Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Genesis · Sermon 10
SERMON X.
GENESIS xxiv.63.
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide.
Fourthly, THE Object which I shall now propose is Providence, a large Field, and full of useful matter. It is a draught, which God hath been plotting from all Eternity, and accomplishing these thousands of years. 1. Take it altogether, and it is a continued contexture, or concatenation of Decrees, Actions and Events, from the Creation to the day of Judgment. It is our Duty to understand it for the present, and it will be our happiness to understand it perfectly hereafter, Psalm 107.43. Whoso is wise, and will observe those things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. It is an excellent piece of Wisdom, to be able to link Events together, that we may see the Wisdom and Love of God in the usual occurrences that happen out. We being of short narrow thoughts fail most herein; Power is such an Attribute as is visible and obvious to a common and careless Eye, the Heathens knew it, Rom. 1.20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead. But to find out the Beauty and Wisdom of Gods Work, there needs the Light of Faith, and some acquaintance with God himself; therefore it is said, Iob 11.5, 6. Oh that God would speak, &c. and shew me the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is. Power is obvious to Sense and Reason, but Wisdom is scarce discernable to Faith. There is an out-side and an in-side in all Divine Dispensations, the out-side is full of Beauty, but that is but dark to the in-side, to the secrets of Wisdom. Gods Works are full of Mysteries as well as his Word, and we cannot understand them, unless God himself be our Teacher, we are blind, and see not, and then we murmur. But the full knowledge of the Mysteries of Providence is reserved for our Portion in Heaven, when we shall know as we are known, 1 Cor. 13.12. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know, even as also I am known. We shall view all the passages of Providence, by which we have been brought to Glory, and see the beautiful Order and Links of them. Now we have known God, or rather are known of God, Gal. 4.9. God knoweth what is the meaning of such a Providence, what is in the Womb of such a Dispensation. Here there is a hand-writing upon the Wall, but we, as Beltshazzar, cannot read it. As when we see a Woman with Child, we cannot tell what it will prove; but when we are on the top of the Mount, we shall look back, and see, how many are the crooked Lanes we have passed, the up-hill and down-hill we have trod, and God knew us all along, and did not only lead us in, but lead us out; Then we shall know the multitude of his thoughts, and what the great number of them is. I confess by narrow Observation we may discerne a little for the present, as David, Psalm 139.17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God? How great is the samm of them? When he looked back, how God had carryed him through many difficulties, and brought him to rule his People, and watched over him with a careful eye of Providence, and ordered every event for his comfort: Some general view and knowledge we may have for the present.
Now to direct your Meditations upon the Providence of God,
1. I will shew what it is.
2. That it is.
3. I will give you some Observations.
4. I will press you to treat with your own hearts about the Use and Comfort of it.
1. To open the Nature of it, what it is. Consider,
1. The Grounds of Providence.
2. The Acts of Providence.
1. The Grounds of Providence, it is founded in Gods Nature and Attributes, three especially, Omniscience, Wisdom, and Power.
1. Gods Omniscience, or Knowledge of all Affairs in the World. God like the Sun is all Light, and all Eye, Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good; in the Congregation, in the Closet, in the Shop, the Eyes of the Lord are every where, and do not only behold the evil and the good Person, but the evil and the good Action. But chiefly Gods eyes are upon his Children, they fall under his special care, 2 Chron. 16.9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him. God minds their whole condition, takes notice of their wants and dangers and troubles, and will shew himself strong in their supply and deliverance. He doth not only know their Persons, but their way, Psal. 1.6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. God takes notice of every particular step he takes, and every case he is in; by one intuition all things are present to God. Therefore when Christ would comfort his Disciples, and fence them against worldly care he saith,, Matth. 6.32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that have need of all these things. God takes an exact and particular account of all your vvants and necessities. So the Psalmist, Psal. 56.8. Thou tellest my wandrings, put thou my tears into thy bottle, are they not in thy book? There is not a tear you shed, but it is treasured up in Gods Bottle, not a vveary step you take for his Names sake, but it is recorded in Gods Book, he speaks of those vveary steps he took through the tvvo Forests of Ziph and Hateph. But if this be not full enough to commend the particularity of Gods Care, he goes higher, Isa. 49.16. Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. When vve are apt to forget vve fix a memorial on our hands, and if vve forget a thing recorded in our Book, vve shall not forget vvhat is imprinted on our hands.
