SERMON XVII.
SERM . XVII.
The Fountain of Life.
SERMON XVII.
Opens the Kingly Office of Chriſt, as it is providenti ally executed in the World, for the Redeemed.
EPH . i. 22. Andhath put allthings under hisfeet, andgavehim to be the head over all things to the church.
THE foregoing verſes are ſpent in athankful and humble adoration of thegrace ofGod, in bringing the Ephefians to believe in Chriſt.
This effect of that power that raifed their hearts to believe in Chriſt, is here compared with that otherglorious effect of it, even the raiſing of Chrift himself from thedead : both theſe owe themselves to the fame efficient cauſe.
It raiſed Chrift from aloweſtate, evenfrom thedead, to ahigh, averyhigh andglorious ſtate; tobe theheadboth oftheworld, andofthe church; the head ofthe worldby way ofdominion, the head of the church by way ofunion, and ſpecial influence, ruling the world for the goodof his people in it. "Hegave
" him to be head over all things to the church ."
In this ſcripture let theſe four things be ſeriouſly regarded.
1.Thedignity and authoritycommitted to Chriſt ; " Hehath put all things under his feet;" which implies, full, ample and abſolute dominion inhim, andfubjection in themover whom he reigns.
This power isdelegated to himby the Father: for besides the effential, native, ingenite power and dominion over all, which he hath as God, and is common to every perſon
" in the Godhead, Pfal. xxii. 28. there is a mediatory dispensed authority, which is proper to him as Mediator, which he receives as the reward or fruit of his fuffering, Phil. ii. 8.
2. The ſubject recipient ofthis authority, which is Chriſt, and Chriſt primarily, and only : he is the πρωτον δεκτικον, firſt receptacle of all authority andpower.
Whatever authority any creature iscloathed with, isbutministerialandderivative, whe. ther it be political, or eccelefiaftical.
Chriſt is the only Lord, Jude iv.
The fountain of all power.
3. The object ofthis authority, the whole creation ; all things areput under his feet : he rules from ſea to fea, even to the utmoſt bounds ofGod'screation, " Thou hast given him power
** over all flesh," John xvii. 2. allcreatures, rational, and irratiFf2
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onal, animate, and inanimate, angels, devils,men, winds, ſeas, allobey him.
4. And eſpecially, take noticeof the finis cui, the end for which he governs and rules the univerſal empire; it isfor the church, i. e. * for the advantage, comfort, and ſalvation of that choſen remnant he diedfor. He purchased the church ; andthathemighthave the higheſt ſecurity that hisblood ſhould not be loft, God the Father hath put all things into hishand, to order anddiſpoſe allas he pleaſeth.
For the furtherance ofthat his deſignandend, ashe brought the perſons of fome, ſothe fervices of all the reſt; and that they might effectually ſerve the end they aredefigned to, Chriſt will order themall in a bleſſed fubordination and ſubſerviency thereunto. Hence thepoint is,
Doct. That allthe affairs ofthe kingdom ofprovidence areorderedanddetermined by Jesus Chrift,for thespecial advantage, and everlasting good ofhis redeemed people.
John xvii. 2. " As thouhast givenhim power overall fleſh, " that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
" him." Hence it comes to paſs, that "all things work together " for good to them that loveGod, to them that are thecalled
" according tohis purpoſe," Rom. viii. 28.
That Jeſus Chriſt hath a providential influence upon all the affairs of this world is evident, both from fcripture affertions, and rationalobfervations, made uponthe actings ofthings here below.
The first chapter ofEzekiel contains an admirable ſcheme or draught of providence. There you fee how all the wheels, that is, the motions and revolutions here on earth, are guided bythe ſpiritthat is in them.
And verſe 26. it is all run up in. tothe fupreme cauſe: thereyou find one like the ſon ofman, which is Jeſus Chriſt, ſittinguponthe throne, andgiving forth orders from thence for the government of all : and if it were not ſo, how is it that there are ſuch ſtrong combinations, and prediſpoſitions of perſons and things to ſuch ends and iſſues, without any communications ofcounſels, or holding of intelligence with one another ? As in Iſrael's deliverance out of Egypt, and innumerable more inſtances have appeared.
