Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 26
SERMON XXVI.
Pſalm CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things: even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Am ſtill going on, inſtructing you to that ſpiritual Wiſdom, which the Text telleth you may be gained by, and is declared in the Obſervation of the motions of Actual Providence. I am now proceeding to a Twelfth Obſervation of this nature, which I ſhall give you thus:
Obſerv. 12. The Providence of God in the diſtribution of the good things of this life, doth in a great meaſure move circularly, though moſtly to the ſeeming advantage of ungodly men. In my enlargments upon this notion, I ſhall keep much to the ſame method which I obſerved in the former. 1. Opening it unto you. 2. Juſtifying the obſervation by inſtances. 3. Shewing you the reaſonableneſs of this motion of Divine Providence. And laſtly, Making ſome ſuitable Application.
1. My obſervation (as you ſee) concerneth the motions of Actual Providence, as to its diſtribution of the portions of this life. The Pagan Philoſophers diſtributed all the good things they had any knowledg of into three ſorts. The good things of the body, amongſt which they reckoned, long-life, health, ſtrength, beauty, &c. The good things of the mind the rich endowments of it, ſuch as knowledg, invention, judgment, wit, memory, and moral vertue, &c. and the good things of fortune, ſuch as birth, ingenuous education, honours, riches. All theſe have a goodneſs in them, which lyeth in their ſuitableneſs to the uſe of humane life or ſociety. The blind Heathen, not ſeeing the fountain-head of theſe beautiful ſtreams, aſcribed them to fortune: But they are all in the hand of Providence, that giveth to one a longer, to another a ſhorter life; to one greater, to another leſſer meaſures of health and ſtrength, &c. to one more judgment, wit, &c. than to another. But I chiefly underſtand my Obſervation of the good things, which the Heathen called, Bona fortunae, the good things of fortune, ſuch as honours, riches, &c. Theſe alſo are the Lords; he it is, ſaith Moſes, That gives us power to get wealth. And the Holy Ghoſt by another pen-man telleth us, That promotion cometh neither from the eaſt, nor from the weſt: but God pulleth down one, and ſetteth up another. Promotion doth moſtly depend upon the favour of the great men of the Earth, and you ſhall obſerve the Scripture everywhere maketh God the Author of the favour and grace, which perſons have found in the eyes of the Princes of the world.
2. Now I obſerve in the firſt place, That the wheel of Providence, in making this diſtribution, doth for the moſt part move circularly. My meaning is, that good and evil of this nature, hath (as all humane things) its turns and viciſſitudes, ſometimes to good men, ſometimes to bad men. The Heathen had ſome proſpect of this, though what we call Providence, they aſcribed to fortune, to whom they gave a wheel, to ſignifie the rotation of all theſe ſublunary contentments, in which you know the ſame ſpokes are not always up nor down; but ſometimes theſe ſpokes are uppermoſt, by and by they are at the ground; and thoſe that but now were below, are up in their place. And this is moſt perſpicuous in bodies of people, which are made up of thoſe two ſorts of men, that divide the world, godly and ungodly. There is a time when the vileſt are exalted, and the wicked walk on every ſide. This is their hour, and the power of darkneſs, as our Saviour ſaith, Luk. 22.53. And there is a time again, When ten men ſhall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even ſhall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, ſaying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you, Zech. 8.23. There was a time when the ſeed of Jacob proſpered in Egypt, Joſeph was advanced, and he was a protection to them. A while after the wheel turns, and there aroſe a King that knew not Joſeph, and then the Iſraelitiſh ſpoke in the wheel of Providence, was at the ground: but in a little while up it gets again. The Children of Iſrael go out of Egypt with colours flying, and drums beating, and Pharaoh and his Hoſt were drowned in the red Sea. This was now