Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 3 · Sermon 48
SERMON XLVIII.
Pſal. XXXVII. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8.
Verſe 1. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil-doers, neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity.
Ver. 3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good.
Ver. 4. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord.
Ver. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, Truſt alſo in him.
Ver. 7. Reſt in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, fret not thy ſelf becauſe of him that proſpereth in his way.
Ver. 8. Ceaſe from anger, and forſake wrath, fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do evil.
HAving ſhewed the equity and wiſdom of Divine Providence in governing the affairs of the world, ſo as that oftentimes, the vileſt men are exalted, and the wicked walk on every ſide, The rod of the wicked lyeth upon the lot of the righteous, and they are chaſtned every morning, and plagued every moment, whiles the eyes of the wicked ſtand out with fatneſs, and they have what their hearts can wiſh, and are often ſuffered to devour thoſe who are more righteous than themſelves: I am inquiring what the duty of a Child of God is under ſuch a diſpenſation of Divine Providence; and for this purpoſe I have choſen this text, perhaps more fully expreſſive of it, than any other ſingle portion of Scripture. Part of it I have opened. I have ſhewed you Negatively, they ought not to fret, to be angry, or to be envious. Poſitively, I have ſhewed you it in their duty to live the life of faith. I now proceed.
3. Thirdly, It is their duty to delight themſelves in the Lord. You have it here v. 4. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord. Such a time as this is uſually a time when the Child of God, cannot delight himſelf in the Creature: it may be he hath a dear, a loving Wife, dutiful, and pleaſant Children, and would delight in them; but a Priſon muſt ſeparate him from them, or an Exile, or Baniſhment muſt make their Company very unpleaſant to him. It may be he hath a full, and plentiful eſtate, and could take a pleaſure in that; but he ſeeth that is by Peecemeal pul'd from him every day, and becauſe he will enjoy his conſcience, and keep peace there, he ſhall not enjoy that property which the Laws of the Nation, and his honeſt Labour, or the gifts of his Friends have inveſted him with: now at ſuch a time, and under ſuch a diſpenſation of Providence as this is, what ſhall a righteous man doe, what is his duty in ſuch a day; my Text telleth you, he ſhall delight himſelf in the Lord, Delight thy ſelf in the Lord. Delight is nothing elſe, but the Soules Complacency, Reſt, and Triumph in an object. So that to make a thing or perſon the object of Delight there muſt be an apprehended goodneſs in the object, and the Soul delighting it ſelf in it, pleaſeth it ſelf with it, and reſteth, and Triumpheth, and even leapeth for joy in the Enjoyment of it. There is in delight more than a content, pleaſure and reſt of the Soul in its object; the Soul Triumpheth, Leapeth, and even Shouteth for joy. God is to be conſidered in himſelf, ſo his name is Jehovah, Elſhaddai, a Fountain of Sufficiency, Power, and Goodneſs. There are three things which muſt concur to make a reaſonable Soul to delight in any object, how good and excellent ſoever it be in it ſelf. 1 Propriety, 2 Poſſeſſion and Application. 1 Propriety. Let a thing or Perſon be in it ſelf never ſo good, never ſo excellent, and let it be ſo apprehended by me, this may render it the object indeed of my love, but not of my delight. For ſaith the Soul what is all this to me? here it is impoſſible that a wicked man ſhould have any Delight in God, becauſe he hath no propriety or intereſt in him. He may poſſibly from Reaſon conclude that in God there is an infinite Power, Sufficiency, Goodneſs, he can have no true notion of God but he muſt conclude this. The firſt beeing muſt neceſſarily have an infiniteneſs of Power, and conſequently of Sufficiency, and the Fountain of Good from whom all good floweth, muſt neceſſarily have all good in him; but let him be never ſo apprehenſive of this, yet ſo long as his Soul ſaith, what portion have I in God? God is a ſtranger, an enemy to me, he can never delight himſelf in God: will the Hypocrete delight himſelf in the Almighty? Job 27.10. If thou wilt return to the Almighty, then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Almighty. None but the Child of God can delight himſelf in God, becauſe he alone hath an intereſt and propriety in him, he alone can ſay, my Lord, or my God.
2. Poſſeſſion alſo is neceſſary to delight. Suppoſe a man to have a right and title to an Eſtate; and conſequently a propriety in it yet if he be kept out of the Poſſeſſion of it he can take no delight in it. Hence it is that a Soul that hath a true right and title to Chriſt and a real intereſt in him, yet if it lieth under dark apprehenſions of this title, and intereſt, he cannot delight himſelf in the Lord, for delight requires not only propriety, but ſome degrees of the apprehenſion of that propriety: Now while he apprehendeth, that his Sins have ſeparated betwixt God and him, he wanteth ſuch a poſſeſſion as is neceſſary to delight.
3. A third thing is Application. Let a Soul have never ſo true a propriety in God, never ſo true a poſſeſſion of the promiſes of God; yet if he doth not make application to his Soul of that knowledg of God which he hath and of the promiſes in which he hath an intereſt, his Soul will have no delight in God or in the promiſes: now this application is made two wayes.
1. By Meditation, often thinking of God, Pſal. 104.34.and upon the promiſes. My meditation of him (ſaith David) ſhall be ſweet: David ſpeaks of a great delight he had in Gods Commandements, they were his Meditation night and day.
