day of believing Souls if we can make any Judgment of Believers do sufficiently evince this to our Souls my business is to inquire the Justice and the reasonableness of the motions of Divine Providence in the inequality of this distribution This will easily appear to you upon three hypotheses which I take to be all very true 1. That God doth ordinarily dispense out these influences of grace to souls which by his Providence he hath prepared for them This which I call Gods Providential preparation of souls for the reception of these influences I conceive lies chiefly in Two things 1. The freedom of it from those bodily incumbrances which in a natural working make the soul sad heavy and dejected such distempers we know there are as in a natural working sadden the spirit and fill it full of fear sorrow dejection and despondency which are all contrary to the comforts and serenity of a soul and as I have once and again told you it must be a miraculous operation contrary to the bias tendency and natural operations of a man for a soul to be filled with consolations while it is influenced with a body lying under these disadvantages God therefore when he intendeth any of these consolatory influences doth ordinarily prepare the soul for it by delivering it from those influences of an ill affected body which dispose it quite another way 2. A second way by which God prepareth the soul for it is by filling it with knowledg proportionable to it for the comforts of a gracious soul are not irrational and unaccountable things but the results of Scriptural conclusions which the soul is by the Comforter inabled to make God hath in his Word sown the seed of light and joy for them the Ministers of the Gospel who are the Interpreters of Scripture have an Office and Ministery in the Interpretation of this Word and working the souls of Gods people to understand the sense of them The soul it self hath an action in it using its reason and natural powers to conclude from the Scripture The Holy Spirit giveth unto the soul to see the things which are freely given it of God 1 Cor. 2. and further possibly setteth to its Seal and giveth it a further and more undoubted confirmation so as in an ordinary working the comforted soul must be a knowing and understanding soul It is true we sometimes find some honest souls full of joy and peace whose knowledg doth not appear proportionable God so relieving some particular souls after their lying under the discouragements of the spirit of bondage But commonly such comforts are not of long continuance rather present reliefs to the soul from an extraordinary working of the blessed Comforter than any settled consolation and the abidings of the Comforter with them Seldom any but knowing and judicious Christians have a settled and continued joy and peace upon their believing 2. Secondly That God doth ordinarily give out these dispensations more or less or nothing of them though not according to the merits of those souls that have them yet according to their behaviour and misbehaviour towards him That famous promise John 14.21 We will manifest our selves unto him is made to those that love Christ and who keep his Commandments And when Judas asks him Lord How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world Christ answereth him saying ver 23. If any man love me and keepeth my sayings my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings as much as to say The reason why I manifest my self more to you is because you love me and demonstrate that love to me by keeping my Commandments For the world they love me not and proclaim that they love me not by their disobedience to my Commandments and therefore it is that I do not manifest my self to the world as I do unto you In the receiving of the first grace man is meerly passive and the subject of preventing and operating grace but as to the receptions of further grace the child of God is active and the subject of cooperative adjuvant and assisting grace and God gives out his assistances according to their motions 3. Lastly The reasonableness of this different dispensation may appear in this That in the dispensations of this grace God acteth often by Prerogative shewing mercy where he will shew mercy Indeed he doth so as to the first grace as I have before at large shewed you But now he doth not so as to these influences of grace which are necessary to the upholding of the mystical union between Christ and the Soul and the upholding of a Christians spiritual life if he did it were possible that a child of God might fall away from his state of grace and there might be an intercision of the state of Justification But Christ hath told us That if any man drink of the water which he shall give him he shall never thirst but it shall be in him a well-spring of living water springing up in his soul to eternal life c. so that in the dispensation of that God acteth upon a Covenant and as a debtor to his promise If any one saith God hath also promised to manifest himself unto his people I answer those promises are made to those that love him and keep his Commandments but for the upholding of the spiritual life he hath made a Covenant with his people as that he will never depart from them to do them good so that he will put his fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from him which promise although it be not to be extended to a being kept from all sin yet it is to be extended to the preservation of souls from such degrees of sinning as shall extend to the alteration of the state of the soul and the extinguishing the spiritual life and killing the seed of God in the soul But for those manifestations of grace which are not necessary to a souls Salvation and the upholding of spiritual life in it God acteth more freely according to the counsel of his own Will derected by his own infinite Wisdom Now upon these Hypotheses supposing that all Christians are not of equal degrees of knowledg nor are equal as to their bodily circumstances that every soul that belongeth to God doth not walk up to an equal degree of duty but some may be and are guilty of more and more eminent failings than others Or that God may be by his infinite Wisdom directed to try one soul more than another to prove their patience or their faith which is most tryed when his people have least sensible consolations the motions of Divine Providence in distributing to several Christians nay to the same Christians several degrees of consolatory influences of grace cannot seem either unjust or unreasonable to any sober and intelligent Christians This is all I shall speak to this
Divine Providence with reference to the different service which he hath for some to do It is said of Christ that he was therefore tempted that he might be able to succour them that are tempted We are not ignorant of his wiles saith the Apostle the Apostle not being himself ignorant of Satans wiles made him more fit to caution and instruct others with reference to them You know it is a great advantage to a Family with reference to the small Pox or other contagious Diseases to have some members of it to have laboured under and escaped those Diseases The Church of God which is his Family could not well be without some Souls that have been under temptations none knows so well how to speak to and apply themselves unto those that are tempted as those who themselves have gone through that fire they are best able to teach others in their own former circumstances what to do and what to avoid They know how to strengthen them with those words which themselves in their circumstances heard from God and to comfort them with those consolations with which they themselves were comforted by God It is therefore reasonable that some should be tempted because all are in subjection to temptations and may be tempted and therefore had need of some Nurses to be provided for them On the other side it is unreasonable that all should be tempted for who then should there be Ministerial to succour the tempted Nor let any say This were indeed something if none were tempted but such as conquered the tempters but how doth God suffer those to be tempted who he knoweth will fall 5. Fifthly therefore Neither is this unreasonable For there is a difference of fallings God suffereth none of his own People to be tempted who shall finally fall They may fall but let not their enemy rejoice over them though they fall they shall rise again Job fell but he rose again Peter fell in the hour of temptation he denied his Master and that with cursing and swearing but his Master looked upon him he went out and wept bitterly God indeed may suffer a reprobate to be tempted who he knoweth will fall and so fall as to rise no more but he never suffereth his Saints to fall finally Satan may stand at Joshua's right hand to resist him but God will say unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Hierusalem rebuke thee is not this a brand plucked out of the fire Believers may be tempted but God will bruise Satan under their feet shortly Now if the question be intended of mediate fallings not a final falling why suffereth God his People to be tempted who he knowes will get a fall under the temptation though they shall rise again I have answered it before when I shewed you why God permitteth his People to sin he would certainly not do it if he did not know how from their falls to extract his own glory An ancient Writer gives us a large account of this That saith he the wisdom of God might be manifested who can bring good out of evil for God is so good and infinitely wise that he would never suffer evil to be if he did not know how from it to elicit and draw out that which is good That the goodness of God might be made glorious in pardoning and raising up the elect and the Justice of God might be glorified in the righteous condemnation of others That men might be deprived of their natural freedom in acting nor saith he is it reasonable that the sinfulness of the Creature should hinder the exhibition of the Divine goodness That by his Saints repentance and victory at last they might have a more glorious Crown and that they might know and see what is in their own hearts and how much they live upon Divine grace and like burnt children they might more dread the fire and take heed afterward of having any confidence in themselves Finally which is all in short for enumeration of particulars in this case would be endless and incertain thus much we may be assured of God he would never suffer any elect Vessel to be bored through with a temptation if he did not know how to make it issue in his more abundant glory and their more abundant good Applic. Suffer me now before I proceed to the other Questions to make some short Application of this discourse the sum of which is no more but this That as to converted Souls God doth not equally distribute the influence of special grace Although he distributeth to all so much as is necessary to the upholding of the Union of their Souls with Christ and to maintain the Spiritual life so as the Oyl doth not fail from the Cruise nor the Meal shall not fail from the Barrel until they come into their glory yet for the manifestations of his love in such influences of grace as are only of further advantage unto Souls in their way to Heaven such as strengthening quickning and consolating influences God variously distributeth them according to his infinite wisdom he gives to some an Omer to others an Ephah particularly I have shewed it you in those influences of grace by which God strengtheneth the Soul in the resisting of temptations and I have shewed you the reasonableness and something of the wisdom God in these dispensations Now from this Discourse let us learn divers things 1. Inst First the differences betwixt the necessary influences of grace and such as are not absolutely necessary but of high advantage to a Soul in its way to Heaven Grace is necessary by grace ye are saved saith the Apostle but all grace is not necessary The grace of justification is necessary Except a man be born again saith our Saviour he can never enter into the Kingdom of God Every Believer hath this he is born again he is sanctified in body and mind and spirit But now there are further manifestations which make gradual differences in Christians and the receit of which also doth much depend upon our action For although in the first grace the Soul be purely passive yet as to the receiving of further grace it is active therefore the promise of Christs manifesting himself Joh. 14.21 is made to them who love Christ and keep his Commandments I pray observe this for it is a thing of no small concernment From hence 2. Inst Secondly you may easily conclude how unreasonable it is for any Soul to quarrel at God or murmur against his dispensations though it findeth not those gradual manifestations of Divine love unto it which others do experience from God If thou beest equally dealt with as to the necessaries of Salvation thou mightest sit down so far satisfied as not to murmur at God if as to the gradual manifestations of his love in some things he will give unto another more than unto thee Every thing of Divine grace is sweet you must not therefore mistake the tendency of my discourse
