of nature 2. Fear Immoderate fear is another passion that spoileth this silence of the Soul fear maketh an Earthquake within us and causeth great unquietness in our Spirits The Soul that is overborn with fears never keepeth silence 3. A third passion is immoderate grief this also breaketh the Souls silence and quiet Psal 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me So as that Soul that under Gods dispensations of this nature either fumeth vexeth or fretteth at God because of them or is overwhelmed with immoderate or unreasonable fears or is overwhelmed or drowned in immoderate grief that Soul doth not keep silence but that Soul only keepeth a due silence to God which under such Providences abideth in a calm and quiet temper neither shaken with fear nor overcome with immoderate grief or sorrow This is now silentium animae the silence of the Soul before and unto God 2. But there is also a silence of the Tongue this is a piece of this Religious silence this is opposed to murmuring cursing and blaspheming of God to speaking hardly of God as if he were an hard Master and did not deal justly or equally with us to any speaking which is derogatory to the honour and glory of God all this now falleth under the first general duty by which I open a silent waiting for God which I call a free and voluntary submission to the good will and pleasure of God without any disturbance of passion or any sinful expressions of our Tongues 2. A Second thing wherein this duty lyeth is A steady dependance upon God for the fulfilling of his Promises made to his people in such a condition he that hath nothing to depend upon or trust to will not wait so as there can be no patient waiting where there is no secret trust and dependance This is indeed the proper exercise of Faith I have spoken fully to it when I opened the life of Faith in such a time 3. A Third thing in which this duty lies is in the Souls expectation and looking out for God Early in the morning saith David Psal 5.3 I will direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Thus when Habakkuk in the first Chapter of his Prophecy had put up his Prayer to God he saith Chap. 2. that he would go up to his watch-Tower A man goeth up to a Tower or to some high place to see whether a friend or an enemy be coming yea or no It is a piece of our duty in our waiting upon God under his dark dispensations of Providence while we are waiting to be also looking up and living in the expectation of the fulfilling of those promises which we have discerned and fixed our souls by Faith upon and which we have been praying for Our hearts should not be dead we must take heed of saying I look for no good the heart is dead when it comes to that The Soul that waits upon God under dark Providences must be looking for good and confident in its expectations of it from God 4. Lastly This waiting must be in the use of such means as God hath appointed us for the obtaining of the mercy design'd and promised and therefore Psal 37. v. 34. they are put together wait upon the Lord and keep his way Now you have this duty of silent waiting upon God opened to you The Sum of it is this It is the duty of a child of God under these Providences to keep his Soul from being overmuch shaken and overcome with fears or drowned in grief from fretting fuming and vexing at Gods dealings to keep his tongue from all murmuring all foolish and unadvised speaking with his lips to keep his Soul in a quiet dependance upon God for the fulfilling of his word daily looking up for him after the use of such means as he by the Law of Nature or in his revealed will hath appointed for the obtaining of the mercy or good thing which is the matter of our desires and he hath made the Subject of his Promise and consequently the Object of our Faith You have heard your duty Now give me leave to plead with all you that hear me this day for the Practice of it I have in this Discourse been exhorting to several duties of a child of God under dark dispensations of Providence when wicked men have been set up high increased in riches honour every way prospered and the people of God are kept in low despised afflicted states and conditions I remember the Apostle calls to us to add to our faith knowledg to both vertue to vertue temperance c. Do you also add to your not fretting not being angry and envious a steady exercise of Faith and dependance on God to your dependance on God and trusting in him an universal departing from evil and doing that which is good and to that a patient quiet waiting for God I shall in order to your better performance of this offer some counsel and then press it with some arguments and so shut up this Discourse 1. In the first place There are three things which in order to your fulfilling this point of duty I shall commend to you to get a through acquaintance with 1. Be acquainted with Gods name It is David's expression Psal 52.9 I will wait upon thy name for it is good before thy Saints It is the Name of God which we wait upon now it is reasonable in order to our waiting upon his name that we should know his name for as the Psalmist saith They that know thy name will put their trust in thee and truly they that do not know the Lords name will never wait upon him Well you will say What is his name I answer whatsoever he hath revealed and made himself known by or to be that is his name I might instance in many particulars His name is God allsufficient Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God His name is I am the unchangeable God His name is Jehovah the soveraign Lord God and therefore we ought to wait upon him His name is The Lord the Lord Gracious Merciful c. they that know the Lords name that are throughly acquainted with the nature of God as he hath in his word made himself known to us they will wait upon God they will see it a reasonable thing that they should wait upon God 2. In the
