Divine Conduct, Head 2 · Performance 10
The Tenth Performance of Providence.
X.
YOu have heard many and great things performe… for you by Divine Providence,…viden… Assi…ces in … work … Mortifi…on in the former particulars; but there is an eminent favour it bestows on the Saints, which hath not yet been considered, and indeed is too little minded by us, and that is, The Aid and assistance it gives the people of God in the great work of MortificatJon.
Mortification of our sinful affections and passions, is the one half of our Sanctification, Rom. 6. 11. dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God.
It's the great Evidence of our Interest in Christ. See Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 6. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
It's our safety in the hour of Temptation. The corruptions in the world are through lust, 2 Pet. 1. 4.
Our Instrumental fitness for service, depends much upon it, 2 Tim. 2. 21. John 15. 2. How great a service to our souls therefore must that be, by which this blessed work is carried on upon them?
Now there are two Means or Instruments imployed in this work. The Spirit, who effects it internally, Rom. 8. 13. And Providence, which assists it externally. The Spirit indeed is the principal Agent, upon whose operation, the success of this work depends; and all the Providences in the world can never effect it without him. But these are secondary and subordinate means, which by the blessing of the Spirit upon them, have a great stroke in the work. How they are so serviceable to this end and purpose, I shall open in the following account.
(1.) More generally. The most wise God orders the dispensations of Providence in a blessed subordination to the work of his Spirit. There is a sweet harmony betwixt them in their distinct workings. They all meet in that one blessed issue which God hath by the counsel of his Will directed them to, Eph. 1. 11. Rom. 8. 28. Hence it is, that the Spirit is said to be in, and order the motions of the wheels of Providence, Ezek. 1. 20. and so they move together by consent. Now, one great part of the Spirit's internal work, being to destroy sin in the people of God; see how conformable to his design external Providences are steer'd and order'd in the following particulars.
(1.) There is in all the regenerate a strong propension and inclination to sin, and in that lyes a principal part of the power of sin. Of this Paul sadly complains, Rom. 7. 23. But I see another law in my members▪ warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members: and every believer daily …inds it to his grief. O 'tis hard, 'tis hard to forbear those things that grieve God. God hath made an hedge about us, and fenced us against sin by his Laws; but there is a proneness in nature to break over the hedge, and that against the very reluctations of the Spirit of God in us. Now, see in this case, the concurrence and assistance of Providence, for the prevention of sin; look, as the Spirit internally resists those sinful inclinations, so Providence externally layes barrs and blocks in our way to hinder and prevent sin: and this is the meaning of those places lately cited, Hosea 2. 6. & 2 Cor. 12. 7. So Job 33. 17, 18, 19. There is many a bodily distemper inflicted on this very score, to be a clog to prevent sin: Oh bear them patiently upon this consideration. Basil was …orely grieved with an inveterate head-ach, he earnestly prayes, it might be removed; God removed it: but no sooner was he freed of this clog, but he felt the inordinate motions of lust; which made him pray for his head-ach again. So it might be with many of us, if our clogs were off.
A Question may be moved here,…. Whether it be the genJus and property of a gracJous spirit, to forbear sin, because of the rod of afflictJon? They have surely higher motives and nobler principles than these. This is the temper of a carnal and slavish spirit.
Indeed it is so, when this is the sole or principal restraint from sin: when a man abhorrs not sin, because of the intrinsick …ilth, but only because of the troublesome consequents and effects. But this is vastly different from the case of the Saints under sanctified afflictions; for as they have high…r motives and nobler principles, so they have lower and more sensible ones too; and these are, in their kind and place, very useful to them. (2.) Besides, you must know, that afflictions work in another way upon gracious hearts to restrain them from sin, or warn them against sin, th…n they do upon others. It is not so much the smart of the rod which they feel, as the tokens of Gods displeasure, which affrights and scares them, Job 10. 17. Thous renewest thy witnesses against me, &c. and this is that which principally affects them. See Psal. 6. 1. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure: and Jer. 10. 24. O Lord, correct me, but with judgement, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing: and surely this is no low and common argument.
