Lord than to put confidence in Princes 2. When there is a pretended confidence in God but not conjoyned with an holy walking nor with a due use of means Natural Moral or Religious take heed of such a security as this is That which I call a pious security is the fruit of a confidence in God When the minds of men upon the view of a Divine Providence are quiet and free from distractions and over-much sollicitude as to the events of things whether relating to the Church or to their own particulars This I say is every good Christians duty and if there be such a Divine Providence as I have been discoursing of to you it is the most reasonable thing in the world God is the highest rational Agent and must work for some ends and those the best the great end of his Glory the subordinate end is the good of his People Now if he hath in his working an influence on all beings all motions and actions all omissions suspensions and cessations of such motions all events c. Certainly that man or woman that loveth and feareth God and keepeth his way and hath used all proper means natural moral or religious in order to the obtaining of what he apprehendeth for Gods Honour the good of his Church or his own particular good he hath all imaginable reason to sit down quiet and be secure Affairs in the world are upon the wheels but those wheels are full of eyes God seeth all things and his hand is in and upon all things and hath his own ends in his eyes and a power to turn all things and to make them to serve his ends We may in the darkest day cry out Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise him and the remainder of wrath he shall restrain A good Christian may sit down having done his duty and leave the world to wag as it will Let that great Ship wallow as it will there is one that sitteth at the Stern that will guide it and all its motions it shall at last come into the true Port. Hence a Child of God hath reason enough in all things to give thanks and at all times to rejoyce in the Lord and again to rejoyce What then mean the disquietments anxieties and sollicitudes of our thoughts Are they not tacit denials or suspensions of the workings of Divine Providence Are they not Indications of the weakness of our Faith Certainly if we had Faith in the Doctrine of Divine Providence if it were but as a grain of mustard-seed we should only attend our duty and when we had done that should speak to our soul if yet in a tumult Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me Trust still in God for I shall praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God This is a second piece of duty 3. A third duty which this Doctrine of Divine Providence will evidence but reasonable for us is A patient waiting for God under all the displeasing varieties of this life A duty which in Scripture you will find often called for by God and his Holy Servants who have spoke in his Name Psal 27.14 Psal 37.7 34. Psal 6â— 5 Prov. 20.22 Hos 12.6 and as often resolved upon by the Holy Servants of God Job 14.14 Psal 25.21 Psal 52.9 and in many other places And there are many excellent promises that are made to it Psal 37.9 Prov. 20.22 Isa 49.23 It is exclusive of all murmuring repining and discontentedness at any of Gods dealings of all use of irregular means to help our selves it is an habit of grace which in the midst of the most adverse and afflictive Providences teacheth us to stand still and to see the salvation of God It is a great piece of a Christians duty keeping a Christian in his station and in the paths of holiness under the most cross and thwarting Providences in the most dark and gloomy days and the greatest confusions we see in the world The failure of this is like the starting of the Ballast in a Ship in a storm every Ship of burthen that goeth to Sea hath a Ballast of stones or sand or some weighty thing which keeps it even upon the waters if in a storm this Ballast starts so as it is thrown on one side and gives not a just poise to the Ship there is a great danger of a wrack the Ship presently lyes all on one side Faith now is this Ballast active patience or waiting for God in a storm of Providence is that which keepeth the soul poised if this Ballast starts there 's great danger of the souls being overwhelmed Now this Doctrine of Providence and the extent of it to all motions actions to all suspensions omissions and cessations of actions to all events and future contingencies sheweth us the duty and reasonableness of this patient waiting Is there a storm a whirlwind an hurricane of political motions in the world It lets us know that God is in that storm God is in that whirlwind that hurricane is not without the Lord and God is not out of it If the Enemies of the People of God could raise a storm without the Lord or when they have raised it shut God out of the Governance of it it were something but they can do none of this we can have no confidence in them in the goodness of their natures or their designs but we may be confident of God and wait for him I compared Providence before to a man of business that seldom keeps a road but ever and anon turns out this way and that way as his variety of business leads him those that will bear such a man company home must ever and anon wait for him while he turneth out of his road Let this Doctrine of Providence have this kind influence upon your souls to make you to wait upon God whiles he hideth himself from the house of Jacob and to look for him It is good to wait upon God for none yet that ever waited upon him returned ashamed it is your duty to wait upon God he is a great Soveraign he hath required this homage from your souls It is reasonable you should wait on him for you may be sure he is in every storm in every hurricane seeing it working by it governing of it 4. This Doctrine of a Divine Providence sheweth the reasonableness of a passive patience or submission to and contentation with our lot and portion in the world under the most afflictive and adverse issues Nothing comes to pass without the Will of God not a sparrow as cheap and inconsiderable a bird as it is falleth to the ground without our heavenly Father It is true while we are in the world we are in the midst of briars and thorns subjected to a thousand accidents which are afflictive to us afflictions in our bodies troubles in our spirits crosses in our relations and in our affairs in the world and no affliction
mean time he is in the love and favour of God he may have communion with God and God will provide for him These and an hundred such things as these afford matter enough for the child of God to delight himself in the Lord at all times 2. Consider again how equitable it is that Children should at all times delight themselves in him because he at all times delighteth himself in them whom the Lord loveth he chastneth as a Father his Son in whom he delighteth his chastening is not a dispensation of wrath but of wisdome Observe how he speaketh to his afflicted Church Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with saphires Christ was anointed to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness Isa 64.1 3. Though his people have lien amongst the Pots as the Psalmist expresseth it yet he hath a pleasure in them 3. Let me Thirdly offer to your consideration the advantage of this delighting your selves in the Lord in a day of Evil. It would arme the Soul against all the temptations of an evil time 1. It would abstract the mind from the world we see if the Husband delights in his Wife or a Father on his Child how it draweth off their hearts from all other objects that all are nothing to them in comparison of that object in which the great delight of their heart is 2. It would fill the mind of a man so as it should say to all the world as Esay I have enough I have enough keep what thou hast unto thy self or as Jacob whose delight was in Joseph It is enough is Joseph yet alive It is enough 3. It would give the Soul a rest The mind of a man resteth in the object of its delight 4. Finally it would wonderfully quiet the mind as to the Will of God we are usually satisfied with what is done by those persons whom we principally love and delight in Let this therefore be our study our great labour and business to bring up our hearts to a delight in the Lord. Study his attributes that you may know what he is in his Power Goodness Truth Wisdom c. Study his promises which concern this life or that which is to come particularly those which more specially sute thy circumstances Consider the examples of the Saints and Servants of God in thy circumstances meditate upon these things whet them upon thy heart say often to thy self This God is in himself Thus and thus he hath revealed himself and he who hath said it is Power Goodness Truth c. But this is enough to have spoken to this other piece of a Christians duty under such dispensations of Divine Providence I proceed to another piece of Duty 4. Depart from evil and do good You have it vers 8. Fret not thy self in any wise to do Evil. And vers 3. Trust in the Lord and do good you have them both together Psal 34.12 and 1 Pet. 3.12 Now this doing of good is a very large term according to the intent of all that duty which is required of us by the precepts of the first and second table There is a duty which we owe unto God all which is comprehended under the first and great commandement Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul and all thy Strength Thus that man doth good that loveth and feareth God that prayeth unto him and performeth all those acts of homage and worship which God hath in his word required as much and as zealously and warmly in the worst as in the best of times this is properly a doing of good it is honest and just and what God requireth of us it bringeth profit and advantage to our selves it will bring comfort sweetness and peace to the Soul So that take good in what notion you will this is a true doing good Again there is a good which may be done to our selves or to others the Apostle commandeth us to do good to all Gal. 6.10 thus our Saviour commandeth us to do good to them that hate us and the Apostle Heb. 13.16 commands us not to forget to do good and to distribute and it is one piece of our doing good Isa 1.17 to judge the fatherless and relieve the oppressed Further yet there is a good of our general calling This is comprehensive of the whole duty of a man considered in no further capacity than that of a creature towards God or that of a Christian relating to the Lord Jesus Christ and owning him There is a good of our particular calling respecting us with reference to our Relations as Magistrates or Subjects Husbands or Wives Ministers or flock Parents or children Masters or Servants Finally there is a good of a particular season the works and business of our day relating to the particular circumstances and dispensations of Providence under which it pleaseth God to bring us Having thus far discoursed of good and distinguished of that it is easie to understand what Evil is It is either the omission of some of these duties or the commission or doing some things which are opposite to them I take the precepts of the text in the large sence A Christian ought to do all manner of good and to abstain from all omissions of any duty or commissions of any thing which is contrary to that duty which God expecteth from him either in his general calling or in his particular Relation he is at all times to eschew evil and to do good The precepts of God Psal 37.26 Isa 1.16 17. 1 Pet. 3.12 concern him and oblige him at all times but it is their more especial duty with reference to evil times and indeed this is the readiest way to make times better Evil times are so called upon a double account either with respect to sin or to punishment These times are evil times wherein sin aboundeth and the love of many groweth cold now our sins contribute to the aboundings of sin in the time wherein we live we use to say that if every man would sweep his own door the streets would be clean Times are also called evil with respect to punishment to some judgments of God that are abroad in the world now for us to do good to depart from evil and do good is the way to have the judgments of God averted from us Wash you saith God Isa 1.16 17. make you clean put away the evil of your doings from you come let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet you shall be as snow though they were as crimson you shall be as white as wooll You have it vers 6. Do good and thou shall dwell in the land and as we Translate it verily thou shalt be fed Zeph. 2.3 Seek you the Lord all you
upon you to honour God more than others God hath done infinitely more for you than for Heathens Now what a shame it is that an Heathen should out-doe you in any thing yet give me leave to tell you that while you only do some actions that are materially good not formally and truly many Heathens have done as much as you An Heathen may do and many of them have done and that with some good intention actions materially good that is such things as God commanded Many of them have been eminent instances of moral vertue Justice charity temperance liberality c. many of them have professed to love vertue for the sake of vertue Wherein can you excel them but by doing actions which are formally good designing Gods glory acting in obedience to Gods will regulating your selves as to the manner by Gods word you have the word the Gospel of God oh how reasonable it is that our conversation should be as becomes the Gospel of Christ The Heathen else that lives up to his light of nature out-does us and it will as our Saviour tells us be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for us 3. But Lastly Let the Saints of God see what an obligation to all manner of duty and holiness lies upon their souls they are the most special objects of special Providence God takes more care for all men than for Oxen or for the grass of the field he exerciseth a more special Providence for that body of people which make up his visible Church than for all the earth besides but yet what is that special Providence which God exerciseth for meer formal professors or for any other men in the world in comparison of what they have experienced Any thing of more special distinguishing Grace is a great Specialty of Providence and that in the best and highest sort of good things viz. those which concern the salvation of the Soul Oh what doth God expect what doth God require from you what should you do more than others More particularly This Doctrine of special Providence calls to you 1. For more extraordinary degrees of Love 2. For more special acts of Faith 1. For more eminent degrees of Love Psal 31.23 O Love you the Lord all you his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer Reason argueth thus with us that the reciprocations of our love ought to bear proportion to love received If saith our Saviour you love them that love you what reward have you the law of nature commandeth us to love and by actions of kindness and duty to express our love to them who have expressed their kindness to us and the same reason requires the reciprocations of love to be proportionable God therefore declaring especial love to you you are bounden in a special duty to him Let our Saviours question be often in your thoughts What do you do more than others If you for whom God hath sent his Son to dye and into whose hearts he hath sent his Spirit the Spirit of Adoption Supplication Consolation and whom the Lord hath from the womb watched over and preserved by a more special peculiar Providence bearing you as upon Eagles Wings and gathering you as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings I say If you do no more for God than others do not under such influences nor such Providences you must certainly act beneath and short of your duty This dependeth upon what I told you before of the reasonableness of the reciprocations of love in some commensurate proportions 2. It calleth to them who fear God for special exercises of faith you have reason more to trust and depend upon God than others because God hath declared a more special care and Providence for you The ground of all faith is the word and promise of God Now special promises call for a more special and peculiar faith What though another man cannot trust God contrary to a sensible or reasonable appearance yet you have reason to do it because God hath declared more his care for you and the workings of his Providence for your preservation and deliverance than for others God hath promised to save defend and deliver you not after the workings of his ordinary Providence You may therefore say with David The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear He is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psalm 27.1.3 Though an Host should encamp against me my heart should not fear though war should rise against me in this I will be confident But thus much shall serve to have discoursed concerning the Specialties of Divine Providence SERMONS XII XIII Rom XI 33. O the depth both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out I Have finished my Discourse concerning the principal Acts of Divine Providence both generally and specially I have discoursed concerning Gods general Acts in preserving and governing all his creatures and concerning God's more special preserving and governing of some creatures I am now come to discourse concerning the Methods of it concerning which we must cry out with this great Apostle O the depth both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out My Text is the conclusion of an exceeding deep discourse which the Apostle had made concerning the Rejection of the Jews which he proves to be neither Total nor final In the ten first verses he proveth that it is not Total V. 2 God did not cast off his people whom he did foreknow V. 5 There is a remnant according to Election As it was in Elias's time he thought and complain'd that he was left alone and they sought his life also but he was mistaken God at that time had seven thousand in Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal V. 7 He saith The Election had obtained though some though the most of them were rejected yet the Elect amongst them were not rejected and this he proveth to have been but according to what was prophesied V. 11 He proveth that this Rejection should not be final There should be a fulness of them V. 12. Receiving of them V. 15. They should be again grafted in V. 23 24. It is but V. 25. till the fulness of the Gentiles should come and then all â—srael should be saved This Discourse is mixed with several arguments to prove the assertion and with several reflections upon the Gentiles whose present state was better than theirs shewing them their duty negatively and positively not to be high-minded but humble To fear c. Now look as a man wading in deep waters when he finds the water go over his head and trip up his heels he cries out O I shall be drowned and endeavours to get back again So doth the blessed Apostle he had been wading into the great deeps of Gods counsels and ways
they see nothing of God in these effects They say not this is the Lords doing and therefore it is not marvellous in their eyes They see Pestilences sweeping away Cities and Families fires laying populous Cities waste Enemies breaking in upon Countries and strangely over-running them the hand of God sweeping away whole Families but they see nothing of God in them they consider these as terrible things as misfortunes to which the state of Humane affairs is subjected their Eyes are upon the visible wheels that turn these things but they see not the wheel within the wheel the Psalmist calleth to us to come and behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath wrought in the earth Men see desolations wrought in the Earth but they see them not as the work of the Lord as desolations wrought by him This is what the Psalmist complained of and for which he prayeth against them Psalm 28.4 5 Give them according to the works of their hands c. Because they regard not the work of the Lord nor regard the operations of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up This is a sign of an Atheistical heart to see great changes and not to see God in them the Heathens had more of Religion than this came to I remember the Poet in his description of the ruine of Troy bringeth in Venus taking Aeneas of his mettal in the last defence of his Country and from taking Revenge on Helena the cause of it by shewing him the gods at every corner and post of the City helping the Grecians to fire it and to over-turn the walls of it It is very sad that amongst Christians there should be any that in the great changes which God worketh in Nations Cities Families cannot see the great and living God at work and using creatures but as instruments in his hand but this is but a seeing and beholding the works of Providence highly useful for the production of pious affections and such acts of duty as God requireth We have a further Duty than this incumbent upon us 2. It is not only our Duty to see and behold but wistly to consider and observe these things Psalm 107.43 Whoso is wise will observe these things and he shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord a Text which in this discourse I shall make a further use of Observation implieth the application of our minds unto the passages of Divine Providence which are before our eyes as we must not be careless and forgetful hearers of the word of God so we must not be careless and forgetful observers of the works of God It is said Gen. 37.11 that Jacob observed the saying Josephs saying in the repetition of his Dream relating to eminent providential workings So it is said Luke 2.19 That when upon the birth of our Saviour the Angels had spoke to the Shepherds and the Shepherds had published the glad tidings which they had brought to the City That all who heard it wondred at those things which were spoken by the Shepherds Mary kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart To see a thing is one thing to make our minds to stand upon it to consider it and to ponder upon it is another thing This is also our Duty as to meditate on the Lords words so to meditate on the Lords works twice the Psalmist hath it I will meditate on all thy works Psalm 143.5 I muse on the works of thy hands So Psalm 77. v. 12 I will meditate also on all thy works and talk of thy doings It is our great fault that we suffer the impression of Gods works to go off our hearts too soon We hear of great changes we see great desolations God works in Kingdoms Cities and Families at first they make a little impression upon us we startle at them but by the next day they are as a tale that is told the sound is out of our ears the impression is off our minds this is now not to observe the works of the Lord not as we ought to consider the operation of his hands 3. It is thirdly our Duty modestly and humbly to search out the causes of Providences towards our selves especially We are commanded to hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Thus did Josephs brethren Gen. 42.21 when they were in prison they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our Brother when we saw the anguish of his soul when he sought to us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Job prays Job 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me this is but a searching and trying our ways an excellent help and necessary medium in order to a true repentance Indeed it is our great errour that we are very prone to search out the causes of severe Providences upon others The Barbarians seeing a Viper cleave to Pauls hand conclude him a Murtherer but we are very slow and backward to enquire into the meritorious causes of Gods severe Dispensations to our selves Yet as to others as it is our Duty to observe the Providences of God to them so we may modestly and humbly search out the causes of them Thus did Jeremiah venia praefata having first recognized God in the Justice and righteousness of his proceedings Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord in thy Judgments when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments why doth the way of the wicked prosper c So the Prophet Habbakuk ch 1.13 Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he But as to this searching into the causes of Divine Providences I put in those two words modestly and humbly Indeed God is so plain and open in his Judgments sometimes that the provocation is wrote and that in capital Letters in the front of the punishment Thus it was in the case of the Sodomites the Egyptians the Benjamites Sauls bloody house Haman the final destruction of the Jews c and thus it is still very often The Drunkard dies in his drunkenness but it is not always so The Judgments of the Lord are a great deep This enquiry therefore into causes must be modest and humble we must no more caecutire in revelatis as to the works of God than as to the word of God if we see a blood-thirsty and deceitful man not living out half his days a Dart striking through the liver of the Adulterer these are open things And when we see prophane vile wretches devouring those that are more righteous than they when we see God plaguing men according to his own heart chastening them every moment not giving them time to swallow their spittle These are secrets of Divine Providence of which we must be careful that we pass no ungrounded censure yea and we must search humbly too Our judgment in these cafes will amount to no more than a
judgment of probability we cannot pretend to an infallibility we are not of Gods counsel and his ways are great deeps 4. Lastly We ought so far to search into and to enquire into the workings of Divine Providence as may any way conduce to make us better by more adoring and revereing God more avoiding of sin more quickning up the habits and exercises of grace but to take heed of such an enquiry as will be of no use to us unless to make us Atheists or too curious searchers into the unsearchable things of God or uncharitable consurers of our brethren The reafon of this is because Duty is the End of all our beholding considering and observing the Lords works or any way enquiring and searching into them This is the main thing which God hath said to us Obey my voice Now so far as an enquiring into the Lords ways and works of Providence will help us to obey the Lords voice so far doubtless it is our Duty The voice of the Lord is in Scripture everywhere to us to fear before him to love him to trust in him to take heed of sinning against him Now so far as the searching into the causes of Divine Providence may conduce to quicken us up to these Exercises so far is it undoubtedly our duty and a very commendable practice but where it only tendeth to make us Atheists by seeing nothing of the hand of God in them but confirming a fancy in us that we have found out the reason of all in a necessary connexion or working of natural causes or only serveth us for an advantage or ground for us unwarrantably and uncharitably to judg and censure our brethren so far it is undoubtedly sinful Where the searching of the causes of Divine Providence to us or others may contribute and so far forth as it may conduce to quicken us up to repentance for them to a faith in and a dependence upon God to make us either more thankful or any way more holy so far forth it is our advantagious duty Thus Jona's reflection upon the storm he met with at Sea when he was fleeing from God Jonah 1.10 11 and Josephs brethrens reflection upon the imprisonment they met with in Egypt were both good and pious tending to bring them to a sense of their several sins against God Davids observation of Providence helped him in the exercise of his Faith 1 Sam. 17.34 35. Manoahs observation that God had accepted a sacrifice confirm'd his faith that he would not destroy them Oft-times the observing of and searching into the ways of Divine Providence hugely exciteth praise and thankfulness Psalm 107.8.15 21 31 c. Thus far now it is our duty to behold observe search into the ways of Divine Providence they are not called unsearchable to deter us from beholding seeing and considering them so far as it may help in the performance of any piece of that duty which we owe unto God God hangs out his great works of Providence to the world that men may behold them look upon them and that not superficially but wistly and considerately Well but how are they then unsearchable why doth the Apostle pronounce them past finding out That brings me to the last thing promised you in the Explication of the Proposition I shall open it to you in several particulars 1. They are unsearchable and past finding out as to the latitude and full compass of them Job ch 26 had been largely discoursing of the great works of Divine Providence his stretching out the North upon the empty places and hanging the Earth upon nothing Ver. 7 His binding up the waters in the thick clouds and the clouds not being rent under them ver 8 c. But then concludeth ver 14 Lo these are part of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand some read it These are but the borders some corners of Gods ways David telleth us Psalm 111.2 The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein It is our duty to seek out the works of the Lord and every good man hath a pleasure therein and will be modestly seeking out Gods works ay but though they will be seeking yet we shall be no more in this World than seekers Job 16.7 Who can find out the Almighty to perfection saith God Much of God is seen much of God may be found out but the perfection of Gods works as well as of his Divine Being is an unsearchable thing There are thousands of things in the workings of Divine Providence which we cannot find out infinite motions in the upholdings of it in the government of it of which we know nothing something we can by the helps of Scripture and Reason discourse how Providence upholds the great varieties of Beings in the World the Methods of God in governing the World but who can find out the Almighty to perfection Who can discourse the thunder of his power There is a terra incognita or rather a coelum incognitum in the Divine workings What Job said we may apply here A thing was brought unto me and my ear received a little thereof Many things concerning Gods workings are brought to our senses and our senses receive yea our reason receiveth a little and but a little thereof as to them we may say as the Apostle saith in another case Where is the Scribe where is the Wise man where is the disputer of this World We by study can dive a little into Gods ways but we must come out of our deepest studies crying out with our Apostle O the depth of the wisdom and knowledg of God! This knowledg is as Job saith ch 11.7 8 As high as heaven what canst thou do deeper than hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea 2. A second thing unsearchable and past finding out in these ways of God is the tendency of them while we see them come to an issue Had one of us been a companion with Joseph and seen him thrown into a pit then sold into Egypt after this thrown into a prison upon the accusation of his Mistriss we could never have judged this a Method in order to his riding in the second Chariot and being the second man in Egypt but we see at last it was so Had we been in the Court of Persia or Babylon and have seen Haman's Exaltation and his power with the King obtaining a Decree from him for the destruction of all the Jews we should never have seen the tendency of this to the ruin of Haman the exaltation of Mordecai c. Had we seen Daniel thrown into the Lion's Den we could never have read the tendency of this to his greater exaltation and fuller preferment and conquest over his Enemies and yet so it was The tendencies of Divine Providence are sometimes by us boldly determined sometimes guessed at but how
