his own workmanship as ordinarily to cross the Order and alter the course He hath set in the World Therefore the meaning of the Text is not that Swiftness conduces nothing to the winning of the Race or Strength to the winning of the Battel or Wisdom Vnderstanding to the getting of Bread and Riches or Prudence Art or Skill to the getting of the Favour and good will of Princes or People nor that the Race is never to the Swift or the Battel never to the Strong no nor yet that the Race is not more frequently to the Swift and the Battel usually to the Strong c. For the Lord doth most ordinarily award Success unto causes of greatest Sufficiency rather than Disappointment Defeatment Otherwise it would be a very heartless if not a foolish Thing in the eye of Reason to use means or to think to get the Race by Swiftness or Bread by Labour and Diligence or Favour by dexterous prudent Behaviour or Learning by Study and Industry or to win the Battel by good Conduct and Courage and numbers of men Yea then Wisdom would not be better than Folly nor Strength more desirable than Weakness nor Diligence more beneficial available than Idleness and sitting still This therefore is evident that the Issues and Events of Undertakings do in some respect ordinarily depend upon the Sufficiency of Second Causes insomuch as the greatest probability of Success according to an ordinary providence and in the eye of Reason is ordinarily on the side of Causes that are most sufficient in their kind of Efficiency Prop. 3. Second Causes though of greatest Sufficiency in their kind have not the certain Determination of Successes Events in their own Hands but may be frustrated disappointed Though the Successes and Events of Undertakings ordinarily depend upon the sufficiency of Second Causes yet they are not infallibly determined thereby Created Agents have not Events in their own Hands but may be disappointed they cannot warrant the Events of their Undertakings or Success of their Counsels and Endeavours but may be defeated of their Hopes and Expectations Thus no man hath the absolute command of the Issue success of his own Undertakings He may be sure of this or that Event if the Lord Promise it to him or Reveal it to be His Pleasure to give such Success to such Endeavours but he cannot be secured of it from or by any Sufficiency of his own He may as a wise man foresee say what in an ordinary course of Providence is rationally to be expected but cannot warrant the Success of his Undertakings or carv out what Event he pleases to himself His Prudence and Providence and Diligence and Sufficiency for Action cannot assure him of the Event or determin the Success on his side And there is that Demonstration of it that created Agents of the the greatest Sufficiency are sometimes disappointed Two Things I would say here 1. Agents of greatest Sufficiency are subject to Disappointment as well I do not say as much or as ordinarily and often but as well as Agents of less sufficiency The Ablest Men in any kind may miss of the Success they expect as well as weaker men That Men of great Sufficiency in this or that way may be defeated of their Ends and Hopes Solomon from his own Experience assures us in the Text and who is it that upon his own observation cannot set his Seal to what He asserts He gives five Instances 1. The Race is not to the Swift not profitable or successful to him always but sometimes pernicious destructive Many agood Runner runs Himself into mischief and Ruine Thus Asabel that is said to be as light of foot as a wild Roe ran after Abner so fast that he lost his Life in that overhasty pursuit 2 Sam. 2. 18-23 There are Times when men that are swift would run from danger and cannot they have neither power to run nor success in attempting it Ier. 46 6. Sometimes the Flight perisheth from the Swift and he that is swift of foot or that rideth the Horse though it be at full speed cannot deliver himself Amos 2. 14 15. It is not absolutely in the power of the swiftest man to escape danger or win the prize by Running 2. The Battel is not to the Strong There is in Bello Alea the Chance of Warre as they use to speak There is as it were a kind of Lottery a great Uncertainty in Warre Great Armies are sometimes defeated by small and inconsiderable Forces the great Host of Midian by Gideon's three hundred men the Garrison of the Philistines by Ionathan and his Armour-Bearer This hath been often observed in the World Sometimes strong and valiant Men are overthrown by those that are in strength farre inferiour to them great Goliah by little David Well might David say as Psal. 33. 16 17. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength An Horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength There are Times when the mighty Ones are beaten down Jer. 46. 5. The mighty cannot deliver himself or the strong strengthen himself but the couragious among the mighty is put to flight Amos 2. 14 16. Sometimes the strong melt like water at approaching danger and the stouthearted are spoiled and sleep their sleep and the men of might cannot find their hands to make the least Defence or Resistance Psal. 76. 5. 3. Bread is not to the Wise. Wise men are not able to get their Livelihood but have much adoe to make a shift to get a bare Subsistence in the world and it may be are forc'd to beg for it or be beholding to the Charity of others There have been strange Instances of very wise and worthy Persons that have been reduced to such a Condition Some of you know the famous Story Date Obolum or as others have it Panem Belisario David was put to beg his Bread of Nabal 1. Sam. 25. Paul was often in Hunger and Thirst 2 Cor. 11. 27. 4. Riches are not to men of Vnderstanding Sometimes indeed wise men get Estates and gather Riches and one would think they should be best accomplish'd for it and yet it so falls out that some understanding Mâ—n cannot thrive in the World and grow rich notwithstanding all their Endeavours So it is that many men of great Understanding and rational Forecastings and Contrivances to gather wealth though they lay out their Parts and their Hearts this way and would be rich yet they cannot but are strangely defeated You read of the poor wise man Eccles. 9. 15. Many men of great Understandings are too wise and of too great Spirits to labour after wealth or if they do their designs are unsuccessful 5. Favour is not to men of Skill Many very wise and knowing skillfull men and experienced in Affairs and prudent also in their Deportment yet cannot get
