Providence at the top thereof Behold the Lord stood above it Gen. 28. 13. He that was above had an eye on what was beneath I saw the Lord saith Micaiah sitting on his throne c. 1 King 22. 19 c. God's Providence is there Visioned-forth or set out to Micaiah In the first Chapter of Job there is a Providential scheme or draught of what was to take place in Job's case there Ezekiel's Vision of the Wheels is a confutation of the Wheel of Fortune They who know God have the Wheel of Providence to meditate and discourse of 2. From positive Assertions in Scripture The Lord looketh from heaven he beholdeth all the sons of men from the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth he fashioneth their hearts alike he considereth all their works Psal 33. 13 14 15. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15. 3. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not better than they Mat. 26. See also Mat. 10. 29. 3. From Divine Assumptions and Appropriations of the work of Providence to God himself When the Lord answered Job out of the Whirl-wind how doth he challenge to himself a supream Agency in and over the Creatures Who saith he provideth for the Raven his food Job 38. 41. And in Isa 45. 7. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things 4. From Expostulations Checks Comminations bottomed on the consideration of Divine Providence So Psal 50. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver v. 21 22. And so likewise in Psal 94. Vnderstand O ye brutish amongst the people and ye fools when will ye be wise He that planted the ear shall he not hear He that formed the eye shall he not see He that chastiseth the heathen shall he not correct He that teacheth man knowledg shall he not know v. 8 9 10. 5. From the Religious forms of speech by which are implied the verity of God's Providence extending to affairs in the world Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the Cities thereof when I shall being again their captivity The Lord bless thee O habitation of Justice and Mountain of Holiness Jer. 31. 23. For that ye ought to say If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that James 4. 15. I trust saith Paul to tarry a while with you if the Lord permit 1 Cor. 15. 7. 6. From Prayers made to God The Scripture hath no Altar for an unknown God We are not taught to pray to Fortune to our own Wills Saints or Angels None of these are the Father which is in Heaven whose is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory The Orthodox Prayers of Saints are demonstrations that they were not Heterodox in the point of Providence they acknowledged a Providence on earth who were ever and anon looking up in prayer to the God of Heaven See Ezra 8. 21 22 31. Neh. 2. 4 with 18. Rom. 1. 10. And thus I have shewed how there is a Providence This was an old Article of the Saints Creed I shall for further clearing up the point 1. Lay down other Arguments 2. Reply to some Objections 3. Draw some Consectaries or Inferences Of these in their order CHAP. I. 1. FRom God himself And so observe 1. That the appellations or titles given to Him are implications of the thing He is Jehovah who gives the Creatures their beeing and operation Acts 17. 28. He is the Judg of all the earth Gen. 18. 25. He is the King of all the earth Psal 47. 7. He is the First Cause I will hear the heavens and the heavens shall hear the earth c. Hos 2. 11. * Non sanè multum interesse utrum quis Deos esse neget an eos omni procuratione atque actione privet mihi enim qui nihil agit esse omninò non videtur Cicer. lib. 2. de nat Deor. To deny then his Providence is to take up the Bucklers against these no less glorious than true Appellations of his But 2. His glorious Attributes of Power Goodness Wisdom Justice are as so many demonstrations of his Providence for all these the World existing are not dormant These Attributes are richly interwoven in the works of Providence The Scripture saith unto Pharoah Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth Rom. 8. 17. Thou art good and dost good Psal 119. 68. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches Psal 104. 24. But God is the Judg he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal 75. 7. Lastly The Lord's creation of the World doth according to the Logick of the Scripture infer his Providence For 1. He is called the faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4. 19. The Lord leaves not the stately House of the World after he hath erected it 2. Considerations or Motives for supportation and consolation are couch'd in God's creation of the World so that they who have an interest in God may hope for a display of his Attributes in his government of the World so in Isa 40. Hast thou not known hast thou not heard That the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is he weary c. v. 28 29. 3. There is an indissoluble or firm knot knit betwixt the Lord's creating and governing the World for what is Providence but a kind of continued Creation and therefore that word is used to set forth Providence by in Scripture see Psal 51. 10. and 104. 30. Isa 43. 7. Again to acknowledg God the Creator and some other the Governour is to rob the Lord of his glory against which robbery he vehemently protesteth as in Isa 42. 8. Lastly observe in Isa 45. the same God there who made the Earth and created Man upon it in v. 12 raised up Cyrus and prospered him in v. 13. There is no reason then to break the band of amity or alliance betwixt Creation and Providence which the Lord so conjunctively owneth and appropriateth to himself see Jer. 27. 5 6. 2. From Providence it self There is an intrinsecal or inbred light in Providence by which it is seen But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of
from the Soveraign Will of God who could have wrought otherwise 7. In carrying on some in their journey heavenward without such falls by the way as others have had David Jonah Peter did splinter their bones though they brake not their necks they fell into the mire though they wallowed not in it as swine of the Devils Herd We do not find that Paul with others had such plunges after their primitive or first acquaintance with Jesus Christ I know saith Paul nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. 8. In landing some at the Port of Heaven as it were with top and top-gallant pennents streaming and flags flying They go out of the world triumphantly they are in Heaven before they are in Heaven a sight they have of the Beatifical Vision on earth Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into beaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God Acts 7. 55 56. Others though they may have as much of inherent grace yea sometimes more yet go out of the world in a cloud though not in a stinking snuff Christ himself upon the Deity 's suspension of his operation goes off the stage of the world with a My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 46. 2. In Temporals or matters referring to this life the Lord 's Soveraign Will is displayed 1. In giving such a beeing for kind That the Efficiency of God was not otherwise employed in regard of the object at such a season or in some other way as Adam was made out of the dust of the earth Eve not so immediately but out of a rib of Adam is from the Lord who acts as he pleaseth It was replied by the weeping Shepherd to the two Cardinals going to the Council of Constance and demanding of the Shepherd why he was so pathetical I admire saith he the Lord that I was not made as yonder Toad Job takes notice of the Lord's Providence in his beeing and the mode of it saying Hast thou not poured me out like milk and crudled me as cheese thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews thou hast granted me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit Job 10. 10 11 12. 2. In bestowing all the integral parts of the body in regard of their respective functions offices and operations Thine eyes saith David did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Psal 139. 16. That thou wast not a Creeple from the womb or blind as thâ—… man John 9. 6. is from God's Soveraign good pleasure 3. In being birthed into the world at such or such a time The time might have been such when the women did eat their fruit and children of a span long Lam. 2. 20. Our Saviour speaks of some black days when he saith Wo unto them which are with child and to them that give suck in those days Mat. 24. 19. see moreover there v. 21 22. 4. In portioning forth the places of habitation There is a wise soveraign lot of Providence in God's disposal of parties to their respective places of abode God saith Paul hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation Acts 17. 26. Some in regard of places for accommodation whether for the outward man or inward or both may say The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Psal 16. 6. 5. In calling some to one employment others to another Bezaleel is a skilful Artificer Exod. 31. beginning of the Chapter He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep-folds from following the ews great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance Psal 78. 70 71. Jeremiah was ordained a Prophet Jer. 1. 5. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord saith Paul who enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry 1 Tim. 1. 12. 6. In giving to some such and such Relations When Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children Who are these with thee saith he to Jacob and he said The children which God hath graciously given thy servant Gen. 33. 5. Job was bereft of his children God gives him posterity again for he had seven sons and three daughters Job 42. 13. These living-goods came out of God's Treasure-house That reply of Jacob to Rachel saying Give me children or else I dye doth attest the soveraign will of God Am I said Jacob in God's stead who hath with-held from thee the fruit of the womb Gen. 30. 2. 7. In giving and continuing to some as long as he pleaseth Land Wealth Health Friends Liberty to others not so He maketh peace in thy borders and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat Psal 147. 14. Others cut up Mallows by the bushes and Juniper-roots for their meat Job 30. 4. The rich man feasteth and hath his Purple and fine Linnen Lazarus is laid at his gate full of sores Luke 16. 19 20. Pharoah hath his liberty to gallop up and down Egypt Joseph was sold for a servant whose feet they hurt with fetters he was laid in irons Psal 105. 17 18. 8. In taking some out of the world in the morning of their age others at mid-day others in the evening Many Candles are puft out ere they burn out to the socket of old age yea some no sooner lighted but are extinguisht and many with one breath are blown out together as in a Plague-time and season of Warr. Shall any saith Job teach God knowledg seeing he judgeth those that are high One dieth in his full strength being wholly at ease and at quiet his breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow and another dieth in the bitterness of his soul and never eateth with pleasure they shall lye down alike in the dust and the worms shall cover them Job 21. 22 c. A young Abijah in whom is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel dies when wicked ones survive him see 1 Kings 14. 12 13. Now that the Soveraignty of God displayed should be a golden bitt to check man's corruption appeareth 1. If due respect ought to be had to Superiors much more ought it to be yielded to God who is absolute Lord. Elihu harps on this string Job 34. 17 18 19. Nebuchadnezzar is taught this lesson Dan. 4. 34 35. 2. Otherwise what is it but to exalt Clay to the Pottership He that quarrelleth with God's Dispensations doth so far forget that confession of saith Isa 64. 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father we are the clay and thou our Potter and we all are the work of thy hands Si reputarent homines sibi negotium esse cum Deo puderet ipsos contra suum opificem insurgere
yet said Daniel to him Thou O king art king of kings for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom power and strength and glory Dan. 2. 37. All Nebuchadnezzar's Power waâ— but a Slip taken out of Heaven's Garden He was beholding to God who placed not only the Crown upon his Head but his Head also upon his Shoulders And not only the Power but the exercise of it also is mutatitious or borrowed So Christ to Pilate Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above John 19. 10. But 2. The Power of God is seen as glorious in compare with Human Power in that the Lord can and doth when he pleaseth dethrone the greatest Potentates of the World How quickly is a Nebuchadnezzar hurried from the Palace to the Park Dan. 4. 32. God is Judg he putteth down the one and setteth up another Psal 75. 7. And hence Moses speaking of the two Kings Sihon and Og whom God had caused to fall before his people Deut. 3. 21. annexeth a pertinent description of the Lord's Power saying O Lord God thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand for what God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according thy works and according to thy might v. 24. Thirdly The Power of God is to be considered in regard of the manner of its display and that three ways 1. Immediately or without means If there be wanting means yet there is never wanting power to bring about matters where and when God pleaseth without means He that made the World without a Tool can act without an Instrument If there be not an human arm to crush a Laban yet there is not wanting an hand from Heaven to restrain him so he acknowledgeth saying It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight saying Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad Gen. 31. 29. 2. Mediately by means and these though weak and improbable God checkt Egyptian-insolency by Frogs and Lice The blowing of the Trumpets of Rams-horns is as effectual to level the Walls of Jericho as if a thousand barrels of Gun-powder had been mined in under them Josh 6. 20. Gideon with his Three hundred men routeth the Army of the Midianites as well as if his Army had consisted of Three hundred thousand Judg. 7. 19 c. The Apostles being delegated by Christ to the preaching of the Gospel what multitudes are drawn into Christ by them who were to confront the world in that work as it was then adjudged Acts 16. 21. 17 6. 24. 14. 3. Contrary to the nature of means is the Power of God displayed He made the fluid Waters to stand up as a solid Wall for his people to pass by Exod. 14. 22. Fire shall flame and not burn Dan. 3. 26. Lions shall be hungry and yet not devour a Daniel Dan. 6. 22 23. An harsh and cruel Jaylor to a Paul and Silas shall become all kindness Acts 16. 23 24 33. Fourthly The Power of God in regard of the extent of it hath its consideration Thou hast saith the Psalmist a mighty arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand Psal 89. 13. With God all things are possible Mar. 10. 27. For with God nothing shall be impossible Luke 1. 37. And not only in the general is the Power of God marvellous but likewise more particularly if we view it with respect to 1. Spirituals 2. Temporals 1. The former the Apostle speaks of in 1 Ephes 1. 19. the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power As the Power of God was richly displayed in making the Heavens and the Earth so likewise is it in creating the new Heavens and new Earth Isa 65. 17. Look we into the new World and observe what a golden thread of Power is drawn thorow these following Pearls 1. Conversion-work regeneration or the new-creature declareth the Power of God Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power Psal 110. 3. That the Wolf dwells with the Lamb and Leopard lies down with the Kid is from the Power of God Isa 11. 6. compared with Acts 9. 5. and 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. 2. The forgiving of sin and the mortification of it more and more do likewise hold forth the Encomiums and Praises of God's Power Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea Mic. 7. 18 19. But that ye may know saith Christ to the Scribes that the Son of Man hath power to forgive sin c. Mat. 9. 16. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. 3. The raising up of parties to a sense of God's love especially after a spiritual languishing falls slips conflicts with their darkness and cloudiness of spirit doth bespeak the Power of God in so doing Create in me a clean heart saith David and renew a right spirit within me restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Psal 51. 10 12. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace Isa 57. 19. 4. The vigorous sustentation of parties in the exercise of graces under sufferings doth proclaim the Power of God Be not thou writes Paul to Timothy therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God 2 Tim. 1. 8. See more Acts 4. 8 13. Rev. 2. 13. 5. The conflict of Saints with Satan doth witness the Power of God The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. The Devil is a roaring Lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. and yet he is not an irresistable Adversary for v. 9. it is said Whom resist stedfast in the fuith 6. Perseverance in grace even unto glory doth exhibit a large testimonial of the power of God so 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 2. In the next place The Power of God is seen in Temporals What is the World but an Hall hung with this Cloath of Arras We may behold the Power of God in the meanest or least of Creatures Amongst other things observe the sparklings of this Diamond in two things 1. In point of Provision for parties How did God feed so many thousand and for many years and in a Wilderness of old See Numb 11. 21. Deut. 8. 2 3 4. As the Power of God was then seen so it is seen in a larger Wilderness the whole World in feeding
the sons of men as shall after be spoken unto and the same Power of God is seen as it respects persons families in their particular Wilderness But 2. In point of Protection notwithstanding dangers It would fill a Volume to rehearse the many remarkable preservations which some have had whilst the Lord had wise Ends subordinate to his glory for their existence here in the world It may suffice that Christ points out the Power of God in preserving when he saith to his Disciples Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Mat. 10. 16. What a notable draught have we of the Power of God in the rescue of Peter one of the Church's Bell-weathers from the Paw of that Lion Herod Acts 12. Neither Quaternions of Soldiers nor Chains nor Iron-gate shall hold him whom God will set free It is a truth God's Peters are immortal till their work be done CHAP. II. 1. THERE is no ground to be despondent or dejected in and under troubles Despondency of spirit is an evil of sin which steals in on parties under their evil of smart David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. and yet Saul's day of death was then nearer and David lived to see the day for a confutation of his black imaginations for so is it recorded 2 Sam. 22. 1. And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul Let not the Christian then be sinking under his Saul like difficulties but ask his soul this question Can I find out an Omnipotent Distress If my Religion say nay and tell me there is but one Omnipotent in the World Why doth my dejected practice say yea or tacitly proclaim the contrary 2. Distrust not the truth of God's word as if the Lord could not be as good as his word for defect of Power 'T was Zachariah's fault that he look't too much to Second-causes and did not consider as he should the Power of God which had Nature though decayed at his beck Luke 18. 19 20. If therefore there be as great an unlikelihood of things spoken of in Scripture in point of being fulfilled as there was that Zachariah and Elizabeth being old should have a son yet give no way to cavilling-unbelief but take a view of matters in conjunction with the Power of God and so indeed we are taught in Scripture as in the case of the Jews who have lien in a forlorn estate for so many Centuries of years Rom. 11. 23. God is able to graff them in again And so likewise in the case of Antichrist Rev. 18. 8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her And so in any other difficult case let that be remembred Gen. 18. 14. Is there any thing too hard for the Lord 3. Be encouraged to go on in such work as God calleth you unto in his Providence He that hath a God of Power to set him on work and pay him wages may take the more encouragement to follow his work If God be with Moses as he promiseth saying Certainly I will be with thee Exod. 3. 12. Moses may take heart notwithstanding all blocks in the way Heaven's Warrant will bear God's Moseses out notwithstanding all the fury of the sons of the earth and the sons of hell too See Josh 1. 6 7. Jer. 1. 17 18 19. Mat. 28. 19 20. Acts 18. 9 10. 4. Resolve on the exercise of faith more and more on the Power of God Let not so glorious a Jewel lye by without taking frequent views of it by the eye of Faith Consider two things 1. Hereby you glorifie God in giving him a due estimate of his Power A clear and full exemplification for this we have in Abraham who being not weak in faith considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4. 19 20 21. 2. Hereby you consult your own good and quiet Had men more of Faith they would have less of disquiet Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me was a word spoken in season by Christ for the calming of the hearts of his Disciples John 14. 1. If it be said here I question not the Power of God It may be replied 1. It is well if you do not as good as you have had their reflections on the Power of God Moses questions how Six hundred thousand foot-men should be provided for flesh for a Month in the Wilderness Numb 11. 21 22. God tells him saying Is the Lord's hand waxed short thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to pass unto thee or no v. 23. 2. Is there not a deceit of heart here God's Will is pretended but is not the Power of God questioned A reason to evidence this is thus Because when the distress is greater the party is the more disquieted Disquiet riseth with the difficulty The Israelites at the Red-sea were made up of unbelief Exod. 14 11 12. They might have considered that the Power of God which had made a passage through Pharaoh his stony heart for their egress from Egypt could make a passage for them through the Red-sea Martha is questioning the resurrection of her brother though Christ had said the word for the encouragement of faith and what is that which staggereth her faith it is because Lazarus had been dead four days see John 11. 39 40. 3. In reference to the Will of God about matters that there shall be no defect on God's part What he promiseth absolutely shall be made good what conditionally is made good likewise yea not only when the Condition is performed on our part but sometimes when failing on our part as in Martha her case Christ had told her If she believed she should see the glory of God displayed John 11. 40. yet she questioneth as v. 39. and Lazarus is raised v. 44. True then is that Heb. 10. 23. Faithful is he who hath promised OBSERVATION IX God never hath his Vacation-time though he may seem to do little or nothing sometimes in His administration of matters in the World CHAP. I. THAT Providence is not idle though it Deus nunquam feriatur Calv. seems to sit still will be evidenced 1. From positive assertions in Scripture So Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Eyes here are attributed to God to note not only his knowledg of or inspection into the affairs of the World but his