Cer. tainly, if tenmen, from ſeveral places, ſhould all meetat one place, and aboutonebuſineſs, without any fore-appointment a- *Heobtains thisdominionfor the good ofhis church.
Grotius inloc.
SERM. XVII.
The Fountain of Life. mong themselves, it would argue their motions were fecretly over-ruled by ſome inviſible agent. How is it that fuch marvellous effects areproduced inthe world by cauſes that carry no proportion to them ? Amos v. 9. and 1 Cor. i. 27. and as often, the moſt apt and likely means are rendered wholly inef. fectual ? Pfal. xxxiii. 16.
In a word, if Chriſt hath no fuch providential influx, how are his people in allages preferved in the midst ofſo many millions ofpotent and malicious enemies, amongst whom theylive as ſheep in the midst ofwolves ? Luke x. 3. How is it that the bushburns, and yet is not confumed ?
Exod. iii. 2 .
But mybuſineſs, inthis diſcourſe, isnot to prove that there is a Providence, which nonebut Athieſts deny.
I ſhall chuſe rather to ſhew bywhat acts Jeſus Chrift adminiſters this kingdom, and in what manner ; and what uſe maybe made thereof.
First, He rules and orders the kingdom ofProvidence, by Supporting, permitting, restraining, limiting, protecting, punishing, and rewarding thoſe overwhomhe reigns providentially.
1. † He supports the world, and all creatures in it, by his power.
" My Father works hitherto, and Iwork," John v. 17.
" And in him (that is, in Chriſt) allthings confift," Col. i. 17 .
It is aconfiderable partof Chriſt's glory to have a whole world ofcreatures owing theirbeing and hourly confervations to him.
The parts of the world are not coupledand faſtned together as theparts ofahouſe, whoſe beams are pinned andnailed to each other; but rather as feveral rings ofiron, which hang together bythe virtue of aloadſtone.
This goodly fabric was raſed to thefoundationwhenfinentered,andhad tumbledinto everlasting confufion, had not Chriſt ſtept in to ſhore up the the reeling world.
For the fakes of his redeemed thatinhabite it, he doth andwill prop itby his omnipotent power. And when he hath gathered all his elect outofit intothe kingdom above, then will he fet fire tothe four quarters of it, and it ſhall lie in aſhes.
Meanwhile, he is " given for a covenant to the people, to eſta- " bliſh the earth," Ifa. xlix . 8.
2. He permits and ſuffers the worst of creatures in his dominion to be and act as they do. "The deceived, and the de- † The world is continued on account of the Church which is in it ; otherwise the heaven and earth would be burnt up in one moment : becauſe the whole world is not worth one grain of wheat : as it is indeed full ofblafphemy andimpiety,unleſs the Church ſupported the worldby word and prayer,allthings wouldbe deftroyed inſtantly. Luther in Genesis xxx.
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" ceiver, are his," Job. xii. 16.
Even thoſe that fight against Chriſt and his people, receive both power and permiflion from him.
Say not, that it is unbecoming the moſt Holy to permit fuch evils, which he could preventifhe pleaſed.
For ashe permits no morethan he will over rule to his praiſe, ſo that very permiſſionof his, isholy andjuſt.
Chriſt's working is not confounded with thecreature's.
Purefun-beamsarenottaintedby the noifom vapours ofthe dunghill on which they ſhine. His holineſs hath no fellowship with their iniquities ; nor are their tranſgreſſions at all excuſed by his permiſſions of them. "He is
66 a rock, his work is perfect ; but theyhave corrupted them- " felves," Deut. xxxii. 4, 5.
This holy permiffion is but the withholdingofthoſe reſtraintsfrom theirlufts, anddenying thofe commonaſſiſtances which he is no way bound to give them.
Acts xiv. 16. " He suffered all nations to walk in their own 66 ways."
