1. The immense and transcendent greatness of God, who is in- finitely above us and all our thoughts. Job xi. 7, 8, 9. " Canst " thou by searching find out God ? Canst thou find out the Al- *' mighty to perfection ? It is as high as heaven ; what canst thou " do ? deeper than hell, what canst thou know ? The measure ^' thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea/' ^ Chron. ii. 6. " The heaven and heaven of heavens cannot con- '' tain him.'"' Exod. xv. 11. " He is glorious in holiness, fearful '' in praises, doing wonders." When the scripture speaks of him comparatively, see how it expresses his greatness, Isa. xl. 15, 16, 17. '' Behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted " as the small dust of the balance : Behold he taketh up the isles " as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, " nor the beasts thereof for a burnt-olfering. All nations before " him are as nothing, and they are accounted to him less than no- " thing, and vanity.'*'' When the hohest men have addressed themselves to him, see with what humility and deep adoration they have spoken of him, and to him ! Isa. vi. 5. " Wo is me, for I " am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in *' the midst of a people of unclean hps ; for mine eyes have seen " the King, the Lord of hosts.'' Nay, what respects the very angels of heaven have of that glorious majesty, you may see, ver. 2, 8. " Each one had six wings, ^\ith twain he covered his face, and " with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And " one cried unto another, and said, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord " of hosts : the whole earth is full of his glory."
S. The baseness, vileness, and uttter unworthiness of man, yea, the hoUest and best of men before God. Psal. xxxix. 5. " Verily, " every man at his best estate is altogether vanity." Every man^ take where you will, and every man in his best estate, or standing in his freshest glory, is not only vanity, but altogether vanity. Col Adam, col Hebel ; every man is every vanity. For do but con- sider the best of men in their extraction, in their constitution, and in their outward condition.
(1.) In their extraction, Eph. ii. 3. " By nature children of " wrath, even as others." The blood that runs in our veins, is as much tainted as theirs in hell.
(2.) Consider them in their constitution and natural temper, and
412 THE MYSTERY OF PHOVIDENCE.
it is no better, yea, in many a worse temper than in reprobate*;. And though grace depose sin in them from the throne, yet O what offensive and God-provoking corruptions daily break out in the best hearts !
(e3.) Consider them in their outward condition, and they are in- ferior (for the most part) to others. 1 Cor. i. 26, 27, 28, &:c. and Mat. xi. 25. " I thank thee, O Father (saith Christ) that " thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast '' revealed them unto babes."
And now let us consider and admire, that ever this great and blessed God, should be so mucl;i concerned as you have heard he is in all his providences, about such vile, despicable worms as we are ! he needs us not, but is perfectly blessed and happy in himself without us. We can add nothing to him, Job xxii. 2. *' Can a man be profitable to God r'' No ; the holiest of men add nothing to him ; yet see how great account he makes of us. For,
1. Doth not his eternal, electing love bespeak the dear account he made of us, Eph. i. 4, 5. How ancient, how free, and how astonishing is this act of grace I This is that design Avhich all pro- vidences are in pursuit of, and will not rest till they have executed.
2. Doth not the gift of his only Son out of his bosom bespeak this truth, that God makes great account of this vile thing, man ? I^ever was man so magnified before. If David could say, Psal. viii. 3. " When I consider the heavens, the work of thy hands, " the moon and stars which thou hast ordained. Lord, what is " man ?'"' How much more may we say ? When we consider thy Son, that lay in thy bosom, his infinite excellency, and unspeak- able dearness to thee; Lord, what is man, that such a Christ should be delivered to death for him ! for him, and not for fallen angels ! Heb. ii. 19- for hhji when in a state of enmity with God I Rom. V. 8.
3. Doth not the assiduity of his providential care for us, speak his esteem of us ? Isa. xxxvii. 1. " Lest any hurt it, I will keep it " night and day." " He withdraweth not his eyes from the righ- " teous," Job xxxvi. 7. no, not a moment all their days ; for did he so, a thousand mischiefs in that moment would rush in upon them, and ruin them.
4. Doth not the tenderness of this providence speak his esteem of us ? Isa. Ivi. 13. " As one whom his mother comforteth, so " will I comfort you." He comforts his (viz. by refreshing pro- vidences) as an indulgent mother her tender child. So Isa. xxxi. 5. " As birds flying," viz. to their nests, M^hen their young are in danger, " so he defends his." No so^yr,, no tenderness in the crea- ture can shadow forth the tender bowels of the Creator.
5. Doth not the variety of the fruits of his providence speak it ?
TnE MYSTEHY OF mOVIDEXCE. 413
Lam. iii. 23. " Our mercies are new every morning.'** See Psal. xl. 5. It is a fountain from which do stream forth spiritual and temporal, ordinary and extraordinary, pubHc and personal mercies, mercies without number.
6. Doth not the ministration of angels in the providential king- dom speak it .? Heb. i. ult. " Are they not all ministering spirits « sent forth;' &c.
7. Doth not the providence, which this day * calls us to celebrate the memory of, bespeak the great account God hath for his people ? O, if not so, why had we not been given up as a prey to their teeth .'* See Psal. cxxiv. If the Lord had not been on our side, then wicked men, there compared to fire, water, wild beasts, had: devoured us. O blessed be God for that teeming providence that liath already brought forth more than seventy years liberty, and peace to the church of God. I shall move, in behalf of this provi- dence, that you would do by it, as the Jews by their Purim, Esth. ix. 27, 28. and the rather, because we seem now to be as near danger by the same enemy, as ever since that time : And if such a mercy as this be forgotten, God may say, as Judg. x. 13. " I will deliver ^' you no more."
The third general head.
Having proved the concernments of the people of God to be con- ducted by the care of special providence, and given instances in the last ten named heads, what influence providence hath upon those interests and concerns of theirs among the rest ; we come, in the next place, to prove it to be the duty of the people of God, to reflect upon these performances of providence for them at all times ; but especially in times of straits and troubles.
This I will evidence to be your unquestionable duty, by the fol- lowing particulars :