back pleads his insufficiency yea when that is answered by God he hath nothing else to say and that indeed was too unmannerly to be said Send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send Exod. 4. 10 11 12 13. 5. In not heeding and improving some foregoing Providence in order to a grapple with some future difficulty It is said of the Disciples They cried out and were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondred Mar. 6. 49 51. What was the ground of their disquiet Fear Was there no Antidote to have checkt their trouble Yea there was for Christ had done that before at land which might have quieted them at sea the Miracle of the Loaves might have fed their faith which would not then have been so sea-sick this seems to be intimated in v. 52. For they considered not of the loaves for their heart was hardned We see then that there is fault in crossing with the Methods of Providence and it hath been shewed particularly how persons do thus cross What remains but to be on our watch and that the rather considering these two things 1. Satan hath his Methods which are wily ones for so the Apostle Paul asserteth Eph. 6. 11. Satan's design is to pervert and subvert He will be busie to make a man unprofitable under the Methods of the Lord He labours to make men slight warnings storm under afflictions stifle convictions to be backward to any good work God calleth them unto and to be forgetful of special Providences which may have their future reference for support under Difficulties 2. It 's man's wisdom to comply with the Methods of the Lord. Ephraim is called an unwise son and why for he should not stay long in the place of breaking forth of children Hos 13. 13. To be stupid and blockish under the Lord's Dispensations not to eye God in them and to have a recourse to Him and to improve them for good is to be the unwise son with Ephraim OBSERVATION XIV Jesus Christ as Mediator is the Father's Vicegerent Plenipotentiary or Supream Moderator of things in the World CHAP. I. VVHAT foundation this hath in the Word may appear divers ways 1. There are types of this before Christ assumed the human nature This is he that was in the Church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai and with out fathers who received the lively oracles to give unto us to whom our fathers would not obey but thrust him from them so Stephen Acts 7. 38 39. To this add that in Dan. 10. 16. Zech. 1. 12. And as there are sacred Draughts or Pictures of this so Predictions of it Deut. 17. 15. with Acts 7. 37. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear Psal 110. 1. with Mat. 22. 44. The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Daniel had a predictory Vision I saw saith he in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7. 13 14. 2. There seems to be a notable praeludium or preface to this in Christ's sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions and in his reply to Mary Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business Luke 2. 46 49. And before this in the Wise-men's coming from the East enquiring after him who was born King of the Jews and doing their homage to him as Mat. 2. 1 2 11. 3. The solemn voice from Heaven when Christ inaugurated or entred on his publick Ministerial work doth witness to this Mat. 3. 17. And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And so in Luke 9 35. There came a voice out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him 4. There are plain and positive Assertions on this wise Mat. 28. 18. All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth Ephes 1. 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Mat. 13. 41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels John 5. 27. And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Compare this with v. 22. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son This is saith Musculus as if so be we should speak of the Sun the Sun burns not any one but hath given all burning to his beams This kind of speech doth not exclude the Sun from a virtue or efficacy to burn or illuminate but ascribes the work of burning and enlightning to his beams in and by which the Sun doth burn and enlighten for what heat and splendor the beams have they have it from the Sun After this sort the Father is said to judg no out but to have committed all judgment to the Son when he judgeth all things in the Son CHAP. II. 1. SEE what ground there is for honouring Christ This inference Christ himself deducteth That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him John 5. 23. with 22. Honour Christ then in his Natures in his Offices as King Priest and Prophet in his Ordinances in his Gospel-day for worship in his Ministers and People Honour Him both in judgment and practice with due respect had to Him according to the fore-mentioned ways 2. What a bold Adventure is it for the sons of men to affront Christ or rage against Him This is an Evil cautioned against and the attempts of men as they will be fruitless so no less dangerous to themselves if they desist not What do sinners but take a great deal of pains to get a Stone of vast bigness up the hill and when it is nigh up back it returns and crusheth themselves The Psalmist is pertinent to this purpose Psal 2. there is a Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing v. 1. The interrogation hath its dehortative considerations No reason so to do And as it is horrid sin so no less folly in regard of the issue The Lord laughs at such foolish Children's play v. 4. Christ is on the holy hill of Zion v. 6. there is no beating him off that hill Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel v. 9. 3. Here is ground for support and consolation in the Wilderness of this World Christ
one and the bitter rivulets of the other flow from the Spring-heads of Providence Agur acknowledgeth this in that prayer of his recorded Prov. 30. 8. And so Job in his doxology or thanksgiving Job 1. 21. yea God himself doth attest this in his contest with Israel saying For she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oyl and multiplied her silver and gold which they prepared for Baal therefore behold I will return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness Hos 2. 8 9. 3. There is a proper and full object for faith and meditation to be conversant about Videmus ergo non posse fidem nostra stare firmam nisi semper occurrat nobis Providentia Dei quod scilicet in rebus confusis sciat cur tantum permittat licentiae reprobis deinde quorsum evasuri sint eorum conarus quis tandem futurus sit exitus Nisi ergo hoc nobis persuasum sit Deum arcanâ Providentiâ moderari res turbatas centies quotidie imo singulis momentis Satan excuteret nobis fiduciam quae debet quiescere in Deo Calv. in Hab. 1. v. 12. in order to the tranquillity of the soul and that in the midst of all the great concussions terrible aspects of second-causes windings and turnings of affairs that are or shall be in the world Let it be considered in whose hand the government of the world is and then though Heaven and Earth do come together a gracious heart and solid quiet will not be far asunder God is our refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof Selah Psal 46. 1 2 3. The Lord is good a strong-hold in the day of trouble and be knoweth them that trust in him but with an over-running flood he will make an end of the place thereof and darkness shall pursue his enemies Nahum 1. 7 8. See more Rev. 2. 10. and 7. 2 3. PART II. THE various Considerations or Distinctions of Providence so termed for our better apprehension come now to be spoken unto and these may be ranged into several orders as 1. In respect of the Parts as some call them or Form as others term it namely supportation or upholding and gubernation 2. In respect of the Object about which Providence is conversant 3. In respect of the Mode or Manner how Providence is conversant about matters 4 In respect of the End Issues or Event of Providence Of these a little in their order CHAP. I. PROVIDENCE as upholding the Creatures may be considered 1. With respect to their Beings Neh. 9. 6. Job 33. 4. Psal 104. 30. Act. 17. 28. 2. With respect to their Well-beings Psal 105. 37. Psal 144. 12 13 14. Now opposite unto this Consideration of Providence is Providence considered as deserting As there is Providence upholding so there is Providence with-holding its influence Thou saith the Psalmist hidest thy face they are troubled thou takest away their breath they dye and return to their dust Psal 104. 29. and 102. ver 26. Deserting Providence respects 1. the beeings of things as such Psal 90. 5. Jer. 52. 13. Dan. 5. 30 31. 2. The well-being Egypt to be a Kingdom but a base or low one Ezek. 29. 14. Mephibosheth a Man but a maimed or lame one 2 Sam. 4. 4. Again Providence as Governing or ruling may be considered 1. By way of Motion direction and ordination of the Motion to such ends and uses as God intends Acts 17. 28. 1 Kings 11. 14. Ezra 1. 1. Gen. 50. 20. 2. By way of Inhibition or checking the Creatures in their operations and this is 1. Absolute or eminently controlling them Exod. 11. 7. Exod. 14 22. 2 Kings 19. 32. Dan. 3. 29. and 6. 22 23. John 19. 36. 2. Comparative partial or in part 2 Chron. 12. 7 8. Rev. 2. 10. CHAP. II. PROVIDENCE in regard of the Object is 1. General as it respects the whole world Psal 135. 6. Prov. 15. 3. Heb. 1. 3. 2. Special as it respects 1. Persons or intelligent natures 2. Things 1. As it respects Persons or intelligent Natures and so it comprehendeth 1. Angels and that 1. Good Heb. 1. 7. Acts 12. 11. 2. Bad who are subjected to Providence 1 King 22. 21 22. Job 1. 9 10 11. Mat. 8. 31. 2. Men and that 1. singly or particularly as Gen. 28. 12 13. Exod. 2. 6. 2. Conjunctively or relatively and that 1. in regard of Family-relation 2 Sam. 23. 5. 1 King 14. 10. 2. In regard of a Political combination as persons are united under this or that form of Civil Government all the Governments in the world are under a higher Government See Jer. 25. 15 to 27. 3. In regard of an Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Society Providence doth signally and more peculiarly respect the Church of Christ Deut. 26. 48. Psal 135. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Again Providence respects Things as well as Persons and that 1. Animate which have life as Trees Herbs Fishes Fowls Beasts of the field Psal 104. Jonah 1 17. 4 6. Mat. 6. 26 28 30. 2. Inanimate without life Job 38. 22 23 c. Psal 48. 8. CHAP. III. PROVIDENCE in regard of the manner how conversant about its objects is variously distinguish't In the first place it is Effective or Permissive The former respecteth the production or bringing forth of whatever hath a real or proper beeing whether natural moral spiritual as James 1. 17. The later respects the anomy irregularity warping aside from the Rule of Righteousness and this as inherent or adherent to the natures motions actions of intelligent natures whether Angels or Men. This Permissive Providence is not a moral concession or legitimation or warranting from Heaven what is done but a not-hindring by way of physical or natural interposition or not-putting forth of a force inhibitive or curbing Neither is it a meer beholding the evils for there is an efficacy of Providence though not an efficiency as the Orthodox term it with respect to the sins of men and there is more in Permission than an idle contemplation of matters See Heb. 6. 3. 2 Sam. 12. 11. Again Providence is 1. ordinary which keeps the usual road or instituted order both in naturals and spirituals See Psal 19. 4 5. 6. Jer. 31. 35 36 37. Rom. 10. 17. 2. Extraordinary which is opposite to the former as John 10. 12 13. 2 Kings 20. 9 10 11. Acts 9. 3 4 5. Here if I might though I affect not innovations in Divinity I would distinguish Extraordinary Providence into that which is 1 Really and properly miraculous 2. Eminently and remarkably wondrous I may set forth this by an allusive Instance For a Child
to throw a strong Man to the ground and that by grappling with him hand to hand may well be interpreted miraculous there being no proportion of strength in the Child to that of a Mighty man And yet suppose the man is sitting according to a tottering posture in a Chair so that his body is in equal poâ—ze a small push of a child sends him head-long to the ground In like manner Providence by a wonderful conjunction of weak means in themselves and by opportune application of means brings forth a work very glorious See Judges 4. 21. and 7. 16 17 18. 2 Chron. 24. 23 24. Lastly Providenâ—e is distinguish't into immediate and mediate Immediate excludes the interposition or intervening of means instruments which God useth at other times as when the Lord himself preached to Adam Gen. 3. 9. Moses lives but not by the use of the creatures Exod. 34. 28. 2. Mediate when the Lord useth means 1. more common or general as the Angels for their ministry the Heavens and the Earth for Corn Wine and Oyl See Psal 148. and Hos 2. 21 22. 2. More peculiar and particularly destinated for such ends and purposes Isa 38. 21. Acts 10. 5 6. the Angel will not there take away Peter's work he willeth Cornelius to send for Simon Peter not Simon the Tanner for his Teacher Moreover Means in order to Effects and Consequents are 1. Necessary or definite which ordinarily work this way and no other as for the Sun to shine and give forth heat Psal 19. 4 5 6. 2. Contingent and indefinite whose effects before they exist might not so have been as considered with their next Causes though otherwise in respect of God his will to the contrary the said effects are necessary So the bones of Christ were not broken John 19. 31 32 33 with 36. CHAP. IV. PROVIDENCE in regard of the End Issues and Events hath its considerations 1. The End is ultimate or last and that is the Glory of God Rom. 11. 32 33 36. or intermediate which is the creatures serviceableness and usefulness according to its place or station in order to the former So the Heavens and the Earth are Caterers for Jezreel and that to the Lord's glory whose bounty and mercy are displayed in hearing the Heavens and the Earth for Jezreel Hos 2. ver 21 22. Again the Issues of Providence respecting matters are sometimes by way of furthering and succeeding things so that the ordinary particular End is attained so when God heareth the Heavens the Heavens the Earth the Earth the Corn and the Wine and Oyl and they hear Jezreel Hos 2. 21 22. Or secondly By way of dashing things notwithstanding a probability of such and such Ends though not of such Ends as Providence intendeth where and when the Lord crosseth disappointeth or thus dasheth in his Diâ—pensations See Isa 7. 5 6 7. Hag. 1. 6. 9 10 11. Lastly The Events of Providence are 1. Joyful which terminate in the good comfort happiness of the Creature Exod. 14. 30 31. Esth 9. 22. Or secondly Mournful or by way of smart distress tribulation as Exod. 14. 27 28. 2 Sam. 1. 12. Thus I have marshall'd up the several Distinctions or Considerations of Providence There are other subordinate Considerations of it yet reducible to some of the fore-mentioned Heads of Distinction or Consideration What those other Considerations are I may only point at Providence then may be considered as direct and collateral An instance for the former is the Lord 's stirring up Cyrus in order to the delivery of his people Ezra 1. An illustration for the later may be the Philistines invading the Land which at least in regard of any such thing intended by them was a by-blow for David's deliverance 1 Sam. 23. 26 27. Again Providence may be considered as more plain and obvious so that he who runs may read or more dark and intricate Moreover It may be considered as single or in part and as copulative as when the whole of a business is laid together Lastly It may be considered as concealing for a time or revealing bringing things to light These and the like Considerations being exemplified in the following pages I forbear enlargement here and so pass on to the Third Part of the Treatise PART III. THE Extent of Providence hath been touched by an enumeration of Creatures to which it extendeth as in the former Part of this Treatise hath been shewed To avoid then prolixity and repetition I shall here 1. Prove the extent of Providence to all the Creatures 2. Improve this Doctrine of General Extent by giving the Consectaries or Inferences from thence and under this later shall launch forth into some particular arms of this Sea where the passage may seem more difficult by reason of the noise of the Water-spouts the swelling of the waves and billows to the contrary And first then of the first CHAP. I. THE proof for the Extent of Providence appeareth divers ways as here briefly to be insisted on followeth 1. From express assertions in Scripture The assertions have their latitude they know no bounds of mans restriction so Neh. 9. 6. Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made heaven the heaven of heavens with all their host the earth and all things therein and thou preservest them all and the host of heaven worshippeth thee say that godly company there on their solemn Day of Humiliation v. 1 4. In the Ark God not only took care of Noah but of the creatures It 's an observable expression which is in Gen. 8. 1. And God remembred Noah and every living thing and all the cattel that was with him in the Ark. To this addâ— what the Lord himself asserteth to this purpose in the 38 39 40 41 chapters of Job 2. From God without whose will and against whose will the will of Purpose nor of Precept discovered in his Law-giving Rules for man nothing comes to pass Are not two sparrows saith Christ sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father Mat. 10. 29. Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3. 37. 3. From the Creatures which because they are Creatures are not independent or exempted in point of dependency from the first Cause These saith the Psalmist wait all upon thee that thou mayst give them their meat in due season Psal 104. 27. See further other places of Scripture which are quoted upon other particular accounts though upon the general account of Providence they are repeated as Hos 2. 21 22. Acts 17. 28. 4. From the cognation or kinship of Providence with Creation Providence as was before intimated is a kind of continued Creation God not only gives the creatures their beds to lye on but bear with the phrase makes their beds As Creation therefore is extensive to the creatures without exception as Gen. 1. 25. so likewise is the Lord 's upholding them and governing them to