their hour. But ſoon after the wheels turn again, and they are almoſt devoured in the wilderneſs: But as ſoon as they were on the other ſide of Jordan, they were again in a proſperous ſtate. Soon after they were oppreſſed, firſt by one Pagan Adverſary, and then by another; but in Davids and Solomons time, it was again an halcion-time with them. And when they were in Canaan, that party of them, after Solomons time, which adhered to God, had their viciſſitudes; as they had good or bad Princes, ſo it fared with them. In the ſeventy years of the Babiloniſh Captivity, they had a very ſad time; but when that was out, they had again a kind hour: and in the very time of the Babiloniſh Captivity, they doubtleſs had great viciſſitudes; and the caſe was much different with them, when the three Children were thrown into the fiery fornace, from what it was, when they were advanced to great honours: or when Daniel was thrown into the den of Lyons, from what it was, when he was made the firſt preſident. When they were come again into their own land, it was not above fifty years before Ahaſueroſh diſturbeth their ſettlement, Ezra 4.6. After a few years more, they perfect the building, both of the Temple and City. Soon after they were oppreſſed, firſt by the Grecians, (when it was a very ſad time with them) then by the Romans, under whom they enjoyed more liberty, till after the crucifying of Chriſt, ſoon after which, God ſaid to them, Lo ammi, you are not my people. The like obſervation might be made of the Chriſtian Church-Catholick, and the ſeveral parts of it; God will not always chide, nor keep his anger for ever, Pſal. 103.9. The needy ſhall not always be forgotten, Pſal. 9.18. he hath ſaid, He will not contend for ever, neither will he be always wroth. The ſame obſervation might be made of particular perſons and parties fearing God. Jacob had his time of hard ſervice, and his time of liberty. Joſeph one while is a priſoner, another time the ſecond man in the Kingdom. David had a time, when he was hunted like a partridg on the mountains, and his time when he ruled happily and peaceably over all Iſrael and Judah.
2. The ſecond part of my Obſervation was, that as to theſe good things, the Actual Proridence of God, ordinarily moveth to the ſeeming advantage of wicked men: I ſay, ſeeming advantage upon a double account: 1. For firſt, Wicked men have no real advantage from any good things they have, their morſels are all dipt in wrath; and they turn to their real loſs and diſadvantage, as they draw out their luſts, and aggravate their eternal condemnation. 2. I much queſtion whether they have that ſeeming advantage, which they appear to have. If we conſider the diſproportion in the numbers of ſuch as fear the Lord, and ſuch as fear him not; I believe we ſhall find God, as to the things of this life, do as much for his people, as for wicked men. It is true, we ſee more wicked men than good men in places of honour and power; we ſee more of them, than of theſe proſper in the world, and grow great and rich: but therefore what diſproportion is there betwixt the number of the one, and of the other? But however, certain it is, that the ſervants of God have many of them found this a rock of offence to them, and have ſtumbled upon this temptation; ſo did Job, chap. 21. David, Pſal. 73. Jeremiah, Jer. 12.1. Habbakuk, &c. And this appearance hath been a temptation to others, to deny, or at leaſt to diſpute the Providence of God. I ſhall therefore give you a more particular account of this, when I come to open the foreign, or hard Chapters of Divine Providence. In the mean time, I take notice of it, only as matter for our obſervation, and ſuppoſing that it is ſo, I ſhall hereafter ſhew you, that it is but a reaſonable motion of Providence. But truly upon a ſtricter obſervation, I believe we ſhall find Divine Providence, as to theſe things, more circular in its motions, and equal in its diſtributions, than we uſually judg it; being deceived, by not wiſtly obſerving the diſproportion of each party in its numbers; and that of Solomon, Eccleſ. 9.1, 2. will hold, that the love or hatred of God, is not to be judged from what doth in this life happen unto men.
