Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 34
SERMON XXXIV.
Pſalm CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things: even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Have entred into a large field. How great a Volume might be wrote, de obſervandis Providentiae, concerning the obſervable things of Divine Providence. I have ſeen a picture (one of thoſe you call kitchin-pieces) concerning which it hath been propoſed to me, that for ſo many hours I ſhould view it as curiouſly as I could; yet the propoſer would for any wager undertake to ſhew me ſomething in it which I did not obſerve. Truly Providence is ſuch a thing, I can never look upon it, I can never take the motions of it into my thoughts, but ſome new obſervation tendreth it ſelf to my thoughts. I muſt turn my eyes from this wonderful work, for I ſee they will not be ſatisfied with ſeeing, my mind will never be filled with obſerving. Many obſervations I have already made, and behold yet a troop cometh. But they have all a tendency to the augmentation of ſpiritual Wiſdom in my own, and your ſouls. Whoſo is wiſe, will obſerve theſe things (ſaith my Text) they have a tendency to make you to underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord. Where can we be better employed? what can we better do? Methinks I could ſay with the diſciple upon the Mount of transfiguration: It is good for us to be here, let us build our ſelves tabernacles: One for me the ſpeaker, others for you that are to be my hearers. Let me therefore go on. Doth therefore any of you ſay unto me, Seer, What ſeeſt thou? I anſwer, yet once more. I obſerve in the motions of Actual Providence,
Obſerv. 21. That God commandeth his ſenſible bleſſings moſt upon thoſe individual perſons, and thoſe ſocieties of the children of men, that live in the moſt exact conformity to the Divine Rule. Here are two terms in this Obſervation, upon the Explication of which I will a little inſiſt.
Queſt. 1. What is meant by ſenſible bleſſings?
Queſt. 2. What I mean by the moſt exact conformity to the Divine Rule?
Good things are diſtributed ſeveral ways, in order to our comprehenſion of them by our underſtandings: amongſt others this is one diſtribution of them, they are either ſenſible, or inſenſible. By ſenſible good things, I underſtand ſuch as are obvious to our ſenſes, and perceptible by them. By inſenſible, ſuch as have a reality of good in them, but yet not ſuch as our ſenſes diſcern. Thus David ſaith, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, but yet afflictions are not ſenſible good things: all ſuch are the objects of our joy and delight. Now (ſaith the Apoſtle) no affliction at the preſent is joyous, but grievous, but it bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteouſneſs, to them that are exerciſed therewith. But I ſay God commandeth ſenſible bleſſings moſtly, upon perſons and ſocieties living in the beſt ſquare, and moſt exact conformity unto the Divine Rule.
2. Further yet, Senſible bleſſings are capable of a double notion, they are either ſuch as are obvious only to the inward ſenſes of thoſe that are made partakers of them: ſuch are peace of conſcience, joy in the holy God; that ſerenity and tranquillity of mind, which is the effect of righteouſneſs, the new-name which none knoweth, but he that hath it: but there are other good things, which are the objects of our more exteriour ſenſes; ſuch are health, proſperity, ſucceſs in trade, &c. bleſſings in relations, &c. Now my Obſerſation is, That the Actual Providence of God doth uſually diſtribute good things of this nature, to ſuch perſons, and ſuch ſocieties of perſons as live to the trueſt ſquare, and exacteſt conformity to the Divine Rule.
That is a general, and muſt be opened alſo. The Divine Rule, as to families and perſons, is of a great compaſs, but the whole of it is reducible to three heads: viz. Piety, Juſtice, and Charity; under each of theſe are ſeveral particulars, but none which fall not under one of theſe generals.
1. Piety conſiſts in the internal, and external acts of homage which we owe unto God. Our internal acts are, Fear, Faith, Love. Our external acts are principally Prayer and Praiſe, reading the word, &c.
