There arc hard texts m the works, as well as in the word of God. It becomes us modestly and humbly to reverence*, but not to dogmatize too boldly and positively upon them : a man may easily get a strain by over-reaching. When I thought to know thisy (saitli Asaph) it was too wonderful/br me. I thought to know this, there was the arrogant attempt of reason, there he pryed into the arcana of providence; but it was too wonderful for me, it was labor inutilis, as Calvin expounds it. He pryed so far into that puzzling mystery of the affllcticms of the righteous, and prosperity of the wicked, till it begat envy towards them, and despondency in himself, Psal. Ixxiii. 3, 13. And this was all he got by sum- moning providence to the bar of reason. Holy Job was guilty of this evil, and was ingenuously ashamed of it. Job xlii. 3.
I know there is nothing in the word, or in the works of God that is repugnant to sound reason; but there are some things in both, which are opposite to carnal reason ; as well as above right reason : and therefore our reason never shews itself more unreason- able, than in summoning those things to its bar, which transcends its sphere and capacity. Manifold are the mischiefs which ensue upon this practice.
1. By this we are drawn into an unworthy suspicion and dis- trust of the faithfulness of God in the promises. Sarah laughed at the tidings of the son of promise, because reason cofitradicted and told her it was naturally impossible, Gen. xviii. 13, 14.
2. Hence come despondency of mind, and faintness of heart under afflictive providences ; reason can discern no good fruits in them, nor deliverance from them, and so our hands hang down in a sinful discouragement, saying, all these things are against us, 1 Sam. xxvii. 1.
3. Hence flow temptations to deliver ourselves by indirect and sinful mediums, Isa. xxx. 15, 16. when our own reason fills us with a distrust of providence it naturally prompts us to sinful shifts, and there leaves us entangled in the snares of our own making.
Beware, therefore, you lean not too much to your o^^-n rea-
* Here the scripture has set bounds to our curiosity, which no man can, or ought to transgress; neither is it for man to call God to account (or juuge of God). Hence it is that God's judgments are called a^^5/^^/a5'a, unsearchable, that the human mind may not weary and toil itself in vain, and not without the greatest danger, in searching out God. Cameron's Prcelect. p. 112.
436 DIVINE CONDUCT ; Ollj
son and understanding; nothing is more plausible, nothing mofe dangerous. In other matters it is appointed the arbiter and judge, we make it so here, and therefore we are so diffident and distrustful, notwithstanding the fullest security of the promises whilst our rea- son stands by unsatisfied.
Having given directions for the due management of this great and important duty, what remains, but that we now set our hearts to it, and make it the constant work of every day throughout our lives .^ O what peace, what pleasure, what stability, what holy courage and confidence would result from such an observation of providence as hath been directed to ! But alas ! we may say, with reference to the voices of Divine Providence, as it is in Job xxxiii. 14. " God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.'* Many a time providence hath spoken mst7'uction in duty, conviction for iniquity, encouragement under despondency, but we regard it not. How greatly are we all wanting to our duty and comfort by this neglect ! it would be but needful, therefore, to spread before you the loveliness and excellency of walking with God in a due and daily observation of his providences, that our souls maybe fully en- gaged to it.
And first, kt me offer this as a moving argument to all graci- ous souls. That by this means you maintain sweet and sensible com- munion ivith God from day to day. And what is there desirable in this world in comparison therewith ! " Thou, Lord, hast made "me glad through thy works; I will triumph in the works of " thy hands," Psal. xcii. 4. ' Your hearts may be as sweetly and sensibly refreshed by the works of God's hands, as by the words of his mouth. Psal. civ. per totum., is spent in the consideration of the works of providence, which so filled the Psalmist's heart, that, by way of ejaculation, he expresses the effect of it, ver. 84. " My me- " ditation of him shall be sweet."
Communion with God, properly and strictly taken, consists in two things, viz. God's manifestation of himself to the soul, and the soul's answerable returns to God. This is that -/.mmia^ fellowship, we have here >vith God. Now God manifests himself to his 'people by providences.) as well as ordinances ; neither is there any grace in a sanctified soul., hid from \}[\q gracious influences oi\i\% providential manifestations. Sometimes the Lord manifests his displeasure and anger against the sins of his people, in correcting and rebuking pro- vidences ; his rods have a chiding voice, Mic. vi. 9. " Hear the " rod, and who hath appointed it." This discovery of God's anger
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 4S7
kindly melts and thaws a gracious soul, and produces a double sweet effect upon it, namely, repentance for sins past, and due cau- tion against future sins. (1.) It thaws and melts the heart for sins committed. Thus David's heart was melted for his sin, when the liand of God was heavy upon him in affliction, Psal. xxxii. 4, 5. Thus the captive churchy upon whom fell the feaddest and most dis- mal providence that ever befel any of God'^s people in any age of the world ; see how their hearts are broken for sin under this se- vere rebuke, Lam. ii. 17, 18, 19. And then, (2.) For caution against sin for the time to come ; it is plain, that the rebukes of providence leave that effect also upon gracious hearts, Ezra ix. 13, 14. Psal. Ixxxv. 8.
Sometimes he cheers and comforts the hearts of his people with smiling and reviving providences, both public and personal ; there are times of lifting up as well as casting dowri by the hand of pro- vidence. The scene changes, the aspects of providence are very cheerful and encouraging ; their winter seems to be over : they put off their garments of mourning, and then, ah what sweet returns are made to heaven by gracious souls ! Doth God lift them up by prosperity ? They will also lift up their God by praises. See Psal. xviii. t'lile^ and verse 1, 2, 3. So Moses and the people with him, Exod. XV. when God had delivered them from Pharaoh, how do they exalt him in a song of thanksgiving, which, for the elegance and spirituality of it, is made an emblem of the doxologies given to God in glory by the saints ! Rev. xv. 3.
Upon the whole, whatever effects our communion with God in any of his ordinances, doth use to produce upon our hearts, the same we may observe to follow our conversing with him in his pro- vidences. For,