his own glory See Psal 89. 12 13 c. CHAP. II. FIRST then from the Doctrine of the Universal extent of God's Providence it may be evinced That vain and false is the conceit of those who though they allow a Providence yet narrow it in regard of the Object as if so be Providence reached to some of the more noble of the creatures and not to others Whatever the Philosophy or rather the extravagancy of Philosophy dictates true Divinity lessoneth otherwise Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in the heaven and in the earth in the seas and in all deep places Psal 135. 6. Nam ex creatione colligit Deum actualiter moderari quicquid in coelo terrâ agitur quia absurdum esset coelos à Deo creatos fortuitò nunc volvi res vel hominum arbitrio vel temere casu misceri in terrâ quia proprium Dei est tueri gubernare quicquid condidit Ne cum profanis hominibus imaginemur pulcherrimi hujus theatri conspectu otiosum frui Calv. ad locum In the second place then Here is a large field for contemplation of and meditation on the Providence of God Providence which reacheth to all things teacheth man to eye God in every thing and to beware of slighting him in any thing There are five tracks or paths of Providence which here I shall point out at and so encourage the Christian to set foot in them for his good and benefit The first is the path which Providence beats out through the heads and hearts of men in Civils as well as Sacreds 2. The cleanly way of Providence through the dirt and mire of men's sins 3. The straight road of Providence notwithstanding the many lanes windings and turnings of contingencies 4. The Church-yard-way or the sable walk of Providence to Golgotha or the place of skulls 5. That lesser trivial and scarce a way of Providence to carnal reason in matters of smaller moment All these I may well call the beaten paths of Providence I see no reason why we should not eye the Almighty in these paths Be not therefore O Christian at a stand here as they were at the place where Asahel fell down 2 Sam. 2. 23. Here is no bloody Asahel I mean no such black and bloody notions in asserting the walk of the Lord in these paths SECT 1. That the Providence of God reacheth to the Wills of men is questioned by some but truly asserted by others and that according to the sacred Scriptures For 1. They who seem to be most arbitrary in the world are yet asserted to be in subjection to Providence the Great-ones of the World owe homage to the Great Lord of the World though they are Lords of men yet not of Providence Solomon who saith of a King He doth whatsoever pleaseth him Eccles 8. 3. saith also The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will Prov. 21. 1. Christ averreth to Pilate's face saying Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above John 19. 11. 2. The reason why men take this or that course is in some respect attributed to the Providence of God as over-ruling Sampson is for a Timnah-Damosel his Parents knew that it was of the Lord that he sought an occasion against the Philistines Judg. 14. 4. Saul went home to Gilead and there went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched 1 Sam. 10. 26. See more 1 Sam. 11. 5 6. Mat. 21. 2 3. 3. The Prayers of Saints do imply the truth of this assertion God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin saith Jacob to his sons who were now setting forward to Egypt Gen. 43. 14. See also Neh. 2. 4. with the following verses which give to understand Nehemiah's belief in this point and so likewise that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. 4. There are clear instances of God's inclining winding and turning the hearts of men and that contrary to their natural byass and probable inducements which might sway them another way Laban lays not violent hands on Jacob though covetousness and fury might edg him on so to do See Gen. 31. 7. 29. Esau had an inveterate hatred against Jacob and howbeit he is kind and complemental Gen. 33. 4. The Lord gave the Israelites favour in the sight of the Egyptians Exod. 12. 36. Cyrus let go the captives without price and reward Isa 45. 13. 5. The Providence of God is conversant about the senses of men The hearing-ear and the seeing-eye the Lord hath made even both of them Prov. 20. 12. Notable instances there are of the marvellous extent of Providence to the eyes and ears of men Witness the Sodomites blindness or want of discerning Lot's dore Gen. 19. 11. The Syrians were led in a dance by the Prophet to Samaria 2 Kings 6. 18. In like sort the Lord is said to make the Host of the Syrians to hear a noise of Chariots and a noise of Horses even the noise of a great Host 2 Kings 7. 6. Now Providence which thus walketh in the Porch of men's senses walks from thence into the Parlour of the nobler faculties of men's Understandings Wills Affections There is a natural intercourse betwixt this lower and upper house of man Reason not only takes a true but even a false alarum of the Senses as in the place last mentioned The King of Israel said the Syrians one unto another hath hired against us the Kings of the Hittites and the Kings of the Egyptians to come upon us wherefore they arose and fled 2 Kings 7. 6 7. 6. The considerable revolutions changes issues of matters in the World turn in and turn out at the doors of men's hearts What is stated and accorded at this Council-board hath a considerable influx on the affairs of Nations and Kingdoms Ahasuerus his heart is towards Esther chap. 5. 3. and 7. 3 4. and what a change follows both in Court and Countrey after the following History declares Let a Darius be partially won to own Daniel's God and what a change is there in his Dominions Dan. 6. 26 27. Augustus Caesar is resolved on a Tax and what an influence hath that throughout the Roman Empire Luke 2. 1. Lastly The Objections to the contrary namely That Providence doth not thus reach unto the hearts of men have no weight in them First It 's objected Where is then man's liberty Ans Where is on the other hand the Lord 's Prerogative-Royal over all men and all of men Is not the Lord King of kings and Lord of lords Hath not he the supream Agency in and over the hearts of men Do not men think advise determine thus and thus and yet the answer of the tongue is from the Lord see Prov. 16. 1. 2. Let the Objectors reconcile man's liberty with the fore-knowledg of God
which is not denied and the like reconciliation may be found with the Will and Providence of God Look at what door the fore-knowledg of God goes out at without a justle at the wills of men at the same door the Will and Providence of the All-wise God can and do go forth 3. The Scripture hath plain and full instances of accord betwixt man's liberty and Divine Providence Saul acted freely in seeking his Father's Asses and yet the Lord had told Samuel before I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin 1 Sam. 9. 16. The King of Babylon resolveth and that freely having used his divination to go against Jerusalem and this holds correspondence with the threatnings of God by the Prophet against the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Ezek. 21. 18. 4. Man therefore acts freely because God hath constituted in him a freedom from coaction and brutish determination The Lord hath embellisht the foul of man with the noble faculties of Reason and Election so as that he differs from a Beast and hath a liberty in acting though not a liberty of absolute independency He who learns to swim puts forth his hands and feet freely though another hold and guide his head And this may serve by way of reply to that first Objection 2. It may be asked by some Would not this Doctrine make God the Author of sin Ans 1. Would not a denial of God's Providence about the Wills of men make them the Authors of Grace Surely such Doctrine which robbeth the Lord of his glory in working on changing and renewing the hearts of men is not of God Isa 26. 12. Phil. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 4. 7. 2. It may be replied then to the Objection with that of the Apostle to the like God forbid for then how shall God judg the world Rom. 3. 6. The holy God who made the house of man's soul and the several rooms thereof knows all the nasty corners of the sinner and can go in and out in his Providence without defiling the garment of his Holiness The Sun shines on the Dunghill and is not therefore a Dunghill-light Whatever the Assyrian was and his design was all bad enough yet God himself distinguisheth betwixt his own work and the Assyrians barbarous Villanies Isa 10. 12. We are not then to make a confusion where the Lord maketh a distinction What is proper to sinful and sinning man let man have what is proper to a Wise Just Powerful God let God have He that holds a stone and a piece of Cork under water is not because he withdraws his hand the proper intrinsecal cause of the one its sinking and the others its swimming for both stone and cork do equally participate in the hand the stone doth not therefore sink because the hand is withdrawn for then the cork should sink too and the cork doth not therefore swim for then the stone should swim too This may a little illustrate the matter to weaker capacities It 's a mystery and hath its knots yet it 's unreasonable therefore still to dispute and not to believe The Scripture doth plainly lay before us how God Men and the Devil had a concurrence in Job's case a work of Providence there was though not for the like end and in the like manner with a malicious Devil and plundering Sabcans and Chaldeans Providence knoweth how to do cleanly work by the foul hands of sinners Caiaphas was the Trumpet of a glorious Prophecy He is like a servant who broacheth a barrel in a drunken humour the Master of the house may well punish the servant for his lust and yet wisely order the vessel to be drawn forth for the use of the family It 's wonderful indeed to consider how the Lord's arrows are shot in men's bows and how he throws a Jewel in their Slings But so it is as it appears notably from that instance of Caiaphas See John 11. 50 51. with 47 48 49 53. The Consectaries from the Doctrine of Providence as here respecting the hearts of men are these 1. Absurd then is the conceit of those who would have men exempted from the influx and conflux of Providence The Creatures of a lower form are under the Law of Providence and that too in reference to man Psal 104. 14. And are not men much better than they as Christ argueth Mat. 6. 26. There is little reason and less divinity to deny the subjection of the greatest of men to the controlling Providence of God Daniel preached no such Doctrine at Court he asserts before Belshazzar saying The God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy ways hast thou not glorified Dan. 5. 23. 2. There is reason to eye God's Providence even then when men's hearts are hardned and filled with fury towards persons True it is God instilleth no venom of sin into their hearts but yet there is a wise and righteous hand of Providence in this case He turned their heart to hate his people to deal subtilly with his servants Psal 105. 25. Men would do well therefore not only to look upward to God but also inward on their souls and backward on their lives and may they not cry out then Men have done us wrong but God hath done us right The sons of Belial are injurious but the hand of Providence is righteous righteous righteous 3. It is a pious and prudent course to begin with God when we have to do with men especially in matters of greater consequence So did Esther she fasts and her Maidens the Ladies of Honour fast and the Jews in Shushan the Metropolitan City fast before she maketh her address to Ahasuerus Esth 4. 16. and surely there is encouragement so to do for the Lord can work more ways than we can imagine on the hearts of men sometimes he knocks out sparks of pity from flinty hearts Psal 106. 46. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives At other times he awes startles and doth bring to pass great things by fears which take hold on men's souls with their tenter-hooks See Josh 2. 11. Act. 22. 29. 4. Know to whom the tribute of praise and thankfulness is due for what of Providence is displayed in the conveyance of mercies by a touch from Heaven this and that way on the hearts of men on earth David hath a song for God's delivering him out of the hand of Saul 2 Sam. 22. chap. Now one way of David's delivery was by an access of Providence to Saul's heart 1 Sam. 26. 25 c. with chap. 27. v. 4. The same man of God hath left records of God's Providence in his deliverance from Achish who look't on David as a mad-man and so slighted him without trial made or making sure work with him who though he had been under a phrensie for the present might after become a sober Captain to lead an Army against the uncircumcised see Psal 34. with 1 Sam. 21. 14 15. Austin relates how by
his own land Here was a prediction of death the kind of it and the place where and accordingly it was fulfilled as it is recorded in the 37 38 verses of the same Chapter 4. From the peculiar Prerogative of God as he is 1. the God of Mercies and so he hands Mercies to men 1. by their own deaths they are taken away from the evil to come God houseth them in Heaven before the black storms fall out on the earth See 2 King 22. 20. Isa 57. 1. 2. By the deaths of others who are thorns in the sides of his people the burning up of these thorns is a joyful bonfire So in 2 King 13. 22. Hazael oppressed Israel in ver 23. The Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them c. Now how the Lord shews himself thus gracious and compassionate we have in v. 24. So Hazael the King of Syria died Thus the Lord is a God of Mercies even in the deaths of men But then 2. as the God of Judgment and so not only wrath but great wrath comes forth on the stage of the World in timing the deaths of persons The glorious terribleness of Justice is here seen as 1. when Providence suddenly snatcheth a man from his fancied Paradise Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee c. Luke 12. 20. Death as Providence doth judicially time it hath a sting in its sting so in that Monarch who was slain in his Royal City by his own Sons and while at his devotions in the House of Nisâ—och his god Isa 37. 37 38. 2. When the deaths of many thousands are timed together The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth Psal 9. 16. We read of Seventy thousand men who dyed of the Plague in three days time 2 Sam. 24. 15. And in 1 King 20. 29. the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand foot-men in one day Now if there were not a Providence in the timing the deaths of persons the glory of Divine Justice would have its grave with the vast multitudes who fall by Famine Sword or Pestilence all which are the Lord's Arrows as the Prophet Gad informeth David in 2 Sam. 24 12 13. 5. From the success and non-success of means used in order to the proroguing or lengthning forth of life The preservatives of life are conservative of it no otherwise than as the Lord pleaseth This may be evidenc'd in three things 1. In the use of Medicinal means which sometimes very improbable to reason avail to the recovery of health and that though the person were mortally sick in the judgment of the most accurate Physicians There seemeth to be something of Providence by way of proportion to that Cure wrought on Hezekiah by the lump of Figs as Isa 38. 21. I acknowledg that Cure extraordinary and shall not dispute the question Whether the lump of Figs might not have something of natural tendency by way of cure This is that I contend for That Providence is very much seen if not in elevating improbable means in themselves considered in order to a cure yet in bringing to light such means which are improbable to mans reason though very proper for the recovery of the Patient who like Epaphroditus was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him Phil. 2. 27. And as the Lord's mercy and Providence is displayed in the raising of persons from the grave so no less may the hand of Providence be seen in rendering the means us'd for health succesless A Colledg of Physicians are Physicians of no value when and where the Lord the great Physician withdraws his manutenancy or succeeding hand of Providence witness this in Asa who had his Physicians but not his cure dye he must his disease lodgeth him in his grave 2 Chron. 16. 12 13. But 2 dly in the matter of Diet some Creatures have more of a restorative virtue than others and yet some are healthier fairer live longer with their Pults than others who eat their portion of the King's meat Dan. 1. 12 15. Whence is this the word doth plainly lesson Exod. 23. 25. He shall bless thy bread and thy water and I will take sickness away from thee And Mat. 4. 4. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Lastly In the greatest caution or circumspection men use to preserve themselves in dangers The King of Israel disguiseth himself and hath his Armour yet an Arrow finds its passage between the joynts of his Harness 1 King 22. On the other hand Jehosaphat who was in the same fight and in greater danger than King Abab is preserved It came to pass saith the Text when the Captains of the Charives saw Jehosaphat in his Royal Robes that they said It is the king of Israel therefore they compassed about him to fight but Jehosaphat cried out and the Lord helped him and God moved them to depart from him 2 Chron. 18. 31. 6 thly and lastly From the absurdity which would otherwise follow For if the timing of men's lives here in the world be not according to the bounds which the Lord sets then to whom shall the glory in point of preservation be attributed Shall men think themselves or acknowledg Fortune in contradistinction to Providence The Scripture otherwise teacheth Psal 31. 15. My times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me And Psal 68. 20. He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death In the next place it remains that some reply be made to the Objections which look and do but look the matter here asserted in the face and they are as followeth 1. Fifteen years are said to be added to the days of Hezekiah Isa 38. 5. Ans The addition there is no new Addition as it respects the Purpose of God it is rather a new Edition of the Purpose of God a discovery of what lay hid before and is now made manifest notwithstanding the contrary might be concluded in respect of the malignity of Hezekiah's disease To assert that there was a new Purpose of God because of the declaration of the Prophet there were to make a new God who is still the Ancient of days and with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning as the Scripture affirms Him to be Dan. 7. 9. James 1. 17. 2. It may be objected That in Psal 55. 23. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days Ans The days of men are considered according to the course of nature Psal 90. 10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten c. and according to the course of Divine Providence which holds an exact accord with the Purpose or Determination of God I know saith the Prophet to Amaziah that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not
