Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 9 (2 of 4)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 9 (2 of 4)

p. 3522. The wiſdom of God appears in his Government of his Creatures. The regular motion of the Creatures ſpeaks for this Perfection, as well as the exact Compoſition of them. If the exquiſiteneſs of the Frame conducts us to the skill of the Contriver; the exactneſs of their Order, according to his Will and Law, ſpeaks no leſs the wiſdom of the Governour. It cannot be thought that a raſh and irrational Power preſides over a World ſo well diſpoſed: The diſpoſition of things hath no leſs characters of Skill, than the Creation of them. No man can hear an excellent Leſſon upon a Lute, but muſt preſently reflect upon the Art of the Perſon that touches it. The Prudence of man appears in wrapping up the Concerns of a Kingdom in his mind, for the well-ordering of it; and ſhall not the wiſdom of God ſhine forth, as he is the Director of the World?

I ſhall omit his Government of Inanimate Creatures, and confine the Diſcourſe to his Government of Man, as Rational, as Sinful, as Restor'd.

1. In his Government of man as a Rational Creature.

1. In the Law he gives to man. Wiſdom framed it, though Will enacted it. The will of God is the Rule of Righteouſneſs to us, but the wiſdom of God is the Foundation of that Rule of Righteouſneſs which he preſcribes us.**Caſtellio Dialog. l. 4. p. 46. The Compoſure of a Muſician is the Rule of ſinging to his Scholars; yet the Conſent and Harmony in that Compoſure, derives not it ſelf from his will, but from his underſtanding; he would not be a Muſician, if his Compoſures were contrary to the Rules of true Harmony: So the Laws of men are compos'd by wiſdom, though they are enforc'd by will and authority.

The Moral Law, which was the Law of Nature, the Law imprinted upon Adam, is ſo framed, as to ſecure the Rights of God as Supream, and the Rights of Men in their diſtinctions of Superiority and Equality: 'Tis therefore called holy and good, Rom. 7.12. holy, as it preſcribes our duty to God in his worſhip; good, as it regulates the offices of human life, and preſerves the common intereſt of Mankind.

1. 'Tis ſuted to the Nature of Man. As God hath given a Law of Nature, a fixed Order to Inanimate Creatures, ſo he hath given a Law of Reaſon to Rational Creatures: Other Creatures are not capable of a Law differencing good and evil, becauſe they are deſtitute of Faculties and Capacities to make diſtinction between them. It had not been agreeable to the wiſdom of God to propoſe any Moral Law to them, who had neither underſtanding to diſcern, nor will to chuſe. 'Tis therefore to be obſerved, that whilſt Chriſt exhorted others to the embracing his Doctrine, yet he exhorted not little Children, though he took them in his Arms, becauſe though they had Faculties, yet they were not come to ſuch a Maturity, as to be capable of a Rational Inſtruction. But there was a neceſſity for ſome Command for the government of man; ſince God had made him a Rational Creature, it was not agreeable to his wiſdom to govern him as a Brute, but as a Rational Creature, capable of knowing his Precepts, and voluntarily walking in them; and without a Law, he had not been capable of any exerciſe of his Reaſon in Services reſpecting God.

He therefore gives him a Law with a Covenant annext to it, whereby man is obliged to Obedience, and ſecured of a Reward. This was enforced with ſevere Penalties, Death, with all the Horrours attending it, to deterr him from Tranſgreſſion, Gen. 2.17. wherein is implied a Promiſe of continuance of Life, and all its Felicities, to allure him to a mindfulneſs of his Obligation. So perfect a Hedge did Divine Wiſdom ſet about him, to keep him within the bounds of that Obedience, which was both his Debt and Security, that whereſoever he looked, he ſaw either ſomething to invite him, or ſomething to drive him to the payment of his Duty, and perſeverance in it. Thus the Law was exactly framed to the Nature of man; man had twiſted in him a deſire of Happineſs; the Promiſe was ſuted to cheriſh this natural Deſire. He had alſo the Paſſion of Fear; the proper Object of p. 353this was any thing deſtructive to his Being, Nature, and Felicity; this the threatning met with. In the whole it was accommodated to man as rational: Precepts to the Law in his mind, Promiſes to the natural Appetite, Threatnings to the moſt prevailing Affection, and to the implanted Deſires of preſerving both his Being and Happineſs in that Being. Theſe were rational Motives, fitted to the nature of Adam, which was above the life God had given Plants, and the ſenſe he had given Animals.

The Command given man in Innocence, was ſuted to his ſtrength and power; God gave him not any Command, but what he had ability to obſerve: and Since we want not power to forbear an Apple in our corrupted and impotent State, he wanted not ſtrength in his ſtate of Integrity. The Wiſdom of God Commanded nothing, but what was very eaſy to be obſerved by him, and inferior to his natural Ability. It had been both unjuſt and unwiſe to have commanded him to fly up to the Sun, when he had not Wings; or ſtop the Courſe of the Sea, when he had not ſtrength.

2. 'Tis ſuted to the happineſs and benefit of man. God's Laws are not an act of meer Authority reſpecting his own Glory, but of wiſdom and goodneſs reſpecting mans Benefit. They are perfective of mans Nature, conferring a Wiſdom upon him, rejoycing his Heart, enlightning his eyes, Pſal. 19.7, 8. affording him both a knowledge of God, and of himſelf. To be without a Law, is for man to be as Beaſts, without Juſtice and without Religion: Other things are for the good of the Body, but the Laws of God for the good of the Soul; the more perfect the Law, the greater the benefit. The Laws given to the Iews were the honour and excellency of that Nation; Deut. 1.8. What Nation is there ſo great, that hath ſtatutes and Judgments ſo righteous? They were made States-men in the Judicial Law, Eccleſiaſticks in the Ceremonial, honeſt men in the Second Table, and Divine in the Firſt. All his Laws are ſuted to the true ſatisfaction of man, and the good of Human Society. Had God framed a Law only for one Nation, there would have been the Characters of a particular Wiſdom; but now an univerſal wiſdom appears, in accommodating his Law, not only to this or that particular Society or Corporation of men, but to the benefit of all mankind in the variety of Climates, and Countries wherein they live: Every thing that is diſturbing to Human Society is provided aga…nſt; nothing is enjoin'd, but what is ſweet, rational and uſeful: It orders us not to attempt any thing againſt the life of our Neighbour, the honour of his Bed, propriety in his Goods, and the clearneſs of his Reputation; and if well obſerved, would alter the face of the World, and make it look with another hue. The World would be alter'd from a brutiſh to a human World: It would ch…nge Lions and Wolves, men of Lion-like and Wolviſh diſpoſition, into reaſon and ſweetneſs. And becauſe the whole Law is ſum'd up in love, it obligeth us to endeavour the preſervation of one anothers Beings, the favouring of one anothers Intereſts, and increaſing the Goods, as much as Iuſtice will permit, and keeping up one anothers Credits; becauſe love, which is the Soul of the Law, is not ſhewn by a ceſſation from action, but ſignifies an ardor upon all occaſions in doing good. I ſay were this Law well obſerved, the World would be another thing than it is. It would become a Religious Fraternity, the Voice of Enmity and the Noiſe of Groans and Curſings would not be heard in our Streets: Peace would be in all Borders; plenty of Charity in the midſt of Cities and Countries; Joy and ſinging would ſound in all habitations. Mans advantage was deſign'd in Gods Laws, and doth naturally reſult from the obſervance of them. God ſo ordered them by his Wiſdom, that the obedience of man ſhould draw forth his Goodneſs, and prevent thoſe ſmarting Judgments, which were neceſſary to reduce the Creature to order, that would not voluntarily continue in the order God had appointed. The Laws of men are often unjuſt, oppreſſive, cruel; ſometimes againſt the Law of nature: But an univerſal wiſdom and righteouſneſs glitters in the Divine Law. There is nothing in it, but what is worthy of God, and uſeful for the Creature; ſo that we may well ſay with Job, Who teaches like God, Job. 36.22. or as ſome render it, who is a law-giver like God? Who can ſay to him, thou haſt wrought iniquity or folly among men? His Precepts were framed for the preſervation p. 354of man in that rectitude wherein he was Created, in that likeneſs to God wherein he was firſt made, that there might be a correſpondence between the Integrity of the Creature and the Goodneſs of his Creator, by the Obedience of man; that man might exerciſe his Faculties in Operations worthy of him, and beneficial to the World.

3. The Wiſdom of God is ſeen in ſuting to Laws to the Conſciences, as well as the Intereſt of all Mankind. Rom. 2.14. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law; ſo great an affinity there is between the wiſe Law and the Reaſon of man.

There is a natural Beauty emerging from them, and darting upon the Reaſons, and Conſciences of men, which dictates to them that this Law is worthy to be obſerved in it ſelf. The two main Principles of the Law, the Love and worſhip of God, and doing as we would be done by, have an indelible impreſſion in the Conſciences of all men in regard of the Principle, though they are not ſutably expreſt in the Practiſe. Were there no Law outwardly publiſht, yet every mans Conſcience would dictate to him, that God was to be acknowledged, worſhipped, loved, as naturally as his Reaſon would acquaint him that there was ſuch a Being as God. This ſutableneſs of them to the Conſciences of men, is manifeſt, in that the Laws of the beſt governed Nations among the Heathen have had an agreement with them. Nothing can be more exactly compoſed, according to the Rules of right and exact Reaſon than this; no man but approves of ſomething in it, yea of the whole when he exerciſeth that dimm Reaſon which he hath. Suppoſe any man, (not an abſolute Atheiſt) he cannot but acknowledge the reaſonableneſs of worſhipping God. Grant him to be a Spirit, and it will preſently appear abſurd to repreſent him by any Corporeal Image, and derogate from his Excellency by ſo mean a reſemblance; with the ſame eaſineſs he will grant a reverence due to the Name of God; that we muſt not ſerve our turn of him, by calling him to witneſs to a lye in a ſolemn Oath. That as Worſhip is due to him, ſo that ſome ſtated time is a circumſtance neceſſary to the performance of that Worſhip. And as to the Second Table, will any man in his right reaſon quarrel with that Command that engageth his Inferiors to honour him; that ſecures his Being from a violent murder, and his goods from unjuſt rapine? and though by the fury of his Luſts he break the Laws of Wedlock himſelf, yet he cannot but approve of that Law, as it prohibits every man from doing him the like injury and diſgrace. The ſutableneſs of the Law to the Conſciences of men, is further evidenced by thoſe furious reflections and ſtrong alarms of Conſcience upon a tranſgreſſion of it, and that in all parts of the World, more or leſs in all men: So exactly hath Divine wiſdom fitted the Law to the Reaſon and Conſciences of men, as one Tally to another. Indeed, without ſuch an agreement, no mans Conſcience could have any ground for a Hue and Cry, nor need any man be ſtartled with the Records of it. This manifeſts the wiſdom of God in framing his Law ſo, that the Reaſons and conſciences of all men do one time or other ſubſcribe to it. What Governour in the World is able to make any Law diſtinct from this revealed by God, that ſhall reach all places, all perſons, all Hearts?

