That we neither see the hand of God when it 's stretched out against us nor when it s stretched out for us 1. God is sorely displeased that we see not his hand when it s stretched out against us God stretches out his hand that he may not strike he threatens that he may not execute he shews us the Rod or the Sword that serious and seasonable Repentance may prevent the Marshall Blow But if we shut our eyes and will not see he will make us feel Isaiah 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see God seems to use much formality in his approaches to judgment against a provoking people 't is thus described Psal. 7.11 12 13. God is angery with the wicked every day If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death First He draws his Sword and will not repent Then he whets his Sword and will not hear that The longer we delay the sharper will his Sword be Then he lifts it up and will we not yet not yet see God seems loath to strike and every pause that he makes is a call to us to lay down our Arms to humble our selves and accept of Conditions of Peace Again God takes his Bow then he bends it then singles out an Arrow from his Quiver then he notches it upon the String then he draws his Arrow to the head and every motion in handling his weapon is a warning is a call to us to lay hold on his strength that we may make peace with him But if nothing will do the Sword must fall the Arrow must fly and then O then we are all dead men 2. God is sorely displeased that we see not his hand stretched out for us And are not we that blind and blind people we see the Deliverance but we see little of the Deliverer We see men but we see not God We are forced to acknowledge we have been wonderfully delivered but who acknowledges that it was the watchful eye of Providence which neither slumbers nor sleeps that is the glorious Author of this deliverance Now that I may help you a little to see God in this great Salvation I will lay before you a few particulars wherein you will see nothing but wonders I shall deduce all to these to two Heads The greatness of our Danger the greatness of our Deliverance 1. Let 's consider the greatness of our Danger And certainly it begets a strange horror when we reflect upon it As the Stories goes of a Gentleman who being drunk and in a dark night riding over a narrow Foot-plank at that time laid over a deep and rapid River when in the morning he came to review the danger it struck him with such lively apprehensions of it that he fell down and died Really It 's enough to stupifie our Souls to reflect upon that peril wherein we all surely were thought at present we are reprieved from it And first I am amazed and confounded where the Devil could pick up rake and scrape togather such a number of bloody instruments that should engage in such a vilanous design That human nature should be degenerated to that degree nay above all degrees of Barbarities and Savage Cruelty that the Tartars and Caniballs should be out done in blood-thirstiness where though the one drink the blood of his Horse the other eats the flesh of his captived Enemies yet none of these blood thirsty Souls broach the Blood of their Prince I am next amazed that any of these should be found to be Englishmen A people that have worn a name for better natured more civilized better educated and carrying something in their veins of the blood of a Gentleman And that there should be any such Vipers bred in our own bowels that would tear their way through the womb of their native Country to some slender pretentions of their own and sacrifice the lives of their fellow Citizens fellow Subjects to Rage Zeal and Bigotry of the declared Enemy of our Nation But thirdly it encreases wonder that any of this Conspiracy should call themselves Protestants when they were pursuing a design that would have rooted out the Name and thought of their Religion out of the Land and if a Miracle had not interposed out of Europe This one Consideration would justifie the highest passion against and hottest detestation of their Villanies who to all their malice and rage have added that of folly contradiction and inconsistancy Fourthly That they should single out for the Object of their Fury a Prince whose Royal Clemency might have well thawed their hearts into some relentings whose greatest Crime if it be a Crime towards these Assaseines has been Compassion Tenderness and a wonderful connivance at their former Conspiracies and we know not yet whether he may not relapse into the same Error whose Sword has been hitherto only sharp and keen in the War A Prince who never refused to meet his Enemy in the open Field but with Sword in hand has been always ready to decide the great Controversie of Europe by a generous way of Battle Where are now our old Abhorrors That generation of men who caused Addresses against Petitions for the setting of Parliaments What proper imployments have they now for their Tallent of Abhorrences here is that would surmount the indignation and detestation of the most Phlegmatick Complexion That men that Englishmen that Christians that Protestants should plot against the Life of a Prince a Protestant Prince whose Valour abroad and Mercy at home might have won upon the most ferine and barbarous temper Fifthly What may yet agravate the guilt of these Conspirators and raise our amazement is that there should be found any among the Clergy to abet these ' horrid Impieties It seems the Sword they used was a Two-edged one A Flaming Sword that cut both ways Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquity and instruments of cruelty That a Priest should be found amongst us that could satisfie the Conscience that there was no sin that there was clear day that there was merit that there was supererogation that there were not only Crowns of Reward but Auroelae Crowns Studied with Stars which waited the Mertyrs That should dare to Authorize both secret Treason and open Rebellion by giving Absolution in Articulo Mortis before the world in the place and moment of Execution to convert Traitors into Martyrs and translate them from Hell to Heaven this is that I say which will justifie the severest reflections and atone for our highest Transports of Indignations Sixthly That which creates a passion mixt of Horror and Abhorrence is to conceive what yet no imagination can read the bloody Consequences of this designed Assassination if the ever watchful and ever gracious Providence of the most Soveraign God had not prevented what Blood-shed what Plundering what Burnings what Desolations of all kinds had
