mentioned Examples and you shall see the blessed work of Conversion begun upon those souls when they minded it no more than Saul did a Kingdom that morning he went out to seek his Fathers Asses 1 Sam 9. 3 20. Providence might truly have said to you in that day as Christ said to Peter John 13. 7. What I do thou knowest not now but hereafter thou shalt know it Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are his thoughts higher than ours and his wayes than our wayes Little did Zacheus think when he climbed up into the Sycamore-tree to see Christ as he passed that way what a design of mercy Christ had upon him who took thence the occasion of becoming both his Guest and SavJour Luke 19. 5 6 7 8. And as little did some of you think what the aim of Providence was when you went some out of custom others out of curiosity if not worse ends to hear such a Sermon O how stupendious are the wayes of God! What a distinguishing and seasonable mercy was usher'd in by Providence in that day It brought you to the means of salvation in a good hour At that very nick of time when the Angel troubled the Waters you were brought to the Pool to allude to that John 5. 4. Now the accepted day was come the Spirit was in the Ordinance or Providence that converted you and you were set in the way of it It may be you had heard many hundred Sermons before but nothing would stick till now because the hour was not come The Lord did as it were call in the Word for such a man such a woman and Providence said Lord here he is I have brought him before thee There were many others under that Sermon that received no such mercy You your selves had heard many before but not to that advantage as it is said Luke 4. 27. There were many Lepers in Israel in the days of Elizeus but to none of them was the Prophet sent save unto Naaman the SyrJan So there were many poor unconverted souls beside you under the Word that day and it may be to none of them was salvation sent that day but to you O blessed Providence that set you in the way of mercy at that time What a weighty and important mercy was Providentially directed to your souls that day There are mercies of all sizes and kinds in the hands of Providence to dispense to the sons of men its left hand is full of blessings as well as its right It hath health and riches honours and pleasures as well as Christ and Salvation to dispense The world is full of its left hand favours but the blessings of its right hand are invaluably precious and few there be that receive them It doth thousands of kind offices for men but among them all this is the chiefest to lead and direct them to Christ. For consider 1. Of all mercies this comes through most and greatest difficulties Eph. 1. 19 20. 2. This is a spiritual mercy excelling in dignity of nature all others more than gold excels the dirt under your feet Rev. 3. 18. One such gift is worth thousands of other mercies 3. This is a mercy immediately slowing out of the fountain of Gods electing love a mercy never dropt into any but an Elect Vessel 1 Thess. 1. 4 5. 4. This is a mercy that infallibly secures Calvation for as we may argue from Conversion to Election looking back so from Conversion to Salvation looking forward Heb. 6. 9. 5. Lastly This is an Eternal mercy that which will stick by you when Father Mother Wife Children Estate Honours Health and Life shall fail thee John 4. 14. O therefore set a special Mark upon that Providence that set you in the way of this mercy It hath performed that for thee which all the Ministers on Earth and Angels in Heaven could never have performed This is a Mercy that puts weight and value into the smallest Circumstance that relates to it The Fifth Performance of Providence V. THus you hear how instrumental Providence hath been in ordering the Means and Occasions of the greatest Mercies for your souls Let us now take into consideration another excellent Performance of Providence respecting the good of your bodies and souls too in respect of that Imployment and Calling it hath ordered for you in this world for it hath not only an Eye upon your well being in the world to come but upon your well being in this world also and that very much depends upon the Station and Vocation to which it calls you Now the Providence of God with respect to our civil Callings may be displayed very takingly in the following particulars In directing you to a Calling in your Youth and not suffering you to live an idle useless and sinful life as many do who are but burthens to the Earth fruges consumere nati the Wens of the body politick serving only to disfigure and drein it to eat what others earn Sin brought in sweat Gen. 3. 19. but now not to sweat increaseth sin 2 Thess. 3. 12. He that lives idly cannot live honestly as is plainly enough intimated 1 Thess. 4. 11 12. But when God puts men into a lawful Calling wherein the labours of their hands or heads is sufficient for them it is a very valuable mercy for thereby they eat their own bread 2 Thess. 3. 12. Many a sad Temptation is happily prevented and they are ordinarily furnished by it for works of mercy to others and surely it is more blessed to give than to receive In ordering you to such Callings and Imployments in the world as are not only lawful in themselves but most suitable to you There be many persons imployed in sinful Trades and Arts meerly to furnish other mens lusts they do not only sin in their Imployments but their very Imployments are sinful they trade for Hell and are Factors for the Devil DemetrJus and the Crafts-men at Ephesus got their Estates by makeing Shrines for DJana Acts 19. 24 25. i. e. little cases or boxes with folding leaves within which the Image of that Idol sate enshrined These were carried about by the People in Procession in honour of their Idol And at this day how many wicked Arts and Imployments are there invented and multitudes of persons maintained by them meerly to gratifie the pride and wantonness of a debauched age Now to have an honest lawful imployment wherein you do not dishonour God in benefiting your selves is no small mercy But if it be not only lawful in it self but suited to your genJus and strength there is a double mercy in it Some poor Creatures are engaged in Callings that eat up their time and strength and make their lives very uncomfortable to them they have not only spending and wasting Imployments in the world but such as allow them little or no time for their general Calling and yet all this doth but keep them
