Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 12 13
SERMONS, XII, XIII.
Rom XI. 33.
O the depth both of the wiſdom and knowledg of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his ways paſt finding out!
I Have finiſhed my Diſcourſe concerning the principal Acts of Divine Providence, both generally and ſpecially. I have diſcourſed concerning Gods general Acts in preſerving and governing all his creatures, and concerning God's more ſpecial preſerving and governing of ſome creatures. I am now come to diſcourſe concerning the Methods of it, concerning which we muſt cry out with this great Apoſtle; O the depth both of the wiſdom and knowledg of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his ways paſt finding out? My Text is the concluſion of an exceeding deep diſcourſe, which the Apoſtle had made concerning the Rejection of the Jews: which he proves to be neither Total, nor final. In the ten firſt verſes he proveth that it is not Total. V. 2, God did not caſt off his people, whom he did foreknow. V. 5, There is a remnant according to Election. As it was in Elias's time: he thought, and complain'd that he was left alone, and they ſought his life alſo: but he was miſtaken, God at that time had ſeven thouſand in Iſrael, that had not bowed the knee to Baal. V. 7, He ſaith, The Election had obtained, though ſome, though the moſt of them were rejected: yet the Elect amongſt them were not rejected; and this he proveth to have been but according to what was propheſied. V. 11, He proveth that this Rejection ſhould not be final: There ſhould be a fulneſs of them, V. 12. Receiving of them, V. 15. They ſhould be again grafted in, V. 23, 24. It is but (V. 25.) till the fulneſs of the Gentiles ſhould come, and then all …ſrael ſhould be ſaved. This Diſcourſe is mixed with ſeveral arguments to prove the aſſertion, and with ſeveral reflections upon the Gentiles, whoſe preſent ſtate was better than theirs: ſhewing them their duty negatively and poſitively: not to be high-minded, but humble; To fear, &c. Now look as a man wading in deep waters, when he finds the water go over his head, and trip up his heels; he cries out, O I ſhall be drowned, and endeavours to get back again. So doth the bleſſed Apoſtle; he had been wading into the great deeps of Gods counſels and ways: but he findeth that ſuch knowledg (as David ſaith) was too wonderful for him. In my Text, he doth referre pedem, draw his foot backward. I will go back, ſaith he, I will wade no further: O the depth! There are ſome truths, and ways of God which are unſearchable. We may diſcourſe a little, and more generally of them: but we ſhall never be able to find the bottom of them. It is wiſdom for us in time to retreat, and cry, O the depth! But what depth is this? The bleſſed Apoſtle tells you of the wiſdom and knowledg of God; in man knowledg and wiſdom, are two differing habits; a man may be a knowing man, yet not a wiſe man. Knowledg apprehends things, Wiſdom directs the practice to the beſt ends of humane life. Knowledg is a ſpeculative habit, Wiſdom; a practical habit. In God alſo (though he be but one ſimple act), we may conceive a difference betwixt Wiſdom, and Knowledg; but in this Text, poſſibly it is but foreign, one thing expreſſed by two terms: he is ſpeaking of the wiſdom, the unſearchable wiſdom of God in ſome particular acts of his Providence; How unſearchable are his Judgments, and his ways paſt finding out. Here are two terms, Judgments, and Ways: Both again here ſignifie, 1. the ſame thing. Judgments in Scripture, ſometimes ſignifie the ways and ſtatutes of God; becauſe of the Juſtice and righteouſneſs that is in them. By Juſtice, God meaſureth his own Words, and Laws. 2. Sometimes the Term ſignifieth corrections and chaſtiſements; becauſe God meaſureth out all theſe likewiſe in Juſtice, and in them acteth as a righteous Judg: But here doubtleſs, Judgments and ways ſignifie the ſame thing. All Gods ways are Judgments, ways of Juſtice and Equity, and Righteouſneſs. The term ways, is alſo uſed in more ſenſes than one: Sometimes it ſignifies the way of Duty, wherein we ought to walk towards God, or the courſe of mens actions; ſo you read of the way of the wicked, the way of ſinners: here it is applied to God, and ſignifies, The courſe and ſeries of his actions towards his creatures; ſo it ſignifies here. Of theſe Judgments, and ways of God, of this wiſdom and knowledg of God, it is ſaid, They are unſearchable, they are paſt finding out. Ʋnſearchable, that is, ſuch as we can by no means ſearch out, by no means come to the bottom of. The only Propoſition I ſhall inſiſt upon from theſe words, is this:
Prop. The ways of Gods counſels and Providence, are unſearchable and not to be found out.
