Divine Conduct, Head 5 · Motive 1
First Motive.
ANd First, Let me offer this, as a moving argument to all gracious souls; That by this means you may maintain sweet and sensible communJon with God from day to day. And what is there desirable in this world, in comparison therewith! Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works: I will trJumph in the works of thy hands, Psal. …2. 4. Your hearts may be as sweetly and sensibly refresht by the works of Gods hands, as by the words of his mouth. Psal. 104. per totum is spent in the consideration of the works of Providence, which so filled the Psalmist's heart, that, by way of ejaculation, he expresses the effect of it, Ver. 34. My MeditatJon of him shall be sweet.
Communion with God properly and strictly taken, consists in two things; viz. Gods manifestation of himself to the soul, and the souls answerable returns to God. This is that foreign fellowship we have here with God. Now God manifests himself to his people by Providences as well as Ordinances; neither is there any grace in a sanctified soul hid from the gracious influences of his Providential manifestations. Sometimes the Lord manifests his displeasure and anger against the sins of his people in correcting and rebuking Providences. His rods have a chiding voice, Micah 6. 9. Hear the rod and who hath appointed it. This discovery of Gods anger kindly melts and thaws a gracious soul, and produces a double sweet effect upon it, namely, repentance for sins past, and due cautJon against future sins. (1.) It thaws and melts the heart for sins committed. Thus David's heart was melted for his sin, when the hand of God was heavy upon him in affliction, Psal. 32. 4, 5. Thus the Captive Church, upon whom fell the saddest and most dismal Providence that ever befell any of Gods people in any age of the world; see how their hearts are broken for sin under this severe rebuke, Lam. 2. 17, 18, 19. And then, (2. For caution against sin for the time to come; it's plain, that the rebukes of Providence leave that effect also upon gracious hearts, Ezra 9. 13, 14. Psal. 85. 8.
Sometimes he cheers and comforts the hearts of his people with smiling and reviving Providences, both publick and personal. There are times of lifting up as well as casting down by the hand of Providence. The Scene changes, the aspects of Providence are very cheerful and encouraging▪ their Winter seems to be over: they put off their garments of mourning; and then, Ah, what sweet returns are made to heaven by gracious souls! Doth God lift them up by prosperity? they also will lift up their God by praises. See Psal. 18. Title, and v. 1, 2, 3. So Moses and the people with him, Exod. 15. when God had delivered them from Pharaoh, how do they exalt him in a song of thanksgiving, which for the elegancy and spirituality of it, is made an Emblem of the doxologies given to God in glory by the Saints! Rev. 15. 3.
Upon the whole, whatever effects our Communion with God in any of his Ordinances doth use to produce upon our hearts, the same we may observe to follow our conversing with him in his Providences. For,
It is usually found in the experience of all the Saints, that in what Ordinance or duty soever they …ave any sensible communion with God, it naturally produces in their spirits a deep abasement and humiliation from the sense of divine condescensions to such vile poor Worms as we are. Thus Abraham, Gen. 18. 27. I am but dust and ashes. The same effect follows our converse with God in his Providences. Thus when God had in the way of his Providence prospered Jacob, how doth he lay himself at the feet of God, as a man overwhelmed with the sense of mercy! See Gen. 32. 5, 10. And Jacob said, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercJes, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now am become two bands. Thus also it was with David, 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I, and what is my Fathers house, that thou hast brought me hitherto! And I doubt not, but some of you have found the like frame of heart upon you, that these holy men here expressed. Can you not remember when God lifted you up by Providence, how you cast down your selves before him, and have been viler in your own eyes than ever! Why, thus do all gracious hearts; What am I, that the Lord should do thus and thus for me! O that ever so great and holy a God should thus be concerned for so vile and sinful a Worm!
(2.) Doth Communion with God in Ordinances, melt the heart into love to God? Cant. 2. 3, 4, 5. Why, so doth the observation of his Providences also. Never did any man convers… with Gods works of Providenc… aright, but f…nd his heart at some times melted into love to the God of his mercies, Psal. 18. 1. compared with the Title. When God had delivered him from the hand of Saul, and all his Enemies, he said, I will love thee O Lord my strength. Every man loves the mercies of God, but a Saint loves the God of his mercies. The mercies of God, as they are the fewel of a wicked mans lusts, so they are fewel to maintain a good mans love to God; not that their love to God is grounded upon these external benefits, Not thine, but thee, O Lord, is the motto of a gracious soul; but yet these things serve to blow up the flame of love to God in their hearts, and they find it so.
Doth Communion with God set the keenest edge upon the soul against sin? You see it doth: and have a pregnant Instance of it in Moses, when he had been with God in the Mount for forty dayes, and had there enjoyed communion with him; when he came down and saw the Calf the people had made; see what an holy paroxysm of zeal and anger it cast his soul into, Exod. 32. 19, 20. Why, the same effect you may discern to follow the Saints converse with God in his Providences. What was that which pierced the heart of David with such a deep sense of the evil of his sin, which is so abundantly manifested in Psalm 51. throughout? Why, if you look into the Title you shall find, it was the effect of what Nathan had laid before him: and if you consult 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8, 9, 10. you shall find, it was the goodness of God manifested to him in the several endearing Providences of his life, which in this he had so evilly requited the Lord for, that broke his heart to pieces in the sense of it: and I doubt not, but some of us have some times found the like effects, by comparing Gods wayes and our own together.
Doth Communion with the Lord enlarge the heart for obedience and service? Surely it is as oyl to the wheels, that makes them run of freely and nimbly their course. Thus when IsaJah had obtained a special manifestation of God, and the Lord askt, whom shall I send? he presents a ready soul for the employment, Isa. 6. 8. Here am I, Lord, send me. Why, the very same effect follows sanctified Providences, as you may see in Jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 17. 5, 6. and in David, Psal. 116. 12. O when a soul considers what God hath done for him, he cannot chuse but say, what shall I return? how shall I answer these engagements?
And thus you see, what sweet Communion a soul may have with God in the way of his Providences. O that you would thus walk with him! How much of Heaven might be found on Earth this way! And certainly, it will never repent the Lord he hath done you good, when his mercies produce such effects upon your hearts: he will say of every savour thus improved, It was well bestowed, and will rejoyce over you to do you good for ever.