We may add to this the extent of his Commands in ordering goodneſs at the root, not only in action but affection; not only in the motion of the Members, but the diſpoſition of the Soul; which ſuting a Law to the inward frame of man, is quite out of the compaſs of the wiſdom of any Creature.

4. His Wiſdom is ſeen in the incouragements he gives for the ſtudying and obſerving his will, Pſal. 19.11. In keeping thy Commandments there is great reward. The variety of them; there is not any particular Genius in man, but may find ſomething ſutable to win upon him in the revealed will of God. There is a ſtrain of Reaſon to ſatisfy the Rational; of Eloquence, to gratify the the Fanciful; of Intereſt to allure the Selfiſh; of Terror, to ſtartle the Obſtinate. As a skilful Angler ſtores himſelf with Baits, according to the Appetites of the ſorts of fiſh he intends to catch; ſo in the Word of God, there are varieties of Baits, according to the varieties of p. 355the Inclinations of men; Threatnings to work upon Fear; Promiſes to work upon Love; Examples of holy men ſet out for Imitation; and thoſe plainly, neither his Threatnings nor his Promiſes are dark as the Heathen Oracles; but peremptory, as becomes a Soveraign Law giver; and plain, as was neceſſary for the underſtanding of a Creature: As he deals graciouſly with men in exhorting and incouraging them; ſo he deals wiſely herein, by taking away all Excuſe from them if they ruine the intereſt of their Souls by denying Obedience to their Soveraign.

Again, the Rewards God propoſeth are accommodated, not to the Brutiſh parts of man, his Carnal Senſe and Fleſhly Appetite; but to the Capacity of a Spiritual Soul, which admits only of Spiritual Gratifications; and cannot in its own Nature, without a ſordid ſubjection to the Humors of the Body, be moved by Senſual Propoſals. God backs his Precepts with that which the Nature of Man longed for, and with Spiritual Delights, which can only ſatisfy a rational Appetite: And thereby did as well gratifie the nobleſt Deſires in man, as Oblige him to the nobleſt Service and Work**Amytaut.. Indeed Vertue and Holineſs being perfectly amiable, ought chiefly to affect our Underſtandings, and by them draw our Wills to the eſteem and purſuit of them. But ſince the deſire of Happineſs is inſeparable from the Nature of Man, as impoſſible to be diſ-join'd, as an Inclination to deſcend to be ſevered from heavy Bodies, or an inſtinct to aſcend from Light and A ry of Subſtances; God ſerves himſelf of the Inclination of our Natures to happineſs, to engender in us an eſteem and affection to the Holineſs he doth require. He propoſeth the enjoyment of a ſupernatural Good and everlaſting Glory, as a Bait to that inſatiable longing our Natures have for Happineſs, to receive the impreſſion of Holineſs into our Souls. And beſides, he doth proportion Rewards according to the degrees of mens Induſtry, Labour, and Zeal for him; and weighs out a Recompence, not only ſuted to, but above the ſervice. He that improves five Talents, is to be ruler over five Cities; that is, a greater proportion of Honour and Glory than another, Luke 19.17.18. As a wiſe Father excites the affection of his Children to things worthy of Praiſe, by varieties of Recompenſes according to their ſeveral Actions. And it was the Wiſdom of the Steward, in the Judgment of our Saviour, to give every one the portion that belonged to him, Luke 12.42. There is no part of the Word wherein we meet not with the will and Wiſdom of God, varieties of Duties, and varieties of Encouragement mingled together.

5. The Wiſdom of God is ſeen In fitting the Revelations of his will to aftertimes, and for the preventing of the foreſeen Corruptions of men. The whole Revelation of the mind of God is ſtored with Wiſdom in the words, connexion, ſence; It looks backwards to paſt, and forwards to Ages to come: A hidden wiſdom lies in the bowels of it, like Gold in a Mine.

The Old teſtament was ſo compoſed, as to fortify the New, when God ſhould bring it to light. The Foundations of the Gopel were laid in the Law: The Predictions of the Prophets, and figures of the Law were ſo wiſely framed and laid down in ſuch clear expreſſions, as to be Proofs of the Authority of the New Teſtament, and Convictions of Jeſus his being the Meſſiah, Luke 24.14. Things concerning Chriſt, were written in Moſes, the Prophets, and Pſalms, and do to this day ſtare the Jews ſo in the face, that they are fain to invent abſurd and Nonſenſical Interpretations to excuſe their Unbelief, and continue themſelves in their obſtinate Blindneſs. And in purſuance of the efficacy of thoſe Predictions, it was a part of the Wiſdom of God to bring forth the Tranſlation of the Old Teſtament, (by the means Ptolomy King of Egypt ſome hundreds of years before the coming of Chriſt) into the Greek Language, the Tongue then moſt known in the World; And why? to prepare the Gentiles by the reading of it, for that gracious call he intended them, and for the entertainment of the Goſpel, which ſome few years after was to be publiſht among them; that by reading the Predictions ſo long before made, they might more readily receive the accompliſhment of them in their due time.

p. 356The Scripture is written in ſuch a manner, as to obviate Errors foreſeen by God to enter into the Church. It may be wondred, why the Ʋniverſal Particle ſhould be inſerted by Chriſt, in the giving the Cup in the Supper, which was not in the diſtributing the Bread, Mat. 26, 27. Drink ye all of it; Not at the diſtributing the Bread, Eat you all of it: And Mark in his Relation tels us, They all drank of it, Mark 11.23. The Church of Rome hath been the occaſion of diſcovering to us the Wiſdom of our Saviour in inſ erting that Particle all, ſince they were ſo bold to exclude the Communicants from the Cup by a trick of Concomitancy. Chriſt foreſaw the Error, and therefore put in a little word to obviate a great Invaſion: And the ſpirit of God hath particularly left upon record, that Particle, as we may reaſonably ſuppoſe to ſuch a purpoſe. And ſo in the deſcription of the bleſſed Virgin, Luke 1.27. There is nothing of her Holineſs mentioned, which is with much diligence recorded of Elizabeth; Verſ. 6. Righteous, walking in all the commandments of God blameleſs; Probably to prevent the ſuperſtition which God foreſaw would ariſe in the World. And we do not find more undervaluing ſpeeches, uttered by Chriſt to any of his Diſciples in the exerciſe of his Office, than to her, except to Peter. As when ſhe acquainted him with the want of Wine at the Marriage in Cana, ſhe receives a ſlighting anſwer; Woman, what have I to do with thee? John. 2.4. And when one was admiring the bleſſedneſs of her that bare him, he turns the Diſcourſe another way, to pronounce a bleſſedneſs rather belonging to them that hear the Word of God and keep it, Luke 11.27, 28. in a mighty Wiſdom to Antidote his people againſt any conceit of the prevalency of the Virgin over him in Heaven, in the Exerciſe of his Mediatory Office.

2. As his Wiſdom appears in his Government by his Laws, ſo it appears in the various inclinations and conditions of Men. As there is a diſtinction of ſeveral Creatures, and ſeveral qualities in them, for the Common good of the World; ſo among men there are ſeveral inclinations and ſeveral Abilities, as Donatives from God, for the Common advantage of Human Society; As ſeveral Chanels cut out from the ſame River run ſeveral waies, and refreſh ſeveral Soils; one Man is qualified for one Employment, another marked out by God for a different Work, yet all of them fruitful to bring in a Revenue of Glory to God, and a harveſt of Profit to the reſt of Mankind. How unuſefull would the Body be, if it had but one Member? 1 Cor. 12.19. How unprovided would a Houſe be, if it had not Veſſels of Diſhonour as well as of Honour? The Corporation of Mankind would be as much a Chaos, as the Matter of the Heavens and the Earth was, before it was diſtinguiſht by ſeveral forms breathed into it at the Creation. Some are inſpired with a particular Genius for one Art, ſome for another: Every man hath a diſtinct Talent. If all were Husband-men, where would be the Inſtruments to Plow and Reap? If all were Artificers, where would they have Corn to nouriſh themſelves? All men are like Veſſels, and Parts in the Body, deſign'd for diſtinct Offices and Functions for the good of the whole, and mutually return an advantage to one another.

As the variety of Gifts in the Church is a fruit of the Wiſdom of God, for the preſervation and increaſe of the Church, ſo the variety of Inclinations and Employments in the World is a fruit of the Wiſdom of God, for the preſervation and ſubſiſtence of the World by mutual Commerce, What the Apostle largely diſcourſeth of the former, in 1 Cor. 12. may be applied to the other.

The various Conditions of men is alſo a fruit of Divine Wiſdom. Some are Rich, and ſome Poor; the Rich have as much need of the Poor, as the Poor have of the Rich: If the Poor depend upon the Rich for their livelyhood, the Rich depend upon the Poor for their Conveniencies. Many Arts would not be learn'd by men, if Poverty did not oblige them to it; and many would faint in the learning of them, if they were not thereunto encouraged by the Rich.

The Poor labour for the Rich, as the Earth ſends Vapours into the vaſter and fuller Air; and the Rich return advantages again to the Poor, as the Clouds do the Vapours in Rain upon the Earth. As Meat would not afford a nouriſhing Juyce without Bread, and Bread without other Food would immoderately fill the Stomach, and not be well digeſted; ſo the Rich would be unprofitable in the Commonwealth without the Poor, and the Poor would be burthenſom to a Commonwealth without the Rich: The Poor could not be eaſily govern'd without the Rich, nor the Rich ſufficiently and conveniently provided for without the Poor. If all were Rich, there would be no Objects for the exerciſe of a Noble part of Charity: If all were Poor, there were no Matter for the exerciſe of it. Thus the Divine Wiſdom planted various Inclinations, and diverſified the Conditions of Men for the publick advantages of the World.

2. Gods Wiſdom appears, in the government of Men, as Fallen and Sinful; or in the government of Sin. After the Law of God was broke, and Sin invaded and conquer'd the World; Divine Wiſdom had another Scene to act in, and other Methods of Government were neceſſary. The Wiſdom of God is then ſeen in ordering thoſe Jarring Diſcords, drawing Good out of Evil, and Honour to himſelf out of that, which in its own Nature tended to the ſupplanting of his Glory. God being a Soveraign Good, would not ſuffer ſo great an Evil to enter, but to ſerve himſ…lf of it for ſome greater End; for all his Thoughts are full of Goodneſs and Wiſdom.

Now though the Permiſſion of Sin be an Act of his Soveraignty, and the Puniſhment of Sin be an Act of his Juſtice; yet the Ordination of Sin to good, is an Act of his Wiſdom, whereby he doth diſpoſe the Evil, over-rules the Malice, and orders the Events of it to his own Purpoſes. Sin in it ſelf is a Diſorder, and therefore God doth not permit Sin for it ſelf; for in its own Nature it hath nothing of Amiableneſs; but he wills it for ſome Righteous End, which belongs to the manifeſtation of his Glory, which is his aim in all the Acts of his Will: He wills it not as Sin, but as his Wiſdom can order it to ſome greater Good than was before in the World, and make it contribute to the beauty of the Order he intends. As a dark Shadow is not delightful and pleaſant in it ſelf, nor is Drawn by a Painter for any Amiableneſs there is in the Shadow it ſelf, but as it ſerves to ſet forth that Beauty, which is the main deſign of his Art; ſo the glorious Effects which ariſe from the Entrance of Sin into the World, are not from the Creatures Evil, but the Depths of Divine Wiſdom.