of the Tabernacle there were Loops and Taches and these had their use and without these What would become of the Tabernacle So here Providence takes in a Loop a Tach as well as the Purple Blew and Scarlet of greater matters 3. To deny God's Providence in lesser matters Omnia gubernare est Deo gloriosum were to derogate from the glory of God 1. More generally seeing its glorious for God to have all at his check and controll 2. More particularly seeing his glory doth notably shine forth in and about smaller matters as was in the Miracle of the Lice that the Magicians cry out This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. No work indeed so little but if Nullum est tam minutum Dei opus quod non in se contineat aliquid miraculi ubi repuratur sicut decet Calv. in Zach. c. 8. v. 6. look't into bespeaks a great God Now from what hath been said I may briefly commend two things seeing more may be said of this nature in the following part of this Treatise 1. There is no reason to judg the care of meaner matters as without the circle of Divine Providence It 's enough that our Saviour Christ hath decided the controversie to an hair and the natural colour of an hair Mat. 10. 30. with Mat. 5. 36. if this satisfie not persons I know not how to satisfie them If they knew what it were to Providence it over the meanest of creatures but for one moment they would Si tamen aliquis existimet istiusmodi scilic parvarum gubernationem parum convenire Majestati Dei is faciat periculum in re abjectissimâ num forte possit illam it a regere ut ipsi sit ad nutum ab ipso pendeat in omnibus quae ad curam gubernationem creaturae pertinent Fatebitur ille profecto se in rei vilissimae gubernatione talia observare quae longe sint majora quam ut ab homine imo ab hominibus in unum conflatis praestari queant Alsled Theol. Cas c. 54 see reason sufficient to acknowledg the Creator in all and that as they cannot make a Fly so not providentially hold it up in its beeing and govern it 2. There is the more hand-fast for faith Non se subducit Deus ut cadas sed de ipsis capillis nostris securitatem nobis dedit quid times hominem homo in sinu Dei postitus jâ—cta in Deum curam tuam August Ser. 6. in Mat. to lay hold on God for greater matters seeing his Providence is versant about smaller Thus Christ teacheth Mat. 6. and so Mat. 10. 30 31. And so I have done with the Third Part of this Treatise The Fourth now is to be prosecuted PART IV. HAVING thus far launched into the Sea of Providence where the Christian may behold the wondrous works of God Come we now to give a recital of the Sacred Maxims or Observations which this Voyage will afford And here I shall 1. Prefix the Observation 2. Affix the Illustration or Confirmation together with the Accommodation or Improvement of the Observation illustrated or confirmed OBSERVATION I. The knowledg men have of the Providence of God is imperfectly apprehensive not comprehensive CHAP. I. THE truth of this appears 1. From positive assertions in Scripture Eccles 3. 11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time also he hath set the world in their hearts so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end 2. From the Lord's posing parties about his Providence When he takes the matter in hand as in the case of Job How did the Lord argue him into a modest silence See chap. 38 39 40 41. with chap. 42. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6. 3. From errors and mistakes about God's Providence which have more or less seized on not only men but the best of men Job's Friends were no Atheists but good men yet saith the Lord unto Eliphaz the Temanite My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Job 42. 7. 4. From the ingenuous confessions or bâ—moaning acknowledgments of godly ones Lo saith Job these are the paths of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him Job 26. 14. So foolish was I saith the Psalmist and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Psal 73. 22. Surely I am saith Agur more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledg of the Holy Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended Who hath gathered the wind in his fists Who hath bound the waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the earth What is his name Or what is his Son's name if thou canst tell Prov. 30. 2 3 4. Moreover the truth of this will further be evidenced if we consider 1. The Object viz. Providential dispensations 2. The Subject Man under this or that dispensation To begin with the first of these The Scripture doth inform how that the Lord is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28. 19. and he only doth wondrous things Psal 72. 18. Look as what comes out of Heaven's shop bespeaks the skill of the great Workman of Heaven and Earth so there are some divine pieces of Workmanship if I may so speak after the manner of men which hold men at an amazing or astonishing-gaze More particularly Two things in Divine dispensations of Providence do notably gravel the sons of men 1. The unusualness of a Dispensation Rebeccah's Warr in her bowels makes her say If it be so why am I thus and she went to enquire of the Lord Gen. 25. 22. Job's afflictions in such sort and befalling such an one who keeps up communion with God yea prays for his Children lest in their regular solace of themselves together they should be irregular must in all likelihood startle himself and his friends who probably observing how God did then ordinarily bless the Tabernacle of the righteous in regard of outward prosperity were the sooner induced to pass wrong censure on that holy man of God But in the next place The intricacy of a Dispensation doth likewise contribute to the non-plussing or baffling of a party under the Dispensation We read in Ezek. 1. 16. of a wheel within a wheel Whether that be to be understood inclusively as one wheel within being out of ken and so there is a secret winding of matters which the eye of reason discerneth not or whether in a transverse sense and so it notes the thwart or cross-turnings of things when one while matters go this way and another while that way I determine not either of the interpretations give us the thing here contended for To this we may add some exemplifications of the intricacy of Providence That in Judg. 20. where the children of Israel had a
good Cause and a Divine Warrant to fight Benjamin and yet they were worsted and put to the rout Jacob had warrant to return to his Countrey a promise that God would deal well with him in that return Gen. 32. 9. and yet behold a Providence which seemingly clashed with the Promise Is this might Reason be ready enough to prompt Jacob in the ear to be dealt well with What! to have thy throat cut by Esau's Ruffians Here is a returning to thy Kindred indeed by returning to thy dust And yet Jacob's black cloud blows over and the Promise and the Providence do more sweetly kiss each other than the two Brethren do In the next place consider consider the Subject and so man is not much unlike Seneca's Harpesten who complained the room was dark when she was blind The light of Providence is not so taken in partly by reason of darkness in the understanding for we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and partly by reason of turbulent passions which being crossed in this or that dispensation do raise a sog or mist which cloud the understanding How is David transported on the death of Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. How doth Jonah's pride and passion hinder him from subscribing to the Wisdom and Mercy of God in sparing Niniveh see Jonah chap. 4. Men had need therefore watch against charming lusts and passions which otherwise will joyn their additional issue with the intrinsick darkness of the understanding and so like the Earth interpose between them and the light of Providence CHAP. II. 1. NO ground to throw by the observation of the Lord's Dispensations because our knowledg of them is not a comprehensive knowledg It is a dangerous inference from that of Peter speaking of Paul's Epistles in which are some things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. to reject therefore the reading of the Sacred Scriptures The like inference here from the things hard to be understood in the course of God's Providence is of dangerous consequence What is said of the Scriptures how it is a River wherein the Elephant may swim and yet the Lamb may wade the same by way of proportion may be said as touching the Lord's Providential Dispensations some of which gravel the profoundest others are understood by the meanest for their instruction Haman's Councellors and his Wise Zeresh learn't a cautionary lesson in the School of Providence they bid him beware how he engage against a Mordecai a Child of Providence Esth 6. 13. The Apostle Paul informeth how there is a common Catechism of Providence for the World Rom. 1. 20. Moreover it may be well remembred here That some Dispensations of Providence which are dark for a time may after become light to the industrious and waiting Christian on his God When I thought to know this it was too painful for me until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end Psal 73. 16 17. Lastly Such mysteries and riddles of Providence the depth whereof we are not able to fathom yet by the light of God's word we are taught to subscribe unto and to rest contented by way of admiration where we cannot reach by way of comprehension Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Mat. 11. 26. 2. No reason for any mortal man to pride himself in his attainments Though a man be got up on the Mountain of Providence and others are in the Valley yet that man is far enough from touching the sky Two things may check pride upon the account of knowledg here 1. The Angels in Heaven may learn by the Providences of God on earth That Heavenly Academy admits of an addition of experimental knowledg see Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. No man therefore knows so much but he may know more and to be lifted up with high apprehension of man's apprehensions is so far from being wise as an Angel of God as that the man lies open to the condemnation of the Devil as the Apostle teacheth 1 Tim. 3. 6. But 2 dly he who hath an high conceit about his knowledg in Divine Dispensations may quickly be mistaken in matters and pay deer for his mistake We find how a good Prophet by a pretended Providence of an Angel's appearing is prevail'd on to do otherwise than he should have done and that to the loss of his life 1 King 13. 18 24. Though a man therefore have made more progress in the search of Word and Providence than others yet let him remember his knowledg is rather a twilight-one than Meridian and let him according to that in Psal 2. 11. serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling 3. From this learn to bid an hearty welcome to such means helps furtherances as God vouchsafeth for the better understanding of his dispensations This inference is rational from the premised Theses or Positions The Cripple needs his Crutches and no reason to throw them away till he can go without them There are two moving Considerations here 1. It is dis-ingenuous to do otherwise Shall God offer thee Spectacles for thy weak sight and wilt thou throw them against the wall or trample them under thy feet It was the aggravating sin of the Gentiles That they did imprison the notions of Providence which God had sent as guests into their hearts They held the truth in unrighteousness saith Paul Rom. 1. 18. Pharaoh had Moses and Aaron together with Catechising-Plagues and yet he continues as block-headed a King as ever sate upon Egypt's Throne and just it was with God that such a Block should float on the waters where Israel saw the great work which the Lord did upon him and his Egyptians Exod. 14. 31. 2. Herein is a display of Wisdom To use kindly these Guests I mean Hâ—lps and Furtherances for the better taking in of the mind of God in his Dispensations Abraham was no loser by entertaing the Angels as his Guests He learnt that in their company which otherwise he had been ignorant of Gen. 18. 17. It 's wisdom then to set open the window-leaves for Heaven's light to come in on our Understandings Whoso is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them Hos 14. 9. OBSERVATION II. Gods Decree Will or Purpose is the original bottom or foundation of his Dispensations in the world CHAP. I. THE truth of this may be cleared on this wise 1. There are Allusions or Similitudes it Scripture which according to their proper scope and drift declare this In Psal 139. 16. In thy book all my members were written Jer. 18. 4. So he made it again another vessel a seemed good to the Potter to make it And it Zech. 6. 1. the Chariots there come out from between two Mountains This Text iâ— Et hic aptissime nobis pingitur consilium Dei quoniam antequam res in actum erumpant sunt quasi inclusae
Wisdom CHAP. I. THAT there is an intermixture of Wisdom in the Dispensations of the Lord the Psalmist doth solemnly profess saying O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches Psal 104. 24. This will more fully appear if we consider three things 1. Whose Platform it is 2. How it is described in Scripture 3. With what it may be compared 1. Every thing so far as it comes from God hath an Excellency stampt on it and if a beam of the Sun be glorious what is the Sun it self God being then wise Job 9. 4. yea only wise Jude 25. his management of matters in the world hath an harmony with the Ideal draught of his Wisdom 2. Observe how Paul describeth God's working of all things Ephes 1. 11. it is after the counsel of his own will There are two observables in this Text 1. The term counsel which as it implies some defect in the creature as not seeing by and by into the bottom of a business and so there is deliberation so it is not applicable to God but as it notes the height or top of rational contrivement and so after the manner of men it is accommodated to God for our better understanding Counsel in this sense is nothing else but the result of Wisdom and Understanding Sapientia est virtus quâ celeri expedito animi motu ratiocinatione res alioqui amplas magnas complectimur Intelligentia est virtus qua longo rerum usu experientia edocti de futurorum successu decernimus Consilium est animi designatio ex duabus illis virtutibus prognata Cartwright in Prov. Sol. as a learned man observeth and when attributed to God it notes his glorious Perfection in ordering all things according to that in Job 12. 16. With him is wisdom and strength he hath understanding 2. The other thing in the Apostle's description is the order or disposition of the words it is not said He worketh all things according to the will of his counsel as if so be the Lord did first consult advise and so a Will did follow as in human affairs but he worketh al things according to the counsel of his will to note as one observeth on the place that the Lord's At vero aliquid facere ex solo consilio voluntatis ubi voluntas in obliquo casu consilio subjungitur denorat solan ejus voluntatem qui ita aliquid operatur ipso consilii loco esse consilii vicem praebere adeo ut illi consultare vel deliberare de re aliquâ nihil sit aliud quam solum velle quippe quod ejus sola voluntas omnem in se sapientiam sanctitatem justitiam ac rectitudinem includens justitiae omnis atque sapientiae sit regula c. Bodius Will is his Councellor That includes Wisdom Holiness rectitude and is the Rule of all Righteousness and Wisdom 3. Compare the Wisdom of God with the wisest Go to the Angels of Heaven who are the wisest of creatures as that in 2 Sam 14. 20. My Lord is wise according to the wisdom of an Angel of God to know all things that are in the earth doth import Yet what are Angels in comparison of God! How quickly doth their Mountain of Wisdom vanish into a Mole-hill their Wisdom into Folly before the All-wise God! So it is said Job 4. 18. And his Angels he charged with folly Their line cannot reach the bottom of Divine Wisdom in the mystery of Redemption they are at a gaze with the Plot of the manifold Wisdom of God as the Apostle intimates in Eph. 3. 10. CHAP. II. 1. CENSURE not the All-wise God for misgovernment of the World He rules wisely whatever Sense and Reason do object to the contrary Wisdom and might are his Dan. 2. 20. Instead of shooting the fool's bolt acknowledg thine own folly Vain man would be wise though man be born like a wild asse's colt Job 11. 12. Here is an Asse a wild Asse and the Colt of the wild Asse all which may abase man and give a check to his controlling-thoughts of the Lord's Dispensations Luther hath a very pertinent passage which Thesaurus explic de Deo here may be inserted I saith he have often essayed to prescribe certain Instructions to God which he should follow in the administration of the Church and other Affairs O Lord I said I would have this so done in this order and with such success c. But God did contrary to that which I did petition for Then I began to muse Surely my counsel is not disagreeing from the glory of God but makes very much for the sanctifying of thy Name the gathering and encreasing of thy Kingdom the spreading of the knowledg of the word briâ—fly it was most beautiful and excellently thus thought on Sed risit haud dubiè Dominus hanc sapientiam But God did without doubt laugh at this wisdom and said Go to I know thee to be prudâ—nt and learned but this is never my manner that either Peter or Doctor Martin or any other should teach frame govern lead me I am not a passive God but active who am wont to lead rule and fashion as I please 2. Submit to his Dispensations though afflictive When God puts Worm wood into thy Cup beware of disgorging thy Gall. Be silent when Providence makes a noise Aaron held his peace when God did wage warr from Heaven against his two sons Levit. 10. 3. Thou art taught to say Thy will be done Mat. 6. 10. that not only respecteth the Will of his Precept as to obey in what he commandeth but likewise the Will of God declared in Quicquid enim fit in toto mundo in Ecclesia quicquid nobis accidit certum est non fieri sine voluntate Dei Mat. 10. 29. vel operante vel permittente Quia vero illam Dei voluntatem vel disputando non probamus vel per impatientiam de ea querimur contra eam murmuramus obluctamur petimus igitur patientiam ut reverenter obedienter nostram voluntatem divinae voluntati subjiciamus vel certe subjicere conemur ac contra impatientiam luctemur non maligne de iis quae Deo volente ac permittente nobis eveniunt judicemus sed dicamus Sicut Domino placuit ita factum est Chemnit Harm Evang. c. 51. his Providence And so it is thy will be done by way of submission in opposition to impatiency and murmuring 3. Give not way to anxious and perplexing thoughts about futurities There is One who will govern the world well enough and knows what He hath to do without calling you to the Council-Table of Heaven Let not your heart be troubled said Christ to the Disciples John 14. 1. When Christ the Pilot was about to leave their Ship in regard of his bodily presence their hearts like the Sea was ready to work and cast up some mire and filth
of matters so in Jonah 4 8 9 10 11. 4. Forgetfulness who the Lord is and who man is that grumbles at his Maker Lam. 3 39. Rom. 9. 20. And as for the fruits they are none of the best but bad enough Men are ready to flag in duty yea to throâ— Ergo ne nobis forâ—e contingat impingere adversus Deum quasi cum ipso confligere discamus cohiberâ— nostram temeritatem id tempestivè antequam forociat siâ—… ergo atque nobis obrepunt cogitationes quae Deo aspergant aliquam notam ignominiae eas citissime compescamus quia si admittimus paulatim nos irretient donec nos pertrahant ad extremam hanc vesaniam ut nulla religio vel pudor nos teneat quin palam blateremus adversus Deum Calv. praelect in Ezek. c. 18. it off Psal 73. 13. Mal. 3. 14. yea in the way to blaspheme God see Job 2. 9. Mal. 3. 13. Rev. 16. â— OBSERVATION VII God's Soveraignty displayed in his Dispensations should be a golden Bitt to check man's corruption and a sacred Goad to quicken to the exercise of Grace CHAP. I. THE Soveraignty of God whereby as Absolute Lord he doth whatsoever he pleaseth Psal 115. 3. hath its latitude or extent it is like the Sun which is not confined to one part of the Zodiack but his going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of the earth I shall therefore consider it largely as it is expresly or implicedly absolutely or respectively in some particulars displayed A view then we may take of it 1. In Spirituals 2. In Temporals In Spirituals and so 1. In Election of a person to life and glory by Jesus Christ Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord Mal. 1. 2. Yea it may be answered and his elder brother too and yet the children being not yet born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him who calleth Jacob have I loved and Esan have I hated Neither is there unrighteousness with God in passing by the one and chusing the other for be saith unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion oâ— whom I will have compassion Rom. 9. 11 13 14 15. Thus the Apostle in that Divine Tract of Predestination asserteth Replies to Objections and wades farther on in the Controversie in the following Verses and speaks particularly of the Soveraignty of God in v. 20 21. On which Aquinas comments saying About the election of the good and the reprobation of the bad a two-fold question may be moved One in the general Why God will harden some and have compassion on others The other is special or particular Why he takes compassion on this and harden that man There may be a reason of the former assigned but not so of the later unless The meer will of God An illustration of which we have in human affairs for if any willing to build an house should have many stones alike and equal gathered together therâ— may some reason be assigned why he placetâ— some above some below from the End intended Because to the perfection of the Housâ— which he intendeth to build there is required a Foundation which hath stones below and likewise the top of the Wall which hath stones above the others but why he dotâ— place these stones above and these below hatâ— not any reason unless Because the Artificer â—… Mason will have it so Thus Aquin. 2. In the conveyance of the means of grace to some and not so to others He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgments they have not known them praise ye the Lord Psal 147. 19 20. And this is not only Old-Testament Doctrine but also New the Lord directs Paul and Timothy where and where not they are to preach the Gospel Now when they had gone thoroughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia after they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bythinia but the Spirit suffered them not and they passing by Mysia came down to Troas and a vision appeared to Paul in the night there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come over into Macedonia and help us and after we had seen the vision immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them Acts 16. 6 c. 3. In conferring gifts and endowments on some and not on others All are not alike subjects of such and such qualifications Balaam prophesieth Numb 23. Ahitophel is a reputed Oracle for wisdom and counsel in Israel 2 Sam. 16. 23. Many will say to Christ in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name done many wonderful works Mat. 7. 22. The Apostle Paul supposeth That some like Lead may have a very specious stamp of some gifts and yet be Lead still 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. 4. In planting saving-grace in the hearts of some not so in the hearts of others It is given unto you saith Christ to the Disciples to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and to them it is not given Mat. 13. 11. Our Saviour speaks of two sorts of branches some fruit-bearing ones others not so John 15. 2. The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews doth tacitly distinguish of professors when he saith But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation Heb. 6. 9. 5. In calling home by his grace some at one time of their life and in a different way in point of circumstances others not so Some their ship arriveth sooner at the Port of Grace and are brought in with gentle gales others after a long coursing up and down meet with rough winds and so are landed at last Josiah Jeremiah John the Baptist Timothy may serve as instances on the one part Manasseh Paul with others may be exemplifications on the other Some are sweetly won into the Vinyard others are driven and as it were hunted in and at different seasons for we read of the morning the third hour the sixth ninth and eleventh Mat. 20. 6. In giving larger measures of grace to some not so to others Some are smoaking flax and bruised reeds Mat. 12. 20. Others grow as the Lilly and cast forth their rootslike Lebanon their branches spread and their beauty is as the Olive-tree and their smell as Lebanon Hos 14. 6 7. John rangeth Christians into little children fathers and young-men 1 John 2. 12 13. Why they who are the children are not the young men the young men the fathers and why the fathers are not the young men and young men the children the one in one place the others in the other is supreamly
