A Complete Body of Divinity

SERMON XLIII.

II. NOW let us consider of the Nature of Providence in General; which may be gathered out of the Distribution offered in the Answer, in this Description:

IT is that Efficiency of God, whereby He doth, after a most eniment Manner, take care of & watch over all His Creatures, in all respects, according to His own Counsel. This Description is comprehensive; And in it observe,

[1.] IT is one part of God's Efficiency: An external Transient Act, the Operation of the First Being with relation to the Second. In Creation there was a Beginning of Efficiency; In Providence there is a Continuation of it. Hence that, Joh. 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, & I work.

[2] IT is that wherely He takes care of, and ••• c • ethover His Creatures. This is the special Nature of it, and that wherein it differs from Creation; that made them, & this looks after them. The word translated, to provide, Gen. 22.8. signifies, to see, or look to ••• finess; and this watching (which is also ascribed to God, Gen. 31.49.) implies, That the glorious Attributes of God are always awake, and that they are at work in the Frame of the World, managing of the Affairs thereof, and that with greatest Wariness. The World is a great Vessel; He looks to it and Steers it, takes care that it do not through Negligence suffer Shipwrack: Hence the Providence of God is described after such a manner; Psal. 33.13, 14. The Lord loo •• th from Heaven, He beholdeth all the Sins of men; From the Place of his habitation be •• beth upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

[3.] THIS Care & Watch extends to all things in • t respects, and that after a most eminent man ••• find herein the Glory of Divine Providence appears: And we may take a distinct account of the Excellency of it in a few particulars.

1. IT extends itself Universally. It reacheth far and wide, throughout the whole Frame of Beings: it grasps within it all the Works of God; and there is Nothing out of the Watch of it: As the whole received its Being from Him, so it all con •• under His Watch: Hence that, Psal. 145.15, 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and chou givest 〈◊〉 their meet in due season. Thou openest thine and, & satisfiest the desire of every living thing. And there are Two Things here considerable,

• (1) IT reacheth to all Times. It is a continued, with tempted Providence: There is no Moment 〈◊〉 which His wonderful Care is not exerted, or His •••• rful Hand is not at work about the Creature. 〈◊〉 is afferted of his Special Care of his Church, 〈◊〉 Truth concerning his Universal Care about the whole World, Psal. 121.4 He that keepeth 〈◊〉 , will neither Number nor sleep. He set this find to the Creature as soon as He had given it its Being, and hath continued it hitherto, & will • o so as long as it hath a Being: it is altogether without the least Intermission.
• (2) IT reacheth also to all Floces. He views every Part & Corner of the Creation, and pries i •• every Place: there is none so remote as to be out of his Watch; there is nowhere, where the Eye of Providence doth not view & observe. Pr ••• 15.3. The Eyes of the Lord are in every place: beholding the evil and the good. And it is no idle Speculation, but it is Operative: There is no Place so dark as to shut his Eyes out: Psal. 120.12. The Darkness dideth not from Thee. Hence the Psalmist could discover no Place, where to get out of the reach of it, v. 7. &c Whether shall I go from Thy presence?—If I ascend up into Heaver, Thou art there: If I make my bed in Hell, behold, Thou art there: &c.

2. IT extends itself to All Things Individually: not only to the Kinds or Species of things, but each Individual in the Kind, Psal. 145 15.16. It is not determined or bounded by such & such Beings, but it determines all Second Causes; & is not only the Universal, but also the Particular First Cause of all things. God doth not so look to some things, as to neglect others; and therefore, what was observed of Efficiency in general, is applicable to this part of it; It reacheth to the Greatest things, ( Joh 7.12.) It Rules over the Kingdoms &c Empires of the World, ( D • n. 4.17.) And it doth not Over-look the Least things, but is concerned in the Numbering of the very Hairs of our Head, ( Mat. 10.30.) There are no Beings so high, but He that is higher than they, manageth them with His Providence; not any Beings so contemptible, but He who Cares for the Works of his own Hands, sees to them, and looks after their Affairs.

3. IT extends to all the Accidents or Circumstances depending upon things: Not only the things themselves, but all the Contingencies of them. Those things which fall out to the Creature, to an Eye of human Observation, with the most Casualty, that look as if they were merely Fort •• tous, yet they have a most absolute dependence upon His Providence: As is instanced in a Lot; Prov. 16.33. The whole disposing thereof, is of the Lord: A Sparrow accidentally falling to the ground; Mat. 10.29. Not one of them fall to the ground without your Father. There can be no Action done by, or Chance befull any of the Creatures, but what are disposed by this all-doing Providence of God.

4. THIS Providence is very Exert in Inspecting and Ordering of these Affairs. God exerts a great deal of Carefulness therein: There is no Being goes wrong, so as to miss the Design He hath about it: There is nothing falls but amiss or besides the Scope he Aims at. All things are made by it Serviceable to the Advancement of his own great Ends: Nothing is omitted which is of Consequence; nothing mistaken or insupplied. Among Men, there are great and fair Designs which are lost and miscarry upon a little Mistake; many a Plot becomes Abortive: but God's Providence is so heedful in all his Affairs, as to Antedate all Miscarriage; and without any Indiscretion, to bring about His Eternal Porposes: Job 23.13. He is of one mind, and who can curn Him? And what his Soul ats • eth, even that he doth.

5. THE Exquisiteness of this Providence farther appears in those Curious Con •••• es, and Secrets of 〈◊〉 Wisdom, whereby God advanceth His Designs in the World. This is set forth, and deciphered in the Prophet's Vision: Ecek. 1. The Wheels there mentioned, signify the Providence of God: The Rings of these Wheels are, the several Turnings of this Providence: Of these it is asserted,

• (1.) THAT they were High, & Dreadful. The Mysteries of Providence are stupendous and unsearchable: Such things as are too Intricate for the Creature's Skill to Analyse, or to be able to Soar in his Contemplation to the height of them: They afford Matter of Admiration rather than deep Inquisition.
• (2.) THAT they were full of Eyes: Intimating the Curiousness, Exactness, and great Wisdom, that is Conversant about God's Providence. And there are Three Things in special, to Name no more, which show the Exquisiteness of God's Providence on this Account.

  1. THE Causing of Occurrences, though seemingly never so Cress & Opposite, in the Issue to Work most Harmontously to the Advancement of His Designs, and suis • ing of His Ends. Example may be particularly given in the Case of Joseph: God designed to make him a Preserver of His People; and what strange Changes is he carried thro' in Order to the Accomplishment of this: And who would have thought of those foregoing Passages that befell him, that they had the least Aspect towards that Advancement which afterwards he arrived unto? And yet there was never an One but what was a Step towards it.

  2. IN the bringing of Good out of Evil. In Creation God Made something out of Nothing: Thus the World was produced from a Negative Contrary, and that was Wonderful. But in Providence, God brings Good out of Evil, from a Positive Contrary, which is more Wonderful. Jacob thought that those Crosses he met with, made against him, ( Gen. 42.36.) Yet all proved in the End to have been for him. Asaph is Plagued all the Day long; and he thinks he hath Laboured in vain, (Psal. 73.13.) but the Sanctuary informed him, that the Counsel of Wisdom, was Guiding of him unto Glory, in all this Course it led him in Ver. 24.

  3. IN His having to do with Sin itself, without any the least Spot or Unholiness, Wonderful is the Working of God's Providence. Here, He can so permit Sin, as that it shall infallibly be; and yet not so effect it, as that it shall be any Stain to His Holiness in the least: As the Sun is not defiled by shining upon the most Dirty stinking Places, though' they Stink the more for it's shining upon them, so God is then most Holy, when He is giving of Men up to Sin. He can so Order it, that Absalom shall Commit the most horrid Abomination, without being a blameable Cause of it: He can harden Pharaoh 's Heart; and yet very justly Punish him for that Hardness of his.

6. THE Eminency of this Providence further appears. In that He is always intimately Present with the Creature. It doth immediately reach every Creature with its Influence: Acts 17.28. He is not far from everyone of us: For in him we Live, Move and have our Being. He is Omnipresent with every Second Cause; and at Work Himself with all things that do Work. He is the Great Efficient, and Creatures are but His Tools that He Works by: ( Isa. 10.15.) There is nothing doth or can Stir without Him: It is not Bread alone that Nourisheth a Man, but His Efficacious Word that goes along with it. The Action is the Creature's: It is the Man that Believes and Obeys, but it is He that Works it in him: Phil. 2.13. For it is God that worketh is you, both to Will & to Do of his good Pleasure. Nor is there only the Immediacy of Virtue deriving from him; but also of His Presence with the thing: Go whither we will, He is there; Psal. 139.7, &c.

[4.] AND this Providence doth all this according to His Counsel. That which God by an Immanent Act did Decree, that by a Treasure Act He doth Effect; and that according as He did Decree it: Eph. 1.5, 11. Being Predest • a • d according to the Purpose of Him, who worketh all things according to the Counsel of His own Wi •• . This is One of those Works in which God Exe •• teth His Decrees: And Providence is exceeding Exact in following the Pattern laid out in 〈◊〉 Purpose: Those Seven Hundred Benjamites that could Sling a Stone to an Hair's Breadth, was not so Exact in hitting the Mark, as God's Providence is in answering His Decree: He doth not Vary in the least from it, nor doth one J •• or Tittle of it fail; but all comes to pass precisely as it was intended.

I cannot pass from this Doctrine of Providence in General, without making some particular Glances upon it, that may be as so many Practical Inferences from it, viz.

USE I. THAT there are no Fortuitous 〈◊〉 Casual Events in the World, falling out by Furtune or besides the Intention of the First C ••• : No, not in the least decidents or Circumstami •• Casualties which happen to the Creature. Furtune was a Blind Idol devised by the Heathen; and is by the Devil spit upon the Face of Divine Providence. That there is a Contingency 〈◊〉 things with respect to Second Causes, is a Truth: But to say there is anything merely Casual, referring to the First Cause, is Blasphemy. Accidents are Casual to us, because in respect 〈◊〉 Second Causes, they are equally like to be, and not to be; but in respect to God they are not s • : We are therefore here taught to see a Hand of God in all Casual Events. Men are apt to 〈◊〉 them off with a Slight or Contempt, and 〈◊〉 , They might have befallen others, as well es us: True, as to the things themselves; but if the 〈◊〉 of God Orders all things, then there was a Finger of God Disposing of those Casualties 〈◊〉 befall us in particular: And this ought to be studied and considered. The Man Drew a 〈◊〉 at a Venture; but God directed the Arrow to his Ahab, and Kill him, according as He had Thr ••• ned.

2. THAT we can never be from out of God's Sight, nor from under his Hand. His Eye prys into every Corner; His Providence extends to every Place: And it did not only do so formerly, but it doth so still. His Hand is at Work in the most Remote as well as in the Nearest Places; for there is nothing Remote to Him: And this tells us,

• (1) THAT there is no Place where we may Sin Secretly. Atheistical Men think to get out of God: Sight, and from his Watch, and there to Sin without Controll: but this is a grand Cheat of themselves: Hence,
• (2) THERE is no Place that can bide us from the Anger of God. If we Sin & Provoke Him, anywhere, there is His Providence at work, and Woe will be to us. David was Conscious of this, and it put an awe upon him, ( Psal. 139.7.)
• (3). THERE is no Place where we may not trust and rely on God 's Providence. If we be but sure we be in that Place, and about that Employment which God calls us unto, we may secure ourselves in this, That God is there, and He is taking Effectual Care for us; if it be in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, it matters not, because He is with us to Conduct us, Psal. 23.4.

3. LEARN hence God's great Condescendence and Benignity to the Creatures, in that He Himself cooks after them all. It is a sond Objection which some make against God's Universal and Particular Providence; that it seems to be a Disgrace to Him, and contrary to His Great Majesty, to stoop so low, as to intermeddle with these mean things here below, especially the more Inferior & Despicable Creatures: But it may suffice to say, That though' among Men Greatness and Goodness seldom meet, yet in God they are inseparable: And it is so far from being a Discredit to His Super-excellent Majesty, that by thus doing. His Power and Goodness do so much the more appear and shine forth. Proud Man may think it •• at ••• of scorn to meddle with such or such Occasions; but God doth but so, nor will he contemn, so as to account such Things unworthy of his looking to as he himself hath made for she Illustration of his Glory by: And this may encourage the Poorest & most A based Souls to Rely on him, and put their Trust in his Providence.

4. THAT there is nothing comes to pass in the World that could have been otherwise, when all Causes are put together. If God doth everything, and that according to His Counsel, which is fixed & unalterable; then there is a Necessity or an Infallibility of the Futurition: There was a Certainty of the thing altho' this doth not hinder the Contingency of it as to second Causes, or put any Violence upon it, to enforce it thus to Act: There is no Fatal Necessity laid upon God. as the Stoics dreamt: He Acts with the greatest Liberty in all: but there is an Immutability in his Nature; and his Will having freely determined and 〈◊〉 out all his Works, He is now engaged, and He will not very from it, ( Job 23.13.) 〈◊〉 is the second Being, especially, rational and voluntary Agents, under any Compulsion, but Act according to their own Choice, and yet no otherwise than in Subordination to the Rules of Providence; so that if they Act against the Rules of Moral Obedience, they are not for this Reason to be excused.

5. THAT there is Infinite Wisdom in all that bes •• s the Creature in this Worth. It is not blind Fortune, but Al-seeing Providence that doth everything: and all which that doth is according to Counsel, & that of Him who is the Al • he God From whence we may infer,

• (1) THAT there is no Liberty J • r us to care to lay anything of B •• me upon God, whatever we meet with: They are Holy Providences, because contrived by Him for His Glory: They are Wise, because, deliberated in His eternal Counsel: For us therefore to find fault with them, or Charge f • lly or indiscretion upon them, as a daring contempt of God: The consideration that it is His Doing must-stop our Mouths, Psal. 29.9, 22, 23.
• (2). THAT we may, in having •• pe our Duty, rest in God's Providence, let it be what it will. Tho' Sense and carnal Reason are disquieted and ready to Murmur at it; yet, be it never so abstruse, and dark, this is enough to satisfy us, That there is a Hand of God in this Event, and that He brought it to pass according to His determinate Counsel: And with this the Psalmist stop this own Mouth, and quieted his tumultuous Thoughts, Psal. 72.23.24. Nevertheless,—Thought holden me by my right Hand: Thou shall guide me with thy causel, &c.

6. THAT we are to acknowledge our Being all our Comforts, and a •• ut Hopes of a well Being to have their Dependance upon God's Providence. And this calls upon us to wait upon Him for the Continuance of all to us, with Faith; hence that, Job 10.12. Thou bad granted me Life and Favor; & thy Visitation hath preserved my Spir •• . Is Job Preserved to the next hour? It is because God extends His careful Providence to him. If God should keep us by Day. and not by Night, the last hour, and not this, we should never get thro' i • : We could not so long stand alone. That is an excellent Watchman indeed, that so watcheth as not so much as to slumber: How should we then be continually bringing home the Acknowledgment of all unto God?