3. But thirdly, (which I ſhould have added to the obſervation, and crave your leave yet to add it) in the diſpenſations of ſpecial grace, and thoſe good things which are truly ſpiritual, the Providence of God is inaccountable: here the way of Providence, is like the way of an Eagle in the air, a Ship upon the S…, or a ſerpent upon a rock, it cannot be tracked. It is true, our Saviour ſaith, foreign, the poor receive the Goſpel; ſo I ſhould rather tranſlate it, as in the paſſive voice, then as our tranſlation doth, as if it were the middle voice. The poor preach the Goſpel; and the Apoſtle telleth us, That God hath choſen the poor of this world to be rich in grace, and heirs of the kingdom. And again, you know your calling brethren, not many rich, not many wiſe not many noble, &c. yet the Providence of God doth deal out ſpecial grace to the rich, as well as to the poor. Abraham, and Lot, and Iſaac, and Job, and David, and Solomon, Joſeph, and Daniel, and Joſeph of Arimathea, were all rich men; though as the number of the poor, far exceedeth the number of them who are poſſeſſors of great Eſtates; ſo the number of holy perſons of mean eſtates, bears the like diſproportion to the number of ſuch perſons, that are great, and abound in this worlds goods; neither doth the Providence of God deal out theſe riches of ſpecial grace, as if they were inheritances. Was not Jacob and Eſau brethren? yet the Lord loved Jacob, and hated Eſau. You often in Scripture read of good men, that had very bad children; and of bad men, that had very good children: Jeroboam was a wicked man, one that made Iſrael to ſin, yet in Abijam his ſon, there was ſome good thing found towards the Lord. Abijam the King of Judah, was a man that walked in all the ſins of his Fathers, 1 King. 15.2. Yet ver. 11. Aſa his ſon did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord. Jehoſhaphat, the ſon of Aſa, was a very good man; but Jehoram his ſon walked in all the ways of the Kings of Iſrael, 2 Chron. 21.5. ſo did Ahaziah his ſon. Jonathan was a good man, 2 Chron. 27; but Ahaz his ſon walked in the ways of the Kings of Iſrael, and made images for Baalim; yet the ſon of Ahaz, Hezekiah, was an excellent man. Manaſſes his ſon was a very wicked man the greateſt part of his life: indeed, 2 Chron. 33.13, 14, 15, being carried into Babylon, and bound in fetters, he beſought the Lord, and the Lord was intreated of him; and then the Scripture telleth us, That he knew the Lord was God, and he began ſomething of reformation, ver. 15. Ammon his ſon was a very wicked Prince, but Joſiah his ſon an excellent man; but we read no good of any one of his ſons. Thus as to the diſpenſations of ſaving-grace, we ſee the Providence of God is not to be tracked, ſometimes given to the ſon of a good father; at another time denied to the ſeed of thoſe in Covenant with God, and given out to the children of moſt vile and wicked parents: and this is no more than we yet ſee every day in the dealings of God. But it is time that I ſhould ſhew you the reaſonableneſs of theſe motions of Divine Providence. 1. Why the Providence of God moveth in ſuch a circular motion, in the diſtribution of the good things of this life. It will appear reaſonable to you,
1. If you conſider both Gods general relation to all his creatures, and alſo his ſpecial kindneſs, and the demonſtration of it to his people, together with his faithfulneſs to his promiſes. 1. I ſay, his general relation to all his creatures: they are his creatures, he their Creator; they by Creation his children, and he their father. It is true, they are undutiful children, and do not anſwer the law of their Creation; God may ſay to them, If I be your father, where is my honour? But yet children they are, God intends them not the inheritance, and therefore God doth by them, as Abraham by the children he had by Keturah, Gen. 25.5. To whom he gave portions, and ſent them away. A father hath many children, ſome elder, ſome younger, ſome more dutiful, whom he loveth with a more peculiar love; but he hath ſomething of a fatherly affection for them all, he giveth them all portions, more or leſs. Some have their portion in this life, as David ſpeaketh, Pſal. 17. Son remember, ſaith Abraham to Dives, thou hadſt thy good things in this life: thy good things. So Lazarus had a right to a childs portion. Joſeph ſent all his brethren a meſs, though to Benjamin he ſent ſeventimes as much as to the reſt. 2. But beſides this, ſome wicked men have another relation to God, as ſervants in ſome ſpecial ſervice, none of them are univerſally Gods ſervants; but in ſome ſpecial ſervice, many wicked men are Gods ſervants. And no man ſhall ſerve God for nothing. This was Jehu's caſe, which procured him the Crown for four generations, for the ſervice he did God againſt the houſe of Ahab. Then if we conſider, 1. Gods ſpecial kindneſs to his people, declared ſo often in Scripture, and the reaſonableneſs that God ſhould make ſome demonſtration of it, that all the world may know that God will honour thoſe that honour him; and how impoſſible it is, that the men of the world ſhould take notice of this, and be convinced of it meerly from ſpiritual rewards, of which they have no certain cogniſance, or from eternal rewards; you will ſee it but reaſonable, that God in his Providence ſhould diſpoſe, even of the goods of this life, unto his own people, though not to all, yet to many of them, and that they ſhould have their turns in theſe diſtributions of Providence, and not be always, or all of them poor and needy, or vile, and contemptible in the eyes of the world. Eſpecially ſeeing that, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Godlineſs hath the promiſe as well of this life, as of that which is to come: And our Lord hath commanded us to ſeek the kingdom of heaven, and the righteouſneſs thereof, upon the encouragement of a gracious promiſe, that the things of this life ſhall be added to them. Further, if there ſhould be no circulation of Providence in theſe diſtributions, how ſhould thoſe Scriptures be fulfilled? wherein God hath told us, Pſal. 30.5. That the rod of the wicked ſhall not always reſt upon the lot of the righteous; that he will take care that the ſpirits ſhould not fail before him, nor the ſouls that he hath made: that his anger endureth but for a moment; that ſorrow comes for a night, but joy ſhall come in the morning, &c. And thoſe many other promiſes for the good things of this life, which are made to the People of God in Scripture, though they are not to be interpreted into an extent of that latitude, as if they ſhould be the conſtant portion of the Church and People of God, or of every child of God. Yet how ſhould they be made good, if there were not ſome circulation of Providence in the diſtribution of the good things of this life; if it ſhould not go ſometimes well, as well as ſometimes ill with the Church and People of God.