take away his life pursueth him with an Army from place to place David had a pitiful company with him is forced to flee to Gath there to dissemble himself mad would any one have thought that had seen David among the Philstines scrambling on the walls that he should ever have been King over Israel and Judah At length Saul and Jonathan the next heir are slain in Battel then Ishbosheth is set up but yet after all these oblique and seemingly contradictory motions of Providence it cometh home to the promise David is setled in the Throne of Israel and Judah 4. Let a fourth instance be that of the Gospel Church God had promised that he would set his King upon the holy hill of Zion Psalm 2.6 v. 8 That he would give him the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession and promises of this nature are everywhere multiplyed by the Prophets Isaiah especially Our Lord when he ascended up into Heaven gave out a Commission to his Disciples in order to this effect Go preach and baptize all Nations c. Now at the first the Providence of God seemed to move as if the thing should presently have been done You read Acts 2 That the Spirit of God descended and there were then at Jerusalem saith the Text devout men of every Nation under Heaven Parthians Medes Elamites Mesopotamians Jews Cappadocians men of Pontus Asia Phrygia Pamphilia Egypt Lybians Cyrenians Romanes Cretes Arabians and heard the Apostles in their own language speaking of the great works of God Here were now Preachers made for all the World would not one have thought that surely at this time all the ends of the Earth should have been given unto Christ Peter at one Sermon converts two thousand soon after there were five thousand added to the Church But all on the sudden the Providence of God turneth the Gospel groweth out of repute and the Apostles that preached it too both with Jews and Gentiles James is put to death Peter hardly escapes The Church the only Gospel church God had at that time at Jerusalem was scattered and broken the Apostle complains That they were made as the filth of the world and as the off scouring of all things The Jews persecute them the Gentiles in all places rise up against the Preachers of the Gospel bonds stripes and imprisonments waited for the Apostles in all places where they came Paul saith he thought that God had set them forth as men appointed unto death spectacles to the World Angels and men Few of the great Ministers of the Gospel died their natural death the Christians were a sect everywhere spoken against all courses almost imaginable taken to root them out of all places for three hundred years together But at length the Providence of God cometh in a great measure to work up to the direct fulfilling of the many promises of this nature Constantine an Emperour of a great part of the World ariseth and commandeth and encourageth the preaching of the Gospel And thus it came to be spread and accepted in most known parts of the World Indeed there is hardly any instance can be given of any great work of Providence respecting Churches Nations or particular persons as to which this Observation will not justifie it self 5. For another instance may we not bring in if not all yet very many of your particular Souls who fear the Lord. You also upon believing receive the promises The promises are made of old but we receive them we come to have a title to them in the day when God opens our eyes and opens our hearts to a receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ turning our hearts from dead lusts and sins to serve the living God In that day I say we have a first right to all the Promises whether respecting joy and peace or spiritual strength and assistances Now very-often at the first of our conversion the Providence of God moves directly towards them the Soul finds a great life to Duty a great zeal against sin great joy and peace in believing glimpses of the glory of God But after this very ordinarily follow very dark hours and the Soul like Jonah cryes out of the belly of Hell The Soul that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his Servant yet walketh in the dark and seeth no light cryeth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and hath a thousand fair and foul days in its journey to Heaven I know particular cases must here be excepted but I speak of the ordinary Methods of Divine Providence with Souls whom God bringeth to glory 6. I will conclude this Discourse with the instance of the great work of Providence in the Reformation of his Church in this latter age whether you look upon it in Germany France or England In Germany it began with Luther an eminent Servant of of God though like Elias of like passions and infirmities with other men how strangely did the Providence of God in the beginning work towards the accomplishment of it That Luther who was a poor Monk should be preserved to plant the Doctrine of the Gospel and should diffuse it so far as he did and be preserved to do it against all the rage both of the Pope and Emperour 28 or 29 years was a great favour of Providence to the infantile Reformation but afterwards how the Providence of God gave check to it is sufficiently known yet it kept its ground and gained For England we know from our story That King Hen. 8 laid the first stone we also know how Providence at first favoured the work during all the reign of Edward the sixth but in Queen Maries time for five years together it seemed to move directly cross the Popish Superstitions were restored in all parts of the Nation Multitudes burnt for the profession of the Gospel others fled into foreign parts to secure their lives But the Providence of God returned again to its work in the time of Queen Elizabeth But I have spoken enough to justifie the Observation Let me in the next place endeavour to give you a reasonable account of these transverse motions of Providence not that I dare presume to give you the reasons why God moveth thus or thus for who hath been his Counsellor at any time but so far forth as to shew you that these motions of Providence are approvable to our Reason so as we may judg the Lords ways but proportioned to his wise and great designs 1. In the first place certainly one reasonable account to be given of these motions must be the variety of designs which the Providence of God ordinarily carries on together I have hinted this to you before suffer me here to enlarge a little upon it again I then compared Providence to a man of great business and dealings in the World who though London or some other great place be in his Eye as the end of his Journey where his business lies
which then hindered his being revealed and would let until he should be taken away The Roman Empire hindered nor is that hinderance yet taken away 'T is true there is but a stump of that Empire remaining in Germany Spain France England many other great boughs are lop'd off it but most of them kept their Antichristian favour though they changed their temporal Lords and set up for and by themselves as to temporal subjection and dominion You see and hear how fierce the French the Spaniards the Portugals c. the house of Austria are for the Romish Religion 'T is true England hath broke that yoke off its neck so hath Holland the Gospel hath got a great foot in Germany France Denmark Poland Sweden Hungary but yet the Devil hath a large Chappel in most of those places It is the National Religion of France Spain Portugal Italy the Imperial Proper-territories God is fitting the circumstances of the World much to his promised Work of destroying this Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth with the brightness of his coming England is fallen off Holland is fallen off a great part of Switzerland many Cities and Territories in Germany Sweden and Denmark great numbers in France God is by degrees doing his work and a great deal is done within the space of a hundred and fifty years last past for it is no longer since Luther began to shake his Throne but yet the circumstances of the World do not look as if it were like to be a work we should see in our age nor it may be our childrens children Methinks the Scripture looks as if that man of sin should die a natural death not a violent one I mean that that Religion should be loathed out of the World not fought out of it God will consume it with the Spirit of his mouth and with the brightness of his coming Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord I tell you but my judgment that before the fall of Antichrist you must yet see a greater falling off from Popery by the Princes of other Nations and their people The Worlds circumstances do not yet seem fitted to that great Work God may work Miracles in the case but I know no ground we have to expect them I am very confident that Antichrist is in his wane much past his full declining every day and therefore the fears of some that that ridiculous Religion should again over-spread England or Holland or any other reformed Church do not much afflict me I take that for granted that Babylon is falling but when we shall hear that joyful sound Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen that I cannot tell you but in the general I think we must first see the World otherwise circumstanced than it is 2. By this observation of the motions of Providence you shall also understand much of Gods set time as to shewing mercy to your own particular soul viz. when your bodily or spiritual circumstances are fitted for the desired mercy 1. I say first when your bodily circumstances are fitted to it There is nothing more evident than the dependance of our minds upon our bodies and the influence that some bodily distempers especially have upon our souls and minds now although it be true that God can work miraculously and by light can break through a darkness be it never so thick and ravish a Soul with unspeakable joy and peace though at that time it be yoked to a dark cloudy melancholick disturbed body yet God useth not to work Miracles ordinarily but to move in a more ordinary course of Providence by the use and application of means that are proper so that as it is seldom but God useth the disorders and disturbances of the body to influence and afflict the mind and to be at least an adjuvant cause when he will trouble a Soul so he usually restoreth health and a better constitution of body when he intends to restore peace and quiet and a composure of spirit I say ordinarily he doth so And hence again in the next place 3. We by giving attendance to this Observation may learn our duty in reference to the use of Means so as to use what is proper to its season for there is great wisdom to be used in apportioning means For Example as to the bringing down of Antichrist if Gods time be not come the means are not girding our swords upon our thighs c. I question whether that will ever be a Mean proper to be used in that case but endeavouring by all means possible to loath the World of Popish superstitions and ceremonies and all the idolatry of that Synagogue and of all the cheats they put upon the World and alienate the hearts of people from them So for calling the Jews the means to be used is not inciting them to get into a body and heading them c. but to convince them of their errours to endeavour the sweetning of their spirits the enlightning their minds with the knowledg of the truth of the Gospel and reconciling them to the Christian Religion and shewing them the Examples of an holy life and conversation So in case of particular Souls where the discomposure of the mind is originated in or further advantaged by bodily distempers which is a thing very frequently happening I do not take it to be the duty of a Christian meerly to pray and hear but also to use natural means proper for the abating of these distempers yet not this without Prayer and use of Ordinances both for the blessing of God upon such means and for the further influences of his supernatural grace for God fitteth the circumstances of the person that is to receive the mercy to the desired mercy when he intendeth the bestowing of it as well as the circumstances of the World to the mercy which in his set-time he intendeth for his Church so as I say this observing of this method of Providence duly attended to addeth spiritual Wisdom to a Christian as in discerning of Gods time for mercy so also in directing him to his duty as to proper means to be used by him in the way of his duty in order to the obtaining of the mercy teaching him to know what Israel ought to do what a good Christian ought to do under the circumstances under which God hath brought him 2. By an attendance to this working of Providence you shall understand much of the loving-kindness of the Lord very much of the goodness and love of God to Nations and Churches is seen in this his fitting of the worlds circumstances to his designs before he produceth them as his designs are effected without tumult and bloodshed which otherwise through mens opposition to it would not be avoided With how much bloodshed in all humane probability must the Children of Israel have first came out of Egypt then out of Babylon had not God fitted the circumstances of the world to those designs of his Providence
and sicknesses of little ones all are warned to be continually upon their watch not knowing when the Lord will call for them every little Bell that telleth us a child is gone soundeth to us would we but understand it Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth before the evil days come Further yet God by this dispensation in which as you have heard he is just doth mind all of the duty they owe unto their children to bring them up in the knowledge of the Scriptures in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and particularly not to defer the ordinance of Baptism beyond a reasonable time It is doubtless Gods ordinance as to children not only a sign of Gods Covenant but a medium in order to salvation though efficacious only when God is pleased to make it so not ex opere operato upon the work done I have now shewed you the equity of God in this particular way of his Providence Vse It is a dispensation under which there are few Parents that are not brought Let me therefore enlarge a little upon some practical Application of this Discourse shewing you what may be our duty reasonably concluded from this dispensation I shall open to you something of it in three or four particulars 1. It is doubtless our duty yea the duty of all flesh To be silent before the Lord under such Providences The loss of a child especially if it be a first-born or an only child sometimes goeth very near us But oh let us not be tempted from it to open our mouths against the God of Heaven nor to entertain a thought in our souls derogatory to the justice and goodness of God Our children are sinners and obnoxious to the justice of God God may in justice punish them for their own sins or for our sins I hinted to you before that it was a beam of Arminius his new light that none should be condemned for original sin only and he is followed in it by all the Remonstrants in their Confessions Apologies as also by others of that tribe Socinus also and his followers shake hands with them in that notion Yet Arminins answering Mr. Perkins who to disprove Arminius his doctrine of Gods rejection of any because he foresaw they would reject the grace of the Gospel had pinched him telling him this could be no cause of the rejection of infants out of the pale of the Church God could not foresee they would reject the Gospel who he foresaw should never have the Gospel preached or tendred to them answereth him thus At inquam ego in parentibus abavis avis atavis tritavis evangelii gratiam repudiarunt quo actu meruerunt ut a Deo deserantur That is But I say saith he they rejected the Gospel in their Parents their Grandfathers their great Grandfathers or former Progenitors Now how this is consistent with his other doctrine I cannot understand for certainly if God may be justified in rejecting the souls of some infants from eternity because he foresaw that their Great-Grandfathers would reject and refuse the Gospel when-as they by no personal act should do any such thing he may be justified even in the eternal condemnation of children for the sin of Adam or the personal obliquity and corruption of their natures and so it is not unrighteous with God eternally to condemn a child for its original corruption only But we are not now speaking of eternal condemnation but of bodily and temporal yea and temporary punishments which may very well consist with the eternal salvation of the soul and it is very absurd for us to think that for such punishments the infant may not be punished without the impeaching of the justice of God though it hath been guilty of no actual sin deserving so early a chastisement of it Oh therefore suffer not in such cases your hearts or lips to transgress God may do it in righteousness He may thus justly punish original sin in the child he may justly punish our sins upon the backs of our children Speak not a word against God in this Providence 2. Do what in thee lyeth secondly to find out the cause When the Jews queried our Saviour concerning the man that was born blind for whose sin it was whether his or his parents Our Saviour answereth them that it was neither for his sin nor yet for his Parents but that the glory of God might appear in that famous miracle which our Saviour wrought in restoring him to his sight It is an hard thing to find out Gods ends in his dispensations of punitive Providence God may sometimes afflict and take away little ones for their own sins for the sin of Adam for the iniquity in which they were conceived and the sin in which they were brought forth God may sometimes do it for the Parents sins Sometimes he may do it principally neither for the one nor for the other of these ends but for the good of the Parents or for the good of the Children you have heard that this motion of Divine Providence is highly reasonable upon more then one account But yet when we feel the smart of such a dispensation we know not how to look upon it otherwise than as a punishment but now our business under such providences is to enquire what sin in us God doth in that manner revenge The Scripture will guide us a little in the finding out of this and we may possibly find out some other helps to make us understand these dispensations It was threatned to David 2 Sam. 12. For his sins in the matter of Vriah and his wife and for that by them he had given occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme It is one of those common scourges with which God chastiseth some Parents for their sinful lives and whoso is conscious to himself of a sinful course of life need not enquire much for what cause God brings him under such dispensations It is matter of more narrow enquiry why God thus chasteneth his own people Possibly if they will search narrowly under such a Providence they may find if not the very sin for which God contendeth with them yet some laps of their lives of that nature as may give them a just ground of jealousy and suspicion that that is the sin for which God so troubleth them I shall not be positive in this determination lest I seem too boldly to inquire into the secret counsels of God men should do well under these Providences to listen to their own consciences which oft times tell them the truth in such cases But let me ask of thee or rather desire thee to ask thy self these two or three following Questions 1. Didst thou never sinfully distrust the Providence of God concerning thy Children And secretly repine at Gods bounty to thee in them this is now a temptation incident to such as are of meaner condition in the world and not so able as others to maintain their Families God promiseth the
shall not fall Mat. 16.18 The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Psal 94.14 For the Lord will not cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance Mica 4.4 11 12. So quite through this Psalm there are many promises of the same import Now the work of faith is to perswade the soul of the certainty and undoubted verity of these words of God to settle the soul in this perswasion That sooner shall Heaven and earth pass away than any of these things shall fail which God hath spoken Then the work of faith is further to carry out the soul without any carping trouble or disputing to rest wholly upon these words A Christian seeth the word of God what he hath said for its relief now faith teacheth the soul to agree this as the word of him who cannot lye or repent and calleth upon the soul to trust in God for the fulfilling of it to roll it self upon the promise and to commit it self its cause its way unto the Lord the soul of a Christian is very solicitous and careful for the concern and interest of God in the world faith teacheth the soul to cast its care the burthen of its spirit upon the Lord assuring it that God careth for it Faith speaketh to the soul in the language of Solomon Eccles 5.8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Justice and Judgment in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they I say this is a great piece of the Child of Gods duty in such a time when the vilest men are exalted and the wicked walk on every side and the people of God are troden under foot as the mire in the streets It is the Will of God concerning them The just shall live by faith This is the proper time for the exercise of Faith when the eye of sense faileth Faith is the evidence of things not seen the substance of things hoped for The proper operation of Faith is where sense faileth where God is trusted and not seen Blessed are they saith our Saviour who have not seen and yet believe This is Opus diei in die suo Though the people of God ought to be careful of all duty at all times yet they ought to have a special regard to the duty of their day the seasonableness of a duty addeth much to the weight and importance of it The foundations are shaken saith the Psalmist Psal 11.3 4 What shall what can the righteous do Mark what follows The Lords Throne is in Heaven his eyes see his eye-lids try the children of men This is that life which the Saints have lived yea and they have lived well upon it When David had lost all the Amalekites had taken Ziglag and in it all that he had 1 Sam. 30.6 the Text saith David encouraged himself in God the Truth Power and Goodness of God nor did he hope in God in vain as you shall read in that story What had Hezekiah to live upon but Faith when Sennacherib had besieged him with his mighty Army and ranted against him and the God of Heaven too after that rate you read What had all the Patriarchs all the Saints and Servants of God to live upon but Faith of whom you read Heb. 11. Nor is there any life which so glorifieth God as this it eminently glorifieth three Attributes of his his Power Goodness and Truth No man will trust in a bruised Reed or lean upon a broken Staff therefore the Apostle speaking of Abrahams faith Heb. 11. saith He believed that God was able to raise him from the dead and again Rom. 3 He believed that he who promised was able to perform It giveth God the glory of his goodness for the expectation of his soul is the Mercy and Goodness of God and it also giveth God the glory of his truth for the proximate object of Faith is the Word and Promise of God O therefore let this be your care when you cannot live by sense live by Faith It is the happiness of a Child of God he hath something to live on in the worst of times Psal 34.10 The young Lions shall be hunger-bit but there is no want to them that fear the Lord. One would think that of all creatures the Lion should be most out of danger of being hunger bit The Lion the King of the Forest all other Beasts are subject to this Beast yet if an old Lion that cannot run for its prey that hath lost much of its strength may be hunger-bitten one would think a young-Lion that is in its full strength should not Yes saith the Psalmist a young Lion may be hunger-bitten those that have most of the world wicked men that have greatest honours greatest power great advantages to provide for themselves they may be hunger bitten they may come to want but there shall be no want to them who fear the Lord there shall be no time so ill but they shall live if they cannot live upon bread they shall feed upon truth How much better is the estate of a godly man than that of his neighbour It is a great point this a great piece of duty Let me therefore a little further enlarge upon it three ways 1. Shewing you how a Christian may know if he liveth this life 2. Directing you in order to it 3. Perswading it by Arguments 1. Will some Christian say how shall I know if I live this life Suffer me to give you five or Six Characters of it 1. It is a Spiritual life Our life saith the Apostle is hid with Christ in God What Christ sometimes said to his Disciples when they would have had him to have eaten something that a Child of God may say to all the world I have meat to eat you know not of His life is a spiritual life such is the life of Faith both with respect to the subject and to the object of it As to the subject of it it is the soul that lives the body lives by bread the soul lives by truth by the promise There are many that in evil days their bodies have enough to feed upon but their souls have nothing hence their hearts become like Nabals dead as a stone yea and as to the object it is spiritual too he that feedeth upon truth feedeth upon Jehovah It is the truth of God in the word which the soul liveth upon the soul of a Believer can no more live upon Words and Syllables than another soul No but it is the truth of God in these words his power and ability to perform what he hath said his inclination and good-will to the performance and his truth and faithfulness Every life in an evil day is not a life of faith some may live upon fancy and foolish hope some may live upon means with which their eye feedeth them another may live upon a Roman spirit of his own Tu
hath of his own There 's none in the world lives so free a life as he who lives by faith upon the promise his life is independent upon the whole Creation it is hidden with Christ in God But this is enough to have spoken to this piece of a Christians duty in an evil time SERMON XLVIII Psal XXXVII 1 3 4 5 7 8. Verse 1. Fret not thy self because of evil-doers neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity Ver. 3. Trust in the Lord and do good Ver. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord. Ver. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord Trust also in him Ver. 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self because of him that prospereth in his way Ver. 8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil HAving shewed the equity and wisdom of Divine Providence in governing the affairs of the world so as that oftentimes the vilest men are exalted and the wicked walk on every side The rod of the wicked lyeth upon the lot of the righteous and they are chastned every morning and plagued every moment whiles the eyes of the wicked stand out with fatness and they have what their hearts can wish and are often suffered to devour those who are more righteous than themselves I am inquiring what the duty of a Child of God is under such a dispensation of Divine Providence and for this purpose I have chosen this text perhaps more fully expressive of it than any other single portion of Scripture Part of it I have opened I have shewed you Negatively they ought not to fret to be angry or to be envious Positively I have shewed you it in their duty to live the life of faith I now proceed 3. Thirdly It is their duty to delight themselves in the Lord. You have it here v. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord. Such a time as this is usually a time when the Child of God cannot delight himself in the Creature it may be he hath a dear a loving Wife dutiful and pleasant Children and would delight in them but a Prison must separate him from them or an Exile or Banishment must make their Company very unpleasant to him It may be he hath a full and plentiful estate and could take a pleasure in that but he seeth that is by Peecemeal pul'd from him every day and because he will enjoy his conscience and keep peace there he shall not enjoy that property which the Laws of the Nation and his honest Labour or the gifts of his Friends have invested him with now at such a time and under such a dispensation of Providence as this is what shall a righteous man doe what is his duty in such a day my Text telleth you he shall delight himself in the Lord Delight thy self in the Lord. Delight is nothing else but the Soules Complacency Rest and Triumph in an object So that to make a thing or person the object of Delight there must be an apprehended goodness in the object and the Soul delighting it self in it pleaseth it self with it and resteth and Triumpheth and even leapeth for joy in the Enjoyment of it There is in delight more than a content pleasure and rest of the Soul in its object the Soul Triumpheth Leapeth and even Shouteth for joy God is to be considered in himself so his name is Jehovah Elshaddai a Fountain of Sufficiency Power and Goodness There are three things which must concur to make a reasonable Soul to delight in any object how good and excellent soever it be in it self 1 Propriety 2 Possession and Application 1 Propriety Let a thing or Person be in it self never so good never so excellent and let it be so apprehended by me this may render it the object indeed of my love but not of my delight For saith the Soul what is all this to me here it is impossible that a wicked man should have any Delight in God because he hath no propriety or interest in him He may possibly from Reason conclude that in God there is an infinite Power Sufficiency Goodness he can have no true notion of God but he must conclude this The first beeing must necessarily have an infiniteness of Power and consequently of Sufficiency and the Fountain of Good from whom all good floweth must necessarily have all good in him but let him be never so apprehensive of this yet so long as his Soul saith what portion have I in God God is a stranger an enemy to me he can never delight himself in God will the Hypocrete delight himself in the Almighty Job 27.10 If thou wilt return to the Almighty then shalt thou delight thy self in the Almighty None but the Child of God can delight himself in God because he alone hath an interest and propriety in him he alone can say my Lord or my God 2. Possession also is necessary to delight Suppose a man to have a right and title to an Estate and consequently a propriety in it yet if he be kept out of the Possession of it he can take no delight in it Hence it is that a Soul that hath a true right and title to Christ and a real interest in him yet if it lieth under dark apprehensions of this title and interest he cannot delight himself in the Lord for delight requires not only propriety but some degrees of the apprehension of that propriety Now while he apprehendeth that his Sins have separated betwixt God and him he wanteth such a possession as is necessary to delight 3. A third thing is Application Let a Soul have never so true a propriety in God never so true a possession of the promises of God yet if he doth not make application to his Soul of that knowledg of God which he hath and of the promises in which he hath an interest his Soul will have no delight in God or in the promises now this application is made two wayes 1. By Meditation often thinking of God Psal 104.34 and upon the promises My meditation of him saith David shall be sweet David speaks of a great delight he had in Gods Commandements they were his Meditation night and day 2. Secondly by Faith assuring the Soul and giving it certain Evidence of the truth of the Promises Now from this discourse both appeareth 1. What there is in God for a Soul to delight in in such an evil day as I have been discoursing of when his People are very low and his Enemies are very high It is that power and sufficiency which is in him by which he is able to Relieve them and that goodness which is in him and rendereth him always ready to help and willing to save so as nothing can stand betwixt us and our desired Salvation help and deliverance but only his wisdom by which he better knoweth times and seasons and what is good or bad for us than we doe The Soul knowing and