brought his Design near to an Issue then the King cannot sleep but calls for the Book of the Records of the Chronicles and they read to Hâ—m of the good Service of Mordecai in discovering the Treason that was plotted against his Person and one thing falls in after another to defeat Haman's cruel design and ruine the whole fabrick of his strong built and almost perfected Contrivance In this sence Time and Chance happens to men of greatest Sufficiency which they cannot either foresee Eccl 9. 12. or prevent or help themselves against them when they come upon them and hereby their Counsels and Undertakings are defeated and ruined sometimes Prop. 5. Time and Chance which happens to men in the way of their Vndertakings is effectually ordered governed by the Lord. God is the Lord of Time and Orderer and Governour of all Contingences Time and Chance that further or hinder the Designs of men are under the Rule and Management of the Lord. His Counsel sets the Times appoints the Chances His Providence dispenses the Times and frames the Chances that befall men The Lord hath in his own power the Dispensation of Times Eph. 1. 10. The Times and Seasons He hath put in his own power Act. 1. 7. He hath such a Dominion over the Times that He changeth Times and Seasons according to his own pleasure Dan. 2. 21. My Times saith David Ps. 31. 15. are in thy Hands He means the state and condition of his Times his Prosperities and Adversities his Successes and Disappointments and universally whatever should befall him in the Times that should pass over Him Moreover all the Chances that happen to men as the Scripture but now mentioned shews are in the Hand of God My Times i.e. the Chances of my Times No Contingency or Emergency or Accident so casual but it is ordered governed by the Lord. The Arrow that was shot at a venture and smote Ahab throw the joints of his Hâ—rness was directed at him by the Hand of God So in that case of Man-slaughter and killing a man casually as if a man be hewing Wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the Axe to cut down a Tree and the head slippeth from the helve and lighteth upon his Neighbour that he die Deut. 19 5. God is said in that case to deliver that man that is slain into his hand Exod. 21. 13. God ordereth that sad event All Casualties in the World are guâ—ded by the steady Hand 〈◊〉 the great God Thou saith David Ps. 16. 5. maintainest â—y Lot The Lord makes and disposes the Lot or Chance of every man whatever it is He hath appointed all Times and Chances in his Eternal Counsel and in Time executes accordingly in the course of his Providence Prop. 6. The great God hath the absolute and infallible Determination of the Successes and Events of all the Operations Vndertakings of created Agents Second Causes in his own Power His Counsel and soveraign Will appoints what they shall be and his Providence which is not determined by any Second Cause but is the Determiner of them all Executes accordingly And it must needs be so if you consider these two Particulars 1. God is the Absolute First Cause and Supream Lord of all Of Him and to Him and through Him are all Things Rom. 11. 36. He that understands any thing of God indeed knows this to be a Truth Here we might be large as they that are acquainted with the Doctrine of Creation and Providence in Conservation and Gubernation of all Things will readily apprehend for here we might shew you 1. That God is the absolute first Cause of all the causal power and virtue that is in Creatures He gives them power to act furnisheth them with a Sufficiency for their Operations He gives Swiftness to the Runner Skill and Strength and Courage to the Souldier 2. That He supports and continues the active power of the creature He continues Swiftness Wisdom Strength Courage as He pleaseth If He withdraw all is gone The Swift is lame or slow-footed the Strong is weak timorous the Wise is foolish and besotted the man of Skill is a meer Bungler at any thing 3. That He doth by a previous Influx excite and stirre up and actuate the active power of the Creature and set all the wheels agoing For the most operative active created Virtue is not a pure Act but hath some Potentiality mixed with it and therefore cannot put forth it self into Action unless it be set agoing by the first Cause And the creature cannot be the absolute first Cause of any physical action In Him we live and move Act. 17 28. Again 4. That He determines and applyes Second Causes to the Objects of their Actions When they stand as it were in Bivio as it is said of Nebuchadnezzar when he was marching with his Army He stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two wayes to use Divination as doubting which way he had bâ—st to march whether to Ierusalem or some other way Ezek. 21. 21 22. Then the Lord easts the Scale and the Lot determines them this way and not another He doth not only stir up Second Causes to act at large and set them agoing and leave it to their own Inclination whither they shall go what they shall do but He leads them forth and determines them to this or that Object 5. That He cooperates and workes jointly with Second Causes in producing their Effects as He predetermins Second Causes so He concurres with them in their Operations And this Pradetermination and Concurse is so necessary that there can be no real Effect produced by the Creature without it And it is a Truth also that when God Improves Second Causes for the production of any Effect He so concurres with them that He doth withall most immediately intimously and without Dependence upon these Causes by which He acts produce the Entity or Esse of the Effect If this be considered it will appear that created Agents are as it were God's Instruments that act as they are acted by Him and cannot move of themselves The busy bustling proud Assyrian was so Is 10. 15. 6. That all the Ataxy Disorder Irregularity moral Evil that is found in the Actions of Rational Agents is by His Permission If it were not the Pleasure of God to permit it no Sin should be in the World nor in the Actions of Men. Though there is no Legal Permission or allowance of it for the Law of God forbids it yet there is a Providential Permission of it God could have kept it out of his World 7. That He limits and sets Bounds to the Actions of Second Causes what they shall do and how farre they shall proceed in this or that way He set bounds to Satan when he had Commission to afflict Iob. He limits and restrains the Eruptions of the Wrath Rage of the Churches Adversaries Ps. 76. 10. He sets bounds to the sinfull