2. Juſtice is an habit, diſpoſing us to give every one their due.
3. By Charity, I mean here mutual brotherly love. Now look where theſe things beſt proſper, there God commandeth moſt ſenſible bleſſings in the ordinary motions of his Provilence. Particular inſtances may be exceptions from a general rule: but ordinarily it is ſo. What the Pſalmiſt ſaith of one of theſe, is true of all, There God commandeth the bleſſing, Pſal. 133.3. There, where? it may be interpreted with reference to the words, which immediately precedes, the mountain of Zion; but I take it to be far more proper to refer it to the firſt verſe, which contains the argument of the whole Pſalm: O (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) how good, and how pleaſant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! This he illuſtrateth by two ſimilitudes; the one is the oyl which was poured upon the head of Aaron, and ran down to the skirts of his garment. Verſ. 2. The other is the dew of Hermon, that deſcended on the mountain of Zion, for (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) there the Lord commandeth the bleſſing, even life for evermore. There, where? where brethren together dwell in unity: it is as true, there, where Religion is exerciſed, where all relations give their due one to another: there God commandeth the bleſſing. Now for the proof of this, I ſhall but appeal to your experience, and what you ſee every day.
1. Look into the world, there you ſhall ſee nations of various complexions, ſome in which the true God is worſhipped in a true manner; others wherein Devils are worſhipped, or ſtocks or ſtones: or if the true God be indeed worſhipped, yet it is not as he hath directed, but by images and ſuperſtitious rites and obſervances; ſome nations that are nothing elſe but rapine and violence, and oppreſſion, full of ſtrife and hatred, and malice, and wars, and diſſenſions. You on the other ſide will ſee other Nations, amongſt whom the true God is worſhipped, and that in a true manner, where are good laws againſt oppreſſion and injuſtice, and for diſtributive and commutative Juſtice, where men are not hunted and perſecuted for their conſciences towards God. Mark if God doth not command the bleſſing of riches, trade, &c. more upon the latter than the former. It is true, ſome of thoſe Countreys where theſe iniquities are found, are naturally richer than others, in minerals, and the Native Commodities of the Countrey; but for adventitious riches, which come from Trade and Commerce, and for other ſenſible bleſſings, obſerve if they be not poured out in a greater plenty upon Nations, that in matters of Religion, civil Juſtice and Unity, have been regulated by laws conformable to the Word of God, than upon other Nations, where none of theſe things have been regarded.
2. If you will ſtraiten your proſpect, look upon any Cities, or Towns, or any kind of political ſocieties, you will ſee ſome of theſe places, ſuch as Egypt was, of which Abraham ſaid, The fear of God was not in that place, where all their Religion is to perſecute thoſe that have any thing of Religion in them. No rules of juſtice and brotherly love are obſerved, but they are full of violence, and oppreſſion, and fraud; there is nothing in them but the inhabitants biting and devouring one another, the cry of the oppreſſed is in their ſtreet. Other places you will find, where Religion is cheriſhed and countenanced; where the word of God is livelily and powerfully preached, and men live in ſome ſeeming awe of it; where rules of civil Juſtice are obſerved, and men can have Juſtice in Courts of Judicature, and the people live in peace and amity one with another; obſerve again which of theſe God moſt commandeth his bleſſing upon. I might appeal to your like obſervation, concerning families and particular perſons. But it is no more than every one may obſerve. Conſider what an Hell upon Earth, ſome Cities, ſome Families are in compariſon of others, and ſee what makes the difference both in the beauty and in the proſperity of them: And it needs muſt be ſo, if you pleaſe to conſider,
