Consult the various providences of your life to tliis point, and I doubt not but you will find the truth of these promises as often confirmed as you have been in trouble *. Ask your own hearts, where or when was it that your God forsook you, and left you to sink and perish under your burdens.^ I doubt not but most of you have been at one time or other plunged in difficulties, dif- ficulties out of which you could see no way of escape by the eye of reason ; yea, such as, it may be, staggered your faith in the pro- mise, as David's was, 1 Sam. xxvii. 1. when he said, " I shall " one day perish by the hand of Saul. All men are liars," (even Samuel himself) and yet notwithstanding all, we see him emerge out of that sea of trouble, and the promises made good in every tittle to him. The hke, doubtless, you may observe in your own cases ; ask your own souls the question, and they will satisfy it : Did God abandon and cast you off in the day of your straits ? Cei'tainly you must bely your own experience, if you should say so. It is true, there have been some plunges and difficulties you have met mth, wherein (1.) You could see no way of escape, but concluded you must perish in them. (2) Difficulties that have staggered your faith in the promises, and made you doubt whetlier the Fountain of all-sufficiency would let out itself for your relief. (3.) Yea, such difficulties as have provoked you to murmuring and impatience, and thereby provoked the Lord to forsake you in
* In short, all good things, in every condition of life, are afforded us by God, it will be our duty and interest to support ourselves in times of distress with th« eonsideration of his providence. Alsted. Theol. Catechet. p. 1 92.
424 DIVINE COXDUCT ; OR,
your straits; but yet you see he did not. He hath either, (1.) strensfthened your back to bear, or, (2.) Lightened your burden, or, (3.) Opened an unexpected door of escape, according to that promise, 1 Cor. x. 13. so that the evil which you feared, came not upon you.
7. You'^read, that the word of God is the only support and re- lief to a gracious soul in the dark day of affliction, Psal. cxix. 50, 92. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. That for this very purpose it was written, Rom. XV. 4. No rules of moral prudence, no sensual remedies can per- form that for us, which the word can do.
And is not this a sealed truth, attested by a thousand undeni- able experiences? Hence have the saints fetched their cordials, when fainting under the rod. One word of God can do more than ten thousand words of men, to relieve a distressed soul. If pro- vidence have at any time directed you to such promises, as either assure you that the Lord \\dll be with you in trouble, Psal. xci. 15. or that encourage you from inward peace, to bear cheerfully out- ward burdens, John xvi. 33. or satisfy you of God's tenderness and moderation in his dealings with you, Isa. xxvii. 8. or that you shall reap blessed fruits from them, Rom. viii. 28. or that clear up your interest in God; and his love under your afflictions, 2 Sam. vii. 14. 0 what sensible ease and relief ensues ! How light is your burden, compared with what it was before !
8. The word tells us, that there is no such way to improve our estates as to lay them out with a cheerful liberality for God ; and that our with-holding our hands when God and duty calls to dis- tribute, will not be for our advantage. See Prov. xi. 25. Isa. xxxii. 8. Prov. xix. 17. Prov. xi. 24.
Consult providence now, and you shall find it in all respects ac- cording to the report of the word. O how true is the scripture- testimony herein ! There are many thousand witnesses now hving, that can set their seals to both parts of this preposition, what men save (as they count saving) with one hand, providence scatters by another hand : And what they scatter abroad with a liberal hand, and single eye for God, is surely repaid to them, or theirs : Never did any man lose by distributing for God. He that lends to the •poor, Jteneratur Domino, as some expound that text, puts his money to interest to the Lord. Some have observed how providence hath dpubled all they have laid out for God in ways unexpected to them.
9. The word assures us, that the best expedient for a man to settle his own interest in the consciences and affections of men, is to direct his ways so as to please the Lord, Prov. xvi. 7. and doth not providence confirm \t? This the three Jews found by experience, Dan. iii. 28, 29. and so did Daniel, chap. vi. 20, 21.j
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 425
S2. this kept up John's reputation in the conscience of Herod, Mark vi. 10. So it fell out when Constantius made that explora- tory decree ; those that were conscientious were preferred, and those that changed their religion expelled. Never did any man lose at last by his fidelity.
10. The written word tells us, that the best expedient to in- ward peace and tranquillity of mind under puzzling and distracting troubles, is to commit ourselves and our case to the Lord ; so you read, Psalm xxxvii. 5, 6, 7. and Prov. xvi. 3.
And as you have read in the word, so you have found it in your own experience. O what a burden is off your shoulders when you have resigned the case to God ! Then doth providence issue your affairs comfortably for you : The difficulty is soon over when the heart is brought to this.
Thus you see how scriptures ai'e fulfilled by providence in these few instances I have given of it. Compare them in all other cases and you shall find the same ; for all the lines of providence lead from the scripture, and return thither again, and do most visible begin and end there.
The Fourth Direction.
In all ijour reviews and observations of providence^ he sure that you eye God as the author and orderer of them all, Prov. iii. 6.
1. In all the comfortable providences of your lives eye God as the Author, or donor of them ; remember he is the Father of mer- cies, that begets every mercy for you. 2 Cor. i. 3. " The God of " all comfort," without whose order no mercy or comfort can come to your hands. And think it not enough thus to acknow- ledge him in a general way, but when you receive mercies, take special notice of the following particulars.
(1.) Eye the cai-e of God for you ; 1 Pet. v. 7. " He caretli for *' you. Your Father knows you have need of these things," Matth. vi. 32. It is but to acquaint him what you want, and your wants ai'e supplied, Phil. iv. 6. /x/j iMcPiiJ^van, torture not yourselves about it ; you have a Father that carcs for you.
(2.) Eye the wisdom of God in the way of dispensing his mer- cies to you, how suitably they are ordered to. your condition, and how seasonably. When one comfort is cut off, and removed, another is raised up in its room. Thus Isaac was comforted in Rebekah after his mother'' s death. Gen. xxiv. 67.