of goodness will not account them unworthy of his care Are they now the Products of his Omnipotent Wisdom and shall not they be the objects of his directing wisdom If they are not unworthy of God to create how can they be unworthy of God to govern them It would be as much below him to make them as to rule them when they were made 4. Fourthly Therefore God doth actually preserve and govern the world though Angels are in Ministry in some particular works of his providence yet God is the Steersman who gives out his particular orders to them Jacobs Ladder had the top in Heaven where God stood to keep it firm Its foot on Earth and the Angels going up and down upon several errands at their Masters beck As God made all things for himself so he orders the ends of all things made by him for his own glory For being the most excellent and intelligent agent he doth reduce all the motions of his Creatures to that end for which he made them This actual government of the World by God brancheth it self out in three things 1. Nothing is acted in the World without Gods knowledge The vision of the Wheels in Ezekiel presents us with an excellent portraiture of Providence there are eyes round about the wheels ‡ Ezek. 10. their wings were full of eyes c. The ey of God is upon the whole circle of the creatures motion In all the revolutlons in the world there is the Eye of Gods Omniscience to see them and the arm of his Omnipotence to guide them Not the most retired corner or the darkest cell not the deepest cavern or most inward project nor the most secret wickedness not the closest goodness but the eye of the Lord beholds it †Pro. 15.3 Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good He hears the words sees the actions knows the thoughts registers the gracious discourses bottles up the penitent tears and considers all the ways of men not a whispered Oath not an Atheistical thought though but only peeping upon the heart and sinking down again in that mass of corruption not a disorderly word but he knows and marks it The Soul hath a particular knowledge of every act because it is the spring of every act in any member and nothing is done in this little World but the Soul knows it Surely then there is not an act done in the world nor the motion of any creature but as God doth concur to it he must needs know what he doth concur to The knowledg and ordaining every thing is far less to the infinite being of God than the knowledg and ordaining every motion of the body is to a finite Soul Or Suppose a Soul cloathed with a body of as big a proportion as the matter of the whole creation it would actuate this body tho of a greater bulk and know every motion of it How much more God who hath infinity and excellency and strength of all Angels and Souls must needs actuate this world and know every motion of it There is nothing done in the World but some creature or other knows it he that acts it doth at least know it If God did not know it the creatures then in that particular knowledge would be superiour to God and know something more than God knows can this be pessible 2. Nothing is acted in the World without the will of God His Will either commands it or permits it * Eph. 1.11 He works all things after the Counsel of his own will Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and earth Even the sins of the World his will permits them his power assists in the act and his Wisdom orders the sinfulness of the act for holy ends The Four Chariots in Zech. 6.2 3 4 5. by which some understand Angels are sent upon commission into the several parts of the world and compared to Chariots both for their strength their swiftness their imployment in a military way to secure the Church These are said to come * v. 1. out of the two Mountains of brass which signify the irreversible decrees of God which the Angels are to execute Rey nolds He alarums up the Winds when he would have Jonah arrested in his flight He sounds a retreat to them and locks them up in their Chambers * Psal 107.25 26. Bread hath a natural vertue in it to nourish but it must be accompanied with his secret blessing Mat. 4.4 Virtute primi actus agunt agentia omnia quicquid agunt 3. Nothing doth subsist without Gods care and power His eyes running to and fro implies not only knowledge but care He doth not carelesly behold what is done in the World but like a skilful Pilot he sits at the helm and steers the World in what course it should Sail. Our being we owe to his power our well being to his care our motion and exerting of every faculty to his merciful providence and concurrence in him we live and move and have our being * Act. 17.28 He frames our being preserves our life concurs with our motion This is an Idea that bears date in the minds of men with the very notion of a God Why else did the Heathen in all their streights fly to their altars and fill their Temples with cries and sacrifices To what purpose was this if they had not acknowledged Gods superintendency his taking notice of their cause hearing their prayers considering their cries Why should they do this if they thought that God did not regard humane affairs but stood untouched with a sense of their miseries If all things were done by chance there could be no predictions of future things which we frequently find in Scripture and by what ways accomplished Impossible it is that anything can be continued without his care If God should in the least moment withhold the influence of his Providence we should melt into nothing as the impression of a Sea upon the water vanishes as soon as the Seal is removed or as the reflection of the face in the glass disappears upon the first instant of our removal from it The light in the air is by participation of the light of the Sun The light in the air withdraws upon the departure of the Sun The Physical and moral goodness of the Creature would vanish upon the removal of God from it who is the Fountain of both What an Artificer doth work may continue tho the workman dies because what he doth is materially as to the matter of it ready to his hands he creates not the matter but only sets materials together and disposeth them into such a form and Figure But God gives a being to the matter and form of all things and therefore the continuance of that being depends upon his preserving influence * Stilling-fleer Orig. sacrae lib. 3. cap. 3. Sect. 3. God upholds the World and