7. THIS tells us that we are to sub •• it all our Concerns and Actions unto the Providence of God. As we can do Nothing without Him; unless we have the Concourse of His Efficiency to enable us to do all our Works, we must sit still and do nothing; so must all our Dependance be upon His Operation: We have no command of Events, we may do our utmost, use our best Prudence, take Care and Caution, be very diligent, & omit nothing that is rationally tending to further our Design; but after all, it will be just as God will: This tells us then, that we have nothing to do, but to study Duty, and faithfully to attend upon it and then commend it unto God: This Doctrine is the Ground of all such Counsels as are given us, Prov. 16.3. and Psal. 37 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord: Trust also 〈◊〉 Him, and He shall bring it to pass. And this is the only way to keep our Comforts, in a duly composed frame of Spirit under all the Vicissitudes of Providence that pass over us.

8. IF God he so careful in His Providence for l • s, it tells us, That we ought to be very Careful in Serving of Him. Whom should we Serve, but Him in whom 〈◊〉 Live, Move, and have our Being? All that Good and Benefit we enjoy, all this Success which we meet with in our Aff ••• s, all the Comforts that we 〈…〉 another, do with one Voice call upon us to make it our Study & Endeavor to Honor & Glorify this God; and without intermission to pursue the Duties he hath laid us under; and of every good Thing we now taste, to make it our Business to inquire with the Psalmist, Psal. 116.12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits towards me?

SERMON XLIV.

TO the preceding Description we may adjoin, for farther Illustration, this Distinction, viz That the Providence of God is either Immediate or Mediate. This doth not constitute divers sorts of 〈…〉 , but 〈…〉 a divers respect that is to be put upon it, for there are both of those in every Providence, that befalls the Creature: only according to the more or less appearing of the latter, we are wont to Denominate it: As will appear by considering of them.

1. IMMEDIATE Providence, is that whereby God by Himself takes Care of all things as their absolute Cause: And this is fully Express, Act. 17.28. In Him we live, move and have our Being. He never doth anything so by Mea •• , but that He Himself is immediately concerned, and acting in it: There is nothing done but He is the Doer of it. And there is a double Immediacy we are to ascribe to Him.

• (1) THERE is an Influential Virtue goes forth from Him with respect to the Entity which appears in every Effect. There is no Operation of the Creature wherein this virtual Influence doth not exert itself: hence all things that come to pass are Attributed to Him: no Creature could do anything, at any time, if He did not derive the Virtue unto it from Himself by which it doth it: Only here we must distinguish, between the Entity and the Irregularity of the Action; of which we may afterward have occasion to consider: But it is on this account that Second Causes have the title of Instruments put upon them, Isai. 10.5. O Assyrian, the Rod of mine Anger, &c.
• (2) THERE is also an Immediacy of the Divine Presence with every Effect that is wrought in the World. God himself is present with it, not only by His Virtue, but also His Being: His Omnipresence hath already been spoken to; and we are to observe, That He is not an Idle Spectator, but an Agent in all; Amos 3.6.

2. MEDIATE Providence, is that whereby God looks after the Affairs of the World, by improving of Secondary Causes, in the carrying on His 〈◊〉 Design. Tho' both the Being & Opperations of Second Causes are from the First Cause Efficiently, yet they are the next Causes of their own Actions Formally: And hence, with respect to such Effects as are produced by them, God is said to work Mediately, (i. e.) in and by them, because they do nothing but what He enableth them to do by His Influence, as well as Determines by His Decree. And here Three Conclusions may be Observed,

• 1. THAT God could as well Work all without them, as with them. It is all one to Him as to Ability which way he Works: It is as easy to Him to bring about His Projects without the Mediation of Second Causes, as by it: for when there are never so many of these at Work, they must be all of them Influenced and Enabled by Him; else they can do nothing: If He be with them, let them be never so Mean, they prosper; if He be away, be they never so Potent, they fail 2 Chron. 14.11. Lord, it is nothing with Thee to holy, whether with many, or them that have no p ••• r.
• 2. THAT hence, God doth not use Me •• in Instruments, through any Defect of Virtue is 〈◊〉 , but out of the Abundance of his Goodness. He wants not Virtue, for He gives them all them; but He is willing to put some dignity of Efficien • y upon the Creature; and by th • 〈…〉 Causes to render His own Efficien • y the mo •• Observable Hence, in the 〈◊〉 ••• nent Works of • rovidence, God useth such Men many times as have the least Aptitude or A •• ty in them to bring them about, A mo • 5.9. 〈◊〉 strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, 2 Chron. 24.24. 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. Judge. 7.2.
• 3. THE Second Cause Acts, though' Med •• ely, yet as Properly and Really, as if there were 〈◊〉 First Cause. The Being and the Actings of the one, do not destroy the Being and the Actings of the other; No, not in the very same Actions God Acts Efficiently and Influentially; the Creature Acts Instrumentally and Formally: God Acts as the First & Supreme; the Creature as the Second, as a Subordinate Cause.

USE 1. THIS tells us, That we are 〈◊〉 so much concerned to engage Second Causes as the First. We are then Strong, not when we 〈◊〉 compassed about with a Multitude of Secondary Auxillaries, but when we have God on our 〈◊〉 . The Foundation on which true Faith builds it's Confidence, is not Means or Instruments, but God alone; who can afford us Help in all Cases, either with, or without the Means as He sees meet. This may quiet us at our lowest Ebbs; Dan. 3.17. Our God is able to Deliver. It may satisfy as when we have none shut up or left; ( Rom. 8.32.) Make sure of this, and no matter how Many, how Mighty, how Crafty they be who are against us.

USE 2. TO Teach us to distinguish of the Good or Evil which befalls us by Mediation of Second Causes. As these have an Influence, and are Voluntary, so we may observe their Good or Ill Will; But as there is an Immediacy of God's Efficiency in these very things, so we 〈◊〉 to Submit and Adore: This distinction 〈◊〉 observed in Shimei 's Cursing. In sum, A • the Action comes from the Creature, so we are to reflect upon that in it; but as it comes to us we are to look beyond the Creature, to Him who doth all things according to His Holy Counsel.

III. WE are now to consider the Kinds and Parts of God's Providence.

First, THE Kinds of Providence are T •• viz, Ordinary & Extraordinary. God can provide for His Creatures in an Ordinary way, or He can go in an Extraordinary Path: He hath more Ways than one to Provide for His Creatures in. We may consider these severally:

[1.] THE Ordinary Providence of God is that •• ereby He Provides for His Creatures according to the Order He put them into in the Creation. It is therefore called Ordinary, because it is that which for the most part God follows in the way of His Providence: And because there is an Order or Method prescribed in it; we may briefly take it up in a few Conclusions.

1. IN His Ordinary Providence God useth the Creatures, and sets Second Beings on Work. God's Ordinary Providence is Mediate; He makes Use of Heaven, Earth, many Sensitive and Insensitive Creatures, everyone in their Places, to be improved according as His Infinite Wisdom sees most suitable, in the several Stations they are in 〈◊〉 God doth not Ordinarily Provide for, and Maintain His Creatures, without their Instrumental Agency in it: He sets them to Work, & He Himself Works in and with them.

2. AMONG these Second Causes, there is a certain Order observed by the Providence of God in the improving of them. There is a Subordination of one Cause to another; they are Tied together, and follow one the other, as so many Links in a Chain, so a • that one goes before, and upon that another follows in it's Course: We have an Account of it; Hos. 2.21, 22. I will hear saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the own, and the • ine, and the oil, and they shall 〈◊〉 Je • re •• . And it is God who puts everyone of these to Act in it's Place. The Husbandman •• st first Manure his Ground, and then cast in the • eed; the Heavens must then Distill • their 〈◊〉 and ••• ist with their Influences; the 〈◊〉 must receive them; and the Plan • must 〈◊〉 them to it, and by Degrees come to Maturity, &c. And there are so many various Steps and G •• dations in these things: And God is in the Top of all.

3. THESE Second Causes in their Order, Act 〈…〉 Natural Principle 〈◊〉 according to the Law of Nature; which was imprinted upon them is their Creation. There is a Nature put into the things themselves by the God of Nature, deriving from the Virtue & Efficaciousness of that Word which was left upon them when they were Made, when God said, Let them be so, and they 〈◊〉 so; which Impression remains on them to Perpetuity; and is their very Nature; so as that they have in them a Natural Virtue and Disposition, inclining them so to Act and exert themselves in the O •• er which God first stated them is, when He Made them: And when the thing Acts according hereunto, it then Acts Naturally and not Forcedly:

4. THE Law of Nature, or those Rules imprinted on the Natures of things, was most Harmonious & Agreeable to their Natures. Herein the Wisdom of God Displays itself, in that He put a fitness into every Creature to Serve to it's Ends, and consequently useth it in his Providence according to that Fitness; so that he follows this Course in His Ordinary Providence to Guide and Order all Creatures according to the Inclination & Capacity of their Natures: things merely Natural according to Instinct, and R •• ional Beings by Direction of their Reason.

5. THESE Rules, by which God carries on the Affairs of the World in the Course of His Ordinary Providence, are Unchangeable. They are settled invariable Rules: God may go from or beside these Rules if He will; but that is Extraordinary Providence, as we shall hear; but the Rules themselves alter not; they are Ordinances made for Perpetuity: Hence such Expressions about them; Jer. 31.35, 36. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the 〈◊〉 and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof • ore; the Lord of hosts is his name. If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall •• ase from being a nation before me forever. Chap. 33.20. Thus saith the Lord, If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day & night in their season: Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, &c. The Rule of the Creature is always one, in the same Case and Respect; that 〈…〉 Obligation Natural to go in the same Pain, and cannot go out of it by itself: God gave it a 〈◊〉 at First, and it abides under it as long as — Sun and Moon endure; and hence it comes to pass that we are ordinarily able to Judge of Effects in their Causes; only remembering that God Rules all.

USE 1. THIS tells us, That we cannot Depend upon the Ordinary Providence of God, but in the use of Means. Hence that Prescription, Gen. 3.19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. If we will Live in this World, we must so lean upon the Hand of God, as to be employed in seeking our Livelihood; whence we may conclude it necessary, that everyone have a Particular Calling, and use Diligence in it. There is no Contradiction between Trusting in God for our Supply, Maintenance, Defense, and using all regular Endeavors for the obtaining of them. They that pretend to Trust God's Providence, in a neglect of regular Endeavors, do not indeed Trust it, but Mock it. God indeed would not have our Secular Employments hinder our Religious Duties, in their Season; but he would have us Diligent in our Place. He could Give us all without our striking one stroke; but He hath appointed another way, and our Faith and Obedience must go together; the Diligent Hand makes Rich, but Sloth, and Poverty, and Rags, and Shame must be expected to go together.

USE 2. LEARN hence, That our ordinary Supply and Livelihood, is not in our Hands, but depends on the Providence of God. It is He who Orders and disposeth of Second Causes in their Subordinate Station, according to His own Pleasure; so that when we have done all that we can do, laid out our best Prudence and utmost Diligence for the advancing of our Designs we must ultimately resolve all into His Providence The Husbandman Plows his Ground, and Sows his Seed; he hath gone as far as he can at the present, but the Seed may Rot in the Ground, &c. The Merchant wisely considers and Adventures his Estate, and hopes for a good Return, but how many Casualties are there out of his Hands? All that we have now to do is to Commend it to God, believing in the Promise, that He will Provide for us in the way of our Duty, and according to His Sovereign Wisdom. If we fear Him, He hath said that we shall not Want; and He hath the Ordering of all Second Causes in His Power, and is able to Command His Blessing upon us, by helping them to Work suitably, and preventing such Casualties as they are in their own Nature liable unto. Whether therefore we succeed, or be disappointed, we must acknowledge it to Him, and not po •• too much upon Second Causes.

[2.] THE Extraordinary Providence of God is that whereby He Provides for His Creatures, by skipping over, or inverting the Order of the Natural Course of things. And this Providence is that which we call Miraculous. Not to insist upon this, Let us take up the opening of it in a few particulars.

1. A Miracle is a Work that is above the Power of Second Causes to produce. It exceeds the force of the Operation of the Second Being; and it is therefore called a Wonder in Scripture; for though' there be some Wonders that be not properly Miracles, since there may be a secret Natural Influence, the Cause whereof we cannot discern, which is the ground of our Admiration, yet there is no Miracle but what is Wonderful: Such therefore is a True Miracle, as no Second Being can Effect by it's own Virtue; such as for the Sun to stand still, and go back; a Man born Blind, to have his Sight restored; a Virgin to Conceive; a Dead Body to be restored; and Diseases healed with a Word, and many the like: In which though God may use Men in the Operation, yet they do nothing at all to the Production of them, but the whole Efficiency is of God.

2. A Miracle is the overpassing of Second Causes. It is a Working of Effects Per Saltum, or all at once; and for this Reason it is above the Power of the Creature, which Acts according to the Laws of Nature, which are here over-skipped: In Ordinary Providence we must Plow, Sow, &c. before we can have Bread; but God can skip over all these Media, and multiply a few Loaves to the Feeding of many Thousands: If the Corn had been increased by Sowing, it must have taken a long Time, but He did it at a Word; and that, not by making any New Matter in the Creation; but by causing that Matter to become Bread immediately, which in the Ordinary Way must have past through many Successive Changes before it could have come to that.

3. God is the only Author & Efficient of Miracles. Men may be Moral Causes of them, by Prayer; as Elias, when he Prayed for Fire, &c. and for the restoring of the Dead Child 's Life: Or when God useth them as such by whom he will show the Miracle; as Peter 〈…〉 in healing the Impotent Man: But H •• si • all Causes they cannot be; No, not so much as Instrumental: Hence they deny it to themselves, and ascribe it to Christ, Acts 3.12, 13. Ye Ale • of Israel, why m • rvel ye at this? 〈◊〉 look ye so earnest • 〈◊〉 us, as though by our 〈◊〉 power or ••• iness, are had made this man to walk. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus. And their being done in His Name, proves Him to be God. Whenever a Miracle is wroit, that is the Finger of God.

4. MIRACLES are a plentiful Testimony as to the Divine Omnipotency. There is nothing which doth more be speak the Almighty Power of God than these; it Commands Men to 〈◊〉 , that he can do every manner of thing; and His Power is not limited: Christ therefore gives that as a Reason why the Man was born Blind, Joh. 9.3. That the works of God should be manifest in him: There was a Miracle to be wroit in him.

5. MIRACLES have been usually wrought by God for Signs. They are sensible Signs: The working of them, if we consult the Scripture, was on purpose to be an uncontrollable Conviction of something to Men: Sometimes to Ratify His Promises, Exod. 4. beg. Sometimes to convince them of Apostasy, 1 Kings 13.3, 4, 5. Sometimes to establish a Doctrine, as the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles. God was not wont to Work Miracles merely for themselves, but for some Spiritual End, as everywhere we may observe in Scripture.

USE 1. HENCE then, Satan by himself, 〈◊〉 Instruments, can Work no Miracle: His 〈◊〉 are called, Lying Wonders, 2 Th • s. 2.9. 〈◊〉 knows the Nature of things better than 〈◊〉 do, and can therefore apply them to Operations that we are not able to see into, so as 〈◊〉 see the Reason of the Connection between the Causes and Effects whence we are astonish 〈◊〉 them; but his Signs are usually Lying; 〈◊〉 mere Impostures, & juggling Tricks, that have 〈◊〉 Reality in them, but a deception of our Senses.

