Through the providence of God you dwell alone; that is, as to your main design and interest. You are not reckoned among the nations, as to the state of being the people of God. So far, and under that consideration, they count you not worthy to be reckoned or esteemed a nation. They envy to see the men of their contempt exalted, blessed. The same is the condition of Ephraim amongst us; men not engaged in the same cause and way -with you, they are full of envy. Wherefore do they inquire of your welfare, — of your state and condition, — of your affairs? Is it that they love you, — that they desire your pi'osperity, — that they would have you an established nation? No; only their envy makes them restless. And, as it is in general, so no sooner doth any man, upon a private accoiait, sepa- rate himself from the public interest of the people of God, but he is instantly filled with envy against the managers of it. And, notwith- standing all our animosities, if this hath not befallen us in our dif- ferences and divisions, I no way doubt a peaceable composure and blessed issue of the whole. If envi/ be not at w^ork, we shall have establishment.
2. A second p7'i7icij)le whereby they are put upon their inquines, is fear. They fear them, and therefore will know how things standi with them, and what are the works of God amongst them, Hab. iii. 7, " I saw the tents of Cusluui in affliction, and the curtams of the laud of Midian did tremble." " I saw" it: when God was doing the great work, described in that chapter with many lofty allegorical expres- sions, of bringing his people out of bondage, to settle them in a new state and condition, the nations round about, that looked on them, were filled with affliction, fear, and trembling. They were afraid whither these things would grow. Ps. xlviii. 1-6, "Great is the
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Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the moun- tain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled ; they were troubled, and hasted away. For fear took hold upon them there, aiad pain, as of a woman in travail." The close of all the considerations of these kings and their attendants is, that fear took hold upon them. Fear is solicitous and inquiring ; it will leave nothing unsearched, unlocked into; it would find the inside and bot- tom of eveiy thing wherein it is concerned. Though the more it finds, the more it is increased ; yet the greater still are its inquiries, fearing more what it knows not, than what it knows, — what is behind, than what appears. This puts the nations upon their inquiry ; they are afraid what these things will grow to. Ps. cxxvi. 2, " Then was our mouth filled with laugliter, and our tongue with singing : then said they among the heathen. The LoRD hath done great things for them •" — they are the words of men pondering their affairs, and filled with fear at the issue. If God do such things as these for them, wliat think you will be the issue? ■ I dare say of the proudest adversaries of the people of God at this day, notwithstanding all their anger, they are more afraid than angry. The like also may be said concerning their wrath, revenge, and curiosity, — all pressing them to such inquiries.
This is the issue of this proposal: If we are not a separated peo- ple unto God ; — if our portion be as the portion of the men of the woi-ld, and we are also as they, reckoned among the nations ; — if we have had only national works, in the execiition of wrath on men fitted thereunto amongst us ; — woe unto us that we were ever engaged in the whole affair that for some years we have been interested in ! It will be bitterness and disappointment in the latter end. If we be the Lord's peculiar lot, separate unto him ; the nations about, and many amongst ourselves, on the manifold accounts before mentioned, will be inquiring into our state and condition and the work of God amongst us. Let us consider what we shall answer them, — what we shall say unto them. What is the account we give of God's dealings with us, and of his mighty works amongst us ?— what is the profession we make ? If we seek ourselves, — if we are full of complaints and repinings one against another, — if every one hath his own aims, his own designs (for what we do, not what we say, is the answer we make), — if we measure the work of God by its suitableness to our private interests ; — if this be the issue of all the dealings of God amongst us, we shall not have wherein to rejoice. But of these things afterward. The second proposition is,—