Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 17
SERMON XVII.
Pſal. CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Have both ſhewed you the duty of the people of God, to make Obſervations upon the motions of Divine Providence; and the advantage accrewing to them that perform it. 1. It is an indication of ſpiritual Wiſdom. 2. Thoſe that do it ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord. My work at preſent is to give you ſome obſervations upon the motions of Actual Providence, which is the work of God in the World, fulfilling his purpoſe; and fulfilling his Word, both of Promiſe, and of Threatning. Two of thoſe Obſervations I have given you, diſcourſed upon them, and made ſome futable Applications. I proceed to a third.
3d Obſerv. Providence ordinarily doth its greateſt works, in the day of mans ſmalleſt things.
It is truly obſerved, that the greatneſs of Divine Power and Wiſdom is moſt ſeen in the Creation, and Preſervation of the leaſt creatures. As a Workman is moſt magnified, that can bring moſt art into the leaſt room: and it is as true, that the greatneſs of Divine Providence, delighteth to ſhew it ſelf in the day of mans ſmalleſt things. This Obſervation hath ſome cognation with the former: but there is more in it, as you will ſee by the Sequel of my Diſcourſe. Mans ſmalleſt things may be underſtood to ſignifie, 1. Smalleſt means. 2. Smalleſt hopes. 3. Smalleſt works or actions.
1. Smalleſt means: Though God be not tied to humane means, but ſometimes he worketh without them: Though they have no efficacy, but what they derive from him, and he commandeth them to exert and put forth; yet he often maketh uſe of means. But this you ſhall obſerve, and it ſhall be juſtified to you by and by, that God ſeldom doth great things by great means: but when God doth great work, though he make uſe of means, yet it is but little ſmall means: and the day of ſmalleſt means, is uſually the day of Gods work.
2. In the day of ſmalleſt hopes: and indeed this almoſt naturally followeth upon the other; for humane hopes do uſually ebb, or flow according to the proportion of humane means that are in our Eye: ſo that if God doth his greateſt works in the day of ſmalleſt means, he doth them likewiſe in the day of our ſmalleſt hopes; which riſe higher, or fall lower (uſually) according to the proſpect which we have of probable means.
3. Laſtly, In the day of ſmalleſt works or actions: when man is moſt buſie, God ſeems to be moſt idle, moſt aſleep when we ſeem to be moſt awake. When God turns again the captivity of Sion, they are as thoſe that dream: they never ſee ſo much the Salvation of God, as when they ſtand ſtill. I do not ſay, when men will do leaſt; but when they do, when they can do leaſt, then uſually God doth his greateſt works of Providence.
I ſhall juſtifie this Obſervation by a great variety of inſtances:
Let the firſt be that great work of Providence, in bringing the children of Iſrael out of Egypt. It is true, they were no inconſiderable body, or number of people: they were at their coming out ſix hundred thouſand ſouls, but ſcattered over all the Land of Egypt, a ſmall number in compariſon of the Egyptians: diminiſhed by all arts, by many years hard labour, in no Military order, nothing of the power of the Lord was in their hand: they were ſo very ſlaves, that they murmured againſt Moſes and Aaron, for but going in to Pharaoh to ask for a deliverance for them: means of deliverance for them there appeared none to an humane Eye. Indeed, being ſo great a body of people, God might have made uſe of their Swords to have fought their way out of Egypt: he could eaſily have commanded them into a Military rank and file, but he uſeth none of them; only ſendeth Moſes and Aaron upon his Errand, to command Pharaoh to let his people go, that they might ſerve him. The ſame might be ſaid of their deliverance out of the captivity of Babylon: there was no means, they had no hopes from any appearance of humane probabilities, (thoſe that believed amongſt them doubtleſs had an hope from the Promiſe); there was none of them ſtirred that we read of. Cyrus proclaims their liberty. The walls of the ſtrong City of Jericho fall down before the Iſraelites, upon the blowing of Rams-horns, and the peoples compaſſing it at a diſtance about ſeven days, Joſh. 6. Canaan is given into the hands of the Iſraelites: they were indeed a conſiderable Army, but the ſeven Nations, through which they made their way into that poſſeſſion, were more ſtrong and mighty than they, as Moſes tells them, Deut. 7. Gideon delivereth them, oppreſſed by the Midianites, with a party (rather than an Army) of three hundred men. Sampſon with the jaw-bone of an aſs ſtayeth a thouſand Philiſtines. David with a ſling and a ſtone, ſhall kill Goliah, when none durſt