Actions of Men He regulates and governs all the Actions of Second Causes as to time place degrees and all manner of Circumstances He is not the Author but He is the Ordâ—rer of Sin it self 8. That He serves Himself and his own Ends of all Second Causes He makes them all in all their Operations subservient to his own Designs and that not only natural but rational Agents that act by Counsel And not only such of them as are his professed willing Servants Many serve God's ends beside their Intentions and against their wills I will do this and that saith God by the Assyrian howbeit he meaneth not so Is. 10. 6 7. Wicked men and Devils do God's will against their own will and beside their Intentions Ye thougt Evil against me saith Ioseph to his Brethren but God meant it for good c. Gen. 50. 20. God elicites what good He pleases out of the actions of his Creatures Whatever this or that Agent proposeth to himself yet God alwayes attaineth His Ends. He serves Himself of the very Sins of his Creatures and brings good out of them He makes that which is not Bonum honestum to be Bonum conducibile and though Sin is not good yet as God orders the matter it is good in order to many holy Ends that Sin should be in the World as Austin observes 9. That He useth means in themselves unfit and improves Agents of themselves insufficient to bring about his own Purposes produce marveilous Effects Yea and it is as easy with Him to do any thing by weak and insufficient as by the ablest most accomplished Instruments There is no restraint to the Lord to Save by many or by few 1 Sam. 14. 6. it is nothing with Him to help whether with many or with them that have no power 2 Chron. 14. 11. Despicable Instruments sometimes do great Things in His Hand 10. That He renders the aptest means ineffâ—ctual and the Vndertakings of the most sufficient Agents unsuccessful when He pleases He hath a Negative Voice upon all the Counsels and Endeavours and Active Power of the Creature He can stop the Sun in its course and cause it to withdraw its shining He can give check to the Fire that it shall not burn to the hungry Lions that they shall not devour and He can order it so that the men of might shall sleep their sleep and not find their Hands He can break the Ranks of the most orderly Souldiers take away courage from the stoutest hearts send a pannick Fear into a mighty Host and defeat the Counsels of the wisest Leaders and Conducters He can blow upon and blast the likeliest Undertakings of the ablest Men. In a word the Lord being the Absolute First Cause and supream Governour of all his Creatures and all their Actions though He hath set an Order among his Creatures this shall be the cause of that effect c. yet He himself is not tied to that Order but Interrupts the course of it when He pleases The Lord reserves a Liberty to Himself to interpose and to Umpire matters of Success and Event contrary to the Law and common Rule of Second Causes And though He ordinarily concurreth with Second Causes according to the Law given and Order set yet sometimes there is in his Providence a Variation and Digression Though He hath given Creatures power to act and Man to act as a Cause by Counsel and hath furnished him with active Abilities yet He hath not made any Creature Master of Events but reserves the Disposal of Issues and Events to Himself Herein the absolute Soveraignty and Dominion of God appears 2. Otherwise the Lord might possibly suffer real Disappointment and be defeated of his Ends in some Instances He might be cross'd in his Designs if any of his Creatures could doe what they will without absolute Dependence upon Him He could not be sure of his Ends what He designs in the World if He had not command of all Events that may further or hinder them If there were any active power in Creatures that He cannot controll or any one event that is out of his Reach and absolutely in the Creature 's power exempted from his providential Command it would be possible thaâ— He might be defeated of his Ends and so far unhappy as to his voluntary Happiness which results from his having his 〈…〉 in the World and compassing all his Ends in the works of Creation and Providence God hath made all Things â—â—eth all Things and manageth all Things according to the Counsel of his Will in away of subserviency to Himself and his own Occasions which He could not do universally and miâ—â—strâ—bly if He had not the absolute and infallible Determination of all Events in his own Hand But His Counsel shall stand and He will do all his Pleasure Is. 46. 10. Thus much for the Explication and Confirmation of the Doctrine USE I. Of Instruction in these Particulars 1. We see what a poor dependent nothing-Creature Proud Man is Depending absolutely upon God for his Being Actions and the Success of them Men of greatest Sufficiency cannot get their own Bread or bring any thing to effect in their own strength Let their Abilities be what they will Swiftness for the Race Strength for the Battel Wisdom for getting their Bread c. yet they shall stand them in no stead without the concurrence and Blessing of God Man saith he will do this and that but he must ask God leave first He saith To day or to morrow I will go to such a place and buy and sell get gain whereas he knows not what shall be but it shall certainly be as the Lord will The way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps nor perform any thing that he purposeth without divine Concurrence or Permission He hath not the Success of any of his actions in his own power nor doth he know that any thing he doth shall prosper One would wonder poor dependent man should be so proud Any little thing lifts him up When the Souldier on such occasions as these is in his Bravery in his military Garb drest up for the purpose with his Buffe Coat his Scarfe his rich Belt his Arms a good Horse under him O what a goodly Creature is he in his own Eyes and what wonders can he do in his own conceit and yet he hath as absolute need of God's Assistance if he go forth to Battel as any naked unarmed man He cannot move a step or fetch his next breath or bring his hand to his mouth or leap over a straw or do any thing without help from God in whose hand his breath is and whose are all his wayes Dan. 5. 23. It 's strange to see how the hearts of men are lifted up with nothing O cease ye from Man for wherein is he to be accounted of 2. We see that there is and there is not Chance in