In the handling of this Propoſition,
1. I will endeavour to prove it to you that it is ſo.
2. I will ſhew you how far it is our duty to behold, and to ſearch into them: and to ſhew you alſo wherein they are unſearchable, and not to be found out. Then I ſhall make ſome application. Let us firſt ſee how this is eſtabliſhed from Scripture: Eccleſ. 8.17, Then I beheld all the works of God, that a man cannot find out his work that is done under the Sun: yea, though a man labour to ſeek it out, yet he ſhall not find it: yea, though a wiſeman thinketh to know it, yet he ſhall not find it. A Text which muſt be underſtood of Gods works of Providence. The Wiſeman ſaith, a man cannot find them out, yea though a man labour to ſeek it, yet he ſhall not find it: He that ſpake this was Solomon, a man to whom God had given Wiſdom above all that had been before him, and ſaid that there ſhould be none after him, who ſhould be like unto him. He tells us ver. 16, That as he was indued with Wiſdom, enriched with this Talent, ſo he had not laid it up in a Napkin, but had made it his buſineſs to improve it: I have (ſaith he) applied my heart to wiſdom, and to ſee the buſineſs which is done on the earth. V. 17, you have the concluſion, That the ways of God were not to be found out; yea though a wiſe man think to know it, yet he ſhall not find it out. Pſalm 36.6, His righteouſneſs is like a great mountain, his judgments are a great deep: Not a deep only, but a great deep. The Sea is called a great deep; there is no ſounding the bottom of it in many places: For (ſaith the Apoſtle) what man knoweth the things of a man but the ſpirit of a man that is within him: even ſo no man knoweth the things of God, but the ſpirit of God; and it muſt be ſo if we conſider the infiniteneſs of the Divine Light, Wiſdom and Underſtanding; His underſtanding is infinite, Pſalm 147.5. Now it is ſaid of the works of God, In wiſdom hath he made them all: There is the infinite wiſdom of God in the works and contrivances of his Providence. The Apoſtle telleth us, he dwelleth in that light to which none can approach, 1 Tim. 6.16: and ſo he walks in that light which none can ſee, and fully comprehend: There is no ſearching out of his underſtanding, Iſa. 40.28. The way of the Lord is like the way of an Eagle in the air; of a Serpent upon a Rock, not to be ſeen, not to be tracked, Incomprehenſibilis Dei ſapientia inter anguſtias humanae rationis coarctari non poteſt. It is the ſaying of a grave Author, Gods unſearchable incomprehenſible wiſdom cannot be cooped up within the ſtraits of humane Reaſon: but the Doctrine is experimentally, and de facto, evident enough.
In the ſecond place, here may ariſe a Queſtion; How far our duty extendeth, as to the ways of Divine Providence? for certainly we have a duty, a great duty incumbent upon us to Divine Providences. I remember it is the ſaying of Cicero, Si vera eſt ſententia quorundam philoſophorum, qui omnino nullam rerum humanarum procurationem docent habere Deos; Quae poteſt eſſe pietas? Quae Religio? Quae ſanctitas? Cicero de Nat. Deorum: If the opinion of ſome Philoſophers, who deny that the Gods exerciſe any providence (or take any care of humane affairs) be true; What piety can there be? What Religion? What Holineſs. A ſentence which will let us know that there were ſome amongſt the Heathens that were leſs Atheiſts, than ſome amongſt thoſe who are called Chriſtians. Now the caſe is the ſame, ſuppoſing this Divine Procuration or Providence, if we may not, or do not at all take notice of it. Let me therefore diſcourſe a little concerning the duty of man with reference to the Providence of God; and then I ſhall ſhew you the boundaries of it, and wherein it is unſearchable. I ſhall open the firſt in three or four particulars:
1. It is doubtleſs the duty of Gods people, To ſee and behold the works of the Lord: indeed we cannot but ſee them, they are before our eyes every day. But my meaning is, to behold the things that are done in the earth, as the works of the Lord. There are too many that do ſee, and not ſee; they ſee pluckings up, and plantings of Nations and Families, but they ſee nothing of God in theſe effects. They ſay not this is the Lords doing, and therefore it is not marvellous in their eyes: They ſee Peſtilences, ſweeping away Cities and Families; fires laying populous Cities waſte: Enemies breaking in upon Countries, and ſtrangely over-running them, the hand of God ſweeping away whole Families, but they ſee nothing of God in them: they conſider theſe as terrible things, as misfortunes, to which the ſtate of Humane affairs is ſubjected; their Eyes are upon the viſible wheels that turn theſe things, but they ſee not the wheel within the wheel: the Pſalmiſt calleth to us, to come and behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath wrought in the earth. Men ſee deſolations wrought in the Earth, but they ſee them not as the work of the Lord, as deſolations wrought by him. This is what the Pſalmiſt complained of, and for which he prayeth againſt them, Pſalm 28.4, 5, Give them according to the works of their hands, &c. Becauſe they regard not the work of the Lord, nor regard the operations of his hands: he ſhall deſtroy them, and not build them up. This is a ſign of an Atheiſtical heart, to ſee great changes, and not to ſee God in them: the Heathens had more of Religion than this came to. I remember the Poet in his deſcription of the ruine of Troy, bringeth in Venus taking Aeneas of his mettal in the laſt defence of his Country, and from taking Revenge on Helena the cauſe of it, by ſhewing him the gods at every corner and poſt of the City, helping the Grecians to fire it, and to over-turn the walls of it. It is very ſad that amongſt Chriſtians, there ſhould be any that in the great changes which God worketh in Nations, Cities, Families, cannot ſee the great and living God at work, and uſing creatures but as inſtruments in his hand: but this is but a ſeeing and beholding the works of Providence, highly uſeful for the production of pious affections, and ſuch acts of duty as God requireth; We have a further Duty than this incumbent upon us.