2. Secondly, by Faith, aſſuring the Soul, and giving it certain Evidence of the truth of the Promiſes. Now, from this diſcourſe both appeareth, 1. What there is in God for a Soul to delight in, in ſuch an evil day as I have been diſcourſing of, when his People are very low, and his Enemies are very high. It is that power, and ſufficiency which is in him, by which he is able to Relieve them; and that goodneſs which is in him, and rendereth him always ready to help, and willing to ſave ſo as nothing can ſtand betwixt us and our deſired Salvation, help and deliverance, but only his wiſdom, by which he better knoweth times, and ſeaſons, and what is good, or bad for us than we doe. The Soul knowing and apprehending theſe things, and likewiſe its own propriety, and intereſt in God, and being put into ſome poſſeſſion of this Propriety, in a day of evil makes its application to ſuch promiſes, and portions of his word, as he hath revealed his will in, proper to ſuch a State as the Soul is in: hence it comes to be well-pleaſed with God in his diſpenſations, it is brought to a ſweet, and pleaſing reſt, and triumpheth in its portion, in the day of greateſt Evils, and ſingeth with David. Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven hut thee? and there is none upon the Earth that I deſire beſides thee? My fleſh, and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my Portion for ever, v. 26. Now this is both the duty, and priviledge of every Child of God, and indeed theſe are both great arguments to perſwade it. It is their priviledge, for though there be a Power, a Sufficiency, an infinite goodneſs in God, which is inſeparable from his Divine beeing; yet this not being enough to bring the Soul to a pleaſure, delight and complacency in an object, without a Propriety, Poſſeſſion and Application of it, it is manifeſt, that only thoſe Souls, who have ſuch a propriety, intereſt and poſſeſſion, and are in capacity to make ſuch an Application, can delight themſelves in the Lord; and as this is their Priviledge, ſo it is alſo their duty: which will appear to you if you pleaſe to conſider,
1. That there is enough in God, for the Soul of a Child of God to pleaſe it ſelf with, under all diſpenſations. Shall I ſhew you what that is.
1. Whatſoever is done in the World is done by him. It is the Lord who lifteth up one and throweth down another, there is no Evil in the City which he hath not done.
2. In all God doth purſue the noble, good, and wiſe ends of his own glory. Whatſoever the intentions of men are, whether Aſſyria mean ſo, or ſo, God purſueth ſtill the ſame deſign of his own glory, being his own end, in all his Efficiencies, and in all his permiſſions, and to this end he ordereth all things.
3. That he is a God infinitely wiſe, and it muſt be ſaid of all his works of Providence as well as creation, In wiſdom he hath made them all. His Judgments are indeed a great deep, but they are a deep of Divine wiſdome; and all that God doth or ſuffereth to be done in the World, he doth, he ſuffereth all to be done according to his infinite wiſdome, and counſel.
4. That he is the ſame in power that ever he was. Once have I ſpoken, yea twice have I heard it (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) that power belongeth unto God; ſo as if he pleaſed he could when he pleaſed alter the ſtate, and complexion of things, and turn the wheel, that now runs upon the lot of his people, upon the neck of his Enemies, and put wicked men in the ſtead of his afflicted people.
5. That his love is the ſame that ever it was toward his people, and is working towards, and for them under the darkeſt, and moſt gloomy diſpenſations of Divine Providence. God loveth his children in Priſons, as well as in Palaces, in a poor and low, as well as in a more high, and proſperous condition, upon dunghils as well as upon Thrones: now lay all this together and Judg if a child of God hath not ground enough to delight himſelf in the Lord under all diſpenſations of Divine Providence. It is not enough to pleaſe his Soul, and to bring it to a reſt for him to think, what is now done in the World, or in that part of the World where my Lot is caſt, my heavenly Father doth it all, and he ordereth all things for his own Glory, he is infinitely wiſe and knoweth how to fetch out his honour from all, he hath all power in his hand, and can turn his hand upon the little ones, upon the poor and afflicted of his flock whenſoever he pleaſeth; and he loveth me as well in this low afflicted, poor, deſpiſed eſtate as he did when the world went better with me, and I had more credit and repute in it, more of the riches, honours, power, and enjoyments of it than I now have. Is not here ground enough for a Soul under ſuch diſpenſations to delight himſelf in the Lord, eſpecially conſidering the promiſe in the Text; Delight thy ſelf in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee the deſires of thy heart? But beſides this, how often doth God call to us for this duty? Pſal. 33. v. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord, O you righteous. Joel. 2.23. Fear not, O land, be glad, and rejoyce, for the Lord will do great things, v. 21. Be glad then you children of Sion, and rejoyce in the Lord your God. Phil. 3.1. ch. 4.4. Rejoyce in the Lord. Rejoyce in the Lord, and again I ſay rejoyce. We ſhall find this hath been the conſtant refuge and practice of the people of God. David his third Pſalm was compoſed when he fled from Abſolom, his 7th Pſalm when he was afflicted with the words of Cuſh the Benjamite: his 34. Pſalm, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech the Philiſtim King: his 52. Pſalm upon occaſion of the villany of Doeg the Edomite: his 54. when the Ziphites made a diſcovery of them to Saul: his 56. Pſalm when the Philiſtines took him in Gath. The former part of his life, until the Lord ſetled him upon the Throne of Iſrael and Judah, was indeed nothing elſe but a time of trouble and great afflictions, when his enemies were very high, and he was very low, he had little, or nothing in the creature to delight in now at this time, the Pſalmes tell you his relief, and practice, which was to delight himſelf in God. Thus Habbackkuk, ch. 3. v. 17. Although the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſome, neither ſhall be fruit in the Vine, the labour of the Olive ſhall faile, and the fields ſhall yield no meat, the flocks ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtall, that is, though all ſenſible relief, and comfort, ſhall fail: yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation. To preſs you to this duty, I ſhall only mind you of what I have already told you.