God hath helped therefore he can Isa. 59. 1. His hand is not shortned i. e. he hath as much power and ability as formerly 2. Unbelief objects against the Will of God and questions whether he will now be gracious though he hath formerly been so But after so many experiences of his readiness to help what room for doubting remains Thus Paul reasoned from the experience of what he had done to what he would do 2 Cor. 1. 10. and so did David 1 Sam. 17. 36. Indeed if a man had never experienced the goodness of God to him it were not so heinous a sin to question his willingness to do him good but what place is left after such frequent tryals It gives great encouragement to faith as it answers the objections of unbelief drawn from the subject Now these Objections are of two sorts also 1. Such as are drawn from our great unworthiness How saith Unbelief can so sinful and vile a creature expect that ever God should do this or that for me 'T is true we find he did great things for Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses c. but these were men of eminent holiness men that obeyed God and denyed themselves for him and lived more in a day to his glory than ever I did all my dayes Well but what signifies all this to a soul that under all its sensible vileness and unworthiness hath tasted the goodness of God as well as they As unworthy as I am God hath been good to me notwithstanding his mercy appeared first to me when I was worse than I am now both in conditJon and dispositJon and therefore I will still expect the continuance of his goodness to me though I deserve it not If when we were EnemJes we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son how much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. 2. Such as are drawn from the extremity of our present condition if troubles or dangers grow to an height and we see nothing but ruine and misery in the eye of reason before us now umbelief becomes importune and troubleâ—ome to the soul now where are thy prayers â—hy hopes yea where is now thy God But all this is easily put by and avoided by â—onsulting our experiences in former cases This is not the first time I have been in these straits â—or the first time I have had the same doubts and despondencies and yet God hath carried me â—hrough all Psal. 77. 7 8 9 c. This is it that suffers not a Christian to unravel all his hopes in an hour of temptation O how useful are these â—hings to the people of God! The Fifth Motive THe Recognition of former Providences will minister to your souls continual matter of praise and thanksgiving which is the very employment of the Angels in Heaven and the sweetest part of our lives on Earth See Psal. 61. 7 8. If God will prepare Mercy and Truth for David he will prepare Praises for â—is God and that daily So Psal. 71. 6. By thee have I been holden up from the womb thou art he that took me out of my Mothers bowels there Mercies from the beginning are recognized My praise shall be continually of thee there the natural result of those recognitions is expressed There be five things belonging to the praise of God and all of them have relation to his Providences exercised about us 1. A careful Observation of the Mercles we receive from him Isa. 41. 17 18 19 20. This is fundamental to all praise God cannot â—e glorified for the mercies we never noted 2. A faithful Remembrance of the favour received Psal. 103. 2. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Hence the Lord brands the Ingratitude of his people Psal. 106. 13. They soon forgat his works 3. A due Appreciation and Valuation of every Providence that doth us good 1 Sam. 12. 24. That Providence that fed them in the Wilderness with Manna was a most remarkable Providence to them but they not valuing it at its worth God had not that praise for it which he expected Numb 11. 6. 4. The Excitation of all the faculties and powers of the soul in the acknowledgement oâ— these mercies to us Thus David Psal. 103. 1â— Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within mâ— bless his holy name Soul-praise is the very souâ— of praise this is the fat and marrow of that thank-offering 5. A suitable Retribution for the mercies received This David was careful about Psal. 116. 1. And the Lord taxes good HezekJah for the neglect of it 2 Chron. 32. 24 25. This consists in a full and hearty resignation of all to him that we have received by Providence from him and in our willingness actually to part with all for him when he shall remand it Thus you see how all the ingredients to praise have respect to Providences But more particularly I will shew you that as all the ingredients of praise have respect to Providence so all the motives and Arguments obliging and engaging souls to praise are found therein also To this end consider how the mercy and goodness of God is exhibited by Providence to excite our thankfulness 1. That the goodness and mercy of God is let out upon his people in his Providences about them and this is the very root of praise It is not so much the possession that Providence gives us of such or such comforts as the goodness and kindness of God in the dispensing of them that engages a gracious soul to praise Psal. 63. 