Divine Conduct, Head 3
The Third General Head.
HAving proved the Concernments of the people of God to be conducted by the care of special Providence, and given Instances in the ten last named Heads, what influence Providence hath upon those Interests and concerns of theirs among the rest; we come in the next place, to prove it to be the duty of the people of God, to reflect upon these performances of Providence for them, at all times; but especially in times of straits and troubles.
This I will evidence to be your unquestionable duty, by the following particulars.
This is our duty, because God hath expresly commanded it, and called his people to make the most serious reflections, and animadversions upon his works, whether of mercy or judgement. So when that dreadfullest of all Judgements was executed upon his professing people for their Apostasie from God, and God had removed the Symbols of his presence from among them, the rest are bid to go, (i.e.) by their meditations, (to send at least their thoughts) to Shiloh, and see what God did to it, Jer. 7. 12. So for mercies, God calls us to consider and review them, Micah 6. 5. Remember O my people from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the faithfulness of the Lord: q. d. if you reflect not upon that signal Providence, my faithfulness will be covered, and your unfaithfulness discovered. So for Gods works of Providence about the Creatures, we are called to consider them, that we may prop up our faith by those considerations for our own supplies, Matth. 6. 28. consider the Fowls and Lillies.
It's plain, that this is our duty, because the neglect of it is every where in Scripture condemned as a sin. To be of an heedless inobservant temper is very displeasing to God; and so much appears by that Scripture, Isa. 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see. Nay, it is a sin, which God threatens and denounces woe against in his Word, Psal. 28. 4, 5. and Isa. 5. 12, 13. Yea, God not only threatens, but smites men with visible Judgements for this sin, Job 34. 26, 27.
And for this end and purpose it is, that the Holy Ghost hath affixed those notes of attention to the narratives of the works of Providence in Scripture: all which do invite and call men to a due and deep observation of them. So in that great and celebrated work of Providence, in delivering Israel out of EgyptJan bondage, you find a note of attentJon twice affixed to it, Exod. 3. 2, 9. So when that daring Enemy Rabsheka (that put HezekJah and all the people into such a consternation) was defeated by Providence, there is a note of attentJon prefixt to that Providence, 2 Kings 19. …. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, &c. So when God glorifies his wisdom and power, in delivering his people from their Enemies, and ensnaring them in the works of their own hands, a double note of attentJon is affixed to that double work of Providence, Psal. 9. 16. higgaJon s…lah. So at the opening of every seal which contains a remarkable series or branch of Providence, how particularly is attention commanded to every one of them, Rev. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Come and see, come and see. All these are very useless and super…luous additions in Scripture, if no such duty lyes upon us. See Psal. 66. 5.
Without due observation of the work of Providence, no praise can be rendered to God for any of them. Praise and thanksgiving for mercies depend upon this act of observation of them, and cannot be performed without it. Psalm 107. is spont in narratives of Gods Providential care of men. To his people in straits, Ver. 4, 5, 6. To prisoners in their bonds, Ver. 10, 11, 12. To men that lye languishing upon beds of sickness, Ver. 17, 18, 19. To Seamen upon the stormy Ocean▪ Ver. 23, &c. To men in times of famine, Ver. 33. to Ver. 40. Yea, his Providence is displayed in all those changes that fall out in the world, de…asing the high, and exalting the low, Ver. 40, 41. and at every paragraph men are still called upon to praise God for each of these Providences: but Ver. ult. shews you what a necessary ingredient to that duty, observation is. Whos… it wi…e, and will observe these things; even they shall understand… the loving kindness of the Lord. So that of necessity, God must be defrauded… of his praise, if this duty be neglected.
Without this, we lose the usefulness and be…ne…it of all the works of God for us or others, which would be an unspeakable loss indeed to us. This is the food▪ our …aith lives upon in dayes of distress, Psal. 74. 14. Thou …rakest the heads of LevJathan in pJeces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the Wilderness; (i.e.) food to their …aith. From Providences past, Saints use to argue to fresh and new ones to come. So David, 1 Sam. 17. 37. The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistin. So Paul, 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who hath delivered, and in whom also we trust, that he will yet deliver. If these be forgotten o… not considered, the hands of …aith hang down. See Matth. 16. 9. How is it that ye do not remember▪ neither consider? This is a Topick from which the Saints have used to draw their Arguments in prayer for new mercies. As Moses, Numb. 14. 19. when he prayes for continued or new pardon… for the people, he argues from what was past, As thou hast forgiven them from Egypt until now. So the Church, Isa. 51. 9, 10. argues for new Providences upon the same ground Moses pleaded for new pardons.
It is a vile slighting of God▪ not to observe what of himself he manifests in his Providences. For in all Providences, especially in some, he comes nigh to us. He doth so in his Judgements, Mal. 3. 5. I will come nigh to you in judgement. He comes nigh in mercies also, Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, &c. Yea, he is said to visit us by his Providence when he corrects, Hosea 9. 7. and when he saves and delivers, Psal. 106. 4. These visitations of God preserve our spirits, Job. 10. 12. And it is a wonderful condescension in the great God to visit us so o…ten, Job 7. 18. every morning, and every moment. But not to take notice of it, is a vile and bruitish contempt of God, I…a. 1. 3. Zeph. 3. 2. You would not do so by a man for whom you have any respect. It's the character of the wicked, not to regard Gods favours, Isa. 26. 10. or frowns, Jer. 5. 3.
In a word▪ men can never order their addresses to God in prayer, suitable to their conditions, without due observatJon of his Providences. Your prayers are to be suitable to your conditions: sometimes we are called to praise, sometimes to humiliation. In the way of his Judgements you are to wait for him, Isa. 26. 8. to prepare to meet him, Zeph. 2. 1, 2. Amos 4. 12. Now your business is, to turn away his anger which you see approaching. And sometimes you are called to praise him for mercies received, Isa. 12. 1, 2. but then you must first observe them.
Thus you find the matter of David's Psalms still varied, according to the Providences that befell him: but an inobservant heedless spirit can never do it. And thus you have the grounds of the Duty briefly represented; we pass on to