Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 1 · Sermon 5 6

Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God · Discourse · Part 1 · Sermon 5 6

p. 61SERMON V, VI.

Heb. I. 3. Pſal. XXXVI. 6.

—Ʋpholding all things by the word of his power.

—O Lord! thou preſerveſt man and beaſt.

I Have hitherto ſh…wed you no more, Than that there is a Divine Providence extenſive to all things, influencing all Beings, all motions, and actions of Beings, &c. I am now come to diſcourſe concerning the acts of God, by which he exerciſeth this Providential care. Divines do uſually reduce all to two Heads. 1. Preſervation. 2. Government. Preſervation reſpecteth the creatures Beings; and that in eſſe tali, in ſuch a kind of Being as he at firſt created them. Government properly reſpecteth the motions or actions of theſe Beings, or the omiſſions, ſuſpenſions, or ceſſations of ſuch actions or motions, and the events of the things. The Propoſition I ſhall a little enlarge my ſelf upon, is this,

Prop. That as the worlds were at firſt made by the power and word of God, ſo they are by the ſame power and word preſerved and upheld.

The Heathens had ſome notion of this, as appeareth by their fiction of Atlas, bearing up the world upon his Shoulders. God is the true and only Atlas: the Apoſtle ſaith, He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power. The Pſalmiſt ſaith, That he preſerveth both man and beaſt. You have a recognition of this, in that ſolemn prayer of the Levites, Neh. 10.6, Thou, even thou, art Lord alone, thou haſt made the Heaven, the Heaven of Heavens, with all their hoſt; the earth, and all things that are therein; the ſea, and all that is therein, and thou preſerveſt them all. Job gives God the glory of this, Job 7.20, I have ſinned, p. 60duplicate page p. 61duplicate page p. 62and what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of man! But although the upholding, and preſervation of the world, the influence of God upon the world, in order to its ſtanding and conſervation, be matter of clear and undoubted Revelation, and demonſtrable by reaſon, and confeſſed even by the wiſer amongſt the Heathens themſelves; yet every one poſſibly doth not ſufficiently underſtand the method and order of Gods ſuſtentation, and preſervation of the world: Nor dare I promiſe you fully to open it to you, and make you to underſtand it, for how little a portion of his ways do we know? But ſomething I will ſpeak in particular. I hope it may be of further uſe to you, not only to expound Gods works, but to make you underſtand how wonderfully we are preſerved, and what a neceſſity there is of the Divine hand to uphold our ſouls in life, and us in any ſtate of well-being. Only let me firſt premiſe two or three things.

1. That there is a more common and general preſervation of all beings, and a more ſpecial preſervation of ſome.

2. That there is a preſervation common both to man and beaſt, and a preſervation more peculiar to man; and yet more ſpecial to the people of God, thoſe amongſt the ſons of men, whom God hath ſet apart for himſelf.

3. That there is a preſerving Providence, reſpecting the body and outward man: and a preſerving Providence, reſpecting the inward man.

4. That as to man he is conſiderable in a threefold capacity. 1. In his perſonal capacity, as a reaſonable creature, endued with all the powers and faculties of vegetive and ſenſitive creatures: and further, with ſeveral powers, and faculties ſuited to his reaſonable nature. 2. In his Political capacity, as he makes up a member of a Kingdom, or civil ſociety. 3. In his Eccleſiaſtical capacity, as in ſociety with others he makes up that body of people which is called the church of God. God preſerveth him in all theſe capacities; of which (when I come to it) I ſhall ſpeak more particularly, and diſtinctly.

I ſhall lay down ſeveral concluſions. The firſt of which ſhall be more general and extenſive to ſuch creatures as have meerly being, and no life. The other will concern living creatures, and amongſt them men, as the nobler and more excellent of them.

p. 631. Concl. God by the word of his power upholdeth the Beings, order, and courſes of all his creatures; ſo as not only their natural inclinations, and qualities, and affections, by which they are mutually ſerviceable to each other, and to the upholding of the univerſe, do not fail, abate, or decay, but ſo, that their power and oppoſite qualities work not to the ruin and deſtruction of the whole. This now to him who will give his thoughts leave to ſtand upon it, will appear a great and wonderful work of God, and no leſs than a wonderful miracle of Divine Providence. When God gave a being to the world, and to all the things therein, he indued them all with ſeveral qualities, according to his infinite wiſdom; he ſet them in an excellent order, ſo as they might be mutually ſubſervient one to another, and all of them to the whole: he did not only make the world, but he fitted and jointed it together, ſo that one part of it correſponded with the other. 2. He indued them with ſeveral qualities, by which they are mutually ſerviceable each to other. 3. He ſet the ſeveral creatures in their orders and ſtations, ſo as they might be beſt ſerviceable. Now, I ſay, the Providence of God worketh in the preſerving of them. 1. By upholding theſe qualities, and keeping them in this order, that they do not diſlocate and fall out of joint, but abide both in their ſtation, and in their full vigor and vertue.

2. By keeping them that the qualities in them, which are oppoſite one to another, and would naturally encline them to a diſlocation and falling out of order, yet have no ſuch operation, nor produce any ſuch effect; but even inanimate Beings, move and work orderly according to the Creators intention, though they do nothing out of any counſel, choice, or deliberation. Let me but illuſtrate this a little, in the four great Inanimate Bodies of the World; the Heavens, the Air, the Earth, and the mighty Waters. All exceeding great, and vaſt bodies, yet without life, ſenſe, or reaſon; ſo as their motions cannot be from reaſon and counſel of their own. The order in which God ſet theſe things in the day of Creation was this, The Heavens he placed uppermoſt, the Air in the midſt betwixt them and the Earth. Then he placed the Earth; and the Seas in the midst, contiguous one to another. In the Heavens he placed Waters, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, all great bodies. Now all theſe bodies have ſeveral qualities; Gravity, or weight, levity, heat, p. 64cold, moiſture, &c. Who knoweth not that active qualities in creatures are ſubject to ſpend, waſte, and decay? To inſtance but in that one body of the Sun, whoſe great qualities are light and heat: We ſee candles, and torches, and fires give light and heat; but they ſpend themſelves, their light goes out, their heat waſtes, and ſpends it ſelf in a ſhort time. How is it that it is not ſo with the Sun, and the Stars, but from the power of God that upholds theſe qualities, that they neither waſte nor abate from their continual motion? The candle is fed from the tallow, and wax; the torch, and taper from pitch, wax, rozin, and other combuſtible matter; when that fails, it expireth. Whence is the Sun, Moon, and Stars fed? but from the immediate upholding power and hand of God? Again, theſe great bodies are not indeed ſo groſs, and heavy, as mere ſublunary and terrene bodies are; but yet, they muſt not be denied ſomething of weight, eſpecially the Waters in the Heavens. We know weight and heavineſs is of the nature of Water; yea, of that Water which falleth from Heaven: how come the Clouds which are a thin body, to contain and reſtrain it, and keep it as in bottles? how come thoſe vaſt bodies of Water to be contained in the thin body of the Clouds, and to diffuſe themſelves ſo gradually upon the Earth?