3. Because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee To give maintain and preserve our life are choice acts of Providences but to do all this in a way of grace and loving-kindness this is far better than the gifts themselves life is but the shadow of death without it this is the mercy that crowns all other mercies Psal. 103. 4. It 's this a sanctified soul desires God would manifest in every Providence about him Psal. 17. 7. and what is our praising of God else but our shewing forth that loving-kindness which he sheweth us in his Providences Psal. 92. 1 2. 2. As the loving-kindness of God manifested in Providences is a motive to praise so the free and undeserved savours of God dispensed by the hand of Providence oblige the soul to praise This was the consideration that melted David's heart into a thankful praising frame even the consideration of the free and undeserved favours cast in upon him by Providence 2 Sam. 7. 18. What am I O Lord God and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto i. e. raised me by Providence from a mean condition to all this dignity from following the Ewes to feed Jacob his people Psal. 78. 70 71. O this is it that engages thankfulness Gen. 32. 10. 3. As the freeness of mercies dispensed by Providence engageth praise so the Multitudes of mercies
pattern before it according to which it molded every part as it is Ver. 16. In thy Book were all my members written Hast thou an integral perfection and sulness of members It is because he wrote them all in his Book or limned out thy body according to that exact model which he drew of thee in his own gracious purpose before thou hadst a being Had an eye an ear a hand a foot been wanting in the platform thou hadst now been sadly sensible of the defect this world had been but a dungeon to thee without those windows thou hadst lived as many do an object of pity to others if thou have low thoughts of this mercy ask the blind the deaf the lame and the dumb the value and worth of those mercies and they will tell thee There is a world of cost bestowed upon thy very body Thou mightest have been cast into another mould and created a Worm or a Toad I remember Luther tells us of two Cardinals riding in great pomp to the Council of Constance and by the way they heard a man in the fields bitterly weeping and wailing when they came to him they found him intently viewing an ugly Toad and asking him why he wept so bitterly he told them his heart was melted with this consideration that God had not made him such a loathsome and deformed Creature hoc est quod amarè fleo said he whereupon one of them cryes out Well said the Father Surgunt indocti rapJent Coelum The unlearned will rise and take Heaven and we with all our learning shall be cast into Hell No part of the Common lump was so figured and polisht as man is Galen gave Epicurus an hundred years time to imagine a more commodious scituation configuration or composition of any one member of a humane body And if all the Angels had studied to this day they could not have cast the body of man into a more curious mould And yet all this is but the enamelling of the Case or polishing the Casket wherein the rare Jewel lies Providence hath not only built the house but brought the Inhabitant I mean the soul into the possession of it A glorious piece it is that bears the very Image of God upon it being all in all and all in every part How noble are its Faculties and Affections How nimble various and indesatigable are its Motions How comprehensive is its Capacity It 's a Companion for Angels nay capable oâ— Espousals to Christ and eternal Communion with God It 's the Wonder of Earth and the Envy of Hell Suppose now and why should you not suppose what you so frequently bâ—hold in the world that Providence had so permitted and ordered it that thy soul had entered into thy body with one or two of its faculties wounded and defective Suppose its Vnderstanding had been crackt what a miserable life hadst thou lived in this world neither capable of service nor comfort And truly when I have considered those works of Providence in bringing into the world in all Countreys and Ages some such spectacles of pity some deprived of the use of reason and differing from Beasts in little more than shape and â—igure and others though sound in their understandings yet deformed or defective in their bodies monstrous mishapen and loathsome Creatures I can resolve the design of this Providence into nothing beside a demonstration of his Soveraign power except they be designed as soils to set off the beauty of other rare and exquisite pieces and intended to stand before your eyes as Monitors of Gods mercy to you that your hearts as oft as you beheld them might be mâ—lted into thankfulness for distinguishing favour to you Look then but not proudly upon thy outside and inside see and admire what Providence hath done for thee and how well it hath performed the first service that ever it did for thee in this world And yet this was not all it did for thee before thou sawest this world It preserved thee as well as formed thee in the womb else thou hadst been as those Embryo's Job speaks of Job 3. 