encounter him; and the hearts of the people were killed with his daily defiance of them. Indeed, God hath ſeldom done any great things in the World by great means: when the Philiſtines came out in an Army of thirty thouſand, of which we read in 1 Sam. 13, and but of three thouſand Iſraelites that could be got together: and they alſo frighted, ſo as ver. 6, They hid themſelves in caves, thickets, rocks, and in high-places, and in pits: thoſe that kept together (except Saul and Jonathan) had neither ſword, nor ſpear amongſt them, ver. 19, 20. Jonathan and his Armour-bearer go up alone and ſmite them: ſet all the Hoſt on trembling, and the multitude melteth away, chap. 14. v. 16. The colour of the Water deceives the Moabites to their ruin, when Jehoram, Jehoſaphat, and the King of Edom were almoſt all famined for want of water, 2 Kings 3.20, 21. When Jehoſaphat knows not what to do, 2 Chron. 26.22, God tells them, ver. 17, They need not fight, only ſtand ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of God: they did but ſtand ſtill, and ſing, and praiſe; their Enemies deſtroy one another: Look upon Gods great work of Providence, in the converſion of the World to the obedience of the Goſpel; How doth God do this? Not by might, nor by power, but by his Spirit. Chriſt ſends out a few poor Fiſhermen: theſe ſhall go and perſwade the world to throw out their Idols, and to receive the new Doctrine of the Goſpel, which to their wiſdom appeared fooliſhneſs. The World was full of very learned Philoſophers: God could have converted, inſtructed, and ſent out them, but he chuſeth to do this great work by ſmall things: Chuſing (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28.) the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe: the weak things of the world, to confound thoſe that were mighty: the baſe things of the world, and things which are deſpiſed, to bring to nought the things that are. Next to this was the great Work of God in the Reformation, begun in Germany by Luther; it was a day of very ſmall things, the whole world was Popiſh, and had given their power to the Roman beaſt: the remainders of the Church were in the valleys of Piedmont and Lucerne, and in Bohemia, a ſmall deſpiſed remnant. Now God begins to work, and by what means? Luther, a poor deſpiſed Fryer, he begins and preacheth againſt indulgences: the whole world almoſt were againſt him, he hath to do with, the Emperour, the Pope, all the Popiſh Doctors; yet by theſe ſmall things the Providence of God brings to paſs this his great work. It was a day of ſmall things with us, when we were delivered from the Spaniſh-Armado in the year 1588, from the intended Powder-Treaſon. In ſhort, I ſay we ſhall find, that the Providence of God hath done the greateſt works, that it hath brought to paſs in the world, in the day of mans ſmalleſt things; when there have been the ſmalleſt appearances of humane means, when the People of God have had the ſmalleſt hopes, and when they have been leaſt in action. God hath in his Providence ſeldom done any great things by great humane means.
Now the reaſon of this is the ſame, as of my former obſervation, Becauſe thus he gets himſelf moſt glory. The Glory of God is the great end of all his actions, he worketh for himſelf, for the Honour and Glory of his own great Name. Now God hath more Honour and Glory by theſe accompliſhments, than if he ſhould bring them to paſs by greater and more probable means. The Apoſtle gives this very reaſon, 1 Cor. 1.29. Why God choſe weak things to confound thoſe that are mighty, &c. That no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence.
1. His power is thus more magnified: He thus appears to be a great God, a mighty God, though it be true, that the Power of God is equally exerted, when he worketh by great means, as by ſmall: (had we ſpiritual eyes, or did we look upon means as we ought to do, as deriving all their efficacy from God), yet de facto, it is not ſo to us; and therefore you ſhall in Scripture obſerve God often declaring, that he would work this, or that in this, or that manner, that his People might not ſay, that they had done this by their own might or power. The leſſer appearance there is of ſecond Cauſes, the more the efficiency of the firſt Cauſe is evident; ſo God getteth himſelf a great deal of Glory, by working in the day of mans ſmalleſt things.
2. (As I alſo told you under the former head) God getteth himſelf more Glory by the praiſes of his people: he is more admired in his workings, more praiſed and adored for his workings. The Enemies are alſo hereby enforced to confeſs the works of the Lord, and to acknowledg the greatneſs of his Power. But having enlarged upon theſe things under the former obſervation, I ſhall add no more here, but come to the Application.