Particularly,

1. Gods Wiſdom is ſeen in the bounding of Sin. As it is ſaid of the Wrath of Man, it ſhall praiſe him, and the remainder of Wrath God doth reſtrain, Pſal. 76.10. He ſets limits to the boyling Corruption of the Heart, as he doth to the boiſterous Waves of of the Sea, Hitherto ſhalt thou go, and no further. As God is the Rector of the World, he doth ſo reſtrain Sin, ſo temper and direct it, as that Human Society is preſerved, which elſe would be overflown with a Deluge of Wickedneſs, and Ruine would be brought upon all Communities. The World would be a Shambles, a Brothel-houſe, if God by his Wiſdom and Goodneſs, did not ſet bars to that Wickedneſs which is in the Hearts of Men: The whole Earth would be as bad as Hell. Since the Heart of Man is a Hell of Corruption, by that, the Souls of all Men would be excited to the acting the worſt Villanies; ſince every thought of the heart of Man is only evil, and that continually, Gen. 6.5. if the Wiſdom of God did not ſtop theſe Floud-gates of Evil in the Hearts of Men, it would overflow the World, and fruſtrate all the Gracious Deſigns he carries on among the Sons of Men. Were it not for this Wiſdom, every Houſe would be filled with Violence, as well as every Nature is with Sin. What harm would not ſtrong and furious Beaſts do, did n…t the Skill of Man tame and bridle them? How often hath Divine Wiſdom reſtrain'd the Viciouſneſs of Human Nature, and let it run, not to that point they …'d, but to the end he purpoſed? Labans Fury, and Eſaus Enmity againſt … …ere p…t in within bounds for Jacobs ſafety, and their Hearts over-ruled … intended deſtruction of the good Man to a perfect Amity**Gen. 31.29. & Gen. 32.Gen 31:29Gen 32.

p. 358II. Gods Wiſdom is ſeen, in the bringing glory to himſelf out of Sin.

1. Out of Sin it ſelf. God erects the Trophies of Honour upon that, which is a Natural means to hinder and deface it. His glorious Attributes are drawn out to our view, upon the occaſion of Sin, which otherwiſe had lain hid in his own Being. Sin is altogether black and abominable; but by the Admirable Wiſdom of God, he hath drawn out of the dreadful darkneſs of Sin, the ſaving Beams of his Mercy, and diſplayed his Grace in the Incarnation and Paſſion of his Son for the Atonement of Sin. Thus he permitted Adams Fall, and wiſely order'd it, for a fuller diſcovery of his own Nature, and a higher elevation of Mans good, that as Sin reigned to death, ſo might Grace reign through Righteouſneſs to Eternal life, by Jeſus Christ, Rom. 5.21. The unbounded Goodneſs of God could not have appeared without it. His Goodneſs in rewarding Innocent Obedience, would have been manifeſted; but not his Mercy, in pardoning Rebellious Crimes: An Innocent Creature is the Object of the Rewards of Grace, as the ſtanding Angels are under the Beams of Grace; but not under the Beams of Mercy, becauſe they were never Sinful, and conſequently never Miſerable. Without Sin the Creature had not been Miſerable: Had Man remained Innocent, he had not been the Subject of Puniſhment; and without the Creatures Miſery, Gods Mercy in ſending his Son to ſave his Enemies, could not have appeared. The abundance of Sin is a Paſſive occaſion for God to manifeſt the Abundance of his Grace:

The Power of God in the changing the Heart of a Rebellious Creature, had not appeared, had not Sin infected our Nature. We had not clearly known the Vindictive Juſtice of God, had no Crime been committed; for that is the proper Object of Divine Wrath. The Goodneſs of God could never have permitted Juſtice to exerciſe it ſelf upon an Innocent Creature, that was not guilty either Perſonally, or by Imputation. Pſal. 11.7. The righteous Lord loveth Righteouſneſs, his countenance doth behold the upright. Wiſdom is illuſtrious hereby. God ſuffered Man to fall into a Mortal Diſeaſe, to ſhew the virtue of his own Reſtoratives to cure Sin, which in it ſelf is Incurable by the Art of any Creature. And otherwiſe this Perfection whereby God draws Good out of Evil, had been utterly uſeleſs, and would have been deſtitute of an Object wherein to diſcover it ſelf.

Again, Wiſdom in ordering a Rebellious head-ſtrong World to its own ends, is greater than the ordering an Innocent World, exactly obſervant of his Precepts, and complying with the End of the Creation. Now, without the entrance of Sin, this Wiſdom had wanted a Stage to act upon. Thus God raiſed the Honour of his Wiſdom, while Man ruin'd the Integrity of his Nature; and made uſe of the Creatures breach of his Divine Law, to eſtabliſh the Honour of it in a more ſignal and ſtable manner, by the Active and Paſſive Obedience of the Son of his Boſom. Nothing ſerves God ſo much, as an occaſion of glorifying himſelf, as the entrance of Sin into the World; by this occaſion God communicates to us the knowledge of thoſe Perfections of his Nature, which had elſe been folded up from us in an Eternal Night; his Juſtice had lain in the dark, as having nothing to puniſh; his Mercy had been obſcure, as having none to pardon; a great part of his Wiſdom had been ſilent, as having no ſuch Object to order.

2. His Wiſdom appears, In making uſe of ſinful Instruments. He uſes the Malice and Enmity of the Devil to bring about his own Purpoſes, and makes the ſworn Enemy of his Honour contribute to the Illuſtrating of it againſt his will. This great Crafts-Maſter he took in his own Net, and defeated the Devil by the Devils Malice; by turning the Contrivances he had hatch'd and accompliſh'd againſt Man, againſt himſelf. He uſed him as a Tempter, to grapple with our Saviour in the Wilderneſs, whereby to make him fit to ſuccour us; and as the God of this World, to inſpire the wicked Jews to Crucifie him, whereby to render him actually the Redeemer of the World, and ſo made him an Ignorant Inſtrument of that Divine Glory he deſign'd to ruine.

p. 359**Moulins Serm. Decad. 10. p. 221, 232.'Tis more Skill to make a curious piece of Workmanſhip with Ill condition'd Tools, than with Inſtruments naturally ſitted for the work: 'Tis no ſuch great wonder for a Limner to draw an exact piece with a fit Pencil and ſutable Colours, as to begin and perfect a beautiful work with a Straw and Water, things improper for ſuch a deſign. This Wiſdom of God is more admirable and aſtoniſhing than if a Man were able to rear a vaſt Palace by Fire, whoſe nature is to conſume Combuſtible matter, not to erect a Building.

To make things ſerviceable contrary to their own Nature, is a Wiſdom peculiar to the Creator of Nature. Gods making uſe of Devils, for the glory of his Name, and the good of his People, is a more amazing piece of Wiſdom, than his Goodneſs in employing the Bleſſed Angels in his work. To promiſe, that the World, (which includes the God of the World) and Death, and Things preſent, let them be as Evil as they will, ſhould be ours, that is, for our good, and for his glory, is an act of Goodneſs; but to make them ſerviceable to the Honour of Christ, and the good of his People, is a Wiſdom that may well raiſe our higheſt Admirations††1 Cor. 3.22.1 Cor 3:22: They are for Believers, as they are for the glory of Chriſt, and as Chriſt is for the glory of God.

To Chain up Satan wholly, and fruſtrate his Wiles, would be an Argument of Divine Goodneſs; but to ſuffer him to run his riſque, and then improve all his Contrivances for his own glorious and grac…ous Ends and Purpoſes, manifeſts beſides his Power and Goodneſs, his Wiſdom alſo. He uſes the Sins of Evil Inſtruments for the glory of his Justice, Iſa. 10.5 6, 7. Thus he ſerved himſelf of the Ambition and Covetouſneſs of the Aſſyrians, Chaldeans, and Romans, for the Correction of his People and Puniſhment of his Rebels. Juſt as the Roman Magiſtrates uſed the fury of Lions and other wild Beaſts, in their Theatres, for the Puniſhment of Criminals: The Lions acted their Natural temper in tearing thoſe that were expos'd to them for a Prey; but the intent of the Magiſtrates was to puniſh their Crimes. The Magiſtrate inſpir'd not the Lions with their Rage, that they had from their Natures; but ſerved themſelves of that Natural Rage, to execute Juſtice.

3. Gods Wiſdom is ſeen in bringing good to the Creature out of Sin. He hath ordered Sin to ſuch an end as Man never dreamt of, the Devil never imagin'd, and Sin in its own Nature could never attain. Sin in its own Nature tends to no good, but that of Puniſhment, whereby the Creature is brought into order. It hath no relation to the Creatures good in it ſelf, but to the Creatures miſchief: But God, by an act of Infinite Wiſdom brings good out of it to the Creature, as well as glory to his Name, contrary to the Nature of the Crime, the Intention of the Criminal, and the Deſign of the Tempter.

God willed Sin, that is, he willed to permit it, that he might communicate himſelf to the Creature in the moſt excellent manner. He willed the Permiſſion of Sin, as an occaſion to bring forth the Myſtery of the Incarnation and Paſſion of our Saviour; as he permitted the Sin of Joſephs Brethren that he might uſe their Evil to a good end. He never, becauſe of his Holineſs, wills Sin as an End; but in regard of his Wiſdom he wills to permit it as a Means and Occaſion: And thus, to draw good out of thoſe things which are in their own Nature moſt contrary to Good, is the higheſt pitch of Wiſdom.

1. The Redemption of Man in ſo excellent away, was drawn from the occaſion of Sin. The greateſt Bleſſing that ever the World was bleſt with, was uſher'd in by Contrarieties, by the Luſt and irregular Affection of Man; the firſt Promiſe of the Redeemer by the Fall of Adam, Gen. 3.15. and the bruiſing the heel of that Promiſed Seed, by the blackeſt Tragedy acted by wicked Rebels, the Treachery of Judas and the Rage of the Jews; the higheſt Good hath been brought forth by the greateſt Wickedneſs. As God out of the Chaos of rude and indigeſted Matter framed the firſt Creation; ſo from the S ns of Men, and Malice of Satan, he hath erected the Everlaſting Scheme of Honour in a New Creation of all things by Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 360The Devil inſpir'd Man, to content his own fury in the Death of Chriſt; and God order'd it to accompliſh his own deſign of Redemption in the Paſſion of the Redeemer: The Devil had his Diabolical Ends, and God over-powers his Action to ſerve his own Divine ends. The Perſon that betrayed him, was admitted to be a Spectator of the moſt private Actions of our Saviour, that his Innocence might be juſtified; to ſhew, that he was not afraid to have his Enemies Judges of his moſt retir'd Privacies. While they all thought to do their own Wills, Divine Wiſdom orders them to do Gods Will. Acts 2.23. Him being delivered by the determinate Counſel and Fore-knowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have Crucified and ſlain. And wherein the Crucifiers of Chriſt ſinned, in ſhedding the richeſt Blood, upon their Repentance they found the expiation of their Crimes, and the diſcovery of a ſuperabundant Mercy. Nothing but Blood was aimed at by them: The beſt Blood was ſhed by them; but Infinite Wiſdom makes the Croſs the Scene of his own Righteouſneſs, and the Womb of Mans Recovery.

