Part 6
may lay the platform, and God's power blast the execution when it seems to be grown up nearest to maturity. Hezekiah was happy in his affairs, be cause he was assisted by God ; Ahaz unhappy, because he is deserted by God. If we would have a clock go well, we must look chiefly to the motion of the chief wheel ; a failure in that makes an error in all the rest. No thing can terminate its motion to our benefit without providence. Coloured
glass can reflect no beams without the sun's light, nor fruits be ripened with out its influence. Our dependence on God is greater than theirs on the sun. God lets men play with their own wit and strength, and come to the brink of execution of their designs, and then blows upon them, that they
2 CHEON. XVI. 9.J A DISCOURSE OP DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 55
may know there is a God in the earth. Pythagoras could say it was ygXo/oy, a ridiculous thing to seek that which is brave and virtuous anywhere
else than of God.* Cyrus is a brave pattern, who is mentioned in Scrip ture, and represented by Xenophon calling upon God when he was first chosen general ; f and in his speech to his captains to encourage them to hope for a good success of the expedition, tells them they might expect it, because I have begun with God, which you know, saith he, is my custom, not only when I attempt great matters, but also ra /uixga, the things of lesser concernment. The seeking of God should be the prologue to all our affairs. We are enjoined first to pray, and then to determine : Job xxii. 27, ' Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall
be established unto thee.' The interesting providence in our concerns is the highway to success. The reason we miscarry, is because we consult not God, but determine without him ; and then we have no reason to complain of him for not prospering our way, when we never commended our affairs to his conduct. It hath been the practice of holy men. Nehemiah first
petitioned God before he would use his interest in the king's favour : Neh. ii. 4, * Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request ? So I prayed to the God of heaven, and I said unto the king,' &c. So Abraham's steward put up his request to God, before he would put the business he came upon in execution, Gen. xxiv. 12. David frequently in particular cases, 1 Sam. xxiii. 9, 2 Sam. ii. 1, 2 Sam. xvi. 12. God only doth what he pleases in heaven and in earth. He only can bless us, he only can blast us. Shall we be care less in any undertaking, whether we have his favour or no ? It is a ridicu lous madness to resolve to do anything without God, without whose assisting and preserving of us we had not been able to make that resolution.
2. Trust providence. To trust God when our warehouses and bags are full, and our tables spread, is no hard thing ; but to trust him when our purses are empty, but a handful of meal and a cruse of oil left, and all ways
of relief stopped, herein lies the wisdom of a Christian's grace. Yet none are exempted from this duty, all are bound to acknowledge their trust in him by the daily prayer for daily bread, even those that have it in their cup boards as well as those that want it, the greatest prince as well as the meanest beggar. Whatever your wants are, want not faith, and you cannot want supplies. It is the want of this binds up his hand from doing great works for his creatures ; the more we trust him the more he concerns himself in our affairs. The more we trust ourselves, the more he delights to cross us ; for he hath denounced such an one cursed that maketh flesh his arm, Jer. xvii. 5, though it be the best flesh in the world, because it is a departing from the Lord. No wonder then that God departs from us, and carries away his blessing with him ; while we trust ourselves, we do but trouble ourselves, and know not how to reconcile our various reasons for hopes and fears, but the committing our way to the Lord renders our minds calm and composed : Prov. xvi. 3, « Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.' Thou shait have no more of those quarrelling disturbing thoughts what the success shall be.
(1.) Trust providence in the greatest extremities. He brings us into straits, that he may see the exercise of our faith : Zeph. iii. 12, « I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.' When we are most desolate, we have most need of this exercise, and have the fittest season to practise it ; he is always our refuge and our strength, but in time of trouble a present help, Ps. xlvi. 1. Daniel's new advancement by Belshazzar but a day before the city was taken by the
* Jamblich. Vita. Pythag , lib. i. cap. 18. f Xenophon «rgg/ Kvoov Haid. lib. i.
56 A DISCOUKSE OF DIVINE PEOVIDENCE. [2 CHKON. XYI. 9.
enemy, Dan. v. 29, the king slain, and (no doubt) many of his nobility, and those that were nearest in authority with him, it being the interest of the enemy to despatch them, was a danger, yet God by ways not expressed pre served Daniel, and gave him favour with the conqueror. God sometimes leads his people into great dangers, that they may see and acknowledge his hand in their preservation. Daniel had not had so signal an experience of
God's care of him, had he been in the lower condition he was in before his new preferment. God's eye is always upon them that fear him, not to keep
distress from them, but to quicken them in it, and give them as it were a new 'life from the dead : Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19, ' To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.' God brings us into straits, that we may have more lively experiments of his tenderness in his seasonable relief. If he be angry, he will repent himself for his servants, when he sees their power is gone, because then the glory of his providence is approp riated to him
self : Deut. xxxii. 36, 39, * See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me : I kill, and I make alive.' No creature can have any pretence to share in it ; he delights thereby to blow up both our affections to him and admirations of him, and store up in us a treasure of experiments to encourage our trusting in him in the like straits. We should therefore repose our selves in God in a desert as well as in the cities ; with as much faith among savage beasts as in the best company of the most sociable men;- and answer
the greatest strait with Abraham's speech to Isaac, ' GOD WILL PKOVIDE.' For we have to do with a God who is bound up to no means, is at no ex pense in miraculous succours, who delights to perfect his strength in the
creature's weakness. We have to do with a God who only knows what may further our good, and accordingly orders it ; what may hinder it, and there fore prevents it. He can set all causes in such a posture as shall conspire together as one link to bring about success, and make even contrary motions meet in one gracious end ; as the rivers which run from north and south, the contrary quarters of the world, agree in the surges of one sea. Though providences may seem to cross one another, they shall never cross his word and promise, which he hath magnified above all his names. And his pro vidence is but a servant to his truth.
