Let us examine what good we take by ordinances of God, and by the sufferings of the present church, and the sufferings of the former church. Do their examples animate, and quicken, and encourage us to the like courses ? It is a sign we are elected of God. There is no greater sign of a good estate in grace, than a gracious heart, to draw good out of the examples of others, and to draw good out of ever}i;hing that befalls us, because God's end in election, and his manner of providence, is to guide all to their good.
Use 2. Again, we learn another thing likewise, hoiv God overrides in his jirovidence the jyrojects of carnal men, of the devil and his instnnnents, and agents and factors. God overrules all things, that which in itself is ill, and in the intendment* of the inflicter is ill, yet God turns it to the good of others, and the good of them that suffer too. Satan intends no such matter, as it is said, Isa. x. 5. Nebuchadnezzar thinks no such thing. ' Asshur, the rod of my wrath,' he intends no such matter. They intend not the consolation of God's when they vn-ong the saints of God, and so exercise their patience and grace. No ! they intend their hurt and confusions. It is no matter what they intend ; but God at the first created light out of darkness, and in his providence doth great matters by small means. In his providence over his church, he doth raise contraries out of contraries ; he turns the wicked projects of men to contrary ends, and makes all service- able to his own end.
* That is, ' intention.'— G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, XT.-R. 6. 97
In state policy, he is accounted the wisest man that can make his ene- mies instrumental to his own purpose, that can make others serve his own turn, to work his owti ends by others that are his opposites ; and ho had need of a great reaching head that can do so. The great providence of heaven doth thus. God is the wisest politician in the world. All other policy is but a beam from that Sun. He can make instrumental and ser- viceable to him his very enemies. And this is the tonnent of Satan, that God overshoots him in his own bow. He overreacheth him in his own policy. Where ho thinks to do most harm he doth most good. In those afflictions whereby he thinks to quell the com'age of the church, God doth exceeding good to them, and enlargeth the bounds of the church this way.
It is an ordinary speech, * The blood of the martyi-s is the seed of the church' (»)). The woi'd of God is the seed of the church ; how then is the blood of the martyi'S and sufferers the seed of the church ? Thus the word of God is the seed of the church, how ? As it is in the Bible, in the book ? No ! As it is published in preaching, much more as it is published in confession, and much more as it is published and sealed in martj-rdom, by suffering. The word of God is so laid open, as not only spoken but confessed and practised in life ; and not only so, but sealed by endm'ing anything. Thus it is the seed, and works strongly.
God overrules all inferiors. Though they have contrary motions in their own intent to his, yet he brings them about to his end. As we see the heavens have a contrary motion to the first heaven, that carries the rest, the x>riinum mohile, yet they are turned about by another motion, con- trary to the bent of themselves. They go one way, and are carried another.* As we see in the wheels of the clock, one runs one way, another another ; all make the clock strike, all serve the intent of the clockmaker ; so one runs one way, and another, another. Carnal men offer disgrace and dis- paragement to God's people ; their intent is to otherthrow all, to disgrace and to trample on the cause of religion ; but God useth contrary wheels, to make the clock strike. All turns in the issue to his end. Therefore though we say in our common speech, that the devil is the god of this world, it is the Scripture phi-ase, 2 Cor. iv. 4 ; and it is so in regard of the wicked that are under him, yet he is a god under a God. There is but one monarch of the world. He is a god that hath not power over swine fui'ther than he is suffered. Mat. viii. 30, seq. It is a point of wondrous comfort, that though we be thus used, yet there is an active providence, there is one monarch, one gi'eat king, that rules all.
It is a ground of patience and contentment in whatsoever we suffer, not to look to the next instrument, but [toj look to the overruling cause, that will turn all in the issue to our good. This Joseph comforted his brethren with. You sent me, and of an ill mind too ; but God tm-ned it to good. It was no thank to them, yet it was no matter. He comforted them in this, that God turned their malice to his good, and to their good too, for he was sent as a steward to provide for them.