him with the Beasts of the Field and teach you better Manners by some severe Correction Do not Sacrifice to your own Nets and burn Incense to your Drags as if by them your portion were fat and meat plenteous Hab. 1. 16. but ascribe all to God There is that deep Wickedness in the Hearts of Men that if they get any thing by any Fraud and crafty fetches and overreaching of their Brethren in a sinful way they will be too readie to attribute that to the Providence and Blessing of God and say it was God's Providence that cast it in upon them when they have been craftily and sinfully designing it and bringing it about but when they have gotten any thing honestly by their Wisdom and Prudence and Industrie they are too ready to forget Providence and ascribe all to themselves See the Evil of this and remember that no People in the World have greater cause of Thankfulness than we have to God who hath governed Time and Chance on our behalf marvellously O Bless Him for good Success not only when you cannot but acknowledge your own Insufficiency but also wheâ—â—ou have apprehensions of the greatest Sufficiency of Second Causes And Blessed for ever be the Lord who hath Pleasure in the Prosperity of his Servants Psal. 35. 27. Secondly Acknowledge God also in all your Frustrations and Disappointments so as to resent his Disposals and Dispensations towards you in a gracious manner We have met with manie Disappointments in the lâ—te Warre and in other respects We should see God in all When He blasts our Corn defeats our Souldiers frowns upon our Merchants and we are disappointed now acknowledge the Hand of God Ordering Time and Chance according to his Good Pleasure Justifie God in all and bear such Frustrations patientlie When you have done your Dutie be quiet though the Event doth not answer your Endeavours and Hopes Take heed of quarrelling at GOD's Disappointments Do you know VVhom you have to do with I was dumb I opened not my mouth because Thou didst it Psal. â—9 9. If we look at faultie Instruments or at meer Chance onely we shall be apt to murmur It is the observation of One That the Reason why men are more apt to fly out into Cursings and Blasphemies for their bad Luck as they call it in those Vnlawful Games of Cards and Dice than in other Exercises that are governed by Art and Skill ariseth partly from the very nature of those Games because when they have tried their Lot or Chance over and over and their Expectation is deceived they think that that Power that governs the Lot or Chance is Adverse to them They cannot blame their own Art or Skill when no Art can infallibly determine the Event but curse their bad Fortune And if we look at Disappointments as our bad Fortune and Chance onely looking no further we shall be apt to fret and quarrel but if we do indeed see God ordering our Lot for us it may and ought to silence us When Magistrates have done their Duty according to the Law of God and of the Country and endeavoured faithfully to give check stop to the Inundation of Profaneness and Heresy and yet the bad Genius of the Times and degenerous Humour of the People and this or that Emergency happens that frustrates the Success of their Counsels and Endeavours truly they may sit down and mourn indeed but yet humbly submit to the All disposing Providence of God When Ministers have laboured faithfully and yet Israel is not gathered and their Labours seem to be in vain not successful in converting Sinners they may weep in secret indeed but yet patiently bear the Unsuccessfulnes of their Ministry from the Hand of God When Souldiers have shewed themselves valiant and faithful and done what they can and yet are worsted They must acknowledge God's Hand in it and that the Battel is the Lord's 1 Sam. 17. 47. who governeth the Warre and determins the Victory on what side He pleaseth All men have Briars and Thorns springing up in the way of their Callings as well as Husbandmen and meet with Difficulties and Crosses there in Get the Spirit David had 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. and so acknowledge God in every thing as to submit humbly to his Disposals even when they are Adverse and cross to your Desies and â—xpectations Thirdly Be always Prepared for Disappointments Do not promise your selves Success from the Sufficiency of Second Causes God may determine otherwise We should be forewarned and forearmed that we may not Xenìzesthai 1 Pet. 4. 12. strange at it when it comes to pass or be dejected and discouraged Events are not in the Creatures power The Lord sometimes disappoints men of greatest Sufficiency over-rules and controlls their Counsels and Endeavours and blasts them strangely Time and Chance happens to them If Adam had stood though he would not have had the Determination of Events Successes in his own hand yet God would have determined them for him according to his hearts-desire and he should never have been disappointed But since the Fall as no Man hath power to determine Events which is God's Prerogative so it is just with God that every man should meet with Crosses and Disappointments and this is the Fruit of the Curse under which all natural menly and as for the People of God though they are delivered from the Curse of the Law in the Formality of it so that nothing befalls them as a Curse how cross soever it be yet they are not yet absolutely delivered from the Matter of the Curse as appears by the Afflictions they meet with and Death it self And indeed it makes sometimes for the glory of God to disappoint Men of greatest Abilities When men do not see and own God but attribute Success to the Sufficiency of Instruments It 's time for God to maintain his own Right as Dr. Preston speaks and shew that He gives or denies Success according to His own good Pleasure God is much seen in Controlling the ablest Agents blasting their Enterprizes yea more many times than in backing them blessing their Endeavours in an ordinary Course of Providence Herein the Wisdom of God is much seen It is best sometimetimes it should be so with respect to God's Int'rest and Glory His Power also appears in giving Check to the Ablest Instruments and turning all their Designs another way than they Intended His Mercy also to his People is seen herein for it is best for them in some Cases to be defeated and disappointed His Iustice also appears herein in his correcting and punishing the Self-confident sinful Creature with unexpected Disappointments So that it is our Wisdom tolook for Changes and Chances some Occurrents and Emergencies that may blast our Undertakings that Faith and Prayer may be kept a going and lest if such Frustrations befall us unexpectedly we either fly out against God or faint and sink in Discouragements At the first going out of our Forces in the
