Ser. 138. fatisfied and contented with the difpofals of his providence whatever they be.

You fee then the nature of the duty which the Apoftle here exhorts to, viz. That after all prudent care and diligence have been used on our parts, we should not be difquieted in our minds about the event of things, but leave them to God, who hath the care of us, and of all our concernments. Which is the

II. Thing I propofed to fpeak to, and which I intend chiefly to infift upon, viz. The argument which the Apoftle here ufeth to perfuade us to this duty, of cafting all our care upon God, because it is he that careth for us: and this implies in it these two things:

1. In general, that the providence of God governs the world, and concerns itself in the affairs of men, and difpofeth of all events that happen to us.

2. More particularly, that this providence is peculiarly concerned for good men, and that he takes a fpecial care of them and their concerns; he careth for you. The Apoftle fpeaks this to them, not only as men, but as Chriftians. And thus the Pfalmist, from whom these words feem to be taken, does apply and limit this promife; Caft thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall fuftain thee; he shall never fuffer the righteous to be moved.

.

1. That God taketh care of us, implies in general, that the providence of God governs the world, and concerns itself in the affairs of men, and difpofeth of all events that happen to us. I fhall not now enter upon a large proof of the providence of God; that is too large and intricate an argument for a fhort difcourfe, and hath a great deal of nicety and difficulty in it; and though it be a fundamental principle of religion, and hath been almoft generally entertained and believed by mankind, and that upon very good reafon yet because the vindication of many parti cular appearances of providence, does in a great meafure depend upon a full view and comprehenfion of the whole defign, therefore we muft neceffarily refer ourselves for full fatisfaction, as to several difficulties and objections, to the other world, when we

fhall

fhall fee God's works, together with the relation of every part to the whole defign, and then many parti cular paffages, which may now feem odd and crooked, as we look upon them by themselves, will in relati on to the whole appear to have a great deal of reafon and regularity in them.

Therefore I fhall at prefent only briefly, and in the general, fhew that it is very credible, that there is a wife providence that governs the world, and interefts itself in the affairs of men, and difpofeth of all events which happen to us.

And I defire it may be obferved in the entrance upon this argument, that the handling of this queftion concerning providence, doth fuppofe the being of God, and that he made the world, as principles already known and granted, before we come to dispute of his providence; for it would be in vain to argue about the providence of God, with those who queftion his being, and whether the world was made by him: But fuppofing thefe two principles, that God is, and that he made the world, it is very credible that he fhould take care of the government of it, and efpecially of one of the nobleft parts of it, the race of mankind. For we cannot believe, that he, who employed fo much power and wisdom in the raising of this great and magnificent pile, and furnishing every part of it with fuch variety of creatures, fo exquifitely, and fo wifely fitted for the ufe and fervice of one another, fhould fo foon as he had perfected it, forfake his own workmanship, and take no further care of it; efpecially confidering that it is no trouble and difquiet to him, either to take notice of what is done here below, or to interpofe for the regulating of any diforders that may happen; for infinite knowledge, and wifdom, and power can do this with all imaginable eafe, knows all things, and can do all things, without any disturbance of its own happinefs.

And this hath always been the common apprehenfion of mankind, that God knows all things and obferves every thing that is done in the world, and when he pleafeth, interpofes in the affairs of it. It VOL. VI.

K k

is

is true indeed, the Epicureans did deny that God either made the world or governs it; and therefore wife men always doubted whether they did indeed believe the being of God, or not; but being unwilling to incur the danger of fo odious an opinion, they were content, for fashion fake, to own his be ing, provided they might take away the best and moft fubftantial arguments for the proof of it. The reft of the Philofophers owned a providence, at least a general providence, that took care of great and more important matters, but did not defcend to a conftant and particular care of every perfon, and every little event belonging to them, Interdum curiofus fingulorum, fays Tully; Now and then when he pleafes, he takes care of particular perfons, and their Leffer concernments; but many of them thought that God did generally neglect the smaller and more inconfiderable affairs of the world, Dii minora negli gunt,neque agellos fingulorum & viticulas perfequuntur, The Gods overlook smaller matters, and do not mind every man's little field and vine. Such imperfect apprehenfions had they of the providence of God. And though they would feem hereby to confult the dignity and eafe of the Deity, by exempting him from the care and trouble of leffer matters, yet, in truth and reality, they caft a dishonourable reflexion upon him, as if it were a burden to infinite knowledge, and power, and goodness, to take care of every thing.

