A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 3 · Chapter 6 · Section 4
SECT. IV. The Saints Intereſt in Gods Providential Kingdom, both mediate and immediate, neceſſary and contingent.
§. 1. WE have gone thorow the firſt diſtinction of the providential Kingdom, we come now to the ſecond, which is, that Providence is either immediate or mediate. The one is when the Lord works without means, putting forth his own power immediately to the producing of any effect, without the concurrence of any means or help of ſecond cauſes, and this is called making bare his arm, or making it naked, Eſa. 52.10. So long as the Lord doth work by means, though there be his hand, yet his hand is hid, and covered under the appearance of creatures, ſo that our eyes are either wholly or mainly upon them; but when the Lord lays creatures aſide, and his own arm doth appear to bring ſalvation, ſo that nothing elſe is ſeen but the hand of God in it, without the concurrence of creatures, the Lord is then ſaid to make bare his own arm, that is, to ſhew forth his own power,Hab. 3.9. purely and nakedly; ſo Hab. 3.9. His bow was quite made naked, &c. he ſpeaks it of the diſcoveries of Gods power in an immediate way, and his bow is vis tua, robur tuum, Druſ. he ſpeaks it of the dividing of the red Sea, and the turning back of Jordan in its own chanel, the power of God did immediately appear without any concurrence of means, and any inſtrument or ſecond cauſes, and therefore his bow was naked, &c. the Scripture doth ſpeak of the Lords ſmiting with the rod and with his fiſt, &c.
And here there are three Propoſitions that I muſt lay down.
1. That whatever the Lord does by means, he can work immediately by his own hand, without all means: he that did give being unto the ſecond cauſes, can without thoſe cauſes produce their effects; he is independent in his working, as well as in his being, and doth not depend upon means and ſecond cauſes in any thing that he doth; and therefore if he do deprive his people of the means, and will ſupply it in himſelf, it ſhall be infinitely better, they ſhall have a hundredfold more in this life eminenter; the Sun ſhall be no more thy light by day, but the glory of the Lord ſhall be the light thereof: if he deprive them of the light of the Sun, yet he gives them his own glory to be inſtead thereof, and it ſhall abundantly anſwer it. He hath indeed bound us in duty to uſe the means, but he hath not bound himſelf, he is ſtill at liberty either to work by his own immediate hand, or in the way that he hath ſet in the order and ſubordination of cauſes, yea as much as if no ſuch order had been made by him; and therefore the time will come when God ſhall be all in all; and this order of cauſes ſhall ſurely ceaſe, and then all effects ſhall be produced by God immediately, and that in a far more glorious manner, than now they are by the influences of their cauſes amongſt the creatures.
2. In the means which he doth uſe, there is an immediate concurrence of his own power to the producing of the effect: concurrit immediatè, &c. and without this the ſecond cauſe could do nothing, men live not by bread only; and therefore if God do withdraw his acting or withhold it, the ſecond cauſe is of no value; it is but as an axe in the hand of a man, or as a pen, it is but as it were a dead inſtrument, as the Apoſtle ſays of himſelf, 2 Cor. 3.2, 3. and therefore the people of God put no confidence in them: I will not truſt in my bow, and it is not my ſword that ſhall ſave me; it is thou, O Lord, that ſaveſt us from our enemies: this is the language of a true Saint; and therefore it is only the Lords withdrawing, and then all ſecond cauſes work not: whence it is ſaid, That they ſhall eat, and they ſhall not be nouriſhed, and they ſhall put on cloaths, but not be warmed: there is a natural aptitude in theſe means to produce ſuch effects; but yet if the Lord do but ſuſpend his influx, they can do nothing. And therefore in the Babyloniſh Furnace, Divines do commonly ſay, that the Lord did not take away the nature of the fire, it remained to be fire ſtill, only in reference unto ſuch an object he did ſuſpend his own concurrence; ſo that, though it remained in actu primo, yet it was not able to produce actum ſecundum, becauſe the immediate concurrence of the firſt cauſe was denied: ſo it is in all means, and this is the reaſon of their want of efficacy; the ſame Ordinances would be as effectual at one time as at another, and unto one man as unto another, there is no difference in the means, only in the concurrence of the firſt cauſe with the means; and ſo it is with creatures alſo, the ſame land would be as fruitful at one time as at another, and there is no difference, only when thou tilleſt thy land it ſhall not yield its ſtrength, ſays the Lord, there is not the ſame concurrence of God with it, which is his bleſſing upon it, and that is the true reaſon of all the difference in the uſe and the ſucceſs of means whatſoever.