alwayes to evade danger or win the Prize by Running Nor is the Battel to the Strong The Victory is not determined or the decision of the warre made alwayes on the side of the strongest and valiantest men Nor yet Bread to the Wise. Many wise men are not able to get their Bread or Livelihood in the World Nor Riches to men of Vnderstanding Many understanding men have not any success in their endeavours to gathâ—â— Râ—ches and get Estates Nor Favour to men of Skill Many times the most Skillful Artists and Artificers and the best Accomplished Persons find little Favour and Acceptation among men how deserving and ingenious soever they be 2. Illustrated by the Antithesis of a different and the true Cause of the Determination of Successes and Events signified in those words But Time and Chance happeneth to them all By which we are not to understand that the Determination of Events is reducâ—d and referred to meer Chance Fortune as the Epicurean Philosophers imagined but that the Counsel and Providence of God disposes and orders out all Successes or Frustrations of Second Causes casting in sometimes such unexpected Impediments and Obstructions as defeat the Labours and hopes of men of greatest Sufficiency which though they seem wholly casual and fortuitous Emergencies and are so indeed unto men themselves yet they are governed by the secret Counsel and effectual Providence of God The Summe is that no man how accomplish'd soever is Master of Events or absolute Determiner of the Issues of his own Actings and Endeavours but the soveraign Counsel and the Providence of God orders TIME and CHANCE to be an effectual Furtherance or Hindrance of the Designs of all men as seems good in His sight The Observation is Doct. That the Successes and Events of Vndertakings and Affairs are not determined infallibly by the greatest Sufficiency of Men or Second Causes but by the Counsel and Providence of God ordering and governing Time and Chance according to his own good Pleasure I have endeavoured to comprize and grasp the substance of Solomon's Intendment in this Doctâ—nal Conclusion and shall explicate and demonstrate the Truth of it as God shall help in the following Propositions Prop. 1. Second Causes may have a sufficiency in their Kind to produce these and those Effects an liability a congruous disposition or an aptness yea a kind of sufficiency in order to the putting forth this and that Act and the giving Existence to these and those Effects not indeed an absolute and universal Sufficiency which can be affirmed of none but Him that is All sufficient and Omnipotent but a limited sufficiency or a sufficiency in their Kind and order The Sun to shine the Fire to burn that which is combustible the Rational Creature to act or effect this or that in a way of counsel and with freedom of will the Swift to run the strong and valiant and well-instructed Souldier to fight well the wise man to get his bread to gather riches to gain acceptance among those with whom he hath to do This is no more than to say that created Agents and Second Causes may have the active power and virtue of causes all that is requisite on their parts in ordeâ—â— to the production of their peculiar and appropriate Effects all that sufficiency that dependent Beings and second Causes are capable of And indeed it belongs to the Infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God to furnish his Creatures with sufficient Ability for the opperations and effects He hath made them for and so He did at first when He made every thing good in its Kind and whatever Defect there is now in this respect it is the fruit punishment of Sin Though God is able to give Being to things in an immediate way yet it is his pleasure in the course of his Providence to use Means and to produce many things by the mediation and Agency of second Causes and so gives causal virtue and ability to these and those things in order to the producing of such and such Effects It is a good observation that the Lord is pleased not through any defect of power in Himself but out of the abundance of his goodness to communicâ—te causal power and virtue to his Creatures to honour them with that Dignity that they may be his Instruments by which He will produce these and those Effects whereby He takes them as it were into partnership fellowship with Himself in the way of his providential Efficiency that they may be Vnder-workers to yea Co-workers with Himself Hence He gives them an aptitude and sufficiency in their kind in order to their respective operations and effects though some have a greater aptitude sufficiency than others But without some degree of such sufficiâ—â—cy nothing can deserve the name of a Cause the very essence whereof consists in its power virtue ability to produce an Effect A cause cannot be a cause without an active power or sufficiency to give being to this or that Effect Prop. 2. The Successes and Events of Affairs and Vndertakings do ordinarily depend in some respects upon the Sufficiency of Second Causes I do not say in the Observation nor is it the meaning of Solomon that Successes and Events of Affairs and Undertakings do not depend at all in an ordinary course on the sufficiency of Second Causes For this were to deny and destroy their causality and to make nothing of their efficiency Second causes have their peculiar Influence into their Effects and contribute something to their Existence and to assert the contrary were to say that Causes are no Causes and to speak a flat Contradâ—ction This would be to suppose that the Lord hath set up an Order and course in Nature in vain and given to Second Causes a sufficiency in their Kind for Action to no purpose and to deny the ordinary Providence of God which is that whereby the Lord observes the Order which He hath set and that course of Nature which is originally of his own Appointment whereby one thing depends upon and receives Being from another Though the Lord is pleased sometimes upon great and important Occasions to leave the ordinary Road of Providence and act beyond and above the usual stated course of Things and not to concurre with and shine upon the endeavours of created Agents so as to crown them with that success which according to an ordinary course of Providence might be rationally expected yet it is not to be imagined that He should ordinarily dispence with the course and methods of his ordinary Providence For why then should it be called ordinary God who is the Lord of Hosts the great Leader Commander Ruler of Nature not only permits but also effectually commands and causes his whole Militia ordinarily to move and act according to their Natures and natural Properties respectively without Countermanding them or turning them out of their way For as I remember One argues He will not shew such a dislike to