11 12. that never saw the light Abortives go for nothing in the world and there are multitudes of them some that never had a reasonable soul breathed into them but only the rudiments and rough draught of a body these come not into the account of men but perish as the Beast doth Others that dye in or shortly after they come out of the Womb and though their life was but for a moment yet that moment entails an Eternity upon them and had this been your case as it is the case of Millions then supposing your salvation yet had you been utterly unserviceable to God in the world None had been the better for you nor you the better for any in the world You had been utterly uncapable of all that good which throughout your life you have either done to others or received from others And if we consider the nature of that obscure life we lived in tho womb how small an accident had it been permitted by Providence had extinguished our life like a Bird in the shell We cannot therefore but admire the tender care of Providence over us and say with the Psalmist Psal. 139. 13. Thou hast covered me in my Mothers womb and not only so but as it is Psal. 22. 9. Thou art he that took me out of my Mothers womb He preserved thee there to the fulness of time and when that time was come brought thee safely through manifold hazards into that place in the world which he from Eternity espied for thee Which leads us to the second performance The Second Performance of Providence II. THe second great performance of Providence for the people of God respects the place and time in which it ordered their Nativity to fall And truly this is no small concernment to every one of us but of vast consequence either to our good or evil though it be little minded by most men I am perswaded the thoughts of â—ew Christians penetrate deep enough into this Providence but slide too slightly and supersicially over an Abysse of much mercy rich and maniâ—old mercy wrapt up in this gracious performance of Providence for them Ah friends can you think it an indifferent thing into what part of the World the womb of Nature had cast you out Is there no odds upon what Spot of the Creation or in what Age of the World your lot had fallen It may be you have not seriously bethought your selves about this matter And because this Point is so seldom toucht I will therefore dive a little more particularly and distinctly into it and endeavour to warm your affections with a representation of the many and rich benefits you owe to this one performance of Providence for you And we will consider it under a double respect or relation as it respects your present comfort in this world and as it relates to your eternal
see how their hearts are broken for sin under this severe rebuke Lam. 2. 17 18 19. And then 2. For caution against sin for the time to come it 's plain that the rebukes of Providence leave that effect also upon gracious hearts Ezra 9. 13 14. Psal. 85. 8. Sometimes he cheers and comforts the hearts of his people with smiling and reviving Providences both publick and personal There are times of lifting up as well as casting down by the hand of Providence The Scene changes the aspects of Providence are very cheerful and encouraging their Winter seems to be over they put off their garments of mourning and then Ah what sweet returns are made to heaven by gracious souls Doth God lift them up by prosperity they also will lift up their God by praises See Psal. 18. Title and v. 1 2 3. So Moses and the people with him Exod. 15. when God had delivered them from Pharaoh how do they exalt him in a song of thanksgiving which for the elegancy and spirituality of it is made an Emblem of the doxologies given to God in glory by the Saints Rev. 15. 3. Upon the whole whatever effects our Communion with God in any of his Ordinances doth use to produce upon our hearts the same we may observe to follow our conversing with him in his Providences For It is usually found in the experience of all the Saints that in what Ordinance or duty soever they â—ave any sensible communion with God it naturally produces in their spirits a deep abasement and humiliation from the sense of divine condescensions to such vile poor Worms as we are Thus Abraham Gen. 18. 27. I am but dust and ashes The same effect follows our converse with God in his Providences Thus when God had in the way of his Providence prospered Jacob how doth he lay himself at the feet of God as a man overwhelmed with the sense of mercy See Gen. 32. 5 10. And Jacob said I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercJes and of all the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now am become two bands Thus also it was with David 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto And I doubt not but some of you have found the like frame of heart upon you that these holy men here expressed Can you not remember when God lifted you up by Providence how you cast down your selves before him and have been viler in your own eyes than ever Why thus do all gracious hearts What am I that the Lord should do thus and thus for me O that ever so great and holy a God should thus be concerned for so vile and sinful a Worm 2. Doth Communion with God in Ordinances melt the heart into love to God Cant. 2. 3 4 5. Why so doth the observation of his Providences also Never did any man conversâ— with Gods works of Providencâ— aright but fâ—â—nd his heart at some times melted into love to the God of his mercies Psal. 18. 