Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God

SERMON XXX.

I Go on yet in my observations concerning the Actual Providence of God, and that more especially in dealing out distributive justice, recompensing the righteous and the unrighteous. I observed the last time that it is a thing very ordinary with Divine Providence to proceed slowly in these distributions. But by how much slower the punishment of a sinner, or the reward of a good man cometh from the Lord, by so much the greater, both the one and the other is. I now proceed to another Observation.

Observat. 17. That the Providence of God is very quick in the distribution both of punishments and rewards unto some.

I shall discourse it first with relation to punishments, and then with reference to the rewards of Providence. First, As to punishments. The Apostle Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 5.24. hath this expression, Some men's sins are open beforehand unto judgment, and some men's they follow after: likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand, and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. I know it is a Text of which Interpreters give various senses, as they understand it of the judgment of God, some of them, others of the judgment of men; and amongst those who understand it of the later, some understand it of the judgment of the Magistrate, others of the judgment of the Church; some of both these, some of the judgment of God, and the Ecclesiastical judgment also. I shall not pretend to give the just sense of it, I shall only allude to it in my discourse. As there are some sins that are open and manifest with respect to the filth and guilt of them; they do not hide their sin, but proclaim it as Sodom, they go to the Devil with a trumpet before them, all the world takes notice of them; others sin more secretly and slily and in corners. So God as to some sinners sits in judgment presently. Some indeed he is more slow with, they are kept to the great Assize, or for many years, but he is not so slow with all, but either immediately by his own hand, (as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5.) or else by the sword of the Magistrate, he cuts them off presently, and giveth them a sudden recompense of their evil deeds. Now it may possibly be asked by some, what are those sins, or in what case is God so quick with sinners; nor may the inquiry be unprofitable for us, for because judgment is not executed speedily, the heart of man is set in him to do evil. God's deferring judgment and giving day for the execution of his wrath, doth much embolden sinners. Let us therefore see in what cases God seldom grants reprieves, but is very quick with sinners, and sendeth them down to Hell reeking with their lusts; this I shall endeavor to show you in several particulars.

1. It is hard to name any species of sins, as to which God hath not made, or doth not make some present examples of his vengeance: So as no sinner can promise himself the reprieve of an hour or day. 1. In the case of Idolatry (which is a grievous sin against the first and second commandment) you will find that God proceeded very slowly to judgment for this sin, both in the Canaanites, and in the Israelites; with the Canaanites though they were abominable idolaters, God bare many hundreds of years. With the ten tribes who were idolaters, from the time of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, unto the time when they were finally destroyed, and carried away captives, God bare with them a long time: but you shall find God quicker at another time, Exod. 32. The people make themselves a golden Calf. Moses comes down from the Mount, and findeth them at their idolatrous worship. Moses commandeth the sons of Levi to put every man his sword by his side, and to go in and out from gate to gate throughout the Camp, and to slay every man his Brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor; and v. 28. it is said that the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. There God was very quick with idolaters. Blaspheming, Cursing and swearing is a sin, against the third commandment. God as to the punishment of these sins sometimes proceedeth very slowly: but not always. Look into Levite. 24.10. There was the son of an Israelitish woman that blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed, he was put in prison. God presently giveth order concerning him, v. 14. That he should be brought forth without the Camp, and stoned to death presently. Sabbath-breaking (it is a sin against the fourth precept of the Decalogue) God is ordinarily very slow in the punishing of this sin: many a Sabbath-breaker goeth on year after year, and yet is not punished, but God doth not do thus with all. The man that did but gather sticks upon the Sabbath-day was stoned to death by God's express order and command, Numb. 30.35. Rebellion against Parents, cursing them and dishonoring them is a very great sin, yet God beareth with many wretches a long time that are guilty of it, as we see in the experience of our own lives. A wretched Child is a plague to his Parents many years: but God doth not always bear with sinners in this case. See what a Law God gave the Israelites in this case, Deut. 21.18, 19, 20, 21. God ordered That he should be presently stoned to death, that would not obey the voice of his Father and Mother. For Murder, which is a sin against the sixth Commandment, I shall not enlarge, I shall show you anon that it is a sin which God rarely suffereth to go long unpunished. The Law of God determined present death, for willful murder, and the laws of most nations are accordingly; and we daily see the providence of God strangely working to make murderers examples of his vengeance. Adultery is a sin against the seventh Commandment; God sometimes is very patient and proceedeth very slowly, but yet not always; sometimes he strikes a dart through his liver sooner. God established a law in the Jewish polity; That the Adulterer should be put to death, Lev. 20.10. Deut. 22.22. and you know Phinehas presently took a Javelin, and ran it through an Adulterer and an Adulteress and had an ample reward given him from God for it. In the case of theft, God may sometimes be very patient, and doubtless there are many old Thieves in the world, who yet will not escape the vengeance of God at last. But God is not always patient with all these sinners. Achan was an eminent Thief, he laid his hands upon God's goods, God had first seized upon the goods of the Canaanites, and set them a part for a sacrifice by fire to himself: Achan steals a wedge of Gold, and a Babylonish garment; God presently revengeth it, first upon all the Army of Israel, of which he was a member, then upon himself, and his family, who were stoned to death with stones. For lying, and bearing a false testimony, witnessing against the life of another as a criminal, who was not a criminal, they are sins against the ninth Commandment; God is often very patient with these sinners, he doth not presently enter into judgment with every liar, every Informer and accuser of the servants of God. Some he reserveth in the chains of an hard and impenitent heart, unto the judgment of the great day: but yet with some of these sinners God is much quicker. Ananias and Sapphira, as you know, fell down dead with a lie in their mouths, and the Accusers of the three children, and Daniel, were presently destroyed; the first by the heat of that Furnace, which they had made so hot for others; the second by those Lions, which they had procured Daniel to be thrown unto. But this is enough to have said in justification of my first conclusion, That it is hard to name any species of sinners, but God hath been very quick with some individuals of their company.

2. I find some Divines observing, That God is ordinarily most severe upon the first violators of his laws: and this is the reason that is given by some, why the Sabbath-breaker was ordered to be stoned to death. God had newly revealed his will upon Mount Sinai, Exod. 31.14. and repeated it, Exod. 35. Now God picks out one of the first open presumptuous violators of it to make him an example; you know this is after the manner of men, who are usually very severe upon the first execution of their laws. Ananias and Sapphira were not the first that had told a lie, but they were the first that we read of, who had told a lie in that business. It was the Will of God that to supply the necessities of his Church at that time, the Christians should have all things for a time common amongst them; and it was not without a divine instinct at least, that so many of them sold their goods, and came and-brought the price of them to the Apostles, and laid it at their feet. Now these two seeming professors to save their goods told a lie. God takes a very quick vengeance upon them for it. This Observation is not my own; having therefore named it, I shall leave it to your further observation, how the Providence of God justifies it.

3. There are, thirdly, some particular sins which God seldom suffereth to go long unpunished. I will instance in some,

1. Scandalous and impudent blasphemy. Blasphemy is a speaking evil of God, either denying him what is due to him, or attributing that to him, which can by no means agree to his holy Essence; but yet there is a great deal of difference betwixt a bare denial of that to God, or to any person in the Godhead, which is due to them; or attributing that to God, which cannot agree to him from a mere error of Judgment, and mistake and misunderstanding of Scripture, and doing this with scandalous reproachful terms, and a bold and daring defiance of God, for which men can pretend nothing of conscience. God may bear long with blasphemers of the first sort; such are the Jews, the Socinians, &c. But he is ordinarily very quick in the execution of his vengeance upon the others; the instances of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Rabshakeh, and others in Scripture are very obvious, and it were an easy thing to add to them a great deal out of Ecclesiastical story: but if you observe the Providences of God in the days wherein you live, you will see this notion justified every day: it cannot stand with the honor of God long to bear with bold defiers and reproachers of his glorious Majesty.

2. A second sort of sinners, whom Divine vengeance useth not to spare or suffer long, are murderers. God hath secured the lives of all men by special laws, Gen. 9.6. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. It is one you know of those Ten Commandments which God gave upon Mount Sinai, Exod. 20. Thou shalt do no murder. God expressly commanded, That no satisfaction should be taken for the life of the murderer, Numb. 35.31, 32, 33. and tells us, the land where murder is committed, cannot be purged but by the blood of him that shed it; and it is a very ordinary observation, that murder will out; and we see it in our ordinary experience. There is nothing more remarkable in our observation, than the variety of methods, which the Providence of God useth in the discovery of murder: but I remember in my former discourses, I have spoken something of this.

3. A third sort of sinners, which God in his Actual Providence, is ordinarily very quick with, are Persecutors. Persecution is a violent pursuit of another for the open profession of some necessary truth; whether those that do it, have an human law in the case or no, maketh little or no difference in the case. You know the Jews said, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, yet I hope they persecuted Christ: the Persecutors of the three children, and of the Prophet Daniel, had a law, or what in those Countries, was equivalent, a decree of the Supreme Magistrate. In short, there hath been little or no persecution ever in the world, if human Laws will alter the case. It is a most vile and causeless transgression, and as (I have before observed to you) though History tells us of persecutions that lasted many years, yet you rarely know God bear long with furious and individual perfecutors, whether they were Informers, Delators, Accusers or Judges; you know how quick God was with the accusers of the three children, and of Daniel. The Providence of God in all times hath justified, and still doth so eminently justify this Observation, that it were to abuse your patience, to enlarge far upon it; it is very rare that a Persecutor doth not carry some mark of Divine vengeance upon him to his grave.

4. A fourth sort of sinners, with whom the Providence of God is ordinarily very quick, is such as eminently affront, or do some eminent injury to their superiors. This is justified by all that I said before of the conspicuousness of Divine Providence, in the protection of those whom he hath set to rule over others. I gave you many instances. That of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram may be added, you know the Earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up; to which may be added that of Miriam, who was stricken with the plague of leprosy, for her affront to Moses. The Law of God concerning a rebellious Son (which I before enlarged upon) is another instance. In short, mark it of whom you will, where some eminent affronts are by any offered to the public government of a nation, especially where the rulers rule well, and do their duty, or in a Church, or (finally) in a private family, God doth very rarely let it go long unrevenged. If any one shall ask me the reason of this quickness of Divine Providence with some sorts of sinners, these particularly which I have mentioned, though I think it a great presumption for any to undertake to give the reason of any Divine Motions; yet I do not think it difficult to show you that they are exceeding reasonable, and what those imperfect remains of right reason, which since the fall are left in us, must readily so acknowledge.

1. For the vindication of the Divine Majesty and authority, as it is natural to every creature, to use all its power to preserve its own being; so it is natural to rational beings to preserve their own honor, and to maintain their reputation. The Glory, Honor, Majesty, and Authority of God are things which he will not give unto others, which he will not prostitute to the sordid lusts of worms. Now though every sin doth impeach his Glory, yet not every sin alike: as amongst men, those who are first in the violation of a Law, seem most to confront, and dare, and debase the authority that made it; so those who are the first examples of sinning against a Divine Law, or who teach the world new kinds of sins and disorders, being the boldest affronters of the Divine Authority, usually are made more quick examples of Divine Vengeance: so for the blasphemer, he is the most eminent contemner of the Divine Majesty and Glory, he speaketh evil of the supreme good, and spits as it were in the face of the most excellent being, and curseth him that is the fountain of blessing: God over all blessed forever.

2. For the Demonstration of God's love to mankind, the specialties of his Providence towards man, and the order and government of human societies, and those whom he hath set up to rule over others; I have observed to you before, that man is under a specialty of Providence above all other creatures; that amongst men those whom God hath set to rule well, whether in Church or State, are under a further special care; that he hath hedged them about by more particular and special Laws. Now if God by his Providence did not make some eminent examples of his severity and justice, and proceed quickly against them, how should his special Providence be manifested?

3. It is but reasonable, that God should make Persecutors quick examples of his vengeance, if we consider what a complication of sin there is in the violent prosecution of others, for the profession of the truth.

1. There is eminent injury done to God: he is hindered as to the calves of those lips which the persecutor shuts up. All the immediate honor which God hath in the world, is from the Preaching of the Gospel, from the prayers and praises of his People. Now if God hath any glory from the publication of his Gospel, from the joint-prayers and praises of his Saints, the persecutor that hindereth these, robbeth God of it, and setteth himself against the God of Heaven and Earth in those things, whereby he hath chosen to be honored; his business is to interrupt, disturb, and hinder the making known of Christ to poor souls, to hinder God's Peoples joint-praises of him, and prayers to him; he saith to those whom he persecuteth, You shall not serve God, and thus bids an impudent and bold defiance to the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

2. There is in persecution an eminent injury done to our neighbor. God is not only the avenger of his own glory, but concerning injuries done to men, he hath said, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it. Now in all persecutions there must be some great wrong done to our neighbor, either as to his name, or liberty, or estate, or life. And, secondly, it is an injury done to him causelessly, not by way of retaliation. In truth it is the Image of God which the persecutor flies upon, and it is the holiness and righteousness of his brother, which he is not able to endure, seeing his own lewd and abominable life condemned, by his neighbors more righteous conversation. It is therefore but reasonable, that that God who is jealous of his own glory, and the judge of the innocent person, and who hath said, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it, should be severe in his dealings with such sinners, and for his elect sake shorten the days of such blood-thirsty men. But this is enough to have spoken to the first part of the Observation.

I told you, secondly, that the Providence of God, is also sometimes very quick in the distribution of rewards; and this you shall especially observe in these cases 1. In rewards of such as have been eminent sufferers for God. God doth variously reward such persons, sometimes by temporal rewards that are sensible and external: sometimes such as are more inward and spiritual▪ Now God's Providence is often very quick in such distributions, how quickly did God reward Daniel, after he came out of the Lions den? and the three Children, after they came out of the fiery Furnace; and Mordecai after h • had ventured himself so signally in the cause of God, and saw the very gallows set up on which his great adversary thought to have had him hanged? For those rewards that are more inward, and discerned only by those that receive them; how many instances might be given, of strange incomes of joy, and peace, and strength, with which the suffering servants of God have been rewarded so as their inward joy hath drowned their pain, quenched as it were the flame, &c.

