1. We acknowledge God's dominion over the spirits of men, which is a great honour to God, and a quieting to us. It is a title often given to God in scripture, that he is the ' God of the spirits of all flesh.' If they had a magistrate to choose, they go to God : Num. xxvii. 16, ' Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation.' If a judgment to be averted, Num. xvi. 22, ' 0 God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation ? ' This is a great honour to God, when we acknowledge the power and dominion that he hath over the hearts and spirits of men. To roll a stone is not so much as to rule the creatures ; and to keep the sun in its course is not so much as to rule the spirits of men, and to work them to the glorifying of his holy name. God can turn the hearts of men this way and that way, according as he pleaseth : Prov. xxi. 1, ' The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; heturneth it whithersoever he will.' As a man can dispose of a watercourse, turn it hither and thither as the necessities of his field or garden require, so can God draw out the hearts and respects of men. Surely there would not be so many disorders in the world if we did often reflect upon this attribute, or did deal with God about his power over the spirits of men. We are wrathful, and think nothing but the confusion of men would serve the turn, and there is no riddance of our burden but by the destruction of those who stand in our way ; whereas the conversion of men, a change of their spirits and hearts, would be a better cure, and bring more honour to God, and safety with it. The truth is, we look more to men than to God, and that is the reason why we i)itch rather upon the destruction than the conversion of others. Destruc- tion, that may be executed by the creature ; but conversion, that is a power (to order and regulate the spirits of men) which God hath re- served in his own hands. One angel could destroy above a hundred and eighty thousand in Sennacherib's camp in one night ; but all the angels, with their united strength, cannot draw in one heart to God.
80 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 9.
But now the God of the spirits of all flesh, who is too hard for him ? Oh, did we often reflect upon this, we would be dealing with God about this matter, that he would work upon the spirits of men. If there be a wicked ruler, or an obstinate child or servant, &c., that he would sanctify himself upon them, and change their hearts.
2. You discover much love to God, when, as you would not dis- honour him yourselves, so you are careful others may not dishonour him. ' Praise him, all ye ends of the earth,' Ps. xcviii. 4, and c. 1. You would have all the world own him. Private spirits that would impale and enclose religion, that they may shine alone, they do not love God, but themselves, their own credit, and their own j^rofit. ' Would to God all the Lord's people were prophets ! ' Num. xi. 29. That was a free and noble speech. God is resembled to the sun, be- cause it is he that must shine alone ; but the church is compared to the moon and stars, where all may shine, but every star in its own glory. True Christians would have all to be as they are, unless it be with respect to their bonds and incumbrances.
3. You discover love to others, you would have them glorify God. The angels, they rejoice when a sinner is converted ; they have a great love to souls, Luke xv. 7. And so do Christians ; the more spiritual they are, the more they come near to the blessed spirits above, and the more affected they are with the good done to others, and with their conversion. Saith Paul, Kom. ix. 3 : ' I could wish that my- self were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen accord- ing to the flesh.' Such a zeal and entire affection he had to the souls of others, that he could lay all his personal happiness at Christ's feet. And thus you see what need we have to deal seriously with God in this business, if indeed we make this our aim. Especially those which are in public relations, as Paul was, which had an office put upon him to procure the salvation of others, how will their hearts run out upon it !
Secondly, It is needful we should deal with God about the sancti- fying of his name, as in regard of persons, so of things and events. God hath the disposal of all events in his own hands. There are many things which concern the glory of God that are out of our reach, and are wholly in God's hands ; and therefore it discovers our love to his glory, and our submission to his wise and powerful government of all affairs, when we deal with God about it, and refer the matter to his disposal, and say, Lord, 'hallowed be thy name,' take the work into thy own hands. We discover our love to his glory, because we make it a part of our request that all these events may conduce to the glory of his majesty. As Joshua, when Israel fell before their enemies : Josh. vii. 9, ' Lord, what wilt thou do for thy great name ? ' There was his trouble. And Moses : Num. xiv. 15, 16, What will the nations say round about ? ' Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.' It goeth near to the heart of God's children when they see anything that will tend to God's reproach.