1. compared with the Title When God had delivered him from the hand of Saul and all his Enemies he said I will love thee O Lord my strength Every man loves the mercies of God but a Saint loves the God of his mercies The mercies of God as they are the fewel of a wicked mans lusts so they are fewel to maintain a good mans love to God not that their love to God is grounded upon these external benefits Not thine but thee O Lord is the motto of a gracious soul but yet these things serve to blow up the flame of love to God in their hearts and they find it so Doth Communion with God set the keenest edge upon the soul against sin You see it doth and have a pregnant Instance of it in Moses when he had been with God in the Mount for forty dayes and had there enjoyed communion with him when he came down and saw the Calf the people had made see what an holy paroxysm of zeal and anger it cast his soul into Exod. 32. 19 20. Why the same effect you may discern to follow the Saints converse with God in his Providences What was that which pierced the heart of David with such a deep sense of the evil of his sin which is so abundantly manifested in Psalm 51. throughout Why if you look into the Title you shall find it was the effect of what Nathan had laid before him and if you consult 2 Sam. 12. 7 8 9 10. you shall find it was the goodness of God manifested to him in the several endearing Providences of his life which in this he had so evilly requited the Lord for that broke his heart to pieces in the sense of it and I doubt not but some of us have some times found the like effects by comparing Gods wayes and our own together Doth Communion with the Lord enlarge the heart for obedience and service Surely it is as oyl to the wheels that makes them run of freely and nimbly their course Thus when IsaJah had obtained a special manifestation of God and the Lord askt whom shall I send he presents a ready soul for the employment Isa. 6. 8. Here am I Lord send me Why the very same effect follows sanctified Providences as you may see in Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 17. 5 6. and in David Psal. 116. 12. O when a soul considers what God hath done for him he cannot chuse but say what shall I return how shall I answer these engagements And thus you see what sweet Communion a soul may have with God in the way of his Providences O that you would thus walk with him How much of Heaven might be found on Earth this way And certainly it will never repent the Lord he hath done you good when his mercies produce such effects upon your hearts he will say of every savour thus improved It was well bestowed and will rejoyce over you to do you good for ever Second Motive A Great part of the pleasure and delight of the ChristJan life is made out of the observatJons of Providence It is said Psal. 111. 2. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein i. e. the study of Providence is so sweet and pleasant that it invites and allures the soul to search and dive into it How pleasant is it to a well tempered soul to behold and observe 1. The sweet harmony and consent of divine Attributes in the issues of Providence They may seem sometimes to jarr and clash to part with each other and go contrary wayes but they only seem so to do for in the winding up they alwayes meet and embrace each other Psal. 85. 10. Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other It is spoken with an immediate reference to that signal Providence of Israels deliverance out of the
been foreseen by us our own projects have come to nothing and that which we never thought on or contrived hath taken place not our choice of the ground or skill in weighing and delivering the Bowl but some unforeseen Providence like a rub in the Green was that which made the cast Second Help Deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your own thoughts about the issues of doubtful Providences 1. There is much sin in so doing for all our anxious and solicitous emotions what are they other than the immediate issues and fruits of pride and unbelief There is not a greater discovery of pride in the world than in the contests of our wills with the Will of God It 's a presumptuous invading of Gods Prerogative to dictate to his Providence and prescribe to his Wisdom 2. There is a great deal of vanity in it all the thoughtfulness in the world will not make one hair white or black all our discontents will not prevail with God to call back or as the word may be rendered make void his Word Isa. 31. 2. he is in one mind Job 23. 13. the thoughts of his mind are from everlasting Psal. 33. 11. Third Help Set before you those châ—ice Scripture patterns of sâ—bmission to the Lords Will in as deep yea much deeper points of self-denyal than this before you and shame your selves out of this quarrelling temper with Providence You know what a close tryal that Providence was to Abraham that called him from his native Countrey and Fathers house to go he knew not whither and yet it 's said in Isa. 41. 2. he came to Gods foot as readily obeying his call as a servant when his Master knocks for him with his foot Paul's voyage to Jerusalem had a dismal aspect upon himself he could expect nothing but bonds and prisons as he tells us Acts 20. 23. and a great tryal it was to the Saints who could not tell how to give up such a Minister yet he resigns up his will to Gods Acts 20. 22. and so do they Acts 21. 14. The Will of the Lord be done But far beyond these and all other patterns what an example hath our dear Lord Jesus set before us in the deepest point of self-denyal that ever was in the world When the Father gave the Cup of sufferings into his hands in the garden Mark 14. 36. a cup of wrath the wrath of the great and terrible God and that without mixture the very taste whereof put Nature into an Agony and astonishment a sore amazement a bloody sweat and forced from him that vehement and sad cry Father if it be possible let this cup pass yet still with submission nevertheless not my will but thine be done O blessed pattern of obedience and resignation to the pleasure of God! What is your case to this Fourth Help Study the singular benefits and advantages of a Will resigned up and melted into the Will of God 1. Such a Spirit hath a continual Sabbath within it self the thoughts are established Prov. 16. 