Ʋſe 1. The firſt Uſe I ſhall make of this point, ſhall be what the Prophet Zechariah hath made before me, Zech. 4.10. Who hath deſpiſed the day of ſmall things? The Prophet propoundeth it by way of Interrogation, but it contains a Precept in the bowels of it: Learn not to deſpiſe the day of ſmall things; it is uſually Gods day. It may be a day of ſmall things as to the Church, the ſtate of it may be very ſad, the caſe of it very low; little humane means or probabilities may appear of the amendment of its ſtate; all things may ſeem to make againſt the intereſt of God and Religion. Now I ſay, let no man deſpiſe this day of ſmall things: It may be a day of ſmall things with the particular ſoul, the caſe of it may be very ſad, it may be full of dejections, full of deſpondencies, hurried with temptations; it may have hope, and but a little hope, light ſhining in upon it at a poor crevice: let none now deſpiſe this day of ſmall things. Two things I would preſs upon you. 1. Not to deſpiſe this day. 2. To perform what is your poſitive duty with reference to ſuch a day.
1. I ſay firſt, Deſpiſe not ſuch a day. Perſons or things may be deſpiſed two ways: 1. Directly. 2. Interpretatively. Take heed of deſpiſing it directly. Take heed of deſpiſing it interpretatively. We deſpiſe a perſon or thing directly, when in our hearts we contemn him or it, and have a low and poor eſtimate of him or it, and expreſs it by any outward ſign, as words, geſtures, &c. Thus the Enemies of the Jews ſcorned the Jews, employed in re-building the City and Temple; when they ſaid, What will theſe feeble Jews do? if a fox go up, he will break down what they have builded. It was (it ſeems) a day of ſmall things with the Jews, their Enemies deſpiſed them, and mocked at them. Thus Sennacherib deſpiſed Hezekiah, when he offered his Commiſſioners two hundred horſes, if his maſter could ſet riders on them: Take heed of this deſpiſing. Thus the Popiſh party in Germany deſpiſed the day of ſmall things in the beginning of the Reformation by Luther; when they bid him go into his Cell, and pray, Lord have mercy upon me. The iſſue in all three caſes ſhewed, that they had no reaſon, as to any of them, to have deſpiſed the day of ſmall things: Providence uſually brings forth its greateſt works in ſuch a day. But beſides this deſpiſing,
2. There is an interpretative deſpiſing of ſuch a day. Take heed of this alſo: thus we may deſpiſe things,
1. When we do not give that due regard to them which we ought. Thus our Saviour telleth you, A man cannot ſerve two maſters, but he will cleave to the one, and deſpiſe the other; that is, not give that due regard which he ought to give to the other. He that neglecteth what ought not to be neglected, doth interpretatively deſpiſe; when we have not that due value for a thing we ought to have, we deſpiſe it. Thus Eſau deſpiſed his birth-right, (ſaith the Apoſtle): we no where read that he ſpake contemptuouſly of it; but he did not duly value it, he ſold it for a contemptible price, a meſs of pottage.
2. When becauſe of the ſmallneſs of means, our hearts fail in the uſe of the means we have; or, as to the promiſe: this is a deſpiſing of the day of ſmall things. Now I ſay, take heed of deſpiſing ſuch a day any of theſe ways; it is uſually Gods day. Let your rule be this:
If a work, or iſſue of a work, be for Gods Glory; if it be the matter of a Divine Promiſe, though there may be but a ſmall appearance of means for the accompliſhment of it; take heed of deſpiſing it, either directly, or interpretatively. Who hath deſpiſed ſuch a day? (ſaith the Prophet), intimating, that none ought to deſpiſe it, none hath any juſt reaſon to deſpiſe it.
2. But ſecondly, Do what is your duty in ſuch a day: you will ſay, What is that? I will open it in three things: 1. Ʋſe the means you have. 2. Exerciſe a faith in God, beyond the probable effect of thoſe means. 3. Make up in prayer, what you will want in action, through a want of means. Of each of theſe a word or two.