2. Gods Wisdom. He knovveth their vvants, and ordereth their deliverance. There is something of Counsel in all that the Lord doth, Ephes. 1.11. Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Therefore his Will is called his Counsel, Act 4.28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done; there is not only a Mighty Hand seen in all the Dispensations of God, but a wise Counsel. So these two Attributes are coupled, Iob 9.21. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. We are rash and precipitate, carryed on with more Resolution than Reason, our desires beget an heat that oversetteth us; but whatever God doth, it is vvith exact Judgment. If vve have eyes to see it, vve should see that all the Circumstances of Providence are disposed vvith much Art.
3. Gods Povver to execute and administer that vvhichwhich his Wisdom hath devised. Gods Councils and Purposes are alwaies follovved vvith a shall be, or shall not be; he hath Infinite Povver to accomplish them: His Povver is as it vvere the Mid-vvife to his blessed decrees, he conceiveth all things in the vvomb of his vvill, and then he enduceth and bringeth them forth by his mighty Povver. Psal. 33.9. He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast. Let it be, vvas sufficient to make the World, and I will, is enough to preserve it. God pleaseth this as the Priviledge of the God-head, Isa. 44.7. Who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me? That is, that can by calling ordain or create. Therefore Christ, when he would discover the Power of his God-head, cured by a word of Omnipotency, Matth. 8.3. I will, be thou clean. Now this Power of God is discovered in Providence three wayes, By his Ability and Sufficiency to work without means, by unlikely means, or by contrary means.
1. By working without means. God is not bound to the Road of Nature, or tyed to the course of Second Causes; he can create where he doth not find; therefore when God is represented as an Object of Trust to his People, this expression is used, 1 Pet. 4.19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, as one that is able create, where nothing is found. So God promiseth, Hosea 1.7. I will have mercy on the house of Iudah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horse-men. These were the only means they could pitch upon to re-establish themselves, but saith the Lord, I have a purpose to save them, but it shall not be by these, God would do it by an invisible sway and turn of things, that they should enjoy the Mercy, but not see the Means. So Isa. 48.7. They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldst say, Behold, I know them. Sometimes God by an immediate Soveraignty will help us, Matth. 4.4. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Sometimes God will not reach out a supply by the ordinary means, but by the powerful Word of his Providence, or commanded Blessing.
2. By working with unlikely Means. There is nothing so evil or so inconsiderable, but God can work by it; in the Story of Ioseph, (which is one of the fairest draughts of Providence) a Lye cast him into Prison, and a Dream fetched him out; so evil a thing as a Lye, and so inconsiderable a thing as a Dream. So the Lord makes use of the neglect and Errors of Men; Possidonius hath two remarkable Stories in the Life of Austin, one was that in Travel he lost his way, and found his Life, for he escaped an Ambush of the Donatists. At another time being to preach, he forgot both his Text and Matter, and fell upon that which through the Blessing of God converted Firmius; Omnipotency needeth no outward advantage. So in Publick Deliverances, Gods Instruments are usually despicable, a Straw is as good as a Spear in the hands of Omnipotence: Most of the Iudges that rescued Israel were taken from the Plough and Sheepfold. So for Judgments, God by weak means punishes Sinners, Egypt was plagued with Flies and Lice; they were strong to execute Gods Word.