is very hard and much a cross to the grain of flesh and blood Let me therefore conclude with a few Motives or Arguments to enforce what I have been speaking unto you For 1. Consider First That not to do this is to be overcome with evil It is the Apostolical Precept Rom. 12.21 Be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good Consider first how dishonourable it is for one that is a Christian to be overcome with evil whether the evil of Punishment or the evil of Sin that the lust wickedness and sin of another should make him also sin against God I would fain know what it is that should in an evil time make the Christian to be worse than at another time It must either be the prosperous state of the wicked or the sadness of his own condition for when the wicked are exalted God's people usually mourn to be overcome either of these ways is to be overcome of evil For the lusts of another to overcome me to make me sin as much one way by fretting fuming vexing omitting duty doing what is contrary to it as they do another through the pride lust and cruelty of their hearts here now the sinful evil of anothers heart plainly overcometh me Is this this temptation because it fareth so ill with thee this is yet worse for then thou proclaimest that thou didst only serve God for the loaves he gave thee 2. But Secondly Consider how honourable it is for thee to overcome thy neighbours evil with thy good For me to have so confirm'd and healthy a Soul that let a boisterous sinner do what he can he shall not make me worse he shall not make me fret fume vex or be impatient or to do any thing short of or contrary to my duty do what he can he shall not turn me from my course of duty either towards God or Man how honourable a thing this is for one who nameth the name of a Christian to be certain and constant and unmoveable in the work of the Lord so as a wicked mans wretched usage of him shall make him but more holy to walk more close with God and to pray more for him and be ready to shew him more kindness and to do more offices of love for him I have heard it given as the Character of an excellent Person That the way to have a kindness from him was to do him some injury 3. Confider again There is nothing which more than this will distinguish one that is a child of God from one that is not It is a great piece of self-denial for a man or woman to deny himself in his passions especially those of lust and revenge Observe the difference betwixt Job and his Wife Job suffered much from the hand of God yet he would not charge God foolishly he did not speak unadvisedly with his lips his Wife presently would have him to curse God and die 4. Again Think with your self what a base thing it is for a Christian to walk beneath his Principles or to change his Principles with his condition There is nothing more unworthy of a Christian than to walk beneath his professed Principles or to change his Principles and course of life with his condition 5. Lastly consider How great an Argument it will be for thee to use with God to bring thee out of that state of affliction and misery into which his Providence hath cast thee when thou canst plead That God's severe Providences to thee have been to thee no temptation to depart from him or from any part of thy duty you shall find the Church pleading this as an Argument with God Psal 44.9 Thou hast cast off and put us to shame and goest not forth with our armies Vers 10. Thou makest us to turn back from the Enemies and those that hate us spoil for themselves Vers 11. Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat and hast scattered us amongst the heathen Vers 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought and doest not increase thy wrath by their price c. Vers 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt fasly in thy covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death If we have forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god Shall not God search this out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Yea for thy sake are we killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever Thus I have opened to you a fourth branch of a Christians duty under such a dispensation of Providence as I have been discoursing of I shall add but one thing more 5. Lastly then It is the duty of a Christian to rest in the Lord and to wait patiently for him or in short under such dispensations quietly and silently to wait upon and for God The performance of this duty will I conceive lie much in Four things 1. A quiet submission to Gods present dispensation a submission and a quiet submission this is implied in the command of keeping silence to God There is a manifold silence There is a natural silence which is opposed to speaking thus he is silent that hath nothing to say or saith nothing Thus Lam. 1.10 The Elders of Zion sat upon the ground and kept silence There is a prudent and politick silence which is good or evil as it is circumstanced Amos 5.13 The prudent man shall keep silence in that time for it is an evil time There is a sinful silence which is a with-holding prayer from God or forbearing to stand up and speak for God Isa 62.6 You that make mention of the name of the Lord keep not silence Lastly There is an holy and Religious silence Isa 41.1 Keep silence before me O you Islands Hab. 2.20 The Lord is in his holy Temple let all the earth keep silence before him Zech. 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation Now this is that silence which the people of God ought to keep before the Lord in an evil time But to open it yet a little more fully The Philosopher distinguisheth betwixt an internal and external speech there is the Language of the heart as well as of the lips for the words that we utter with our lips are first formed and conceived in our hearts our hearts speak first It is not a natural silence upon either account that is our duty but an holy and Religious silence not a silence from thoughts but from passion not a silence from speaking but a silence from speaking unadvisedly Such a silence as Job kept of whom it is said That he did not charge God foolishly nor speak unadvisedly with his lips
the people of God be good and for good and the products both of infinite wisdom and of infinite goodness It is our unhappiness that we judg of events to us in this world by sense and not according to faith This maketh us call many things evil indeed there is nothing can happen to a good man truly evil for the hand of his Father must be in it Providence must have the ordering of it and never did the hand of a good Father knowingly mix a potion of poison to his child and with his own hand give it him to drink We do not ask evil of God and he that heareth our prayers will not when we ask him bread give us a stone nor when we ask him a fish give us a Scorpion If we that are evil know how to give good things to those that ask them of us much more doth our heavenly Father know how to give good things to his children asking them of him In this we may be secure If the Providence of God influenceth all the events of the world he so regulates them that although they may prove sensible joyless and afflictive evils yet they shall never prove real evils to those that fear God but in the issue appear the products as of infinite wisdom so also of infinite goodness Thus far this Doctrine of Divine Providence is a great fountain of consolation to the people of God But lastly Let us enquire what duty we may conclude from hence and that is very much I shall instance in some few particulars 1. Is there a Divine Providence and doth this influence all beings motions actions events c Let us learn then the duty of faith to commit all our ways unto God to trust in him and depend upon him It is a duty we are often in Scripture called to and that with respect to our persons and with respect to our affairs and ways 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls unto him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Our Saviour presseth it in opposition to two things 1. In opposition to the fear of man Matt. 10.28 29 30 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father But the very hairs of your head are numbred Fear you not therefore for you are of more value than many sparrows 2. Again He presseth it in opposition to too great sollicitude Matth. 6.25 Therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your body what you shall put on This he presseth from Gods Providence for the Lillies the Birds c. vers 26 27 28 29 30 31. 2. With respect to our affairs and the events of things in the world so far as they concern us 1. Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord for he shall sustain you Psal 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good Vers 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass Prov. 16.3 Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Man troubleth himself in vain both with care and fear the Child of God especially We cannot let God alone to rule and govern the world But surely if there be a God in the world an immense and infinite Being that filleth all places and infinitely active seeing and hearing all things and this God is not idle but influenceth all beings all motions and actions of beings all suspensions omissions and cessations of action in the creature all events and if he hath any Children people or servants in the world whom he loveth delighteth in careth for these people may trust him and commit themselves and their ways to him and it is their duty so to do Who may trust God who may commit their ways unto him if these should not Let me therefore say with the Psalmist Psal 115.9 10 11. O Israel trust thou in the Lord O house of Aaron trust in the Lord you that fear the Lord trust in the Lord. Be not over-solicitous be not sinfully afraid as to any events There is a God that ruleth in the earth that overseeth the world But this trusting in God must be 1. In doing good Trust in the Lord and do good Psal 37.3 Our souls must be committed to the Lord in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 There is no trusting in the Lord without walking in his way The unholy walking man hath no ground to trust God for any good he hath no promise to bottom his trust upon We must trust God in an holy walking 2. We must notwithstanding the Providence of God trust God in the use of proper means The reason for this is because the Precept commandeth the use of lawful means Trusting of God is indeed exclusive of the use of unlawful means but it always includeth the use of means that are proper and lawful To refuse proper and lawful means and talk of trusting God is to tempt him not to trust him 3. It includeth also the use of Religious means such as the waiting upon God in the use of his Ordinances The word Sacraments and Prayer For these things saith God I will be enquired of by the house of Israel Prayer is a general means instituted by God for the obtaining of any mercy But I say supposing these three things That a Child of God keepeth in the Lords way and hath used all proper means for an event which he hath desired and sought the Lord for by Prayer This Doctrine of Divine Providence sheweth him the highest reason imaginable for his committing both his person and his ways unto the Lord without any anxious sollicitude or distracting fears Because he is the Lord who careth for us therefore we should cast our care on him 2. A second thing which I shall press upon you as your duty and consequent to this Doctrine of Providence is a pious security in all conditions and with respect to all events There is a sinful security which all good men ought to avoid and to take heed of Security is the freedom of the mind from care as to this or that thing Now this is sinful two ways 1. When the ground of it is some carnal confidence a relying on some arm of flesh Cursed be he saith the Prophet that trusteth in man and makes flesh his arm Thus the Jews were often secure upon the view of their great allies and confederates Assyria and Egypt In like manner people may be secure upon the account of their relations and interests or the power and favour of men We are commanded to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils and the Psalmist tells us It is better to trust in the
Reign and the necessity of it Isa 52.7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation that saith unto Zion thy God reigneth It is good news to all the World that God reigneth but particularly to Sion to the Church and the people of God to the whole visible Church it is good tidings but particularly to the invisible part that is militant here on Earth and the individual members thereof 1. This Doctrine first is of great use to comfort them against and under all their disturbances for things which happen to the Church in general or themselves in particular A ship at Sea were but in an ill case if it were not for him that sate at the Helm a skilful Pilot there ordereth her well enough so as the winds serve his design so it is with the Church tossed with winds and waves she is only safe in the Lords government of all the affairs of the World Luther I remember saith thus of himself I saith he have often attempted to prescribe God ways and methods in the government of his Church and other affairs I have said Ah Domine hoc velim ita fieri hoc ordine hoc eventu I would have this thing thus done in this order with this event But saith he God did quite contrary to what I asked of him Then saith he I thought with my self what I would have had was not contrary to the glory of God but would have been of great use for the sanctifying of his Name In short it was a brave design well advised but undoubtedly God laught at at this wisdom of men and said Go to now I know you are a learned man and a wise man But it was never my manner to allow Saint Peter or Saint Martin or any other to instruct teach govern or lead me Non sum Deus passivus sed activus I am not a passive but an active God That great man and Melancthon were two famous Instruments in the Reformation of Germany but of different tempers Melancthon was a man of a more mild and gentle Spirit and melancholick timerous temper Luther was of a more fierce and bold temper Melancthon would often write very troubled Letters to Luther about the state of the Church affairs Luther would constantly make use of this argument from the Governing-Providence of God to support Melancthon Melancthon saith he Let God alone to govern the World The Lord reigneth It pleaseth God so to order it in his Providence that the face of affairs relating to the Church often looks very sadly and there is nothing which giveth the spirits of the people of God a greater disturbance Now all these disturbances are caused from our Not-attending to this Principle which yet every good Christian professeth to receive and to believe Were we but rooted and grounded in the faith of this one Principle That the Kingdom of God ruleth over all and that he exerciseth a special care and Government relating to his Church and ruleth the World with a special regard to the good of his little flock we could neither be immoderately disturbed for the concern of the glory of God nor yet for the Church of God 1 Chron. 16.31 Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoyce and let men say amongst the Nations the Lord reigneth let the Sea roar and the fulness thereof let the fields rejoyce and all that is therein Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord because he cometh to judg the Earth Say therefore unto Zion Thy God reigneth Let Papists rage and Atheists scoff and threaten and do what they can Let all their Favourites take counsel together and join hand in hand when they have done all they can they will find that the Lord reigneth And this is enough to say unto Sion or to any of her sons and daughters Two things are sufficient in the most troublesom and tumultuous times to still support and comfort the spirits of Gods people 1. That the Lord reigneth and hath an unquestionable superintendence upon all the Beings of his creatures all their motions and all their actions He is higher in power than the highest of them 2. That this God is our God The Psalmist hinteth both in that excellent 46 Psalm v. 10 Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted amongst the Heathen I will be exalted in the Earth The Lord of Hosts is with us The God of Jacob is our refuge Let not therefore those that fear the Lord trouble themselves about the motions of the World and commotions in it about the ragings of lewd men against the interest of Christ Let them not trouble themselves further than is their duty viz. to be sensible of the rebukes of Divine Providence The Lord reigneth He that sitteth in the heavens laugheth The Lord shall have them in derision and shall one day speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure and let the World know that yet he hath set his King upon his holy hill of Sion I remember a passage of Luther Si nos ruamus ruet Christus unus Christus scilicet magnus ille regnator mundi c. If we perish saith he Christ must fall too Christ that great Governour of the World 2. If we did consider this as we might or ought we should also see as little reason to be disturb'd as to the concerns of our own Souls with the fear of two things as to their own Souls ordinarily the people of God are troubled 1. The prevailings of their own lusts and corruptions 2. The prevailings of Satans temptations This Doctrine of Divine Providence excellently serveth to still our unquiet spirits as to either of these troubles If the Lords Kingdom be over all both these fears must be vain and causeless for supposing the faithfulness of the Promises Sin shall not have dominion over your mortal bodies God shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly He will with the temptation give an happy issue If the Lords Kingdom be over all neither shall corruption prevail nor Satan by temptations prevail to destroy the work of God in our Soul or to prevent us or hinder us as to the Kingdom which God hath prepared for us for as he that hath promised is faithful or cannot repent or lye so he is powerful and hath a dominion over all beings persons things c. My father saith Christ is greater than all none can pluck you out of my fathers hand 3. Lastly It affords us a relief against the sad prospect we have almost continually before our eyes of the malicious actions of wicked and ungodly men There is and always was a generation in the World which sleep not unless they do mischief they are continually devising mischievous devices against the little flock of Christ Their counsels designs works have a plain and
apparent tendency to the ruin of the whole interest of God in the World if possibly not to leave Christ a Name in the Earth nor Religion pure and undefiled Religion a footing in any place he that runs may read this day that the malice of some is against no form in Religion but the life and power and practice of Holiness The Devil their Master hath given them a command like that of Benhadads Fight neither against small nor great Neither against Conformists nor Non-conformists but against the life and practice of Religion only Who seeth not that although a man hath a further latitude than others of his brethren as to matters of Conformity yet if he liveth an holy life if he presseth Holiness in his Pulpit and practiseth it in his Conversation he maketh himself a prey to the common Enemies both of Gospel Faith and conversation But trouble not your selves Christians The Lord reigneth the Frogs out of the bottomless pit may through Gods permission get out and croak a while but to the pit they must return again A sad time it was when the Enemy said to the Soul of the man according to Gods own heart Flee as a bird to the mountains when the wicked bent their bows and made their arrows ready upon the string that they might privily shoot at the upright in heart Psalm 11.2 When the foundations were destroyed and the godly knew not what to do what comfort at such a time Observe the same Psalmist v. 4 The Lord is in his holy temple the Lords throne is in heaven his eyes behold his ey-lids try the children of men I shall conclude this branch of Application with that Psalm 99. v. 1 The Lord reigneth let the people tremble he sitteth between the Cherubims let the Earth be moved the Lord is great in Zion and he is high above all people Let them praise the Lords great and terrible Name for it is holy Lastly Vse 3 This Doctrine is a foundation for a great deal of Exhortation Every good Christian upon hearing this Doctrine concerning Gods providential Kingdom should be saying What now is my Duty what ought I to do if the Lord reigneth I will tell you in five or six particulars and so shut up this Discourse concerning the main and principal acts of Divine Providence 1. An exercise of Faith seems a very reasonable piece of duty to be concluded from these premises By Faith here I understand not an assent to the Proposition of the word nor yet a resting upon the person of the Mediator which is the justifying-act of faith but committing of our selves unto God and casting our care upon him in all estates and conditions a thing often called for in Scripture Cast thy burthen on the Lord Psal 55.22 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 Commit thy way unto the Lord Psal 37.5 So Job 5.8 Prov. 16.3 Sometimes it is called a Trusting in God Psalm 4.5 and 7.1 Pro. 28.25 and 29.5 Isa 57.13 c. Power and Love are the things that support and justifie one in trusting and putting confidence in another This Doctrine concerning the general Providence of God in governing all justifies him as to his Power to be the true and sole Object of our confidence We can trust in none else but may be controuled The greatest Princes of the Earth are but men under the authority of one who is higher than they and a mans trust in them oft-times is but like the Jews trusting in Egypt which the Prophet compareth to a leaning to a bruised reed and upon a broken staff which are not able to bear the weight of a mans body but if he leaneth upon them they will run into his hand If God be against us man cannot protect from him nor deliver out of his hand therefore saith the Psalmist Psalm 118.8 9. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princes but he whose Kingdom is over all must needs be a proper Object of our confidence and as our confidence in God is warranted from general Providence as to the power of God so as to his love it is secured from special Providence but of that I hope to speak distinctly only a word here lest any should say But although the Kingdom of God be over all so that upon the account of his Power I may trust in him yet how doth it appear his Power shall be put forth for me I shall but offer four Meditations to you 1. That the glory of God is the great end that he aimeth at in all his actions He made all things for himself he preserveth he governeth the World for himself 2. That whereas God hath a twofold glory from his Creation Passive and Active One wherein the creature doth nothing from an inward principle thus the Heavens declare the glory of God and every creature speaks of his glory The other wherein the creature is Active acting out of intention and design and from the principle of its own will This latter is that which is most pleasing to God and acceptable 3. That God is capable of receiving no further glory from his creatures than what floweth from the predication of his praise and the doing of his Will 4. Lastly That from hence it must needs follow That God is more glorified by his Church and by his Saints than by all the Creation besides God is mutely and passively glorified by other creatures but in his Temple men speak of his glory The children of men and amongst them only those who are born of God do voluntarily and out of choice bring glory to God God if I may so speak wrests his glory from others as from Pharaoh c. God indeed in some sense may be said to be actively and voluntarily glorified by all Professors but only by that little flock whom he hath chosen to himself with a full intention voluntarily and sincerely They are the favourites of him whose Kingdom is over all Supposing then God to have a Dominion and Government over all and to be continually in the exercise of it surely if Haman could say Whom should the King delight to honour but me They may with much better right and advantage say For whom should the great King of kings and Lord of lords exercise a Rule and a Dominion For whose advantage should the Lord govern the World if not for those who most freely chearfully voluntarily serve the greatest end and design which he hath in the World viz. his own glory and can sincerely sum up all the desires of their Souls in that one Petition Let the Lord be glorified surely therefore the children of God have all obligations imaginable upon them under all vicissitudes of Providence to trust in God and to commit their ways unto the Lord. But this is but the first Duty 2. A Second Duty which this Doctrine of
Providence calleth to us for and sheweth us the reasonableness of is Prayer We have reason in our distresses to seek unto God by Prayer because the Lord reigneth and it is an encouragement to us to seek him because he reigneth Whither should we go but unto him who hath power to help save and deliver Prayer therefore hath in all times of distress been the Refuge of Gods people It was a sad time with David Psalm 109.4 The mouth of the wicked and of the deceitful saith he v. 2 3. are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue They compass me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause for my love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto Prayer v. 4. Luther when he was in any strait was wont to say I will go and tell my God of it Prayer hath been the constant mean which the people of God have used for rescue out of any troubles You see it is upon a good foundation viz. The Dominion which God hath over all and his daily exercise of it 3. It calleth to you for praise and thanksgiving Prayer solliciteth for a mercy when we want it Praise acknowledgeth the gift when received and giveth unto God the glory of it Nor can it without robbery be paid at any other than Gods Altar Is there any good done by thee Let God have the glory of that thou hast done it by vertue of a power or gift which is given to thee from above yea and it is from his Governing-Power of Providence ruling directing and influencing thy heart to it His Kingdom is over our hearts our hands our tongues inclining them to every good thought word action without him we can do nothing Doth any good come unto thee Let God also have the glory of that The earthly Prince looketh that you should acknowledg your peace your trade to his Government but he is but the instrument of God in bringing these things It is the Kingdom of the Lord that ruleth over all he gives thee power to get riches saith Moses I am sure the people of God have more special reason to acknowledg God in all their peace and prosperity They are men of peace their hands are against none but the world hates them they are as sheep amongst wolves if they have any months or years of peace they are beholden to the power and ruling of God for it Is any evil kept from you It is God that doth it he that ruleth the raging of the Sea he stilleth the tumults of the people he hath the hearts of Kings in his hand and turneth them as the Waters of the South It is because the Mountain of the Lord is full of Chariots and Horses that they are not swallowed up by their Enemies every moment O see and praise the Lord for the Governance of his Providence 4. This Doctrine calleth to you for patience in adversity The people of God are subjected to trials of adversity yea â—o fiery trials as well as other men yea in greater degrees than others hence the Apostle calleth to them to let patience have its perfect work Patience is nothing else but a quiet submission to the will of God under any adverse dispensation of his Providence in obedience to his command and because it is his will and he layeth it upon us we have need of patience and the exercise of it is our duty and this Doctrine will shew you that it is but a reasonable duty Let me shew it you in two or three particulars 1. As it showeth you that all your afflictions be they of what sort and kind they will are from the Lord Job 5.6 Afflictions cometh not out of the dust nor doth trouble spring out of the ground Is there saith God by the Prophet any evil in the City and I have not done it Affliction comes not by chance or fate it comes from God and is the wise issue of his Providence in the Government of the World we have therefore no reason to fret and vex our selves against instruments They are but instruments Perhaps said David of Shimei God hath bidden him curse They possibly do ill and at last will know it but God is righteous in their unrighteousness I held my peace saith David I knew it was thy doing It is the Lord saith that good man let him do what seemeth him good 2. As it assureth us that all things shall work together for good to them that love God If God ruleth and governeth the world he certainly doth it for himself and for his own glory which glory of his being the highest design of his people all things must necessarily tend to their good to that which they above all things desire and seek after This God who ruleth the World is his peoples father and doth what-ever he doth as a father for the good and advantage of his children 3. Lastly It is a good Argument of patience As it letteth them know that their afflictions are ordered and governed by God The Afflictions Oppressions Persecutions of the people of God are not things excepted out of the Dominion of God It was you know the Centurions faith That diseases were to Christ as his servants were to him He said to one go and he went to another come and he came and to another do this and he did it So God speaketh to diseases and not to diseases only but to all sorts of afflictions Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it God first causeth then ruleth and governeth all our troubles afflictions and trials Fifthly This Doctrine calleth to all the people of God for love to him This is the Psalmists Exhortation and upon this very Argument Psal 31.23 O Love you the Lord all you his Saints for he preserveth his Saints and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer All the earth is bound to love the Lord for the exercise of his Governing-power If the Lord did not reign the worst of men would quickly find the ill effects of it they need no worse enemies than their own brethren and companions in wickedness did the Lord lay the reins upon the necks of their lusts and suffer them as they would to devour one another For as we see the ravenous Birds Fishes and Beasts do not only prey upon other but their own species so were it not for the Restraining-Providence of God in governing the world the wicked of it would see their brethren in iniquity not only preying upon the Saints and people of God but also upon those like unto themselves if lesser than themselves But I say above all the people of God as being the least flock are more especially bound to love the Lord for the Government of his Providence but this will more eminently appear when I come to discourse concerning the Specialties of his Providence with reference to them 6. Lastly This Doctrine calleth unto all for a willing