and in the same Nation where the Gospel is preached some have a sound and little more Preachers in some places in stead of preaching the Gospel Preach human Philosophy or the lusts of their own hearts In other places the Word of God is preached faithfully and powerfully so that the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Men are compelled to come in This difference in the external ministration which let me tell you hath no small influence upon the eternal concern and interest of men for God doth not ordinarily work by way of miracle and heal the eyes of the blind with Clay and Spittle is fountain'd only in the free-will and Grace of God Vse 2. But I trust I speak to some who have tasted further of the mercy and Grace of God than receiving the general Dispensation of the Gospel with their outward ears God hath by his holy Spirit upon the preaching of the Gospel effectually moved their hearts and conquered their Souls into a subjection to Christ They have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ by a Gospel-faith they are brought by a mighty hand out of darkness into marvelous Light and translated out of this Kingdom of Sin and Satan into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus I have this day been discovering to you the Fountain of this Grace of which God hath made you partakers you have heard that it is the will of God only which hath distinguished betwixt you and others It is not because you were more nobly born than others nor because you were more rich more honourable or by nature better complexioned than others God saw no more goodness in your natures than in the natures of others you were all the same flesh he infused into all Souls of the same nature and species only he hath willed rather to shew mercy unto your Souls than to the Souls of others because he hath set his love upon you There are three duties that hence lie very obvious 1. The First is Praise Thankfulness and Admiration Certainly every such Soul stands highly obliged with the Psalmist to cry out Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits If free Grace will not affect our hearts and fill our mouths with a new Song nothing will It must certainly be an amazing consideration for a Soul to sit down and think I was in the same mass and lump of lost man-kind that others are I was by Nature a Child of wrath as much as any my Childhood and Youth were Vanity as much as any others I was grinding at the same Mill it may be in actual sins I outstripped many others Now that the Lord should look upon me and pluck me as a brand out of the Fire that God should open my eyes and change my heart What did God see in me Possibly my more external circumstances were far less and more unvaluable than those of thousands of others my House was of small account and little esteem there are many more great and noble more wise and prudent than I am many who in all appearance so far as man can judg might have been more serviceable to God than I am or am ever like to be now that the Lord should pass them over and shew mercy to me certainly no Soul can seriously think of these things but must be ravished with the apprehensions of the inaccountable love of God in these things and say What shall I render unto thee O Lard what shall I render unto thee 2. This notion of Gods Soveraignty freedom and inaccountbleness in the dispensations of his Grace should teach every Soul that hath been or shall be made a partaker of it the great lesson of humility The Apostle Rom. 3.27 giveth this as the reason why God hath setled the justification of a Sinner upon a bottom of free Grace and hath excluded works that he might also exclude boasting and teach those who glory to glory in the Lord upon this Argument the Apostle exhorteth the Gentiles not to boast against the Jews Rom. 11.22 Behold the goodness and the severity of God saith he to those who abide in their unbelief severity to thee goodness Pride is a sinful habit disposing the Soul to swell in the opinion of some excellency in it self and a little thing will swell our corrupt hearts The Apostle propoundeth this very consideration as a cure for that tumour in the Souls of Christians 1 Cor. 4.