USE 2. THIS may teach us to Depend upon God, even then when there is no possibility of 〈◊〉 doth appear from Second Causes; or according 〈◊〉 the Order & Course of Nature. If Ordinary Supply fails, God hath Magazines Infinite, to Relieve the Necessities of His People out of; 〈◊〉 altho' Miracles do not so frequently appear 〈◊〉 formerly, because the Gospel is Ratifyed to Men, yet thus far may & ought the People of God to Trust & Confide in Him, viz. To Believe and Rejoice in Him, when the Fig-tree doth 〈◊〉 Blossom; as knowing, that as His Fidelity cannot Lye; so His Omnipotency is not grown Work. Nor hath God said, He will not Work a Miracle for His People, we know that He can; & though' we are to Serve His Ordinary Providence, yet we are not to cast away our Confidence, when Springs are dried up; but conclude, that either God hath reserved some Means which we foresaw not; or to before that His Right Hand will appear 〈◊〉 way or other for His People's Safety & Help.

SERMON XLV.

Secondly, THE Parts of Providence are also Two. vi • . Conservation and 〈◊〉 . These are both pointed to • n the Answer. God both Preserves the Creature in its Existence, and G • ides it to its End; and in these Two, the whole of Divine Providence manifests itself. The former of these is Conservation; all things are made for an End; they are led to it by Gubernation; but they cannot be so led, unless they be continued or preserved in their Being: Of this then take this Description:

[1.] CONSERVATION is that Part of God's Providence whereby He upholds all things in the Hand of His Power. In the clearing of this Description take these Conclusions,

(1.) THERE must be a Conservation of the Creature by God. There is a Necessity of His Upholding all Second Beings; for if He did not hold them together, they would fall in pieces: If He did not bear up the World and all Beings in His Hand, they would Sink, and return to their Ancient Nothing. He is the alone Fountain of being; all the Being which the Creature hath, it received from Him, and it must be cont •• ed by Him, it would else tire, give out, and never come at it Journey's End. The Influence of Providence, is the Maintenance of it's Being. This Part of God's Providence is by the Schools not unfitly called, God's Man •• enency. It is His Hand underneath that holds it up; it depends upon Him for it's Continuance, Existence and Operation. The bare Cessation of Divine Providence, respecting the Creature, without any other Operation, would reduce every Second Being again unto Nothing: If God puts His Hand from under, it falls and sinks. Psal. 104.29. Thou • idest thy face, they are troubled; thou take • away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Job 10.12. Thou hast granted me life and favor, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

(2.) THIS Preservation which God affords to the Creature extends itself,

1. TO the Essence of all things: i. e. The Matter and Form: This is it that holds them together: God sustains the Causes and Operations of them by His Hand, upholds their Union, that they fall not asunder; in which He makes use of a common Rule, or the Impression of a Natural Appetency after Self-Preservation, put into and maintained in the Creature, by which it avoids things Destructive, and craves such as are Conservative.

2. TO the Accidents & Qualities of things; the Faculties & Virtues of Second Beings. God hath united these to their Subjects by a necessary Connection, and holds them together, so as that they do not separate; and this is according to an Ordinance or Decree, appointing to each it's several Nature and Qualities.

3. TO Universal Beings or Kinds. He keeps up all the several sorts of Beings which He made at the First; so as that there is no one of them that ever was, but still is in the World; and shall be as long as the World stands, notwithstanding all the Hazards which some of them do run of being utterly Extinct: And the Species world easily be lost and no • He take Care of it by a wonderful Providence.

4. TO Singular & Individual Beings. These He also looks after, and continues their Being to them by His Providence, during such a Time and Season as He sees meet. He hath their Times in His Hand, and He hath bounded them; but still He keeps their Matter and Form together, and preserves their Natures and Operations so long as till His Good Pleasure hath Determined that they shall cease to be; until they have served their appointed Time, and His Providence for the attaining of that End which He intended them for, and then they are Dissolved.

(3.) THE Way in which God continues His Creatures in Being & Action is Varions. And here we may take notice of those Two that are most observable:

1. SOME things God continues in a Permanent State. There are some Individuals which are to last from the Beginning of Time to the End of it, Permanent and without Succession: There are the Constant Natures, viz. the Third Heaven and Angels, which are for Perpetuity; they are designed for an Aeviternity, and must be such as they are forever. And there are some Inconstant Natures, which must endure as long as the Frame of them is to stand, until it be folded up as a Vesture, and the whole lower World be Changed, which is till the Day of Judgment; as the Sun, Moon and Stars, and the Bodies of the Elements: And these may be said to be Preserved more immediately, inasmuch as we are not acquainted with any Secondary Causes or Mediate Helps in their Preservation: They are Subject only to God, and there is no Second Cause, but only His own Almighty Power which continues these in Being and Act; Maintaining the Substance of them, so as that they abide: And though' the Elements go through so many Changes by Generation and Corruption of Individuals that are Made out of them, there is not one Jo • of their Substance diminished, from what it was at First: And though' Consistent Natures endure so long, yet they do not wax Old or Decay.

2. OTHER Beings God continues by a more Mediate Providence in a Changable State; and that both with respect unto the Generals, and the Individuals.

1. RELATING to General Kinds: And these God continues by the Means of the Propagation of Individuals. God intending a Succession of Individuals, and therein the Continuance of the Species of Beings, by Singulars taking their Turns, abiding their Generation, and then going off again to make way for Succeeding Generations. He hereupon left the Impression of a Prolifical Virtue upon the Nature of several Beings, by Virtue of a Creating Word; See, Gen. 1.11, 22, 28. And upon account of this Generation it is, that the Corruptible and seen Dying Creature is Eternized; and the Kinds Live in those Individuals which are upon the Stage, when innumerable of those that formerly were of them, do now Cease to be: One Generation goes, &c. forever; i. e. Till the Last Generation; or till the Consummation of all things.

2. AS for Individuals; God's Providence Preserves and Continues them in a Treble manner, by Provision, by Influence, and by Protection.

1. BY Provision of Supplies for the Sustentation of His Creatures. The Creature is a Dependent Being; it must be Maintained or else it would Perish; and this Maintenance we are now in Consideration of, is Mediate, it stands in need of a New Supply to be brought in unto it, that it may Live upon, and be Preserved by: Now God takes Care that there be such a Supply provided for, and afforded to the Creature in a way of Constancy and Continuance: And herein God's Providence appears Wonderful b • th to Man and to B • ast. In the greatest Famine that ever came upon the World, God hath laid up Store sufficient in His Providence, for the Preservation of every Kind, so as to keep them alive. There are many Creatures in the World which are very shiftless, and have no fore cast of their own; they have not the Wisdom of the An • , to lay up in Summer for the Winter-Si ••• ; fore-see not hard Times, and therefore have laid in nothing beforehand; and yet God gives a Supply to these; that the Kind doth not Cease, but the Individuals are Supplied, they find something which may Uphold and Con •• ue their Being unto them. There are some things that do not Spin and T • il; and are yet Richly Clothed, (Matth. 6.28.) That do not Plow nor Sow, and yet they Live, and how? Your Heavenly Father • eedeth them; (Ver. 26.) That do not lay in for themselves; but only gather that which God hath made ready for them; ( Psal. 104.28.) That cannot lock after themselves, and are cast upon Providence, and yet they Live; ( Job 38. ult. ) And altho' Mankind are more Instrumental in the making of Provision for themselves, in that God hath taught them to understand how to make use of the Means for a Livelihood; yet is the Success of all their Labor entirely Subservient to, and Dependant upon God's Providence, which only can give the Blessing to, or with-hold it from their Endeavors. He therefore is the First in this Order of Causes; ( Hos. 2.22.) Hence that Expression, Hab. 2.13. Is it not of the Lord of bosts that the prople shall labor in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity.

2. BY Influence: I mean by the Commanding of His Blessing upon the Provision which He hath thus made for, and brought unto them, so as that it doth effectually reach the End it is appointed for. As there is a Creating Wisdom of God appears in His putting the Virtue into Creatures suited to the End and Use they were designed for; so His Provi • ence further Works in causing the Creature to Exert the Virtue which is in it, and enabling all the Organs of Nutrition to perform their Functions, so as to derive that Virtue for the Preservation of the Subject. Hence we read, Matth. 4.4. Man •• all • not live by bread alone, but by every word that pr • ceedeth at of the month of God. And see the Expression, Isa. 3.1 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of costs 〈◊〉 take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah • , the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. There is bread and there is the Staff of it. No Being can do us any Good further than He Influenceth it: There is a Virtue which goes from Him, that makes the Creature to Live by it. An Appent • te to Eat, is as much from God, as the Food itself that is suited to it; and that it tur • s to Nutriment, and not to Putrefa • tion, is of His Care for us: He gives us Cloaths and makes them to Warm us.

3. BY Protection: i. e. Defending or Safeguarding us from those Harms which would else overwhelm our Beings: The Individual Creatures are many ways exposed to Destruction, especially some of them. This Protection therefore is very Essential in the Conserving Providence of God; and it exerts itself in defending them,

1. FROM Natural Diseases: All Living Creatures since the Fall, in this lower World, are become liable unto them; and by them they are usually brought to their Dissolution: Here therefore this Providence exerts itself, Partly by Preventing these Maladies from si •• ing them, Partly by Pr ••• ding and b •• ssing Means for that Recovery out of them; God Provides 〈◊〉 sick for His Creatures, as well as Food, and applies it to them: Partly by a Natural Sa •••• y put into the Brute Creatures to apply to their Remedies: Partly by giving Ski •• to Rational Beings; and God's Providence is here often very Observable.

2. FROM Violence: The Creature is liable to Assaults, and it's Life is endangered thereby; and there are some that are a Prey to almost everything; and yet there is such a Care taken, that such as these are Preserved; this is of God; and He doth it, Partly by putting an Ins •••• into the Creature itself, so as to know such Creatures as are Inimical to it, and seek its Life; and giving it Discretion to use Means to stay and get out of the Danger; yea and to 〈◊〉 itself from the Invasion: Such a plece of Wisdom is commended in a Brute; Prov. 30.26. T •• Co •• es are but a feeble folk, yet make they th •• houses in the rocks. Partly by Limiting and Restraining the Rage of Voracious Creatures, so as to keep it within their due Bounds: And there is an observable Passage in God's Providence of this Account, vi • . That Ravenous Creatures, are unaccountably stinted in their Increase, so that there are but Fe •• of them in Comparison of the Numerousness of Innocent and Serviceable Creatures: And this is a Fruit of God's Care in preserving of His Creatures in their Being.

(4.) THIS Conserving Providence of God, is a Kind of Creation. Creation and Conservation differ only in this respect. In Creation all things are New Made, and are considered as having no Pre-existence; but they by it came First out of the Hands of God; whereas it Conservation they come under the consideration of having a Present Existence, which yet is so weak and insufficient in • t self, that it would every moment fall back again into Nothing, if it were not held up by a Divine Hand. The same Virtue which exerted itself in it's • ro • u • tion, is always emanating from God unto it for S • sten •• tion; it is the Second Hand which God sets to •• s own Work; so that we may call this Preservation a continued or extended Creation: Hence they are put together, Neh. 9.6. T • ou, even then art Lord alone, then bast made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their best the earth and 〈◊〉 things that are therein, the seas and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all.

(5.) THE Preservation of all things is an Act of Divine O • nipotency. Hence in the Description it is called that 〈◊〉 He up • o • ds them in the Hand of His Power. And indeed what less than an Increated Power can be acknowledged in it, by those who seriously consider and ponder it? When we look upon this great World, and the innumerable Beings that are contained in it, and consider what an absolute Dependance these all have upon God, and how •• i • t • ess they are all of them in themselves, to that if they were not every moment underpropt and born up they would immediately be Annihilated; how strong an Hand must we conceive that must be, which is always under them and holds them up, and neither faints not is weary under such a weight? And therefore the Apostle takes notice of this 〈◊〉 as shining out eminently in this respect; Heb. 1.3. 〈◊〉 pholding all things by the 〈◊〉 of his power. This Doctrine then affords as precious Matter of Contemplation, and there are several Useful, Practical Instructions that we may draw from it. To ••• e Four.

1. IT tells us the Reasonablness of that Petition in our Prayer, Give us this Day our Daily bread. Whom should we ask out Daily Provision from, but Him who keeps as in His continued Providence? It was that which preserved us in the last Hour, and if it withdraw we cannot Live to the next Hour. Man is not his own Upholder, no not for one 〈◊〉 not in try-respect▪ further than Instrumented: We have as exce • lent draught of this Providence is Psal. 116.8. Thou host delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my 〈◊〉 from falling. And 66. 9. Which holdeth out soul in 〈◊〉 , and suffereth n • t our • eet to be moved. We could not have the next Meals Meat, •• d not God make it ready for us: All our Labor and Pains would not do it; our own Comforts would all Steal away and be go • e from us if He did not keep them for us: He is our C • v • r and our Treasurer too, we are of His Family and His •• oking after: He spreads our Tables for us; and it is His Goodness that gives us Food and Ra • meant: He that Cloaths 〈…〉 , Cloaths us a so: He saves is and defends us from all Harm: We should every moment run ourselves into Mischief, if He did not preserve our steps for us: 〈◊〉 many are there that would make an end of us, if He did not Preserve us: And is there not good reason then, why we should ask these Alms at his Hands, and beg of Him our Supply and Protection: If we knock at any other Door we may come away empty handed and ashamed; for if He with-hold, none can show any Favor to us: And if we have these things, yet He only can make them Serviceable unto us; so that we must be always going to Him: And it is his Honor to have all the World as so many little Children, continually coming to Him as their Father for all they Want: Other Creatures do so according to their Capacity, and so should we; Job 38. ult. Psal. 145.15.16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Them • p • nest thine • and, and satisfest the desire of every living thing.

2. IT tells us also how unreasonable a thing • in is. Da • iel, when he would set forth Be •••• ar 's horrid Iniquity, so as that it might appear more heinous, aggravates it from this Consideration, That it was against God's Preserving and Protecting Providence; Dan. 5.23.— And the God in whose hand thy breath is, and these are all thy ways, b • st thou not glorified. In ever Sin that you Commit, you A • m yourselves in Rebellion, not only against your Maker, (and yet how grievous a thing is that) but against your Preserver: You War against the God that gives you Life and Breath every moment: You set yourselves in 〈◊〉 against Him that Feeds and Cloaths you: That you N • w are, you are beholden to this Providence of His; and yet you deny and seek to rob Him of the Glory of it; though' if He should withdraw H •• Ma •••• nency for the least Instant, in that very Article of Time, you must needs perish; yet by every Sin you are provoking Him, so to do. All Sin is an Abusing of this Favor of God, which is our Life, to his Dishonor? And what unaccountable Madness is this: Well may God Expostulate with Sinners on this Account, as Deut. 32.6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not be thy • ather that hath bought thee? • ath be not ma •• thee and established thee? Sinners, Think of i • , there is none that ever did so much for you as God hath done, and none that ever you did • o much against, as Him: In every Sin, you set yourselves to Destroy Him, who, if he did • ot Preserve you, you could not be.