3. By working with contrary means, Christ used Clay and Spittle, that one would think should put out the Eyes, to restore sight to the blind Man. Ioseph was first made a Slave, and then a Favourite; his Brethren first sell him, and then worship him; he is cast into the Dungeon to be preferred to Court. There are strange Contrivances, and Contrarieties in Providence, the way seemeth contrary to the Aim, and the Means disproportionable to the End. When we see great Confusions in the World, we wonder how this should tend to oGds Glory, and the Churches good, and are apt to say as Ioshua, chap. 7.9. What wilt thou do unto thy great name? And as the Prophet Amos 7.2. By whom shall Iacob arise? for he is small. We wonder how God means to save, when Babylon destroyeth, and how Confusion and Mischief can end in Order and Beauty. But Gods knows the sufficiency of his own Power, and is able to bring about these things, to bring Light out of Darkness, and one contrary out of another.
2. The Acts of Providence, they are three, Conservation, Gubernation, and Ordination.
1. Conservation, Conserving and keeping all Creatures in their Being. Therefore the Apostle saith, Heb. 1.3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power, Isa. 22.23, 24. I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house. If God should take away the shoulder of his Providence, all things would return to their first nothing, and vanish, and disappear; as a Seal upon the Waters, the Impression is defaced assoon as the Seal is gone. Providence is a continual Creation, every thing that is kept in Working and Being is, as it were, newly born, newly brought forth, newly produced; nay, Chrysostome saith it is foreign, something greater than Creation; as it is more to support a burden long in the Air, than to raise it up from the Earth, so it is more to keep all things from returning to nothing, than to educe and bring them out of nothing. That's the Reason, why the Holy Ghost speaks in the present Tense, Psalm 104.2. Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain. And Isa. 40.22. It is he that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. It is not in the future Tense, because God is alwaies a stretching them out. So our Saviour, Iohn 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Though there be a cessation of work in regard of new kinds, yet there is a continuation of work in regard of their Preservation, and God's Providential Influence. The Power which raised from nothing must still preserve from nothing, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. This Solomon intends when he saith, Prov. 20.12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. He doth not mean Spiritually, but Naturally; he doth not only give the Faculty, but the Exercise; as he gives the Eye, so the seeing; and as he gives the Ear, so the Hearing: This could not be done without new Acts of Providence Assistance, and Supportation from God. Therefore we read Hagar did not see the Well of Water till the Lord opened her Eyes, Gen. 21.19. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So the Disciples, Luke 24.31. And their eyes were opened, and they saw him. When the Lord suspended his influence, the Fire could not burn the three Children; God did not destroy the property of the Fire, but only suspended the Efficacy of it. No Creature can put forth it self in a way of Operation, without a new Providential assistance from God.
2. Gubernation, or governing all things according to his Will and Pleasure. All things keep their course, for God sitteth at the Helm, and steereth all. Dan. 4.35. He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? God doth all according to his pleasure, he is not confined by any External Law, nor straitned by the course of Nature, but acts with a great deal of Soveraignty and Freedom, and sometimes inverts the Order of Second Causes. God's Will is sometimes called foreign, sometimes foreign, his Pleasure is all. There are indeed some standing Ordinances of Nature, as the Ordinances of Sun and Moon, and the Covenant of Day and Night, Ier. 31.35. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of moon and stars for a light by night. And Gen. 8.22. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. God can alter the course of these, as in Ioshua's time, and at Christs Death, there was three dayes darkness in Egypt, Matth. 5.45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust. There is nothing so casual, but it is governed by God, and falls under the Ordination of his wise Counsel, It is said, 1 Kings 22.34. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness. It was a meer chance as to him, but God directed it into the sides of the King: So Exod 21.13. If a man lye not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand, compared with Deut. 19.5. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour, to how wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour that he dye. God slew him, There is nothing so casual, but it is directed by the wise Ordination of God. Prov. 16.33. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord. There seems to be nothing so trivial, and casual as the casting the Lot into the Lap, yet it is over-ruled by him, he doth not only permit but governe. God governs all his Creatures, in such a throng of Stars there is no interfering. We wonder at strange Events, when the great sway is discovered. The Sea is higher than the Earth, yet it doth not transgress its bounds and limits. We live and breath as the Israelites did in the midst of the Red Sea, this is a dayly Miracle.
