Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
Pſalm CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things: even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Am diſcourſing concerning Divine Actual Providence, as the Object of good mens obſervation. I ſhewed you in my laſt Diſcourſe, That the obſervation of the motions of it, is both an Indication of ſpiritual Wiſdom, and an excellent ſtep towards it; and that by it duly made, men and women ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord. Now to advantage you a little in this Obſervation, I ſhall give you an account of ſome obſervable things in the motions of Providence, which poſſibly you may parallel in the preſent or future dealings of God, both with his Church, and with particular Souls. I ſhall lay down my firſt Obſervation thus:
1. Obſerv. The Actual Providence of God, in bringing about that word to which it is a certain ſervant, doth rarely move in a direct line, but ſometimes obliquely, ſometimes to our appearance quite contrary: but at laſt it fulfilleth the word, and is all the while faithfully executing the Eternal Counſel.
There are three things in this Obſervation, each of which I will open in a few words, and then endeavour to juſtifie the obſervation by particular inſtances: after which, I ſhall give you ſome reaſonable account of it, and then make ſome ſhort Application.
Firſt (I ſay), The Providence of God, is a certain ſervant to the word: the word either of Promiſe, or of Threatning; for Providence ſerveth to the execution of them both: As we have heard, ſo have we ſeen in the City of our God, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 48.8: the Promiſe is but providentia occultata, and Providence is but promiſſio explicata, the Promiſe fully explained and opened: and this is no more than you ſhall find recognized by the holy Servants of God, both in all their thankſgivings for mercies they had received, and in all their humiliations upon any judgments, which the Lord had brought on them, as alſo in all the Narrative parts of Scripture, declaring any great motions of Providence: how often do you meet with it in the Goſpel, ſuch or ſuch a thing was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was ſpoken by the Prophet, &c. Dan. 2.12, He hath confirmed his word which he hath ſpoken againſt our Judges, &c. which way ſoever Providence worketh; whether in a way of ſenſible good, or ſenſible evil, againſt any perſons, people, or places, it is purſuant to, and in fulfilling of ſome word of God.
But (ſecondly), I ſay, it moveth not always, yea it moveth ſeldom in a direct line, in order to the fulfilling of that word to which it is a Servant; and here I ſhall take notice of three things obſervable.
1. Ordinarily at firſt it ſeemeth to move directly towards the end which we have in our eye: this you will better underſtand by and by, when I come to give you inſtances in the proof of it.
2. Sometimes it moveth obliquely, ſeeming to be driving another deſign.
3. Sometimes to our appearance directly contrary.
But thirdly, I ſay at laſt it comes home to the Promiſe: and ſo lets us ſee, that all the while it hath been but a faithful ſervant to the Counſel of God. But I ſhall make you underſtand this better by the inſtances, by which I ſhall in the next place endeavour to juſtify and eſtabliſh the Obſervation, to which I now come, and ſhall particularize in four or five inſtances:
The firſt inſtance I ſhall give of it, ſhall be that great work of Divine Providence, in bringing the poſterity of Abraham into a quiet poſſeſſion of the Land of Canaan. The Promiſe went out from God, Gen. 12.2, I will make of thee a great Nation, and I will bleſs thee, and make thy name great; and unto thy ſeed will I give this Land. This Promiſe was given out to Abraham, when the World was little more than two thouſand years old: It was above two hundred years after this that Jacob with his Family (not exceeding ſeventy perſons) went down into Egypt: How ſlowly did the Providence of God move as to that part of the promiſe, which concerned the multiplication of Abrahams ſeed. After the giving out of the Promiſe, Abraham firſt fleeth into Egypt for the Famine: Gen. 13.12, You have him again returned into Canaan, Gen. 13.18. He is told, that notwithſtanding this Promiſe, his ſeed ſhould be ſervants in a Land that was not theirs. Ver. 16, But in the fourth generation they ſhall come hither again. Abraham dieth, ſeized of this good Land: Iſaac ſucceeds him, and dies there too. Jacob firſt is forced to flee to Padan-aram: returning from thence, he is compel'd by the Famine to go down into Egypt; where after his and Joſephs death, the poſterity of Abraham, for the multiplication of which the promiſe was out ſo many years