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou which thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it It is nothing but the will of God that hath made a difference betwixt thee and the vilest Sinner breathing betwixt thee and the most filthy Drunkard the most furious Persecutor c. It was not for any worth any goodness or holiness which the Lord saw in thee but of his meer free will and Grace God hath shewed mercy to thy Soul what hast thou now of thy own to boast or glory in Thou hast indeed reason to glory and to make thy boast in the Lord and to bless God for what he hath done for thy Soul more than for a thousand others but there is no thanks to thee his will his own will was the fountain of his Grace extended to thee God hath had mercy upon thy Soul only because he would have mercy O therefore be not high-minded but fear and walk humbly before God 3. Lastly this calleth upon all of you who have tasted of this free and unaccountable Grace to live a distinguishing life and conversation There is a Generation that fancyeth that the Doctrine of Free-Grace opens a door to Liberty It is but the old Cavil in Saint Pauls time there were those that thus accused the Doctrine of Free-Grace as if it gave men a liberty to go on in sin as appeareth by the Apostles anticipation of that Cavil Rom. 6.1 What saith he shall we then continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid and so he goeth on shewing that any such conclusion from his principles was unreasonable How shall we saith the Apostle who are dead unto sin live any longer therein Special distinguishing Free-Grace both deadneth the Soul to Sin and inflameth the Soul with a love to God who hath made the Soul to differ so as that Soul cannot live as other men the love of God constraineth him he must apprehend himself obliged to do more for God than others because God hath shewen more mercy to him than unto others and that meerly because he would shew mercy What can possibly be imagined to have a greater and lay an higher obligation upon the Soul to all manner of holiness in conversation to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh SERMON L. Hosea XIII 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but
be such a sufficient grace granted to all It must be sufficient either as a Physical or Natural cause or as a Moral cause Physical causes we know act necessarily All that can be pretended is a sufficiency as a Moral cause Now certainly in the Gospel and the preaching of it there is only a proposition of things to be believed and done and arguments used to perswade the belief or doing of them the Question still is by what power it is that a man doth believe and do What is in the word written propounded in the word preached so persuaded and argued We say it is not of our selves it is the gift of God and it is given to them who believe on the behalf of Christ to believe Phil. 1.29 Now this means is not given unto all the Habits are not infused from whence as from their Roots and Principles these actions must proceed To this they have nothing to say but that these actings flow from a Principle in mans will yet all men have the same reasonable Souls thus God giveth Faith and Holiness no more to Paul than to Judas The upshot is therefore That there is in man a self sufficiency to his own Salvation and need not to be beholden to Father Son or Holy Ghost for it being once brought forth into the World and possessed of a reasonable Soul he hath a sufficiency to his own Slavation and may be a God unto himself but it is not proper to call this means we are otherwise taught from the Holy Scriptures and therefore cannot agree it That all men have an auxilium sufficiens a sufficiency of grace and gracious assistances in order to their obtaining Eternal life and Salvation 2. Quest But the Second Question still remains viz. How can God be just in the condemnation of any Sinner to whom he hath not given a sufficient aid and assistance of grace in order to his Salvation To this in my former discourses I have spoken sufficiently But yet I will speak something to it here falling so fully in my way Answ 1. I answer first God did give unto Adam sufficient aids and assistances of Divine grace to have carried him and all his posterity to Heaven What was given unto him was given to him and his to him as a publick Person in whom we all were Arnoldus contra Mol. c. 6. Sect. 2. Episcopius disp 5. thes 6. and fell Arminians stifly deny That Adam in his state of innocency had a power to believe in Christ because say they there was need of any Faith in Christ in that estate no Episcopius saith it is a silly Question considering we make Faith a Supernatural habit and such a one as in that state there was no need of This is no better then trifling and equivocating surely all habits of grace since the fall are Supernatural habits we must be taught of God to love God and to love one another to fear God to delight or to hope in him had Adam therefore no such powers in his state of innocency think we Further I would gladly know whether Adam had not a power in innocency to do whatsoever was necessary in order to the obtaining of everlasting Salvation If God doth not give now to every man such a sufficiency of power and Spiritual assistance yet he is just in the condemnation of Sinners Man had such a sufficiency of power and lost it but God hath not lost his right to require the exercise of it and to condemn Sinners for sin though they now want it 2. Especially considering that God hath given unto all such a sufficiency of external means as is sufficient to render them without excuse This the Apostle expresly saith Rom. 2.1 But you will say If God hath not given to all a sufficiency of means how shall man be without excuse shall not one say Lord