I have made several observations upon the motions of Providence Some of which lie plain enough to every eye all I think are justified enough from Scriptural and other instances only perhaps the reasonableness and justice and wisdom of God in them is not or hath not been so obvious Others possibly have not been so remarked and are little more than recommended as probationers for a good mans observation There is Madam a great variety in the methods of an infinitely wise God by which he ordereth the Universe and particularly that people in the world which he hath set apart for himself In the same work Gods Providence moveth not at all times in the same method or by the same means yet in many things the motions of Providence have much uniformity if we wistly observe them And as from the reading and observation of the Syntax and construction used by Authors in several languages Grammarians have made their observations from whence they have formed Rules few of which are yet without their exceptions so from the observation of the motions of Divine Providence in the world the reading of the Sacred History and considering what the great God hath been doing and is doing in the world considerate Christians may gain a great knowledg of God in his ways and give a very probable conjecture if not form a certain judgment both what God is about to do and what Israel ought to do For saith the Wiseman Eccles 1.9 10. the thing which hath been it is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Is there any thing of which it may be said see this is new it hath been already of old time which was before us The Sinners of the world are but acting over those lusts of hatred to God malice revenge cruelty luxury which their forefathers perished in acting many years ago And the Saints in the world are but making the same defence fighting the same good fight finishing the same course which Abel began in the Old Testament and was carried on by Elijah Zachariah and all the Prophets by John Baptist and the Captain of our Salvation and Gods motions of Providence will appear much the same as to circumstances of time and place c. they may alter but substantially they must be so because of the certainty of the word both of promise and threatning The study of Actual Providence for which the Historical part of the Scripture which we count most useless is of great use is a noble study and the observation of the daily motions of it is highly conducive to make us spiritually wise and to help us to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord both towards his Church and individual souls which love and fear him I have Madam been something large in these observations but yet how little a portion of Gods ways have I here displayed I shall yet think I have done a great work if I have but set an example to some other Divines of greater parts knowledg judgment and observation to carry it on for doubtless many more observations might be made which would both much increase our knowledg and direct our practice In the third and last part of my Discourses Madam I have endeavoured to expound some difficult Chapters in the book of Providence and to deliver the name of that glorious God whom we serve from those prejudices which nothing but the lusts of men have raised in the world against him and his righteous ways To reconcile the ways of Divine Providence both to those Propositions of truth which lye plain in the word and to those Promises and Threatnings which are the Indications of his will in that word both with reference to Saints and Sinners I think Madam I discern two great Errors in the world 1. The Judgment of Truth 2. Of the love and hatred of God from motions and issues of Providence Hence because God in his Providence hath ordered the Production of Men and Women giving them life and being and his Gospel to be preached in their hearing so as they are externally called to repent and to believe men conclude There is no election of persons That Christ hath died for all and every man That every man hath a power to repent believe love God hate sin c. And I wish a modest denial of Divine Truths were the worst but we are fallen into a rude and ill mannered age when every puny hath boldness enough to say If this be so then God is an impostor and mocks and deludes he is unjust cruel I tremble to recite it when-as the truth is it is neither so nor so Let what will be concluded concerning these Propositions no such thing will follow I have Madam endeavoured to reconcile these Providences of God to the truth of these Propositions which some invidiously charge with such consequences and to let these bold men understand that God is equal his ways equal and admirably corresponding with those notions of truth so much distast them only they are ignorant and do not rightly judg concerning a righteous God The second Error is more common The judging of the love and hatred of God from his Providential dispensations to us Hence are our temptations to call the proud happy to bless them whom the Lord hath cursed and because they are rich and prosper and as to our selves to charge God foolishly as if either he did not deal justly or kindly with us because we are tempted or afflicted more than others or because we are devoured by wicked men I have Madam attempted to remove these stumbling blocks out of the ways of Gods people and to reconcile both these motions of Providence and all its motions in the dispensations both of first and further grace to his Wisdom Goodness and Holiness and to our reason as also to reconcile Gods Providential permissions of sin and sinners his punishment of one sin with another to the purity and holiness of God and to deliver Gods Providential dispensations of this nature from the usual and ignorant imputation that this is to make God the author of sin what I have done of this nature I leave to your Ladiship and every sober Reader to judg The whole Madam was composed for popular discourses Those that dwell in Kings houses may be allowed perhaps to cloth their Discourses in the soft raiment of fine and delicate words It was not so fit for me who was to speak of great things to a plain people and whose design was that of S. Paul not to have the faith of those to whom I spake stand tottering upon the wisdom of men which varieth much in individuals but in the power of God I am far from thinking these Discourses perfect in any part of them I have laid the foundation God raise up wise and master-builders to superstruct If I mistake not the foundation I have laid is not upon the sand and uncertain bottom of humane reason but upon the
men are subdued under them by him that they have wisdom to make Laws and liberty to execute them that men in their dominions are disposed into their several orders ranks and stations so as mutually to serve one another and to uphold the whole Oh that Subjects would praise the Lord for his goodness that they have wise Magistrates good Laws that their lives are not Sacrificed to murtherers that their houses are not fired that their Wives and Virgins are not ravished that they are disposed to Trades and Occupations that they have wisdom for them a spirit to them Let every Citizen every Subject see and acknowledg the hand of the Lord in these things and bless his holy name But lastly Let the Redeemed of the Lord particularly Vse 3 see and acknowledg the Providence of God in the preserving of them in their spiritual capacities Were it not for the preserving Providence of God our spiritual life would be extinguished every moment God preserveth it by repeating his Gracious Acts in the remission of our sins in the imputation of Christs righteousness Our habits of grace would weaken we aâ—â— preserved and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation It is a great mercy and deserves a great acknowledgment that we have our lives preserved our estates preserved our wives and daughters preserved But oh how much greater is it that we have our state of Justification maintained Our principles of Spiritual Operations our habits of Grace our power to repent believe love God preserved that the influences of Grace are continued that we have the Word and Ordinances preserved Let the redeemed of the Lord say his mercy endureth for ever let them adore preserving-Providence let them consider what a subtil adversary they have Who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour What abundance of lusts and corruptions they have in their own hearts what a law in their members warring against the law of their minds and they will say that the seed of God which is in them is wonderfully preserved But thus much may serve to have spoken of the first great act of Providence which I called Preservation My next work is to speak concerning Government SERMON VIII Psal CIII 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all I AM as you know discoursing concerning the Principal Acts of Actual Providence which I told you were two 1. Preservation 2. Government All things were at first created by a Divine word of Power all things are preserved by a Divine Power He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power saith the Apostle This I have done with but Gods actual Providence doth not extend only to the upholding and the preserving of all his creatures but he governeth them also Preservation respecteth their several beings and capacities Government respecteth their motions and actions For a Discourse upon this I have made choice of this Text and chusing it with that design only I do not take my self so much concerned to enquire into its relation to what went before or followeth I shall only consider it in it self and so it giveth you an account 1. Of the Royal Seat of the Divine residence or place where God more gloriously manifests that Presence which yet filleth Heaven and Earth He hath saith the Psalmist his throne prepared in the heavens 2. The vastness of his Imperial royal influence and dominion His Kingdom saith the Text ruleth over all I shall not meddle with the first part it is the second only which I have to do with The Proposition shortly is this Prop. That he whose Throne is in Heaven governeth the whole Creation The Scripture speaketh plentifully to this point of Gods Universal dominion 1 Chron. 16.31 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoyce and let men say amongst the Heathen The Lord reigneth Psalm 96.10 Say amongst the heathen the Lord reigneth Psalm 93.1 The Lord reigneth he is clothed with Majesty c. Psalm 97.1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce Psalm 99.1 The Lord reigneth let the people tremble An Heathen Prince acknowledgeth it Dan. 4.3 34. But not to multiply Texts Reason will evince it every Superiour being hath a kind of natural right to rule over those that are inferiour to it and God being the Supreme Being and the Creator of all other beings too hath a natural right to extend a Kingdom and Dominion over all and that not only as he is Superior to them and greater than they are but also as he is the efficient cause of all the Creator of all things But to speak more particularly we will enquire 1. What Government is 2. What are the Objects of this vniversal Government and Dominion which the Proposition ascribeth unto God 3. What are those special acts by which God exerciseth this Dominion and Government Government implieth three things 1. The fixing of some ends 2. A power invested in some one or more persons upon others ordering and directing them in order to that end 3. The exercise of this Power The end of Government amongst men is usually the peace quiet and settlement of a place Gods End is his own glory He hath made all things for himself and he doth all things for himself for the fulfilling of his own Counsels and Will in order to the glorifying of his holy Name The Apostle saith Of him and for him are all things 2. Secondly Government implieth a power invested in one or more persons in order to an end Now that God hath such a power none can deny and acknowledg him to be God Once have I spoken yea twice have I heard it saith the Psalmist that power belongeth unto God He who confesseth God to be almighty and able to do whatsoever he pleaseth must own him to have a power sufficient for an Universal Government If we take Power for Authority i. e. a Right to exercise a power over such and such objects that also God hath by the very law of Nature Hath not the potter a power over the clay and is not the creature the clay and God the potter 3. But thirdly Government implieth yet something more viz. an actual exercise of this power and indeed this is the main Actual Government is the exercise of a power wherewith a person or persons are invested over some persons or things in order to some wise ends But let me come to the second Question viz. Quest What are the particular Objects of this Divine providential Government The Text saith His Kingdom ruleth over all I think that term all is to be expounded by three general heads 1. The beings and existences of his creatures 2. The motions and actions of his creatures 3. The omissions and obliquities of his creatures all these as I shall shew you fall under the government of Providence 1. The Beings and existences of his creatures the production and cessation of them the giving of them Being belongs to Creation
Providence calleth to us for and sheweth us the reasonableness of is Prayer We have reason in our distresses to seek unto God by Prayer because the Lord reigneth and it is an encouragement to us to seek him because he reigneth Whither should we go but unto him who hath power to help save and deliver Prayer therefore hath in all times of distress been the Refuge of Gods people It was a sad time with David Psalm 109.4 The mouth of the wicked and of the deceitful saith he v. 2 3. are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue They compass me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause for my love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto Prayer v. 4. Luther when he was in any strait was wont to say I will go and tell my God of it Prayer hath been the constant mean which the people of God have used for rescue out of any troubles You see it is upon a good foundation viz. The Dominion which God hath over all and his daily exercise of it 3. It calleth to you for praise and thanksgiving Prayer solliciteth for a mercy when we want it Praise acknowledgeth the gift when received and giveth unto God the glory of it Nor can it without robbery be paid at any other than Gods Altar Is there any good done by thee Let God have the glory of that thou hast done it by vertue of a power or gift which is given to thee from above yea and it is from his Governing-Power of Providence ruling directing and influencing thy heart to it His Kingdom is over our hearts our hands our tongues inclining them to every good thought word action without him we can do nothing Doth any good come unto thee Let God also have the glory of that The earthly Prince looketh that you should acknowledg your peace your trade to his Government but he is but the instrument of God in bringing these things It is the Kingdom of the Lord that ruleth over all he gives thee power to get riches saith Moses I am sure the people of God have more special reason to acknowledg God in all their peace and prosperity They are men of peace their hands are against none but the world hates them they are as sheep amongst wolves if they have any months or years of peace they are beholden to the power and ruling of God for it Is any evil kept from you It is God that doth it he that ruleth the raging of the Sea he stilleth the tumults of the people he hath the hearts of Kings in his hand and turneth them as the Waters of the South It is because the Mountain of the Lord is full of Chariots and Horses that they are not swallowed up by their Enemies every moment O see and praise the Lord for the Governance of his Providence 4. This Doctrine calleth to you for patience in adversity The people of God are subjected to trials of adversity yea â—o fiery trials as well as other men yea in greater degrees than others hence the Apostle calleth to them to let patience have its perfect work Patience is nothing else but a quiet submission to the will of God under any adverse dispensation of his Providence in obedience to his command and because it is his will and he layeth it upon us we have need of patience and the exercise of it is our duty and this Doctrine will shew you that it is but a reasonable duty Let me shew it you in two or three particulars 1. As it showeth you that all your afflictions be they of what sort and kind they will are from the Lord Job 5.6 Afflictions cometh not out of the dust nor doth trouble spring out of the ground Is there saith God by the Prophet any evil in the City and I have not done it Affliction comes not by chance or fate it comes from God and is the wise issue of his Providence in the Government of the World we have therefore no reason to fret and vex our selves against instruments They are but instruments Perhaps said David of Shimei God hath bidden him curse They possibly do ill and at last will know it but God is righteous in their unrighteousness I held my peace saith David I knew it was thy doing It is the Lord saith that good man let him do what seemeth him good 2. As it assureth us that all things shall work together for good to them that love God If God ruleth and governeth the world he certainly doth it for himself and for his own glory which glory of his being the highest design of his people all things must necessarily tend to their good to that which they above all things desire and seek after This God who ruleth the World is his peoples father and doth what-ever he doth as a father for the good and advantage of his children 3. Lastly It is a good Argument of patience As it letteth them know that their afflictions are ordered and governed by God The Afflictions Oppressions Persecutions of the people of God are not things excepted out of the Dominion of God It was you know the Centurions faith That diseases were to Christ as his servants were to him He said to one go and he went to another come and he came and to another do this and he did it So God speaketh to diseases and not to diseases only but to all sorts of afflictions Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it God first causeth then ruleth and governeth all our troubles afflictions and trials Fifthly This Doctrine calleth to all the people of God for love to him This is the Psalmists Exhortation and upon this very Argument Psal 31.23 O Love you the Lord all you his Saints for he preserveth his Saints and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer All the earth is bound to love the Lord for the exercise of his Governing-power If the Lord did not reign the worst of men would quickly find the ill effects of it they need no worse enemies than their own brethren and companions in wickedness did the Lord lay the reins upon the necks of their lusts and suffer them as they would to devour one another For as we see the ravenous Birds Fishes and Beasts do not only prey upon other but their own species so were it not for the Restraining-Providence of God in governing the world the wicked of it would see their brethren in iniquity not only preying upon the Saints and people of God but also upon those like unto themselves if lesser than themselves But I say above all the people of God as being the least flock are more especially bound to love the Lord for the Government of his Providence but this will more eminently appear when I come to discourse concerning the Specialties of his Providence with reference to them 6. Lastly This Doctrine calleth unto all for a willing
