CHAP X
The Righteous Man's Refuge.
" oldandgray-headed, forſake me not," Pfal. lxxi, 17, 18.
4. Live upon the unchangeableness ofGod under the greateſt and ſaddest changes of your ſpiritual condition ; God may cloud the light of hiscountenance over thy foul, he may fill theewith fears and troubles, andthe Comforter that ſhould relievetheemay feem to be far off; yet Aill maintain thy faith in the unchangeableneſs of his loves; truſt in the name of the Lord, ſtay thyself upon thyGod, when thou walkeſt indark. neſs, andhaft no light, Iſa. 1. 10.
Thus ſhut thy door.
(3.) Improve the unchangeableness ofGod to thybeſt advantage in the worst times, bydrawing thence ſuch comfortable conclufions as theſe.
1. IfGodbe anunchangeableGod in his promiſes, and in his love tohis people, what ſhouldhinder but the people of Godmay live happily and comfortably inthe ſaddeſttimes, and greateſt troubles upon earth. " As forrowful, yet always re- " joicing, as poor, yet making manyrich, as having nothing,
" yet poſſeſſing allthings," 2 Cor. vi . 10. " Certainly nothing "ought to quench a Chriſtian's mirth, thatis not able toſepa- " rate him from the love of Chriſt," Rom. viii. 35 .
2. IfGod be anunchangeableGod in his love tohis people; then itbecomes allthat have ſpecial intereſt in this God, tobe unchangeable and immoveable in the ways of their obedience towards him : God will not caſtyou off, ſee that you caſt not offyour duties, no, notwhen they are furrounded with difficulties; he loves you, though you often grieve him by ſin; ſeethatyou ſtill love him, though he often grieve andburden youby affliction: he willown you for his people under the greatest contempts and reproaches of the world ; fee that you own and honour his ways and truths, when you are under moſt reproach from a vile world, CHAP.
Opening the care of God for his people in times of trouble, as thefifth chamber of rest to believers.
Sect. I.CARE, inthe generalnotionof it, as it is applied to the creature, imports the ſtudiouſneſs and folicitouſneſs ofour thoughts, for the fafety and welfare ofourſelves, or thoſe we love and highly value. Now, though there be
40 ſuch thing properly in God, atwhoſediſpoſe and pleaſure U 2
The Righteous Man's Refuge. allevents are, and towhoſe counſels and appointments alldifficulties muſt giveway; yet he is pleaſed toaccommodate himſelf to our weakness, and expreſs his regard and love to his people, by ſuch things as one creature doth to another, to which it is endeared by relation or affection .
To this purpoſe we may find many fignificant ſynonymous expreſſions in ſcripture, all importing the care ofGod over his people, in a pleafant variety of notion and expreſſion, as Nah. i. 7. " The Lord
" is good, a ſtrong hold in the day of trouble, andhe knoweth " them that trust in him."
He knoweth them, i. e. he hath a ſpecial, tender, and careful eye upon them, to ſee their wants ſupplied, and to protect them inalltheirdangers; for in the commonandgeneral ſenſe he knoweth them that truſt not in him, as well as thoſe that do; and farther to clear this ſenſe ofthe place, it is faid, Pfal. xl. 17. " The Lord thinketh on them."
Importing not only ſimple cogitation, but the immorationorabiding of his thoughts upon them, as our thoughts are wont to doupon thatwhich wehighly eſteem, eſpeciallywhen any danger is near it. And yet farther, toclear this ſenſe, it is ſaid, Job xxxvi. 7."He
" withdraweth nothiseye from the righteous."
As when Moſes was expoſed in the ark of bulrushes, where his life was in imminent hazards by the waters of Nilus on one fide, and the Egyptian cut-throats on the other; his ſiſter Miriam kept watch at a diſtance, to fee whatwould be done to him.
Her eyewas never off that ark wherein herdear brother lay; fear andcare engaged her eye to keep a truewatchfor him.
Thus the Lord withdraweth not his eye fromthe righteous.
To the ſame purpoſe is that expreſſion, Deut. xxxiii. 3. " Yea, he loved " the people ; all his faints are in thy hand."
That which we dearly love andprize above ordinary, we keep in our own hands for its ſecurity, as not thinking it ſafe enough in any other hand or place. And once more, Ifa. xlix. 16. God is ſaid toengrave them upon the palms of his hands, alluding to what is cuſtomary among men, who, when they would charge their memories with ſomething ofſpecial concernment, uſe tochange aring, or binda threadabout the finger, to put them in mind of it.