(2.) Notwithstanding this double sence of Gods command, and preventive afflictions, yet sin is too hard for the best of men: their corruptions carry them through all to sin. And when it is so, not only doth the Spirit work internally, but Providence also works externally in order to their reductJon. The wayes of sin are not only made bitter unto them, by the remorse of Conscience, but by those afflictive rods upon the outward man, with which God also follows it; and in both these respects, I find that place expounded, Eccles. 10. 8. Whoso breaketh an hedge, a Serpent shall bite him. If, as some expound it, the hedge be the Law of God, then the Serpent is the remorse of Conscience, and the sharp teeth of afflictJon, which he shall quickly feel, if he be one that belongs to God.
The design and aim of these afflictive Providences, is to purge and cleanse them from that pollution into which temptations have plunged them, Isa. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin. To the same purpose is that place, Psal. 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word. These afflictions have the same use and end to our souls, that frosty weather hath upon those clothes that are laid a bleaching; they alter the hue, and make it whiter, which seems to be the allusion in those words, Dan. 11. 35. And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them, and to purge, and to make them white.
And here it may be querJed, ….Upon what account afflictions are said to purge away the iniquities of the Saints. Is it not unwarrantable, and very dishonourable to Christ, to attribute that to affliction, which is the peculiar honour of his blood?
It is confessed,…. that the blood of Christ is the only Lavatory, or Fountain opened for sin, and that no afflictions how many, or strong, or continual soever they be, can in themselves purge away the pollution of sin, as we see in wicked men, who are afflicted and afflicted, and again afflicted; and yet, nevertheless sinful: and the Torments of Hell, how extream, universal and continual soever they are, yet shall never fetch out the stain of one sin.
But yet, this hinders not, but that a sancti…ied affliction, may in the efficacy and vertue of Christs blood, produce such blessed effects upon the soul. Though a Cross without a Christ, never did any man good, yet thousands have been beholden to the Cross, as it hath wrought in the vertue of his death for their good. And this is the case of those souls that this discourse is concerned about.
(3.) We find the best hearts, if God bestow any comfortable enjoyment upon them, too ap… to be over-heated in their affections towards it▪ and to be too much taken up with these outward comforts. This also sheweth the great power and strength of corruption in the people of God, and must by some means or other be morti…ied in them.
This was the case of HezekJah, his heart was too much affected with his treasures; so that he could not hide a vain-glorious temper, as you find Isa. 39. 2. and so good David, Psal. 30. 7. he thought his Mountain, (i.e. his Kingdom, and the splendour and glory of his present state) had stood so fast, that it should never be moved.
The same good man, how did he let out his heart and affections upon his beautiful Son Absalom? as appears by the doleful lamentation he made at his death, prizing him above his own life, which was a thousand times more worth than he.
So Jonah, when God raised up a Gourd for him to shelter him from the Sun, how excessively was he taken with it, and was exceedingly glad of it?
But will God suffer things to lye thus? Shall the Creature pu…oin, and draw away our affections from him? No, this is our corruption, and God will purge it. And to this end he sends forth Providence to smite those Creatures, on which our affections are either inordinately or excessively let out, or else to turn them into rods, and smite us by them.
…s HezekJah too much pu…ed up with his full Exchequer? Why, those very BabylonJans to whom he boasted of it, shall empty it, and make a prey of it, Isa. 39. 6.
Is David hugging himself in a fond conceit of the stability of his Earthly Splendor? Lo, how soon God beclouds all, Psal. 30. 7. Is Absalom doted on, and crept too far into his good Fathers heart? this shall be the Son of his sorrow, that shall seek after his Fathers life.
Is Jonah so transported with his Gourd? God will prepare a Worm to smite it, Jonah 4. 6, 7.
How many Husbands, Wives and Children hath Providence smitten upon this very account? It might have spared them longer, if they had been loved more regularly, and moderately. This hath blasted many an Estate, and hopeful project; and it is a merciful dispensation for our good.
