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things comfortable and necessary for his children, whilst he hath work for them to do, yet he never undertook to maintain us at such a rate, to give us so much by the year, such portions for our children, and sup- plies for our families. We must leave it to the great shepherd of the sheep to choose our pastures, bare or large. This is the way to breed faith : Luke xii. 15, ' Take heed, and beware of covetousness ; for man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.' That is faith's principle : I shall never be the more safe and happier, nor the better provided for, in a spiritual sense, nor tbe more comfort- able, because I have abundance. Faith looketh to heaven, and a little serveth turn to keep us by the way. He is not poor that hath little, but he that desireth more. Enlarged affections make want.
[2.] Secure your great interest, and then it will be easy to wait upon God for temporal supplies : Mat. vi. 33, ' First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and these things shall be added.' That once sought after, and well secured, draweth other things along with it ; and then you need not be anxious about food, and raiment, and protection, and maintenance, and such like things. When this is our care, to live eternally, our desires of otlier things are abated, and so are our fears about them. Yea, this will assure us that in some measure we shall have them. Provide for the soul, and the body shall not want its allowance ; provide for the body, and we cannot have assurance for our souls. Men carry it so, as if it were their work to provide for their bodies, and leave their soul at all adventures. If God take care for it, well ; if not, they are not troubled. Indeed it is quite contrary. It is true, we are to serve God's providence for both, but first for our souls. A man may have a little provision in the world with'out so much ado ; these things are cast into the bargain, and by way of overplus. He that giveth a jewel will not stand upon a trifle ; God that blessed the house of Obed-edom for the ark's sake, 2 Sam. vi. 11, 12, will bless you, and keep you, because Christ is received into your hearts : 1 Kings iii. 11-13, ' Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, . . . ; lo, I have done according to thy words, . . . And also I have given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour,' &c.
[3.] Be persuaded of the particularity of God's providence ; that he doth not only mind the greater affairs of the world, but is conscious to everything and every person that liveth here. Christ knew when virtue passed out from him in a throng : Luke viii. 45, ' Somebody hath touched me,' saith he. It is a notable passage which we have in Acts ix. 11, ' Arise, go into the street, which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus ; for behold he prayeth.' God knoweth where we are, what we do, what we think, and what we speak ; as where Saul was, in what street, in what house, and what he was doing. God seeth all in what posture we are, whether we fear or rejoice, whether we are sad or merry, whether angry or pleased, whether we are toying or praying. God doth not only look after the preserva- tion of the species, or kinds of things, but after every individual, and careth for them, as if he had none to care for besides them. Every child that is born into tbe world, God taketh notice of it ; and there- fore Paul is said to be ' separated from his mother's womb,' Gal. i. 15.
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As soon as a cliild is born, God is making way by particular acts of providence, for some hidden purpose and design of his about that child, fitting the temper, &c. But yon will say, Paul was a notable instru- ment of God's glory ; but he takes care, not only for great and notable instruments of his glory, but poor and despicable persons: Ps. xxxiv. 6, * This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him ;' one of no account and reckoning in the world, such a one as was forgotten, or never thought of in his neighbourhood. Yea, the beasts and fowls are known of God : Ps. 1. 11, ' I know all the fowls of the air, and the wild beasts in the field are mine.' Though there be such innumerable flocks, yet God knoweth them particularly, yea, all their motions : Mat. x. 29, ' Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father.' And if God be at leisure to look after all the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and the fishes of the sea, will he not look after his saints and servants ? Yes, they and every thing about them is cared for : Mat. x. 30, ' The hairs of your head ajre numbered ; ' not only the head itself, or hands and feet, which are partes inter/ranfes, but the hairs of yom' head : excre- mentitious parts, rather for conveniency and ornament, than necessity. Well then, be settled in the belief of this truth of God's particular pro- vidence. There is not only a common providence to be ascribed to God, that he doth in the general furnish the world, and store it with sufficiency, and so leaving us to our own industry, catch that catch can, and so make it our own ; no, but he hath a personal eye upon eveiy one of us. He doth not leave us scattered upon the face of the earth to forage for ourselves, but we all live upon his finding, and he appoints to every one their lot and portion. In common plenty he can punish with per- sonal scarcity, as he did the prince of Samaria ; and in general scarcity he can furnish with personal plenty, as Elijah did the Sareptan widow. Many will allow God a general inspection, that he upholdeth the pillars of the earth, but believe not that he taketh care of particulars, and so resolve to shift for themselves ; but be once persuaded of his particular notice and care, and that will help you to live by faith.