II. The issue of God's dealing with and dispensations among his
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people, shall he so perspicuous and glorious, that one, any one, every one, shall he ahle to give an answer to them that make inquiries about them.
" What shall one then say?" Whether it be for judgment or mercy, all is one; — he will make the event to be evident and glorious. He " is our rock, and his work is perfect;" and he will have his works so known as that they may all praise him. Be it in judgment, see what issue he will bring his work unto, Deut. xxix. 24, 25, " Even all na- tions shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them, when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt." " Men shall say," — ordinary men shall be able to give this sad account of the reason of the works of God, and his dealings with his people. So also as to his dispensations in mercy, Isa. xxvi. 11, " Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people ; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them." He will not leave the work of his favour towards his people, until those who are willing to shut their eyes against it do see and acknowledge his hand and coun- sel therein.
I do not say this will hold in every dispensation of God, in all seasons, from the beginning to the ending of them. In many works of his power and righteousness he will have us bow our souls to the law of his providence, and his sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness therein, when his footsteps are in the deep, and his paths are not known ; — which is the reasonablest thing in the world. But this, generally, is the way of his proceedings, especially m the common concernments of his people, and in the disposal of their public interests; — his works, his will and counsels therein, shall be emment and glorious. It is chiefly from ourselves and our own follies that we come short of such an acquaintance with the works of God as to be able to give an answer to every one that shall demand an account of them. When David was staggered at the works of God, he gives this reason of it, " I was foolish, and as a beast before him," Ps. Ixxiii. 22. That thoughtfulness and vnsdom which keeps us in darkness, is our folly.
There are sundry things that are apt to cloud our apprehensions as to the mind of God in his dealing with his people. As, —
1. Self-fidness of our own private apprehensions and designs. A private design and aim in the works of Providence, is like a private, by-opinion in matters of religion. You seldom see a man take up a by-opinion (if I may so speak), but he instantly lays more weight upon it than upon all religion besides. If that be not enthroned, be
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it a matter of never so small importance, he scarce cares what becomes of all other truths which he doth embrace. When men have fixed to themselves that this or that particular must be the product of God's providential dispensations, that alone fills their amis and desires, and leaves no room for any other apprehension. Have we not seen persons, in the days wherein we live, so fixed on a reign, a kingdom, — I know not what, that they would scarce allow God him- self to be mse if their minds were not satisfied ? " Give me this child, or I die ! " Now, is it probable, that, when men's whole souls are possessed with a design and deshe of theh own, so fully that they are cast into the mould of it, are transformed into the image and likeness of it, — they can see, hear, think, talk, dream nothing else, — they shall be able to discern aright, and acquiesce in the general issue of God's dispensations, or be able to " answer the messengers of the nations," making inquiry concerning them ? Fear, hope, wrath, anger, discontentment, wdth a rabble of the like mind-darkening affections, are the attendants of such a frame. He who knows any thing of the power of prejudices in diverting the minds of men from passing a right judgment on things proposed to them, and the efiicacy of disordered affections for the creating and confirming of such pre- judices, will discern the power of this darkening disturbance.
2. Private enmities, private disappointments, private prejudices, are things of the same consideration. Let a man of a fi-ee and large heart and spirit abstract his thoughts from the differences that are among the people of God in this nation, and keep himself from an engagement into any particular design and desire ; — it is almost im- possible that he should wink so hard but that the issue and reason of God's dealing mth us will shine in upon his understanding, so that he shall be able to give an account of them to them that shall make inquiry. Will he not be able to " say to the messengers of the nations," and all other observers of the providential alterations of the late times that have passed over us. The people of God in this nation were despised, but are now in esteem : they were under subjection to cmel task-masters, — some in prisons, some banished to the ends of the earth, merely on the account of the worship of their God ; the con- sciences of all inthralled, and of many defiled and broken on the scandals laid before them ; whilst iiriquity and superstition were es- tablished by law; — but this is that which God hath now done and accomplished, — the imprisoned are set at hberty, the banished are recalled ; they that have lain among the pots have got doves' wings ; conscience is no more inthralled ; then- sacrifices are not mixed with their blood, nor do they meet with trembling in the v>^orship of God ? 0 ye " messengers of the nations," this is that which the Lord hath done ! Who, I say, not entangled mth one prejudicate engagement