Discourses Upon the Attributes of God, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.Vol. VI. The Wiſdom of God, in his Providence. Preached at Kenſington.
I PETER V.7.
Caſting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
AMONGST the ſeveral Duties, which towards the concluſion of this Epiſtle the Apoſtle exhorts Chriſtians to, this is one, not to be over-much ſolicitous and concerned about what may befal us, but to refer our ſelves to the providence of God, which takes care of us. In ſpeaking to this Argument, I ſhall
I. Conſider the nature of the Duty here required, which is to caſt our care upon God.
II. The Argument uſed to perſwade us to it; becauſe he careth for us.
I. For the nature of the Duty here required. The word foreign ſignifies an anxious care about Events; a care that is accompanied with trouble and diſquiet of Mind about what may befall us; about the good that we hope for, and deſire; or about the Evil which we fear may come upon us. This the Apoſtle exhorts us to throw off; and to leave to the Providence of God and his Care, all thoſe Events which we are apt to be ſo ſolicitous and diſquieted about. The Expreſſion ſeems to be taken out of Pſal. 55.22. caſt thy burthen upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee.
Now that we may not miſtake our Duty in this matter, I ſhall ſhew what is not here meant by caſting all our care upon God, and then what is meant by it.
The Apoſtle doth not hereby intend to take Men off from a provident care and diligence, about the concernments of this life; this is not only contrary to Reaſon, but to many expreſs Precepts and Paſſages of Scripture, wherein Diligence is recommended to us, and the Bleſſing of God, and the good Succeſs of our Affairs promiſed thereto; wherein we are commanded to provide for thoſe of our Family, which cannot be done without ſome ſort of care; and wherein Sloathfulneſs and Negligence are condemned, and threatned with Poverty; ſo that this is not to caſt our care upon God, to take no care of our ſelves, to uſe no diligence and endeavour for the obtaining of the Good which we deſire, and the prevention of the Evil we fear; this is to tempt the Providence of God, and to caſt that Burthen upon him, which he expects we ſhould bear our ſelves.
But by caſting our care upon God, the Apoſtle intends theſe two things.
1. That after all prudent Care and Diligence have been uſed by us, we ſhould not be farther ſolicitous, nor trouble our ſelves about the event of Things, which, when we have done all we can, will be out of our power. And this certainly is our Saviour's meaning, when he bids us, take no care for the morrow. When we have done what is fit for us for the preſent to do, we ſhould not diſquiet and torment our ſelves about the Iſſue and Event of Things.
2. Caſting our care upon God, implies, that we ſhould refer the iſſue of Things to his Providence, which is continually vigilant over us, and knows how to diſpoſe all things to the beſt, entirely confiding in his Wiſdom and Goodneſs, that he will order all things for our good, and in that confidence, reſolving to reſt ſatisfied and contented with the diſpoſals of his Providence, whatever they be.
You ſee then the nature of the Duty which the Apoſtle here exhorts to, viz. That after all prudent Care and Diligence have been uſed on our parts, we ſhould not be diſquieted in our Minds about the event of things, but leave them to God, who hath the Care of us and of all our Concernments. Which is the
II. Thing I propoſed to ſpeak to, and which I intend chiefly to inſiſt upon, viz. The Argument which the Apoſtle here uſeth to perſwade us to this Duty, of caſting all our care upon God; becauſe it is he that careth for us; and this implies in it theſe two things.
1. In general, That the Providence of God governs the World, and concerns it ſelf in the Affairs of Men, and diſpoſeth of all Events that happen to us.
2. More particularly, That this Providence is peculiarly concerned for good Men, and that he takes a ſpecial care of them and their Concerns; He careth for you. The Apoſtle ſpeaks this to them, not only as Men, but as Chriſtians. And thus the Pſalmiſt, from whom theſe words ſeem to be taken, does apply and limit this Promiſe; Caſt thy burthen upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee; he ſhall never ſuffer the righteous to be moved.
