That God doth give men secret hints and intimations of his will by his providence, cannot be doubted ; but yet providences in themselves, are no stable rule of duty, nor sufficient discovery of the will of God. We may say of them, as it is. Job xxiii. 8, 9. *' Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but ** I cannot perceive him ; on the left hand where he doth work, " but I cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right hand, " that I cannot see him.""
If providence in itself be allowed to be a sufficient discovery of God's will to us, then we shall be forced oftentimes to justify and condemn the same cause or person, forasmuch as there is one event happens to all ; and as it falls out to the good, so to the wicked, Eccl. ix. % Beside, if providence alone were the rule to judge any action or design by, then a wicked undertaking would cease to be so, if it should succeed well : but sin is sin still, and duty is duty still, whatever the events and issues of either be.
3*. The safest way therefore to make use of providence, in such caseSj is to consider them as they follow the commands or promises of the word, and not singly and separately in themselves. If you search the scriptures with an indifferent and unbiassed spirit, in a doubtful case, pray for counsel and direction from the Lord, attend to the dictates of conscience ; when you have done all, and shall find the providences of God falling out agreeably to the dictates of your own conscience, and the best light you can find in the word, you may, in such cases, make use of it as an encouragement to you, in the way of your duty : but the most signal demonstrations of providence are not to be excepted against a Scripture-rule ; no smiles or successes of providence may, in this case, encourage us to proceed ; and, on the other side, no frowns or discouragements of providence should dishearten us in the way of our duty, how many soever we should encounter therein. Holy Job could not find the meaning of God in his works, yet would he not " go back from the " commandment of his lips,'' Job xxiii. 9- The Hke resolution you find in David, to proceed in his duty, and cleave to the word, now many stumbling-blocks soever providence should permit to be laid in his way. " I am become (saith he) like a bottle in the
470 DIVINE CONDUCT ; oil,
'' smoke, (not only blackt, but withered up by troubles) yet do I " not forget thy statutes," Psal. cxix. 83. and again, ver. 87. " They had almost consumed me upon earth : but I forsook not <•' thy precepts.""
Paul, by the direction of the Spirit was engaged to go to Je- rusalem, Acts XX. %% After a clear revelation of the mind of God to him in that matter, how many difficult and discouraging prov-idences befel him in his way ? The disciples of Tyre said to him bi/ the Spirit, (though in that they followed their own spirits) *' that he should not go to Jerusalem," Acts xxi. 4.
Then at Caesarea he met Agabus, a prophet, who told him what should befal him when he came thither, chap. xxi. 10, 11. All this will not dissuade him. And after all this, how passionately do the brethren beseech him to decline that journey ? ver. 12, 13. yet knowing his rule, and resolving to be faithful to it, he puts by al], and proceeds on in his journey.
Well then, providence, in concurrence with the word, may give some encouragement to us in our way; but no testimony of providence is to be accepted against the word. If scripture and conscience tell you, such a way is sinful, you may not venture upon it, how many opportunities and encouragements soever provi- dence may suffer to offer themselves to you, for they are only per- mitted for your trial, not your encouragement : Take this there- fore for a sure rule, That no providence can legitimate or justify any moral evil. Nor will it be a plea before God for any man to say, the providence of God gave me encouragement to do it, though the word gave me none. If therefore in doubtful cases, you would discover God's will, govern yourselves in yoi^r search after it by these rules.
1. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts : be really afraid of offending him ; God will not hide his mind from such a soul, Psal. XXV. 14. " The secret of the Lord is with them that fear " him, and he will shew them his covenant.'"
2. Study the word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less. The word is a light to your feet, Psal. cxix. 105. i. e. it hath a discovering and directive usefu ness as to all the duties to be done and dangers to be avoided : It is the great oracle at which you are to encfuire. Treasure up its rules in your hearts, and you will walk sately, Psal. cxix. 11. " Thy. word have I hid in my " heart, that I might not sin against thee."
3. Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practise, John vii 17. " If any man do his " will, he shall know of the doctrine." Psal. cxi. 10. " A good *' understanding have all they tliat do his commandments."
4. Pray for illumination and direction in the way that you
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should ^o ; beg tlie Lord to guide you in straits, and that he would not suffer you to fall into sin. This was the holy practice of Ezra, chap. viii. 21. " Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river « Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek " of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for of " our substance."'