I cannot now insist upon particular instances; consult the history of the church in all ages, — you shall find it continually upon all occa- sions verified. From the Israelites opposing Moses, to the Ephraim- ites' contest with Jephthah, the rejecting of Samuel, and so on, to the kings of the earth giving their power to the beast to wage war with the Lamb, with the inhabitants of the world combining against the witnesses of Christ, is this assertion held out. In following story, no sooner did any plagaie or judgment break out against the Roman empire, but instantly, " Christianos ad leones;" — their fur}- must be spent upon them Avho were the only supporters of it from irrecover- able ruin.
Now the Lord doth this, —
1. To seal up a sinful j)eoples destruction. Eli's sons hearkened not, "because the Lord would slay them," 1 Sam. ii. 25. When God intends ruin to a people, they shall walk in ways that tend thereunto. Now, is there a readier way for a man to have a house on his head, than by pulling away the pillars Avhereby it is supported? If by
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Moses standing in the gap the fury of the Lord be turned away, cer- tainly if the people contend to remove him, their desolation sleepeth not. When, therefore, the Lord intends to lay cities waste without in- habitants, and houses without men, to make a land utterly desolate ; the way of its accomplishment is by making the hearts of the people fat, and their ears heavy, and shutting their eyes, that they should not see and attend to the means of their recovery, Isa. vi. 10, 11, — so gathering in his peace and mercies from a provoking people, Jer. xvi. 5.
2. To manifest his oivn poiuer and sovereignty in maintaining a small handful, ofttimes a few single persons, a Moses, a Samuel, two witnesses, against the opposing rage of a hardened multitude. If those who undertake his work and business in their several genera- tions should have withal the concurrent obedience and assistance of others whose good is intended, neither would his name be so seen nor his ways so honoured as now, when he bears them up against all opposition. Had not the people of this land been given up (many of them) to figlit against the deliverers of the nation, and were it not so with them even at this time, how dark would have been the work- ings of providence which now, by wrestling through all opposition, are so conspicuous and clear ! When, then, a people, or any part of a people, have made themselves unworthy of the good things intended to be accomplished by the instruments of righteousness and peace, the Lord will blow upon their waves, that with rage and fury they shall dash themselves against them ; whom he will strengthen with the munition of rocks, not to be prevailed against. So that God's glory and their own ruin lie at the bottom of this close working of providence, in giving up a sinful people to a fn.;itless contending with their o\vn deliverers, if ever they be delivered.
Ohj. But is not a people's contending with the instnnnents by whom God worketh amongst them, and for them, a sin and provoca- tion to the eyes of his glory? How, then, can the Lord be said to give them up unto it?
Ans. Avoiding all scholastical discourses, as unsuited to the work of this day, I shall briefly give in vmto you how this is a sinful thing, yet sinners are given up unto it without the least extenuation of their guilt, or colour for charge on the justice and goodness of God.
(1.) Then, to give up men unto a thing in itself sinful is no more but so to dispose and order things, that sinners may exercise and draw out their sinful principles in such a way. Of this that the Lord doth the Scripture is full of examples, and hath testimonies innumerable. That herein the Holy One of Israel is no ways co-partner with the guilt of the sons of men, will appear by observing the difference of these several agents in these four things: —
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[1.] The pi^inciple by which they work.
[2.] The ride by which they i:)roceed.
[3.] The means which they use.
[4.] The end at which they aim.
[1.] The principle of operation in God is his own sovereign will and good pleasure. He doth whatsoever he pleaseth, Ps. cxv. 3. He saith his purpose shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure, Isa. xlvi. 10. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. ix. 18; giving no account of his matters, Job xxxiii. 13. This our Saviour rendereth the only principle and reason of his hidden operations, " O Father, so it seemed good in thy sight," Matt. xi. 26. His sovereignty in doing what he will with his own, as the potter with his clay, is the rise of his operations ; so that whatever he doth, " who Avill say unto him. What doest thou?" Job ix. 12. " Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it. Why hast thou made me thus?" Rom. Lx. 20. And hence two things will follow: —