1. That God taketh care of us, implies in general, That the Providence of God governs the World, and concerns it ſelf in the Affairs of Men, and diſpoſeth of all Events that happen to us. I ſhall not now enter upon a large Proof of the Providence of God; that is too large and intricate an Argument for a ſhort Diſcourſe, and hath a great deal of nicety and difficulty in it; and tho' it be a fundamental Principle of Religion, and hath been almoſt generally entertained and believed by Mankind, and that upon very good Reaſon; yet becauſe the vindication of many particular appearances of Providence, does in a great meaſure depend upon a full view and comprehenſion of the whole deſign, therefore we muſt neceſſarily refer our ſelves, for full ſatiſfaction, as to ſeveral difficulties and Objections, to the other World, when we ſhall ſee God's works, together with the relation of every part to the whole deſign, and then many particular Paſſages, which may now ſeem odd and crooked, as we look upon them by themſelves, will in Relation to the whole, appear to have a great deal of Reaſon and Regularity in them.
Therefore I ſhall at preſent only briefly, and in the general, ſhew that it is very credible, that there is a wiſe Providence, that governs the World, and intereſts it ſelf in the affairs of Men, and diſpoſeth of all Events which happen to us.
And I deſire it may be obſerved in the entrance upon this Argument, that the handling of this Queſtion concerning Providence, doth ſuppoſe the Being of God, and that he made the World, as Principles already known and granted, before we come to diſpute of his Providence; for it would be in vain, to argue about the Providence of God, with thoſe who queſtion his Being, and whether the World was made by him: But ſuppoſing theſe two Principles, that God is, and that he made the World, it is very credible, that he ſhould take care of the Government of it, and eſpecially of one of the nobleſt Parts of it, the race of Mankind. For we cannot believe, that he who employed ſo much Power and Wiſdom, in the raiſing of this great and magnificent Pile, and furniſhing every part of it with ſuch variety of Creatures, ſo exquiſitely and ſo wiſely fitted for the uſe and ſervice of one another, ſhould ſo ſoon as he had perfected it, forſake his own Workmanſhip, and take no farther care of it; Eſpecially conſidering that it is no trouble and diſquiet to him, either to take notice of what is done here below, or to interpoſe for the regulating of any Diſorders that may happen; for Infinite Knowledge, and Wiſdom, and Power can do this with all imaginable eaſe, knows all things, and can do all things, without any diſturbance of its own happineſs.
And this hath always been the common Apprehenſion of Mankind, that God knows all things, and obſerves every thing that is done in the World, and when he pleaſeth, interpoſes in the affairs of it. 'Tis true indeed the Epicureans did deny that God either made the World, or governs it; and therefore wiſe Men always doubted whether they did indeed believe the Being of God, or not; but being unwilling to incur the danger of ſo odious an Opinion, they were content for faſhion ſake, to own his Being, provided they might take away the beſt and moſt ſubſtantial Arguments for the proof o… it. The reſt of the Philoſophers owned a Providence, at leaſt a general Providence, that took care of great and more important Matters, but did not deſcend to a conſtant and particular care of every Perſon, and every little Event belonging to them. Interdum curioſus ſingulorum, ſays Tully; now and then, when he pleaſes, he takes care of particular Perſons, and their leſſer concernments; but many of them thought, that God did generally neglect the ſmaller and more inconſiderable affairs of the World, Dii minora negligunt, neque agello… ſingulorum & viticulas perſequuntur, The Gods overlook ſmaller matters, and do not mind every Mans little Field and Vine. Such imperfect apprehenſions had they of the Providence of God. And tho' they would ſeem hereby to conſult the Dignity and eaſe of the Deity, by exempting him from the care and trouble of leſſer Matters, yet in truth and reality, they caſt a diſhonourable reflection upon him, as if it were a burthen to Infinite Knowledge, and Power, and Goodneſs, to take care of every thing.
But now Divine Revelation hath put this matter out of doubt, by aſſuring us of God's particular care of all Perſons and Events. Our Saviour tells us, that God's Providence extends to the leaſt and moſt inconſiderable Creatures, to the graſs of the Field, which to day is, and to morrow is caſt into the Oven, Mat. 6.30. To the fowls of the air, and that to the leaſt of them, even to the Sparrows, two of which are ſold for a Farthing, and yet not one of them falleth to the ground without God, Mat. 10.29. Much more doth the Providence of God extend to Men, which are Creatures far more conſiderable, and to the very leaſt thing that belongs to us, to the very hairs of our head, which are all numbered, the loweſt inſtance that can be thought on.
