Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 1 · Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
Pſal. CIII. 19.
The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdom ruleth over all
I AM (as you know) diſcourſing concerning the Principal Acts of Actual Providence, which I told you were two: 1. Preſervation, 2. Government. All things were at firſt created by a Divine word of Power: all things are preſerved by a Divine Power; He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power (ſaith the Apoſtle). This I have done with: but Gods actual Providence doth not extend only to the upholding and the preſerving of all his creatures, but he governeth them alſo. Preſervation reſpecteth their ſeveral beings and capacities: Government reſpecteth their motions and actions. For a Diſcourſe upon this I have made choice of this Text, and chuſing it with that deſign only, I do not take my ſelf ſo much concerned to enquire into its relation to what went before, or followeth. I ſhall only conſider it in it ſelf: and ſo it giveth you an account,
1. Of the Royal Seat of the Divine reſidence, or place where God more gloriouſly manifeſts that Preſence, which yet filleth Heaven and Earth. He hath (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) his throne prepared in the heavens. 2. The vaſtneſs of his Imperial royal influence and dominion; His Kingdom (ſaith the Text) ruleth over all. I ſhall not meddle with the firſt part: it is the ſecond only which I have to do with. The Propoſition ſhortly is this:
Prop. That he whoſe Throne is in Heaven, governeth the whole Creation.
The Scripture ſpeaketh plentifully to this point of Gods Univerſal dominion, 1 Chron. 16.31, Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoyce; and let men ſay amongſt the Heathen, The Lord reigneth. Pſalm 96.10, Say amongſt the heathen the Lord reigneth. Pſalm 93.1, The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majeſty, &c. Pſalm 97.1, The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoyce. Pſalm 99.1, The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble. An Heathen Prince acknowledgeth it, Dan. 4.3, 34. But not to multiply Texts, Reaſon will evince it; every Superiour being hath a kind of natural right to rule over thoſe that are inferiour to it: and God being the Supreme Being, and the Creator of all other beings too, hath a natural right to extend a Kingdom and Dominion over all; and that not only as he is Superior to them, and greater than they are, but alſo as he is the efficient cauſe of all, the Creator of all things. But to ſpeak more particularly: we will enquire, 1. What Government is; 2. What are the Objects of this vniverſal Government and Dominion, which the Propoſition aſcribeth unto God; 3. What are thoſe ſpecial acts, by which God exerciſeth this Dominion and Government.
Government implieth three things: 1. The fixing of ſome ends. 2. A power inveſted in ſome one or more perſons, upon others, ordering and directing them in order to that end. 3. The exerciſe of this Power. The end of Government amongſt men, is uſually the peace, quiet and ſettlement of a place: Gods End is his own glory; He hath made all things for himſelf, and he doth all things for himſelf, for the fulfilling of his own Counſels and Will, in order to the glorifying of his holy Name. The Apoſtle ſaith, Of him, and for him are all things.
2. Secondly, Government implieth a power inveſted in one or more perſons in order to an end. Now that God hath ſuch a power none can deny and acknowledg him to be God; Once have I ſpoken, yea twice have I heard it (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) that power belongeth unto God. He who confeſſeth God to be almighty, and able to do whatſoever he pleaſeth, muſt own him to have a power ſufficient for an Univerſal Government. If we take Power for Authority, i. e. a Right to exerciſe a power over ſuch and ſuch objects, that alſo God hath by the very law of Nature; Hath not the potter a power over the clay? and is not the creature the clay, and God the potter?
3. But thirdly, Government implieth yet ſomething more, viz. an actual exerciſe of this power; and indeed this is the main: Actual Government is the exerciſe of a power, wherewith a perſon or perſons, are inveſted over ſome perſons, or things in order to ſome wiſe ends. But let me come to the ſecond Queſtion, viz.
Queſt. What are the particular Objects of this Divine providential Government? The Text ſaith, His Kingdom ruleth over all. I think that term all is to be expounded by three general heads: 1. The beings and exiſtences of his creatures. 2. The motions and actions of his creatures. 3. The omiſſions and obliquities of his creatures: all theſe (as I ſhall ſhew you) fall under the government of Providence.