2. In the rewards of such as have done some great and eminent service for God; bearing some signal testimony against sin, as in the case of Phinehas who slew Zimri and Cozbi, Num. 25.11. or been faithful in some great service, in which others have made some great defection, as in the case of Caleb and Joshua, Num. 14.6. who brought up a true report of the land of Canaan, and gave in a true testimony for God against all the rest of the Spies, and when the whole people were in a mutiny.

3. You shall observe, that the Providence of God is ordinarily very quick in rewarding wicked men for any service they do him. I might give you many instances of this, that of Jehu is an eminent one; God gave him and his posterity a present reward for the good service he had done against the house of Ahab; and he gave the King of Assyria a present reward for the service, wherewith he had made his Army to serve against Tyrus. The like observation might be made in many other cases, and it is no more than we may make a daily observation of: when God rewards those whom he intendeth not to reward eternally, he doth it in this life quickly. And the motions of Divine Providence, in these cases cannot but appear to be highly reasonable, if we do but consider,

1. That this is but after the manner of men, to such as do signal and eminent services, to give both present and great rewards, for the encouragement of others: though ordinarily common soldiers sometimes stay for their pay; yet some persons that have signalized their valor, are often Knighted in the field, and some mark of great favor fastened upon them.

2. That Divine righteousness is thus fulfilled, and not only fulfilled, but so conspicuously, that all the world may take notice: that God is a righteous God, fulfilling his word, and that no man serveth him for nothing. Godliness, (as the Apostle tells us) hath promise not only of that life which is to come, but of this life also. Mar. 10.29, 30. There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, for my sake, or the Gospel; but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the life to come, eternal life. These and such-like promises, respecting this life, or that which is to come; must be justified, and so justified, that the world may take notice, that God is true to them; which cannot be, unless God to some such servants of his, should dispense out quick and present rewards.

3. On the other side, it is but reasonable, that God should presently reward the services that wicked men do him: Because there is no portion provided for them in that life which is to come; neither can they trust God for the life to come: all they look at is present pay, and reward. Thus I have opened to you this Observation in the Doctrinal part of it, and shown you the reasonableness of these motions of Divine Providence. I come now to the application; which I shall shortly dispatch.

Use. This Observation affords us a new, and potent argument. 1. To persuade sinners from presumptuous sinnings. 2. To engage men to more eminent services and sufferings for God.

1. I say, first, To dissuade sinners from presumptuous sinnings against God. The flow motions of Divine Providence, as to the punishment of sinners, as I told you, do much encourage sinners to go on in their courses of sin; the hearts of sinners are set in them to do evil, because judgment is not executed speedily. I endeavored to discourage and check this presumption in my former observation; where I confirmed to you, that by how much the more slowly vindicative justice proceedeth to the punishment of sin, by so much severer the punishment is when it cometh. This Observation addeth further to that check; for, as that which men call slackness, is but the long suffering and patience of God, not willing that any should perish, but that all should be saved by a seasonable repentance. So (as you have now heard at large discoursed to you) neither is God thus longsuffering, and patient with all: and although God generally be more quick with those sorts of sinners, which I have specified to you; yet I desire you to observe what I first enlarged upon, that there is hardly any kind or sort of sinners, but God at some time or other hath picked out some or other of them, to make them examples of his severity, Thou mayest be struck dead, while the lie is in thy mouth. It was the case you know of Ananias and Sapphira. Thou mayest be cut off in the very Act of Adultery, (It was the case, you know, of Zimri and Cozbi). Tremble therefore, and do not sin, God may grant thee many years of patience, he may give thee leave to treasure up wrath to thyself against the day of wrath; but thou canst not promise thyself an hours patience. But above all, fear those sins which God usually is so quick in punishing. Fear blaspheming God, or the King; we live in a blaspheming age, wherein have been more bold darings of God, than in former times. God hath revenged his glory upon some of them, they have been cut off in their youth, before they have lived out half their days. If another generation riseth up, and approveth their sayings, wait but a while, and you will see vengeance overtaking them also. Fear doing anything against the life of others, who by the law of God ought not to die. Blood-thirsty men shall not live out half their days, you fee God's vengeance against this sin is very quick.

2. This Observation affords a great encouragement to the service of God, especially to eminent actings, and sufferings for God. There is a reward for righteous men, if they go without it to their dying day; yet they shall be recompensed in the generation of the just. Heaven will pay for all; but God doth not always take so long a day to recompense them. Many have a reward in this life, and that which is to come. The Scripture is full of promises, even of the good things of this life, to godliness in the general; and to the several parts, and acts of godliness. These promises indeed are not made good to every child of God, in specie, but only in equivalent, yea transcendent mercies. But even these promises are made good to many; and they may be thy portion, however thou shalt not miss of the greater things. Particularly, this layeth an engagement upon all that fear God, as God calleth them to it, and giveth them advantage for it to signalize themselves, by eminent actings, or by some eminent sufferings: such you have heard God ordinarily payeth presently; and besides that eternal recompense which they have in glory, they are in more outward, and sensible things, or in more inward influences of grace recompensed in this life. Those that eminently honor God, he will honor; and many of them have a double mess sent them from the Lord.

SERMON XXXI.

I Am proceeding yet in my Observations, upon the motions of Divine Providence (that which we call Actual Providence) in its administration of distributive Justice, both in the punishment of sinners, and the rewarding of the righteous. Divers Observations I have already made, I am come to the,

Observat. 18. (Which you may please to take thus) That the Providence of God, doth very ordinarily, with the punishments of this life, chastise the past, and pardoned sins of people.

In the handling of which, I shall, 1. Justify the Observation.

2. I shall show you the reasonableness of this motion of Providence, and reconcile it, both to the justice and goodness of God.

3. Lastly, I shall make some practical application of it. That it is so, I shall prove by two famous instances: the first of David, the second Job. David, you know, had fallen into two grievous sins, Adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her Husband Uriah. God sendeth the Prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. 12. to David to convince him of his sin, who doth it by a Parable. David's heart melteth, v. 13. and he saith unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. Nathan tells him, the Lord hath also put away thy sin. The sin you see was both past, and pardoned, but mark what follows; v. 14. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the Child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. He had told him before, v. 10. That the sword should not depart from his house: and v. 11. That he would take his wives before his face, and give them to his neighbor, and he should lie with them in the sight of the Sun. All this was afterward justified by the Actual Providence of God. The Child died, 2 Sam. 12.18. Amnon defloureth his Sister Tamar, and is slain by her Brother Absalom: 2 Sam. 13.14, 29. Absalom, David's own Son, lieth with his Fathers Concubines, in the sight of all Israel. 2 Sam. 16.22. Absalom is slain in a rebellion against his Father, &c. Nay, not only thus, but God punisheth David with horrors and terrors in his mind, with diseases in his body, as you may gather from Psal. 6. Psal. 51. and the rest of those Psalms, in which he expresseth his repentance. David prayeth Psal. 25.7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Job complaineth unto God, Job. 7.2, 3. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work; so am I made to possess months of vanity. I know the words are capable of another sense; as vanity may be understood for affliction and misery, or the frustration of his expectations; but I should rather interpret it by the words of the same Job 13.26, 27, 28. For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the sins of my youth, &c. Moses, and Aaron sinned against the Lord at the waters of Meribah: I do not think that any of you doubt, but that God pardoned their sin; yet it is certain that God punished them, and that for that sin; God himself tells them so, Deut. 32.50, 51. That the Providence of God doth this is evident.

The second thing may seem to have more difficulty in it, viz. How this is reconcilable, either to the justice, or goodness of God. To his justice who hath accepted a price, and satisfaction for them at the hand of his Son; concerning whom he hath said, that in him (as our Mediator) he was well pleased. How then can God punish m • n and women for those sins, for which he hath accepted a price, and satisfaction. Or how is this reconcilable to the fullness of God's pardoning grace? How are those sins pardoned, which God afterward punisheth.

But this Cavil proceedeth upon a double mistake or error.

1. The first concerning the punishments of sin upon the Children of God.

2. The second concerning the satisfaction of Christ's death.

As to the first it supposeth, that the afflictions and punishments of God's people, are all for satisfaction; which if it were so, they were of all men mo •• misera ••• , a, their afflictions do ordinarily more abound, than the afflictions of others. It is true, that the impenitent and irreconciled sinner, hath no reason to look upon any affliction otherwise, than as an arrest of divine vengeance; upon every ague, every fever, as God's taking him by the throat, and saying to him, Pay me now what thou owest; because they cannot apprehend any such thing, as that Christ hath for them satisfied Divine Justice: but the case is otherwise with a believer. Supposing our afflictions and punishments of this nature, these two things would follow from them.

1. A Christian should never be able to see to the bottom of his bitter cup, were satisfaction to be given by us, when could we so much as hope to say? All is finished. We might burn, but when could we hope to come out of the flames? we might be paying, and paying; but when could we think to have paid the uttermost farthing? Satisfaction in our persons must be an endless work, the offended Justice being no less than infinite.

2. We could never hope by our afflictions to be made gainers in grace. If it were possible for us to apprehend, that by our suffering we could make full payment to the Justice of God, yet we could have no hope by affliction, to grow more holy: no man groweth richer, by parting with money to pay his debts; none could hope by afflictions, to grow more holy, that his affliction should purge away his dross, or take away his tin, or he by them be made more conformable to the Image of his blessed Savior, if our afflictions were for satisfaction. But the holy Scripture giveth us quite another notion of afflictions, so far as they concern the People of God; it bottometh them in Divine Love, it calleth them chastenings, and calleth them fatherly corrections, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. We are bid not to despise the chastening of the Almighty; we are told, That they are blessed, whom he chasteneth, and teacheth out of his law; we are told, that he chasteneth whom he loveth, and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth. Now it is true, satisfaction is not consistent with the satisfaction of Christ; but corrections and fatherly chastisements, are consistent enough with the price which Christ hath paid, and the satisfaction which he hath given for us; hanging the malefactor, or otherwise putting him to death, is not consistent with pardon; but I hope, whipping him, branding, sending him a while to Bridewel, banishment of him when he deserved death, is consistent enough with it. The Papists indeed fancy that Christ hath only satisfied for the eternal punishment, but still we are bound to satisfy by temporal punishments. Hence are their penances and purgatory founded, but that is a very uncomfortable notion; and the more we look into it, the more dreadful it will appear. On the other side the Antinomians are as much almost on the other hand, denying the afflictions of God's People, to be punishment of sins or judgments, when the Scripture so calls them. The truth lies in the middle betwixt these two extremes, they are judgments, they are punishments of sin, but they are no legal demands of satisfaction, nor giving satisfaction. Christ hath satisfied for the whole guilt of their sins, for whom he died. All of that nature as to them was finished upon the cross: so that the afflictions of the People of God, their punishments for sin, have now both another name and notion, than satisfactions.

2. A second mistake upon which this objection is founded, is, That Christ by his death paid a price into the hands of his fathers justice for all temporal punishments due to man for sin, so as to excuse those for whom he died, from them. Now as to this, whatsoever we may fancy,

1. It is manifest, that our Lord Jesus never did purchase for his people any such thing as a freedom from temporal death, and the smart of bodily afflictions. He hath taken away the sting of death, but not death; he hath delivered us from the curse, but not from the cross. This is all which the Scripture saith, Gal. 3.13. He hath redeemed us from the curse, by being made a curse for us: himself hath told us, That if any one will be his disciple, he must deny himself, and take up the cross and follow him: And we are told by the Apostle, That all who will live godlily in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. And accordingly the servants of God have experienced it, even Paul himself was in deaths often, and had his thorn in the flesh.

2. Nor was it any branch of that Covenant of Redemption and Grace, in which Christ was a party with, or a surety to the eternal father. I put in those two terms Redemption and Grace. I know some make two Covenants; the one they call the Covenant of Redemption, the other the Covenant of Grace, and that there are very different notions of the Covenant of Grace. For my own part, I see no need of asserting more than one Covenant, and that eternal, Isa. 42.6. This I take to be a paction from eternity, made betwixt the Father, the eternal Father, on the one part; and the Lord Jesus Christ on the other, wherein Christ Covenanted with his Father, that he would do his whole will for the redemption of his chosen ones, Psal. 40.7. Heb. 10.7. and that we by grace derived from him, should do what the father requires of us in order to our salvation, in respect of which he is said to be made the surety of a better Covenant, Heb. 7.22. The Father mutually Covenanted with his Son, that he would be well-pleased in him, that he would give him the souls for whom he should die, that he might give them eternal life, and all that grace and good which should be advantageous for them; but neither did Christ ask of his Father, neither did his Father promise him on their behalf an immunity from temporal punishments, afflictions, or chastisements for sin. We cannot understand the terms of the Covenant of Grace, but from the Exhibition of it in Scripture, which was very various, sometimes more clearly, sometimes more darkly, to Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, &c. One of the fairest copies of it, I think is that to David, which we have, Psal. 89. from the 20, to the 35. v. Vers. 28. he tells him, That he will keep his mercy with him for evermore, and his covenant should stand fast with him: but yet he reserveth himself a liberty to punish him and his seed for sins: verse. 30. If his children for sake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes: nevertheless my loving-kindness I will not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail: my Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. So that notwithstanding the Covenant of Grace for eternal life, and pardon of sin, and all grace in order to the obtaining of this life, and notwithstanding the blood of Christ, which was the blood of this Covenant; God hath yet a liberty to visit the transgressions of his people, even their past, as well as renewing transgressions with rods, and their iniquity with stripes: yet he doth not break his Covenant, nor alter anything that is gone out of his lips.