So that the light of Nature owns a more general Providence; and Divine Revelation hath rectified thoſe imperfect apprehenſions which Men had about it, and hath ſatisfied us, that it extends it ſelf to all particulars, and even to the leaſt things and moſt inconſiderable. And this is no ways incredible, conſidering the Infinite Perfection of the Divine Nature, in reſpect of which, God can with as much and greater eaſe, take care of every thing, than we can do of any one thing; and the belief of this is the great foundation of Religion. Men therefore pray to God for the good they want, and to be freed from the evils they fear, becauſe they believe that he always regards and hears them. Men therefore make Conſcience of their Duty, becauſe they believe God obſerves them, and will reward and puniſh their good and evil Deeds. So that take away the Providence of God, and we pull down one of the main Pillars upon which Religion ſtands, we rob our ſelves of one of the greateſt Comforts and beſt Refuges in the Afflictions and Calamities of this life, and of all our hopes of happineſs in the next.
And tho' there be many diſorders in the World, eſpecially in the Affairs of Men, the moſt irregular and intractable Piece of God's Creation; yet this is far from being a ſufficient Objection againſt the Providence of God, if we conſider, that God made Man a free Creature, and capable of abuſing his Liberty, and intends this preſent life for a ſtate of trial in order to another, where Men ſhall receive the juſt recompence of their Actions here: And then if we conſider, that many of the evils and diſorders, which God permits to happen, are capable of being over-ruled by him to a greater good, and are made many times to ſerve wiſe and excellent purpoſes, and that the Providence of God does ſometimes viſibly and remarkably interpoſe, for the prevention and remedy of great Diſorders and Confuſions; I ſay conſidering all this, it is no blemiſh to the Divine Providence, to permit many of thoſe Irregularities which are in the World, and ſuffer the Fates of good and bad Men to be ſo croſs and unequal in this life. For ſuppoſing another life after this, wherein Men ſhall come to an Account, and every Man ſhall receive the juſt recompence of his Actions, there will then be a proper Seaſon and full Opportunity, of ſeting all things ſtreight, and no Man ſhall have reaſon then, either to glory in his wickedneſs, or to complain of his ſufferings in this World. This is the firſt, that God's Providence governs the World, and intereſts it ſelf in the affairs of Men, and diſpoſeth of all Events that happens to them; and this is a very good Reaſon, why we ſhould caſt our particular cares upon him, who hath undertaken the Government of the whole.
2. The Providence of God is more peculiarly concerned for good Men, and he takes a more particular and eſpecial care of them. The Apoſtle ſpeaks this to Chriſtians, caſt all your care on him, for he careth for you. And this David limits in a more peculiar manner to good Men; caſt thy burthen upon the Lord, and he will ſuſtain thee, he ſhall never ſuffer the righteous to be moved.
The Providence of God many times preſerves good Men from thoſe Evils which happen to others, and by a peculiar and remarkable interpoſition, reſcues them out of thoſe Calamities which it ſuffers others to fall into; and God many times bleſſeth good Men, with remarkable proſperity and ſucceſs in their Affairs. To which purpoſe there are innumerable Declarations and Promiſes in the Holy Scriptures, ſo well known that I ſhall not trouble you with the recital of them.
Notwithſtanding which, it cannot de denyed, that good Men fall into many Evils, and are harraſſed with great Afflictions in this World: but then the Providence of God uſually ordereth it ſo, that they are armed with great Patience to bear them, and find great comfort and ſupport under them, and make better uſe and improvement of them than others; ſo that one way or other they turn to their advantage. So the Apoſtle aſſures us, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. All the Evils and Afflictions, which happen to good men, conſpire one way or other to the promoting of their happineſs, many times in this World, to be ſure they make a great addition to it in the other. So the ſame Apoſtle tels us, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, whilſt we look not, &c. And can we ſay God's Providence neglects us, when he rewards our temporal Sufferings with eternal Glory; when through many hardſhips and tribulations, he at laſt brings us to a Kingdom? Was Joſeph neglected by God, when, by a great deal of hard uſage, and a long impriſonment, he was raiſed to the higheſt dignity in a great Kingdom? Or rather, was not the Providence of God very remarkable towards him, in making thoſe Sufferings ſo many Steps to his Glory, and the occaſion of his Advancement? And is not God's Providence towards good men as kind and as remarkable, in bringing them to an infinitely better and more glorious Kingdom, by Tribulations and Sufferings; and making our light Afflictions which are but for a moment, to work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory?
