G28 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver.5,6.
gi'eatness and sovereignty of God, against which there is no rising up; and this God himself afterward calls him unto.
Deep and serious thoughts of God's sovereignty and absolute do- minion or authority over all the works of his hands, are an effectual means to work the soul unto this duty ; yea, this is that which we are to bring our souls to. Let us consider with whom we have to do. Are not we and all our concernments in his hands, as the clay in the hand of the potter? and may he not do what he will with his own? Shall we call him unto an account? is not what he doth good and holy because he doth it? Do any repining thoughts against the works of God arise in our hearts? are any complaints ready to break out of our mouths? let us lay our hands on our hearts, and our mouths in the dust, with thoughts of his gTeatness and absolute sovereignty, and it will work our whole souls into a better frame.
And this extends itself unto the manners, times, and seasons of all things whatever. As in earthly things, if God will bring a dreadful judgment of fire upon a people, a nation; ah! why must it be Lon- don? if on London, why so terrible, raging, and unconquerable ? why the city, not the suburbs? why my house, not my neighbour's? why liad such a one help, and I none? All these things are wholly to be referred to God's sovereign pleasure. There alone can the soul of man find rest and peace. It is so in spiritual dis^^ensations also.
Thus Aaron, upon the sudden death of his two eldest sons, being minded by Moses of God's sovereignty and holiness, immediately " held his peace," or quietly humbled himself under his mighty hand, Lev. x. 3. And David, when things were brought into extreme confusion by the rebellion of Absalom, followed by the ungodly mul- titude of the whole nation, relinquisheth all other arguments and pleas, and lets go complaints in a resignation of himself and all his concernments unto the absolute pleasure of God, 2 Sam.' xv. 25, 26. And this, in all our extremities, must we bring our souls unto before we can attain any rest or peace, or the least comfortable persuasion that we may not yet fall under greater severities, in the just in- dignation of God against us.
2. The wisdom of God is also to be considered and submitted unto: Job ix. 4, " He is wise in heart: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?" This the prophet joins with his greatness and sovereignty, Isa. xl. 12-14. " There is no searching of his under- standing," verse 28. And the apostle winds up all his considerations of the workc of God in a holy admiration of his knowledge and wis- dom, whence his "judgment becomes unsearchable, and his ways past finding out," Kom. xi. 33, 34. He seeth and knoweth all things, in all their causes, effects, consequences, and circumsfcances, in their utmost reach and tendency, in their correspondencies one unto
Yer.5,6.] god himself the object OF our waiting. 629
another, and suitableness unto his own glory; and so alone judgeth aright of all things. The wisest of men, as David speaks, walk in a shade. We see little, we know little; and that but of a very fev/ things, and in an imperfect manner ; and that of their present appear- ances, abstracted from their issues, successes, ends, and relations unto other things. And if we would be farther wise in the works of God, Vie shall be found to be like the Avild ass's colt. What is good for us or the church of God, what is evil to it or us, we know not at all ; but all things are open and naked luito God. The day will come, indeed, wherein we shall have such a prospect of the works of God, see one thing so set against another, as to find goodness, beauty, and order in them all, — that they were all done in number, weight, and measure, — that nothing could have been otherwise without an abridg- ment of his glory and disadvantage of them that believe in hmi; but for the present, all our wisdom consists in referring all unto him. He who doth these things is infinitely wise; he knows what he doth, and why, and what will be the end of all. We are apt, it may be, to think that at such seasons all thin s^s will go to wreck with oiu'- selves, with the church, or with the whole world : " How can this breach be repaired, this loss made up, this ruin recovered? peace is gone, trade is gone, our substance is gone, the church is gone, — all is gone ; confusion and utter desolation lie at the door." But if a man who is unskilled and unexperienced should be at sea, it may be, every time the vessel wherein he is seems to decline on either side, he would be apt to conceive they should be all cast away ; but yet, if he be not childishly timorous, when the master shall tell him that there is no danger, bid him tru.st to his skill and it shall be well with him, it will yield quietness and satisfaction. We are indeed in a storm, — the whole earth seems to reel and stagger like a drunken man; but yet our souls may rest in the infinite skill and wisdom of the great Pilot of the tvhole creation, who steers all things according to the counsel of his will. " His works are manifold : in wisdom hath he made them all," Ps. civ. 24. And in the same wasdom doth he dis- pose of them : " All these things come forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working," Isa. xxviii. 29. What is good, meet, useful for us, for ours, for the churches, for the city, for the land of our nativity, he knows, and of creatures not one. This infinite wisdom of God, also, are we therefore to resign and submit ourselves unto. His hand in all his works is guided by infinite wisdom. In thoughts thereof, in humbling ourselves there- unto, shall we find rest and peace; and this in all our pressures will work us to a waiting for him.