(2.) Trust it in the way of means. Though we are sure God hath decreed the certain event of such a thing, yet we must not encourage our idleness, but our diligence. Though Moses was assured of the victory when Amalek came armed against him, yet he commands Joshua to draw up the valiant men into a body, himself goes to the mount to pray, and is as diligent in the
use of all means as if he had been ignorant of God's purpose, and had rather suspected the rout of his own than his enemies' forces. Neither doth Joshua afterwards, though secured by promise in his conquest of Canaan, omit any part of the duty of a wise and watchful general; he sends spies, disci plines his forces, besiegeth cities, and contrives stratagems. Providence directs us by means, not to use them is to tempt our guardian ; where it in tends any great thing for our good, it opens a door, and puts such circum stances into our hands as we may use without the breach of any command,
or the neglect of our own duty. God could have secured Christ from Herod's fury by a miraculous stroke from heaven upon his enemy, but he orders
Joseph and Mary's liight into Egypt as a means of his preservation. God rebukes Moses for praying, and not using the means in continuing the
people's march : Exod. xiv. 15, ' Wherefore criest thou unto me ? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forwards.' To use means without respect to God, is proudly to contemn him; to depend upon God without the use of
* Durant de Tentat. p. 168.
2 CHKON. XVI. 9.J A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 57
means, is irreligiously to tempt him ; in both we abuse his providence. In the one we disobey him in not using the means he hath appointed ; in the other presumptuously impose upon him for the encouragement of our lazi
ness. Diligence on our part, and the blessing on God's, Solomon joins to gether, Prov. x. 4, < The hand of the diligent makes'rich,' but, ver. 22, * The blessing of the Lord maketh rich.' So Eccles. ix. 1, ' Our works are in the hand of God;' our works, but God's blessing; God's blessing, but not with out our works. It was the practice of good men. Jacob wrestles with God
to divert his brother's fury, yet sends a present to his brother to appease him, Gen. xxxii. 9, 13. David trusts in the name of the Lord his God in his duel with Goliah, but not without his sling ; our labour should rather be more vigorous than more faint, when we are assured of the blessing of pro vidence by the infallibility of the promise.
(3.) Trust providence in the way of precept. Let not any reliance upon an ordinary providence induce you into any way contrary to the command. Daniel had many inducements from an appearance of providence to eat the
king's meat : his necessity of compliance in his captivity, probability of pre ferment by learning the wisdom of the country, whereby he might both have advanced himself and assisted his countrymen, the greatness of the con
sideration for a captive to be fed from the king's table, the ingratitude he might be accused of for despising so kind a treatment ; but none of these things moved him against a command ; because the law of God forbade it, he
would not eat of the king's meat, Dan. i. 8-10, &c. ' But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat.' Daniel might have argued, I may wind myself into the king's favour, do the church of God a great service by my interest in him, which may be dashed in pieces by my refusal of this kindness ; but none of these things wrought upon him. No providences wherein we have seeming circumstances of glorifying God, must lead us out of the way of duty ; this is to rob God
one way to pay him another. God brought Daniel's ends about : he finds favour with the governor, his request is granted, the success is answerable, and all those ends attained which he might in a sinful way, by an ill con struction of providence, have proposed to himself, all which he might have missed of had he run on in a carnal manner. This, this is the way to sue- • cess: Ps. xxxvii. 5, « Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.' Commit thy way to the guidance of his provi dence, with an obedience to his precept and reliance on his promise, and refer all success in it to God. If we set up our golden calves made of our own ear-rings, our wit, and strength, and carnal prudence, because God seems to neglect us, our fate may be the same with theirs, and the very dust of our demolished calf may be a bitter spice in our drink, as it was in theirs.
(4.) Trust him solely, without prescribing any methods to him ; leave him to his wise choice, wait upon him because he is a God of judgment, Isa. xxx. 18, who goes judiciously to work, and can best time the executions of his will. The wise God observes particular periods of time for doing his great works,— John ii. 4, « My hour is not yet come ; woman, what have I to do with thee ?' — which man is no competent judge of: I will do this miracle, but the season is not yet come wherein it will be most beautiful. God hath as much wisdom to pitch the time of performance of his promise, as he hath mercy at first to make it. How presumptuous would it be for the shallow world, a thing worse than nothing, and vanity, to prescribe rules to the Creator ! much more for a single person, a little atom of dust, infi nitely worse than nothing, and vanity, to do it. Since we had no hand in creating the world or ourselves, let us not presume to direct God in the
58 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. [2 CnRON. XVI. 9.
government of it : Job xxxviii. 4, ' Where wast thou when I laid the foun
dation of the earth ? declare, if thou hast understanding.' Would it not be a disparagement to God to stoop to thy foolish desires ? yea, would you not yourselves have a lower conceit of him, if he should degrade his wisdom to the wrong bias of your blind reason ?
3. Submit to providence. It is God's right to govern the world, and dispose of his creature ; it is his glory in heaven to do what he will : Ps. cxv. 3, ' But our God is in the heaven : he hath done whatsoever he
pleased.' Let us not, by our unsubmissive carriage, deprive him of the same glory on earth ; he brings to pass his will by ways the creature cannot under stand. It is the wisest speech in the medley of fooleries, the Turkish Alco ran.* We must walk by the rule of reason which God hath placed in us for our guide ; yet if providence brings to pass any other event contrary to our rational expectations, because it is a clear evidence of his will, we must
acquiesce. As when a traveller hath two ways to come to his journey's end, the one safe and the other dangerous, reason persuades him to choose the safest way, wherein he falls among thieves ; now having used his reason,
which in that case was to be his director, he must acquiesce ; God's provi dence bringeth forth an event, which he could not without violence to his reason avoid. And therefore it is a great vanity, when a man hath resolved the most probable way in a business, and fails in it, to torment himself; because though our consultations depend upon ourselves, yet the issues of them are solely in the hand of God. It concerns us therefore to submit to
God's disposal of us and our affairs, since nothing can come to pass but by the will of God effecting it, or permitting it. If the fall of a sparrow is not without his will, Mat. x. 29, much less can the greater events which befall
men, the nobler creatures, be without the same concurrence of God's plea sure ; therefore submit : for,
(1.) Whatsoever God doth, he doth wisely. His acts are not sudden and rash, but acts of counsel ; not taken up upon the present posture of things, but the resolves of eternity. As his is the highest wisdom, so all his acts
relish of it, and he guides his will by counsel : Eph. i. 11, ' Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' If God took counsel in creat ing the world, much more in laying a platform of government, much more in the act of government ; for men can frame models of government that can never reduce them into practice. Now God being infinitely wise, and his will infinitely good, it must needs be that goodness and wisdom are the rules whereby he directs himself in his actions in the world. And what greater motive can there be to persuade our submission, than wisdom and
goodness transacting all things ? God's counsel being the firmest, as well as the wisest, it is a folly both ways to resist it.
