[3.] A sound judgment about providence, and a right interpretation cf God's dealing with us. If the just should be always prosperous, and the wicked always miserable, religion would be a matter of sense ; so, on the contrary, if the just should have always evil, and the wicked always good, it would tempt to despair; therefore providences are mixed,
VOL. xvm. 2 B
386 SEKMON UPON PROVERBS III. 30^ 31,
The present state is a state of faith ; we are justified by faith, we live by faith, we walk by faith. Now the state of faith requireth this, that the manner of God's government of worldly affairs should neither be too perspicuous nor too obscure, but be carried on in a middle way ; as the morning is a middle thing between the darkness of the night and the light of high noon ; for, if it were too clear, sense would do all, there would be no need of faith ; if it were too obscure, faith would be too muoli discouraged ; therefore the righteous are not always happy, and the wicked always miserable. It would not be a dispensation suitable to God's end, which is to try our respects to him. Yea, the fear and hope of temporal reward would be the greatest motives to keep the law of God, and men compelled to own, rather than choose, that which is.good. Therefore, that men may understand that the good and evil of the world is not our last reward or punishment, our greatest happi- ness or greatest misery, God doth not always comfort the just with these good things, nor punish the wicked with the contrary evils. On the one side, if good men were always miserable, what a grievous temptation would this be to the weak ! We should then think, ' I have cleansed my hands in vain.' Therefore God mixeth the dispen- sation of these outward things. Though piety be the only way to obtain them, and to have them by promise, and with satisfaction and a blessing, yet sometimes he giveth to his enemies that which he denieth to his children, that he may exercise our faith and patience ; and sometimes he punisheth the wicked, and delivereth the godly that he may show his providence. Well, then, a right judgment about providence would much stay our hearts. Two things you may be confident of —
(1.) That no evil can befall you without God's hand and counsel. It must first pass through the hands of God before it can reach you ; for as nothing can be done against his will, so nothing without his will : * The hairs of your head are numbered,' Mat. x. 30. The devil asked leave to go into the herd of swine. Now this is a great comfort, that you do not fear the sword if you do not fear him that weareth the sword. God can stop all evil, and will, when it is for our profit and his glory ; for he loveth us more than a mother her only child. If thou hadst an enemy that hath a purpose to take thee away by poison, and he could not any ways do it but by telling thy parents of his purpose, and asking their leave, yea, and must have the poison given thee by them, wouldst thou be troubled and perplexed ? for how could it be that thy parents would conspire with thine enemy to thy death ? This is the case ; God loveth his people, gave his only-be- gotten Son for them ; neither men nor devils can do anything against them without God's leave.
(2.) God being just, wise, and good, doth dispense all human affairs with great wisdom, sweetness, and equity. The judges of this world, when they have the guilty in their hands, do not presently pass sentence, but proceed gravely and with mature advice, examine witnesses, con- sider the cause, seek to draw out the truth by confession, and then afterwards at a certain day pass sentence ; so God now heareth accus- ations, divers complaints, examinetli witnesses, prepareth all for judg- ment, and in time all things that seem to be in trouble and confusion are put into an orderly frame.
SERMONS UPON PROVERBS L 20.
SERMON I
Tlie tongue ofiliejust is aS choice silver ; the heart of the wicked is little luorth. — Prov. x. 20.
There are three operations of man — his thoughts, speeches, and actions. By these we are discovered, and these we should make conscience of. Two of them are represented in this scripture — words and thoughts ; and we cannot make conscience of the one unless we make conscience of the other; for the tongue will follow the constitution of the heart: * The tongue of the just is as choice silver ; the heart of the wicked is little worth.' In the words observe —
1. The things opposed, ' The tongue of the just/ and ' The heart of the wicked.'
2. The price and value of each, 'Choice silver,' and 'Little worth.'
1. For the first, we must inquire why tongue and heart are opposed ? Because ' out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,' Mat. xii. 34, So that if we would prevent the evils of speech, we must cleanse the heart. The tap runneth according to the liquor wherfewith the vessel is filled ; if the heart be little worth, the speech will be vain and frothy.