1. The natural tendency of theſe things to ſo happy products.
2. That God in purſuance of his many promiſes, doth there command the bleſſing.
Firſt, In the firſt place it will appear to be but a reaſonable motion of Providence, there to diſtribute ſenſible bleſſings, where men either in their ſingle capacities, or in their political ſocieties live in the exacteſt ſquare and conformity to the Divine Rule, in matters of diſtributive and commutative juſtice, and brotherly love and amity; if you but conſider the natural tendency of theſe things to promove the felicity of any perſons or ſocieties, together with the direct tendency of a contrary converſe to the ruin and undoing of them. Juſtice and Ʋnity, or amicable living each with other, are the two pillars of humane ſociety, as the Scripture ſaith of Rachel and Leah, Ruth. 4.11. They two did build up the houſe of Iſrael: ſo it muſt be ſaid of theſe two, Juſtice and brotherly love, they are the two things which build up humane ſociety; and the Nation which keepeth not up theſe two pillars, and preſerveth them not in thoſe due repairs, which the luſts and corruptions of men will make them to ſtand in a daily need of, will quickly fall under the ruins of them; it muſt neceſſarily be a Kingdom divided againſt it ſelf, which (as our Saviour hath told us) cannot ſtand. Where the firſt, viz. Juſtice faileth, no man knoweth what to call his own; every mans eſtate is expoſed to the fraud, violence, and rapines of his wicked neighbour. Where Amity and Ʋnity (which is the other) fails, men are continually biting, and devouring, rending, and tearing one another; none are willing to trade or traffique, or to have any commerce with any ſuch people; or if they have, it is ſo ſparingly, and with ſo much caution, as is no way conſiſtent with that liberty and freedom, and that mutual confidence each in another, which ſuch a ſtate requireth, as is capable of thoſe kind of bleſſings, or in a rational or probable way to receive them. You cannot but obſerve how every one is willing to be acquainted, and to deal with perſons that have a reputation; for moral honeſty and matters of juſtice in bargains, and barters, in buyings and ſellings, and exchange. Now the outward bleſſing of riches and proſperity, as to buſineſs, depending much upon ſociety, good underſtandings betwixt each of other, and good opinions of perſons engaged in the ſame ſocieties, which may diſpoſe men to juſt and mutual confidences each in other; it is not at all to be wondred at, if thoſe places and perſons thrive beſt, amongſt whom theſe are found which are the rational means agreeing to ſuch an end. The like might be ſaid of other moral vertues, ſuch as are temperance and ſobriety, being rational means, tending to the preſervation of mens lives and health, which are other ſenſible bleſſings. It is not at all to be wondred, that theſe bleſſings which are the end, do naturally follow the proper means, even as the thred followeth the needle in the hands of the ſempſtreſs. God hath ſo ordered it, that ends ſhall be ordinarily obtained in the uſe of means, always ſuppoſing the ordinary Providence of God, which muſt give the bleſſing upon any means uſed in order to any end.
2. But ſecondly, There is more than this in it, God in the purſuance of his many promiſes, doth there command the bleſſing. I am ſpeaking of ordinary caſes (for Gods particular deſign to chaſten any perſons, or to try them, makes an exception to theſe however general rules), God hath promiſed his ſenſible things, Matth. 6.32. To thoſe who firſt ſeek the Kingdom of God, and the righteouſneſs thereof, he hath told them, that theſe things ſhall be added to them. Godlineſs hath the promiſe as of that life which is to come; ſo of this life (as the Apoſtle tells us): the promiſe to brethren living together in unity, Pſal. 133. you heard before, there God commandeth the bleſſing (ſaith the Pſalmiſt); and (mark) what bleſſing it is, it is like the oyl poured upon the head of Aaron, which ran down to the skirts of his garment, like the dew upon the hill of Hermon, which made the Earth fruitful, the bleſſing of plenty and proſperity. And for promiſes to the doing juſtice and judgm…nt, they are ſo many in Scripture, that it were almoſt infinite to repeat them. I ſhall only commend this obſervation to you, That you ſhall quite through the Scripture find the execution of juſtice and judgment, made one term that God puts upon people, in order to the receiving of any mercy from him, and injuſtice, violence, and oppreſſion, conſtantly enumerated as thoſe ſins, to which are annexed all the threatnings of taking away thoſe temporal bleſſings which a Nation doth enjoy. Indeed, unleſs prophaneneſs and irreligion, or idolatrous and undue worſhip of God, almoſt all the ſins for which you find threatnings of the deprival of temporal ſenſible bleſſings are reducible to one of theſe heads, either being failers in matters of civil juſtice, or of that brotherly love and amity which God hath required. So that this is as a very ordinary, ſo a moſt reaſonable motion of Divine Providence, and what we cannot but in reaſon expect from its hand. But I come to the Application of this diſcourſe.