that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God 2. From God's doing nothing whilst men are in expectation of great matters to be done Learn 1. What reason there is for men to look to the ground of their Expectations To expect other-what other-when and otherwise than the Lord hath purposed or made some discovery of such a purpose is to build Castles in the air not in the Heavens and what hath not its foundation in Heaven as the Lord is the Founder of it will not have its superstruction on Earth For ever O Lord thy word is seated in heaven Psal 119. 89. Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not Lament 3. 37. 2. In the second place Learn from hence to view the folly of wicked men's purposes presumptions designs in their prosecution and persecution of the Saints of God O how often are they disappointed The greedy Dogs often catch not the morsel and when they do they vomit it up again They pay deer for their lust here or hereafter in Hell They have their gnashing of teeth in regard of disappointments before they gnash them in the other World Herod to please the Jews will murder Peter the Lamb is taken but not to be slain till after the Passover and not then for now I know saith Peter of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews Acts 12. 12. It is reported how Julian the Emperor Theod. lib. 3. c. 23. intending the Persians being conquered to fall in on Christians with his Army at his return and that one Libanius the Sophister spake to a Christian-School-master of Antioch saying What is the Son of the Carpenter now a doing To whom reply was made how the great Carpenter of the World was making a Coffin And not long after the slain body of Julian was brought to Antioch A good lesson for the Libaniusses and Julians of the World to ponder on OBSERVATION XI There is an admirable adaptation or connexion of things with things whereby this or that is Midwifed or Birthed into the world Or Providence hath its Chain the several Links whereof are set together by an Over-ruling Hand CHAP. I. THE truth of this may be evidenced divers ways 1. This is emblematically described in the Situ verò demonstratur harum conditio quod aliae in aliis dicuntur fuisse id est non solum cohaerentes sed etiam adunatae Providentia Dei adeo ut quemadmodum ex causa unâ inferiore procreantur effecta plurima sic contra ad effectum unum causae plurimae pertineant plurimum Junius word We have a most exquisite picture of this in Ezek. 1. the Wheels there are asserted to have a near neighbourhood v. 16. a wheel in the middle of a wheel to note their implication or connexion and the living creatures are coupled with the wheels in regard of influences for when the living creatures went the wheels went by them and when the living creatures were lift up from the earth the wheels were lifted up v. 19. 2. God doth expresly own such an adaptation Docemur etiam Creaturas omnes esse convenientissimo ordine collocatas ita ut una ab altero pendeat ex earum connexione constituatur sua vis illa concinna mundi harmonia frumentum ut nascatur opus habet terrâ terra pluriâ pluvia est à coelo omnia sunt à Deo qui solus independens rerum omnium concentum efficit moderatur Rivetus in locum or connexion of things with things So in Hos 2. 21 22. And it shall come to pass in that day I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall bear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyl and they shall hear Jezreel 3. There are clear exemplifications of this adaptation or connexion 1. In Naturals so in the place mentioned Hos 2. 21 22. so Ps 104. 10 11 12 13 14. 2. In Civils Magistrates are to rule and people to be ruled Rom. 13. 1. And where it is not so there is an adaptation of things in way of punishment Judg. 17. 6. 3. In Sacreds There is a constituted order in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 18. Heb. 13. 17. And not only is there an adaptation this way but likewise in regard of the means of Grace and Grace by the means A connexion there is but yet arbitrary according to the good pleasure of God when and to whom Grace is conveyed by the Means The Apostle Paul asserts a connexion when he thus stateth the matter saying So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. 4. This adaptation or connexion may be more particularly evidenced if we cast an eye 1. On Organs or Instruments 2. Occasions or Inducements 3. Means 4. Opportunities for the management of matters 1. There is an adaptation in regard of Instruments ministerial In the shop of Providence there are tools of all sorts and sizes If the Lord will punish the Nations he can find an Hammer to knock them down Thou art my battel-ax and weapons of warr for with thee will I break in pieces the nations c. Jer. 51. 20 c. If the day of visitation be come for an Ahab's Family and Baal's worshippers there is a Jehu a rough Captain-General who drives furiously 2 Kings 9. 20. If God will vouchsafe good days to a people he can raise up Political Shepherds such as David of whom it is said he fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands Psal 78. 72. And as there is an adaptation in regard of Political Instruments so likewise in regard of Ecclesiastical There is a zealous Elijah in times of apostacy and declining from God's Worship and a John the Baptist of whom the Angel saith He shall go before him i. e. Christ in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1. 17. There is an admirable adaptation in the Church's having not only Elijahs John Baptists but likewise others whose endowments are useful to confute Adversaries as Apollos Acts 15. 28. and to comfort distressed and build up souls in practical way of converse with God See Job 33. 23. 2 Cor. 1. 4. 2. There is an adaptation or suiting of things in regard of occasions or kind of in lets into this or that Both the son's and father's discontents are inducements to Jacob to mind a removal from Laban Gen. 31. 1 2. A report sounds in Pharaoh's ears that Israel fled probably he conceived the Israelites to flye like Hares such who might easily be hunted back again to Egypt and
Oxen do all in a moment Remember that great man in whom unbelief was regent 2 Kings 7. He talks of Windows in Heaven and yet the Shop windows on earth were open the next day according to the Prophet's words v. 16. the great man saw the Market but it was no fair one to him for he was trodden to death v. 20. Remember his example not by way of imitation but caution 4. Treasure up more than ordinary dispensations of Providence in which thou hast had a share Hath thy Barrel of Meal wasted not nor thy Cruse of Oyl fail'd not according to that 1 Kings 17. 16. O forget not that hand of Providence which by that time that thou hadst taken out one handful and spent it did cast in another handful Hath God at any time check't a Laban calm'd an Esau crush't an Herod intending mischief O let such displays be written on the heart with a Pen of Iron and point of a Diamond OBSERVATION XIII As there is a general Order or Connexion of things so there 's a more special or signal Method of Providence in and about some Matters CHAP. I. THIS special Method may be considered 1. In regard of God's afflicting men for sin Men have their Method in sinning God hath his in punishing The blushing sinner at first after hath a brow of brass The walking in the counsel of the ungodly makes way for standing in the way of sinners and so for sitting in the seat of the scornful Psal 1. 1. Sin is progressive fresh-men or Novices in the Devil's School quickly aspire after the Doctor 's Chair And as the sinner hath thus his walk of vanity so the Lord doth ordinarily warn before he strikes There is a fiting of the Beacons before the Host or Army of Judgments is landed Sâ—e Gen. 6. 3. Luke 13. 34. 2. In regard of exalting parties and so there is an humbling and abasing work upon their hearts which is preambulatory or goes before As pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall Prov. 16. 18. so the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honour is humility Prov. 15. 33. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up James 4. 10. The humbling-dispensations which did betide Joseph David with others did lead the dance to exalting-ones 3. In regard of conversion from a state of nature to a state of grace and so there is conviction-work which like the needle enters the cloath Men leap not out of the warm bed of their Lusts into the lap of Evangelical Comforts The Israelites were stung with fiery Serpents ere there was a looking to the brazen Serpent Numb 21. 8. They who are not sensible of the bitings of sin will not regard a Saviour The pricking at the heart awakens men to consideration-work Acts 3. 37. 4. In regard of some more than ordinary service unto which God calleth persons whether for Church or State God is pleased to vouchsafe more than ordinary encouragement when he calleth persons to more than ordinary employment God was at the cost and charges of Miracle after Miracle when he sends Moses to bring his people out of Egypt Exod. 4. Joshua is told by God As I was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Josh 1. 5. Isaiah had an hard Chapter to read unto a stubborn people he was sensible of his own pollution difficulties there were not meerly in fancy's brow the Lord helpeth and encourageth him Isa 6. 5 to the end Paul had an hard task but the Lord sweetens all See Acts 9. 15 16. Acts 26. 15 16 17 18. 5. In regard of some afflictions with which by way of trial God may exercise some and so there 's a previous or preparatory work of Providence God is before-hand with some Cordial against some fainting-fit He strengthens the back before he lays on the burden Christ is transfigured on the high Mountain before Peter James and John Mat. 17. initio and this to corroborate them when he shall shortly be crucified and transfixed with a Spear on Mount Calvary they needed this display of Providence as bladders to bear up when they were like to be plunged even to a questioning whether Christ were the Messiah for so we read Luke 24. 21. but we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel In 2 Cor. 12. 4. mention is made how Paul was caught up into Paradise and in v. 7. there is a relation of one no good one who did catch at Paul's Comforts 'T was well for Paul that he was feasted in the Lord's Dining-room before he was had down into Satan's Dungeon of Temptations Had not the Coat of Mail been first put him on him the thorn in the flesh would have pierced and sorely grieved him To conclude this the Christian's Sun doth shine very gloriously before some notable Eclipse at hand CHAP. II. 1. SEE from whence it is that some judicious Christians do give a notable guess at the issues of matters They live nigh in point of communion to the great Landlord of the World and so know some of his ordinary walks hither and thither one while he useth to walk up the hill another while down into the valley this they know and take notice of Besides the great God is pleased sometimes to tell them whither he is a going Gen. 18. 17 And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do And Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets It is said of Luther That he had a foresight of the Calamities to come on Germany The Reverend Vsher foretold the time of the late Tragedy in Ireland The Sermons of some pious Ministers have been better understood by their Hearers some years after They who seemed to talk in the Clouds have been acknowledged to speak from Heaven as to what hath fallen out on Earth 2. Beware of crossing and thwarting with such special Methods of Providence and that these ways 1. In not heeding warnings which is the too common sin of men who are as the deaf Adder as the Psalmist describeth Psal 58. 4. 2. In not being abased under humbling-dispensations Some are humbled but not humble Pharaoh had a proud heart notwithstanding all the Plagues Too much of Pharaoh-like heart is to be found where the Rod of God hath lighted For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Isa 57. 17. 3. In not improving Convictions Some break Prison from them they with Cain build Cities or with Saul are for Musick few with Paul are wrestling at a Throne of Grace under them Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayeth 4. In a backwardness to set upon such particular work as God calleth unto Moses had encouragement to a miracle yet he draws
the bellows for seven Angels are said to pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth Rev. 16. The second branch of the discourse of the Ministry of Angels respects the evil ones These have their shops in the world and their shops are dark ones The evil Angels are Rulers of the darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. Now how the evil Angels have their influences both as to godly and ungodly men in the world I shall in brief touch and so pass to the accommodation or improvement of the whole that hath been said First The Devil hath his design against pious ones and that divers ways 1. In tempting them to sin He hath his wiles Eph. 6. 11. He labours not only to catch young birds but old ones too with his chaff net and lime-twigs David was an experience◠Saint yet Satan stood up against Israel an◠provoked David to number Israel 1 Chron. 21. 1. the sad success of that temptation 〈◊〉 have there recorded in the after-verses 2. In disquieting them one way or other though he hath not matter of just charge to draw up up against them The Devil is the trouble-house of the Christian's quiet He is the accuser of the brethren Rev. 12. 10. both he and those who are acted by him are false witnesses risen up and lay things to a Saint's charge that he knew not Psal 35. 11. Go we to that good Apostle Paul and he will tell us he cannot be quiet for a buffeting devil 2 Cor. 12. 7. 3. In impeding and hindring them in some particular good work intended by them The Devil throws blocks in their way He hath his turn-pikes and barricado's to obstruct the Christian in his course Wherefore we would have come unto you even I Paul once and again but Satan hindred us 1 Thes 2. 18. 4. In afflicting of them in their outward man body relations estate when God sees fit to chastise and exercise his people on this wise A clear and full exemplification for this we have in the first and second chapters of Job God is wise in such dispensations He knows how to make a bright Saint by the Devil 's dusky Cinders and to fetch out a spot of a Saint's Garment by Hell's Black-Soap Secondly Satan hath his design on wicked men or such who are destitute of a principle of Grace within and that 1. In staving them off from what is good He works with might and main that they may not come to the knowledg of God as God ought to be known But if our Gospel be hid i◠is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. The Devil holds up his monstrous and uglifying-glasses before the sinner's face he fills their heads with prejudices against the good ways of God his Messengers People who shall be look't on as troublers of a Nation City Parish Family that are only the wakeners thereof 1 Kings 18. 17 18. 2. In posting them on in what is evil He will have them be positive as well as negative sinners not only not to act for God but against him though in not acting for God there is an acting against him but not such an aggravated acting The Masters of the Pythoness-Damsel become Persecutors of Paul and Silas Act. 16. 16 19 c. Judas becomes the betrayer of his Lord and Master Joh. 13. 27. Satan entred into him and many Grandees of this world become Satans Hang-men He hath his influences on them for he doth not in mens shape cast Gods Servants into prison and yet is said to do it Rev. 2. 10. 3. In being ready and forward enough to hasten the destruction of them theirs what they have The Devil is for making men more twofold Children of Hell and cares not how soon he can secure most of his Agents in the prison of Hell Satan hath his end if he can double mens guilts under the smarts of which he is an instrument in inflicting He delighteth in mischief and needs not a motive to perswade an Ahab to go up and fail at Ramoth-Gilead see 1 Kings 22. 20 21 22. CHAP. II. 1. LOOK after an interest in Jesus Christ For 1. Hereby the evil Angels need not be dreaded Christ the victorious one breaks the bow and spear of Hell Satan had experience of the Power and Valour of the Christian's Generalissimo in that Wilderness-Conflict Mat. 4. The Devil with all his Forces shall not tread down the weakest Soldier in Christ's Army to the nethermost Hell I give unto them saith Christ eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Joh. 10. 28. 2. As the evil Angels need not be dreaded as enemies so the good Angels the glistering Courtiers of Heaven may be look't on as friends It is said of Jacob He went on his way and the Angels of God met him Gen. 32. 1. The good Angels will be found good and faithful friends to those who are good they were Jacob's Guard and the way to have a Jacob's Guard is to have a Jacob's God 2. Believe more and live more the Orthodox Doctrine of the agency of Angels It may put most to the blush that they live as if so be there were neither good nor bad Angels The practise of most holds little correspondence with their belief It concerns then persons to mind their duty and that in respect both of good and bad Angels 1. In respect of good Angels and so 1. bless God for the Ministry of good Angels If sheep oxen with other creatures ordained for the use of man do oblige man by way of thankfulness to God why not the good Angels who are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. It well becomes men to praise God for angels though we are not to pray to angels for as good as they are they like not such a service Judg. 13. 16. Rev. 19. 10. 'T was the evil angel who would be a worshipful Devil Mat. 4. 9. If it be said here There is not such an appearance of good angels as of old and therefore I◠there an agency of good angels A. 1. There is no reason to be stumbled at the different dispensation of things then and now Jesus Christ the Prince of angels is come Heb. 1. 1 2. We have the Scriptures the Canon of them enlarged 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. If a Master set down his will for the management of such or such a Farm what if he do not ever and anon send messengers for signifying this or that about the Farm The Church is not now in its non-age and so stands not so in need of visible helps as a pillar of cloud and of fire as of old Exod. 13. 21. Heb. 12. 18. The