1. That there can be no ſuch providences befal any Child of God, but he may find enough under them ſtill to delight in God: when he can ſee nothing for a Senſual eye to delight in, he may yet find enough for his Spiritual eye to delight in. Is it not matter of pleaſure to thee to think, Well let times goe how they will, I have a God to go to, though (ſaith Job) Wormes ſhall eat this body, yet in my fleſh I ſhall ſee God? To think that now God is but doing his own work, and though men oppreſs, yet he that is higher then the higheſt conſidereth the matter? To think that God is able to turn the ball when he pleaſeth, that in the mean time he is in the love and favour of God, he may have communion with God, and God will provide for him? Theſe and an hundred ſuch things as theſe afford matter enough for the child of God to delight himſelf in the Lord at all times.
2. Conſider again, how equitable it is, that Children ſhould at all times delight themſelves in him, becauſe he at all times delighteth himſelf in them: whom the Lord loveth he chaſtneth, as a Father his Son in whom he delighteth; his chaſtening is not a diſpenſation of wrath, but of wiſdome. Obſerve how he ſpeaketh to his afflicted Church. Iſa. 54.11. O thou afflicted, toſſed with tempeſts and not comforted, behold I will lay thy ſtones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with ſaphires. Chriſt was anointed to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for aſhes, the oyl of joy for mourning, and the garment of gladneſs, for the ſpirit of heavineſs, Iſa. 64.1, 3. Though his people have lien amongſt the Pots (as the Pſalmiſt expreſſeth it) yet he hath a pleaſure in them.
3. Let me Thirdly, offer to your conſideration, the advantage of this delighting your ſelves in the Lord in a day of Evil. It would arme the Soul againſt all the temptations of an evil time. 1. It would abſtract the mind from the world: we ſee if the Husband delights in his Wife, or a Father on his Child, how it draweth off their hearts from all other objects, that all are nothing to them in compariſon of that object in which the great delight of their heart is. 2. It would fill the mind of a man, ſo as it ſhould ſay to all the world, as Eſay, I have enough, I have enough, keep what thou haſt unto thy ſelf; or as Jacob (whoſe delight was in Joſeph) It is enough: is Joſeph yet alive? It is enough. 3. It would give the Soul a reſt. The mind of a man reſteth in the object of its delight. 4. Finally, it would wonderfully quiet the mind as to the Will of God; we are uſually ſatisfied with what is done by thoſe perſons whom we principally love, and delight in. Let this therefore be our ſtudy, our great labour and buſineſs, to bring up our hearts to a delight in the Lord. Study his attributes that you may know what he is in his Power, Goodneſs, Truth, Wiſdom &c. Study his promiſes, which concern this life, or that which is to come; particularly thoſe which more ſpecially ſute thy circumſtances: Conſider the examples of the Saints, and Servants of God, in thy circumſtances; meditate upon theſe things, whet them upon thy heart; ſay often to thy ſelf, This God is in himſelf, Thus and thus he hath revealed himſelf, and he who hath ſaid it, is Power, Goodneſs, Truth, &c. But this is enough to have ſpoken, to this other piece of a Chriſtians duty, under ſuch diſpenſations of Divine Providence. I proceed to another piece of Duty.