3. Nor is it reasonable that any should fancy, that God by the establishment of the Covenant of Grace, or by acceptance of the satisfaction of his Son, as the blood of this Covenant to make an atonement and reconciliation for iniquity, should have barred himself of his liberty to punish the sins of his people: or that any who hath accepted this Covenant upon the exhibition of it in the Gospel, should be excused from such chastisements; if we consider,

1. That some of these chastenings are made the matters of a promise, Mark 10.30. Persecutions are reckoned amongst Christ's rewards in this life, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth, &c. Thence the ancients were wont to call Martyrdom a Crown; and Luther was wont to complain, That God would not honor him to wear that Crown. Saint Paul prayeth to be made conformable to the death of Christ; if the Saints did not fight, how could they triumph? how should they conquer? yea be more than conquerors?

2. That afflictions are the path-way to death, and death the door into eternal life. Every affliction is a blow at the root of our tree, preparing it for its fall; and if we did not die, how should we live in Heaven? We must all die, or be changed; or our corruptible could never put on incorruption, nor our mortal put on immortality. It is reported of Zaleucus, a lawgiver amongst the Indians, that he should say, If God had not appointed that all should die, it had been reasonable for men to have made a law in the case: and we read of some Indians, who being asked why they worshipped the Sun, gave this reason, Because it was the Author of death. Give me leave to say, That death is so necessary, and afflictions are so wholesome for Christians, that they deserve rather to be reckoned amongst those things which Christ hath purchased for them, than such things as he hath purchased them a liberty from.

1. All sorts of afflictions of this life, are means of grace; not so much means of begetting, as reviving, and increasing grace: for as the fire softeneth the wax, and hardeneth the clay; so I have usually observed, That afflictions make the wicked man worse, but godly men better; they revive repentance, they are times when usually men call sin to remembrance, they draw out the exercises of faith, and both work and exercise patience. Tribulation (saith the Apostle) worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. David, before that he was afflicted, went astray, after he learned to keep God's Statutes. God while he punisheth his people for their sins, doth not barely chasten them, but he also teacheth them out of his Law.

2. They (secondly) prepare the Saints for glory; and this not only as they restrain sin, and tend to perfect grace; but as it pleaseth God of his grace to reward the sufferings of his people, and the faith and patience of his people shown in and under their sufferings with the greater glory. Thus the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 4.17. That our light and momentary afflictions work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And thus much may serve to have cleared this Objection, that I may hasten to the practical Application of this Observation. This motion of Divine Providence in punishing with temporal punishments, past, and pardoned sins, even in the best of God's People, appears exceeding reasonable.

1. In regard of the Justice of God. The Justice of God having taken a satisfaction in the blood of his Son, and been paid a price for the sins of his people, will not allow him to punish them with an eternal punishment; yet it is reasonable they should not go altogether unpunished, that the world may see that he is a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity in any. I remember what God said by the Prophet Jeremiah to the Jews, Jer. 30.11. I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. You have the same again, Jer. 46.28.

2. It is reasonable (secondly) in order to the eternal salvation of their souls, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. It is P. Martyrs note upon that Text, that the Apostle in that passage particularly respecteth such as fear God; for the case is otherwise with wicked men, whose punishment but begun in this life, shall be perfected in the world that is to come. But I have spoken enough to the Doctrinal part of this Observation. Let me now come to some practical Observation, showing you what use we may and ought to make of it.

Use 1. This in the first place serves to justify God in those sore afflictions which we often see him bringing upon his own people. When we look upon the holiness of a Job, and see him a man fearing God, and eschewing evil, and see such a person under sharp trials of affliction, we are ready to startle at it, and cannot understand Divine Justice in it. But God is many ways to be justified. 1. Who liveth and sinneth not enough against God, to justify the severest dispensations under which God exerciseth him?

2. If he did not, yet it is an ordinary thing, and very righteous for God, to write bitter things against his people for the sins of their youth, though past and pardoned. Now who hath so passed his youth, that he hath not been guilty of sin enough to justify God in his punishments, yea and to make him acknowledge that he hath been punished seven times less than he hath deserved. And if neither of these could be seen as a meritorious cause, yet God hath a liberty by afflictions, to try the faith and patience of his people, (but that is not the subject of my present discourse). I remember when they asked our Savior concerning him that was born blind, whether it were for his own sin, or for his parents: Our Savior replys, for neither, but that the glory of God might appear. So I doubt not but God's end in afflicting his people, is neither at all times the punishment of the persons late sins, nor former sins, but that both the grace and glory of God might appear in strengthening, supporting, and upholding of his poor creatures, and that he might be glorified by them in the fires, by the exercise of their faith and patience, &c.

Use 2. This speaketh loud to all, especially to young men, to take heed of presumptuous sinnings against God. Presumption of mercy is that which much enticeth out the lusts of our hearts: there are some that will fancy God an Idol of mercy, and will say, Let them do what they list, yet it shall be well with them; they will not believe any such thing as Hell, or a Revelation of the wrath of God against sinners. God did not make them to damn them, &c. God of old foresaw there would be a generation, that when they heard the words of his curse, would bless themselves in their hearts, saying, They should have peace, although they walked after the imaginations of their own hearts, adding drunkenness to thirst, Deut. 29.19. Observe, v. 20. what God saith as to such, The Lord will not spare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven, &c. But blessed be God there are not many of these in the age wherein we live, not many but will acknowledge an Heaven and an Hell, and profess to believe, that there is a reward for the righteous, and for the unrighteous, for the Saint, and for the sinner. So that what encourageth the most of men in sinful courses, is not any hope of a total and final impunity, but a presumption of pardon, and obtaining mercy with God before they die. They are taught by some wild teachers, that it is in the power of man to repent, to believe, to turn to God when he pleaseth; and this imboldneth them to out-stare all the terrors of the Lord, and to put off all the tenders of the Gospel, to indulge their lusts, and to say, It is not yet time to turn unto God: if they obtain pardon at last, they shall be well enough; if they turn to God (and they are told they can do it when they please), it is but taking up a resolution in their old age, when they have had the fill of their lusts in their youth. Now if this Doctrine had any truth in it, it would quite destroy an old argument we had to press men to a speedy repentance; because that God, who always giveth pardon to them who truly repent, will not always give unto sinners an heart to repent. No need of that, say our new Teachers, man hath a freedom in his own will, he may repent whensoever he can but get himself of the mind; he labors under no more than a moral impotency, his lusts are so strong, that he cannot obtain leave of himself; that is all. But friend, admit this were true, that thou hadst repentance in thy own hand, and that thou shouldest upon thy repentance obtain pardon of thy sins from God; yet God may as to the punishments of this life make thee go mourning to thy grave for the sins of thy youth: he may plague thee in thy own person, and plague thee in thy posterity; God had pardoned David's sin, Nathan told him, The Lord had put away his iniquity, yet the child died, the sword never departed from his house. Absalom requited him by going into his Concubines in the sight of the Sun; he was weary with his groaning, all the night long, he made his bed to swim, and watered his couch with his tears, his eyes were consumed with grief, Psal. 6. His bones waxed old through his roaring all the day-long: God's hand was heavy upon him night and day, so as his moisture was turned into the drought of summer, Psal. 32. Who would not fear such kind of dispensations? Alas! there is no such thing as man's having a power in himself to repent and turn to God. Can the Blackamore change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? Everywhit as soon as he who is accustomed to do evil, can do well; but admit you could, I say it is a thousand to one but God in the punishments of this life will visit your youth-sins upon you: young men that are wise, will take heed of wounds and strains in their youth, or surfeits, which though they feel little of in the heat of their youth, they will be sure enough to feel in their bones when old age overtaketh them; and certainly, if sensual sinners would give but their reason leave to guide them, it would guide them also to take heed of those sins in their youth; for which they may so severely smart, by wounds, and terrors of Conscience; by doubts, and horrors, and fears; by diseases, and other kind of punishments: there is a great deal of difference, betwixt being saved smoothly, and a being saved but through fire. O let me plead with you, who have little else to say, for the cares and pains of your youth, but that by it you are but providing quiet and rest for yourselves when you come to be old; that you would admit the force of that Argument also to persuade you to remember your Creator in the days of your youth; and to take heed of the sins of youth, which God often so severely punisheth upon gray-hairs, yea and that to his own people, whose iniquities yet he hath pardoned, so as they shall not eternally condemn him.

Use. 3. But (that I may shut up this discourse) what you have heard upon this Observation, may offer the best of us, some matter, which possibly, we have not thought of; both of daily humiliation, and particular humiliation, when the rod of God is upon us. I say,

1. Of daily repentance, and humiliation. We are ready to speak after the language of Agag (whom Saul had spared upon the slaughter of the Amalekites ) surely the bitterness of death is past. If we find that God hath changed our hearts, that we are not what we were; we are very prone to think, that all the follies, and vanities of our youth are forgotten. But let us not mistake, God sealeth up the sins of impenitent sinners in a bag, for to be brought forth to their eternal ruin, in the day of the revelation of God's wrath: he sealeth up the sins of his redeemed ones in a bag, to chasten them ofttimes in this life, with the rods and stripes of men. God wrought bitter things against Job, for the sins of his youth: and David saw reason to pray, that the Lord would not remember the sins of his youth against him. We stand therefore deeply concerned, with bitterness, to remember what God hath not so forgotten, but he may deeply chastise us for. O, then my Brethren, let us all look back upon our youth, and mourn over that first, and wanton time! And,

2. When the hand of God is upon us; and it may be we cannot find wherefore he contendeth us; then let us remember former sins, and humble our souls before the Lord for them; and glorify God in the fires, by acknowledging the righteousness of God in the punishment of the sins of our former years. But possibly some will say to me, What is to be done in this case? is there no way to prevent this after-reckoning with us?

Truly I cannot promise you there is, for as a people may be grown in sin to such an height, that there is no speaking to God for them; so it is possible, that our former sins may have so provoked God, as notwithstanding our repentance and conversion, God may be resolved, that we shall smart in the flesh, though our souls be saved in the day of Christ; but if there be any hope for such a mercy, it is certainly to be obtained.

1. By frequent humiliations for past sins, much fasting and prayer: thus Josiah obtained mercy, as to his person, when the sins of his predecessors, were coming like a storm upon him. David knew that if anything would do, this was the way; and therefore while the child was sick, he humbled himself, and would eat no bread.

2. By showing yourselves eminent in the exercise of those virtues and graces, which are most opposed to your former sins. This was Daniel's counsel to the King; he had sinned by unrighteousness, cruelty and injustice; oppressing his subjects, griping the poor, &c. Daniel adviseth him, to break off his sins by righteousness, and his iniquities, by showing mercy to the poor, if it might be a lengthening out of his tranquility, Dan. 4.27. He could not assure him this would be a lengthening out of his tranquility; but if it were a thing to be done, this was the way to obtain it. Paul had eminently sinned, by blaspheming, persecuting the Lord Christ in his members: he preacheth up Christ, and laboreth in the work of the Gospel more than all the rest of the Apostles.

3. Walk humbly (in the third place) with thy God; do not be too censorious, too rash in thy judgment; God resisteth the proud: thou wert once as others are; it is by Grace thou art otherwise. Now it cannot be pleasing, but highly provocative to God; to see a great sinner, whom he hath pardoned, and received to mercy, triumphing over, judging, censuring them; and doubtless doth often provoke God to call their former sins to remembrance, that they may learn to pity others. It is seldom that God by smart judgments makes them sensible of their errors, who have a daily sense of them; and in the sense of them, walk softly all the days of their lives. If we would judge ourselves (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11.31.) we should not be judged.

4. Be much in secret prayer to God, begging of him, That if it be possible, those bitter cups might pass from thee; but remember to add what our Savior addeth; yet not my will, but thy will be done. For these punishments are not in themselves evil, and therefore not absolutely to be deprecated; but with submission to the will, and wisdom of God.

SERMON XXXII.

I Am still detained in a Discourse, concerning the observable things of Divine Providence, Actual Providence; and more particularly, I am recommending to your observation, some things relating to its motions in the distributions of Rewards, and Punishments. I shall offer one thing more of this nature.

Observat. 19. That it is a very ordinary motion of Divine Providence, both to reward and punish Relations in their Correlations.

To visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children; of the Magistrates upon the people, &c. And so on the contrary, to reward the good and righteous actions of Parents unto their posterity, &c. In the prosecution of this, keeping my method,

1. I shall justify the observation, by several instances.

2. I shall show you the Reasonableness of this motion of Providence, and clear it from all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or appearances of injustice, or contrariety to what God hath spoken in his word: with reference to the distribution of punishments.

3. Lastly, I shall make some practical Application.

That the thing is true, appeareth from so plentiful a testimony of Scripture-instances; as hardly anything is more clear, and that both as to Rewards and Punishments. I will begin with the first, but shall be shorter in that Discourse; because the difficulty lieth more as to the second thing, viz. the distribution of punishments.