1. The Beings and exiſtences of his creatures, the production and ceſſation of them; the giving of them Being belongs to Creation, the ordering and directing their beings under their circumſtances belongeth to Providence: ſo doth the iſſue and determination of their beings with their circumſtances; Pſalm 68.20, Ʋnto God belong the iſſues from death. Providence holdeth the key of the Womb, and the key of the Grave; he it is that killeth, and maketh alive. From that it is that one generation paſſeth, another cometh; and this holdeth to all creatures: There is not a ſparrow which falleth to the ground without the will of our heavenly Father, as our Saviour telleth us.
2. A ſecond object of this Providential Government, is all the motions and actions of his creatures: all their operations according to their ſeveral forms and natures of being. There are ſome motions and actions of reaſonable creatures: I mean, ſome of their moral actions influenced from their wills, upon which God hath no efficient influence; ſuch are mens ſins and obliquities, but there are none but he ordereth and governeth, when done and brought into effect; even with the vileſt actions of men God hath thus much to do. 1. To uphold their natural powers and faculties while they do them. 2. To order and govern them, when done, to his own wiſe ends, ſo as they ſhall iſſue in the glory of his holy and bleſſed Name: and that brings me to the Third.
3. A third Object of the government of Providence, is the Omiſſions, Errours and oblique actions of his creature. Every creature moveth not according to a Divine Rule, man only varieth; the ſtormy winds fulfil his word; the Sun, Moon, Stars, all obey his Law; man only rebels, and is guilty of thouſands of obliquities and Omiſſions. Now theſe alſo are under the government of Providence, ſome corrupt inclinations and luſtings he reſtraineth; Others he ſuffers to break out into action, then maketh the wrath of man to praiſe him. But this is enough to have ſpoken to the ſecond Queſtion, the third followeth:
3d Queſt. By what particular acts doth Providence ſhew it ſelf in the Government of the World?
1. To this I ſhall anſwer in ſeveral particulars: 1. By cauſing the production and exiſtences of his creatures, or making them to ceaſe as it pleaſeth him; He cauſeth the barren wombs, and again maketh the barren to bring forth Seven. Hence you ſhall find the multiplication of Abrahams ſeed to the number of the grains of the duſt of the Earth, or ſands upon the-Sea-ſhore, is made the matter of a Divine Promiſe. The Beings of his creatures are both the objects of his Government, and his Ʋtenſils or Inſtruments in Governing; for he governeth a great part of the inferiour creatures by the Superiour influenced with Reaſon and Wiſdom for that end. God bleſſed man, Gen. 1. ſaying, Have dominion over the fiſh of the ſea, and the fowls of the air, and every moving creature that moveth upon the Earth. Now the Lord in order to this Government, multiplieth or diminiſheth them: whence is it, but from this Providence of God, that the wild Beaſts are not multiplied to the deſtruction of man? that we are not ſo full of Lions, Bears, Tygers, Wolves, Foxes and other hurtful creatures, as we are of ſheep and Neat-cattel, though many of them often bring forth young in greater plenty than thoſe uſeful unto man? Thus alſo God ordereth the reaſonable World: ſhould men live as in the firſt age of the World, to five, ſix, ſeven hundred years; ſhould all children born live to an old age, there would be no room on the Earth, there would not be food enough for them: God therefore in order to the Government of the Univerſe, as well as for the puniſhment of the multitude of ſins committted in the Earth, limiteth the number of Individuals, and diminiſheth them; and this not only in an ordinary courſe of nature, ſhortening the periods of their life, but by ſome extraordinary diſpenſations: ſuch as thoſe of War, Peſtilence, and other fatal and Epidemical diſeaſes, by which he not only ſerveth the great end of his glory in puniſhing the ſins of men, but alſo reduceth the World to a governable body, and to ſuch a paſs, that one ſort of his creatures is ſufficient for the ſervice of another, ſo as the whole is preſerved. But this is but the firſt thing.