so perfect in his knowledge of all things that he cannot be imposed upon by the evil suggestions and flatteries of men or Angels In nature it is so the eye guides the body because that is the chief Organ of sensitive knowledg the mind which is the seat of Wisdom guides the whole 4. Patience Infinite patience is requisite to the preservation and government of the World in the circumstances wherein it hath stood ever since the fall What Angel though the meekest or can all the Angels in Heaven be Masters of so much patience as is needful for this work of governing the World though for the space of one day Could they bear with all those evils which are committed in the world in the space of 24 hours Might we not reasonably conceive that they would be so tired with the obliquities disorders deformities which they would see in the acts of men besides all the evil which is in the hearts of men which lye without the verge of their knowledg that they would rather call for fire from Heaven to burn the world to Ashes * Trap in Exod. 34. Averroes thought that because of Gods slowness to anger he meddled to with sublunary concerns This rather fits him for it because he can bear with the injuries of wicked men otherwise the world would not continue a moment Angels though powerful holy wise and patient creatures yet being creatures they want the infiniteness of all these qualifications which are necessary to this government Though they are knowing yet they know not mens hearts though they are wise yet they may be charged with a folly uncapable of this though holy yet not able in this respect to manage it to the ends and designs of an infinite holiness though nimble yet cannot be in all parts of the world at every turn but the Providence of God is infallible because of his infinite Wisdom indefatigable because of his Omnipotency and righteous bcause of his Goodness 3. There can be no reason rendred why God should not actually govern the World since He only hath a right and a fitness If God doth not actually govern it it is either because He cannot or because He will not 1. Not because He cannot this inability must be either for want of knowledge or want of power The one if asserted would deny his Omnipotence the other his Omniscience the one would make him a weak God the other an ignorant God and consequently no God 2. Not because He will not If He can and will not it is say some a testimony of envy that he maligns the good of his creatures But not to insist upon this This must be either because of the 1. Difficulty This cannot be What difficulty can there be in a single word or one Act of his will which can be done by God without any molestation were there millions of Worlds as well as this For still they would be finite and so governable by an infinite Superior May we not more reasonably think the forming such a Mass would require more pains than the government of it The right stringing an instrument is more trouble to a skilful Musitian than the tripping over the strings afterwards to make an harmony What difficulty can it be to Omnipotence Is it a greater labour to preserve and govern than it was to create Doth not the Soul order every part of the body and all its functions without any pain to it and shall not the God that made that Soul so indefatigable much more manage the concernments of the World without labour to himself Is it not as easie with God to guide all these things by one single act of his Will as for me by an act of my Soul to do many things without a distinct act of cogitation or consideration before Can it be more laborious to him to govern the world than it is to know all things in the world He sees all things in an instant by one act of his understanding and he orders all creatures in a moment by one act of his will Can one act of his will be more painful than one act of his understanding Can he with a word make this great Ball and can he not with as much ease order all to conform to the law of his own righteous will Can a continual eruption of goodness be a difficulty to an infinite Being which we find natural to the Sun to the Fountains to the Sea to many works of that Omnipotent Goodness Or 2. Disparagement Denial of Gods Providence over the lesser things of the World did arise from the consideration of the state of Monarchs who thought it an abridgment of their felicity and dignity to stoop to such low considerations as the minutula of their estates might exact from them but left them to their Vicegerents But they consider not that the felicity of God as it respects the creature is to communicate his goodness to as many subjects as he hath made capable of his care If it were his glory to create the world can it be his dishonour to govern it The