Now for Rewards, besides many particular instances, we have two that are more general; those of Abraham, the Father of the faithful, and David, the man according to God's own heart. They were both great, and common Fathers. Abraham was the Father of the Jewish Nation: The father of many Nations, and the father of the faithful. I shall only consider him in the first capacity. David was the father of the Kings of Judah ( Saul's family, you know, was extinguished presently): Now how frequently in Scripture, do you find God declaring his goodness, and mercy to the Jewish Nation, for his servant Abraham's sake; or for the sake of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; or for his servant David's sake! And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his Covenant, with Abraham, and with Isaac, and with Jacob, Exod. 2.24. Lev. 26.42. Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob, and also my Covenant with Isaac; and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the Land. Hence it was that the Jews gloried so much, that They had Abraham to their Father: and the faithful amongst them ordinarily used it, as an argument to plead in prayer with God for them. It is plain concerning David, from a multitude of Scriptures, 1 Kings 11.11. God threatening to rend away the Kingdom of Solomon, tells him, that for David his servants sake, he will not do it in his days; and v. 12. For David his servants sake, he would give one tribe to his Son. So again, v. 32, 34. and 2 Kings 8.19. Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David's sake. 2 Kings 19.34. I will defend this City, save it for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake; hence the Psalmist prayeth, Psal. 132.10. For thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thine Anointed, and so in many other texts of Scripture. The case as to punishments, hath yet a far more plentiful evidence from holy Writ, Exod. 17.8, 9. Amalek smote Israel when they came out of Egypt. God revengeth this sin upon their children, and posterity. More than 350 years after, God saith to Saul, 1 Sam. 15.2, 3. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I remember that which Amalek did, how he laid wait for them in the way, when he came out of Egypt. Now go smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; and spare them not, but slay both man, and woman, and infant, and suckling; both Ox and Sheep, and Camel, and Ass. God in the second Commandment saith, that he is a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third, and fourth generation; and conformable unto this, is the whole revelation of the will of God in Scripture, and the dispensation of Actual Providence. 1 King. 11.11. God threateneth to rend the Kingdom away from Solomon. Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my statutes, which I have commanded thee. v. 12. Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it, for David thy Fathers sake; but I will rend it out of the hand of thy Son; he accordingly did, 1 King. 12.16. Jeroboam, you know, had the part God rent from the house of David. He setteth up idolatry. God threateneth, 1 King. 14.9. that because of this, he would destroy Jeroboams house; and cut off from him, him that pissed against the wall, and would take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung till it be gone. Now observe, how the Actual Providence of God fulfils this, 1 King. 15.25. Nadab, Jeroboams son succeedeth; he reigneth but two years; v. 27. Baash conspireth against him, smiteth him, and slayeth him; v. 29. He smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed until he had destroyed him. v. 30. Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel to sin, by his Provocation, wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger. The phrase is not exclusive of Nadabs sins; but it plainly proveth, that in Nadab, and the rest of his families punishment, there was a special consideration of Jeroboams sins: Baasha doth as wickedly as Jeroboam. God sends Jehu the Prophet, who threateneth him, that the Lord would take away his posterity, and the posterity of his house; and make his house, like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 1 Kings 16.1, 2, 3. He reigned 24 years. Elah his son succeeds him, and reigneth two years, as bad a man as his Father, 1 Kings 16.8, 9, 10. Zimri, one of his Captains slayeth him, being drunk. v. 11. the same Zimri, slayeth all the house of Baasha; he left him not one who pissed against the wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor friends. And this v. 13. was for all the sins of Baasha. Omri sets up against Zimri, and prevaileth; he reigneth 12 years: Ahab was his son, who reigned 22 years. He was a most vile man, 1 Kings 21.25. There was none like unto Ahab; which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. God in the same Chapter, v. 21. threatened him, because he had sold himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord, that he would bring evil upon him, and take away his posterity; and would cut off from Ahab, him that pissed against the wall, and him that was shut up, and left in Israel; and would make his house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha. In the next Chapter you shall read that Ahab was killed in the battle at Ramoth Gilead. Ahaziah succeedeth him, 1 Kings 22.40. Ahaziah dieth an untimely death, occasioned by a fall from a window; 2 Kings 1. and Jehoram his son succeedeth: v. 17. he was slain by Jehu, 2 Kings 9. ch. 10. Seventy sons more of his were slain by the men of Samaria, at the command of Jehu. and v. 17. When he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah. Jehu succeedeth in the Kingdom, he slew the Priests, and worshippers of Baal; and turned the house of Baal into a draught-house, 2 Kings 10.25, 26, 27, 28. For this God rewardeth both him and his posterity, with a Crown and a Throne, 2 Kings 10.30. But he yet kept up the idolatry of Jeroboam, 2 Kings 10.29. for this, God not only punished him, in his life time, 2 Kings 10.32, 33. But threatens to avenge the blood of Jesreel upon the house of Jehu. Hosea 1.4. which came to pass an hundred years after, in the fourth Generation. Jehoahaz Jehu's son reigned 17 years. Joash his son reigned 16 years. Jeroboam his son reigned 41 years, which added to 28 years Jehu reigned, makes a 102 years. Now you know, the service Jehu did, was in the beginning of his reign. Thus you see this was God's constant course of Providence, with the several families of the Kings of Israel. For the sin of Eli, 1 Sam. 2.27. God threateneth him, that because he had honored his sons above God. v. 29. He would cut off his arm, and the arm of his fathers house; that there should not be an old man in his house. v. 33. And all the increase of his house should die in the flower of their age. Christ bids those that mourned for him, to weep for themselves, and their children. In short, the proof of this is very full from Scripture. And we shall find this done, not only in natural Relates and Correlates; Such are Fathers and Children, of which I have given you plentiful instances; but in such as are moral Relations. Sometimes we shall find the people punished for the Rulers sin. Thus it was in the case of David, he numbered the people, the people were plagued for it. So in the case of Jeroboam, and Baasha, and Ahab; they set up their idolatry; the people were destroyed, Hosea 5.11. Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the Commandment, (a Text worth the studying by many Divines in our age). The famine in David's time, 2 Sam. 21.1. came for Saul, and his bloody house; and ten of his sons must be haned to atone God. Again, you shall find it done, when the original guilt was in the people: this was the case of the Israelites, when they made the Golden-calf, Exod. 32.22. And when they murmured, at the report brought up by the Spies, Num. 14.33. The judgment extended to near 40 years. This is a tremendous motion of Providence, it may not therefore be out of my way to inquire,

1. What sins those are, which God doth ordinarily thus revenge on Correlates?

2. How far this Vengeance doth extend?

3. How this is reconcilable to the justice and goodness of God, and the revelation of his will?

1. As to the first, it is hard to say, what sins God may not thus revenge. Eli was thus (as you have heard) punished in his posterity, for not duly punishing his Sons; David for numbering the people: but the more eminent sins, which you read of in Scripture thus punished, are;

1. Corruption in the worship of God, and especially Idolatry, (which is the highest sin in that kind) This is verified in the instance of the punishment, for the Calf made by Aaron at the importunity of the people, Exod. 32. and in all the cases of the Kings of Israel, before mentioned. Princes were punished for it, not only personally, but in their families; and the people too, for willingly walking after the commandment. The worship of God is a very tender thing; and God more severely punisheth no sin, than he doth corruptions in that.

2. Blood, Cruelty and Oppression, and especially the blood of righteous men. God Numb. 35. commands that no satisfaction should be taken for the life of the murderer; he tells us there, blood polluteth a land, and so, as that it cannot be cleansed, but by the blood of him that shed it. This was the case of Saul, he had shed the blood of the Gibeonites; for this, vengeance came in a famine upon all Israel, and particularly upon his family. This was the case of Ahab also; he had shed the blood of Naboth, and of the Lord's Prophets. This was the case of the Jews; That (saith our Savior) upon you may come all the righteous blood shed, from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zechariah; and the blood of Christ by them shed, lieth upon that whole people unto this day.

But secondly, How far may this Vengeance extend?

1. I answer, Not to the inward man. The spiritual, or eternal punishment of any man consisteth of two Essential parts, the soul and the body; both these are capable of punishment, both in this life, and that which is to come: hence ariseth the distinction of punishment, into that which is Corporal, and that which is Spiritual; that which is Temporal, and that which is Eternal. Now I do not think, that God punisheth the souls of succeeding generations, not going on in the same, or equal sins, for the sins of a preceeding generation; or the souls of correlates, for the sins of their Relations. In this sense I take that Text, Ezech. 18.4. The soul that sinneth shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father: nor the father the iniquity of the child. As also that Jer. 31.29. They shall not use this Proverb, The Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge: but everyone shall die for his own sin: but whether that be the strict sense of those Texts or no, I will not dispute: this seemeth to me a sufficient reason for this determination. Because the soul of the child is no part of the parent. All souls are God's, and derive immediately from him. One thing which is said by Divines, in maintenance of the justice of God, in this dispensation, is this, That children are the goods of their parents, and parts of them, flesh of their flesh; but it cannot be said so of their souls. Hence it followeth, that none, for the sins of their Parents, or Correlates, is given up to hardness of heart, reprobacy of mind, or vile-affections; nor to any other spiritual wickedness, nor shall any perish eternally for the sins of others.

2. For punishments of this life, they may extend to the third and fourth generation, even upon those, who do not tread in the steps of their fore fathers, nor approve their sayings. You know the words of the second Commandment — visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation, of those that hate me. There are that think, that those later words are a limitation upon the former; and that God only threatens vengeance to the third and fourth generations, in case those two generations go on to hate God; and thus the Chaldee Paraphrast glosseth, but this will not agree with the Hebrew. I desire you to observe,

1. Those that hate him (in that Commandment) are opposed to them that love him in the same Commandment; so that if the threatening be to be limited, only to those children who persist in the hatred of God, the promise also must be expounded only of those thousands that love God: and it would rather have been, that he would show mercy to the third and fourth generation, of those that love God.

2. Again, What had there been extraordinary in the commination? God will most certainly punish them that hate him, for their personal hatred of him; certainly God brings it as a further argument to deter men from sin, that he would not only revenge their sins upon them, but upon their posterity.

3. This vengeance is not so necessary or certain, but that by the repentance, and humiliation of a present generation, though it will at last most certainly come, it may be deferred. The threatening against Ahab and his posterity was, 1 Kings 21.22, 23. Ahab was a little smitten upon it; God promiseth to defer it, but tells him it should come in his sons days. v. 29. Ahaziah succeedeth him, and died by a fall; Jehoram, or Joram succeedeth him: then it began to work, Jehu slayeth him, and also all the family of Ahab. God threatened Jeroboam; but because there was good found in his young son Abijam, it fell not on him: 1 Kings 14.7, 8, 9, 16. but in his Grand-child's time it came. Hezekiah was thus threatened for showing the hid treasures to the King of Babylon's servants. 2 Kings 20.17. Josiah was his Grand-child, the third generation from Hezekiah; he humbled himself, and God yet deferred it. Thus we find vengeance of this nature coming on Jeroboam, in the second generation; upon Ahab, in the third; upon Hezekiah, in the fifth or sixth generation. We find this vengeance taken off from Abijam, by some good thing found in him, put off in Ahab's time by his (though hypocritical) humiliation, by Josiah's real humiliation.

4. Lastly, When a generation goes on, and continues in their Fathers sins, we find vengeance following them to many generations. In that case (saith God) I will not keep silence, but will recompense your iniquities, and the iniquities of your Fathers together, who have burnt incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills; therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom, Isaiah 65.6, 7. This was the case of the Jews, Matth. 23.35. They continued shedding the blood of Prophets, and righteous men, and added to it the blood of Christ; and they continued still in their blasphemies against Christ. They are not in a state indeed, to execute their malice against Christ, and his Gospel; but their hatred and blasphemy continueth; and the vengeance of God to this day continueth upon them, and God is this day visiting upon them their iniquities, and the iniquities of their Fathers together. And thus much may serve to have spoken concerning the extent of this vengeance. I have but one thing more to do, before I come to the practical application of this observation, that is, to reconcile this motion of Divine Providence, to the justice and goodness of God, and the revelation of his will in Ezech. 18.4. and other Texts. This dispensation, at first view, seemeth not to comport with the justice of God, which must give every man his due, and recompense to everyone, according to his work. Now the work of the Father, is not the work of the Child; how then cometh it to be recompensed to the Child? much less doth it seem to comport with the goodness of God, to visit the iniquity of the Father upon the child; and then it seemeth to cross what God hath said, Ezech. 18.4. The soul that sinneth shall die; and again, Jer. 31.29, 30. Everyone shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. But I beseech you observe,

1. How ready we are to quarrel with God, for what is done every day with men, and no man accuseth it of injustice; to take away the estates of Children, for the treasons of Parents, for the debts of Parents, &c. How ordinarily in war do innocent Children suffer for their Parents? yet as to man the law of God is plain, Deut. 24.16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the parents; every man shall be put to death for his own sin: and reason holds much stronger for God's punishing, even with death, the sin of the parent upon the child. For,

1. God can compensate the loss of a temporal life to the child, with an eternal life: this man cannot do. This was Augustine's reason.

2. God seeth guilt enough in children, to justify his vengeance. To man they are innocent: yet according to that barbarous custom in war, nothing is more ordinary, than to take away the lives of children, for the fathers faults; yet the world doth not much clamour at this.

2. The justice of God is sufficiently cleared in this, That God never punisheth any for the sin of their correlate, in whom there is not personal guilt enough, to justify God in that proceeding. Everyone in his punishment, beareth his own burden, though possibly his sin, and the sin of his father be punished together.

3. Correlates are the goods of their Relations. Children are the great portion of Parents, so are people the riches and goods of Princes: thus Aquinas solveth this difficulty, Filii sunt res parentum. Thus the learned Rivet saith, children have in them aliquid parentis; indeed that is something more, children are not only the portion, and goods of their parents, but they are pieces of their parents, and their parents are punished in them. As David was punished in the death of his first child by Bathsheba. Some may say, this is something, if children were only punished during the life of their parents; but how are their parents punished in them when they are dead, before vengeance cometh upon the child? Answ. The fear of it all their life-time is a punishment. 2. Is it no punishment to them (though dead) to have their names blotted out?

4. The goodness of God is seen in this; That it is a rational means to do good to the parents, and parents are often advantaged by the punishment of the children. David was so, you know. If God will say to the child, I will punish you, and use your punishment to do good to your parents; what have we to say to it? If we ought to lay down our lives for our brethren (as St. John determines), certainly if God calls children to it, they ought to be willing to lay down their lives for their parents, if God impose it upon them. Debent parentibus hoc officium (saith Augustine). Plutarch disputing the justice of the gods (he was a Heathen, and that his dialect) in this particular, saith, that Physicians use to bleed the arm for a pain in the head, and by a parity of reason, so excuseth the Divine Justice. The Parents have been instruments of giving life to the Children; and God giveth Children many advantages for the Parents sake.

5. In the mean time, if the children be good and holy, their afflictions are but fatherly chastisements: Their deaths do but remove them to a better life, so that they have no wrong, not suffering in their souls, nor by eternal punishments for the sins of their parents.

6. Lastly, (saith Augustine) God by this means doth maintain discipline, and keep up his authority and government in states, in the world, in his Church, in particular families. Now who shall deny God the liberty of exercising an act of mere Power and Sovereignty (if it were no more), when by it a discipline and government is kept up in the Universe, and by it many greater disorders and wickednesses are prevented? Sinners are terrified, and the thoughts of the miseries their children may feel for their sins, may affright those who would adventure their own skins, and necks, and souls too. I have now done with the Doctrinal part of this Observation, I come to the Practical Application of this discourse.