upon you to honour God more than others God hath done infinitely more for you than for Heathens Now what a shame it is that an Heathen should out-doe you in any thing yet give me leave to tell you that while you only do some actions that are materially good not formally and truly many Heathens have done as much as you An Heathen may do and many of them have done and that with some good intention actions materially good that is such things as God commanded Many of them have been eminent instances of moral vertue Justice charity temperance liberality c. many of them have professed to love vertue for the sake of vertue Wherein can you excel them but by doing actions which are formally good designing Gods glory acting in obedience to Gods will regulating your selves as to the manner by Gods word you have the word the Gospel of God oh how reasonable it is that our conversation should be as becomes the Gospel of Christ The Heathen else that lives up to his light of nature out-does us and it will as our Saviour tells us be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for us 3. But Lastly Let the Saints of God see what an obligation to all manner of duty and holiness lies upon their souls they are the most special objects of special Providence God takes more care for all men than for Oxen or for the grass of the field he exerciseth a more special Providence for that body of people which make up his visible Church than for all the earth besides but yet what is that special Providence which God exerciseth for meer formal professors or for any other men in the world in comparison of what they have experienced Any thing of more special distinguishing Grace is a great Specialty of Providence and that in the best and highest sort of good things viz. those which concern the salvation of the Soul Oh what doth God expect what doth God require from you what should you do more than others More particularly This Doctrine of special Providence calls to you 1. For more extraordinary degrees of Love 2. For more special acts of Faith 1. For more eminent degrees of Love Psal 31.23 O Love you the Lord all you his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer Reason argueth thus with us that the reciprocations of our love ought to bear proportion to love received If saith our Saviour you love them that love you what reward have you the law of nature commandeth us to love and by actions of kindness and duty to express our love to them who have expressed their kindness to us and the same reason requires the reciprocations of love to be proportionable God therefore declaring especial love to you you are bounden in a special duty to him Let our Saviours question be often in your thoughts What do you do more than others If you for whom God hath sent his Son to dye and into whose hearts he hath sent his Spirit the Spirit of Adoption Supplication Consolation and whom the Lord hath from the womb watched over and preserved by a more special peculiar Providence bearing you as upon Eagles Wings and gathering you as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings I say If you do no more for God than others do not under such influences nor such Providences you must certainly act beneath and short of your duty This dependeth upon what I told you before of the reasonableness of the reciprocations of love in some commensurate proportions 2. It calleth to them who fear God for special exercises of faith you have reason more to trust and depend upon God than others because God hath declared a more special care and Providence for you The ground of all faith is the word and promise of God Now special promises call for a more special and peculiar faith What though another man cannot trust God contrary to a sensible or reasonable appearance yet you have reason to do it because God hath declared more his care for you and the workings of his Providence for your preservation and deliverance than for others God hath promised to save defend and deliver you not after the workings of his ordinary Providence You may therefore say with David The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear He is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psalm 27.1.3 Though an Host should encamp against me my heart should not fear though war should rise against me in this I will be confident But thus much shall serve to have discoursed concerning the Specialties of Divine Providence SERMONS XII XIII Rom XI 33. O the depth both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out I Have finished my Discourse concerning the principal Acts of Divine Providence both generally and specially I have discoursed concerning Gods general Acts in preserving and governing all his creatures and concerning God's more special preserving and governing of some creatures I am now come to discourse concerning the Methods of it concerning which we must cry out with this great Apostle O the depth both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out My Text is the conclusion of an exceeding deep discourse which the Apostle had made concerning the Rejection of the Jews which he proves to be neither Total nor final In the ten first verses he proveth that it is not Total V. 2 God did not cast off his people whom he did foreknow V. 5 There is a remnant according to Election As it was in Elias's time he thought and complain'd that he was left alone and they sought his life also but he was mistaken God at that time had seven thousand in Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal V. 7 He saith The Election had obtained though some though the most of them were rejected yet the Elect amongst them were not rejected and this he proveth to have been but according to what was prophesied V. 11 He proveth that this Rejection should not be final There should be a fulness of them V. 12. Receiving of them V. 15. They should be again grafted in V. 23 24. It is but V. 25. till the fulness of the Gentiles should come and then all â—srael should be saved This Discourse is mixed with several arguments to prove the assertion and with several reflections upon the Gentiles whose present state was better than theirs shewing them their duty negatively and positively not to be high-minded but humble To fear c. Now look as a man wading in deep waters when he finds the water go over his head and trip up his heels he cries out O I shall be drowned and endeavours to get back again So doth the blessed Apostle he had been wading into the great deeps of Gods counsels and ways
unsearchable are the ways of God in them How strangely are we every day mistaken in what we judged the design and tendency of many motions of Providence proving in the issue quite contrary to what we expected 3. A third unsearchable thing in Divine Providence is the track of it Necessary causes and such Natural causes are have a certain track you may follow the prints of their feet Moral and voluntary causes have not such a certain track moving not like Machines but as influenced from the will of man but yet there is something of ordinary certainty in them Reason in all men and in men of several ages is much a kin whence that certainty doth arise as well as from the finiteness of mens wisdom and understanding But here God is unsearchable he doth not always do the same things the same ways sometimes by humane means sometimes without means sometimes by improbable means sometimes adding by a preternatural power to natural causes sometimes by suspending their acts sometimes by over-ruling their motions and workings all in infinite variety so as his ways are like the ways of a Ship in the sea an Eagle in the air a Serpent upon a Rock you can track them in none of their ways By Faith we know that God will deliver his people but how and by what means or when we know not Sometimes prosperity shall slay the fool sometimes he shall perish by adversity sometimes the Sinner shall be cut off in the middle of his days sometimes he shall live to an extream old age men keep a path and a track in their motions but God keepeth none Naaman did ill when he came to the God of Israel to be healed of his Leprosie to be prescribing to him so much as in his thoughts thinking that the Prophet must needs come down and stroke the sore c. Gods way or method of Providence in bringing about the effects of his counsels and purposes is unsearchable 4. A fourth thing which in the motions of Divine Providence is unsearchable is the indications of it Solomon telleth us that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of the Lord Eccles 9.1 2. Unto all men there is one event both to the righteous and to the wicked No man can know either love or hatred by all that is before him in this life Esau is rejected yet he hath the mountains of Edom given him for his portion and the seed of Jacob must not dispossess him Jacob is beloved yet must he fly to Padan Aram endure the extremities of weather to feed his Uncles flocks c. and when he cometh away he must once and again run the hazard of his life No man can expound the Providences of God unto any to make them indications of Gods love or hatred Israel is the people beloved of the Lord yet they must serve an hard servitude in Egypt then forty years together by travelling through a desolate and howling Wilderness Dives is rich cloathed with purple and fareth deliciously every day yet when he dyeth goeth to Hell Lazarus is a poor beggar at his gates cloathed with rags abounding with sores yet when he dies is by Angels carried to Abraham's bosom Abraham and Lot and David and Joseph of Arimathea all rich men yet very good and heirs of the Kingdom of God Others very poor yet every-whit as poor spiritually and miserable as to their spiritual estate as they are in respect to their outward condition Grateful Providences speak the appearing love of God to us and oblige us to thankfulness but they do not speak special distinguishing love Adverse Providences appear as the frowns of God upon us yet may be but the chastenings of an indulgent father who chasteneth whom he loveth and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth Hell begins with some in this life their life is but a life of misery and leadeth into that misery which shall never have an end sometimes men in the enjoyments of this life are lifted up to Heaven but it is ut lapsu graviore ruant that their fall may be the greater into the pit prepared for them The Indications of Divine Providence are altogether unsearchable No man can know love or hatred by any thing which is before him in this life 5. A fifth unsearchable thing in Divine Providence is the causes of them There is infinite wisdom and reason in all the dispensations of Providence In wisdom hath the Lord done and made whatsoever he hath done but this wisdom of God as to all his works of Providence is not always evident to us It is one of those things which Divines say we shall more perfectly understand at the day of Judgment and in another life than we yet do how wisely the infinite wise God hath managed the Government of the World We are oft-times startled and troubled and amazed to see the works of God in the World and at loss to compound them with the declarations of his love to his people and the great number of promises made to them What Christ said to Peter We may apply here what God is doing we do not know here but we shall know hereafter We cannot tell the reason of a thousand dispensations of God to his Church and people here but we shall know them hereafter Sometimes we know much of them in this life but what we do not know in this life we shall know in the day when all hidden things shall be made manifest and all the works as well as all the Saints of God shall praise him 6. Lastly The windings of Providence are unsearchable It is with the Providence of God as it is with a man of business that is riding to London that is his utmost journey but he doth not like a Post keep his road but rides out this way and that way to speak with this and that man as his business leadeth him The Providence of God drives at the securing of his Church the destruction of his Enemies the promoving of Gods glory c. But it carrieth on many designs together possibly the chastising of his people for their sins the suffering of the Amorites to make up their measure so it winds in its motions and the reason of the variety of its windings and turnings we do not understand But this is much co incident with what I told you before concerning the tracks of Divine Providence that they are past finding out I come therefore now to the Application I shall there only shew you the usefulness of this point 1. To check curiosity 2. To direct you in spiritual duty In the first place Vse 1 Let this check that curiosity which so much infecteth humane nature and to which the wiser part of men are mostly too subject It was the complaint long since of an acute Author Iste labor vexat homines ut plus Deum laborent intelligere quam diligere malumus vestigando laborare quam amando reperire malumus inquirere