Thus you ſee what is implyed in God's care of us in general; that he governs the World, and diſpoſeth all Events; and particularly, that he is peculiarly concerned for good Men, and takes a more eſpecial care of them. Let us now ſee of what force this Conſideration is, to perſwade to the Duty enjoyned in the Text, to caſt all our care upon God; that is, after all prudent Care and Diligence hath been uſed on our part, not to be anxious and ſolicitous about the event of things, but to leave that to God. Now this conſideration, that God cares for us, ſhould be an Argument to us, to caſt all our care upon him, upon theſe two Accounts.
1. Becauſe if God cares for us, our Concernments are in the beſt and ſafeſt hands.
2. Becauſe all our Anxiety and Solicitude will do us no good.
1. Becauſe if God cares for us, our Concernments are in the beſt and ſafeſt hands, and where we ſhould deſire to have them; infinitely ſafer, than under any Care and Conduct of our own. And this ought to be a great ſatisfaction to our Minds, and to free us from all diſquieting Thoughts; for if God undertakes the care of us, then are we ſure that nothing ſhall happen to us, but by the diſpoſal or permiſſion of Infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs. There are many things indeed, which to us ſeem Chance and Accident; but in reſpect of God, they are Providence and Deſign; they may appear to happen by chance, or may proceed from the ill-will and malicious intent of ſecond Cauſes; but they are all wiſely deſigned; and as they are appointed or permitted by God, they are the reſult of the deepeſt Counſel, and the greateſt Goodneſs. And can we wiſh that we and our Concernments ſhould be in better or ſafer hands, than of Infinite Power and Wiſdom, in conjunction with Infinite Love and Goodneſs? And if we be careful to do our Duty, and to demean our ſelves towards God as we ought, we may reſt aſſured of his Love and Care of us; and if we do in good earneſt believe the Providence of God, we cannot but think that he hath a peculiar regard to thoſe that love and ſerve him, and that he will take a peculiar care of their Concernments, and that he can, and will diſpoſe them better for us, than we could manage them our ſelves, if we were left to our ſelves, and our Affairs were put into the hands of our own Counſel.
Put the caſe we had the entire ordering and diſpoſal of our ſelves, what were reaſonable for us to do in this caſe? We would ſurely, according to our beſt wiſdom and judgment, do the beſt we could for our ſelves, and when upon experience of our own manifold ignorance and weakneſs, we had found our weightieſt Affairs and Deſigns frequently to miſcarry, for want of foreſight, or power, or skill to obviate and prevent the infinite Hazards and Diſappointments which humane Affairs are liable to, we ſhould then look about us; and if we knew any Perſon much wiſer, and more powerful than our ſelves, who we believed did heartily love us, and wiſh well to us, we would out of kindneſs to our ſelves, ask his Counſel in our Affairs, and crave his aſſiſtance; and if we could prevail with him to undertake the care of our Concernments, we would commit them all to his Conduct and Government, in confidence of his great Wiſdom and Good-will to us.
Now God is ſuch an one, he loves us as well as we do our ſelves, and deſires our Happineſs as much, and knows infinitely better than we do, what means are moſt conducing to it, and will moſt effectually ſecure it. And every Man that believes thus of God, (as every Man muſt do, that believes there is a God, for theſe are the natural and eſſential Notions which all Men have of the Deity) I ſay, every Man that believes thus of God, the firſt thing he would do (if he knew not already that God had voluntarily, and of his own accord, undertaken the care of him and of his Affairs) would be to apply himſelf to God, and to beſeech him with all earneſtneſs and importunity, that he would permit him to refer his Concernments to him, and be pleaſed to undertake the care of them; and he would, without any demur or difficulty, give up himſelf wholly to him, to guide and govern him, and to diſpoſe of him as to him ſhould ſeem beſt.
Now if God have prevented us herein, and without our Deſire taken this care upon himſelf, we ought to rejoice in it, as the greateſt happineſs that could poſſibly have befallen us; and we ſhould without any farther care and anxiety, uſing our own beſt diligence, and ſtudying to pleaſe him, chearfully leave our ſelves in his Hands, with the greateſt confidence and ſecurity, that he will do all that for us which is really beſt; and with a firm perſwaſion, that that condition, and thoſe circumſtances of Life, which he ſhall chuſe for us, will be no other but the very ſame which we would chuſe for our ſelves, if we were as wiſe as he.
And it is ſo natural for Men to think thus of God, that the very Heathen Poet had the ſame Idea of him, and upon that ground, adviſeth us to commit all our Concernments to him.
Permittes ipſis expendere numinibus, quid
Conveniat nobis, rebuſque ſit utile noſtris;
Nam pro jucundis, aptiſſima quaeque dabunt dii;
Charior eſt illis homo, quam ſibi.
