How often do we afflict and torment ourselves by our o^^ti un- quiet thoughts, when there is no real cause or ground for so do^ ing ? Isa. li. 13. — " and hast feared continually every day because ** of the fury of the oppressor, as if he ^vere ready to destroy, and
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 489
<^ where is the fury of th3 oppressor ?" O what abundance of dis- quiet and trouble might we prevent, by waiting quietly till we see the issues of providence, and not bringing, as we do, the evils of the morrow upon the day !
How great ground of quietness is it that the whole dispose and management of all our affairs and concerns is in the hand of our own God and Father ! No creature can touch lis without his commission, or permission. " I know (saith Christ) thou couldst <* have no power against me, except it were given thee from " above,'" John xix. 11. Neither men nor devils can act any thing without God's leave \ and be sure he will sign no order to your prejudice.
Fourth Consideration.
How great satisfaction niust it be to all that believe the Divine authority of the scripture, that the faithfulness of God stands en- gaged for every line and syllable found therein ? And how many blessed lines in the Bible may we mark, that respect even our out- ward concerns, and the happy issue of them all ? Upon these two grounds, viz. That our outward concerns, with their steady di- rection to a blessed end, is found in the word ; and this word being of Divine authority, the faithfulness and honour of God stands good for every tittle that is found there. I say, these are grounds of such stability, that pur minds may repose witli greatest security and confidence upon them, even in the cloudiest day of trouble. Not only your eternal salvation, but your temporal interests are there^ secured. Be quieted therefore in the confidence of a blessed issue.
How great and sure an expedient have the saints ever found it to their own peace, to commit all doubtful issues of providence to the Lord, and devolve all their cares upon him, Prov. xvi. 3. " Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be " established." By works, he means any doubtful, intricate, per- plexing business, about which our thoughts are racked and tortured. Roll all these upon the Lord by faith ; leave them with him,, and the present immediate benefit you shall have by it (besides the com- fort in the last issue) shall be tranquillity and peace in your thoughts. And who is there of any st^^nding ox experience in rcUgion that hath not found it so.
Hoxv may a Christian work his heart into a resigned frame unto the mill of God, when sad providences, approach him, and presage great troubles and aMictions coining on towards him ?
490 DIVINE CONDUCT ; OR,
For the right stating and resolving of this important case, it will be needful to shew, (1.) What is not included and intended in the question. (2.) What it doth suppose and include in it. And lastly, What helps and directions are necessary for the due perfor- mance of this great and difficult duty.
First, Negatively. As to the first; It must be premised that the question doth not suppose the heart or vdll of a Christian to be at his own command and dispose in this matter : we cannot resign it, and subject it to the will of God whenever we desire so to do : the duty indeed is ours, but the power by which alone we perform it is God's : we act as we are acted by the Spirit. It is with our hearts, as with meteors hanging in the air by the influence of the sun ; while that continues, they abide above ; but when it fails, they fall to the earth : we can do this, and all things else, be they never so dif- ficult, " Through Christ that strengthens us,"" Phil. iv. 13. But '* without him we can do nothing,"' John xv. 5. He doth not say, without me ye can do but little, or without me ye can do nothing but with great difficulty, or without me ye can do nothing perfectly ; but without me ye can do nothing at all. And every Christian hath a witness in his own breast to attest this truth : For there are cases frequently occurring in the methods of providence, in which, notwithstanding all their prayers and desires, all their reasonings and strivings, they cannot quiet their hearts fully in the dispose and will of God ; but, on the contrary, do find all their endeavours in this matter, to be but as the rolling of a returning stone against the hill. Till God say to the heart, be still, and to the will, give up, nothing can be done.
Secondly, affirmatively.
Next, let us consider what this case doth suppose, and include in it, and we shall find,
1. That it supposeth the people of God to have a foresight of troubles and distresses approaching and drawing near to them. I confess it is not always so, for many of our afflictions, as well as comforts, came by way of surprizals upon us. But oftentimes we have fore-warnings of troubles, both public and personal, before we feel them. As the weather may be discerned by the face of the sky, when we see a morning-sky red and lowring, this is a natural sign of a foul and rainy day, Mat. xvi. 3. And there are as cer- tain signs of the times, whereby we may discern when troul^le is near, even at the door. And these tore-warnings are given by the Lord to awaken us to our duties, by which they may either be pre- vented, Zeph. ii. 1, 2. or sanctified and sweetened to us when they come. These signs and notices of approaching troubles are ga-
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. ' 491
thered, partly from the observation and collation of* parallel scrip- ture-cases and examples ; God generally holding one tenor and steady course in the administration of his providences in all ages» 1 Cor. X. 6. Partly from the reflections Christians make upon th« frames and tempers of their own hearts, which greatly need awaken^ ing, humbling, and purging providences. For let a Christian be but a few years or months without a rod, and how formal, earthly, dead, and vain will his heart grow ? And such a temper presages affliction to them that are beloved of the Lord, as really as the giving or sweating of the stones doth rain. Lastly, The ordering and disposing of the next causes, into a posture and preparation for our trouble, plainly premonisheth us that trouble is at the door. Thus, when the symptoms of sickness begin to appear upon our own bodies, the wife of our bosom, or our children, that are as our own souls, providence herein awakens our expectations of death and doleful separations. So when enemies combine together, and plot the ruin of our liberties, estates, or lives, and God seemeth to loose the bridle of restraint upon their necks, now we cannot but be alarmed with the near approach of troubles, especially when at the same time our consciences shall reflect upon the abuse and non- improvement of these our threatened comforts.