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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08803	Several discourses concerning the actual Providence of God. Divided into three parts. The first, treating concerning the notion of it, establshing the doctrine of it, opening the principal acts of it, preservation and government of created beings. With the particular acts, by which it so preserveth and governeth them. The second, concerning the specialities of it, the unseachable things of it, and several observable things in its motions. The third, concerning the dysnoēta, or hard chapters of it, in which an attempt is made to solve several appearances of difficulty in the motions of Providence, and to vindicate the justice, wisdom, and holiness of God, with the reasonableness of his dealing in such motions. / By John Collinges ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1678 (1678)	Wing C5335; ESTC R233164	689,844	860

Shunamite 2 King 4.10 that provideth a little chamber a bed a table a stool and a candle-stick for Elisha And another widow for Elijah that had faith enough to believe that in the time of famine her little meal should not fail from her barrel nor her oyl from her cruse He commanded the Ravens to feed the same Prophet by the brook Chereth 1 King 17.14 4.6 When the brook was dried up then the Lord commanded the widow to sustain him vers 9. The whole time of the Kingdom of Israel from the time that Jeroboam revolted until they were carried away captive was a sad time to faithful Ministers for all such stood for the instituted worship of God in opposition to that at Dan and Bethel but of all that time the time of Ahabs reign was the most perillous time but then God had provided an Obadiah who took an hundred prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water 1 King 18.5 Under the Gospel God also declared his will for the maintenance of his Ministers That tythes under the Gospel are due jure divino to the Minister I dare not say but that a certain and honourable maintenance is due to them the Apostle puts beyond all dispute 1 Cor. 9. And if the government of a nation settleth it by way of tythes there is no question to be made of the lawfulness either of giving or taking them but as the best establishments are subject to mens corruptions so is this The story of Merline a French Minister is a known story being forced several days to save his life by hiding himself in a hay-mow God sends an Hen every day that laid an egg by him upon which he lived The story of Junius I told you relieved by a Taylor when he was put to work in the Town-ditch for a livelihood God raised up a rich Matron to provide for Origen and his family But what need we look back so far for instances of which all Ecclesiastical story is full when we have such a plentiful testimony at home There is no order of men that God in all ages of the Church hath so strangely and miraculously almost provided for as to the necessaries of life as for such who have been faithful and painful labourers in the work of his Gospel they have not been forsaken their seed have in no scandalous manner begged their bread but this is but one particular 2. A second head of instances which I shall give you to prove this specialty of Divine Providence shall be the preventing Providences of God warning them some way or other of evil that hath been towards them so as they have been able timely to prevent or escape it Elijah was you know an eminent Prophet of the Lords and his life was often in danger but God hid him one while at the brook Cherith 1 King 17 after he had delivered that unpleasing Prophecy to Ahab another time at Beersheba after he had made such an havock amongst the Priests of Baal Chap. 18 19. God gave him warning of his dangers and prevented Jezebel's designs A boy overhears Pauls Enemies conspiring his death and revealeth it and he is sent away at another time he is let down in a basket Infinite instances might be given you out of other story Athanasius amongst the ancients and Luther amongst more modern Divines were eminent instances of this nature God indeed as I told you before doth not make all his Ministers in times of dangers such instances of special Providence but only such as he hath designed to make great and eminent use of 3. I might also give you as large a proof of this special Providence of God for the Ministers of his Gospel in his deliverance of them out of trouble when they have been within the paws of the Lyon and ready to be devoured And this not always in the same method nor by the same way and means sometimes miraculously as in the case of Elisha and Elijah more than once striking their Enemies with blindness causing fire to come down from Heaven and to destroy their Enemies In the case of Daniel stopping the mouths of the Lyons In the case of Peter the very night before that Herod was fully intended to have murthered him In later story we have infinite instances of Gods strange deliverance of faithful Ministers whom it afterward appeared God designed to make eminent use of out of their Enemies hands I remember in the History of the persecution of the Church of Bohemia we read of an Edict made by Ferdinand to apprehend all the Protestant-Ministers upon which many fled into Moravia and hid themselves three were taken and kept prisoners in a deep dungeon at Prague but God by his Providence wrought the escape of one of them whom he made use of to plant not less than twenty Protestant-Churches afterwards in Poland But there would be no end if I should begin to recite to you all we find in his story of this nature there can be none so meanly acquainted with Scripture or History but may confirm himself in this observation But I added That the Providence of God hath been also eminently seen in the