2. It is not only our Duty to ſee and behold; but wiſtly to conſider and obſerve theſe things. Pſalm 107.43, Whoſo is wiſe will obſerve theſe things, and he ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord, (a Text which in this diſcourſe I ſhall make a further uſe of.) Obſervation implieth the application of our minds, unto the paſſages of Divine Providence which are before our eyes: as we muſt not be careleſs and forgetful hearers of the word of God, ſo we muſt not be careleſs and forgetful obſervers of the works of God. It is ſaid Gen. 37.11, that Jacob obſerved the ſaying, Joſephs ſaying in the repetition of his Dream, relating to eminent providential workings. So it is ſaid, Luke 2.19, That when upon the birth of our Saviour, the Angels had ſpoke to the Shepherds, and the Shepherds had publiſhed the glad tidings which they had brought to the City, That all who heard it wondred at thoſe things which were ſpoken by the Shepherds: Mary kept all theſe ſayings, and pondered them in her heart. To ſee a thing, is one thing, to make our minds to ſtand upon it, to conſider it, and to ponder upon it, is another thing. This is alſo our Duty, as to meditate on the Lords words, ſo to meditate on the Lords works: twice the Pſalmiſt hath it, I will meditate on all thy works, Pſalm 143.5, I muſe on the works of thy hands. So Pſalm 77. v. 12, I will meditate alſo on all thy works, and talk of thy doings. It is our great fault, that we ſuffer the impreſſion of Gods works to go off our hearts too ſoon. We hear of great changes; we ſee great deſolations, God works in Kingdoms, Cities, and Families: at firſt they make a little impreſſion upon us, we ſtartle at them; but by the next day they are as a tale that is told, the ſound is out of our ears, the impreſſion is off our minds: this is now, not to obſerve the works of the Lord, not, as we ought, to conſider the operation of his hands.
3. It is thirdly our Duty, modeſtly and humbly to ſearch out the cauſes of Providences towards our ſelves eſpecially. We are commanded to hear the Rod, and who hath appointed it. Thus did Joſephs brethren, Gen. 42.21: when they were in priſon they ſaid one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our Brother, when we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul; when he ſought to us, and we would not hear, therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us. Job prays, Job 10.2, Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me: this is but a ſearching, and trying our ways, an excellent help, and neceſſary medium in order to a true repentance. Indeed it is our great errour, that we are very prone to ſearch out the cauſes of ſevere Providences upon others. The Barbarians ſeeing a Viper cleave to Pauls hand, conclude him a Murtherer; but we are very ſlow and backward, to enquire into the meritorious cauſes of Gods ſevere Diſpenſations to our ſelves: Yet as to others, as it is our Duty to obſerve the Providences of God to them, ſo we may modeſtly and humbly ſearch out the cauſes of them. Thus did Jeremiah, venia praefata, having firſt recognized God, in the Juſtice and righteouſneſs of his proceedings: Jer. 12.1, Righteous art thou, O Lord, in thy Judgments, when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments: why doth the way of the wicked proſper, &c? So the Prophet Habbakuk, ch. 1.13, Wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? But as to this ſearching into the cauſes of Divine Providences, I put in thoſe two words, modeſtly, and humbly. Indeed, God is ſo plain and open in his Judgments ſometimes, that the provocation is wrote, and that in capital Letters in the front of the puniſhment. Thus it was in the caſe of the Sodomites, the Egyptians, the Benjamites; Sauls bloody houſe, Haman, the final deſtruction of the Jews, &c: and thus it is ſtill very often. The Drunkard dies in his drunkenneſs; but it is not always ſo. The Judgments of the Lord are a great deep. This enquiry therefore into cauſes muſt be modeſt and humble: we muſt no more caecutire in revelatis, as to the works of God, than as to the word of God: if we ſee a blood-thirſty and deceitful man, not living out half his days, a Dart ſtriking through the liver of the Adulterer; theſe are open things. And when we ſee prophane vile wretches, devouring thoſe that are more righteous than they: when we ſee God plaguing men according to his own heart, chaſtening them every moment, not giving them time to ſwallow their ſpittle: Theſe are ſecrets of Divine Providence, of which we muſt be careful that we paſs no ungrounded cenſure, yea, and we muſt ſearch humbly too. Our judgment in theſe cafes will amount to no more, than a judgment of probability: we cannot pretend to an infallibility, we are not of Gods counſel, and his ways are great deeps.