glorifying his Wisdom is as honourable to him as the magnifying his Power though both are eminent in Creation and Providence yet his Wisdom is more signal in the Governing as his Power was in framing of the world Why was it not as much a disparagement to God to create things contemptible in our eyes as since he hath created them to take care of them and marshal them for his own glorious ends The Sun in the Heavens is a shadow of God which doth not disdain to communicate its natural goodness and emit its beams to the meanest Creatures and let the little flies sport themselves in them as well as the greatest Princes and transmits its influences upon things obscure and at a distance from it whereby it manifests an universal regard to all And would it not be a disparagement to an infinite goodness to be out stript by a Creature which he hath set up for a natural communication of goodness to the rest of the World The very consideration of the Sun and the nature of it gives us as much an account of God as any inanimate being whatsoever 'T is as much the Suns honour to produce asmall Insect as the growth of the greatest Plant. Have not all Creatures a natural affection in them to preserve and provide for their own hath not God much more who endued all creatures with that disposition Whatsoever is a natural perfection in creatures is eminently an infinite perfection in God If it be therefore a praise to you to preserve your own can it be a disgrace to God You may as well say it is as much a dishonour to him to be good as to have a tender regard to his creatures Censure him as well you may for creating them for your delight as preserving and governing them for the same end They are all good for he pronounced them so and being so a God
in the world And what greater motive can there be to perswade our submission than Wisdom and Goodness transacting all things Gods counsel being the firmest as well as the wisest it is a folly both ways to resist it 2. God discovers his mind to us by providences Every work of God being the result of his Counsel when we see it actually brought forth into the World what else doth it discover to us but that Counsel and Will of his Every single providence hath a language wherein Gods mind is signified much more a train and contexture of them Luk. 7.22 tell John what things you have seen and heard how that the blend see the lame walk the leapers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised to life to the poor the gospel is preached Our Saviour informs John's Disciples from acts of providence he gives him no other answer but turns him over to interpret and construe his works in the case Providence therefore must not be resisted when Gods mind in it is discovered 'T is disingenuous to act against his pleasure and manifest mind 't is the Devils sin Aaron when he lost his two Sons in so judicial a manner by Fire from Heaven yet held his peace * Levit 10 1 2 3. because God had declared his mind positively I will be glorified 'T is dangerous to resist the mind of God for the word of his providence shall prosper in spight of Men and Devils Isa 55.11 My word that goes forth of my mouth shall not return unto me void it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it and therefore a resisting of it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fighting against God by Gamaliel no great friend to the Church Acts. 5.38 39. 4. Murmur not at providence Though we do not clearly resist it if there be a repining submission it is a partial opposition to the Will of God We might as well murmur at God's creation as at his providence for that is as arbitrary as this he is under no Law but his own righteous will we should therefore leave the government of the world to God's wisdom as we acknowledge the frame of it to be an act of his power If God should manage his wayes according to our prescriptions what satisfction would God have what satisfaction would the world have He might be unjust to himself and unjust to others Your own complaints would not be stilled when you should feel the smart of your own Counsels yet if they were what satisfaction could there be to the complaints of others whose interests and therefore judgments and desires lye cross to yours Man is a cross Creature The Isarelites exclaimed to God against Pharaoh and when the Scene was changed they did no less murmur against Moses in the wilderness They were as troublesom when they were delivered as when they were afflicted In Egypt they would have their liberty and in the Wilderness their stomachs turn and they long for the Onyons and Garlick though attended with their former slavery Let God govern the World according to his own Wisdom and Will till all mankind can agree in one method to offer to him and that I think will never be though the world should last forever Murmur not therefore whatsoever is done in the world is the work of a wise agent who acts for the perfection of the whole universe and why should I murmur at that which promotes the common happiness and perfection that being better and more desirable than the perfection of any one particular person Must a Lutinist break all his strings because one is out of tune And must God change his course because things are out of order with one man though in regard of divine providence things are not out of order in themselves or without any care for God is a God of order This temper will hinder our prayers With what face can we pray to that God whose wisdom we thus repine at If God doth exercise a providence in the World why do we murmur