3. Though the Lord doth in the adminiſtration of all things in the providential Kingdom uſe means, and therefore hath made all things in a due order and ſubordination, yet he doth delight ſometimes to work without means, by his own immediate hand, not by power nor by might, but by my Spirit, Zac. 4.7. if there be none to help, yet his own arm ſhall bring ſalvation. And the Lord doth this, (1) that he may ſometimes ſhew forth ſome ſpecial diſcoveries of his own power. The heart of man would be wholly terminated in the creature, as we are very apt to be, and we would look no further, therefore the Lord is pleaſed ſometimes to ſhew forth ſomething more than the power of the creature; and ſometimes he will go in an ordinary way of nature, ſometimes in a miraculous way to ſhew, that there is a higher hand that rules all things, that he may not be forgotten by us. (2) To ſhew that he doth not uſe the creature neceſſarily, but voluntarily; and therefore he can uſe it or lay it aſide at his pleaſure, work by it, or work without it, that the ſouls of his people may depend upon him alone, both in the want and in the injoyments of the creature; and the good effect is never the further off when they want it, nor ever the nearer when they do injoy it, whether they have it or not, it is all one, they can rejoyce in the Lord, and glory in the God of their ſalvation, Hab. 3.17, 18. (3) That he may ſtill keep up in the remembrance of his people a creating power; when there was nothing but himſelf immediately, there was no means uſed. It hath been diſputed by the School-men, Whether the miniſtry of Angels were not uſed in the creation of the world? and it is commonly anſwered, No it was not, it could not be, becauſe in the exerciſe of almighty power there can be no concurrence of the creature, no creature can be raiſed by the power of God unto ſuch an elevation, as to be made capable to put forth any act of omnipotence; and therefore that this power of the Creation of God may be kept up, he doth do the like often in the world; that as he hath appointed a day to remember the Creation, and would have us to remember our Creator, ſo he doth works, that he may keep it continually in our remembrance; providence is ſaid to be nothing but a continued Creation, therefore the Lord will do ſomething that ſhall be as a Creation ſtill, that this great work may never be forgotten; he that doth create grace in the ſouls of men daily, doth put forth other acts anſwerable thereunto. (4) The Lord doth it, that he may train up his people by it unto a remembrance of Heaven, where all means ſhall ceaſe; for God ſhall be all in all, that is, he ſhall be all unto his people immediately. It is true, that the Saints do injoy God here, and they injoy all in God, he is their portion and their hope, but all this is in the uſe of means; as they ſee him in a glaſs, ſo they ſhall injoy him alſo: but there is a time that will ſhortly come, when all means ſhall be done away, and he that now governs the world, and ſo diſpenſes himſelf by ſecond cauſes, will do all by his own immediate hand; there ſhall be immediate, therefore pure mercy, and pure wrath, and pure power, and pure acts of Omnipotence. In this life we are by the creatures refreſhed, and when he comforts us by the creature, thoſe comforts loſe much by reaſon of the veſſel; and ſo when he doth teach us by the creature, that treaſure is in earthen veſſels, it is much otherwiſe when he teaches himſelf immediately; and ſo when he doth puniſh by the creature, it is but as a mighty man correcting a man with a ſtraw: it's true, that he is mighty, but it is but a ſmall thing that is in his hand, which is nothing in compariſon of that which ſhall be hereafter; it ſhall be all immediate, and that keeps up in his people an expectation of this, that they may have herein a kind of foretaſte of Heaven, by beholding the immediate working of God without the help of creatures, or their concurrence.
Now this immediate acting of Providence is wholly for the good of his people, and is ſo managed; ſometimes he will uſe means for their good, and ſometimes he will for their good work without means, but ſtill ſo as his Soveraignty is made over unto them in theſe his actings: and herein we are to obſerve,
1. The Scripture ſpeaking of a creating power, which the Lord doth often put forth for the good of his people,Eſa. 4.5. Eſa. 4.5. there 'tis ſaid, I create upon every dwelling place a cloud, &c. Upon every dwelling place there is a protection, that which is immediate and beyond the power of ſecond cauſes, when there is no defence in them, yet their ſuccour ſhall be from the immediate hand of God, and that by a creating work, that when the people ſhall look to the creatures and ſay, we ſee no means to defend us, yet they can look to an immediate acting of Omnipotency,Eſa. 67.17. and that by a creating work for his people: I create a heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteouſneſs: it is ſpoken of the glorious reformation that ſhall be in the later days; it is there ſpoken not of renewing the ſubſtance, but of the qualities of Heaven and Earth, a glorious reſtitution of their primitive and original glory, a mighty work, that God ſhall not only paſs upon Saints, but on the creatures, which ſhall be reſtored and delivered into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God; and he that looks upon the corruptions of men, and the deſolations of nations, and the confuſions amongſt the creatures that ſhall be immediately before thoſe days, he will ſay, How can theſe things be? It is impoſſible that ſuch a glorious reformation ſhould be wrought. But to ſtrengthen their faith, and to raiſe them up to expect it, he puts them off from ſecond cauſes, and tells them it ſhall be an act of almighty power, it is by a creating work; and ſurely the ſame hand, and the ſame power that did make them at firſt, can alſo renew them, and reſtore them unto their primitive and original glory; that as the ſaid immediate power is put forth for the renewing of their ſouls, Eph. 2.10. We are created in Chriſt to good works, all is made new within him by an immediate power, ſo alſo all ſhall be made new without him by an immediate providence; that though there be no concurrence of means and ſecond cauſes, yet if God can make a new world, then he can renew this, he can create a new Heaven and a new Earth, and he can create Jeruſalem a rejoycing, and the people a joy, as the promiſe is unto them; ſo that the Lord will not always work for his people in a ruling, but ſometimes in a creating way, in which there is an immediate putting forth of power, and there is not, there cannot be any concurrence of means or ſecond cauſes with it.