4. Laſtly, We ought ſo far to ſearch into, and to enquire into the workings of Divine Providence, as may any way conduce to make us better, by more adoring and revereing God; more avoiding of ſin, more quickning up the habits and exerciſes of grace: but to take heed of ſuch an enquiry as will be of no uſe to us, unleſs to make us Atheiſts, or too curious ſearchers into the unſearchable things of God, or uncharitable conſurers of our brethren. The reafon of this is, becauſe Duty is the End of all our beholding, conſidering and obſerving the Lords works, or any way enquiring and ſearching into them. This is the main thing which God hath ſaid to us, Obey my voice. Now ſo far as an enquiring into the Lords ways and works of Providence, will help us to obey the Lords voice, ſo far doubtleſs it is our Duty. The voice of the Lord is in Scripture everywhere to us; to fear before him, to love him, to truſt in him, to take heed of ſinning againſt him. Now ſo far as the ſearching into the cauſes of Divine Providence, may conduce to quicken us up to theſe Exerciſes, ſo far is it undoubtedly our duty, and a very commendable practice; but where it only tendeth to make us Atheiſts, by ſeeing nothing of the hand of God in them, but confirming a fancy in us, that we have found out the reaſon of all in a neceſſary connexion, or working of natural cauſes, or only ſerveth us for an advantage or ground for us unwarrantably and uncharitably to judg and cenſure our brethren, ſo far it is undoubtedly ſinful. Where the ſearching of the cauſes of Divine Providence to us, or others may contribute; and ſo far forth, as it may conduce to quicken us up to repentance for them, to a faith in, and a dependence upon God, to make us either more thankful, or any way more holy; ſo far forth it is our advantagious duty. Thus Jona's reflection upon the ſtorm he met with at Sea, when he was fleeing from God, Jonah 1.10, 11: and Joſephs brethrens reflection upon the impriſonment they met with in Egypt, were both good and pious, tending to bring them to a ſenſe of their ſeveral ſins againſt God. Davids obſervation of Providence helped him in the exerciſe of his Faith; 1 Sam. 17.34, 35. Manoahs obſervation, that God had accepted a ſacrifice, confirm'd his faith, that he would not deſtroy them. Oft-times the obſerving of, and ſearching into the ways of Divine Providence, hugely exciteth praiſe and thankfulneſs, Pſalm 107.8.15, 21, 31, &c. Thus far now it is our duty, to behold, obſerve, ſearch into the ways of Divine Providence; they are not called unſearchable, to deter us from beholding, ſeeing and conſidering them, ſo far as it may help in the performance of any piece of that duty which we owe unto God. God hangs out his great works of Providence to the world that men may behold them, look upon them, and that not ſuperficially, but wiſtly and conſiderately. Well, but how are they then unſearchable? why doth the Apoſtle pronounce them paſt finding out? That brings me to the laſt thing promiſed you in the Explication of the Propoſition: I ſhall open it to you in ſeveral particulars.