By the occaſion of Mans Lapſed ſtate, there was a way open to raiſe Man to a more excellent Condition, than that whereinto he was put by Creation: And the depriving Man of the happineſs of an Earthly Paradiſe, in a way of Juſtice, was an occaſion of advancing him to a Heavenly Felicity, in a way of Grace. The Violation of the Old Covenant, occaſionally introduc'd a better: The loſs of the firſt Integrity, uſher'd in a more ſtable Righteouſneſs, an Everlaſting Righteouſneſs, Dan. 9.24. And the falling of the Firſt Head, was ſucceeded by one whoſe ſtanding could not but be Eternal.

The Fall of the Devil was ordered by Infinite Wiſdom, for the good of that Body from which he fell. 'Tis ſuppoſed by ſome, that the Devil was the Chief Angel in Heaven, the Head of all the reſt; and that he Falling, the Angels were left as a Body without a Head; and after he had Politically beheaded the Angels, he endeavoured to deſtroy Man, and rout him out of Paradiſe: But God takes the opportunity to ſet up his Son, as the Head of Angels and Men. And thus whilſt the Devil endeavoured to ſpoil the Corporation of Angels, and make them a Body contrary to God, God makes Angels and Men one Body under one Head, for his Service.

The Angels in loſing a defectible Head, attained a more excellent and glorious Head in another Nature, which they had not before; though of a Lower Nature in his Humanity, yet of a more glorious Nature in his Divinity: From whence many ſuppoſe they derive their Confirming Grace, and the ſtability of their ſtanding. All things in Heaven and Earth are gathered together in Chriſt, Eph. 1.10. foreign, All united in him, and reduced under one Head: That though our Saviour be not properly their Redeemer, for Redemption ſuppoſeth Captivity, yet in ſome ſenſe he is their Head and Mediator; ſo that now the Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth are but one Family, Epheſ. 3.15. And the Innumerable Company of Angels are parts of that Heavenly and Triumphant Jeruſalem, and that General Aſſembly, whereof Jeſus Christ is Mediator, Heb. 12.22, 29.

2. The Good of a Nation often, by the skill of Divine Wiſdom, is promoted by the Sins of ſome Men. The Patriarchs ſelling Joſeph to the Midianites Gen. 37.28.Gen 37:28, was without queſtion a Sin, and a breach of Natural Affection; yet by Gods Wiſe Ordination, it proved the Safety of the whole Church of God in the World, as well as the Egyptian Nation††Gen. 45.5, 8. & Gen. 50.20.Gen 45:5Gen 45:8Gen 50:20.

The Jews Unbelief, was a ſtep whereby the Gentiles aroſe to the knowledge of the Goſpel: As the ſetting of the Sun in one place, is the riſing of it in another‖‖Mat. 22.9…Matt 22:9. He uſes the Corruptions of Men Inſtrumentally to propagate his Goſpel: He built up the True Church by the Preaching of ſome out of envy, Phil. 1.15. as he bleſſed Iſrael out of the Mouth of a Falſe Prophet, Numb. 23. How often have the Hereſies of Men been the occaſion of clearing up the Truth of God, and fixing the more lively Impreſſions of it on the Hearts of Believers?

p. 361Neither Judah nor Tamar, in their Luſt, dreamt of a Stock for the Redeemer; yet God gave a Son from that Unlawful Bed, whereof Chriſt came according to the fleſh; Gen. 38.29. compared with Mat. 1.3.

Jonahs Sin was probably the firſt and remote occaſion of the Ninivites giving credit to his Propheſy: His Sin was the cauſe of his Puniſhment, and his being ſlung into the Sea, might facilitate the reception of his Meſſage, and excite the Ninivites Repentance, whereby a Cloud of ſevere Judgment was blown away from them.

'Tis thought by ſome, That when Jonah paſſed through the Streets of Niniveh with his Proclamation of Deſtruction, he might be known by ſome of the Mariners of that Ship, from whence he was caſt Over-board into the Sea, and might after their Voyage be occaſionally in that City, the Metropolis of the Nation, and the place of ſome of their Births; and might acquaint the People, that this was the ſame Perſon they had caſt into the Sea by his own conſent, for his acknowledg'd running from the Preſence of the Lord; for that he had told them Jonah 1.10. and the Marriners Prayer, Verſe 14. evidenceth it, whereupon they might conclude his Meſſage worthy of Belief, ſince they knew from ſuch Evidences, that he had ſunk into the Bowels of the Waters, and now ſaw him ſafe in their Streets, by a Deliverance unknown to them; and that therefore that Power that delivered him, could eaſily verifie his Word in the threatned Judgment.

Had Jonah gone at firſt without committing that Sin, and receiving that Puniſhment, his Meſſage had not been judged a Divine Prediction, but a fruit of ſome Enthuſiaſtick madneſs: His Sin upon this account was the firſt occaſion of averting a Judgment from ſo great a City.

3. The good of the Sinner himſelf is ſometimes promoted by Divine Wiſdom, ordering the Sin. As God had not permitted Sin to enter upon the World, unleſs to bring Glory to himſelf by it; ſo he would not let Sin remain in the little World of a Believers Heart, if he did not intend to order it for his good. What is done by Man to his damage and diſparagement, is directed by Divine Wiſdom to his advantage; not that it is the intent of the Sin, or the Sinner; but it is the event of the Sin, by the Ordination of Divine Wiſdom and Grace.

As without the Wiſdom of God permitting Sin to enter into the World, ſome Attributes of God had not been Experimentally known; ſo ſome Graces could not have been exercis'd: For where had there been an Object for that Noble Zeal, in vindicating the Glory of God, had it not been invaded by an Enemy? The intenſeneſs of Love to him could not have been ſo ſtrong, had we not an Enemy to hate for his ſake. Where had there been any place for that Noble part of Charity in holy Admonitions and Compaſſion to the Souls of our Neighbours, and Endeavours to reduce them out of a deſtructive to a happy Path? Humility would not have had ſo many grounds for its growth and exerciſe, and holy Sorrow had had no fewel.

And as without the appearance of Sin, there had been no exerciſe of the Patience of God; ſo without Afflictions, the Fruits of Sin, there had been no ground for the exerciſe of the Patience of a Chriſtian, one of the Nobleſt parts of Valour. Now Sin being Evil, and ſuch as cannot but be Evil, hath no reſpect in it ſelf to any good, and cannot work a gracious End, or any thing profitable to the Creature; nay it is a hindrance to any good, and therefore what good comes from it, is Accidental, occaſioned indeed by Sin, but efficiently cauſed by the over-ruling Wiſdom of God, taking occaſion thereby to diſplay it ſelf and the Divine Goodneſs.

p. 362The Sins and Corruptions remaining in the Heart of a Man, God orders for good, and there are good effects by the direction of his Wiſdom and Grace.

I. As the Soul reſpects God.

1. God often brings forth a ſenſibleneſs of the neceſſity of Dependance on him. The Nurſe often lets the Child ſlip, that it may the better know who ſupports it, and may not be too venturous and confident of its own ſtrength. Peter would truſt in Habitual Grace, and God ſuffers him to Fall, that he might truſt more in Aſſisting Grace, Mat. 26.35. Though I ſhould die with thee, yet I will not deny thee. God leaves ſometimes the brighteſt Souls in an Eclipſe, to manifeſt, that their Holineſs, and the preſervation of it, depend upon the darting out his Beams upon them.

As the Falls of Men are the effects of their coldneſs and remiſneſs in Acts of Faith and Repentance; ſo the fruit of theſe Falls is often a running to him for Refuge, and a deeper ſenſibleneſs where their Security lies. It makes us Lower our ſwelling Sails, and come under the Lee and Protection of Divine Grace. When the Pleaſures of Sin anſwer the expectations of a Revolted Creature, he reflects upon his former ſtate, and ſticks more cloſe to God, when before God had little of h…s Company; Hoſ. 2.7. I will return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now.

As God makes the Sins of Men ſometimes an occaſion of their Converſion; ſo he ſometimes makes them an occaſion of a further Converſion. Oneſimus run from Philemon, and was met with by Paul, who proved an Inſtrument of his Converſion, Philem. 10. My Son Oneſimus, whom I have begotten in my Bonds. His ſlight from his Maſter, was the occaſion of his Regeneration by Paul a Priſoner.

The Falls of Believers God orders to their further ſtability: He that is fallen for want of uſing his Staff, will Lean more upon it to preſerve himſelf from the like Diſaſter.

God, by permitting the Lapſes of Men, doth often make them deſpair of their own ſtrength to ſubdue their Enemies, and rely upon the ſtrength of Chriſt, wherein God hath laid up Power for us, and ſo becomes ſtronger in that ſtrength which God hath ordained for them.

We are very apt to truſt in our ſelves, and have confidence in our own worth and ſtrength; and God lets looſe Corruptions to abate this ſwelling humor. This was the reaſon of the Apoſtle Pauls Thorn in the fleſh, 2 Cor. 12.9. whether it were a Temptation, or Corruption, or Sickneſs, that he might be ſenſible of his own inability, and where the ſufficiency of Grace for him was placed.

He that is in danger of Drowning, and hath the Waves come over his head, will with all the might he hath, lay hold upon any thing near him, which is capable to Save him. God lets his People ſomet…mes ſink into ſuch a condition, that they may lay the faſter hold on him who is near to all that call upon him.

2. God hereby raiſeth higher Estimations of the value and virtue of the Blood of Chriſt. As the great Reaſon why God permitted Sin to enter into the World, was to honour himſelf in the Redeemer; ſo the Continuance of Sin, and the Conqueſts it ſometimes makes in Renewed Men, are to honour the Infinite value and virtue of the Redeemers Merit, which God from the beginning intended to magnifie: The Value of it, in taking off ſo much ſucceſſive Guilt; and the Virtue of it, in waſhing away ſo much daily filth.

Th… Wiſdom of God hereby keeps up the Credit of Imputed Righteouſneſs, and manifeſts the Immenſe Treaſure of the Redeemers Merit to pay ſuch daily Debts. Were we perfectly Sanctified, we ſhould ſtand upon our own Bottom, and imagine no need of the continual and repeated Imputation of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt for our Juſtification: We ſhould confide in Inherent Righteouſneſs, and ſlight Imputed.

If God ſhould take off all Remainders of Sin, as well as the Guilt of it, we ſhould be apt to forget that we are Fallen Creatures, and that we had a Redeemer: But the Reliques of Sin in us, mind us of the neceſſity of ſome higher ſtrength p. 363to ſet us right: They mind us both of our own Miſery, and the Redeemers perpetual benefit. God by this keeps up the Dignity and Honour of our Saviours Blood to the height, and therefore ſometimes lets us ſee, to our own coſt, what filth yet remains in us for the employment of that Blood, which we ſhould elſe but little think of, and leſs admire. Our Gratitude is ſo ſmall to God, as well as Man, that the firſt Obligations are ſoon forgot, if we ſtand not in need of freſh ones ſucceſſively to ſecond them; we ſhould loſe our Thankful Remembrance of the firſt virtue of Chriſts Blood in waſhing us, if our Infirmities did not mind us of freſh Reiterations and Applications of it.