2. The reaſonableneſs of this motion of Divine Providence will appear to you, from Gods love and zeal to Juſtice. Juſtice lyes in giving to every one their due; God muſt be juſt, and his Juſtice muſt be declared to the world, that all may know, that the God of Heaven is a righteous God. Now this Juſtice of God requireth ſuch a circulation of Providence, as I have commended to your obſervation. If you will but conſider, that as the whole life of wicked men is a life of rebellion and diſobedience: So God never had a Church in the world, nor any particular Saint, but had their corruptions, and were guilty of many miſcarriages, which ſubjected them to the vindicative Juſtice of God. Now for the People of God (if I may ſo ſpeak with holy Reverence) God hath tyed up his own hands, he cannot puniſh them with eternal puniſhments, he hath accepted a price, a ſatisfaction for them; ſo as now, There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus: But he hath a controverſie, even with Judah; and he muſt puniſh Jacob according to his ways, and according to his doings he muſt recompence him, Hoſ. 12.3. This can be no otherwiſe, than by denying of them ſome good things in this life, either ſuch ſpiritual enjoyments, as the denial of is yet conſiſtent with their enjoyment of the eternal inheritance, or thoſe things which concern the outward man. And as to wicked men, although their greater puniſhment is reſerved unto another life; yet it is neceſſary for the vindication of Divine Juſtice before the world, that they ſhould in this life alſo have their portion of affliction and miſery: for as to ſpiritual judgments, they are but ſecret plagues, which the world taketh no notice of, nor doth it underſtand the bitterneſs and terribleneſs of them: and as to eternal puniſhments, they, as well as the eternal rewards of the righteous, are matters of faith, and as not evidenced to the ſenſe of the living part of the world; ſo neither to be made ſo demonſtrable to their reaſon, as to inable the men of the world, from them alone, to conclude the Juſtice of God in recompencing ſinners according to their ways. So that upon this ſuppoſition, that the God of Heaven is a righteous God, that will recompence every one according to his ways, and that in the eyes of the world he will declare his Righteouſneſs: There muſt be in this life, both a reward, and a puniſhment for the People of God, and a recompence for the wicked according to their ways; and conſequently ſuch a rotation and circulation of Actual Providence, in the diſtribution of the good things of this life, as I have been diſcourſing to you. And this now gives you a reaſonable account of this motion.
If you further require of me to give you a reaſonable account, of the ſeeming inequality of the hand of Divine Providence, in theſe diſtributions, why it ſeemeth to give moſt advantage to evil men.
1. In the firſt place it is ſufficient to repeat to you, what I before told you, that it is but a ſeeming advantage. The good things of this life are not in themſelves good or evil, but as they are uſed and improved. Indeed they are ſuch as of themſelves have a tendency to make men better; but they make men better or worſe, according to the hearts they meet with. Many a mans honours and riches prove his ruin here; but they prove to many more (through the corruption of their hearts) the occaſion of the eternal ruin of their ſouls, as they give them more opportunities to exerciſe the luſts and corruptions of their hearts. As they are ſenſible portions, ſo it is but reaſonable, that the worſt of men ſhould have their portions of them; and through the predominancy of luſt and corruption in their hearts, they prove no advantages to them; but ſuch things as fat them up to the day of ſlaughter, and further prepare them for the Revelation of the righteous Judgments of God againſt them.