1. They are unſearchable and paſt finding out, as to the latitude and full compaſs of them. Job, ch. 26, had been largely diſcourſing of the great works of Divine Providence, his ſtretching out the North upon the empty places, and hanging the Earth upon nothing. Ver. 7, His binding up the waters in the thick clouds, and the clouds not being rent under them, ver. 8, &c. But then concludeth ver. 14, Lo theſe are part of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power, who can underſtand? ſome read it, Theſe are but the borders, ſome corners of Gods ways. David telleth us, Pſalm 111.2, The works of the Lord are great, ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein. It is our duty to ſeek out the works of the Lord, and every good man hath a pleaſure therein, and will be modeſtly ſeeking out Gods works; ay, but though they will be ſeeking, yet we ſhall be no more in this World than ſeekers: Job 16.7, Who can find out the Almighty to perfection, ſaith God? Much of God is ſeen, much of God may be found out; but the perfection of Gods works, as well as of his Divine Being, is an unſearchable thing. There are thouſands of things in the workings of Divine Providence which we cannot find out: infinite motions in the upholdings of it, in the government of it, of which we know nothing; ſomething we can by the helps of Scripture and Reaſon, diſcourſe, how Providence upholds the great varieties of Beings in the World, the Methods of God in governing the World; but who can find out the Almighty to perfection? Who can diſcourſe the thunder of his power? There is a terra incognita, or rather a coelum incognitum in the Divine workings. What Job ſaid, we may apply here; A thing was brought unto me, and my ear received a little thereof. Many things concerning Gods workings are brought to our ſenſes, and our ſenſes receive, yea our reaſon receiveth a little, and but a little thereof: as to them we may ſay as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, Where is the Scribe? where is the Wiſe man? where is the diſputer of this World? We by ſtudy can dive a little into Gods ways; but we muſt come out of our deepeſt ſtudies, crying out with our Apoſtle, O the depth of the wiſdom and knowledg of God! This knowledg is, as Job ſaith, ch. 11.7, 8, As high as heaven, what canſt thou do? deeper than hell, what canſt thou know? the meaſure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea.
2. A ſecond thing unſearchable, and paſt finding out in theſe ways of God, is the tendency of them, while we ſee them come to an iſſue. Had one of us been a companion with Joſeph, and ſeen him thrown into a pit, then ſold into Egypt; after this thrown into a priſon, upon the accuſation of his Miſtriſs, we could never have judged this a Method in order to his riding in the ſecond Chariot, and being the ſecond man in Egypt; but we ſee at laſt it was ſo. Had we been in the Court of Perſia, or Babylon, and have ſeen Haman's Exaltation and his power with the King, obtaining a Decree from him for the deſtruction of all the Jews, we ſhould never have ſeen the tendency of this to the ruin of Haman, the exaltation of Mordecai, &c. Had we ſeen Daniel thrown into the Lion's Den, we could never have read the tendency of this to his greater exaltation and fuller preferment, and conqueſt over his Enemies; and yet ſo it was. The tendencies of Divine Providence are ſometimes by us boldly determined; ſometimes gueſſed at: but how unſearchable are the ways of God in them? How ſtrangely are we every day miſtaken in what we judged the deſign, and tendency of many motions of Providence, proving in the iſſue quite contrary to what we expected.
3. A third unſearchable thing in Divine Providence, is the track of it. Neceſſary cauſes (and ſuch Natural cauſes are) have a certain track, you may follow the prints of their feet: Moral and voluntary cauſes have not ſuch a certain track, moving not like Machines, but as influenced from the will of man; but yet there is ſomething of ordinary certainty in them. Reaſon in all men, and in men of ſeveral ages is much a kin; whence that certainty doth ariſe, as well as from the finiteneſs of mens wiſdom and underſtanding. But here God is unſearchable: he doth not always do the ſame things, the ſame ways; ſometimes by humane means, ſometimes without means, ſometimes by improbable means: ſometimes adding by a preternatural power to natural cauſes: ſometimes by ſuſpending their acts; ſometimes by over-ruling their motions and workings, all in infinite variety: ſo as his ways are like the ways of a Ship in the ſea, an Eagle in the air, a Serpent upon a Rock; you can track them in none of their ways. By Faith we know that God will deliver his people; but how, and by what means, or when, we know not. Sometimes proſperity ſhall ſlay the fool, ſometimes he ſhall periſh by adverſity; ſometimes the Sinner ſhall be cut off in the middle of his days, ſometimes he ſhall live to an extream old age: men keep a path and a track in their motions, but God keepeth none. Naaman did ill, when he came to the God of Iſrael to be healed of his Leproſie, to be preſcribing to him ſo much as in his thoughts, thinking that the Prophet muſt needs come down, and ſtroke the ſore, &c. Gods way or method of Providence, in bringing about the effects of his counſels and purpoſes, is unſearchable.