Ours Saviours Office of Advocacy was erected eſpecially for Sins committed after a Juſtified and Renewed ſtate**1 John 2.1.1 John 2:1. We ſhould ſcarce remember we had an Advocate, and ſcarce make uſe of him without ſome ſenſible Neceſſity; but our Remainders of Sin diſcover our Impotency, and an impoſſibility for us either to expiate our Sin, or conform to the Law, which neceſſitates us to have recourſe to that Perſon whom God hath appointed, to make up the breaches between God and us.

So the Apoſtle wraps up himſelf in the Covenant of Grace and his Intereſt in Chriſt, after his conflict with Sin, Rom. 7. ult. I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt. Now, after ſuch a Body of Death, a Principle within me that ſends up daily ſteams; yet as long as I ſerve God with my Mind, as long as I keep the main Condition of the Covenant, there is no Condemnation ††Rom. 8.1.Rom 8:1: Chriſt takes my part, procures my acceptance, and holds the Band of Salvation firm in his hands. The brightneſs of Chriſts Grace, is ſet off by the darkneſs of our Sin. We ſhould not underſtand the Soveraignty of his Medicines, if there were no Reliques of Sin for him to exerciſe his Skill upon: The Phyſicians Art is moſt experimented, and therefore moſt valued in Relapſes, as dangerous as the former Diſeaſe. As the Wiſdom of God brought our Saviour into Temptation, that he might have Compaſſion to us; ſo it permits us to be overcome by Temptation, that we might have due Valuations of him.

3. God hereby often engageth the Soul to a greater Industry for his glory. The higheſt Perſecutors, when they have become Converts, have been the greateſt Champions for that Cauſe they both hated and oppreſt. The Apostle Paul is ſuch an Inſtance of this, that it needs no enlargement. By how much they have failed of anſwering the end of their Creation in glorifying God; by ſo much the more they ſummon up all their Force for ſuch an end, after their Converſion; to reſtore as much as they can of that Glory to God, which they by their Sin had robb'd him of. Their Sins, by the order of Divine Wiſdom, prove Whetſtones to ſharpen the edge of their Spirits for God. Paul never remembred his Perſecuting Fury, but he doubled his Induſtry for the Service of God, which before he trampled under his feet. The further we go back, the greater Leap many times we take forward.

Our Saviour, after his Reſurrection, put Peter upon the exerciſe of that Love to him, which had ſo lately ſhrunk his head out of Suffering‖‖Iohn 21.15, 16, 17.John 21:15John 21:16John 21:17; and no doubt, but the conſideration of his baſe Denial, together with a reflection upon a gracious Pardon, engag'd his Ingenuous Soul to ſtronger and fiercer flames of Affection. A Believers Courage for God, is more ſharpned oftentimes by the ſhame of his Fall: He endeavours to repair the faults of his Ingratitude and Diſingenuity, by larger and ſtronger ſteps of Obedience. As a Man in a fight, having been foil'd by his Enemy, reaſſumes new Courage by his Fall; and is many times oblig'd to his Foil, both for his Spirit and his Victory. A gracious Heart will, upon the very motions to ſin, double its Vigor, as well as by good ones: It is uſually more quickned, both in its motion to God and for God, by the Temptations and Motions to Sin, which run upon it. This is another Good the Wiſdom of God brings forth from Sin.

p. 3644. Again, Humility towards God, is another Good, Divine Wiſdom brings forth from the Occaſion of Sin. By this God beats down all good opinion or our ſelves. Hezekiah was more humbled by his fall into Pride, than by all the Diſtreſs he had been in by Senacharibs Army, 2 Chron. 32.26. Peters Confidence before his Fall, gave way to an humble Modeſty after it: You ſee his Confidence, Mark 14.24. Though all ſhould be offended in thee, yet will not I; and you have the mark of his Modeſty, John 21.17. 'tis not then, Lord, I will love thee to the death, I will not ſtart from thee; but, Lord, thou knoweſt that I love thee. I cannot aſſure my ſelf of any thing after this Miſcarriage; but, Lord, thou knoweſt there is a Principle of Love in me to thy Name: He was aſham'd, that himſelf who appeared ſuch a Pillar, ſhould bend as meanly as a Shrub to a Temptation.

The reflection upon Sin, lays a Man as low as Hell in his Humiliation, as the Commiſſion of Sin did in the Merit. When David comes to exerciſe Repentance for his Sin, he begins it from the Well-head of Sin **Pſal. 51.5.Ps 51:5, his Original Corruption, and draws down the ſtreams of it to the laſt commiſſion: Perhaps he did not ſo ſeriouſly humble himſelf for the Sin of his Nature all his days, ſo much as at that time; at leaſt, we have not ſuch Evidences of it. And Hezekiah humbled himſelf for the pride of his heart; not only for the Pride of his Act ††2 Chron. 32.26.2 Chr 32:26, but for the Pride in the Heart, which was the Spring of that Pride in Act, in ſhewing his Treaſures to the Babyloniſh Ambaſſadors. God lets Sin continue in the Hearts of the beſt in this World, and ſometimes gives the Reins to Satan, and a Mans own Corruption, to keep up a ſenſe of the ancient Sale we made of our ſelves to both.

II. In regard of our ſelves. Herein is the wonder of Divine Wiſdom, that God many times makes a Sin, which Meritoriouſly fits us for Hell, a Providential occaſion to fit us for Heaven; when it is an occaſion of a more humble Faith and believing Humility, and an occaſion of a through Sanctification and growth in Grace, which prepares us for a ſtate of Glory.

1. He makes uſe of one Sin's breaking out to diſcover more; and ſo brings us to a Self-abhorrency and Indignation againſt Sin, the firſt ſtep towards Heaven. Perhaps David, before his groſs Fall, thought he had no Hypocriſie in him. We often find him appealing to God for his Integrity, and deſiring God to try him, if any guile could be found in his Heart, as if he could find none himſelf: But his Lapſe into that great Wickedneſs, makes him diſcern much Falſeneſs in his Soul, when he deſires God to renew a right Spirit within him, and ſpeaks of Truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51.6, 10. The ſtirring of one Corruption, makes all the Mud at the bottom appear, which before a Soul did not ſuſpect. No Man would think there were ſo great a Cloud of Smoke contain'd in a little Stick of Wood, were it not for the powerful operation of the Fire, that both diſcovers and ſeparates it. Job, that Curſed the Day of his Birth, and uttered many Impatient expreſſions againſt God upon the account of his own Integrity; upon his Recovery from his Affliction, and Gods cloſe application of himſelf, was wrought to a greater Abhorrency of himſelf, than ever we read he was exercis'd in before‖‖Job 42.6.Job 42:6. The Hoſtile acts of Sin increaſe the Souls hatred of it; and the deeper our Humiliations are for it, the ſtronger impreſſions of Abhorrency are made upon us.

2. He often orders it, to make Conſcience more tender, and the Soul more watchful. He that finds by his Calamity, his Enemy to have more ſtrength againſt him than he ſuſpected, will double his Guards and quicken his Diligence againſt him. A being overtaken by ſome Sin, is by the Wiſdom of God diſpos'd to make us more fearful of cheriſhing any occaſion to enflame it, and watchful againſt every motion and ſtart of it. By a Fall, the Soul hath more experience of the Deceitfulneſs of the Heart; and by obſerving its methods, is render'd better able to watch againſt them. 'Tis our Ignorance of the Devices of Satan, and our own hearts, that makes us obnoxious to their Surprizes. A fall into one Sin is p. 365often a prevention of more which lay in wait for us. As the fall of a ſmall Body into an Ambuſh, prevents the deſign of the Enemy upon a greater. As God ſuffers Hereſies in the Church, to try our Faith; ſo he ſuffers Sins to remain, and ſometimes to break out, to try our Watchfulneſs. This advantage he brings from them, to ſteel our Reſolutions againſt the ſame Sins, and quicken our Circumſpection for the future againſt new Surprizes by a Temptation. Davids Sin was ever before him, Pſal. 51.3. and made his Conſcience cry, Blood, Blood, upon every occaſion: He refuſed the Water of the Well of Bethlehem, 2 Sam, 23.16, 17. becauſe it was gained with the hazard of Lives: He could endure nothing that had the taſte of Blood in it. Our fear of a thing depends much upon a Trial of it: A Child will not fear too near approaches to the Fire, till he feels the ſmart of it.

Mortification doth not wholly ſuppreſs the Motions of Sin, though it doth the Reſolutions to commit it; but that there will be a proneneſs in the Reliques of it, to entice a Man into thoſe Faults, which upon ſight of their blemiſhes coſt him ſo many Tears. As great Sickneſſes after the Cure are more watch'd, and the Body humour'd, that a Man might not fall from the Crazineſs they have left in him; which he is apt to do, if Relapſes are not carefully provided againſt. A Man becomes more careful of any thing, that may contribute to the reſurrection of an expir'd Diſeaſe.

3. God makes it an occaſion of the Mortification of that Sin, which was the matter of the Fall. The livelyneſs of one Sin in a Renewed Man, many times is the occaſion of the death of it. A wild Beaſt, while kept cloſe in a Den, is ſecure in its life; but when it breaks out to Rapine, it makes the Maſter reſolve to prevent any further miſchief by the death of it. The impetuous ſtirring of a humor in a Diſeaſe, is ſometime Critical, and a Prognoſtick of the ſtrength of Nature againſt it, whereby the Diſeaſe loſeth its ſtrength by its ſtruggling, and makes room for health to take place by degrees. One Sin is uſed by God for the deſtruction both of it ſelf and others: As the Fleſh of a Scorpion cures the biting of it. It ſometimes by wounding us loſeth its Sting, and like the Bee renders it ſelf uncapable of a ſecond Revenge. Peter, after his groſs Denial, never denied his Maſter afterwards. The Sin that lay undiſcovered, is by a Fall become viſible, and ſo more obvious to a mortifying ſtroke. The Soul lays the faſter hold on Chriſt and the Promiſe, and goes out againſt that Enemy in the Name of that Lord of Hoſts of which he was too negligent of before; and therefore as he proves more ſtrong, ſo more ſucceſsful: He hath more ſtrength, becauſe he hath leſs confidence in himſelf, and more in God, the prime ſtrength of his Soul. As it was with Chriſt, ſo it is with us, while the Devil was bruiſing his Heel, he was bruiſing his Head; and while the Devil is bruiſing our Heel, the God of Peace and Wiſdom is ſometimes bruiſing his Head both in us and for us; ſo that the ſtrugglings of Sin, are often as the faint groans or bitings of a Beaſt that is ready to expire. 'Tis juſt with a Man ſometimes, as with a Running Fountain that hath Mud at the bottom, when it is ſtirred the Mud tinctures and defiles it all over; yet ſome of that Mud hath a vent with the Streams which run from it, ſo that when it is re-ſettled at the bottom, 'tis not ſo much in quantity as it was before. God by his Wiſdom weakens the Sin, by permitting it to ſtir and defile.