Andyet ſhould he permit ſinful creatures to act out all the wickedness that isin their hearts, there would neither remainpeace nor order in the world. And therefore,
3. He powerfully restrains creaturesby the bridle of providence, fromthecommiſſion ofthoſe things, towhich theirhearts arepropenſe enough. Pfal. lxxvi . 10. "The remainderofwrath
" thou will reſtrain," or ‡ gird up; letting forth juſt ſo much as ſhall ſerve his holy ends,and no more. Andtrulythis is one of theglorious mysteries of Providence, which amazes the ſerious and confiderate foul; to ſee the ſpirit of a creature fully ſetto do miſchief; power enough, as one would think, in his hand todo it, and a door of opportunity ſtanding open for it ; andyet the effect ſtrangely hindered. The ſtrong propenfions of the will are inwardly checked, as in the caſe of Laban,Gen. xxxi. 24. or a diverſion, and rub is ſtrangely caſt in theirway ;
2s inthe cafe of Senacherib, 2 Kings xix. 7, 8. ſo that their hands cannot perform their enterprizes.
Julian had two great deſignsbefore him, onewas to conquer the Perfians, the other to root out the Galileans, as he, byway ofcontempt, called the Chriſtians: but he will begin with the Persians firſt, andthen make a facrifice of all the Chriſtians to his idols.
He doth ſo, and periſhes in the firſt attempt. O the wisdom ofProvidence!
4. Jefus,Chrift limits the creatures in their acting, afſigning them theirboundaries and lines of liberty ; to which they may, but beyond it cannot go.
Rev. ii. 10. " Fear none of theſe things thatye ſhall fuffer; behold, the devil ſhall caſt ſomeof you into prifon, andye ſhall have tribulation ten days." They
L רנחר accinges.
Montanus.
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The Fountain of Life.
wouldhave caſt them into theirgraves, but it ſhall onlybe into prifons: They would have ſtretched out their hands, upon themall ; no, but only fome of them ſhall be expoſed : They wouldhavekept them there perpetually; no, it mustbebutfor ten days, Ezek. xxii. 6. " Behold, the princes of Ifrael were
" in thee, every one to theirpower to ſhedblood."
Theywent as far as they had power to go, not as far as theyhad will togo.
Four hundred and thirty years were determined upon the people ofGod in Egypt ; and then, even in that very night, God brought themforth; for then " the time ofthe promiſe was come," Acts vii. 17.
5. The Lord Jeſus providentially protects his people amidſt aworld of enemies anddangers.
It was Chriſt that appeared untoMofes in the flaming bush, and preſerved it from being confumed.
The buſh ſignified the people of God in Egypt : the fire flaming on it, the exquifire ſufferings they there endured: the fafety of the bush, amidst the flames, the Lord's
None admirable care and protection of his poor fuffering ones. ſo tenderly careful as Chriſt.
" As birds flying, ſo he defends,
Jerufalem," Ifa. xxxi. 5. i. e, as theyfly swiftly towards their neſts, crying when theiryoung are in danger, ſo will the Lord preſerve his .
They are " preſerved in Chriſt Jeſus," Jude 1. as Noah and his familywere inthe Ark.
Hear how aWorthy ofour own expreſſes himself on this point [ .
" Thatwe are at peace in our houſes, at reſt in our beds ; " that wehaveany quietin our enjoyments, is from hence a- " lone. Whoſe perſonwould not be defiled, or destroyed ?
" whoſe habitation would not be ruined ? whoſe blood almoſt "wouldnot be ſhed, ifwickedmen had power to perpetrate
" all their conceived fin ? It maybe, the ruin of ſome of us " hath been conceived a thousand times .
We are beholden to *" this Providence, of obstructing fin, for our lives, our families , our eftates, our liberties, and whatsoever is or may bedear to " us.
Formay we not ſay ſometimes with the Pfalmiſt, Pfal.
" Ivii. 4. " My foul is among lions, and I lie even amongthem.
" that are fet on fire, even the fons ofmen, whoſe teeth are " ſpears, and their tongue a ſharp fword ?" And how is the de- " liverance of men contrivedfrom ſuch perfons ? Pfal. viii. 6.
"Godbreaks their teeth in their mouths, even the great teeth " oftheyoung lions."