ago how our enemies were ready to make a formidable descent upon us and the wind that blows when and where God pleases stood in their faces who was it that then kept us from Invasion our Fleet or our God But if we have forgotten a salvation three years old as bad hearts have always bad memories we cannot forget this last deliverance 't is recent and fresh upon our minds and many concurrent deliverances have been given in to refresh our memories Now conscience will ask this of us Pray who delivered us from an Invasion this Spring our Fleets why they had been gone if the wind had not stood full in their faces so that one while providence preserves us by ordering the wind to stand full in our enemies faces another while by appointing it to blow in our own And thus God saves us by being against us Providence has encompassed us with a wall of water such the position of an Island needs and has but our enemies could easily wast themselves over that wall he has therefore given us a wall of wood but how easily might that wall be burnt if God himself were not for us a wall of fire and that he has promised to be to his Israel Zach. 2. 5. For I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about 3. And that which renders Israel more in want of a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps is that Israel her self is so apt to sleep and even those that should watch are too ready to slumber We are indeed if we be an Israel a very slumbering one 1. We are fast asleep in a dead Calm and with much rubbing our glewed eyes we are hardly awake in a Storm we are asleep in the midst of dangers and do but dream in the midst of our deliverances A wretched temper or distemper that the still small voice of a winters Peace locks us up in sleep and the thunders of a summers War will not make us broad awake Ps. 126.1 When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion then were we like them that dream In a profound sleep when our enemies are awake and watchful to destroy us and with much difficulty rouzed up when God has appeared to save us 2. We often see our deliverance assoon as our danger and our ruine is prevented assoon as discovered we are well again before we knew we were mortally sick And as this procedure of providence does magnify our Gods mercy that he would not suffer danger to stare us long in the face when we had not perhaps courage to meet it or faith to overcome it so it reproaches out sloth and drouziness that we are not awake to foresee dangers before they come nor to see deliverances when they are come 3. We are so sleepy that our friends beyond the Seas are owning the providences of God which have attended us before we own them at home and our very enemies are acknowledging what God has done for us before we can be at leisure to own it our selves our enemies envy must awaken our praise This was the case of Israel Psal. 126.3 4. Then said they among the heathen the Lord hath done great things for them And the Church is the eâ—cho of Babylons confession Yea the Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad It surprized me exceedingly to hear the amazement of Paris before I could hear the rejoycings of London and that some of the foreign Churches were ready to keep a day of Thanksgiving for us before we could keep me on our own account for they it seems have some odd principles that if it be lawful to be sick it is lawful to be well and if lawful to be recovered then lawful also to acknowledge it at any time of the year But as we are asleep I fear they that should watch for us are not or have not been well awake Tho we have two sorts of watchmen 1. We have spiritual watchmen who are denominated from their Office which is to watch that others may more safely sleep They are called Seers but sad is it with a nation when the Seers are blind but yet they wear the character of watchmen teaching them at once what God has enjoined them and what we may expect from them Isa. 62. 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence so that their eyes must always be open to foresee the danger at a distance and their mouths always open too 1. In prayer to God to awaken him 2. In fervent calls to the people to awaken them and for this end God has committed to them both the Silver Trumpets of the Gospel to call to repentance and reformation and the Brazen Trumpets too to sound the alarm to stand up against approaching dangers This they are in Office but how stands the case in fact I am afraid it is as described by the same Prophet Isa. 56. 10. His watchmen are blind they are dumb dogs Miserable is the state of those flocks where the dogs that should watch for them against the wolves are asleep or perhaps in league with the wolves And sad is the case of those families where the dogs that should watch for the house are given to slumber and perhaps go a share with the thieves 2. We have civil watchmen They have been in a slumber providence has awakened them and our interest and duty is to pray that they may not indulge security any more And this gives us the first account of the greatness of this priviledge taken from Israels unworthiness to be kept the insignificancy of all other keepers and the sleepiness of Israel to keep her self which magnifies the savour of that God who has undertaken her preservation who neither slumbers nor sleeps 2. The greatness of this priviledge will further appear if we consider the watchfulness of Israels enemies to destroy her Israels enemies neither slumber nor sleep what had then become of Israel if her keeper had done either There are four things that evidence the unwearied vigilance and diligence of her enemies 1. They have watchful hearts Their Malice will not suffer them to sleep and Gods love will not suffer him to sleep Malice is a wakeful and watchful evil which always boils in the heart and never allows the soul to rest 't is a continual fever which admits of no intermissions for repose Now the heart where this Malice has its residence is the fruitful womb wherein all these accursed machinations are conceived and bred the Devil is the father and begets all these plots upon an enraged heart And that incessant wrath which will not allow him any rest he infuses into the souls of his instruments that they shall never rest neither This is the great argument St. Peter presses upon us all 1 Pet. 5 9. To be sober and vigilant because our adversary the devil