Thus isthe care of ourGod expreſſed tousin ſcripturenotions.
The amountofallwhich isgiven to us in that oneproper and full expreſſion of the apostle, 1 Pet. i. 7. He carethfor you . To open this chamberofdivine care, asa place of ſweetelt reft, to our anxious andperplexed minds, in times ofdifficulty andhazard, itwillbeneceſſary thatyou ſeriously ponder,
The Righteous Man's Refuge.
1. Thegrounds and reaſons 2. The extent and compass of the care ofGod. compafs 3. The lovely properties (1.) The grounds and reaſons of God's care for his people; which are, 1. The ſtrict and dear relations in which he is pleaſed to own them.
Believers are his children, and you know how naturally children engage and draw forth the father's care for them.
This is the argument Chriſt uſes, Mat. vi. 31, 32.
" Therefore, take no thought, ſaying, what ſhall we eat ? Or " what ſhall we drink ? Or wherewithal ſhall we be cloathed ?
" For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need ofall " thoſe things."
Children, eſpeciallywhenyoung,diſquietnot themſelves about proviſions for back or belly, but leave that to the careoftheir parents, fromwhom, by the tye and bonds of nature and love, they expect proviſion for all thoſe wants:
Every one takes care for his own ; much more dothGod for his own children, and, indeed, he expects his children ſhould live
- upon his care ; as our children in their minority, do upon ours.
2. God's precious eſtimation and value of them, engage his conſtant care for them.
Believers are his jewels, Mal. iii. 17. hispeculiar people, 1 Pet. ii. 6. his ſpecial portion or treasure inthis world, Deut. xxxii. 9. and as ſuch heprizes and eſteems them above all the people of the earth, and accordingly exerciſeth his ſpecial care in allthe dangers they are expoſed to.
Special love engageth peculiar care.
3. The dangers and fears of the people of God, in this world, are many and great ; and were it not for the Lord's affiduous and tender care over them, they must neceffarily be ruined, both in foul and bodyby them.
The church is God's vineyard, its enemies as ſo many wild boars to root it up :
Uponthis account he faith, Ifa. xxvii. 3. " I the Lorddokeep " it, leſt anyhurt it, Iwill keep it night and day." And, indeed, it is well for Ifrael, thathe thatkeepeth it, never flumberethnor fleepeth, Pfal. cxxi. 4. that our houſes are in peace, that we and our dear relations fall not as a prey into cruel and bloody hands ſkilful to destroy, that we find any reſt, or comfort inſo evil and dangerous a world, it is wholly and only to be aſcribed to the care of God over us and ours.
4. Jeſus Chriſt hath folemnly recommended all the people of God tohis particular care.
Itwas oneof the laſt expreffions ofChriſt's love tothem at the partinghour, John xvii. 11. " And "now I am no more in the world, buttheſe are in the world ;
The Righteous Man's Refuge. and I come to thee: Holy Father, keep through thine own
" name thoſe whom thou hast given me." q. d. While I have been perſonally preſent with them, Itook thefamecareofthem, as a ſhepherd doth of his flock, or a tender father of hischildren: but now I muſt leave them in the world, and inthemidſt ofaworld of dangers, fears, and troubles, against which they canmake no proviſion or defence, themſelves.
Father, remember them, look after them, when I shall be removed from them, they are thine as well as mine; and I recommend them, with my last breath, to thy care and protection.
This is aſpecial ground alfo of God's care for them.
5. Believers daily caſt themselves upon the care ofGod, and reign themſelves unto it in their daily prayers, and by their often renewed acts of faith, than which no act isfound more en. gaging from the creature upon itsGod ; though there be nothing of merit, yet there is much engaging efficacy in it, Iſa, xxvi. 3. " Thouwiltkeep him in perfect peace, whoſe mindis
" ſtayed on thee; becauſe he truſteth in thee."
We find it ſo among ourſelves, the more firmly and entirely any one truſteth in us, anddependeth upon us, the more he engageth us to protect and relieve him. Now this is the daily work of Chriftians to truſtGod over all, and put all their concernments into his hand, which very truſt anddependance draws forth the care ofGod for them.
6. In a word, the manypromiſesGodhath made to his people, to preſerve, ſupport and ſupply them, in all the times of need, engageth the care of God for them, as often as fuch wants or dangers befal them; for, indeed, herein, he at once takes care for their neceffity, and for his own honour andglory.
They truſt to his word, and rely upon his promiſes, which therefore he will be careful tomake good.