preservation of those who have been great adventurers in the cause of God within the latitude of their duty A man may adventure in the cause of God and miscarry in his adventure and that in two cases 1. When he adventures without a call from God 2. When he governeth not himself in his adventure by the reasonable rules of prudence Peter made an adventure when he drew out the sword and cut off the highest Priest's servants ear But our Saviour bid him put up the sword into its sheath again for he that draweth the sword being a private person shall perish by the sword Peter had no call to use the sword in the case The Magistrate hath a call to use the sword in the execution of just laws The Minister hath a call to use another sword the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Every Christian hath a call to serve and obey Magistrates in what is just and lawful and to perform those duties which in his private capacity he oweth unto God to worship God in his family and to meet often together in the congregation of Gods People to hear the word to partake of the Ordinances of God c. Now there are times when a godly Magistrate cannot do his duty in punishing of sin without the adventure of his reputation in a wicked world the adventure of his estate his life when the Minister of the Gospel cannot do his duty nor the people theirs without the like adventures but you shall observe this very ordinary in the Providence of God he strangely watcheth over and protecteth such as have a spirit to make boldest adventures and as strangely rewardeth such You see it in the whole story of Scripture Moses and Aaron were called to go in

Providence of God And thus I have opened the Observation to you I come now to the Application Vse 1. In the first place This observation affordeth us another sign of the times I observed to you before that we have generally a curiosity to know what shall come to pass in future times how it shall go to know both what God is doing with his Church in the age wherein we live and what he will do with it in the ages following He that maketh this observation will in this point be spiritually wise and will also understand the loving-kindness of the Lord yea and by this we may understand what the Counsels of God are in a great measure as to families and persons Observe but what those are whom God sets over them or suffers to stand in relation to them and you will understand much of this If God intendeth mercy and goodness to any Nation or any Church he giveth them Judges and Counsellors as at the beginning Eccl. 10.16 17. Wo to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and Princes eat in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness Observe but in the state who are in the places of Magistrates whether they be men of wisdom and knowledge of justice and righteousness or men of little wisdom rash and inconsiderate men men of little knowledge men that will take bribes and oppress the poor and needy in judgment not suffering the causes of the poor to stand in judgment and you may easily judge what God is about with that Nation Look into the Church of God and observe what persons they are that are in the Ministry Whether they be men that are able and faithful to teach skilled in the words of righteousness able to open and apply the holy Scriptures to the hearts and Consciences of people to pray and to pour out their souls unto God in supplications Or men that were Aptiores ad stivam as Beza sometimes said I may add ad cauponam vel tabernam fitter for a Plow-tail for an Ale-house a Tavern or a Victualling-house and it needeth no interpreter to you what God is about to do with such a Church In like manner look into families look upon particular persons observe what manner of persons are in the relations of Husbands Wives Parents Children and you may easily know Gods present design or what he is after like to do in such families or as to such persons Where God intendeth mercy he fitteth persons for their respective relations in all humane societies Vse 2. Hence again in the second place each one may make a judgement of himself whether God hath called him to this or that work this or that Relation A man can have little comfort in any relation to which he cannot see himself called of God be it Magistracy or Ministry or any other Relation when we see God calling us to it we may look for Gods blessing upon us in it ay and we may in that case also expect Gods protection his standing by us and standing up for us against Opposition now neither of these can in other causes be expected I say 1. A person called of God to any work any relation may reasonably expect the blessing of God upon him in it If he be a Magistrate that God should make his government peaceable and prosperous subduing the people under him and subjecting their spirits to his Government If he be a Minister that God should direct his meditations assist his heart in enditing new matter and his tongue that it should be the tongue of a ready writer blessing his labours and giving in to his ministry the souls of the people committed to his charge He may expect Gods protection and defence of him against the opposition that he meets with It is a promise you ordinarily meet with annexed to precepts by which God hath commissioned men to be Ministers I will be with you it is what God said to Jeremiah to Ezechiel What Christ said to his Apostles I will saith he be with you to the end of the world now that promise reacheth to both these both assistance and protection and therefore it is of mighty concern to such as ingage in great work or are put into any great relation to see Gods call of them to that work or relation without a view of that I again tell you they can expect the presence of God no way neither blessing nor protecting them Now from