He keeps this fire fromburning,-fome " he curs offand destroys : fome hecuts ſhort in their power :
" ſome he deprives of the inſtruments whereby alone theycan Dr. Owen in his Indwelling Sia.
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" work: ſome he prevents of their defired opportunities, or " diverts by other objects for theirluft ; and oftentimes cauſeth
"them to ſpend them among themselves, one upon another.
" We may ſay, therefore, with the Pfalmiſt, Pfal. civ. 24. "O " Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom haft thou
" made them all ; the earth is fullofthy riches ."
6. He punishes the evil doers, and repays, by providence into their own lap, the miſchiefs theydo, or but intend todo, unto them that fear him.
Pharaoh, Senacherib, both the Julians, and innumerable more, are the lafting monuments of his righteous retribution.
It is true, afinnermay do evil an hundredtimes, andhis days be prolonged; but oft-times God hangs up ſome eminent ſinners in chains, as ſpectacles and warnings to others.
Many aheavy blow hath Providence given to the enemies ofGod, which they were never able to recover .
Chrift rules, and that with a rod of iron, in the midst ofhis enemies, Pfal . cx . 2 .
7. And lastly, He rewards by Providence the ſervicesdone to him andhis people.
Out of this treasure of ProvidenceGod repays oftentimes thoſe that ſerve him,andthat with ahundredfold reward now in this life, Matth. xix. 29.
This active, vigilant Providencehath its eye upon all the wants, ſtraits, and troubles of the creatures : but eſpecially upon ſuch as religion brings usunto. Whathuge volumes ofexperiences mightthe people of God write upon this ſubject ? and what a pleaſant hiſtory would itbe, toread the ſtrange, conſtant, wonderful, and unexpected actings ofProvidence, forthemthat have leftthemſelves to its care?
Secondly, We shall next enquirehowJeſus Chriſt adminiſters this providential kingdom .
Andhere I muſt take noticeofthe means by which, and the manner inwhich he doth it.
The means, or inſtruments, he ufes inthegoverning the providentialkingdom, (for he is not perſonally preſent with us himself), are either Angels orMen ;
" the angels are miniſtring creatures, fent forth by him for the " good of them that ſhallbe heirs of falvation," Heb. i. 14.
Luther tells us, they have two offices,fuperius canere, et inferiusvigilare, " to fing above, and watch beneath."
Theſe dous many invisible offices of love.
They have dear and tender reſpects and love for the faints.
To them, God, as itwere, puts forth his children to nurſe, and they are tenderly careful of them whilft they live, andbring them home in their arms to their Father when they die. And as angels, ſo men are the fervants of Providence; yea,badmen as well as good.
Cyrus,
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on that account, is calledGod's ſervant: they fulfil his will, whilft they are profecuting their own luſts.
" The earth ſhall help the woman," Rev. xii. 16.
But good men delight, to ſerve Providence: they and the angels are fellow-ſervants inone houſe, and to one maſter, Rev. xix. 10, Yea, there is nota creature in heaven, earth, or hell, but Jefus Chriſt canprovidentially use it and ſerve his ends, and promote his defigns by it.
But whatever the inſtrument be, Chriſt uſes, of this we may be certain, that his providential working is holy, judicious, fovereign, profound, irrefiftible, harmonious, and to the faints peculiar.
1. It is holy.
Though he permits, limits, orders and overrules many unholy perfons and actions, yet he ſtill works like himſelf, moſt holily and purely throughout.
" The Lord is " righteous in all his ways, and holy in allhis works," Pfal. cxlv. 17.; it is easier to ſeparate light from a fun-beam, than holineſs from the works of God.
The best of men cannot eſcape ſin intheir most holy actions ; they cannot touch, but are defiled.
But no fin cleaves toGod, whatever he hath to do about it.
2. Chriſt's providential working is not only moſt pure and holy, but alſo moſt wife and judicious.
Ezek . i. 20. "The " wheelsare full ofeyes : " They are not moved by a blind impetus *, but in deep counſel and wisdom.