4. Sometimes Divine Wiſdom makes it an occaſion to promote a Sanctification in all parts of the Soul. As the working of one Ill-humor in the Body, is an occaſion of caſhiering not only that, but the reſt by a ſound Purge. As a Man that is a little Cold, doth not think of the Fire; but if he ſlips with one Foot into an Icy-puddle, he haſtens to the Fire, whereby not only that part, but all the reſt receive a warmth and ſtrength upon that occaſion: Or, as if a Perſon fall into the Mire, his Cloaths are waſhed; and by that means cleanſed, not only from the filth at preſent contracted, but from the former Spots that were before unregarded. God by his Wiſdom brings ſecret Sins to a diſcovery, and thereby cleanſeth the Soul of them.

p. 366Davids Fall might be ordered as an Anſwer to his former Petition, Pſal. 19.12. Cleanſe thou me from my ſecret ſins; and as he did earneſtly pray after his Fall, ſo no doubt but he endeavour'd a thorough Sanctification, Pſal 51.7. Purge me, waſh me; and that he meant not only a Sanctification from that ſingle Sin, but from all, Root and Branch, is evident by that Complaint of the ſlaw in his Nature, verſe 5. the Droſs and Chaff which lies in the heart is hereby diſcovered, and an opportunity adminiſtred of throwing it out, and ſearching all the corners of the Heart to diſcover where it lay. As God ſometimes takes occaſion from one Sin, to reckon with Men in a way of Juſtice for others; ſo he ſometimes takes occaſion from the commiſſion of one Sin, to bring out all the actions againſt the Sinner, to make him, in a way of gracious Wiſdom, ſet more cordially upon the work of Sanctification.

A great Fall ſometimes hath been the occaſion of a Mans Converſion. The Fall of Mankind occaſioned a more bleſſed Reſtoration; and the Falls of particular Believers, ofttimes occaſion a more extenſive Sanctification. Thus the only Wiſe God makes poyſons in Nature, to become Medicines in a way of Grace and Wiſdom.

5. Hereby the growth in Grace is furthered. 'Tis a wonder of Divine Wiſdom, to ſubſtract ſometimes his Grace from a Perſon, and let him fall into Sin, thereby to occaſion the increaſe of habitual Grace in him, and to augment it by thoſe ways that ſeem'd to depreſs it. By making Sins an occaſion of a more vigorous acting the contrary Grace, the Wiſdom of God makes our Corruptions in their own nature deſtructive, to become profitable to us. Grace often breaks out more ſtrongly afterwards, as the Sun doth with its heat, after it hath been mask'd and interrupted with a Miſt: They often, through the mighty working of the Spirit make us more humble, and Humility fits us to receive more Grace from God ††James 4.6.Jas 4:6. How doth Faith, that ſunk under the Waves, lift up its head again, and carry the Soul out with a greater livelineſs? What ardours of Love, what flouds of Repenting Tears, what ſeverity of Revenge, what horrours at the remembrance of the Sin, what Tremblings at the appearance of a ſecond Temptation? So that Grace ſeems to be be awaken'd to a new and more vigorous life ‖‖2 Cor. 7.11.2 Cor 7:11. The broken Joynt is many times ſtronger in the Rupture, than it was before. The Luxuriancy of the Branches of Corruption, is an occaſion of purging, and purging is with a deſign to make Grace more fruitful; John 15.2. He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Thus Divine Wiſdom doth both ſharpen and brighten us by the duſt of Sin, and ripen and mellow the fruits of Grace by the dung of Corruption. Grace grows the ſtronger by oppoſition, as the Fire burns hotteſt and cleareſt, when it is moſt ſurrounded by a cold Air; and our Natural heat reaſſumes a new ſtrength by the coldneſs of the Winter. The foyl under a Diamond, though an imperfection in it ſelf, increaſeth the beauty and luſtre of the Stone. The Enmity of Man was a commendation of the Grace of God: It occaſioned the breaking out of the Grace of God upon us; and is an occaſion, by the Wiſdom and Grace of God, of the increaſe of Grace many times in us.

How ſhould the Conſideration of Gods Incomprhenſible Wiſdom, in the management of Evil, ſwallow us up in Admiration; who brings forth ſuch beauty, ſuch eminent Diſcoveries of himſelf, ſuch excellent good to the Creature, out of the bowels of the greateſt Contrarieties, making dark Shadows ſerve to diſplay and beautiſie to our Apprehenſions the Divine Glory? If Evil were not in the World, Men would not know what Good is: They would not behold the luſtre of Divine Wiſdom; as without Night we could not underſtand the beauty of the Day.

Though God is not the Author of Sin, becauſe of his Holineſs, yet he is the Adminiſtrator of Sin by his Wiſdom, and accompliſheth his own Purpoſes, by the Iniquities of his Enemies, and the Lapſes and Infirmities of his Friends.

Thus much for the Second, The Government of Man in his Lapſed ſtate, and the Government of Sin, wherein the Wiſdom of God doth wonderfully appear.

p. 367III. The Wiſdom of God appears in the Government of Man in his Converſion and Return to him. If there be a Counſel in framing the loweſt Creature, and in the minuteſt paſſages of Providence; there muſt needs be a higher Wiſdom in the government of the Creature to a Supernatural End, and framing the Soul to be a monument of his Glory. The Wiſdom of God is ſeen with more Admirations, and in more varieties by the Angels in the Church, than in the Creation**Eph. 3.10.Eph 3:10; that is, in forming a Church out of the Rubbiſh of the World, out of Contrarieties and Contradictions to him; which is greater than the framing a Celeſtial and Elementary World out of a rude Chaos. The moſt glorious Bodies in the World, even thoſe of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, have not ſuch ſtamps of Divine Skill upon them, as the Soul of Man; nor is there ſo much of Wiſdom in the Fabrick and Faculties of that, as in the reduction of a blind, wilful, rebellious Soul to its own happineſs, and Gods glory; Eph. 1.11, 12. He worketh all things according to the counſel of his own Will, that we ſhould be for the praiſe of his glory. If all things, then this, which is none of the leaſt of his works: To the praiſe of the glory of his Goodneſs in his work, and to the praiſe of the Rule of his work, his Counſel, in both the act of his Will, and the act of his Wiſdom. The reſtoring of the Beauty of the Soul, and its fitneſs for its true end, ſpeaks no leſs Wiſdom, than the firſt draught of it in Creation: And the application of Redemption, and bringing forth the fruits of it, is as well an act of his Prudence, as the contrivance was of his Counſel.

Divine Wiſdom appears,

Firſt, In the Subjects of Converſion. His Goodneſs reigns in the very Duſt, and he erects the Walls and Ornaments of his Temple from the Clay and Mud of the World: He paſſes over the Wiſe, and Noble, and Mighty, that may pretend ſome grounds of boaſting in their own natural or acquired Endowments; and pitches upon the moſt contemptible Materials, wherewith to build a Spiritual Tabernacle for himſelf, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27. The fooliſh, and weak things of the World; thoſe that are naturally moſt unfit for it, and moſt refractory to it. Herein lies the Skill of an Architect, to render the moſt knotty, crooked, and inform Pieces, by his Art, ſubſervient to his main purpoſe and deſign. Thus God hath ordered from the beginning of the World, contrary Tempers, various Humors, diverſe Nations, as Stones of ſeveral Natures, to be a Building for himſelf, fitly framed together, and to be his own Family††1 Cor. 3.7.1 Cor 3:7. Who will queſtion the Skill that alters a black Jet into a clear Chryſtal, a Glow-worm into a Star, a Lion into a Lamb, and a Swine into a Dove? The more intricate and knotty any buſineſs is, the more eminent is any Mans Ability and Prudence, in untying the knots and bringing it to a good Iſſue. The more deſperate the Diſeaſe, the more admirable is the Phyſicians Skill in the Cure.

He pitches upon Men for his ſervice, who have Natural diſpoſitions to ſerve him in ſuch ways as he diſpoſeth of them, after their Converſion; So Paul was naturally a Conſcientious Man; what he did againſt Chriſt was from the dictates of an erroneous Conſcience, ſoak'd in the Phariſaical Interpretations of the Jewiſh Law: He had a ſtrain of Zeal to proſecute what his depraved Reaſon and Conſcience did inform him in. God pitches upon this Man, and works him in the Fire for his Service: He alters not his Natural diſpoſition, to make him of a Conſtitution and Temper contrary to what he was before; but directs it to another Object, claps in another Byaſs into the Bowl, and makes his Ill-governed Diſpoſition… move in a new way of his own appointment, and guided that Natural heat to the ſervice of that Intereſt, which he was before ambitious to extirpate. As a high metled Horſe, when left to himſelf, creates both diſturbance and danger. But under the conduct of a wiſe Rider, moves regularly; not by a change of his Natural fierceneſs, but a skilful management of the Beaſt to the Riders purpoſe.

2. In the ſeaſons of Converſion. The Prudence of Man conſiſts in the Timing the execution of his Counſels; and no leſs doth the Wiſdom of God conſiſt in this. As he is a God of Judgment, or Wiſdom, he waits to introduce his Grace into the Soul in the fitteſt Seaſon.

p. 368This Attribute, Paul in the ſtory of his own Converſion puts a particular remark upon, which he doth not upon any other, in that Catalogue he reckons up 1 Tim. 1.17. Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Inviſible, the only Wiſe God, be Honour and Glory for ever and ever, Amen. A moſt ſolemn Doxology, wherein Wiſdom ſits upon the Throne above all the reſt, with a ſpecial Amen to the glory of it; which refers to the Timing of his Mercy ſo to Paul, as made moſt for the glory of his Grace, and the encouragement of others from him as the Pattern. God took him at a time when he was upon the brink of Hell; when he was ready to devour the New-born Infant Church at Damaſcus; when he was Arm'd with all the Authority from without, and fired with all the Zeal from within, for the proſecution of his Deſign: Then God ſeizeth upon him, and runs him in a Chanel for his own Honour, and his Creatures happineſs.

'Tis obſervable**Which I have upon another Occaſion noted. how God ſet his Eye upon Paul all along in his furious courſe, and lets him have the Reins, without putting out his hand to bridle him; yet no motion he could take, but the Eye of God runs along with him: He ſuffered him to kick againſt the pricks of Miracles, and the convincing Diſcourſe of Stephen, at his Martyrdom. There were many that Voted for Stephens Death, as the Witneſſes that flung the Stones firſt at him; but they are not named, only Saul, who teſtified his Approbation as well as the reſt, and that by watching the Witneſſes Cloaths while they were about that bloody work, Acts 7.58. The Witneſſes laid their cloaths at a young Mans feet, named Saul. Again, though Multitudes were conſenting to his Death, yet Acts 8.1. Saul only is mentioned. Gods Eye is upon him, yet he would not at that time ſtop his Fury. He goes on further, and makes havock of the Church, Acts 8.3. He had ſurely many more Complices, but none are named (as if none regarded with any deſign of Grace) but Saul: Yet God would not reach out his hand to Change him, but Eyes him, waiting for a fitter opportunity, which in his Wiſdom he did foreſee. And therefore Acts 9.1. the Spirit of God adds a Yet; Saul yet breathing out Threatnings. It was not Gods time yet, but it would be ſhortly. But when Saul was putting in execution his deſign againſt the Church of Damaſcus, when the Devil was at the top of his Hopes, and Saul in the height of his Fury, and the Chriſtians ſunk into the depth of their Fears; the Wiſdom of God lays hold of the opportunity, and by Pauls Converſion at this Seaſon, defeats the Devil, diſappoints the High Prieſts, ſhields his People, diſcharges their Fears by pulling Saul out of the Devils hands, and forming Satans Inſtrument to a holy Activity againſt him.