2. Let us look upon the Air, from the agitation of which proceed the great and boiſterous ſtormy winds. The Air is cold, and moiſt, only heated and warmed from the Sun: how comes it to paſs, that it is not in that continual agitation, which we ſee it in ſometimes? ſometimes we hardly diſcern it moved at all, ſometimes more violently, and that ſometimes from one quarter, ſometimes from another; is this a natural, a meer natural motion? then it is neceſſary, and would be uniform: ſo we ſee it is not. Who can give a reaſon ſufficient to ſatisfie an inquiſitive Philoſopher, of the heat and cold in the Air in ſeveral Countrys, nay, in our own Country? or a ſufficient reaſon of drought and moiſture in the Air? whence is it think you, that it is not always dry, nor always moiſt; not always ſtormy, nor always calm, none of which would ſuit the conſervation of the world, but from Gods upholding thoſe qualities in thoſe bodies which influence it, and by which theſe things are cauſed? ſo that unleſs when the ordinary Providence of God is not withheld from the creatures, in ſome particular p. 65places, for the chaſtiſement of the wickedneſs of them that dwell therein. The Air keeps its motion, and courſes: the winds their courſes, for the preſervation of our bodies, and the advantage of humane affairs. God, I ſay, by a daily providence upholds theſe Beings to thoſe motions, and meaſures of motion, which he at firſt ſet for them, in order to keeping the World in joint. The Air putrifieth not, nor groweth infectious; the Winds ſometimes blow, ſometimes are ſtill, &c. The Pſalmiſt giveth God the great glory of his Providence, in this particular, very plentifully. He raiſeth the ſtormy winds, Pſalm 107. v. 25. He walketh upon the wings of the wind, Pſalm 104.3. He bringeth the winds out of his treaſures, Pſalm 133.7. He cauſeth his winds to blow, Pſalm 147.18. The ſtormy winds fulfil his word, Pſalm 148.8. The Heathens had ſuch a ſenſe of the Neceſſity of a Divine Providence to rule this Creature, that they deviſed a God on purpoſe (whom they called Aeolus) whom they feigned to have a care and dominion over them: and the Poet ſaith, That if he did not, they would confound Heaven, and Earth.

3. From the Air let us come to the Earth, a great and vaſt body. Job ſaith, It hangeth upon nothing, Job 26.7, upon nothing but the Almighty power of divine Providence. It hangeth in the midſt of the Air, and that upon nothing God did hang it there, in the day of Creation: the Seas are contiguous to it, both of them make but one Globe, or round body of a great weight. We ſee it is of the nature of weighty Bodies to incline and preſs downward. Suppoſe God did at firſt hang it there, What is it keeps it there? We ſhould conclude it a great Miracle, not to be effected by other than a divine Power, to ſee but a great ſtone, or Canon-bullet hang in the air; how would a whole City come out, and be aſtoniſhed at ſo great a ſight? eſpecially, if it ſhould hang there a month, or a year, or any conſiderable proportion of time. But who ſufficiently contemplateth this great ſight? Who thinks on the immenſe weight of the Earth, and the Seas, hanging in the midſt of the thin body of the air? Let the Atheiſts of this generation come near, and ſee this great ſight! If there be no God, or if this God exerciſeth no Providence in the upholding and governing created Beings: How cometh the Earth to hang upon nothing? or how doth it abide one day in that ſtation? Let any of them in an open field p. 66climb up, and hang up a Cannon-bullet ſo if they can. I know the Philoſophers tell us, it is in its Center, and every thing naturally reſts there. The Poet tells us, That Ponderibus librata ſuis. But this is all but an idle and an impertinent muffling us with unintelligible terms: for what do they mean by the center of things, the center of the Heavens, or the center of the Earth, or of the Waters, unleſs they underſtand the place which God ordained for them, or wherein God fixed them in Creation? in that they abide, and we ſay, there Providence keepeth them. Let them try if the art of all the men in the World can ſo poiſe a great weight in the air, that it ſhall not fall, but abide hanging there any conſiderable time.

4. Laſtly, let us view the great body of the Waters, in continual flux and reflux; whether they be placed higher than the Earth, is a little queſtion: But ſuppoſe they be not, certain it is, that the winds oft raiſe them much higher than the Earth: they are of a fluid Nature, of a great weight, in continual motion; whence is it that they do not drown the World, or at leaſt a great part of it? It is a matter of demonſtration, that in many places, they riſe higher every ſide than the Earth next adjacent to them: How comes it, that the Sands check them, that in many places, they bring their bridle in their mouth, an huge quantity of ſmall ſtones or ſands, which make a bank on every ſide to protect the adjacent Earth againſt their rage? certainly no reaſon can be given, but what the holy ſervants of God have long ſince given. Job 26.10, He hath compaſſed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. And Jer. 5.22, He hath placed the ſand for a bound to the ſea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot paſs. Now ſuppoſe ſuch a Decree, theſe inanimate Creatures obey it not out of election and choice, but being natural Agents, they work and move neceſſarily according to the affections and inclinations, which God hath created them with. So as the water being fluid, and heavy, would from a neceſſity of natural working, overflow and drown the Earth, did not God by his Providence continually work, eſtabliſhing his Decree, and ſeeing to the execution of it; and to that end governing theſe inanimate Creatures, contrary to their natural inclinations, that the World may be kept in order, knitted and jointed together; and the qualities and affections of one creature may not work to the ruin and prejudice of another, and ſo to p. 67the ruin and deſtruction of the whole. And thus I have opened to you my firſt Concluſion, ſhewing you the Method and order of Gods working in the preſervation of his creatures: in their beings, ſtations, and orders; and in upholding the uſeful qualities of them, that they do not waſte or decay; and the reſtraining and governing of their oppoſite qualities, that they ſhall not work according to their natural tendencies and inclinations to deſtroy the World, or ſpoil the beauty, comelineſs, and order of it. Nor do they tranſgreſs, but upon Gods withdrawing this Providence, this ordinary Providence. Whence come inundations of Waters, infections in the Air, ſtrange motions of Celeſtial bodies in ſome places, as the juſt, and wiſe God at any time, will pleaſe to make uſe of any part of the hoſts of his Creatures, to execute his Vengeance; either upon particular Perſons, Countries, or places. But thus much ſhall ſerve to have been ſpoken for the illuſtration of the firſt Concluſion. The others will reſpect ſuch creatures, as have life and ſenſe. I proceed to a ſecond.