people near unto him And as nearer so dearer Psal. 87. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dewllings of Jacob. As his Love is distinguishing so are his Dispensations Psal. 147.20 he hath not dealt so with any nation If then this Providence which watches over Israel he most holy most wise most powerful if it be grounded upon special and covenant relations if it exerts its self in distinguishing Favours Provisions Protections Preservations The Priviledge must be unspeakably unconceiveably great That this God who keepth and has undertaken for ever to keep his Israel doth not shall not cannot either slumber of sleep IV. What remains must be by way of Improvement This Truth is capable of each Improvement had we but the skill to cultivate it I shall endeavour to direct you in some few Particulars § 1. Doth the watchful providence of God undertake to keep Israel it will concern us to examine whether we be in that happy number that can lay a humble claim to this promise and to the Protections contained in it Many will catch at a Promise and crowd into a Priviledge that have no Right to them God is a Sanctuary to all that duely fly to him but not such a one as we had of old where the most desperate Traitors and Proffligate Murderers might challenge a Right to Protection and Indemnity from Justice Would we therefore know that we have strong assurance when we fly to him for Refuge 1. Let us make it out that we are a Praying People 'T was this that procured Jacob the Name of Israel 32. Gen. 28. That as a Prince he had power with God and had prevailed It s the cheapest thing in the world to say over a Prayer the hardest thing in the world to pray so that we may have power with God and prevail for a Blessing And 1. we find this in Jacob's Prayer that he joyned Tears with Prayers Confession of sins and sorrow for sin with his supplications for Protection Hosea 12. 4. He wept and made supplication unto him He was as willing to give God glory in his humiliation as to engage God for his Protection I hope we have not forgot that the Providence of God which is wise and powerful in delivering is holy also in the manner of his deliverance he will be sanctified in us that he may be glorified in saving of us 2. We may easily observe that Jacob's Prayer that made him Israel was an importunate wrestling with God Gen. 32. 26. I will not let thee go except thou bless me A strange resolution He will not no he will not let the Angel go What though the Angel had said let me go The Angel seems to Pray to Jacob for a Dimission but Jacob is peremptory he will not let him go Upon these Terms did Moses wrestle with God for Israel Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them And God seems to offer him a Bribe to hush his Importunity I will make of thee a great Nation Suffer me but to destroy them and I 'le advance thee No! Moses was of a more publick spirit than so v. 11. And Moses besought the Lord his God and said Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people and so he prosecutes his suit and never leaves his point till he gains it v. 14. And the Lord repâ—nted of the evil that he thought to do unto his people 3. There was yet a great secret which Jacob well understood viz. that the Angels saying let me go was not that he intended a departure but that Jacob should wrestle more earnestly that he might not depart Christ's seeming and making as if he would have gone farther Luke 24. 28 29. Was only to invite them to constrain him to stay Thus the Mother seems to withdraw her hand upon which the Child holds and hangs that the Child may hold the faster She seems to depart that it may cry the stronger after her 4. There was a peculiarity in Jacob's Prayer That he wrested with God in the strength of God for so I would interpret that place Hosea 12. 3. By his strength he had power with God he had power over the Angel and prevailed The direction of God in prayer is the best interpretation of this passage Isa. 27. 5. Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me As the Lords of the Philistims dealt with Delilah Judg. 16. 5. To entice Sampson and see wherein his great strength lay that they might prevail against him and bind him So must we if we would prevail with God learn wherein his strength lieth that we may wrestle and prevail with him Now God has graciously revealed to our Faith that his strength lies in the great Mediator of the Covenant Exod. 23. 21. My Name is in him Seeing then the success of all Prayer lies in the Name of God and that Name is in Christ we must carefully use that precious and prevailing Name in all the Addresses to God that we may prevail 2. Let us examine whether we are a people faithful to God and Christ in keeping those precious things that are committed to our keeping that so we may be confident that he will keep what we have committed to him So did Israel and whilst they so did might be assured that God would keep them Rom. 3. 1 2. What advantage then hath the Jew and what profit is their of circumcision much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God A vast confidence that God should entrust them with his Oracles with his Sanctuary with his Ordinances how well they kept them I must not now enquire but this is certain that so long as they kept these sacred things Providence kept them Let us also reflect how we have kept the Trust imposed in us that from thence we may gather hope how God will keep us and our concerns Tim. 2. 1 12. We know whom we have trusted and that he is able to keep what we have committed unto him But do we know our selves whom God has trusted and if we have kept what God has committed to us in this day 3. Can we dare we by faith trust our God There 's nothing lays so great an engagement upon the Lord as to devolve the weight of all our concerns upon him Isa. 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in pâ—â—fect peace whose mind is staid on thee because he trusteth on thee Amongst the many great Reasons why God will not fail Israel this is one that Israel trusts in her God And as it is a Reason with ingenious men that they will not fail their friends because they depend upon them so it is one Reason that God will not disappoint his Israel because Israel depends upon her God Israel is sometimes destitute of all outward helps God then tries whether they can trust him without means at other times