Leave it, ſays he, to the wiſer gods, to conſider and determine what is fitteſt for thee, and moſt for thy advantage; and tho' they do not always give thee what thou deſireſt, and that which pleaſeth thee beſt, yet they will give that which is moſt fit and convenient for thee; for Man is more dear to the gods, than he is to himſelf. Not much different from this, is the Divine Counſel of Solomon, Prov. 3.5, 6. Truſt in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own underſtanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he ſhall direct thy paths. It is conſiderable who it is that gives this Advice; the wiſeſt of the Sons of men; and yet he adviſeth to truſt in God for direction, and not to lean to our own underſtandings.
If therefore we be fully perſwaded of God's infinitely Wiſe and Good Providence, we ought certainly to refer our ſelves to him, and perfectly to acquieſce in his diſpoſal, and to reſt ſatisfied in whatever he does, and whatever condition he aſſigns to us, we ought to be contented with it: if we be not, we find fault with his Wiſdom, and reproach his Goodneſs, and wiſh the Government of the World in better hands.
So that a firm belief of the Providence of God, as it would take away all Anxiety concerning future Events, ſo would it likewiſe ſilence all thoſe Murmurings and Diſcontents, which are apt to ariſe in us, when things fall out croſs to our Deſires, when Diſaſters and Diſappointments happen to us, and the Providence of God caſts us into Sickneſs, or Poverty, or Diſgrace. This quieted David, when he was ready to break out into murmuring at the Afflictions and Calamities which befell him. I held my peace (ſays he) and ſpake not a word, becauſe thou Lord didſt it. And this likewiſe ſhould keep us from fretting and vexing at Inſtruments, and ſecond Cauſes; to conſider that the Wiſe Providence of God over ruleth and diſpoſeth the Actions of Men, and that no harm can happen to us without his permiſſion. This Conſideration reſtrained David's Anger, under that high provocation of Shimei, when he follow'd him, reproaching him and curſing him; let him alone, the Lord hath ſaid unto him, curſe David. He conſider'd that God's Providence permitted it; and looking upon it as coming from a higher hand, this calmed his Paſſion, and made him bear it patiently. If a Man be walking in the Street, and one fling Water upon him, it is apt to provoke him beyond all patience; but no man is in a paſſion for being wet ten times as much by Rain from Heaven. What Calamity ſoever befalleth us, when we conſider it as coming from Heaven, and ordered and permitted there, this will ſtill and huſh our Paſſion, and make us with Eli to hold our peace, or only to ſay, it is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.
We are indeed liable to many things in this World, which have a great deal of evil and affliction in them, to Poverty, and Pain, and Reproach, and Reſtraint, and the loſs of our Friends and near Relations, and theſe are great Afflictions, and very croſs and diſtaſtful to us, and therefore when we are in Danger of any of theſe, and apprehend them to be making towards us, we are apt to be anxious and full of trouble, and when they befal us, we are prone to cenſure the Providence of God, and to judge raſhly concerning it, as if all things were not ordered by it for the beſt: but we ſhould conſider, that we are very ignorant and ſhort ſighted Creatures, and ſee but a litttle way before us, are not able to penetrate into the Deſigns of God, and to look to the End of his Providence. We cannot (as Solomon expreſſeth it) ſee the work of God from the beginning to the end; whereas if we ſaw the whole deſign of Providence together, we ſhould ſtrangly admire the beauty and proportion of it, and ſhould ſee it to be very wiſe and good. And that which upon the whole matter, and in the laſt iſſue and reſult of things, is moſt for our good, is certainly beſt, how grievous ſoever it may ſeem for the preſent. Sickneſs cauſed by Phyſick is many times more troubleſome for the preſent, than the Diſeaſe we take it for; but every wiſe Man compoſeth himſelf to bear it as well as he can, becauſe it is in order to his Health: the evils and afflictions of this life are the Phyſick, and Means of cure, which the Providence of God is often neceſſitated to make uſe of; and if we did truſt our ſelves in the hands of this great Phyſician, we ſhould quietly ſubmit to all the ſeverities of his Providence, in confidence that they would all work together for our good.