Ʋſe 1. As my other Obſervations, ſo this alſo is of great uſe to us, to increaſe in us ſpiritual wiſdom, and to make us underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
1. To increaſe in us ſpiritual wiſdom. Wiſdom is a practical habit, diſpoſing us to order our affairs in the beſt manner, in order to our own good. Good is that which every man deſires; who will ſhew us any good, is the general language of the world. There be many (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? And though the hearts of Gods People be after ſpiritual good, Lord (ſaith David) lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me: yet this is not that good which the many look after, but the increaſe of their corn, and wine, and oyl. We will take men at that advantage, and ſuppoſe the queſtion to be what courſe a man ſhould take to be bleſſed with corn, wine and oyl, with the good things of this life, long life, riches, trade, ſucceſs in worldly affairs: if this obſervation be true, the beſt courſe, is for Nations, Cities, Perſons to govern themſelves, by the Divine Rule, to ſet up and promove the profeſſion and practice of Religion; to execute juſtice and judgement, to live in brotherly love, unity and amity one with another. Whoſo therefore would be wiſe for himſelf, according to the worlds meaſures of wiſdom, is obliged to this: hence it is that in Scripture, and eſpecially in the book of Proverbs, the ſinner is called a fool, the godly man is counted a wiſe man; and the truth is, whether perſons conſider themſelves, as beings ordained to an eternity, or meerly as fleſh and blood, and bodily compoſitions, who (as is natural to all creatures) have a natural deſire to live, as long as they can, and as free from pain and miſery as they can, and with as many ſweetneſſes, and advantage of life as they can, I ſay, which way ſoever men will conſider themſelves, or whatſoever they will place their ultimate felicity in; whether it be in the enjoyment and viſion of God to eternity, or in living long, and happy; Still it is their higheſt wiſdom, both in their perſonal capacities, and in their relative capacities, as they ſtand related to others in their political, or oeconomical relations, as Princes, Subjects, Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Maſters or Servants, to govern them according to the rules, and by the ſquare of the word of God. Now the obſervation, I ſay, of theſe ordinary diſpoſitions of Divine Providence, muſt therefore be exceedingly conducive to the increaſe of ſpiritual wiſdom in our ſouls.
2. This Obſervation will alſo teach us, to underſtand the loving kindneſs of the Lord. The glory of God is by all Chriſtians, confeſſedly, the end of mans creation, and ought to be made the end of his action; but herein appeareth the tranſcendent goodneſs of God, That no man can act for his glory, but he muſt alſo by the ſame actions conſult his own good, and be wiſe for himſelf. So that in truth there is no man ſerveth God for nothing, but in the ſame action, by, and in which he obeyeth God, he alſo conſulteth his own life, health, riches, ſucceſs in buſineſs, and whatſoever can contribute, not only to his eternal felicity, but to his felicity, and happineſs in this life. Now how wonderfully doth this ſpeak the love of God to the children of men? Every mans reaſon will tell him, that there is a duty of homage, and honour which is due from man unto God. God is our Creator, we are his creatures. In him we live, move and have our being, and equally depend upon him for our preſervation, and ſuſtentation from his Providence, as derive from him as our Creator and the firſt Author of beings to us. Now as it is in the power of any man in the cauſe, to preſcribe the honour and homage which ſhall be grateful and acceptable to him; ſo undoubtedly it was in the power of God, and free to him, to have preſcribed us an homage and ſervice that ſhould have impeached, and prejudiced, or ſome way diſadvantaged us, as to our external felicity, and the accommodations of this life, which ſhould make it ſweet to us. But in this ſee the great loving kindneſs of the Lord, That no man can poſſibly at more advantage ſerve himſelf, and the good of his Family, or City, or Country, than by ſerving God, and indeavouring to ſquare his whole converſe, to the rule of Gods word; governing himſelf by the Scriptures, and the rules of life which it gives: nor doth God require any thing of us that is ungrateful to that true Reaſon which is in every man. All the commands of God, do but pinch us in the exerciſe of our Luſts and Paſſions: the exerciſe of which (if they have their liberty, and were not by a Divine Law reſtrained,) would have no better an effect, from their natural tendency than the imbittering of our lives, by aches and pains, and grievous diſeaſes; by the rebellion, croſneſs, and undutifulneſs of our relations; by a liberty to injuſtice, fraud, deceit, and oppreſſion. This is a great demonſtration of Gods loving kindneſs, that in his rules for the government of us, he hath twiſted our intereſt with his own, and made it neceſſary, for thoſe who moſt conſult his honour and glory, moſt to conſult their own good and happineſs, and that not only as to a life to come, but as to this life alſo.