up amongst them so they have had an ambition still to arrogate this Name to themselves The Arians would be the only Church since that the Papists the Protestants think they have the best claim and great disputes there are for this Honourable Title I will not say this will determine the cause but it will go a great way That body of people professing Christ against whom the gates of Hell cannot prevail Matth. 16.18 In the midst of which God appears to be by a more special powerful Protection keeping it that it shall not fall Psalm 46.5 That people which the Lord keepeth and watereth every moment lest any should hurt it keeping it night and day Isa 27.3 That people round about whom the Lord is as the mountains are round about Jerusalem Psalm 125 v. 2 Who can say as Psalm 124 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us Then the waters had over-whelmed us the proud waters had gone over our souls I say that people amongst those that lay claim to the honourable Title of the Church of God seem to have the best claim for it is the Church for which God exerciseth a special Providence I will not say This alone will prove any party the true Christian Church but where-ever we see a people professing faith in Jesus Christ holding the Doctrine of the Gospel crying To the Law and to the Testimony for the trial of her Doctrine Worship and Discipline and God watching over this people strangely preserving multiplying and encreasing them using the ministry of his Word amongst them to convert and build up Souls delivering them in a constant series and succession of Providence from their Enemies far more and more mighty than they are we may join our selves to them The anointed of the Lord the Church of the true and living God is doubtless before us Though these special Providences will not make an argument alone yet they are a far better argument than the Popish pedegree they pretend to in a succession from St. Peter or Antiquity or their pretended Vnity or Miracles indeed rather to be called lying wonders I know no promises of these things to the Church to the end of the World but I know many promises for special Providence attending them And certainly that Body of Christian people called Protestants I mean that people in all the parts of the World that are now called by that name for the name beareth date but from the German Reformation but I say that Body of people united in their Doctrine and Worship can lay the fairest claim to this of any others No people hath been more strangely preserved than they witness those in the valleys of Piedmont and Lucerne and Bohemia none more strangely preserved nor whose number hath been more strangely encreased nor their Doctrines more strangely prevailed A Christian by observing which way special Providence hath most moved may get much wisdom and much help himself in making a judgment which is the true Church 2. Yea and he may also much help himself in judging of those in the World who are the true Saints and people of God who they are that dwell in the secret of the most High as the Psalmist speaketh for they generally abide under the more particular shadow of the Almighty It is true there are some rare instances of persons that walk close with God whom yet God followeth with a series of severe Providences such an instance was Job and such particular instances we see in our time to let us know that outward prosperity is not the Saints portion God hath provided some better things for his people But take now any considerable number of people in any City or Place that so far as we can judg walk more close with God and in a more strict observation of his law than others do and oppose these to a like number of persons in that place that give a liberty to their lusts and walk by no such rule and observe number for number who are most under the special Providence of God preserving them from dangers and in dangers who are most blessed with special Providences as to length of life health c. you will remember that I told you we must abate for particular instances of Gods own people whom he picks out to make examples of saith and patience and to be his witnesses unto the world in a time of trial Who observeth not how strangely God preserveth and blesseth some people that fear him and walk closely with him and I do believe the observation will justifie it self concerning any considerable number of such persons compared with a like number of others So that although none can conclude himself or herself a child of God from some particular special Providence no not from a series and course of them yet where men and women walk close with God Gods special Providences attending them will much evidence even to others that they are not hypocritical in their professions 2. But secondly The observation of Gods special Providences towards our persons our families our Church will much make us to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The love of our friend to us is not seen so much in some acts of his goodness which others experience as much as we as in some special things which he doth for us and doth not or will not do for others The observation therefore of special Providence helps much to affect our hearts with the love of God God in trying our love to him saith to us What do you do more than others and as our love to God is so tried so Gods love to us is so evidenced this is that which hath always set the hearts of the people of God admiring God This was that which set the Psalmist upon admiring Gods goodness to mankind Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou shouldest remember him If you read on you will see that which affected the Psalmist was Gods special Providences to man making him little lower than the Angels cloathing him with glory and honour putting all things under his feet c. This made David understand the loving kindness of the Lord 1 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto and this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord. God aggravates our sins from the special Providences he hath blessed us with as in the case of David 2 Sam. 12. and Saul Moses argueth the Israelites to duty from Gods special Providences to them in the four first Chapters of Deuteronomy nothing makes us so much as them to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Oh therefore observe consider what God hath done and what he daily doth for you more than
but he findeth that such knowledg as David saith was too wonderful for him In my Text he doth referre pedem draw his foot backward I will go back saith he I will wade no further O the depth There are some truths and ways of God which are unsearchable We may discourse a little and more generally of them but we shall never be able to find the bottom of them It is wisdom for us in time to retreat and cry O the depth But what depth is this The blessed Apostle tells you of the wisdom and knowledg of God in man knowledg and wisdom are two differing habits a man may be a knowing man yet not a wise man Knowledg apprehends things Wisdom directs the practice to the best ends of humane life Knowledg is a speculative habit Wisdom a practical habit In God also though he be but one simple act we may conceive a difference betwixt Wisdom and Knowledg but in this Text possibly it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing expressed by two terms he is speaking of the wisdom the unsearchable wisdom of God in some particular acts of his Providence How unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out Here are two terms Judgments and Ways Both again here signifie 1. the same thing Judgments in Scripture sometimes signifie the ways and statutes of God because of the Justice and righteousness that is in them By Justice God measureth his own Words and Laws 2. Sometimes the Term signifieth corrections and chastisements because God measureth out all these likewise in Justice and in them acteth as a righteous Judg But here doubtless Judgments and ways signifie the same thing All Gods ways are Judgments ways of Justice and Equity and Righteousness The term ways is also used in more senses than one Sometimes it signifies the way of Duty wherein we ought to walk towards God or the course of mens actions so you read of the way of the wicked the way of sinners here it is applied to God and signifies The course and series of his actions towards his creatures so it signifies here Of these Judgments and ways of God of this wisdom and knowledg of God it is said They are unsearchable they are past finding out Vnsearchable that is such as we can by no means search out by no means come to the bottom of The only Proposition I shall insist upon from these words is this Prop. The ways of Gods counsels and Providence are unsearchable and not to be found out In the handling of this Proposition 1. I will endeavour to prove it to you that it is so 2. I will shew you how far it is our duty to behold and to search into them and to shew you also wherein they are unsearchable and not to be found out Then I shall make some application Let us first see how this is established from Scripture Eccles 8.17 Then I beheld all the works of God that a man cannot find out his work that is done under the Sun yea though a man labour to seek it out yet he shall not find it yea though a wiseman thinketh to know it yet he shall not find it A Text which must be understood of Gods works of Providence The Wiseman saith a man cannot find them out yea though a man labour to seek it yet he shall not find it He that spake this was Solomon a man to whom God had given Wisdom above all that had been before him and said that there should be none after him who should be like unto him He tells us ver 16 That as he was indued with Wisdom enriched with this Talent so he had not laid it up in a Napkin but had made it his business to improve it I have saith he applied my heart to wisdom and to see the business which is done on the earth V. 17 you have the conclusion That the ways of God were not to be found out yea though a wise man think to know it yet he shall not find it out Psalm 36.6 His righteousness is like a great mountain his judgments are a great deep Not a deep only but a great deep The Sea is called a great deep there is no sounding the bottom of it in many places For saith the Apostle what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is within him even so no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God and it must be so if we consider the infiniteness of the Divine Light Wisdom and Understanding His understanding is infinite Psalm 147.5 Now it is said of the works of God In wisdom hath he made them all There is the infinite wisdom of God in the works and contrivances of his Providence The Apostle telleth us he dwelleth in that light to which none can approach 1 Tim. 6.16 and so he walks in that light which none can see and fully comprehend There is no searching out of his understanding Isa 40.28 The way of the Lord is like the way of an Eagle in the air of a Serpent upon a Rock not to be seen not to be tracked Incomprehensibilis Dei sapientia inter angustias humanae rationis coarctari non potest It is the saying of a grave Author Gods unsearchable incomprehensible wisdom cannot be cooped up within the straits of humane Reason but the Doctrine is experimentally and de facto evident enough In the second place here may arise a Question How far our duty extendeth as to the ways of Divine Providence for certainly we have a duty a great duty incumbent upon us to Divine Providences I remember it is the saying of Cicero Si vera est sententia quorundam philosophorum qui omnino nullam rerum humanarum procurationem docent habere Deos Quae potest esse pietas Quae Religio Quae sanctitas Cicero de Nat. Deorum If the opinion of some Philosophers who deny that the Gods exercise any providence or take any care of humane affairs be true What piety can there be What Religion What Holiness A sentence which will let us know that there were some amongst the Heathens that were less Atheists than some amongst those who are called Christians Now the case is the same supposing this Divine Procuration or Providence if we may not or do not at all take notice of it Let me therefore discourse a little concerning the duty of man with reference to the Providence of God and then I shall shew you the boundaries of it and wherein it is unsearchable I shall open the first in three or four particulars 1. It is doubtless the duty of Gods people To see and behold the works of the Lord indeed we cannot but see them they are before our eyes every day But my meaning is to behold the things that are done in the earth as the works of the Lord. There are too many that do see and not see they see pluckings up and plantings of Nations and Families but
in the second place This discourse concerning the unsearchable things of Divine Providence may serve to direct us as to much spiritual duty I will shew you this in four or five particulars 1. The first is that of the Apostle Rom. 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be wise to sobriety We translate it Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly It may as well be translated Not to be wise above what we ought to be wise but to be wise soberly The Apostle Col. 2.18 makes an intruding into things which we have not seen but a sign of ones being puft up with a fleshly mind Augustine saith when a thing is obscure Et aperte divina Scriptura non subvenit temere aliquid definire humana conjectura praesumit Aug. And the Scripture doth not plainly help humane Wisdom doth but presume rashly to define any thing about it 'T is an excellent thing for a Christian to know his measures not to reach at further degrees of knowledg about the secret things of God than it hath pleased God in his Word to communicate unto us that is the true boundary of spiritual knowledg But I shall not inlarge upon this This is now opposite to that curiosity which I largely reflected upon under the first head of Application 2. This in the second place calleth to us for a deep adoration and veneration of God This is one reason why the Lord hath made his judgments so unsearchable his ways past finding out An holy and humble admiration of God is one piece of that homage which our souls owe to God He is to be admired of all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 All admiration is the daughter of some ignorance we seldom or very little admire what we fully and perfectly understand The unsearchableness of God in his ways makes him the true and proper object of our admiration and admiration giveth God the honour of his unsearchableness Take heed of denying or disputing what the Scriptures reveal of God because you cannot comprehend and fathom it Where you cannot comprehend him there it is your duty to adore and to admire him 3. This Proposition calleth aloud to all To take heed of making the motions and issues of Providence the rule and guide of their actions We are to follow the rule of the word not the windings of Providence I told you before that Providence is like a man of business that carrieth a great many designs in his head at once and seldom keepeth his road he that will bear such a man company to London or any other place which is the ultimate end of his journy may go a great deal out of his way and where he hath nothing to do and be a great while longer than he need before he cometh there neither must the opportunities which Providence offereth be always taken nor conclusions be made from the successes or frowns of it 4. Learn hence to take heed of raising either too sweet or too bitter conclusions for or against your selves from the Providences of God The indications reasons tendencies of Providence are all unsearchable things Love or hatred cannot be concluded from what is before you in this life Providence carrieth many to hell by a gale of prosperity and others into heaven by a whirlwind of adversity the way to heaven is by much tribulation some are scourged into heaven others go leaping and dancing into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone 5. Lastly Though it be our duty to be wise unto sobriety and not to search curiously into what God hideth from us though we cannot make either the motions or issues of Providence the rule of our duty or action because in our appearance it sometimes pointeth one way when the rule of the word directeth us another yet it is our duty to observe the motions and passages of Divine Providence to behold observe ponder them and to lay them up in our hearts Now what observation of Providence is our duty or what observable things there are in the workings and motions of Divine Providence must be the subject of a far larger discourse SERMON XIV Psal CVII 43. Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. WHoso wistly casteth his eyes upon this Psalm will find it from first to last a Song of Providence intermixed with frequent exhortations or wishes That men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men My Text is the conclusion of this excellent Song Whoso is wise observeth these things The Prophet Hosea hath much such a conclusion of his Prophecy Hos 14.6 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them The Proposition of the Text is plainly this Prop. It is an argument of spiritual wisdom in men to observe the motions of Divine Providence and those that do it shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The Proposition you see hath two Branches 1. That it is an argument of spiritual wisdom to observe the motions of Divine Providence 2. That he who doth observe them shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The work commended to us is the observation of Providence The honour and reward of the work is expressed in two things 1. It speaketh a man wise truly spiritually wise 2. He shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The word which we translate observeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word that signifies to keep and to observe it is often used in Scripture to signifie a keeping safely and translated by the LXX by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall keep me in the way wherein I shall walk and he that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal 121.4 And he shall give his angels charge over thee and they shall keep thee Psal 91.11 In all those Texts the same word is used sometimes it is used to signifie such a keeping of Gods Commandments as sheweth it self in practice as in Deut. 6.17 and chap. 8.2 sometimes a keeping of them in our mind as in that Text Gen. 37.10 Jacob kept the saying the LXX interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagnine saith of it Curam sollicitudinem diligentiam denotat ne quid emittatur elabatur aut excutiatur It denotes care sollicitude and diligence that nothing slip out or be let go or shaken out In short I conceive this duty of observing the works of the Lord his great and various works of Providence may be dispatched in three things 1. In a considerate beholding and looking upon them Works of Providence pass before our eyes every day but the truth is for the most part we see and do not see them that is we do not considerately and deliberately fix our eyes upon them and see them as the Lords works we see them as events in the world but consider not the operation of Gods hands in
pieces upon Rocks to avoid the temptation caused himself to be tied to the Mast of his Ship I would have every Christians heart tied to the Promise as to his Mast that he might be out of the danger of all temptations from Providence Thirdly which indeed is a consequent of this Resolve to wait upon God under all the hidings of his face I call'd this a consequent of the other for he that believeth maketh not haste saith the Prophet This was the Churches resolution Isa 8.17 I will wait upon him that hideth his face from the house of Jacob. Temptations in an evil day can have no advantage but upon our Souls precipitancy The Soul that is resolved to wait upon God hath much defeated all Tempters and is out of all their Gunshot I remember the speech of the three Children to the King of Babylon We are not say they careful to answer thee in this matter The God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thy hand however we will not fall down before the image which thou hast set up If he will not presently deliver us we are resolved to wait on him Fourthly To waiting must be added Prayer I will look unto him for he will hear me Prayer is the Catholick remedy both for the aversion of any Judgments and for the obtaining of any mercy Fifthly To all this add but that of the Psalmist Psalm 37.34 Wait upon the Lord and keep his way and thou shalt inherit the promise made to it He shall exalt thee to inherit the land and when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it But I shall proceed no further in this Discourse SERMON XVI Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. HAVING shewed you it to be the duty of Gods people to observe the motions of Divine Providence which are the things spoken of in this Text and shewed you what a great indication of spiritual Wisdom such an observation is and how great a mean to make us to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord I came in my last Exercise to commend unto you some remarkable Observations concerning them I finished my Discourse at that time upon my first Observation without any further preface I shall now proceed to a second which you may take thus Observ 2. The Providence of God in the fulfilling of the words both of promise and of threatning doth ordinarily fulfil the first when the people of God are at the lowest and the latter when his Enemies are at the highest I shall handle this in the same method as I did the other speaking to it shortly 1. By way of Explication 2. Confirming the Observation and giving you the reasons of it and lastly making some Application of it For Explication 1. I must desire you still to observe what I before told you and now repeat That the Providence of God in all its motions is but a Servant of the Word it fulfilleth the will of God That it is the spring from which all its motions do proceed both the secret and revealed will The will of God is but one but part of it is revealed part concealed So much of it as is necessary in order to our Salvation is revealed whether respecting our rule of life or respecting what shall happen to us or others to Nations and Kingdoms and Churches in this life or to particular Souls in or after this life Now what God hath thus revealed Providence brings to issue and here is the ground both of our prayers and praises 2. For the Promises I say you shall observe It is the ordinary method of Divine Providence to bring them to an accomplishment upon the Church and people of God when they are at the lowest in all humane appearance in the lowest state of dejection in the lowest degree of affliction when they are lowest as to their outward state lowest as to their hopes 3. I added thirdly That it ordinarily gives a being and fulfilling to the threatning when Gods Enemies are at the highest The people of God are those to whom the promises are made they are the heirs of them they are those to whom are given the great and precious promises wicked men are they to whom the threatnings belong they are the children of wrath the heirs of the Curses the work of Providence in reference to them those of them that will not be reformed is to bring all the Curses that are written in the book of God upon them But I say you shall observe That the time in which the Providence of God fulfilleth these words of Threatning upon them is when they are at the highest in the highest hopes of the contrary on the highest mountains of prosperity Let me endeavour to justifie this Observation by some instances and those concerning bodies of people or individuals You know the people of the Jews were the only people under Heaven until Christs ascension that God owned as his people Individuals there were that were not Jews as Job and others but I say for a body of people there were no other Gal. 3.16 To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made Rom. 9.4 Who are Israelites to whom appertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises The Promises made to Abraham Isaac Jacob. David c. The Promises of inheriting Canaan coming out of Babylon destroying their Enemies c. Now these promises being given out it was the work of Divine Providence to give them a verification and to fulfil them Observe what times the Providence of God doth it in It bringeth the children of Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan not while Jacob or Joseph were alive Joseph was a great man and could have given a probable conduct to that great work The Israelites while he lived were in a very flourishing condition multiplying exceedingly and being in a very prosperous state every way But this is not a time when the Providence of God will accomplish the Promise Joseph must die and another King rise up that knew not Joseph The children of Israel are diminished their little ones slain their whole body oppressed with hard labour and brought to as low a pass as you can well imagine a people to be not wholly blotted out This is the time that Providence will accomplish the promise for their coming out of Egypt They pass the Red-sea in a very formidable body like enough to make their way through the Wilderness and a variety of Enemies into the promised Land But before the Providence of God brings them in they must be broken in a great measure destroyed all dead unless Caleb and Joshuah who came out of Egypt and their body wholly a new generation then they shall pass over Jordan Read over all the story of Judges and observe God seldom delivered them from their oppressors until they were brought
abideth for ever If two be walking together they had never more need to take heed that they lose not one anothers company than in a dark and blustring night when the darkness keeps them that they cannot see one another and the wind hindereth that they cannot hear the sound each of others feet The Believer and the Promise are Relates companions each to other there is never more danger of their being parted each from other than in a night of dark and blustring Providence Now a Christian stands concerned to be often applying his Soul to the Promise often calling upon his Soul as David in Psalm 42 Trust thou in God for I shall yet praise him Nor is there any thing more conducive to make a Christian at such a time hang upon the Promise than to hear that it is the usual method of Divine Providence then to remember Gods people when they are in the lowest condition Fourthly As this calleth to the people of God for faith in the Promise so it calls to them for hope Faith and Hope are so near of kin that they are oft put one for another Indeed Hope is nothing else but Faith looking out at the windows of the soul in expectation of the coming of the thing believed There is an hope that worketh upon the encouragements of sense when the mercy hoped for is seen coming in a way of probable means but there is an Hope that proceedeth meerly upon the Evidence of Faith when the Soul hopeth for some good thing but seeth no encouragement from any sensible thing the former is but a natural affection working upon an absent probable good This latter is a supernatural habit and an exercise of grace The Apostle calls it an hoping against hope or a believing in hope against hope This is that which I am calling to you for This is that which keepeth the heart alive in the deadest time We use to say If it were not for hope under evils the heart would break Faith is the acquiescence of the Soul in the World Hope is the motion of the Soul consequent to this acquiescence Faith saith the thing is sure Hope seeth it coming and relieveth the Soul with that Hope is the Souls watchman The Soul cryes out Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night Hope saith The morning is coming Now this Observation advantageth Hope It assures you that God is coming at Midnight When you see these things come to pass saith our Saviour Luke 21.28 lift up your heads for the day of your redemption draweth nigh It hath reference to all that went before where our Saviour had been telling them of the great Evils that were to precede his coming Now saith our Saviour when you see things at this miserable despicable pass then lift up your heads Fifthly This Notion calleth to the people of God for fervent and constant prayer for the Church and people of God when they are at the lowest ebb Never give over the case of the Church and people of God for desperate it is never less so than when it most appeareth to you to be so I remember it is particularly remarked concerning Daniel in the 9th Chapter of his Prophesie That when he understood by books that the time was come for the fulfilling of the Jewish captivity then he made that excellent Prayer which you have upon record in that Chapter with a great deal of fervor and zeal for the people of which you will find it full Daniels certain knowledg that that was the time for their deliverance did not supersede his duty of Prayer but more abundantly quicken him to it In such a state of the Church and people of God as I have been describing to you a Christian hath two great arguments to perswade him to a more constant diligent and fervent application of himself to the throne of Grace 1. The Churches misery and low condition calling to him for pity and what help he can give it 2. The knowledg he hath or may have that it is now about the time when God useth to arise and help Lastly This Observation calleth upon all that fear the Lord especially at such a time when they or the Church of God is lowest to watch unto holiness to wait upon the Lord and keep his way and to be wary of sin To deter all that fear God from sinning especially at such a time I might mind you of that precept of God to the Jews When the Host goeth forth to battel then take heed of every wicked thing But I shall conclude with that known story of the Israelites You know they had an old Promise made four hundred years before that they should inherit the land of Canaan they had served in Egypt many years they were now come over the Red-sea and had encountred and overcome the long and many difficulties of the Wilderness they were brought within a prospect of the promised Land nothing wanted but a taking possession they murmur against God retard their entrance forty years until all that generation was destroyed except Caleb and Joshuah I shall conclude Hath the Church been a long time under great pressures things still as to its interest growing worse and worse that they seem to be brought to as low a pass as they can be Now begins her hope to dawn according to that Method of Providence which I have observed to you Only now let the people of God look to themselves that by some defection they do not set back their own mercies You may take the Exhortation in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.6 Now these things happened unto them for our ensamples to the end that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted neither be ye Idolaters as were some of them c. But I shall add no more to this Second Observation SERMON XVII Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Have both shewed you the duty of the people of God to make Observations upon the motions of Divine Providence and the advantage accrewing to them that perform it 1. It is an indication of spiritual Wisdom 2. Those that do it shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. My work at present is to give you some observations upon the motions of Actual Providence which is the work of God in the World fulfilling his purpose and fulfilling his Word both of Promise and of Threatning Two of those Observations I have given you discoursed upon them and made some futable Applications I proceed to a third 3d Observ Providence ordinarily doth its greatest works in the day of mans smallest things It is truly observed that the greatness of Divine Power and Wisdom is most seen in the Creation and Preservation of the least creatures As a Workman is most magnified that can bring most art into the least room and it is as true that the greatness of Divine Providence