3. and truly till a man come to this he doth but too much resemble the Devil who is a restless Spirit secking rest but finding none It was an excellent expression of Luther to one that was much perplexed in his spirit about the doubtful events of some affairs of his that were then depending Dominus tua omnJa facJat tu nihil facJas sed sis Sabbatum Christi i. e. The Lord shall do all for thee and thou shalt do nothing but be the Sabbath of Christ. It is by this means that the Lord gives his beloved sleep Psal. 127. 2. he means not the sleep of the body but of the Spirit Fideles saith One upon that place etsi vitam agant laborJosam composiris tamen tranquillis animis in fidei silentJo se continent ac si dormirent i. e. Though believers live in the midst of many troubles here yet with quiet and composed minds they keep themselves in the silence of faith as though they were asleep 2. Besides it fits a mans spirit for communion with God in all his afflictions and this alleviates and sweetens them beyond any thing in the world 3. And surely a man is never nearer the mercy he desires or the deliverance he expects as One truly observes than when his soul is brought into a submissive temper David was never nearer the Kingdom than when he became as a weaned Child Fifth Help Lastly Think how repugnant an unsubmissive temper is both to your prayers and professions You pray that the Will of God may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven and yet when it seems to cross your wills or interests you struggle and fret against it You profess to have committed your souls to his keeping and to leave your eternal concerns in his hands and yet cannot commit things infinitely less valuable unto him How contradictory are these things Your Profession as Christians speaks you to be led by the Spirit but this practice speaks you to follow the perverse counsels of your own spirits O then regret no more dispute no more but lye down meekly at your Fathers feet and say in all cases and at all times the Will of the Lord be done ANd thus I have through the Aid of Providence performed what I designed to speak from this Scripture I acknowledge my performances have been accompanied with much weakness yet have endeavoured to speak of Providence the things that are right Blessed be the Lord who hath thus far assisted and protected me in this work How Providence will dispose of my life liberty and labours for time to come I know not but I cheerfully commit all to him who hath hitherto performed all things for me FINIS Postscript IN consideration of the great and maniâ—old advantages resulting from an humble and heedful observation of Providence I can not but judge it the concernment of Christians that have time and ability for such a work to keep written Memorials or Journals of Providences by them for their own and others use and benefit For want of collecting and communicating such observations not only our selves buâ— the Church of God is damnified and impoverished Some say the Art of Medicine was thus acquired and perfected when any one had met with some rare Physical Herb and accidentally discovered the vertues of it he would post it up in some publick place and so the Physiâ—Jan attained his skill by a Collection of those posted Experiments and Receipts I am not for posting up all that a Christian knows or meets with in his Experience for as I have said before Non est religJo ubi omnJa paâ—ent Religion doth not lay all open but yet there is a prudent humble and seasonable communication of our Experiences and observations of Providence which is exceeding beneficial both to our selves and our brethren If Christians in reading the Scriptures would judiciously collect and record the Providences they shall meet with there
this it appears that they are so that he withdraws not his eye from them Job 36. 7. I say not that Gods favour and respect to a man may be concluded singly from his Providences but sanctified Providences may very much clear it to us and when it doth so it cannot but be matter of exceeding great joy 5. To conclude what is there in all this world that can give a soul such joy and comfort as to find himself by every thing set on and farthered in his way to Heaven And yet this may be discerned by an heedful attendance to the effects and issues of Providences How cross soever the Winds and Tides of Providence at any time seem to us yet nothing is more certain than that they all conspire to hasten sanctified souls to God and sit them for glory St. Paul knew that both his bonds and the afflictions added to them should turn to or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports finally issue in his salvation Phil. 1. 