(2.) God discovers his mind to us by providences. Every work of God being the result of his counsel, when we see it actually brought forth into the world, what else doth it discover to us but that counsel and will of his ?
Every single providence hath a language wherein God's mind is signified, much more a train and contexture of them : Luke vii. 22, * Tell John what things you have seen and heard : how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, to the
poor the gospel is preached.' -Our Saviour informs John's disciples from acts of providence, he gives them no other answer, but turns him over to interpret and construe his works in the case. Providence therefore must
not be resisted, when God's mind in it is discovered. It is disingenuous to act against his pleasure and manifest mind ; it is the devil's sin. Aaron,
* Deus triumphal in sua causa, $c.
2 CHKON. XVI. 9.] A DISCOURSE OP DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 69
when he lost his two sons in so judicial manner by fire from heaven, yet held his peace, Lev. x. 1-3 ; because God had declared his mind positively,
' I will be glorified.' It is dangerous to resist the mind of God, for the word of his providence shall prosper in spite of men and devils : Isa. Iv. 11,
' My word that goes forth of my mouth, shall not return unto me void ; it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it ;' and therefore a resisting of it is termed Qeopaxsn, a fighting against God, by Gamaliel, no great friend to the church, Acts v. 38, 39.
4. Murmur not at providence. Though we do not clearly resist it, if there be a repining submission, it is a partial opposition to the will of God.
We might as well murmur at God's creation as at his providence, for that is as arbitrary as this ; he is under no law but his own righteous will : we
should therefore leave the government of the world to God's wisdom, as we acknowledge the frame of it to be an act of his power. If God should manage his ways according to our prescriptions, what satisfaction would God have ? what satisfaction would the world have ? He might be unjust to himself, and unjust to others. Your own complaints would not be stilled, when you should feel the smart of your own counsels ; yet if they were, what satisfaction could there be to the complaints of others, whose interests and therefore judgments and desires lie cross to yours ? Man is a cross creature. The Israelites exclaimed to God against Pharaoh, and when the scene was changed, they did no less murmur against Moses in the wilder ness. They were as troublesome when they were delivered, as when they were afflicted. In Egypt they would have their liberty, and in the wilder ness their stomachs turn, and they long for the onions and garlic, though attended with their former slavery. Let God govern the world according to his own wisdom and will, till all mankind can agree in one method to offer to him, and that I think will never be, though the world should last for ever. Murmur not, therefore ; whatsoever is done in the world is the work of a wise agent, who acts for the perfection of the whole universe ; and why should I murmur at that which promotes the common happiness and per fection, that being better and more desirable than the perfection of any one particular person ? Must a lutenist break all his strings because one is out of tune ? And must God change his course because things are out of order with one man, though in regard of divine providence things are not out of order in themselves, or without any care, for God is a God of order ? This temper will hinder our prayers ; with what face can we pray to that God whose wisdom we thus repine at ? If God doth exercise a providence in the world, why do we murmur ? If he doth not take care of those things, why do we pray to him ? It is a contradiction. It also hinders us from giving God the glory, and ourselves the comfortable sight of his providence. God may have taken something from us, which is the matter of our sorrow,
and give another thing to us, which' might be the matter of our joy. Jacob lost a joint, and got a blessing, Gen. xxxii. 29, 31. What advantage can it be to murmur ? Can all your cries stop the motions of the heavens, when a storm reaches you? Can your clamours make the clouds move the faster, or persuade the showers from drenching us ? Murmuring at any afflictive providence, is the way to make the rod smarter in itself, and sharper to us.
5. Study providence. It is a part of atheism not to think the acts of God in the world worth our serious thoughts. And if you would know the mean ing of his administrations, grow up in the fear of God : Ps. xxv. 14, « The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.' God is highly angry with those that mind him not : Ps. xxviii. 5, * Because they regard not the ope-
60 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. [2 CHRON. XVI. 9.
ration of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.' He shall utterly root them out.
(1.) Study providence universally. The darkest : God brings order out
of the world's confusion, even as he framed a beautiful heaven and earth out of a rude mass. The terriblest : these offer something worth our observa tion ; the dreadful providence of God makes Sodom an example to after
ages : Jude 7, they are ' set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire,' &c. The smallest : God is a wise agent, and so the least of his actions are significant. There is nothing superfluous in those acts we account the meanest ; for to act vainly and lightly argues imperfection, which cannot be attributed to God. The wisdom of God may be much seen in those providences the blind world counts small ; as a little picture is ofttimes of more value, and hath more of the workman's skill than a larger, which an ignorant person might prize at a higher rate ; the lilies, flowers, sparrows, our Saviour raises excellent observations from.
(2.) Regularly. By the word : compare providence and the promise
together ; God's manner of administrations, and the meaning of them, is understood by the word : Ps. Ixxvii. 13, * Thy way, 0 God, is in the sanc tuary.' By faith : we many times correct our sense by reason ; when we look through a blue or green glass, and see all things blue or green, though
our sense represents them so, yet our reason discovers the mistake. Why should we not correct reason by faith ? Indeed, our purblind reason stands in as much need of a regulation by faith, as our deceitful sense doth of a regulation by reason. We may often observe in the gospel, that the Holy
Ghost taking notice of the particular circumstances in the bringing Christ into the world, and in the course of his life, often hath those expressions,
* as it is written; that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.'' There is not a pro vidence happens in the world, but there are some general rules in the word
whereby we may apprehend the meaning of it. From God's former work discovered in his word, we may trace his present footsteps. Observe the timings of providence wherein the beauty of it appears, since ' God hath made every thing beautiful in its time.'