3. IT tells us that we ought to see & acknowledge our Preservation to be from God, and not from ourselves. As he Made us, and not we; so be K • e • s us, and not we: He holds us up; he Defends us: All our Care and Prudence could not have kept us till now. He looks after us in the Womb; and when we hung on the Breas • s; and he hath not intermitted this Care to this Day. And whom is it that we Confess this to? Who hath the Thanks & Praise of it? Here's Conviction enough against Atheism if rightly considered. Let everyone of us reflect and consider, Had we been kept to this Day, through all the Changes that have gone over us, if there had not been a God that hath done it for us? And do we not Confess this unto Him? How Bruitish & Sordid a thing is this? God gives us every Day fresh Matter for Thanksgivings. And here we see the Reason why the World is yet standing upon its Legs, and is not reduced to a Chaos, yea a Non-entity: Psal. 103. beg. Bless the Lord, who bealeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: who crowneth thee with loving kindness, and tender mercies. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things —.

4. LEARN hence then, what Strong Engagements and Bonds there are lying upon us to Serve God: and to Devote our whole Life, and Time, and Substance, and all that we have, and are, to His Service. If we look over all the Passages of this Conserving Providence which has been applied to us; we shall find ourselves obliged to him, forever to be His: for whose should we be, whom should we Serve, but that God by whom we are what we are, and from whom we receive all that we have? Give me leave then to Press this upon Old and Young, as a Potent Argument to quicken us all to be Devoting ourselves unto God. Consider then,

• 1. DO you Live? Is the Breath of your Nostrils continued to you? Is there any Difference between you and those that are gone to the Place of Silence? Are you not to this Day cut off from the Land of the Living? You are beholden to God's Preserving of you for it: It is in Him that you Live; your very Life depends on him; if He should hide his Face, you would be Troubled, yea Destroyed; there would need no more to bring you to your Grave; you would Perish without his striking a stroke.
• 2. HAVE you Meat, Drink and Cloathing? Are you Maintained and Supplied? It is all His that you have, ( Hos. 2.8.) It was he that sat Second Causes on Work for the Producing of them, all those Wheels had else stood still; and he disposed them to you by a particular Providence, or you had never had them: He spreads your Table and sets on your Meat every Day.
• 3. DOTH your Food Nourish you? Do your Cloaths Warm you? Do you find these things Instrumental for your Preservation? Do you feel any Comfort in and by them? Now remember, He put that Virtue into them, and he makes them to let it out to you; He could take it away, or bury it up, and then it should do you no Good at all.
• 4. ARE you kept from Diseases, or recovered out of them at any Time? It is He that doth it. Some of you have escaped when others have been overtaken: Sickness hath been round about you, and hath not come to you; others have been taken by it, and God hath Moderated it unto them, or shewn his Power in bringing them up from the Gates of the Grave. These things as casual as they seem to be, are the Dispensations of God's Careful Providence over you, else you were open to Sickness and Death.
• 5. ARE you kept from the Violence of Men or Beasts? This is also from Him; no thank to yourselves: How many eminent Deliverances of this Kind have some of as enjoyed? And did not God Tye up the Mouths of Beasts, and Curb in the Spirits of Men, what Destructions would be every Day? But God keeps us from Killing one another; and so He continueth our Lives: And now what is the Voice and Language of all this to us, but to ashame us that we have done so little for, so much to the Dishonor of, this God; and put us upon it the more earnestly and early to engage ourselves in his Service, and to do it with Joy and Chearfulness in consideration of those uncountable Benefits of his Conserving Providence, that He is daily Lading us withal.

SERMON XLVI.

[2.] THE other Part of Providence is Government. As God Created, so He Preserves the Creature for something: He hath some great Design in holding up the World, which may Countervail all the Col • he is a • upon it. He doth it that the Creature thus Made and Kept, may attain its End. Hence there is also Gubernation. The same Hand that Keeps it up, also Guides it.

First, OF Government in General, take this Description; It is that whereby God Directs & Leads The Creature in the Right Way, for the Attainment of its End.

FOR the clearing of this Description let 〈◊〉 observe these things:

• 1. THAT there is such a Providence as This Directing and Ruling the Affairs of the World, 〈◊〉 Ordering all the Actions of the several Creatures, will appear Necessary. For, as they could 〈◊〉 Make, nor Preserve, so neither can they Govern themselves. There is not Wisdom 〈◊〉 Strength enough in the best Created Being, to stees itself aright to it's Haven: Except 〈◊〉 who Made this great Vessel, and Upholds it, be also it's Pilot, it will never shape a Tr •• Course, but be Lost. He holds the Car • and Compass, and sits at Helm: And though Rational Beings are called upon to Eye the Pole-s ••• , yet did not He direct these, they would also miscarry: There are so many By paths in the Wilderness, through which they Travel, that if He did not Lead them, they would miss their Way and be Be-wildred. God having Made a World, doth not leave it to be managed by another, as the Shipwright doth his Ship. He only knows every Nook and Corner, every Rock, and Shelve, and Quick sand; and how to carry it Clear of all, into the Port i • is Bound for. All Beings are from Him, and for Him; and He must Conduct them. Th • Glory that God gains by the Creature is by i • attaining its End: Should that be missed 〈◊〉 would be a Loser; but this He will not be, f •• want of His taking Care for the bringing it abou •
• 2. THE work of Gubernation concerns the Actings of the Creature, or the Operations of Second beings. In Conservation, we observed, that God upholds those Principles whereby they are capable of acting; now in Government He directs the Acts themselves: whatsoever is done or performed in the whole World, all the motions and Various turnings of the Creatures, these are they into which • nd every particular accident of which, Divine Gubernation hath an influence; He is therefore said to work all things at pleasure, Eph. 1.11.
• 3. THE right of Divine Government is founded in Creation, and Conservation.

(1) IN Creation. There is nothing besides God but is a Creature of God, and owes obedience to Him because he made it: Creation gives a right of Sovereig • to the Creator over the Creature • if all the Being which the Creature hath is from Him, then it's Being is His, and at His dispose: This will declare Him to be an Universal, Supreme, and everlasting Monarch, ( Psal. 100 beg. ) those are therefore put together, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things.

2. IN Conservation. If you maintain any Persons, you expect that they should subject themselves unto you. You will not allow him his maintenance, who denies you his service. The whole World are kept at his charge, and therefore hath he reason to challenge the rule over them. If all eves wait on him for their meat, it is fit they should so do for their work too. This the Psalmist acknowledgeth on the account of one act of Conservation, Psal. 116.10. O Lord, truly 〈◊〉 thy serv • nt, I am thy servant, thou best loosed my hands.

4. THAT which Divine Government employs itself about is, to guide the Creature to its End. He carries on all Beings to their End, i • so rules them as that none misseth it. There is a peculiar Subordinate end, and there is an Universal, general and last end; the Creature may miss the former, but not the latter; There in the end of the Precept, and the end of the D • cr •• , Reasonable Creatures, as will afterwards were fully appear, may lose the former, but not the latter. God's Glory is his own last End, which he will always attain by every Second Being, in such a way as shall exactly answer his alwise purpose about it. And from this no Creature is able to withdraw itself, but when is most sets itself against it, if then serves to it. •• n. 50.20. Ye thought evil against me; but God means it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this 〈◊〉 to save much people alive. For the order of Divine Government is certain, indissoluble, unchangeable.

5. THE way of Divine Gubernation is by a ••• urse or Co • operation of the First Cause with 〈◊〉 Second Causes, guiding them according to 〈◊〉 natural Principles, and manner of working. Concerning this Concurse we may take 〈◊〉 Conclusions.

(1) THERE is an Operation of second Cause • . For where there is no Operation of the Creature, there can be no Co-operation of God. Government respects the Actions of the Creatures according to their innate Principles. If a Man will do anything with an Instrument, he must not only make it, and suit it, but also improve it: if that doth not work instrumentally, the Man doth not work by it. We must not think that God only works, at the P • e • ence of second Causes and these stand by, and do nothing at all. That there is a formal Principle in the second Cause, proper for its own Operations, is evident from, Gen. 1.11. God said, 〈◊〉 the Earth bring • orth, &c. Were the 〈◊〉 Opinion a Truth, then either the Creatures have no Principles of Activity in them, or the Principles, together with the dispositions they have to act, are put into them for nothing; which is inconsistent with the wisdom of their Creator, who made nothing in vain. Yea such a Notion will remove all goodness from the Creature, contrary to Gen. 1. ult. yea the difference between things; and utterly vacate the Notions of Good & Evil; render ungodly actions as laudable as the most holy, and subvert the Reason & Equity of the Punishment of wicked men. But the Scripture most frequently ascribes Efficiency to second Causes; Acts 1.23. They appointed, &c 1 Cor. 3.9. For we are laborers together with God.

(2) AS the Creature works, so God Co-works with it. The First and Universal Cause works together, or is at work with all the actions of second and particular Causes: Act. 17 28. In him we live, move, &c. which concurrence is something distinct, both from Creation, and Preservation. In Creation, the Principles by which it worketh are infused into it: In Conservation they are upheld and maintained; but now, when the Creature is so accommodated for its work, it goes not forth to its Action without the compliance & concurrence of the First Cause, bringing forth of these Principles into Operation. There is such a Negative Imperfection attending upon the Creature, as that it cannot go alone, but it must be led; like a tool, which when it is never so fit for work, depends upon him who is to use it for its Operations: As a Child which must be led by the hard or else it will fall. Psal. 139.10. Thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. All Beings from the First, depend upon the First Being, not only for Entity, and Virtue, but for Operation too, Dan. 5.23. Whose are all thy • ays. Prov. 21.1. The kings 〈◊〉 is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water: be turneth it withersoever • e will. As he makes the Eye & Ear, so he makes them to see and hear too, Prov. 20.12. The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye, the Lord hath made both of them.

(3) THE Necessity of this Concurse with a second Cause will appear, from the Absolute Dependence of the Creature upon the Creator. For if that he dependent, its Activity must be so too; and it is an Impossibility, that the Creature should be any other than a dependant Being, and therefore must receive its Activity from this Concurse.

(4) THIS Concurse with the Creature is▪

1. LEADING to all it's Operations. The concurrence of the First Cause, is the first Cause of the activity of the Second; for in order of Causes, the first must move before the second can stir; the second depends upon the first, and therefore must be acted by it, Act. 17.28. In Him we move.

2. SUPERIOUR to it. They are not co-ordinate Causes; drawing together, but the concourse of the first is above, and directive to the second. A co-ordinate Cause works of itself, and is equal in Operation • o that which joins with it. (As two Master workmen, equally undertaking a business;) such are not the Creature and God▪ a subordinate Cause depends upon its superior in respect of Operation, which is the place of all second Causes as they refer to the First: they are therefore called God's • and, Psal. 17.14.

3. IMMEDIATE: And that not only by Reason of virtual Influence, but also of infinite Omnipresence, which toucheth all Beings, and reacheth all their Actions, (as hath been already observed under the Consideration of Efficency in general.)

4. DETERMINING the Action in respect of the Event. And hence it is said to guide, and direct the Being. The Eternal Decree of God, having fixed & determined concerning what shall be acted and all the several circumstanc • s of th • Creatures Operations, (as hath formerly been evidenced;) hence by His Active Providence▪ He must determine them. Natural Agents are blind, and see nothing before them, but act as they are acted, and therefore are necessarily determined by Divine Providence Job 35.11. Who reacheth us more than the beasts of the earth. That Rational Agents are also thus determined appears, because else there would not be an Absolute 〈◊〉 of the Second Cause to the First, and so God must be frustrated by the Creature in respect of his Decree: He therefore makes them to do what they do not mean, Isal. 10. • 7. I send him: He meaneth not so. They fulfill his determinate counsel Act. 4.27, 28. Against thy holy child Jesus, — Herod, Pou • ius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy counsel hath determined.

5. THIS Co-operation of God is according to the Creatures Principles, and its manner of Operation, It is according to its Principles: God having in Creation given, and in Conservation upholding of these Principles; such as of burning in fire, &c. He co-operates with them, and keeps them working in their own kind. And according to their manner of working. There are some Natural Causes, and some, Free Causes▪ He doth not make merely Natural Causes to act freely, or by counsel; nor yet doth He say any compulsion or constraint upon free Agents; but all second Cau • es work like themselves. The Sun shineth Naturally, and yet He makes it to shine, ( Matt. 5.45.) Reasonable Beings act •• eely, and according to their Voluntary Choise and yet He also works with them, Josh. 11.20. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, and that they should come against Israel in hatte • , that he might destroy them utterly — God turns no second Cause, ordinarily, out of its own Bias, except it be in Miracles. As when Balaam 's Ass reproved the Madness of the Prophet, and such like; and in Monstrous Productions, in which also he hath a glorious design.

6. IF God at any time suspend this Co-operation of His the Creatures operation ceaseth upon it: It stands still and moves not during this suspension. And this is the very way in which many miraculous things have come to pass. Thu • Jordan stood still and flowed not, to give Israel a Passage: thus the Sun stood still in the Heavens, and went not in its race for at least twelve Hours, to give God's Peop • e an Opportunity to destroy their enemies. This the Fire did not exert its heat to destroy the Three Worthies, who were cast into it: But these things have been particular exceptions • rom the common Rule of Providence, & se • v • , as to prove the necessity of this Concurse, so the arbitrary Government of God in the management of it: and that there is an Extraordinary, as well as an Ordinary Providence.

USE. LET me draw a few Inferences from hence.

1. IT tells us that there is an Order in the World. We are ready to cry out of Confusion and Disorder, and it may be a great truth, in respect of the Actions of the Creature compared with the Law of the Creator, or the Moral Law; the Creature may greatly swer • e from that: but we must distinguish between the order of the Decree, & the order of the Command. and if we refer unto the Decree of God, all things fall our according to the Ordination of that; and thus the Wisdom of the First 〈◊〉 shines forth in the very folly of the Second If God rules & guides all the Actions of ass •• ings to His own holy Ends, they cannot but he guided according to an unerring Rule of • oo • , which, his Providence Eyes in all the •••• sh • es of the Creatures; and the Eye of 〈◊〉 sees beauty in all, even there where human Reason •• dgeth there is nothing but confusion. Man was not of the counsel with God when he established His Decrees; and hence in this life he ca •• or follow Him in the several pessages of His Execution thereof, but is forced to acknowledge His paths to be in the deep. Rom. 11.33, 34. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom & knowledge of God! • ow unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or 〈◊〉 hath been his counselor? The way of God's Government is a profound Sea, we cannot trace or find it out. Eccl. 8.17. Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out r •• work that is done under the sun: because though a 〈◊〉 labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it you •• rther, though'd wise man think to know it▪ you shall be not be able to find it. But still this we must ever conclude, that if God sets at he • m, He is an exact Steers-Man.