if he doth not take care of those things why do we pray to him 't is a contradiction It also hinders us from giving God the glory and our selves the comfortable sight of his providence God may have taken something from us which is the matter of our sorrow and given another thing to us which might be the matter of our joy Jacob lost a joint and got a blessing * Gen. 32.29 31. What advantage can it be to murmur Can all your cryes stop the motions of the Heavens when a storm reaches you Can your clamours make the Clouds move the faster or perswade the showers from drenching us Murmuring at any afflictive providence is the way to make the Rod smarter in it self and sharper to us 5. Study providence 'T is a part of Atheism not to think the acts of God in the World worth our serious thoughts And if you would know the meaning of his administrations grow up in the fear of God Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him God is highly angry with those that mind him not Psal 28.5 because they regard not the operation of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up He shall utterly root them out 1. Study providence universally The darkest God brings order out of the Worlds confusion even as he framed a beautiful Heaven and Earth out of a rude Mass The terriblest these offer something worth our observation the dreadful providence of God makes Sodom an example to after ages Jude 7. They are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire c. The smallest God is a wise agent and so the least of his actions are significant There is nothing superfluous in those acts we account the meanest or to act vainly and lightly argues imperfection which cannot be attributed to God The wisdom of God may be much seen in those providences the blind World counts small as a little picture is oft times of more value and hath more of the workman's skill than a larger which an ignorant person might prize at a higher rate the Lilies Flowers Sparrows our Saviour raises excellent observations from 2. Regularly By the Word compare providence and the promise together God's manner of administrations and the meaning of them is understood by the word Psal 77.13 Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary By Faith we many times correct our sence by reason when we look through a blew or green glass and see all things blew or green though our sense represents them so yet our reason discovers the mistake Why should we not correct reason by faith Indeed our purblind reason stands in as much need of a regulation by faith as our deceitful sence doth of a regulation by reason We may often observe in the Gospel that the holy Chest taking notice of the particular circumstances in the bringing Christ into the World and in the course of
a mighty one of an Angel As the Soul sends forth a multitude of Spirits swiftly into the nerves for the supply of the lowest member which run thither upon the least motion So do the Angels which are Gods Ministers run at the appointment of God and are employed in all the wheels of providence The Spirit of the living Creatures was in the wheels of providence * Ezek. 1.20 1. The highest orders among them are not exempted from being officers for the Church Though they are called Gods Angels in respect of their immediate attendance on God yet they are called mans Angels in respect of the service they do for them Matth. 18.10 Their angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven They are not the ordinary sort of Angels only which attend upon those little ones upon young converts humble Souls those little ones in the Kingdom of Heaven but they are the highest Courtiers there such as see the face of God and stand before him A King hath many Servants but not every Servant only the chief of the Nobility stand before him so they are not Angels of the meanest order and rank in Heaven that are ordered to attend the lowest Christian The Apostle makes no doubt of this Heb. 1.14 are they not all ministring Spirits there is no question but they are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation He asserts confidently that not one of them is blotted out of the List for this employment Are they not all none are exempted from the service of God so none are exempted from the end of that service which is the good of Believers They are Gods servants but for the Churches good for them which shall be heirs are they not all it is irrational to deny it And they are sent forth every one of them hath his commission sign'd by God for this purpose and not only for the Church in general but for every member in particular for the heirs of salvation And not only for them which are already called and enrolled but for them who shall be called whose names are written in the book of Gods election who shall be heirs And they are not only faintly sent as if they might go if they will but they have a strict charge to look after them well not in one or two of their works or ways but in all Psal 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes to bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone they are to use all their strength to this purpose to bear them up in their hands As the elder Children are appointed by Parents to have a care of the younger in their works and motions and to use both their wisdom and strength for them The Angels are a guard to secure them here and at last to convey them to their fathers house Luk. 16.22 When a man is in favour with a Prince all the Courtiers will be observant of him 2. Armies of them are employed upon this occasion There are great multidudes of them as Bildad speaks Job 25.3 Is there any number of his armies that is of his Angels when Joel speaks of the heathens gathering together thither saith he Lord cause thy mighty ones to come down * Joel 3.11 A whole squadron of them shall attend upon a gracious man according to the circumstances he is involved in Gen. 32. 