4. Depart from evil, and do good. You have it. verſ. 8. Fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do Evil. And verſ. 3. Truſt in the Lord and do good; you have them both together, Pſal. 34.12. and 1 Pet. 3.12. Now this doing of good, is a very large term according to the intent of all that duty, which is required of us by the precepts of the firſt and ſecond table. There is a duty which we owe unto God, all which is comprehended under the firſt and great commandement, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and all thy Soul, and all thy Strength. Thus that man doth good, that loveth, and feareth God, that prayeth unto him, and performeth all thoſe acts of homage, and worſhip which God hath in his word required, as much and as zealouſly and warmly in the worſt, as in the beſt of times: this is properly a doing of good, it is honeſt and juſt, and what God requireth of us; it bringeth profit and advantage to our ſelves; it will bring comfort, ſweetneſs, and peace to the Soul. So that take good in what notion you will, this is a true doing good. Again, there is a good which may be done to our ſelves, or to others: the Apoſtle commandeth us to do good to all, Gal. 6.10. thus our Saviour commandeth us to do good to them that hate us, and the Apoſtle Heb. 13.16. commands us not to forget to do good and to diſtribute; and it is one piece of our doing good, Iſa. 1.17. to judge the fatherleſs, and relieve the oppreſſed. Further yet, there is a good of our general calling: This is comprehenſive of the whole duty of a man conſidered in no further capacity, than that of a creature towards God, or that of a Chriſtian relating to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and owning him. There is a good of our particular calling, reſpecting us with reference to our Relations, as Magiſtrates or Subjects, Huſbands, or Wives, Miniſters, or flock, Parents, or children, Maſters, or Servants. Finally, there is a good of a particular ſeaſon, the works, and buſineſs of our day relating to the particular circumſtances, and diſpenſations of Providence, under which it pleaſeth God to bring us. Having thus far diſcourſed of good, and diſtinguiſhed of that, it is eaſie to underſtand what Evil is. It is either the omiſſion of ſome of theſe duties, or the commiſſion or doing ſome things which are oppoſite to them. I take the precepts of the text in the large ſence. A Chriſtian ought to do all manner of good, and to abſtain from all omiſſions of any duty, or commiſſions of any thing which is contrary to that duty, which God expecteth from him, either in his general calling, or in his particular Relation; he is at all times to eſchew evil, and to do good. The precepts of God, Pſal. 37.26. Iſa. 1.16, 17. 1 Pet. 3.12. concern him, and oblige him at all times; but it is their more eſpecial duty, with reference to evil times; and indeed this is the readieſt way to make times better. Evil times are ſo called upon a double account, either with reſpect to ſin, or to puniſhment, Theſe times are evil times wherein ſin aboundeth, and the love of many groweth cold; now our ſins contribute to the aboundings of ſin, in the time wherein we live: we uſe to ſay that if every man would ſweep his own door, the ſtreets would be clean. Times are alſo called evil with reſpect to puniſhment, to ſome judgments of God that are abroad in the world: now for us to do good, to depart from evil and do good is the way to have the judgments of God averted from us. Waſh you (ſaith God (Iſa. 1.16, 17. make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from you: come let us reaſon together, though your ſins be as ſcarlet, you ſhall be as ſnow; though they were as crimſon, you ſhall be as white as wooll. You have it verſ. 6. Do good, and thou ſhall dwell in the land, and (as we Tranſlate it) verily thou ſhalt be fed. Zeph. 2.3. Seek you the Lord all you meek of the earth, it may be you ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords anger. Ten righteous perſons would have ſaved Sodom. Beſides, evil times being uſually times of ſuffering as to the people of God; it is unqueſtionably their great concern to take heed, that they ſuffer not as evil doers. 1 Pet. 3.14. If you be reproached for the name of Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, happy are you; for the Spirit of God and of glory reſteth upon you. On their parts he is evil ſpoken of, but on your parts he is glorified; but let none of you ſuffer as a murtherer, or as an evil doer, &c. We ordinarily call ſuffering-times evil times; now it is the great wiſdom of a Chriſtian to make the beſt of the worſt of times, that they may ſuffer with comfort, and not loſe their Crown in ſuffering; there is no ſuch way to ſecure this, as to ſuffer in, and for doing of our duty. Again, there is no ſuch way as this to convince, or condemn Adverſaries; who are the Inſtruments of evil towards you: It is our duty as much as may be, ſo to live, as to reconcile the world to the ways of God; at leaſt ſo to live, as if we cannot win and gain them, yet we may ſhame and condemn them. This you ſhall find the Apoſtle did, who lived in the firſt and moſt furious times, 1 Pet. 2.13. Having your converſation honeſt amongſt the Gentiles, that whereas they ſpeak evil of you as evil doers, they may behold your good works, and glorifie God in the day of their viſitation. As there is an error of Opinion, and an error of Practice; ſo there is a double way of conviction. The firſt is by Argument, as Paul convinced the Jews, Acts 18.28. The ſecond is by a contrary Practice. The firſt reacheth the Judgment, the ſecond the Conſcience, Joh. 8.9. They who heard Chriſt were convicted by their Conſciences. If by doing good thou doeſt not convince ſinners, and reform them, thou wilt moſt certainly condemn them, Heb. 11.7. Noah condemned the old world. Further yet, by this means thou ſhalt have peace within: In the world (ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples, Joh. 16.) you ſhall have trouble, but in me you ſhall have peace: we are ſure enough in, and from the world to meet with trouble; it is our great concern to ſecure our peace within: now there is no other way to ſecure this, but to keep a Conſcience void of offence, both towards God and towards men. If a man hath a troubleſome Neighbour, if yet he hath a quiet Wife, he will do well enough, he hath peace at home: If he lives in wicked and diſturbed times, yet if he hath a quiet indiſturbed Conſcience, this is ſomething, and he will the better graple with his other troubles: I ſay this is the way for a man to keep a quiet Conſcience, to depart from evil, and to do that which is good. Finally, thus a Chriſtian ſhall evidence his Faith in God's rewarding him; for that man who in an evil day doth evil, or neglecteth to do good, cannot be ſaid regularly to truſt in God; becauſe he uſeth not the means, in the uſe of which he may expect Gods fulfilling his Promiſe: Take heed (ſaith the Apoſtle,) that there be not in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God. All departing from the living God in an evil day, is a certain ſign of unbelief, or diſtruſt in God as to the iſſues of his Providence. Let me therefore beſeech you that fear God, and are brought under ſuch a diſpenſation of this, to take care as to this. Let not the evil of others be a temptation to you to omit doing good: I will yet further open it in a few particulars.