19. Not that in themselves they serve to any such purpose but as they are over-ruled and determined to such an end through Prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. When Prayer the external and the Spirit the internal means are joyned with them then Afflictions themselves become excellent means to promote salvation And have we not with joy observed how those very things that sense and reason tell us are opposite to our happiness have been the most blessed Instruments to promote it How hath God blessed Crosses to mortifie corruptJon wants to kill our wantonness disappointments to wean us from the world O we little think how comfortable those things will be in the review which are so burdensome to present sense The Third Motive IN the next place I beseech you consider What an effectual means the due observation of Providence will be to over-power and suppress the natural Atheism that is in your hearts There is a natural seed of Atheism in the best hearts and this is very much nourished by passing a rash and false judgement upon the works of Providence When we see wicked ones to prosper in the world and godly men crushed and destroyed in the way of righteousness and integrity it may tempt us to think there is no advantage by religion and all our self-denyal and holiness to be little better than lost labour Thus stood the case with good Asâ—ph Psal. 73. 12 13. Bâ—hold these are the ungodly that prosper in the world they increase in riches and what doth the flesh inâ—er from thence Why no less than the unprofitableness of the wayes of holiness Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency This irreligious Inference carnal reason was ready to draw from the dispensations of outward prosperity to wicked men but now if we would heâ—dfully observe either the signal retributions of Providence to many of them in this world or to all of them in the world to come O what a full confirmation is this to our faith Psal. 9. 16. The Lord is known by the Judgements that he executeth The fifty eighth Psalm contains the Characters of the most prodigious sinners whose wickedness is aggravated By the deliberation with which it 's committed V. 2. By their habit and custom in it V. 3. By their incorrigibleness and persistence in it V. 4 5. And the Providence of God is there invited To destroy their power V. 6. and that either By a gradual and insensible consumption of them V. 7 8. or By a suddain and unexpected stroke V. 9. And what shall the effects of such Providences be to the Righteous Why it shall be matter of joy V. 10. And great confirmation to their faith in God V. 11. Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth And on the contrary how convincingly clear are those Providences that demonstrate the Being Wisdom Power Love and Faithfulness of God in the supporting preserving and delivering of the Righteous in all their dangers fears and difficulties In these things the Lord shews himself to his people Psal. 94. 1. Yea he shews himself to spiritual eyes in these Providences as clearly as the Sun manifestâ— himself by his own beams of light Hab. 3. 3 4. His brightness was as the light and he had borns coming out of his hands and there was the hiding of his power It 's spoken of the Lords going forth for his people in their deliverance from their Enemies and then he had horns or rayes and beams of power and mercy coming out of his hands by his hands are meant his Providential administrations and dispensations and the horns that came out of them are nothing else but the glorious display of his Attributes in those Providences How did God make himself known to his people in that signal deliverance of them out of Egypt See Exod. 6. 3. then he was known to them by his name Jehovah in giving being by his Providences to the mercies promised Thus when Christ shall give his people the last and greatest deliverance from Antichrist he shall shew himself to his people in a vesture dipt in blood and his Name shall be called The Word of God Rev. 19. 13. His Name was the Word of God before but then he was the Word revealing and discovering the promises and truths of God now accomplishing and fulfilling them That his Name is near his wonderful works declare Psal. 75. 1. But more particularly let us bring it home to our own experience It may be we find our selves sometimes assaulted with Atheistical thoughts we are tempted to think God hath left all things below to the course and sway of nature that our prayers reach him not as it is Lam. 3. 44. that he regards not what evils befall us But tell me Saints have you not enough at hand to stop the mouths of all such temptations O do but reflect upon your own Experiences and solemnly ask your own hearts 1. Have you never seen the All-sufficient God in the provisions he hath made for you and yours throughout all the way that you have gone Who was it that supplyed to you whatever was needful in all your straits Was it not the Lord 'T is he that hath given bread to them that fear him and hath been ever mindful of his Covenant Psal. 111. 5. O do but consider the constancy seasonableness and at sometimes the extraordinariness of these provisions and how they have been given in upon prayer and shut your eyes if you can against the convincing evidence of that great truth Job 36. 7. He withdraweth not his eye from the Righteous 2. Have you not plainly discerned the care of God in your preservations from so many and great dangers as you have escaped and been carried through hitherto How is it that you have over-lived so many mortal dangers sicknesses accidents designs of Enemies to ruine you It is I presume beyond question with you that the very finger of God