up the Church are more peculiar and special objects of Providence than all others in the World 3. Amongst them such as fear and love God in sincerity are yet the more peculiar objects of Divine Providence and which God hath a most peculiar regard unto which maketh a cogent argument to prove That supposing the glory of God to be the great end of all his providential Dispensations that the Providence of God must most eminently work for the good of these as being such who most eminently serve the great end of his Glory So as he who observeth the motions of it must needs by them understand the loving-kindness of the Lord towards them Secondly The mercy and truth of Gods ways towards them that fear him are not to be read in the surface of present Providences The dark side of the cloud is sometimes towards the Israel of God and at such a time it must be by Faith that we understand that the ways all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth toward his own people Who could read the loving-kindness of the Lord towards Israel while they were in Egypt serving at the Brick-kilns and under their great oppression there but he who observed the Providence of God thus working to make them willing to go out and take possession of the promised Land he might understand this It is not every motion of Providence but the issues of it that demonstrate all the ways of the Lord to be mercy and truth and this evinceth to us that an observation of the motions of Divine Providence yea and a wist and diligent and continuing observation of them also is necessary to make us understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. I come now to the Application of what you have heard upon this Argument This in the first place sheweth us one great reason of that ignorance which is in men both concerning God and concernng their own duty Men know little of God and little how to govern their actions according to any degree of Christian prudence As ignorance of and unbelief in the Word of God is one great cause so their not observing the motions of Divine Providence which have been in the World is another no small cause of it Men are much ignorant of God indeed there is but little of the knowledg of God in the World especially that knowledg which floateth not only in the brain but influenceth the heart and affections and men know little how to govern their actions by any spiritual wisdom but live directly contrary to what they own and pretend to as their highest end And we understand as little of the loving-kindness of the Lord I say one great cause of this is mens not observing the workings and motions of Providence They pass before their eyes every day but they observe them not Non tantum oculis intueri sed animum ad hanc considerationem ita exuscitare ut meliores inde evadamus To observe signifieth not only with our eyes to behold it but so to stir up our minds to the consideration of a thing that we may grow the better by it saith a grave Author Now in this Notion of it how few are they that observe these things they see stupendious Providences sometimes in the destruction of the Churches Enemies for the salvation of his people it may be at first they as all new things do affect men with a little passion according to the nature of them but they are like a flash of lightning which though at present it startles us yet the impression is presently off our spirits and I say this is one great reason why we are so ignorant of God so unskilful in the government of our lives to his ends and that we understand so little of his loving-kindness Hence it is that we cannot understand how much good God doth his Church and people by afflictions and trials They are the sensible frowns of Providence which blind our eyes that we cannot see the loving-kindness of God in all his ways We think sometimes we see God driving his Chariot in a direct road to his great ends the glory of his holy Name and the good and protection of such as fear him here we think we can easily discern Gods Wisdom and as easily understand his loving-kindness But now when the Lord drives his Chariot out of our sight and exerciseth his Church or the particular souls of his people with long and tedious Afflictions here we are at a loss and can neither read the wisdom nor loving-kindness of God But what is the reason of this but only our superficial view of Gods Providences without a wist and diligent observation of them If we would but bend our minds to observe what a wholsom influence Afflictions and adverse Providences have ordinarily both upon vvhole Churches and upon particular Christians we should even in them easily understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. The Husbandman can easily understand that he could as ill want the frosts and snows of Winter as the warmth heat and sun-shine of the Summer Gideon taught the men of Succoth with briars and thorns and God ordinarily doth so teach his people Blessed is he saith the Psalmist whom thou chastenest and teachest out of thy Law David tells us Psalm 119.61 that before he was afflicted he went astray but since that he had learned to keep the statutes of the Lord. It was an old saying The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church The Church is bettered and the Soul is bettered by adverse Providences That Text Isa 27.9 is very remarkable By this that is by this severe affliction by this captivity shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and all the fruit shall be to take away sin when the Lord shall make the stones of the altar as chalk stones that crumble in pieces the groves and the images shall not stand up As an hard Winter keepeth under and killeth the weeds so the winter of Affliction much helps to the purging out of corruptions both out of the Church and also out of the particular Soul Augustine as I remember somewhere lamenteth That a Fever had done more with him to subdue and mortifie a lust than before the love of God could do with him Now I say our not observing this which is matter of no difficult observation to him that wistly eyeth Divine Providence is one great reason that men do not understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Another reason of mens not understanding it is their making of a judgment of Gods works before they are perfect If any of us should go into a Limners shop and see his first draught of a lovely picture we should discern little loveliness in it which yet we should easily discern if we would but stay until he had finished his work and laid on his life-colours It is the same case with us as to works of Divine Providence we look on them while the Lords work is yet upon the
wheel we see nothing in it that resembleth God the great workman we see in it nothing of the Divine Wisdom possibly nothing of the divine goodness and loving-kindness but could we have patience till the Lords work came off the wheel we should easily see it in quite another representation we often see in Gods works of Providence nothing but confusion and blood and trouble and multiplied troubles and disturbances to those who most fear him and desire to walk most closely with him But in the evening of that day saith the Prophet Zech. 14.6 it shall be light The day neither light nor dark but in the Evening it shall be light Gods peoples days sometimes are plainly darkness thick darkness but would we have patience to the evening of them we should see light The Evening is the close and making up of the day When God cometh to close up his days work did we but observe Divine Providence we should easily understand that it would be light Sorrow may be for a night but joy shall be in the morning So as I say again This is one great reason why at all times we cannot understand the loving-kindness of the Lord to his Church and his people because we do not observe the motions of Divine Providence but take only a slight and superficial view of them I shall conclude this Discourse with an Exhortation to the duty of the Text The observation of the motions of Divine Providence Vse 2 In my last discourse I discovered to you some unsearchable things in Divine Providence and cautioned you against too curious an Enquiry into them My business now is to call upon you non caecutire in revelatis not to be blind as to those things which God hath revealed This also is your duty as well as the other by the former you acquit your selves from an unwarrantable curiosity by this from a wretched unthankfulness The Providence of God is daily working in order to the fulfilling of Gods great end the glorifying of his great and holy Name the establishing of his people c. 1. Do not rest in a meer view of what is done in the World but fix your eyes upon it Lay up the things in your heart let your thoughts dwell upon them the remarkable passages of them especially You see and hear of Wars and rumours of Wars inundations fires changes and over-turning in Nations of powers and Dominions you at present understand not the tendencies and indications of them you cannot make up a judgment of them and prophecy what will and shall be from them but yet observe them lay up these things in your minds yea and let them not pass out of your minds as we are to hear for the time to come so we are to behold and observe the motions of Providence with a respect unto a time to come too Do not think you can expound every Providence presently the vision oft-times is for an appointed time and is to be expounded by time in the mean time only to be diligently marked and observed taken notice of as a great work of God the meaning of which we shall understand hereafter Divines say That the meaning of many Providences and our clear understanding of them is one of those things wherein our knowledg shall be bettered and perfected in the day of Judgment and till that time when the hidden things of God as well as of men shall be made manifest we must be content to know but in part 2. Do not secondly observe meer single acts of Divine Providence but let your Eye follow it in its motions God sometimes hath his works a long time upon the wheel especially those relating to his Church I will give you two famous instances 1. The establishing of his ancient Church of the Jews in Canaan The promise was out for it Gen. 12 to Abraham it was more than five hundred years before this work was off the wheel of Providence four hundred years before they went out of Egypt where they were in bondage forty years they travelled in the wilderness then during all the time of the Judges yea and in Sauls time too they were but in a very unquiet condition In David and Solomon's time they came to a setled estate in the promised Land There was a Promise given out unto Christ for having the ends of the earth for his possession David mentioneth it Isaiah prophesieth much of it After this Christ comes was crucified c. And it was three hundred years after this before these Promises had any considerable accomplishment Indeed as to particular persons their beings are of shorter duration and the Providence of God brings about the promises to them in much shorter periods or they could see nothing of Gods loving-kindnesses in the issues or contextures of them but take heed there of resting your Eye upon the observations of some single acts of providence relating to them those who should thus have observed the motions of Providence with reference to Abraham Jacob Joseph David Daniel Job would have seen little of that loving-kindness of the Lord to them which yet is evident enough to all that keep their Eye upon their story to the winding up of their bottoms Now to this observation of Providence you have two great Arguments in the Text 1. It is an Indication of spiritual Wisdom A wise man looketh not only at present things but at things past and yet to come Now Wisdom is a lovely thing It is justified of her children saith our Saviour Every man desireth the reputation of a wise man and studiously avoideth the reproach of a fool Two things speak a fool 1. To observe and mind nothing Or 2dly Meerly to take notice of things present and gather conclusions from them 2. Thus you shall understand the loving-kindness of God Then you will see that all the paths of God towards his Church are mercy and truth Truth not a word failing of the promise and mercy working for the good of them that love God yea thus you that fear the Lord shall understand the loving-kindness and truth of God to your particular souls A thing the evidence of which is and ought to be of more value to you than the whole World I will conclude my Discourse by giving you three Cautions to direct your observation 1. Observe the Providence of God when it seemeth to move contrary to his Word but never determine the Indication of it without the Word Indeed the Providence of God never moveth contrary to the Word it is always a servant to some Declaration of the will of God in some promise or threatning but it often seemeth to us to move contrary which made the Psalmist cry out Doth the promise fail for evermore The reason of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that deceiveth us is our imperfect knowledg or understanding of the Word of God and non-acquaintance with the Counsels of God and contrivances of his Wisdom and the variety of those
the more eminent sins which you read of in Scripture thus punished are 1. Corruption in the worship of God and especially Idolatry which is the highest sin in that kind This is verified in the instance of the punishment for the Calf made by Aaron at the importunity of the people Exod. 32. and in all the cases of the Kings of Israel before mentioned Princes were punished for it not only personally but in their families and the people too for willingly walking after the commandment The worship of God is a very tender thing and God more severely punisheth no sin than he doth corruptions in that 2. Blood Cruelty and Oppression and especially the blood of righteous men God Numb 35. commands that no satisfaction should be taken for the life of the murderer he tells us there blood polluteth a land and so as that it cannot be cleansed but by the blood of him that shed it This was the case of Saul he had shed the blood of the Gibeonites for this vengeance came in a famine upon all Israel and particularly upon his family This was the case of Ahab also he had shed the blood of Naboth and of the Lords Prophets This was the case of the Jews That saith our Saviour upon you may come all the righteous blood shed from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah and the blood of Christ by them shed lieth upon that whole people unto this day But secondly How far may this Vengeance extend 1. I answer Not to the inward man The spiritual or eternal punishment of any man consisteth of two Essential parts the soul and the body both these are capable of punishment both in this life and that which is to come hence ariseth the distinction of punishment into that which is Corporal and that which is Spiritual that which is Temporal and that which is Eternal Now I do not think that God punisheth the souls of succeeding generations not going on in the same or equal sins for the sins of a preceeding generation or the souls of correlates for the sins of their Relations In this sense I take that Text Ezech. 