2. God puts forth an immediate providence for the Churches preſervation; he doth many times work immediately, when there is no help in ſecond cauſes, but all men are ingaged on the contrary part; and the Lord looks, and there is none to help, and the Lord wonders that there was no interceſſor; no helping of them, none to intercede for them, there was none ſo much as by way of prayer that comes in for them; and yet now the Church muſt be preſerved,Zac. 4.23. Zac. 4.2, 3. the Candleſtick is the Church, but by what means ſhall this be maintained? there can be no ſupply of oil expected from men, but the Lord will make Olive-trees to grow by it, that ſhall make oil of themſelves, and ſhall drop into the bails thereof, that though no men in the world ſtand by it, or prepare for it, yet the Lord will ſupply it in an immediate way, from himſelf, and by himſelf, and by this means the lamp in this Candleſtick ſhall never go out, for by an immediate proviſion of God they ſhall be maintained,Mic. 5.7. Mic. 5.7. The remnant of Jacob ſhall be as dew from the Lord, and as ſhowers upon the graſs; when they were Jezreel ſtrengthned by the Lord, though amongſt many people that ſhould hate them and perſecute them, yet ſhould they be preſerved; and therefore as Calvin obſerves, rorem pro prato rorido, like unto the herbs which are nouriſhed by the dew from Heaven, and by the ſhowres from above, which ſtay not for man, it tarries not for the ſons of men: that as the graſs is nouriſhed immediately by the dew, and doth not depend upon the labours and the watering of man; ſo ſhall theſe from God immediately, there ſhall come from him an immediate dew, an influence ſhall come, by which they ſhall be ſupported, that they ſhall not need to ſtay for any creatures aſſiſtance, or any concurrence of ſecond cauſes whatſoever.
3. There is an immediate Providence that is ſeen in reſtraints upon the ſouls and ſpirits of men, when there are no hindrances in ſecond cauſes, and yet this ſhall work for the people of God: ſee it Gen. 20. Sarah was in the hand of Abimelech, and his luſt was ſtirred up towards her, when he heard of her, and there was nothing to hinder him but he might have had his will of her, and yet for Abrahams ſake ſhe was returned unto him chaſt and undefiled; but it was by an immediate working of God upon his ſpirit, when there were no ſecond cauſes in the way, the Lord ſaith, I did hold thee, that thou ſhouldſt not touch her. And the ſame thing is true of the people of Iſrael, when they went up to worſhip at Jeruſalem, and all the males left their habitation, the fitteſt advantage that could be for the neighbouring Nations, who hated them, and ſought to invade them, and did it at other times, yet that now they ſhould not have made inrodes upon their Land in the ſeveral borders thereof, when there was no reſtraint in ſecond cauſes, no man can give a reaſon for it but the immediate working of providence, that the Lord doth put forth his power upon the ſpirits of men, that it ſhall be enough if he withhold them. There is a bridle without and there is a bridle within, by which the ſpirits of men are turned about, there is a hedge for mens ways, God doth many times hedge up mens ways with thorns; but there is a hedge for the ſpirits of men alſo, that when there is no hindrance in ſecond cauſes, and none to lift up a hand againſt them, yet their ſpirits are reſtrained by an immediate hand. And indeed when the ſecrets of the counſels of Gods providence ſhall be made manifeſt at the laſt day, many and glorious will …he records of ſuch immediate puttings forth of providence be. We have an inſtance in Eſau, his malice was ſtirred, and he had power in his hand, he had three hundred men by which he might have cut off his brother Jacob, but only there was an immediate appearance of God upon his ſpirit, and that put a reſtraint upon him, that he could not ſo much as ſpeak an ill word unto his brother.
4. The Lord appears immediately for the deſtruction of the Churches enemies, when their means fail. When there was no help from ſecond cauſes to deſtroy Egypt or deliver themſelves, for the Iſraelites had no power, but they cryed unto the Lord, and in the night the Lord looked upon the Egyptians hoſt and troubled them, and took off their chariot-wheels, and they drove heavily, and there was a terrour upon their hearts, that they ſaid, Let us flye, for God fights for Iſrael. And ſo he will do in the deſtruction of Antichriſt, the little horn, who doth ariſe with the ten horns, and he is ſtrong not by his own power, for the ten Kings give their kingdoms to him, and he doth exerciſe the power of the former beaſt before him, and it is ſaid Dan. 8.25. He ſhall be broken without hands, that is, by the breath of the Lord, and the brightneſs of his coming, 2 Theſſ. 2.by an immediate manifeſtation of God againſt him, not by any power of ſecond cauſes; for the people of God may expect the ſame immediate workings of providence for them that they have had in times paſt, Eſa. 10.26. He will ſtir up a ſcourge for them according to the ſlaughter of Midian, and he ſhall lift it up after the manner of Egypt. Now as for that of Egypt it was by an immediate appearance of God, when there was no means uſed; and ſo for that of Midian, Judg. 7.19, 20. they blew the Trumpets, and they broke their pitchers, and that was all that was done, which was a means that of it ſelf had no influence into the effect, but the Lord ſet every mans ſword againſt his fellow; and ſuch immediate diſcoveries and actings of providence the Lord doth promiſe unto his people, and they may expect them from him in all their ſtraits, when the enemy comes in like a floud, &c.