Israel abounds with visible helps and means he that tries whether she can trust him in them and with them The Curse and Blast of Providence is not denounced against us because we have an Arm of flesh but because we make an idol of it and make that which is but flesh to be our Arm and departing in the heart from God Jer. 17. 5. 'T is an amazing thing that we read of Jehoshaphat 2 Chr. 17. 12. That he waxed great exceedingly and he built in Judah Castles and Cities of store v. 13. And the men of War mighty men of Valour were in Jerusalem v. 14. Under Adnah General of Judah three hundred thousand v. 15. Under Jehohanan the Captain two hundred and fourscore thousand v. 16. Un Amasiah two hundred thousand mighty men of valour v. 17. And of Benjamin under Eliada a mighty man of valour to hundred thousand armed men with bowe and shield v. 18. And under Jehoshabad and hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the War Now if we cast up the total sum of these particulars it arises to Eleven Hundred and sixteen thousand fighting men Effective And yet this very Jehosaphet 2 Chron. 12. 20 12. complains O Lord wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are towards thee Giving us to understand that he reckoned the greatest Host to be nothing without the Lord of Host to go with them and march at the head of them 4. Let 's examine whether we are a people in Covenant with God I know special care has been taken that these Nations should not be God's people in Covenant Men are afraid of an Association but it will do them no harm if God be not the bond of it and his honour and interest the great end of it But this we may assure our selves that if we send away our God we may as wisely disband our Forces and lay up our Ships we must be Gods vineyard if we expect his special protection Isa. 27. 2 3. In that day sing ye unto her A vineyard of red wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment left any hurt it I will keep it night and day That is I will neither slumber nor sleep And let this be our first way of improving this Truth That seeing its most certain the watchful Providence has undertaken to keep his Israel we should make it as certain that we are in the blessed number to whom the Promise is made and to whom the Mercy of it doth belong § 2. The next way of improving the Observation will be by way of Information That seeing this Precious Promise of Protection is made to Israel It will be the Interest of the â—tate to be very kind to and Tendor of Christ's Church These Promises appertain directly and immediately to Israel but the cruel Powers may shroud themselves under it if they please to espouse the Cause of Christ and engage for his Interest under the Administration of the Jews I conceive the Church and State were commensurate The Commonwealth of Israel was of the same demensions with the Church of Israel I mean as it was visibly united in the same Temple Sacrifices under the same King High-priest and form of Government If there be any such distinction now as I am sorry that every utile honesta were ever separated so I am grived the Church and State should not hold a severe correspondence to advance the name of our Common Lord. The Offices of Magistrates and Ministers are really distinct but the Interest of both is united and it lies in this to engage the Protection of Christ to shelter themselves under that glorious Promise made to Israel that her God will neither slumber nor sleep There have been great and causeless jealousies between the Civil and the Ecclesiastical Power which have been fomented by those that would embarrass both and provoke them to fall fowl upon one another But if Church men would shew themselves obedient Children Kings would approve themselves to be Nursing-fathers And secure to them their Rights if they were as ready to recognise the Princess Rightful Authority § 3. A third way of Improving this Truth is by way of Caution and fair warning to Israel That she abuse not this exceeding great and precious Promise of Protection by withdrawing her obedience from God If we forsake him and deal deceitfully in his Covenant he can throw us up to the wide world disdain to give us special Protection cast us from under his Wing and renounce us for being his people He has warned Israel of this of old 2 Chron. 15. 2. Hear ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamen The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will foresake you God has invested no Nation with any promises of outward protection and visible mercies but they may possibly forfeit them and God may justly make a seizure for that forfeiture and cut off the Intail If a Prince may forfeit his Crown to the people that people may forfeit their temporal All to God we hold our Lives of Liberties Sacred and Civil by this Tenure that we give subjection of service to the Lord we cannot have more perhaps not so much plea for Divine protection as Israel had and yet we see that God cast them off from being a Nation The Case is described with great Terror Isa. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. My beloved hath a vinyard in every fruitfull hill and he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choisest vine and built a Tower in the midst of it and also made a wine press therein A fair parallel might be hence drawn between the Indulgence of God to them end us but the Metaphors here used will easily expound themselves Now observe the disappointment of God in his Vineyard He looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes Which God himself interprets thus v. 7. he looked for judgment and behold oppression and for righteous acts and behold a cry Hereupon God Appeals to their own Consciences to judge between him and themselves v. 3. And now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you between me and my vineyard The Case was so plain on God s side that he fears not to refer the matter to their judgments v. 14. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it What could be more done in a way of outward means than I have done for them And what could they have done more against me And because they durst not Traverse the Indictement God proceeds immediately to sentence v. 5. And now go to I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be