Concl. 2. God preſerveth his creatures which have life; or life, and ſenſe; or life, ſenſe, and reaſon; by a daily providing for them food, and nouriſhment, and directing them to their proper food, and an ordinary avoiding of what is noxious, and deſtructive to their bodies. Of living Creatures there are three orders: 1. Such as have nothing but being and life; ſuch are Plants, and Herbs. 2. Such as have not only being, and life, but alſo Senſe. Such are Birds in the Air; Beaſts, and creeping things in the Earth; Fiſhes in the Sea; Inſects, and other creatures, that live on the Earth, and in the Air, which the Birds, and Fowls alſo do. 3. Such as have not only being, and life, and ſenſe, but alſo Reaſon. Theſe are (upon the Earth) only Men, and theſe only have Bodies. All theſe creatures having life, and that in a bodily ſubſtance: and ſo being in continual motion, are of mutable periſhing, and decaying beings; and the lapſes and decays of their Natures muſt be daily repaired by nouriſhment; to the taking of which, they are naturally inclined, by the paſſions of Hunger and Thirſt: and by this Nouriſhment all know that all ſorts of creatures are preſerved, and without this they cannot live. Now as to this, the Providence of God is eminently ſeen in three things inſtanced in, in this ſecond Concluſion.

1. God provideth it for them. All Vegetables; Trees, herbs, p. 68plants, are nouriſhed by heat and moiſture. The moiſture is either the natural fatneſs of the Earth, or the adventitious dew of Heaven, or falling of water from thence, either in a more fluid form, which we call Rain; or congealed, as Snow, and Hail. The heat is from the Sun. There is a natural moiſture in the Earth; it is alſo in part watered from the Springs and fountains of water into it, from the contiguity of the waters to it; but we ſee in a time of drought how all theſe fail. The Earth is parched, and dry; God reneweth its moiſture by ſhowers from Heaven; by Rain, and Snow, and Dew, &c. Moiſture alone will feed ſew plants, if any. They muſt have heat, as well as moiſture; Some, and the moſt muſt have the beams of the Sun, all muſt have the heat of it diffuſed through the Air. Now who is he, who in the Heavens hath ſet a Tabernacle for the Sun, which as a Bridegroom cometh out of his Chamber, and rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run his Race? Is it not Gods? Pſalm 19.4, 5. Our Saviour tells us, Matth. 5, He maketh his Sun to ſhine, and his rain to fall upon the juſt, and upon the unjuſt. The Heathens lay under ſo much conviction of this, that their Poets feigned a Chariot of the Sun, which none but their God Phoebus could drive, without burning the World. For the Rain, how plentifully doth the Scripture give unto God the Prerogative of it. Hath the rain a father; or Who begot the drops of dew? Job 38.28, He cauſeth it to rain upon the earth, 26. He giveth rain, Jer. 5.24. He maketh lightnings with rain, Jer. 10.3; Yea, and none but he can do it, Jer. 14.22. Are there any amongſt the vanities of the Gentiles that can cauſe rain? or can the Heavens give ſhowers? Art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore will we wait upon thee, for thou haſt made all theſe things. Thus the Lord provideth food for vegetables. The ſenſitive Creatures are the Birds, and Fowls of the air, the beaſts, and creeping things of the Earth; the Fiſhes of the Sea: Theſe live partly upon herbs, and plants, and the ſeed, grain, and fruit of them; partly upon each other, the greater devouring the leſſer. God in providing a nouriſhment for herbs, and plants, provides a nouriſhment for the moſt of them; as alſo by upholding the procreating virtue of ſome creatures, he provideth food for others. Man liveth upon the creatures of inferiour order to him; partly upon vegetables, herbs, roots, the fruits of plants; partly upon ſenſitive creatures. God hath given him a commiſſion to Kill, and Eat. God provideth p. 69food for Man, by upholding the budding, germinative, ſeed-bearing qualities of plants, and the growing vertues of them, and by upholding the procreative vertue of birds, beaſts, fiſhes, &c. without which thoſe ſpecies would fail from the Earth, and Man who lives upon them, would periſh alſo,

2. Secondly, The workings of Divine Providence are ſeen in directing them to their proper food. Whence is it that each creature knoweth its proper food, and is inclined by its appetite to that only? Let me, as to theſe two things, ſhew you how plentifully the Scripture ſpeaketh. God takes the glory of this, Job 38, Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion? or fill the appetite for the young Lion? V. 39, Who provideth for the Raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, when they wander for want of meat? Our Saviour telleth us, Matt. 6.26. That it is God, who feedeth the young Ravens. The Pſalmiſt giveth God the glory of this, Pſalm 104.27, Theſe wait all upon thee, that thou maiſt give them their meat in due ſeaſon: That which thou giveſt them they gather, thou openeſt their hand, they are filled with good. Theſe all wait upon thee: Who are theſe? the wild aſſes. V. 11, He ſendeth the ſprings into the valleys, which run amongſt the hills: they give drink to every beaſt of the field, the wild aſſes quench their thirſt. V. 14, He cauſeth the graſs to grow for the Cattel, and herbs for the ſervice of man, that he may bring forth food out of the Earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oyl to make his face to ſhine, and bread which ſtrengtheneth mans heart. V. 21, The young Lions roar after their prey, and ſeek their meat from God. V. 30, Thou reneweſt the face of the Earth. God at firſt ſaid, Let the earth bring forth graſs, Gen. 1.11. He ſendeth the graſs of the field, Deut. 11.15; He cauſeth it to grow for the cattel, and herb for the ſervice of man. He multiplyeth the beaſts of the field, the birds, and fowls of the air. He leaveth us not without witneſs, but giveth fruitful times, and ſeaſons, filling the hearts of men with food, and gladneſs.

3. From whence is it, but from the influence of God, upon his Creatures, that Creatures univerſally, and ordinarily avoid the eating of ſuch things as would be noxious to them, and many creatures, if they be diſtempered, are directed to ſuch things as will cure them? But this is enough to have ſpoken to the ſecond Concluſion.

3 Concl. Thirdly, God preſerveth living Creatures, by upholding p. 70thoſe faculties in all living creatures, upon the operations of which their lives are preſerved, their ſpecies are propagated, and they are to propagate their ſpecies, and to perform thoſe actions which are proper to their ſeveral Beings, and natures.

To uphold the Creation, as to thoſe things in it which have life, there are divers faculties neceſſary which muſt be upheld: here are four ſorts mentioned in the Concluſion. Let me ſpeak a little to each of them. It will be of excellent uſe to convince you of the neceſſity of a Divine influence, or Providence upon you every moment. 1. The firſt ſort are thoſe: By which the Beings, the lives, and beings of Creatures are preſerved, and encreaſed to their due proportion. Theſe are thoſe which belong to thoſe principal faculties, which the Philoſophers calls Facultatem altricem, & auctricem: (I will put them together) and inſtance in divers particulars. We are craving, changeable creatures, ſubject to waſts and decays in our beings; and we muſt have a Nutritive faculty, or we could not live: The action of this faculty is called Nutrition, or Nouriſhing. Now our nouriſhing depends upon our food, the change of our food in our ſtomachs by the natural heat of our ſtomachs; and this dependeth upon ſeveral powers, which God hath created in all ſenſitive creatures; in the upholding of which, the daily Providence of God is wonderfully experienced, although poſſibly, not ſo wiſtly obſerved, and conſidered by us as it ought to be. Let me a little awaken you to a due conſideration of it, by inſtancing in ſeveral Particulars.