I never heard of Christ I never saw thy Law how should I believe on him of whom I never heard how should I obey that Law which I never saw nor heard of Again shall not another say Lord I did indeed hear of a Saviour the Scripture I read I beard but I had no power to believe I could not chonge my own heart thou wouldst not change it thou indeed Lord didst stand at the door of my heart and knock but thou didst never put in thy hand at the hole of the door I answer these Sinners yet shall be inexcusable because they walked not up to that light and mercy which God gave them This is what the Apostle giveth in plea for God concerning the Heathen Rom. 1.18 21. The wrath of God saith he is revealed against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men for saith he That which may be known of God is manifested in them for God hath shewed it to them v. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned It is true we say the Heathens have not a light shining amongst them they have nothing but the light of Nature to guide them and this light maketh no discovery of Christ but yet the light shineth with them a light which will shew them there is a God and discover to them that this God is Eternal and powerful So that saith the Apostle they are without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations they improved not what light they had nor became thankful for it nor obedient to it Christians are much more inexcusable for besides that they have an equal share in Natural light and have the same dictates of Natural conscience with others there is much more of Christ and his Gospel manifested to them Christ telleth the Jews Mat. 21.32 That John came unto them in a way of righteousness and they believed not but Publicans and Harlots believed in him and you saith he when you had seen it repented not afterwards that you might believe Christians have the preaching of the Gospel the preaching of Faith and of repentance and they repent not that they might believe you will say but it is God that must give a power to repent he gave unto Gentiles repentance unto life I answer repentance is taken either more largely or more strictly More stricty it signifieth the turning of the heart from all Sin unto God this indeed is the work of God he alone hath an hand upon the heart of man but more largely it is taken for the turning from some sin and the performance of external discipline now as to this the Lord denieth unto none a sufficiency of grace and if men do not what in them lyeth they are without excuse 3. Finally It is most certain that God whether he giveth sufficient grace to all or no condemneth none but for sin I have shewed you at large that a sinners destruction is of and from himself as
God made us any promise that he will convert and Eternally save all our Children on whose behalf we labour and wrestle with God but as Hannah obtained her Child by Prayer upon which account it was that she named him Samuel Beg'd of God so I doubt not but that there are many good Parents that by Prayer have from God obtained the Conversion and Regeneration of their Children and that early that the Lord might as it were shew them that he gave in the Souls of their Children to their prayers and their godly instructions exhortations reproofs catechizing c. If we should never see grace appearing in tender years we should conclude it in vain during those years to use any means with them tending to such an end The Apostle telleth Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 That from a Child he had known the Scriptures and 2 Tim. 1.5 He mentioneth an unfained faith that was both in his Grandmother Lois and in his Mother Eunice and he was perswaded in him also in him doubtless in great measure by their means God honouring their labours with the conversion of Timothy 2. Secondly Possibly God doth intend some elect vessels of his no long time in the World God intended Abijam the Son Jeroboam but a short time in the World and therefore there was early found in him some good thing I observed that amongst all the Patriarchs which are reckoned up Gen. 5. He of them who before Enos lived the shortest time lived 895 years the rest lived longer only Enoch lived but 365 about a third part of the time of the other It is said He walked with God and was not for God took-him and we see this of times in our experience God taketh away those in their youth whom he calleth in their Childhood and youth You have an observation that beautiful Children or Children of composed serious countenances when very young or such as being very young are very toward and fond of their Books seldome live long how true that is I cannot say but you shall I believe more certainly observe it of such who earlily have their hearts changed and are converted unto God God setteth those to work young to whom he hath not appointed long time to work of all whom God hath given unto Christ he must lose none and though Infants elect are saved upon the Covenant of grace before it appeareth to the World that they have laid hold upon it or are in a capacity in order to it to exercise their reason yet that is not Gods usual way where he alloweth to any a longer life till they come to exercise their reason he expecteth they should keep the ordinary road to Heaven by