(4.) The strength of our unmortified Corruption shews it self in our pride, and the swelling vanity of our hearts when we have a name and esteem among men; when we are applauded and honoured, when we are admired for any gift or excellency that is in us, this draws forth the pride of the heart, and shews the vanity that is in it. So you read, Prov. 27. 21. As the …ining pot for silver, and the …urnace for▪ gold, so is a man to his praise: (i.e.) as the …ornace will discover what dross is in the metal when it is melted, so will praise and commendations, discover what pride is in the heart of him that receives them. This made a good man say, He that praises me, wounds me. And which is more strange, this corruption may be felt in the heart, even when the last breath is ready to expire. It was the saying of one of the German Divines, when those about him recounted for his encouragement the many services he had done for God, auferte ignem (saith he) adhuc enim paleas habeo. Take away the sire, for there is still the chaff of pride in me. To crucifie this corruption Providence takes off the bridle of restraint from ungodly men, and sometimes permits them to traduce the names of Gods servants, as Shimei did David's. Yea, they shall fall into disesteem among their friends, as Paul did among the CorinthJans; and all this to keep down the swelling of their spirits at the sense of those excellencies that are in them: The design of these Providences being nothing else, but to hide pride from man. Yea, it deserves a special remarque, that when some good men have been engaged in a publick and eminent work, and have therein, it may be, too much sought their own applause, God hath withheld usual assistance at such times from them, and caused them to salter so in their work, that they have come off with shame and pity at such times, how ready and presential soever they have been at other times. It were easie to give divers remarkable examples to confirm this Observation. But I pass on.
(5.) The corruption of the heart shews it self, in raising up great expectations to our selves from the Creature, and projecting abundance of felicity and contentment from some promising and hopeful enjoyments we have in the world. This we find to have been the case of holy Job in the dayes of his prosperity, Job 28. 19. Then I said, I shall dye in my nest, I shall multiply my dayes as the sand. But how soon were all these expecta…ions dasht by a gloomy Providence, that benighted him in the Noon-tide of his prosperity: and all this for his good, to take off his heart more fully from creature expectations. We often find, the best men to over-reckon themselves in worldly things, and over-act their confidences about them. They that have great and well-grounded expectations from Heaven, may have too great and ungrounded expectations from the Earth. But when it is so, it's very usual for Providence to undermine their Earthly hopes, and convince them by experience how vain they are. Thus Haggai 1. 9. the peoples hearts were intently set upon prosperous Providences, full Harvests, and great Increase; whilst in the mean while no regard was had to the Worship of God, and the things of his House; therefore Providence blasts their hopes, and brings them to little.
(6.) Corruption discovers it self in dependance upon Creature comforts, and sensible props. Oh how apt are the best men, to lean upon these things, and stay themselves upon them! Thus did Israel stay themselves upon Egypt, as a feeble man would lean upon his staff; but God suffered it both to fail them, and wound them, Ezek. 29. 6, 7, 8. So for single persons, how apt are they to depend upon their sensible supports? Thus we lean on our Relations, and the inward thoughts of our hearts are, that they shall be to us so many springs of comfort to refresh us throughout our lives; but God will shew us by his Providence our mistake and error in these things. Thus an Husband is smitten, to draw the soul of a Wife nearer to God in dependence upon him, 1 Tim. 5. 5. So for Children, we are apt to say of this or that Child, as Lamech of Noah, Gen.5. 29. This same shall comfort us; but the wind passes over these slowers and they are withered, to teach us, that our happiness is not bound up in these enjoyments. So for our Estates, when the world smiles upon us, and we have got a warm nest, how do we prophesie of rest and peace in those acquisitions, minding, with good Baruch, great things for our selves; but Providence by a particular or general calamity over-turns our projects, as Jer. 45. 4, 5. and all this to reduce our hearts from the Creature, to God our only rest.
(7.) Corruption discovers its strength in good men, by their adherence to things below, and lothness to go hence. This often proceeds from the engaging enjoyments and pleasant fruitions we have here below. Providence morti…ies this inclination in the Saints, (1.) By killing those ensnaring comforts before-hand, making all or most of our pleasant things to dye before us. (2.) By imbittering this world to us, by the troubles of it, (3.) By making life undesirable, through the pains and infirmities we feel in the body, and so loosing our root, in order to our more easie fall by the fatal stroke.
And thus I have finished the Second General Head; but before I pass from this, I cannot but make a pause, and desire you with me, to stand in an holy amazement, and wonder at the dealings of God with such poor worms as we are! Surely God deals familiarly with men! his condescensions to his own clay are astonishing! All that I shall note at present about it, shall be under these three heads, wherein I find the matter of my present meditations summed up by the Psalmist, Psal. 144. 3. Lord what is man, that thou t…kest knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou makest account of him? And in this Scripture you have represented,
The immense and transcendent goodness of God, who is infinitely above us and all our thoughts, Job 11. 7, 8, 9. Canst thou by searching, find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as Heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than Hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea. 2 Chron. 2. 6. The Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him. Exod. 15. 11. He is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. When the Scripture speaks of him comparatively, see how it expresses his greatness, Isa. 40. 15, 16, 17. Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the Beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are accounted to him less than nothing and vanity. When the holJest men have addrest themselves to him, see with what humility and deep adoratJon they have spoken of him and to him! Isa. 6. 5. Wo is me for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts. Nay, what aspects the very Angels of Heaven have of that glorJous Majesty, you may see, Ver. 2, 3. Each one had six wings, with twain …e covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain be did fly. And one cryed unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole Earth is full of his glory.