2. SEE here a Reason why 〈◊〉 •• ings attain 〈◊〉 last End. As well Rational as Irrational • e so directed & managed as they serve to the •• vancement of the Glory of God: It is because • e guides them, and over-rules their Actions, •• v his active Co-operating Government; all • eings else would fall woefully short. When we • e a World going right, & blind Creatures acting discreetly, and keeping of their way, we may • ence be pointed to observe, who is the orderer of them; they see not nor know their mark, but yet they hir it; it is because He that guides them sees and knows what He would have them serve unto: That then the Creature attains its End is to be acknowledged to His Efficiency.

3. HENCE we are to acknowledge God in all our Actions. In Prov. 20.12. it is said, not only the Eye & Ear, but the seeing Eye, &c. i. e. the Faculty with the Operation, as well as the Organ. That we have Eyes, Ears, and all the Organs of Sense and Reason, we owe it to God, and not only so, but that these perform their Functions, and execute their Offices, He deserves the acknowledgment of this also. There are who have Eyes, and see not, if God but withdraws his Concurse. (2. King. 6.18, 19, 20.) There are many Naturals born: You must not suppose that your Eyes and Ears, and Tongues are your own, as if you could see, &c. when you please.

4. IT tells us whom we must go to, to work all our works in us and for us, viz. to God: we must ask His direction, and beg of Him his guidance. When the Apostle calls us to work, he tells us who must co-work with us, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do—. In every business, whether Civil or Religious, that God calls us unto, it concerns 〈◊〉 to look to Him for his Assistance; for if He lead not, what can we do, Psal. 127.1. Except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build i • . And this also gives us a sufficient Reason, why we are not to undertake anything, but with a subordination of it to Him, according to Jam. 4.15. Ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall Live; and do this, or that.

5. LEARN hence a Reason for our being Contented with the Administration of the Affairs of the World. God sits King, and rules over all, and therefore let us be quiet; let us not find fault with God, or go about to pick an hole, either in His Wisdom, so as to Question the Prudence of his Administration; (when we so do, it is either for want of Insight into the depths of Divine Counsels, not knowing what designs are in the womb of Providence ready to be brought forth; or want of Eying the right End, not considering that what crosseth the Creatures design may serve to God's glorious End, which is also the Creatures last end • ) or in his Justice, remembering that He is righteous in all; and if the Reason of the Equity of some of his ways appears not to us the Error is in our Judgment, and not in His Government. Give Him the Glory of His Providence; and when the Creature acts amiss, with respect to the Law, going contrary to the Command, yet let us see the overruling Hand of God in this also, and remember that what He hath Determined shall come to pass, and He will without sail have His Glory out of it, and let that satisfy us; let Reason subject itself to Faith, and we shall never suspect God's Government

SERMON XLVII.

WE have been considering of God's Governing Providence in general: It will not be amiss.

Secondly, TO take a more distinct account of the Kinds of it. Especially since so much of the Catechism is taken up about one of them. Now these Kinds of Government are Two, viz. Common & Special: the next Question introduceth the latter of these; we may therefore look upon the former under this. The Scripture gives us light for this Distribution: As the whole World is God • s Kingdom, so there are some common Laws respecting the Realm in General, and others which are particular to some Corporations. The Reason of the Distribution is this; there are two sorts of Creatures some are Irrational, others Rational: Among Second Causes, there are some that work by Nature, others by Counsel: both these being made for God • s Glory, must serve to this End; and so must have a Rule to guide them thereunto: And a Government exercised over them that they may so be. Hence a Double Gubernation, the one leading of Natural, the other Rational Agents to their Ends.

I. THE first of these to be treated of is Common Government, because it is more General▪ and of it we may take up this Description, Common Government is that whereby Natural Agents are by suitable Rules guided to their Ends. I shall endeavor to clear up this Description in the following Propositions.

1. THAT all the Actions of Natural Agents are designed by God to serve to some End. God doth nothing in vain: There is no Second Being but was made for something: accordingly there is no Action of any Being, but doth in some respect tend to the great End which the Wise Artificer, who framed it for Operation, aims at by the Creature The Sun shines not, the Fire burns not, the Creature stirs not to no purpose: the stamp or impression of Divine Goodness left upon things, in the Creation, declares that they were made for something; and the consideration of the Infinite Wisdom of Him who hath made and guides them, will assure us, that they are in all their Motions going home-ward; how else can it be that He should not lo • e His Glory by them, and they fall short of the goodness that was put into them?

2. HENCE it follows that all the Natural Actions of all these Creatures are guided by some Rule of Government. Or, that there is a Rule according to which they are to be managed. An End appointed, supposeth a Rule prescribed, because it is a necessary Medium to the right attainment of that End, and not missing of it. It is by its regular moving that the Creature h •• s the mark, and doth not fall besides it: Its End is the proper Bu •• to which all these Arrows are directed, and if they reach it, they must fly right, and therefore they must be shot right, which requires a Rule, unless we should say that all things attain their End by a mere casual or fortuitous Event, which is a reproach to the Providence of God, and a groundless conjecture in respect of the Creature.

3. HENCE also they are of Necessity guided and governed by God for the attainment of this End. There is the Eye of Wisdom fixed upon the End, and the Hand of Power conducting them to it: The necessity of this appears,

• (1) BECAUSE their End to which they attain is to them unknown. It is above them; they serve to it, but they can tell nothing of it; and it is a most noble End, viz. The Glory of God: They must therefore be guided, by an Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Alwise Agent, who can be no other but God himself, else they would certainly fail short. Natural Agents have but a passive impression of their Rule upon them, imprinted in Creation, on the Kind, and stamped, in its production, on every Individual; they neither discern their Rule nor their End, for only Rational Agents can do so; and yet they exactly attend the Rules they cannot Analyse, and reach the End they have no acquaintance withal. There must therefore be One, who hath the Idea or Platform of this in his breast, wisely and steadily to steer the whole course of this Creature accordingly.
• (2) FROM the Reason and Order, which there is to be seen in the carrying on of the whole Affair of the World of Natural Agents. The Creature is Irrational, but all the Actions of it are Rational; i. e. Consentany to the Rule of right Reason, ( Prov. 30.24 to 29.) which they would not be, if they were not under the guidance of a most Rational Agent. By the regular motion of the Ship, we infer that there is a Wise Skilful Pilot at Helm.
• (3) FROM the Natural Inclination in all Natural Agents, to promote the common good of the Universe. That there is such a disposition rooted in the several Creatures, is to be observed; that they are more engaged to preserve the Universe, than for their own preservation; so that they will act contrary to their own Natures, rather than the whole should suffer: Thus the Fire will descend, the Earth ascend to prevent Vacuity: and whence can this be, but from the Care of the Universal Governor?

4. IN the Way and Manner of God's Governing the Natural Agent, we are to consider,

• (1) THE Law of Nature; which is nothing else but the Impression of the Will of God upon the Creatures Nature, from the beginning; by virtue of that Creating Word, let it be so: It is that stamp of Divine Wisdom the footsteps whereof are to be found in its Natural Constitution. Job 38.12. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the day-spring to know his place? And v. 33. Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? Ordinances, i. e. Statute-Laws imprinted on them, according to which they act. So, Jer. 33.20 Thus saith the Lord, If you can break my covenant of the day end my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season. Covenant, i. e. The Character which God hath given them, according to which they are to be governed.
• (2) AN inclination or promptitude natural in the Creature to act in conformity to this Law. And this is a Principle or Natural Power which is twisted in the Nature of the Creature, and in the ordinary course inseparable from it: and this is something distinct from the Law itself; for as that disposeth it, so this impowers it, to yield Obedience to the Law: it gives it an Aptitude and Readiness to comply with these Rules. So, Job 5.7. Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. Psal. 104.19. The sun knoweth his going down.
• (3) A Natural Instinct which is left upon Animals, or Creatures endowed with sense. By virtue of this they are instigated to •• t forth those noble Acts, which carry in them I very great resemblance, as if they had, 〈◊〉 active principle of Reason in them; as if they understood the Reason and Tendency of their own Actions; which yet it is certain they do not. The Scripture therefore Metaphorically ascribes to them Wisdom & Discretion, Prov. 30.24. And sends foolish Men to School in them, Prov. 6.6, 7, 8. Go to the Ant, thou • lagg ••• , consider her ways, and be wise, &c. And upbraids man with them, Jer. 8 7. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the tittle, and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people know not in judgment of the Lord.
• (4) AN Obediential Power in the Creature rendering it capable of subjection, or passive Obedience to the will of the Creator. And all Creatures stand in this state of subjection, being at all times capable and ready to receive the irresistable impressions of God's Power, to be and to do whatsoever His Pleasure is to use them in and for: Job 38.31, 32. Canst thou 〈◊〉 the sweet influences of Pl • i • des, or loose the 〈◊〉 of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Psal. 148.8. Fire and hail, snow and •• pour, stormy wind fulfilling his word. Mat. 29. The star went before them, &c.

5. THIS common Government of God is exercised upon the Creature, by a Sovereign Predetermination of all the • ctions of it. Rational Agents as well as Natural, come under this predetermination, but because it is common to all, I therefore mention it under common Government. And here we are to observe, that God doth not only predetermine the Event, but also the Actions themselves in order thereunto. In which observe,

• (1) THAT there is a previous Motion or Divine Influence exciting the Creature to its Action, so far as concerns the bringing it forth into act. It is certain that the same Power and Goodness that Created the Sun, must also give Being to the motions of it: All Creatures must lie still, if God stirs them not; they are mere Pictures which let out no Virtue or Efficacy till he excites it. And therefore the insensible • essation of the Influence of the First Cause, gives a full stop to the Operation of the 〈◊〉 God not only gives to, and maintains in the Creature a virtual Power, but he also draws it forth, ( 〈◊〉 17.28.) so that his Pleasure fore-determines whether it shall Act or no.
• (2) THIS Pre-determination applies all the Actions of the Creature unto the proper Objects, about which they are to be employed. 2 Sam. 16.10. So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. It is true, He useth them in their natural way, but he fixeth all their particular Actions to the determinate and individual Object, according to His own Purpose. The Creature's Nature, though' it hath it's specifical inclination, yet it hath an indifferency with respect to Individuals. The Bear is naturally a Beast of Prey; but that Two of them should come in the way of those Children who mocked the Prophet, and destroy Forty-two of them; or a Lion in the way of that Prophet who disobeyed the command of God, and Kill him, & not the Ass on which he rode, not devour either of them, these things were determined by God's Sovereign-Influence.
• (3) THIS Pre-determination, overules, orders and disposeth of all the Actions of second Causes 〈◊〉 pleasure. This will be evident if we consider,

  1. THAT when God pleaseth, He controls and countermands their Actions, so as they do not put forth their natural Activity: This withdrawing binds the Creature under an utter impotence of putting forth it's natural Actions; but this was observed before under the general Description of Government, when we discoursed of the Divine Concurse.

  2. WHEN the Creatures do Act, they Act 〈◊〉 His Command. They are not at their own uncon ••• lable Liberty, but do all in Subordination to Him, Psal. 78.26. He caused an east-wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. Now this is done by a Divine Impulsion terminated on the Creatures, from whence God is called the Father of all the Actions done by them; Job 38.28, 29. Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew? Out of whose womb came the Ice? and the boary frost of heaven, who hath gendred it! And though' Job can neither set the Creature on work, nor control it in it, yet He doth both, Ver. 31, 32. and 34, 35. Canst thou lift up thy 〈◊〉 to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? These Interrogations are to show the difference between God's Power▪ & his • and this is a certain truth, that just so many drops of Rain, Hail, & Snow, as fall, just so many puffs of Wind as blow, are 〈◊〉 and commanded by Him; hence, Prov. 30 4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who •• th bound the waters in 〈◊〉 ? who hath established all the ends of the 〈◊〉 ? what is his name, and what is his s •• s name, if them canst tell?

  3. H •• se • s Bounds to all the Actions which the natural Agent doth perform. It goes just as far as His Influence carrys it, and no further. Though they have a natural tendency to progress▪ yet this influence is as a chain and bar, which ti •• them up, and keeps them in. With what an impetuous rage would the swelling Sea, especially when raised by Tempests, overflow the dry Land? But he keeps it within Limits by his powerful word of Command, Job 38.8, 9, 10, 11. Who s ••• up the sea with doors, when it br • ke forth as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and which darkness 〈◊〉 hand for it, And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors▪ And said, H •• ert • shall • th •• come, but no • urther: and here shall thy 〈◊〉 moves he stayed.

  4. HE determines the Time of the Creatures co •• n • ing in Action. He hath laid out for it, how many turns it shall take upon the Stage, and when it shall withdraw again. All the Creatures times are in His hands, He is the Master of this interlude; at his bidding they come, and at his bidding they retire, Psal. 104.29▪ 30. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: & thou ren • west the face of 〈◊〉 earth, And they cannot go beyond these limits, for so much as one moment.

  5. HE brings about His own Ends of glorifying His Name out of all the Actions of the Creature. Every thing that the Irrational Creature doth, it doth it Blindfold, it is led it knows not whither. It doth not, it cannot reflect and ask itself, to what purpose it is and acts; yet as a natural Stream, it keeps to its own Channel, and deviates not, till it hath paid itself a due Tribute to the Ocean of God's Glory, Psal. 19, begin.

• (4) THIS pre-determining influence insinuates itself into all the Actions of the Creatures of all kinds. We are here speaking only of Natural Agents; and it were an endless task to examine all the Actions of all Creatures in particular: In General be it observed;

  1. THE smallest Things do not escape it. God counts it not below Him, or any disparagement to His lofty Majesty to look after, and curious • y to manage the least and most inconsiderable things: a Sparrow dies not, one Hair of our head falls not off, but at his Order, Math. 10.29, 30. There is not a Gourd grows, nor Worm that eats it, but at his Command, Jonah 4.6.7. A poor Bird cannot build a Nest to lay her Young in, till He gives Order about it, Psal. 104 16, 17.

  2. THE greatest Things are not above it. The mighty Wheels of the World are managed by Him: This Government is the Spirit which is in the Wheels turning them which way it hath a mind: This makes the Sun to arise, and go down; this makes all the Celestial Bodies to keep th •• r 〈…〉 Time in all their Motions as 〈…〉 , as if they knew it.

  3. THE most Fort 〈◊〉 Things do not escape it. In the greatest Casualties He is an absolute & determining Agent: Those things that are 〈◊〉 without any counsel of the Creature, do without fail accomplish His counsel. As Anew shot at random is carried and guided by His Providence, to accomplish His threatening in 〈◊〉 ruin 1 King. 23.34.

IN S • m, that there are so many diver ••••• ed and unaccountable events of Second Causes is hither to be assigned. If a Reason be asked. Why this Creature doth but look into the World, and then retire back to its first Principles, when another is allowed a long continuance of Action upon the stage. Why this day is clear & serene, tomorrow stormy & tempestuous, why it Rains upon this piece of gro • nd & that on which it Rains not withers; why this Year bringeth forth handfuls, the next is barren; why this Fig tree blossoms, and bringeth forth ripe Figs, that blossoms not, or is blasted, or the fruit falls off untimely; why Locusts, Caterpillars, and Palmer worms come at this time, and not at another; why bread and water at one time afford nourishment, at another time none; (and many such things as these are:) though a Moral reason of these things may be rendered yet a satisfying Physical reason none can, but all must issue and resolve into this Arbitrary Government of God, who acts as a great Monarch, who give, not an account of His matters to the Children of Men, but holds the Creature in a • ull Subordination to His 〈◊〉 pleasure.