1. In the firſt place, We have a power, a natural power to crave and deſire food. Without an appetite the creature deſires no food, can take none, though it be ſet before him; but inſtead of it, the very ſight of it maketh him ſick: he loatheth and abhorreth it, and calleth to have it taken away out of his ſight, as we ſee in daily experience. Now I would know by what this faculty is upheld, but by the concourſe and daily operation of Providence? I do not intend to divert here into a Philoſophical diſcourſe, concerning the cauſes of a decay of our appetite. It is ſufficient to tell you, that the cauſes may be various, and the variety of the cauſes, which may produce ſuch an effect, is ſufficient evidence, that nothing but the upholding power of Divine Providence can hinder it. It is God that muſt give us our daily food, and it is God that muſt give us a ſtomach, or appetite to it; and the cauſes are ſo many which may abate and deſtroy our p. 71appetite, that did not God daily watch over us, and influence us, as to this very thing, it were an hard thing to conceive, how it ſhould keep preſerved a few days, much leſs as it is with many, to very many years.

2. But ſuppoſe us to have an appetite (to ſay nothing of our power to take, and chew, and ſwallow our food); We ſee by a daily experience, if we have not a power to digeſt it; if the natural heat of our ſtomachs be from any cauſe abated, ſo as it will not change our food, and this continueth upon us for any time, and no remedy can be apportioned to it, the creature dyeth, whether it be man or beaſt. If the nap of the ſtomach be but worn off, our bodies ſoon appear thredbare; we pine away, and preſently ſink into our graves: by which we learn, that a natural faculty, power, or ability to digeſt our food, is neceſſary to the preſervation of our beings. As I ſaid before of the Appetite, ſo I ſhall ſay again of this. I intend no diſcourſe of the variety of cauſes, from which ſuch a thing may proceed, but the poſſibility of ſuch a thing, and that as an effect of various cauſes, evinceth a neceſſity of a daily influence of God upon us, to uphold this faculty in its vigour and efficacy, which miniſtreth to our nutrition.

3. But thirdly, ſuppoſe our food taken into our bodies, concocted, and digeſted in our ſtomachs that it may nouriſh the whole body; it muſt be by ſeveral veſſels and channels diſtributed to the ſeveral parts of the body. So as there muſt be ſuppoſed a freedom from obſtructions in thoſe paſſages, and an attractive vertue and faculty in the ſeveral parts. If theſe paſſages be any way ſtopped, or the attractive vertue abated, the parts are not nouriſhed, but decay and wither, the creatures being deſtroyed. Of ſuch obſtructions we have daily examples: and indeed, whoſo conſidereth the various paſſages in our bodies, through which that part of our food, which proves for nouriſhment paſſeth, and the variety of obſtructions to which we are ſubject, muſt needs again acknowledg, that our Souls muſt be kept in life, our bodies in health, meerly by a Divine Power.

4. Again, What we take into our bodies for our proper food, being in part, found either not proper for us, or in too great a proportion; when the ſtomach hath done its office, there is a ſeparation made, that not proper for us, or in a ſuperfluous proportion for that end, muſt be voided and caſt out; and a natural faculty p. 72to do it, muſt be ſuppoſed, which if it ceaſeth but for a while, or the freedom of the paſſages, by which it paſſeth be obſtructed, the life of the creature quickly determineth. Now, whoſo conſidereth the variety of powers, and faculties in a living body, which muſt be all upheld, and the variety of cauſes, from which they may be incumbred, yea and quite deſtroyed; will be forced to acknowledg the inceſſant influence of Divine Providence, in upholding, and preſerving both the being and well-being of every creature that hath a ſenſitive life.

2. But yet here is not all: For in order to our nouriſhing, not only thoſe faculties in the body nouriſhed, which I have mentioned, muſt be upheld; But alſo the faculties, and vertues in the bodies nouriſhing, by which they are made nouriſhing to us. In all nouriſhing, there muſt be a body giving the nouriſhment, as well as a body receiving it: each of theſe muſt have its faculties upheld, or there will be no nutrition, and conſequently no preſervation of life. Philoſophy telleth us, that the nouriſhment of living bodies muſt be, 1. Something that hath a capacity to be turned into the ſubſtance of our bodies, elſe how can it nouriſh? Hence it is, that a man cannot feed, or be nouriſhed, by ſtones, or dirt: there is not in theſe things a capacity to be turned into humane fleſh. 2. It muſt have ſomething of contrariety in it to the body nouriſhed, otherwiſe the ſtomach would make no alteration of it. And 3. It muſt have in it ſomething of ſimilitude, elſe it would never incorporate with us, and join it ſelf to our fleſh, or mix it ſelf with our blood. All our food muſt have ſome qualities in it, that muſt be accommodate to our nouriſhment; and theſe qualities, or faculties muſt be upheld in it, and upheld too in ſome due proportion. Hence we ſee, that food when corrupted and putrified, and ſo hath loſt theſe faculties and vertues, and they be extinguiſhed, it inſtead of nouriſhing us, breeds diſeaſes, and deſtroyeth us. Now God preſerveth the life and being of his creatures, by a daily concurrence of his Providence, as well by upholding the nouriſhing vertues and qualities of their food, as thoſe natural faculties, by which they crave, concoct, and digeſt, or attract their nouriſhment; or expel, and throw out that part of it which is not proper for the nouriſhment of their bodies. But this is enough to have ſpoken as to that firſt principal Faculty, by which the life, and being of all ſenſitive living creatures are preſerved.

p. 732. A ſecond principal Faculty by which the life of creatures is preſerved, is that of Reſpiration or breathing, which is the motion of the breaſts and lungs by which they draw in air, and again puff it out, thus continually cooling the heat of the heart, which would elſe ſoon determine the life of the creature. A Faculty ſo neceſſary, that we daily ſee with what difficulty the creature liveth, when it is any way incumbred; daily experience we have of this in perſons ſick of Conſumptions, or Aſthma's, &c. When any living creature is once wholly deprived of this, it preſently dieth. This God giveth and maintaineth: He giveth to all Life, and Breath, and all things, Acts 17.25. He alſo taketh it away; Thou takeſt away their breath, and they die (ſaith the Pſalmiſt), Pſalm 104.29. God is ſaid to be the God, who ſpreadeth forth the Earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people, and ſpirit to them that walk thereon, Iſa. 42.5. Now God preſerveth both man and beaſt, by upholding this power or faculty in them, by which they draw in, and puff out the air: yea, and his daily Providence appeareth alſo in the preſerving of the air which they ſuck in, ordinarily, from ſuch affections and qualities as would deſtroy life in his creatures: I ſay, ordinarily, to except thoſe ſpecial remiſſions of Divine Providence in this caſe, by which God ſometimes puniſheth perſons and places by a noxious and infected air, as the procreative cauſes of more Epidemical ſickneſſes and diſtempers. And this ſheweth us, how reaſonable a thing it is, That all that hath breath ſhould praiſe the Lord, according to the Pſalmiſts exhortation, Pſalm 150.