The baseness, vileness and utter unworthiness of Man, yea, the holiest and best of men before God, Psal. 39. 5. Verily every man, at his best estate, is altogether vanity. Every man, take where you will: and every man in his best estate, or standing in his freshest glory, is, not only vanity, but altogether vanity. Col Adam col Hebel, every man …s every vanity. For do but consider the best of men in their ExtractJon, in their ConstitutJon, and in their outward ConditJon.
(1.) In their ExtractJon, Eph. 2. 3. By nature Children of wrath even as others. The blood that …uns in our veins, is as much tainted as theirs in Hell.
(2.) Consider them in their ConstitutJon and …atural temper, and it is no better, yea, in many a worse temper than in Reprobates: and though grace depose sin in them from the Throne; yet▪ Oh what offensive and God provoking corruptions daily break out of the best hearts!
(3.) Consider them in their outward ConditJon, …nd they are inferiour (for the most part) to …thers, 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27, 28, &c. and Matth. 1. 25. I thank thee O Father (saith Christ) that …ou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent, …nd hast revealed them unto Babes.
And now let us consider and admire, that ever his great and blessed God should be so much …ncerned as you have heard he is in all his Pro…dences about such vile despicable Worms as …e are! He needs us not, but is perfectly blessed …nd happy in himself without us. We can add …othing to him, Job. 22. 2. Can a man be profitable God? No, the holiest of men add nothing to him; yet, see how great account he makes of us. For,
Doth not his eternal electing love bespeak the dear account he made of us, Eph. 1. 4, 5. How ancient, how free, and how astonishing is this act of grace! This is that design which all Providences are in pursuit of, and will not rest till they have executed.
Doth not the gift of his only Son out of his bosome speak this truth, That God makes great account of this vile thing Man? Never was man so magnified before. If David could say, Psal. 8. …. When I consider the Heavens the work of thy hands, the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained, Lord, what is man? How much more may we say? when we consider thy Son, that lay in thy bosome, his infinite excellency, and unspeakable dearness to thee; Lord, what is man, that such a Christ should be delivered to death for him! for him, and not for fallen Angels! Heb. 2. 16. for him when in a state of enmity with God! Rom. 5. 8.
Doth not the assiduity of his Providential care for us, speak his esteem of us? Isa. 27. 3. … any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. H… withdraweth not his eye from the righteous, Job▪ 36. 7. no, not a moment all their dayes; for did he so, a thousand mischiefs in that moment woul… rush in upon him, and ruine him.
Doth not the tenderness of his Providenc… speak his esteem of us? Isa. 66. 13. as one whom his Mother comforteth, so will I comfort you. He comforts his (viz. by refreshing Providences) a… an indulgent Mother her tender Child. So Isa▪ 31. 5. As birds flying, viz. to their nests, when their young are in danger, so he defends his. No foreign tenderness in the Creature can shadow forth the tender bowels of the Creator.
Doth not the variety of the fruits of his Providence speak it? Lam. 3. 23. Our mercJes are new every morning. See Psal. 40. 5. It is a fountain from which do stream forth spiritual and temporal, ordinary and extraordinary, publick and personal mercies, mercies without number.
Doth not the ministration of Angels in the Providential Kingdom speak it? Heb. 1. ult. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth, &c.
Doth not the Providence, which this day calls us to celebrate the memory of,Preached Novemb. V. bespeak the great account God hath for his people? O if not so, why had we not been given up as a prey to their teeth! See Psal. 124. If the Lord had not been on our side, then wicked men, there compar'd to fire, water, wild beasts, had devoured us. O blessed be God for that teeming Providence that hath already brought forth more than seventy years liberty and peace to the Church of God. I shall move in behalf of this Providence, that you would do by it, as the Jows by their Purim, Esth. 9. 27, 28. and the rather, because we seem now to be as near danger by the same Enemy as ever since that time: and if such a mercy as this be forgotten, God may say as Judges 10. 13. I will deliver you no more.