this observation upon the motions of Actual Providence you may make up a judgement of that Actual Providence fits them for that work and Relation whom God calleth to it it doth not fit every one for it whom it suffereth to creep into it but it fits all for their work whom God directs into it and who are like to be a blessing to their Correlates and those who cannot find themselves fitted of God for the work and acts of that Relation wherein they are may conclude that though they be not in that station without God yet God hath nothing further to do with them in their station but to permit them to get into it for a plague and scourge to the people to whom they are in relation and for their own damnation and confusion at the last Is any one a Minister to instance only in that Relation he stands most highly concerned of all men living to see his call the charge of souls men will at last find a great and burthensom charge If he be faithful he is like to meet with the greatest opposition imaginable in that work he stands in need of the greatest assistance of God for the due performance of it he can look for neither unless he can find that God hath called him to his work The great acts of the ministerial office are praying and preaching praying for the people Preaching that is opening the Scriptures the will and counsel of God unto people and applying it to their Consciences Wouldst thou know now whether thou beest called of God as Aaron was Examine then whether God hath fitted thee for the work of the ministry Hath God given thee the Spirit of prayer and supplication hath God given thee a knowledge and understanding in the Scriptures that thou art as it was said of Apollos mighty in the Scriptures such a one a Minister should be If Gods providence hath given thee a willingness and a desire to it and an opportunity for the exercise of it and hath also thus qualified thee for the several parts of it then thou mayest conclude that God hath called thee to it It is not a Patrons presentation that will make up the call of God no nor yet the boldness and confidence of the person that will venture upon the greatest employment the world affords I say none of these things will do it a mans own needs and not knowing how to live

not make it self if one part of it did not make another it must be made by God The worlds comprehending Angels and Men sensitive and vegetative creatures these all having had a beginning and none of them being able to give being to another we must in reason find out a more powerful and excellent first being that must give being to all the beings in the world This first being is that glorious infinite being whom we call God In short he that further considereth the world in its structure and composition as one part is knit and united to another he that considereth the multitude of the creatures their magnitude the great and excellent powers vertues and qualities of some of them the Symmetry of the several parts of the world their subordinations each to other must needs in reason and by the force of that conclude That the worlds were made by God So that the Apostle's words must not be understood exclusively not as if we could no way but by faith understand this It may be understood by Reason and many that knew nothing of Faith yet confessed it and agreed it from the evidence of their Reason Yet is not Faith and Reason to be confounded Reason concludeth from connate natural principles Faith from acquired revealed principles neither evidence contradicteth each other We understand it by reason more darkly confusedly imperfectly faintly by faith we understand it more clearly distinctly more perfectly and fixedly By Reason we understand a little thereof by the Revelation of faith we understand it fully Let me a little further open this to you in three or four particulars 1. Reason rather sheweth us that the world then that the worlds are made by Gods It rather evidenceth to us the Creation of sublunary things which are subject to our senses whose natures and accidents we understand than of those things which are above the air Reason will evidence to us that the men of the world the beasts and plants are made by God but we see the wits of the world disputing whether there be any spirits or no Reason layeth hold upon the alterations and corruptions of sensible beings that have quantity and concludeth their Original from their corruptibility but when we come to speak of those Beings that have no quantity but are meerly spiritual and not subject to those changes and corruptions Reason is at a loss in a great measure here Faith Revelation which is the object of Faith must help us That teacheth us the worlds were made by God the world of invisibles and things not subjected to sense as well as the world of sensibles Reason will help us to conclude God the Father of all flesh but not that he is the Father of all spirits while it prompteth us to dispute whether there be any such Beings as Spirits yea or no. Reason would hardly have agreed such Beings as Angels if Revelation had not come in to make it a foundation to stand upon but by faith we understand it Supposing the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God it is clear enough there and we cannot agree to the Scriptures but we must agree to it both that there are such Beings as Spirits substances without sensible matter and that they were also made by God being some of those things in the Heavens of which God was the Creator 2. Supposing that Reason will tell us That the worlds were made by God yet it will not tell us That they were made by the Word of God Reason as I have before hinted will go a great way to perswade even an Aristotelian that the World was not from eternity but that it was made by a Divine omnipotent Being pre-existent to it insomuch