5. God is to be trusted when his provi- dences seem to run contrary to his promis- es. God promised David to give him the crown, to make him king, but providence runs contrary to his promise. David was pursued by Saul, was in danger of his life, but all this while it was David's duty to trust God. Pray observe, the Lord doth oftentimes by cross providences bring to pass his promise. God promised Paul the lives of all that were with him in the ship ; but now the providence of God seems to run quite contrary to his promise, — the winds blew, — the ship splits and breaks in* pieces ; and thus God fulfilled his promise, upon the broken pieces of the ship, they all came safe to shore. Trust God when jjro- vidences seem to run quite contrary to pro- mises.
6. The providences of God are chequer- work ; they are intermingled; in the life to come, there shall be no more mixture, — in hell there is nothing but bitter, — in hea- ven there is nothing but sweet, — but in this life the providences of God are mixed, there is something of the sweet in them, and something of the bitter. Providejices are just like Israel's pillar of cloud that conducted them in their march ; it wa.s dark on one side, and light on the other; so the providences of God are a dark part and a light part. In the aik there was laid up the rod and manna, so are God's j)rovi- dences to his children ; there is sometJiing of the rod, and something of the manna;
OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
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so that we may say witli Dav'ul, " I will sing of mercy and judgment." Joscpli was in prison, there was the dark side of the cloud ; but God was with Joseph, there was the light side of the cloud. Asher's shoos were of brass, but his feet wore dipt in oil, Deut. xxxiii. 24. So affliction is the shoe of brass that pinches ; aye, but there is mercy mingled with the affliction, there's the foot dipt in oil.
7. Tlie very same action, as it comes from God's ])r(»vidonce, may be good, which, as it comes t'lum men, may be evil. For instance, Jose])li being sold into Egypt; as he was sold by his brethren, it was evil, very wicked, for it was the fruit of their envy; but as it was an act of God's provi- dence, so it was good ; for by this means Jacob and all his family were preserved a- live in Egypt. Another instance is in Shi- mei's cursing David; now as Shimei curs- ed David, it was wicked and sinful, for it was the fruit of his malice ; but as his curs- ing was ordered by God's providence, so it was an act of God's justice to punish Da- \'id, and to humble him for his adultery and murder. The crucifying of Christ, as it came from the Jews, was an act of hat- red and malice to Christ, so Judas's betray • ing him was an act of covetousness, but as it was an act of God's providence, so there was good in it; for, see it was an act of God's love in giving Christ to die for the world. Thus I have cleared to you the doctrine of God's providence, in these seve- ral positions : let me now speak something by way of aplication.
Use 1. By way of exhortation in these particulars. (1.) Admire God's providence : the providence of God keeps the whole cre- ation upon the wheels, or else it would soon be dissolved, and the very axle-tree would break in pieces : if God's providence should be withdrawn but for a while, creatures would be dissolved, and run into their first nothing. Without this wise providence of God there would be anxiety and confusion m the whole woHd, just like an army when it is routed and scattered. The providence of God infuses comfort and virtue into every thing we enjoy; our clothes would not warm us, our food would not nourish us without the special providence of God.
And doth not all this deserve your admira- tion of providence ?