Sermon Upon the Wonderful Deliverance by His Majesty from Assassination, Part 3
III The proposed order now leads us to inquire, what a singular priviledge it is to Israel, to have a God whose Providence neither slumbers nor sleeps to undertake to keep her?
The greatness of this priviledge, the preciousness of this mercy, will more evidently, and eminently appear, if we consider
1. Who this Israel is, whom God has undertaken to keep.
2. Who the enemies are that watch against her to destroy her.
3. Or what this Providence is which neither slumbers nor sleeps to keep her.
(1.) Let us seriously consider, who this Israel is whom God hath undertaken to keep? And
1. If we look upon this Israel, and what her worth and value is in her self, she seems a matter of so small importance, that it's a wonder God should judge her worth the keeping; every thing is kept by the Proprietor with a care proportionable to the value of the thing he keeps: And thus we observe that great Lords will keep their common Fields, keep their Inclosures, keep their Gardens, their Houses, their Jewels; but with a different concern suitable to the value, usefulness, and preciousness of the things. There are some considerations that lead us to think, Israel is not worth the cost and pains God is at in preserving her; there are others that incline us to believe, that no care, no vigilance, is too great to be bestowed upon her securing.
First, There are some considerations that would perswade us, that Providence bestows more solicitude about his Israel than she is worth: If we consider her number, Moses who had taken the Poll of them assures us, Deut. 7. 7. That the Lord did not set his Love upon them because they were more in number than any people, for they were the fewest of all people. If we consider what figure they have made, what part they have born in the world, the Apostle has informed us, 1 Cor. 1. 26. That not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. If we look upon their usefulness and serviceableness in their respective generations, either that is little, or men do not think fit to use them, and serve themselves of them.
And yet secondly, there are other things that would invite us to be of another judgment, and that this Israel is of the greatest esteem in the eyes of her God: As suppose we should consider the price that God gave for this poor Israel, and at what rates he purchased her: 'Tis a small thing to say, Isa. 43. 3. I am the Lord thy God, thy Saviour, the holy one of Israel, I gave Egypt for thy Ransom, Ethiopia and Sheba for thee; v. 4. I will give men for thee, and people for thy life: but what is this temporal price to the invaluable one of Christs blood wherewith he has redeemed them, 1 Pet. 1. 18. Or if we look upon the almighty power which God in all ages has exerted, that wise conduct which God has even imployed in preserving them from utter ruine, and delivering them out of those perils into which their own sin and folly had brought them; if we take matters this way Israel must needs be some rare excellent Jewel: But these things are easily adjusted, for it was Gods valuation of them that gave them a value, his prizing of them that made them precious, and the honour he put upon them that rendered them honorable, Isa. 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable. And the same Moses who tells us, that Israel made no figure in the world on the account of her numbers, tells us too, That God set his love upon them, because he loved them, and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworn to their fathers. So that God loved Israel because he would love her, and that which is the weakest reason on earth, is the strongest reason in heaven; Gods grace and favour is the reason of itself▪
2. If we look upon this distressed Israel she has but few keepers, and if she had thousands, without the keeping of this wakeful and watchful God, all their keeping would be in vain.
We have Watchmen, but if watchful Providence watch not over them they watch in vain. To separate divine Providence from humane helps, is to destroy and annihilate those helps, Psal. 127.11. Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain; so that if we had not a God to wake, and watch for us, the Watchmen might as well be asleep too.
We have (and blessed be God that we have) Armies, Guards, Navies, to defend our Persons, our Nation, and our Coasts, but if we had not the Lord of Hosts to fight for them, they would fight in vain. And the case may be put, whether we may not need a watchful powerful God to guard us from our guards too.
