Inf. 2. Hath God left the government of the whole world in the hands of Christ, and trusted him over all ? Then do you aho leave all your particular concerns in the hands of Christ too, and know that the infinite wisdom and love, which rules the world, manages every thing that relates to you. It is in a good hand, and infinitely better than if it were in your own. I remember when * Melanchton was under some despondencies of spirit about the estate of God's people in Germany, Luther chides him thus for it, ii Let Philip cease to rule the world."" It is none of our work to steer the course of providence, or direct its motions, but to submit quiet- ly to him that doth, There is an itch in men, yea, in the best of men, to be disputing with God : *' Let me talk with thee of thy " judgment,1' saith Jeremiah, chap. xii. 1, 2. Yea, how apt are we to regret at providences, as if they had no conducency at all to the glory of God, or to our good, Exod. v. 22. yea, to limit pro- vidence to our way and time ? Thus, the " Israelites tempted " God, and limited the holy One," Psal. lxxviii. 18, 41. How often also do we, unbelievingly, distrust providence as though it could never accomplish what we profess to expect and believe? Ezek. xxxvii. 11. " Our bones are dry, our hope is lost; we are " cut off for our part.r> So Gen. xviii. 13, 14. Isa. xl. 17. There are but few Abrahams, among believers, who " against hope, be- lieved in hope, " giving glory to God," Rom. iv. 20. And it is but too common for good men to repine and fret at providence, when their wills, lusts, or humours are crossed by it : this was the great sin of Jonah. Brethren, these things ought not to be so ; did you but seriously consider, either the design of providence, which is to bring about the gracious designs and purposes of God upon you, which were laid before this world was, Eph. i. 11. or that it is a lifting up of thy wisdom against his, as if thou couldst bet-
• Monendus est Fhilipput %U desinat esse rector mundi. Welch. Adam.
220 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SEEM. XVII.
ter order thine affairs, if thou hadst but the conduct and manage- ment of them ; or that you have to do herein with a great and dreadful God, in whose hands you are as the clay in the potters hands, that he may do what he will with you, and all that is yours, without giving you an account of any of his matters, Job xxxiii. 13. or whether providence hath cast others, as good, by nature, as yourselves, tumbled them down from the top of health, wealth, honours and pleasures, to the bottom of hell ; or, lastly, did you but consider how often it hath formerly baffled and befooled your- selves ; vou would retract, with shame, your rash, headlong censures of it, and enforce you, by the sight of its births and issues, to confess your folly and ignorance, as Asaph did, Psal. lxxiii. 22. I say, if such considerations as these could but have place with you in your troubles and temptations, they would quickly mould your hearts into a better and more quiet frame.
O that I could but persuade you to resign all to Christ. He is a cunning workman *, as he is called, Prov. viii. 30. and can effect what he pleaseth. It is a good rule, De operibus Dei non estjudi- candum, ante quintum actum. " Let God work out all that he " intends, but have patience till he hath put the last hand to his " work, and then find fault with it, if you can." You have heard of the patience of Job, " and have seen the end of the Lord," James v. 11.
Inf. 3. If Christ be Lord and king over the providential king-, dom, and that, for the good of his people, let none that are Chris fs henceforth, stand in a slavish fear of creatures. It is a good note that * Grotius hath upon my text ; " It is a marvellous consolation " (saith he) that Christ hath so great an empire, and that he go- " verns it for the good of his people, as a head consulting the good " of the body." Our head and husband, is Lord-general of all the hosts of heaven and earth; no creature can move hand or tongue without his leave or order : the power they have is given them from above, John xix. 11, 12. The serious consideration of this truth will make the feeblest spirit cease trembling, and set it a singing ; Psal. xlvii. 7. " The Lord is king of all the earth, " sing ye praises with understanding f that is, (as some well para- phrase it) every one that hath understanding of this comfortable truth. Hath he not given you abundant security in many express promises, that all shall issue well for you that fear him? Rom. viii. 28. " All things shall work together for good, to them that " love God,'1 And Eccl. viii. 12. verily " it shall be well with
* It has two significations : An experienced artificer or workman, and a workman excelling in bis art. Glass.
f Magna consolatio, quod tantum imperium habct is, qui id exercet ecclasice beno, stctft caput consulit corporu Grotius.
SERM. XVII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 221
" them that fear God," even with them that fear before him. And suppose he had not, yet the very understanding of our relation to such a king, should, in itself, be sufficient security : for, he is the * universal f supreme, J absolute, || meek, merciful, § victorious, and ^[ immortal king.
He sits in glory, at the Father's right hand ; and, to make his seat the easier, his enemies are a footstool for him. .J. 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 sit still, and suffer his enemies to thrust out his eyes. Till this be forgotten, the wrath of man is not feared; Isa. Ii. 12, 13. "He that fears a man that w shall die, forgets the Lord his Maker.11 He loves you too well to sign any order to your prejudice, and without his order, none can touch you.
Inf. 4. If the government of the world be in the hands of Christ, Then our engaging and entitling of Christ to all our affairs and business, is the true and ready way to their success and pro- sperity. If all depend upon his pleasure, then sure it is your wis- dom to take him along with you to every action and business ; it is no lost time that is spent in prayer, wherein we ask his leave, and beg his presence with us : and, take it for a clear truth, that which is not prefaced with prayer, will be followed with trouble. How easily can Jesss Christ dash all your designs, when they are at the very birth and article of execution, and break off, in a moment, all the purposes of your hearts ? It is a proverb among the Papists, that Mass and meat hinder no man. The Turks will pray five times a day, how urgent soever their business be. Blush you that enterprize your affairs without God : I reckon that business as good as done, to which we have got Christ's leave, and engaged his presence to accompany us.