5. They may expect immediate deliverances: Laban came out againſt Jacob with an evil intention, but he ſaith, Gen. 31.29. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt, but the God of your fathers ſpoke to me yeſternight, ſaying, Take thou heed that thou ſpeak not to Jacob either good or bad. And ſo Balaam had a will to curſe the people of God, and he wanted no incouragement and ſolicitation from the King of Moab to do it, and yet remember what Balack conſulted, and what Balaam anſwered. And the inſtance of Abraham, when his hand was up to flay his ſon, and the Lord called to him out of Heaven, Stay thy hand, Mic. 6.5.and thereby it was a Proverb reſerved in the Church of God ever ſince, Jehovah jireh, In the Mount will the Lord be ſeen, that is, when all means and hopes of preſervation is paſt, that they look upon themſelves as to be ſacrificed, now they may expect an immediate appearance of God for them.
6. For their immediate Support; if the Lord call Moſes to him into the Mount, he ſhall there be mantain'd forty days and nights, and neither eat bread, nor drink water, but his ſupport ſhall come from an immediate hand; and ſo it was with Chriſt alſo in his temptation by Satan, when he had faſted ſo long: when the Lord does deny his People the means, he doth give them a ſupport in himſelf, that they ſhall have no want of the means; as it is in a ſpiritual way, ſo it is alſo very often in a providential way, that when the Lord denyes the means, he doth give unto his People a ſupport in himſelf, that ſo they may learn to truſt unto him, and to know that they have an intereſt not only in his mediate, but in his immediate Providence, and that the ſpecial Providence of God towards his people has both theſe parts in it, to ſhew that though they ſee not Providence in the uſe of all the ordinary means, yet that they tempt not God, nor look for all things in a common way in the uſe of means, that it may appear, that they truſt in God alone, and can ſhut their eyes and ſay, I know not how it will come in, I ſee no means, but there is a Providence that is above means, with him the fatherl…ſs find mercy. So it is in all inward afflictions alſo, and diſtreſſes of Conſcience, the Soul has many times nothing to look upon but an immediate and almighty hand, all means fail, they have gone from Ordinance to Ordinance, and they have waited when a Meſſenger one of a thouſand ſhould be ſent to them, but there is none that can ſpeak peace to them, there is no fruit of the lips to refreſh them; and when the mans ſoul draws near to the Grave, and his life to the deſtroyer, then he doth immediately lift up the light of his countenance, and thereby his ſoul is revived again, and delivered from going down into the pit; that as the Lord Jeſus Chriſt when there was nothing of creature comforts to uphold him, (for they all forſook him and fled,) then the Promiſe of the Lord was made good,Iſa. 42.6. Iſa. 42.6. I will hold thee by the hand, and I will keep thee; when all the creatures withdrew their ſuccour, not one of them did hold forth their hand to him, now there was from the Father an immediate and a ſecret ſupport; ſo it is with the Saints alſo, Pſal. 37.24. Though he fall he ſhall not be utterly caſt away, for the Lord upholds him with his hand▪ but there is ſometimes an immediate income that is known unto the Soul, the Lord lifts up the light of his countenance in the darkeſt night, when he ſees nothing but Hell and Deſtruction before his Eyes, which is called the hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17.and the new Name and the white Stone, Rev. 2.17. They had no Manna till they were in the Wilderneſs, and all hope of ſupport from creatures did fail, now the Manna comes; and ſuch are the incomes of the Spirit into the Soul; and a new Name, and a white Stone; when he comes to judgment upon himſelf, and he is ready to paſs an eternal ſentence upon himſelf, counts himſelf free amongſt the dead, like them that lye in the Grave, whom thou remembreſt no more, never to have a good look from God; now the Lord comes in with a ſentence of abſolution, and gives a man a name that none knows but he that has it, but then the Lord will make him to know it, it is ſpeaking peace from the Lords immediate voice; as the Martyr, when he came to the Stake, and had no means of comfort in a Deſertion before, now he cryes out, He is come, he is come. It is with many a Soul as with the woman that had the iſſue of blood twelve years, and had waited upon the Phyſicians, attended on the means which God had appointed, and ſpent all her time and pains upon them, and yet was not the better, but rather the worſe, and ſhe is reſerved for an immediate cure by Chriſt, and an immediate rouch from him ſhall do the work; that, as Bernard obſerves concerning the time when Chriſt came in the fleſh, which is in Scripture call'd the fulneſs of time, Non apparebat Angelus, non loquebatur Propheta, ceſſabant velut deſperatione victi; tunc dixi, ecce venio, &c. ſo it is with the coming of the Spirit alſo, when all means have been uſed, and all fail, and the ſoul is ready to ſink under the burden, now the Spirit ſaith, Lo I come; the ſoul did before find that there were everlaſting arms under it, and that it did hang as the Earth upon nothing, did not know how it was upheld, but now the Spirit comes in, and makes bare his arm, diſpells the darkneſs, and ſaith, Behold me, it is I, now I come; and ſo a mans comforts and ſupports come in from an immediate diſcovery of the Light of Gods countenance, as if it were a voice from Heaven, as it was to Chriſt, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed.