trodden down v. 6. And I will lay it waste It shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up briers and thorns I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it Let us read and tremble at the example lest we be made an example a dreadful Instance a fearful Monument of the Divine Vengeance against unsaitable returns for the Divine Protection §. 4 We may and ought farther to make this improvement of the Point to be deeply humbled before the Lord that our great provocations our unanswerable returns have at day Time caused him to carry himself towards us in his Providence as if he did not only slumber but sleep There are some severe dispensations of the Almighty which represent him as if he were a sleep The Church prays Psalm 44. 23. A wake O Lord why sleepest thou Arise cast us not off for ever And it will be worth our inquiry when it may be said that our God is a sleep And how we may awake him 1. Inquire when may it be said that God is a sleep It must be supposed that God cannot properly be said either to sleep or wake for both of these cannot an Infinity which it were Blasphemy to ascribe to an Infinite Being But as God is said to Remember and Forget which literally taken are implications of weakness so God is said to sleep and awake which litterally understood would ascribe to God a weariness 1. Therefore God is said to sleep when his enemies rage and roar against him and he does not vindicate his Honour by silencing their blasphemous Mouths with a Thunderbolt Psal. 74.4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations they set up their Banners for signs They triumph in their victories and presum the day is their own upon this the Psalmist humbly expostulates with God v. 10. O God! how long shall the adversay reproach Shall the enemy blaphem thy name forever And cries to God that he would awake and arise v. 18. Remember this that the enemy hath reproached O Lord That the foolish people hath blasphemed thy name v. 22. Arise O God! Plead thine own Cause Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily forget not the voice of thine enemies the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually 2. God is said to sleep when neither the afflictions nor the prayers of his oppressed Israel can prevail for present deliverance We should interpret our Friend to be a sleep if we cryed but he would not answer and thus we interpret the providences of God as if they supposed him to be a sleep when he neither hears our Cries nor regards our Afflictions Psal. 59. 3 4. They lie in wait for my soul the mighty are gathered together against me They run and prepare themselves without my fault awake to help me and behold And thus the Psalmist represents the matter in Psal. 78.65 He gave his people over unto the Sword and was wrath with his inheritance their brests fell by the sword and their widows made no lamentations These were those astonishing dispensations when the enemy roared and his people prayed and yet God seemed unconcerned in both but at last God appears God answers the supplications of the one silences the blasphemy of the other v. 65. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine and smote his enemies in their hinder parts and put them to a perpetual reproach Thus we cannot be perswaded that our God is awake till he gives visible sensible demonstrations of his concernedness 2. Inquiry Let us therefore inquire how we may awaken our God when he seems to sleep I. Direct Search out diligently those sins which cause God to act as if he were a sleep Isa. 59.1 The Prophet lays it down as an eternal Truth The Lord's hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heâ—vy that it cannot hear And this we must acknowledge That he 's always able to save and always ready to hear But yet v. 2. he proceeds Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear When Omnipotency saves not when Omniscience sees not when Infinite Bowels pitty not yearn not there must be a diligent scrutiny made into the reasons of such a dispensation now the cause must needs be sin but the question is what sin And the Prophet enumerates them v. 3. Your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lies your tongue hath muttered perversness v. 4. None calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity Let us then search out repent of turn from our iniquities and God will hear he will awake a rise and save us 2. Direct Let us watch unto prayer persevere in it with a presing importunity The case is deplorable if not desperate when God is angry not only with the transgressions but the prayers of his people when God is displeased that we pray not and yet displeased though we pray when our Incense is an abomination to the Lord and though we stretch out our hands and strain our voice towards his Throne yet he will not hear And yet this may be the case with a lazy lukewarm fencal people Psal. 80.4 O Lord God of hosts how long will we be angry against the prayer of thy people A sleepy prayer makes a sleeping God Awake therefore and watch unto prayer that God may awake and stir up himself for our salvation 3. Direct Let our prayers for former mercies awaken our God in our present and pressing exigencies how can we expect that God should trust us with new favours when we are so far in arrere for the old Clear the former Scores before you run on into new Debts But I proceed § 5. Let us yet farther improve this Observation Is it true that watchful providence is engaged and has undertaken to keep his Israel let 's now see this Scripture this promise fullfilled in our eyes we that have heard the promise may now see it if we have been of the froward temper of the Apostle Thomas that we will not believe except we see let our seeing teach us believing We have had the word in our eye we have it now in our hand What the Text has told us God will do our sense tells us now he hath done Let me therefore set before your eyes what the Lord has done for us Only bring with you eyes cleared from the scales of Ignorance from the Jaundice of prejudice and then come and see the works of the Lord say with the Psalmist Psal. 86.8 Among the Gods there is none like unto the O Lord neither are there any works like thy works There are two things God is sorely displeased with and which we ought as deeply to be humbled for