1. Ʋſe thoſe means and grounds of hope which you have. If David hath but a ſling and a ſtone to go out againſt Goliah with, yet he will uſe them. Means that have a natural vertue in them, or a divine inſtitution, have Gods ſtamp upon them, and muſt be uſed, leaving the event and ſucceſs unto God: we muſt neither idolize means, by attributing the divine Efficiency to them; nor yet tempt God by a neglect of them, when God affords us them. You ſhall obſerve God ſometimes commanding the uſe of means, which had no rational tendency to the production of the effect: as what influence could the Iſraelites blowing with Rams-horns, and the Army encompaſſing the City ſeven days, have upon the walls of Jericho; yet the Iſraelites were bound to uſe them, becauſe they had the ſtamp of a divine Inſtitution upon them. It is much the ſame caſe, when they have a natural vertue, or a rational tendency; there is a divine ſtamp too, though of a different nature: what means are proper muſt be uſed, how mean ſoever they appear in our eyes. What proportion was there betwixt Jonathan and his Armour-bearer, and the whole Garriſon of the Philiſtines, between Jeroboams Army, and Abijahs? This but four hundred, the other eight hundred thouſand; between the Army of Aſia, and that of the Ethiopians and Lubims, 2 Chron. 14. God often works, yea, he ordinarily worketh by ſmall means, and Providence brings forth its great work in the day of mans ſmall things. If we be ſure that we are in Gods way, and about his work, let the means be what they will, if lawful, and rational, it is our duty to uſe them; God muſt be honoured in his own Inſtitutions, and ſought in his own way: though the means be ſmall, and our humane hopes ſmall; yet if we expect Gods bleſſing, this mercy muſt be ſought in the uſe of thoſe means which the Providence of God layeth before us.
2. But ſecondly, The duty of a Chriſtian will lye much in the exerciſe of his Faith in God, beyond the probability of the means. This is the great duty of a Chriſtian, and the very end which God aimeth at in cutting us ſhort of means many times. I think we may ſay, Ʋbi media deficiunt ibi fides incipit; where means begin to fail, there faith begins to work: Where we are out of ſight, as to means, there's a room for faith; For it is (ſaith the Apoſtle) the evidence of things not ſeen: By faith, here I mean, a truſting and relying upon God, as a God able and faithful. But to open this a little more clearly to you: I will ſhew you, 1. In what caſes we may warrantably exerciſe a faith in God beyond the vertue, and probability of means. 2. What means we may uſe for the help of our faith in this caſe. 3. What encouragements we may take to our ſelves in ſuch a caſe to ſet our faith on work.
1 Queſt. In what caſes may a Chriſtian exerciſe faith in God for the accompliſhment, beyond the vertue, efficacy and probability of humane means, to be uſed in order to it?
1. To this I anſwer, The object of faith muſt be a Promiſe. It is ridiculous to talk of an exerciſe of faith in God, for an accompliſhment, for which we have no word to warrant us in the expectation of it: But now, a Promiſe may be either particular, or General; of old many had: particular perſons, and the Nation of the Jews had particular promiſes made to them by God immediately, or mediately by his Prophets; we have no ſuch, God hath left us unto his written Word. There are many general promiſes, which ſhall be made good ſtill to particular Churches and perſons: Hence is our difficulty to conclude what it is we may exerciſe a faith in God, for bringing to paſs. To direct you a little,
1. Where you have a particular promiſe, the caſe is plain. Some ſuch there are, as for the deſtruction of Antichriſt, &c.
2. In the want of a ſpecial particular Promiſe, a general promiſe is a ſufficient object for our faith. General promiſes made to the Church and people of God, are applicable to particular Churches, and particular Saints.
3. Every Precept doth imply a Promiſe: God hath certainly promiſed a bleſſing upon the doing of that which he hath commanded us to do; no man ſerveth God for nothing.
4 Whatſoever iſſue certainly conduceth to the glory of God, is under a Promiſe: God hath reſolved to glorifie himſelf, and he ordereth all his actions in order to that end.
