SERMON XIX.

THAT THE RELIGIOUS ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE, IN THE WISE AND RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT AND DISPOSAL OF ALL HUMAN AFFAIRS, JOINED WITH AN HUMBLE DEPENDENCE AND FIRM TRUST ON HIM, IN THE WAY OF OBEDIENCE TO HIM, IS MAN'S BEST AND INDEED ONLY SECURITY.

Jer. ix. 23, 24.

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

In my former discourse on this text I have stripped the carnal man of all his vain confidences, whether in his own wisdom, or in his might, or in his wealth, and have abundantly made good the first proposition contained in the text, viz. That it is a very sinful and vain thing for any man so to glory in his wisdom, might, or wealth, as to place his trust and confidence in either or all of them. But lest we should seem to discourse only in a destructive way, in taking off poor mortals from their false trusts, and then leave them in despair, and destitute of any other more sure and certain dependence; I proceed now to the second observation, which was this:

The religious acknowledgment of God's providence in the wise and righteous government and disposal of all human affairs, joined with an humble dependence and firm trust on Him, in the way of obedience to Him, is man's best, yea, only security.

"But let him that glorieth," &c. For the full clearing of which observation, I shall endeavour plainly to demonstrate these three things.

I. That there is a Divine Providence that takes notice of, and wisely and righteously directs and governs all human affairs, i. e. the actions and concerns of all men on earth.

II. That there is a most especial providence over good men, that orders all things for their good.

III. That therefore we ought, leaving all other earthly dependencies, to commit ourselves to the Divine Providence, in the way of piety, and sincere obedience to the Divine commands, and firmly to rely and trust on it, as our best, yea, only security. Of these in their order.

I. That there is a wise and righteous providence of God that takes cognizance of and governs the concerns of men on earth, is most plain, not only from the Holy Scriptures, but also from the universal consent even of those civilized heathen nations which know not, or own not, the sacred oracles as such.

1. First, The Holy Scriptures (the doctrine whereof will appear to him that diligently and impartially enquires into all the intrinsic and extrinsic arguments whereby it is confirmed, to be most certainly of God) in very many places clearly set forth the providence of God over the affairs of men. Hear some few, out of a great abundance that might be produced, most plain and express determinations of sacred writ concerning this matter. Such is that, Job xxxiv. 21; "For His eyes" (i. e. God's eyes) "are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings." And that, Psalm xi. 4, 5; "The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, and His eyelids try, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence the Lord hateth." And Psalm xxxiii. 13-15; "The Lord looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike," (or as the Septuagint and the Latin render the Hebrew, "severally," "He considereth all their works." And, Prov. v. 21; "The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He

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pondereth all His goings." And lastly, Jer. xxxii. 17—19; Lord God! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee. Thou shewest loving-kindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the great, the mighty God, the Lord of Hosts, is His Name, great in counsel, and mighty in work: for Thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

This is the doctrine of the divinely-inspired writers; concerning whom it is farther observable, that they have in their very writings not only taught us the doctrine of providence, but also given us a full and demonstrative proof thereof in those many clear and exact predictions of future contingencies, which by the Divine Spirit they have delivered to the world many ages before the things themselves came to pass. Now prophecy is an irrefragable argument of providence; for if God foresees the actions of men before they are done, He cannot but see them in the doing; and those good or evil things, which beforehand He tells shall befal men, we may be sure when they happen are the effects of His providence.

2. To the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, concerning the providence of God, all the civilized heathen nations have given their suffrage, not only in word, but (which is more) in fact and practice. For though some conceited and contentious philosophers have ventured to dispute against Providence, yet they could never by all their sophistry so far prevail against the reason of mankind, and the force of primitive tradition, as to eradicate the settled belief of it. But the generality of men in every age and nation, not wholly degenerated into brutishness, have still practised upon a supposition of a Divine Providence overseeing and governing the concerns of men. Of which I shall give you two or three most plain and demonstrative instances.

First, The natural worship of God, consisting in prayer and supplication to Him, is and always hath been the practice of all nations not perfectly barbarous. For the truth of which affirmation, I appeal to the faith of all heathen historians and writers

that are at this day extant. Now what is prayer to God, to deliver us from danger, or to give us any blessing or good thing, but a direct acknowledgment of His providence over us? For to what purpose is it for any man to pray unto him, that either cannot or will not hear his prayers, or take any notice of his petitions, or grant what he desires? The divine Psalmist seems to me plainly enough to reflect on this; "O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come:" where "all flesh" is an expression so wide and comprehensive, as that it must at least signify the generality of mankind. Nor is it any wonder that God should be set forth by the Psalmist, even to the heathens, as a God that heareth prayer. For we all well know, that there is a providence of God over the heathens, which administers at least temporal good things to them without their prayers, and therefore may much more do so upon their prayers and supplications, though misguided, and not well directed. We know that the mariners in the ship with Jonah, (though otherwise as seamen and heathens too they might have been thought not very inclinable to religion, yet,) when they apprehended the danger of shipwreck, had recourse every man to his God by prayers; and we know that the supreme and only true God heard their prayers, as proceeding from some honest principles of natural religion in them.

Secondly, The instituted worship of God, (for so I shall presume to call it,) consisting in sacrifices, hath been as universal a practice in all ages and nations as the former, and was indeed always joined with it. It were not very difficult (if it were our present business) to shew how from this practice, as taught our first parents after their fall, and from them derived to all mankind descending from them, some of the main doctrines of the Gospel itself may be deduced. But however this is certain, that the doctrine of providence is so legible in the custom of sacrificing, that he who runs may read it. For sacrifices unto God nations that used them,

among the heathens, and among all were either for the averting of evils that might come from Him, or removing of evils already inflicted by Him, as punishments of sin; or to procure those good things from Him which they wanted, or to return thanks to Him for good things already

Psalm lxv. 2.

Jonah i. 5.

received; and so were all of them plain acknowledgments of Divine Providence.

Thirdly and lastly, The custom of deciding doubtful matters by oaths hath been and is likewise received and practised among all nations that had or have any sense of God left in them. This as well as the former is so notorious, that I need not spend my time in the proof of it. Now what are oaths but downright appeals to the providence of God, whereby we acknowledge His omniscience, and that He knows the truth of all things; and His power and justice, that He can and will punish the authors of falsehood, and protect the lovers of truth? So firm a possession hath the belief of Providence always kept in the world.

Let us consider now those objections which some bold and self-opiniated men have brought against it. To omit here the trite and common objection of the present prosperity of some wicked men, and the adversity of some good men, (a full solution whereof you have in the seventy-third Psalm throughout,) the chief cavils of the Epicureans are these two:

Object. 1. That it is inconceivable how God can at the same moment of time see and take notice of all the actions of all men on earth, especially their inward actions, the thoughts and secrets of their hearts.

Object. 2. That it seems beneath the Majesty of God to regard or concern Himself about so low and vile a thing as man is. Before I distinctly answer these pretences, I shall in general observe this, that they are directly opposite each to the other. For the former objection supposes God too little to see and govern all the actions and concerns of men; the other makes Him so great and so high, that He disdains to concern Himself about them. In the former, the infidel pleads against Divine Providence, that non potest, "it cannot" take notice of all things on earth in the latter, he objects, non vacat exiguis, &c. "That God will not concern Himself about the little affairs of men, as being unworthy of His cares and regard."

In a word, the first objection sets the work of providence in the government of this world above God: the second placeth it beneath Him. Thus error always contradicts, not only the truth, but itself. But let us now encounter these objections severally.