This was the are gument which the church pleaded in the time of imminent danger,toengagethe care ofGod for them, Pf. lxxiv. 20. Have respect unto the covenant : for the dark places of the earth are fullof the habitations of cruelty, q. d. O Lord, thy people are inthemidst ofcruel enemies, take care for their protection, and though there be no worth inthem, to which thou ſhouldest have reſpect, yet have reſpect unto thine own covenant: let thegloryof thyname draw forth thy care to thy people.
Sect. II. We have ſeen the grounds and reaſons of God's care over his people, let us next view (2.) The extent and compaſs of this divine care ; and here methinks the Lord faith to his people, as he faid to Abraham, Gen. xiii. 14, 15. Lift upnow thine eyesfrom the placewhere thouart, northward,and
The Righteous Man's Refuge.
So Fouthward, and eastward, andwestward, forallthe landwhich thoufeeft, to thee will Igive it, and to thy feedfor ever. here, poor timorous, dejected believer, lift up thine eyes from theplace where thou art, and take a view of all the promises in the ſcriptures of truth; promiſes of ſupports under all burthens, fuppliesof all wants, deliverances out of all dangers, aſſiſtances in all diſtreffes ; to thee have I given them all as a portion for ever.
This care ofGod walks around, andencompaffeth the fouls and bodies of them that fear him, dayand night.
There is no intereſt or concern of either found without the line of his all-furrounding care, and every one of his children are enfolded in his fatherly arms, Deut. xxxiii. 3. All his faints are in thy hand.
All, and every one of theirwants and ſtraits are obſerved by this care, in order to their fupply,
Phil. iv. 19. MyGodshaltfupply allyourneeds.
1. Great is the care ofGod over the bodies of his people,and allthedangers andneceſſities ofthem as theydaily grow ; your meat and drink are daily provided foryou byyour father's care,
Pfal. cxi. 5. Hebath givenmeat unto them that fear him; he will be ever mindful of bis covenant.
It is from this care of thyheavenlyFather, that neceffary proviſions have beenmade forthee, ofwhich, itmaybe, thou hast had no forefight : this istheGodthat hath fed thee all thy life long, Gen. xlviii . 15.
Itisfromthe fame care thy bodyhath been cloathed, Mat. vi.
28. Howmuchmorefballbe cloath you, Oye of littlefaith ? It is through thiscare, you fleep in peace, andyour reſt is made ſweet untoyou, Prov. iii. 24. " When thou lieft down, thou ſhalt
" not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy ſleep ſhall " be ſweet."
In a word ; thou oweſt all thy recoveries from dangerous diſeaſes, and narrow eſcapes from the grave, to this care of thyGod over thee, He is the Lord that healeth thee,
Exod. xv. 26. That the incenfed humours ofthybody had not overflowed their banks, like an inundation of the fea, when they raged in thydangerous diſeaſes, is only becauſe thyGod took the care of thee, and ſet them their bounds.
2. Divine care extends itſelf to the fouls ofall that fearGod, andto all the concernments of their fouls; and manifeftly difcovers itſelf in all the gracious proviſions ithath made for them.
More particularly, it is from this tender, fatherly care that, 1. A Saviour was provided toredeem them, when they were ruined and loſt by fin,John iii. 16. Rom. viii. 32 .
2. That ſpiritual cordials are provided to refresh them, in all their ſinking forrows and inwarddiſtreſſes, Pfal. xciv. 19.
The Righteous Man's Refuge.
3. That a door ofdeliverance is opened tothem,when they are forely preſſed upon bytemptations,and ready to be overwhelmed, 1 Cor. x. 13 .
4. That a ſtrength above theirown comes ſeaſonably to ſupportthem, when they are almoſtover-weighedwith inwardtroubles, when great weights are upon them,the everlasting arms are underneath them,Pfal. cxxxviii. 3. Ifa. lvii. 16.
5. That their ruin is prevented, when they areupon thedan gerous and flippery brink oftemptations, and their feet almoſt gone, Pfal. Ixxiii. 42. Hof. ii. 6. 2 Cor. xii. 7.
6. That they are recovered again afterdangerous falls by fin, andnot left as a prey and trophy to their enemy, Hof. xiv. 4.
7. That they are guided anddirected inthe right way, when theyare at a loſs, andknow not what courſe to take, Pfal. xvi.
11. Pfal. Ixxiii. 24.
8. That they are eſtabliſhed, and confirmed in Chriſt, in the moſt ſhaking and overturningtimes oftrouble and perſecution; ſo that neither their hearts turn back, nor their ſteps decline from his ways, Jer. xxxii. 40. John iv. 14.