7. He doth ſometimes give unto his People courage and aſſiſtance immediately beyond what is natural unto them,Zach. 4.7. and above and beyond all the means, Zac. 4.7. Not by power nor by might, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord; it is ſpoken of the Spirit of God immediately ſtrengthning and ſtirring up the ſpirits of inſtruments beyond their own natural ſtrength, as Samſon was, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and then he had the ſtrength of many men in him;Iſa. 35.6. and Iſa. 35.6. The lame ſhall leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb ſhall ſing; it is ſpoken of immediate ſtrength and healing by the grace of Chriſt, that as the Lord Jeſus did heal men, and with a word only, and without means, their feet and ankle-bones received ſtrength, and they did leap as a Hart, and praiſe God; ſo here they have immediate aſſiſtance, as David had in the buſineſs of Goliah, the ſpirit of fortitude came upon him for that ſervice, and the promiſe is Zac. 12.8. The weak ſhall be as David, as full of courage in any difficult ſervices that they ſhould be called unto, as David was, when the Lord ſhall ſay to him that is of a fearful heart, Be ſtrong, and it ſhall be ſo, Eſa. 35.4. and ſo Mat. 10.19. It ſhall be given you in that hour, Luk. 21.25.I will give you a mouth and wiſdom that all your enemies ſhall not be able to reſiſt; for it is not you that ſpeak, but the Spirit of your Father that ſpeaks in you; that as Samſon was not acted by his own ſtrength, ſo neither did they ſpeak by their own ſpirits, but by an immediate aſſiſtance from the Spirit, both directing their minds, ſuggeſting to them the matter, and alſo guiding their tongues, and directing them unto words what to ſay, and how they ought to ſpeak; that as 'tis ſaid of the Prophets, the Lord ſpeaks in them, Heb. 1.1. foreign,Heb. 1.1. for they are ſaid to be foreign, as they were tranſported or carried by the Holy Ghoſt, 2 Pet. 1.20. they were not acted according to their own ſpirits,2 Pet. 1.20. neither did they ſpeak according to their own parts or light, but as they were directed by the immediate aſſiſtance of the Spirit of God at the ſame time; ſo there is an immediate aſſiſtance that the Lord hath promiſed unto his people, when he doth call them forth unto any ſervice wherein the immediate preſence of God and power of the Spirit is neceſſary and required, it is beyond the power or ſtrength of a man; and it is that which the Lord many times doth, he will bring his people into ſuch a condition, that there ſhall be no means for them to look unto, that they ſhall be wholly fatherleſs, and have neither Sun-light nor Star-light in the creature, receiving the ſentence of death in themſelves, that they may look for Gods immediate appearing, 2 Cor. 1.9. But we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, that we could ſee no means to eſcape, but now muſt have an eye to an almighty and immediate power of God, that we might truſt, not in our ſelves, but in God that raiſeth the dead, that our deliverance muſt be a kind of reſurrection from the dead. And the people of God, if they have the means, yet they look upon them as nothing: We have no might againſt this great multitude, but our eyes are towards thee; and if they have no means, they can look upon him that hath a creating power, that can make waters to break out in the Wilderneſs, and ſtreams in the Deſart, and the parched ground ſhall become a Pool, and the thirſty ground Springs of water; in the habitation of Dragons, where each lay, ſhall be graſs with reeds and ruſhes; that which only was fit and delightſom unto the Devil, the Satyrs, that ſhall be good for the glory of God and the uſe of man, as it is Eſa. 35.7, 8.
2. There is in the next place a mediate Providence, and that is in the manner of Gods ordering of all things in the uſe of means; and ſo all the means that the Lord does uſe are for the good of his people, Rom. 8.28. All things work together for their good, that though the Lord doth work by means, and doth make uſe of ſecond cauſes to produce their effects, yet they do all concur in this, that they do conſpire for the good of the Elect of God, Hoſ. 2.21, 22. I will hear the heavens, and they ſhall hear the earth, Hoſ. 2.21, 22.and the earth ſhall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oyl, and they ſhall hear Jezreel: the Lord doth work for the good of his people by ſecond cauſes, he doth not rain corn from Heaven, as he did Manna in the Wilderneſs, but the Earth ſhall hear the corn, and he will give it them out of the earth, and in all the actings of ſecond cauſes it is the Lord that hath the great hand, he doth make them to be a means of bleſſing, or elſe they could never prove ſo to be, it is the Lord that doth hear the Heavens; it's a mighty ſtrain of ſpeech, that the Heavens and the Earth that were before deaf and dumb to them, that took no compaſſion upon them in their neceſſity, and anſwered them not, now when they are reconciled, are brought as it were to be humble ſuitors and petitioners for them; the Heavens ſhall ſay, Lord, I would give my influence, rain to refreſh thy people; and the Earth ſhall ſay, Lord, I would give my ſtrength for the good of thy people alſo, &c. For as it is by virtue of the Covenant of the Saints that all the creatures ſtand, ſo it is by their Covenant alſo that they do act, it is by being betrothed unto God, that all the creatures are in Covenant with them, and it is for them that all means do act freely, and all creatures willingly do ſerve; for it's their redemption that they wait for and long for; but unto other men, they are made ſubject not willingly, but the Lord hath ſubjected them in hope, Rom. 8.20, 21. but their ſubjection is an act of Soveraignty, and not of choice, for they would not ſerve the luſts of ungodly men, though they are willing to ſerve the neceſſities of the Saints; therefore all the means that the Lord doth uſe are for the good of the Saints, and it is for them that they work in all that they do.