3. Ordination. All things are over-ruled by Gods great sway, it is not as the Creature will, but as God will, and many times the Creatures are serviceable to the designs of God contrary to their intentions. Isa. 10.6, 7. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off Nations, not a few. The King of Assyria was moved with a principle of Ambition, Rage and Cruelty, but the Lord sent him on his Work. So Augustus his Covetous ess in taxing the whole World God orders it for the occasioning Christs Birth at Bethlehem, Luke 2. The actings of the Creature are disposed and carryed on besides the purpose of the Creature to another end; he discovers his Wisdom by Mans Folly, and his Righteousness by Mans Sin. Look as in a Ship some sleep, and some walk contrary to the Ships motion; so in the World some Men are negligent, others keep bussling and stirring, and seek to resist the designs of God, but the Ship goes on. Acts 4.28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council determined before to be done. The Devil thought to ruine all Mankind by seducing of Adam, yet that made way for Christ. Herein is the great Beauty and Order of Providence seen, that God …an make hindrances to be helps, and while Men seek to cross his will most, they do but accomplish and fulfil it.
II. That there is such a thing as Providence. Heathens granted it, though they had but a dimm sight of it, and therefore Tully saith, Dii magna curant, parva negligunt. The Gods take care of great things, but neglect little things. We count them Atheists that deny a Providence, as well as they that denyed a God.
That there is a Providence may be proved from the Being of God, there is a God, therefore there is a Providence. His Wisdom and his Goodness enforceth it, he is so wisely good, Psalm 119.68. Thou art good, and thou doest good. The Divine Wisdom ordereth all things for an End, and the Divine Power governs all things in order to that end. We read it in the Order of the World, and the sense of our own Conscience; if there were no Providence, the Devils would soon overturn all things, Honestly would be folly, a Title without substance, Labour without reward. 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. The Godly would have no relief, they would not call God to witness, nor acquaint him with their sorrows, which is their great solace, Iob 16.20. My friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. Gods works discover it, who feedeth the Beasts? Iob 12.7, 8, 9. But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? His judgments shew it, Psalm 58.10, 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance, he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. Some Mens sins are open beforehand, and God keeps a petty Sessions before the general Assize cometh.
The great Objection that is against Providence is because all things come alike to all. But that which seemeth the blemish of Providence is the Beauty of it. The Prosperity of Wicked Men complyeth with Gods Ends; that there is such a checquer-work of Providence is for the exercise of the Godly, as the Stones that are for a Temple are hewed and squared; and hereby wicked Men are left without excuse, they have Prudence, but not Grace; and they cannot complain, having common Mercies.
III. I will give you some Observations.
1. Providence reacheth to the least and most inconsiderable things, as the flight of a Sparrow, the falling of a hair, Matth. 10.29, 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father, but the very hairs of your head are all numbred. God takes particular account of every concernment and circumstance of your Lives, Psalm 147.4. He telleth the number of the stars. It is much that God should be at leisure to tell the stars, much more that he should take particular notice of the hairs of your head.
2. Though Providence extends to all things, yet it is chiefly exercised about the most Noble Creatures, Men, and Angels. The Psa…mist saith, Psal. 36.6. Lord! thou preservest man and beast, but chiefly Man. For mark it, these are not only governed by God, but by themselves: Other things, that are void of understanding are only guided by an External Principle without the knowledge of an End, as Arrows shoot out of a Bowe; but Rational Creatures have a principle of their own, viz. Prudence, which is a shadow of Divine Providence. In these Providence is most discovered, Mans Will is rebellious, it is harder to rule a skittish horse than it is to roll a Stone. God challengeth this as his own Prerogative, Ier. 10.23. Oh Lord! I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. He can bridle, rule, and restrain the hearts of Men, and turn them as he pleaseth, Prov. 21.1. The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will. The Hearts of Kings, those that seem to be most led by Will and Passion, God can turn them, and rule them at his pleasure.