(3.) Entirely. View them in their connection. A harsh touch single would not be pleasing, but may rarely affect the concert. The providences of God bear a just proportion to one another, and are beautiful in their entire scheme ; but when regarded apart, we shall come far short of a delight ful understanding of them. As in a piece of arras folded up, and afterwards particularly opened, we see the hand or foot of a man, the branch of a tree ; or if we look on the outside, we see nothing but knots and threads, and uncouth shapes that we know not what to make of; but when it is fully opened, and we have the whole web before us, we see what histories and pleasing characters are interwoven in it. View them in their end ; there is no true judgment to be made of a thing in motion, unless we have a right prospect of the end to which it tends. Many things which may seem terrible in their motion, may be excellent in their end. Providence is crowned by the end of it. Asaph was much troubled about the prosperity of the wicked, and affliction of the godly, but he was well satisfied when he understood
their end, which was the end of providence too : Ps. Ixxiii. 16, 17, * When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, until I went into the sanc
tuary, then understood I their end.' Moses his rod was a serpent in its motion upon the ground ; but when taken up, it was a rod again to work miracles. God set us a pattern for this in the creation. He views the
creatures as they came into being, and pronounced them GOOD ; he takes a review of them afterward in their whole frame, and the subordination of
2 CHRON. XYI. 9.] A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 61
them to one another, and the ends he had destined them to, and then pronounceth them very good. The merciful providences of God, if singly looked upon, will appear good, but if reviewed in the whole web, and the end of them, will commence very good in our apprehensions.
(4.) Calmly. Take heed of passion in this study, that is a mist before the eye of the mind ; several pleasures also disturb and stifle the nobler ope
ration of the intellective part, and all improving thoughts of God's provi dence : Isa. v. 12, ' And the harp, and the viol, and wine, are in their feasts, but they regard not the work of the Lord, nor consider the opera tions of his hands? All thoughts of them are choked by the pleasures of sense. Passions and sensual pleasures are like flying clouds in the night, interposing themselves between the stars and our eyes, that we cannot observe the motions of them. Turbulent passions, or swinish pleasures prevailing, obscure the providence of God. Our own humour and interest we often make the measures of our judgment of providence. Shimei, when Absalom rebels against his father, looks no further than his own interest, and therefore interprets it as a judgment of God in revenging the house of Saul : 2 Sam. xvi. 7, 8, ' The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned.' Therefore the Spirit of God takes particular notice that he was of the house of Saul, ver. 5,
when indeed this judgment was quite another thing, for David's sin in the matter of Uriah was written in the forehead of it.
(5.) Seriously. It is not an easy work ; for the causes of things are hid, as the seminal virtues in plants, not visible till they manifest themselves.
Providence is God's lantern in many affairs ; if we do not follow it close, we may be left in the dark, and lose our way. With much prayer, for we can not of ourselves find out the reason of them ; being shallow creatures, we cannot find out those infinite wise methods God observes in the managing of them ; but if we seriously set to work, and seek God in it, God may inform us, and make them intelligible to us. Though a man may not be able of himself to find out the frame and motions of an engine, yet when the artificer hath explained the work, discovered the intent of the fabric, it may be easily understood : if it be dark, whilst you seriously muse on it, God may send forth a light into you, and give you an understanding of it : Mat. i. 20, Joseph thought of those things, and whilst he thought on them, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream ; God made them known to him. The Israelites saw God's acts in the bulk of them, but Moses saw his way, and the manner how he wrought them ; Ps. ciii. 7, * He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.' Moses had more converse with God than they, and .therefore was admitted into his secrets.
(6.) Holily ; with a design to conform to that duty providence calls for. Our motions should be according to the providence of God, when we under stand the intent of them. There is a call of providence : Isa. xxii. 12, « In that day the Lord called to weeping and mourning,' sometimes to sorrow, sometimes to joy. If it be a providence to discover our sin, let us comply with it by humiliation ; if it be to further our grace, suit it by lively and
fresh actings. As the sap in plants descends with the sun's declination, and ascends at the return of the sun from the tropic, there are several graces to be exercised upon several acts of providence, either public to the church and nation, or particular to our own persons — sometimes faith, sometimes joy, sometimes patience, sometimes sorrow for sin. There are spiritual les
sons in every providence, for it doth not only offer something to be under stood, but some things to be practised. Mark x. 15, a child is brought to
62 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. [2 CHRON. XVI. 9.
Christ, and Christ from thence teaches them a lesson of humility. Luke
xiii. 1-3. When Christ discourses of that sad providence of the blood of the Galileans, and the tower of Siloam, he puts^them upon the exercise of repentance. The ruler inquired the time when his son began to recover, that his faith in Christ might be confirmed, for upon that circumstance it did much hang ; and in doubtful cases, after a serious study of it, and thou
knowest not which way to determine, consider what makes most for God's glory and thy spiritual good, for that is the end of all. Let us therefore study providence, not as children do histories, to know what men were in the world, or to please their fancy only, but as wise men, to understand the motions of states, and the intrigues of councils, to enrich them with a knowledge whereby they might be serviceable to their country. So let us inquire into the providence of God, to understand the mind of God, the interest of the church, the wisdom and kindness of God, and our own duty in conformity thereunto.
6. Ascribe the glory of every providence to God. Abraham's steward petitioned God at the beginning of his business, Gen. xxiv. 12 ; and he blesses God at the success of it, ver. 26, 27. We must not thank the tools which are used in the making an engine, and ascribe unto them what
we owe to the workman's skill. Man is but the instrument, God's wisdom is the artist. Let us therefore return the glory of all where it is most rightly placed. We may see the difference between Eachel and Leah in this respect ; when Rachel had a son by her maid Bilhah, she ascribes it to
God's care, and calls his name Dan, which signifies judging — Gen. xxx. 6, * God hath judged me, and heard my voice ' — that the very name might put her in remembrance of the kindness of God in answering her prayer ; and the next, Naphthali, she esteems as the fruit of prayer, ver. 8 ; whereas Leah takes no notice of God, but vaunts of the multitude of her children :
ver. 11, 'Behold, a troop comes.' She imposeth the name of Gad upon them, which also signifies fortune or good luck; and the next, Asher, ver. 13, which is fortunate or blessed. And we find Leah of the same mind afterward, ver. 17. It is said God hearkened unto her, so that her son Issachar Was an answer of prayer ; but she ascribes it to a lower cause which had moved God, because she had given her maid to her husband,
ver. 18. * Not unto us, not unto us, 0 Lord, but to thy name be the
glory.'