18.4 The soul that sinneth shall dye the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father nor the father the iniquity of the child As also that Jer. 31.29 They shall not use this Proverb The Fathers have eaten sour grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge but every one shall dye for his own sin but whether that be the strict sense of those Texts or no I will not dispute this seemeth to me a sufficient reason for this determination Because the soul of the child is no part of the parent All souls are Gods and derive immediately from him One thing which is said by Divines in maintenance of the justice of God in this dispensation is this That children are the goods of their parents and parts of them flesh of their flesh but it cannot be said so of their souls Hence it followeth that none for the sins of their Parents or Correlates is given up to hardness of heart reprobacy of mind or vile-affections nor to any other spiritual wickedness nor shall any perish eternally for the sins of others 2. For punishments of this life they may extend to the third and fourth generation even upon those who do not tread in the steps of their fore fathers nor approve their sayings You know the words of the second Commandment visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of those that hate me There are that think that those later words are a limitation upon the former and that God only threatens vengeance to the third and fourth generations in case those two generations go on to hate God and thus the Caldee Paraphrast glosseth but this will not agree with the Hebrew I desire you to observe 1. Those that hate him in that Commandment are opposed to them that love him in the same Commandment so that if the threatning be to be limited only to those children who persist in the hatred of God the promise also must be expounded only of those thousands that love God and it would rather have been that he would shew mercy to the third and fourth generation of those that love God 2. Again What had there been extraordinary in the commination God will most certainly punish them that hate him for their personal hatred of him certainly God brings it as a further argument to deter men from sin that he would not only revenge their sins upon them but upon their posterity 3. This vengeance is not so necessary or certain but that by the repentance and humiliation of a present generation though it will at last most certainly come it may be deferred The threatning against Ahab and his posterity was 1 Kings 21.22 23. Ahab was a little smitten upon it God promiseth to defer it but tells him it should come in his sons days v. 29. Ahaziah succeedeth him and dyed by a fall Jehoram or Joram succeedeth him then it began to work Jehu slayeth him and also all the family of Ahab God threatned Jeroboam but because there was good found in his young son Abijam it fell not on him 1 Kings 14.7 8 9 16. but in his Grand-childs time it came Hezekiah was thus threatned for shewing the hid treasures to the King of Babylons servants 2 Kings 20.17 Josiah was his Grand-child the third generation from Hezekiah he humbled himself and God yet deferred it Thus we find vengeance of this nature coming on Jeroboam in the second generation upon Ahab in the third upon Hezekiah in the fifth or sixth generation We find this vengeance taken off from Abijam by some good thing found in him put off in Ahabs time by his though hypocritical humiliation by Josiahs real humiliation 4. Lastly When a generation goes on and continues in their Fathers sins we find vengeance following them to many generations In that case saith God I will not keep silence but will recompence your iniquities and the iniquities of your Fathers together who have burnt incense upon the mountains and blasphemed me upon the hills therefore will I measure their former work into their bosome Isaiah 65.6 7. This was the case of the Jews Matth. 23.35 They continued shedding the blood of Prophets and righteous men and added to it the blood of Christ and they continued still in their blasphemies against Christ They are not in a state indeed to execute their malice against Christ and his Gospel but their hatred and blasphemy continueth and the vengeance of God to this day continueth upon them and God is this day visiting upon them their iniquities and the iniquities of their Fathers together And thus much may serve to have spoken concerning the extent of this vengeance I have but one thing more to do before I come to the practical application of this observation that is to reconcile this motion of Divine Providence to
pass in a natural order and by natural ways and means suffering poor sinful wretches to walk in their own ways and then penally producing the effects the natural and proper effects of such courses and giving them the fruit of their own doings filling them with their own ways and with that calamity and misery which they like foolish people have pulled down upon their own heads and could reasonably expect no other issue than what they meet with Vse 3. In the last place how doth this call upon all men after the example of holy David to make the word of God a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their paths Not to be conformed to the world but transformed through the renewing of their minds that they may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 You remember I reduced the whole will of God concerning us to three heads indeed two comprehend all 1. Piety towards God 2. Probity or honesty of conversation before men now that last comprehendeth all acts of justice and charity or kindness and Brotherly love 1. Let Magistrates command their Subjects Masters of Families command their Eamilies the fear of the Lord and set examples of Religion before them let them give people liberty to serve and worship God and exhort and encourage them to do so Let them restrain irreligion and prophaneness observe if those Nations those Towns and Cities those Families do not most thrive amongst whom God is most strictly served and worshipped if in those places where there is least of Religion there be not also most beggery and poverty like an armed man rushing in upon them Hark what Solomon saith Prov. 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding v. 16. Length of days is in her right hand and in her left riches and honour 2. Let every one maintain justice and judgement giving to every one their due according to the capacities in which they are Magistrates truly dispense distributive justice giving out rewards to good men and inflicting punishments upon evil men according to their merits discountenancing all violence and oppression all luxury and intemperance in short all manner of sin and debauchery Let private persons give their due to their Superiors their Inferiors and Equals for what is that which God requires but to deal justly Let them be just in their dealigns one with another not cozening and cheating and defrauding one another 3. Finally Let all men according to the Apostles exhortation study to be quiet to forbear biting and devouring one another and indeavour to live peaceably and at unity following peace with all men and doing what good offices lie in their power each to another according to the command of God All these things now have promises of spiritual blessings and eternal happiness of a life to come but if that be too far off for men who have not faith to be affected with and moved by there are you see other promises to incourage these things even promises of sensible goods length of days riches and honor and whatsoever our sensitive appetite desireth and calleth good as grateful and acceptable to it Mal. 3.10 Bring you saith God all the tythes into the Storehouse that there may be meat in my House and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts If I will not open unto you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room to receive it and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of the ground neither shall the vine cast her fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord of hosts The Prophet there mentioneth but one thing not robbing God of his tythes but certainly it is to be understood synecdochically We may certainly by warrant of that Text speak to all people all families all persons Worship God set up the practice of Religion in all your Societies do justly study peace and amity one with another and try God herewith if he will not open to you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it We complain that poverty is breaking in upon us like an armed man Trade faileth Estates waste men every-where come to beggery We must lay all the fault upon our selves God is not altered in the course of his Providence the change is in us The world as to matters of justice is grown but one great cheat every one studies by violence to oppress his neighbour the greater devours the less like the fish in the Sea men in their Trades and dealings do but study to circumvent one another and to go beyond them in buyings and sellings and bargains and exchanges Men are grown generally like Ishmaelites every mans tongue and hand is against his Brother and his Brother's is against him again God never commanded a blessing upon any part of the world that was of such a complexion Let me conclude all with the Apostles words 1 Pet. 3.10 11 12. He hath been perswading in that Chapter the relative duties of Wives and Husbands in the seven first verses vers 8. he speaks more generally Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing c. Now mark the Argument he useth vers 10. For he that will love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil And this is demonstrated by the frowns of his Providence upon them The Apostle takes this out of Psal 34. So that you see it is the Doctrine of both Testaments and what you shall observe God confirming every day in the issues of his Providence daily fulfilling his word But I shall add no more upon this Observation and also here shut up my discourses upon the Observanda Providentiae And hereafter pass on to the last part of my intended Discourse concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the difficult things of Divine Providence in the motions of which it is true which the Apostle saith of Pauls Epistles there are many hard things difficult to be understood which ignorant and unstable persons are very prone to wrest to their own destruction to prevent which God willing I shall attempt something in my succeeding Discourses upon this Argument A DISCOURSE Concerning DIVINE PROVIDENCE PART III. Goncerning the difficult things of Divine Providence Galat. III. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe I Am now come to the last part of my
grace which bring glory to God if God should not sometimes suffer his own people to fall all the revenue of his glory from these exercises would be lost 5. Again hath God any glory from any more external Acts of Worship and Homage which we perform unto him from our Prayers Praises from our hearing his word receiving the Sacrament Prayer is made up of Confession of Sin and Supplications for pardon of Sin and strength against Sin Confession of Sin gives glory to God my Son saith Joshuah to Achan confess and give glory to God Supplication for good things gives God glory as it owns him to be the Fountain of all good and our whole dependance to be upon him It is true had Sin never entred into the World our daily dependence upon God would have evinced Prayer to have been our daily and a natural homage which derived inferiour beings do owe unto the first being But there would have been no need of Prayer either for the pardon of Sin or for strength against Sin For Praise that also is a piece of Homage which Adam would have owed unto God if he had stood in his first integrity and state of Innocency and the Angels of God who never fell are continually occupied in singing the praises of God But the praises of God both by his Saints upon the Earth and by his glorified Saints are highly advantaged by the forgiveness of their Sins and their having their garments washed in the blood of the Lamb. Now if no sin were committed in the World none would be remitted and forgiven and all the glory which the God of Heaven hath from his Saints on Earth or in Heaven for the free forgiveness of their Sins would have been lost Certainly the fall of the evil Angels advantages the praises of the elect Angel it being doubtless a piece of their song to bless God who suffered not them to fall as the infernal Spirits did and indeed this needeth no further evidence than what it hath from every gracious Soul that hath tasted any thing of the love of God in pardoning mercies I appeal to any such Soul to what a pitch it raiseth his Soul in the thoughts of God and the admirings of his Divine love and grace Psal 103.1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases Thus I have shewed you a second way by which God gets himself glory from Sin the permission of Sin in the World 3. Holiness and Piety are advantaged by Sin Sin is a foil to holiness Pulchriora apparent bona ex malorum deformitate As the dark shadows are advantages to the Picture and the wanton thinks at least that her black Patches are advantages to her beauty so are the Sins and Debaucheries which God permitteth in the world advantages to holiness The beautiful and well-proportioned works of Nature are the more beautiful for the Monsters that it erreth in Sin is but monstrum morum a monster in mens manners I am perswaded that in the very times wherein we live God hath made use of the prodigious intemperance lust and luxury Atheisme and foolish superstitious vanities of some to make true Religion Godliness and Vertue appear more lovely unto thousands than before they did Lastly From what is said abundantly appears that it is not without infinite wisdom that the Lord though he be pleased to manifest the riches of grace upon some to change their hearts and to turn them from the wickedness of their ways plucking them as brands out of the fire yet suffers multitudes to walk in their own ways till they drop into that Pit from which there is no Redemption for ever We may all of us be assured that the wise God consulteth his own glory in this In the same Text Pro. 16.4 Where he tells us that he hath made the wicked for the day of evil he saith in the former part that he hath made all things for himself Though we be not able to see the particular reason of many dispensations of God yet we ought to presume they are not done without excellent Counsel admirable reason incomprehensible wisdom yea and infinite love toward those that shall be saved I shall close this discourse with an excellent saying of one of the Ancients If saith he an ignorant person goeth into a Smiths shop what matters it if he doth not knowof what particular use the Sleth the Anvil and other utensils are yet it is enough if the workman knoweth and can make use of every utensil in it's season what if we do not know if we cannot comprehend of what use some particular sinful actions of men should be for the glory of God it is enough for us that God knoweth the vilest action that was ever done in the World the crucifying of the Lord Jesus Christ was of the greatest use for the manifestation of the glory of God Now after this discourse of the reasonableness of Divine Providence in permitting Sin for the further manifestation of the glory of God and the acquisition of glory to his sacred name c. It may seem an idle question why the Lord suffereth so many sinners so as his own number is but a little flock in comparison of those Herds for sin being a quality must inhere in some Subject and if there were no sinners tolerated there could be no sin but yet let me a little further enlarge upon this Argument 1. God suffereth so many sinners that some of them might be made Saints by Nature there is none righteous no not one all are Children of wrath one as well as another all that are implanted into Christ were natural branches of the wild Olive they are made otherwise by an engraffing and implantation into the Lord Jesus Christ It is the Metaphor which the Apostle useth Rom. 11. v. 17 19. Those all those whom the Lord quickeneth were at first dead in trespasses and sins It is the saying of a very ingenious Author Non est sterilis Deo patientia sua ut saltem fatigatione taedeat peccatores voluptatum Gods patience saith he with sinners is not barren if it were only for this that God by suffering sinners many sinners doth at last tire and weary some out of their delight and pleasure in their lusts thou that sayest why doth a pure and holy God endure so many vessels of wrath fitted for destruction do but remember that thou thy self wert once a Child of wrath thou wert once a person fitted both by Original sin and by many actual sins for destruction God suffered thee to go on a long time in thy own ways that he might weary thee of thine own ways and bring thee home unto himself why may not God do so by many others They are yet as wild Asses but why may not they also have a