same as of my former observation Because thus he gets himself most glory The Glory of God is the great end of all his actions he worketh for himself for the Honour and Glory of his own great Name Now God hath more Honour and Glory by these accomplishments than if he should bring them to pass by greater and more probable means The Apostle gives this very reason 1 Cor. 1.29 Why God chose weak things to confound those that are mighty c. That no flesh should glory in his presence 1. His power is thus more magnified He thus appears to be a great God a mighty God though it be true that the Power of God is equally exerted when he worketh by great means as by small had we spiritual eyes or did we look upon means as we ought to do as deriving all their efficacy from God yet de facto it is not so to us and therefore you shall in Scripture observe God often declaring that he would work this or that in this or that manner that his People might not say that they had done this by their own might or power The lesser appearance there is of second Causes the more the efficiency of the first Cause is evident so God getteth himself a great deal of Glory by working in the day of mans smallest things 2. As I also told you under the former head God getteth himself more Glory by the praises of his people he is more admired in his workings more praised and adored for his workings The Enemies are also hereby enforced to confess the works of the Lord and to acknowledg the greatness of his Power But having enlarged upon these things under the former observation I shall add no more here but come to the Application Vse 1. The first Use I shall make of this point shall be what the Prophet Zechariah hath made before me Zech. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of small things The Prophet propoundeth it by way of Interrogation but it contains a Precept in the bowels of it Learn not to despise the day of small things it is usually Gods day It may be a day of small things as to the Church the state of it may be very sad the case of it very low little humane means or probabilities may appear of the amendment of its state all things may seem to make against the interest of God and Religion Now I say let no man despise this day of small things It may be a day of small things with the particular soul the case of it may be very sad it may be full of dejections full of despondencies hurried with temptations it may have hope and but a little hope light shining in upon it at a poor crevice let none now despise this day of small things Two things I would press upon you 1. Not to despise this day 2. To perform what is your positive duty with reference to such a day 1. I say first Despise not such a day Persons or things may be despised two ways 1. Directly 2. Interpretatively Take heed of despising it directly Take heed of despising it interpretatively We despise a person or thing directly when in our hearts we contemn him or it and have a low and poor estimate of him or it and express it by any outward sign as words gestures c. Thus the Enemies of the Jews scorned the Jews employed in re-building the City and Temple when they said What will these feeble Jews do if a fox go up he will break down what they have builded It was it seems a day of small things with the Jews their Enemies despised them and mocked at them Thus Sennacherib despised Hezekiah when he offered his Commissioners two hundred horses if his master could set riders on them Take heed of this despising Thus the Popish party in Germany despised the day of small things in the beginning of the Reformation by Luther when they bid him go into his Cell and pray Lord have mercy upon me The issue in all three cases shewed that they had no reason as to any of them to have despised the day of small things Providence usually brings forth its greatest works in such a day But besides this despising 2. There is an interpretative despising of such a day Take heed of this also thus we may despise things 1. When we do not give that due regard to them which we ought Thus our Saviour telleth you A man cannot serve two masters but he will cleave to the one and despise the other that is not give that due regard which he ought to give to the other He that neglecteth what ought not to be neglected doth interpretatively despise when we have not that due value for a thing we ought to have we despise it Thus Esau despised his birth-right saith the Apostle we no where read that he spake contemptuously of it but he did not duly value it he sold it for a contemptible price a mess of pottage 2. When because of the smallness of means our hearts fail in the use of the means we have or as to the promise this is a despising of the day of small things Now I say take heed of despising such a day any of these ways it is usually Gods day Let your rule be this If a work or issue of a work be for Gods Glory if it be the matter of a Divine Promise though there may be but a small appearance of means for the accomplishment of it take heed of despising it either directly or interpretatively Who hath despised such a day saith the Prophet intimating that none ought to despise it none hath any just reason to despise it 2. But secondly Do what is your duty in such a day you will say What is that I will open it in three things 1. Vse the means you have 2. Exercise a faith in God beyond the probable effect of those means 3. Make up in prayer what you will want in action through a want of means Of each of these a word or two 1. Vse those means and grounds of hope which you have If David hath but a sling and a stone to go out against Goliah with yet he will use them Means that have a natural vertue in them or a divine institution have Gods stamp upon them and must be used leaving the event and success unto God we must neither idolize means by attributing the divine Efficiency to them nor yet tempt God by a neglect of them when God affords us them You shall observe God sometimes commanding the use of means which had no rational tendency to the production of the effect as what influence could the Israelites blowing with Rams-horns and the Army encompassing the City seven days have upon the walls of Jericho yet the Israelites were bound to use them because they had the stamp of a divine Institution upon them It is much the same case when they have a natural vertue or a rational tendency there
is a divine stamp too though of a different nature what means are proper must be used how mean soever they appear in our eyes What proportion was there betwixt Jonathan and his Armour-bearer and the whole Garrison of the Philistines between Jeroboams Army and Abijahs This but four hundred the other eight hundred thousand between the Army of Asia and that of the Ethiopians and Lubims 2 Chron. 14. God often works yea he ordinarily worketh by small means and Providence brings forth its great work in the day of mans small things If we be sure that we are in Gods way and about his work let the means be what they will if lawful and rational it is our duty to use them God must be honoured in his own Institutions and sought in his own way though the means be small and our humane hopes small yet if we expect Gods blessing this mercy must be sought in the use of those means which the Providence of God layeth before us 2. But secondly The duty of a Christian will lye much in the exercise of his Faith in God beyond the probability of the means This is the great duty of a Christian and the very end which God aimeth at in cutting us short of means many times I think we may say Vbi media deficiunt ibi fides incipit where means begin to fail there faith begins to work Where we are out of sight as to means there 's a room for faith For it is saith the Apostle the evidence of things not seen By faith here I mean a trusting and relying upon God as a God able and faithful But to open this a little more clearly to you I will shew you 1. In what cases we may warrantably exercise a faith in God beyond the vertue and probability of means 2. What means we may use for the help of our faith in this case 3. What encouragements we may take to our selves in such a case to set our faith on work 1 Quest In what cases may a Christian exercise faith in God for the accomplishment beyond the vertue efficacy and probability of humane means to be used in order to it 1. To this I answer The object of faith must be a Promise It is ridiculous to talk of an exercise of faith in God for an accomplishment for which we have no word to warrant us in the expectation of it But now a Promise may be either particular or General of old many had particular persons and the Nation of the Jews had particular promises made to them by God immediately or mediately by his Prophets we have no such God hath left us unto his written Word There are many general promises which shall be made good still to particular Churches and persons Hence is our difficulty to conclude what it is we may exercise a faith in God for bringing to pass To direct you a little 1. Where you have a particular promise the case is plain Some such there are as for the destruction of Antichrist c. 2. In the want of a special particular Promise a general promise is a sufficient object for our faith General promises made to the Church and people of God are applicable to particular Churches and particular Saints 3. Every Precept doth imply a Promise God hath certainly promised a blessing upon the doing of that which he hath commanded us to do no man serveth God for nothing 4 Whatsoever issue certainly conduceth to the glory of God is under a Promise God hath resolved to glorifie himself and he ordereth all his actions in order to that end The substance of all this amounts to thus much We may exercise a faith in God and trust in him for accomplishing by his Providence whatsoever in his Word he hath either more particularly or generally promised or whatsoever he hath commanded us to act in tendency unto or whatsoever doth certainly tend to the glorifying of his great and holy Name Now if any thing of this nature be upon the wheel although we see the present visible means in order to the accomplishment of it be small and in all appearance disproportioned to the greatness of the event yet a Christian using what lawful means the Providence of God lays before him may warrantably trust in God for the exerting a further power for the accomplishment of it than is in the means which at present are apportioned to it But this is now an hard thing to us Let me therefore secondly direct you what you should do in a day of small things for the advantaging of your faith in this noble Exercise I shall offer but two things in the Case 1. Keep your Eye as much off the means and as much upon God as you can We have so much of sense and reason in us that we are very prone from one or other of them to take all our measures about future events If we would keep our hearts steady in a time of such exigencies as these we must shut the Eyes both of our sense and reason Faith credits a Proposition neither upon the demonstrations of the one of these nor the conclusions of the other but the meer authority of God Men count it wisdom when they are upon precipices never to look downward but upward if they look downward their weak heads are apt to be giddy Christians in such stresses of Providence as these are have nothing else to do if they look downward their sense their reason saith how can these things be If God would make windows in heaven saith that Nobleman these things could not be Our poring upon means in the day of our small things hindereth the exercise of our faith in God If the foundations be destroyed saith the Psalmist Psal 11.3 what can the righteous do Means are the foundations of our natural hopes now if these be destroyed if there be little or nothing of these what can we do Wicked men are indeed at their wits-ends they despond and despair but saith the Psalmist v. 4 The Lord is in his holy temple the Lords throne is in heaven his eyes see his eye-lids try the children of men God is still where he was and hath the same power the same knowledg of things the same rule and dominion Twice in Scripture Abraham is propounded to us as a noble Example and a father of the faithful in this thing Rom. 4. God had promised him a Son a Son of his Wife Sarah he grew to be an hundred years old his Wife many years past child bearing here was no means yet Abraham believeth for a Child and he was not weak in the faith saith the Apostle Rom. 4.18 19 20. How doth he behave himself The Apostle telleth you That he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old nor yet the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the Promise but was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised
he was able to perform Abraham that he might keep up his heart fixed on the promise he considered not the nothingness or improbability of the means he considered nothing but the power and faithfulness of God God had said it there was a promise for it a promise from him who could not lye then he considereth that he who had promised was able also to perform an honest faithful man may sail in his promise because he may not be able to perform but as God was faithful so he was also able he keeps his Eye off means fixed upon God So again Heb. 11.17 18 19 By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promise offered up his only begotten son of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead Abraham had a promise that in Isaac his seed should be called God calls Abraham with his own hand to slay Isaac he could not but have such thoughts as these Lord if Isaac be gone where is thy promise what becomes of thy word how shall my seed be called in him how shall I be the father of the Jewish Nation if Isaac be he in whom my seed must be called and he be dead before he hath a child He had nothing to relieve him under these thoughts but this That God was able to raise him from the dead hither he flies and keeps up his faith in the Promise by turning his eye off from the means and meerly considering the power and faithfulness of God You shall find Asa doing thus 2 Chron. 14.9 10 11 Asa had but an Army of five hundred thousand Zerah the Ethiopian cometh out against him with an Army of a million and three hundred Chariots there was double the number he had If he had look'd upon the means he must have desponded how should five hundred thousand deal with ten hundred thousand but he looks off the means and fixeth his Eye upon God Ver. 11 He cryeth unto the Lord and saith Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee Secondly In such a day consider the experiences of Gods people consider what they did and how they sped What they did that you heard in the instance both of Abraham and Asa They shut the Eyes of their sense and natural reason they took off their Eyes from all consideration of means and eyed only the certainty of the Promise the faithfulness of God and the power of God So did Abraham so did Asa Then 2. Consider how they sped Abraham had a Son at the set-time Abraham had his Son reprieved when the knife was at his throat and his seed was called in Isaac The Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Juda c. saith the Text 2 Chron. 14.12 13 14. Now it is a great encouragement to us in the exercises of our faith to consider the experiences of other of the Servants of God in their exercises of Faith Our father 's trusted in thee saith David Psalm 22 they trusted and were delivered The strength of this lieth in the stedfastness and unchangeableness of God he is the same his name is I am David as to Goliah raised up his faith upon his former experiences in slaying the Lion and the Bear 1 Sam. 17 and upon the experience of others Psalm 22 nothing is more conducive to help and relieve a Christian weak as to his faith in the day either of small things as to the Church of God in which he is considered as a member or in the day of small things as to his own personal concerns God chuseth the day of small things to be seen in it is the day which Providence chuseth to shew it self great in And you may thus advantage your faith in God in such a day Now for your further encouragement in this exercise of faith in God beyond the visibility or apparent probability of means I shall offer these things to your consideration 1. That it is Gods ordinary time and method of working This is that which I discoursed to you in justification of the Observation and proved it to you from a plenty of instances and therefore shall not enlarge here 2. That God never worketh with so much advantage to his own glory as in such a time when he fulfilleth his Word in the day of mans small things We never need doubt Gods pursuing of the great ends of his glory He doth all things for himself his glory is the end of all his great works Now I say God never worketh more for the advantage of his glory than in such exigents then is his power and the greatness thereof most eminently made known Then shall his people more see and confess the Arm of the Lord. 3. Consider thirdly this is the proper work of faith It is true we ought to exercise Faith in the use of means let them be never so great never so probable for the accomplishment of the the End but the proper place for faith is where means are weak or wanting to put the Soul in hope against hope It is the evidence of things not seen as patience is an habit of grace given the Soul for a day of adversity so faith is made for an hour of sensible darkness 4. Lastly Nothing so pleaseth and engageth God as such an exercise of faith Asa 2 Chron. 14.11 useth it as an argument with God Help us O Lord for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this great multitude The next Verse saith God smote the Ethiopians 2 Chron. 13.18 You will find that Jeroboam's Army was full double to the number of Abijah's and could not have been conquered without some extraordinary influence of God upon Abijah's side Now would you know what engaged the Lord of Hosts ver 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers See the contrary 2 Chron. 16.7 Hanani the Seer cometh to Asa and telleth him Because thou hast relied on the King of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God therefore the Host of the King of Syria is escaped out of thy hands Thus I have shewed you a second thing in which I conceive the duty of a Christian lies in the day of small things viz. The exercise of a faith in God beyond the vertue and probability of the means 3. A third piece of his duty is To beware of the use of sinful means in order to the accomplishment of what he desireth It is a great vanity to which through our misapprehension of means we are very subject if we want lawful means to make use of
a knowledg too high too deep for thee Providence usually bringeth home both the promises to the Saints and the threatnings to the Sinners in a way quite different from what they looked for or it may be expected it in I have spoken enough already to take Christians off this but yet because it is a great point a thing wherein we are prone to slip and wherein our slipping is more than ordinarily dangerous let me spend a little time further to argue you out of this vanity and to direct your Souls in the expectation of the fulfilling of Divine Promises 1. Consider how much the strength of your souls is spent and how vainly in the expectations of your own fancies As the expectation of that for substance which God never promised is but the expectation of our own fancy so neither is the expectation of what God hath promised under such circumstances as are no part of the promse Now the strength of our Souls runneth much out in such expectations Let a man but fancy that in such a year Babylon shall fall The Jews shall be called The thousand years shall begin That by such a time the Church in distress or his Soul in distress shall be delivered It is strange to observe how the Soul will spend it self upon such a Notion the thoughts of men run upon it their wits are bent to interpret dark Scriptures into their own fancies it presently becomes the main article of their faith and the great argument of their hope and the whole subject of their discourses and at last possibly they are enforced to acknowledg that they had a lye in their right hand The Prophet useth the expressions upon an higher argument but yet they are applicable here Why spend you your strength for that which is not bread and your labour for that which will not profit There is nothing that is bread for a Soul but the Word of God it hath pitied my Soul many times to observe many otherwise I hope serious persons how they have spent themselves in such Enquiries and expectations as these Consider secondly how the faith of your souls is often endangered and shaken by your disappointments in these things I do but name this again for I before enlarged upon it How ready are we to dis-believe the Promise wholly because it comes not in the circumstances that we fancied it would come The Apostle was aware of this great Evil and therefore when some had been prophecying in the Church of the Thessalonians of a sudden coming of Christ to Judgment he writeth to that Church 2 Thess 2.1 2 Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as if the day of Christ were at hand Let no man deceive you by any means The Apostle saw that this hasty and ungrounded expectation of Christs coming under such circumstances as he had now here revealed did not only tend to the troubling of Christians when they saw themselves disappointed but also to the shaking of their faith as to the thing it self and therefore beseecheth them by the coming of our Lord Jesus and by their gathering together unto him what can be the meaning of that but this If ever you expect the joyful coming of Christ and would keep your faith steady as to it if ever you would be with us gathered unto him concern not your selves in those who would limit the Promises to the circumstances of their own fancying Let them pretend Revelations of the Spirit or wrest the word of God yet faith the Apostle let them not deceive you You have an eminent instance of this shaking of Christians faith so consequential to this limiting of God to circumstances Luke 22.31 There was a Promise of redeeming Israel Christ had been crucified and three days were passed and they had heard nothing tending to their expectation say they We trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel and besides all this to day is the third day since these things were done Their faith began to shake as to the main Promise because Providence in the accomplishment of them did not fit it with the circumstances which they had fancied Thirdly Consider it much hindereth that duty of waiting upon God which the Scripture so often presseth upon us I need not mention particular Scriptures there is hardly any one duty more pressed upon Christians in Scripture than this patient waiting upon and for God Now how doth that Soul wait upon God that limits God to his circumstances of time place means persons he indeed waiteth upon those circumstances a while but when he is disappointed as to them he knoweth not how to wait upon God any longer The Soul which truly waiteth on God leaveth circumstances unto him You will say unto me in the next place What then is the duty of a Christian with respect to the Promises whether concerning the Church or his own soul in particular I answer to receive and embrace them and be perswaded of the truth of them and leave unto God the way time manner and circumstances for fulfilling of them which he hath not revealed going on in the way of our plain duty till God shall please to give a being to his Word You shall see your duty Heb. 11.13 These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth What promises were these The promises of Canaan of the Messias Abraham saw Christs day and rejoyced saith our Saviour They received these promises in their ears God revealed his will for these things they saw them afar off as things like to come to pass many years after they were perswaded of them of the truth of them that God would give them a being they embraced them with thankful believing hearts and lived so as that they confessed themselves strangers and pilgrims of the Earth in a constant course of self-denial and fulfilling the will of God and in a crucifixion to the World they never stood troubling themselves to search out the particular time and circumstances when and which way God would do these things but kept in the faith of the Promise leaving circumstances unto God Let us go and do likewise I shall conclude this discourse with a Text of our Saviours Luke 17.20 21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come He answered and said the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation Neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you Let me a little open these words to you The Kingdom of God that is the great things which concern the Kingdom of God these are not brought to pass and come
peace You read 2 Sam. 4. that Baanah and Recab two servants of Ishboseth conspired against him and slew him ver 9. David causeth them both to be slain Baasha 1 King 16.27 conspireth against Nadab and slayeth him indeed the Scripture doth not express the particular kind of his death but he threatned him by Jehu the Prophet 1 King 16.3 4. and tells us ver 7. That the wrath of the Lord came against him for all the evil that he did in being like to the house of Jeroboam and because he killed him that is he killed Nadab the Son of Jeroboam And against Elah his Son Zimri killed him ver 20. Had Zimri peace that slew his master no he killed himself when he had reigned but seven days ver 28 after him Ahab a most wicked man dyed in war his Son Jehoram was slain by Jehu and Jehu executed both the Lord's counsel and command in what he did so the Lord spared him and three or four after him of his generation to fulfil his promise to Jehu After this 2 King 15 Shallum conspireth against Zechariah and slayeth him but reigns only one month and Menahem requiteth his bloodshed and slayeth him Joash was slain for the blood of the Sons of Jehojada 2 King 24.23 Amaziah his Son succeedeth him 2 Chron. 25.1 ver 3. He slayeth his servants that had slain the King his father And as this notion is justified everywhere in sacred story so civil story also maketh it good Solomon saith He that breaketh an hedg a serpent shall bite him Government is the hedg of a Nation and rulers are the stakes in that hedg that keep it together and it is very rare but the Providence of God ordereth it so that a serpent biteth him who breaketh this hedg which the Providence of God hath set up about a Nation or People Princes and Rulers are in a great measure priviledged persons and have great prerogatives from Divine Providence And this motion of Divine Providence seemeth very reasonable 1. If we consider the relation that they have unto God 2. Or their usefulness unto men I say first if we consider their relation unto God which I shall open to you in three things ◠They are the Ordinance of God 2 They are Gods Creatures 3. They are Gods Vicegerents 1. Rulers are Gods Ordinance This is the reason which the Apostle giveth Christians for subjection to governours Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God God is a God of order and not of confusion as well in States as in Churches and for the conservation of this order he hath been pleased to ordain Government a subordination and subjection of some unto others and a man cannot rise up against this but he must rise up in opposition to a Divine Ordinance In 1 Pet. 2.13 Rulers are called the Ordinance of man or as it is in the Greek an humane creature but that must not be understood of Government in it self that is the Ordinance of God I am aware that that is a Text that is much made use of to prove Christians duty of Obedience to humane Laws and Sanctions But this seemeth not to be the sense For 1. We cannot submit thus to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Men may command us things which are contrary to the Will and Command of God and in such cases our Allegiance is first due unto the great God 2. Again The distribution that followeth seemeth not to favour this sense whether to the King as supreme or unto rulers sent by him Let the form of Government under which you live be what it will let the persons entrusted with the execution of this Government be what they will their qualities are not so much to be regarded as the office which they bear 3. Thus both the Syriack version and some of the antients interpret it the Syriack version interprets it Be you subject to all the Sons of men 4. But lastly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is there used is always applied to persons not to such constitutions as laws are Besides there are that think that the Apostle useth a dialect then in use there is nothing more ordinary in Latin Authors than those phrases of creare consulem creare dictatorem c. it is a phrase a little in use amongst us to express the conferring of some particular honours But I digress too far certain it is that as Government in the abstract so particular governours in the concrete are the Ordinance of God and so have a more eminent relation unto God All men are the creatures of God they are the works of his hands rulers are the Ordinance of God 2. Rulers are Gods creatures and that not in a large sense so every thing else is but in a more eminent way as Rulers in that capacity to which God hath called them they are Gods creatures Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth It must not be understood only by my sufferance and permission nor by me in an ordinary course of Providence as all things are by God but by me in a way of special Providence and designation for as the Psalmist saith Psal 75.6 7. Promotion cometh not from the east nor from the west nor from the south but God is the judg he pulleth down one and he setteth up another And this must be said of the worst of Rulers they came not up into that place of government without the Lord. Saul was a Prince bad enough God foretold by Samuel what he would be yet you know what a special hand God had in the setting of him up And God setteth up good or bad Rulers over a people according to his designs to bless and prosper or to chastise and punish them Rulers as rulers be they good or bad gentile or froward are God's creatures in an eminent way Now as a Prince thinks himself obliged in honour to maintain his creatures whom he hath set up in any place for any end so God will maintain Princes as they are his creatures raised up for his special designs 3. Nay further yet Rulers are Gods vicegerents Psal 82.6 I have said you are Gods and in this sense it is true which the Apostle saith There are Gods many and Lords many Every Prince is but a Vice-roy to the King of Kings a Deputy-Lieutenant to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth This createth a very near relation betwixt God and them and highly engageth the Providente of God for them Every Prince taketh a special care of persons which he sendeth abroad for Embassadors and which represent his person and authority Plots and conspiracies against Princes are much against God himself God giveth this reason for his severe Law