Doct. 2. All the motions of providence in the world are ultimately for the good of the church, of those whose heart is perfect towards him. Providence follows the rule of Scripture. Whatsoever was written, was written for the
church's comfort, Rom. xv. 4 ; whatsoever is acted in order to anything written, is acted for the church's good. All the providences of God in the world are conformable to his declarations in his word. All former provi dences were ultimately in order to the bringing a mediator into the world, and for the glory of him ; then surely all the providences of God shall be in order to the perfecting the glory of Christ in that mystical body whereof Christ is head, and wherein his affection and his glory are so much concerned. See
the proof of this by a scripture or two: Ps. xxv. 10, 'All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testi
monies.' Not one path, but all the works and motions ; not one particular act or passage of providence, but the whole tract of his proceedings ; not only those which are more smooth and pleasant, but those which are more rugged and bitter. All mercy and truth suitable to that affection he bears in his heart to them, and suitable to the declaration of that affection he
2 CHKON. XVI. 9.] A DISCOUKSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 63
hath made in his promise. There is a contexture and a friendly connection of kindness and faithfulness in every one of them. They both kiss and embrace each other in every motion of God towards them. As mercy made the covenant, so truth shall perform it. And there shall be as much
mercy as truth in all God's actings towards those that keep it: Rom. viii. 28, * We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.' We know, we do not conjecture or guess so, but we have an infallible assurance of it ; all things, even the most frightful, and so those that have, in respect of sense, nothing but gall and wormwood in them ; work together, they all conspire with an admirable harmony and unanimous consent for a Chris
tian's good. One particular act may seem to work to the harm of the church, as one particular act may work to the good of wicked men ; but the whole series and frame of things combine together for the good of those that are affectionate to him. Both the lance that makes us bleed, and the
plaster which refresheth the wounds, both the griping purges and the warming cordials, combine together for the patient's cure. To them who are called according to his purpose. Here the apostle renders a reason of this position, because they are called not only in the general amongst the rest of the world, to whom the gospel comes, but they are such that were
in God's purpose and counsel from eternity to save, and therefore resolved to incline their will to faith in Christ ; therefore all his other counsels about the affairs of the world shall be for their good. Another reason of this
the apostle intimates, verse 27, * The Spirit makes intercession for the
saints, according to the will of God.' The intercessions of the Spirit, which are also according to God's will and purpose, will not be fruitless in the main end, which both the intercessions of the Spirit and purpose of God, and the will and desire of the saints, do aim at, which is their good. Indeed, where any is the object of this grand purpose of God, he is the
object of God's infinite and innumerable thoughts : Ps. xl. 5, * Many, 0 Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward ; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee : if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be
numbered.' The psalmist seems to intimate that, in all the wonderful works which God hath done, his thoughts are towards his people. He thinks of them in all his actions; and those thoughts are infinite, and cannot be numbered and reckoned up by any creature. He seems to restrain the thoughts of God towards his people in all those works of wonder which he doth in the world, and which others are the subjects of ; but his thoughts or purposes and intentions in all (for the word signifies purposes too) are chiefly, next to his own glory, directed towards his people, those that trust in him, which, verse 4, he has pronounced blessed. They run in his mind, as if his heart was set upon them, and none but them.
Here I shall premise two things as the groundwork of what follows :
1. God certainly in all his actions has some end; that is without ques tion, because he is a wise agent ; to act vainly and lightly is an evidence of imperfection, which cannot be ascribed to the only wise God. The wheels
of providence are full of eyes, Ezek. i. 18; there is motion, and a know
ledge of the^ end of that motion. And Jesus Christ, who is God's deputy in the providential government, hath seven eyes as well as seven horns, Rev. v. 6 ; a perfect strength, and a perfect knowledge how to use that strength, and to what end to use it, seven being the number of perfection in Scripture.
, 2. That certainly is God's end which his heart is most set upon, and that
64 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. [2 CflRON. XVI. 9.
which is last in execution. What doth God do at the folding up of the world but perfect his people, and welcome them into glory? Therefore God principally next to himself loves his church. The whole earth is his, but the church is his treasure : Exod. xix. 5, * If you will keep my cove nant, then shall you be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people ; for
all the earth is mine,' segulldli; such a treasure, that a man, a king, will entrust in no hands but his own. ' All the earth is mine ' is not a reason why the church was his treasure, but an incentive of thankfulness ; that when the whole earth was his, and lay before him, and there were many people that he might have chosen and loved before them, yet he pitched upon them to make them his choicest treasure. And when the blessed God hath pitched upon a people, and made them his treasure, what he doth for them is with his whole heart and with his whole soul. Jer. xxxii. 41, 42,
speaking of making an everlasting covenant, he adds, * Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good,' &c., * assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul.' As though God minded nothing else but those people he had made an everlasting covenant with, which is thehighest security, and most pregnant expression of his affection that can be given to any; not to give them a parcel or moiety of his heart, but the whole, infinite, entire piece, and to engage it all with the greatest delight in doing good to them. That infinite heart of God, and all the contrivances and workings of it,
centre in the church's welfare. The world is a wilderness, but the church is a garden. If he water the wilderness, will he not much more dress his garden ? If the flights of birds be observed by him, shall not also the par ticular concernments of the church ? He hath a repository for them and all that belong to them; he hath a book of life for their names, Luke x. 20, a book of record for their members, Ps. cxxxix. 16; a note-book for their speeches, Mai. iii. 16, ' A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord;' and a book of providence for their preservation, Exod. xxxii. 32. In the prosecution of this I shall shew,
1. That it is so de facto, and hath been so.
2. That according to the state of things, and God's economy, it must be so.
3. The improvement of it, by way of use. 1. That all providence is for the good of the church de facto, and has been so.
It will appear by an enumeration of things.
(1.) First, All good things. (2.) Secondly, All bad things are for their good. (1.) First, All good things. [1.] The world. [2.] Gifts and common graces of men in the world. [3.J Angels.