fruit of the womb as a blessing and blesseth him that hath his quiver full of these shafts but now the poor man knoweth not how to understand this and it is hard for him not to repine at the multiplying of it a great error doubtless but such as for ought I know good people may fall into we cannot trust God to provide for those which he giveth us if this hath been thy error God but pays thee in thy own kind by shortning thy number and maketh thy own secret sinful wish now to be thy Plague and Torment but this ordinarily is the sin of the poorer and meaner sort of Christians 2. Didst thou not let thy heart run out too much upon thy Children God is jealous and it is the nature of jealousy not to suffer a rival in the object beloved be it a person or a thing God is the object and he will be the prime object of his peoples love desire and delight It is his Law Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy strength it may be thy Child had more of thy heart more of thy love and and delight than God had no wonder if he hath taken it from thee this is now usually the sin of those whose circumstances in the world are better they have a fair estate in the world and Children few enough to leave it to and in such cases it is a very hard thing to keep our hearts within due bounds but our affections are ready to overflow especially if there be nothing in the temper or behaviour of the Child that takes off the edge of our affections to it 3. Doth not thy heart smite thee for the neglect of thy duty to thy Child especially if it were of any years Thy duty in instructing it or thy duty in reproving and admonishing it Elie's Sons were indeed men grown but God cut off his Children though their personal guilt justified God in his severity against them yet Eli smarted in their punishments for honouring his Sons more than God for dealing too gently with them for their most enormous wickednesses Thou mayest also neglect thy duty towards them in instructing them in making them acquainted with the holy Scriptures in admonishing them to keep the Lords Sabbaths and seeing to their external Sanctification of them This is undoubtedly a second piece of thy duty upon such a dispensation and to be humbled before God for those sins which thy conscience smiteth thee for and suggesteth to thee as probable causes of this rod of God upon thee 3. It is doubtless thy duty whatsoever thou findest to be satisfied with Gods good pleasure Rachel mourned sinfully while she so mourned as that she refused to be comforted If thou findest that probably God hath punished thy sin in the sickness pain and death of thy Child it is indeed matter of humiliation to thee it offers thee a just opportunity to resolve for the time to come to amend thy errors as to any survivors which God shall lend thee but yesterday cannot be called back again God hath done what pleased him It may be in mercy to thy Child though it be in judgment unto thee thou hast no reason to quarrel or murmure at God for any of his dispensations If it be for thy Child 's Original sin still thou hast no reason to blame God he is just and righteous in what he hath done But if God hath done it to give thy Child a quicker passage to Heaven to bring it sooner to a state of perfection to deliver it from an evil to come here thou hast reason to admire and adore the Divine goodness rather than to quarrel at Divine Justice There are a great many things that may conduce to the relief of a godly man or woman disturbed at this dispensation of Divine Providence It is a very ordinary dispensation of God though therefore it may look like a digression from the principal argument of my discourse yet it may possibly be not so judged by some of you whose case it either at present is or may be to instance in some heads of arguments which occasionally you may make use of for the quieting of your Spirits 1. Consider what-ever was the moving cause on Gods part yet the will of God is revealed The will of God is such a thing to satisfy a Christian with as nothing can be more nothing greater We have our Heaven by the will of God fear not little flock it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom We have all our grace all our glory from the will of God and shall we not thankfully accept a cross when it is the will of our Father to lay it upon our necks We pray thy will be done and shall we murmure against it when we see it done This silenced Aaron David Heli Hezekiah it leaves no room for a good Christians reply to it it is our Fathers will that is enough It is our Fathers will revealed by an Act of his Providence The Lord hath given saith Job and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. 2. Consider how many sadder cases than thine there have been Thou hast lost a Child an infant Job lost all his Children when they were grown up feasting at their elder Brothers house Aarons was a sad cause he lost his two Sons grown up in an act of sinning yet he held his peace Helies case was sad to lose two such wicked Sons in a Battel Davids case was sad God had expresly told him the Child should dye because of his sin and that by it he had made the enemies of God to blaspheme What doth David do He fasteth he prayeth he humbleth himself before God so long as the Child lived and while he had any hope but when the will of God was revealed when the Child was dead he ariseth and eateth bread as he was wont to do he saith that he should go to it it should not return to him 3. Consider Let the case be as sad as it will yet if thou lookest round about it there is mercy in it either mercy to thy Child or mercy to thee or mercy to both if thy Child be gone to Heaven there is mercy in that if it be delivered from evil to come upon the World or that part of the world where it should have had its portion there is mercy in that David's case was as sad as one can well think of any of this nature yet there was this mercy in it the living monument and remembrance of David's sin and shame was taken away 4. Suppose that God hath for thy sin taken it away and thou canst not satisfie thy self but it is so yet consider God eternally punisheth none for the sins of their correlates God may punish persons with bodily and temporal punishments for the sins of their Parents but not eternally as to those punishments every soul shall bear no
Lord of life It is a dispensation that hath often put the servants of God into unseemly passions James and John would have had fire come down from Heaven as in Elijahs time to have destroyed the Samaritans Peter was out of patience to see the Informer come with a company with Swords and Staves to take his Master and in his passion draweth a Sword and with it cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest David himself when God offered him the choice of three Judgments desired rather to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men I say it is and hath often been a very sore temptation advantaged partly from Nature partly from some Religious reflections That which in humane nature advantageth this temptation is 1. The disdain every man naturally hath to suffer an injury from one beneath himself when Gideon would have had his Son Jether have fallen upon those two Eastern Princes Zeba and Zalmuna they said rise thou up and fall upon us men have a natural disdain and scorn to suffer from their inferiours we see it in every days experience Now although every child of God is low in his own eyes and in honour preferreth every Saint before himself yet as St. Paul sometimes magnified his office against the false Apostles and counterfeits of his age though he judged himself the least of the Apostles and unworthy of that great Name so they cannot but magnifie themselves in comparison of open profane miscreants that are the scum and off scouring of the place in which they live such as are common drunkards lyars swearers Sabbath-breakers and guilty of other debaucheries the very scabs of the body politick and spots of the Assemblies to which they are united 2. Every man naturally hath a regret at the receiving of injuries from those from whom he hath deserved no such thing Now the People of God are persons of innocence who have done no wrong to their worst Enemies they have loved their Enemies prayed for them been ready to do any offices of love to them and know not how to bear an injury from those to whom they have done no wrong This was that which troubled Davids Spirit Psal 35.12 13. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my Soul but as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sackcloath I humbled my Soul with fasting and my prayer returned into my own bosom I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourned for my mother But in mine adversity they rejoyced and gathered themselves together yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me and I knew it not yea they did tear me and ceased not with hypocritical mockers at feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth Lord how long wilt thou look on Rescue my Soul from their destructions 2. This temptation is likewise advantaged from some Religious reflections 1. From a reflection upon the purity and holiness of God O Lord saith our Prophet in my Text thou art of purer Eyes then to behold iniquity How a just and pure and holy God should look on and hold his peace to see a company of vile wretches tearing and devouring his own people this is a knowledg at first view too wonderful for them 2. From a reflexion upon the promises and threatnings of God they look into the holy word of God and find that full of promises of good to Gods People of threatnings of wrath and vengeance to wicked men instead of this they see vile men building up Palaces to themselves upon their ruins and adorning themselves with their Ornaments the houses of the profane furnished and adorned with that which is not theirs instead of the wicked mans preparing garments and the just mans putting them on as Job speaketh they see good and righteous men preparing garments and leud and ungodly men put them on they see the spoil of such as fear the Lord in the tents of leud and ungodly men 3. From a reflexion upon the Decrees of God O Lord saith our Prophet thou hast ordained them for destruction O mighty God thou hast established them for correction they consider leud and wicked men as men whom God by a fixed act of his Will hath ordained to judgment as persons who by the established counsel of God are to be destroyed and they cannot expound the Providence of God into a consistency with his eternal purpose when they see them not only live prosper and grow old but also live by the death of such as fear God and build their nests on high with feathers which they have plucked from their wings From these and other causes ariseth this trouble and coil in the spirits of Gods people Fluctus est Tentatio est as Augustine saith it is a great wave a great temptation and trouble and even Gods own people here are ready to think they see a knot in the thred of providence a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence in the even ways of the Lords dealing Let me indeavour in a few words to unty this knot to remove this stone Four or five things I shall speak one or other of which or all together will make this way of the Lord plain to every sober and understanding Christian 1. How is God to his people more hard or unrighteous in such a dispensation than he was to the son of his dearest love Our blessed Lord hath taught us That the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord Matt. 10.24 25. 'T is true the chief Informer against our Lord was one of his hoshold Judas but he was a son of perdition the only ill member of all the 12. Who were his witnesses but a company of perjured wretches who could not agree in their testimony Who mockt him and scourged him Herod a monster for all manner of wickedness Who were they that spit upon him that cried out crucifie him crucifie him that gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink were they not the abjects of the people Thou art not able to conceive of Gods righteousness in giving thee over and thy estate over to a Renegado an apostate from his former profession to wretches who make no conscience what they say what they swear what they do How was he righteous in giving over the Son of his love to such wretches We are never so like to our Lord and Master as when we are betrayed by a Judas informed against and testified against by false and perjured wretches mockt and abused by the abjects and off scouring of the people If God might be a just and righteous God in suffering these things to be done to the green tree surely he may suffer them to be done unto us who are dry trees Thou art troubled that God should suffer profane scoffers to call thee