And, indeed, the wisdom ofProvidence manifeſts itſelfprincipally in the choice ofſuch ſtates for the people of God, as ſhall moſt effectually promote their eternal happineſs. And herein it goes quite beyond our understandings and comprehenfions.
It makes that medicinal and falutiferous, which we judge as deſtructive to our comfort and good, as poiſon.
I remember, it is a note of Suarez †, ſpeaking of the felicity of the other world ; "Then
" (faith he) thebleſſed ſhall ſee inGodall things and circum- " ſtances pertaining to them, excellently accomodated and " attempered;" then ſhall they fee that the croſſing of their defires was the ſaving of their fouls ; and that otherwise they had periſhed.
The moſt wife Providence looks beyondus.
It eyes the end, and ſuits allthings thereto, and not to our found defires.
3. The Providence ofChriſt is moſt ſupreme and ſovereign.
* Non caeco impetu volvuntur rotae.
+ Beatus in Deo videt res omnes accommodatas ad ſe pertincntes, et omnes circumstantias accommodatas.
Suarez.
VOL. I.
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The Fountain of Life.
Whatsoever he pleaſeth, thathe doth inheavenandin earth, andin all places," Pfal. cxxxv. 6. " He is Lord of lords, and King of kings," Rev. xix. 16.
The greatest monarchs on earth arebutas little bits ofclay †, as the worms of the earth to him: they alldepend on him, Prov. viii. 15, 16.
" By me kings reign, and princes decree juſtice : by me princes rule, " nobles, even all the judges ofthe earth.
4. Providence is profound and infcrutable. The judgments ofChrift are " a great deep, and his footsteps are not known,"
Pfal . xxxvi . 6.
There are hard texts in the works as well as in the words of Christ. The wileſt headshave been at a loſs interpreting ſome Providences, Jer. xii. 1, 2. Job xxi . 7. The angels had the hands ofa man under their wings,Ezek. i. 8. i. e. they wrought fecretly and mysterioufſly.
5. Providence is irreſiſtible inits deſign andmotions ; for all providences are but fulfillings and accomplishments of God's immutable decrees.
Eph. i. 11. " He works all things accord- " ing to the counſel of his own will. " || Hence Zech. vi. 1. the inftruments by which God executed his wrath, are called " cha-:
" riots coming from betwixt twomountainsofbraſs," i. e. § " the " firm and immutable decrees of God.
When the Jews put Chrift to death, they did butdo what " the hand and counſel of " God had before determinedto be done," Acts iv. 28. ſo that none can oppoſe or reſiſt providence. " I will work, and who " ſhall let it ?" Ifa. xliii. 13 .
6. The providences of Chriſt are harmonious.
There are ſecret chains, and inviſible connections betwixt the works of Chrift.
We know not how to reconcile promiſes and providences together, nor yet providences one with another : but certainly they all work together, Rom viii. 28. as adjuvantcauſes, or con cauſes ſtanding under, and working bythe influence of the firſt cauſe.
Hedoth not do, and undo; deſtroyby one providence, what he built by another.
But, look, as all ſeaſon's of theyear, the nipping froſts, as well as halcyon days of fummer, doall confpire andconduce tothe harvest; ſo it is in providence.
† His head, (Cant. v. 11.), gold of gold; which intimates the incomparable excellency of Chrift's kingdom ; gold on his head, is an enſign of royalty, of which crowns were made ; therefore the expreffion, Goldofgold, seems to be ofthe fame import withKing ofkings .
Brightman in Cant.
|| By mountains he underſtands the hidden counſels ofGod. Calvin.
§ Firmiffima et infcrutabilia Dei confilia.
Drufius .
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7. And lastly, The providences of Chriſt work in aspecial andpeculiar way,for the good ofthefaints.
His providential, is fubordinated tohis ſpiritual kingdom. "He is the Saviour of all
دوmen, eſpecially of them that believe," I Tim. iv. 1. Theſe only have the bleſſings ofprovidence. Things are ſo laid and ordered, as that their eternalgood ſhallbe promoted and ſecured by all that Chriſt doth .
Inference 1. If fo, See then, in thefirst place, to whom you are beholdenforyour lives, liberties, comforts, and allthat you enjoy in this world.