4. A fourth thing which in the motions of Divine Providence is unſearchable, is the indications of it. Solomon telleth us, that the righteous and the wiſe, and their works are in the hand of the Lord, Eccleſ. 9.1, 2. Unto all men there is one event, both to the righteous and to the wicked: No man can know either love or hatred, by all that is before him in this life. Eſau is rejected, yet he hath the mountains of Edom given him for his portion, and the ſeed of Jacob muſt not diſpoſſeſs him. Jacob is beloved, yet muſt he fly to Padan Aram, endure the extremities of weather to feed his Uncles flocks, &c. and when he cometh away, he muſt once and again run the hazard of his life. No man can expound the Providences of God unto any to make them indications of Gods love or hatred. Iſrael is the people beloved of the Lord, yet they muſt ſerve an hard ſervitude in Egypt; then forty years together, by travelling through a deſolate and howling Wilderneſs. Dives is rich, cloathed with purple, and fareth deliciouſly every day; yet when he dyeth goeth to Hell. Lazarus is a poor beggar at his gates, cloathed with rags, abounding with ſores, yet when he dies is by Angels carried to Abraham's boſom. Abraham, and Lot, and David, and Joſeph of Arimathea, all rich men, yet very good, and heirs of the Kingdom of God: Others very poor, yet every-whit as poor ſpiritually, and miſerable as to their ſpiritual eſtate, as they are in reſpect to their outward condition. Grateful Providences ſpeak the appearing love of God to us, and oblige us to thankfulneſs, but they do not ſpeak ſpecial diſtinguiſhing love. Adverſe Providences appear as the frowns of God upon us, yet may be but the chaſtenings of an indulgent father, who chaſteneth whom he loveth, and ſcourgeth every child whom he receiveth. Hell begins with ſome in this life; their life is but a life of miſery, and leadeth into that miſery which ſhall never have an end: ſometimes men in the enjoyments of this life are lifted up to Heaven, but it is—ut lapſu graviore ruant, that their fall may be the greater into the pit prepared for them. The Indications of Divine Providence are altogether unſearchable. No man can know love or hatred by any thing which is before him in this life.
5. A fifth unſearchable thing in Divine Providence, is the cauſes of them. There is infinite wiſdom and reaſon in all the diſpenſations of Providence. In wiſdom hath the Lord done, and made whatſoever he hath done: but this wiſdom of God, as to all his works of Providence, is not always evident to us. It is one of thoſe things, which Divines ſay, we ſhall more perfectly underſtand at the day of Judgment, and in another life, than we yet do, how wiſely the infinite wiſe God hath managed the Government of the World. We are oft-times ſtartled, and troubled, and amazed to ſee the works of God in the World, and at loſs to compound them with the declarations of his love to his people, and the great number of promiſes made to them. What Chriſt ſaid to Peter, We may apply here, what God is doing we do not know here, but we ſhall know hereafter. We cannot tell the reaſon of a thouſand diſpenſations of God to his Church and people here, but we ſhall know them hereafter. Sometimes we know much of them in this life, but what we do not know in this life we ſhall know in the day, when all hidden things ſhall be made manifeſt, and all the works as well as all the Saints of God ſhall praiſe him.
6. Laſtly, The windings of Providence are unſearchable. It is with the Providence of God, as it is with a man of buſineſs that is riding to London; that is his utmoſt journey, but he doth not like a Poſt keep his road, but rides out this way and that way, to ſpeak with this and that man, as his buſineſs leadeth him. The Providence of God drives at the ſecuring of his Church, the deſtruction of his Enemies, the promoving of Gods glory, &c. But it carrieth on many deſigns together, poſſibly the chaſtiſing of his people for their ſins, the ſuffering of the Amorites to make up their meaſure: ſo it winds in its motions, and the reaſon of the variety of its windings and turnings we do not underſtand. But this is much co incident with what I told you before concerning the tracks of Divine Providence, that they are paſt finding out. I come therefore now to the Application. I ſhall there only ſhew you the uſefulneſs of this point. 1. To check curioſity. 2. To direct you in ſpiritual duty.
In the firſt place, Ʋſe 1 Let this check that curioſity which ſo much infecteth humane nature, and to which the wiſer part of men are moſtly too ſubject. It was the complaint, long ſince, of an acute Author, Iſte labor vexat homines ut plus Deum laborent intelligere, quam diligere—malumus veſtigando laborare quam amando reperire, malumus inquirere, quam invenire & perfrui.—This is a labour which vexeth men; they take more pains to underſtand, than to love God. We had rather tire our ſelves by ſearching than by loving find God. We had rather enquire than find and enjoy. Curioſity is a great piece of the vanity of the mind of man: it was Eves temptation to eat of the true knowledg of good and evil, that ſhe might be like God knowing it. It is a luſt inclining a man to employ his outward ſenſes and his underſtanding, to an inordinate gaining of ſome knowledg which God hath hidden from him. Knowledg is good; it is the light of the ſoul. Solomon tells us, That it is not good that the ſoul ſhould be without it. But there is a knowledg that is too wonderful for us. Secret things belong unto God. Our Saviour told us, that there is a day and hour of which none can have any knowledg, no not the Angels. It is not for you, (ſaith our Saviour) to know the times and ſeaſons, which the father hath put in his own power, Acts 1.7. The knowledg of truth is good, but it may be accidentally evil.