3. A third principal Faculty, neceſſary to the upholding of the life and being of creatures, is that by which they ſleep, and take their alternate reſt: Quod caret alterna requie durabile non eſt. Experience tells us, that we can live very little while without ſleep; we muſt therefore have a power to ſleep. There is no living creature that is always aſleep, or always awake; we muſt have a power to ſleep, and a power to awake again, or we cannot live. Some ſleep more, ſome leſs, all muſt ſleep ſometime. Sleep is a ceſſation of the common ſenſe and the exterior ſenſes from action. The Eye ſeeth not, the Ear heareth not, &c. Now this is cauſed (ſay the Philoſophers) from the aſcending up of vapors out of the ſtomach, which ſtop the paſſage of the animal ſpirits from the brain; which vapours when they are ſpent, and the paſſages p. 74are clear again, man waketh, and the ſenſes return to their exerciſe. Be the cauſe what it will, certain it is, it is neceſſary in order to the holding of our ſouls in life: we muſt have a power both to ſleep and to wake, and this power muſt be preſerved; and by the upholding and preſerving of this power and faculty, both men and beaſts are upheld, preſerved, and kept alive. Now I ſay, this is Gods work; he that made the deep ſleep at firſt to fall upon Adam in the day in which he was created, Gen. 2.21; makes ordinary ſleep to fall upon all living creatures. He giveth ſleep to his Beloved, Pſalm 127. v 2. It is a piece of his promiſe, Prov. 3.24, Thou ſhalt lie down, and thy ſleep ſhall be ſweet. David complained, that God held his eyes waking, Pſalm 77.4. And thus I have ſhewed you, how God preſerveth both man and beaſt, by upholding and preſerving thoſe powers and faculties in their Bodies, by which they are kept in life, and their Being is preſerved.

2. But both men and beaſts are very ſmall when they firſt come into the World. Their Beings afterward increaſe; and this muſt be by a natural power, which God the great Creator hath created in them at firſt, and made every creature to be brought forth with, without which it could not grow beyond its proportion in the firſt day of its production into the World. This is that which the Philoſopher calls Facultatem Auctricem; the power by which the living creature grows and increaſeth to a juſt perfection and meaſure. I ſay, a juſt meaſure, for no creature groweth always. The God of Nature hath ſet a juſt meaſure to every Being: This Power alſo muſt be upheld, or the World would be full of none but Children, and very ſmall beaſts. The Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſalm 104.14, He cauſeth the graſs to grow for the cattel; and by a parity of Reaſon, he muſt alſo cauſe the cattel to grow for the graſs. Chriſt hath taught us, that we cannot add one cubit to our ſtature: It is true, man and beaſt grows to both their juſt dimenſions by a natural faculty; mans growth ſtops at thirty years, or under, by a natural Law. But God at firſt created in them this Natural faculty; and God by a daily concourſe of his Providence upholdeth, enliveneth, and aſſiſteth this natural faculty, and by this particular act of his Providence he doth preſerve and uphold both man and beaſt, as in their Beings, ſo in their juſt dimenſions and proportions in which we ſee them ſupplying and adorning the World.

p. 753. But thirdly, Suppoſing all living creatures preſerv'd and upheld in their ſeveral lives and beings by Gods upholding and preſerving thoſe ſeveral powers and faculties in the object of their nouriſhment, by which they are made fit nouriſhment for their bodies: and thoſe ſeveral faculties in their bodies, which are the ſubjects to be nouriſhed, by vertue of which they deſire their due food, concoct, digeſt it, &c. and to uphold the juſt proportions of creatures in the World, by preſerving and upholding in them that faculty by which they dilate themſelves, grow, and increaſe to the law of Magnitude which the great Creator hath ſet for them: yet if they had not all a ſeveral power to propagate their ſpecies or kind, the World, or at leaſt the living creatures in the World, would quickly ceaſe; the days of mans life are three or fourſcore years, the days of moſt other creatures much leſs. God hath therefore created all living things with a power to propagate their ſpecies, ſome one way, ſome another: of all he hath, he ſaith in the day they were created, Let them increaſe and multiply: and hath created ſeveral powers and vertues in them, by which, as all ſpecies, ſo moſt individuals doth ſo. To ſome individuals of moſt kind he denieth this, or at leaſt concurreth not by his Providence to the effects of it. Some Men and Women are barren; ſo are ſome beaſts: generally not ſo: and this is another act of Divine Providence, by which he preſerveth both man and beaſt, and eminently attributed to God. The Rabbies tell us of three Keys which God keepeth: the Key of the Clouds, of the Womb, of the Grave. None can give Rain but God; none can open the Graves but God; none can open the Womb but God. Pſalm 113.9, He maketh the barren womb to keep houſe. Pſalm 127.3, Children are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. It is as true of other creatures as of man; He turneth a fruitful land into barrenneſs, Pſalm 107.34. It was Gods Promiſe, Exod. 23.26, There ſhall nothing caſt her young, nor be barren in thy land. Deut. 7.14, There ſhall neither male nor female be barren amongſt you, nor amongſt your cattel. The flocks of the field and of the air, the herds of Cattel, the multitudes of Fiſh in the waters, the numberleſs Families of the Earth, they are all preſerved by the daily concurrence of Divine Providence, in the upholding of that natural power and vertue with which he hath created them, by which they propagate their ſpecies: by the propagation p. 76of which, and the multiplication, and the ſucceſſion of individuals in it, Man, and beaſt, the whole living World is preſerved.

4. There is yet a fourth ſort of Powers and Faculties, which I called thoſe faculties, abilities, or powers, which are neceſſary to every living being, for the performance of its ſeveral operations according to the ſpecifick nature of it. God alſo preſerveth man and beast, by upholding, and preſerving theſe to their ſeveral operations. The Herb hath only a vegetative ſoul, by vertue of which it grows, buds, bloſſoms, produceth its ſeed, &c. The beaſts have a ſenſitive ſoul, which works a little further: Man hath a reaſonable ſoul, comprehenſive of all the powers and vertues of the former, and extending further; he ſeeth, heareth, perceiveth things by his outward and inward ſenſes. By his Underſtanding he gains the notion of things, judgeth of them: he willeth, and chuſeth by his will, &c. Now his power to all theſe, and other operations proper to his nature, muſt be preſerved and upheld, or he can do none of theſe things. Theſe powers are not indeed all neceſſary to our being, and the keeping of our ſouls in life; but the upholding of them is neceſſary to our perfection, and the actions that are proper to the ſtations wherein we are, and the capacities in which we ſtand: God hath not only created in the Soul a power to ſee, hear, taſt, &c. and created the Eye to be the Organ to the viſive Faculty, and the Ear to be the Organ to the hearing faculty, and the pallat to be the Organ for the faculty of diſcerning taſts: but he concurreth with his Providence both to uphold the faculty in the ſoul, and to keep the ſeveral Organs in tune and order, that by and through them as means, thoſe faculties might be exerciſed; and as the upholding both the faculties and Organs, or inſtruments, the bodily members, by which they are exerciſed in their due ſtate, is the cauſe why we hear, ſee, taſt, &c. ſo Gods withholding that concurrence, as to ſome individual perſons, is the reaſon why ſome are deaf, blind, &c. For though there be ſecond cauſes of theſe infirmities, decays and weakneſſes in humane bodies, yet all theſe are under the governance of the firſt cauſe, either ſet on work by God, or permitted in their motions by God; and this is as true alſo of the Locomotive faculty, the power in man or beaſts to move from one place to another for their food and diſpatch of buſineſs: for though it be the Soul that moveth, yet it is by vertue of a p. 77power which God created in it to command the motion of the feet, for the moving of the whole body: and man moveth no longer, than this inward power or faculty is upheld by God; and his feet which are the Organs or inſtruments of motion, are kept in order free from diſlocation, or ruptures of joints or bones, or the incumbrances of troubleſome humours; the keeping of which freedom dependeth upon the influence of the Divine Power; and thus, requiritur continuus tam verbi conſervatricis, quam creatricis influxus, to preſerve man and beaſt, there is required as well a continual influence of the upholding-word, as the influence of the creating-word to give both man and beaſt a firſt being. So as Raymundus de Sabunde ſaith truly, Ut radiorum eſſe a Sole, umbra a corpore: ita omnes creaturae, a divinâ pendent conſervatione.All creatures depend upon the Divine Power for their preſervation, as the beams of the Sun for their being depend upon the Sun, and the ſhadow upon the body. I ſhall add no more to my Diſcourſe concerning this third Act of Providence, by which God preſerveth both man and beaſt.