the more encouraged to mind such work as God calleth unto and that notwithstanding wants and exigencies which present themselves The Lord hath ways enough to help and provide meat for labourers in his vinyard He can prevent wants supply them sanctifie them When I sent you saith Christ to his Disciples without purse and scrip and shooes lacked ye any thing and they said Nothing Luk. 22. 35. 7. What ground is there for sinners to consider of their ways and to turn unto the Lord with all their heart How quickly can the Lord of Hosts draw forth a file of dextrous Marks-men who shall gall them with a slight of Arrows In Deut. 28. there is an Armory of Divine Vengeance All these curses it is said v. 15. shall come upon thee and overtake thee And if the sinner thinks he'â— flye from the curse and get into the City and so be safe there or into the Countrey and have all well there all this will not secure for cursed shalt thou be in the city and cursed shalt thou be in the field v. 16. God who is every where can find out sinners any where Lastly What foundation is there for support and consolation to all pious ones who keep close to God in ways of Faith Love and Obedience They have the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth for their Father Some reckon themselves happy to have the countenance of great ones who often prove like Job's Brook that passeth away Job 6. 15. They are the happy ones who have the benign aspect of the great God and therefore godly ones have ground to bear up cheerfully having an interest in a Kingly Friend or Friendly King Let Israel rejoice in him that made him Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King Psal 149. 2. OBSERVATION XVII One and the same Creature may prove a Cordial or a Corrosive a Friend or Foe as God in his Providence ordereth CHAP. I. BEFORE hath been shewed how the Creatures are at the beck of God Here is a further illustration of that in the general but a more particular discovery how one and the same Creature is after a different sort at the beck of Providence The truth of this Observation appears 1. From assertions in Scripture So Job 37. Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud be scattereth his bright cloud and it is turned about by his counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth He causeth it to come whether for correction or a rod or for his land or for mercy v. 11 12 13. And as this holds in things natural so also immoral agents so Prov. 16. 7. When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him An Enemy as the Lord when and where he pleaseth to exert his will becomes a Friend and a Friend an Enemy 2. From Exemplifications So the same waters which were Israel's Fortress are a Sepulcher or Grave for the Egyptians Psal 135. 13 14 15. The Egyptians deal with the Israelites at their going out of Egypt rather as with sons and daughters than as slaves they give them their portions The Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such things as they required Exod. 12. 32. It is said of Nebuchadnezzar They shall drive thee from men Dan. 4. 32. Who were those Drivers but those that were his Restorers for so it is said v. 36. My Counsellors and my Lords sought unto me and I was established in my kingdom and excellent majesty was added to me Paul from a Persecutor of the Christians becomes a solid Preacher to them Acts 9. 20 21. 3. From particular Demonstrations and that from the Creatures proving 1. Friends 2. Foes First Whoso shall consider God as Almighty need not question the Creatures becoming Friends for 1. Though the Creatures have their noxious qualities yet God can and doth inhibit them from hurting when he sees good so to do A Lion slew the Prophet and not the Ass which stood by the Carkass 1 King 13. 24. The Lions devour not Daniel but they have the mastery of his accusers and break all their bones in pieces ere ever they came to the bottom of the Den Dan. 6. 24. A Viper fast'ned on Paul's hand and he shook off the beast into the fire and felt no harm Acts 28. 3 5. Daniel's Lions and Paul's Viper become negative friends for they hurt them not And positive friends occasionally inasmuch as these Creatures being served with a Divine Writ of Inhibition Both King Darius and the barbarous people are induced to shew kindness to these servants of God Dan. 6. 23 to the end and Acts 28. 6 7 8 9 10. 2. As God doth inhibit Creatures from being hurtful so he doth to a wonder render them helpful and useful They were the barbarous people that shewed no little kindness to Paul and that before the Viper-Providence happened Acts 28. 2. Elijah had a notable experiment of this I have saith the Lord commanded the ravens to feed thee 1 King 17. 3. The Ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening v. 6. one would have thought the Ravens were not fit Trustees for bread and flesh they would rather have eaten it than brought it to be eaten but what shall they not do if the great I of Heaven and Earth hath so appointed I could tell here a story from a very good hand How a good man was in very great distress for want of food and at the very nick of such a pinching want a strange Dog unknown to belong to any of his neighbours comes in to his house with a shoulder of Mutton which he fairly lays down and gets him away having discharged the office of a good Market man for those who could eat that Commons hunger being their best sawce 3. Suppose the Lord do not work according to the forementioned ways yet He according to his Infinite Power Wisdom and Mercy can and doth in his Providence render the Creatures as Friends another way We may distinguish Friends into intentional ones and eventual ones Joseph's Brethren acted as enemies and whilst they thus act they are eventually as the Lord over-ruleth his friends Gen. 45. 5. I make no question but divers can say How their greatest enemies have in some respect been their greatest friends whilst others have play'd the Turks with them they have become the better Christians Secondly The Creatures become enemies as the Lord shall make use of them for wise and righteous ends or purposes 1. Some Creatures have their natural defensive and offensive arms which they quickly make use of when the sign of battel is given by the Lord of Hosts David tells of the paw of the Lion and the paw of the Bear 1 Sam. 17. 37. We read of two she-bears which came forth out of the Wood and tare Forty
by the help of the tide coming in between it and the Rock turned about with strange swiftness and swam along by the Rock so near to it as the Boat hanging at the stern dashed against it Hither may likewise be referred that in Exod. 23. 20. And I will send Hornets before thee These creatures as some observe by their stings cause a Fever These were Israel's Forelorn-hope and did notable execution as Joshua intimates Josh 24. 12. Camerarius relates how some who were besieged and were hard put to it by the Turks having store of Bee-hives on the walls of the place besieged and furiously assaulted by the Turks tumbled down the Bee-hives on the enemies who were sorely stung their long loose Garments opening a passage for the Bees and so gave off in a pang of indignation to the joy of the besieged Christians who were holpen by these new and wonderful recruits And thus for Mercy displayed in the meanest creatures 2. The Wisdom of God is displayed for in and by the meanest creatures He exalts His Wisdom to check the pride of the greatest of men Zebah and Zalmunna say to Gideon Rise thou and fall upon us They look't on it as a dishonour to be slain by a Boy Jether Gideon's Son Judg. 8. 20 21. The Lord takes down the swelling-humour of men by means contemptible and yet not to be contemned Frogs and Lice shall teach a Pharaoh who is the Lord to be obeyed The Magicians who would not see the hand of God in the Frogs acknowledg the finger of God in the Lice Exod. 8. 18 19. Herod who is voiced up for a god is found to be a mortal man Worms lay his honour in the dust Acts 12. 23. Thus as the Wisdom of God is seen in unbracing the ratling Drums of the world and cutting sometimes the heads of them out by Means inconsiderable so likewise in helping distressed ones They were not the Captains of fifties hundreds and thousands that did help Israel out of Egypt God doth with weak and contemptible tools in the eye of reason erect the stately house of some gracious dispensation for his people to shelter themselves in Theodoret tells how Sapor King Hist Eccl. lib. 2. c. 30 of the Persians besieged the City Nicibis in the which the Christians were fore distressed On a sudden a vast company of Wasps and Flies came get into the snouts of the Elephants and the ears of the Horses and other Beasts so that Elephants and Horses brake their Harness cast their Riders and force the disordered ranks to flie The King hereupon beholding the hand of God is necessitated to withdraw the siege 3. The Power of God is wonderfully seen in matters of this nature The Lord exalted his Power in the slaughter of Goliah by a stone cast out of a Sling Goliah is stoned for a Blasphemer whom the trembling Israelites reach't not with their Swords and Spears The Trumpets of Rams-horns if the Lord breathe forth his Power in and by them shall quickly blow down the Walls of Jericho Josh 6. 20. 4. The Justice and Severity of God may be viewed as in the fore-going instances for the Attributes of God do concenter or notably meet in one and the same Dispensation God doth by one Dispensation stroak his people and strike the adversaries of his people The Saints Crutches are the Sinners Thunderbolt The Lord writes bitter things by the hand of the meanest creatures when he will make use of such amanuenses The Palmer-worm Locust Canker-worm Caterpillar shall lay desolate and wast the Countrey if he so dictate in his Providence Joel 1. 4 5 6 7. Amos 4. 9. Nam iidem Canes accensi rabie ipsos Dominos suos quasi latrones sancti Corporis reos dente vindice tanquam ignotos inimicos laniaverunt yea Dogs shall tear their own Masters as Optatus relates the story of some who in contempt threw the Elements in the Lord's Supper to Dogs and so were torn by them CHAP. II. 1. BEWARE of slighting Providence with respect to the meanest of creatures God who is the highest hath regard to the lowest of creatures Solomon was a great Hic videmus abjectum vermiculum in suggestum a Salomone sublatum subvectum ut homines inertes ad industriam erudiat eundemque non tantum doctorem constitutum sed judicem ut sententiam contra illos pronunciet Cartw. searcher into the Works of God he speaks of the Ant which as little a creature as it is creeps into Solomon's Pulpit as a subject fit enough to be spoken of Prov. 5. 6. 2. Observe the display of Providence in and about the meanest of the creatures and the rather seeing God may otherwise afflict by them A Worm doth remotely bite a Jonah to the quick It 's an instrument according to the position of circumstances for his no little smart and vexation Jonah 4. 7 8. 2. Much of kindness both negatively and positively is handed by these creatures as the great Creator doth extend his Providence in and about them How much are men beholding to God not only in the day-time but in the night-season in defending them from perils by reason of the least or meanest of the creatures Pope Adrian was choak't by a Fly or Gnat. A Spider might creep into the nostrils whilst one is asleep and so a man might sleep the sleep of death And as for positive kindness handed by these instances have been given and others might be made mention of The great God who made use of a great fish to preserve a Jonah Jonah 1. 17. can make use of little fishes for the help and relief of persons The Inhabitants of Rochel a known story were as well supplied by a multitude of shell-fish in the time of their scarcity of provision on as if so be a Whale had been cast a-shoar amongst them Yea a little fish may at some times be more subservient for the help of distressed ones than a greater one I remember a pertinent story which a worthy Minister now with God told me Some pious passengers were in a ship which had sprang a leak they pray whilst others labour at the Pump and that to little purpose till at length they espy the water within to be at a stand and then take heart to ply the Pump and so get into an Harbour the ship after in the dock is searcht and there is found a certain hole with a fish commensurate to or exactly filling the said hole Thus whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and in all deep places Psal 135. 6. 3. Live such moral instructions as God is his Providence whispereth into our ears from the mouths of the meanest of his Creatures There are two things amongst others which the Scripture doth lesson man here 1. An industrious and prudent pursuit of such work as God calleth unto in his Providence Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her ways
on it It may be observed how Providence passeth not by this or that as inconsiderable in the word In Isa 34. there is mention made of the Cormorant Bittern Owl Raven Vultures and all these as symptoms or tokens of desolation v. 11 12 13 14 15. Now observe what follows in v. 16. Seek ye out the book of the Lord and read no one of these shall fail none shall want her mate for my mouth it hath commanded and his Spirit it hath gathered them Now more particularly The Word may be considered 1. By way of prediction or fore-telling matters so strictly or prâ—cisely 2. By way of positive assertion there are such and such propositions in which this and that are predicated of the subject as instances frequently do occur in the Proverbs of Solomon referring to the righteous and the wicked 3. By way of Commination or Threatning 4. By way of Promise According to all these Considerations Providence doth harmonize Let the Word according to the fore-mentioned ways be understood a-right and Providence will not be found a-wrong The Word and Providence are like two sticks in the water which seem crooked by reason of the Medium or the waters in motion and yet neither of them are really so There is a misapprehension on man's part too often both in reference to the Word and Providence These do accord witness those passages in the word That it might be fulfilled which was spoken Ezra 1. 1. That he might perform his saying which the Lord spake 1 King 12. 15. and the like There must needs indeed be an accord between the Word and Providence seeing Infinite Power Wisdom Truth Justice do make up the match God will not be wanting in his Providence to maintain the reputation of his Word yea the harmony of Providence is sometimes so audible that a Pagan ear can discern it The Captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said unto him The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place now the Lord hath brought it and done according as he hath said Jer. 40. 2 3. See Deut. 29. 24 25. Thirdly There is an Harmony of Providence with the Prayers of Saints So 1 Joh. 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him That if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us There are many Exemplifications for this both in the Old and New Testament Mention may after be made of Exemplifications and likewise somewhat be spoken concerning the answer to prayers in a distinct following Observation Here it may suffice that the accord of Providence with Prayer may be distinguish't 1. Into a Negative one and yet without a contradiction Foundation for this we have in Amos 7. the Prophet there hath a Vision of Grashoppers and hereupon he prays O Lord forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small The reply to this prayer we have v. 3. The Lord repented for this it shall not be saith the Lord. 2. There is a positive accord of Providence with Prayer not only what shall not be but what shall be hath its accord with Prayer Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months and he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Jam. 5. 17 18. Fourthly There is an Harmony of Providence with it self Providence for the main is the same in all Ages A man's head and face are still the same though his hair be cut and his beard be shaven and his apparel or garb different There is a substantial Harmony of Providence with Providence If the Harmony be not a literal one or for kind the same yet there is an Harmony in regard of the general nature as it is either frowning or smiling Otherwise To what end are the Dispensations of God in former Ages commended to the serious meditation of others in after-ages Now these things saith Paul were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted neither be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate down to eat and to drink and rose up to play Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10. 6 7 8 9 10. Moreover here let it be weighed how Providential Dispensations are streams issuing from the Word whether considered as unwritten before Moses his days or written as after Smiling Dispensations and frowning ones are the births of Promises and Threatnings If then the Word of God be Heaven's standing-rule for man's use and that as it hath both Promises and Threats annexed Psal 19. 7 8. 2 Tim. 3. 16. the Providence of God then must have its standing-harmony with Providence Some difference there may be as the state of man is considered before the fall of our first Parents and as God of old did prescribe some Rules to the Jews with which his Providence did keep pace and likewise in respect of the Lord 's more immediate owning and ruling that people A difference there is in these and such like respects but yet not such as doth overturn the Harmony of Providence with Providence Providence now hath its Harmony formal in some things equivalent in other things with Providence in times of the Old Testament CHAP. II. 1. VVHAT a vanity and folly is it then for persons to busie themselves about other pretended Harmonies If there be such bread in the Father's House what have the Children to do with husks There are a sort of bastard-Harmonies cry'd up and doted on which want a Scripture-legitimation These like Worms eat away the kernel of men's thoughts and affections from better things and so leave an empty shell which though it do not break the teeth in cracking yet defiles the mouth by the putrifi'd stuff in it 1. There is the pretended Harmony of things with Judicial Astrological Predictions Porrò Astrologi quicunque alii divinatores qui quasi simiae Dei videri volunt omnino deridendi sunt Nec enim fieri potest ut de rebus futuris contingentibus ac praesertim liberis vera praedicent nisi forte aliquando casu veritatem attingant nam cum omnibus causis necessariis contingentibus liberis voluntas Dei praesideat prae-emineat poffit causas inferiores quando libuerit impedire nemo vera praedicere potest nisi cui Deus voluntatem suam manifestare voluerit ut saepe prophetis suis manifestavit Bellar. in opusc de ascensione mentis ad Deum qu. 12. which are not