that some of Aristotle's Disciples in other things here deserted him and took themselves so much concerned for their masters Reputation as to dispute whether he ever meant it yea or no. And the great Philosopher himself though he seemeth to have been fixed in his notion about the worlds Eternity in many places yet in some particular passages of his writings particularly in his Book De Generatione seems to have wavered disputing which way God went to work in making of the world And the fancies of the great Philosophers ran very wild in this point some will have it that he first made a Chaos or heap of confused matter and out of that heap all particular things as the Glass-man or Potter maketh his Vessels or the Brick-maker maketh his Brick and Tile as if it had not been as easie by one work for God to have made out of nothing all particular things as to have made a Chaos out of nothing that should in it potentially contain all the species of particular Beings Others would have that Heap or Mass call'd the Chaos to have been eternal out of which God produced all things so it should have been an improper Creation not ex nihilo materiae from a nothing of pre-existent matter but ex nihilo subjecti capacis from a nothing of a subject capable to receive such forms But that God produced all things out of a meer nothing or not-being of matter and by the word of his power gave a being not only to all particular forms of beings but to all matter and particular beings saying Let there be light and there was light let there be a firmament and it was so This is a thing Reason could never dream of never from any connate principles conclude it This faith tells us the Word of God revealeth to us Reason could never discern never conclude though it might conclude the thing that the worlds were made by God yet it could not conclude the modus or manner of the thing how God should do it or that he did it by the word of his power This we could not by reason comprehend or understand 3. Reason giveth us a confused general notion that the worlds were made by God but faith giveth us a distinct account of particulars the order manner and method of them Reason will tell us the world could not be eternal that it could not give an Original to it self that it must be produced by a more noble and excellent being But now for the circumstances of the Creation the order the time the manner that the world was created in six days that light was first created then the celestial bodies and then the terrestrial c. What was done the first day what the second what the third c. Reason tells us not Reason will tell us that the first man was Gods Creation for he could not be eternal he could not give being to himself he must be produced by a more excellent being but that the woman should be made of the rib of man That man should be made according to the Image of God That he was made the sixth day after the rest of Gods Works and had a Dominion given him over them This Faith learns us Reason telleth us nothing of it 4.

Divine Providence extends to all these 1. To such things as have meer Beings As to the Heavens Extol God saith the Psalmist Psal 68.4.33 Who rideth upon the Heavens Gods riding upon the Heaven signifies his influence upon them and his Rule and Governance over them Our Saviour telleth us That he maketh his Sun to shine and his Rain to fall upon the just and unjust yea and God makes it a thing proper to him to give rain and the Scripture telleth you of his giving it and withholding it at his pleasure as in the days of Elijah Job 9.7 God is said to be he who commandeth the Sun and it riseth not and sealeth up the stars For the Earth he is said to hang it upon nothing and certainly so great a weight would not hold there long if it were not held up 2. For those things which have not a meer Being but life also they are the herbs and plants and flowers He causeth the grass to grow for the cattel Psal 104.24 Psal 147.8 He maketh the grass to grow on the mountains He cloatheth the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the Oven 3. For those Beings which have life and sense He feedeth the fowls of the air Matt. 6.18 Not a sparrow falls to the ground without him he called for the flies and locusts c. against Pharaoh 4. For the most perfect Beings viz. such as have not only Being life sense but Reason also These are either Angels or Men. Providence reacheth to both of these it reacheth to the good Angels he commandeth all his Angels to worship Christ he maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire Heb. 1.6 7. and ministring Spirits for the good of his Elect. How frequently do you read in Scripture of Gods government of his Angels in sending them upon his messages For the Devils the Old Testament tells you of his employing them against Ahab of his commissionating them against Job And the New Testament plentifully declares their subjection to the Son of God For Men the Scripture speaks abundantly My Text telleth you He preserveth man and beast In short there is hardly a leaf in Scripture but abundantly confirmeth this piece of Divine Providence in one particular or other Secondly I say the Providence of God extendeth not only to all Beings but to all the Motions and Actions of Beings upholding them to their motions governing all their actions The grass groweth not the sparrow falleth not the Lilly groweth not without our Father he hath made the Ordinances for the Sun and Moon and Stars for the day and night It is he that thundereth out of Heaven 1 Sam. 7.10 2 Sam. 22.14 The Scripture every-where asserteth the influence of God upon the natural motions of all creatures nor is it to be excluded from the voluntary Actions whether good or bad As for good actions he moveth to them he assisteth in them As to bad actions he upholdeth