9. That they are upheld under ſpiritual deſertions, and recoveredagain out of that diſmal darkness,intothe chearful light ofGod'scountenance, Iſa. lvii. 16.
10. Thatthey are at laſt brought ſafe toheaven, through the innumerable hazards and dangers allalong theirway thither, Heb. xi. 19. In alltheſe things the care oftheirGodeminentlydiſcovers itſelf for their fouls.
(3.) Once more let usconſiderthecare ofGodfor his people in the lovely properties thereof. As, 1. It is a fatherly care, than which none is greateror more tender, Mat. vi. 8. " Your father knoweth thatyouhaveneedof
" all theſe things."
And indeed the greatest and tendereſt care of an earthly father is but a faint ſhadow of that tender care which is in the heart ofGod over his children; for to that end we find them compared,Mat. vii. 11. " If ye then, being evil,
" knowhow to give good gifts untoyour children, how much " more ſhallyour Father which is in heaven, give good things
" tothem which ask him."
The care of parents is careleſſneſs itſelf, compared with that care which God takes of his.
2. The care ofGod is an univerſal care, watching over all his people, in all ages, places, and dangers, 2 Chron. xvi. 9.
" The eyes ofthe Lord run to and fro thro' the whole earth, " to thew himselfstrong inbehalfof them whoſe heart is per- " fect towardshim." This was applied byway of reproof to
The Righteous Man's Refuge.
Afa,whooutofa finful diſtruſt ofthe care ofGod, reliedupon thehelp of Syria, as if there had not been aGod inheaven to takecare ofhim and the people.
3.God's careover his, is aſſiduous and continual; " his mer- " cies are new every morning, great is his faithfulneſs,"
Lam. iii. 22, 23. "He keeps his people night and day,"
Ifa. xxvii. 3. Could Satan, or his inſtruments find ſuch an hour, wherein the ſeven eyes ofprovidence ſhould be all aſleep, that would be the fatal hour to our fouls and bodies ; but he that keepeth Ifrael lumbereth not.
4. God's care over his, is exceeding tender, far beyond the tenderneſs that the moſt affectionate mother ever felt in her heart towards the child thathanged onher breast, Iſa. xlix. 15.
" Canamother forget her fucking child, &c. they may, yet will " not I forget thee."
Thebirds ofthe air are not ſo tender of their young in the neſt, asGod is ofhis people in the world,
Ifa. xxxi . 5. Mercy fills the heart ofGod, yea, tender mercy, yea, multitudes oftender mercies, Pfal. li. 1 .
5. The care ofGod is ſeaſonable care, which is always ſure to take the opportunity andproper ſeaſon of relieving his people; in the mount ofthe Lord it ſhall be ſeen; the beauty of providence is much ſeen inthis thing, whereveryou feel awant, this care finds a ſupply ; and thus much briefly ofthe care of God abſolutely confidered in itſelf.
Sect. III. Itremains that we alſo confider the care ofGod inits twofold reſpect, viz . r. To his promiſes.
2. To his providences.
(1.) There are multitudes ofpromiſes found inthe ſcriptures, exactly fitted as ſo manykeys to open the door ofthis comfortable chamber, toreceive, and ſecure all that fear God, whatever their wants, fears, or diſtreffes are.
Theſe are reducible into twoclaſſes, or ranks, viz.
1.Moregeneral and comprehenfive.
2. More particular promiſes.
Thegeneral andmore comprehenfive promiſes are found in thegeneral expreſſion of the covenant, as that to Abraham,
Gen. xvii. 1. " I amGod Almighty, walk thoubefore me, and " be perfect." q. d. Let it be thy care to walk exactly in the pathsofobedience before me, and I will take care to ſupply all thywants from thenever-failing fountain ofmyall-fufficiency ; andofthe fame tenour is that, 2 Cor. vi. 18. I will be to them aFather, andthey ſhall be my fons anddaughters, i. e. Expect
VOL . IV.
The Righteous Man's Refuge. your proviſions andprotections from my care, as children do trom their father. More particularly, there fix forts of promiſes, herein the care ofGod is particularly made over to his people inthe greateft hazards and difficulties in this life, viz .
1. It is affigned and made over to them to fupply all their needs, fo far as the glory ofGod and advancement of their ſpiritual and eternal good ſhall require it, Pfal. xxxίν. 9.
They *" that fear the Lord, ſhall notwantanygoodthing."