1. Be ſure you keep cloſe with God in the duties of his Worſhip. It is a ſad thing for a ſtate of affliction to drive a man from God; God chaſteneth his people to make them better: In their affliction they will ſeek me early, Hoſ. 5.13. 'Tis very ſad, when affliction hath a quite contrary effect upon us; when as the Scripture ſpeaks of Ahaz, when he was afflicted, he did more wickedly. So God hath reaſon to ſay of any perſon: This is that perſon who when he was in affliction, left prayer, reading, hearing, left his cloſet-walking with God, &c. It is a mark of an ill Servant, not dutiful Son; when he is beaten for his faults, not to ask his Fathers bleſſing, but to run out of his doors.
2. Be not aſhamed nor afraid to appear for the intereſt of God in evil times. St. Paul in the worſt of times was not aſhamed of the Goſpel. Our Lord ſpeaketh dreadfully in this caſe, when he telleth us, that he who is aſhamed of him before men, of him he will be aſhamed when he cometh with his Angels. This is a particular Service every good Chriſtian oweth unto God, not to be aſhamed of the cauſe and intereſt of God in an evil time; own thy ſelf a Servant of God, when his Name is moſt blaſphemed, his truths and ways moſt diſparaged, his people moſt expoſed.
3. Perform all that duty, which thou oweſt to the worſt of men. It is a woful error for any Chriſtian to think that he can do no wrong to wicked and ungodly men, as if they had no civil rights; doubtleſs the Apoſtle ſpake chiefly with relation to Heathens, when he commanded the Romans that were Chriſtians to give unto all their dues, honour to whom honour, &c.
4. Do good to them that hate, and perſecute thee, bleſs them that curſe thee: It is our Saviours leſſon, Mat. 5.44. I remember God gave his people a charge, Jer. 29.7. To ſeek the peace of that City, whither they were carried captive, and to pray unto the Lord for it. It was an evil time, when they were in Captivity, and the Babylonians were very evil perſons; yet God commandeth his people to pray for them, and to ſeek their peace: Let them curſe, but bleſs you; let them perſecute, but do you pray. Thus David did for his Enemies, when they were ſick he humbled himſelf with faſting, and with mourning; as for his Brother, he tells you, he loſt nothing by it, his prayer returned into his own boſom.
5. Take heed finally of uſing any unlawful means to be rid of the evil that is upon you: This is a temptation will much moleſt us in an evil time, and to which all our hearts are too too prone; this is a pecular evil which a child of God in ſuch a time, ſhould ſtudy, and make it his buſineſs to depart from; but I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more to this under the next head of Duty, upon which I ſhall enlarge, as it is contrary to the duty of Patience, and the fruit of a Soul making too much haſte. But I know this is an hard ſaying, we have many temptations to the contrary, for a man to do good to others when they are doing evil to, and againſt him; this is very hard and much a croſs to the grain of fleſh and blood. Let me therefore conclude with a few Motives or Arguments to enforce what I have been ſpeaking unto you. For
1. Conſider Firſt, That not to do this, is to be overcome with evil: It is the Apoſtolical Precept, Rom. 12.21, Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. Conſider firſt, how diſhonourable it is for one that is a Chriſtian to be overcome with evil, whether the evil of Puniſhment, or the evil of Sin; that the luſt, wickedneſs, and ſin of another, ſhould make him alſo ſin againſt God. I would fain know what it is that ſhould in an evil time make the Chriſtian to be worſe than at another time: It muſt either be, the proſperous ſtate of the wicked, or the ſadneſs of his own condition; for when the wicked are exalted, God's people uſually mourn; to be overcome either of theſe ways, is to be overcome of evil. For the luſts of another to overcome me, to make me ſin as much one duplicate page duplicate page way, by fretting, fuming, vexing, omitting duty, doing what is contrary to it as they do another, through the pride, luſt, and cruelty of their hearts; here now the ſinful evil of anothers heart plainly overcometh me. Is this, this temptation, becauſe it fareth ſo ill with thee; this is yet worſe, for then thou proclaimeſt that thou didſt only ſerve God for the loaves he gave thee.
2. But Secondly, Conſider, how honourable it is for thee to overcome thy neighbours evil with thy good? For me to have ſo confirm'd, and healthy a Soul, that let a boiſterous ſinner do what he can, he ſhall not make me worſe; he ſhall not make me fret, fume, vex, or be impatient, or to do any thing ſhort of, or contrary to my duty; do what he can, he ſhall not turn me from my courſe of duty either towards God or Man: how honourable a thing this is for one who nameth the name of a Chriſtian, to be certain, and conſtant, and unmoveable in the work of the Lord; ſo as a wicked mans wretched uſage of him ſhall make him but more holy, to walk more cloſe with God, and to pray more for him, and be ready to ſhew him more kindneſs, and to do more offices of love for him. I have heard it given as the Character of an excellent Perſon, That the way to have a kindneſs from him, was to do him ſome injury.
3. Confider again, There is nothing which more than this will diſtinguiſh one that is a child of God, from one that is not. It is a great piece of ſelf-denial, for a man or woman to deny himſelf in his paſſions, eſpecially thoſe of luſt and revenge. Obſerve the difference betwixt Job and his Wife: Job ſuffered much from the hand of God, yet he would not charge God fooliſhly, he did not ſpeak unadviſedly with his lips; his Wife preſently would have him to curſe God and die.