as to the natural action but hath nothing to do with the malice and wickedness of it but to govern it when shewed to his own wise ends The Scriptures are infinite which might be produced in the proof of this What can be plainer than that of our Saviour speaking of good actions Joh. 15.3 Without me you can do nothing that of the Apostle Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me and again He giveth to will and to do For bad actions He suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Act. 14.16 And the Psalmist saith Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain Thirdly The Providence of God extendeth to all omissions cessations or suspensions of actions yea and to all irregularities of natural motions or actions It was from God that the fire did not naturally act to consume the three children nor the Lions to devour Daniel though in their Den that the Sun stood still in the Valley of Ajalon that it went backward as appear'd by the shadow upon the Dial of Ahaz and so as to actions depending upon the will of man Gen. 20.6 God saith to Abimelech that he suffered him not to touch Sarah Jacob telleth his Wife Gen. 31.7 that God suffered not Laban to hurt him Multitudes of Scriptures might be produced in this case 4. Lastly The Providence of God extendeth to all events Events are reducible to two heads they are either such as are good and grateful to us or such as are evil and afflictive The hand of Providence is in both There is no good event but is from God he is the fountain of good the author of every good and perfect gift evil events are from him Is there any evil in the City saith God by Amos and I have not done it Afflictions spring not out of the dust saith Job But the holy Scripture is so full of proof of this as I need not give particular instances especially considering that it hath been recognized by the children of God in Scripture and is so by every one of us so often as we either praise God for any receit of good or deliverance from evil or pray unto him for the collation of any good thing or prevention or removal of any evil Thus now I have confirmed the Doctrine of Divine Providence and also shewed you the extent of it I should now come to discourse of the particular acts of it but first let me make some application of this general discourse of Providence so far as I have carried it on In the first place observe from hence Vse 1 how unreasonably and Atheistically any deny the Providence of God and that in the extent of it Atheistically for it is all one to deny a God as to deny the Providence of God If there be a God there must be an infinite Being filling all places infinitely active all eye all ear all understanding doing all that from his most perfect Essence which we do by the help of our senses or any of our faculties Now that God should fill all places see hear understand all things motions actions events and not rule and govern all to the wise ends of his own glory having a power so to do is to fancy that of God which cannot be presumed of a man like our selves Those therefore that deny Providence must have deceived their souls with some false idea's and conceptions of God and set up an idol in their hearts instead of the true and living God Either a finite and limited Being not filling Heaven and Earth or a dead lazy dull careless inactive Being All which is indeed to blaspheme to deny God instead of acknowledging him 2. As it is Atheistical so it is most irrational I have formerly discoursed that and therefore shall refer you to it To fancy that the world could be preserved or governed in that order in which we see it without an infinite God giving conduct to

Scripture was written since which time Prophecy and unwritten Revelations are much ceased not further to be expected God may yet reveal himself to some particular servants of his but we are not to expect such Revelations nor are they the object of faith Now herein hath the stupendous Providence of God been eminently seen that when so many thousand books wrote since the Scriptures were written are lost and there is no memorial almost of them and the Scriptures have had more enemies than any of them more that have endeavoured to corrupt them and to destroy them yet God hath preserved this store-house of spiritual food and kept it from corruption by the extraordinary care of the Jewish Church the multiplying of translations guiding and governing of those who have been employed in them Nor hath the Providence of God been less seen in maintaining Ministers and Teachers of his word In the Jewish Church when the ordinary officers failed and were corrupted God from time to time raised them up Prophets who were his extraordinary Embassadors to teach his people In Christs time he calls Fishermen to the Apostleship and in all succeeding Ages though there have been sometimes more sometimes fewer able and faithful Ministers yet God hath so ordered that there never have wanted some and a competent number to break the bread of life and to feed his people with wisdom and with spiritual understanding No sort of men have been more maligned hated persecuted yet God hath upheld the order and taken care for the souls of his people that they have continually had faithful stewards of the mysteries of God 4. The Providence of God is admirable in preserving man in his spiritual capacity in the daily influence of his spirit attending his word and sanctifying his institutions The word is in it self but a dead letter the Preaching of the word is far from a mean adequate to so great an effect as is the conversion and edification of souls God is therefore pleased to join his quickening spirit to the word where he pleaseth blessing and sanctifying it I am not of their judgment who think that there is such a constant concurrence and influence