When Children are under the government of Parents, or the diſcipline of their Teachers, they are apt to murmur at them, and think it very hard to be denyed ſo many things which they deſire, and to be conſtrained by ſeverities to a great many things which are grievous and tedious to them: but the Parent and the Maſter know very well, that it is their Ignorance and Inconſiderateneſs which makes them to think ſo, and that when they come to Years, and to underſtand themſelves better, then they will acknowledge, that all that which gave them ſo much diſcontent, was really for their good, and that it was their Childiſhneſs and Folly, which made them to think otherwiſe, and that they had in all probability been undone, had they been indulged in their humour, and permitted in every thing to have their own will; they had not Wit and Conſideration enough, to truſt the Diſcretion of their Parents and Governours, and to believe that even thoſe things which were ſo diſpleaſing to them, would at laſt tend to their good.
There is a far greater diſtance between the Wiſdom of God and Men, and we are infinitely more Ignorant and Childiſh in reſpect of God, than our Children are in reſpect of us; and being perſwaded of this, we ought to reckon, that while we are in this World, under God's care and diſcipline, it is neceſſary for our good, that we be reſtrained in many things, which we eagerly deſire; and ſuffer many things that are grievous to us; and that when we come to Heaven, and are grown up to be Men, and have put away childiſh thoughts, and are come to underſtand things, as they truly are, and not in a riddle, and darkneſs, as we now do; then the Judgement of God will break forth as the light, and the righteouſneſs of all his dealings as the noon Day, then all the Riddles of Providence will be clearly expounded to us, and we ſhall ſee a plain Reaſon for all thoſe Diſpenſations which we were ſo much ſtumbled at, and acknowledge the great Wiſdom and Goodneſs of them.
You ſee then what Reaſon there is to refer our ſelves to the Providence of God, and to caſt all our care upon him, to truſt him with the Adminiſtration and Diſpoſal of all our Concernments, and firmly to believe, that if we love God, and be careful to pleaſe him, every thing in the iſſue will turn to the beſt for us; and therefore we ſhould not anxiouſly trouble our ſelves about the Events of things, but reſign up ourſelves to the good pleaſure of him, who diſpoſeth all things according to the Counſel of his Will, entirely truſting in his goodneſs, and in his Fatherly care of us, and affection to us, that he will order all things for us, for the beſt, referring the ſucceſs of all our Concernments to him, in whoſe hands are all the ways of the Children of Men, chearfully ſubmiting to his determination, and the Declarations of his Providence in every caſe.
And this is a proper Expreſſion of our Confidence in God's Wiſdom and Goodneſs, to refer things to him before the Event, and to ſay with the Chriſtians, Acts 21.14. The will of the Lord be done, becauſe this ſhews that we are perſwaded that God will do better for us, than our own Counſel and Choice; and to ſubmit to his will after the Event, is likewiſe a great inſtance of our Confidence in him, and that we believe that he hath done that which is beſt: For when God, by his Providence, declares his Will in any caſe, we ſhould look upon it, as the Sentence of a wiſe and juſt Judge, in which all Parties concerned ought to acquieſce, and reſt fully ſatisfied.
And this may well be expected from us Chriſtians, who have much greater aſſurance of the Particular Providence of God, than the Heathen had; and yet ſome of them, were able to free themſelves from all trouble and anxiety, from murmuring and diſcontent. Upon this Conſideration, Epictetus (as Arrian tells us) would expreſs himſelf thus, I had always rather have that which happens; becauſe I eſteem that better which God wills, than that which I ſhould will; and again, lift up thine Eyes, (ſays he) with confidence to God, and ſay, henceforth, Lord, deal with me as thou pleaſeſt, foreign. I am of the ſame opinion with thee, juſt of the ſame mind that thou art; I refuſe nothing that ſeems good to thee; lead me where thou wilt, Cloath me with what Garments thou pleaſeſt, ſet me in a publick Place, or keep me in a private Condition, continue me in mine own Country, or baniſh me from it, beſtow Wealth upon me, or leave me to conflict and ſtruggle with Poverty, which of theſe thou pleaſeſt, foreign, If Men ſhall cenſure this Providence towards me, and ſay thou dealeſt hardly with me, I will apologiſe for thee, I will undertake and maintain thy cauſe, that what thou doſt is beſt for me. What could a Chriſtian ſay more or better, by way of reſignation of himſelf to the Providence of God? It almoſt tranſports me to read ſuch paſſages from a Heathen, eſpecially if we conſider in what