the World Chance there is in respect of Second Causes so some things fall out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Saviour speaks Luk. 10. 31. but no Chance as to the first Cause That piece of Atheism and Heathenism ascribing things to Fortune and Chance is hardly rooted out of the minds of men that are or should be better instructed and informed The Philistines when they were plagued could not tell whether God had done it or a meer Chance happened to them 1 Sam. 6. 9. They understood not that what was a Chance to them was ordered by the Providence of God Truth is Chance is something that falls out beside the Scope Intention and foresight of Man the Reason and cause whereof may be hid from him and so it excludes the Counsel of Men but it doth not exclude the Counsel and Providence of God but is ordered and governed thereby And it is so farre from being Chance to God that there is as much if not more of the Wisdom and Will and Power of God appearing in matters of Chance and Contingency as in any other Events 3. We see here something of the Power and Greatness and Glory of God appearing in his Efficiency whereby He works all in all As He is himself Independent so all Things have an absolute Dependence on Him He gives Success or causeth Disappointment as he pleaseth So that men are wholly beholden to Him for all the good they enjoy for Victory for Bread for Riches for Favour and Acceptance for all Nothing comes to pass without his Permission if it be moral Evil without his Concurse and cooperation yea Predetermination if it be moral or physical Good or penal Evil. In him we live and move and have our Being The Counsels of the ablest Statesmen how rational soever shall not prosper without him Ministers how sufficient soever pious learned industrious zealous shall convert no man edify no man comfort establish no man without Him 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. Though Scholars study hard they shall make no proficiency without the Blessing of God The Merchant may trade and project rationally and yet shall not grow rich upon it unless God give him success It is God that maketh Zebulun rejoice in his Going out and Issachar in his Tents that crowns the labours of Seamen Merchants and Husbandmen with Success Except the Lord build the House c. Ps. 127. 1. Training Days Artillery Days thò of great use ahd very necessary yet are all in vain unless the Lordbless He must instruct and teach and accomplish you otherwise the help of your expert Officers and your own endeavours to learn War will signify nothing And when valiant Souldiers come to fight whatever Skill an Strength and Courage and Conduct and Advantages they have yet they will be worsted if the Lord do not give Success We should learn hence to admire the Power and Greatness of God It is a lamentable thing that He that doth all is thought to do nothing He can work without Means by insufficient Means blast the ablest Instruments and yet is little minded in the World God gives forth a Challenge to Idols Do good if you can or do evil Isai. 41. 23. It is God's Prerogative to do good or evil i. e. not the evil of Sin which argues Defect and Impotency and comes not within the compass of Omnipotency to do it but of Punishment God only can give good or award bad Success and Reward or Correct and punish his Creatures that way Who is he that saith what Man or Angel it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3. 37. O see and adore the Greatness of God in this respect He works all in all VSE II. A word of Terrour to the Enemies of God even all Impenitent Vnbelieving Sinners Wo unto the Wicked it shall be ill with him for the Reward of his hands shall be given him Isai. 3. 11. Their Persons and Works and Ways are in the Hand of God That God whom they despise disobey rebell against disposeth of them and all their Times and Chances And Who ever hardened himself against Him and prospered Job 9. 4. Let me tell you briefly that either 1. You shall be Vnprosperous men that nothing shall succeed well with you as it is said of Coniah Write this man childless or bereaved of Posterity Lands and Goods a man that shall not Prosper in his days Jer. 22. 30. Or 2. You shall prosper to your hurt The Successes you have shall undo you A godly man may be unsuccessful in the management of his Affairs but then his ill Success succeeds well to him humbles him weans him from the World does him good his Soul prospers by means of his unprosperousness But your Successes and Prosperities make you proud insolent bold to sin hardhearted atheistical and more rebellious against God and further your eternal Ruine Iob. 21. 7-15 Because they have no Changes but a constant even uninterrupted course of Prosperity therefore they fear not God Ps. 55. 19. Or you shall prosper not for your own sake but for the good of others Iob 27. 16 17. Prov. 13. 22. And 〈◊〉 The final Issue of all your ways and actions and the concluding Event that will befall you if you persevere in a course of Rebellion against God will be most dreadful In this Life one Event may happen to the Righteous and the Wicked Eccl. 9. 2. But the last general great Event that shall befall them shall be very different for the event shall be that the Righteous shall be saved and the Wicked damned This shall be the portion of the cup of Impenitent wicked men and the Event that shall be ordered out unto them by the Lord that they shall be cast both Soul and Body into Hell He that determins all Events will at last put a sad issue to the Prosperity of his Enemies They must needs be very Unfortunate Unhappy men at last that persevere in Rebellion against Him that governs Time and Chance according to his Pleasure VSE III. A word of singular Incouragement to the dear People of God that have an Interest in God through Iesus Christ walk with Him according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace All your Times and Chances and Changes are in God's Hands and all that befalls you is under His Management and of His Ordering and Disposal Then Say to the Righteous it shall be WELL with Him for he shall eat the fruit of his doings Isa. 3. 10. God will give you the Fruit the Benefit the Success the good Event of all your gracious Counsels and Undertakings He that hath the Master and Ruler of Events on his Side must certainly do well Though you are weak and insufficient in your selves to do Duty to walk with God in your course to resist Temptations yet the Race is not to the Swift nor Battel to the Strong God can and will prosper your sincere Endeavours and give in suitable