before, was attempted to be diminiſhed, and deſtroyed by all acts imaginable. The Midwives are practiſed with to ſtifle their Infants in the birth: when that will not do, others muſt be employed to throw the Males into the River; the Parents are afflicted with the higheſt degree of oppreſſion. At length, the Providence of God begins to turn toward the Promiſe. The Iſraelites are allowed to come away: but they had gone but a little way, but they ſee the Red-ſea before them, the Philiſtines behind them: one would have thought that now they had been far enough from any proſpect of Canaan. Providence by a miraculous operation brings them over this Mountain of difficulty: but whither do they come? into a long and howling Wilderneſs: one while they are aſſaulted with Famine, vvant of Bread, then of Meat, another time with drought; then again aſſaulted with Enemies, ſet upon with fiery flying Serpents; at laſt they come within proſpect of the deſired Land: But on the ſudden for their murmuring, are turned back to forty years wandering. When they get over Jordan, they meet with ſeven Nations more ſtrong and mighty than they, who muſt all be ſubdued before they could have poſſeſſion of Canaan: at laſt, the Providence of God comes home to the Promiſe; Joſhuah their Captain having firſt conquered the Land, divides it amongſt them: yet after this they were far from a quiet poſſeſſion of it; all the time of the Judges, or indeed till Saul, or Davids time. What ſtaange circulations, and windings of Divine Providence were here in the accompliſhment of the Promiſes? how little to an humane Eye the Providence of God ſeem'd to mind the promiſe of multiplying Abrahams ſeed for above two hundred years? Abraham had but one Son of the promiſe; and that when he was very old and paſt hopes of children. Iſaac had but one neither that was an heir of the Promiſe, that was Jacob: Jacob had indeed twelve, and theſe in the remaining ſpace of that time were multiplied but to ſeventy (beſides Joſeph in Egypt), how quite contrary to the Promiſe did Providence ſeem to move all the while that the Iſraelites were in Egypt? yea and after too, how often would one have judged that the people gueſſed right? when in their impatience they complained, that God had brought them out of Egypt to deſtroy them in the Wilderneſs; yet at laſt Gods work was done, Providence faithfully ſerved the Promiſe, and gave a Being to the Word of the Lord given out, Gen. 12.
2. Let the ſecond inſtance be that of Joſeph. Joſeph had a promiſe, Gen. 37; I know it was a dream, but it was the revelation of Gods will to him in that dream; That there ſhould come a time, when all his Fathers houſe ſhould bow to him: all their ſheaves ſhould bow down to his. Now obſerve how Providence moveth in bringing this Word of the Lord to paſs. Joſeph is hated of his brethren, hardly eſcapeth with his life; at length is ſold into Egypt, and into Potiphars houſe; here now he was brought to Court, but no ſooner doth he grow into Reputation, that there was any appearance of his riſing to any degree of Dignity, that might look towards a fulfilling of the promiſe; but he is accuſed by his Miſtris, thrown into priſon, like enough to loſe his life; but after this Providence turneth again, raiſeth him to a great degree of Dignity; makes him the ſecond man in Egypt, and what God had told him in his dream, was all fulfilled: his Father and his Brethren, all come and bow down to him.
3. A third inſtance ſhall be that of David, the promiſe of the Kingdom, was given out to David in the day, when Samuel by order from God anointed him, 1 Sam. 16. In the 17th Chap. The Providence of God ſo ordereth it, that Saul having made a Proclamation, That if any man would encounter Goliah, the Champion of the Philiſtines who defied the Armies of Iſrael, he ſhould have his Daughter to Wife. David coming to the Army, accepts his Challenge, fighteth, and ſlayeth him, and obtaineth Sauls daughter. Jonathan Sauls Son, taketh a great kindneſs to him, the people admire him: Here now the Providence of God, at firſt ſetting out, moves as if David ſhould preſently have come to the Kingdom: but after this Saul falls out with David, uſeth all arts to take away his life, purſueth him with an Army from place to place: David had a pitiful company with him, is forced to flee to Gath, there to diſſemble himſelf mad; would any one have thought that had ſeen David among the Philſtines, ſcrambling on the walls, that he ſhould ever have been King over Iſrael and Judah? At length Saul, and Jonathan (the next heir) are ſlain in Battel; then Iſhboſheth is ſet up: but yet after all theſe oblique and ſeemingly contradictory motions of Providence, it cometh home to the promiſe. David is ſetled in the Throne of Iſrael and Judah.