condition Epictetus was, he had a maimed and deformed Body, was in the extremity of Poverty, a Slave, and very cruelly and tyranically uſed, ſo that we can hardly imagine a Man in worſe and more wretched Circumſtances; and yet he juſtifies the Providence of God in all this, and not only ſubmits to his Condition, but is contented with it, and embraces it, and ſince God hath thought it fitteſt and beſt for him, he is of the ſame mind, and thinks ſo too. I confeſs it doth not move me to hear Seneca, who flowed in wealth, and lived at eaſe, to talk magnificently, and to ſlight Poverty and Pain, as not worthy the Name of Evil and Trouble: but to ſee this poor Man, in the loweſt Condition and worſt Circumſtances of Humanity, bear up ſo bravely, and with ſuch a chearfulneſs and ſerenity of Mind to entertain his hard Fortune, and this not out of ſtupidity, but from a wiſe ſenſe of the Providence of God, and a firm perſwaſion of the wiſdom and goodneſs of all his dealings, this who can chuſe but be affected with it, as an admirable temper for a Chriſtian, much more for a Heathen! To which we may apply that ſaying of our Lord, concerning the Heathen Centurion, Verily I ſay unto you, I have not found ſo great faith, no not in Iſrael; ſo wiſe, ſo equal, ſo firm a temper of Mind is ſeldom to be found, no not amongſt Chriſtians. And this is the Firſt Conſideration, That if God cares for us, we and our Concernments are in the beſt and ſafeſt hands, and therefore we ſhould caſt all our care upon God. The
2. is, Becauſe all our Anxiety and Care will do us no good; on the contrary, it will certainly do us hurt. We may fret and vex our own Spirits, and make them reſtleſs, in the contemplation of the evils and diſappointments which we are afraid of, and may make our lives miſerable, in the ſad Reflexions of our own Thoughts; but we cannot, by all our Anxiety and Care, controul the courſe of Things, and alter the Deſigns of Providence; we cannot by all our vexation and trouble over-rule Events, and make things happen as we would have them. And this is the Argument our Saviour uſeth to this very purpoſe, Mat. 6.27. Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his ſtature? So that all this trouble is unreaſonable, and to no purpoſe, becauſe it hath no influence upon the Event, either to promote or hinder it. Things are governed and diſpoſed by a higher hand, and placed out of our reach; we may deliberate and contrive, and uſe our beſt endeavours, for the effecting of our Deſigns, but we cannot ſecure the Event againſt a thouſand interpoſitions of Divine Providence, which we can neither foreſee nor hinder; but yet notwithſtanding, theſe our endeavours are reaſonable, becauſe they are the ordinary Means which God hath appointed, for the procuring of good and prevention of Evil, and tho' they may miſcarry, yet they are all we can do: but after this is done, trouble and anxiety about the Event is the vaineſt thing in the World, becauſe it is to no purpoſe, nor doth at all conduce to what we deſire; we diſquiet our ſelves in vain, and we diſtruſt God's Providence and Care of us, and thereby provoke him to defeat and diſappoint us.
Let us then by theſe Conſiderations be perſwaded to this Duty, the practice whereof is of continual and univerſal uſe in the whole courſe of our lives; in all our affairs and concernments, after we have uſed our beſt Endeavours, let us ſit down and be ſatisfied, and refer the reſt to God, whoſe Providence governs the World, and takes care of all our Intereſts, and of the Intereſt of his Church and Religion, when they ſeem to be in greateſt Danger.
We cannot but be convinced, that this is very reaſonable, to leave the Management of things to him who made them, and therefore underſtands beſt how to order them. The government of the World is a very curious and complicated Thing, and not to be tamper'd with by every unskilful Hand; and therefore as an unskilful Man, after he hath tampered a great while with a Watch, thinking to bring it into better order, and is at laſt convinced that he can do no good upon it, carries it to him that made it, to mend it and put it into order; ſo muſt we do, after all our Care and Anxiety about our own private Concernments, or the publick State of Things, we muſt give over governing the World, as a buſineſs paſt our Skill, as a Province too hard, and a Knowledge too wonderful for us, and leave it to him, who made the World, to Govern it, and take care of it.
And if we be not thus Affected and Diſpoſed, we do not believe the Providence of God, whatever profeſſion we make of it; if we did, it would have an influence upon our Minds, to free us from Anxious Care and Diſcontent. Were we firmly perſwaded of the Wiſdom and Goodneſs of the Divine Providence, we ſhould confidently rely upon it, and according to the Apoſtle's advice here in the Text, caſt all our care upon him, becauſe he careth for us.