4. A fourth Act by which God preſerveth both man and beaſt, is Gods diſcovering to his creatures the vertue of other creatures, with which he hath created them, for the amending, repairing, and recovering of the decays and diſorders to which their frail natures are ſubjected, and concurrence in the uſe and application of them: upholding the vertues in them in order to that end, and bleſſing the application of them. For the delivery of his creatures from diſeaſes and accidents to which they are ſubjected, Meſua the great Arabian Doctor, is ſaid to have cried out, Solus Sanat languores Deus.That God alone doth heal ſickneſſes and diſeaſes. God made man healthy, in the day wherein he was created, and moſt think he ſhould have continued ſo, if by his fall he had not diſordered the craſis or temperament of his bodily humours, corrupted the air, brought a curſe upon the Earth, which hath ever ſince brought forth as well bryers and thorns to prick and offend his fleſh, as herbs and fruits to increaſe and nouriſh it. Man is ſubject to a variety of diſeaſes in all parts of his body, from the predominance of humours, the ill affections of the air, of his food, &c. The Heathens had ſome notion of this: Their Elegant Poet cries out,

Audax Japete Genus

Ignem fraude malâ Gentibus intulit

Poſt ignem aetheriâ domo

Subductum macies, & nova febrium,

Terris in cubuit cohors, &c.

p. 78That was their Fiction; That one Prometheus ſtole fire from Heaven, which Jupiter had hid up, and diſtributed it amongſt men; whence he ſaith came ſickneſs, and a whole troop of agues, and fevers, and death. Faith makes a better diſcovery: it tells us man fell from the ſtate wherein he was created, loſt the Image of God, brake Covenant with him, and ſo became ſubject to ſickneſſes, unto death, &c. Yea, ſo ſubject are we, that if every one that falls ſick ſhould die, men eſpecially would fail from the Earth; but to prevent this, as God in the day when he made Heaven and Earth, created divers qualities in his creatures, by which they have a ſanative or healing vertue for various Diſeaſes: ſo his Providence is daily working, and daily ſeen in this thing, in two particulars:

1. In diſcovering to ſome of his creatures theſe hidden vertues. The Phyſitian indeed ſtudies, and makes experiments; and upon the exerciſe of his reaſon, and the demonſtrations he makes, directs the Apothecary to compound Medicines; but his God inſtructeth him to this diſcretion; and we may reaſonably ſo conclude, when we find the Prophet, Iſaiah, ch. 27. v. 29, affirming it concerning the diſcretion of the Threſher, not threſhing the fitches, nor turning the Cart-wheel upon the Cummin; and this is a work of daily Providence; as every day produceth new Methods of the Phyſiſitians practice, new Medicines and Compoſitions, &c.

2. Secondly, In upholding the Vertues of thoſe herbs, roots, &c. that are made uſe of, in order to our healing, ſo as they have their effects in removing our diſtempers, and healing us. The ſtrength of the body muſt be upheld, and the faculties by which it is enabled to take in, and apply, and retain the Medicine: and the vertues, faculties and powers alſo of the drugs, herbs, plants, ſeeds, &c. muſt be upheld alſo: both of them are by the mighty powerful concourſe and power of God: hence the Scripture attributeth our healing unto God; I am the Lord that healeth you, Exod. 15.26. And the Pſalmiſt ſaith, He healeth all our diſeaſes: I wound, and I heal, Deut. 32.39. Hence Aſa is rightly blamed for truſting in Phyſitians more than in God. Phyſicians are Gods Ordinance, they are to be uſed, but not to be truſted in. God muſt diſcover the healing-Medicine to them: God muſt uphold the healing-vertue in the Medicine when uſed by them, and the faculties alſo in their Patients, by which they muſt be inabled to take, uſe, and apply the Medicines they adminiſter And thus p. 79now have I ſhewed you, how God by the ordinary workings of his Providenee, every day worketh in the preſerving man and beaſt, conſider'd as Individuals.

5. But as in the production of things into being, notwithſtanding the ordinary rule and law of Nature generally obſerved, there are ſome Anomalies or deviations; ſo in the preſervings of the creature, in the workings of Divine Providence, God who will not be tracked in any of his ways, maketh ſome Anomalies, turns out of his ordinary road in ſome ſpecial caſes. Ordinarily he worketh by means natural, and to the Eye of Reaſon probable means: ſometimes he will do his work without means, or without ſuch apparent probable means, or, by what our Reaſon ſhall judg, quite contrary to the end: He will walk ſometimes in a natural courſe, ſometimes contrary to it; Theſe we call Miraculous Acts of Divine Providence. The Bodies of ſome of his people ſhall be ſometimes upheld a long time without nouriſhment, without natural Reſt, without ſenſible breathing; healed without proper applications of Phyſick. Many inſtances of which we have in the ſtory of the Evangeliſts, and of the Acts of the Apoſtles: but theſe are ertraordinary and ſpecial; and my buſineſs is not to diſcourſe thoſe workings of Providence which are unaccountable to us.

6. Laſtly, There is a ſpecial providence of God in preſerving man, that is yet further conſiderable by us. We have hitherto only conſidered the preſervation of men as Individuals, man conſidered as a ſingle perſon by himſelf. I muſt further conſider him as a political creature, involved in Society, and ſhew you the workings of Divine Providence in preſerving Bodies-Politick, and the Societies of men: and then (3dly, as a ſpiritual creature, capable of the Grace of God, and being made partaker of it. Niſi vegitaret Deus, cum ego dormio niſi me defenderet & cuſtodiret cum ego ſim ſecurus fieret ut omni momento more &c. Luther.I ſhall conclude this Diſcourſe ſo far as I have already carried it on, with that ſaying of Luther: If God watched not when I ſleep, if God did not defend and keep me when I am void of care, I ſhould die every moment, and every moment be loſing either an hand, or an Eye, or an Ear, or a Foot. I ſhall further at this time only apply what part of this Diſcourſe concerning preſerving-Providence you have already heard.