4. Let a fourth inſtance be that of the Goſpel Church: God had promiſed, that he would ſet his King upon the holy hill of Zion. Pſalm 2.6. v. 8, That he would give him the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for his poſſeſſion: and promiſes of this nature are everywhere multiplyed by the Prophets (Iſaiah eſpecially). Our Lord, when he aſcended up into Heaven, gave out a Commiſſion to his Diſciples in order to this effect: Go preach and baptize all Nations, &c. Now at the firſt, the Providence of God ſeemed to move as if the thing ſhould preſently have been done. You read Acts 2, That the Spirit of God deſcended: and there were then at Jeruſalem (ſaith the Text) devout men of every Nation under Heaven: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Meſopotamians, Jews, Cappadocians, men of Pontus, Aſia, Phrygia, Pamphilia, Egypt, Lybians, Cyrenians, Romanes, Cretes, Arabians, and heard the Apoſtles in their own language, ſpeaking of the great works of God. Here were now Preachers made for all the World: would not one have thought that ſurely at this time, all the ends of the Earth ſhould have been given unto Chriſt? Peter at one Sermon converts two thouſand: ſoon after there were five thouſand added to the Church. But all on the ſudden the Providence of God turneth, the Goſpel groweth out of repute, and the Apoſtles that preached it too, both with Jews and Gentiles. James is put to death, Peter hardly eſcapes. The Church (the only Goſpel church God had at that time) at Jeruſalem was ſcattered and broken: the Apoſtle complains, That they were made as the filth of the world, and as the off ſcouring of all things. The Jews perſecute them, the Gentiles in all places riſe up againſt the Preachers of the Goſpel: bonds, ſtripes, and impriſonments, waited for the Apoſtles in all places where they came: Paul ſaith he thought, that God had ſet them forth as men appointed unto death; ſpectacles to the World, Angels and men. Few of the great Miniſters of the Goſpel died their natural death; the Chriſtians were a ſect everywhere ſpoken againſt; all courſes almoſt imaginable taken to root them out of all places for three hundred years together. But at length, the Providence of God cometh in a great meaſure to work up to the direct fulfilling of the many promiſes of this nature. Conſtantine an Emperour of a great part of the World, ariſeth and commandeth, and encourageth the preaching of the Goſpel. And thus it came to be ſpread, and accepted in moſt known parts of the World. Indeed, there is hardly any inſtance can be given of any great work of Providence, reſpecting Churches, Nations, or particular perſons, as to which this Obſervation will not juſtifie it ſelf.
5. For another inſtance may we not bring in, if not all, yet very many of your particular Souls, who fear the Lord. You alſo upon believing receive the promiſes: The promiſes are made of old, but we receive them: we come to have a title to them, in the day when God opens our eyes, and opens our hearts to a receiving of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, turning our hearts from dead luſts and ſins to ſerve the living God. In that day, I ſay, we have a firſt right to all the Promiſes, whether reſpecting joy, and peace or ſpiritual ſtrength and aſſiſtances. Now very-often at the firſt of our converſion, the Providence of God moves directly towards them: the Soul finds a great life to Duty, a great zeal againſt ſin, great joy and peace in believing, glimpſes of the glory of God. But after this very ordinarily follow very dark hours, and the Soul like Jonah cryes out of the belly of Hell. The Soul that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his Servant, yet walketh in the dark, and ſeeth no light, cryeth out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and hath a thouſand fair and foul days in its journey to Heaven. I know particular caſes muſt here be excepted: but I ſpeak of the ordinary Methods of Divine Providence, with Souls whom God bringeth to glory.