Ʋſe 2. We may learn from hence the true reaſon, why the moſt of men are curſed with the want of temporal bleſſings; I ſay the moſt of men, for what I told you before muſt be remembred; that from theſe general rules, we muſt always except thoſe particular cauſes, where God either for the puniſhment of ſome ſins in his people, or for the trial of their faith and patience, (having reſerved a better portion for them in the world to come) doth think fit to exerciſe them, with the denial of the ſenſible bleſſings of this life. But ſetting aſide thoſe caſes, the general cauſe is, their not living up to that conformity, or ſquare, to the Divine rule to which they ought to live; but either failing in the duties of piety, and exerciſe of Religion, to which the Divine law bindeth them, or in the duties of probity and moral honeſty, juſtice, temperance, ſobriety, unity and amity, which the ſame Law doth require of them. What wonder is it to ſee the lazy ſluggard poor? Hath not God ſaid to him, Prov. 6.9. How long wilt thou ſleep, O ſluggard, when wilt thou ariſe out of ſleep? v. 11. So ſhall thy poverty come, as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Or to ſee Oppreſſors, and Gripers of their neighbour-poor: God hath told them, Prov. 10.15. The deſtruction of the poor is their poverty. Or to ſee the penurious man grow poor; hath not God told us, That to withhold more than is meet tendeth to poverty, Prov. 11.24? What wonder is it to ſee Drunkards, and Gluttons poor? Hath not God ſaid, The Drunkard and Glutton ſhall come to poverty, and drouſineſs ſhall cloth a man with rags, Prov. 23.21? what wonder is it to ſee thoſe that are companions of leud perſons, drunkards, adulterers, Gameſters, &c. grow poor? Hath not God again ſaid, Prov. 28.19. That he who followeth after vain perſons ſhall have poverty enough? O Iſrael (ſaith God by the Prophet Hoſeah) Thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thy help. Hoſ. 13.9. it is true as to mens eternal ruine, but the Prophet there primarily ſpeaks of mens deſtroying themſelves, by being the cauſes of puniſhments in this life to themſelves: men deſtroy their own lives, healths, bodys, by drunkenneſs, gluttony, uncleanneſs; their eſtates by ſloth and luxury, the comforts of their own lives, by giving an unbridled liberty to their luſts, and paſſions, indulging the luſtings of their fleſh. The righteous God is not to be accuſed for any of theſe things. He hath given men a righteous law, which to their reaſon approveth it ſelf to be holy, ſpiritual, juſt, and good, but they are carnal, ſold unto ſin, ſlaves to their appetites, to their ſenſual faculties; and either ruine themſelves by their irreligious, or immoral behaviours, and doing thoſe things over, which if God had not by his ſevere threatnings in his word, hung a ſword of Divine Vengeance; yet in themſelves, and of their own nature they have a tendency to deſtroy life, health, to waſt and conſume eſtates, and to deprive them of all thoſe good things which may accommodate their lives, and make them ſweet, and pleaſant to them: and in the day of their affliction they muſt lay the fault upon themſelves, and excuſe God in the motions of his Providence, acknowledging that it hath but fulfilled his word, and brought to paſs the juſt threatnings of his word; nay not ſo only, but that it hath only brought natural things to paſs in a natural order, and by natural ways and means; ſuffering poor ſinful wretches, to walk in their own ways, and then penally producing the effects, the natural and proper effects of ſuch courſes, and giving them the fruit of their own doings, filling them with their own ways, and with that calamity and miſery, which they like fooliſh people have pulled down upon their own heads, and could reaſonably expect no other iſſue than what they meet with.
Ʋſe 3. In the laſt place, how doth this call upon all men after the example of holy David to make the word of God a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their paths? Not to be conformed to the world, but transformed through the renewing of their minds, that they may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, Rom. 12.2. You remember I reduced the whole will of God concerning us to three heads: indeed two comprehend all, 1. Piety towards God. 2. Probity or honeſty of converſation before men; now that laſt comprehendeth all acts of juſtice, and charity, or kindneſs and Brotherly love.
1. Let Magiſtrates command their Subjects, Maſters of Families command their Eamilies the fear of the Lord; and ſet examples of Religion before them; let them give people liberty to ſerve and worſhip God, and exhort and encourage them to do ſo. Let them reſtrain irreligion, and prophaneneſs; obſerve if thoſe Nations, thoſe Towns and Cities, thoſe Families do not moſt thrive, amongſt whom God is moſt ſtrictly ſerved and worſhipped; if in thoſe places where there is leaſt of Religion, there be not alſo moſt beggery and poverty, like an armed man ruſhing in upon them. Hark what Solomon ſaith, Prov. 3.13. Happy is the man that findeth wiſdom, and the man that getteth underſtanding. v. 16. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left riches and honour.