Ʋſe 1 This in the firſt place may ſerve to give you a view of the immenſe and glorious Nature of God. Oh! that men would fear this great and dreadful Name of the Lord our God. p. 80The Lord who preſerveth both man and beaſt! How great, how glorious muſt the God whom we ſerve, be, if what you have heard be true? But to open this a little in a few Particulars:

1. It may ſatisfie you in that great truth of Gods Immenſity. The Schoolmen ſay, God filleth the Heavens and the Earth, & infinitum ultra Spatium, an infinite ſpace beyond. The Scripture, Jer. 23.24, ſaith. Do not I the Lord fill Heaven and Earth? It muſt needs be ſo. The Heavens and the Earth are creatures, and they are all full of living creatures. So are the great and wide Seas: all theſe creatures muſt breathe, be nouriſhed, reſt, grow, and increaſe, multiply their ſpecies, be renewed daily; they have all their ſeveral and various motions and operations: for theſe, they have powers, and faculties; all theſe (as you have heard) are upheld by God by the daily concourſe and influence of his Divine Providence; he muſt heal their diſeaſes, reſtore their lapſes and decays. How could all this be, if he were not every where filling it with his Eſſence, Preſence, and Power?

2. Secondly, From hence you may conclude, The Activity of the Divine Eſſence. You muſt not think that the great God is in any place, as a ſtone which indeed filleth the place, but moveth not, acteth nothing; He is in the World, (ſay the Heathen Philoſophers) as a Maſter of a ſhip, is in a ſhip, as a Moderator; as the Soul is in the Body, which is in every part of the Body, enlivening and actuating every part. God is totus actus, all Act. He worketh (ſaith our Saviour); hitherto my Father worketh: Take heed of making an Idol of God in your ſecret thoughts and apprehenſions of Him. Our fear of God, our love, our homage to him, will all be proportioned to our apprehenſions of him; it is therefore of great importance for Chriſtians to have right notions and apprehenſions of God, otherwiſe they will never glorifie him as God; and needs muſt his Being be an active working Being, if (as my Text ſaith) he preſerveth man and beaſt. They in all places have need of the Activity of God every hour, every moment.

3. Thirdly, This may teach you to apprehend the great God, as the Pſalmiſt doth deſcribe him, Pſalm 113.5, 6, Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high: who humbleth himſelf to behold the things that are in the Heavens, and in the Earth? This p. 81beholding is not an idle view, and beholding of them neither, as followeth there, ver. 7. He raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt; and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil. God is not in the world as a King is in his Kingdom only. A King is a body, that muſt occupy, and take up but one ſpace; there he is, and influenceth his dominions by his Laws, Edicts, and the miniſtry of inferiour Magiſtrates. But this great Lord is in all places, Quis diſpoſuit membra culicis, & pulicis, ut habeant ordinem ſuum, & vitam ſuam? quis diſpoſuit iſta? quis fecit iſta? Aug.hath his hand in and upon every natural action. It is Auguſtines meditation: Who (ſaith he) hath diſpoſed, and ſet in order, the members of the flea, and of the gnat, who hath given them life? Conſider but any little beaſt, what you will, who hath made them? upon Pſal. 147. The uſual prejudice againſt this Doctrine in our thoughts is, that it ſeems to be an employment too low for the great God, to uphold the faculties of the meaner and more diſhonourable part of his creatures: but Ambroſe anſwers it well. If it were not beneath the honour of God to make them, it is not beneath his honour to uphold and preſerve them; in the mean time how doth God humble himſelf in theſe his acts of Providence? Who is like unto our God, who humbleth himſelf thus to behold, and look upon; to care for, and look to the meaneſt of his creatures?

4. But this Doctrine ſhews us God admirable in nothing more than in his patience and long-ſuffering. Hath any of us an appetite to our meat and drink, a power to digeſt and concoct it, it is the Lord that gives it: have we a power to move our tongue to ſpeak, our feet to walk, our body to any natural actions? all this is from the Lord, who is wonderful in working. Oh how patient is God with the drunkard, with the liar, the profane ſwearer, with all ſorts of ſinners, who uſe their bodies, or the ſeveral members and parts of them, to the profaning, abuſing, blaſpheming of his holy name; or in doing, or in order to the doing of any actions in the violation and contempt of his holy and righteous Laws. Why do they go on deſpiſing the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth them to repentance? but after the hardneſs and impenitency of their hearts treaſure up unto themſelves wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Who will render unto every man according to his deeds, Rom. 2.3, 4, 5. Yea, and the Lord is not ſlack, as ſome men count ſlackneſs, but is long-ſuffering p. 82to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, 2 Pet. 3.10. Thus far this Doctrine may inſtruct you concerning God.

Secondly, Ʋſe 2 It may inſtruct us a little concerning our ſelves. I remember the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 139, 14. cries out, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Certainly every one of us may ſee reaſon to cry out, O Lord! I am fearfully and wonderfully preſerved; the truth is, none of us think upon it as we ought to do. If a man would ſit down, and think how many bones are in the body of a man, a diſlocation of any of which would make his life, without ſpeedy help, very uncomfortable to him; how many nerves, arteries, muſcles; how many parts, humours, &c. What offices they have, how many paſſages are in his body, how many ways they may be ſtopped, what faculties and powers are in theſe, how theſe are upheld to their due operations; and in them, how many things are noxious to, and at enmity with man; he would think the life, the health of every day almoſt a miracle, and cry out, O Lord, I will praiſe thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully preſerved: we live by a miracle almoſt every hour. Study this, it will much contribute to your being in the fear of the Lord all the day-long. And that is the laſt uſe that I ſhall make of this diſcourſe, ſo far as I have carried it on.