2. God governeth the World (Secondly) by maintaining the laws and ordinances of Nature. As there are poſitive Laws, written Laws in the Word of God, which God hath ordained for the government of reaſonable creatures: ſo there are Laws and Ordinances of Nature, by which creatures not indued with reaſon move, and work in order to the preſervation of the whole, by the mutual ſervice each of other. Thus Jer. 31.35, you read of the Ordinances of the Moon and Stars, and of Gods covenant of the day, and of the night, that they ſhould be in their ſeaſon, Jer. 33.20. Such an Ordinance you have, Gen. 8.22. While the Earth remaineth, ſeed-time, and harveſt, and cold and heat, and ſummer and winter, and day and night ſhall not ceaſe. By vertue of theſe Ordinances it is that the Sun every day riſeth, and ſetteth upon one part of the world, cauſing day and night; rejoycing as a Bridegroom to run its courſe (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh), that at ſometimes of the year it is nearer, another it is further off this, or that part of the Earth. Theſe Laws and Ordinances of Nature are nothing elſe than the affections, and inclinations of ſeveral creatures to their ſeveral motions and actions. Now theſe affections and inclinations were put into them in the day of their Creation, but the Providence of God maintaineth theſe Laws: and hence it is, that ſeed-time and harveſt, cold and heat, ſummer and winter, do not ceaſe. By this it is, that the proud waters ordinarily exceed not the bounds of the ſands which God hath ſet to limit them: The winds do not always blow from the ſame quarter, nor at the ſame rate. The Earth brings forth its variety of fruits: there are thouſands of things, of which we can give no other account than that they cauſe ſuch effects, they make ſuch motions by an Ordinance of Nature, by a Law which God imprinted upon them in the day of their Creation; and God preſerveth them by his Providence, which daily worketh in upholding theſe Laws, and regulating the creature that it moveth not, nor acteth contrary to this Law.
3. A third thing wherein the Government of Providence is ſeen, is in the miraculous ſuſpenſion of theſe natural Laws and Ordinances, according to the good pleaſure of God. Indeed this is a ſpecialty of Providence, and more proper to be handled under that head: I ſhall therefore only touch it here. It is a thing which God ſeldom or never doth, but for ſome more than ordinary declaration of Judgment, or Mercy. Thus he ſuſpended the law of day and night, to plague the Egyptians with three days continued darkneſs. He ſuſpended again the law of Nature for the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, that the Iſraelites might paſs over it in ſafety. By an Ordinance and law of Nature the fire burneth, the hungry Lions devour men; God ſuſpendeth both theſe Laws in the caſe of the three Children, and of Daniel: by an Ordinance of Nature, the Sun keepeth its courſe, and is in a continual progreſſive motion; God ſuſpendeth its motion in Joſhuah's caſe, altereth it, and maketh it to come back in the caſe of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20.10: by the Ordinance of Nature, the Earth brings forth her fruit, ſo doth the womb ordinarily; God ſuſpends this Law in Judgment; the Earth is made as Iron, the Heaven as Braſs: men commit whoredom, yet do not encreaſe; they eat, and have not enough, Hoſ. 4.10. This both demonſtrates the governance of Divine Providence, and alſo ſheweth how God exerciſeth it. This is a third Particular.
4. A fourth Particular, wherein God ſheweth his Dominion over all, and exerciſeth his Government over the whole Creation, is his influencing all creatures to their natural actions, either in a more ordinary, or extraordinary manner. Every living creature hath its natural motions, and actions, and powers and faculties in order to them, which are the principles of thoſe operations; and in the upholding of thoſe powers to thoſe natural motions and actions, God exerteth and putteth forth his preſerving power of Providence: but his extraordinary influencing of them to ſome motions and actions, which are not in a natural courſe and order, doth more eminently ſhew the Governing power of Divine Providence. That Locuſts and Caterpillers ſhould feed upon graſs and green herbs, this is but their natural motion and action according to their nature and the kind of their being; but that they ſhould come in troops, and rather feed upon one place than upon another, till they had devoured all the graſs and green herbs in Egypt, this was extraordinary: Pſalm 105.24, He ſpake; and the Caterpillers came; and did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured all the fruit of their ground. And again, Pſalm 74.46, He gave their increaſe to the Caterpiller. The ſame may be ſaid for the Flies, Lice, Frogs, and other creatures uſed as a plague upon Pharaoh: but indeed this is rather a ſpecialty of Providence, than belonging to the ordinary Government of it; though very demonſtrative of the governing power of Providence.