4. Again, Think with your ſelf what a baſe thing it is for a Chriſtian to walk beneath his Principles, or to change his Principles with his condition. There is nothing more unworthy of a Chriſtian, than to walk beneath his profeſſed Principles, or to change his Principles, and courſe of life with his condition.
5. Laſtly conſider, How great an Argument it will be for thee to uſe with God to bring thee out of that ſtate of affliction and miſery, into which his Providence hath caſt thee, when thou canſt plead: That God's ſevere Providences to thee, have been to thee no temptation to depart from him, or from any part of thy duty; you ſhall find the Church pleading this as an Argument with God, Pſal. 44.9. Thou haſt caſt off, and put us to ſhame, and goeſt not forth with our armies. Verſ. 10. Thou makeſt us to turn back from the Enemies, and thoſe that hate us, ſpoil for themſelves. Verſ. 11. Thou haſt given us like ſheep appointed for meat, and haſt ſcattered us amongſt the heathen. Verſ. 12. Thou ſelleſt thy people for nought, and doeſt not increaſe thy wrath by their price, &c. Verſ. 17. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt faſly in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back: neither have our ſteps declined from thy way. Though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or ſtretched out our hands to a ſtrange god: Shall not God ſearch this out? for he knoweth the ſecrets of the heart. Yea, for thy ſake are we killed all the day long: we are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. Awake, why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord? ariſe, caſt us not off for ever. Thus I have opened to you a fourth branch of a Chriſtians duty, under ſuch a diſpenſation of Providence, as I have been diſcourſing of; I ſhall add but one thing more.
5. Laſtly then, It is the duty of a Chriſtian to reſt in the Lord, and to wait patiently for him; or in ſhort, under ſuch diſpenſations, quietly, and ſilently to wait upon, and for God. The performance of this duty, will, I conceive lie much in Four things.
1. A quiet ſubmiſſion to Gods preſent diſpenſation; a ſubmiſſion, and a quiet ſubmiſſion; this is implied in the command of keeping ſilence to God. There is a manifold ſilence. There is a natural ſilence which is oppoſed to ſpeaking; thus he is ſilent, that hath nothing to ſay, or ſaith nothing: Thus, Lam. 1.10. The Elders of Zion, ſat upon the ground, and kept ſilence. There is a prudent, and politick ſilence, which is good or evil, as it is circumſtanced, Amos 5.13. The prudent man ſhall keep ſilence in that time, for it is an evil time. There is a ſinful ſilence, which is a with-holding prayer from God, or forbearing to ſtand up and ſpeak for God, Iſa. 62.6. You that make mention of the name of the Lord, keep not ſilence. Laſtly, There is an holy and Religious ſilence, Iſa. 41.1. Keep ſilence before me, O you Iſlands. Hab. 2.20. The Lord is in his holy Temple, let all the earth keep ſilence before him. Zech. 2.13. Be ſilent, O all fleſh, before the Lord, for he is raiſed up out of his holy habitation. Now this is that ſilence which the people of God ought to keep before the Lord in an evil time: But to open it yet a little more fully. The Philoſopher diſtinguiſheth, betwixt an internal and external ſpeech; there is the Language of the heart, as well as of the lips; for the words that we utter with our lips, are firſt formed and conceived in our hearts; our hearts ſpeak firſt. It is not a natural ſilence upon either account that is our duty, but an holy and Religious ſilence; not a ſilence from thoughts, but from paſſion: not a ſilence from ſpeaking, but a ſilence from ſpeaking unadviſedly. Such a ſilence as Job kept, of whom it is ſaid, That he did not charge God fooliſhly, nor ſpeak unadviſedly with his lips. 1. A ſilence from paſſion, mourning within our ſelves, fretting, vexing, &c. a man breaketh this ſilence, when he is overborn with fear, or grief, or anger. Theſe three ways the Soul is diſturb'd, and maketh a noiſe under the diſpenſations of God, which breaketh this Religious ſilence. 1. By Anger, fretting, fuming, and vexing himſelf at Gods diſpenſations: This was Moſes and Aarons failing at the waters of Meribah; and Jonas his error when the Gourd failed him as to its ſhelter. But of this I have ſpoken fully already when I handled the Negative part of a Chriſtians duty under Gods diſpenſations of nature. 2. Fear, Immoderate fear, is another paſſion that ſpoileth this ſilence of the Soul; fear maketh an Earthquake within us, and cauſeth great unquietneſs in our Spirits: The Soul that is overborn with fears never keepeth ſilence. 3. A third paſſion is immoderate grief; this alſo breaketh the Souls ſilence and quiet, Pſal. 42. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? why art thou diſquieted within me? So as that Soul, that under Gods diſpenſations of this nature, either fumeth, vexeth, or fretteth at God becauſe of them, or is overwhelmed with immoderate, or unreaſonable fears, or is overwhelmed, or drowned in immoderate grief; that Soul doth not keep ſilence: but that Soul only keepeth a due ſilence to God, which under ſuch Providences abideth in a calm and quiet temper; neither ſhaken with fear, nor overcome with immoderate grief, or ſorrow. This is now ſilentium animae, the ſilence of the Soul before, and unto God.