of the Spirit with the preaching of the Gospel that if men will do what in them lies they may repent believe c. I know no Scripture which will justifie that notion but certain it is that the holy Spirit doth ordinarily join it self with the preaching of the word like the wind blowing where it pleaseth and none knoweth the motion of it convincing men of sin of righteousness and of judgment 5. Lastly The Providence of God preserveth men in their spiritual capacities by supplying them with strength and succour against their spiritual enemies their own flesh the world the Devil all which with a variety of temptations strike at our spiritual welfare But this is much of kin to what I said before I shall add no more to this discourse concerning Gods Act of Providence as in the preservation of beasts so of men and that in their single natural capacities In their Social and Political capacities and finally in their Spiritual capacities I shall only add some few words of application This in the first place may inform us Vse 1 How great that God must necessarily be whom we serve he is the Creator of the ends of the Earth of the Heavens of the Seas of all things and it is he who preserveth both man and beast he preserveth all men in their single and natural capacities this I opened before He preserveth all men in their Political capacities all his people in their Spiritual capacities It is an ordinary observation in the Kingdoms and Empires of the world that when they have grown to a great bigness they have perished with their own bulk and weight No Monarch hath been found sufficient to preserve them by his wisdom and Counsels And I remember the Historian speaks of it to the great honour and as a wonderful thing in one of the first Roman Kings that he put the Roman Kingdom it was no more then into such an order that it was governed as if it had been but one Family But how much doth it speak the Glory and Majesty the Immensity and Omnipresence the Efficiency and Activity of God who at the same time is working over all the Earth in all the Empires and Kingdoms in all the Cities and Towns in it defeating Ahitophels discovering Plots and Conspiracies ruling the spirits of unruly men so as the whole Universe is kept in order and the thousands and ten thousands of men in it that know not the yoke of Reason and Religion are yet bridled by his Providence and kept in some just order and decorum and made in stead of running one upon another and destroying one another mutually to be subservient one to another I say how great how wise how infinite how glorious in power must this God be Secondly Observe how much mercy passeth over our heads Vse 2 which we do take little or no notice of We are fearfully and wonderfully preserved and that in every capacity I shewed you it before as to our natural capacity few think of that what a strange working of Providence there must be to keep our souls in life but one day It is as much remarkable in our Political capacity I remember when Christ sent out his Disciples to Preach he told them That he sent them out as lambs amongst wolves It is true indeed not only of Gospel-Preachers but of all sober and vertuous men that would live in the world but according to the Laws of Reason and Moral vertue They are in the world as lambs amongst wolves Let but any one consider how many lewd unrighteous debauched men are in all places such whose only rule is their lusts how full the world is of men that make no conscience of murthers rapes thefts oppression and other enormities and then stand and wonder at the Providence of God that in any part of the world there is any thing of order and decorum observed that men have any thing which they can call their own that the lives of Princes or sober people are secured What can it be attributed to but the mighty power of Divine Providence that we have no more murthers rapes thefts c. we see laws punishments will not restrain all nor the same men at all times how or whence is it that they restrain any or at any time I will conclude this with what the Psalmist so often maketh the foot in that his admirable song of Providence Psal 107 Oh! that men would praise the Lord for his goodness for his wonderful works to the children of men Oh that Princes would praise the Lord for his goodness It is by him that they reign that they have a days liberty to decree justice by him that the Counsels of Ahitophel are defeated the conspiracies of ungodly men are discovered that the spirits of unruly and unreasonable

now is a place and relation the fitting of a person for which requireth Knowledg Wisdom Courage You have heard that when God calleth any person to a place he usually fitteth them with a spirit for it as he gave unto Saul another spirit the Scripture saith a spirit quite different from what he had when he was a private person But you are not now to expect this in a way of Enthusiasm but in the use of means reading books gaining of knowledg indeavouring to bridle such passions as become no man but are least of all beseeming Magistrates Courage indeed is a thing that is hardly got by art though natural courage be governed and regulated by it and often is given by God more immediately when any whom he hath called to any new relation hath more especial need of it But above all remember the course that Solomon took when God appeared unto him in Gibeon upon his taking upon him the government of Israel and Judah He prayeth unto God that he would give him a wise and an understanding heart to judg his people O forget not this hath God called thee to be a Magistrate and doest thou distrust thy self lest thou shouldst fail in Wisdom or in Courage as to the work of God which in that relation will lye upon thy soul Remember what God said in some anger to Moses excusing himself from what God had call'd him to to go into Pharaoh to speak for the dismission of his people and Moses excused himself saying Exod. 4.20 O Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue and the Lord said unto him vers 11. Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind Have not I saith the Lord Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say Remember that and go and beg of God to supply unto thee what thou findest wanting in thy self beg Wisdom of that God who is only wise and courage of that God who giveth courage unto man Hath God called thee to the work of the Ministry and though thou darest not say but God hath in some measure fitted thee for it yet thou feest thou art far short of others far short of what thou conceivest thou oughtest to be I have told thee that God useth with his call to a new work to a new relation to give a new spirit but it is thy work and duty here to work together with God Thus the Apostle exhorteth Timothy 1 Tim. 4.12 13 14. Be thou an example of believers in word in conversation in charity in faith in purity till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine neglect not the gift which was given thee by prophecy c. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them Art thou called to be a Minister Stir up neglect not the gift of God which is in thee study meditate of these things There are means to be used for thy improvement in thy ministerial abilities Natural means that is exercise by preaching thou shalt learn to preach and by praying thou shalt improve in the gift of prayer Moral means these are searching the Scriptures study comparing spiritual things with spiritual Meditation Religious that is Prayer The Apostle saith of the work of the Ministry Who is sufficient for these things Whatsoever thy gifts and abilities be thou hadst need profit and improve in them If thou wilt improve them and obtain the blessing from God of a further fitting thee for the work to which thou art called it lyeth upon thee to use such means as God hath appointed in order to that end Luther was wont to say that there are three things which make a Divine Temptations Meditation and Prayer the two latter I am sure must be much our own work we must not expect that God should immediately qualifie us from Heaven as he did in the first Plantation of the Gospel by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost God having so supplied the first necessities of his Church when the generality of the first Preachers of the Gospel were illiterate men and wanted advantages of education which then lay on the other side hath since that time left his Ministers to the use and application of more ordinary means in the use of which he ordinarily concurreth with his blessing and not otherwise The same might be said of more inferiour relations such as those of conjugal and parental relations God ordinarily when he calleth men to them doth sute men with spirits fit for them but the concurrence of their own indeavours must be understood with which God will concur with his own blessing Art thou therefore called to the relation of an husband or wife and doest thou fear thy own spirit the like also may be said of a parental relation Having entred into it asking counsel of Gods Word and observing the rules of it thou hast reason to trust God for the fitting of thy spirit for it and the duties of it but still using all due means which on thy part are to be used such as the mortification of those passions which appear to thee most indisposing thee for the duties of such relations applying thine heart what in thee lyeth to them and constant and fervent prayer to God to make up in thee what thou findest wanting in thy self for the due managery of them according to the Will of God SERMON XXXIV Psalm CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Have entred into a large field How great a Volume might be wrote de observandis Providentiae concerning the observable things of Divine Providence I have seen a picture one of those you call kitchin-pieces concerning which it hath been proposed to me that for so many hours I should view it as curiously as I could yet the proposer would for any wager undertake to shew me something in it which I did not observe Truly Providence is such a thing I can never look upon it I can never take the motions of it into my thoughts but some new observation tendreth it self to my thoughts I must turn my eyes from this wonderful work for I see they will not be satisfied with seeing my mind will never be filled with observing Many observations I have already made and behold yet a troop cometh But they have all a tendency to the augmentation of spiritual Wisdom in my own and your souls Whoso is wise will observe these things saith my Text they have a tendency to make you to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Where can we be better employed what can we better do Methinks I could say with the disciple upon the Mount of transfiguration It is good for us to be here let us build our selves tabernacles One for me the speaker others for you