6. I will conclude this Diſcourſe with the inſtance of the great work of Providence in the Reformation of his Church in this latter age; whether you look upon it in Germany, France, or England. In Germany it began with Luther (an eminent Servant of of God, though like Elias of like paſſions and infirmities with other men): how ſtrangely did the Providence of God in the beginning work towards the accompliſhment of it? That Luther, who was a poor Monk, ſhould be preſerved to plant the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and ſhould diffuſe it ſo far as he did, and be preſerved to do it againſt all the rage both of the Pope, and Emperour 28, or 29 years, was a great favour of Providence to the infantile Reformation: but afterwards, how the Providence of God gave check to it is ſufficiently known, yet it kept its ground and gained. For England we know from our ſtory, That King Hen. 8, laid the firſt ſtone; we alſo know how Providence at firſt favoured the work, during all the reign of Edward the ſixth; but in Queen Maries time, for five years together it ſeemed to move directly croſs; the Popiſh Superſtitions were reſtored in all parts of the Nation, Multitudes burnt for the profeſſion of the Goſpel, others fled into foreign parts to ſecure their lives. But the Providence of God returned again to its work in the time of Queen Elizabeth. But I have ſpoken enough to juſtifie the Obſervation.
Let me in the next place endeavour to give you a reaſonable account of theſe tranſverſe motions of Providence: not that I dare preſume to give you the reaſons why God moveth thus, or thus; for who hath been his Counſellor at any time? but ſo far forth, as to ſhew you that theſe motions of Providence are approvable to our Reaſon, ſo as we may judg the Lords ways but proportioned to his wiſe and great deſigns.
1. In the firſt place, certainly one reaſonable account to be given of theſe motions, muſt be the variety of deſigns which the Providence of God ordinarily carries on together. I have hinted this to you before; ſuffer me here to enlarge a little upon it again. I then compared Providence to a man of great buſineſs, and dealings in the World; who though London, or ſome other great place, be in his Eye as the end of his Journey where his buſineſs lies, which he doth chiefly deſign the diſpatch of; yet hath alſo other buſineſs here, and there, at this Town and that Town; and therefore ſeldom or never keepeth a road long. Providence is Gods great Miniſter of State, upon the hand of which all the effects of his Counſels and Eternal purpoſes lie, and it never driveth a ſingle deſign. The Promiſe was gone out, for the ſeed of Abraham to inherit Canaan: Providence is to bring this about, but this cannot be done till the Nations be diſpoſſeſſed, and in order thereunto the iniquities of the Amorites muſt be full, Gen. 15.16: and God giveth Abraham this very reaſon, why his ſeed ſhould not poſſeſs Canaan until the fourth Generation. God had deſigned to get himſelf glory upon Pharaoh; in order to this he muſt firſt oppreſs, then purſue Iſrael to the Red-ſea. The Providence of God never carrieth on a ſingle deſign, but in the fulfilling ſome eminent Counſel of God, referring to a perſon or a Nation, effects an hundred other pieces of Divine Counſel; although it may be to us not ſo remarkable, as that which our Eye is ſo much upon, and which we are ſo impatient for. The Providence of God will bring David to the Kingdom; but in order to it, it muſt alſo execute Divine Vengeance upon Saul, &c.
Secondly, The ſeemingly oblique, and contradictory motions of Divine Providence, do often (though we at firſt diſcern it not) bear the notion, and have the nature of proper means in order to the great End. If Joſeph had not been ſold into Egypt, if there he had not been thrown into a priſon, how ſhould he have been of uſe to ſave much people, and particularly his Father, and his Brethren alive? It was in priſon that he had the opportunity to interpret firſt the Butlers dream, who recommended him to the King, and brought him before him to interpret his alſo, which you know was his riſe to his great capacity. It was the Iſraelites affliction and oppreſſion in the Land of Egypt, which made them willing to leave the fleſhpots, and Onions, and Garlick, there to go toward Canaan. We uſe to ſay, The furtheſt way about, is the neareſt way home. That man makes it ſo, that doth a great deal of buſineſs in one journey (riding only now and then a little out of the way) which he muſt elſe have diſpatched by new journeys: but it is never truer, than in the motions of Providence; what ſeemeth to us in Gods working, the furtheſt way about, in order to the ſaving of a Soul, or the preſerving of his Church and making it to grow and flouriſh, is indeed the neareſt way to it. They ſay, the beating of a Walnut-tree, is the way to make it fruitful: the treading on the Palm-tree, the way to make it more flouriſh. We ſee in daily experience the treading down, and trampling a piece of ground, makes it the better in the Spring for graſs or corn; and much ſpareth other ſtercorations. It is as trite an obſervation, That the blood of the Martyrs hath always proved the ſeed of the Church. David before he was afflicted, went aſtray. And this many times we can ſay, when a day of Evil is over, though we could not ſo eaſily read it in the hour of his afflictive Diſpenſations either to the Church, or to particular perſons.