3. Though the Providence of God chiefly concerns Man, yet the chiefest care of Providence is about the good of the Elect, Matth. 6.26. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 1 Tim. 4.10. We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe; He is a Saviour in this Sense, in regard of Providential Administration, but all Dispensations towards his People are more exact, and have more of care, God particularly looks after them, Amos 9.9. For lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. Mark, above all Nations God would have a care of Israel, whatever becomes of the Chaff, God watcheth over the Corn. The Elect are the Darlings of Providence, the World is continued for their sakes, that all the Elect may be gathered in Isa., 43.3, 4. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Soba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee, therefore I will give men for thee, and people for thy life. All the rest of the World are but as Dust and Refuse, which God will give up to his Justice; if Justice must have an object whereon to exercise it self, I will give up Seba and Ethiopia, and Egypt to Justice, a Thousand of them shall perish rather than my people. So verse 14. For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles. God will stain the Glory of all the World for the Elects sake. If God throw them into the Furnace, he sitteth by the Furnace, prying and looking after his Mettal, Malachy 3.3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness. The Fire shall not be too hot that nothing be lost.
4. Providence must not be considered by pieces, but all together. You must consider the Way of God with the Aim of God, and the Means with the End. You must not measure things by present feeling, Rom. 8.28. All things shall work together for good to those that love God, to those that are the called according to his prupose. A single part of Providence taken out of the frame is odd and unseemly. Providence is a draught of many pieces, there is the manifold Wisdom of God in it; All the Links of the Chain of Providence are not of one size If you would think aright of Providence, you must take in your own Case and God's Aim. (1.) Consider your own Case, not what is absolutely good▪ but what is respectively good for you. Gold absolutely is better than a d…ught of Water, but not to Sampson, who was ready to dye for thirst; cutting a Vein is in it self ill, but good in a Feavour, so such or such a Providence, though not good in it self may be better for you. (2.) You must take in Gods Aim with your own Case, the single Links of Providence are not all of a sort, like Nebuchadnezzars Image, partly Gold, partly Iron, partly Brass, and partly Clay. To an observant eye there is a wonderful Beauty in the Providences of God, there is no beauty in the parts of a building, till they be set together; no more is there in the several pieces of Providence, till you consider them together, and compare one with the other. The first dashes of a Picture are uncomely, therefore do not look on Gods Work by halves, but all together.
5. God doth manage and govern all things without labour and difficulty. It is much for us to spread a small Net. The care of a Family, and the care of a Congregation is too great for our Shoulders, but the Lord governs all the World without difficulty and pain; he is not burdened with the multitude of cares; it costs him no more to govern Angels, than to govern Ants, to govern Palaces than Cottages. Look as the Sun doth as easily shine upon a Thousand places at one time as upon one Field; so the Lord doth as easily manage the Affairs of the whole World, as of any one place in the World; his Care is without Trouble, his Work is without pains. Lucian scoffs at Gods running here and there; no, all things are represented to him in one view.
6. Gods Providence is conversant about sin, yet without sin. God doth foreign Work with us, but he doth not foreign, come into the fellowship of our sin or guilt. As the Sun-beams may shine upon a Dunghil, and in a filthy place the warm Sun draweth forth stinking Vapours, but the Sun is not stained hereby. The Apostle saith, Acts 17.28. For in him we live, and move. We are moved by him, but as the lameness of the Horse is no blemish to the Rider, so neither is the defect of the Creature to be imputed to the Providence that doth support it.