1 2. And Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him and when Jacob saw them he said this is Gods host Regiments of Angels enough to make up an Army for so Jacob terms them me thim upon the way to secure him from his Brother Esau and to encourage him in his journey So some interpret 2 Sam. 5.24 the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees The sign of the marching of a Brigade of Angels with the Lord in the head of them for the discomfiture of David's enemies then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the host of the philistins And this they do not of their own heads but by the pleasure of God not only by a bare will but a delight Psal 103.21 Bless the Lord allye his hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his choicest pleasure he delights to see this his Militia upon action 3. Christ hath the government of them to this end for his Church Angels are all put in subjection to him Heb. 2.7 8. In that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him He is exalted above all principality and power God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.21 22. all things even principalities and powers are put under his feet to be commissioned and influenced by him for the good of his Church * Ezek. 1.12 Whither the Spirit was to go they went they are ordered by the Spirit of Christ to this purpose Zech. 1.10 Those are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth They are his faithful messengers dispatcht into the World by him as scouts and spies to take notice of the state of the World and to give him intelligence and an exact account of affairs and v. 11. they give an account to Christ Christ is the Head and General of them Col. 2.10 They are his Host alwaies in a warlike posture with Christ in the Head of them Zech. 1.8 upon their Horses which notes readiness to move and speed in motion And as an Host they are said to pitch their tents round about them that fear him and are in a continual conflict with the evil Angels to prevent their designs in the behalf of Christ whom they acknowledge as their head by their worship of him * Heb. 1.6 Christ orders them to take care to seal his Servants in the foreheads that they may be preserved in the storms which shall happen in the World at the time of the ruine of the Romish Papacy Revel 7.2 3. An Angel comes that had the seal of the living God commission of God saying hurt not the earth nor the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the Servants of our God in the foreheads 4. The great actions which have been done in the World or shall be done for the Church are performed by them Angels were sent as expresses by God with his great decrees concerning the revolutions of times * Dan. 7.16 Dan. 8.16 And I heard a mans voice which called and said Gabriel make this man to understand the vision An Angel was sent to Daniel with the message of a Redeemer and the clearest prophecy of Christ which the Jews are not able to answer to this day which they most startle at Part of the discovery of the Revelation to John which is as a standing
to David's Scepter which concurred both with Gods purpose and promises but sprung from an ill cause a disdain to be checked by Ishbosheth though his King for an unjustifiable act for having too much familiarity with one of Sauls Concubines †2 Sam. 3.6 7 8 9 10. And from this animosity he contrives the de posing of Ishbosheth and the exaltation of David yet dissembles the ground and pretends the promise of God to David v. 18. for the Lord hath spoken of David By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines He is the first Engine that moves in this business and by him and his correspondents after his death v. 17. the business is brought about by Gods over-ruling hand wherein Gods promise is accomplished and David a type of Christ and the great Champion for the Church against its enemies round about is advanced Very remarkable is the advancement of Mordecai in order to the advancing the Jews as well as preserving them when the necks of all the visible Church God had in the World were upon the block Haman ignorantly is the cause of this preferment of Mordecai and at that time too when he came to petition for his death Esther 6.4 He was come to speak to the king to hang Mordecai upon the gallows which he had prepared for him The King asks him what should be done to the man whom the King delights to honour v. 16. He imagineth that the Kings question did respect himself lays out a Scheme of what honour he was ambitious of v. 8 9. which was by the King designed for Mordecai and Haman made the Herald to proclaim him Here Haman not only a wicked man in himself but the greatest Enemy Mordecai and the whole Church of God had is made unwittingly an instrument to exalt Mordecai and in him the whole Church of God 3. In enriching the Church or some persons in it whereby it may become more serviceable to God How wonderful was it that when the Israelites were abominated by the Egyptians God should so order their hearts that the Egyptians should lend them Gold and Jewels * Exod. 12.35 36. and dismiss them with wealth as well as safety and not so much as one person molest them till they arrived at the Red Sea The very gain and honour of the Enemies is sometimes consecrated to the Lord of the whole Earth Micah 4.13 Arise and thresh oh daughter of Sion I will make thy horn Iron and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth This was when many Nations were gathered against Sion v. 11. The wealth of the Sinner is laid up for the just Pro. 13.22 And God sometimes makes the wicked unwittingly to themselves in their carking be the factors for good men into whose lap providence pours the fruit of their labour God gave Cyrus the spoils of Babilon and the treasures of Croesus to enable him to furnish the Jews with materials for building the Temple Isa 45.3 4. 