The ſubſtance of all this amounts to thus much: We may exerciſe a faith in God, and truſt in him for accompliſhing by his Providence whatſoever in his Word, he hath either more particularly, or generally promiſed: or whatſoever he hath commanded us to act in tendency unto, or whatſoever doth certainly tend to the glorifying of his great and holy Name. Now if any thing of this nature be upon the wheel, although we ſee the preſent viſible means in order to the accompliſhment of it be ſmall, and in all appearance diſproportioned to the greatneſs of the event; yet a Chriſtian uſing what lawful means the Providence of God lays before him, may warrantably truſt in God for the exerting a further power for the accompliſhment of it, than is in the means which at preſent are apportioned to it. But this is now an hard thing to us. Let me therefore ſecondly, direct you what you ſhould do in a day of ſmall things, for the advantaging of your faith in this noble Exerciſe. I ſhall offer but two things in the Caſe:
1. Keep your Eye as much off the means, and as much upon God as you can. We have ſo much of ſenſe and reaſon in us, that we are very prone from one or other of them to take all our meaſures about future events. If we would keep our hearts ſteady in a time of ſuch exigencies as theſe, we muſt ſhut the Eyes both of our ſenſe and reaſon. Faith credits a Propoſition, neither upon the demonſtrations of the one of theſe, nor the concluſions of the other; but the meer authority of God. Men count it wiſdom when they are upon precipices, never to look downward, but upward; if they look downward, their weak heads are apt to be giddy. Chriſtians in ſuch ſtreſſes of Providence as theſe are, have nothing elſe to do: if they look downward, their ſenſe, their reaſon, ſaith, how can theſe things be? If God would make windows in heaven (ſaith that Nobleman) theſe things could not be. Our poring upon means in the day of our ſmall things hindereth the exerciſe of our faith in God. If the foundations be deſtroyed (ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 11.3,) what can the righteous do? Means are the foundations of our natural hopes: now if theſe be deſtroyed, if there be little or nothing of theſe, what can we do? Wicked men are indeed at their wits-ends, they deſpond and deſpair; but ſaith the Pſalmiſt, v. 4, The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lords throne is in heaven, his eyes ſee, his eye-lids try the children of men God is ſtill where he was, and hath the ſame power, the ſame knowledg of things, the ſame rule and dominion. Twice in Scripture Abraham is propounded to us as a noble Example; and a father of the faithful in this thing, Rom. 4. God had promiſed him a Son, a Son of his Wife Sarah; he grew to be an hundred years old, his Wife many years paſt child bearing; here was no means: yet Abraham believeth for a Child, and he was not weak in the faith (ſaith the Apoſtle), Rom. 4.18, 19, 20. How doth he behave himſelf? The Apoſtle telleth you, That he conſidered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, nor yet the deadneſs of Sarahs womb; he ſtaggered not at the Promiſe, but was ſtrong in faith giving glory to God; being fully perſwaded that what he had promiſed, he was able to perform. Abraham, that he might keep up his heart, fixed on the promiſe; he conſidered not the nothingneſs or improbability of the means; he conſidered nothing but the power, and faithfulneſs of God. God had ſaid it, there was a promiſe for it, a promiſe from him who could not lye: then he conſidereth, that he who had promiſed was able alſo to perform: an honeſt faithful man may ſail in his promiſe, becauſe he may not be able to perform; but as God was faithful, ſo he was alſo able; he keeps his Eye off means, fixed upon God. So again, Heb. 11.17, 18, 19, 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, that in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called, accounting that God was able to raiſe him up even from the dead. Abraham had a promiſe, that in Iſaac his ſeed ſhould be called. God calls Abraham with his own hand to ſlay Iſaac, he could not but have ſuch thoughts as theſe: Lord, if Iſaac be gone, where is thy promiſe? what becomes of thy word? how ſhall my ſeed be called in him? how ſhall I be the father of the Jewiſh Nation, if Iſaac be he, in whom my ſeed muſt be called, and he be dead before he hath a child? He had nothing to relieve him under theſe thoughts but this, That God was able to raiſe him from the dead: hither he flies, and keeps up his faith in the Promiſe, by turning his eye off from the means, and meerly conſidering the power and faithfulneſs of God. You ſhall find Aſa doing thus, 2 Chron. 14.9, 10, 11: Aſa had but an Army of five hundred thouſand: Zerah the Ethiopian, cometh out againſt him with an Army of a million, and three hundred Chariots, there was double the number he had: If he had look'd upon the means, he muſt have deſponded; how ſhould five hundred thouſand deal with ten hundred thouſand? but he looks off the means, and fixeth his Eye upon God. Ver. 11, He cryeth unto the Lord, and ſaith, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God, for we reſt on thee; and in thy Name we go againſt this multitude: O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail againſt thee.