to judge as God judgeth and particularly as to this point of growth in grace we must judge of it according to the means and helps of grace which the person hath had considering the natural temper of the person as also his temptations and afflictions which he hath had to put him back we must so judge of his growth and thrift Possibly his circumstances have been such as have necessitated him in order to getting bread to live in a Town in a Family where he hath scarce ever heard a good Sermon nor hath had any means of Instruction no good examples to go before him and quicken him in the ways of God Possibly he hath walked in the dark and seen no light his life hath been a life of many afflictions great temptations thou hast lived where thou hast had a great plenty of spiritual food all imaginable means to promote the work of God in thy soul In such cases as these thy brother is the object of thy pity and prayers and all the charitable assistance thou canst give him but by no means of thy censure 5. Lastly This Discourse doth highly solicite your charity for those who differ in their apprehensions of some Principles of Religion from you And here if any where I had need plead with you for charity for although it be evident that it is not in the power of a man to believe what he would but the assent of the mind to a Proposition must necessarily be according to the evidence of the truth of the thing which his understanding hath yet it is matter of amazement to consider what Feuds what Alienations in Affection are the products of Differences in Opinion As if Heaven were entailed to Understandings of one Complexion There alwayes were in the Church of God and there alwayes will be different apprehensions in some matters of Truth and generally they have brought forth disorders great disorders in mens practice each one hugging his particular opinion as if he judged himself and none but himself infallible And even Protestants declaiming against an Infallible Head upon the Earth will yet arrogate an Infallibility of Judgment unto themselves When as nothing is more demonstrable than that my brother hath as much reason to quarrel with me for differing from him as I have to quarrel with him for his differing from me unless he will say I cannot be deceived but you may which would give a just foundation for the renewing of that old question of the false prophet Which way went the spirit of God from me to thee Doth any one say I have Scripture for my Opinion So saith the other Doth he say I think I am verily perswaded of it by the spirit of God So saith the other Doth he say But I have divers learned and good men of my mind Truly there are not very many differences of any moment but his brother may say the same Will he say But the Church wherein I live is of my mind Be it so this indeed should much regulate sober Christians as to the publishing and divulging of their opinions to the disturbance of others but it ought neither to rule Faith nor to guide private Practice If it doth the particular Church which all confess fallible is made the Rule of Faith or the Supreme Judge of it neither of which it can be What mean therefore these heats The Question is still about a Judge in the case Whether a mans particular conscience must not be the proximate rule of his actions If it must not what must We have lost the very Basis of the Protestant Religion and shall whether we will or no be sorced to Rome to find an Infallible Judge and when we have done that we have but cheated our own souls for he is not to be found there though one may indeed be found that arrogates that Title and to whom credulous Proselytes give it How much better is it to stay at home and act according to that excellent Canon of Saint Paul Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveal this unto you The confessed Golden Rule Whatsoever you would that others should do unto you the same do you unto them again if it were well studied by Christians would put an end to all their little bickerings upon this score to all their prejudices one against another all their uncharitable Judgings and Cenfurings of one another all their eagerness against and persecutions one of another One thinks the Government of the Church should be by Prelates another by Presbyters a third by Common Suffrage Suppose all these agreed in this that without faith and holiness no man shall see God Let every one walk in this way they will at last meet in the Kingdom of God One thinks Children should be baptized another thinks that none ought to be baptized till he be capable of instruction and making an open profession of faith and holiness Yet may both these truly receive embrace and rest upon Jesus Christ as their alone Saviour their failing is but in a single point of obedience there indeed one of them must fail if they practice according to their principle but who liveth and sinneth not against God Who judgeth every sin in event damnable especially where the error too is in matter of judgment which a man hath no power to over rule his own Faith and Perswasion in and to practice contrary to what he is perswaded to be his Duty were but to play the Hypocrite to sin against the light of his Conscience and interpretatively against the Mind of God and that wilfully Mistake not the Kingdom of Heaven is not intailed to Parties but as in every Nation so amongst all Parties who so believeth in Christ feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of God Take heed of embracing Propositions which are inconsistent with that Faith and Holiness without which none can be saved There is also another uncomfortable sort of Propositions viz. Such as who so holdeth and practiseth up to them will be obliged to break Communion with all or most Churches And here I must lament the unhappiness of them that are fallen into the mistake of the Seventh-day-Sabbath I have known some of them whom I could not but think persons truly fearing God but certainly next to Errors in Fundamentals which will divide a soul from the Head Christ Jesus such as divide from the Body are of most dangerous consequence For the Christian Sabbath I make a doubt whether there be any thing which is not plain in Scripture which comes to us by an universal tradition of the Church but that alone no considerable number of people in any Age of the World ever disputed it whence as also from the Scriptural proof though raised by consequence for it there is not this day a very considerable number of Christians in the World but do observe it as the Lords Sabbath