err not knowing the Scriptures The Jews look for a Messiah they are zealous for Moses and hot against Christ What the Apostle said of the Jews in his days But even unto this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their heart 2 Cor. 3. 15. the same may be said of their posterity Others there are who through error fasten that on Providence to make good which may never be A pertinent passage for this purpose we have John 21. 23. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren That that disciple should not dye yet Jesus said not to him He shall not dye but if I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee This then is another false Harmony of Providence and of this matter more is said elsewhere II. Learn to depart from evil and do good according to that in Psal 34. 14. The moving-consideration is drawn from the Harmony of Providence which is two-fold 1. Joyous sprightful or gracious 2. Doleful or grievous This double Harmony of Providence seems to be pointed at in the Psalm now mentioned for in the fifteenth verse it is said The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their cry They then who would have the eye of God on them for good and his ear open to their prayer must see they depart from evil and do good they are not to have a deaf ear to this voice of the Lord. Again in verse 16 it is said The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth Providence will frown on such who smile on sin There is then encouragement from the Harmony of Providence both in a way of Mercy and Wrath to depart from evil and do good And whatever seeming-contrariety there is in regard of the prosperity of sinners and the adversity of pious ones yet it is a standing-truth That Joyous or Gracious Providence is the portion of godly ones and Doleful or Grievous Providence is the lot of wicked ones The one have smiles in their frowns and the other real frowns in their smiles Consonant to this is that in the eighth of Ecclesiastes and the twelfth verse Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him To this of the Preacher add that of the Prophet Say unto the righteous That it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Wo unto the wicked for it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Isa 3. 10 11. OBSERVATION XXXIV PROVIDENCE hath its Contraries or There is a Checker-Table of Providence wherein are the Whites of Serenity and the Blacks of Adversity CHAP. I. THAT there is such a neighbourhood of Whites and Blacks in the Dispensations of the Almighty may be proved if consideration be had to the following heads of Discourse First There are Similies Allusions or Illustrations of this in Scripture The Wind of Providence keeps not at one point of the Compass So Eccles 1. 6. The wind goeth towards the south and turneth about towards the north it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits I saw saith Daniel in my vision by night and behold the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea Dan. 7. 2. That notion of a Wheel Ezek. 1. 15. doth set forth the rolling or turning-condition of things in the World How often likewise is there an allusion to the Sea Dan. 7. 2. Rev. 15. 2. We read of two notable Sea-voyages of the Disciples of Christ in which they might learn how the Church of Christ may have storms and calms Mat. 8. 24. and Mat. 14. 22. Secondly There are Cautions Dehortations Comminations on the one hand and Exhortations Encouragements Promises on the other which do imply this neighhourhood of Whites and Blacks of Providence So in Isa 1. 19 20. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it I might be large here it may suffice to point at places see Deut. 28. Josh 24. 1 Sam. 12. 24 25. Psal 34. 11 12 13 14 15 16. â—uke 13. 34 35. Thirdly The Prayers of God's People in Scripture do declare this The 90 th Psalm is stiled A Prayer of Moses the man of God Observe passages there Return O Lord how long and Let it repent thee now concerning thy servants O satisfie us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast affâ—…cted us and the years wherein we have seen evil ver 13 14 15. Daniel's prayer chap. 9. looks backward on the Jews past both prosperous state and afflicted state for seventy years and looks forward on a merciful Dispensation at hand Fourthly There are certain Doxologies in Scripture which take in this as matter of celebration or acknowledgment So 1 Sam. 2. The bows of the mighty men are broken and they that stumbled are girt with strength they that were full have hired out themselves for bread and they that were hungry ceased so that the barren have born seven and she that hath many children is waxed feeble The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the begger from the dunghil to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's and he hath set the world upon them Thus Hannah in her Song of Thankfulness See likewise the Doxology of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 34 35 36 37. and of Mary the Mother of Jesus Luke 2. 48 49 50 51 52 53 54. Fifthly There is something as an adjunct oftentimes coupled with Adversity and with Prosperity by reason or order of which as precedaneous a door is thrown open both for the one and the other Here is indeed a Shop of Exchange Adversity through a gracious Providence makes way for Prosperity and Prosperity through a righteous Providence visiting for Prosperity-sins makes way for Adversity Manasseh a King sins himself from his Throne in his affliction he sought God was humbled greatly the Lord was entreated of him and brought him again to Jerusalem into his Kingdom 2 Chron. 33. 11 12 13. Pertinent for this purpose is that in Ps 107. Fools because of their transgression and because of their iniquities are afflicted their soul abhorreth all manner of meat and they draw nearer to the gates of death then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble be saveth them out of their distresses v. 17 18 19. Sixthly There is
a Divine Constitution of Heaven for wise Ends why this is so and shall be so Solomon tells of a day of Prosperity and a day of Adversity and moreover affixeth this saying God also hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him Eccles 7. 14. Adversity saith one is set opposite to Prosperity Mr. Pemble a Vale against a Hill in a continual vicissitude and succession and this is done to the end or in such order and manner that man should or shall find nothing after him viz. of those things that may come upon him in the course of his life and after-times he cannot by wit fore-see nor by policy prevent ensuing changes and therefore it is a great part of his wisdom to arm himself with patience for all adventures In this Constitution of Heaven for an intermixture Si tristia semper acciderent quis fustineret si semper prospera quis non contemneret sed rerum tanta gubernatrix sapientia horum pernecessariâ vicissitudine eo moderamine electi suis cursum vitae temporalis alternat ut nec adversa frangant nec laeta dissolvant cum potius ista ex illis gratiora illa ex his tolerabiliora reddantur Bern. in Epistola ad Peâ—… Popiensem of Dispensations three things are observable 1. Here is a display of the Divine Attributes intended Not only is Wisdom seen in the allay of Prosperity by Adversity and of Adversity by Prosperity but likewise Goodness Power Justice have their glorious Manifesto's or Displays according to particular concernments of persons whose day is a black-cloudy or a bright Sun-shine one Not only the Word but Providence and that in Dispensations of this nature do witness that the Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression and by no means clearing the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation Numb 14. 18. In the next place The Lord by this intermixture of Whites and Blacks in the course of his Providence will make trial of persons They shall have change of pastures One while the grass is very low another while a fresh leeze is broken up for them The Israelites in the Wilderness are suffer'd to hunger and yet are fed with Manna and all this to prove them Deut. 8 2 3. Lastly God will hereby put a distinction between Earth and Heaven This World rings Changes Heaven's Serenity is never overcast with a black Cloud The Apostle Paul is admirable in the antithesis or opposition he makes on this wise here affliction there an exceeding and eternal weight of glory Here an earthly house of this tabernacle there a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 4. 17. and chap. 5. v. 1. Yea wicked men will find a difference between their state here and their state hereafter so Luke 16. 25. But Abraham said Soâ— remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented CHAP. II. 1. BE not secure because of a present Nos verò sic laetari debemus ut non immergamur sed servemus partem cordis Deo quâ etiam ferre possimus diem malum sic fiet ut mala praevisa minus discrucient nos Luth. in Eccles cap. 7. Sed nos immergimur penitus vel laetis vel adversis pii verò ubi boni mali vicissifudinem patiuntur dicunt Hic Dei ordo sive mos est neque frangantur Ibid. Tranquillity or Sun-shine of Providence in matters The Horse goes well over the Plain a rough way is at hand where it may stumble and dismount the Rider yea it may happen the Horse may trip on the Plain some little hillock or loose stone in the way may occasion a fall And in my prosperity I said but God said not so though David said so I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. 6 7. 2. Give not way to a despondency under Adversity Though the man stand in the Black he may by-and-by be in the White Note here four things 1. There is an evil of Despondency under evils of Smart 2 Good persons yea eminently good are incident to some grumblings or touches at least of this Disease 3. Parties notwithstanding their black Conclusions from the Position of their Affairs may experience God's kindness 4. Persons may even then be nearest Mercy or Mercy nearest them when they deem it furthest off So 1 Sam. 27. 1. And David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Observe here 1. Who said David a Saint and an eminent one too 2. What did he say I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul Did this one day ever come No for David lived to see the day of Saul's death 3. When was it that David said as he did Even then when Saul's glass was nigh done a few sands to run so that he who did conclude his life would be concluded by Saul's violence he that talks of falling by the hand of Saul hears tidings of Saul's falling by the hand of the Philistins 1 Sam. 30. with 2 Sam. 1. chap. 3. Take a view of the Checker-Table of Providence observe the revolutions that are in the world let not the Whites and Blacks be passed over without a good improvement It is said Deut. 8. 2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness Note here how it 's the Israelites duty to call to remembrance or keep up in memory the way and all the ways of God's Dispensations towards them they in their Wilderness-journey had ups and downs Mercies and Judgments were attendants and they are not to forget what might profitably be learn't in the company of such attendants on them in the Wilderness There are moreover two inducements why persons should take a view of this Checker-Table 1. It 's plain or obvious to men's eyes The Whites and Blacks of the Lord's Dispensations are the more visible The walk of Providence from one point to a diametrically opposite point or from the Hill to the Vale and from the Vale to the Hill be speaks men to be sand-blind or pur-blind if it be not noted Thus it 's implied in Luke 1. He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away v. 52 and 53. They then are very deaf or have an injudicious ear who hear not the loud Bell of Providence in such changes which befal themselves or others 2. As this Checker-table is plain or obvious to the eye so is it a large one There are many whites and blacks There
are not only the whites and blacks in regard of Temporals but also in regard of Spirituals Our Saviour tells the Jews saying The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21. 43. A wonderful change and that reciprocal or mutual as it respects different subjects there is this way according to that in Hos 1. 10. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them Te are the sons of the living God Again these whites and blacks not only in respect of persons singly considered but in respect of a Community or Society of persons That passage that there be no complaining in our streets Psal 144. 14. doth imply the different state of a Nation in regard of Temporal Mercies We read in Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest thorowout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria And we read likewise how the Rest there was not an everlasting one Acts 12. 1. 4. Long then for an Heaven or the Everlasting Rest There is no such Checker-table there Be willing however that this Sacred Game of Providence be at an end Beware of foolish passion and irregular desires of death Let God alone to time all The longest Game of Providence here in matters will have its end Meditate on that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life OBSERVATION XXXV One and the same Providence hath sometimes its Blacks and Whites or There is both Honey and Gall wrapt up in a Dispensation considered as a mixt one CHAP. I. THIS Observation however it may seem a Paradox yet is such an one which may be cleared up as Orthodox and that if we consider 1. Exemplifications from Scripture 2. The various wise Ends which God hath in mix't Dispensations 1. There are many Exemplifications of this Verity Noah must change his habitation he shut up in the Ark as in a Prison There are beasts within for his fellow-Prisoners and sad desolations without amongst the Beasts and Men the worse Beasts in a moral sense all this is afflictive But yet his being in the Ark in order to his preservation was a signal favour for so the Lord gives him to understand Gen. 7. 1. with Gen. 6. 8. Lot is taken prisoner but not slain Gen. 14. 13. Joseph had a Prison-palace or a Palace-prison for the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison Gen. 31. 21. Moses is cast as an Exile into the Land of Midian and there God provides for him Exod. 2. 21. God takes away David's Child by death who might have proved as an upbraiding Monument of David's shame so an occasion of Warr in the Kingdom 2 Sam. 12. Jonah is swallowed by a Whale Jon. 1. 17. the fish's belly is his house of prayer and Jonah's prayer is a prevailing-one he who had a providential ingress hath a glorious egress The Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land Jon. 2. 10. Our Saviour tells his Disciples saying It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter shall not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Joh. 16. 7. Paul must suffer shipwrack and yet none of their lives in the Ship are lost Acts 27. 44. The same Man of God hath a thorn in the flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him yet this thorn is to open a passage for whatever Imposthumed-pride was gathered to an head The Devil an unclean Spirit becomes providentially a sanctifying-one in a sense God knows how to make the Devil do a good choar for a Saint whilst the Devil intends his own work Paul was of this belief as he professeth 2 Cor. 12. 7. 2. There are various wise ends in such mix't Dispensations Amongst others we may cast an eye on these 1. Sometimes he makes a display of fatherly displeasure There is a Rod but it is a gentle one Thou shalt not dye but the child shall surely dye said Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12. 13 14. 2. God will hereby wisely exercise the graces of his people as their faith and patience by the bitter part of the Dispensation and their love to him admiration of him and thankfulness for favour by the sweeter part of the Dispensation Thus Epaphroditus sickness yet not death and Paul's danger of being devoured by the Roman Lion had their influences on their graces according to the interwoven mixture in these Dispensations Phil. 2. 27. 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. 3. Hereby the Lord wisely consults an Antidote and Remedy against two Evils namely Pride and Despondency Jacob is not to be dejected he is a Prevailer he is not to be elated for he halted upon his thigh Gen. 32. 28 31. God's Dispensations are like well-levell'd Cannons which beat upon Pride and Despondency and so make sweeping-work with each of these files at once 4. The Lord teacheth the correspondency of his Providence with his Word We are lesson'd not to slight Heaven's Rod which hath its smarting-blow and not to faint for its blow is from a Father not an implacable Enemy see Prov. 3. 11 12. 5. Hereby God will put a difference betwixt Earth and Heaven Paul will have no need of a Thorn in the flesh when he is taken Tenant to the Heavenly Inheritance The joys of Saints in Heaven will run like a Crystal River without mixture of mud or dirt God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7. 17. CHAP. II. 1. LEARN what a wise God the Christian hath for his God The great Physician of Heaven so attemperateth the Physick as that it shall bear upon various ill humours With one and the same Beesom Providence sweepeth the Saints house clean to the joy and rejoycing of the Saint The Ship is so managed as that it neither overturns for want of ballast nor sinks into the sea by reason of burthen God doth balance the hearts of men as well as balance the clouds over the heads of men as is said Job 37. 16. He is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice he will not afflict v. 23. And in Jer. 10. 24. O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing 2. Beware then of fixing an eye only on the more gastly part of a Dispensation View the bright side as well as the dark side of thy Cloud There are two things here considerable 1. It is very rational or equitable that a proportionable surveigh should be taken of a Dispensation Hezekiah after he had heard the Prophet's heavy tydings saith Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken for there shall be peace
as it were an house and by and by pulls it down If the bringing forth of some things is like the shooting up of Mushrooms quickly up and quickly down yet sure the Providence of God reacheth to these Mushrooms as well as to the Cedars of Lebanon There is no reason for â—oolish man to find fault with an All-wise God though he presents that on the stage of the World which hath not its imagined issue God hath wise Ends subordinate to his Glory in Dispensations of this nature 1. To let men know how the Lord he is God for things go according to his thoughts and not as men surmise and imagine according to the outward appearance of things O Lord saith the Psalmist how great are thy works and thy thoughts very deep A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this when the wicked spring as gross and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 92. 5 6 7. For â—…y thoughts are not as your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isa 15. 8 9. 2. To display his Soveraignty more or less as he pleaseth What if the Lord shall dash vessels made shake off the fruit ere it be ripe as in abortive Infants Is He therefore to be quarrelled with May not he break the vessels as Jer. 18. 6 O house of Israel cannot I do with you as this potter saith the Lord and say to the Fig-tree Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever Mat. 21. 19. 3. To bring to light the sins of men by a probable face of things Shimei discovers his rooted venom in the fruits of it when David was made at by Absolom Achitophel and their followers 2 Sam. 16. If there be a likelihood of this or that Error to have favour and profit annexed to it though it be a very gross or palpable one yea though a heap of them what villany doth appear on the deck which before lay close under the hatches of the ship What coining of Distinctions which the great Master of the Mint will censure as false and felonious to the Crown of Heaven The Lord then is wise in setting up such Pumps which being ply'd throw forth black and slimy waters 4. To exercise the graces of persons for the graces of Saints may be both proved and improved by a probable face of things So it was in Abraham's offering up of Isaac his faith fear obedience were displayed Gen. 22. 12. with Heb. 11. 17 18 19. 5. To punish men for their sins Probabilities in matters make way for vindictive Certainties Pharaoh from a Probability is intangled into the Lord's Net in the Red-sea Exod. 14. 3. The red waters become bloody ones to the Moabites whose wrong conclusion from probable Premises proved a bloody one 2 King 3. 22 23 24. 6. To teach men constant dependance on God Men point and God disappoints They propose but God disposeth The wind of Providence is variable and therefore men had need eye God in the voyage It is not so soon done as said We will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain See James 4. 13 14 15. Lastly To lesson thankfulness for a display of Mercy in dashing-things likely to take place A Copy of Conveyance is cut in pieces and a fresh one is drawn by the hand of Providence for the good of the party Ruth's marriage with the Kinsman was dash't and well for her whom Providence had intended for a more ingenuous and pious man What is dash't holds in many cases for the best God hath regard to his when he seemeth to have none He dams up a Well and opens a better Spring for them Their business best succeeds when it is sometimes quite dash't As there are blessed disappointments so there is ground to bless God for such disappointments which come from the Heart as well as the hand of gracious Providence OBSERVATION XLI There is an over-ruling Conduct of Providence in bringing matters to their journey's end and that notwithstanding letts in the way and the length of the way CHAP. I. AS there is a dashing-work of Providence as hath before been shewed so there is an Accomplishing-work in regard of what the Lord wills or willingly suffers to be in the world What the Lord will have take place must notwithstanding impediments and delays for a time And this appears to be so if we consider 1. The Power of God 2. The Wisdom of God 1. Nothing is too hard for Infinite Power to bring about The greatest blocks in the way like a feather are blown away with the breath of Providence All letts like the thin film of Ice shall be dissolved by the warm Sun-beams of Providential Influences The Israelites had lien long in the Egyptian Fornace it was too hot a work for Moses and Aaron to pluck them thence by the hand of violence that was not the Lord's way of delivering them and yet the Lord saved the people out of the Land of Egypt Jude ver 5. The Jews met with opposers in the Temple-work it is said how upon an Order from Artaxerxes Rehum and Shimshai with their companions made them to cease by force and power Ezra 4. 23. and yet this work which lay dormant for some years was finish't at last see Ezra 4. 24. with Ezra 6. 15. John 2. 20. 2. God according to his Infinite Wisdom hath ways to bring about matters in his own time notwithstanding hindrances and delays for a time In 1 Sam. 6. 5. the Philistins took the Ark of God they have it but must not hold it it must be had home again and how shall this be Let the Lord alone who can find out a way for its conveyance though it be in the Countrey of the Philistins seven months as it is related 1 Sam. 6. 1. Suppose those Fifty thousand three-score and ten men who were slain upon the return of the Ark 1 Sam. 6. 19. had been slain in battel in order to the rescue of the Ark yet the same way God took to bring it home would have availed though the difficulty of having it home had been greater in the eyes of the men of Israel who in this case had fought to no purpose And what is said in this case of the Ark holds in other matters Our Cock-shell Capacity is not receptive of the Ocean of Divine Wisdom Let this Sun arise and it scatters the clouds and mists that are in our eye A thousand ways infinite Wisdom hath to effect matters though we see never an one CHAP. II. 1. SEE the reason why there is dejection and despondency Men have both their eyes fixed on Hindrances and Delays and not half an one open to the Providence of God Whilst David pores on Saul's Power Subtilty and