3. A third account of it, may be Gods deſign to exerciſe the faith and patience of his people. God hath determined the impenitent ſinner to deſtruction, and his people to ſalvation; but both of them muſt come to their Eternity by means. The Sinner by the purſuit of his luſts, and a continuance in them; the child of God, by the exerciſe of his graces. Amongſt other habits of grace, faith and patience, are not the leaſt. The exerciſe of theſe is when ſenſe faileth, and the Providence of God moveth out of our ſight, in a time of adverſity when it ſeemeth to move at a great diſtance from the Promiſe, if not directly contrary to it. Bleſſed are they who have not ſeen, and have yet believed (ſaith our Saviour). God gave Abraham a Promiſe, nay divers promiſes: two more eminent, the one of a Child; the other, of a numerous ſeed, and their inheriting the land of Canaan. Now if the Providence of God, had preſently moved in a direct line towards the fulfilling of theſe Promiſes, where had been a room for Abrahams faith, ſo much celebrated in Scripture? the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 4.18, That he againſt hope believed in hope,— and ver. 19, Being not weak in faith, he conſidered not his own body being now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, nor yet the deadneſs of Sarahs womb. Ver. 20, He ſtaggered not at the Promiſe through unbelief, but was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully perſwaded, that what he had promiſed, he was alſo able to perform: and therefore it was imputed to him for righteouſneſs. The Providence of God delayeth the time, ſuffereth Abraham firſt, and his Wife to live to an age, that they both were paſt any reaſonable hope of children, then it giveth him a child: why doth Providence move thus ſlowly, and obliquely? how elſe ſhould Abrahams faith have been tried? how ſhould it have been tried whether he would ſtagger at the Promiſe through unbelief? Another branch of that Promiſe was, That the child which God ſhould give him of Sarah his Wife ſhould be his heir, Gen. 15.4. This [that is, this Eliezer of Damaſcus of whom thou ſpeakeſt, ver 2.] ſhall not be thine heir: but he that ſhall come forth of thine own bowels, ſhall be thine heir. Chap. 22. God by his Providence tempteth Abraham; He bids him go, and with his own hands ſacrifice this his ſon, his only ſon; what an oblique, yea contrary motion of Providence doth this ſeem to be, to the promiſe of Iſaac his being the heir? In Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called, ſaith the Promiſe. How ſhall that be, when Iſaac (who as yet had no ſeed) muſt be ſacrificed? But how elſe ſhall Abrahams faith and obedience be tried, which ſtandeth upon Record. Heb. 11.17, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Iſaac; and he that had received the Promiſe, offered up his only begotten ſon, of whom it was ſaid, In Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called; accounting that God was able to raiſe him up from the …ead; from which he alſo received him in a figure. Abraham had a promiſe of Canaan for his ſeed: Providence went a great way about before it ſenſibly came home to this Promiſe; if it had not, how had Abrahams faith had its exerciſe mentioned? Heb. 11.8. By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place, which he ſhould afterward receive, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he ſojourned in the land of promiſe, as in a ſtrange Country, &c. God gave him no inheritance in it (ſaith St. Stephen, Acts 7.5,) no not ſo much as to ſet his foot on: yet he promiſed, that he would give it to him for his poſſeſſion, and to his ſeed after him, when as yet he had no children.