1. He it is that doth provide and appoint means, there is in Providence foreign, as well as foreign, he doth order and appoint the cauſe to the effect, the means to the end, for the good of his people, which all the creatures could not do; he brings food out of the earth, and he doth cauſe rain, and reſerve the appointed weeks of the harveſt, Jer. 5.24. it is he that orders every thing unto its end for the good of his people.
Mat. 4.3. Pſal. 127.1.2. He doth Bleſs the means; man lives not by Bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, &c. Ʋnleſs the Lord build the houſe, they labour in vain that build it: He gives all things richly to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. It's the bleſſing of the Lord that makes rich, and it's he that bleſſeth the labours of our hand, that we labour not in the fire, Hab. 2.13. and therefore the creatures are ſaid to be ſanctifi'd by the Word and Prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. by a bleſſing attained thereupon,Eccleſ. 5.17. that they ſhall proſper for their ends.
3. He doth raiſe up means when we can ſee none, unexpectedly, Mic. 6.4. he ſent before them Moſes and Aaron; Zac. 9.13. When I have bent Judab for me, and filled the bow with Ephraim, and raiſed up thy ſons O Sion, againſt thy ſons O Greece, &c. So for the deliverance of Mordecai; and he rais'd up the Spirit of Cyrus, and ſtirred it up, ſo that he made a Proclamation for the good of Jeruſalem, Ezra 1.1. and Zac. 1.8. he ſtood among the Myrtle-trees that were in the bottom, &c. In the evening it ſhall be light, Zac. 14.7. an Angel ſtops the Lyons mouths, and opens the priſon-doors; when all hope is gone, and they cannot ſee from what quarter ſupply ſhall come, then do means appear unexpectedly; and therefore the people of God do believe in hope, againſt hope, upon this ground, becauſe the hand of the Lord is not ſhortned.
4. The moſt unlikely Means, Iſa. 41.15. The Worm Jacob ſhall threſh the Mountains, &c. He doth open Rivers in high places, Iſa. 41.18. waters ſhall break out in the wilderneſs, and ſtreams in the deſert; the enemies ſhall turn their Swords againſt one another, that they ſhall deſtroy themſelves, Judg. 9.7.22. And their own breath ſhall be as fire to devour themſelves, Iſa. 33.11. And ſo the ten Kings ſhall deſtroy the Whore, who ſet her up; and God will act means contrary to their own nature, or above their nature, for his People; Ravens to feed Elijah, and the Heavens to give bread and fleſh, and the Rocks water, out of the Eater ſhall come meat, and the waters ſhall be a wall unto them, and the Sun ſhall ſtand ſtill; for the wheels of Providence are ſometimes lifted up, he doth not always goe in an ordinary way, but uſeth means that they know not of, as in the work of Redemption, ſo in a work of Providence alſo, and beyond their intention, as the inſtances are many which might be given, Iſa. 44.25. that fruſtrates the tokens of the lyers, and maketh Diviners mad; that turneth wiſe men backward, and makes their knowledge fooliſh: the fiery furnace ſhall not conſume Shadrack, Meſhack and Abednego, but their enemies, &c.
§. 2. We come now unto the Third Diſtinction of Providence, it is either circa neceſſaria vel contingentia, about neceſſaries or contingents: That is ſaid to be neceſſary which could not otherwiſe be, but the effect hath a neceſſary dependance upon its cauſe, that it doth from an inward principle, ex neceſſitate naturae, produce ſuch an effect; and ſo the Sun doth naturally and therefore neceſſarily enlighten, and the Fire doth naturally and therefore neceſſarily warm; ſuch cauſes as have a natural and therefore a neceſſary influence and cauſality. And things contingent are ſuch as have no neceſſity in their cauſes, but in reſpect of us they might have been otherwiſe, ſuch of which we are able to give no reaſon, but their cauſes are to us unknown, and ſo the event unexpected. That is ſaid to be contingent, and to fall out beyond our expectation,Auſt. cujus ratio & cauſa ſecreta eſt, the ſeed whereof we are not able to foreſee in ſecond Cauſes: Fatum nil aliud eſt quàm ſeries implexa cauſarum. So that if we look upon all things in reference to the firſt cauſe, ſo all things are neceſſary, and there is nothing that is contingent or falls out by chance or accident, but all contingency is in reference unto ſecond cauſes; for they are known of God and appointed by him by a neceſſary and infallible Providence; as if a man hewing wood, the Axes head falls off, and ſmites his Neighbour that he dye; or if a man caſt a ſtone unawares, and it light upon his Neighbour,Deut. 19.5. Num. 35.23. that which is beyond the intention of the man, yet God is ſaid to deliver him into his hand, Exod. 21.13. that is, God has jus vitae & necis, & ad altiſſimam ejus providentiam refertur. And ſo it was in the death of Ahab, there was a man that drew a bow at a venture, or in ſimplicity, not aiming at him, not intending his death more than any other mans, but it ſmote the King of Iſrael between the Harneſs; there was a Providence that infallibly guided it, though in reference to the ſecond cauſe, it was meerly contingent and accidental; and therefore the Lord foretells things that are meerly caſual before they come to paſs, as that to Saul, upon the plain of Tabor, There ſhall meet thee three men, one carrying three kids, and another three loaves of bread, and he ſhall ſalute thee, and give thee two loaves, and thou ſhalt receive them at his hand: Luk. 22.10. There ſhall meet you a man bearing a Pitcher of water, follow him, &c. for all things are unto him certain, and infallible, not only ex praeviſione, but ex praeordinatione, he did order them that they ſhould ſo come to paſs.
