S. The case before us supposeth, that these premonitions and fore-runners of affliction, do usually very much disturb the order, and break the peace of our souls ; they put the mind under great discomposure, the thoughts under much distraction, and the af- fections into tumults and rebellion.
Ah, how unwilling are we to surrender to the Lord the loan which he lent us ! To be disquieted by troubles when at ease in our enjoyments ! How unwelcome are the messengers of affliction to the best of men ! We are ready to say to them, as the widow to Elijah, " What have I to do with thee, O man (O messenger) *' of God ; art thou come unto me, to call my sin to remembrance, " and to slay my son ?'"* 1 Kings xvii. 18. And this ariseth part- ly from the remains of corruption in the best souls ; for though every sanctified person is come by his own consent into the king- dom, and under the government and sceptre of Christ, and every thought of his heart de jure, and of right, must be subjected to him, 2 Cor. x. 5. yet de facto, the conquest and power of grace i$ but incomplete and in part, and natural corruption, like Jeroboam with his vain men, riseth up against it, and causeth many mutinies in the soul, whilst grace, like young Abijah, is weak-handed and cannot resist tliera. And partly from the advantage Satan makes upon the season to irritate and assist our corruptions. He knows that which is already in motion is the more easily moved. In this confusion and hurry of thoughts he undiscernedly shuffles in his
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temptations. Sometimes aggravating the evils -which we fear, with all the sinking and overwhelming circumstances imaginable ; some^ times divining and fore-casting such events and evils, as (haply) never fall out. Sometimes repining at the disposes of God as more severe to us than to others ; and sometimes reflecting, with very unbelieving and unworthy thoughts, upon the promises of God, and his faithfulness in them ; by all which the affliction is made to sink deep into the soul before it actually comes. The thoughts are so disordered, that duty cannot be duly performed, and the soul is really weakened and disabled to bear its trial when it comes indeed. Just as if a man should be kept waking and restless all the night w4th the thoughts of his hard journey, which he must travel to- morrow, and so, when to-morrow is come, he faints for want of rest, mid- way on his journey.
3. It is here supposed to be the Christian's great duty, under the apprehensions of approaching troubles, to resign his will to God's, and quietly commit the events and issues of all to him, whatever they may prove. Thus did David, in the like case and circum- stances, 2 Sam. XV. 25, 26. " And the king said unto Zadok, '' carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour " in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and shew *' me both it and his habitation : But if he shall thus say, I have no " delight in tliee, behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth " good to him.""
O lovly and truly Christian temper ! q. d. Go Zadok, return with the ark to its place, though I have not the symbol, yet I hope I shall have the real presence of God with me in this sad journey : How he will dispose the events of this sad and doubtful providence I know not : Either I shall return again to Jerusalem, or I shall not : If I do, then I shall see it again, and enjoy the Lord in his ordinances there. If I do not, then I shall go to that place where there is no need or use of those things. And either Avay it will be well for me. I am content to refer all to the Divine pleasure, and commit the issue, be it whatever it will be, to the Lord.
And till our hearts come to the like resolve, we can have no peace within. " Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy " thoughts shall be established," Prov. xvi. 3. By works he means not only every enterprize and business we undei'take, but every puzzling, intricate, and doubtful event we fear. These being once committed by an act of faith, and our wills resigned unto his, be- sides the comfort we shall have in the issue, we shall have the pre-« sent advantage of a well-composed and peaceful spirit
But this resignation is the difficulty ; no doubt of peace, could we once bring our hearts to that. And therefore,
4:. I shall here subjoin such helps and directions as may, through
THE MYSTERY OF I'ROVIDENCK. 495
God's blessing in the faithful use of them, assist and facilitate this great and difficult work.
And first, Labour to worlc into your hearts a deep and fixed sense of the infinite wisdom of God, andyour oxvn folly and ignorance. This will make resignation easy to you : Whatsoever the Lord doth is by counsel, Eph. i. 11. His understanding is infinite, Psalm cxlviL 5. His thoughts are very deep. Psalm xcii. 5. But as for man, yea, the wisest among men, how little doth his understanding pe- netrate tlie works and designs of providence ? And how oft are wo forced to retract our rash opinions, and confess our mistakes, ac- knowledging that if providence had not seen with better eyes than ours, and looked farther than we did, we had precipitated our- selves into a thousand mischiefs, wliich by its wisdom and care we have escaped ! It is well for us that the seven eyes of providence are ever awake, and looking out for our good. Now if one creature can, and ought to be guided and governed by another that is more wise and skilful than himself, as the client by his learned counsel^ the patient by his skilful j9%5kiaw, much more should every creature give up his weak reason and shallow understanding to the infinite wisdom of the omniscient God.
It is nothing but our pride and arrogance over-ruling our under- standings, that makes resignation so hard*. Carnal reason seems to itself a wise disputant about the concerns of the flesh, but how often hath providence baffled it .? The more humility, the more resignation.
How few of your mercies and comforts have been foreseen by us? Our own projects have come to nothing, and that which we never thought on or contrived, hath taken place ; not our choice of the ground, or skill in weighing and delivering the houd^ but some unforeseen providence, like a rub in the green, was that which made the cast.
Deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your o'^vn thoughts about the issues of doubtful providences.
1. There is much sin in so doing, for all our anxious and solicitous emotions, what are they other than the immediate issues and fruits of pride and unbelief.? There is not a greater discovery of pride in the world than in the contests of our wills with the will of God. It is a presumptuous invading of God's prerogative to dictate to his providence, and prescribe to his wisdom.
* O what a wise logician does human arrogance seem to itself; especially when it is afraid to lose any of its delights ! Tert.
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