We cannot have forgot, 'tis but a few years ago, how our enemies were ready to make a formidable descent upon us, and the wind that blows when and where God pleases, stood in their faces: who was it that then kept us from Invasion? our Fleet or our God: But if we have forgotten a salvation three years old, (as bad hearts have always bad memories) we cannot forget this last deliverance, 'tis recent and fresh upon our minds, and many concurrent deliverances have been given in to refresh our memories: Now conscience will ask this of us, Pray who delivered us from an Invasion, this Spring? our Fleets? why they had been gone, if the wind had not stood full in their faces; so that one while providence preserves us by ordering the wind to stand full in our enemies faces, another while by appointing it to blow in our own. And thus God saves us by being against us.
Providence has encompassed us with a wall of water, such the position of an Island needs, and has: but our enemies could easily wast themselves over that wall; he has therefore given us a wall of wood, but how easily might that wall be burnt, if God himself were not for us a wall of fire; and that he has promised to be to his Israel, Zach. 2. 5. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about.
3. And that which renders Israel more in want of a God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, is that Israel her self is so apt to sleep, and even those that should watch are too ready to slumber. We are indeed, if we be an Israel, a very slumbering one.
1. We are fast asleep in a dead Calm, and with much rubbing our glewed eyes, we are hardly awake in a Storm: we are asleep in the midst of dangers, and do but dream in the midst of our deliverances: A wretched temper, or distemper, that the still small voice of a winters Peace locks us up in sleep, and the thunders of a summers War will not make us broad awake. Ps. 126.1. When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion, then were we like them that dream. In a profound sleep, when our enemies are awake, and watchful to destroy us; and with much difficulty rouzed up when God has appeared to save us.
2. We often see our deliverance assoon as our danger, and our ruine is prevented assoon as discovered; we are well again, before we knew we were mortally sick.
And as this procedure of providence does magnify our Gods mercy, that he would not suffer danger to stare us long in the face, when we had not perhaps courage to meet it, or faith to overcome it, so it reproaches out sloth and drouziness, that we are not awake to foresee dangers before they come, nor to see deliverances when they are come.
3. We are so sleepy that our friends beyond the Seas, are owning the providences of God which have attended us, before we own them at home, and our very enemies are acknowledging what God has done for us, before we can be at leisure to own it our selves; our enemies envy must awaken our praise. This was the case of Israel, Psal. 126.3, 4. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. And the Church is the e…cho of Babylons confession. Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. It surprized me exceedingly to hear the amazement of Paris, before I could hear the rejoycings of London, and that some of the foreign Churches were ready to keep a day of Thanksgiving for us, before we could keep me on our own account: for they it seems have some odd principles, that if it be lawful to be sick, it is lawful to be well, and if lawful to be recovered, then lawful also to acknowledge it at any time of the year.
But as we are asleep, I fear they that should watch for us are not, or have not been well awake: Tho we have two sorts of watchmen.
1. We have spiritual watchmen, who are denominated from their Office, which is to watch that others may more safely sleep: They are called Seers; but sad is it with a nation when the Seers are blind; but yet they wear the character of watchmen, teaching them at once what God has enjoined them, and what we may expect from them.
Isa. 62. 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace, day nor night; ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence! so that their eyes must always be open to foresee the danger at a distance, and their mouths always open too. 1. In prayer to God to awaken him. 2. In fervent calls to the people to awaken them; and for this end God has committed to them both the Silver Trumpets of the Gospel to call to repentance and reformation, and the Brazen Trumpets too to sound the alarm to stand up against approaching dangers.
This they are in Office; but how stands the case in fact? I am afraid it is as described by the same Prophet, Isa. 56. 10. His watchmen are blind; they are dumb dogs. Miserable is the state of those flocks, where the dogs that should watch for them against the wolves are asleep, or perhaps in league with the wolves. And sad is the case of those families where the dogs that should watch for the house are given to slumber, and perhaps go a share with the thieves.
2. We have civil watchmen. They have been in a slumber, providence has awakened them, and our interest and duty is to pray, that they may not indulge security any more.
And this gives us the first account of the greatness of this priviledge, taken from Israels unworthiness to be kept, the insignificancy of all other keepers; and the sleepiness of Israel to keep her self, which magnifies the savour of that God who has undertaken her preservation, who neither slumbers nor sleeps.