Is it not Chriſt that orders all for you ? He is, indeed, in heaven, out of your ſight ; but though you fee him not, he sees you, and takes care of all your concerns. When one told Silentiarius ofa plot laid to take away his life, he anfwered, Si Deusmei curam non habet, quid vivo ? " IfGod take
" no care of me, howdo I live ?" how have I eſcaped hitherto ?
" In all thy ways acknowledge him," Prov. iii. 6. It is he that hath eſpied out that ſtate thou art in, as moſt proper for thee.
Itis Chriſt that doth all foryou that isdone. Helooks down from heaven upon all that fear him; he ſees when you are in dangerby temptation, and caſts in a providence, you know not how, tohinderit.
He fees whenyou are ſad, and orders reviving providences, to refreſhyou.
He fees when corruptions prevail, and orders humbling providences to purge them.
Whatever mercies you have received, all along the way you have gone hitherto, are the orderings of Chriſt for you.
And you should carefully obſervehow the promises and providences have kept equal pace, with one another, andboth gone ſtep by step with you, until now.
Inference 2. Hath God left the government of the whole worldin thehands ofChriſt, and trusted him over all ? Then do you alsoleave allyour particular concerns in the hands of Christ too, andknow that the infinite wisdom and love, which rules the world, manages every thing that relates toyou.
It is in a good hand, and infinitely better thanif it were inyour own.
I remember when * Melanchton was under ſome defpondencies of fpirit about the eſtate of God's people in Germany, Luther chides him thus for, it, " Let Philip ceaſe to rule the world."
It is noneofour work to ſteer the courſe ofprovidence, or direct its motions, but toſubmit quietly to him that doth . There isan itch inmen,yea, inthe beſt ofmen, tobedifputingwith
Gg 2 * Monendus eft Philippus ut definat eſſe rector mundi.
Melch.
Adam.
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God: " Let me talk with thee of thyjudgment," ſaith Jeremy, chap. xii. 1 , 2.
Yea, how apt are we to regret atprovidences, as if theyhad no conducency at all to the glory ofGod, or to our good, Exod. v. 22. yea, to limit providence to our way and time ? Thus, the " Ifraelites temptedGod, and limited the holy
66 One," Pial. lxxviii. 18,41 .
How often alſodo we, unbeliev. ingly, diſtruſt providence as though it could never accomplish whatwe profeſs to expect and believe ? Ezek.xxxvii. 11. " Our
" bones are dry, our hope is loft ; we are cutofffor our part."
So Gen. xviii. 13, 14. Ifa. xl . 17. There are but few Abrahams among believers, who " against hope, believed in hope,
" giving glory to God," Rom. iv. 20.
And it is but too com. mon for good men to repine and fret atprovidence, when their wills, lufts, or humours are croffed by it: this was the great fin of Jonah.
Brethren, theſe things ought not tobe ſo ; did you but feriouflyconſider, either the deſignof providence, which is tobring about the gracious deſigns and purposes ofGod upon you, which werelaid before this world was, Eph. i. 11. or that it is a lifting up of thy wisdom against his, as if thou couldſt better order thine affairs, ifthou hadſt but the conduct andma. nagement of them; or thatyou have to do herein with agreat anddreadfulGod, in whoſe hands you are as the clay in the potter'shands, that hemay dowhathe will with you, and all that is yours, without giving you an account of any of his matters,
Job xxxiii. 13. or whither providence hath caſtothers, asgood, bynature, as yourſelves, tumbled them down from the top of health, wealth, honours and pleaſures, tothe bottom of hell :
Or, laſtly, Did you but conſider how often it hath formerly baffled andbefooledyourſelves ; made you retract, with ſhame, your raſh, headlong cenſures of it; and enforced you, by the fight of its births and iſſues, toconfefs your follyand ignorance, asAfaph did, Pfal. lxxiii. 22.
I say, if fuch confiderations as theſe couldbut haveplacewith you in your troubles and temptations, they would quickly mouldyour hearts intoabetter and more quiet frame.