2. Let every one maintain juſtice and judgement, giving to every one their due, according to the capacities in which they are: Magiſtrates truly diſpenſe diſtributive juſtice, giving out rewards to good men, and inflicting puniſhments upon evil men, according to their merits; diſcountenancing all violence and oppreſſion, all luxury, and intemperance; in ſhort, all manner of ſin, and debauchery. Let private perſons give their due to their Superiors, their Inferiors and Equals: for what is that which God requires, but to deal juſtly? Let them be juſt in their dealigns one with another, not cozening, and cheating, and defrauding one another.
3. Finally, Let all men according to the Apoſtles exhortation, ſtudy to be quiet, to forbear biting, and devouring one another; and indeavour to live peaceably and at unity, following peace with all men, and doing what good offices lie in their power each to another, according to the command of God. All theſe things now have promiſes of ſpiritual bleſſings, and eternal happineſs of a life to come; but if that be too far off, for men who have not faith, to be affected with, and moved by; there are, you ſee, other promiſes to incourage theſe things, even promiſes of ſenſible goods, length of days, riches and honor, and whatſoever our ſenſitive appetite deſireth, and calleth good, as grateful, and acceptable to it. Mal. 3.10. Bring you (ſaith God) all the tythes into the Storehouſe, that there may be meat in my Houſe; and prove me now herewith (ſaith the Lord of hoſts): If I will not open unto you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a bleſſing, that there ſhall not be room to receive it; and I will rebuke the devourer for your ſakes, and he ſhall not deſtroy the fruits of the ground, neither ſhall the vine caſt her fruit, before the time, in the field (ſaith the Lord of hoſts). The Prophet there mentioneth but one thing, not robbing God of his tythes, but certainly it is to be underſtood ſynecdochically.
We may certainly (by warrant of that Text) ſpeak to all people, all families, all perſons. Worſhip God, ſet up the practice of Religion in all your Societies; do juſtly, ſtudy peace and amity one with another, and try God herewith, if he will not open to you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a bleſſing, that there ſhall not be room enough to receive it. We complain that poverty is breaking in upon us, like an armed man; Trade faileth, Eſtates waſte, men every-where come to beggery. We muſt lay all the fault upon our ſelves; God is not altered in the courſe of his Providence; the change is in us. The world as to matters of juſtice, is grown but one great cheat: every one ſtudies by violence to oppreſs his neighbour, the greater devours the leſs, like the fiſh in the Sea: men in their Trades and dealings, do but ſtudy to circumvent one another, and to go beyond them in buyings and ſellings, and bargains and exchanges. Men are grown generally like Iſhmaelites, every mans tongue and hand is againſt his Brother, and his Brother's is againſt him again. God never commanded a bleſſing upon any part of the world that was of ſuch a complexion. Let me conclude all with the Apoſtles words, 1 Pet. 3.10, 11, 12. He hath been perſwading in that Chapter, the relative duties of Wives, and Husbands, in the ſeven firſt verſes; verſ. 8. he ſpeaks more generally, Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compaſſion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendring evil for evil, or railing for railing, &c. Now mark the Argument he uſeth, verſ. 10. For he that will love life, and ſee good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they ſpeak no guile: let him eſchew evil and do good; let him ſeek peace, and enſue it; for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry; but the face of the Lord is againſt them that do evil. And this is demonſtrated by the frowns of his Providence upon them. The Apoſtle takes this out of Pſal. 34. So that you ſee it is the Doctrine of both Teſtaments, and what you ſhall obſerve, God confirming every day in the iſſues of his Providence daily fulfilling his word. But I ſhall add no more upon this Obſervation, and alſo here ſhut up my diſcourſes upon the Obſervanda Providentiae. And hereafter paſs on to the laſt part of my intended Diſcourſe, concerning the foreign, the difficult things of Divine Providence; in the motions of which, it is true which the Apoſtle ſaith of Pauls Epiſtles, there are many hard things, difficult to be underſtood, which ignorant and unſtable perſons are very prone to wreſt to their own deſtruction: to prevent which, God willing, I ſhall attempt ſomething in my ſucceeding Diſcourſes upon this Argument.