(2.) The greatness of this priviledge will further appear, if we consider the watchfulness of Israels enemies to destroy her. Israels enemies neither slumber nor sleep: what had then become of Israel if her keeper had done either. There are four things that evidence the unwearied vigilance and diligence of her enemies.
1. They have watchful hearts: Their Malice will not suffer them to sleep, and Gods love will not suffer him to sleep; Malice is a wakeful and watchful evil, which always boils in the heart, and never allows the soul to rest; 'tis a continual fever which admits of no intermissions for repose: Now the heart where this Malice has its residence, is the fruitful womb wherein all these accursed machinations are conceived and bred; the Devil is the father, and begets all these plots upon an enraged heart. And that incessant wrath which will not allow him any rest, he infuses into the souls of his instruments that they shall never rest neither.
This is the great argument St. Peter presses upon us all, 1 Pet. 5 9. To be sober and vigilant, because our adversary the devil as a roaring lion, goes up and down seeking whom he may devour; and he owns it to God himself, Job 1. 7. That he came from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down it. What need have we then of a God, whose eyes run to and fro thro the whole earth, to save us, 2 Chron. 16. 9. when this implacable enemy confesses that he travels to and fro in the earth to destroy us.
What is true of this adversary, is proportionably true of all his emissaries and agents, their malice will not suffer them to sleep except they do mischief, and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall, Prov. 4. 16.
2. Israels enemies have watchful heads too. All their designs are forged in that shop, formed into shape upon that anvil; and what is first conceived in the womb of the heart is gradually reduced to a consistence by the politick pate. Now it's impossible but they must be exceeding watchful that have so many plots hammering and beating out at once; the beating of the brain is the heating of the brain, and hot brains and heads are never guilty of much rest, Psal. 64. 6. They search out iniquities, they accomplish a diligent search; both the inward thought of them, and the heart is deep.
3. Israels enemies have watchful eyes; they watch for the critical moment, and can discern it when it comes; as the Chymist watches his Laboratory, and curiously observes the minute, when his travel and patience are just ready to produce the precious Elixir: so do Israels enemies wait for that happy hour, that rich opportunity when their long contrived designs are ripe, and ready for the birth to reward all their labour and expectation.
And indeed both our folly and Gods wisdom give them many a flattering juncture, which flushes their hopes that their matters are sure, and not to be defeated. The wisdom of God gives them these promising seasons, that their disappointments may be greater after such fair expectation, and our folly gives them these advantages too, that in the issue divine wisdom may triumph in baffling their subtilty, and not dealing with us according to our folly.
4. They have watchful hands too; waiting nothing but the word of command: They are looking for the last orders, and when they come say but strike, and the blow is given; give the word fire and they fire.
Absalom's servants were under exact discipline, 2 Sam. 13. 28. Mark ye now! (says he) ready! When I say smite Amnon! Then kill him, have not I commanded you? so excellent is the advantage of indisputable power, and absolute authority, and so rare is the qualification of blind obedience, for those slaves whose work is the perpetration of horrid murders.
I must now report this matter to every mans judgment, how invaluable must that priviledge be, to have a watchful God to keep Israel, when there are such watchful enemies to destroy her?
The Psalmist had a faith exercised in this truth, 'Psal. 3. 1. Lord how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many are they that say of my soul, there is no help for him in God. He saw Absalom with his numerous Army matching against him; Achitophel amongst the Conspirators himself almost forsaken, and forced to fly for his life; but against all his enemies, all his dangers, he had one thing to oppose, and that was the faithfulness, wisdom, care and goodness of the only one God; so he expresses his faith, v. 3. But thou O Lord art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. And in this confidence he lay down and slept, may he awaked again for his God sustained him, v. 4. Now if we consider the circumstances that David was in, and for which this Psalm was calculated, viz. when he fled from Absalom his son, when Achitophel had given that pestilent counsel to surprize him by night, we may justly wonder that either he could lye down and sleep in the midst of those hurries and discomposing fears, or that having lain down to sleep he should ever awake again, when his enemies were conspiring that he should then sleep the sleep of death; but all his security of mind, and safety of his person, must be resolved into this one thing, his God sustained him when he slept, and was the lifter up of his head, that he might comfortably awake. Hi… enemies were watching his distruction, but God watched against them; and he was soundly sl…eping, for his God watched for him.