Fourthly, What if we ſhould ſay, That God doth this, that he might be the more admired in the works of his Providence when they came to an iſſue, and have the more of the praiſes and thanksgivings of his people. We are never ſo deeply affected either with with the good, or evil that be tideth us, as when we are ſurpriſed with it, and it comes upon us, fearing or looking for the contrary. Evils unthought-of are more heavy, and more dejecting and afflictive: Good things not look'd for, are more affecting, and raiſe up holy affections more to the high praiſes of God. Now, when the Providence of God hath moved obliquely, and to our appearance quite contrary (as we judged) unto the Promiſe, when it cometh home unto it, to give it a being and iſſue, it cometh upon us as it were upon the ſudden, and contrary to the expectation of our ſenſe and reaſon; and ſo wonderfully affects our hearts, and enforceth from us great and high acknowledgments of the Omnipotency, and power of God, of his mercy and goodneſs, of his truth and veracity. It is the common infirmity of our Natures, that we more know our mercies by wanting them, than by enjoying them. If the Providence of God moved in a right line to bring promiſed good to them who love and fear God, he would neither have ſo much of the prayers and cryes of his people, during the want of their deſired good, nor yet ſo much praiſe upon the beſtowing of it. You ſhall obſerve, That God is not ſo much praiſed for mercies of common Providence, which we receive every day (how valuable ſoever, as our ſleep in the night, our appetite to our meat, &c.) As for ſuch Diſpenſations as are more rare and extraordinary: the reaſon is, becauſe we look for the former; they are common with us, and we expect them, Providence more ke…peth a road as to them, than as to others. But it is time I ſhould come to the Application of this Obſervation.
In the firſt place, Ʋſe 1 This Obſervation ſhould beſpeak us aforehand, that no ſuch oblique, and ſeemingly contrary motions of Providence may be any prejudice to our faith in the Promiſe. W…nder not if you ſtill ſee the Providence of God keeping the ſame Methods, that it hath alway in all the great things which it hath brought to paſs in the World. Particularly, as to Gods great works relating to his Church; God hath uſed to begin a work in one age, which it may be he hath not finiſhed, or will not finiſh till that age be out. Thus you have heard, that it was in the firſt plantation of the Goſpel, begun in the Apoſtles time. Thus it hath been in the Reformation of the Church when corrupted; there is nothing more ordinary than this. If therefore you ſee any-where foundations of Reformation laid, and then the Providence of God ſeems to deſert its work, and the foundations laid ſeem to be plucking up again, and all things to run in the old Channels, trouble not your ſelves at it; this is but an ordinary Method of Divine Providence.
But let us ſecondly from hence collect what is our duty with reference to ſuch times, Ʋſe 2 when to our appearance the Providence of God ſeemeth to move obliquely, or contrary to the Promiſe. This I ſhall attempt to open to you: 1. With reference unto God. 2. With reference to the Promiſe. 3. With reference unto Providence.
1. Queſt. What is our duty relating more immediately unto God, under the poſing and aſtoniſhing Diſpenſations of his Providence,
In the firſt place, we doubtleſs ought to take heed of charging God fooliſhly. I borrow the expreſſion from Job, Chap. 1, In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly. To charge God fooliſhly upon the account of his Providences, is by occaſion of them to utter vain and fooliſh things that are not fit to be ſpoken of the Majeſty of God; as if he failed either in his truth or mercy, or goodneſs to his people. It is an exellent precept of the Apoſtle in this caſe, though given in another: 1 Cor. 4.5, Judg nothing before the time. There is a time when God will give us leave to judg of his ways, whether they be not both mercy and truth to them that fear him. Only Judg not before the time, before God hath finiſhed his work, and brought off what he hath upon the wheel. Now it is this haſty Judgment, which is the cauſe of all our murmuring and repining, of all our haſty ſayings, like the Pſalmiſt in his paſſion, Will the Lord caſt off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promiſe fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious, hath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies, Selah? Pſalm 77.7, 8, 9. If this be the uſual method of Providence in the accompliſhment of Promiſes, to move obliquely and contrary (as to humane appearance) and yet at laſt moſt certainly to bring the Promiſe to effect; we have no reaſon under the oblique, or ſeemingly contrary motions of Providence, to charge God, as if he failed in his truth, or failed in his mercy; he is only fetching a compaſs in order to the verifying and juſtification of both. For us ſo much as to ſuſpect, or to think the contrary, is to charge God fooliſhly, not obſerving, nor underſtanding the ordinary methods and courſes of Divine Providence in accompliſhing of his greateſt Promiſes.