5. A fifth act, by which the Providence of God exerciſeth its governing power and influence, is, His daily raiſing up and influencing Governours for the Houſholds and Societies of men, and giving checks to them upon their miſcarriages, and mal-adminiſtrations. The governing Providence of God, exerteth it ſelf either more immediately, or mediately. Other creatures God ordinarily governeth by men: many of them, I mean, influencing man with Reaſon and Diſcretion, by which he ruleth, ordereth, and governeth them, though many of them be much more mighty and powerful than he: the mouth of the horſe and mule which have no underſtanding, by the Providence of God ſo influencing man, are held with the bit and bridle, leſt they come near unto us, Pſalm 32.9. The Whale is ſmitten with a ſpear, wild bulls and boars are hunted down, &c. The Ox is tamed and brought to ſerve our uſes, who are much leſs in ſtrength than he is. Men alſo are governed by men; the weaker by thoſe that are more wiſe and powerful: but whence have the Governours their wit and power, their wiſdom and underſtanding, prompting them to make Laws acceptable to the greater part of Subjects, ſo as conſpiracies are of the leſſer number, and ſubdue… …o the greater and keeps them in order? Is it not from the Lord, great in wiſdom, and wonderful in counſel? Pſalm 75.7, God is the Judg, he pulleth down one, and ſetteth up another, and by him Kings reign. God ruleth the World by Magiſtrates: which if well conſidered, would aw men to that duty of honour and obedience which they owe to thoſe that are their Superiours; and may make us to underſtand how we ought to be ſubject for conſcience-ſake, and for Gods ſake in things commanded, which we cannot ſay are contrary to the Divine Law, nor ſo appear to us, and have any manifeſt appearance of good for the government and peace of the whole. As on the other ſide, it calls to Kings to be wiſe, and the Judges of the Earth to be inſtructed to ſerve the Lord with fear, and to rejoyce before him in their great capacities with trembling: Pſal. 2.10, 11, they are but the Lords Vice-Roys; and as Jehoſaphat told his Judges, they judg not for themſelves, but for the Lord; for him whoſe Throne is prepared in the Heavens, and whoſe Kingdom is over all. They ought therefore (according to the command to the Kings of Iſrael) to have the book of the law before them, and to be reading therein all the days of their life; and where that doth not give them particular direction to have the honour and glory of God yet in their Eye, to meaſure all their laws and actions according to that Rule; to remember God is the Judg, and hath only exalted and dignified them to rule the World, or this or that part of the World by them: ſtill the Government is the Lords.