1. Gods Providence regards all Neceſſaries; and ſuch are all natural cauſes, they work neceſſarily, becauſe ex neceſſitate naturae, from a neceſſity of nature, and ſo ad ultimum potentiae, to the utmoſt of their power: Now there is even in the ordering of theſe a gracious hand of God for the good of his People, and that will appear in theſe ſix inſtances.
1. In the Sun, it riſeth naturally, and therefore neceſſarily, and ſo it ſhines, yet it is God makes it ſhine; ſo Math. 5.45. He maketh the Sun to riſe, &c. But it will be ſaid, that this is an act of common grace, for it riſeth upon the evil and the good, the juſt and the unjuſt, but it's …ar, that the Lord makes it to riſe and to ſhine; for Job 9.7. he commands the Sun and it riſeth not; he can cauſe it to put on ſackcloth; (for he has a negative voice upon the motions of all the creatures) and although it riſeth upon the evil as well as upon the good, yet it is upon the evil for the ſake of the good: for all the creatures in their ſervice are ſubjected under hope, to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God; Rom. 8.20.therefore there is an earneſt expectation and a groaning of them, and it is in reference hereunto, that they may ſerve the Saints: for as the Angels being the ſervants of Chriſt, do ſerve the Elect as his members, ſo do all creatures, as being ſubjected unto Chriſt, and given into his hands, ſerve the ſaint… as his members. And though the Sun be in reſpect of the light, a glorious Body, yet it may be much of that glory by Sin and the Curſe is obſcured; for ſurely the curſe hath reach'd unto all the creatures that were for mans uſe; and therefore it's poſſible that place may have in ſome reſpect a literal ſence, Iſa. 30.26. The light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun ſevenfold; for there is a time of the reſtitution of all things, which I cannot expound of the laſt day of Judgment,Act. 3.21. for then there ſhall not be a Reſtitution of all things, but an Annihilation of many things, a New Heaven there ſhall be, Iſa. 65.17. which I cannot underſtand to be ſpoken after the day of Judgement; for verſ. 21. he ſpeaks of building houſes and inhabiting them, and planting of Vineyards, and eating the fruit of them; therefore ſome renovation in quality, and reſtitution of the ancient glory of Heaven and Earth is meant here: and if that place, Iſa. 11.6. the lyon and the lamb, the leopard and the kid ſhall lye down together, be not onelyonly to be underſtood figuratively of men of ſuch diſpoſitions, but alſo literally of the creatures themſelves, that the antipathy which came in by ſin ſhall be deſtroyed, as Lactant. ſaith, Non beſtiae ſanguine alentur, nec aves praedâ, ſed quieta & placida erunt omnia, we may expect alſo even for the Saints ſake, the glory of the Sun may be reſtored alſo in reference to the Light thereof, as of the Earth in reference to the fruitfulneſs thereof. And the influences of the Sun are as natural and neceſſary as the light thereof; and yet there is a Providence that orders them for the good of the ſaints, Pſal. 126.6. The Sun ſhall not ſmite thee by day, nor the Moon by night; there are noxious influences of theſe celeſtial bodies, which are to be looked upon as a grievous ſtroak, but the hurtfull influences of them the Lord will ſuſpend and turn away; and thou ſhalt find (as Iſrael in the Wilderneſs) that though thou encamp in the Field, and haſt only the Heavens for thy Canopy and covering, yet the influences of them ſhall be ſweet to thee and benigne, vivificat & prolificat, ſuch as ſhall be cheering and comforting: for as it is in the Commands of God and Prohibitions, when any ſin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded; ſo when any evil is removed, the contrary good is promiſed; it ſhall not hurt thee, but it ſhall help thee, it ſhall not ſmite thee, but it ſhall comfort and quicken and revive thee.
2. The Stars they work as natural cauſes, and therefore neceſſarily, Amos 5.8.Amos 5.8. He maketh the ſeven Stars and Orion, &c. the word foreign doth not ſignifie barely facere or create, but diſponere, dirigere, not ſo much their creation as the providential diſpoſition of them, he doth order and draw forth their influences, and trims up theſe Lamps of Heaven, and he doth draw them forth, or ſeal them up at his pleaſure, as Job 9.9.Job 38.31. it is not in the power of any creature to draw forth or to bind them up; if the Lord looſe them, none can bind them: they work naturally, but ſo as they have their commiſſion from the Lord for the good of his people; all the Stars that thou ſeeſt, if the Lord ſhould take a man abroad, and ſhew him how all of them have a commiſſion of influence for him, &c. what a comfort would it be? So Judges 5.20. they fight for the People of God;Judg. 5.20. it was by their influences in raiſing winds, and thunders and lightning, thereby both diſcouraging, and alſo ſcattering and deſtroying all the power of the enemy; now theſe were natural cauſes, and wrought neceſſarily, but yet there is a Providence that doth rule and order them for the good of the Saints.