Use 1. In the first place this may serve to satisfy us as to the Justice of God in the distribution of some rewards of this life to the worst of men; by the rewards of this life, I understand riches, honors, outward prosperity and blessing. It is a saying usually imputed to Jerome, Omnis Dives est vel injustus, vel injusti haeres, every rich man is either an unrighteous man, or the son of an unrighteous man. I do not know but we may say the contrary, That every prosperous man is either justus aut haeres justi, either himself a good and righteous man, or the child of such a one; I mean, not the immediate child, but descended from such a one. I will not assert it too universally, but shall refer it to your Observation. If you see a lewd and wicked man growing great, rich, prospering much in the world; observe whether he be not one, who like Jehu, hath not personally done some eminent service for God: so Jehu did, so Assyria did, so Nebuchadnezzar did, he made his Army to do a great service against Tyre. 2. If you cannot find that, inquire if he were not a descendent from some that had done some such service. Jeroboam the Son of Joash Jehu's Grandchild, was a naughty man, yet the Kingdom of Israel had no such time of prosperity, as in his Reign: God did not reward any personal virtue in him, but he rewarded the service which his Grandfather Jehu had done against the house of Ahab. The prosperity therefore of wicked men should not trouble us, nor be a temptation to us: we should only conclude thus: How much more will the Lord reward his faithful servants, who worship and serve him in truth, and with a perfect heart!

Use 2. In the second place, This may serve to rectify the mistakes of those who may be under a temptation to say with David, That they have washed their hands in vain, and cleansed their hearts for nothing, or (to allude to the Apostles phrase), We have been fishing all day, and caught nothing. The error lieth in your misapprehensions, thinking you have no reward, unless it be made to you personally, yea and sensibly too.

1. Is it nothing, that he who feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him? And that you have as to this the continual feast of a good conscience; no recoilings of your own breast, no sour reflections from thence? surely this is something, you have Christ's peace, when-as to the wicked there is no peace. This is a reward unspeakable, passing all understanding.

2. If your sufferings be any testimony for Christ, are they not rewards in themselves? doth not the Lord honor that person whom he calleth out to be a witness for his name? few are called to suffer for Christ. Luther was troubled that God did not think him worthy of such a Crown. The Apostles rejoiced, that the Lord thought them worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ.

3. But satisfy thyself; It may be God hath laid up the reward for thy posterity, and thy children, and children's children, shall possibly reap what thou hast sown: be assured, good actions shall not be without their reward, but rewards are not all of a kind; no man shall ever say, he hath waited upon the Lord in vain, or sought his face for nothing.

Use. 3. This calleth upon us all to take heed of sinning against the living God, especially such sins as I have before instanced in; there are many arguments to be used to defame sin, and to dissuade from it. To them all let this be added, the curse which sin entails upon our posterity: our sins are sometimes hid with God, and sealed up in a bag, and the vengeance of God for them falls not upon ourselves, but upon those that come after us. Now the force of this argument lies in that natural affection which every man hath for his posterity: he must be a very debauched person that hath no regard to his posterity, everyone almost is careful to lay up something for his children, take heed of laying up a treasure of Divine wrath for them. If you will not regard your own bodies, the peace of your own breasts, nor your eternal welfare: yet fear sinning against God, because of the vengeance which may for your sin come upon your posterity. It is a terrible Meditation, to consider how many the threatenings of God against children are for the parents sins, Job 5.3, 4. Eliphaz saith, I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation: His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. And again, Job 17.5. He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail; the triumphing of the wicked is but short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, Job 5.20. verse. 10. His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. And Job 21.19. speaking of the wicked, he saith, God layeth up iniquity for his children. And Job 27.13, 14. This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors which they shall receive from the Almighty. If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword, and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. David, who was a Prophet, and by the spirit of Prophecy, did but see and foretell what should come to pass, having to do with wicked and deceitful men, who, Psal. 109.2, 3, 4, 5. opened their mouths against him, and spake against him with a lying tongue, compassed him about with words of hatred, and fought against him without a cause; for his love were his adversaries, rewarding him evil for good, and hatred for his love; prayeth: verse. 9, 10. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow, let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of desolate places. Isa. 14.21. In the threatening against Babel you find these words, Prepare slaughter for his children, for the iniquities of their fathers, that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities: and Psal. 137.8, 9. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us: Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. The Scripture is full of such prophecies and threatenings, especially in the case of some eminent oppressions or cruelties used by any parents, or some eminent corruptions in worship, &c. Now should not this lay a law upon parents, who are so solicitous for the good and prosperity of their children when they shall not be? God layeth up the iniquities of parents many times for their children. In short, as there is no man that can provide better for his children, than he that worketh righteousness, and eminently serveth God in his generation. I never saw the righteous forsaken, saith David, nor their seed begging their bread: so none can provide worse for their children, than by laying up a stock of sin to be revenged upon them. Children are bound by law to pay their Fathers debts to man (that often proves heavy); but this is more dreadful, they often (as to temporal punishments) pay their Fathers debts also to the Justice of God: and this by the way showeth us the high advantage of godly parents, as the disadvantage of those who have had wicked and profane parents; the former inherit blessing, the latter cursing and judgment, very ordinarily upon the account of their parents.

Use 4. This observation calleth aloud to those that are children descended from wicked and ungodly parents, (it may be the case of some that are before me) to be humbled for the sins of their parents and predecessors. And, 2. To take heed of continuing in the sins of their predecessors. Josia was thus humbled, and the Lord turned away his wrath that it came not upon him, though it came upon his posterity, when he was gone to his grave in peace. Daniel in his humiliation, chap 9. verse. 16. forgets not this, Because for our sins, and the iniquity of our fathers, Jerusalem hath been made a reproach. The Church complaineth, Lam. 5.7. Our fathers have sinned, and are not, and we have born their iniquity. Is there any here whose heart it may be is otherwise, but they have had a Father or Predecessor, who hath been a cruel bloody man, a persecutor of the People of God, an hater and enemy of Religion and Godliness? I would have such a one think, that although his heart be otherwise, yet it is possible, his fathers iniquity may be laid up for him. The only way to prevent it, and to turn it off, is to get a tender broken heart for thy forefathers sins; to confess them, and to be humbled before the Lord for them.

2. But let all men take heed, that they continue not in them. You shall observe it often repeated in Scripture; Such a one did evil, and walked in the steps of his Father, in all the sins of his Fathers, &c. you shall constantly observe that it is set as a mark of dishonor upon those that did so, and they perished in their transgressions. God (according to what he threatened the Jews, Isa. 65.7.) punished upon them their iniquities, and the iniquities of their fathers together. We are very prone to walk in the steps of our Fathers (especially if they have trodden awry, and turned aside from the Commandments of God): and usually in matters of Religion, though we have nothing to say for the superstition and vanity of former generations; yet we think it a sufficient plea, that our fathers did thus or thus: and indeed this was the old plea of the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. Thus the Heretic said in one of the Councils, but was well answered— Immo errantes ab errantibus; yes, erring children, from erring parents. The wickedness of a preceding generation (especially in the matters of Divine Worship) is so far from being a plea for us, or excusing us, that it doth but increase and aggravate guilt upon us. The most righteous persons may without due and seasonable humiliation smart for the sins of their Fathers; but if they go on in the same sins, they have nothing to expect, but that God should punish their sins, and the sins of their Fathers together.

Use 5. In the last place, This observation layeth upon us all a new engagement to holiness and serviceableness to God in the stations in which the Lord hath set us. As sin entaileth a curse, so holiness and eminent service for God entaileth a blessing to our posterity: Godliness hath not only the promise of this life, and of that which is to come to our own persons; but it hath promises of blessing to those that shall come after us: God showeth mercy to thousands of those who love him and keep his Commandments. Jehu was no godly man, yet his service he did for God, procured him a reward to the fourth generation. Abraham was a godly man, David a perfect man, a man according to God's own heart. Blessings for their sakes came upon their posterity to many generations. But I shall add no more to this Observation.

SERMON XXXIII.

I Proceed yet to offer you some further Observations concerning the motions of Actual Providence. I have already made many. Last of all, some with reference to its distributions of rewards and punishments. Let me now go on to a

Observ. 20. When God calleth any to any new work or relation, he ordinarily giveth them a spirit suited to it.

Every work and relation requires some particular dispositions fitting the persons for it. Now I say, you shall observe in the motions of Actual Providence, that it fitteth those persons for work whom God calleth to it: you shall see it in several instances. God called Moses to go in to Pharaoh, to require him to let the children of Israel go, and so to conduct the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses saith to God, Exod. 3.11. Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. God saith, verse. 12. I will be with thee. Again, chap. 4.10. Moses excuseth himself, that he was not eloquent, but slow of speech, and of a slow tongue: see what God saith to him, ver. 11. Who hath made man's mouth, or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Now therefore, ver. 12. go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. When God called Saul to be King over Israel, the text, 1 Sam. 10.9. saith, That God gave him another heart. When God called David to the Kingdom, what a spirit of government did God give him? What courage and valor, that coming from keeping of sheep, he durst adventure to encounter Goliath? Concerning Solomon the case is plain, 1 King. 3.8, 9. he begged of God a wise and understanding heart to judge his people. The text telleth you, that God gave it him; Lo (saith God, ver. 12.) I have given thee a wise and understanding heart. As to the Ministry, the case is plain, as to Jeremiah, God ordained him to be a prophet to the nations. Jer. 1.5. Jeremiah excused himself, he was a child, and could not speak, verse. 6. But the Lord said to him, Say not I am a child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee; and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak: Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee, to deliver thee (saith the Lord); then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, Behold I have put my words into thy mouth, verse. 7, 8. The like you have concerning Ezekiel, Ezek. 2. The like you find upon Christ's sending out the seventy and the twelve. It is true, God doth this several ways, and by several rites and ceremonies; but God never yet called any to any new relation, or new work, but he gave them a spirit fit for it. But let us a little understand what the meaning of that is.

Quest. Wherein lieth the suitableness of a persons spirit to his work or relation?

I answer, It lies in two things: 1. An inclination, or willingness to it. 2. A fittedness or preparedness for it. 1. An inclination or willingness to it. Indeed God's first call of a person to a work, doth not always meet with a willing mind, it did not in Moses, in Jeremy, in Saul; but God always makes those willing whom he calls to any service; Whom shall I send? here am I, send me, saith the Prophet Isaiah. God made Moses and Jeremy willing before he sent them. The gravity and burden of the work to which God calleth, may discourage flesh and blood at first, but God makes them willing before they take their Commission. Hence that in Timothy, He that desireth the office of a Bishop, &c. 2. But this is not all; God never sendeth any to any work, but he fitteth and prepareth them for it, giving them a frame of spirit, and abilities of mind, capacitating them for the parts of their work, or duties of that relation: several callings require several gifts and endowments. For the magistracy, courage, and wisdom is necessary: for the ministry is necessary, not only courage and wisdom, but knowledge, utterance, &c. a sound understanding in the holy Scriptures, which he is to open to the people, and apply to their consciences; and so in inferior relations, even Bezaliel the son of Uri, whom the Lord called by name, to the building of the Tabernacle, Exod. 35.31. Was filled with the spirit of God in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, and to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones to set them, and in cutting of wood to make any manner of cunning-work, and God put into his heart to teach others. Hence it is we see such a strange improvement (as we call it) in gifts and parts, in persons called of God to offices of the magistracy or ministry: That once fixed in those relations, there is (as is said of Saul) another spirit given them, they are quite other men, than they appeared to the world before. The Actual Providence of God attending persons in new works, and new relations, with new spirits, new gifts and abilities.

And indeed this working of Providence seemeth so reasonable, that the contrary cannot be supposed without a blasphemous impeachment of the wisdom of God. Which of us unless surprised by our own ignorance, or over-born with some foolish lust or passion of our own, would set any person about our work, that is in nothing fit for it? Indeed our reasonable nature will not allow us willfully to commit such a mistake; to suppose ignorance, or any bias of passion in God, were but to blaspheme. Who can without blasphemy say, God hath called a fool to be a magistrate, or a coward to be a soldier, or an ignorant person, that cannot speak, or not speak sense to be a Minister? It is true, God's gifts are inequally distributed according to the good pleasure of his own will; some have greater abilities for magistracy and ministry than others have, and so are more eminently qualified for their work: but there are none called of God to any employment, but are in such a competent measure qualified for it, and the principal acts of it, that they are able to do that work; and I say, but to suppose the contrary concerning God, were either to suppose, that God was surprised with some ignorance, or biassed with some passion, or did that which no reasonable creature would do.

But here ariseth a question. Quest. How then comes it to pass that we see in the experience of all ages, persons employed in works and relations, by no means, nor in any degree qualified for the work of their relations; cometh this without God? Is there anything which escapeth his Providence?