the best Policy and Courage and Preparations for Warre But if this reading be somewhat forced yet sure it is that allthough Prayer to God must not exclude the use of other Means for how can a man pray in Faith that doth not also use all due Means in his power to get the Victorie and win the Day Therefore when you come to these Exercises beg military Skill of God and when called forth to real Service beg Success of Him So in other Cases Prayer is one of the best Expedients Our Saviour hath Instructed us to pray for our daily Bread Scholars should beg a Blessing on their Studies Bene Orâsse est bene Studuisse So for Favour acceptance among men beg so much as may put you into a better Capacity to do the work of your place and serve your Generation When Paul was to carry a liberal Contribution to the poor Saints at Ierusalem which was like enough to be very welcome He begs the Romans to strive together with him in Prayer that his Service might be accepted of the Saints Rom. 15. 30 31. Pray threefore in the Name of Christ for the good Success of all your lawful Undertakings Therein you will express your Dependence on God 5. Cast all the Care of Events Issues of your Affairs Vndertakings on the Lord. Use all the good Means in your Hand and then leave Events quietly with God on whom all the Issues of things depend Commit your way to the Lord and roll it off thy self upon Him Psal. 37. 5. Look to Him to direct thy paths to a good Issue Prov. 3. 6. When you have done your Duty in the use of Means to compass your lawful Designs and recommended all to God by Prayer then trouble your selves no further but Cast your burden upon the Lord Psal. 55. 22. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Take that Counsel Phil. 4. 6. It is our work to take care our Dutie be done and the Lord's work to take the care of Events It was a brave Speech of that gallant Souldier though none of the best Men Ioab I mean when he had set his Men in battel aray and used all the Skill Policie he could Be of good Courage and let us play the Men for our People and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth Him good 2 Sam. 10. 12. We must not govern the World nor encroach upon God's Prerogative which is to dispose of Events by taking the care of them upon our selves Be poor and weak in your own Eyes and commit your selves Concernments to Him 6. When you have thus done then Believe stedfastly that the Lord will give you a goud Issue of your Vndertakings Though not that which you may desire yet that which is best for you When you have greatest Sense of your own Insufficiencie and the weakness of Means yet believe this and depend upon Him for it according to his Promise with whom it is all one to save by many or few weak or strong to Convert and edifie by weak or able Ministers to feed his Children and make them look fair and fat with Pulse and mean fare as well as with royal Dainties This Depending upon God excludeth Presumption on one hand Despair and Discouragement on the other And He that in the Sense of his own Insufficiencie trusts in the Power and Grace of God may say as Paul When I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12. 10. Oh then Let us depend upon God with whom are the Issues of all Affairs Let our Honourable Rulers depend upon Him in the management of publick Affairs Let Ministers depend on God without whom they cannot Instruct the Ignorant enlighten the Dark convince the Obstinate awaken the secure Sinners convert and bring any Souls to Christ gather Israel edify and build up the Faithful in the knowledg faith of Gospel Mysteries and in the Graces and Consolations of the Spirit Let Merchants depend on God for prosperous Voyages and good Success in their Trade and Commerce Let Husbandmen depend upon God for their Bread Livelihood more than upon their own Labours and the Fruitfulness of the Ground God instructs the Husbandman Isai. 28. 26. and blesseth his Labours and can soon blast them as the experience of many Years hath sadly taught us Let Scholars depend upon God for Learning more than upon their Books or Tutors or Parts and Industrie or any other Advantages Let military Men learn to depend upon God The Lord is a Man of Warr. Exod. 15. 3. He gives military Skill and other Accomplishments and Successes also in their Services and hazardous Undertakings Let us all learn this Lesson to depend upon the Lord that orders out all Successes Events according to His Pleasure 3. Duely Acknowledge God in all Successes Events and in all Frustrations Disappointments First Acknowledge God in all good Successes and Events so as to be Thankful to Him for them Whatever your own Sufficiencie may be yet acknowledge God thankfully as if you had been wholly Insufficient for your Sufficiencie is of God and He could have disappointed notwithstanding The ground of our Unthankfulness for all good Issues and Events of Affairs and Undertakings is because we do not see the good Hand of God dispensing all to us We make too little of God and too much of our selves either by thinking we deserve better than God hath done for us Hence a proud Heart is never thankful to God or Man or by thinking we have done all or more than we have done toward the getting of this or that Mercy We put our selves too much in the place of God as if it were in our power to make our Endeavours Successful and to give a good Effect and Issue to them according to our Desire We get up into God's Throne and usurp upon his Prerogative and assume that which is pâ—â—â—liar to Him when we presume we can bring any thing to pass or do any thing successfully in our Own strength If we make our selves the only and absolute first Causes of our good Success no marvel we make our selves the last End also and deny God the glorie O do not ascribe good Success to your own Wit and Parts and Policy and Industrie and say my Nimbleness hath won the Race my Conduct and Courage hath won the Battel my Wisom hath gotten me this Bread my Understanding hath heaped up this Wealth my Dexteritie and Skill and Complaisance and agreeable Conversation hath procured me the Favour of Rulers or People my Parts or Study hath given me this Learning Say not with the Vapouring Assyrian By the Srength of My Hand I have done it and by My Wisdom for I am Prudent Isa. 10. 13. Let not this be so much as the secret Languge of your Hearts Say not as Nebuchadnezzar This is great Babylon which I have built and so derogate from God that works all in all lest He turn you a grazing as He did