6. A ſixth particular act by which God providentially governeth the World, is, By influencing the ſouls of ſome in it to ſuch actions as more immediately tend to his honour and glory. God hath an honour and glory from the natural complexion, and conſtitution, and motions of inanimate Beings. Pſal. 148.6, 8. Thus the Heavens, and in them the Sun, Moon, Stars; from them the ſnow, rain, hail, meteors, the lightning and thunder, the cold and heat, the vapours and ſtormy winds bring glory to God: ſtormy winds fulfilling his word, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. The heavens declare the glory of God, the Earth ſheweth his handy-work, Pſalm 19.1. God hath made in the Heavens a tabernacle for the Sun, a courſe for the Moon and Stars: the very complexions of them, their natural and neceſſary motions bring God abundance of glory. Now this ariſeth from a neceſſary cauſation, they cannot but do it. The ſame may be ſaid of brute creatures, though animate, not acting upon Election: The Whale in the Sea; the Lion and Tiger amongſt the beaſts; the Eagle and others amongſt the birds; the Bee, the Silk-worm, and others amongſt Inſects: ſeveral ſorts of creeping things glorify God, but it is neceſſarily. Man only amongſt earthly creatures glorifieth God voluntarily from a principle within himſelf, and upon choice. Take mankind in the general, it is a noble piece of Gods Creation, and neceſſarily glorifieth God. Man is fearfully and wonderfully made, his body is an admirable ſtructure, but the great glory which God hath is from his ſpiritual actions. Man is not a mute Preacher of Gods glory, as the Heavens and the Earth, the Sun, Moon and Stars are, or brute creatures are. He hath a Soul, and underſtanding, will, affections; from theſe God expects a great homage and glory. But now take man in his depraved eſtate, and he doth nothing leſs; No creatures, but the evil Angels ſo much diſhonour God, and ſo croſs him in the great end of his governing the World, which is his glory. Now it pleaſeth God to influence ſome of the children of men, to ſuch actions as do truly and immediately tend to his glory, ex intentione agentis, from the intention, will and deſign of the agents; and alſo ex fine operis, from the end and iſſue of the action: ſuch are acts of repentance, faith, and all manner of holineſs. The glory of God in theſe actions, is firſt in the intention of the agent, and alſo in the iſſue of the work. Joſhua exhorteth Achan to confeſs his ſin, and give glory to God: The Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 4, That Abraham was ſtrong in the faith, giving glory to God. And our Saviour tells his Diſciples, Joh. 15.8, Herein is my father glorified, if you bring forth much fruit, the fruit of Holineſs. Now ſo depraved is the heart of man, that he neither could nor would do any of them, if not influenced and over-powered by God; Without me (ſaith Chriſt) you can do nothing. God therefore, as to actions of this nature, doth influence the heart of man, making him willing and able; ſo that as to the event the actions are neceſſary, but as to the manner of working they do them freely, willingly and chearfully: and this is another piece of Governing Providence, by which he ruleth and governeth the motions and actions of men to his praiſe.
7. A ſeventh act, by which God governeth the motions and actions of rational creatures. 1. His permiſſion and overruling their oblique intentions and actions. 1. He permitteth the doing of them. 2. He overruleth and ordereth them, when done, to his own ends. Concerning Gods permiſſion of ſin, I may have hereafter a more proper and particular opportunity to ſpeak. His overruling and ordering of them, when done, to his own wiſe ends, is what I ſhall ſpeak to, and but ſhortly in this place. It is the great art and wiſdom of a civil or military Governour, amongſt men, to make uſe of the ſeveral humours and paſſions of thoſe under his Command, to make them ſerve the great ends which he hath propoſed to himſelf in his Government. The great and infinite power and wiſdom of God in the Government of the world, is in this wonderfully perſpicuous; making uſe of the ſeveral luſts, paſſions, and humours of men to his own praiſe and glory; for God governeth man ſo, as he putteth no force upon his will: If he doth any thing that is good, acceptable, and well-pleaſing unto God, he doth it willingly and freely. The power of God indeed is ſeen in making ſome ſouls willing; he giveth to will, (ſaith the Apoſtle), not in overruling him, to do the action whether he will or no: Man acting thus freely, many men do that which is evil from the ſinful inclination of their own hearts, not corrected by the power of Divine Grace. God permits mens ſins, Act. 14.16, Who in times paſt ſuffered