mean time he is in the love and favour of God he may have communion with God and God will provide for him These and an hundred such things as these afford matter enough for the child of God to delight himself in the Lord at all times 2. Consider again how equitable it is that Children should at all times delight themselves in him because he at all times delighteth himself in them whom the Lord loveth he chastneth as a Father his Son in whom he delighteth his chastening is not a dispensation of wrath but of wisdome Observe how he speaketh to his afflicted Church Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with saphires Christ was anointed to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness Isa 64.1 3. Though his people have lien amongst the Pots as the Psalmist expresseth it yet he hath a pleasure in them 3. Let me Thirdly offer to your consideration the advantage of this delighting your selves in the Lord in a day of Evil. It would arme the Soul against all the temptations of an evil time 1. It would abstract the mind from the world we see if the Husband delights in his Wife or a Father on his Child how it draweth off their hearts from all other objects that all are nothing to them in comparison of that object in which the great delight of their heart is 2. It would fill the mind of a man so as it should say to all the world as Esay I have enough I have enough keep what thou hast unto thy self or as Jacob whose delight was in Joseph It is enough is Joseph yet alive It is enough 3. It would give the Soul a rest The mind of a man resteth in the object of its delight 4. Finally it would wonderfully quiet the mind as to the Will of God we are usually satisfied with what is done by those persons whom we principally love and delight in Let this therefore be our study our great labour and business to bring up our hearts to a delight in the Lord. Study his attributes that you may know what he is in his Power Goodness Truth Wisdom c. Study his promises which concern this life or that which is to come particularly those which more specially sute thy circumstances Consider the examples of the Saints and Servants of God in thy circumstances meditate upon these things whet them upon thy heart say often to thy self This God is in himself Thus and thus he hath revealed himself and he who hath said it is Power Goodness Truth c. But this is enough to have spoken to this other piece of a Christians duty under such dispensations of Divine Providence I proceed to another piece of Duty 4. Depart from evil and do good You have it vers 8. Fret not thy self in any wise to do Evil. And vers 3. Trust in the Lord and do good you have them both together Psal 34.12 and 1 Pet. 3.12 Now this doing of good is a very large term according to the intent of all that duty which is required of us by the precepts of the first and second table There is a duty which we owe unto God all which is comprehended under the first and great commandement Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul and all thy Strength Thus that man doth good that loveth and feareth God that prayeth unto him and performeth all those acts of homage and worship which God hath in his word required as much and as zealously and warmly in the worst as in the best of times this is properly a doing of good it is honest and just and what God requireth of us it bringeth profit and advantage to our selves it will bring comfort sweetness and peace to the Soul So that take good in what notion you will this is a true doing good Again there is a good which may be done to our selves or to others the Apostle commandeth us to do good to all Gal. 6.10 thus our Saviour commandeth us to do good to them that hate us and the Apostle Heb. 13.16 commands us not to forget to do good and to distribute and it is one piece of our doing good Isa 1.17 to judge the fatherless and relieve the oppressed Further yet there is a good of our general calling This is comprehensive of the whole duty of a man considered in no further capacity than that of a creature towards God or that of a Christian relating to the Lord Jesus Christ and owning him There is a good of our particular calling respecting us with reference to our Relations as Magistrates or Subjects Husbands or Wives Ministers or flock Parents or children Masters or Servants Finally there is a good of a particular season the works and business of our day relating to the particular circumstances and dispensations of Providence under which it pleaseth God to bring us Having thus far discoursed of good and distinguished of that it is easie to understand what Evil is It is either the omission of some of these duties or the commission or doing some things which are opposite to them I take the precepts of the text in the large sence A Christian ought to do all manner of good and to abstain from all omissions of any duty or commissions of any thing which is contrary to that duty which God expecteth from him either in his general calling or in his particular Relation he is at all times to eschew evil and to do good The precepts of God Psal 37.26 Isa 1.16 17. 1 Pet. 3.12 concern him and oblige him at all times but it is their more especial duty with reference to evil times and indeed this is the readiest way to make times better Evil times are so called upon a double account either with respect to sin or to punishment These times are evil times wherein sin aboundeth and the love of many groweth cold now our sins contribute to the aboundings of sin in the time wherein we live we use to say that if every man would sweep his own door the streets would be clean Times are also called evil with respect to punishment to some judgments of God that are abroad in the world now for us to do good to depart from evil and do good is the way to have the judgments of God averted from us Wash you saith God Isa 1.16 17. make you clean put away the evil of your doings from you come let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet you shall be as snow though they were as crimson you shall be as white as wooll You have it vers 6. Do good and thou shall dwell in the land and as we Translate it verily thou shalt be fed Zeph. 2.3 Seek you the Lord all you
and in the same Nation where the Gospel is preached some have a sound and little more Preachers in some places in stead of preaching the Gospel Preach human Philosophy or the lusts of their own hearts In other places the Word of God is preached faithfully and powerfully so that the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Men are compelled to come in This difference in the external ministration which let me tell you hath no small influence upon the eternal concern and interest of men for God doth not ordinarily work by way of miracle and heal the eyes of the blind with Clay and Spittle is fountain'd only in the free-will and Grace of God Vse 2. But I trust I speak to some who have tasted further of the mercy and Grace of God than receiving the general Dispensation of the Gospel with their outward ears God hath by his holy Spirit upon the preaching of the Gospel effectually moved their hearts and conquered their Souls into a subjection to Christ They have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ by a Gospel-faith they are brought by a mighty hand out of darkness into marvelous Light and translated out of this Kingdom of Sin and Satan into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus I have this day been discovering to you the Fountain of this Grace of which God hath made you partakers you have heard that it is the will of God only which hath distinguished betwixt you and others It is not because you were more nobly born than others nor because you were more rich more honourable or by nature better complexioned than others God saw no more goodness in your natures than in the natures of others you were all the same flesh he infused into all Souls of the same nature and species only he hath willed rather to shew mercy unto your Souls than to the Souls of others because he hath set his love upon you There are three duties that hence lie very obvious 1. The First is Praise Thankfulness and Admiration Certainly every such Soul stands highly obliged with the Psalmist to cry out Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits If free Grace will not affect our hearts and fill our mouths with a new Song nothing will It must certainly be an amazing consideration for a Soul to sit down and think I was in the same mass and lump of lost man-kind that others are I was by Nature a Child of wrath as much as any my Childhood and Youth were Vanity as much as any others I was grinding at the same Mill it may be in actual sins I outstripped many others Now that the Lord should look upon me and pluck me as a brand out of the Fire that God should open my eyes and change my heart What did God see in me Possibly my more external circumstances were far less and more unvaluable than those of thousands of others my House was of small account and little esteem there are many more great and noble more wise and prudent than I am many who in all appearance so far as man can judg might have been more serviceable to God than I am or am ever like to be now that the Lord should pass them over and shew mercy to me certainly no Soul can seriously think of these things but must be ravished with the apprehensions of the inaccountable love of God in these things and say What shall I render unto thee O Lard what shall I render unto thee 2. This notion of Gods Soveraignty freedom and inaccountbleness in the dispensations of his Grace should teach every Soul that hath been or shall be made a partaker of it the great lesson of humility The Apostle Rom. 3.27 giveth this as the reason why God hath setled the justification of a Sinner upon a bottom of free Grace and hath excluded works that he might also exclude boasting and teach those who glory to glory in the Lord upon this Argument the Apostle exhorteth the Gentiles not to boast against the Jews Rom. 11.22 Behold the goodness and the severity of God saith he to those who abide in their unbelief severity to thee goodness Pride is a sinful habit disposing the Soul to swell in the opinion of some excellency in it self and a little thing will swell our corrupt hearts The Apostle propoundeth this very consideration as a cure for that tumour in the Souls of Christians 1 Cor. 4.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou which thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it It is nothing but the will of God that hath made a difference betwixt thee and the vilest Sinner breathing betwixt thee and the most filthy Drunkard the most furious Persecutor c. It was not for any worth any goodness or holiness which the Lord saw in thee but of his meer free will and Grace God hath shewed mercy to thy Soul what hast thou now of thy own to boast or glory in Thou hast indeed reason to glory and to make thy boast in the Lord and to bless God for what he hath done for thy Soul more than for a thousand others but there is no thanks to thee his will his own will was the fountain of his Grace extended to thee God hath had mercy upon thy Soul only because he would have mercy O therefore be not high-minded but fear and walk humbly before God 3. Lastly this calleth upon all of you who have tasted of this free and unaccountable Grace to live a distinguishing life and conversation There is a Generation that fancyeth that the Doctrine of Free-Grace opens a door to Liberty It is but the old Cavil in Saint Pauls time there were those that thus accused the Doctrine of Free-Grace as if it gave men a liberty to go on in sin as appeareth by the Apostles anticipation of that Cavil Rom. 6.1 What saith he shall we then continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid and so he goeth on shewing that any such conclusion from his principles was unreasonable How shall we saith the Apostle who are dead unto sin live any longer therein Special distinguishing Free-Grace both deadneth the Soul to Sin and inflameth the Soul with a love to God who hath made the Soul to differ so as that Soul cannot live as other men the love of God constraineth him he must apprehend himself obliged to do more for God than others because God hath shewen more mercy to him than unto others and that meerly because he would shew mercy What can possibly be imagined to have a greater and lay an higher obligation upon the Soul to all manner of holiness in conversation to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh SERMON L. Hosea XIII 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but
Question I proceed to the Fifth Question 5. Quest Whence it is that there are such manifest differences in Christian growth in grace There is a growth in spiritual gifts and a growth in gracious habits and these must be carefully distinguished for from a want of a just distinguishing these many doubts and mistakes arise concerning this point of growing in grace there may be the one and a great increase and growth in them where there is nothing either of the beginnings or increase of the other By spiritual gifts I understand those powers by which persons are inabled to some more external spiritual operations You read much of them in the First Epistle to the Corinthians These are usually distinguished into Extraordinary such were the gifts of Tongues Prophecy Healing Interpretation c. Which God was pleased to deal out in the Infancy of the Church both to supply the want they had of ordinary means and also to give a reputation to and to confirm the Doctrine of the Gospel The Gospel having got a larger footing and acceptance in the World needed not these aids to its reputation nor such miraculous confirmations these therefore soon ceased and have rarely if at all been since given out But there are other gifts that are more ordinary and of constant and daily use in the Church of God such are the gift of Prayer of Preaching of Spiritual Conference c. Now Christians are capable of growth and increase in these But besides these there are gracious habits which are powers and abilities in the soul inabling it to acts of more secret and inward communion with God Such as Faith Love and others And these are capable of increase if not in their number yet in their degrees of intention Hence the Apostles pray Lord increase our faith And this left room for the Apostle to pray for the Corinthians 2 Cor. 9.10 That the Lord would increase their fruit of righteousness and for the Thessalonians that the Lord would make them to increase and that they might increase more and more 1 Thess 3.12 4.10 Thus you read of an increasing with the increase of God Col. 2.19 and of the prospering of the soul 3 Ep. John v. 2. and the Apostle Peter exhorteth those to whom he writeth to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ This growing in grace is not without the special influence of God Thence it is that both the Apostles pray for it Christ is both the Author and the Finisher of our Faith Now it is apparent that this growth in grace is not equal in all the souls of them who are the children of God as we see in that which is born of the flesh some children grow faster than others so is it true as to those that are born of God born of the spirit they all grow but some grow much faster than others grow and the thriving and prospering of their souls is much more evident to the world In this also the actual providence of God hath its hand Let me before I shut up this Discourse attempt to give you an account of this to shew the reasonableness of this motion of Divine Providence and that in this the wayes of God are equal 1. I shall onely in this Case premise this That there may be great mistakes as to growth of grace I shall instance in two 1. Some may mistake a growth and increasing in spiritual gifts or moral habits for a growth in grace A man may so mistake himself and his neighbours may so mistake him Spiritual gifts are glistering things and often dazle our eyes We hear men mightily improved in their abilities fitly to express their own and others wants unto God in prayer and to implead them with proper arguments We hear a Minister improved in preaching an ordinary Christian improved in his knowledge of spiritual things and his utterance and ability to maintain a profitable discourse we are perfectly apt to conclude these persons are grown in grace and it may be so but withal it may not be so too for these are separable from any thing of truly gracious habits which are the in-dwellers in a regenerate and sanctified heart When the Apostle had been perswading the Corinthians to covet the best gifts he by and by telleth them That he will shew them a more excellent way What was that The way of special distinguishing grace love to God