concerns are superintended by infinite wisdom and nothing left to the blind Idol Fortune or Chance the Deities of Heathens and Paganizing Christians 2. These eyes of Providence run to and fro for Providence is most nimble and active runs swiftly hither and thither as the exigencies of his Church and People invite and call for them And this is the sole priviledge of Omnipresence that it runs to all places without being in or removing from any place wherever God sees there he is his presence is equal to his Omniscience 3. These eyes of Providence have the whole earth for their Province not a Saint in the remotest parts of Gods earth that is out of the reach of his care nor a sinner in any place above the reach of his power Nothing is below his cognizance nothing above his control Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding both the evil and the good Persons and things whether good or evil are all within the circle of Providence even those which are neither Subjects nor Ministers of his Grace shall be brought under the kingdom of his power 4. That Providence has not only an eye to see but a hand an arm to execute his purposes whither in promises or threatnings he is strong and shews himself strong makes it appear that when he will save none shall be able to destroy when he will destroy none shall be able to save Psal. 89. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right â—â—â—d And this has been impressed upon the consciences of the worst of men whether from the remains of natural light or the immediate impulses of the spirit Numb 23 19 20. Hath he said it and shall he not do it Behold I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it But more freely and ingenuously has this truth been acknowledged by holy ones Josh. 23.14 Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof The same truth is owned by Solomon I Kings 8. 24. Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him thou spakest also with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thy hand Gods promise never outbids his power 5. Lastly Let 's observe the special object of his watchful and powerful Providence they whose hearts are perfect towards God In this David gloried Psal. 7.10 My defence is of God who saveth the upright in heart And thus we have a fair prospect into that watchful Providence which neither slumbers nor sleeps A truth which as God has verified in all generations towards his Israel so has it been often and eminently exemplified in our days before our eyes and on our behalf for the more useful management of this Observation 1. I will endeavour to shew the way of the divine Providence in keeping Israel from all the machinations of her enemies 2. By what means Providence has discovered and defeated the secret contrivances of Israels enemies formed against her 3. I will open what a glorious priviledge it is to have the watchful Providence of God superintending Israel and all her concerns 4. To improve and apply it in our recent deliverance from that accursed Conspiracy of Miscreants against our Israel I. I will endeavour to shew the way of watchful Providence in keeping Israel from the secret machinations formed against her by her Enemies The Psalmist informs us Ps. III. 2 That the works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein and why should not our souls have pleasure in them when we have so great an interest in him if Providence saves us it will deserve our deepest study and consideration A wise man as the same Prophet instructs us Psal. 107.43 will observe these things and by a due observation of them shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord in them There 's abundance of love at the bottom of all Gods Salvations but we commonly skim off that only which floats aloft and do not profound into the mysteries of them 1. It 's worthy our strictest observation how the watchful eyes of Providence see and discover the evil designed against Israel when 't is far off and at a great distance when designed mischief is yet in its first causes perhaps in the heart of the Devil or peradventure in the hearts of his 〈◊〉 instruments Psal. 139.2 He knows mens hearts afar off This piercing eye observes the intended wickedness in the conception long before it be come to the birth he sees the Cockatrice Egg before it be hatcht into a Serpent he sees a single spark of mischief long before they can blow it up into fire and flame Psal. 7. 14. Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood A wretched case this is which the enemies of Israels peace most sadly lament that they should have painful conception pain all the time of their going and at last after all the pangs throes of hopes and fear to bring forth nothing but a lie If hope deferred makes the heart sick Prov. 13.12 surely hope defeated will make it die The method of all the contrivances of hell against Israel is this first there 's a deep rooted malice an inveterate enmity in the heart in all the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman and all the spiritual seed of that seed Secondly This malice in the heart fumes up into the head and sets it a working how and by what means to execute that propense malice these ways and means are at first rude and unshapen an informed mass and lump an undigested heap of devilish matter till thirdly frequent consults deliberations of the most refined wits with whatsoever assistance can be had from below lick it into some shape and give it a more distinct order and method and there it lies till opportunity gives it maturity and helps by a favourable juncture to abstetricate it into the world All this Providence observes and defeats one of these two ways 1. Sometimes Providence gives a miscarrying womb that tho they have conceived yet the Embryo shall never have life or if so yet it shall prove abortive and the pregnant womb of Malice shall never go out its full time 2. Or if Permissive Providence suffers them to bring forth yet they shall never accomplish their projects the Infant shall be starved at Nurse And for this the Church by the mouth of the Prophet prays Hosea 9. 14. Give them O Lord what wilt you give them give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts 2. Watchful and wise Providence narrowly observes how these machinations against him and his anointed do proceed how they go on how advance and ripen and yet tho his eyes be open his mouth is shut and he keeps