Allyour livelihood is in that promife; thence comes your daily bread; your own andyour family's meat iscontainedtherein.
2. Itis made over to the church and people ofGod for their defence against all dangers, Ifa. liv. 17. "No weapon that is
" formed against thee ſhall proſper."
This promife wards off all the deadly blows, and puts by allthe mortal thruſts that are made at you ; here the care ofGod forms itſelf into a ſhield for yourdefence.
3. The care ofGod is engaged by promiſe for the modera tion and mitigation of your afflictions, that theymay not exceedyour abilities to bear them, Ifa. xxvii. 8, 9. " In mea- " ſurewhen itſhooteth forth, thou wiltdebate with it; he ſtay- " edthe rough wind in the dayofthe east wind."
Ifthe wind blow from a cold corner, this promife moderates it, that itblow not a ſtorm; all the ſparing mercies and ſweetening circum. ſtances, which gracious fouls thankfully note, inthe ſharpeſt trials, come from this promiſe, wherein the care ofGod is engaged for that purpoſe.
4. Divine care is put under the bond of a promiſe, for the direction and guidance of all their troubles and trials toan happy iſſue, Rom. viii. 28. " All things ſhall work together for " good."
From what quarter ſoever the wind bloweth, God willtake care that it ſhallbe useful todrive you to your port; theveryprovidences that caftyou down, byvirtueofthispromile, proveas ferviceable and beneficialasthoſe that liftyouup.
5. The care ofGod ſtands engaged, inthe promise, for the help and aidof his people in all the extremities and exigencies of their lives, Pfal. xlvi. 1. "God is our refuge and ſtrength, a 66 very preſenthelp in trouble."
Never is the care ofGodmore viſibleand confpicuous, than in ſuch times of need.
6. Lastly, The care ofGod is engaged to carry his people fafe through all the dangers of the way, and bring them all home toglory at laſt, Johnx. 28. " I give untothem eternal
" life, and they ſhallnever periſh, neither ſhall anymanpluck "them out ofmyhand."
This care ofGod, thus engaged for
The Righteous Man's Refuge,
you, is yourconvoy toaccompany andſecureyou, till it fee you fafeinto your harbour ofeternal reft.
(2.) You have heard how the care ofGod is engaged foryou bypromiſe; now ſee how it actuates, and exerts itſelf for the people ofGod in thevarious methods of providence ; and here, ohhere is the ſweeteſt pleaſure ofthe Chriſtian life, a delight fartranſcending all the delightsofthis life.
Sitdown Chriftian inthis chamber alſo, and make but ſuch obſervations upon the care ofthyGod as follow; andthen tell me whether the world, with all its pleaſures and delights, cangive thee fuch another entertainment.
1. Reflect upon the conſtant, ſweet, and ſuitable proviſions, that from time totime have been prepared for thee, and thine, by this care of thy God; from whencefoever thy wants did come, Iam ſure from hencecame thy ſupplies, it hath enabled thee toreturn the fame answer the diſciples didto that queſtion,
Luke xxii. 35. " Lacked ye any thing, and they ſaid nothing."
2. Reflect with admiration upon the various difficulties of your lives, whereinyour thoughts have been entangled, and out ofwhich you have been extricated and delivered by the care of God overyou ; how ofthave yourthoughts been like a ravelled ſkeyn of filk, ſoentangledand perplexed with thedifficulties and fears before you, that you could find no end, but the longer you thought, the more you were puzzied, till you have left thinking, and fell to praying; and there you have found the right end to wind up all your thoughts upon the bottom of peace and ſweet contentment, according to that direction, Pfal. xxxvii. 5. " Commit thy way unto the Lord, truſt alſo in " him, andhe ſhall bring it to pafs."
3. Obſerve, with a melting heart, howthe care of thyGod harh diſpoſedand directed thy way to unforeſeen advantages :
Hadhe not ordered thy ſteps when, and as he did, thou hadſt not been in poſſeſſion ofthoſe temporal and ſpiritual mercies that ſweeten thy lifeat this day.
Surely the ſteps ofgood men are ordered by the Lord: and as for thee, Chriſtian, what reaſon haft thou, with an heart overflowing with love and thankfulness, to look up and fay, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth? It is ſweet to live by faith upon divine care.
Ohwhat a ferene life might we live, careful for nothing, but making known ourrequests unto God in every thing, Phil. iv.
6. caſting all our care on him that careth for us, 1 Pet. v. 7. perplexing ourthoughts aboutnothing, but rolling every burden apongodlyfaith. Thus lived holyMufculus,when reduced to X2