I answer, We are now speaking, not of the permissions of Providence, but the efficiencies of it. Persons at works, and in relations, which they are in no measure fit or qualified for, are great evils to the world, and these evils are not in Nations and Cities without God's permission and sufferance. The short of it is this, That sometimes it is in the heart of God to bless and prosper a people, and to vouchsafe his presence amongst them; when he doth so, he doth accordingly adequate and proportion means in order to that end. For Magistrates, if he doth not give them men according to God's own heart, such as David and Solomon; yet he gives them such men whom he hath fitted with a suitable spirit to their work, that whatever they be as men, are good governors, men of valor and courage, men of prudence and conduct, that know how to manage affairs of state. When God hath a contrary design to chastise and afflict a people, and to punish men for their sins, he suffers such to come in either by election or succession, as are no ways fitted for the duties of those great relations. So for Ministers, when God designeth to grant, and to continue to a people, his presence and blessing, he gives them faithful Ministers, and such as are able to teach others, to reveal the whole Counsel of God to them, to speak a word in season to the souls that are weary, to bind up the broken in heart, &c. But when he hath designs to chasten and scourge any people, he suffereth such to get into the Ministry, as are described, Isa. 56.10. Blind and ignorant watchmen, dumb dogs, that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down to slumber, greedy dogs which can never have enough, shepherds that cannot understand, &c. you have this, Isa. 1.25, 26. And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away thy tin; that is, I will return in mercy to thee: and what followeth? And I will restore thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counselors as at the beginning, afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousness: and so for the Ministry, Jer. 3.14, 15. God ver. 14. saith, Turn, O backsliding children (saith the Lord) for I am married unto you, and I will take you one of a City, and two of a tribe, and will bring you to Zion: and I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with wisdom, and with understanding. So again, Jer. 23.3, 4. verse. 3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries, whither I have driven them; and will bring them again to their folds, and they shall be fruitful, and increase: and I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking (saith the Lord). On the contrary when God is in a course of vengeance and judgment against a people; when God hath forsaken a people, he suffereth a ministry that prophecy lies, but sends them not, Jer. 27.14, 15. For they prophecy a lie unto you, for I have not sent them (saith the Lord), yet they prophecy a lie in my name: see the same, Jer. 14.14, 15. Jer. 23.21, 22. verse. 38. The sum of this discourse is this:

That when the Providence of God is moving in a way of mercy, towards any Nation, Church or Family; he sets persons in relations to them, and calleth them to work in them, whom he hath fitted, and doth fit, for the several parts of their work, with such gifts and graces of his spirit, as qualify and capacitate them for the work and relation to which God calleth them: and this he doth by way of efficiency, pouring out his spirit upon such persons; but when he is proceeding in a way of wrath and judgment against a people, either finally to destroy them, or severely to chasten them for their iniquities, then he suffereth such Rulers, and such Ministers to be over them, or such governors in any societies as are no way fit for their work; Rulers that have no wisdom, nor understanding proportioned to their relation, no courage nor valor, no principles of justice and righteousness, but such as will (as the Prophet Amos expresseth it) sell the needy for a pair of shoes, and the poor for a piece of silver, and suffereth Ministers to rise up and be allowed, that are blind, dumb, ignorant, greedy, indeed not fitted at all for their work, or the several parts of it; but only fitted for God's design, to be a scourge and a plague to the people, amongst whom they go to seduce them, to tear, to rend, and to devour them: and this you shall observe to be the constant motion of the Actual Providence of God. And thus I have opened the Observation to you, I come now to the Application.

Use 1. In the first place, This observation affordeth us another sign of the times. I observed to you before, that we have generally a curiosity to know what shall come to pass in future times, how it shall go, to know both what God is doing with his Church in the age wherein we live, and what he will do with it in the ages following. He that maketh this observation, will in this point be spiritually wise, and will also understand the loving-kindness of the Lord; yea and by this we may understand what the Counsels of God are (in a great measure) as to families and persons. Observe but what those are whom God sets over them, or suffers to stand in relation to them, and you will understand much of this. If God intendeth mercy and goodness to any Nation or any Church, he giveth them Judges and Counselors as at the beginning. Eccl. 10.16, 17. Woe to thee, O Land, when thy King is a Child, and Princes eat in the morning. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness. Observe but in the state who are in the places of Magistrates, whether they be men of wisdom, and knowledge, of justice, and righteousness, or men of little wisdom, rash and inconsiderate men, men of little knowledge, men that will take bribes, and oppress the poor, and needy in judgment, not suffering the causes of the poor to stand in judgment; and you may easily judge what God is about with that Nation. Look into the Church of God, and observe what persons they are, that are in the Ministry: Whether they be men that are able and faithful to teach, skilled in the words of righteousness, able to open and apply the holy Scriptures to the hearts and Consciences of people, to pray and to pour out their souls unto God in supplications: Or men that were Aptiores ad stivam, (as Beza sometimes said). I may add, ad cauponam vel tabernam, fitter for a Plow-tail, for an Ale-house, a Tavern, or a Victuallinghouse, and it needeth no interpreter to you, what God is about to do with such a Church. In like manner, look into families, look upon particular persons; observe what manner of persons are in the relations of Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children; and you may easily know God's present design, or what he is after like to do in such families, or as to such persons. Where God intendeth mercy, he fitteth persons for their respective relations in all human societies.

Use 2. Hence (again) in the second place, each one may make a judgment of himself, whether God hath called him to this or that work, this or that Relation. A man can have little comfort in any relation, to which he cannot see himself called of God; be it Magistracy or Ministry, or any other Relation, when we see God calling us to it, we may look for God's blessing upon us in it, ay and we may, in that case also expect God's protection; his standing by us, and standing up for us against Opposition: now neither of these can in other causes be expected. I say, 1. A person called of God to any work, any relation, may reasonably expect the blessing of God upon him in it: If he be a Magistrate, that God should make his government peaceable, and prosperous, subduing the people under him; and subjecting their spirits to his Government: If he be a Minister, that God should direct his meditations, assist his heart in enditing new matter, and his tongue that it should be the tongue of a ready writer, blessing his labors, and giving in to his ministry the souls of the people committed to his charge. He may expect God's protection and defense of him against the opposition that he meets with. It is a promise you ordinarily meet with annexed to precepts, by which God hath commissioned men to be Ministers. I will be with you, it is what God said to Jeremiah, to Ezekiel. What Christ said to his Apostles, I will (saith he) be with you to the end of the world; now that promise reacheth to both these, both assistance and protection; and therefore it is of mighty concern to such as engage in great work, or are put into any great relation, to see God's call of them to that work or relation; without a view of that I again tell you, they can expect the presence of God no way, neither blessing, nor protecting them. Now from this observation upon the motions of Actual Providence you may make up a judgment of that. Actual Providence fits them for that work and Relation, whom God calleth to it; it doth not fit everyone for it, whom it suffereth to creep into it, but it fits all for their work whom God directs into it, and who are like to be a blessing to their Correlates: and those who cannot find themselves fitted of God for the work and acts of that Relation wherein they are, may conclude, that though they be not in that station without God; yet God hath nothing further to do with them in their station, but to permit them to get into it for a plague and scourge to the people, to whom they are in relation, and for their own damnation, and confusion at the last. Is any one a Minister, (to instance only in that Relation) he stands most highly concerned of all men living to see his call; (the charge of souls, men will at last find a great and burdensome charge). If he be faithful, he is like to meet with the greatest opposition imaginable in that work, he stands in need of the greatest assistance of God, for the due performance of it: he can look for neither, unless he can find that God hath called him to his work. The great acts of the ministerial office, are praying and preaching; praying for the people: Preaching, that is, opening the Scriptures, the will and counsel of God unto people, and applying it to their Consciences. Wouldst thou know now whether thou beest called of God as Aaron was. Examine then whether God hath fitted thee for the work of the ministry. Hath God given thee the Spirit of prayer, and supplication? hath God given thee a knowledge and understanding in the Scriptures, that thou art (as it was said of Apollos) mighty in the Scriptures; such a one a Minister should be. If God's providence hath given thee a willingness, and a desire to it, and an opportunity for the exercise of it, and hath also thus qualified thee for the several parts of it, then thou mayest conclude, that God hath called thee to it. It is not a Patrons presentation that will make up the call of God, no nor yet the boldness and confidence of the person that will venture upon the greatest employment the world affords. I say none of these things will do it; a man's own needs, and not knowing how to live, may make him willing and desirous, but they are only the gifts and graces of God's spirit, that can make a man fit for the Ministry; and God never sends any to any work, but his Providence fitteth them for it; and the same may be said of any other Relations, or of persons employed in any great work. And as persons employed in any work or relation, may thus judge of themselves: So also their Correlates, to whom they are in relation, may by this means know how to judge of those who are in relation to them, whether they be called of God or no, and be such or no, with whom they can expect the presence of God, and from whom they may expect God's blessing; and this if duly thought upon should strike a terror into men, in places and employments especially relating to the worship of God, and in trust with souls, who are no more qualified for their work, than an Ass is for a Fiddle, as we say; what will these men say, when their Consciences come to arrest them with a what doest thou here without thy wedding-garment? That is, without those gifts and graces, without that heart and spirit, which should have qualified thee for such a work, and which God never faileth to furnish him with, whom he calls to any employment for him. Or when they shall come to die, and have no sweeter reflections of Conscience than this: I have these 20, 30, 40 years been God's scourge and plague to this people, soothing up this people in their sins, blinding their eyes, hardening their hearts, merely eating up that bread which should have fed other faithful Pastors, who were able to have prayed for them, able to have instructed them, which I have not been. O the searedness of these men's Consciences; O the dreadful vengeance of God, that hangs over their heads! O the strange quantity of the blood of souls which God will require at these pitiful wretches hands! Let not my soul enter into these men's secrets, let not their portion be mine, O my God!

Use 3. But in the third place, Let me caution you, that you do not think that the Providence of God doth alike qualify every person for the duties of his relation. As in the Heavens there are different Stars, and they differ one from another in glory: Every Star is a light, but some give a far greater, and more glorious light than others; so it is in the Church of God (Ministers, you know, are compared to Stars) they must all be lights; they must all be able to show light, both in their Doctrine, and also in their Lives; but yet some are more glorious lights than others are, more burning, more shining.

God calleth no man to the Ministry, but they are able to pray, able to preach (he sets no dumb dogs to keep his sheep): he sets none over his people to be their Bishops but they are blameless, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no strikers, &c. as in 1 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4. sober, just, holy, temperate, &c. as 1 Titus 7.8. It is little less than Blasphemy, to say God calls a man to pray or preach, that can do none of both; that God calleth Drunkards to teach men sobriety, or unclean persons to teach them chastity, or covetous wretches to teach men hospitality, or liberality. But yet some may be of more eminent gifts for prayer and preaching; some may be more eminent in grace, more exemplary in holiness than others. God hath several stations for Ministers; some he sets upon Hills, some he placeth in obscure Valleys. And indeed herein the Church, I mean the Rulers and Governors of a Church, seem to have a great judgment. They shall not judge a person fit for the Ministry, that is apparently unfit, not being able to discharge any part of the ministerial work: but they shall judge of the degrees of persons, gifts and abilities, so as to place persons in stations fit for them, and as will be best for the edification of the whole. But the caution which I offer you in this branch of Application, if you well consider it, is of great use.

1. To restrain the unwarrantable judgment, and censures of less knowing, and prudent Christians; who are ready to censure good men of weaker parts, and abilities for the work of praying, and preaching, as no true Ministers, not called of God to their work. Is the person a man of a holy life, and conversation? Is he a person able to pray and preach substantially, though it may be not so fluently, not so floridly as some others, not with that life and affection, not with that learning and clearness of demonstration? Take heed of judging in this case, God distributeth his gifts variously, though always to edification of the whole Church. In his Church there are some Babes, some grown Persons; some that must be fed with milk, others that must have strong meat. God qualifieth some to give milk to the Babes, others to give meat to stronger ones: indeed the wonderful wisdom of God is to be seen in this disproportioning of his gifts to his several Ministers. We are poor vain creatures, and though blessed be God! some learned men of great reason, and learning are to be found, that can deny themselves in their ministerial work, and preach to the capacity and understanding of poor creatures; yet Quotusquis{que} est, he is one of a thousand that we see doing so; we are like Pedlars, that think, we must show all that is in our Pack, though they be little better than gay baubles; and confound poor souls, either with our Metaphysical Speculations, or logical ratiocinations, or with our Rhetorical flourishes. God foresaw this vanity in our hearts, and hath therefore graciously provided, restraining the exhibition of his gifts, and not giving unto many abilities to do so; that if they would, they cannot wrap up the plain truths of God in such mysteries of phrase and reasonings (which are but vain Philosophy), but are forced to speak more plainly and intelligibly to people's souls; that their preaching neither is, nor can be in the enticing words of man's wisdom, nor in the language of men that are puffed up, but is far more in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit, and in the power of God, though less in the insignificant wisdom of men.

2. This Caution is useful also to relieve the Consciences of good men, who are often-times troubled under the sense of the disparity and disproportion of their own gifts and parts, to the gifts and parts of others. I have known it the case of some. Look as it hath been with some Christians, for want of some gifts, which at best have been but common gifts, such as that of Prayer, they have been ready to question whether they have any truth of grace, yea or no. So I have known some precious godly Ministers in their melancholic, dark-hours, questioning whether they have not all their life-time invaded the Ministerial function; whether ever they were called of God to the work of the Ministry, merely because they have been conscious to themselves, that they have not had those eminent gifts and parts which they have heard others show. This trouble is as groundless as the other. God doth not give to all his Ministers, the same proportion of parts and gifts. Indeed to everyone whom he calleth to the Ministry he giveth such a proportion of gifts as shall qualify them, that they shall be able both to Pray and Preach, so as not be a just loathing to any honest hearts. I will never believe that God hath called any man to the Ministry, who cannot without his Book, upon any occasion pray for the people committed to his trust, or for any of them, according to any particular occasion offered him; or that cannot Preach. But this is a most unjustifiable scruple; God doth not give gifts alike unto all, no not unto all those whom yet he calls unto his work.

Use. 4. In the fourth place, This observation may be of great use to relieve the spirits of the people of God, under the temptations of their own fears; when God calleth them to Relations and works, to which they do not find such a fitness, as (possibly) they desire to find, and according to the exactness of the Divine rule ought to be found in persons set in their circumstances. It is a frequent case, and that, 1. With reference to new Relations. 2 To some new work, especially where suffering attends it; we often find the spirits of good people disturbed upon both accounts. Some with reference to their duty in their relations, they are afraid they should not honor God in the Relations of Husbands, Wives, Parents, &c. they do not find their spirits suited to it. Some with reference to suffering, they do not find it is given to them on the behalf of Christ to suffer. Now in this case truly, I think, two things are to be said.