2. But, ſecondly, for riches and honours. The Providence of God doth ordinarily diſpenſe them out to men, according to their indeavours, and oft-times rather ſuffers men to get them, then gives them to them. Gods efficiency is indeed ſometimes diſcernable in giving men eſtates and honours, giving them favour in the ſight of Princes, raiſing them up great friends: but the moſt of men that come to great wealth and honours, arrive at them, by being only ſuffered by God to walk and proſper in their own ways. And indeed this is one reaſon, why the way to theſe great things in the world, is more open to the Sinners, than to the Saints of the Earth. Our Saviour calleth riches, the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs; and although it poſſibly was too large to ſay, omnis Dives; yet it had been true enough to have ſaid, Plerun que Dives eſt vel iniquus vel iniqui haeres, great eſtates are at firſt gotten (uſually) by ill means, and are attainments, hardly fit for thoſe who think themſelves tyed up to the rule of the Goſpel; being either got by undue ſparing, or unjuſt dealing. And the ſame might be ſaid of honours. Indeed it is not always ſo, ſometimes God throw's an eſtate into a mans lap, that is careleſs of it, and heapeth honours upon ſome that ſeek not after it: and this may be one reaſon, why in theſe diſtributions the Providence of God in the diſtribution of theſe things, moveth more to the appearing advantage of wicked men, who can uſe any arts and means to make themſelves rich and great; than of thoſe who live by a ſtricter rule, and muſt refuſe gold offered them upon ſinful terms, and honours tendred them as a price for a proſtituted conſcience.
3. Experience teacheth us, That affliction and poverty, and a mean condition in the world, and a ſcant meaſure of the good things thereof, are moſt adequate to the exerciſes of grace, and the enjoyment of communion with God. Iſrael followeth God in the wilderneſs, in the land of droughts, and apoſtatizeth in the land of Canaan. When Jeſhurun waxeth fat, ſhe kicketh up the heel, like a fatted beaſt in the paſture, that while it was lean, was tame enough: and therefore Agur prays as much againſt exceſſive riches, as poverty. Now Gods whole deſign upon the Saints, is by his diſpenſations to them in this life, to fit them for the inheritance of the Saints in light; and what he gives them, ſhall be no more, than will accompany ſalvation, and fit them for it.
As to the third thing in my obſervation, who can give an account of the thing that is inaccountable? The reaſon of it lies in this: That God will have mercy, upon whom he will have mercy: and whom he will, he hardeneth. God will proclaim to the world, that his Grace is Grace, that is, free, not to be conveyed as an inheritance from the father to the child: not depending upon the merits of parents, nor annexed to any ſecular circumſtances, nor any thing, which in this world maketh one man to differ from another. But this is enough to give you ſome rational account of theſe motions of Divine Providence. I come now to the practical Application of what you have heard.
Ʋſe 1. And in the firſt place this Obſervation will confirm us, That the love of God to mens immortal ſouls, is not to be determined from his diſpenſations of the good things of this life. In Gods ſpecial love, there is a certainty, in theſe things there is a great incertainty. Theſe the Providence of God diſpoſeth in ſome kind of Circulation; ſometimes godly men have them, ſometimes wicked men, ſometimes the Church of God, ſometimes the Enemies of God. The Providence of God (as you have heard) in theſe things moveth moſt to the advantage of the vileſt men. But leaving this more general branch of Application, I ſhall apply it more particularly.
1 To the ſinners of the world that proſper. The rod of God is not upon their backs, they are not plagued like other men: Gods Sun ſhineth upon their Tabernacles: their Bull gendreth, and faileth not; their-Cows calve, and caſt not their calves; they ſend forth their little ones like a flock, they take their Harps, and rejoyce at the ſound of the Organ (as Job ſpeaketh) riches, and power, and honour, are all with them. Three things I would take the advantage of this Obſervation to caution them againſt.