O that I could butpersuade you toreſign all toChriſt. He is a cunning workman *, as he is called, Prov. viii. 30. and can effect whathe pleaſeth. It is agoodrule, Deoperibus Dei non eft judicandum, antequintum actum. " LetGod workout all thathe
" intends, have but patience till he hath put the laft hand to " his work, and then findfault with it, ifyou can." You have
* It has two fignifications : An experienced artificer or workman, and aworkman excelling in his ait, Glaff.
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" Lord," James v. II.
Inference 3. If Chriſt be Lord and king over the providen. tialkingdom, and that, for the good ofhis people, let none that are Christ's, henceforth, stand in aflavishfear of creatures. It isa goodnote that * Grotius hath upon my text; " It isa marvellous conſolation (faithhe) thatChrift hath ſogreat an " empire, and that he governs it for the good of his people,
" as a head conſulting the good of thebody."
Our head and huſband, is Lord-general of all the hoſts ofheaven and earth : nocreature can move hand or tongue without his leaveororder: the power theyhave is giventhem from above, John xix.
11, 12. The ferious confideration ofthis truth will make the feebleſt ſpirit ceaſe trembling,and ſet it a finging; Plal. xlvii.
" The Lord is king ofall the earth, ſing ye praiſes with un- " derſtanding:" that is, (as ſomewell paraphraſe it) everyone thathath underſtanding of this comfortable truth. Hath he not given you abundant ſecurity inmany expreſs promiſes, thatall
7. ſhall iſſuewell for youthatfearhim ? Rom. viii. 28. " Allthings " ſhall work together for good, to them that loveGod." And Eccl . viii. 12. verily " it ſhall be wellwiththemthat fearGod," evenwiththem thatfear before him. And, ſuppoſehe had not, yettheveryunderstandingofour relation to fuch a king, ſhould, in itſelf, be fufficient ſecurity: for, he is the † univerſal & fupreme, || abſolute, § meek, merciful, ** victorious, and *† immortalking.
He fits in glory, at the Father's right hand; and, tomake his feat the eafier, his enemies are afootſtool for him ††.
His love to his people is unspeakably tender and fervent, he that touches them, " touches the apple of his eye," Zech. ii.
And,it is hardly imaginable,that Jesus Chriſt will fit ſtill, and ſuffer his his enemies to thruſt out his eyes.
Till thisbe forgotten, the wrath ofman is not feared; Ifa. li. 12, 13. " He that fears a " manthat shall die, forgets the Lord his Maker."
He loves you toowell to fign any order to your prejudice, and without his order, none can touch you .
Inference 4. If the government ofthe worldbe in the hands of Chrift, then our engaging and entitling of Christ to allour
*Magna confolatio, quod tantum imperium habet is, qui id exercet ecclefiæ bono, ficutcaput confulit corpori.
Grotius .
† Pfal . ii. 8.
‡ Prov. viii. 15.
§Rev. i. 18.
||Matth xxi. 5.
** Pfal. xlv. 4.
*† 1 Tim. i. 17.
†† See my Saint indeed.
The Fountain of Life.
SERM . XVII.
affairs and business, is the true and ready way to theirfucceſs andprosperity.
If all depend upon his pleaſure, then fure it is your wisdom to take him along with you to everyaction and buſineſs; it is no loſt time that is ſpent in prayer, wherein we aſk his leave, and beg his prefence with us : and, take it for a clear truth, that which is not prefaced with prayer, willbefollowed with trouble. How easily can Jeſus Chriſt daſh all your deſigns, whenthey are at the very birth and article ofexecution, and break off, in amoment, allthe purpoſes ofyour hearts ?
It is a proverb among the Papiſts, that Mass and meat hinder noman.
The Turks will pray five times a day, how urgent foever their buſineſs be.
Blush you that enterpriſe your affairs withoutGod: I reckon that buſineſs as good as done, to which we have gotten Chriſt's leave, and engagedhis prefence to accompany us.
Inference 5. Laſtly, EyeChrist in alltheevents ofprovidence ; feehishand in all that befals you, whether itbe evilor good.