45.3 4 and I will give thee the treasure of darkness and hidden riches of secret places speaking of Cyrus that thou mayest know that I the Lord which call thee by thy name am the God of Israel for Jacob my servants sake c. That he might acknowledge him the God of Israel and lay his wealth out in the service of God and the service of Jacob his servant 2. As bad persons so bad things are ordered to the good of the church whether they be sinful evils or afflictive 1. Sin 1. A mans own sin Onesimus runs from his Master and finds a spiritual Father his being a runnagate is the occasion of his being a convert By flying from his Master he becomes a Brother in the Lord * Phil. 10 12 16. What Joseph's brethren sinfully intended for revenge against their brother and security from their Fathers checks who acquainted Jacob with their miscarriages God ordered for the preservation of them who were the only visible Church in the World Their sin against their Brother contrary both to their intentions and expectations became the means of their safety God makes the remainders of sin in a good man an occasion to exercise his grace discover his strength and shew his loyalty to God 2. Other mens sins That might be in Sarah but a beady passion for hearing her Son mocked By Ishmael that made her so desirous to have the bondwoman and her son thrust out * Gen. 21.10 but God makes use of it to make a separation between Isaac the heir of the Covenant and Ishmael that he might not be corrupted by any evil example from him God orders Abraham to hearken to her voice because in Isaac his seed should be called * ver 12. And the revengeful threatning of Esau was the occasion of Jacob's flight whereby he was hindred from marrying with any of the people of the Land by whom he might have been induced to Idolatry * Gen. 2.7.3.46 Why should we mistrust that God that can make use of the Lusts of men to bring about his own gracious purposes 2. Commotions in the World There is the eye of God that eye which runs to and fro throughout the whole Earth in the Wheels of worldly motions even in the most dreadful providences in the World that stare upon men with a grim countenance * Ezek. 1.18 their wings were dreadful and their wings were full of eyes All the overturnings in the World are subservient to the Churches interest though they are not visibly so unless diligently attended * Broughton on Revel 13. Sect. 177. God orders the confusions of the world and is in the midst of the tumults of the people Psal 29.10 11. The Lord sits upon the flood yea the Lord sits King for ever the Lord will give sirength to his people the Lord will bless his people with peace He sits upon the flood as a Charioteer in his Chariot guiding it with holy and merciful intentions to his people to give them both strength and peace in the midst of them and as the issue of them By Water and Floods is frequently meant tumults and confusions in the World If it were not so why would our Saviour encourage his Disciples and all their Successors in the same profession to lift up their heads when they hear of wars if their redemption * Luk 21.25 26 27 28. were not designed by God in them they are all testimonies of the nearer approaches of Christ in power and glory to judge the Earth and glorifie his people Gods great end in the shaking of Nations is the performing those gracious promises to his Church which yet remain unaccomplisht These earthquakes in the world will bring Heaven to the Church The great revolutions in the Eastern part of the world the ruine of the Babylonian Empire
with the Lord and promising to make of him a great Nation * Exod. 32.9 10. and the Lord said to Moses I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people now therfore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and in such terms that one would wonder at Now therefore let me alone As if God did fear Moses's interposition would prevent him and disswade him from it Do not you stand in the way my wrath will cool if you interpose your self as much as to say God could not do it unless Moses gave his consent Moses would not be quiet but pleads the providences of God which had been all for them the promise of God made to Abraham concerning them And he would not leave till God repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people v. 14. If Angels as Calvin saith are Gods counsellours in Heaven Believers are as it were his Counsellors on Earth 5. God has given the choicest things he hath to his people He hath given his Law The Church is the Sphere wherein the light of the Gospel is fixed and wherein it shines from whence its beams do dart out to others Isa 2.3 out of Sion shall go forth the law The oracles of God the great things of the Law as it is phrased Hosea 8.12 his Covenant and the counsel of his will are intrusted with the Church Now this being a mercy which exceeds all other things