Vse 1. In the first place let then all men that live upon the Earth praise the Lord but especially such as are superiors and rulers over others and more especially such as are his Church The Psalmist Psal 135.1 calls to all saying Praise the Lord praise ye the name of the Lord and ver 19 20 21. He calleth in particular Bless the Lord O house of Israel Bless the Lord O house of Aaron Bless the Lord O house of Levi you that fear the Lord bless the Lord Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Hierusalem 1. This observation calleth to all the sons and daughters of men to bless the Lord. We are all sociable creatures and much of the comfort of our lives lyeth in our societies and fellowships one with another either in our family-societies or in our civil-societies or in our Church-societies We should think it a life worse than death to be condemned to live like a wild Ass alone in the wilderness Now there are some lusts of men that would spoil us of all this comfort God peculiarly sets himself against them and makes these the marks for his arrows of vengeance The Jews said of the Centurion He hath loved our nation and hath built us a synagogue We may say of our good God he hath loved mankind for he hath taken care to preserve order in humane societies and severely to chasten the invaders upon the rights of others What an ingagement doth this lay upon all men to praise the Lord Certainly sirs there is a great deal of praise and glory and homage due to God from all men as they are concerned in their several societies There is a great deal of glory due to God from families for his testimony against those lusts of men such as are murtherers and adulterers which in a short time would spoil all the comfort of those societies Certainly every family is bound to worship God and to walk with God But particularly 1. Let Rulers praise the Lord. Let all the Princes of the Earth give homage to him that ought to be served they are more especial marks for furious and ambitious mens lusts Gods Providence as you have heard is eminently seen in preventing their dangers in revenging their harms 2 Sam. 23.3 4 5. Surely then as David saith those that rule over men should be just ruling them in the fear of the Lord their light should be like the light of the morning without clouds God hath not only set them up as lights upon an hill but he hath made his special Providence to be a lanthorn about them that 't is rarely that the wind of sedition and treason prevails to blow them out and then 't is ordinarily for some eminent Provocation of God But I am not speaking to persons in that capacity You that are parents praise the Lord Gods special Providence you see reacheth you and in a great measure secureth you from that great heart-ach of rebellious and disobedient children I know you will say How then cometh this to be the great affliction of many good parents To which I answer 1. There is many a good parent may have been but like good old Ely too indulgent and cockering to their children ordinarily God keepeth up the authority of parents over their children until themselves have prostituted it and in the rebellion and disobedience of their children they may read their own sin and see as much cause to be humbled for that as any thing else as David in the case of Adonijah 1 King 1.5 6. And herein the goodness of God towards parents will be seen that if he doth not upon their endeavours secure to them the duty of their children yet he will not fail to revenge their quarrels against them 2. Let the poor and weak of the earth praise the Lord he hath declared himself the father of the fatherless and the judg of the widows a refuge for the oppressed Psal 68.5 Exod. 22.5 Psal 10.11 How are all the widows and fatherless children all the poor and oppressed people of the world bound to praise and to serve this God who hath taken upon himself the special patronage and protection of them This indeed would be the best use we could possibly make of this Observation relating to the special Providence of God if it might lay a special obligation upon all those who are thus especially concerned to magnifie God as their great patron and defender And how can they praise God more effectually than in doing those particular duties which concern them all in their respective relations or with reference to those peculiar circumstances of Providence under which they are acted I shall add but one branch of Application more and indeed it is not a new Use for it is a part of our praise and homage which we owe unto God upon this Reflexion viz. Vse 2. To all to take heed of those sins which God in his word declares himself more eminently to abhor and in the execution of Providence doth most severely punish All sin is in it self a filthy and abominable thing and the just object of every good mans hatred for should not we hate what God hateth and what hath of all things the greatest opposition to God yes we ought to hate it with a perfect hatred But such is the naughtiness of our heart that we are not so led to an hatred and abhorrence of sin from the intrinsecal evil and obliquity of it as from the dangerous and pernicious consequence of it Death eternal death is the wages of every sin but this being only matter of faith to bold sinners none having ever come from the dead to give them an account of those flames the punishments of sin in this life are those things which most deter carnal sensual men But if men will look no further nor believe any more yet let this lay some law upon us and make us afraid of those sins which I have instanced in being such whose judgment the Providence of God seldom letteth sleep so long as to another life Let this mind us not to meddle with them that are given to change that curse Kings and Rulers in their bed-chambers and are of turbulent and unquiet spirits always plotting and contriving seditions and treasons and disturbances to civil governours it is very rarely that God suffereth their designs to come to issue or their persons to come to the grave in peace 2. What a law should it lay upon the rich and great men of the earth to take heed of violent perverting justice and judgment of turning away the causes of the widows and the fatherless in judgment To consider that he who is the highest doth consider the matter and there is one higher than the highest of them who abuse their power to trample the poor under foot If men be not turned Atheists and have banished all the fear of God from their eyes and hearts it must a little give them law and lay
taken them off from that pursuit of the world by which others procure themselves a livelihood he hath told them they should live upon his Altar he hath told us 1 Cor. 9.7 That no man goeth to a warfare at his own charge none planteth a vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof nor feedeth a flock and eateth not the milk thereof he seeth them out of obedience and conscience to him refusing the bread they might have men will not provide for them he will Ravens shall bring them meat every day but they shall be fed This is but a reasonable motion of Divine Providence I shall make a short Application of this discourse Vse 1. This in the first place lets you see the fountain of that bounty which the many painful and faithful servants of Christ have experienced in all times and even in the days wherein we live It hath pleased God in all times to raise up friends to his faithful Ministers I remember when Abigail came to meet David coming against her husband and had stopt his journey David saith unto her 1 Sam. 25.32 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee to meet me this day and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou c. First he blesseth God then he blesseth her the faithful servants of God yea the Churches of God who by this means enjoy any thing of the labours of their shepherds have reason to bless those whom God hath made his instruments to support those upon whom others had no pity Yea verily and what our Saviour said of the woman that spent her box of Oyntment upon him I think I may apply here Wherever the Gospel is preached what they have done shall be told for a memorial of them If a cup of cold-water for a thirsty Prophet shall obtain a Prophets reward the greater kindnesses of many shall certainly be rewarded they have but put a little money into the bank which God keeps in Heaven But we have more reason to look upward to him who hath the hearts of all men in his hand and openeth them as he pleaseth God hath in it shewed his special Providence for his faithful Ministers let us therefore say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath stirred them up It was the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches in Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3. which taught them in a great tryal of affliction and deep poverty to abound in riches of liberality and willingly of themselves to give to their power yea and above their power Let it be written to posterity for a memorial of the people in England that for so many years together in the midst of a devouring pestilence many consuming fires expensive wars and a deadness of trade they have refreshed the bowels of so many hundreds if not thousands of Gods messengers but let God have all the glory who hath given the heart though their hands distributed the money Vse 2. In the second place Let me cry out O house of Aaron trust in the Lord O house of Levi trust in the Lord Trust in the Lord and do good saith David so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37.3 Let us be faithful to our masters service and do the work which he hath given us to do and verily we shall be fed I cannot say God will provide Coaches and delicate things for us but necessaries we shall not want Herein let us exercise our selves to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men and as to other things we may trust a Providebit Deus God will provide for us and ours The experience of these times if wistly attended to certainly is enough to keep any from being tempted through fear of want to debauch their consciences by doing any thing which is apparently sinful or but so judged and suspected by them We see some fed with great provisions faring deliciously every day whiles others like Daniel and his partners have been fed with little more than pulse and water and at the end of some years it appeareth they look fairer as to worldly circumstances than those who have had far better commons Vse 3. Lastly This observation commendeth confidence and courage to all in the Lords work in opposition to fear and cowardise I would not be mistaken be sure in the first place you be in Gods work that which by his word appeareth to be the duty of one in thy circumstances nothing but the conscience of having been surprised in the way of our duty will bear us up under sufferings be therefore in that point well satisfied having done that observe those rules of Prudence which reason directs thee in such cases this done fear nothing Remember the Providence of God most eminently watcheth over the boldest adventurers in the way of their duty They are the words of our blessed Lord Mar. 8.35 Whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel shall save it They observe in war that the soldier that turns his back and flyes is in much more danger than he who stands to it and that nothing makes a conqueror so much as resolution and bold adventuring it is so in our spiritual fight with the world be then of good courage in it and quit your selves like men remember God is with you and if so there 's more with you than can be against you God indeed in our combats with the world doth not always keep us shot-free and bring us off without a scratch but those whom he doth bring off are ordinarily those who are most valiant and adventurous however it is better to fall valiantly than cowardly and our Lord hath told us That if a man will save his life he shall lose it if he hath such a mind to sleep in a whole skin that he will neglect his duty and do that which his heart condemneth him for doing he shall lose what he hoped to save by it be it life reputation estate c. It speaketh great unbelief and distrust in God to be cowards in plain and certain duties Be prudent but take heed of forbearing necessary duty out of prudence or being faint in the performance of it That can be no prudence If a man fainteth in the day of adversity Solomon saith that his strength is but small his faith is but small and his observation of Gods Providence in such cases hath been very small too But I shall add no more upon this Argument SERMON XXV Psal CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Have done with the Tenth thing in the motions of Divine Providence which I commended to your observation I proceed now to another Observ 11. The Providence of God maketh a very frequent and remarkable use of the sins of people though it be always spotless in making such use of
to heaven ordinarily with broken bones and a bleeding heart So that you see that Gods getting himself glory from his peoples sin gives no man a ground of presumption to go on in a course of sin against God Vse 4. In the last place Let this observation mind us in this case to be workers together with God Have we sinned and come short of the glory of God Let us do our indeavour to make our sins to turn to the furtherance of the glory of God Let us indeavour to make the best of our own bad markets What is done we cannot re-call let us indeavour if possible to make an advantage of our former miscarriages You will say How should that be Answ 1. Let the sense of your sins hasten your pace to the Lord Jesus Christ God hath a great deal of glory from our believing in him whom he hath sent The soul that accepteth of the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour giveth unto God the glory of his Power Wisdom Justice Goodness Truth it gives him the glory of the exceeding riches of his free-grace 2. Make use of your sins to increase your Confession your Repentance and Humiliation Confession giveth glory to God my Son saith Joshua Confess and give glory to God Let your former sins give you the further advantage for sorrowing after a godly sort that will bring forth carefulness indignation fear vehement desires zeal revenge as it did in the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 7.11 3. Let the remembrance of them cause you to walk softly all the days of your life This is that which God requireth of all to walk humbly with their God The remembrance of your sins may be of notable use to you for this to keep down that pride which is naturally in all our hearts that swelling in an opinion of our selves of our own duties and performances that uncharitable judging and censuring and triumphing over others when we see them fallen in the day of temptations 4. Lastly Let the consideration of how many sins God hath forgiven you make you love much Thus the woman Luk. 7.37 47 made an improvement even of her former sins her much that was forgiven ingaged her to love that God much who had forgiven her so much This improvement St. Paul made 1 Cor. 15.9 10. I am saith he the least of all the Apostles and not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God But by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all O this will be an excellent improvement even of your sins if your former unholiness shall now help to make you more holy your former unrighteousness shall help to make you more righteous for the time to come your reflexions upon how much you have done against God and his Saints shall now engage you to do more for God and the cause and people of God A good husband and house-wife will lose nothing but make some advantage of every rag every bit of wood c. I would have you be like them you have been formerly great sinners and done much to the dishonour of God your consciences can shew you a great dunghil of sin which you made in your state of vanity God hath changed your state changed your hearts let not that dunghil be lost look upon it often to help to raise up your hearts in the praises and admiration of Gods free-grace and the engaging your hearts more for God in your contrary duties for the time to come But so â—uch shall serve for this Observation also SERMON XXVI Psalm CVII 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I Am still going on instructing you to that spiritual Wisdom which the Text telleth you may be gained by and is declared in the Observation of the motions of Actual Providence I am now proceeding to a Twelfth Observation of this nature which I shall give you thus Observ 12. The Providence of God in the distribution of the good things of this life doth in a great measure move circularly though mostly to the seeming advantage of ungodly men In my enlargments upon this notion I shall keep much to the same method which I observed in the former 1. Opening it unto you 2. Justifying the observation by instances 3. Shewing you the reasonableness of this motion of Divine Providence And lastly Making some suitable Application 1. My observation as you see concerneth the motions of Actual Providence as to its distribution of the portions of this life The Pagan Philosophers distributed all the good things they had any knowledg of into three sorts The good things of the body amongst which they reckoned long-life health strength beauty c. The good things of the mind the rich endowments of it such as knowledg invention judgment wit memory and moral vertue c. and the good things of fortune such as birth ingenuous education honours riches All these have a goodness in them which lyeth in their suitableness to the use of humane life or society The blind Heathen not seeing the fountain-head of these beautiful streams ascribed them to fortune But they are all in the hand of Providence that giveth to one a longer to another a shorter life to one greater to another lesser measures of health and strength c. to one more judgment wit c. than to another But I chiefly understand my Observation of the good things which the Heathen called Bona fortunae the good things of fortune such as honours riches c. These also are the Lords he it is saith Moses That gives us power to get wealth And the Holy Ghost by another pen-man telleth us That promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west but God pulleth down one and setteth up another Promotion doth mostly depend upon the favour of the great men of the Earth and you shall observe the Scripture everywhere maketh God the Author of the favour and grace which persons have found in the eyes of the Princes of the world 2. Now I observe in the first place That the wheel of Providence in making this distribution doth for the most part move circularly My meaning is that good and evil of this nature hath as all humane things its turns and vicissitudes sometimes to good men sometimes to bad men The Heathen had some prospect of this though what we call Providence they ascribed to fortune to whom they gave a wheel to signifie the rotation of all these sublunary contentments in which you know the same spokes are not always up nor down but sometimes these spokes are uppermost by and by they are at the ground and those that but now were below are up in their place And this is most perspicuous in bodies of people which are made up of those two sorts of men that divide the world godly
hang himself that his friend may shew him kindness to cut the halter or commit Treason against his Prince to give him occasion to pardon him We use to account it no prudence to lye at the mercy of another either as to our lives estates or reputations Who will give away his estate that the charity of his friends may appear in relieving him The mercies of God are indeed beyond the mercies of men but as infinite as they are presumptuous sinners have no reason to lean upon them Oh consider sinner that it must be through grace if thou ere be saved And though where sin hath abounded God sometimes doth make grace to abound yet it is not thy wisdom to sin that grace may abound 1. Because Grace pardoning grace doth not abound towards all in whom the aboundings of sin are found grace aboundeth but to some that have sinned How knowest thou seeing grace is nothing else but love acting freely that it shall abound towards thee If it doth not thou perishest for ever that it shall thou dost not know Thousands sin towards whom grace never aboundeth in the pardon of their sins 2. Because presumptuous sinning is as great a block as it is possible for thee to lay in the way of Divine grace The soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord and hath broken his commandment that soul shall be cut off from his people because he hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his commandment that soul shall be utterly cut off his iniquity shall be upon him Numb 15.30 Now what soul can possibly sin presumptuously if he doth not who saith in his heart I will sin that grace may abound Cons 2. Secondly Consider duty is never to be measured by the event of our actions but by the rule of our actions If thou sinnest thou breakest the Law of the Lord thou violatest his commandment and despisest his word Sin in it self is an inordinate action and therefore to be avoided though the Providence of God ordereth these actions very often both to his own glory and for the particular good of sinners we are to measure our actions by the Divine rule and by that to square them not from the event of them which Divine Grace and Power maketh Certainly thou wilt say that Judas and Pontius Pilate and Herod and the rest of those who were in a confederacy against the life of Christ were all exceeding guilty before God and will some of them in the great day most righteously be turned into Hell for crucifying him who was the Lord of life though God used their action as a means to procure the expiation and atonement of the World thousands shall be saved by the effusion of that blood for the spilling of which yet they will be damned What though God will suffer sin to abound that his Grace may much more abound yet this is no license for thee to suffer sin to abound thou art to guide thy action by the Divine rule God governeth his by his own infinite Wisdom God makes the best of thy bad market but yet it is thy concern to make the best market thou canst both for thy own soul and for the glory of God Cons 3. Thirdly What if God may get himself glory and may get himself glory from peoples sins yet this glory 1. May be from others not from thee 2. It may be only a glory gotten upon thee 1. I say first possibly the glory which God will get from thy sins shall be from others not from thy self Many times the sin which maketh the sinner worse subjecting him to the wrath and vengeance of God debauching and defiling his soul makes others better so God hath a glory from his sin The persecutor tries the faith and patience of the Saints and is a means to help them to the Kingdom of Heaven and so God hath glory from his sin but it is from others not from the sinner he in the mean time damneth and destroyeth his own soul 2. Possibly God will get himself glory upon thee upon occasion of thy sin as he said I will get me honour upon Pharaoh That was by breaking him in pieces by destroying both him and his Army in the Red Sea This is small encouragement to thee to go on in sinning because God will get glory from thy sins thou canst not assure thy self that he will get himself the glory of his pardoning or sanctifying grace from them 4. Wilt thou say But if I may bring glory to God I ought to do it though it be by my damnation Consider That no man can in any sincerity pretend to the willing of the glory of God by sinning The Reason is because sin is directly opposite to Gods Glory What sense is it to will the glory of God by dishonouring him Sin is a thing which of its own nature dishonoureth and reproacheth God Canst thou pretend to design the honour and glory of God by doing that which is directly contrary to it It is a question whether our reasonable natures will suffer us to will the glory of God in our own damnation but it is impossible that any should sincerely wish the glory of God and pursue this wish by wilful and presumptuous sinning Object But still will the poor creature say Why am I judged as a sinner What reason hath God to condemn me for my sins if he getteth glory by them Sol. 1. I answer Because the judgment of God is a righteous judgment he proceedeth against men according to their actions and the merit of them not according to the event of their actions wisely ordered besides and beyond their natural tendency to the glory of his own holy name That the sinners works issue in the glory of God is Gods work not theirs and they can therefore expect no reward upon that account Besides the eventual necessity which the Providence of God puts upon things doth by no means justifie the obliquity of the actions Our Saviour tells us it must needs be that offences come but woe be to those by whom they come It must needs be that sin should be committed in the World God hath determined to permit them mens lusts hurry them into the commission of them Gods Providence must fetch him a great deal of glory from them but yet woe be to the sinner without a timely repentance Vse 3. In the last place Doth God in infinite Wisdom as you have heard permit sin in the World and that for the end that I have shewed you that he might be glorified Let us then make it our business to make such uses of the sin that we see in the world and the sins our selves have committed in the world as by occasion of them God may be more glorified by us If you ask me how this may be it may easily be gathered from my preceding discourse but yet for the sake of those who are of meaner capacity let me in this branch of
fruit of the womb as a blessing and blesseth him that hath his quiver full of these shafts but now the poor man knoweth not how to understand this and it is hard for him not to repine at the multiplying of it a great error doubtless but such as for ought I know good people may fall into we cannot trust God to provide for those which he giveth us if this hath been thy error God but pays thee in thy own kind by shortning thy number and maketh thy own secret sinful wish now to be thy Plague and Torment but this ordinarily is the sin of the poorer and meaner sort of Christians 2. Didst thou not let thy heart run out too much upon thy Children God is jealous and it is the nature of jealousy not to suffer a rival in the object beloved be it a person or a thing God is the object and he will be the prime object of his peoples love desire and delight It is his Law Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy strength it may be thy Child had more of thy heart more of thy love and and delight than God had no wonder if he hath taken it from thee this is now usually the sin of those whose circumstances in the world are better they have a fair estate in the world and Children few enough to leave it to and in such cases it is a very hard thing to keep our hearts within due bounds but our affections are ready to overflow especially if there be nothing in the temper or behaviour of the Child that takes off the edge of our affections to it 3. Doth not thy heart smite thee for the neglect of thy duty to thy Child especially if it were of any years Thy duty in instructing it or thy duty in reproving and admonishing it Elie's Sons were indeed men grown but God cut off his Children though their personal guilt justified God in his severity against them yet Eli smarted in their punishments for honouring his Sons more than God for dealing too gently with them for their most enormous wickednesses Thou mayest also neglect thy duty towards them in instructing them in making them acquainted with the holy Scriptures in admonishing them to keep the Lords Sabbaths and seeing to their external Sanctification of them This is undoubtedly a second piece of thy duty upon such a dispensation and to be humbled before God for those sins which thy conscience smiteth thee for and suggesteth to thee as probable causes of this rod of God upon thee 3. It is doubtless thy duty whatsoever thou findest to be satisfied with Gods good pleasure Rachel mourned sinfully while she so mourned as that she refused to be comforted If thou findest that probably God hath punished thy sin in the sickness pain and death of thy Child it is indeed matter of humiliation to thee it offers thee a just opportunity to resolve for the time to come to amend thy errors as to any survivors which God shall lend thee but yesterday cannot be called back again God hath done what pleased him It may be in mercy to thy Child though it be in judgment unto thee thou hast no reason to quarrel or murmure at God for any of his dispensations If it be for thy Child 's Original sin still thou hast no reason to blame God he is just and righteous in what he hath done But if God hath done it to give thy Child a quicker passage to Heaven to bring it sooner to a state of perfection to deliver it from an evil to come here thou hast reason to admire and adore the Divine goodness rather than to quarrel at Divine Justice There are a great many things that may conduce to the relief of a godly man or woman disturbed at this dispensation of Divine Providence It is a very ordinary dispensation of God though therefore it may look like a digression from the principal argument of my discourse yet it may possibly be not so judged by some of you whose case it either at present is or may be to instance in some heads of arguments which occasionally you may make use of for the quieting of your Spirits 1. Consider what-ever was the moving cause on Gods part yet the will of God is revealed The will of God is such a thing to satisfy a Christian with as nothing can be more nothing greater We have our Heaven by the will of God fear not little flock it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom We have all our grace all our glory from the will of God and shall we not thankfully accept a cross when it is the will of our Father to lay it upon our necks We pray thy will be done and shall we murmure against it when we see it done This silenced Aaron David Heli Hezekiah it leaves no room for a good Christians reply to it it is our Fathers will that is enough It is our Fathers will revealed by an Act of his Providence The Lord hath given saith Job and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. 2. Consider how many sadder cases than thine there have been Thou hast lost a Child an infant Job lost all his Children when they were grown up feasting at their elder Brothers house Aarons was a sad cause he lost his two Sons grown up in an act of sinning yet he held his peace Helies case was sad to lose two such wicked Sons in a Battel Davids case was sad God had expresly told him the Child should dye because of his sin and that by it he had made the enemies of God to blaspheme What doth David do He fasteth he prayeth he humbleth himself before God so long as the Child lived and while he had any hope but when the will of God was revealed when the Child was dead he ariseth and eateth bread as he was wont to do he saith that he should go to it it should not return to him 3. Consider Let the case be as sad as it will yet if thou lookest round about it there is mercy in it either mercy to thy Child or mercy to thee or mercy to both if thy Child be gone to Heaven there is mercy in that if it be delivered from evil to come upon the World or that part of the world where it should have had its portion there is mercy in that David's case was as sad as one can well think of any of this nature yet there was this mercy in it the living monument and remembrance of David's sin and shame was taken away 4. Suppose that God hath for thy sin taken it away and thou canst not satisfie thy self but it is so yet consider God eternally punisheth none for the sins of their correlates God may punish persons with bodily and temporal punishments for the sins of their Parents but not eternally as to those punishments every soul shall bear no
