Section III. Well then, if the wisdom of God shines forth so glo- riously in the times of his people's trouble, be persuaded by faith to enter into tkis chamber also ; it is a chamber where a believing soul may enjoy the sweetest rest and quietness in the most hurrying and distracting times ; shut the door behind you, and improve this attribute to your best advantage.
1. Enter into this chamber by faith, believe firmly that the ma- nagement of all the affairs of this world, whether public or per- sonal, is in the hands of your all- wise God ; more particularly, ex- ercise your faith about the wisdom of God in these things :
1 . Believe that the wisdom of God can contrive and order the way of your escape and deliverance, when all doors of hope are shut up to sense and reason ; we know not what to do, said good Jehoshaphat, but our eyes are unto thee ; q. d. Lord, though I am at a loss, and see no way of escape, thou art never at a loss. The Lord, (saith Peter) knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temp- tation : Divine Wisdom hath infinite methods and ways of deliver- ance unknown to man, till they are opened in the event.
2. Believe that the wisdom of God can turn your greatest trou- bles and fears into the choicest blessings and mercies to you : I know (saith Paul) that this shall turn to my salvation, Phil. i. 19- meaning his bonds and sufferings for Christ. Divine wisdom can give you honey out of the carcase of the lion, cause you to part with those afflictions, admiring and blessing God for them, which you met with fear and trembling, as suspecting your destruction was imported in them.
3. In consideration of both these, resign up yourselves to the wisdom of God, and lean not to your own understandings : " Commit thy way unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be " established,'' Prov. xvi. 3. When Melancthon was oppressed with cares and doubts about the distracting affairs of the church in his time, Luther thus chides him out of his despondency, Desinat Philippus esse rector mundi, do not thou presume to be the governor of the world, but leave the reins of government in his hands that made it, and best knows how to rule it : let God alone to chuse thr
362 THE RIGHTEOITS MAN's REFUGE.
lot and portion, to order thy condition, and manage all thy affairs, and let thy soul take its rest in this quiet chamber of Divine Wis- dom. But then,
2. Be sure to shut thy door behind thee, and beware, lest unbe- lief, anxieties, fears, and doubts, creep in after thee to disturb thy rest, and shake thy faith in this point ; we are apt, in two cases, to be stumbled in this matter.
1. When subtle and cunning enemies are engaged against us ; this was David's case, 2 Sam. xv. 31. " One told David, saying, " Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom ; and David " said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into ^ fooli^ness." When he heard Ahithophel was with the conspira- tors, it greatly puzzled him. Though a whole conclave of politi- cians be against us, yet if God be with us, let us not fear.
% When our own reason intrudes too far, and offers its dictates too boldly in the case, we are apt to say in the arrogancy of our own reason, we cannot be delivered ; but oh that we would learn to re- sign it up to the ^^^sdom of God. Tlie Lord knows how to deliver the godly. W^hen the question was asked the prophet, Ezek. xxxvii. 3. Can these dry bones live.? he answers, Lord, thou k no west. That is excellent counsel, Prov. iii. 5. " Trust in the " Lord with all thine heart ; and lean not to thine own under- •* standing."
3. Improve the wisdom of God for yourselves in all difficult and distressful cases.
1. Beg of God to exercise his wisdom for you, when enemies conspire against you : so did David, 2 Sam. xv. 31. " Lord, turn " the counsel of Ahithophel into foohshness !" Oh it is the noblest and surest way to vanquish an enemy : it was but asked and done.
2. Comfort yourselves with this whenever you are at a loss in your own thoughts, and know not what to do, then commit all to Divine conduct ; let God steer for you in a storm ; he loves to be trusted, Psal. xxxvii. 5. " Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust " also in him, and he shall bring it to pass."
3. Encourage yourselves from this when the church is in the greatest danger, and most sorely shaken ; O that is a blessed pro- mise, Zech. iii. 9. " Upon one stone shall be seven eyes." Mean- mg Christ, and the church built on him as the chief comer-stone ; the seven eyes are the seven eyes of providence, which are never all asleep.
THE RIGHTEOUS MAx's REFUGE. S63
Opening that glorious attribute of Divine faithfulness ^ as a third chamber of security to the people of God, in times of distress and danger.
Sect. I. JlIaVING viewed the saint's refuge in the power and wisdom of God, we next proceed to a third chamber of safety for the saints refuge, viz. The faithfulness of God.
In this attribute is our safety and rest, amidst the confusions of the world, and daily disappointments we are vexed withal, through the vanity and falseness of the creature ; as to creatures, the very best of them are but vanity, ye^ vanity of vanity, the vainest va- nity, Eccl. i. 2. " Every man in his best estate is altogether vanity," Psal. xxxix. 5. Yea, those that we expect most from, give us most trouble, Mic. vii. 5. Nearest relations bring up the rear of sor- rows. Job vi. 15. " My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a " brook.'' Especially their deceit appears most, when we have most need of their help, Psal cxlii. 4. How great a mercy is it then to have a refuge in the faithfulness of God as David had ; " I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no " man that would know me, refuge failed me, no man cared for " my soul." And likewise the church, Mia vii. 7. " I will look " unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God *' will hear me." A time may come, when you shall not know where to trust in all this world. Let me therefore open to you this chamber of rest in the faithfulness of God against such a day, and this I shall do in a twofold consideration of it, viz.
1. Absolutely in its own nature.
2. Relatively in the promises and providences of Gml.