in the World is therefore comprehensive of all other as the greater comprehends the lesser And the Psalmist considers it as the top-stone of all blessings for after summing up the Providences of God he shews how God had distinguished Jacob by more eminent marks of his favour Psal 147.29 30. He shews his word to Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation he hath not left so rich a Legacy to any or given any so much of his heart Others are ordered by the word of his power for that is meant by word in the foregoing verse but Jacob hath the word of his grace too And this being the choicest piece of affection which God hath shewn to the Church implies the making all lesser providences subservient to it The Church wherein God hath laid up his Gospel and those Souls which are as the Ark wherein God hath deposited his Law shall be shadowed with the wings of his merciful providence in a perpetual succession of all true blessings All the providences of God are to preserve his Law in the World his severest judgments are to quicken up the law of nature in men that know no other 〈◊〉 the Law of his Gospel in men that 〈◊〉 under it And he hath given Châ—â—◠〈◊〉 Church and thereby hath given in earnest that still their good shall be promoted 'T is not to be thought that God will spare any thing else when he hath given them his Son The Second thing It must needs be that all providences are for the good of the Church Secondly 1. All the providence of God is for the glorifying his grace in Christ First The whole Oeconomy or dispensation of the fulness of time to the latter ages of the World is for the gathering all things together in him Eph. 1.10 that in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth even in him In him as their head This was the design in all his dispensations both before his coming and since ever since the promise made to Adam though it be more manifest in the latter Age. This the Apostle represents as the main purpose of God v. 9. This was the mystery of his will which according to his good pleasure he had purposed in himself that is purposed in himself as a thing he was mightily pleased with and ver 11. saith he 〈◊〉 works all things after or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the counsel of his own will or of that purpose which he had purposed in himself to gather all things in one in Christ All the things that God acts are referred to this as their end and ordered by this Counsel as their rule As it was the design of Gods providence to make way for Christs entrance into the World and all the prophecies in the old Testament tended to the discovery of it so since the coming of Christ the end of all is to advance him in respect of his headship Eph. 1.22 23. and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that fills all in all God would advance Christ to the highest pitch v. 21. far above all principality and power both in this world and in the world to come and there is still a fulness wanting to Christ to compleat him not only a personal fulness but a fulness belonging to him as a Head which is the advancement God designs him He is already advanced above all principality and power He is already given as a Head to the Church but the compleatness of it is not till all his members be perfected to which all his providences in the world doth ultimately tend Therefore if the design of God be to honour Christ and if the spiritual happiness of the Church be part of that Glory and fulness of Christ it must needs be carried on by God else he will want part of his compleatness as a Head But this shall not be wanting since as all things are squared according to that Counsel of glorifying Christ as Head so all things are acted for believers by that power whereby he raised Christ from the grave to be their Head which power is the Copy according to which all acts which respect the Church are framed v 19. and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him up from the dead God intended the good of the Church in this very act of glorifying Christ for he is made the head over all things to the Church As if God then had prescribed him that order that the glory he gave him should be also managed for the Churches interest Christ is Lord of the rest of the World but Head of the Church All things are under his feet but are not his members He is Head over all things to the Church and therefore to every member of the Church the least as well as the greatest and to the whole Church even that part of it which is on Earth as well as that part which is in Heaven who are compleated This Church is the fulness of Christ he would be bodyless without it therefore since Christ will be a head without a body if the Church be not preserved in order to the