2. It is our duty to admire God in thoſe providential Diſpenſations, which we do not underſtand. Man vainly ſtudieth to find out God in his unſearchable Counſels and motions of Providence; Vain man would be wiſe. Now the ways of God (as I have ſhewed you) are in many things paſt finding out. Where we can fee God in his ways of mercy, there is an opportunity for our love and thankfulneſs: where we cannot ſee him, there is an opportutunity for our fear and admiration; ſtand upon this bottom, That all the ways of God are mercy and truth to them that fear him: Let nothing ſhake you from this foundation, nor move you from this Rock: where this is not matter of demonſtration to your ſenſe and reaſon, let it yet be matter of admiration to you. Be admiring at the wiſdom of God, that can out of a Chaos bring order, out of darkneſs bring light. But ſecondly,
2d Queſt. What (at ſuch a time) is our duty with reference to the Promiſe?
1. I anſwer to ſtand faſt by it. I would have every good Chriſtian think at ſuch a time as Providence (to his appearance) moveth obliquely, and contrary to the Promiſe, to think that he heareth it ſpeak unto him; as Chriſt ſometimes ſpake to his Diſciples, Matth 5, Think you that I am come to deſtroy the law and the Prophets? I am not come to deſtroy them, but to fulfil them. I ſay, I would have you think you hear the Providence of God thus ſpeaking to you, under its darkeſt Diſpenſations. Think you that I am about to deſtroy the Promiſe, or by my motions to make it of no effect? No, I am come not to deſtroy a tittle of a promiſe: Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, but not a tittle of the promiſe ſhall fail: I am not by theſe motions deſtroying the promiſe; whatever your ſenſe may dictate to you, or whatſoever your reaſon may prompt to you, I am but fulfilling the promiſe. Therefore I ſay at ſuch a time, look to your hearts that they abide by the promiſe: Let it be the caſe of the Church in which we live, or the caſe of any particular Soul, ſtill keep to the Word, the promiſe to the Church is ſure; the promiſe to the particular Soul is ſure: Providence is not moved out of its way, it is only got a little out of thy ſight; if thou canſt but wait for it, it will come into thy road again, and go with thy expectation moſt certainly to the fulfilling of the Promiſe. Take that one word, Eccleſ. 8.12, 13, Though a ſinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged; yet ſurely it ſhall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his days, which are as a ſhadow, becauſe he feareth not before God. Conſonant to which is that, Iſa. 3.10, 11, Say ye to the righteous, it ſhall be well with them, for they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings: Wo unto the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him. Now theſe words both of Promiſe, and of Threatning, are ſure words; yet ſuch as to which the Providence of God makes our faith ſtagger, more than as to any other. It often goes out of what we take to be its road, in order to the accompliſhment of theſe words: we ſee wicked men proſpering, growing great in power, honour, riches: yet their ways are ſuch as he that runneth may read, that the fear of God is not before their eyes. Well, be it ſo, yet let not your hearts fail as to the promiſe, keep cloſe to it: you will ſee Providence return to what you call its Road again. If a Sinner do evil an hundred times, if he liveth an hundred years; yet the Word of the Lord ſhall be juſtified upon him. So if a child of God be chaſtened an hundred times; if Religion, and Reformation, and the intereſt of God in the World be brought under the hatches an hundred times: yet Magna eſt Veritas, & praevalebit, Truth ſhall prevail at laſt, and Gods people ſhall have the day at laſt. Conſider, O Chriſtian, thou canſt not give God a greater honour, than to believe when thou doeſt not ſeee: This is a faith like Abraham's, who believed in hope, above hope, or contrary to hope, Rom. 4: who believed when he had nothing elſe to truſt to, but that God was able to raiſe up, and ſave from the dead. Say in the proſperity of Sinners, I will have nothing to do with them: For I know it ſhall be ill with them; though they thrive, and proſper ſome months, and years, yet I know the reward of their hands ſhall be given them. In the adverſity and afflicted eſtate of Gods people, ſay, with thoſe will I caſt in my lot, for I know it ſhall be well with them. Take heed that the Providence of God draw you not from the Promiſe.