Secondly, In ſuch a day conſider the experiences of Gods people: conſider what they did, and how they ſped. What they did, that you heard in the inſtance both of Abraham, and Aſa. They ſhut the Eyes of their ſenſe and natural reaſon; they took off their Eyes from all conſideration of means, and eyed only the certainty of the Promiſe; the faithfulneſs of God, and the power of God. So did Abraham, ſo did Aſa. Then 2. Conſider how they ſped: Abraham had a Son at the ſet-time; Abraham had his Son reprieved, when the knife was at his throat, and his ſeed was called in Iſaac. The Lord ſmote the Ethiopians before Aſa, and before Juda, &c. ſaith the Text, 2 Chron. 14.12, 13, 14. Now it is a great encouragement to us in the exerciſes of our faith, to conſider the experiences of other of the Servants of God in their exerciſes of Faith. Our fathers truſted in thee (ſaith David, Pſalm 22); they truſted, and were delivered. The ſtrength of this lieth in the ſtedfaſtneſs and unchangeableneſs of God: he is the ſame, his name is I am. David as to Goliah, raiſed up his faith upon his former experiences in ſlaying the Lion and the Bear, 1 Sam. 17, and upon the experience of others, Pſalm 22: nothing is more conducive, to help and relieve a Chriſtian, weak as to his faith, in the day either of ſmall things, as to the Church of God, in which he is conſidered as a member; or in the day of ſmall things as to his own perſonal concerns. God chuſeth the day of ſmall things to be ſeen in: it is the day which Providence chuſeth to ſhew it ſelf great in. And you may thus advantage your faith in God in ſuch a day. Now for your further encouragement in this exerciſe of faith in God, beyond the viſibility or apparent probability of means, I ſhall offer theſe things to your conſideration.
1. That it is Gods ordinary time and method of working. This is that which I diſcourſed to you in juſtification of the Obſervation, and proved it to you from a plenty of inſtances, and therefore ſhall not enlarge here.
2. That God never worketh with ſo much advantage to his own glory, as in ſuch a time when he fulfilleth his Word in the day of mans ſmall things. We never need doubt Gods purſuing of the great ends of his glory; He doth all things for himſelf, his glory is the end of all his great works. Now I ſay, God never worketh more for the advantage of his glory than in ſuch exigents: then is his power, and the greatneſs thereof moſt eminently made known: Then ſhall his people more ſee, and confeſs the Arm of the Lord.
3. Conſider (thirdly) this is the proper work of faith. It is true, we ought to exerciſe Faith in the uſe of means, let them be never ſo great, never ſo probable for the accompliſhment of the the End: but the proper place for faith, is, where means are weak, or wanting, to put the Soul in hope againſt hope. It is the evidence of things not ſeen: as patience is an habit of grace given the Soul for a day of adverſity, ſo faith is made for an hour of ſenſible darkneſs.
4. Laſtly, Nothing ſo pleaſeth and engageth God, as ſuch an exerciſe of faith. Aſa, 2 Chron. 14.11, uſeth it as an argument with God: Help us, O Lord, for we reſt on thee, and in thy Name we go againſt this great multitude. The next Verſe ſaith, God ſmote the Ethiopians, 2 Chron. 13.18. You will find that Jeroboam's Army was full double to the number of Abijah's: and could not have been conquered without ſome extraordinary influence of God upon Abijah's ſide. Now would you know what engaged the Lord of Hoſts. ver. 18, Thus the children of Iſrael were brought under at that time; and the men of Judah prevailed, becauſe they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers. See the contrary, 2 Chron. 16.7; Hanani the Seer cometh to Aſa, and telleth him, Becauſe thou haſt relied on the King of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore the Hoſt of the King of Syria is eſcaped out of thy hands. Thus I have ſhewed you a ſecond thing, in which I conceive the duty of a Chriſtian lies in the day of ſmall things, viz. The exerciſe of a faith in God, beyond the vertue and probability of the means.
3. A third piece of his duty is, To beware of the uſe of ſinful means in order to the accompliſhment of what he deſireth. It is a great vanity to which through our miſapprehenſion of means we are very ſubject: if we want lawful means, to make uſe of unlawful, thinking to add to the day of ſmall things this way. Abraham failed in this, going in to Hagar: ſo did Aſa, in the inſtance beforementioned, though he acted otherwiſe, when the Ethiopians and Lubims were againſt him. Indeed, nothing is more contrary to faith than this; it ſpeaketh a plain diſtruſt in God: nothing is more improper and needleſs, ſuppoſing the truth of this Obſervation.
4. The laſt thing to be done in ſuch a caſe, is Prayer to God, to ſupply by his arm what is wanting in humane means. To this Aſa, and Abijah, & all the ſervants of God in ſuch diſtreſſes have had recourſe. God will be found in a way of Prayer.