3. The Rain, it doth proceed from a natural cauſe, and therefore comes neceſſarily upon the Earth, and yet Job 38.28. The rain hath a father, and he has begotten the drops of the dew, and Hoſ. 2.21, 22. The Heaven ſhall hear the Earth, &c. they are all brought in crying and praying for a Covenant people, and the Lord will hear their prayers; the Heavens they cry unto God, that their influences are withheld; and the Earth cryes to the Heavens, that it cannot for want thereof give forth its ſtrength and fruitfulneſs; but the Lord doth give this unto his people, opens the windows of Heaven, he rains down a bleſſing,Mal. 3.10. for the clouds do drop fatneſs, ſo that there is a providence that orders theſe neceſſary things for the good of his people, and he ſtays the rain in anſwer to prayer; for they have power over rain;Rev. 11.6. and alſo that it ſhall be a Teacher of Righteouſneſs, Joel 2.23. by the withdrawing they ſhall learn righteouſneſs, and by the giving of it alſo in the ſeaſon thereof.
4. The Earth brings forth naturally and neceſſarily alſo, and this …r Lord doth ſuſpend; not that there is not the ſame ſtrength in the earth, only in judgment he turns it into barrenneſs, that is, it gives not forth its ſtrength; but in the new Heaven it ſhall not be ſo,Eſa. 65.22, 23. the earth ſhall hear Jezreel, They ſhall plant vineyards, and ſhall eat the fruit of them, they ſhall no more labour in vain, the earth ſhall open her boſom, and gloriouſly yield her increaſe, when God, even our own God ſhall bleſs us, the treaſures of Heaven ſhall not be withheld, nor the treaſures that are in the bowels of the Earth, but there ſhall be gold for ſilver and braſs,Eſa. 60.17. and for iron ſilver, and for wood braſs, and iron for ſtones, there ſhall be that plenty and abundance of thoſe choſen treaſures, which are yet hid in the earth but ſhall then be diſcovered.
5. The Seas, they have naturally an unquiet motion, but the Lord doth order their motions for the good of his people; they now are out of their proper place, and therefore they are in their motions reſtleſs, but the Lord rides upon the high places of the earth, and he treads upon the high places of the Sea, Job 9.8. though for the Sea to be a wall be far above the nature of it, yet it was agreeable to the nature of it to return again into its chanel upon the enemies of Iſrael; he doth therefore rule the raging of the S…, when the waves ariſe,Pſal. 89.9. 2 Pet. 3.4. he ſaith unto them, Peace, be ſtill; and by this wicked men are confuted that ſay, All things continue alike from the creation of the world; but that they do not, for firſt the earth was covered with water, now it is ſeparated, and the dry land appears; it was afterwards in judgment covered with waters in the Floud, and then the waters entred into their own chanel again.
6. The winds alſo, they have a natural and neceſſary cauſe: The Lord brings the winds out of his treaſuries; there are treaſures of winds, Job 38.22. and the ſtormy winds fulfil his word, Pſal. 148.8. but there is not a wind that ariſeth upon the Earth or Sea, but he doth in this diſpoſe of it for the good of his people;Ma…. 24.7. the winds and the Sea obey him; and if there be a wind in the earth, an Earth-quake, as there was at the Reſurrection of Chriſt, for the confirmation of their faith, all theſe obey him: Acts 16.26. Rev. 11.13. when Rome ſhall fall, ſeven hundred men ſhall be ſlain by an Earth-quake, and there ſhall be great diſcoveries of God in thoſe things which he over-rules for the good of his people: which when they conſider, ſhould bear up their hearts in the greateſt ſtorms and tempeſts that any of the creatures can raiſe againſt them.
2. There are alſo ſome things which are contingent or fortuitous, that is, though all things be governed by a determinate counſel in God, and there be nothing caſual unto him, but foreknown unto him were all his works from the foundation of the world, yet in reſpect of us there are ſome things which are contingent and meerly foreign, without humane election, and wonderful, and thoſe caſual providences are for the good of the Saints in dreams, in lots, in ordering the wills and affections of men, in the ſlip of a horſe, the fall of an houſe, the meeting of a friend, a man is caſually caſt upon ſuch places, perſons, occaſions, as Saul when he went forth to ſeek Aſſes and found a Kingdom; we may inſtance in a more ſpecial manner in the buſineſs of war, wherein though there be a Council, yet in the execution or the executive part every thing ſeems meerly contingent; and yet we ſee all to be for Alimoth, Pſal. 46.1. for the hidden ones, he doth chuſe the Officers, appoint the Souldiers, appoint the weapons, direct the execution, order the ſtrategems, give the advantages, act or take away mens courage and their skill, the Captains ſhall be as Graſhoppers, and he it is that either teaches their hands to war, ſo that a bow of ſteel is broken by their arms, or the heart of a Lyon doth melt, and the men of might cannot find their hands; and he caſts it for the victory, it is he that doth put the Crown upon the head of the Conqueror, for the victory is of God.