3. The Wiſdom of God appears, In the manner of Converſion. So great a Change God makes, not by a deſtruction, but with a preſervation of, and ſutableneſs to Nature. As the Devil Tempts us, not by offering violence to our Natures, but by propoſing things convenient to our Corrupt Natures; ſo doth God ſolicite us to a Return, by propoſals ſuted to our Faculties. As he doth in Nature convey Nouriſhment to Men, by means of the Fruits of the Earth, and produceth the Fruits of the Earth by the Influences of Heaven; the Influences of Heaven do not force the Earth, but excite that Natural virtue and ſtrength which is in it. So God produceth Grace in the Soul by the Means of the Word, fitted to the capacity of Man, as Man, and proportion'd to his Rational Faculties, as Rational.

It would be contrary to the the Wiſdom of God, to move Man like a Stone, to invert the order and priviledge of that Nature which he ſetled in Creation; for then God would in vain have given Man Underſtanding and Will: Becauſe without moving Men according to thoſe Faculties, they would remain unprofitable and unuſeful in Man.††Daille ſur Philip. Part 1. p. 545, 546. God doth not reduce us to himſelf, as Logs, by a meer force; or as Slaves forced by a Cudgel, to go forth to that place, and do that work which they have no ſtomach to: But he doth accommodate himſelf to thoſe Foundations he hath laid in our Nature, and guides us in a way agreeable thereunto, by an Action as ſweet as powerful; clearing our Underſtandings of dark Principles whereby we may ſee his Truth, our own Miſery, and the Seat of our Happineſs; p. 369and bending our Wills according to this Light, to deſire and move conveniently to this End of our Calling: Efficaciouſly, yet agreeably; powerfully, yet without impoſing on our Natural Faculties;**Sanderſon, Part 2. p. 203. ſweetly without Violence in ordering the Means, but effectually without Failing in accompliſhing the End. And therefore the Scripture calleth it, Teaching, John 6.45. Alluring, Hoſ. 2.14. Calling us to ſeek the Lord, Pſal. 27.8. Teaching, is an act of Wiſdom; Alluring, an act of Love; Calling, an act of Authority: But none of them argue a violent conſtraint. The principle that moves the Will is Supernatural; but the Will, as a Natural Faculty, concurs in the act or motion.

God doth not act in this in a way of Abſolute Power, without an Infinite Wiſdom, ſuting himſelf to the Nature of the things he acts upon: He doth not change the Phyſical Nature, though he doth the Moral. As in the Government of the World, he doth not make heavy things aſcend, nor light things deſcend, ordinarily; but guides their Motions according to their Natural qualities: So God doth not ſtrain the Faculties beyond their due pitch. He lets the nature of the Faculty remain; but changes the Principle in it: The Underſtanding remains Underſtanding, and the Will remains Will. But where there was before Folly in the Underſtanding, he puts in a Spirit of Wiſdom; and where there was before a ſtoutneſs in the Will, he forms it to a pliableneſs to his offers. He hath a Key to fit every Ward in the Lock, and opens the Will without injuring the Nature of the Will.

He doth not change the Soul by an alteration of the Faculties, but by an alteration of ſomething in them: Not by an Inroad upon them, or by meer power, or a blind Inſtinct; but by propoſing to the Underſtanding ſomething to be known, and informing it of the Reaſonableneſs of his Precepts, and the Innate goodneſs and excellency of his Offers, and by inclining the Will to love and embrace what is propoſed. And things are propos'd under thoſe Notions, which uſually move our Wills and Affections. We are moved by things as they are good, pleaſant, profitable; we entertain things as they make for us, and deteſt things as they are contrary to us. Nothing affects us but under ſuch qualities, and God ſutes his Encouragements to theſe Natural Affections which are in us: His Power and Wiſdom go hand in hand together; his Power to act what his Wiſdom orders, and his Wiſdom to conduct what his Power executes. He brings Men to him in ways ſuted to their Natural diſpoſitions. The ſtubborn he tears like a Lion, the gentle he wins like a Turtle, by ſweetneſs; he hath a Hammer to break the ſtout, and a Cord of Love to draw the more pliable Tempers: He works upon the more Rational in a way of Goſpel Reaſon; upon the more Ingenuous in a way of kindneſs, and draws them by the Cords of Love.

The Wiſe-men were led to Chriſt by a Star, and Means ſuted to the knowledge and ſtudy that thoſe Eaſtern Nations uſed, which was much in Aſtronomy: He worketh upon others by Miracles accommodated to every ones ſenſe, and ſo proportions the Means according to the Nature of the Subjects he works upon.

4. The Wiſdom of God is apparent in his Diſcipline, and Penal Evils. The Wiſdom of Human Governments is ſeen in the matter of their Laws, and in the Penalties of their Laws, and in the proportion of the Puniſhment to the Offence, and in the good that redounds from the Puniſhment either to the Offender, or to the Community.

The Wiſdom of God is ſeen in the Penalty of Death upon the Tranſgreſſion of his Law; both in that it was the greateſt Evil that Man might fear, and ſo was a convenient means to keep him in his due bound, and alſo in the proportion of it to the Tranſgreſſion. Nothing leſs could be in a Wiſe Juſtice inflicted upon an Offender for a Crime againſt the higheſt Being, and the Supream Excellency: But this hath been ſpoken of before, in the Wiſdom of his Laws. I ſhall only mention ſome few, it would be too tedious to run into all.

p. 3701. His Wiſdom appears in Judgments, in the ſuting them to the qualities of Perſons, and nature of Sins. He deviſeth evil, Jer. 18.11. his Judgments are fruits of Counſel. He alſo is wiſe, and will bring Evil, Iſai. 31.2. Evil ſutable to the Perſon offending, and Evil ſutable to the Offence committed: As the Huſbandman doth his Threſhing Inſtruments to the Grain: He hath a Rod for the Cummin, a tenderer Seed, and a Flayl for the harder; ſo hath God greater Judgments for the obdurate Sinner, and lighter for thoſe that have ſomething of tenderneſs in their Wickedneſs, Iſai. 28.27, 29. Becauſe he is wonderful in Counſel, and excellent in working; ſo Some underſtand the place, With the froward, he will ſhew himſelf froward.

He proportions puniſhment to the Sin, and writes the cauſe of the Judgment in the Forehead of the Judgment it ſelf. Sodom burned in Luſt, and was conſumed by Fire from Heaven. The Jews ſold Chriſt for Thirty pence; and at the Taking of Jeruſalem, Thirty of them were ſold for a Penny. So Adonibezek Cut off the Thumbs and great Toes of others, and he is ſerved in the ſame kind, Judg. 1.7. The Babel Builders deſign'd an indiſſoluble union, and God brings upon them an unintelligible Confuſion. And in Exod. 9.9. the Aſhes of the Furnace, where the Iſraelites burnt the Egyptian Bricks, ſprinkled towards Heaven, brought Boyls upon the Egyptian Bodies, that they might feel in their own, what Pain they had cauſed in the Iſraelites fleſh; and find by the ſmart of the inflamed Scab, what they had made the Iſraelites endure. The Waters of the River Nilus are turned into Blood, wherein they had ſtifled the breath of the Iſraelites Infants: And at laſt the Prince, and the flower of their Nobility, are drowned in the Red Sea.

'Tis part of the Wiſdom of Juſtice to proportion puniſhment to the Crime, and the degrees of Wrath to the degrees of Malice in the Sin. Afflictions alſo are wiſely proportion'd: God, as a wiſe Phyſician, conſiders the nature of the humor and ſtrength of the Patient, and ſutes his Medicines both to the one and the other, 1 Cor. 10.13.

2. In the ſeaſons of Puniſhments and Afflictions. He ſtays till Sin be ripe, that his Juſtice may appear more equitable, and the Offender more inexcuſable; Dan. 9.14. he watches upon the evil to bring it upon Men. To bring it in the juſt Seaſon, and order for his righteous and gracious Purpoſe; his Righteous purpoſe on the Enemies, and his Gracious purpoſe on his People.

Jeruſalems Calamity came upon them, when the City was full of People at the Solemnity of the Paſsover, that he might Mow down his Enemies at once, and Time their Deſtruction to ſuch a moment wherein they had Timed the Crucifixion of his Son. He watched over the Clouds of his Judgments, and kept them from pouring down, till his People the Chriſtians were provided for, and had departed out of the City to the Chambers and Retiring places God had provided for them. He made not Jeruſalem the Shambles of his Enemies, till he had made Pella, and other places, the Arks of his Friends. As Pliny tells us, The Providence of God holds the Sea in a calm for fifteen days, that the Halcyons, little Birds, that frequent the Shoar, may build their Neſts, and hatch up their Young. The Judgment upon Sodom was ſuſpended for ſome hours, till Lot was ſecured.

||Daille ſur 1 Cor. 10. p. 390.1 Cor 10God ſuffer'd not the Church to be Invaded by Violent Perſecutions, till ſhe was eſtabliſh'd in the Faith: He would not expoſe her to ſo great Combats, while ſhe was weak and feeble, but gave her time to fortifie her ſelf, to be render'd more capable of bearing up under them. He ſtifled all the motions of Paſſion the Idolaters might have for their Superſtition, till Religion was in ſuch a condition, as rather to be increaſed and purified, than extinguiſh'd by Oppoſition. Paul was ſ…cured from Neroes Chains, and the Nets of his Enemies, till he had broke off the Chain of the Devil from many Cities of the Gentiles, and catched them by the Net of the Goſpel out of the Sea of the World.

Thus the Wiſdom of God is ſeen in the Seaſons of Judgments and Afflictions.

p. 3713. It is apparent in the gracious iſſue of Afflictions and Penal Evils. It is a part of Wiſdom to bring Good out of Evil of Puniſhment, as well as to bring Good out of Sin. The Church never was ſo like to Heaven, as when it was moſt Perſecuted by Hell: The Storms often cleans'd it, and the Lance often made it more healthful. Jobs Integrity had not been ſo clear, nor his Patience ſo illuſtrious, had not the Devil been permitted to afflict him. God by his Wiſdom outwits Satan; when he by his Temptations intends to pollute us and buffet us, God orders it to purifie us; he often brings the cleareſt light out of the thickeſt darkneſs, makes Poyſons to become Medicines.††Turretin, Serm. p. 53. Death it ſelf, the greateſt Puniſhment in this Life, and the entrance into Hell in its own Nature, he hath by his Wiſe contrivance, made to his People the Gate of Heaven, and the paſſage into Immortality. Penal Evils in a Nation often end in in a publick Advantage: Troubles and Wars among a People are many times not deſtroying, but Medicinal, and cure them of that Degeneracy, Luxury, and Effeminateneſs, they contracted by a long Peace.