[1.] The world. The whole world was made and ordained for the good of the church, next to the glory of God. This will appear in three things :
First, The continuance of the world is for their sakes. God would have destroyed the world because of the ignorance and wickedness of it, before this time, but he overlooked it all, and had respect to the times of Christ, and the publishing faith in him, and repentance : Acts xvii. 30, ' And the times of this ignorance God winked at,' God overlooked,* he looked not so upon them, as to be provoked to destroy the world, but his eyes were fixed on the times of Christianity, therefore would not take notice, in the extremity of his justice, of the wickedness of those foregoing ages. Believers are the
2 CHKON. XVI. 9.] A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 65
salt of the earth, Mat. v. 13, which makes the world savoury to God, and keeps it from corrupting. It is meant not only of the apostles, but of
Christ's disciples, of all Christians, for to them was that sermon made, ver. 1. 'If the salt have lost his savour,' if the salt be corrupted, and Christianity overthrown in the world, wherewith shall the world be salted ? How can it be kept from corruption ? If they that persecuted the prophets before you in Judea (which is sometimes called the earth in Scripture), cannot relish you, and find nothing grateful to their palates in your doctrine and conversation, wherewith shall they be salted ? How shall they be preserved from corruption ? The land will be good for nothing but to be given as a prey to the Romans, to be trodden under their feet, as being cast
out of God's protection. They are the foundation of the world : Prov. x. 25, * The righteous are an everlasting foundation.' Maimonides under stands it thus, that the world stands for the righteous' sakes. When God had Noah and his family lodged in the ark, he cares not what deluge and destruction he brings upon the rest of the world. When he had conducted
Lot out of Sodom, he brings down that dreadful storm of fire.* He cares for no place, no, nor for the whole world, any longer than whilst his people are there, or he hath some to bring in, in time. For the meanest believer is of more worth than a world ; therefore when God hath gathered all together, he will set fire upon this frame of the creation; for what was the end of
Christ's coming and dying, but to gather all things together in one? Eph. i. 10, ' That in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ.' When Christ hath summed up all together, he hath attained his end. And to what purpose, then, can we imagine God should continue the world any longer ? for his delight is not
simply in the world, but in the saints there : Ps. xvi. 8, ' But to the saints
that are in the earth, in whom is all my delight ; ' not in the earth, but in the saints there, which are the only excellent things in it, which Christ
speaks (of whom that psalm is meant) who knew well what was the object
of his Father's pleasure. The sweet savour God smelt in Noah's sacrifice, was the occasion of God's declaration for the world's standing: Gen. viii. 21,
* And the Lord said in his heart, I will not curse the ground any more for man's sake,' that he would no more smite it with a totally destroying judgment. It was his respect to Christ represented in that sacrifice, and
to the faith and grace of Noah the sacrificer. What savour could an infi nitely pure spirit smell in the blood and flames of beasts ?
Secondly, The course ^of natural things is for the good of the church, or particular members of it! God makes articles of agreement with the beasts and fowls, whose nature is raging and ravenous, and binds them in sure bonds for the performance of those articles: Hoseaii. 18, ' And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground, and will make them to lie down safely.' As upon our sin God can arm them against us, so upon our obedience he can make them serviceable even against their natures, as if he had made a covenant with them, and they had both the reason and virtue to observe it. I do not remember any instance in Scrip ture, that God went out of the usual tract of his providence, and acted in an extraordinary manner, but where his people were one way or other con cerned. It was for Joshua's and the Israelites' sake that the sun was arrested to stand still in the valley of Ajalon, that they might have light enough to defeat their enemies, and pursue their victory, Josh. x. 12, 13. The sea shall, against its natural course, stand in heaps like walls of brass
* Grotius on the place. VOL. I. E
66 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. [2 CHRON. XVI. 9.
to assist the Israelites' escape, Exod. xiv. 22. The fire is restrained in the operation of its nature, even whilst it retains its burning quality, when the lives of the three valiant believing children are in danger, Dan. iii. 25. The mouths of lions are muzzled when the safety of his beloved Daniel is concerned, Dan. vi. 22. And the shadow goes back upon the dial for
Hezekiah's sake, 2 Kings xx. 11. When God would at any time deliver his people, he can muster up lightnings and thunders for their assistance ;
1 Sam. vii. 10 ; he can draw all the regiments of heaven into battle array,
and arm the stars to fight against Sisera, when Israel's condition needs it ; and make even the lowest creatures to list themselves as auxiliaries in the service. God hath not a displeasure with senseless creatures, neither is transported with strains of fury against such objects, when he alters their natural course. Hab. iii. 8, * Was the Lord displeased against the rivers ? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thy horses and
chariots of salvation ? ' No ; but he made those creatures the horses and chariots, to speed assistance and salvation to his people, which the psalmist elegantly describes, Ps. cxiv. All creatures are his host ; and that God that created them hath still the sovereign command over them, and can embody them in an army to serve his purpose for the deliverance of his people, as he did against Pharaoh.
Thirdly, The interest of nations is ordered as is most for the church's good. He orders both the course of natural things, and of civil affairs for their interest. He alters the state of things, and changeth governors and governments for the sake of his people. For these causes God sent Elisha
to crown Jehu king : 2 Kings ix. 6, 7, * I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, &c., that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hand of
Jezebel.' For the sakes of the godly in that nation, and the revenging the blood of the prophets which had been shed, was he raised up by the Lord.
He sent such judgments upon Egypt, that it was as much the interest of that nation to let Israel go, as it was before to keep them their vassals.