beginning of the Warre what great Apprehensions were there of speedy Success and ending of the Warre that it was but going and Appearing and the Enemy would be faced down As if the first News from our Souldiers should be Venimus Vidimus Vicimus And several times after great probability of concluding that unhappy War and yet all disappointed contrary to Expectation VVhen there is therefore greatest Probability of Success yet remember there may be Disappointment and provide for it that you may not be surprised thereby This may be good Counsel to men of projecting Heads that are wont to be very confident that they see their way farre before them but they do not know what Time and Chance may happen This may check the Confidence of Man and teach us not to promise our selves great Things or build upon this or that Event or Enjoyment for time to come Labour to be prepared and provided for Disappointments Fourthly Fear God and Keep His Commandments This is the Conclusion of the whole matter faith Solomon Eccl. 12. 13. the Conclusion of the Book and may be very well drawn from the words of my Text in special and shall be the Conclusion of my Discourse upon it Fear God and Keep His Commandments Oh! Fear God that is the Lord of Time and Governour of Chance and Dispenser of all Events and Issues and be sure to please Him in a Course of Evangelical Obedience God hath the Care of Events and we must leave that to Him but our Care must be to do our Duty And To Fear God and Keep His Commands in the whole Duty of Man VVho would not fear Thee O king of Nations Ier. 10. 7. The Lord governs Nations and Kingdoms all the Affairs and Enterprizes of the Sons of Men All their Lives and Souls and Estates and VVays are in His Hand And He can dispose of them not onely for present but for Eternity as He pleases All the Events that be fall them are ordered and governed by Him Therefore be in the Fear of the Lord all the day long and walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing If your ways please God your Enemies shall be at peace with you or do you no hurt if they would but good whether they will or no. Obedience is the best way to Prosperity Deut. 29. 9. The Lord takes Pleasure in the Prosperity of his Servants Psal. 35. 27. This was God's Promise to Ioshuah Josh. 1. 8. While you are with God God will be with you 2 Chron. 15. 2. and then you shall have Things prosper under your hands as Gen. 39. 23. Every thing shall befriend you Whilst Solomon trode in the Steps of his Father and walked in the Law of God and neither practised Idolatry nor gave any Countenance or Allowance or Toleration thereunto There was no Adversary nor evil Occurrent or Chance for it is the same word with that in my Text 1 King 5. 4. When he forsook the Law of God the Lord stirred up many Adversaries against him While he was with God his Affairs prospered and were attended with good Success and a Blessing So it was with Reforming Hezekiah 2 King 18. 5 6 7. 2 Chron. 31. 20 21. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that were before him For he clave to the Lord and departed not from following Him but kept his Commandments which the Lord commanded Moses And the Lord was with him and he PROSPERED whithersoever he went forth c. Otherwise how should men expect to Prosper 2 Chron. 24. 20. Why transgress ye the Commandments of the Lord that ye cannot Prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord He hath also forsaken you We find generally that when Rulers and People walked in God's Law and kept in with Him their Affairs prospered marvellously when they departed from God nothing prospered with them unless it were to their hardening and Ruine And the Lord keeps the same Tenour of Dispensations for the Substance unto this day Oh therefore Let us all account it our best Policy as it is our Duty to please God that hath the absolute Disposal of us and all our Affairs And let it be the Care of our military Men that they do not make Days of Training and Preparation for Warre and real Service Days of Provocation to God Please God if you would engage Him on your Side to govern Time and Chance to your Advantage Take heed of making God your Enemy in the days of your Peace and of such Solemnities by spending them away Idly and Unprofitably by any unworthy Behaviour by Intemperance by excessive Drinking a Sin grown too much in Fashion with the Generation that is risen-up I wish I might not say with many loose Church-Members by idle rotten unsavoury Communication or by any other way of Debauchery and Provocation so as to disarm your selves to make you naked to lay you open to the Stroke of Divine Vengeance and to render you Unprosperous and Unhappie men in all your Undertakings It is a Shame and a Grief to think how such Days as these are many times spent to the Dishonour of God and the unspeakable Prejudice of the Souls of Men as well as other Daies of Solemnitie on other Accounts I beseech you look to your selves and do not make Warre upon God this Day nor run upon the thick Bosses of His Bucklers Job 15. 25 26. Do not dishonour and displease Christ that is God the Father's Viceroy in the World and governs all Affairs If you cross Him and to speak after the manner of Men disappoint Him of his Expectations concerning you as the Lord hath great Expectations of such a People so Circumstanced He will have his Time to meet with you and to cross you in your Designs and to give you Shame and Disappointment I delight not in any pedantick insipid trifling Allusions below the Gravity of a Sermon but I cannot better express what I would than in your own ordinary Phrases You Gentlmen of the Artillery and Militia Face to your Leader or in the Apostle's words Look unto Iesus Heb. 12. 2. And follow your Leader your Commander in Chief the Captain of the Host of the Lord Iosh. 5. 14. the Lord Jesus Christ in holiness of Conversation He was no Glutton no Wine-bibber no loose and vain Companion of Sinners though blasphemously charged with it by his malignant Enemies He was the greatest E X A M P L E that ever was or will be in the World of Sobriety of Gravity of Seriousness and Diligence in his work of prudent and prosperous Management of his Affairs Isa. 52. 13. of savoury gracious Communication and holy Conversation Learn of Him and follow His Example and you shall be Prosperous Men indeed Yea let us all take this Counsel and Course New England hath Enemies enough on Earth and in Hell wo to us if we make God in Heaven our Enemy also The Lord help us to fear Him keep His Commandments and then we need not be afraid of evil Tidings or solicitous about Events and Issues of Things For all the Paths of the Lord shall be Mercy and Truth to us and Goodness and Mercy shall follow us all our Days and this we know that it shall be well with them that fear God FINIS Advertisement THere is now in the Press a Treatise entituled Covenant-Keeping the way to Blessedness being several Sermons Preached from PSAL. CIII XVII XVIII by the Reverend Mr. Samuel Willard