2. But there is alſo a ſilence of the Tongue: this is a piece of this Religious ſilence; this is oppoſed to murmuring, curſing, and blaſpheming of God; to ſpeaking hardly of God, as if he were an hard Maſter, and did not deal juſtly, or equally with us; to any ſpeaking, which is derogatory to the honour and glory of God: all this now falleth under the firſt general duty, by which I open a ſilent waiting for God, which I call a free and voluntary ſubmiſſion to the good will and pleaſure of God, without any diſturbance of paſſion, or any ſinful expreſſions of our Tongues.
2. A Second thing, wherein this duty lyeth, is, A ſteady dependance upon God for the fulfilling of his Promiſes made to his people in ſuch a condition; he that hath nothing to depend upon, or truſt to, will not wait; ſo as there can be no patient waiting, where there is no ſecret truſt and dependance: This is indeed the proper exerciſe of Faith, I have ſpoken fully to it when I opened the life of Faith in ſuch a time.
3. A Third thing, in which this duty lies, is in the Souls expectation and looking out for God: Early in the morning (ſaith David, Pſal. 5.3.) I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Thus when Habakkuk, in the firſt Chapter of his Prophecy, had put up his Prayer to God, he ſaith, Chap. 2. that he would go up to his watch-Tower: A man goeth up to a Tower, or to ſome high place to ſee whether a friend or an enemy be coming, yea or no: It is a piece of our duty in our waiting upon God under his dark diſpenſations of Providence, while we are waiting, to be alſo looking up, and living in the expectation of the fulfilling of thoſe promiſes, which we have diſcerned, and fixed our ſouls by Faith upon; and which we have been praying for. Our hearts ſhould not be dead, we muſt take heed of ſaying, I look for no good, the heart is dead when it comes to that: The Soul that waits upon God under dark Providences muſt be looking for good, and confident in its expectations of it from God.
4. Laſtly, This waiting muſt be in the uſe of ſuch means as God hath appointed us for the obtaining of the mercy deſign'd, and promiſed; and therefore Pſal. 37. v. 34. they are put together, wait upon the Lord, and keep his way. Now you have this duty of ſilent waiting upon God opened to you, The Sum of it is this: It is the duty of a child of God under theſe Providences, to keep his Soul from being overmuch ſhaken, and overcome with fears or drowned in grief; from fretting, fuming, and vexing at Gods dealings; to keep his tongue from all murmuring, all fooliſh and unadviſed ſpeaking with his lips; to keep his Soul in a quiet dependance upon God for the fulfilling of his word, daily looking up for him after the uſe of ſuch means, as he by the Law of Nature or in his revealed will hath appointed for the obtaining of the mercy or good thing, which is the matter of our deſires, and he hath made the Subject of his Promiſe, and conſequently the Object of our Faith. You have heard your duty, Now give me leave to plead with all you that hear me this day for the Practice of it. I have in this Diſcourſe been exhorting to ſeveral duties of a child of God under dark diſpenſations of Providence, when wicked men have been ſet up high, increaſed in riches, honour, every way proſpered, and the people of God are kept in low, deſpiſed, afflicted ſtates and conditions. I remember the Apoſtle calls to us, to add to our faith, knowledg, to both vertue, to vertue temperance, &c. Do you alſo add to your not fretting, not being angry, and envious, a ſteady exerciſe of Faith, and dependance on God; to your dependance on God, and truſting in him, an univerſal departing from evil, and doing that which is good; and to that a patient quiet waiting for God. I ſhall in order to your better performance of this, offer ſome counſel, and then preſs it with ſome arguments, and ſo ſhut up this Diſcourſe.
1. In the firſt place, There are three things which in order to your fulfilling this point of duty, I ſhall commend to you to get a through acquaintance with. 1. Be acquainted with Gods name. It is David's expreſſion, Pſal. 52.9. I will wait upon thy name, for it is good before thy Saints. It is the Name of God which we wait upon: now it is reaſonable in order to our waiting upon his name, that we ſhould know his name; for as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, They that know thy name will put their truſt in thee, and truly they that do not know the Lords name, will never wait upon him: Well, you will ſay, What is his name? I anſwer, whatſoever he hath revealed and made himſelf known by, or to be, that is his name. I might inſtance in many particulars. His name is God allſufficient, Gen. 17.1. I am the Almighty God. His name is I am, the unchangeable God. His name is Jehovah, the ſoveraign Lord God, and therefore we ought to wait upon him. His name is The Lord, the Lord Gracious, Merciful, &c. they that know the Lords name, that are throughly acquainted with the nature of God, as he hath in his word made himſelf known to us; they will wait upon God, they will ſee it a reaſonable thing that they ſhould wait upon God.