repentance and faith and in order to this he worketh upon their hearts betimes giving them repentance unto life and faith to lay hold upon the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Thirdly Possibly God doth intend some a longer time in the World but hath designed them for some great and eminent service in it such the Lord useth to call betimes I will shew it you in two or three eminent instances The first is that of Samuel Samuel was to be a great Prophet yea and a Judge in Israel God accordingly betimes took him unto his more special tutorage he was designed by his Mother and from the very time of his weaning by her dedicated unto the Lord and the Lord while he was yet a Child eminently communicated his mind to him as you read in the story 1 Sam. 2.3 chap. Josiah was a Second God had designed him for a great and eminent service he was Prophesied of many years before he was born and that by name as who should work a great and eminent Reformation and he did do that God earlily prepares him for it he was but 8 years old when he began to reign and he began to seek the Lord God of his Fathers and when was but 16 years of age he began a work of Reformation of a long and most grosly corrupted state Timothy is a third God had designed him for an Evangelist to have a great hand in settling the Gospel-Church God called him very young from a Child he knew the Holy Scriptures which are able to make the man of God wise unto Salvation To these I may add an instance of an eminent Prince in our own Nation King Edward the Sixth who laid the first Principles of our reformation King Henry the 8th did little and what he did seemed rather to be out of interest so biassing him than otherwise God was pleased in his very young and tender years to seize upon his heart He had intended him as the event proved but a short life and he had laid out for him a very great work to purge such an Augean Stable as the Popish rabble had left Two observations I have made upon reading the Scripture 1. That when God had long kept some women his servants barren they ordinarily proved the Mothers of very eminent Children Rachel Manoahs wife Hanna and Elizabeth are instances of that 2. That God very often when he designed Persons for some eminent work prepared them for it by an early seizing upon their hearts and sanctifying them from the Womb unto himself And this will appear to you very reasonable upon a double account 1. Those which do a great deal of work for God must have a great deal of time to do it in All humane actions you know require time and a proportion of time according to the work 2. Those who are to excel in work must not be much blotted in their previous conversation Jacob in his blessing of Reuben Gen. 49. v. 4. hath this expression Reuben shall not excel because he went up unto his Fathers bed he went up unto my Couch God seldome alloweth any one eminently to excel whose youth hath been stained with many eminent and notorious blots they may come to Heaven upon their conversion but they shall not excel in the world I can think but of one instance in Scripture to the contrary which is that of Saul he was a persecutor himself telleth us and a blasphemer yet received to mercy but he saith it was because he did it ignorantly St. Paul's persecution was not rooted in a malice against godliness and holiness but in an error of judgment he saith of himself that he verily thought that he ought to do many things against Jesus of Nazareth There is a great deal of difference betwixt scandalous sinners one man is prophane and a persecutor only by a mistake another man is so by principle St. Paul was of the former sort 't is true he was a prophane and mischievous persecutor a prophane blasphemer but it was by a mistake not that he had any prejudice or ill Opinion of the ways of holiness which Christs Doctrine led to for he was never that we read of scandalous in those things which the light of Nature Reason or the Law of Moses required or forbad but only as
that it may live and not dye God calleth into his Vineyard at several hours some he calleth at the Sixth some at the Nineth some at the Eleventh hour Happy thrice happy are they whom God findeth at the Sixth hour in their youth and persuadeth to go into his Vineyard they ordinarily find not so hard a labour of the new-birth they have the priviledg of a longer familiarity and acquaintance with God they have more opportunities of doing God service God often honoreth them to do him some more eminent service but if you have slipped that hour if it be the Ninth hour nay if it be in the wane of your life if it be towards Evening with you that you have nothing to do but to repent and dye singing the Song of old Simeon Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation yet thou hast no cause to discourage thy self God doth not work upon all Souls at one and the same period of time Great sinners have no reason to discourage themselves the gate to Heaven may appear something straiter to you than unto others you may have an harder work of it it is an hard thing for those that are accustomed to do evil to do well but yet if God will give you an heart to repent if the Lord shall change your hearts and incline you to turn unto him there is mercy with God even for you God can men make to bring forth fruit in their old age Vse 3. Lastly and with that I shall shut up this discourse This speaketh aloud unto all such as have the charge of others as Parents Masters Tutors and Governours to be daily labouring with them for the good of their Souls using all possible means to bring them unto God It is Solomons advice Ecc. 