Thus Jacob slept secure at Bethel, tho his pillow was a hard stone, and awaked notwithstanding the oath of his brother Esau; for the Angels were ascending to carry up his perillous case to God, and descending to bring down protections and safe conduct from the same God, Gen. 28. 11, 12, 13.
(3.) The greatness of this priviledge will yet more gloriously appear, if we consider what this providence is, which neither slumbers nor sleeps, for the protection of his beloved Israel: And here we must first describe, and secondly distinguish providence.
§ 1. And first for a clear description of providence: I cannot give you a better, than that commonly received, viz. Providence is Gods most holy most wise, most powerful ordering and governing, all his Creatures and all their Actions.
1. 'Tis a m…st holy providenoe, Psal. 145.17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works; they may be intricate, they may be sec…et, but still they a…e holy: he corrects, afflicts, chastises his own children, but he is holy in those co…rections, Psal. 2. 2, 3. O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou bearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent, but thou art holy. He often prospers the tabernacles of robbers, and crowns the worst of men with great success in their affairs; this has been a great stumbling block to the best of Saints; the Prophet Jeremy expostulates with God about it, Jer. 12. 1. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? But yet he confesses himself unmeet to plead with God about this matter, till he had first recogniz'd Gods holiness in it, and subscribed this great preliminary Article. Righteous art thou O Lord, when I plead with thee! yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments.
The same trouble it created to Asaph, or whoever was the Penman of the 73 Psalm, v. 2. My feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipt; v. 4. For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked, &c. And the temptation rose so high, that he was ready to conclude, v. 14. I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washt my hands in innocency; at last he goes into the Sanctuary of the Lord, whither to offer Sacrifices that his sin might be pardoned, his peace renewed, and all cleared between God and his soul; or whither to pray there for illumination in this dark matter, or whither to consult the Scripture, or advise with the Priests, but when he came then he was abundantly satisfied, and begins his Psalm, v. 1. with this Recognition, Truly God is good to Israel, even to them that are of a clean heart.
2. 'Tis a most wise Providence: Especially in the case before us, he makes his greatest enemies to serve his friends, and knows how to rule the malice of the Devil, to produce the effects of his own love. Could we behold the beautiful scenes of Providence in a true light, with a clear eye, nothing could be more ravishing: To observe how he makes fire and water sweetly to agree in the same mixed bodies, when in their distinct forms they are implacable enemies, might lead our thoughts to a higher speculation; how he over rules the opposition of irreconcileable interests to contribute to a general Peace; this was the admiration of holy David, Psal. 104.24. O how wonderful are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all! He conducts ignorant agents to an end which they think not of, and stubborn creatures to fulfil those designs of his which they professedly oppose; he maintains his own order in the midst of all our confusions; and can easily bring forth light out of all that darkness which at present involves the face of things; he can command the storm which threatens to sink the Vessel to blow it into safe Harbor; and out of these bloody Wars can speak to the Nations a firm and happy Peace: and of all these, and many more instances of the divine wisdom, we need no other proof than what lies fair before our eyes; our enemies thought to have broken us by dividing us, wise Providence has united and Associated us; they design'd to overturn the foundations of our government, wise Providence has more strongly settled it; they plotted against the life of our King, wise Providence took the hint, and has declared him both Lawful and Rightful King.
