The first chapter of Ezekiel contains an admirable scheme or draught of providence. There you see how all the wheels, i. e. the motions and revolutions here on earth, are guided by the spirit that is in them. And, ver. 26. it is all run up into the supreme cause ; there you find one like the Son of man, which is Jesus Christ, sitting upon the throne, and giving 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
* He obtains this dominion for the good of his church. Grotius in loc.
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persons and things to such ends and issues, without any communi- cations of councils, or holding of intelligence with one another? As in Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, and innumerable more in- stances have appeared. Certainly, if ten men, from several places, should all meet at one place, and about one business, without any fore-appointment among themselves, it would argue their motions were secretly over-ruled by some invisible agent. Plow is it that such marvellous effects are produced in the 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 in- effectual? Psal. xxxiii. 16. In a word, if Christ hath no such providential influx, how are his people in all ages preserved in the midst of so many millions of potent and malicious enemies, amongst whom they live as sheep in the midst of wolves ? Luke x. 3. How is it that the bush burns, and yet is not consumed? Exod. hi. £.
But my business, in this discourse, is not to prove that there is a Providence, which none but Atheists deny. I shall chuse rather to shew by what acts Jesus Christ administers this kingdom, and in what manner ; and what use may be made thereof.
First, He rules and orders the kingdom of Providence, by sup- porting, permitting, restraining, limiting, protecting, punishing, and rewarding those over whom he reigns providentially.
1. * He supports the world, and all creatures in it, by his power. " My Father works hitherto, and I work," John v. IT. " And in him (that is, in Christ) all things consist," Col. i. 17. It is a considerable part of Christ's glory to have a whole world of creatures owing their being and hourly conservations to him. The parts of the world are not coupled and fastened together as the parts of the house, whose beams are pinned and nailed to each other ; but rather as several rings of iron, which hang together by the virtue of a loadstone. This goodly fabric was razed to the foundation when sin entered, and had tumbled into everlasting confusion, had not Christ stept in to shore up the reeling world. For the sake of his redeemed that inhabits it, lie doth and will prop it by his omnipotent power. And when he hath gathered all his elect out of it into the kingdom above, then will he set fire to the four quarters of it, and it shall lie in ashes. Meanwhile, he
* 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 wh^it : as it is indeed full of blasphemy and impiety, un- less the Church supported the world by word and prayer, all things would be de- stroyed instantly. Luther in Genesis xxx.
Both the curse of the first covenant, and the blessing of the second, secure the continuation of the world, until God's purposes relating to the objects of both be accomplished in it. Editor.
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is " given for a covenant to the people, to establish the earth," Isa. 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 deceiver, are " his," Job xii. 16. Even those that fight against Christ and his people, receive both power and permission from him. Say not, that it is unbecoming the most Holy to permit such evils, which he could prevent if he pleased. For as he permits no more than he will over-rule to his praise, so that very permission of his, is holy and just. Christ's working is not confounded with the crear ture's. Pure sun-beams are not tainted by the noisome vapours of the dunghill on which they shine. His holiness hath no fellow- ship with their iniquities ; nor are their transgressions at all excused bv his permissions of them. " He is a rock, his work is " perfect, but they have corrupted themselves," Deut. xxxii. 4, 5. This holy permission is but the withholding of those restraints from their lusts, and denying those common assistances which he is no way bound to give them. Acts xiv. 16. " He suffered all " nations to walk in their own ways/' And yet should he permit sinful creatures to act out all the wickedness that is in their hearts, there would neither remain peace nor order in the world. And therefore,
3. He powerfully restrains creatures by the bridle of providence, from the commission of those things, to which their hearts are prepense enough, Psal. Ixxvi. 10. " The remainder of wrath thou * wilt restrain," or * gird up; letting forth just so much as shall Serve his holy ends, and no more. And truly this is one of the glorious mysteries of Providence, which amazes the serious and considerate soul ; to see the spirit of a creature fully set to do mis- chief; power enough, as one would think, in his hand to do it, and a door of opportunity standing open for it ; and yet the effect Strangely hindered. The strong propensions of the will are inwardly checked, as in the case of Laban, Gen. xxxi. 24. or a diversion, and rub is strangely cast in their way ; as in the case of Sennacherib, 2 Kings xix. 7, 8. so that their hands cannot perform their enterprizes. Julian had two great designs before him, one was to conquer the Persians, the other to root out the Galileans, as he, by way of contempt, called the Christians: but he will begin with the Persians first, and then make a sacrifice of all the Christians to his idols. He doth so, and perishes in the first attempt. O the wisdom of Providence I
4. Jesus Christ limits the creatures in their acting, assigning them their boundaries and lines of liberty ; to which they may, but be-
*1Jnn accinges, Montanus*
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