all Nations to walk in their own ways; but the actions being done, his power is ſeen in overruling the oblique action, beyond, or quite contrary unto the intention of the agent, to the glory of his holy and great name: this is that which the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 56.10, Surely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe him, and the remainder of wrath he ſhall reſtrain. You have an eminent Text to prove this, Iſa. 10.5, 6, 7, O Aſſyria, the rod of mine anger, and the ſtaff in their hand is mine indignation. I will ſend him againſt an hypocritical nation, and againſt the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the ſpoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like mire in the ſtreets. Howbeit he meaneth not ſo, neither doth his heart think ſo, but it is in his heart to deſtroy, and to cut off nations not a few. The buſineſs was this: Iſrael (that is, the ten tribes) had grievouſly provoked God; God was determined to puniſh them, they were an hypocritical Nation: There muſt be an inſtrument to bring divine wrath upon them. Aſſyria ſhall be the inſtrument, therefore called, the rod of Gods anger, and the ſtaff of his indignation. Poſſibly the inward cauſe moving the Aſſyrian, was his own luſt, the enlargement of his Territories; ſome revenge of himſelf, the robbing of their treaſures: he meant not ſo, his heart never did think ſo meerly to ſerve God, in the execution of his wrath; but herein was the governing and overruling Providence of God ſeen, that he ſo ruled the luſt, ambition, and revenge of the King of Aſſyria, that he accompliſhed his pleaſure upon mount Zion. And indeed thus God doth, as to all the ſinful actions of men, God will have his glory from them, but it is by the overruling power of his Providence: the ſinner meaneth not ſo, neither is it in his heart to think ſo. The perſecutor ſaith, I will ſatisfie my luſt, or I will ſupply my ſelf with moneys for the ſatisfaction of my luſt, that is his end: in the mean time God by his Providence overruleth his malitious actions, ſo as he chaſteneth his people for their ſins, and ripeneth the ſinner for deſtruction. God in this doth with ſinners, as the wiſe Faulconer doth with the Hawk: The Hawk is a bird of prey, a ravenous bird, that flyeth at the Pheaſant or Partridg for it ſelf, to ſatisfie its rapacious quality; but the Faulconer, by his art, tameth the Hawk, and maketh uſe of its ravenous quality to ſerve his own table: and this is a wonderful piece of Divine Providence in governing of the world; Moſt of the motions and actions of men in it are diametrically oppoſite to Gods glorious end, yet they are all made to ſerve the manifeſtation of Gods glory, and to bring about his great deſigns in the world. But this is enough to have ſpoken Doctrinally, to this point of the Governing-Providence of God. I cannot at this time compaſs all, which I would ſpeak of for the Application of this point.
Only let me mind you again from hence, Ʋſe 1 how great the God of Heaven muſt neceſſarily be, and that, not only in reſpect of the immenſity of his Being, as he filleth Heaven and Earth; but in reſpect of his activity and power: he is called the King of Kings, the ruler of Princes. The Perſians thought themſelves great Princes that ruled one hundred and twenty ſeven Provinces. The Turk glorieth in the greatneſs of his Empire; ſo doth the Spaniard, upon whoſe dominions, they ſay, the Sun never ſitteth. But alas! what are all theſe to the Lords Kingdom, who ruleth over all, and that after another manner than any Earthly Prince, who exerciſeth a dominion over his Subjects and Vaſſals? how juſtly therefore is greatneſs aſcribed unto God? and who is there that can be compared with him, or like unto him? The Unity of the Divine Being alſo may be concluded from hence, for if he ruleth over all, then all is ſubject unto him; and there cannot be another God imagined, but muſt be in ſubjection unto him. Indeed ſuch a ſubjection, or ſubordination, the Heathens fancied amongſt their idols. Jupiter was their ſupreme idol, others were ſubject unto him; but he is no God that can truckle under another, and be in ſubjection unto any Being. And this greatneſs of God calleth to all men to fear before him, and do reverence unto him: who ſhall not fear before that God, whoſe throne is prepared in the heaven, and whoſe Kingdom ruleth over all? and for a free and voluntary ſubjection to him, for he ruleth over all, not as a Tyrant and Oppreſſor, whoſe title lies in his Sword, but as one who is a native Prince, and hath a rightful title, not to obey whom is the higheſt Rebellion, which Samuel compareth to the ſin of witchcraft. But I muſt leave the diſtinct and full application of this Doctrine for a further diſcourſe.