But now divine revelation hath put this matter out of doubt, by affuring us of God's particular care of all perfons and events. Our Saviour tells us, that God's providence extends to the least and most inconfiderable creatures, To the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is caft into the oven, Mat. vi. 30. To the fowls of the air, and that to the least of them, even to the Sparrows, two of which are fold for a farthing, and yet not one of them falleth to the ground without God, Mat. x. 29. Much more doth the providence of God extend to men, which are creatures far more confiderable, and to the very leaft thing that belongs to us, to the very hairs of our head,

which are all numbred; the loweft inftance that can

be thought on.

So that the light of nature owns a more general providence; and divine revelation hath rectified thofe imperfect apprehenfions which men had about it, and hath fatisfied us, that it extends itself to all particulars, and even to the least things and moft inconfiderable. And this is no ways incredible, confidering the infinite perfection of the divine nature, in refpect of which, God can with as much and greater eafe take care of every thing, than we can do of any one thing; and the belief of this is the great foundation of religion. Men therefore pray to God for the good they want, and to be freed from the evils they fear, because they believe that he always regards and hears them. Men therefore make confcience of their duty, becaufe they believe God ob ferves them, and will reward and punish their good and evil deeds. So that take away the providence of God, and we pull down one of the main pillars upon which religion ftands; we rob ourselves of one of the greatest comforts, and beft refuges in the afflictions and calamities of this life, and of all our hopes of happiness in the next.

And though there be many diforders in the world, efpecially in the affairs of man, the moft irregular and intractable piece of God's creation; yet this is far from being a fufficient objection against the providence of God, if we confider that God made man a free creature, and capable of abufing his liberty, and intends this prefent life for a ftate of trial in order to another, where men fhall receive the just recompence of their actions here: And then if we confider that many of the evils and disorders, which God permits to happen, are capable of being overruled by him to a greater good, and are made many times to ferve wife and excellent purposes, and that the providence of God does fometimes vifibly and remarkably interpofe, for the prevention and remedy of great diforders and confufions; I fay, confidering all this, it is no blemish to the divine providence, to permit many of these irregularities K k 2

which

Ser. 138. which are in the world, and fuffer the fates of good and bad men to be fo cross and unequal in this life. For fuppofing another life after this, wherein men fhall come to an account, and every man fhall receive the just recompence of his actions, there will then be a proper feafon and full opportunity of setting all things ftraight, and no man fhall have reason then, either to glory in his wickednefs, or to com. plain of his fufferings in this world. This is the first, that God's providence governs the world, and interefts itself in the affairs of men, and disposeth of all events that happen to them; and this is a very good reafon why we fhould caft our particular cares upon him, who hath undertaken the government of the whole.

2. The providence of God is more peculiarly concerned for good men, and he takes a more particu lar and efpecial care of them. The Apoftle fpeaks this to Chriftians, Caft all your care on him, for he careth for you. And this David limits in a more peculiar manner to good men; Caft thy burden upon the Lord, and he will fuftain thee; he shall ne ver fuffer the righteous to be moved.

The providence of God many times preferves good men from thofe evils which happen to others, and by a peculiar and remarkable interpofition, refcues them out of thofe calamities which it fuffers others to fall into; and God many times blefseth good men with remarkable profperity and fuccess in their affairs. To which purpofe there are innumerable declarations and promifes in the holy fcriptures, fo well known, that I fhall not trouble you with the recital of them.

Notwithstanding which, it cannot be denied, that good men fall into many evils, and are haraffed with great afflictions in this world but then the providence of God ufually ordereth it fo, that they are armed with great patience to bear them, and find great comfort and fupport under them, and make better ufe and improvement of them than others fo that one way or other they turn to their advantage. So the Apoftle affures us, Rom. viii.