God orders the interest and affairs of nations for those ends ; and according to this disposition of affairs, Christ times his intercession for his church. The angels had been sent out to view the state of the world, and found it in
peace : Zech. i. 11, ' Behold, all the earth sits still, and is at rest;' there had been wars in Artaxerxes and Xerxes his time, but in the time of Darius that part of the world had an universal peace, which was the fittest time for the restoration of the Jews, and building the temple, because it could not be built but by the king's cost, whose treasure in the time of war was expended another way ; nor would it consist with their policy to restore the Jews to their government at such a time when they had wars with the neighbour-parts of Egypt. See how God orders the state of the world in subserviency to his gracious intentions towards his church. The time of the Jewish captivity was now out, according to the promise of God, and God gives that part of the world a general peace, that the restoration of the Jews, and the rebuilding of the temple, might be facilitated, and the truth of his promise in their deliverance accomplished. Upon the news of this general peace in that part of the world, Christ expostulates with God for the resto ration of Jerusalem : ver. 12, « How long, 0 Lord, wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast
had indignation these threescore and ten years ? ' The time of the captivity determined by God was now expired. The first Reformation in Germany was backed by reasons of state as it was then altered, it being the interest
of many princes of that country to countenance Luther's doctrine, for the
2 CHRON. XVI. 9.] A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 67
putting a stop to the growing greatness of Charles the Fifth, who had evident designs to enslave them. I might mention many more ; only by the way let me advise those that have an inclination to read histories of former transactions, to which men naturally are addicted, to make this your end, to observe the strange providences of God in the world, and how admirably he hath made them subservient to the interest of the church, which will be
the most profitable way of reading them, whereby they will not only satisfy your curiosity, but establish your Christianity. Calvin understands that
place : Deut. mil. 8, « He sets the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel,' that in the whole ordering of the state of the world, God proposeth this as his end, to consult for the good of his people, and his care extends to the rest only in order to them ; and though they are but a small number, yet he orders his whole government of the
world's affairs as may best tend to their salvation. Therefore God sets the people bounds, or enlargeth them according as they may be serviceable one
way or other to this end. And the reason is rendered, ver. 9, * For the Lord's portion is his people, and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.' Therefore God orders all the rest of the world in subserviency to the maintaining and improving his portion and inheritance.
[2.] As the world, so the gifts and common graces of men in the world, are for the good of the church, which is a great argument for providence in general ; since there is nothing so considerable in government as the disposing of places to men according to their particular endowments and abilities for them. And the bestowing such gifts upon men is none of the
meanest arguments for God's providential government of the world. As, First, The gifts of good men. The gifts conferred upon Paul were deposited in him, not only to be possessed by him, but used and laid out
for the good of the church : Col. i. 25, ' Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you ; ' ' The manifestation of the Spirit to any man is given to profit withal,' 1 Cor. xii. 7. And this is the great end for which men should seek to excel, viz.,
for the edifying of the church: 1 Cor. xiv. 12, 'Forasmuch as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the edifying of the
church.'
Secondly, The gifts and common graces of bad men. There is something that is amiable in men. though they have not grace. As in stones, plants, and flowers, though they have not sense, there is something grateful in them, as colour and smell, &c. And all those things that are lovely in men
are for the church's good; the best life, and the worst death, things present, let who will be the possessor, all things between life and death, are for the
good of believers, because they are Christ's : 1 Cor. iii. 22, « Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world,' — i. e., whether the gifts of the prime lights in the church, or the common gifts of the world, — * are all yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' God is the dispenser of them, Christ is the governor of them, and all for your sakes. As the medicinal qualities of waters are not for the good of themselves, but the
accommodation of the indigencies of men. By the common works of the Spirit God doth keep men from the evil of the world. For it cannot be supposed that the Spirit, whose mission is principally for the church, should give such gifts out of love to men which hate him, and are not the objects of his eternal purpose ; but he hath some other ends in doing it, which is the advantage of his church and people ; and this God causes by the preach ing of the gospel, which when it works gracious works in some, produceth common works in others for the good of those gracious ones. As a seed of
68 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. [2 CHRON. XYI. 9.
corn hath straw, husks, and chaff come up with it, which are shelters to that little seed which lies in the midst, so in the preaching of the gospel there are some husks come up among natural men, which God makes to be shelters to the church, as those common works, and restraining men through the knowledge of Christ. God gives gifts to them, not out of love to them,
but love to his church. As nurses of great men's children are fed with better meat than the other servants, not out of any particular personal respect to them, but to their office, that the milk whereby the child is nourished may be the sweeter and wholesomer ; were it not for that relation, she must be content with the diet allowed to the rest of the servants. Some
stinking plants may have medicinal virtues, which the'physician extracts for the cure of a disease, and flings the rest upon the dunghill. God bestows
such qualities upon men otherwise unsavoury to him, which he draws forth upon several occasions for the good of those that are more peculiarly under his care, and then casts them away. These gifts are indeed the ruin of bad
men, because of their pride, but the church's advantage in regard of their excellency, and are often as profitable to others as dangerous to themselves. As all that good which is in plants and animals is for the good of man, so
all the gifts of natural men are for the church's good ; for they are for that end as the principal, next the glory of God, because every inferior thing is ordained to something superior as its end. Plants are ordained for the nourishment of beasts, and both plants and beasts for men ; the inferior men for the service of higher ; and all for the community : yet still there is a higher end beyond those, viz., the glory of God, to which they are ulti
mately ordained, which is so connected with the church's good, that what serves one serves the other.