Learn here what an Argument this point affords. Ʋſe 3

1. For the defaming of all ſin, and diſobedience to the divine will.

2. For the promoving of piety, indeed in all the parts of it.

Firſt. How ſhould this defame ſin to every ingenuous ſoul, and that two ways. 1. As it ſheweth it to be a moſt audacious daring of a juſt and holy God. I remember a paſſage God uſeth to his ancient people the Jews, Hoſ. 2.9, She did not know that I gave her her corn, wine and oyl, which ſhe prepared for Baal; therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedneſs; and I will diſcover her lewdneſs in the ſight of her lovers. Doth the man who uſeth his tongue to lying, curſing, ſwearing, blaſpheming, reviling, know that it is God that upholdeth that faculty by p. 83which he ſpeaketh? Doth the glutton and the drunkard know that it is God that gives him an appetite, a power of concoction, and digeſtion, attraction, &c. Doth the ſinner know, that it is God who giveth him air to ſuck in, and a power to ſuck it in? doth he know that it is God who hath given him that hand, and a power to move that hand, which from the malice of his heart he ſtretcheth out to work iniquity? Oh! what a daring of an holy and righteous God muſt all ſinning with our bodily members be! Methinks the bold and daring ſinner ſhould think with himſelf theſe two things. 1. That he who gave him theſe natural powers, can alſo at pleaſure take them away. 2. That he can do it with the greateſt eaſe imaginable. It is but the withdrawing of this hand of Providence from us, our natural powers fail; our faculties are all loſt. When a man is uſing his tongue to lye to his neighbour, to curſe him, to ſwear profanely, and to blaſpheme God; methinks he ſhould thus think with himſelf, How eaſily can God ſtop my breath, withdraw that hand from my tongue which upholds my faculty to ſpeak. Methinks he ſhould remember the inſtance of Ananias, and Saphira, and Zechariah the father of John the Baptiſt, but for a few words of unbelief. When a man is ſtretching out his hand to work any iniquity, methinks he ſhould remember how eaſily God could do by him, as by Jeroboam, When he ſtretched out his hand to lay hold of the Prophet, and his hand preſently withered. If any of you lent your hand to one that were blind, or lame, and he ſhould ſpit in your face, revile you, &c. would not you think it a ſtrange daring of you? Oh! what a daring of an holy, juſt, and powerful God it is for a man wilfully and preſumptuouſly to uſe a member of his body, or a power, or faculty of his Soul, knowingly, and preſumptuouſly to ſin againſt God? Thus this Doctrine may ſerve to defame ſin to every ingenuous ſoul, as it neceſſarily muſt be an impudent daring of a juſt and holy God.

2. But it defameth it further, As it ſpeaketh it an act of the higheſt ingratitude imaginable. Ingratitude ſoundeth ill, very ill in the ears of humane nature; ſo ill, that an Heathen could ſay of it, Call a man an ingrateful man, and you call him all that is naught: it is a very great vice. Every ſinner muſt ſay, If God had not been ſo good to me, I had not been ſo evil againſt him. The Drunkard muſt ſay, If God had not aſſiſted p. 84me to my natural action in drinking, I could not have diſhonoured him by that exceſs. The like muſt every ſinner ſay, the lyar, the ſwearer, the adulterer. God hath nothing to do with the obliquity of their action; but to the action ſo far forth as natural, his Providence aſſiſteth, upholding the natural faculties to their natural Operations. And do you thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people? Is this your thankfulneſs to God for Gods aſſiſtance of you in the uſe of your faculties, for the neceſſary uſes of your life? I gave thee cloth, ſaith God, to cover thy nakedneſs, thou makeſt it to ſerve thy pride; my creatures to ſilence thy natural paſſions of hunger, and thirſt, and thou uſeſt it to ſerve thy Luxury. I gave thee a tongue to interpret thy mind to thy neighbour, and to praiſe me, and I aſſiſt thee in the natural uſe of it: thou uſeſt it to ſwear, curſe, to blaſpheme my great and ſacred name. I gave thee an hand, and aſſiſt thee in the uſe of it, that thou mayeſt get bread, and do the works of thy calling in order thereunto: thou uſeſt it to ſmite with the fiſt of wickedneſs, to perſecute and oppreſs my people. Thus the ſinner turneth the gifts of God into weapons with which he fighteth againſt him. I remember a quite contrary reſolution in holy David, Pſal. 116, I will (ſaith he) take the cup, of ſalvation, and praiſe the Lord. I know, that Poculum ſalutis is capable of other interpretations, which are alſo given according to the various fancies of Interpreters. But why may not we interpret it thus? I will take that very mercy which, thou haſt ſhewed me, and uſe it, and improve it for thy honour and glory. Certainly thus we ought to do as Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. did by her child Samuel, which ſhe had begged and received of God. She takes her child, and at the return of the year carrieth him up to Hieruſalem, and ſaith, For this child I prayed, and the Lord heard me; hath given me my Petition which I asked of him: Therefore alſo I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he ſhall be lent unto the Lord. But of this more under the next head; to which I now come, to ſhew you how far what you have heard may be uſeful. 2. To promove piety, and that both in the internal and external acts of it, in the more immediate acts of homage, which we are to pay to God, and in all the duties of an holy and pious converſation before men, in obedience to the will of God. It is not hard to underſtand upon this hypotheſis, p. 85that God doth thus concur in the aſſiſtance of all our natural faculties, in order to the preſerving of us, how reaſonable it is, that we ſhould be in the fear of the Lord all the day long; That we ſhould live in an exerciſe of faith, truſt and dependency upon him; That we ſhould love the Lord at all times. And for acts of more external immediate homage, prayer and praiſe, &c. How reaſonable a thing is prayer morning and evening; doeſt thou not remember it is God that muſt concur to give thee ſleep in the night, a power to breath, to move, to work, to eat, to drink, &c. and give me leave to tell you, if you do not think the ſleep of the night, or a ſtrength to labour in the day, an appetite to thy meat, a power to digeſt it, a liberty and power to breath, mercies worth the asking; it is becauſe thou haſt not wanted them much: will you not every day have need of the uſe of your ſenſes, your hands, your tongue, your feet, your ears, &c? do not you think them mercies worth the asking? Go to the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, and thoſe that lye on ſick-beds, and enquire of them; they will better inſtruct you in the value of theſe things. Do not you know what to pray for ſo often? this Doctrine will ſhew you in part; pray that God would preſerve your life and being, uphold your powers and faculties, &c. And Praiſe is as reaſonable as Prayer; you are every day fearfully and wonderfully preſerved. By whoſe power is it, as Peter and James ſaid to the people when they had cured the lame man? Not by our power, but by the power of Jeſus of Nazareth doth this man walk. So give me leave to tell you, it is not by your own power, nor by the meer vertue of your own faculties, with which you are born, that you ſleep, walk, diſcourſe, work, but by the mighty power of God concurring and aſſiſting thoſe faculties. Particularly, you may hence conclude the reaſonableneſs of that Religious cuſtom, (which ſome have bruitiſhly caſt off) begging a bleſſing upon your meat at meals, and giving thanks after receit of it.

Laſtly, Certainly this Meditation well digeſted, cannot but highly promove all manner of practical holineſs. For what is holineſs, but the obedience of the members of our bodies and powers, and faculties of our Souls to the Will of God, the exerciſe of them all according to the Divine Rule, and the end for p. 86which he gave them to us; and what can be more perſwaſive to this, than for us to hear, that as God hath given theſe powers, ſo God upholdeth them in exerciſe; in him we live, by him every member we have moves, and we are all kept in being: may I not therefore with the Apoſtle conclude, Rom. 12.1, I beſeech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you preſent your bodies as a living ſacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice. It is reaſonable that he who hath given you the Sacrifice, ſhould ſmell the ſweet ſavour of it. He hath provided the ſacrifice for you; He hath provided it for that end, to be a ſacrifice for him; it is therefore but a reaſonable Service. It is reaſonable that he who planteth a Vineyard, who dreſſeth, keepeth, and preſerveth it every day, ſhould have ſome of the fruit thereof. Which of you planteth a Vineyard, and Orchard, &c. and eateth not of the fruit thereof? But I ſhall add no more to this firſt part of my Diſcourſe, concerning Gods preſerving Providence.