1. If the End be naught: If a man deſires to know only that he may be able to cavil and diſpute, or, that he may be thought wiſer than others. Solomon ſaith, It is not good for a man to eat much honey: ſo for a man to ſeek his own glory, is not glory.
2. If we will uſe unlawful means to gain it; ſuch are now going to witches and wizards, Aſtrologers, Star-gazers, cunning men, as Ahaziah ſent to Baalzebub the god of Ekron, to know whether he ſhould recover of that diſeaſe; and Saul went to the witch of Endor to raiſe up Samuel, the Devil in the likeneſs of Samuel, to tell him the fate of the approaching Battel. A practice too frequent amongſt ſimple people in theſe days, and places where we live.
3. When men have an itch to know what God hath concealed from them. It was an excellent advice of St. Auguſtine, That men ſhould neither be too curious to pry into ſecret things, nor be blind as to what God had revealed. To do the firſt, is to be unwarrantably curious; the latter is damnable unthankfulneſs. Vain man would be wiſe, and ſo becometh indeed more fooliſh in his imaginations. Plutarch well compareth men infected with this itch, to thoſe that ſhould not be content to behold the Sun in the firmament, but muſt make a Ladder to climb up to ſee it in its Throne; we ſhall find the beſt of men had ſomething of this diſeaſe. Moſes ſaith, Lord, ſhew me thy Glory. Philip ſaith, Shew us the Father. The Diſciples ſay, Wilt thou not this time reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael? And again, Lord, When ſhall theſe things be? Now as this Curioſity in us ſheweth it ſelf in other things, ſo it wonderfully buſieth it ſelf as to the ways of Providence, to find out all the ways of God, and track him in his moſt ſecret paths; to underſtand the reaſons of Gods dealings, the tendencies and indications of them. But oh! the depth of the wiſdom and knowledg of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his ways paſt ſinding out! Let me offer you two or three Meditations to give check to this luſt.
1. It is an unprofitable labour. It is a labour; much ſtudy is a wearineſs to the fleſh: and it is an unprofitable labour, by ſearching thou canſt not find out what thou ſearcheſt for: Should a wiſe man utter vain knowledg (ſaith Eliphaz), Job 15.2? Should a wiſe man ſeek after knowledg in vain, and fill his belly with the eaſt-wind? The boy in Plutarch carrying a covered diſh, anſwered him well, that would know what was in it, by telling him, It was therefore covered that he might not know what was in it. God hath alſo his covered diſhes, man will be enquiring what is in them; but he ought to know that God hath therefore covered them, that he might not know, and therefore it is but a vain thing for him to enquire and ask. Should a Chriſtian, an underſtanding Chriſtian, buſie himſelf in ſearching out that which he cannot find out, when he hath wearied himſelf in a long and vain enquiry? as ſoon may you track an Eagle in the air, or a Ship on the Sea, as God in the ways and methods of his Providence: ſuch knowledg, when you have done what you can, will prove too wonderful for you. No wiſe man will labour in vain, and ſpend his time, and his wit, and parts to find out that, which he is aſſured he ſhall never find out by enquiry.
2. You ſhall obſerve our bleſſed Lord continually checking ſuch enquirers: one while putting them off, and directing them to more profitable employment for their thoughts; as when they asked him, If there were few that ſhould be ſaved, he bids them ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, Luk 13.21, 22. When they asked him, Matth. 24.3. When ſhall theſe things be? He replyeth, Take heed that no man deceive you: ſometimes he chideth them, Acts 1.4, 5. It is not for you to know the times and ſeaſons. When Peter asked, John 21.21. And what ſhall this man do? Chriſt anſwereth, If I will, that he tarry until I come, What is that to thee? Follow thou me.