USE, • . LEARN hence, that our only 〈…〉 good by the Creature, is to be faithful in Serving God. The Creature is not to be trusted in by us, for it is not at its own dispose, it cannot help and do for us at its own pleasure; the exertion of the Virtue that is in it for our good is from God: He is the Ruler of all; we must therefore go to Him for all we want, Isai. 45.11. — Concerning the work of my hands command ye me. If He be against us, Second Causes cannot be for us, for they all obey His word of command: if He will, He Seals them up; He gives them, or withholds them at pleasure; nor can out Industry forestall his Providence; and He hath promised them only to those that serve Him uprightly, and threatens to take them away from such as disobey Him, Deut. 1 • .13 to 18. Let us not think to pros • et by Evil doing.

USE, 2. SEE here what great Reason we have to serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling. How ought we to serve Him, whom all the Creatures do serve? And there are two Arguments may be drawn from the Present Doctrine, which loudly call upon us to the practice of this Duty, viz.

1. IF Unreasonable Creatures do fulfil His Word, how much more then should we? We upon whom God hath laid more and stronger bonds, whom He hath given Reason and Understanding unto, whereby we may know His Will, & read His Mind. Sin therefore makes us worse than irrational Creatures, Jer, 8.7. Job 35.9, 10. We may go to all the Creatures, and learn lessons of Obedience from everyone of them; none of them eve • ro • e 〈◊〉 against their Sovereign. And when we see all in order but ourselves, may it not shame us?

2. IF we rebel against God, and forsake His Service, all Creatures are ready to excute His revenge upon us. They do but wait for His Word: They are His Armies, and you can look upon no Creature but it may make you afraid; for if God speak it, the most contemp •• ble may dispatch you; He can • end a Fly to Sum • the grearest Emperor in the World before His Tribunal, and it shall do it.

USE, 3. IT calls us to see God of work in all the Actings of the Creatures. And let us follow God in all, and see how wise a Steers-man He is who fits at the Helm, who so sees to the great Affairs of the World, as not to 〈◊〉 the least, and so looks after the least, as withal to be careful of the greatest, who 〈◊〉 all the drops of Rain, and blasts of Wind; who ca • seth all their Motion, and causeth 〈◊〉 Motion to run down into His Praise: Let Him then have the acknowledgment of all, eve • then when Natural Causes miscarry in respect of our Expectation; when we see them th •• rise early, to eat the bread of sorrow, him that is admirably wise, to want bread; him that sows much to re • p little; see God in all, H • b. 2.13.

USE, 4. LET it teach the Children of 〈◊〉 Trust in him at all Times, and to believe that it shall go well with them, which way soever Second Causes seem to be carried; and 〈◊〉 to say as he, Hab. 3.17, 18. Although the •• tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be 〈◊〉 vines, the labor of the olive shall 〈…〉 fields shall yield no meat, the fl •• k shall 〈…〉 from the fold, and there shall be no b •• d is the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I 〈◊〉 joy in the God of my salvation. Suppose the Heavens should be broken into thousands of Pieces, and the Earth be dissolved into 〈◊〉 should all things seem to run into a Ch •• s yet remember, it is your God that Rules; the World, and is doing all for His Glory, and He cannot forget, or neglect to take care for those who are the Apple of His Eye, and Signet on His Hand. Think, in greatest seeming confusions, all Second Causes are as God employs them, and all shall work together for good to them that love God.

SERMON XLVIII.

WE have been considering of God's common Government, by which He leads Natural Agents to their End. It follows,

II. THAT we proceed to Discourse about His special Government, which respects Rational Agents, and the way in which God conducts them to their End. The Question under consideration points us to that which is the foundation of this Government respecting Man, and unto which all the After Transactions mentioned in the former part of the C • techism do refer; and therefore calls for a more exact Explication: And to make way then to a clear Inspection into it, something may be premised,

First, CONCERNING the General Nature of Special Government; and it may admit of this Description.

SPECIAL Government is that whereby God Guides His Reasonable Creatures, to an everlasting State of Happiness or M • sery, according to the Tenour of the Moral Law.

THAT we may rightly take up, and not be mistaken in this Description, let us distinctly consider the several things contained in it. Here then observe these following Propositions, which will lead us to the Things:

1. THE Reasonable Creature comes under a double Consideration; either as it hath something in common with other Natural Agents, or as it hath a special Nature distinct from them: And hence it is a Subject both of common and special Government. So far as all Creatures hold anything in a Community, so they come under God's common Governing Providence. For this special doth not include those common considerations respecting this Subject. The general Laws of the Realm include under them all privileged Places, or Corporations considered as Subjects of the Kingdom; but their Charter-Privileges have something in peculiar. Consider Man in the natural respects wherein he agrees with other Beings, as Vegetable, Motive, Animal, and so all his natural Actions respect the former •• bernation▪ but look upon him as a Reasonable Creature; and thus he is a Subject of special Government.

2. THE proper Subject of special Government is the Reasonable Creature: Such as being Causes by Counsel, are capable of choosing their own Actions; that can act upon Deliberation, and either Elect or Reject. These being the noblest Kinds of God's Creature, and made after God • Image, were appointed to serve to their End, after another manner. For, being capable of the Active Act of the Rule, and not only a bar • passive impression of it, they must therefore have another and an Higher Rule, and be governed after a singular and special manner; for God Rules His Creatures according to their Nature: Now only these Being • are capable of this Government, or suited 〈◊〉 to it, both because they only are capable of the Rule, other Beings are not so: These only can know God, and choose Him and love Him, &c which the Rule points to; and also because these only are capable of the consequent Rewards of Eternal Happiness and Misery; other Creatures cannot be Happy, because it is a thing above their Constitution, and they cannot be forever, because they Perish; but these may be happy, and they abide to Eternity.

3. THE Rule of special Government is the Moral Law. This may at first seem doubt full; but to make it out, let these things be observed,

• (1.) WHERE there is Government there must be a Rule. This belongs to the very Nature of it: To Rule a Subject without a Rule to direct, is Tyranny, and not Government among Man; and though' God's Will be His Rule, yet God hath in Himself an Idea of that which He will manage the Creatures by, and it is wise and just. Government is for an End, and therefore it must have it's Rule, how else should it reach it's End?
• (2.) THIS Rule is properly called a Law. And the Reason is, because it refers to Government; and it bears the Denomination of a Law in two respects,
  • 1. IN respect to Him that Governs. It is the Ground upon which he proceeds in this Administration, and to which he refers himself in it: He makes it his own Law, to which he restrains himself; and it is the Rule of his Justice in all his proceedings: We read, Gen. 38 21. Discern, I pray thee, whose are these. And there must be a Law to discern between right and wrong in a Judge. God therefore obligeth Himself to this.
  • 2. IN respect to the Subjects, or them that are Govern'd. It sets them their bounds, which if they come short of, or go beyond, they become guilty of Transgression. Hence, Sin hath that Description, 1 Joh. 3.4. — Sin is the transgression of the Law. He being under the Authority of the Rule, it becomes a Law to him, and he cannot decline from it without Sin▪ because he is obliged to conform himself entirely to it.
• (3.) THE Excellency 〈◊〉 a Law, 〈…〉 appears, in its being suited to the Nature and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 . The design of a Law being to Govern the Subject suitably to its End and that respecting it's Actions; it must needs have respect to its Nature; for the Operation is according to the Being of the thing: and therefore Creatures of different Kinds or Natures, must have differing Laws. That cannot be a Law to one, that may be to another. Law is founded in the highest Reason; but to require the same of an Unreasonable Creature, that may be of one that is Reasonable, is a thing unreasonable▪ See, Joh 35.10, 11.
• (4.) HENCE, Man being a Moral Agent, it was s;et that be should have a Moral Law to Govern him • y. Without this, his Moral 〈◊〉 , which are only truly and properly Human, would be under to Government; and hence they would serve to no End, and so be in vain, which is not to be conceived; for so God would lose the Glory of the Service of His noblest Creatures, in their most excellent Endowments. This Moral Law is therefore usually called by Divines, the Law of Nature; not in a ••• ger sense respecting the whole Nature of the Creature, but 〈◊〉 , relating to the Nature of Man, because it was fitted to his Nature, and the Reasons of it are to be read in the Light of Nature, so far as it remains in him: It is therefore called a Good Law, in Rom. 7.12.
• (5.) GOD is first gave Man this Law for his 〈◊〉 . It was that according to which He required him to conform Himself. The New 〈◊〉 of the Moral Law upon Mount Si • a • , drawn up into Ten Commandments, was nothing else but a Transcript of the Law given to Adam at First; which fallen Man had lost the Sense of in a great measure; and therefore the Rel • cts of it are intimated to be in the Hearts of those very Heathen who never had a Copy of that which was given by Moses, Rom 2.14, 15. For where the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, those having not the law, • re a law unto themselves: Which sh • w the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also hearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another.
• (6.) THIS Moral Law was given to Man to be a perpetual Rule: And that both for his measuring his Actions by, and God's measuring out his Rewards of them according to it. It was to be perpetual. There was a Ceremonial Law given afterwards, which was to be transient, but this was to abide as long as this Government of God continued; and for this Reason our Savior hath that Assertion, Matth. 5.18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one yet or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till 〈◊〉 be fulfilled. We therefore read; Psal. 19.9. T • e fear of the Lord is clean, •• d • ring • orever. Psal. 119.89. For ever, O Lord, 〈◊〉 is settled in heaven. This is an Unchangeable Law through all Generations.
• (7.) HENCE all the after Transactions between God and Men refer it 〈◊〉 L •• . Here was the foundation unto which all must be reduced: This was it which did 〈…〉 introduction of Surety, upon Man's falling behind in his respect to it; this must be considered in all the Parts of the New Covenant, as that which must be answered 〈◊〉 by or 〈◊〉 Man, and may in no case he ba • lked, and 〈◊〉 Reason of that must needs be, because it was the first standing unalterable Rule of special Government: Not that it did exclude the New Way to Happiness by Christ, but made it necessary, hypothetically; which else it had not been.

4. THE State unto which the Reasonable Creature is conducted by this Government: It is an Everlasting State. This will be evident, if we consider,

• (1.) THAT the Subjects of this Government are to abide forever. They are Angels and 〈◊〉 : Angels in respect of their entire • eing; and Men in respect of their Souls, are immortal Substances: And though their mortal Bodies must suffer Corruption yet they shall • e 〈◊〉 again to incorruption, Matth. 23.30. For in the r ••• rrection they neither 〈…〉 given in marriage; but • re as the angels of God in heaven. 1 Cor. 15.42. 〈…〉 the resurrection of the dead, it is 〈…〉 raised in incorruption. They shall therefore continue forever; for it is der • gatory to the Infinite Wisdom of the Creator, to make 〈◊〉 Immortal Subject, and afterwards to annihilate it.
• (2.) THAT there are Everlasting Places prepared in purpose for these Subjects it be disposed in And why should Eternal 〈◊〉 be provided, unless the Creatures State in them were commensurable for duration? But that there are such, the Scripture plentifully inform us, Joh. 14 2. In my fathers house are may mar • ers; if it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you. Isa 33.14. 〈…〉 among us shall dwell with the 〈◊〉 fire? 〈◊〉 dwell with everlasting burnings. Yea we are told that they shall be here forever, Matth. 25. ult. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
• (3.) THAT God will have some Everlasting Monuments of his own Infinite Glory, in 〈◊〉 the shine of his Divine Moral Perfections, 〈◊〉 be illustrious forever. We are told that God will have it so, Rom. 9.22, 23. What of God willing to show his wrath, and to wake his power known, endured wi • h much long suffering 〈◊〉 vessels of wrath sitted to destruction. And that he might make known the riches of his glory 〈◊〉 the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? Other Beings, though' their Me • • e • perisheth not, yet their Substances are resolved into their Principles, and they are no more, and the whole Species of them will 〈◊〉 long cease; but these must remain, that God's Glory may be seen in them Eternally; they perish but these must endure,

5. THE • pan • which they are brought, •• s • ecting this • ternity i • twofold, 〈◊〉 , either of Happiness or Misery. Some are appointed and led to a State of Eternal Life and Glory, others to a Condition of Eternal Death and Punishment, Matth. 25. ult. And these shall shall go away into everlasting p • ris • m •• t: but the righteous into life eternal. S • me shall hare the Bea •• fical Vision and Fr • ition of God forever; 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all • grace, who hath called at unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. Others shall be cast forever from His Presence into Everlasting Burnings; 2 Thes. 1.9. Who shall be •••• shed with everlasting destruction from the 〈◊〉 of the Lord, and from the glory of 〈…〉 . Here observe,

• (1.) THAT there are two glorious Attributes of God, which be intends principally to exact in His Reasonable Creatures; and they are His 〈◊〉 Grace, and His Justice. These are 〈◊〉 to be called his Moral Perfections, and 〈◊〉 that Reason Moral Agents are to be the Subjects in whom the Declarative Glory of them is to be manifested; and that God hath de • igned the Glorfying of these Perfections in this Subject, is witnessed in the forecited, Rom. 9.21, 23.
• (2.) THAT these Attributes • ay forever 〈…〉 in them, th • re must be some everlasting ••••• ments of each of them. That Grace may appear Eternally, there must be some that must be made endlessly Happy, in such a way, as may render it admirable. And that 〈◊〉 may fit in State, and may triumph forever, others are ordained to be perpetual 〈◊〉 of it, by suffering Eternal Punishment. This is one of God's ancient Decrees, and therefore they are said to be of all ordained to it, J • de ver. 4.
• (3.) THAT this may be effected, they must needs come under the special Government of God. These things refer to the consideration of Rewards and Punishments, and are to be dispensed with Authority, and God acts in it as a Judge; and therefore they must needs come under a Rule, in which the Creature is concerned as a natural Agent: Hence we read, Rom. 2.6. Who will render to every men according to his deeds.

6. THIS issue bef • lls the Reasonable Creature according to the tenor of the Moral Law. We heard already that it is the Rule of special Government. But here let us farther observe,

• (1.) THAT the Moral Law might be a suitable Rule of Government, it had Sanctions added to it. There was not only a Directory giver, but there was a Promise made unto Obedience, Rom. 10.5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the 〈◊〉 which doeth th • se things shall live by them. And a Threatning to Disobedience, Gen. 2.17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not • at of it: for in the day that thou 〈◊〉 thereof, thou shall • surely die. Without these • hat not been a proper instrument of Government.
• (2.) THAT the Reasonable Creature to whom this 〈…〉 was mutab • e. Though he was every war • ur ••• hed with Moral Powers to obey, yet he was capable of disobeying; as the Event woefully proved: These Sanctions therefore were a suitable Moral Obligation on him, to practice Obedience, and avoid Disobedience, Deut. 30.19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you lie and death, b •• ssing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both them and thy seed may live.
• (3.) THAT whether the Reasonable Creature Obey or Disobey. God will have His Glory by it. God hath an End in all His works, and he will never miss of it. If the Creature miss of it's Felicity; yet He will not be put by of His Honor: And for that End he hath proviled for it by annexing a Penalty as well as a Reward to his Law; that if the one fail, the other may take place: Hence that, Rom 2.7, 8, 9. To them, who by patie • t ••• tir •• ng in well doin • , seek for g • ory, and honor, an • immortality; eternal life: But unto the • th •• are 〈◊〉 it, 〈◊〉 do not they the truth, but they unrighteousness; indignation & wrath; Tra •• lati •• and ex •• ish upon every soul of man that 〈…〉 .
• (4.) HENCE of God's proceedings with the Creature in this G • vernment refer hither. The Moral Reason why one is made Happy and another Miserable, is not because they were Ordained to it; but because they are found the Subjects of these, according to the Law: And therefore the Book of the Moral Law, will be the ground of the Process of the great Court at the last Day: The enquiry will be, whether that be at swered, and accordingly will the Sentence pass. The New Covenant only admits that it • e answered by a Surety; but it is certain, that there shall be none stand hen in the Judgment, but they whom Justice itself shall give an acquittance unto, and declare for then that they have obeyed.