Laſtly, (will ſome ſay), What is our duty with reference to Providence at ſuch a time? I will open this in four or five particulars, with which I will ſhut up my Diſcourſe upon this Obſervation:
1. Search, and ſee whether ſome miſcarriages of thy own, hath not carried Providence out of thy ſight, and turned it out of its right line. I told you before that Providence is never out of its way: it is always moving upon Gods Errand, but it is often out of our ſight, and our ſins are the cauſe of that its motion. You know under what a multitude of Promiſes the Jews were, as the ſeed of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob; as the poſterity of David, &c. Promiſes for great meaſures of outward proſperity; notwithſtanding which they were carried captives into Babylon, and there endured an hard bondage of ſeventy years. Iſaiah tells them the Reaſon, Your iniquities have ſeparated betwixt God and you: and your ſins have made him to hide his face from you. What do the godly amongſt the Jews under this Diſpenſation? Lam. 3.39, 40, Let us (ſay they) ſearch and try our ways, and return again to the Lord: this is undoubtedly the duty of the Church, the duty of every particular Soul. When thou ſeeſt God turned out of his way, as thou thinkeſt, and not doing by thee as thou didſt expect, ſearch and ſee, whether thy miſcarriages have not cauſed that withdrawing, or turning aſide. It is true, Gods puniſhments of his people are not always for ſin: he may ſometimes do it to try their faith, their patience, their adherence to him; but this is a ſecret to us.
Two things are certain in this caſe: 1. That God doth moſt ordinarily puniſh them for their ſins. 2. That he never puniſheth them, but they have ſin'd enough to warrant it an act of juſtice, and to give them cauſe of ſuſpicion, and of Soul-humiliation: ſo as a ſearching and trying of their ways in the day of divine chaſtenings, can never be improper, or out of ſeaſon.
2. Look to your faith in the Promiſe. It is the Promiſe is the object of Faith, and Providence no further than it relateth to the Promiſe. A time of dark Providences is uſually a time of great temptations: It is ſo oftentimes on Gods part, that is, God deſigns his peoples trial. It is ſo often from Satan, who takes the advantage of thoſe hours to ſuggeſt to the Soul. It is ſo as to the World; they pierced Davids heart in ſuch an hour as with a ſword, when in it they ſaid unto him, Where is thy God become? Pſalm 42. It is ſo in it ſelf, conſidering that we are but fleſh, and how ready the language of that is, Surely I have cleanſed my hands in vain, I have waſhed mine hands in innocency for nothing: Or that of Saul, This evil is of the Lord, why ſhould I wait for him any longer? Therefore, I ſay, Look to your Anchor-hold in ſuch a day. Thus doth David, Why art thou caſt down, O my Soul? why art thou diſquieted within me? truſt thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God, Pſalm 42. So doth the Church, Micab 7.8, Rejoyce not over me, O mine Enemy; when I fall, I ſhall riſe; when I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. The Heathen Poets have a ſtory, that Ʋlyſſes in his ſailing home, being to paſs the Syrens, who were wont to allure Mariners with their melodious tunes towards them, while their ſhips were daſhed in pieces upon Rocks, to avoid the temptation, cauſed himſelf to be tied to the Maſt of his Ship. I would have every Chriſtians heart tied to the Promiſe as to his Maſt, that he might be out of the danger of all temptations from Providence.
Thirdly, (which indeed is a conſequent of this), Reſolve to wait upon God under all the hidings of his face. I call'd this a conſequent of the other: for he that believeth, maketh not haſte (ſaith the Prophet). This was the Churches reſolution, Iſa. 8.17, I will wait upon him, that hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob. Temptations in an evil day can have no advantage, but upon our Souls precipitancy. The Soul that is reſolved to wait upon God, hath much defeated all Tempters, and is out of all their Gunſhot. I remember the ſpeech of the three Children to the King of Babylon, We are not (ſay they) careful to anſwer thee in this matter, The God whom we ſerve is able to deliver us out of thy hand: however, we will not fall down before the image which thou haſt ſet up. If he will not preſently deliver us, we are reſolved to wait on him.
Fourthly, To waiting, muſt be added Prayer: I will look unto him, for he will hear me. Prayer is the Catholick remedy, both for the averſion of any Judgments, and for the obtaining of any mercy.
Fifthly, To all this add but that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſalm 37.34, Wait upon the Lord, and keep his way, and thou ſhalt inherit the promiſe made to it; He ſhall exalt thee to inherit the land: and when the wicked are cut off, thou ſhalt ſee it. But I ſhall proceed no further in this Diſcourſe.