[3.] Angels, the top creatures in the creation, are ordered for the good of the church. If the stars are not cyphers in the world only to be gazed upon, but have their influences both upon plants and animals ; as the sun in impregnating the earth, and enlivening the plants, and assisting the growth of fruits for the good of mankind ; if the stars have those natural influences upon the sensible world, the angels, which are the morning stars, have no less interest as instruments in the government of it. The heathens had such a notion of demons working those things which were done in the world, but according to the will and order of the supreme God. The angels are
called watchers : Dan. iv. 13, * A watcher, and an holy one ; ' ver. 17, ' This is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones ;' they watch for God's orders, and watch for God's honour, and the church's good. There are orders of state among them, for we read of their decree ; it is called their decree ministerially, as they execute it; approbative as they subscribe to the equity and goodness of it. As the saints are sai to judge the world, not authoritative, as in commission with Christ, but a
they approve of Christ's sentence. They seem to request those things God which may make for his glory, and they decree among themselves wha is fit to be presented to God in order to his glory. They cannot endure tha
men should trample upon God's authority, despoil him of his right, an tread down his inheritance, and therefore they send such requests t God to act so as men may acknowledge him and his government, ' to th intent that the living may know that the most high rules in the kingdoms
men.' Their care therefore must be for the church, since God rules a things in order to that, and since that is God's portion and inheritance, that as they have a care of God's glory, they must also have a care of God' portion, and his peculiar treasure. The inward part of the temple was t
be adorned with cherubims, to note the special attendance of the holy ange'
2 CHKON. XVI. 9.J A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 69
in the assemblies of the saints.* As evil angels plot against the church, so good angels project for it. Though in the Scripture we find angels some times employed in affairs of common providence, and doing good to them that are not of the church ; as one is sent to comfort Hagar, and relieve Ishmael upon his cry, though he had scoffed at Isaac the heir of the covenant
when he was in Abraham's family, Gen. xxi. 17; yet for the most part they were employed in the concerns of some of his special servants. Angels
thrust Lot out of Sodom, Gen. xix. 25, 26. An angel stopped the lions'- mouths when Daniel was in the den : Dan. vi. 22, * My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths.' God employs angels in the pre serving and ruining of empires, which is clear in the prophecy of Daniel, and
some understand Isa. x. 34, ' And Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one,' of an angel. As the soul sends forth a multitude of spirits swiftly into the nerves for the supply of the lowest member, which runs thither upon the
least motion, so do the angels, which are God's ministers, run at the appointment of God, and are employed in all the wheels of providence. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels of providence, Ezek. i. 20.
First, The highest orders among them are not exempted from being
officers for the church. Though they are called God's angels in respect of their immediate attendance on God, yet they are called man's angels in respect of the service they do for them, Mat. xviii. 10, * Their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.' They are not the ordinary sort of angels which attend upon those little ones, upon young converts, humble souls, those little ones in the kingdom of heaven ; but they are the highest courtiers there, such as see the face of God, and stand before him. A king hath many servants, but not every servant, only the chief of the nobility stand before him ; so they are not angels of the meanest order and rank in heaven, that are ordered to attend the lowest Christian.
The apostles make no doubt of this : Heb. i. 14, « Are they not all minister ing spirits ' — there is no question but they are — ' sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ? ' He asserts confidently that not one of them is blotted out of the list for this employment. * Are they not
all ? ' None are exempted from the service of God, so none are exempted from the end of that service, which is the good of believers. They are
God's servants, but for the church's good, for them which shall be heirs. Are they not all ? It is irrational to deny it. And they are sent forth, every one of them hath his commission signed by God for this purpose, and not only for the church in general, but for every member in particular ;
' for the heirs of salvation.' And not only for them which are already called and enrolled, but for them who shall be called, whose names are written in
the book of God's election ; * who shall be heirs.' And they are not only faintly sent, as if they might go if they will, but they have a strict charge to look after them well, not in one or two of their works, or ways, but in
all : Ps. xci. 11, 'He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways ; to bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone.' They are to use all their strength to this purpose, to bear them up in their hands ; as the elder children are appointed by parents to have a care of the younger in their works and motions, and to use both their widsom and strength for them. The angels are a guard to secure
them here, and at'last to convey them to their Father's house, Luke xvi. 22. When a man is in favour with a prince, all the courtiers will be observant of him.
* Trap on Numb. p. 58.
70 A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE . [2 CHRON. XVI. 9.
Secondly, Armies of them are employed upon this occasion. There are
great multitudes of them, as Bildad speaks, Job xxv. 3, ' Is there any number of his armies ? ' that is, of his angels. When Joel speaks of the heathens gathering together, < Thither,' saith he, ' Lord, cause thy mighty ones to come down,' chap. iii. 11. A whole squadron of them shall attend upon a gracious man, according to the circumstances he is involved in. Gen.
xxxiii. 1, 2, ' And Jacob went on his way, and the 'angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host.' Regiments of angels, enough to make up an army (for so Jacob terms them) met him upon the way, to secure his brother Esau, and to encourage him in his journey. So some interpret 2 Sam. v. 24, ' The sound of a going in the
tops of the mulberry trees,' the sign of the marching of the brigade of angels, with the Lord at the head of them, for the discomfiture of David's enemies ; ' then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.' And this they do not of their own heads, but by the pleasure of God; not only by a bare will, but a delight: Ps. ciii. 21, ' Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.' WST] his choicest pleasure, he delights to see this his militia upon action.
Thirdly, Christ hath the government of them to this end for his church. Angels are all put in subjection to him : Heb. ii. 7, 8, ' In that he put all
in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.' He is * exalted above all principality and power.' ' God hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,' Eph. i. 21, 22 ; all things, even principalities and powers, are put under his feet, to be commissioned and influenced by him for the good of his church :
Ezek. i. 12, « Whither the Spirit was to go, they went.' They are ordered by the Spirit of Christ to this purpose : Zech. i. 10, * Those are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.' They are his faithful messengers, despatched into the world by him, as scouts and spies, to take notice of the state of the world, and to give him intelligence, and an exact account of affairs, and, ver. 11, they gave an account to Christ. Christ is the head and general of them, Col. ii. 10. They are his host, always in a warlike posture, with Christ in the head of them, Zech. i. 8, upon their horses, which notes readiness to move and speed in motion : and as an host they are said to pitch their tents round about them that fear him, and are in a continual conflict with the evil angels to prevent their designs, in the behalf of Christ, whom they acknowledge as their head by their wor ship of him, Heb. i. 6. Christ orders them to take care to seal his ser vants in the foreheads, that they may be preserved in the storms which shall happen in the world at the time of the ruin of the Romish papacy, Rev. vii. 2, 3. An angel comes that had the seal of the living God (com mission of God), saying, « Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in the foreheads.'
Fourthly, The great actions which have been done in the world, or shall be done for the church, are performed by them. Angels were sent as expresses by God with his great decrees concerning the revolutions of times, Dan. vii. 16; viii. 16, 'And I heard a man's voice, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.' An angel was sent to Daniel with the message of a Redeemer, and the clearest prophecy of Christ, which the Jews are not able to answer to this day, which they most startle at, Dan. ix. 21. Part of the discovery of the revelation to John, which is a standing almanac to the church, was made us by an angel, Rev. x. 8, 9 ; xxii. 8, 9. And when by the course of time those turnings are to happen in the world, the angels must have their share of service in