4. This Wiſdom is evident, in the various Ends which God brings about by Afflictions. The attainment of various Ends by one and the ſame Means, is the fruit of the Agents Prudence. By the ſame Affliction, the Wiſe God corrects ſometimes for ſome baſe Affection, excites ſome ſleepy Grace, drives out ſome lurking Corruption, refines the Soul, and ruines the Luſt; diſcovers the greatneſs of a Crime, the Vanity of the Creature, and the Sufficiency in himſelf.

The Jews bind Paul, and by the Judge he is ſent to Rome; whi… his Mouth is ſtopt in Judea, 'tis open'd in one of the greateſt Cities of the World, and his Enemies unwittingly contribute to the increaſe of the knowledge of Chriſt by thoſe Chains, in that City ‖‖Acts 28.31.Acts 28:31that triumphed over the Earth. And his afflictive Bonds added Courage and Reſolution to others, Phil. 1.14. Many waxing confident by my Bonds; which could not in their own Nature produce ſuch an effect, but by the order and contrivance of Divine Wiſdom: In their own nature, they would rather make them diſguſt the Doctrine he ſuffered for, and cool their Zeal in the propagating of it, for fear of the ſame diſgrace and hardſhip they ſaw him ſuffer**Daille ſur Philip. Part 1. pag. 116, 117.. But the Wiſdom of God changed the nature of theſe Fetters, and conducted them to the glory of his Name, the encouragement of others, the increaſe of the Goſpel, and the comfort of the Apostle himſelf, Phil. 1.12, 13, 18. The Sufferings of Paul at Rome confirm'd the Philippians, a People at a diſtance from thence, in the Doctrine they had already received at his hands.

Thus God makes Sufferings ſometimes, which appear like Judgments, to be like the Viper on Pauls hand, Acts 28.6. a means to clear up Innocence, and procure favour to the Doctrine among thoſe Barbarians. How often hath he multiplied the Church by Death and Maſſacres, and increaſed it by thoſe means uſed to annihilate it?

5. The Divine Wiſdom is apparent in the Deliverances he affords to other parts of the World, as well as to his Church. There are delicate compoſures, curious threds in his Webs, and he works them like an Artificer. A goodneſs wrought for them, curiouſly wrought, Pſal. 31.19.

1. In making the Creatures ſubſervient in their Natural order to his gracious Ends and Purpoſes. He orders things in ſuch a manner, as not to be neceſſitated to put forth an extraordinary Power in things, which ſome part of the Creation might accompliſh. Miraculous productions would ſpeak his Power; but the ordering the Natural courſe of things, to occaſion ſuch effects they were never intended for, is one part of the glory of his Wiſdom. And that his Wiſdom may be ſeen in the courſe of Nature, he conducts the Motions of Creatures, and acts them in their own ſtrength; and doth that by various windings and turnings of them, which he might do in an inſtant by his Power, in a Supernatural way. Indeed, ſometimes he hath made Invaſions on Nature, and ſuſpended the Order of their Natural Laws for a ſeaſon, to ſhew himſelf the Abſolute Lord and Governour p. 372of Nature: Yet if frequent Alterations of this nature were made, they would impede the knowledge of the Nature of things, and be ſome bar to the diſcovery and glory of his Wiſdom; which is beſt ſeen by moving the wheels of Inferiour Creatures, in an exact regularity to his own Ends. He might, when his little Church in Jacobs Family was like to ſtarve in Canaan, have for their preſervation turn'd the Stones of the Country into Bread; but he ſends them down to Egypt to procure Corn, that a way might be opened for their removal into that Country; the Truth of his Prediction in their Captivity accompliſh'd, and a way made after the declaration of his great Name Jehovah, both in the fidelity of his Word and the greatneſs of his Power, in their Deliverance from that Furnace of Affliction. He might have ſtruck Goliah, the Captain of the Philiſtines Army, with a Thunderbolt from Heaven, when he Blaſphemed his Name and ſcar'd his People; but he uſeth the Natural ſtrength of a Stone, and the Artificial motion of a Sling, by the Arm of David, to confront the Giant, and thereby to free Judea from the ravage of a potent Enemey. He might have delivered the Jews from Babylon by as ſtrange Miracles, as he uſed in their Deliverance from Egypt: He might have plagu'd their Enemies, gather'd his People into a Body, and protected them by the bulwark of a Cloud and a Pillar of Fire, againſt the Aſſaults of their Enemies. But he uſes the differences between the Perſians and thoſe of Babylon, to accompliſh his Ends. How ſometimes hath the veering about of the Wind on a ſudden been the loſs of a Navy, when it hath been upon the point of Victory, and driven back the Deſtruction upon thoſe which intended it for others? And the accidental ſtumbling, or the Natural fierceneſs of a Horſe, flung down a General in the midſt of a Battle, where he hath loſt his life by the throng, and his death hath brought a defeat to his Army, and deliverance to the other Party, that were upon the brink of ruine? Thus doth the Wiſdom of God link things together according to Natural order, to work out his intended preſervation of a People.

2. In the ſeaſon of Deliverance. The Timing of Affairs is a part of the Wiſdom of Man, and an eminent part of the Wiſdom of God. It is in due ſeaſon he ſends the former and the latter Rain, when the Earth is in the greateſt Indigence, and when his Influences may moſt contribute to the bringing forth and ripening the Fruit. The dumb Creatures have their meat from him in due ſeaſon **Pſal. 104.27.Ps 104:27: And in his due ſeaſon have his darling People their Deliverance. When Paul was upon his Journey to Damaſcus with a Perſecuting Commiſſion, he is ſtruck down for the ſecurity of the Church in that City. The Nature of the Lion is changed in due ſeaſon, for the preſervation of the Lambs from worrying. The Iſraelites are miraculouſly reſcued from Egypt, when their Wits were at a loſs, when their danger to Human underſtanding was unavoidable; when Earth and Sea refus'd protection, then the Wiſdom and Power of Heaven ſtept in to effect that, which was paſt the skill of the Conductors of that Multitude. And when the Lives of the Jews lay at the ſtake, and their Necks were upon the Block at the mercy of their Enemies Swords, by an Order from Shuſhan; not only a Reprieve, but a Triumph arrives to the Jews, by the Wiſdom of God guiding the Affair, whereby of Perſons deſign'd to execution, they are made Conquerors, and have opportunity to exerciſe their Revenge inſtead of their Patience, proving Triumphers where they expected to be Sufferers††Eſih. 8, & 9.. How ſtrangely doth God by ſecret ways bow the hearts of Men, and the nature of things to the execution of that which he deſigns, notwithſtanding all the reſiſtance of that which would traverſe the ſecurity of his People? How often doth he trap the wicked in the work of their own hands, make their confidence to become their ruine, and enſnare them in thoſe Nets they wrought and laid for others? Pſal. 9.16. The wicked is ſnared in the work of his own hands. He ſcatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts, Luke 1.51. in the height of their hopes, when their deſigns have been laid ſo deep in the Foundation, and knit and cemented ſo cloſe in their ſuperſtructure, that no Human Power or Wiſdom could raze them down: He hath then diſappointed their Projects, and befool'd their Craft. How often hath he kept back the Fire, when it hath been ready to devour; broke the Arrows, when they have been prepared in the Bow; turned the Spear into the bowels of the Bearers, and wounded them at the very inſtant they were ready to wound others?

p. 3733. In ſuting Instruments to his purpoſe. He either finds them ſit, or makes them on a ſuddain fit for his gracious ends. If he hath a Tabernacle to build, he will ſit a Bezaleel and an Aholiab, with the Spirit of wiſdom and Underſtanding in all cunning workmanſhip, Exod. 31.3, 6. If he finds them crooked pieces, he can, like a wiſe Architect, make them ſtrait Beams for the rearing his Houſe, and for the honour of his Name.

He ſometimes picks out men, according to their natural Tempers, and employs them in his Work: Jehu, a man of a furious Temper, and ambitious Spirit, is called out for the deſtruction of Ahab's Houſe. Moſes, a man furniſht with all Egyptian wiſdom, fitted by a generous Education, prepared alſo by the Affliction he met with in his flight, and one who had had the benefit of converſation with Jethro, a man of more than an ordinary wiſdom and goodneſs, as appears by his prudent and religious Counſel; this man is called out to be the Head and Captain of an oppreſt People, and to reſcue them from their Bondage, and ſettle the firſt National Church in the World. So Elijah, a high ſpirited man, of a hot and angry temper, one that ſl ghted the Frowns, and undervalued the Favour of Princes, is ſet up to ſtem the Torrent of the Iſraelitiſh Idolatry. So Luther, a man of the ſame temper, is drawn out by the ſame Wiſdom to encounter the Corruptions in the Church, againſt ſuch Oppoſition, which a milder Temper would have ſun… under. The Earth in Rev. 12.16. is made an Inſtrument to help the woman: When the Grandees of that Age transferred the Imperial Power upon Conſtantine, who became afterwards a protecting and nurſing Father to the Church, a thnig end which many of his Favourers never deſign'd, nor ever dreamt of: But God by his infinite Wiſdom made theſe ſeveral Deſigns like ſeveral Arrows ſhot at Rovers, meet in one Mark to which he directed them, viz. in bringing forth an Inſtrument to render Peace to the World, and Security and Increaſe to his Church.

3. The wiſdom of God doth wonderfully appear in Redemption. His wiſdom in Creation raviſheth the Eye and Underſtanding; his wiſdom in Government, doth no leſs affect a curious Obſerver of the Links and Concatenation of the Means; but his wiſdom in Redemption mounts the Mind to a greater aſtoniſhment. The works of Creation are the Footſteps of his wiſdom; the work of Red…mption is the Face of his wiſdom: A man is better known by the Features of his Face, than by the Prints of his Feet. We with open face, or a revealed face, beholding the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.18. Face there, refers to God, not to us; the glory of God's wiſdom is now open, and no longer covered and vailed by the ſhadows of the Law. As we behold the Light glorious, as ſcattered in the Air before the appearance of the Sun, but more gloriouſly in the Face of the Sun, when it begins its Race in our Horizon. All the wiſdom of God in Creation and Government in his variety of Laws, was like the light the three firſt days of the Creation diſperſt about the World, but the fourth day it was more glorious, when all gathered into the Body of the Sun, Gen. 1.4, 16. So the Light of Divine wiſdom and glory, was ſcattered about the World, and ſo more obſcure, till the fourth Divine day of the World about the four thouſandth year, it was gathered into one Body, the Sun of Righteouſneſs, and ſo ſhone out more gloriouſly to Men and Angels. All things are weaker, the thinner they are extended, but ſtronger, the more they are united and compacted in one Body and Appearance. In Chriſt, in the diſpenſation by him, as well as in his Perſon, were hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, Coloſſ. 2.3. Some Doles of wiſdom were given out in Creation, but the Treaſures of it opened in Redemption; the higheſt degrees of it that ever God did exert in the World. Chriſt is therefore called the wiſdom of God, as well as the power of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. and the Goſpel is called the wiſdom of God. Chriſt is the wiſdom of God principally, and the Goſpel inſtrumentally, as it is the power of God inſtrumentally to ſubdue the heart to himſelf. This is wrapped up in the appointing Chriſt as Redeemer, and open'd to us in the revelation of it by the Goſpel.