can it do If the Jewish Child had dyed before the 8th day its want of circumcision doubtless did not endanger its salvation but the deferring it beyond that time might for ought I know endanger the wrath of God upon the Parent and that wrath might be executed in cutting off the Child I take the case to be much the same under the Gospel I am sure the Covenant is the same take heed of neglecting to instruct your Children betimes or to reprove and admonish them God may cut them off betimes and then your neglects will be a grief of heart to you Finally This calleth to all young ones not to neglect the remembrance of their creator in the days of their youth O let your tender years be no temptation to you to put off your duty towards God and your own souls in the morning of your life be plowing up the fallow ground of your hearts and sowing the seed of righteousness indeed in the evening our hands should not be slack but who knoweth whether he shall see an evening yea or no SERMON XLI Rom. I. 26. For this Cause God gave them up to vile Affections MY business is to clear up the equity of the Lord in the ways of his Actual Providence and to vindicate the justice and holiness of God from those who by the Sophistry of their humane wisdom seek to darken Divine knowledg I am resolving the difficulties relating to the motions of Divine Providence in punitive dispensations I have shewed you how just and reasonable it is that God should be the Author of the evil of punishment And that 1. to his own people notwithstanding the satisfaction of Christ accepted for them and the remission of their sins as to eternal punishment 2. As to those whom yet he knows to be such as will be worse for their afflictions and not better 3. As to children who have not been guilty of actual sins I proceed now a step further God doth not only punish sin with smart with pain diseases crosses c. but he sometimes punisheth sin with sin for sin giving men up to be led captive by their lusts The Text speaketh of such a Providence It relateth to the Heathens of whom the Apostle had been before speaking vers 19 20 he had been declaring what means they had to know God they had not indeed the light of the Gospel but they had the light of nature That which might be known of God was manifest in them for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead Then he sheweth how they abused and misimproved these means for v. 21 when they knew God in some measure as the light of nature and works of creation would discover him to them they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves to be wise they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man to birds to four-footed-beasts and creeping things The business was this The Heathens had indeed but an imperfect knowledge of God no more than the light of nature and the works of God in nature shewed them but yet this was enough to have let them know that God could not be like a man or a beast or a creeping thing yet such images and representations of God they made and worshipped wherefore saith the Apostle vers 24. God also gave them up to lusts of uncleanness c. and so again in my Text vers 26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections and so again vers 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are inconvenient Being filled with all unrighteousness c. Now the Question is Quest How it can consist with the holiness and purity of God thus to punish sin with sin for their committing of some sins to give them up to commit others The difficulty is because it is hard to conceive how God should do this without a willing of sin Although therefore it is plain enough in the Text and twice more repeated in the Chapter it be said God gave them up to uncleanness and God gave them up to a reprobate mind yet it will not be amiss for us from other Scriptures to take some auxiliary help for the proving of this That there hath been and doubtless are still such dispensations of God Then I shall attempt to reconcile these Providences to the justice holiness and goodness of God after that I shall make some application of my Discourse upon this Argument It is a known Text which you have Isaiah 6.9 10. Go and tell this people hear you indeed but understand not and see you indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed It is a Text which you find quoted six times in the New-Testament Mat. 13.14 Mar. 4.12 Luk. 8.10 Joh. 12.40 Act. 28.26 Rom. 11.8 In the first place Mat. 13. it is said that in them is fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaias By hearing you shall hear and not understand and seeing you shall see and not perceive For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing c. That Text plainly makes it out that Gods judicial giving them over to their blindness was consequent to their sinful stopping of their ears and shutting of their eyes But Christ there saith that for this he spake to them in parables Mat. 13.13 but Rom. 11.8 it is said God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear and certain it is Isaiah had Gods commission chap. 6. and Acts 28.26 Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaias the Prophet to our Fathers saying Go unto this people and say Hearing you shall hear and shall not understand and seeing you shall see and not perceive For the heart of this people is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed By all which it clearly appears that God punished the former sins of the Jews in their wilful shutting their eyes and stopping their ears against the revelation of the Divine will by a judicial giving them up to a blindness of mind and hardness of heart To this purpose is that 2 Thess 2.11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye for what cause vers 10. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Many other texts there are speaking of Gods hardning the heart of Pharaoh and the hearts of others but
Spirit for tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant they are set in slippery places they are mounted up to Heaven but they shall be thrown down to Hell It will be a great piece of a sinners infelicity in Hell that he hath had an external felicity upon earth But I have shewed you this largely in the opening of the Doctrine This is enough to have spoken to the first thing in a Christians duty under such a dispensation 2. I proceed to a second thing wherein the duty of a child of God lieth under such a dispensation of Providence as I have been discoursing of That is living a life of faith This is called Trusting in the Lord vers 3. Committing our way unto the Lord vers 5. Resting on the Lord vers 7. Trust in the Lord vers 3. and verily thou shalt be fed it may be read and is read by some Feed upon truth the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Psalmist useth three or four words here expressive of this Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate hope so the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all translate feed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devolve it is also translated dirige detege confide the last word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate expect some beg or desire The first word is used vers 3. which as I told you some translate hope some translate trust there is no great difference for all hope doth imply trusting and no man trusteth but he will hope I will turn you to some other texts where the same word is used Psal 25.2 O my God I will trust in thee let me not be ashamed Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool Jer. 7.8 Behold you trust in lying words that will not profit Psal 118. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man In short it signifieth to repose a confidence in another for the effecting of something for our advantage from which act of the mind proceedeth another which is hoping which is the souls motion in expectation of a thing The second expression as we translate it is verily thou shalt be fed as others feed on truth It is the word that is ordinarily used in Scripture and translated truth the word translated feed is also what is ordinarily so translated those that translate it verily take it adverbially but how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated thou shalt be fed I do not understand and therefore prefer the other reading of some learned men and feed upon truth so truth is the object and feeding signifies the act And thus it beareth a proportion to that Text Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith wicked men feed upon the wind Hos 12.1 upon Ashes Isaiah 44.20 But saith the Psalmist feed thou upon truth the truth of Gods word It may be thou canst not feed upon bread thou haste not that to eat but if thou canst not feed upon bread feed upon the promises feed upon truth O doctrinam auream saith a grave Author debere 〈…〉 â—â—stram alimoniam omnem vitam in hac terra conjunctam habere fidem O golden sentence that all our livelihood in this world is faith A third expression is Commit thy way unto the Lord Ar. Montanus translateth it roul the Arabick version discover thy way unto the Lord the word is used Gen. 29.38 and they shall roul the stone Prov. 26.27 He that rouleth a stone it shall return upon him The fourth time is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it rest in the Lord others be silent to the Lord So Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait I shall not much insist on that word there is a double rest 1. A rest of confidence 2. A rest of silence of which more when I come to speak of the duty of patience under this dispensation You have heard the words expressive of the Act there are two words in these verses that express the object of this Act Truth The Lord Jehovah God is the objectum quod Jer. 17.3 4. Cursed be he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm God is the object which the soul is to trust in The word of truth is the next object the object by and through which and upon the account and incouragement of which we trust in God at such a time The object of faith is the truth power and goodness of God revealed to the child of God in the word There are usually mentioned two acts of faith The first is called Assent by which the soul agreeeth to the Proposition of the word as a true saying The second is an Act of recumbency a resting upon the promise a resting upon Gods truth power and goodness as declared and held forth in his word This is that which prophane persons in our age to shew their Atheism as well as wit call a lolling upon Christ and his promise Rolling our selves and resting upon Jehovah and upon the word of truth are as you see Scripture-terms of which we need not be ashamed Hence if you ask me what it is for the soul of a Christian to live by faith in an evil time I answer it lyeth in two things 1. In the souls fixed and steady assent unto those Promises which God hath made to his People suted to such a dispensation These are many and more than one sort they are written in the Scripture and brought to our minds by reading and by hearing the word of God the business of faith is to unite the soul to these words and to command the soul into a fixed and steady assent to them that the soul shall no more doubt of the fulfilling them than of any thing of more sensible demonstration These Promises might be brought under several heads I intend not to inlarge this discourse so far as to treat of all I shall only instance in two sorts and speak something to them 1. The first is those promises which God hath made for the destruction of wicked men though set upon the highest pinacle of honour power and prosperity of which you have divers in this very Psalm vers 2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither like the green herb vers 9. For evil doers shall be cut off vers 10. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be So vers 13 15 17 20 22 28 38. Psal 1.4 They shall be as the chaff which the wind bloweth to and fro The Scripture is full of such words as these 2. The second sort are those Promises which God hath made for the protection and preservation of his people under the pressures of ungodly men Psal 125.3 The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous Psal 46.5 God is in the midst of his Church therefore it
apprehending these things and likewise it s own propriety and interest in God and being put into some possession of this Propriety in a day of evil makes its application to such promises and portions of his word as he hath revealed his will in proper to such a State as the Soul is in hence it comes to be well-pleased with God in his dispensations it is brought to a sweet and pleasing rest and triumpheth in its portion in the day of greatest Evils and singeth with David Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven hut thee and there is none upon the Earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my Portion for ever v. 26. Now this is both the duty and priviledge of every Child of God and indeed these are both great arguments to perswade it It is their priviledge for though there be a Power a Sufficiency an infinite goodness in God which is inseparable from his Divine beeing yet this not being enough to bring the Soul to a pleasure delight and complacency in an object without a Propriety Possession and Application of it it is manifest that only those Souls who have such a propriety interest and possession and are in capacity to make such an Application can delight themselves in the Lord and as this is their Priviledge so it is also their duty which will appear to you if you please to consider 1. That there is enough in God for the Soul of a Child of God to please it self with under all dispensations Shall I shew you what that is 1. Whatsoever is done in the World is done by him It is the Lord who lifteth up one and throweth down another there is no Evil in the City which he hath not done 2. In all God doth pursue the noble good and wise ends of his own glory Whatsoever the intentions of men are whether Assyria mean so or so God pursueth still the same design of his own glory being his own end in all his Efficiencies and in all his permissions and to this end he ordereth all things 3. That he is a God infinitely wise and it must be said of all his works of Providence as well as creation In wisdom he hath made them all His Judgments are indeed a great deep but they are a deep of Divine wisdome and all that God doth or suffereth to be done in the World he doth he suffereth all to be done according to his infinite wisdome and counsel 4. That he is the same in power that ever he was Once have I spoken yea twice have I heard it saith the Psalmist that power belongeth unto God so as if he pleased he could when he pleased alter the state and complexion of things and turn the wheel that now runs upon the lot of his people upon the neck of his Enemies and put wicked men in the stead of his afflicted people 5. That his love is the same that ever it was toward his people and is working towards and for them under the darkest and most gloomy dispensations of Divine Providence God loveth his children in Prisons as well as in Palaces in a poor and low as well as in a more high and prosperous condition upon dunghils as well as upon Thrones now lay all this together and Judg if a child of God hath not ground enough to delight himself in the Lord under all dispensations of Divine Providence It is not enough to please his Soul and to bring it to a rest for him to think what is now done in the World or in that part of the World where my Lot is cast my heavenly Father doth it all and he ordereth all things for his own Glory he is infinitely wise and knoweth how to fetch out his honour from all he hath all power in his hand and can turn his hand upon the little ones upon the poor and afflicted of his flock whensoever he pleaseth and he loveth me as well in this low afflicted poor despised estate as he did when the world went better with me and I had more credit and repute in it more of the riches honours power and enjoyments of it than I now have Is not here ground enough for a Soul under such dispensations to delight himself in the Lord especially considering the promise in the Text Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart But besides this how often doth God call to us for this duty Psal 33. v. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord O you righteous Joel 2.23 Fear not O land be glad and rejoyce for the Lord will do great things v. 21. Be glad then you children of Sion and rejoyce in the Lord your God Phil. 3.1 ch 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord. Rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce We shall find this hath been the constant refuge and practice of the people of God David his third Psalm was composed when he fled from Absolom his 7th Psalm when he was afflicted with the words of Cush the Benjamite his 34. Psalm when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech the Philistim King his 52. Psalm upon occasion of the villany of Doeg the Edomite his 54. when the Ziphites made a discovery of them to Saul his 56. Psalm when the Philistines took him in Gath. The former part of his life until the Lord setled him upon the Throne of Israel and Judah was indeed nothing else but a time of trouble and great afflictions when his enemies were very high and he was very low he had little or nothing in the creature to delight in now at this time the Psalmes tell you his relief and practice which was to delight himself in God Thus Habbackkuk ch 3. v. 17. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall be fruit in the Vine the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stall that is though all sensible relief and comfort shall fail yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation To press you to this duty I shall only mind you of what I have already told you 1. That there can be no such providences befal any Child of God but he may find enough under them still to delight in God when he can see nothing for a Sensual eye to delight in he may yet find enough for his Spiritual eye to delight in Is it not matter of pleasure to thee to think Well let times goe how they will I have a God to go to though saith Job Wormes shall eat this body yet in my flesh I shall see God To think that now God is but doing his own work and though men oppress yet he that is higher then the highest considereth the matter To think that God is able to turn the ball when he pleaseth that in the
1. A silence from passion mourning within our selves fretting vexing c. a man breaketh this silence when he is overborn with fear or grief or anger These three ways the Soul is disturb'd and maketh a noise under the dispensations of God which breaketh this Religious silence 1. By Anger fretting fuming and vexing himself at Gods dispensations This was Moses and Aarons failing at the waters of Meribah and Jonas his error when the Gourd failed him as to its shelter But of this I have spoken fully already when I handled the Negative part of a Christians duty under Gods dispensations of nature 2. Fear Immoderate fear is another passion that spoileth this silence of the Soul fear maketh an Earthquake within us and causeth great unquietness in our Spirits The Soul that is overborn with fears never keepeth silence 3. A third passion is immoderate grief this also breaketh the Souls silence and quiet Psal 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me So as that Soul that under Gods dispensations of this nature either fumeth vexeth or fretteth at God because of them or is overwhelmed with immoderate or unreasonable fears or is overwhelmed or drowned in immoderate grief that Soul doth not keep silence but that Soul only keepeth a due silence to God which under such Providences abideth in a calm and quiet temper neither shaken with fear nor overcome with immoderate grief or sorrow This is now silentium animae the silence of the Soul before and unto God 2. But there is also a silence of the Tongue this is a piece of this Religious silence this is opposed to murmuring cursing and blaspheming of God to speaking hardly of God as if he were an hard Master and did not deal justly or equally with us to any speaking which is derogatory to the honour and glory of God all this now falleth under the first general duty by which I open a silent waiting for God which I call a free and voluntary submission to the good will and pleasure of God without any disturbance of passion or any sinful expressions of our Tongues 2. A Second thing wherein this duty lyeth is A steady dependance upon God for the fulfilling of his Promises made to his people in such a condition he that hath nothing to depend upon or trust to will not wait so as there can be no patient waiting where there is no secret trust and dependance This is indeed the proper exercise of Faith I have spoken fully to it when I opened the life of Faith in such a time 3. A Third thing in which this duty lies is in the Souls expectation and looking out for God Early in the morning saith David Psal 5.3 I will direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Thus when Habakkuk in the first Chapter of his Prophecy had put up his Prayer to God he saith Chap. 2. that he would go up to his watch-Tower A man goeth up to a Tower or to some high place to see whether a friend or an enemy be coming yea or no It is a piece of our duty in our waiting upon God under his dark dispensations of Providence while we are waiting to be also looking up and living in the expectation of the fulfilling of those promises which we have discerned and fixed our souls by Faith upon and which we have been praying for Our hearts should not be dead we must take heed of saying I look for no good the heart is dead when it comes to that The Soul that waits upon God under dark Providences must be looking for good and confident in its expectations of it from God 4. Lastly This waiting must be in the use of such means as God hath appointed us for the obtaining of the mercy design'd and promised and therefore Psal 37. v. 34. they are put together wait upon the Lord and keep his way Now you have this duty of silent waiting upon God opened to you The Sum of it is this It is the duty of a child of God under these Providences to keep his Soul from being overmuch shaken and overcome with fears or drowned in grief from fretting fuming and vexing at Gods dealings to keep his tongue from all murmuring all foolish and unadvised speaking with his lips to keep his Soul in a quiet dependance upon God for the fulfilling of his word daily looking up for him after the use of such means as he by the Law of Nature or in his revealed will hath appointed for the obtaining of the mercy or good thing which is the matter of our desires and he hath made the Subject of his Promise and consequently the Object of our Faith You have heard your duty Now give me leave to plead with all you that hear me this day for the Practice of it I have in this Discourse been exhorting to several duties of a child of God under dark dispensations of Providence when wicked men have been set up high increased in riches honour every way prospered and the people of God are kept in low despised afflicted states and conditions I remember the Apostle calls to us to add to our faith knowledg to both vertue to vertue temperance c. Do you also add to your not fretting not being angry and envious a steady exercise of Faith and dependance on God to your dependance on God and trusting in him an universal departing from evil and doing that which is good and to that a patient quiet waiting for God I shall in order to your better performance of this offer some counsel and then press it with some arguments and so shut up this Discourse 1. In the first place There are three things which in order to your fulfilling this point of duty I shall commend to you to get a through acquaintance with 1. Be acquainted with Gods name It is David's expression Psal 52.9 I will wait upon thy name for it is good before thy Saints It is the Name of God which we wait upon now it is reasonable in order to our waiting upon his name that we should know his name for as the Psalmist saith They that know thy name will put their trust in thee and truly they that do not know the Lords name will never wait upon him Well you will say What is his name I answer whatsoever he hath revealed and made himself known by or to be that is his name I might instance in many particulars His name is God allsufficient Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God His name is I am the unchangeable God His name is Jehovah the soveraign Lord God and therefore we ought to wait upon him His name is The Lord the Lord Gracious Merciful c. they that know the Lords name that are throughly acquainted with the nature of God as he hath in his word made himself known to us they will wait upon God they will see it a reasonable thing that they should wait upon God 2. In the
and in the same Nation where the Gospel is preached some have a sound and little more Preachers in some places in stead of preaching the Gospel Preach human Philosophy or the lusts of their own hearts In other places the Word of God is preached faithfully and powerfully so that the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Men are compelled to come in This difference in the external ministration which let me tell you hath no small influence upon the eternal concern and interest of men for God doth not ordinarily work by way of miracle and heal the eyes of the blind with Clay and Spittle is fountain'd only in the free-will and Grace of God Vse 2. But I trust I speak to some who have tasted further of the mercy and Grace of God than receiving the general Dispensation of the Gospel with their outward ears God hath by his holy Spirit upon the preaching of the Gospel effectually moved their hearts and conquered their Souls into a subjection to Christ They have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ by a Gospel-faith they are brought by a mighty hand out of darkness into marvelous Light and translated out of this Kingdom of Sin and Satan into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus I have this day been discovering to you the Fountain of this Grace of which God hath made you partakers you have heard that it is the will of God only which hath distinguished betwixt you and others It is not because you were more nobly born than others nor because you were more rich more honourable or by nature better complexioned than others God saw no more goodness in your natures than in the natures of others you were all the same flesh he infused into all Souls of the same nature and species only he hath willed rather to shew mercy unto your Souls than to the Souls of others because he hath set his love upon you There are three duties that hence lie very obvious 1. The First is Praise Thankfulness and Admiration Certainly every such Soul stands highly obliged with the Psalmist to cry out Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits If free Grace will not affect our hearts and fill our mouths with a new Song nothing will It must certainly be an amazing consideration for a Soul to sit down and think I was in the same mass and lump of lost man-kind that others are I was by Nature a Child of wrath as much as any my Childhood and Youth were Vanity as much as any others I was grinding at the same Mill it may be in actual sins I outstripped many others Now that the Lord should look upon me and pluck me as a brand out of the Fire that God should open my eyes and change my heart What did God see in me Possibly my more external circumstances were far less and more unvaluable than those of thousands of others my House was of small account and little esteem there are many more great and noble more wise and prudent than I am many who in all appearance so far as man can judg might have been more serviceable to God than I am or am ever like to be now that the Lord should pass them over and shew mercy to me certainly no Soul can seriously think of these things but must be ravished with the apprehensions of the inaccountable love of God in these things and say What shall I render unto thee O Lard what shall I render unto thee 2. This notion of Gods Soveraignty freedom and inaccountbleness in the dispensations of his Grace should teach every Soul that hath been or shall be made a partaker of it the great lesson of humility The Apostle Rom. 3.27 giveth this as the reason why God hath setled the justification of a Sinner upon a bottom of free Grace and hath excluded works that he might also exclude boasting and teach those who glory to glory in the Lord upon this Argument the Apostle exhorteth the Gentiles not to boast against the Jews Rom. 11.22 Behold the goodness and the severity of God saith he to those who abide in their unbelief severity to thee goodness Pride is a sinful habit disposing the Soul to swell in the opinion of some excellency in it self and a little thing will swell our corrupt hearts The Apostle propoundeth this very consideration as a cure for that tumour in the Souls of Christians 1 Cor. 4.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou which thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it It is nothing but the will of God that hath made a difference betwixt thee and the vilest Sinner breathing betwixt thee and the most filthy Drunkard the most furious Persecutor c. It was not for any worth any goodness or holiness which the Lord saw in thee but of his meer free will and Grace God hath shewed mercy to thy Soul what hast thou now of thy own to boast or glory in Thou hast indeed reason to glory and to make thy boast in the Lord and to bless God for what he hath done for thy Soul more than for a thousand others but there is no thanks to thee his will his own will was the fountain of his Grace extended to thee God hath had mercy upon thy Soul only because he would have mercy O therefore be not high-minded but fear and walk humbly before God 3. Lastly this calleth upon all of you who have tasted of this free and unaccountable Grace to live a distinguishing life and conversation There is a Generation that fancyeth that the Doctrine of Free-Grace opens a door to Liberty It is but the old Cavil in Saint Pauls time there were those that thus accused the Doctrine of Free-Grace as if it gave men a liberty to go on in sin as appeareth by the Apostles anticipation of that Cavil Rom. 6.1 What saith he shall we then continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid and so he goeth on shewing that any such conclusion from his principles was unreasonable How shall we saith the Apostle who are dead unto sin live any longer therein Special distinguishing Free-Grace both deadneth the Soul to Sin and inflameth the Soul with a love to God who hath made the Soul to differ so as that Soul cannot live as other men the love of God constraineth him he must apprehend himself obliged to do more for God than others because God hath shewen more mercy to him than unto others and that meerly because he would shew mercy What can possibly be imagined to have a greater and lay an higher obligation upon the Soul to all manner of holiness in conversation to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh SERMON L. Hosea XIII 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but