'Tis a most powerful Providence. Nothing so high, so strong, as to be above his power; nothing so mean, so weak, as to be below his care, Luke 1. 50. He hath shewed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; he hath put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted them of low degree: 'Tis the peculiar glory of Providence to break the hardest heart, and then to bind up what he has broken; to humble the stoutest spirit, and then to exalt it when truly humbled.
Let us now gather up these particulars, and they will give us a demonstration of the greatness of the privilege, that Israel has a most holy, most wise, and most powerful Providence to watch over her, to superintend all her concerns against all the subtle and malicious designs of all her enemies.
§ 2. We must now distinguish of Providence, and that will give us yet a further and fuller prospect into the greatness of this privilege.
Providence is either Common, or Special.
1. Common Providence is that whereby he governs, cares, and provides for all his creatures as such; for Providence is as wide and large as creation: Not like the Ostrich, Job 39. 14, 15. which leaveth her Eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust, and forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them; she is hardned against her young ones, as tho they were not hers; her labour is in vain without fear: but the good God hates nothing, neglects nothing that he has made, Mat. 5. 45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil, and on the good; and sendeth rain on the just, and the unjust. The sun is his great servant to communicate light and heat, and the influences of life, vigor, and fruitfulness to this lower world; and some have shamefully mistaken the servant for the Master, and worshipt the second cause, when they should have referred all their mercies to be first; and the sun seems to be unwilling to rise and shine and lend his beams to a company of wretched Idolaters; but God makes him rise and shine, foreign he compels him to discharge his office to the whole creation, so faithful to, and careful of the works of his hands is the great Creator, Psal. 147.9. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry: The young ravens have a language which Providence understands, and God feeds them as well as the innocent Doves; nay, the young Lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God: Lions that might be supposed their own Ca…erers and Carvers, that would never ask leave of the Shepherd to borrow a Lamb from his Fold or Flock, yet even these in their Dialect seek their meat from God; as the Lion roars for his prey, the Lamb bleats for his food, and tender Providence understands and gives what they crave and want, and to a good God the want of his creature is its prayer.
This Providence of God, tho it be called common, is yet particular, and reaches the minutes of the creation; not only caring for the works of his hands in the gross and lump, but extending its regards to the motions, actions and concerns that seem most inconsiderable; it reaches not only the head, but the hairs of the head, and does not only dispose of and provide for the stately lion, but the chirping sparrow; and because in the motions of that little bird, nothing seems more contingent than its lighting upon the ground, whether to seek its food, or divert it self, yet even these come under the notice of providence, Math. 10. 29, 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? A small creature a small price; And one of them (whose price can be but half a farthing) shall not fall on the ground (an inconsiderable action of an inconsiderable creature) without your father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred. Wonder not then that God tells the number of the stars of Heaven, Psal. 147.4. when he counts the number of the hairs of your head; and let this consideration lead our thoughts from admiration of, to dependance on that providence, which if it cares for the hair, will not fail to secure the head.
This providence is yet more to be admired in that concern it has about the horrid wickednesses of a debauched world; that it can like the Sun shine upon a dunghil, and yet never defile its beams, with those steams which rise from thence; that sin which he wisely permits he powerfully over-rules, and by a priviledge peculiar to himself, brings the greatest good out of the greatest evil.
2. There is yet a special and peculiar Providence; whereby he is concerned to Provide for and Protect his own Israel, his Church, and our Saviour the Interest of his own Name, and glory is wrapt up in: As his Relation is nearer, so his Love is dearer, and his care greater for Israel. Psal. 148.14. The Children of Israel a people near unto him. And as nearer so dearer. Psal. 87. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dewllings of Jacob. As his Love is distinguishing, so are his Dispensations, Psal. 147.20, he hath not dealt so with any nation. If then this Providence which watches over Israel, he most holy, most wise, most powerful; if it be grounded upon special and covenant relations, if it exerts its self in distinguishing Favours, Provisions, Protections, Preservations, The Priviledge must be unspeakably, unconceiveably great, That this God who keepth, and has undertaken for ever to keep his Israel, doth not, shall not, cannot either slumber of sleep.