" Theworks of the Lord aregreat, foughtout ofall themthat " havepleaſure therein," Pfal. cxi . 2.
Howmuchgood mightwe get, byobſervation ofthe good or evil thatbefals us throughout our courſe !
1. In all the evils of trouble and afflictions that befal you, eyeJesus Christ ; and ſet your hearts to the ſtudyoftheſe four things inaffliction.
(1.) Study his fovereignty and dominion; for he creates and forms them : they riſe not out of thedust, nor do they befal you caſually; buthe raiſesthem up, and gives them their commiſſion, Jer. xviii. 11. " Behold, I create evil, anddeviſe ade- " vice against you."
He elects the inſtrumentofyour trouble ; hemakes the rod as afflictive as he pleaſeth ; heorders the continuanceand end ofyour troubles; and they willnot ceaſe tobe afflictive toyou, till Chriſt ſay, Leave off, it is enough.
The Centurionwitelyconfidered this,whenhe toldhim, Luke vii. 8.
" I have foldiersunder me,and Iſay toone,Go, and he goeth ; " toanother, Come, and he cometh:" meaning, that as his foldiers were at his beck and command, ſodiſeaſes were at Chrift's beck, to come and go as he ordered them .
(2.) Study the wisdom of Christ in the contrivance ofyour troubles.
Andhiswisdom ſhines out many ways in them : it is evident in chuſing ſuch kinds of trouble for you ; this, and not that, becauſe this is more apt to work upon, and purge out thecorruption that moſt predominates inyou : In the degrees ofyour troubles, fuffering them to work to ſuch a height, elſe not reach their end; butno higher, left they overwhelm you.
SERM . XVII
The Fountain of Life.
(3.) Study the tenderness and compaſſions of Christ overhis afflicted.
O think if the Devil had but the mixing ofmy cup, how much more bitter would he make it ! There would not be onedrop of mercy, no, not ofſparing mercy in it, which is thelowest ofallforts ofmercy : buthere ismuch mercymixed with my troubles; there is mercy in this, that it is noworſe.
Am I afflicted ? " It is ofthe Lord's mercy I am notconfumed,"
Lam. iii. 2.
It might have been hell as well as this; there is mercy in his ſupports under it.
Others have, and I mighthave beenleft to fink and periſh under myburdens.
Mercy, indeliverance outofit; this might have been everlaſtingdarkness, that ſhould never have hada morning. O the tenderness of Chriſt over his afflicted !
(4.) Study the love ofChrist to thyfoul, in affliction.
Did he not love thee, he would not fanctify a rod to humble or reduce thee,butlet thee alonetoperiſh in thy fin. Rev. iii. 19. "Whom
" I love, I rebuke and chaſten."
This is the device oflove, to recover thee to thy God, and prevent thy ruin. O what an advantage would it be thus to ſtudy Chriſt, in all your evils that befalyou !
2. Eye andstudy Christ in all the goodyou receive from the handofprovidence.
Turn both fides ofyour mercies, and view them in all their lovely circumstances.
(1.) Eye them in their fuitableness; how conveniently providence hath ordered allthings for thee.
Thou hast a narrow heart, and a ſmall eſtate ſuitable to it: Hadſt thou more ofthe world, it would be like a large fail toa littleboat, whichwould quickly pullthee under water: thou hast that which is moft fuitable to thee ofall conditions.
(2.) Eye theseasonableness ofthy mercies, how they are timed to an hour.
Providence brings forth all its fruits in due feafon.
(3.) Eye the peculiar nature of thy mercies.
Others have common, thou ſpecial ones; others havebut a ſingle, thou a double ſweetneſs in thy enjoyments, one natural from the matter of it, another ſpiritual from the way inwhich, and end for which it comes .
(4.) Observe the order inwhich providencefends your mercies.
See how one is linked ſtrangely to another, and is a door to let in many.
Sometimes one mercy is introductive to athoufand.
" (5 ) Andlastly, Obſerve the constancy ofthem, " they are new every morning," Lam. iii. 23.
How affiduously doth God vifitthy foul andbody ! Think with thyfelf, ifthere be but a