Jerusalem Jerusalem saith our Saviour how often would I have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but thou wouldest not I would what hindered then thou wouldest not Thus God of old spake to the Jews Jer. 23.24 This thing I commanded you saying obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be my people and walk you in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well with you But they hearkned not nor inclined their ear but walked in the counsels and imaginations of their evil heart and went backward and not forward So Jer. 16.13 and in a multitude of places in Scripture Indeed this is the Language of God quite throughout Scripture So in the New Testament You would not come to me that you might have life Joh. 5.40 I hear some bold Disputer against God saying How is this possible if it lyeth not in the power of a man to believe and to turn unto God I have fully answered this before All mankind in Adam certainly had a power to do so much as God required of man in order to his Salvation but certain it is that every man hath a power to do something to do much more than he doth in order to his repenting and believing God will find at the day of Judgment matter enough to condemn sinners for what was their duty to have done and in their power to have done and an instance will be wanting at that great day of one Soul who did what was in his power both as to the doing of Good and the avoiding of sin to whom God denied his special and effectual grace Christ Mat. 21.32 Layeth this to the Jews charge That when they had heard John they repented not afterward that they might believe But this is a theam I have before inlarged upon and shall now add nothing to that Discourse Having thus far opened the Proposition I shall only give you Two Reasons of it 1. First That no imputation might be laid upon an holy a most holy God Though the Scripture doth justly assert a Soveraignty to God concerning the work of his hands and the same power over his creature which the Potter hath over the clay yet it every-where avoideth all imputations of rigour injustice cruelty God will not be accounted an hard Master what if this man hath but one Talent another hath five and a third hath ten yet I hope he that hath but one may trade proportionably to that one as far as that will go and if he doth not and he be punished his Master is not to be condemned for an hard Master in taking that one Talent from him or otherwise punishing him for the non-improvement of the stock betrusted to him Suppose men to have but the one Talent of the light of Nature which is the case of the poor Heathens another to have five Talents the advantage of Gospel-light and the ordinary means of grace a third to have ten Talents effectual grace superadded to both these If he who hath but one Talent or that hath had the five Talents have not done with them what he might have done and God condemn him for such omissions or actions contrary to his duty here can be no imputation upon God he cannot be said to have done cruelly severely or injustly God was under no obligation to trust him with five Talents that abused or would make no good use of one nor to trust him with ten Talents who would not use or did abuse his sive but now should God have punished or condemned any without their sins as the meritorious cause there might have been some imputation upon God 2. Secondly God hath so ordered it That the sinner shall be inexcusable It is but reasonable that the holy God should so dispense out his punishments by the hand of Providence that a sinner should be without excuse this the Scripture lets us know once and again In the Parable it is said That he who was turned out from the Wedding-feast for want of the Wedding-garment was speechless he was without an Apology he had nothing to say for himself So Rom. 1.20 Then they are without excuse So Rom. 2.1 Therefore thou art inexcusable O man This is one design that God drives so to manage and govern by the motions of his Providence Now supposing this that all destruction is of a mans self That God doth not condemn any out of meer Prerogative or because he will whatever he might do vi absoluti juris every sinner must stop his mouth and be speechless in that day when God shall say Take them bind them hand and foot and cast them into utter darkness where is weeping and wailing and guashing of teeth What hath any sinner to say for himself if his destruction be of himself I have done with the doctrinal part of this Discourse I come to apply it 1. Vse In the first place observe the great difference between Gods proceedings in the methods of his grace and of his paenal dispensations dispensations of mercy and judgment are both Gods work But the one is his Natural work the other is his strange work Isa 28.21 Gods workings in the methods of his grace are ex mero suo motu beneplacito they meerly flow from the nature of God without any meritorious cause in the creature he sheweth mercy because he will shew mercy and extendeth compassion to whom he will and because he will extend compassion he giveth grace because he will give grace here God acteth from meer Soveraignty and Prerogative but he never dealeth out punishments but there is some cause in the creature something which moveth him to proceed and deal in such a manner and meriteth such a punishment He saveth Souls because he is gracious he condemneth sinners because he is righteous cum largitur gratiam per misericordiam hoc fit cum negat per judicium saith Nieremberg wrath is not declared saith he unless when it is due lest there should be unrighteousness with God mercy is shewed when and where it is not due this maketh no unrighteousness with him So that I say there is a vast difference to be observed betwixt Gods dispensations of mercy and goodness and his dispensations of wrath and severity 2. Vse In the second place you may from hence conclude How little reason there is for that clamour which some make against such as are called Calvinists under which nick-name they indeed wound not only Augustine and Prosper and others of the ancients but many Divines in England especially that lived three or fourscore years a go Two great Accusations they bring 1. That they affirm God to be the Author of sin yet neither Mr. Calvin nor any of his Followers ever said so nor dare any now say so What 's the matter then because they say That God hath willed that sin should be committed though he hath neither commanded nor approved the action nor any way influenced it
iniquities prevailed against him Psal 65.3 When St. Paul cried out Who shall deliver me from this body of death And another time when he could say I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me 2. A second dispensation of Grace is that which I called quickening grace An influx of the spirit of grace upon the soul by which the soul in all its spiritual conversation is made more free and lively that it maketh haste and delayeth not to keep the Lord's Commandments It findeth an inlarged heart and runneth the way of the Lords Commandments that this proceedeth from an influx of grace is plain David prayeth unto the Lord that he would quicken him in the way of his Commandments Quicken me in thy way Psal 119.37 It is as manifest upon the experience of all Christians that God distributeth this influence of this grace unequally neither the like measures unto all Christians nor to the same Christians at all times Hence are the complaints of Christians of the dulness and deadness and straitness of their hearts they indeed through grace keep on in the Lords ways and are kept from Apostacy they return not with the Dog to the vomit but they move heavily the wheels of their Charots are taken off they almost force themselves to duties of Communion with God and do not find a freedom to them and a delight and sweetness in them but are secretly saying within themselves When will the Sabbath be done When will the duty be over it is no pleasure to them to serve the Lord when-as at other times their souls are full of spiritual life they are longing for Sabbaths and for times of prayer 3. Lastly There are also dispensations of consolatory grace these are the influences of the Spirit of God upon the soul by which the soul is refreshed and comforted in the apprehensions of the love of God These admit of a variety of degrees as they arise in the soul either 1. From the view of the souls own sincerity and its ability to apprehend its interest in the promises and to apply the Scripture unto it self Or 2. From some more extraordinary witnessings and sealings of the holy Spirit who you know is called the Comforter and who as the Apostle speaketh witnesseth together with our spirits that we are the children of God Now the sadness and dejections of some Christians spirits over others and of the same Christians Spirits at some times more than others is a sufficient evidence of the inequality of these distributions There was a time when David himself cried out When wilt thou comfort me Psal 119.82 as much as at other times he triumphed and made his boast in God and from hence now you may understand the nature of what we call Desertions God never leaves nor forsakes his people so as he doth not supply them with influences of Grace sufficient to uphold the Union betwixt Christ and their souls nor doth he deny such influences to any soul that believeth in Christ But God may and doth often withdraw himself as to the gradual manifestations of himself to them in such dispensations of grace whereby he strengtheneth them against sin or unto duty or whereby he quickneth them and maketh them free and lively in his Service or finally such whereby he comforteth them with the apprehensions or assurances of his love in Christ Now these varieties being observable in matter of fact in the dispensations of Divine grace even to Gods own children My next work must be to shew you the reasonableness of the motions of Divine Providence in this unequal distribution and to proportion some answer to these following Questions 1. Quest Why God suffereth some more than others to be tempted and to fall by temptation yea some of his own people 2. Quest Whence it is that some of the children of God find much more strength unto spiritual duty than others find and the same children of God at some time find more strength than they do at others times 3. Quest Whence it is that some godly persons find more freedom and liveliness in the service of God than others do and the same persons find more liveliness and freedom at one time than they do at another 4. Quest Whence it is that some Christians are more full of spiritual joy and consolations than others are To these which properly relate to the varieties before observed Two more may also be added 5. Quest Whence it is that godly persons who are all informed by the same spirit of truth have such different apprehensions of the things of God one from another and that some times in very momentous points 6. Quest Lastly Whence it is that some Christians grow faster in grace than others do 1. Quest Why God suffereth some yea some of his own dear servants to be more tempted than others yea and when he knoweth that they will fall That it is so is past all dispute Satan obtained leave of God to tempt Job and Christ told Peter that he had desired to winnow him like wheat he tempted David to number the people The Text saith that Satan stood up against Israel and we know that Satan prevailed against all these And it is expresly said concerning Hezekiah that God left him to his temptations 2 Chron. 32.31 And we see it in daily experience that some of the people of God are both much more buffetted by Satans temptations and overcome by them than others are wanting strength to say get thee behind me Satan 1. In the first place I do think much of this is founded or at least highly advantaged from nature Concerning temptations which are à carne from the flesh when a man is only drawn away by his own lust There is nothing more certain than that divers persons have more strong inclinations and dispositions to some sins than unto others and there needeth a more eminent assistance of Divine grace to restrain such lusts in such souls and although it be true concerning such temptations as are impressions or suggestions from Satan that they are not natural but preternatural yet one soul may have a more natural aptitude to receive them either from its complexion and constitution or from its disease and distemperature under which it may at some time labour more than another and this may by one and that a great cause For God is not always nor ordinarily pleased to work miraculously It is usually said of Melancholy that it is balneum diaboli a melancholick temper state or constitution of body is a temper very receptive of impressions and suggestions from the Devil Now I say where a man is naturally more complexionated to some sins or where any persons are from their complexion or from some bodily distemper more apt to receive such kind of impressions it cannot be expected but that they should fall oftner into such temptations and be troubled more with them and by them than other Christians who have not those natural disadvantages and
est Organon according to the subject it worketh in and by our own Spiritual actions we are prepared for the receptions of these Spiritual habits which are not the influxes of the first grace but of further grace and distributed to Souls which have their senses exercised to discern good and evil should God grant out equal measures of this grace unto all there could be no such thing as groweth in grace no such persons as Babes in grace the Kingdom of grace would be like that of glory in which there is no Infant of days nor old men of years and indeed this were enough to have spoken to this case if God did equally dispense out Spiritual strength to those who are of equal standing in the ways of God for though God will give Heaven at last which answereth the Penny in the Parable to him who comes into the Lords Vineyard at the Eleventh hour yet he doth not give equal degrees of peace and strength to those that come in to his Vineyard and work there but one hour with those who have wrought all the heat of the day Grace strengthens by exercise as habits are strengthened and confirmed by frequent acts But yet this is not enough to say in this case for all those that be of equal years and standing in the ways of God are not of an equal faith nor have an equal zeal fervency and intension of affections Nay often Christians of a much younger standing find more Spiritual strength to mortifie their corruptions and perform Spiritual duties than those who have been of many years standing in the ways of God 3. Thirdly Therefore God doubtless doth it many times to punish sin and guilt in his own People either in the neglect of ordinances and duty or some other moral miscarriages Sin doubly infeebleth a Christians Soul 1. As it Naturally deadneth the heart towards God and discourageth its exercises upon him 2. As it provoketh God to withdraw himself Sin is the aversion of the Soul from God and its Conversion and turning to the imbraces of the Creature hence it is impossible that the Soul that delighteth in sin should equally breath after and delight in God as that Soul that hateth sin and is more perfectly turned from it Sin quencheth the Holy fire in the Soul it also discourageth the Soul from its confidence in God and in its addresses to God it makes the conscience fly in a mans face and repeat to him the words of the Psalmist Psal 50. What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my law behind thee Or in the Words of the Apostle What fellowship hath light with darkness God with Belial Righteousness with unrighteousness Sin enfeebleth the Soul in all its addresses to God and discourageth it in all it exercises And 2. It provoketh God your iniquities have separated betwixt God and you saith the Prophet and your sins have made him to hide his face from you It was said by a great Commander of Souldiers That he was never afraid to dye but when his conscience smote him for some guilt of sin when the conscience of a Christian reflecteth guilt upon him he is discouraged from exercising any faith and confidence in God and ashamed in the duty of prayer to go unto God There is no Christian but findeth this in his own experience that the conscience of sin doth wonderfully prejudice his Holy boldness in his approaches to the Throne of Grace How weak is thine heart saith the Lord God seeing thou doest all these things the work of an imperious whorish Woman Ezek. 16.30 It is indeed a weakness to sin and weakness to any Spiritual acting is the first fruit of sin in the Soul for what are the Souls exercises upon God but Holy Meditation Faith Hope Spiritual desires delight a fervency zeal or heat of the whole Soul in Gods service Now sin rendring the Soul guilty and defiled how is it possible it should delight in or desire communion with an Holy God exercise any strong Faith and Hope in that God who hath declared his wrath against sinners or care to draw near to God when it apprehendeth God looking upon it afar off with an angry countenance This is another thing which maketh this motion of Divine Providence reasonable that God by it may punish the failings errors and miscarriages of People 4. Fourthly It appeareth reasonable upon the Consideration of the great differences of Christians in their practise of Godliness The promises of strength are made to those that wait upon the Lord for it Psal 27.14 wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Isa 40.31 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like the Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Now it is true every Child of God waiteth upon the Lord but every one waiteth not alike nor walketh with God to the same degree Experience will tell every Christian that the more strictly and closely and constantly he walketh with God the stronger he groweth in all Duty Infused habits are advantaged by exercise as the fire that kindled the wood for sacrifices upon the Altar first came down from Heaven but then was to be kept alive by the care and labour of the Priests so habits of Spiritual Grace are indeed infused from God yea and must also be mantained by daily influences from God yet with a concurrence also of our own labour in waiting upon God and exercising our selves unto Godliness and the more a Christian doth so exercise himself the more strong he shall grow Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on in his way and he that hath clean hands shall add strength or as our translation reads it grow stronger and stronger The more a man excelleth in acts of Righteousness the more he groweth in Spiritual strength ordinarily therefore men and women which have most communion with God and walk more closely with him have most strength to Spiritual Duties 5. Christians differences in Knowledge and Experiences of God is one great reason of their differences as to Spiritual strength 1. Their difference in Knowledge our external acts of Piety such as Prayer as to the true and excellent performance of them do depend upon our internal motions towards God as is our Faith our Love our Hope so will our fervency in Spirit in Prayer and the exercises of our Faith or hope or any other grace be for those inward habits are the principles from which our actions flow the powers which in action we exert and put forth Now these inward workings of our Souls do very much depend upon our knowledge It is true they are not the Natural and necessary fruits or consequents of knowledge Knowledge must be sanctified before it will produce any such effects many a
sincerity of God in an indefinite call is to be vindicated 470 471. Why to be bearkened to and obeyed 474 475 476. Call to a relation necessary to be discerned 428 429. how it may be discerned 429 430. Children how punished by God justly 533 534. The reasonableness of Divine Providence in the afflicting and punishing Children 534 535 536. What is to be made of it what may relieve us troubled under such a Providence 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545. Church How it is under special Providence 132 133 134. Circulation of Providence observed 337 338. the reasonableness of it ibid. Circumstances not oft but sometimes part of the Promise 232. when not so Providence as to them rarely satisfieth our expectations 233. why God doth not so satisfy us 234 235. Circumstances of the world ordinarily suted to the designs God hath upon his Church 244 245 246. Comforts How arising from the notion of Providence 51. The Government of it 118 119 120 121. What upon death of Children 537 538. Why dispensed to some more than to others 710 711 712. Conclusions either too sweet or too bitter not to be raised from the motions of Providence in dispensing outward things 345 346 369 361. Conformity to the Divine rule the nearest way to blessings even of this life 438 439 440 v. pl. Blessings Converting grace Varieties of Providence observable in Gods dispensation of it 665 666 667 668 669 670. Why dispensed in several periods of life and by several means ibid. What use to make of it 673 674 675. Correlates vide Relates Covenant of works with Adam necessary to be first made and exhibited why 454 455 456 457. Of Grace when made and how ibid. Indefinite exhibition of it why 465 466. How consistent with Gods truth and sincerity ibid. Creation of the worlds by the Word of God What word p. 20. How this is understood by faith by reason by faith beyond reason 24 25. Vanity of Philosophers about it 29. The usefulness of understanding by faith that the Worlds were made by God 27 28 29 30 31 32. Curiosity The nature of it checkt and disswaded from the evils of it 168 169. D. Days of small things what 220. not to be despised 221. How they may be despised 223 224 225. Damnation of sinners just though Providence affords not aids and assistances sufficient to salvation 650 651 652 653 654. Delighting in God what what is necessary to it 601 602 603. Our duty when we cannot delight our selves in worldly enjoyments whence 604 605. The reasonableness of it 606 607. The duty pressed ibid. Departing from evil and doing good Saints duty in an evil day 607 608. Opened in particulars 610. Arguments to enforce it 611 612. Difficult questions relating to the motions of actual Providence resolved 450 451 to the end of the book Difference in dispensations of special grace 664 c. to the end of the book As to the first grace 664 665 666 667. As to further grace 682 683 c. The reasonableness of Providence in it ibid. The use we should make of it ibid. as to growth in grace whence 717. How reasonable 718. as to apprehensions concerning truth 723. Disappointments of our expectations from Providence what use to be made of them 238 239. Dispensations of Grace God in them acteth freely but unaccountably 619 620 621. proved in several dispensations of that nature 622 as to this God is not unrighteous proved applyed 626 627 628. In penal dispensations God acteth not upon Prerogative but according to creatures demerits 633 634 635 636 637 638 c. Destruction what and how from our selves proved argued reasonable 636 637 638 639. Duty inferred with relation to Providence 159 160 161. To the unsearchable things of Providence 171 172. Directed 183 184 185 186 187. To Providence moving obliquely or seemingly contrary 198. Towards God 199. with reference to the promises 200. To Providence opened in several things 202 203 204. under the prospering of Sinners and oppression of the Righteous 586 587 588 589 600 601 c. In the day of small things 225 226. with reference to promises made to the Church but not as yet fulfilled 239. with reference to Gods taking away Children 536 537 538 c. Duty resulting from distinguishing grace 631 632. whence some have more strength to spiritual duty than others 701 702 703. E. Enquiries after knowledg how sinful 168 169 170. Envy what how to be avoided in a time of sinners prosperity Ser. 44 45. Events products of Gods infinite wisdom and love 13 14. What may satisfie Gods people under all Events 15 16. Everlasting destruction of sinners how consonant to Divine Justice it is and reasonable 564 565 c. and 580. Evils of ungrounded Expectations what 241 242. Evil of Sin not from God of punishment from him 503 504. This consistent with the holiness and goodness of God 506 507 508. Evil things sensible why measured out to the best how not true Evils 588 589 to p. 595. Exhortations from the consideration of the Government of Providence to Faith Prayer Praise Patience Love free submission to God with arguments to press them 122 123 124 125 126. Expectations of Gods people as to the substance of the Promises never frustrated 232 as to circumstances seldom satisfied 233. The reasonableness of it 234 235. Experience How advantaged by observation of Providence 176 177 178 179. Eying of God in Evils of punishment of what advantage how it is reasonable 512 513 514. F Faculties in living Creatures upheld by Providence what 70 71 72 73 74. Faith How it sheweth us that the worlds were made by God 24.25 26 27. It s necessity usefulness excellency 30. It s opposition to fear to too great solicitude 52 53. how to be exercised in the use of means 54. How it worketh in the day of small things 227. In what cases to be so exercised 228 229. Considerations to incourage such exercise of it 230 231 232. How the life of Faith is to be managed in the day of Sinners Prosperity Ser. 45. In what it lyeth Ser. 45. What promises are its objects at such a time Ser. 45. It is pressed by many arguments Ser. 45. Commended Ser. 45. Directed Serm. 45. Fate fourfold 115. How the Christian Fate differeth from that which was Stoical is Physical or Mathematical 115 116. Fittedness To work in what it lyeth 424 425. Foreknowledge of God proveth his purpose 5 6 7. Fretting What it is Serm. 44. How to be avoided in the day of Sinners Prosperity Serm. 44. G God His purpose hath passed upon all things 2 3 4 5. His immensity activity condescension patience Argued from the preservation of his Providence 79 80. and from the Government of Providence 117 118. Of what evils alone he is the Author 504 505. Not of any thing truly evil 505. but of Punishments ibid. He is holy in punishing his own People 516 517. and such as he knows
of it 494 495 496. How God is Just and Holy in punishing Sin with Sin what Sinnings so punished 547. to 561. Sins ordinarily but spotlesly used by Providence 329 330. Sinners not encouraged by it why 333 334. Sins What speedily punished 388 389 390 391 392. Silence how various what our duty what not 613 614. Slow motions of Providence to rewards and punishments most plentiful in the products 377. The reasonableness of such slowness 377 378 379 380 381. Small things of man what 221. Specialties of Providence v. Providence Special duty from whom due in consideration of Special Providence to them in what it lyes 128 129 130. to 156. Strengthening Grace against Temptations and sin 687 688. unto duty what how variously dispensed 689. How reasonably 690. The application of it 691 692 693 c. Sutableness to a work or Relation in what it lyes 424. Whence it is some are in relations not suted to them 425 426 427. Soul happiness in 3 things 591. Sufficient means of Grace in what sense all have it 650 651 652. In what sense they have it not 652 653. Proved that all have it not 653 654 655. Applyed 660. T Temptations of what sorts 684. Some more tempted than others 687. Whence it is 688. Why God suffers those to be tempted who he knows will fall in the hour of temptation 687. Means to be used in order to abating the force of the temptation 693 Arguments for Spiritual resistance 696 697 698. Thanksgiving Constant Solemn how evinced to be our duty from the Consideration of the influences of Providence 60. Threatnings ordinarily Justified when Gods Enemies are highest 205 206 207 208 209 210. Things good or evil what why good things are measured out by Providence to evil men and evil things to good men 582 583 584. to 595. V Varieties of Providence in the dispensation of the first Grace viz. Conversion 664. What varieties 665 666 667. a reasonable account of Variety in that as to time 668 669 670. As to means 673. As to manner 675 676. Vse of it 678 679 680. Varieties in dispensations of further Grace 681. What Grace 681. In what the Varieties lie or do not lie 682 683. Vertues upheld in creatures by which they serve others p. 72 73. Unsearchableness of Providence in its wayes 158 159 c. To Search and behold them our duty 160 161 162. How they are unsearchable 163. In the compass of them in the tendency track indications of them 164 165 166. Vse of that 167. W Waiting for God patiently what it implyeth 613 614 615 616. Several things recommended in order to it 616 617 618. Pressed by Arguments 618 619. How a duty resulting from a Consideration of Divine Providence 56 57. Wayes of God misjudged from what causes 517 518. Widows poor and fatherless obliged to praise the Lord 296 297. Wisdom Spiritual how to be learned from Gods Providential dispensations 175 176 177 178. Wisdom to sobriety cammended 167 168. Will of God the alone cause of Grace 620 621 622 623. Wicked men why suffered to devour such as are more righteous than they 596 597 c. It is just with God and reasonable 597 598 599. What use we are to make of it ibid. Et seque To the Reader WHat the Poet saith of men None lives without some errors He is best that hath fewest it 's true concerning Printed books Whoso considereth how much intension is required to the writing composure for the Press and correcting of so many Words and Letters as a Book of this bulk hath will easily conclude it a matter of no easie atchievement for any but tolerably to acquit themselves and must be very uncharitable if he will not give some allowances for the want of some letter in a word or the transposing of a letter or the mistake of a Point the want of a little particle or needless doubling of it being but common infirmities of a quick Pen or Press But there are some others of which I must give thee some account The Author who intended no more than the general Title to run through the leaves of the whole Book must not be charged if the Title of any leaf be not so properly set as he would have done who best knows the matter that business was done by another hand not knowing the Authors mind and finding the top of the pages without titles 2. Two Presses being imployed for expedition the Printer not casting the sheets punctually that he turned off to another thou wilt find a disorder in the figures of the pages from 594 to 601. The number of Sermons also miscounted next 45 follows 48 Sermon but that is supplied in the matter of the Sermons preceding 45. 2 of them making 4 but not distinguished by the Printer The Errataes troubling the sense are very few the greatest in p. 108. l. 21. These following the Author desires thee to be charitable to him and the Printer for ERRATA PAge 56. l. 9. r. suspicious 58. l. 7. r. but yet 75. l. 17. blot out he hath 66. l. 20. r. every tyde 68. l. 7. r. in it l. 16. r. not God 108. l. 21. r. Subdued so as the greater 120. l. 6. r. unà 121. l. 5. r. and cannot 126. l. 30. r. restraining 192 l. 5. r. Scrabling 200. l. 6. blot out think 211. l. 23. r. mens bearts 221. l. 31. r. of the land 222. l. 20. blot out of 226. l. 21. r. Asa 243. l. 5. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 252. l. 21. r. Adapting 328. l. 25. 26. r. rapacious 340. l. 18. r. Jotham was l. 29. r. tracked Grace is 341. l. 13. r Dives had a right 349. l. 3. r. despond 355. l. 23. r. as to find 373. l. 28. r. he hindred 416. l. 30. r. taking away 451. l. 32. r. evil thou maist not eat 488. l. 23. r. Stith 512. l. 9. r. Paris 530. l. 24. r. habits of Grace 530. l. 29. r. Gods Command 547. l. 22. blot out repeated 563. l. 14. r. Sinnings 568. l. 33. r. feigned such 583. l. 26. r. it is l. 31. blot out to good men l. 37. r. justifie God in 586. l. 48. r. infortunis 587. l. 11. r. Nierem 594. l. 11. r. is a temptation 597. l. 25. r. roil 604. l. 25. r. roiling l. 39. r. have 605. l. 18. r. high nature l. 13. r. heirs l. 21. r. add to this l. 37. r. roil his 606. l. 7 6. r. fourth terme 610. l. 28. r. Sense which is 602. l. 32. r. hence it is 606. l. 23. r. his Children 607. l. 3. r. extent of 620. l. 4. r. this temptation 619. l. 3. r. is that 621. l. 1. r. was Ishmael l. 37. r. particular nation 630. l 6. r. of the Gospel 634. l. 26. blot out aphonimy of 636. l. 36. r. Severely 643. l. 18. r. not come 644. l. 16. r. play So the man might l. 21. r. improveth 647. l. 24. blot out about 656. l. 6. r. no need 661. l. 3. r. Swasion 673. l 9. r. by thee 678. l. 27. r. wish any to 679. l. 38. r. make men 682. l. 18. blot out for 683. l. 1. r. by God 690. l. 9. r. delighteth 693. l. 8. r. as sweet 696. l. 19. r. by himself 714. l. 18. r. presently apt