without which he telleth them in the beginning of the next Chapter that all gifts all action all suffering prophecying speaking with tongues knowledge of all mysteries giving all his goods to the poor and his body to be burned would signifie nothing but a little noise in the world and render him no more than as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal 2. Secondly As some may judge they are grown in grace because they are grown in gifts so others may judge they are not grown in grace when indeed they are And the common mistake here is mens calling nothing a growth in grace but further passion and intention of the Affections when as the truth is as we say concerning Women the Apostle you know calls them the weaker Vessels yet they have the strongest passions So it is true concerning Christians those that are the weakest Christians have the strongest Affections and Passions Conformably to this it is ordinarily observed That Christians usually in the beginning of their Conversion have the strongest Affections the most passionate grief for sin the most unsatisfied pantings and breathings after God and his Ordinances but at this time weaker and less confirmed habits of Faith of Self-denial and Mortification and are more easily than afterward turned aside by a temptation But these mistakes being easily obviated I easily grant it That there are real differences as to Christians increase progress and growth in grace of which I shall now come to give you a short account 1. I might tell you That all growth supposeth time It is a motion that is not in an instant Adam was the onely man that God brought into the World at a perfect Age others you know come into the World little Children and are perfected and grow up by degrees and as the first Adam was the onely man who came into the World perfect as to natural parts and growth So Jesus Christ the second Adam was the onely man that at first appeared to the World perfect in grace for in him the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily All others are first Babes then stronger ones and perfected by degrees So long therefore as there is a successive Conversion and bringing of souls to God there must be Christians in the World of different sizes and statures as to growth and increase in grace But yet this is not a perfect account of this variety for all Christians of the same standing in the ways of God are not of the same proficiency and stature in them 2. Secondly therefore One great cause may be a difference
life and peace A carnal mind doth not onely bring a Soul to eternal death in the last issue of it but it puts a great death upon his Life and Peace I mean his Spiritual Life and Peace It is impossible that the Soul that is intangled in the businesses of the World in a more than ordinary manner should find his Soul either so free for or so strong in the performances of spiritual duty as that Soul who hath less of the cares and business or concerns of the world upon it The Soul of a Man is not infinite in its powers and cannot be with equal degrees of intention employed upon two different much less contrary things While we are in the world we must be conversing with the men of the world and handling the things of the world we must else as the Apostle speaks in the case of converse with sinners Go out of the world but the less the Soul is ingaged in them the less the Heart is set upon them and its intention and affections taken up with them therefore it will be more free as to its spiritual business and stronger in the performance of it Let every one therefore learn that excellent lesson of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29 30. Let those that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as they that possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it 3. Thirdly Be diligent in waiting upon God in the institutions of his publick worship and consciencious in such attendance The Preaching of the Word of God is the great Ordinance of God for perfecting the Saints both as to their number by the work of Conversion and as to their graces by giving out further measures and manifestations of himself to his peoples Souls he createth the fruit of the Lips peace Christians therefore who wait for these influences are concerned to wait upon the Lord in his own way It was Gods ancient promise That wheresoever he recorded his name to dwell there be would meet his people and bless them And considering that although the blessing of Grace doth not depend upon the Instrument let Paul plant and Apollos Water God must give the increase and he that planteth is nothing nor he that watereth any thing yet God dealing with reasonable Souls useth to deal with them in reasonable wayes I do not think it enough for Christians to go to Church and hear Discourses out of Pulpits but to wait upon God under such Preaching of his Word as may appear and approve it self to them as having a rational tendency to the improvements of their Soul in Grace There are kinds of Preaching under which a Christian may sit long enough before he find his Soul quickened or strengthened or improved by them You may remember I gave you that as one reason why some receive more gradual manifestations of Divine Love than others because they have better means than others have or make a better use of means than others do I take a consciencious use of the more external means to lie much in three things 1. In a good election of them 2. In a sincere and diligent attendance upon them 3. In an after repetition of them to our selves and a more private application of them to our own hearts 1. I say first in a good election of them Though Preaching of the Word be the general means yet the Preacher and way of Preaching makes a vast difference in this means and the concurrence of God to all the purposes of Grace is upon experience found to be evidently more where the means appear in the eye of reason more proper If the Preacher ordinarily preacheth not to the understanding and capacity of the hearer or not to the conscience and hearts of hearers but fills up his time with other things impertinent to the Souls Spiritual Duty or wraps up his Duty in such Parables and Mysteries of Phraise and Abstruseness of Notions that the hearer can make nothing of it he can have little hope to profit by it and he will shew little conscience in attendance upon them Our Saviour you know gives this account why he spake to the Scribes and Pharisees and ordinary Jews in Parables but to his Disciples opened those Parables and spake more plainly and intelligibly Mat. 13.13 14. Therefore speak I to them in Parables because they in seeing see not and in hearing bear not neither do they understand and in them is fulfilled the Prophecy of the Prophet Isaias c. but v. 16. Blessed are your Eyes for they see and your Ears for they hear 2. Secondly In a sincere and diligent attendance upon them That Soul which will meet God in his Ordinances must in hearing hear he must go out with a design to meet God and he must hoc agere while he is waiting upon God Our Saviour asks his Disciples when they had been hearing John the Baptist What they went out for to to see It is a question we should all propound to our selves when we go to wait upon God in his Ordinances Now what doth my Soul go out for to do what is its end in this motion God ordinarily meeteth his People according to the sincerity of their designs which indeed maketh their attendances upon God seekings or not seekings of Gods Face 3. It lies in a practical application and whetting the Word hard upon our hearts and consciences This is the digesting of the Word this now is a piece of Holiness of great import to those that seek after the further manifestations of God and higher measures of Grace any growing whether it be in Faith or Love Nor is the Reading andPreaching of the Word onely to be attended but the Holy Sacraments also Baptism which we have generally received in our Infancy to be improved And the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be conscienciously attended There is a great improvement to be made of Baptism in order to our Spiritual Strength and Vigour I have handled that in a particular Discourse in some of your hearing and must not now enlarge upon it it is our great error that we make no more use of our Baptism than we do The Apostle Rom. 6. draweth great arguments from it to strengthen us unto Holiness The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is called by the Apostle The Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ The meaning of that I do not understand if it doth not signifie That it is an Ordinance wherein if it be duly and conscienciously attended upon Christ doth communicate the vertue of his death Now I am sure all Christs manifestations to the Souls of his People are a part of that purchase It is true it doth not necessarily work these effects nor is God bound necessarily in this manner to concurre with it he is a free agent in all his effluxes of Divine
Grace but yet these are Holy Institutions upon which he hath recorded his name and we are bound in order to our receptions of his Grace to lie at these Pools 4. Be much fourthly in Prayer especially in secret Prayer there it is that the Soul can be freest with God both in the confession of its sins and in the spreading of its particular case before the Lord and wrestlings with him All that is to be obtained of God either with reference to the first Grace or the further manifestations of God unto the Soul is in one place or other of Holy Scripture promised unto Prayer 5. Lastly Let not Meditation and Holy Conference be neglected Meditation is the souls Soliloquy with God a piece of piety often commanded and practised with great success Holy converse and conference is our conversation with Saints who are to meet often together to consider and to provoke one another to love and to good works Converted souls Luke 22.32 have an obligation upon them to strengthen their brethren Men of knowledge do not only themselves increase in strength for their own use but they increase strength in others as Gods instruments for the principal efficiency of spiritual strength is from the Lord. Converse also with the people of God is of great use to increase spiritual life and vigor as one coal kindleth another and oft-times God maketh use of his more private servants to speak a word in season to the weary in short for all the purposes of special grace I shall add no more for the promise of divine manifestations and the abode of the spirit of God with the soul being limited to those who love Christ and evidence that love by a keeping of his commandements it must necessarily follow that the keeping the commandements of Christ in all things must be an adequate means and indeed all that lieth upon our hand to do in order to the obtaining of these manifestations Now what greater argument to press holiness can there be than this He that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our blessed Lord John 14.21 he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him And again v. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Who is there that understandeth not the difference betwixt a strong and a weak Christian weak in the resistance of sin and temptation weak in the performance of all holy and spiritual duties betwixt a Christian who feels himself in a free lively temper for the service of God ready to run the way of Gods Commandments and a dull heavy uncheerly temper for duty while in the mean time the conscience is pressed with a necessity of doing of it betwixt a sad dejected disquieted troubled spirit and a soul full of that joy and peace that is consequent to believing betwixt a soul flourishing and daily shooting forth in more perfect acts of grace and a soul that seems to stand still and not to thrive in the wayes of holiness If therefore there be any advantage from further degrees of spiritual strength if any goodness in a spiritual liveliness freedome and alacrity if any consolation in Christ or sweetness arising from those consolations if any comfort in the love the spiritual love of God O study Holiness some gradual neglects of it are the greatest causes of all that weakness dulness sadness unthriftiness under which your souls labour God sometimes acteth by Prerogative shewing these mercies where he will and because he will and with-holding them for the probation and tryal of his People but generally it is in justice to punish his Peoples omissions of their duty or commissions of something which is contrary to their duty And here now I shall put an end to my Discourses in which I have been exercised so long relating to the Providence of God I shall conclude with that of Job Chap. 26.14 Lo these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him To which you may add that Job 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto Perfection v. 8. It is as high as Heaven What canst thou do Deeper than Hell What canst thou know v. 9. The measure thereof is longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea SOLI DEO GLORIA FINIS An Alphabetical TABLE Containing the principal Matters contained in this Book Note In some places through the mistake of the Printer in figuring the pages thou art directed to the Contents by the Sermon Ser. 44. Ser. 55. c. A. ACtual Providence vide Providence Acts of Grace elicited by the motion of Divine Providence in its timings the destruction of Gods enemies and the salvation of his people 210 211 212. Actions good rewarded when the intention by God is disallowed 362 363. The reasonableness of it 364 365. It is only with limited and temporal rewards 366 367. Actions of piety how elicited by Providence 208 209 210 211. Adam why he first had salvation offered him upon a Covenant of works 453 454 455 456 457. Adoration of God in the unsearchable things of Providence our duty 171. Affairs in the world ordinarily subordinated to the designs God hath upon his Church 258 258 260 261. The reasonableness of it 263 What use to be made of it 265 266 267. Afflictions of this life may be punishments of past and pardoned sins 398 399. How this is just and reasonable 404. What use to be made of it 405. God the Author of them this consists with his holiness and goodness 404 405 406. The Portion of Gods people not of all 588 589. They are not truly Evils proved 589 590 591 592 593 594. Aids and Assistances of Grace whether given to all if not how God is just in condemning such as have them not 650 651 652 653 654 655 Anger what Serm. 45. How not to be used in the prosperity of sinners Serm. 45. Arguments to perswade the restraint of it Ibid. Application of God in what it lieth 103. necessary to render God the object of our delight 603 604. Application of the whole discourse about varieties of further Grace 692. The variety of Christians growth c. 727 728 729 730 731. Apprehensions of truth how different 721 722. Whence the difference is 723. The reason of it 724 725. What improvement is to be made of it 727 728 729 730 731 c. Attributes of God what how glorified by the timings of Providence 208 209 210. and by the permission of sin 480 481 482. B. Blessings sensible most upon those who live most exactly up to the Divine rule 438 439 440 441 442. C. Casual nothing to God p. 113 114. Calling to faith and repentance how universal 466. Why if all have not a power to believe and obey 467 468. How the