USE 1. WE hence learn, That Man was neither Happy nor Miserable by Creation. Creation made him a Subject capable of either, but it put him into neither.

HERE let us observe,

1. HAPPINESS & Misery do not belong to the head of Creation, but of special Government. God must lead him to this State, if ever he arrives at it; but God doth not lead him thereto by the Rule of Creation; in that he only gave him a Nature that he might be Happy, and an Abi • ity to comply with the way to it.

2. HAPPINESS is the attainment of the Creature's End; and Misery is the loss of his End. And here unders • and me not to intend the End of the Decree, which we call, God's End; which can never be lost; • t the End proposed to Man, in which by Obedience he was to receive the Reward, and this we call Man's End, because he was obliged by the Precept to aim at it: But Man by Creation neither obtains nor loseth his End, but is put into a Capacity for either.

3. HAPPINESS or Misery are the Reward or Punishment of the Creature according to some Rule, and the respect that his State and Actions bear to the Rule. Happiness therefore follows upon Eupraxy or Well-doing, Misery upon Evil-doing; but Man by Creation had done neither Good or Evil: And before he could, he must have a Rule given him, which must be the Measure of it; which belongs to this Government. Man had the Habits of Original Holiness and Righteousness, enabling him to bring forth the Actions of true Obedience, and so to be made Happy: But being mutable, he might miss and fail: Happiness was Conditionally promised him in the Covenant; but the actual Fruition of it, depended upon his Trial.

USE 2. LEARN hence, The Excellency of the Moral Law, in that it is a Rule of the Happiness of the Reasonable Creature: Isa. 56.2. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that lay • th hold on it: that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Jam. 1.25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. The Law was not given Man for his Hurt, but Good; he could never have attained Blessedness without it; he must never have known the way of it, if he had not had this Rule to have guided him unto it. Man was deeply obliged unto God for giving him the Law, for without it he had been left in a Wilderness, and remained without Felicity forever.

USE 3. THIS tells us, What Reason there is why we should all take great heed to our Lives and Actions. Let us then always remember that we are under God's special Government, and that all we do hath a tendency to an Everlasting State, either of Happiness or Misery: And shall not this make us Cautious to ourselves to consider, that whatever we do is upon an Everlasting Account; we are not like Beasts that live a while, and then Perish and are no more; but we are going to an Eternity, and all we think, speak or do, is upon the Account, and will contribute either to our Weal or Woe: How wary should this make 〈◊〉 to ourselves, and put us upon pondering all our steps, and proposing to our own Souls beforehand, Will this contribute anything to my own Eternal Blessedness? assuring ourselves that if it doth not, it will lay in for our endless Punishment, if Grace prevent not.

USE 4. THIS Truth points us to the absolute • need of Christ's Satisfaction, in order to our Salvation; and of the imputation of His Righteousness to us, in order to our Justification. For If the Moral Law be the Rule of special Government, woe to all the Posterity of fallen Man, if the Law be not answered for them in a Surety, and the Benefit of the Suretyship • e not conferred upon them, so as to procure a Righteous Discharge from the Condé ••• ation of the Law for them; which can derive in no other way but this; and how should this drive us a • to seek the Security of such a Title, that we may not be condemned?

SERMON XLIX.

WE have taken a brief view of the Nature of Special Government, as it differs from that which is Common,

Secondly. THE Subjects of this Government, (we observed,) are Reasonable Creatures: Now these are of Two sorts, viz. Angels and Men. Both of these are equally concerned i • this Government, as to the Substance of it▪ being created with, as Causes by Counsel, and having a Law given them, according to the Tenour of which they were to be everlastingly Happy or Miserable. Only we may observe these differences:

1. THERE are many particular things i • the Moral Law, which the Angels were not capable of, but were proper to Men: The Angels being Spirits, whereas those things have a respect to Man considered as having a Body as well as a Soul; and bearing some Relations which they do not, to which there are Relative Duties annexed; such as between Husband and Wife, Parents and Children; Moderation is using the Good Things of this Life; instituted Worship, &c.

2. ANGELS were each one of them to stand or fall for himself; whereas Adam was the common Head of Mankind. All the Individual Angels were Created at once, in their natural Perfection, and therefore each one made his own Choice voluntarily; but Man was made One at the First, and to be multiplied by Propagation, and in that One, all were comprehended, and transacted for, as will afterwards be considered.

3. OF the Angels, some stood never to •• ll, others fell, never to be restored; whereas in the First Adam, the whole race of Mankind fell under a Curse of Death; and there are some who remain under that Apostasy, and others who ar • again restored unto Life by the Second Adam. But, as it little concerns us at present, to know the particular Transaction between God and the Angels, so the Scripture hath spoken but little distinctly about it; but as it relates to Men, we are all deeply interested in it, and have need to be well-acquainted with it from the beginning to the end.

AND here, The first thing that offers itself to our consideration referring to Man, is the Covenant which passed between God and him at the First, which is the very Basis on which all 〈1 page missing〉 at follows is built, and unto which it must • referred.

THIS Answer before us, affords a Description of this Affair: And in the clearing of it 〈◊〉 , we may consider of these things.

• (1.) That •• ere was such a Covenant past between God •• d Man.
• (2.) When it was made.
• (3.) The excellency of it.
• (4.) The Nature of it.
• (5.) The Sacraments annexed to it.

[1.] THAT there was such a Covenant past 〈◊〉 God & Man. I need not here tarry 〈◊〉 Discourse of the Nature of a Covenant in General. Where two Parties do stand mutually obliged one to another in a voluntary Agreement, there is a Covenant: that there was such 〈◊〉 • ransaction between God and Man will appear if we consider.

1. THAT Adam was by Creation God's Servant. He was made, as all other. Creatures were, for the Service of his Creator, Prov. • 0.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself. He was a Creature, and so bound for God as his last end: for this is the natural respect which a Creature owes to the Creator, and it is due to Him for giving it it's Being; Psal. 100.2, 3. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God, it is 〈◊〉 that made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his posture.

2. ADAM was a Reasonable Creature, and so be owed unto God a Reasonable Service. Rom. 12.1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable Service. The Nature of the Creature discovers the Quality of the Service that it owes to God; for the Operation follows the Being of the thing: And as a Reasonable Creature, Man was capable of Transacting with God in the way of a Covenant; he was able to understand, and subscribe to the Articles, to give his free Consent, and set his Seal to them.

3. GOD's dealing with all his Creatures is according to their manner of working. Man therefore was made in such a Capacity, that so he might actually be indented with; and hereupon God traded with him in this way. Hence,

4. THE Transaction between God & Man, recorded, Gen. 2. carries in it the Substance of 〈◊〉 Covenant; as will be evident if we consider,

• (1.) THAT God gave him a Law or Rule to walk by. He pointed him to what was his Duty; laid out the way of his Obedience before him; Mic. 6.8. He hath shown thee O man, what is Good, and what doth the Lord require of thee.
• (2.) HE joined to the Ru • e, Conditional Pro •• ises and Threatenings; by which both God and Man became obliged. For both did God engage Himself to proceed according to these Sanctions, and laid Man under them: Gen. 2.17. we have the Threatning.
• (3.) HE gave Man an Understanding both of his Duty, and of his Benefit and Danger. The Woman could tell the Serpent upon what Terms they stood with God, Gen. • .2, 3. And this is enough to make it a Covenant between One absolutely Supreme, and a Subject who • w • d himself and his all to him: But,

5. ADAM consented to and approved of 〈◊〉 Rule, as 〈◊〉 & equal, and 〈◊〉 to the Righteousness of the Sanction of it. For neither did, nor could he Object against it, but consented with Eve in the Declaration of it▪ and when he knew that he had transgressed it, and so brought himself under the Threatning, his Conscience accused him, and he sought to hide himself from God; and where we have God propounding, and Adam consenting, on such Articles, this amounts to a Covenant.

[2.] WHEN it was made: viz. When God had Created Men. He was first made capable of Covenanting; and then he was Covenanted withal, so that it was not the • eer result of Creation, but consequent upon it, and falls under Government: And Man was no sooner made, and placed in his Station among the Creatures, but God enters into Bonds with him and takes him into Covenant: And the reason of this was, because Man was made capable of Happiness, now he could not be Happy without a Covenant. Those Glorious Rewards of Obedience could not become his due in any other way. He owed Service to God as he was his His Creature, but God owed him nothing, but what he should please freely to give him: Obedience was but His Duty, and there could have been no Merit in it, not could he have challenged a Reward of Life for it, if it had not been Covenanted for on this Condition; for God is voluntarily and not naturally obliged to any of his Creatures. Man no sooner was, but he was to serve God, and God immediately brought him under the strongest Engagements so to do.

[3] THE Excellency of this Covenant: It was a Covenant of Life. It is true, there was both Life & Death contained in it, (as will be observed) but it is called, a Covenant of Life, not only from the latter part of it, or the Promise, but also because this Covenant was therefore propounded to Man, that it may show to him the way of Life; and the Use which he was to make of the Threatning of Death affixed to it, was to make it an incentive to him to be more careful in his Obedience, that so be might live. It is a Covenant of Life in itself, of Death only by accident; Rom. 10.5. For Moses described the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things sh •• live by them. Man stood now a Probationer for Happiness or Misery; the Covenant told him how he might escape the one, and gain the other: by offering the Reward to encourage him, by threatening the Penalty to caution him,

[4.] THE Nature of the Covenant is express in the residue of the Answer: Life was promised upon the Condition, &c. Here let us observe,

1. THAT the Covenant between God and Man was a Covenant between Unequals. Such as there is between a King and his Subjects, or a Master and his Servants; this indeed is but a shadow of it, because God's Supremacy is absolute; and he hath a Sovereign Right to lay His Commands, and give Articles as He pleaseth, and for that reason it properly belongs to Government; and it is properly called the Covenant of God, and not of Man, in as much as He is the Author and Executor of it; Deut. 8.19. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day, that ye shall surely perish.

2. THE substance of the Covenant was the Moral Law, considered as the bond of the Obligation of the Creature unto God; as it was imposed by God, and accepted by Man. Imposed upon a Subject, over whom God had the right of Dominion: Thus is the Law the matter of the first Covenant, and therefore it is indifferently in Scripture called, sometimes a Covenant, and sometimes a Law; it being that unto which all Man's references are in the Covenant between him and his God, and the ground of the Divine proceedure with him.

3. IN this Covenant we are to observe the Parts of it; and they are two, viz. The conditions propounded, and the consequents annexed: For, as there are two Parties in a Covenant, so there is something that each of the Parties is obliged to, and the Obligation is on both, or else it could not be a Covenant: Now the conditions here are the Obligations laid upon Man, the annexed consequents are those which God hath taken upon Himself, and bound Himself unto: and there was a strong connection between these; as therefore the conditions were two, viz. Obedience and Disobedience; so were the consequents, viz. Life and Death; the former referring to Obedience, and was contained in a Promise, the latter to Disobedience, and consists of a Threatning: Here then,

• (1.) THE Condition of Life was Obedience, Rom. 10.5. Now Moral Obedience, is Man's due, and Perfect, Personal attendance to the revealed will of God, or the command given to him, and thereby resting, satisfied in God, as the chief good; Deut. 6.5. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. More particularly, in the Rule of Obedience, Man was required,

  1. TO acknowledge God's Supremacy, and Authority to Command him, and to have born the highest respect unto it: God therefore gives that for a Reason of his Commands, I am the LORD; that He is an absolute Monarch, His Will is a Law: Man therefore was to acknowledge the Command worthy of Obedience for its own sake.

  2. NOT to have given Err to any Temptation of Satan, but stood resolutely and unmovably to the Command as his alone guide to eternal Blessedness; and his not so doing, was the first step to his fall.

  3. TO have made an Absolute choice of God for his Pere •• n; and to have rested satisfied in this choice. He was not to take up with anything, either in Heaven or in Earth in the room of God. Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven have thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. He was to choose God for himself, as his last End and best Good, and account Him enough.

  4. FROM this Principle he was practically to have Attended to the faithful performance of the whole Law or Command. All the faculties and powers of his Soul and Body were to be employed constantly in this work; he was to do the Will of God, and nothing else; this was his business; and for that Reason it was a Covenant of Works, because there was a work set him to do, on which his happiness depended, Isai. 56.2.

• (2.) THE Reward promised to this Obedience was Life: In which Life there was contained the continuance of an Unchangeable state of Blessedness, in the full enjoyment of the Infinite goodness of God to his utmost capacity, Rom. 10.5. There are Two things contained in it,
  • 1. AN Immutable S •• te of Blessedness. He should have been confirmed in his Obedience, and never lost it, and so have been everlastingly happy: for it is Eternal Life that is promised: for as this is the reward of Faith now, so it should have been of Obedience then; for it is the same Life is promised in both Covenants: and the continuance of his bodily Life, was included in it.
  • 2. A full Fruition of God to be his Port ••• : and that is Life, Psal. 30.5. He should 〈◊〉 been his God, Exod. 20.2 and he should 〈◊〉 been his forever. Psal. 48. ult. For this God's our God forever and ever; he will be our 〈◊〉 even unto death.
• (3.) THE condition of Death was Disobedience▪ And this is contrary to the former; as t • e •• fore it was enjoined him, so this was ••••• den him: and it was his Non-attenda ••• 〈◊〉 God's will, and taking up with something •• stead of God for his portion; and it 〈◊〉 in any coming short of duty, or transgre ••• of the Command: This is called Disobedience, Rom. 5.19. And as the Obedience consisted 〈◊〉 an entire conformity to the whole Law, so 〈◊〉 Disobedience, was in coming short in any 〈◊〉 Article, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is everyone that ••• tinueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them.

4. THE Punishment threatened for this Disobedience, was Death, Gen. 2.17. In which is contained an utter loss of all that is good exhibited in the promise, and suffering all 〈◊〉 miseries of this Life, and Eternity.

NOW these terms were fixed, ratified, unalterable; and that on God's part as well as Man's: He engaged His Holiness, Justice Truth in it, and they were to stand inviolable, Mat. 5.18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one 〈◊〉 or one tide shall in 〈◊〉 wi • e pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Hence,

[5.] WE are to observe the Sacraments which were annexed as Seals to this Covenant, and they were two, viz. the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge, Gen. 2.9.