1. That in such cases, Nothing but sin on the other hand, can oblige such persons to enter any such relations, or to expose themselves to any work. The case may be so that a necessity may be laid on Christians to enter such, and such relations. Thus it may be in the case of public Relations, in the case of Magistrates and Ministers; oftentimes vox populi is vox Dei, the suffrage of the people is the voice God: and so in case of more domestic Relations, there may be a necessity laid upon single persons to marry, to become Husbands, Wives, Parents, Governors of Families; a necessity from nature, or upon some moral accounts, which may be divers, obedience to Parents, the comfortable support of ourselves in the world, &c. and so as to work, there may be a necessity, the work must be done, there is none to do it, I am the person pitched upon, either I must do it or none. So in case of suffering, either I must suffer, or I must sin against God. This is certain, there can be no necessity of sinning; in this case there is a necessity of suffering. Here the call of God is plain, necessity imposed upon us is an unquestionable call. But, I say, supposing no such necessity, but that it is res integra, as we say, we are not urged by any necessity of sinning, I would have none put themselves into any relation, nor upon any work, nor expose themselves to any suffering, but such as find in themselves an inclination to it, and some measure of habitual preparation, and qualifications for it; and it is that, which if I remember right, the generality of Divines do determine in the case of persecution, and the lawfulness of flight in the time of persecution; advising all, that do not find a spirit within them suited to suffering, to fly from one City to another, where they can do it under such circumstances, as they shall not be sinners against God for the doing of it.

But, 2. Where the call of God to them is clear, that is, that they must enter that Relation, they must do that work, they must expose themselves to that suffering, or they must do that which their Consciences will condemn them for as sinners: here is nothing to be done, but for the souls that are concerned to enter into such Relations, to undertake such work, to expose themselves to such sufferings; committing themselves unto God, believing that he who hath called them to it, will carry them through it; for the Providence of God doth very ordinarily with a new relation, and new work, give a new spirit. And experience tells us, that none have gone through a new relation or work, better than those who at first most dreaded it, and distrusted themselves, and trembled most at the apprehensions of it. You have seen sometimes a Dog, that being about to take the water, hath stood upon the brink, shaking and trembling, who when he hath been tumbled in, or of himself leaped in, hath swame through well enough. And abundance of instances might be given of such, as when the Providence of God hath called them to suffering, have stood trembling, and been afraid to venture; who when the Providence of God hath thrown them upon the work, and necessitated them to it, or when (having got a victory over their own fears), they have adventured upon it, none have behaved themselves, nor been more valiant in the spiritual fight, than they have been: God hath made good his promise to them. When they have been in the waters, God hath been with them; and when they have been in the fires, God hath been with them, and hath not suffered the waters to drown them, nor yet the flames to kindle upon them. It is but an ordinary motion of Providence to come in to the help and assistance of, and to fit those for a new work and new relation, whom he hath called to it. Only be sure that in case you find a reluctancy in your own spirits, and you cannot see your call from God's fitting you, and spiriting you for your relation, or for your work; that you see your call from a necessity, which the Providence of God hath imposed on you, that you cannot avoid it without sinning against God.

Use 5. In the last place, Doth God ordinarily suit men whom he calleth to any new work, or new relation, with a spirit suited to their new capacity? This should engage all men then to co-work with God, using such means as have any natural, moral, or religious tendency, to fit them for the discharge of the trust which God hath reposed in them, or the work to which God hath called them. Our relations and works are very various and different, and accordingly there is a great difference of means to be used for the improvement of ourselves into a capacity to do the duty of our places. It cannot be expected that I should speak to all, some I will shortly speak unto. Shall God call you, or any of you to the place of a Magistrate? That now is a place and relation, the fitting of a person for which requireth Knowledge, Wisdom, Courage. You have heard that when God calleth any person to a place, he usually fitteth them with a spirit for it, as he gave unto Saul another spirit (the Scripture saith) a spirit quite different from what he had when he was a private person. But you are not now to expect this in a way of Enthusiasm, but in the use of means, reading books, gaining of knowledge, endeavoring to bridle such passions as become no man, but are least of all beseeming 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Magistrates. Courage indeed is a thing that is hardly got by art, though natural courage be governed and regulated by it; and often is given by God more immediately, when any whom he hath called to any new relation, hath more especial need of it. But above all, remember the course that Solomon took, when God appeared unto him in Gibeon (upon his taking upon him the government of Israel and Judah): He prayeth unto God, that he would give him a wise and an understanding heart, to judge his people. O forget not this, hath God called thee to be a Magistrate? and doest thou distrust thyself, lest thou shouldst fail in Wisdom, or in Courage, as to the work of God which in that relation will lie upon thy soul? Remember what God said in some anger to Moses, excusing himself from what God had called him to, to go into Pharaoh to speak for the dismission of his people; and Moses excused himself, saying, Exod. 4.20. O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue; and the Lord said unto him, verse. 11. Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I (saith the Lord)? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. Remember that and go, and beg of God to supply unto thee, what thou findest wanting in thyself, beg Wisdom of that God, who is only wise, and courage of that God who giveth courage unto man. Hath God called thee to the work of the Ministry? and though thou darest not say, but God hath in some measure fitted thee for it; yet thou feest thou art far short of others, far short of what thou conceivest thou oughtest to be. I have told thee that God useth with his call to a new work, to a new relation, to give a new spirit; but it is thy work and duty here to work together with God. Thus the Apostle exhorteth Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.12, 13, 14. Be thou an example of believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in purity; till I come give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, neglect not the gift which was given thee by prophecy, &c. Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them. Art thou called to be a Minister? Stir up, neglect not the gift of God which is in thee; study, meditate of these things. There are means to be used for thy improvement in thy ministerial abilities: Natural means, that is, exercise; by preaching, thou shalt learn to preach, and by praying thou shalt improve in the gift of prayer: Moral means, these are searching the Scriptures, study, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, Meditation: Religious, that is, Prayer. The Apostle saith of the work of the Ministry, Who is sufficient for these things? Whatsoever thy gifts and abilities be, thou hadst need profit and improve in them. If thou wilt improve them, and obtain the blessing from God of a further fitting thee for the work to which thou art called, it lieth upon thee to use such means as God hath appointed in order to that end. Luther was wont to say, that there are three things which make a Divine, Temptations, Meditation, and Prayer; the two latter I am sure must be much our own work; we must not expect that God should immediately qualify us from Heaven, as he did in the first Plantation of the Gospel, by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost. God having so supplied the first necessities of his Church, when the generality of the first Preachers of the Gospel were illiterate men, and wanted advantages of education (which then lay on the other side), hath since that time left his Ministers to the use and application of more ordinary means, in the use of which he ordinarily concurreth with his blessing, and not otherwise. The same might be said of more inferior relations, such as those of conjugal and parental relations. God ordinarily when he calleth men to them, doth suit men with spirits fit for them; but the concurrence of their own endeavors must be understood, with which God will concur with his own blessing. Art thou therefore called to the relation of an husband or wife? and doest thou fear thy own spirit (the like also may be said of a parental relation)? Having entered into it, asking counsel of God's Word, and observing the rules of it, thou hast reason to trust God for the fitting of thy spirit for it, and the duties of it; but still using all due means, which on thy part are to be used, such as the mortification of those passions which appear to thee most indisposing thee for the duties of such relations, applying thine heart, what in thee lieth, to them, and constant and fervent prayer to God to make up in thee, what thou findest wanting in thyself for the due managery of them according to the Will of God.

SERMON XXXIV.

I Have entered into a large field. How great a Volume might be wrote, de observandis Providentiae, concerning the observable things of Divine Providence. I have seen a picture (one of those you call kitchen-pieces) concerning which it hath been proposed to me, that for so many hours I should view it as curiously as I could; yet the proposer would for any wager undertake to show me something in it which I did not observe. Truly Providence is such a thing, I can never look upon it, I can never take the motions of it into my thoughts, but some new observation tendereth itself to my thoughts. I must turn my eyes from this wonderful work, for I see they will not be satisfied with seeing, my mind will never be filled with observing. Many observations I have already made, and behold yet a troop cometh. But they have all a tendency to the augmentation of spiritual Wisdom in my own, and your souls. Whoso is wise, will observe these things (saith my Text) they have a tendency to make you to understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Where can we be better employed? what can we better do? Methinks I could say with the disciple upon the Mount of transfiguration: It is good for us to be here, let us build ourselves tabernacles: One for me the speaker, others for you that are to be my hearers. Let me therefore go on. Doth therefore any of you say unto me, Seer, What seest thou? I answer, yet once more. I observe in the motions of Actual Providence,

Observ. 21. That God commandeth his sensible blessings most upon those individual persons, and those societies of the children of men, that live in the most exact conformity to the Divine Rule. Here are two terms in this Observation, upon the Explication of which I will a little insist.

Quest. 1. What is meant by sensible blessings?

Quest. 2. What I mean by the most exact conformity to the Divine Rule?

Good things are distributed several ways, in order to our comprehension of them by our understandings: amongst others this is one distribution of them, they are either sensible, or insensible. By sensible good things, I understand such as are obvious to our senses, and perceptible by them. By insensible, such as have a reality of good in them, but yet not such as our senses discern. Thus David saith, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, but yet afflictions are not sensible good things: all such are the objects of our joy and delight. Now (saith the Apostle) no affliction at the present is joyous, but grievous, but it bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousness, to them that are exercised therewith. But I say God commandeth sensible blessings mostly, upon persons and societies living in the best square, and most exact conformity unto the Divine Rule.

2. Further yet, Sensible blessings are capable of a double notion, they are either such as are obvious only to the inward senses of those that are made partakers of them: such are peace of conscience, joy in the holy God; that serenity and tranquility of mind, which is the effect of righteousness, the new-name which none knoweth, but he that hath it: but there are other good things, which are the objects of our more exterior senses; such are health, prosperity, success in trade, &c. blessings in relations, &c. Now my Obsersation is, That the Actual Providence of God doth usually distribute good things of this nature, to such persons, and such societies of persons as live to the truest square, and exactest conformity to the Divine Rule.

That is a general, and must be opened also. The Divine Rule, as to families and persons, is of a great compass, but the whole of it is reducible to three heads: viz. Piety, Justice, and Charity; under each of these are several particulars, but none which fall not under one of these generals.

1. Piety consists in the internal, and external acts of homage which we owe unto God. Our internal acts are, Fear, Faith, Love. Our external acts are principally Prayer and Praise, reading the word, &c.

2. Justice is an habit, disposing us to give everyone their due.

3. By Charity, I mean here mutual brotherly love. Now look where these things best prosper, there God commandeth most sensible blessings in the ordinary motions of his Provilence. Particular instances may be exceptions from a general rule: but ordinarily it is so. What the Psalmist saith of one of these, is true of all, There God commandeth the blessing, Psal. 133.3. There, where? it may be interpreted with reference to the words, which immediately precedes, the mountain of Zion; but I take it to be far more proper to refer it to the first verse, which contains the argument of the whole Psalm: O (saith the Psalmist) how good, and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! This he illustrateth by two similitudes; the one is the oil which was poured upon the head of Aaron, and ran down to the skirts of his garment. Vers. 2. The other is the dew of Hermon, that descended on the mountain of Zion, for (saith the Psalmist) there the Lord commandeth the blessing, even life for evermore. There, where? where brethren together dwell in unity: it is as true, there, where Religion is exercised, where all relations give their due one to another: there God commandeth the blessing. Now for the proof of this, I shall but appeal to your experience, and what you see every day.

1. Look into the world, there you shall see nations of various complexions, some in which the true God is worshipped in a true manner; others wherein Devils are worshipped, or stocks or stones: or if the true God be indeed worshipped, yet it is not as he hath directed, but by images and superstitious rites and observances; some nations that are nothing else but rapine and violence, and oppression, full of strife and hatred, and malice, and wars, and dissensions. You on the other side will see other Nations, amongst whom the true God is worshipped, and that in a true manner, where are good laws against oppression and injustice, and for distributive and commutative Justice, where men are not hunted and persecuted for their consciences towards God. Mark if God doth not command the blessing of riches, trade, &c. more upon the latter than the former. It is true, some of those Countries where these iniquities are found, are naturally richer than others, in minerals, and the Native Commodities of the Country; but for adventitious riches, which come from Trade and Commerce, and for other sensible blessings, observe if they be not poured out in a greater plenty upon Nations, that in matters of Religion, civil Justice and Unity, have been regulated by laws conformable to the Word of God, than upon other Nations, where none of these things have been regarded.

2. If you will straiten your prospect, look upon any Cities, or Towns, or any kind of political societies, you will see some of these places, such as Egypt was, of which Abraham said, The fear of God was not in that place, where all their Religion is to persecute those that have anything of Religion in them. No rules of justice and brotherly love are observed, but they are full of violence, and oppression, and fraud; there is nothing in them but the inhabitants biting and devouring one another, the cry of the oppressed is in their street. Other places you will find, where Religion is cherished and countenanced; where the word of God is livelily and powerfully preached, and men live in some seeming awe of it; where rules of civil Justice are observed, and men can have Justice in Courts of Judicature, and the people live in peace and amity one with another; observe again which of these God most commandeth his blessing upon. I might appeal to your like observation, concerning families and particular persons. But it is no more than everyone may observe. Consider what an Hell upon Earth, some Cities, some Families are in comparison of others, and see what makes the difference both in the beauty and in the prosperity of them: And it needs must be so, if you please to consider,

1. The natural tendency of these things to so happy products.

2. That God in pursuance of his many promises, doth there command the blessing.

First, In the first place it will appear to be but a reasonable motion of Providence, there to distribute sensible blessings, where men either in their single capacities, or in their political societies live in the exactest square and conformity to the Divine Rule, in matters of distributive and commutative justice, and brotherly love and amity; if you but consider the natural tendency of these things to promove the felicity of any persons or societies, together with the direct tendency of a contrary converse to the ruin and undoing of them. Justice and Unity, or amicable living each with other, are the two pillars of human society, as the Scripture saith of Rachel and Leah, Ruth. 4.11. They two did build up the house of Israel: so it must be said of these two, Justice and brotherly love, they are the two things which build up human society; and the Nation which keepeth not up these two pillars, and preserveth them not in those due repairs, which the lusts and corruptions of men will make them to stand in a daily need of, will quickly fall under the ruins of them; it must necessarily be a Kingdom divided against itself, which (as our Savior hath told us) cannot stand. Where the first, viz. Justice faileth, no man knoweth what to call his own; every man's estate is exposed to the fraud, violence, and rapines of his wicked neighbor. Where Amity and Unity (which is the other) fails, men are continually biting, and devouring, rending, and tearing one another; none are willing to trade or traffic, or to have any commerce with any such people; or if they have, it is so sparingly, and with so much caution, as is no way consistent with that liberty and freedom, and that mutual confidence each in another, which such a state requireth, as is capable of those kind of blessings, or in a rational or probable way to receive them. You cannot but observe how everyone is willing to be acquainted, and to deal with persons that have a reputation; for moral honesty and matters of justice in bargains, and barters, in buyings and sellings, and exchange. Now the outward blessing of riches and prosperity, as to business, depending much upon society, good understandings betwixt each of other, and good opinions of persons engaged in the same societies, which may dispose men to just and mutual confidences each in other; it is not at all to be wondered at, if those places and persons thrive best, amongst whom these are found which are the rational means agreeing to such an end. The like might be said of other moral virtues, such as are temperance and sobriety, being rational means, tending to the preservation of men's lives and health, which are other sensible blessings. It is not at all to be wondered, that these blessings which are the end, do naturally follow the proper means, even as the thread followeth the needle in the hands of the sempstress. God hath so ordered it, that ends shall be ordinarily obtained in the use of means, always supposing the ordinary Providence of God, which must give the blessing upon any means used in order to any end.

