THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. 329
suited to tlie wisdom of a man, and his rule be spiritual, meek, and gentle), cast off and thrown away: — low trees, dry trees, despised ones, contemned ones, without form or comeliness, exalted, used, em- ployed, and the hand of the Lord evidently lifted up in all these transactions.
Some reasons of this may be given, and, —
1. The first is taken from the coi-ruptions of the hearts of men squaring the works of God to their fleshly reasonings, corrupt interests and principles. They are bold with the wisdom of God, and conclude thus and thus things ought to be, — ordering their thoughts for the most part according to their corrupt and carnal advantages. I shall instance both as to carnal advantages and principles.
(1.) Carnal power and glor-y seem excellent to the Jews: hence think they. When God gives us our Messiah, all this must be accom- plished. Their affections are disordered by coiTuiit lusts and desires, and that enslaves their minds to strange apprehensions : — God comes in his own way, and how cross do things run to their expectations. Wliat was the corrupt designa of many in Scotland ? That they might set up a son of Tabeal in England, and themselves be great under him ; that they and their partakers might impose on the residue of the nation, especially in the things of God. Their great desire that things should be thus, corrupts their minds to think that it ought to be so, and shall be so. Hence ambition to rule and to have all under their power, even in conscience, is quickly mistaken for zeal to the kingdom of Christ, — re-enthroning of tyranny is loyalty ; and all accord- ing to covenant. As if men had sworn to be good to themselves, and to be true to their o^vn interests all their days ; which surely few need to be sworn to. Thus men's minds and judgments are distempered by their lusts and interests, which makes them frame a way for God to proceed in ; which, when he doth not, how are they surprised !
(2.) For principles. Men take up principles that they Avill adhere unto: — wise principles, forsooth, yea, and very righteous too! All things whatever that fall out must be squared unto their principles. They expect that nothing must be done but what suits unto them ; and if any thing contrary be ^vl■oug•ht, even of God himself, how de- ceived, how disappointed are they ! The most tremendous judgment of God in this world is the hardening of the hearts of men ; — this seals them up for the most part to destruction : — a thing it is often mentioned in the Scripture, and many subtle disputes there are, how it should come forth from Him who is most holy, seeing it is the gi'eatest sin of the creature.
I shall give you my thoughts, in a most eminent instance or two, as to one particular of it. Look on Pharaoh, of whom it is most sig- nally spoken, that God " hardened his heart." How did the Lord
330 THE ADVANTAGE OF
accomplish this? Pharaoh settles himself upon as righteous prin- ciples as ever any of the sons of men could do : one is, " That it belongs to the chief ruler of a nation to see to the profit and glory of the nation/' What more righteous principle is there in the world? You that talk of your principles, give me one more righteous than this. Hence he concludes, that if it be incumbent on him to see that the realm receive no detriment, he must not let the people go by whom they received so many great advantages. God confinns his heart in these principles, ivhich are good in themselves, but abomi- nable when taken up against the mind and providence of God. Hence he and his perished in their principles, acting against the appearance of God. It is also said of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, that " his heart was hardened that he would not let the people go through his land." How, I pray? Even by adhering to that wise principle, "That it is not meet to let a potent enemy into the bowels of a people." And this made way for his ruio.
Thus is it with many ; they fix on principles, good in general, and in their season. Old bounds must not be broken up ; — order must not be disturbed :— let God appear never so eminently, so mightily, they will keep to their principles. What is this but judicial hard- ness? And this, I say, is one reason why the actings of God in such a day as this are so unsuited to the expectations of men ; — they square his work to the interests and principles which it will not answer.
2. God chooseth thus to do things above and beside the expecta- tions of men, that his presence and the presence of the Lord Christ may be the more conspicuous in the world. Did the Lord always Avalk in paths that men had rationally — that is, foolishly (for such is our wisdom in the ways of God) — allotted to him, the appearances of his glory would be exceedingly eclipsed. It is hard for men to have a clear and naked view of the power of God ^ in effecting any thing, when there is great help of means to do it; but it is much harder to discern the wisdom of God in an affair, when men's OAvn wisdom and designing is all accomplished. But now, when the way of God is " like the way of an eagle in the air," — when " his paths are in the deep, and his footsteps are not known," — then is he glorious in his goings. Men think all things wouhl be very glorious, if they might be done according to their mind : perhaps, indeed, they would ; — but Avith their glory, not the glory of God.