Fury no wonder if David be not David in point of the exercise of Faith Patience Hope but say I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul Christians in cases of this nature are like the man who looks on the wheel turning but not on the Flye on the Wheel creeping in a contrary motion to the Wheel The Flye of Providence is on its motion whilst the Wheel of Second Causes have their contrary motion as may be shewed in another distinct following Observation As in a ship sailing directly forward a man walks from the Fore-castle or Stem of the ship towards the Stern yet he that shall conclude the motion of the ship to be the same will conclude amiss The ship of Providence is setting forward towards its Haven though Second-Causes are walking in a contrary motion on the Deck Let Providence then alone to play the Pilot and do thou in the interim pray for a good voyage 2. There is good reason to bear up though the burden be heavy and have lien long on the shoulder and none to take it off 1. Is the Plea That the burden is heavy Consider you may have experience of God's kindness and the sooner have it by how much more it becomes heavy The more weary you are the more God may strengthen in the way and bring you to your journey's end with joy Remember Paul's case 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 10. 2. Is the Plea That the burden hath lien long on the Conscience Credit State Body c. Consider 1. This is no new case Joseph David with others of God's Saints can tell stories of difficulties and long-spun forth ones 2. The question is Who is more a Waiter you that you may have a Mercy or God that you may be fitted for a Mercy The Lord waits that he may be gracious Isa 30. 18. 3. The Hand of the Clock hath its motion in the dark night though a man see it not There was a Ram instead of Isaac in yonder bush when Abraham might not see it at its first instant being caught there 4. Though the burden continue longer yet wait longer for so it becometh to do as others have done and thou art taught to do Isa 26. 8. with 3 4. 3. Is the Plea That there is none to help Means Instruments fail Consider 1. Though the Arm of flesh wither yet the Hand of Providence still flourisheth God is God without Means and Instruments as well as with them His Arm can then bring salvation when there is none to help Isa 63. 5. 2. Help by Means Instruments fails in order to help The way to have help is to be mortified to Creature-helps God will lead men to see that in himself which after he may communicate by ordinary Means Eye then God more and Men less and thou mayst find how Providence is then on its March when the Drums sound nothing but a Retreat to Sense and Reason OBSERVATION XLII Things are set forward in the World by a Collateral Influence or stroak by the by of Providence Or God leads men by what they do see to that which is not seen till afterwards CHAP. I. THAT the great Pilot of Heaven and Earth can make use of not only a side-wind as here but likewise of a contrarywind as shall be shewed in the next Observation and all to bring the Ship to its Port or Haven is to be insisted on Sic disponuntur res humauae divino plerunque consilio ut occasione corum quae facienda proponimus incidamus in ea de quibus antea nihil cogitavimus Musculus com in Evang. Joh. p. 475. The leadings of Providence by what is seen to that which is not seen are wonderful These leadings may be considered three ways 1. In regard of the Object 2. In regard of the Medium or Inducement 3. In regard of the Issue First In regard of the Object and so these side wind Influences or leadings of Providence respect both Temporals and Spirituals Men whilst they mind one matter in their Civil concernments fall in upon another as he who diggeth his garden-plot findeth a Treasure Saul seeketh his father's Asses and findeth a Kingdom 1 Sam. 9. David is sent by his father to the Camp with provision for his brethren and there killeth Goliah and so foundation was laid for after-matters 1 Sam. 17. And as in Temporals this may be noted so in matters of Soul-concernment Whilst men mind Earth they meet with Heaven Some go abroad to seek a service and are by the Providence of God cast there where they come to be-think themselves of another kind of service namely the Service of the great God whom before they look't not after It 's probable that some of those many Nations Acts 2. 9 10 11. be-took themselves to Jerusalem upon a Secular account However they were by an occasion offered drawn to be hearers of the Apostles v 6. Whatever their End were in hearing God's Providence was wonderful in the Apostle's speaking for there was added to the Church about three thousand souls v. 41. Peter and Andrew were casting their Net into the Sea and Christ saith then and there to them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men Mat. 4. 18 19. James and John were mending their nets and Christ in like sort meets with them when his walk was by the sea of Galilee ver 18 21 22. The Woman of Samaria cometh to Jacob's Well to draw water She minded water to set over the pot or wash her dishes or the like little thought she of another kind of water which Christ the Fountain of life did there discourse of and hand to her John 4. Secondly In regard of the Inducement by which men are moved and this may be considered 1. As started in their own breasts 2. As suggested by others with whom they have to do for so we find how Saul was influenced on by his Father's servant to go to Samuel 1 Sam. 9. 6. Naaman hears of the Prophet who bid him wash and be clean from the little Captive-maid in his Family 2 King 5. 2 3. Nathaniel is induced by Philip to come to Christ who tells him a story of the Fig-tree which he little thought to have heard of John 1. 45 46 47 48. Now what may induce or draw on a man to what he doth not so experiment as after may be further considered 1. Sometimes a lust by an over-ruling Providence shall contribute to what is subsequent Onesimus runs away from his Master gets to Rome a populous City where in probability he might lie hid Paul is there who by Providence lights on him and sends him home a Convert to his Master Philemon Paul before his conversion in a mad fit rambles as far as Damascus where was an Ananias for him with a Cordial Christ having met with Paul by the way and let out the mad blood which filled every vein before 2. Sometimes men's civil business or affairs is an inlet to other matters
therefore to stop the mouth from slandering the Observation take notice of what follows 1. Is the particular thing thou prayest for warranted for kind Pride and Passion make wild petitions for the kind of them see Luke 9. 54. Mat. 20. 21 22. 2. What is thy end in praying for things though warranted see James 4. 3. 3. Do you pray in Christ's Name and after a serious sort See John 14. 13. Luke 18. 13. James 5. 16. 4. Is not Prayer contradicted by an unworthy walking Some are like black clouds still black and that notwithstanding thunder and lightning breaks from them see Isa 1. 15. Isa 58. 4. 5. Do you not lye under some mistake about God's Providence in answer to prayer For hearing of prayer is not to be defined by God's doing all we wish for but what God sees best for us God answers when the thing may not be given in for kind Paul was heard when not heard 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. The denial of one thing is the way that Providence may take for granting another A man prays for Health and Mortification to the World God by the want of Health mortifies to the World 6. The question is Wâ—…ther Providence may not yet make a sure and full return of the goods you have left in the hand of Providence Wait then still on God let the Lord alone to answer when and how he pleaseth God hath answered some when it 's probable they gave off thinking that an answer in such sort would have been given in see Luke 1. 13. with 18. OBSERVATION XLIX When God takes down the Scaffold of this World the Sacred Play of Providence will be at an end CHAP. I. THAT an Income of Providence attends Prayer hath been shewed the full crop or harvest by way of return to prayer will be in another world as the Apostle intimates 2 Tim. 1. 18. with Mat. 25. 34 35. Here in this World there is a gracious display of Providence and when this World hath its period Providence as such consider it viis modis will have its period likewise and this appears 1. From the opposition of the day of God's judging the World to the day the long day of Providence which men had in the World There is a day for labouring in the Vineyard after comes the Even when the labourers are called Mat. 20. 8. The son of man saith Christ shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father Mat. 13. 41 42 43. And would we know when this shall be The 40 th verse resolves it In the end of this world Hence Paul inforceth the duty of not abusing the day of Providence but right improving of it from this consideration because God hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteousness Acts 17. 31. with 30. 2. From the Lord the Fountain of Providential Dispensations who hath purposed to send forth the streams another way This may be considered 1. In regard of the godly 2. In regard of the wicked 1. In regard of the godly They shall immediately and without interruption enjoy God in the Heavens so 1 Thes 5. 17. In this world the godly see the Lord as in a glass and that but darkly 1 Cor. 13. 12. There are two glasses in which the godly behold the Lord here 1. The glass of their Civil Affairs their food liberty relations and the publick concerns of temporal life This glass will be broken for as Christ saith In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven Mat. 22. 30. and as the Apostle saith Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destrâ—y both it and them 1 Cor. 6. 13. There will â—e no need of food and consequently of Provdence as a Caterer The Belly or Body remaineth in regard of substance though functions and offices of it as in this life are served with an Eternal Writ of Ease But 2. There is another glass and that is of Divine Ordinances or Sacred Institutions these are as the Galleries to the Presence-Chamber A change there will be as to these then cometh the end when he Christ as now he lets out himself though he abide for ever as Lord and Head shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the father 1 Cor. 15. 24. 2. In regard of the wicked they are no longer now the Trustees of outward good things as formerly They who thrust from them the Providence of God wooing and woing them to repentance are now thrust into the prison and no coming from thence till the uttermost farthing be paid Mat. 5. 26. Abraham said to the impenitent rich man whether he were King Prince Duke Earl Lord Knight Esquire Gentleman Merchant it matters not to determine for all may be included none excluded if rich in the World's Goods and not in Faith he said Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Luke 16. 25. CHAP. II. 1. LEARN who they are who submissively long after the change of changes or the great or last Change of Providence they are those who have had experience of a blessed change of Providence on their hearts here and who have profited by the various changes of Providence in this world So the Apostle While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. See also 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4. Rev. 22. 20. 2. It 's wisdom then to work before the night cometh when no man can work as our Saviour Christ phraseth it John 9. 4. Two things are here considerable 1. Secure we Spiritual Riches whilest the Gospel-Mine is open Be not foolish Virgins who have their Bags and Cossers but no Treasure in them They had their Lamps of Profession but no Oyl in their Vessels they may justly be shut out of Heaven whose hearts were shut against the real admission of Christ by his grace on earth Mat. 25. 3 11 12. Oh! Eternity is no trifle Men should be in good earnest for it The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. And now is the season or never to look after the means of grace and grace by the means Abraham tells the rich man who would have a Preacher sent from Hell They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them Luke 16. 29. 2. Honour God with Temporal Riches as you have opportunity Are there no Ministers of the Gospel poor Scholars who may be
for such uses SECT III. 3. TAKE heed of imposing on or tempting of Providence There is a difference between a modest proposal with a submission to God's disposal and an imposal or tempting of the Lord The former hath an Apology for it self as in Gideon's case Judg. 6. 36 to the end of the chapter The later springs from another root as namely distrust of God or presumption on his Providence or some other inordinate lust The Israelites lothe Manna and flesh forsooth they must have they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert Psal 106. 14. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness and grieve him in the desert yea they turned back and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel Psal 78. 40 41. It was Satan's design to have drawn our Saviour to impose on Providence by a miraculous conversion of stones into bread when he was an hungred and to tempt Providence for preservation by throwing himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple Mat. 4 3 Qualis via haec de pinnaculo Templi mittere se deorsum Non est via haec sed ruina si via tua est non illius Frustra in tentationem capitls intorsisti quod scriptum est ad corporis consolationem Bern. in Psal Qui habitat Ser. 15. 6 7. It 's not becoming Christians to try needless conclusions with the Providence of God That way of purgation from infamous reports called by the name of Ordel when the party was blind-folded and glowing hot irons were laid in the way where the party suspected was to go bare-footed and the escapal of the hot irons was a testimony of innocency may justly be reprehended as a tempting of Providence They may do well therefore to consider how they gratifie the Devil who neglect the due use of means or venture beyond warrant from God and so are more bold than welcome to the house of Providence be the issue whatsoever it may be An instance we have of the Israelites who presumed to go up to the top of the hill and there had a bloody repulse Numb 14. 44 45. I have read of Franciscus who offered the Sultan of Babylon to try the truth of the Christian Religion in opposition to false Religion by venturing himself in the fire and though the Sultan wav'd the experiment yet that was no ground for the Monk to wave repentance for his rashness Let care then be had men tempt not or impose on Providence in regard 1. of what shall be done Man is not to prescribe but subscribe to Providence Man's Wit and Will must stoop to the Wisdom and Pleasure of God For as the Lord saith my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Isa 46. 10. 2. In regard how and when this or that shall be done Jacob is a prevailer yet he is not a curious enquirer much less a peremptory prescriber how God shall deliver him from the fury of his brother Esau And as Jacob now more aged and so wise did act regularly herein so was he faulty in being too hasty with his Mother for the blessing to be given him for though the Father lay on his death-bed yet he was not speechless and if so yet God could have open'd the Father's mouth to pronounce the blessing without the Son 's opening his mouth to tell a lye SECT IV. 4. VVATCH against discontents at or reflexive replies on the Providence of God The former evil of imposing on Providence doth make way for undue replies against Providence Jonah would impose on Providence the destruction of Nineveh and having not his humour gratified how saucy and malepert is he Take heed then of a Jonah-like pettishness and frowardness under the Providences of God This reflexive frowardness puts forth it self 1. In the heart the forge of the natural spirits and morally evil ones too The Devil put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ and so in effect to bid Providence to take back its kindness in vouchsafing such a Master Joh. 13. 2. It was an heart-evil that David was guilty of and it was an interpretative reply against Providence in not checking Saul from David's imaginary falling by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. 2. In Speech or Language Eliphaz charges Job with this evil saying Why doth thine heart carry thee away And what do thine eyes wink that thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth Job 15. 12 13. The Lord tells them by the Prophet Malachy that their words had been stout against him and what words they were reflexive ones on the Providence of God as is exprest Mal. 2. 13 14 15. 3. In Gesture Conversation or otherwise Cain's discontent at the Providence of God in having respect unto Abel and his Offering appears in his outward deportment Gen. 4. 6. Why art thou wroth and why is thy countenance fallen It may go for no contradiction here Men speak aloud against Providence whilst they are sullenly silent or testifie their discontent some other way Some pretend more manners than directly to flye out against God and yet the stone which they dare not throw against Heaven they are ready to throw at his servants on Earth Thus dealt the Israelites of old with Moses saying Because there were no graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to dye in the wilderness Exod. 14. 11. Good Job was of another frame and temper he did not pour forth a flood of curses on the plunderers neither did he fall into a smoaking-passion with the servants who escaped blaming them for want of fore-light in regard of the enemies approach no he eyes God in all and so chargeth not God foolishly Job 1. 20 21 22. Let it be our work then to watch the heart universally against reflexive replies on the Providence of God We are not to be hot and fiery against Providence though there be a Providence when iniquity doth abound and love of many waxeth cold as it is fore-told Mat. 24. 12. It was Jeremiah's fault in being transported beyond the bounds of Religion when men were so irreligious Jer. 20. 14 to the end To be discontented in way of sin though for sin is to add to the common heap of sins The Lord keep every good Christian from so doing SECT V. 5. RESIST not Providence To reply upon Providence from unsound principles is in a sort a resisting of Providence According to this latitude I take not the word resist here but for a daring contradiction to Providence or a bold venturing on in sin notwithstanding the vertual-wooings and warning-knocks of Providence to the contrary Providence may be considered as having Corn and Wine and Oyl in the one hand and a smarting Rod in the other and all to little purpose when men are head-strong in their ways Instances in Scripture there are of such who resist Providence and sad experience gives us to understand of troops of such