2. In the ſecond place, get an acquaintance with the promiſes of God. Two Sorts of promiſes you muſt be acquainted with, if you would bring your hearts into this frame of ſilent waiting for God. 1. All thoſe promiſes that are made to the Church, and people of God; for ſupport and comfort in, and under troubles, and deliverance out of them: of which the Scripture is full, ſuch as theſe, Pſal. 94.14. The Lord will not caſt off his people, nor forſake his inheritance. Read at your leiſure, Pſal. 128.6. Jer. 29.10. Mic. 4.4, 11, 12. Iſa. 27.5, 7, 8. Iſa. 33.20. Jer. 33.6. A ſecond ſort of promiſes are thoſe that are ſpecially made to this waiting upon God, Pſal. 37.9. Pſal. 27.14. Iſa. 40.13. Wait upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſtrengthen your heart. They that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength like the Eagle; they ſhall run, and not be weary, they ſhall walk, and not faint. The promiſes in Scripture of this nature are very many. Theſe are but a ſpecimen of them.
3. Laſtly, Labour to be acquainted with the ways, and methods of Divine Providence, which is to deal out diſpenſations of mercy to his people; not preſently, but after their waiting upon him ſome time. Habakkuk 2.3. The viſion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeak; it ſhall not lie, though it tarry, wait for it; becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry. The Church in her Song ſaith, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him; to this is our God, we have waited for him; we will rejoyce and be glad in his Salvation.
2. Secondly, Beg of God a waiting frame of Spirit. As there is nothing more ſinful in it ſelf, nor more tormenting to our ſelves in an evil day, than an impatient, haſty Spirit; ſo there is nothing more conducive to our glorifying of God, nor to the quiet of our own Spirits, than a ſilent waiting Spirit: This the God of Heaven muſt give, and he giveth it to them that ask him; beg of God thoſe graces which may diſpoſe thee to this patient waiting: I might inſtance in many habits of grace neceſſary to bring the ſoul into this waiting temper: I will touch only upon 4 or 5. 1. Beg Faith of God, Faith in his Word and Promiſe. He that believeth maketh not haſte. The haſtineſs and impatience of the Soul floweth from its diſtruſt in God for the fulfilling of his Word. 2. Hope is another gracious habit which diſpoſeth the Soul to waiting, we hope for what we ſee not; for what we ſee, why do we any longer wait for? 3. Humility is a third: the proud ſoul thinks much to wait, he looketh upon mercy as his due; and thinketh that God wrongeth him whiles he withholds it from him; the humble ſoul believeth that it deſerveth nothing, and is therefore willing upon the leaſt crevis of hope to wait upon God. 4. Pray for patience, a paſſive patience, this is neceſſary in order to the bearing of evils. Laſtly, Pray for meekneſs, a froward Spirit is always an haſty Spirit, and knows not how to wait. Now to preſs this duty upon you, I ſhall but name to you ſeveral Conſiderations, leaving them to be digeſted, and inlarged upon in your private thoughts.
1. Conſider firſt, It is the work of thy day. The queſtion is, what God would have a child of his do? when the enemies of Religion and godlineſs are very high and rampant, and the people of God are low, poor, and afflicted; and God ſuffereth wicked men to devour thoſe who are more righteous than themſelves, as if men were under the ſame providence as the Fiſh of the Sea, and the Beaſts of the Earth, where, without any regard to right or wrong; the greater devoureth the leſs: at ſuch a time as this, what ſhould a good and righteous man do? Let Solomon anſwer, Prov. 20.22. Say not, I will recompence evil, but wait on the Lord and he ſhall ſave you. Hence you ſhall every-where in Scripture find the Church, and people of God reſolving upon it; and the Lord when he inſtructs his people what to do in an evil day: this is that which he directeth, Iſa. 60.9. Zech. 3.8. Hab. 4.5. Iſa. 8.17.
2. It is that which God hath alone left for you to do in ſuch a day. Our Eyes of ſenſe in ſuch a time are quite put out; we have nothing to do at ſuch a time, but to ſtand ſtill and ſee the Salvation of God. Jer. 14.22. Are there any amongſt the Gentiles that can give rain? therefore we will wait upon thee: we have nothing elſe to do, we have none elſe we can wait upon; therefore we will wait upon thee.
3. It is that which hath been the practice of all the people of God, and what they have called their ſouls to in evil times, Pſal. 52.9. Pſal. 62.5. Indeed it is the whole buſineſs and life of a child of God: It was the practice of the Church, Mic. 7.7. And of Job. The Saint hath the promiſe of heaven, but he muſt wait for it.
4. Thou haſt ground enough to do it, the Power of God, the Goodneſs and Truth of God are certainly a ſufficient ground of encouragement to any ſoul to wait upon God, who hath promiſed help; and is ſo true, that he cannot lie; who is able to help and to do more abundantly than we ſtand in need of, and who is Infinite in Goodneſs, and wanteth no love to prompt him to come in to the relief and ſuccour of his people.
5. Waiting upon God gives God the honour of many Attributes: It giveth Him the glory of his Soveraignty, His Wiſdom, His Power, His Truth, and His Goodneſs.
6. It is a great evidence of your Faith: He that believeth maketh not haſt.
7. It is that which in a day of evil, will diſtinguiſh you from wicked and ungodly men: they cannot wait upon God, but break out into fits of impatience, &c.
8. There is nothing ſo effectual in an evil day, to help thee to keep down thy corruptions, to ſilence thy temptations: You have heard it in that to which many promiſes are made, That your waiting upon God is pleadable as an argument for the mercy which you deſire: In ſhort, there are very many Arguments might be uſed to perſwade this ſilent waiting upon God, but I have before ſpake to many of them, and ſhall therefore add no more to this Diſcourſe.