26. 11. The Ox knows his owner and the Ass his masters crib Isa. 1. 3. the most dull and stupid creatures know their benefactors O look to the hand of God in all and know that neither your comforts nor afflictions do arise out of the dust or spring up out of the ground Second Corollary IF God perform all things for you how great is his condescensJon to and care over his people What is man saith Job chap. 7. v. 17 18. that thou shouldst magnifJe him and set thine heart upon him and that thou shouldst visit him every morning and try him every moment Such is his tender care over you that he withdraws not his eye from you See Job 36. 7. lest any hurt you he himself will guard and keep you day and night Isa. 27. 3. Should he withdraw his eye or hand one moment from you that moment would be your ruine Ten thousand evils watch but for such an opportunity to rush in upon you and destroy you and all your comâ—orts You are too dear to him to be trusted in any hand but his own Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thy hand Third Corollary LEarn hence how you are obliged to perform all dutJes and services for God who performeth all things for you It was the wish of a good man optarem id me esse Deo quod est mihi manus mea Oh that I could be to God what my hand is to me Viz. a serviceable useful instrument Shall God do all things for you and will you do nothing for God Is Providence every moment at work for you and will you be idle To what purpose then is all that God hath done for you Is it not the aim and design of all to make you a fruitful people If God plant and fence and water you by Providence sure he looks you should bring forth fruit Isa. 5. 1 2 3 4. O that in return for all the benefits of Providence you would say to God as grateful Elisha said to the Shunamite behold thou hast been careful for us with all this care what is to be done for thee 2 Kings 4. 13. and with David Psal. 116. 12. what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me He is ever doing you good be you always abounding in his work His Providence stands by you in your greatest distresses and dangers don't you flinch from God when his service and your duty is compassed about with difficulties O be active for that God who is acting every moment for you Fourth Corollary DOth God perform all things for his people Do not distrust him then as often as new or great difficultJes arise Why should you think he that hath done so many things for you will now do no more Surely the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear if any thing put a stop to his mercy 't is your iniquities your distrust and infidelity Isa. 59. 1. How long will it be ere you belJeve him If a thousand and ten thousand of tryals and experiences of his tender care faithfulness and love will cure this distemper in you you have them at hand to do it If the frequent confutations of this your distrust by the unexpected breakings out of mercy for you under like discouragements will cure it look back and you may see them Certainly you have been often forced by Providence with shame and repentance to retract your rash censures of his care and yet will you fall into the same distemper again Oh that you would once learn this great truth That no man ever wanted that mercy which he wanted not an heart to trust and wait quietly upon God for You never yet sought God in vain except when you sought him vainly The Fiâ—th Corollary DOth God perform all things for you then seek God for all by prayer and never undertake any design without him Certainly if he do not perform it for you you can never have what you desire and labour â—or and though he have designed to perform this or that mercy for you yet for these things he will be enquired of that he may do it for you Ezek. 36. 37. I reckon that business as good as done that mercy as good as if it were in hand that trouble as good as over for the doing enjoying or removing whereof we have engaged God by prayer 'T is our â—olly to engage this instrument and that for us to attempt this way and that to compass our design and all the while forget him upon whose pleasure all instruments and means entirely depend That which begins not with prayer seldom winds up with comfort The way of man is not in himself if it were prayer might then be reckon'd lost labour O let him that performs all be owned and acknowledged in all The sixth Corollary LAstly If God perform all things for us then it is our great Interest and concernment in all things to study to please him upon whom we depend for all things It is a grave and weighty observation of Chrysostome Nothing saith he should be grievous and bitter to a Christian but to provoke the displeasure of God Avoid that and no affliction or trouble whatever can cast down such a prudent Soul but even as a spark is easily extinguish'd in the Sea so will the favour of God extinguish those troubles It is with such a Soul saith he as it is with the Heavens we think the Heavens suffer when they are over-spread with clouds and the Sun suffers when it is eclipsed but there is no such thing they suffer not when they seem to suffer Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnJa Every thing is well and shall be well when all is well betwixt us and God The great consolation of the Saints lyes in this that all that concerns them is in the hands of their father Pene desperassem nisi Christus esset caput EcclesJae I had utterly despair'd said Luther had not Christ been head of the Church When he that performs all things is our God even our God that delights in our prosperity that rejoyces over us to do us good what ample security is here in the greatest confusions and dangers When one told Bouromeus that there were some that laid wait for his life his answer was An Deus est in mundo pro nihilo What is God in the World for nothing And as notable was the reply of SilentJarJus in a like case si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo If God take no care of me how do I live how have I subsisted hitherto Though it seems a Romance to many saith a late grave Author yet we must either quit the Scripture or give credit to this that the most infallible Rules for one to raise his fortune and ensure a destiny that can controul the stars are given forth there viz. in the Scriptures where that evidently is found Sapiens