1. That they would not promiſe themſelves a perpetuity in this ſtate. As the child of God may ſay of his adverſity and afflictions, theſe things are not Eternity; ſo the ſinner may ſay of his proſperity. There is a circulation in the motions of Providence in its diſtribution of theſe things: The ſame ſpokes of the wheel are not always uppermoſt; you are now ſpokes in the upper part, the wheel will turn, and you will be lower; moſt ſinners have their day, but it is but a day. Day and night, ſummer and winter, light and darkneſs follow one another in humane conditions, as well as in time: ſome have a ſummers-day, others a ſhorter winter-day, but none hath more than their hour or day. It was Babilon's error to ſay, That ſhe ſate like a Lady, and ſhould never ſee widowhood, or loſs of children. God tells her both theſe ſhould come upon her in one day. It is the weakneſs of humane nature to look upon any thing here as permanent. Are you therefore in a ſtate of proſperity? Is it your hour? think not you ſhall never be moved. David, Pſal. 30. ſaid in the day when his mountain ſtood ſtrong, That he ſhould never be moved. God did but hide his face, and he was troubled. You may poſſibly meet with particular perſons, that are exceptions to this general rule, but hardly any body of people.
2. Let what you have heard admoniſh you not to glory and triumph in your proſperous ſtate; if you will rejoyce, let it be with trembling. The obſervation affords two reaſons why the proſperous ſinner ſhould not exceſſively rejoyce. 1. Becauſe there is a circulation in theſe motions of Providence. This was that which quieted Davids ſpirit, diſturbed at the proſperous ſtate of ungodly men, Pſal. 73.18. Surely thou haſt ſet them in ſlippery places, thou caſtedſt them down into deſtruction. 2 I have told you that the Providence of God in theſe diſpenſations ſeemeth to incline moſt to favour the worſt of men. David, Pſal. 17.13, 14. prayeth to be delivered from wicked men, who have their portion in this life, and whoſe belly God filled with his hidden treaſure. It hath been an ordinary thing for good men to ſuſpect the love of God to them, when they have met with no changes. Luther was afraid God intended to put him off with the good things of this life. But, ſaith he, I proteſted that I would not be ſo ſatisfied.
3. Laſtly, This ſpeaketh aloud to ſinners on the pinacles of the world, not to harden their hearts. Sin gives a man a baſe ſpirit, you ſhall ordinarily obſerve, that the worſt of men are moſt proud and haughty in their proſperity, and the moſt cowardly and low in their ſpirits, when an hour of adverſity comes. How ordinarily do we ſee it? If vile and abject men get a little power on their ſide, there is no living by them, their inſolencies, oppreſſions and cruelties are ſo intolerable; but let them be a little under hatches, there's none will crouch ſo baſely. But, O you fools, when will you be wiſe? O that in their days of health, they would but think they may be ſick, when they are rich, that they may be poor; that when they are the head, they would conſider they may be the tail. Proſperity then would not harden them: but it is true, which the Holy Ghoſt tells us, That proſperity ſlayeth the fool. It ſeldom doth a child of God good. Before I was afflicted (ſaith holy David) I went aſtray; but it ordinarily ſlayeth the fool. I ſhall advantage this with this further obſervation. As it is uſually obſerved, that men who have had a long and non-interrupted health, ſeldom eſcape the firſt acute ſickneſs they meet with. So it is very rare, that God entereth into judgment with a ſinner, that hath enjoyed a long proſperity, but he utterly conſumeth him; you cannot but obſerve in reading the Prophets, that as they denounced the Judgments of God againſt his own People; ſo they alſo denounced them againſt the Enemies of God, and with this remarkable difference. They ſeldom threaten judgment to them, but it was utter ruin; God would make a full end of them. But ſaith God, as to his own people, Thou ſhalt not go utterly unpuniſhed. I will make a full end of the Nations, that have carried thee away captive, but I will not make a full end of thee, Jer. 30.11, &c.
But ſecondly, Let me turn my ſelf to them that fear the Lord, and improve my obſervation as to them in three or four words.