aims at our Reconciliation as wrought by Covenant between them If by both be meant the two Offices of King and Priest and that the counsel of Peace be between them it will extend to all the Blessings of the Church to the good and Glory of the Church which is the fruit of his Kingly as well as the first Reconciliation was the fruit of his Priestly Office By Peace in Scripture is meant the confluence of all Blessings so that the intent of God in bestowing those Offices upon Christ and so great a Rule was for the good and advantage of that Church or Temple which he appointed him only to build And in Isaiah 11.9 where the Prophecy of the Government of Christ is the End is exprest to be that none should hurt or destroy in all his holy mountain And certainly since God set him at his right hand and confirm'd this power unto him after he had purged our sins it was certainly out of the high value God had for him and therefore must be the intent of God that he should govern all things in reference to the design of that death and for the good of those whose sins he had by himself purged For the possessing this Government was the very end why Christ died and rose again Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living If this were Christs End in dying and rising it was his Fathers End too who appointed him to Death and raised him by his mighty power And since he was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification Rom. 4.25 The Government he is invested with being Lord of the dead and of the living must be for the sakes of those for whom he was delivered and for whom he rose His Regal power which was one end of his Death cannot cross the other main end the constituting a church and carrying on the good of them that believe The Government being in the hands not of God as Creator but in and through the hands of a Mediator and that Mediator which both died and rose again peculiarly for them therefore it cannot in the least be for their hurt but advantage The whole management of Christs Kingly Office in relation to the Church is prescrib'd unto Christ by God God reveals to him what shall be done in the World what acts he shall perform for the Church and gives him a History of all that was to be done upon the stage together with an order to communicate it unto his Servants Revel 1.1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants to be communicated to the whole Church things that must shortly come to pass Whether this Revelation was made to the human nature of Christ at his incarnation as Tirinus thinks or rather upon his ascension is not material The whole Scheme of what was to be done in the World is revealed here by God to Christ And you find all the motions in the World relating to the Church and the end of all is the good of the Heavenly Jerusalem 3. All power thus given and intended for this end is actually administred by Christ for this end Christ as the head of the Church doth like a natural head It never sees nor hears nor exerciseth any act of sence only for it self but for the good of the whole Body The eye watches for the body the Tongue speaks for it the understanding contrives for it every part of the head is active for the whole body Now Christ as head is more bound to act for the Church militant than for the Church triumphant because the greatest part of his work for the Church triumphant viz. the bringing them to Heaven is already performed And they are above the reach of all things in the World and all the actions and motions in the world cannot touch or disorder them But the command of God concerning the other part behind is not yet performed and even they are the members of Christ as well as those in Heaven The Apostle * Col. 1.16 17 18. seems to refer both Christs creation and the preservation of things to this title of headship All things were created by him and for him and by him all things consist and he is the head of the body the Church and therefore the conservation and government of all things shall be subservient to the Church which is the body of this governing Head The chief seat Christs Soveraignty is the Church Psal 2.6 yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion And he stands upon Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 The Church is the proper Seat and Metropolis of his Empire the Royal Chamber of this Great King All the conquests of Princes redound to the advantage of that place where they fix their Residence He is King of the World but for the sake of Sion Christ did manage this charge anciently for his People when Joshuah had passed over Jordan and first entered upon the conquest of Canaan he sees a man over-against him with a sword drawn in his hand Joshua 5.13 14. And Joshua said unto him Art thou for us or for our adversaries and he said Nay but as Captain of the hosts of the Lord am I now come This was Christ that came armed for his People according to his charge as their Captain and General It was not an Angel because Joshua worshipped him ver 14. An Angel did not use to receive any Worship from Men and he accepts the Worship and commands him to loose his shooe from his foot for the place whereon he stood was holy ver 15. And the same Person Josh 6.2 is called Jehovah and there he gives him orders how he should manage his War Christ came here to direct his People in their concerns He employs his Wisdom for his Church as well as his other excellencies He is called a Counsellor * Isa 9.6 't is one of the great Letters in his Name and this as the rest there mentioned hath a relation to the Church For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given And the first use he makes of his Power after the confirmation of it to us upon his Resurrection is for the Church Matth. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth all Authoritative Power over Angels and the affairs of the World Go you therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them c. and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the World He commands the Apostles to gather a Church among all Nations and doth by Vertue of this Authority committed to him promise his Presence with them in all such services they should do to this End even to the end of the World He promises his Spirit and his Providential Presence as his Power should endure to the end of the World so the exercise of it for this End should