7. Providence doth not take away either the Industry or the Liberty of the Creature, Acts 27 22. compared with 31. verse, it is said, verse 22. There shall be no loss of any mans life among you, but of the ship, and yet verse 31. Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved. We must plough, though the Clouds drop fatness; Still there is a place for Humane Industry, and Humane Council and Deliberation. Ezek. 21.21. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two wayes to use divination, &c. There were two wayes, one way led to his Countrey, the other way led directly to Ierusalem, God had determined which way he should go, yet freely out of his own Spirit he is moved to take the way he went, still there was place for Humane Counsel and Humane Deliberation.
8. Observe the Providences of God to your selves, in the Womb, and from the Womb, Psalm 139.12. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the summ of them! Gen. 32.10. With my staff I passed over this Iordan, and now I am become two bands. Broad Rivers come from a small fountain, Iob 8.7. Though thy beginnings were small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
9. The great aim of Providence is Gods Glory, and the Salvation of the Elect. Gods Glory, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen. Psalm 119.91. They continue this day according to thine ordinance, for all are thy servants. The Salvation of the Elect, Rom. 8.28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose. The World would soon shatter to pieces, but that God had some Elect to gather out of it.
IV. When you have meditated, and taken some view of Providence, treat with your own Hearts about the Use and Comfort of it, either about the Providences of God in general, or to your selves in particular.
1. About the Providences of God in General, consider of the care which God hath over all Creatures. Urge the Providence of God against your Fears? Is it Fear of Mans Policy? Oh consider Divine Providence is above Humane Prudence, Iob 5.13. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carryed headlong. Suppose they be able to contrive mischief, yet God can hinder the Execution of it, that they cannot find their hands for their enterprize. Or, do you fear the cunning of Satan? Consider Providence is chiefly exercised for this end to defeat the Power of Satan. There is a Providence over the Swine, much more over the Flock of Christ; and as Tertullian saith, He that has told the brissels of swine, hath much more numbred the hairs of the Saints. Urge your hearts with the Providence of God to encourage your trust in God for outward Provision; when you are humbled with straits, and pinched for maintenance of your Families, consider there is a Providence. The World is Gods great Common, and he doth not over-stock his own Common. All things wait upon God, how do the Beasts live but upon Providence? Psal. 104.27. These all wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. Who is it that feeds the Ravens? Psal. 147.9. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry: And Psal. 145.16. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing: Compare it with verse 19. He shall fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them. Urge your hearts herewith to Patience under Miseries. Not a Sparrow falls to the ground without a Providence, therefore certainly your Crosses fall under the wise dispensation of God, Psalm 39.6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew, surely they are disquieted in vain. Again urge your hearts to thankfulness for Mercies, look upon the first cause, and acknowledge the Providence of God in all that you enjoy.
2. Consider the Providences of God to your selves in particular, for thou art a little World. Consider how the Providence of God watched over thee in the Womb; when he took thee out from thence, how he provided two Bottles to sustain thee; how he hath borne thee up from the Womb hitherto; especially how he took care of thee, when thou hast been in distress. Oh it is sweet when we can cry as David, Psalm 34.6. This poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. I have been in these and these distresses, yet the Lord hath heard, and delivered me; especially if he hath blessed thee from small beginnings, and increased thy substance, urge thy heart to trust in him for the future, 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting all thy care upon him, for he careth for thee.
Fifthly, The next Object of Meditation is the Excellency and Happyness of our Estate in Heaven.
See this Subject treated on in a Sermon on Tit. 2.13. [Looking for that blessed Hope.]
A Fourth Volume OF SERMONS ON Several Texts of Scripture.
BY THE Late Reverend and Learned Thomas Manton, D.D.
PART the Second. Containing LXXVI. Sermons.
WITH AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE To the Whole.
LONDON, Printed by I. D. and are to be sold by Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard. MDCXCIII.
[Place this Title immediately before Page 671.]