great instance of this method we read 2 Sam. 17.1 2 3. Achitophel the great Oracle of his time whose counsels was judged as infallible and sacred as those of God himself by Vrim and Thummim This supperfine Politician gives Absalom the most shrewd advice that could be imagined and had it been followed David had been a lost man but it seems David had wisely laid in a prayer against this mans pernicious head piece 2 Sam. 15. 32. One acquaints David that Achitophel was amongst the Conspirators and David said O Lord I beseech thee turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness Certainly David never acted more politickly than in this thing to oppose a weapon out of Gods own armory against the arrow which that great Statesman had borrowed out of the Devils quiver Now let us see how wise providence returned Davids prayer into his own bosome and Achitophel's policy upon his own head Achitophel had no sooner propounded his advice but it found ready applause from the whole Council only Absalom that he might seem to be grave and wise will needs hear what Hushai could say in the case He makes a long and incoherent harrangue of I know not what difficulties in the former advice offers something next to just nothing of his own and yet this sways the heads and hearts of the Divan and they all cry out nemine contradicente v. 14. The council of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Achitophel strange infatuation but the mystery lay here God had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Achitophel to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absolom And now the whole plot is blown up Did I say the good counsel of Achitophel Yes the spirit of God has said it wicked and devilish it was first formed in the head of the old serpent if we consider the nature and the matter with the horrid design of it to Assassinate the King but good it was if we consider its proportionableness to the propounded end how well it would have reach it but the wife God turned it in folly by foolish counter-advice and Achitophel turned his baffle into madness for he went away and hang'd himself concluding that the Prince must certainly miscarry in all his undertakings that could not distinguish between a piece of solid counsel and impertinency so perish all thine enemies O Lord Judg. 5.31 3. Wise and watchful providence has often discovered and defeated the strongest Conspiracies the best laid designs by weak and despicable means Of which I will give but one but it shall be a most pregnant instance Acts 23. 12 13. There were more than forty men that bound themselves with a vow that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul This Conspiracy was admirably well formed if we consider 1. The competency of the number engaged in the design More than forty men Forty there were and more but how many more the sacred historian was not informed or however has not informed us but forty were enough to dispatch one poor Paul especially when it was to be acted by surprize and a fair pretence set on foot to bring him down from the Castle to the Tribunal from the secular to the spiritual cognizance 2. These forty were persons of great wrath and little conscience the fittest qualifications for Assassines that could be thought of in the world when malice burns hot and poor conscience is almost extinguisht such men will stick at nothing 3. They were inflamed with a thirst for blood which nothing could asswage but the life of Paul He was a prisoner already bound with chains under the custody of the Roman Governour will not that satisfy malice no! they must have blood Paul must die or they cannot live how they should kill him perhaps it might not be agreed and it may be they were of the mind of the great Tyrant Quo modo pereat parum refert modo pereat Die he must die he shall but whether by the sword or dagger was not so material a circumstance 4. They bind themselves with vows to perpetrate this villany and nothing is so daring as he that makes Religion a cloak for villany Herod cut off the Baptists head out of conscience of his Oath tho I fear his concupiscence was stronger in him and had more sway over him than his Oath but such is the force of a misguided conscience that sometimes it hits right what the Author aimed wrong Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum 5. It was a part of their Vow that they would neither eat nor drink till they had slain him And this was it that made the Conspiracy desperate for first they must starve if they fulfil not their vow they must break their fast with blood Secondly this was a rare expedient to keep their courage and malice from cooling and if perhaps they had once begun to cool they had not recovered their spirits before they were stone cold so that this design was both strongly closely and craftily laid and what shall now frustrate it It has ever been the glory of the Lord to chuse the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weak things of the world to confound the mighty I Cor 1 27. And the same choice God made in this case v. 16. Paul's sisters son heard of their lying in wait and he went and entered into the Castle and told Paul A design discovered is half disappointed And here 's no little wonder in this disappointment He was but a young man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 18. a youth and we may wonder how a poor youth should over-hear the plot or that he should regard or make any reflections upon what he heard or that any credit should be given to the tale of a youth by the Governour and above all how these Conspirators should be so open to be eves-dropt by a youth but the thing was of God! Psal. 33. 10. Who brings the counsels of the heathen to nought and makes the devices of the people of none effect but v. 10. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations 4. Wise and watchful providence had discovered and defeated the Conspiracies against Israel by meer contingencies such as have no visible connexion with or subserviency to the ends they reach but as the wise God over-rules them And a famous instance of this we have Esther 3. 12 13. Haman had formed a plot to root out the name and blot out the remembrance of Israel from the face of the earth And in his policy there were many remarkables 1. The decree was signed by the King's hand and sealed with his ring which according to the law of the Medes and Persians was unalterable and irrevocable And only to be reversed by the law of him that is the King of Kings 2. The posts were sent forth with this decree to prevent both flight and resistance by the poor