3. Laſtly, It commonly produceth error in our imaginations, vain thoughts, bold determinations of the Councels of God, groundleſs prophecies, erroneous apprehenſions both of God, and of his ways. What ſtrange effects have mens curious enquiries about the time for the calling of the Jews, the ruin of Antichriſt, the day of Judgment produced in the world? What have men at laſt found out about them, that a wiſe man can ſet his foot upon? Verily they have laboured for the wind, and filled their belly with the eaſt-wind, and run themſelves into a temptation to believe nothing of Scripture, becauſe their miſ-apprehenſions about thoſe dark portions of them, have failed them. There are ſome things, of which we may ſay, Bona coecitas eſt non videre, & quae ſcire non licet piè ignorance; It is a good blindneſs not to ſee them, but to be piouſly ignorant of what we cannot lawfully know. Let us labour to know God, and the Will of God ſo far as he hath revealed it. But for a knowledg of God in all his ways, for a perfect knowledg of him, it is too high, it is too wonderful for us: let us more ſtudy to love him, than to know him. By our underſtanding and comprehenſion of God, we draw God to us. By Love we pour our ſelves into the boſom of God. Knowledg and Wiſdom, let us have never ſuch degrees of it, if love to God be not as the ſoul to give it life, ſignifie nothing; and indeed Love is the end of all knowledg, and knowledg without Love is very unprofitable and inſignificant. If (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13.) I knew all myſteries: yet if I have not love, I am but as a founding-braſs, and as a tinkling-cymbal.
2. But in the ſecond place. This diſcourſe concerning the unſearchable things of Divine Providence, may ſerve to direct us as to much ſpiritual duty. I will ſhew you this in four or five particulars:
1. The firſt is that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 12.3. foreign, to be wiſe to ſobriety. We tranſlate it, Not to think of himſelf more highly than he ought to think, but to think ſoberly. It may as well be tranſlated, Not to be wiſe above what we ought to be wiſe, but to be wiſe ſoberly. The Apoſtle, Col. 2.18. makes an intruding into things which we have not ſeen, but a ſign of ones being puft up with a fleſhly mind. Auguſtine ſaith, when a thing is obſcure, Et aperte divina Scriptura non ſubvenit, temere aliquid definire humana conjectura praeſumit, Aug. And the Scripture doth not plainly help, humane Wiſdom doth but preſume, raſhly to define any thing about it. 'Tis an excellent thing for a Chriſtian to know his meaſures, not to reach at further degrees of knowledg, about the ſecret things of God, than it hath pleaſed God in his Word to communicate unto us: that is the true boundary of ſpiritual knowledg. But I ſhall not inlarge upon this. This is now oppoſite to that curioſity, which I largely reflected upon under the firſt head of Application.
2. This in the ſecond place calleth to us for a deep adoration, and veneration of God. This is one reaſon why the Lord hath made his judgments ſo unſearchable, his ways paſt finding out. An holy, and humble admiration of God, is one piece of that homage, which our ſouls owe to God: He is to be admired of all them that believe, 2 Theſ. 1.10. All admiration is the daughter of ſome ignorance, we ſeldom, or very little admire what we fully and perfectly underſtand. The unſearchableneſs of God in his ways, makes him the true and proper object of our admiration, and admiration giveth God the honour of his unſearchableneſs. Take heed of denying, or diſputing what the Scriptures reveal of God, becauſe you cannot comprehend and fathom it. Where you cannot comprehend him, there it is your duty to adore, and to admire him.
3. This Propoſition calleth aloud to all, To take heed of making the motions and iſſues of Providence, the rule and guide of their actions. We are to follow the rule of the word, not the windings of Providence. I told you before, that Providence is like a man of buſineſs, that carrieth a great many deſigns in his head at once, and ſeldom keepeth his road: he that will bear ſuch a man company to London, or any other place, which is the ultimate end of his journy, may go a great deal out of his way, and where he hath nothing to do, and be a great while longer than he need, before he cometh there; neither muſt the opportunities which Providence offereth be always taken, nor concluſions be made from the ſucceſſes or frowns of it.
4. Learn hence to take heed of raiſing either too ſweet, or too bitter concluſions for, or againſt your ſelves, from the Providences of God. The indications, reaſons, tendencies of Providence are all unſearchable things. Love or hatred cannot be concluded from what is before you in this life. Providence carrieth many to hell by a gale of proſperity; and others into heaven by a whirlwind of adverſity; the way to heaven is by much tribulation: ſome are ſcourged into heaven, others go leaping and dancing into the lake, which burns with fire and brimſtone.
5. Laſtly, Though it be our duty to be wiſe unto ſobriety, and not to ſearch curiouſly into what God hideth from us, though we cannot make either the motions or iſſues of Providence, the rule of our duty or action, becauſe in our appearance, it ſometimes pointeth one way, when the rule of the word directeth us another; yet it is our duty to obſerve the motions and paſſages of Divine Providence, to behold, obſerve, ponder them, and to lay them up in our hearts. Now what obſervation of Providence is our duty; or what obſervable things there are in the workings and motions of Divine Providence, muſt be the ſubject of a far larger diſcourſe.