1. THE Tree of Life was a Sacrament, whereby God Sealed up a constant Life of Happiness, in case of his Obedience, Gen. 3.22. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. And 〈◊〉 lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. God had given to Man a concreated Power Moral, enabling of him to obey perfectly; but he was mutable: Hence to encourage him, He made to him a glorious Promise of an excellent Reward, if he would be Faithful; and to ratify this Promise and to make it the more obliging, He sequestered this Tree, and put that figure upon it, that it should be a Sign and a Seal of the Promise, and by looking upon it, he might stimulate himself, and fortify against all Temptations to draw him away.

2. THE Tree of Knowledge was a Sacrament to confirm the Threatning, and witness to Man the certainty of his Death, in case of Disobedience; Gen. 2.17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of is: for in the day thou carest thereof, thou shalt surely die. It was to let him see and know that God was in earnest; and would be as good as His Word; that the threatening was not merely to frighten him, but to ratify to him the Truth of what he was warned of. This Tree also had a further design in it, 〈◊〉 . To be a special Trial of his Obedience: This Tree, as the former, had nothing in its o • n Nature, to make it unlawful for Man to 〈◊〉 the Fruit as common Food; but God to 〈◊〉 his Sovereignty, did by a positive Law, by a restraint upon Man's Liberty, and so exempted it, to see if he would acknowledge • is • overeign, and give Him his Prerogative. Not that all Obedience was restrained to this one Article; for the whole Moral Law was his •• le; but here was a special Probation of him; so that this Tree was both a Sacrament, and a Test unto Man at the First.

USE 1. HERE 〈◊〉 see the ground of that Truth; that Man's Perdition is in himself, Hos. 1 •• 9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. Man is his own undoer, he had a perfect Law given him, and he might have obeyed it if he would, and so have been forever happy: If he would 〈◊〉 and throw himself away forever, he must ••• nd to the hazard of it; if he dy and be damned, he can charge none with the guilt of it but himself: The Covenant was a Law of life in itself, if he finds it become a Law of Death, it is thro' his own Default. Man by Covenant was put upon making his own Choice, whether he would Live or Dy; if he then Choose to Dy, against all Warnings, he justly deserves to be filled with his own Device.

USE 2. SEE • ere a Reason of the Justice of God's proceedings against the Heathen; to pu • ish them with Eternal Death. Not as they have refused to accept of the Second, but as they have violated the First Covenant. The terms of Reconciliation were never proposed to them, and hence they are not on this account Guilty, neither have they received the written Word, in which the Law is revived, (and hence said to be Judged without the Law, Rom. 2.12.) but all Mankind owe Obedience to the Law Moral; and were interested in the Covenant made with Man in Adam; the breach of which Covenant they stand Guilty of; having sinned, and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23.

USE 3. SEE how impossible it is for fallen Man, by Personal Legal Obedience to recover a State of Life & Happiness. The Nature of the Covenant of Works discovers the vain attempt of Legalists, who go about to establish a Righteousness of their own: The Nature of this Covenant shows it absolutely impossible for fallen Man to recover God • s Favor by his own works: The Covenant said, if Man • in, he shall certainly Dy, and it Sealed it: How unreasonable then is it for any to think by a new Obedience, personal, to recover himself again to the Promise of Life, who is for Sin already actually under the threatening of Death; which must be Executed, or the Truth, Justice and Holiness of God will suffer. Let Men walk never so exactly, yet there is Guilt upon them; and if not removed, they must Dy.

USE 4. SEE and Bewail the Happiness we have mist of, and the Infelicity we have contracted to ourselves by the Fall. Had Man obeyed God, all the Creatures had obeyed him, he had possessed an Eternal Unchangeable State of Happiness: Life had been his Portion; all things had conspired his Good; he had Lived and not Dyed; God would have taken up His Eternal Residence with him, and filled him with all Glorious Felicities; but now how far otherwise is it? and what a loud Cry is here to all, to seek a redress by the New Covenant; yea to drive Children to Christ in the Days of their Youth: You are now miserable, make hast then to be Happy in Christ.

SERMON L.

HITHERTO we have seen Man bidding fair for Happiness; being Created in the Image of God, furnished with a stock of Original Sanctification, f ••• ing him for the whole Obedience of the Moral Law, and put under a Covenant firmly engaging Life to him upon that Obedience: And now what should hinder him? What stronger tie could there lie upon him, than the assured Felicity which should have been his Reward, and the certain Misery he should incur in Case he should Transgress? But behold, The next News is, Man is fallen and undone: And this is the doleful Condition we are now to inquire into: We have considered the First Covenant as the Rule of God's special Government, and according to the Tenour of which, He leads Men to an Everlasting State of Happiness or Misery: We are now,

III. TO take a view of the Things that were consequent upon this Covenant, with respect unto Man; or what bec • mes of him wi • h r ••• rence unto it: And all of this will be reduced unto Two Heads, viz. Man's Apostasy; and his Recovery: The Apostasy subjects Men to Everlasting Misery, and God leaves multitudes to Perish in it; but there is also a Recovery and Restitution in which many are restored to the Enjoyment of Felicity.

I. THE first of these to be spoken to is Man's Apostasy, his departure from, and violation of the Covenant, (which the present and several following Questions will instruct us in.)

IN the Answer before us, there are Four Things to be observed, viz.

• 1. The Fal. of Man from his Primitive Estate is also asserted.
• 2. That the O •• asion of it was his being left to his Free will.
• 3. That the Principle bla •• ea •• e Cause was the Abuse of his Free-will.
• 4. That there •• n which • e ••• sed it, and by which be • ell, was his sinning against God.

HERE then • woe Things may be looked into for the opening and confirming of this Truth.

• 1. Something in General concerning the Apostasy of Man.
• 2. Something in Particular about the way in which it was brought about.

I. IN General respecting Man's Apostasy; there are three Things worthy our Reflexion, viz.

1. THAT Man is certainly fallen from his Primitive Estate. That our First Parents did not continue in that Integrity, Perfection and Dignity in which they were placed at first, but cast themselves down from that height. We have the History of this at large, recorded in, Gen. 3. where we are informed, both that it was, and 〈◊〉 it was. And indeed there needs no more to prove the Fall of Mankind, or that Man is by Nature in a State of Apostasy, than to consider what he once was, and what he now is; whether we look upon his Endowments, or his Privileges which he was at first invested withal, and see how all these are now g • ne, & exchanged for Misery, it speaks plainl • that he is Fallen; if his Estate were such as it hath been already described to us, there is none of that now abiding: Once he was able to Serve God, now he cannot; Once he knew Him, and could choose him for his Portion, now he is ignorant of Him, and bids Him depart from him: Once he was Immortal, in Health and Favor, all the Creatures served him, and there was nothing to molest him; but now he is a Dying Creature, and everything gives him Trouble and Sorrow: And if this be not a Fall, what can be so? But,

2. WE may look upon the general Nature of the Apostasy of Man. It is in the Answer called, His falling from the Estate wherein he was Created, and that respects to • woe Things;

• 1. The State of Nature in which he was, and that was a State of Perfection, by virtue of the Image of God which was upon him.
• 2. The Covenant State which he bare, and that was in Relation to Happiness, as he was under a Covenant Promise of it, and stood fair for it: From both of these he is gone, and they are utterly lost, as will be particularly taken notice of under some of the following Answers.

MAN by the Fall lost himself; and there are two Words by which this Fall is expressed in the New Testament, which will give us light into the general Nature of it:

[1.] IT is called an Apostasy, Heb. 3.12 The Word properly signifys a standing off, and so properly expresseth the fallen State of Man: He was made to close with God, but now 〈◊〉 stood off from him, departed and separated himself; hence a sinful Man is said to be separated, Isa. 59 • . It implies a Defection, and there 〈◊〉 two Things contained in it:

• (1.) THAT Man l • st the Place which God 〈◊〉 set him in. There was a Station to which 〈◊〉 was appointed, but he Deserted it: God ••• manded him to Serve him; and to make 〈◊〉 Glory the ultimate Scope of his whole Life, and all his Actions, he was ranked foremost in 〈◊〉 visible Creation, but he broke his Rank, deserted his Place, slew from his Colours.
• (2.) THAT he Rebelled against God, and 〈◊〉 part with His Enemies, against his Maker: He went over to those that had taken up Ar •• against his Lord, and listed himself among the • and became of their Party: He went away from God to the Creature; it is summarily express • i • , Jer. 2.13. For my people have committed 〈◊〉 evils; they have forsaken me the fountain 〈◊〉 living waters, and h • w • d them out cisterns, •• ken cisterns that can • o • d • o water. And 〈◊〉 is surely a great Fall.

[2.] IT is called an Offence, Rom. 5.17. The Word properly signify • a Fall which is take •• 〈◊〉 stumbling at something which lies in one way: And here it is applied to Adam 's total Apostasy; and it serves most aptly to express the ru ••• Estate into which Man hath cast himself; 〈◊〉 there are. Three or Four Senses in which it 〈◊〉 used, all of which give light in this Affair.

• (1.) IT signifys a falling besides ones Ai • 〈◊〉 Mark which he should have gone to: And 〈◊〉 was the very Nature of the Apostasy; for i • it Man fell beside his Rule, which should 〈◊〉 guided him to his End, and so he mist of that: he declined from the Law which God gave him to direct him to this Happiness, and so he fell quite beside it. Adam should have gone by Rule, and so have reached to his End; his coming short of so doing, was the procuring Cause of his Fall.
• (2.) IT is a falling down, a declining; or 〈◊〉 loss of a Man's excellent Estate, and that by stumbling at something thrown in his way; and so it farther expresseth the Apostasy. Man stumbled at his Rule, and so he fell. There was a Question of the verity of God's Promise & Threatning cast before him; and this gave him such a Trip, that it threw him down: He was in an high Place of Eminency and Dignity, exalted above his fellow Creatures, stood next to his Maker; but now he is brought into a low, a mean, and an ignoble State: was made free; but is now become a Servant of Servants.
• (3.) IT intimates a falling from one Object to another. A deserting of one thing, for something else. Such was the Apostasy: Man's proper Object is GOD, whose Face and Glory he was to view, and in the Enjoyment of whom he was to be Happy; but he changed his Object, and chose something besides God to close withal: He chose the Creature instead of God, to seek his Happiness from: For that is the Sum of Man's Apostasy, Rom. 1.25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.
• (4.) BY a Metonymy of the Cause, it signifies the Ruin of a thing. The Fall and the Ruin of a thing are one and the same thing in Scripture Language; compare, Hos. 13.9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself: with, 14.1. O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou • ast fallen by thine iniquity: And this well suits to the Apostasy. Man in his Creation was like a fair House, new built, fit to entertain the King of Glory, fit for a Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in; but now he is like an old House gone to decay, where, by the ruinous Heaps, we may guess what a famous Structure it once was, but is now nothing but Rubbish.

3. WE are to observe the Manner of his Fall; and that is expressed to be, by Sinning against God. I am not here to speak of the Nature of Sin in general, nor of the particular Transgression in which Man • s Apostasy consisted; for these things come afterwards: But only in General to take notice, that Man's Fall comes under a Moral Consideration; or that it was his Sin which threw him. And here take this General Conclusion;

THAT Man lost his Primitive State by falling off from the Rule of special Government, under which he was placed, as it was a Rule of Life.

AND that we may take up the right notion of this, let these things be observed:

• (1.) THAT Man did not fall from the Rule of Creation or Conservation, but of Gubernation. Not of Creation, for he still remains one of God's Creatures, though' he be a Disobedient one: He is not therefore cut off from that Duty and Homage, which as a Creature of God, he owes to his Maker: Nor doth God disown him from being one of His Creatures: Nay Sinners shall know it one Day to their Cost. Nor of Conservation; as God gave his Being to him, so He will sustain or uphold this Being of his according to the Rules o • Providence, and the Condition of such a Creature: As therefore he had an Immortal Being bestowed upon him, so God will preserve him in it to all Eternity, and not suffer him to be Anni • ilated, or lose that Being and Nature of his: He partakes in that Conservation here, during God's Pleasure, which extends to Good and Bad, Just and U •• put, and he shall do so forever: But his Fall is pr • p • rly from the Rule of special Government.
• (2.) THAT Man did not Fall absolutely from God • s Government. Nay he is as much under it as ever he was, notwithstanding his Apostasy; he is a Subject, though' he be a Rebellious one: and God will have His Glory by him, whether he will or no, which is the design of His Government: God will in this respect hold him in Subjection, that if he will not pay Him the Homage which he owes Him, He will recover His Honor of him by force: If he will not Glorify Him, He will strain for it: If he will not do what a good Subject ought to do, he shall suffer what is an Offenders due: If he will not Serve at Liberty, he shall be held in Chains: God will drive him home to his Journey's end, & bring him to an Everlasting State, and that according to the Rule of special Government. Man can never wholly desert this Rule: but must stand related to one of the Conditions of it: Hence we read in Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
• (3.) THAT Man did not fall from the Obligation of Obedience, to the Rule of special Government. For notwithstanding the Fall, he is still held under the Dominion of the Rule, and the Conditions of it stand inviolable: He is held in passive Subjection to the Law, though' he doth not actually conform unto it. He is not properly an out-law, or put out of the reach of it, but a Rebel, one whom the Law hath an eye and aim at, and will take hold of; it will Censure and Judge him according to Rule. The Heathen themselves, who are without the written Law, are a Law to themselves, Rom. 2.14. And they shall one Day be Tried by, and Sentenced to an Everlasting State, according to the Relation they bear to this Law: Hence, every Sin exposeth him.
• (4.) MAN's proper Fall was from this Rule of Government, as it was a Rule of Life. He is fallen from his Eu • roxy, and so from his Happiness; and he is fallen under Ataxy, and so into Misery.

  Here observe,

  • 1. THAT by the Rule of special Government, Life was to be the Reward of Obedience, and Death the Recompence of Disobedience. These we have observed to be the Terms of the First Covenant, and Man was to be Happy or Miserable upon these Conditions: for the Law is not to be considered barely as a Directory, but as it stood with it's Sanctions, which were the Rule of Relative Justice in it's Proceedings with Mankind, and the distribution of Recompences to them; according to which he was to Live or Dy.
  • 2. THAT as Man by his power to Obey, stood fair for Life, so by his actual Obedience he should have been confirmed in it. All the Created Holiness and Righteousness in Man, did not put him into Possession of Happiness, but it disposed him into a 〈◊〉 capacity for it; he might be happy is it were not his 〈◊〉 fault, he was told 〈◊〉 it was to be attained, and he had power to comply with the condition, and if he had but so done it had been put past danger, for the promise positively said. Do and 〈◊〉 : And it he had been faithful in his Duty, God would have been true to His Word.
  • 3. HENCE Man's Actual coming s • ert of his Obedience, was properly his Fall. Herein his Apo •• asy truly and essentially con ••• ed, in his falling from his Ru • e, in disobeying of it; and all • he consequent Misery which he fell into, was but the fruit and effect of this. If he had not sinned he had not died; nothing else but sin could have