as a roaring lion goes up and down seeking whom he may devour and he owns it to God himself Job 1. 7. That he came from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down it What need have we then of a God whose eyes run to and fro thro the whole earth to save us 2 Chron. 16. 9. when this implacable enemy confesses that he travels to and fro in the earth to destroy us What is true of this adversary is proportionably true of all his emissaries and agents their malice will not suffer them to sleep except they do mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Prov. 4. 16. 2. Israels enemies have watchful heads too All their designs are forged in that shop formed into shape upon that anvil and what is first conceived in the womb of the heart is gradually reduced to a consistence by the politick pate Now it 's impossible but they must be exceeding watchful that have so many plots hammering and beating out at once the beating of the brain is the heating of the brain and hot brains and heads are never guilty of much rest Psal. 64. 6. They search out iniquities they accomplish a diligent search both the inward thought of them and the heart is deep 3. Israels enemies have watchful eyes they watch for the critical moment and can discern it when it comes as the Chymist watches his Laboratory and curiously observes the minute when his travel and patience are just ready to produce the precious Elixir so do Israels enemies wait for that happy hour that rich opportunity when their long contrived designs are ripe and ready for the birth to reward all their labour and expectation And indeed both our folly and Gods wisdom give them many a flattering juncture which flushes their hopes that their matters are sure and not to be defeated The wisdom of God gives them these promising seasons that their disappointments may be greater after such fair expectation and our folly gives them these advantages too that in the issue divine wisdom may triumph in baffling their subtilty and not dealing with us according to our folly 4. They have watchful hands too waiting nothing but the word of command They are looking for the last orders and when they come say but strike and the blow is given give the word fire and they fire Absalom's servants were under exact discipline 2 Sam. 13. 28. Mark ye now says he ready When I say smite Amnon Then kill him have not I commanded you so excellent is the advantage of indisputable power and absolute authority and so rare is the qualification of blind obedience for those slaves whose work is the perpetration of horrid murders I must now report this matter to every mans judgment how invaluable must that priviledge be to have a watchful God to keep Israel when there are such watchful enemies to destroy her The Psalmist had a faith exercised in this truth ' Psal. 3. 1. Lord how are they increased that trouble me many are they that rise up against me Many are they that say of my soul there is no help for him in God He saw Absalom with his numerous Army matching against him Achitophel amongst the Conspirators himself almost forsaken and forced to fly for his life but against all his enemies all his dangers he had one thing to oppose and that was the faithfulness wisdom care and goodness of the only one God so he expresses his faith v. 3. But thou O Lord art a shield for me my glory and the lifter up of my head And in this confidence he lay down and slept may he awaked again for his God sustained him v. 4. Now if we consider the circumstances that David was in and for which this Psalm was calculated viz. when he fled from Absalom his son when Achitophel had given that pestilent counsel to surprize him by night we may justly wonder that either he could lye down and sleep in the midst of those hurries and discomposing fears or that having lain down to sleep he should ever awake again when his enemies were conspiring that he should then sleep the sleep of death but all his security of mind and safety of his person must be resolved into this one thing his God sustained him when he slept and was the lifter up of his head that he might comfortably awake Hiâ— enemies were watching his distruction but God watched against them and he was soundly slâ—eping for his God watched for him Thus Jacob slept secure at Bethel tho his pillow was a hard stone and awaked notwithstanding the oath of his brother Esau for the Angels were ascending to carry up his perillous case to God and descending to bring down protections and safe conduct from the same God Gen. 28. 11 12 13. 3. The greatness of this priviledge will yet more gloriously appear if we consider what this providence is which neither slumbers nor sleeps for the protection of his beloved Israel And here we must first describe and secondly distinguish providence § 1. And first for a clear description of providence I cannot give you a better than that commonly received viz. Providence is Gods most holy most wise most powerful ordering and governing all his Creatures and all their Actions 1. 'T is a mâ—st holy providenoe Psal. 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works they may be intricate they may be secâ—et but still they aâ—e holy he corrects afflicts chastises his own children but he is holy in those coâ—rections Psal. 2. 2 3. O my God I cry in the day time but thou bearest not and in the night season and am not silent but thou art holy He often prospers the tabernacles of robbers and crowns the worst of men with great success in their affairs this has been a great stumbling block to the best of Saints the Prophet Jeremy expostulates with God about it Jer. 12. 1. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously But yet he confesses himself unmeet to plead with God about this matter till he had first recogniz'd Gods holiness in it and subscribed this great preliminary Article Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments The same trouble it created to Asaph or whoever was the Penman of the 73 Psalm v. 2. My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt v. 4. For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked c. And the temptation rose so high that he was ready to conclude v. 14. I have cleansed my heart in vain and washt my hands in innocency at last he goes into the Sanctuary of the Lord whither to offer Sacrifices that his sin might be pardoned his peace renewed and all cleared between God and his soul or whither to pray there for illumination