1. Fret not then at the proſperous ſtate of wicked men. It is the great argument of the 37 Pſalm: where it is preſſed from a great variety of arguments. Remember that the motions of Providence are circular. There are two ſorts of things that uſe mightily to affect us. 1. Strange and unuſual things. 2 Things which appear to us againſt reaſon. It is no ſtrange thing, Job 12.6. Job complained that the tabernacles of robbers proſpered, and they that provoked God were ſecure, the men into whoſe hands God bringeth abundantly. Diſturb not your ſelves then if you ſee men of prodigious wickedneſs great in power, and honour, and riches, and flouriſhing ('tis but what hath always been) and trampling under foot the people of the Lord. It is no new thing that happeneth to you. A ſecond ſort of things we uſually ſtartle at, are thoſe things which ſeem to us unreaſonable; we cannot reconcile them to our thoughts, and ſuch a thing is this proſperity of ſinners: but this fancy ſpeaketh only, 1. The weakneſs of our faith. 2. And the ſhallowneſs of our reaſon. If we had faith but as a grain of muſtard-ſeed, that we could believe a life to come, and the joys of an eternal ſtate, in which theſe men ſhall have no portion; we ſhould not think theſe things of that value, but that God might reaſonably give them to wicked men. We are like ordinary people, that never were out of the Town where they live, or the Nation wherein they were born, that take that Town, or that Nation to be all the world, and think there is no place better than that which they ſee and live in. Did we believe that there is a more enduring ſubſtance? an houſe in the Heavens not made with hands, an inheritance that is immortal, incorruptible, that fadeth not away, to none of which the ungodly man hath any right at all, we ſhould never trouble our ſelves, that the Sun ſhineth a little upon the Tabernacles of ungodly men: we ſhould think it but reaſonable, that God ſhould allow ſomething of the good things of this life to vile and profligate livers. Remember how the Father of the prodigal quieted the Son that had been always with him, troubled that his brother, who had devoured his living with Harlots, had the fatted calf killed for him, Luke 15.31. Son, remember thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. The People of God, have God always with them, and are admitted to a daily communion with God; all the grace, all the glory of God is theirs. Think this reward enough for the cleanſing of thy heart, and the waſhing of thy hands; and ſeeing the ſwearers and blaſphemers, and even the worſt men of the world, are Gods Creatures, and ſome of them (though they mean not ſo), yet do God ſervice ſometimes; do not judg it unreaſonable that God ſhould give them a portion in this life. But I forbear knowing, that it will fall in my way hereafter, when I ſhall come to open the hard Chapters of Divine Providence, to ſpeak more fully to the reaſonableneſs of this motion of Divine Providence.
2. This calleth unto the People of God, if at any time they be in a proſperous ſtate to look for an hour of adverſity. The Circulations of Divine Providence admoniſh Gods People of this; no man reaſonably ſaith in the morning, that the Sun ſhall ſet no more in his Horizon, nor in the Summer, that he ſhall never feel the cold, or ſee the ſtorms of another Winter; he conſiders the Ordinances of nature, and the Circulation of theſe natural motions. It is as unreaſonable to promiſe our ſelves ſtated and uninterrupted felicity in this life, to ſay (as David) In our proſperity I ſhall never be moved. Be rather thinking what you ſhall do, if God ſhould bring you into ſuch a condition.
3. Nor do you deſpond in adverſity. Say to the Enemies of Church and Goſpel, as the Church in Micah, Mic. 7.8. Rejoyce not againſt me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I ſhall riſe; when I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. It is as unreaſonable for any to conclude at midnight, that there ſhall never be a morning, as in the morning to fancy there ſhall never be a midnight more: you have not it may be in this life thoſe full meaſures of the good things thereof, which others have; But, ſaith David, Pſal. 17. when I awake, I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſs. Some interpret it of an awaking at the reſurrection, that is ſure enough. Some of an awaking out of his afflicted ſtate; God in this life is not always ſmiting, not always grieving the children of men. The rod of the wicked ſhall not always lye upon the back of the righteous. Do not build too much upon theſe hopes, remember that God hath better things for his people, than riches and honours, and earthly power. Heaven is their portion, but yet even as to this life, do not caſt away your hope.
4. But laſtly, Be patient under all the frowns of Divine Providence. This is the method of Providence, the ſinner muſt have his hour, and that hour to the People of God will be the very power of darkneſs. The beaſts that are neareſt the ſlaughter, uſually have the fatteſt paſtures; God hath far better things reſerved for them that love him, and even in this life: He will not leave you comfortleſs, he will come unto you; if not to the reſcue of your bodies, yet to the relief, ſupport, and ſatisfaction of your ſouls. Wherefore comfort your ſelves with theſe words.