2. But secondly, There is more than this in it, God in the pursuance of his many promises, doth there command the blessing. I am speaking of ordinary cases (for God's particular design to chasten any persons, or to try them, makes an exception to these however general rules), God hath promised his sensible things, Matth. 6.32. To those who first seek the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, he hath told them, that these things shall be added to them. Godliness hath the promise as of that life which is to come; so of this life (as the Apostle tells us): the promise to brethren living together in unity, Psal. 133. you heard before, there God commandeth the blessing (saith the Psalmist); and (mark) what blessing it is, it is like the oil poured upon the head of Aaron, which ran down to the skirts of his garment, like the dew upon the hill of Hermon, which made the Earth fruitful, the blessing of plenty and prosperity. And for promises to the doing justice and judgm • nt, they are so many in Scripture, that it were almost infinite to repeat them. I shall only commend this observation to you, That you shall quite through the Scripture find the execution of justice and judgment, made one term that God puts upon people, in order to the receiving of any mercy from him, and injustice, violence, and oppression, constantly enumerated as those sins, to which are annexed all the threatenings of taking away those temporal blessings which a Nation doth enjoy. Indeed, unless profaneness and irreligion, or idolatrous and undue worship of God, almost all the sins for which you find threatenings of the deprival of temporal sensible blessings are reducible to one of these heads, either being failers in matters of civil justice, or of that brotherly love and amity which God hath required. So that this is as a very ordinary, so a most reasonable motion of Divine Providence, and what we cannot but in reason expect from its hand. But I come to the Application of this discourse.

Use 1. As my other Observations, so this also is of great use to us, to increase in us spiritual wisdom, and to make us understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.

1. To increase in us spiritual wisdom. Wisdom is a practical habit, disposing us to order our affairs in the best manner, in order to our own good. Good is that which every man desires; who will show us any good, is the general language of the world. There be many (saith the Psalmist) that say, Who will show us any good? And though the hearts of God's People be after spiritual good, Lord (saith David) lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me: yet this is not that good which the many look after, but the increase of their corn, and wine, and oil. We will take men at that advantage, and suppose the question to be what course a man should take to be blessed with corn, wine and oil, with the good things of this life, long life, riches, trade, success in worldly affairs: if this observation be true, the best course, is for Nations, Cities, Persons to govern themselves, by the Divine Rule, to set up and promove the profession and practice of Religion; to execute justice and judgment, to live in brotherly love, unity and amity one with another. Whoso therefore would be wise for himself, according to the worlds measures of wisdom, is obliged to this: hence it is that in Scripture, and especially in the book of Proverbs, the sinner is called a fool, the godly man is counted a wise man; and the truth is, whether persons consider themselves, as beings ordained to an eternity, or merely as flesh and blood, and bodily compositions, who (as is natural to all creatures) have a natural desire to live, as long as they can, and as free from pain and misery as they can, and with as many sweetnesses, and advantage of life as they can, I say, which way soever men will consider themselves, or whatsoever they will place their ultimate felicity in; whether it be in the enjoyment and vision of God to eternity, or in living long, and happy; Still it is their highest wisdom, both in their personal capacities, and in their relative capacities, as they stand related to others in their political, or economical relations, as Princes, Subjects, Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Masters or Servants, to govern them according to the rules, and by the square of the word of God. Now the observation, I say, of these ordinary dispositions of Divine Providence, must therefore be exceedingly conducive to the increase of spiritual wisdom in our souls.

2. This Observation will also teach us, to understand the loving kindness of the Lord. The glory of God is by all Christians, confessedly, the end of man's creation, and ought to be made the end of his action; but herein appeareth the transcendent goodness of God, That no man can act for his glory, but he must also by the same actions consult his own good, and be wise for himself. So that in truth there is no man serveth God for nothing, but in the same action, by, and in which he obeyeth God, he also consulteth his own life, health, riches, success in business, and whatsoever can contribute, not only to his eternal felicity, but to his felicity, and happiness in this life. Now how wonderfully doth this speak the love of God to the children of men? Every man's reason will tell him, that there is a duty of homage, and honor which is due from man unto God. God is our Creator, we are his creatures. In him we live, move and have our being, and equally depend upon him for our preservation, and sustentation from his Providence, as derive from him as our Creator and the first Author of beings to us. Now as it is in the power of any man in the cause, to prescribe the honor and homage which shall be grateful and acceptable to him; so undoubtedly it was in the power of God, and free to him, to have prescribed us an homage and service that should have impeached, and prejudiced, or some way disadvantaged us, as to our external felicity, and the accommodations of this life, which should make it sweet to us. But in this see the great loving kindness of the Lord, That no man can possibly at more advantage serve himself, and the good of his Family, or City, or Country, than by serving God, and endeavoring to square his whole converse, to the rule of God's word; governing himself by the Scriptures, and the rules of life which it gives: nor doth God require anything of us that is ungrateful to that true Reason which is in every man. All the commands of God, do but pinch us in the exercise of our Lusts and Passions: the exercise of which (if they have their liberty, and were not by a Divine Law restrained,) would have no better an effect, from their natural tendency than the imbittering of our lives, by aches and pains, and grievous diseases; by the rebellion, crossness, and undutifulness of our relations; by a liberty to injustice, fraud, deceit, and oppression. This is a great demonstration of God's loving kindness, that in his rules for the government of us, he hath twisted our interest with his own, and made it necessary, for those who most consult his honor and glory, most to consult their own good and happiness, and that not only as to a life to come, but as to this life also.

Use 2. We may learn from hence the true reason, why the most of men are cursed with the want of temporal blessings; I say the most of men, for what I told you before must be remembered; that from these general rules, we must always except those particular causes, where God either for the punishment of some sins in his people, or for the trial of their faith and patience, (having reserved a better portion for them in the world to come) doth think fit to exercise them, with the denial of the sensible blessings of this life. But setting aside those cases, the general cause is, their not living up to that conformity, or square, to the Divine rule to which they ought to live; but either failing in the duties of piety, and exercise of Religion, to which the Divine law bindeth them, or in the duties of probity and moral honesty, justice, temperance, sobriety, unity and amity, which the same Law doth require of them. What wonder is it to see the lazy sluggard poor? Hath not God said to him, Prov. 6.9. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard, when wilt thou arise out of sleep? v. 11. So shall thy poverty come, as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Or to see Oppressors, and Gripers of their neighbor-poor: God hath told them, Prov. 10.15. The destruction of the poor is their poverty. Or to see the penurious man grow poor; hath not God told us, That to withhold more than is meet tendeth to poverty, Prov. 11.24? What wonder is it to see Drunkards, and Gluttons poor? Hath not God said, The Drunkard and Glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall cloth a man with rags, Prov. 23.21? what wonder is it to see those that are companions of lewd persons, drunkards, adulterers, Gamesters, &c. grow poor? Hath not God again said, Prov. 28.19. That he who followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough? O Israel (saith God by the Prophet Hosea) Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. Hos. 13.9. it is true as to men's eternal ruin, but the Prophet there primarily speaks of men's destroying themselves, by being the causes of punishments in this life to themselves: men destroy their own lives, healths, bodies, by drunkenness, gluttony, uncleanness; their estates by sloth and luxury, the comforts of their own lives, by giving an unbridled liberty to their lusts, and passions, indulging the lustings of their flesh. The righteous God is not to be accused for any of these things. He hath given men a righteous law, which to their reason approveth itself to be holy, spiritual, just, and good, but they are carnal, sold unto sin, slaves to their appetites, to their sensual faculties; and either ruin themselves by their irreligious, or immoral behaviours, and doing those things over, which if God had not by his severe threatenings in his word, hung a sword of Divine Vengeance; yet in themselves, and of their own nature they have a tendency to destroy life, health, to wast and consume estates, and to deprive them of all those good things which may accommodate their lives, and make them sweet, and pleasant to them: and in the day of their affliction they must lay the fault upon themselves, and excuse God in the motions of his Providence, acknowledging that it hath but fulfilled his word, and brought to pass the just threatenings of his word; nay not so only, but that it hath only brought natural things to pass in a natural order, and by natural ways and means; suffering poor sinful wretches, to walk in their own ways, and then penally producing the effects, the natural and proper effects of such courses, and giving them the fruit of their own doings, filling them with their own ways, and with that calamity and misery, which they like foolish people have pulled down upon their own heads, and could reasonably expect no other issue than what they meet with.

Use 3. In the last place, how doth this call upon all men after the example of holy David to make the word of God a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their paths? Not to be conformed to the world, but transformed through the renewing of their minds, that they may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, Rom. 12.2. You remember I reduced the whole will of God concerning us to three heads: indeed two comprehend all, 1. Piety towards God. 2. Probity or honesty of conversation before men; now that last comprehendeth all acts of justice, and charity, or kindness and Brotherly love.

1. Let Magistrates command their Subjects, Masters of Families command their Eamilies the fear of the Lord; and set examples of Religion before them; let them give people liberty to serve and worship God, and exhort and encourage them to do so. Let them restrain irreligion, and profaneness; observe if those Nations, those Towns and Cities, those Families do not most thrive, amongst whom God is most strictly served and worshipped; if in those places where there is least of Religion, there be not also most beggary and poverty, like an armed man rushing in upon them. Hark what Solomon saith, Prov. 3.13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. v. 16. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left riches and honor.

2. Let everyone maintain justice and judgment, giving to everyone their due, according to the capacities in which they are: Magistrates truly dispense distributive justice, giving out rewards to good men, and inflicting punishments upon evil men, according to their merits; discountenancing all violence and oppression, all luxury, and intemperance; in short, all manner of sin, and debauchery. Let private persons give their due to their Superiors, their Inferiors and Equals: for what is that which God requires, but to deal justly? Let them be just in their dealigns one with another, not cozening, and cheating, and defrauding one another.

3. Finally, Let all men according to the Apostles exhortation, study to be quiet, to forbear biting, and devouring one another; and endeavor to live peaceably and at unity, following peace with all men, and doing what good offices lie in their power each to another, according to the command of God. All these things now have promises of spiritual blessings, and eternal happiness of a life to come; but if that be too far off, for men who have not faith, to be affected with, and moved by; there are, you see, other promises to encourage these things, even promises of sensible goods, length of days, riches and honor, and whatsoever our sensitive appetite desireth, and calleth good, as grateful, and acceptable to it. Mal. 3.10. Bring you (saith God) all the tithes into the Storehouse, that there may be meat in my House; and prove me now herewith (saith the Lord of hosts): If I will not open unto you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room to receive it; and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of the ground, neither shall the vine cast her fruit, before the time, in the field (saith the Lord of hosts). The Prophet there mentioneth but one thing, not robbing God of his tithes, but certainly it is to be understood synecdochically.

We may certainly (by warrant of that Text) speak to all people, all families, all persons. Worship God, set up the practice of Religion in all your Societies; do justly, study peace and amity one with another, and try God herewith, if he will not open to you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. We complain that poverty is breaking in upon us, like an armed man; Trade faileth, Estates waste, men every-where come to beggary. We must lay all the fault upon ourselves; God is not altered in the course of his Providence; the change is in us. The world as to matters of justice, is grown but one great cheat: everyone studies by violence to oppress his neighbor, the greater devours the less, like the fish in the Sea: men in their Trades and dealings, do but study to circumvent one another, and to go beyond them in buyings and sellings, and bargains and exchanges. Men are grown generally like Ishmaelites, every man's tongue and hand is against his Brother, and his Brother's is against him again. God never commanded a blessing upon any part of the world that was of such a complexion. Let me conclude all with the Apostles words, 1 Pet. 3.10, 11, 12. He hath been persuading in that Chapter, the relative duties of Wives, and Husbands, in the seven first verses; verse. 8. he speaks more generally, Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, &c. Now mark the Argument he useth, verse. 10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it; for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And this is demonstrated by the frowns of his Providence upon them. The Apostle takes this out of Psal. 34. So that you see it is the Doctrine of both Testaments, and what you shall observe, God confirming every day in the issues of his Providence daily fulfilling his word. But I shall add no more upon this Observation, and also here shut up my discourses upon the Observanda Providentiae. And hereafter pass on to the last part of my intended Discourse, concerning the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the difficult things of Divine Providence; in the motions of which, it is true which the Apostle saith of Paul's Epistles, there are many hard things, difficult to be understood, which ignorant and unstable persons are very prone to wrest to their own destruction: to prevent which, God willing, I shall attempt something in my succeeding Discourses upon this Argument.

A DISCOURSE Concerning DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

PART. III. Goncerning the difficult things of Divine Providence.