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening let not thy hand be slack for thou knowest not which shall prosper this or that or whether both shall be alike good you that are Parents of Children Masters of Servants in any relation Governours of youth see what an ingagement lyeth upon you to bring up your Children to Reading the word Catechizing to bring them to hear faithful Preachers sow the seeds of Spiritual learning and instruction in them in the Morning of their lives hearken not to those who would perswade you that Catechizing in your families is useless and that a Notional knowledg signifieth nothing until God come to work in their hearts that is true but ill applyed when used as a discouragement to the use of the means of knowledg God doth his work by the use of means on our parts and Preaching is not the only means God sometimes in the conversion of sinners maketh his way to their hearts by their heads sanctifying notions of truth dropt into Souls of persons in their tender years and reflecting them many years after upon the conscience you know not which shall prosper this or that use them to read the Scriptures to be examined questioned and catechised out of the Scriptures to hear lively and powerful preaching you know not which shall prosper in order to the conversion of their Souls and turning them to God this or that whether reading or preaching or Family-instruction God that can work without means useth as you have heard a variety of means and doth not limit himself to this or that Or whether both may not prove alike good God may use one means to begin another to perfect one to plant another to water one for laying the foundation another for building thereon and laying the corner-stone and yet when the building is finished you shall see reason enough to cry Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be given the glory to cry Grace Grace unto it The Knowing person when converted hath usually if not guilty of notorious sins against his light the easiest new-birth and the most quiet and peaceable life Many more doubts and fears trouble those that are more imperfect in their knowledg of the things of God than trouble others O let it not be said of you as it was said of Herod upon occasion of the killing of his own Child amongst the rest of the Infants That it was better to be Herods Hog than his Child Let it not be said of any of you that it is better to be your Horse or Swine or other Beast than your Child or Servant or Scholar For your Beasts you provide all things sutable to their Natures and capacities O remember your Children have Spiritual beings and are born into the World with a capacity of Eternity nay under a certain ordination to a miserable or blessed Eternity SERMON LIII Isaiah 28.29 This also cometh from the Lord who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in working THE Particle This in the front of my Text is relative to what went before where the Prophet had been speaking of some works of Divine Providence and those but of an inferiour Nature if compared with others the discretion by which men having divers sorts of Grain and Seeds are taught to get them out of their husks and ears by instruments not always the same but suted to the respective Grain or Seed they intend to get out Of this it is that the Text speaks This discretion and saith it cometh from the Lord who is wonderful in Counsel So that I desire you to observe that my following discourses which I shall bottom on this Text are not founded on the first words and the relative Particle This but upon the latter where Gods wonderfulness in Counsel and excellency in working are join'd together Gods excellency in the workings of Providence floweth from his wonderful Counsel and if such little instincts as the foregoing verses speak of be from the Lord the Lords workings and from a wonderful Counsel an easie argumentation will conclude that Gods dispensations of special grace by the hand of his Providence must needs be the effects of infinite wisdom and proceed from the Lord who is wonderful in Councel which is the point I have in hand and to vindicate Divine wisdom from our exceptions against it because of the variety which God useth in his dispensations of it and the inequal distributions of it to the Children of men I have spoken already to the varieties of Providence in the dispensations of the first grace by which a Soul is converted and turned from sin unto God in which work the Soul is meerly passive I come now to speak to those dispensations of Spiritual grace wherein the Soul is not meerly passive but active as to these also we shall observe a great variety in the motions of Divine Providence and a great inequality in the distributions of it of which I shall give you some account and then shut up the discourse To this inequality of distribution good Christians often find it an hard thing to reconcile their thoughts and although God must be allowed to have