The Mystery of Providence

Here you see Providence may give men their heart's desire, and yet they never once open their desires to God in prayer about it. But then those gifts of Providence are only such as are bestowed on the worst of men and are not the fruits of love. Whatever success, prosperity, or comfort men acquire by sinful means and indirect forces are not sanctified mercies to them. This is not the method in which those mercies are bestowed. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. Proverbs 16, verse 8. Better upon this account that it comes in God's way and with His blessing, which never follows the way of sin. God has cursed the ways of sin, and no blessing can follow them. Whatever prosperity and success makes men forget God and cast off the care of duty is not sanctified to them. It is unsanctified prosperity which lulls men asleep into a deep oblivion of God. He made Him ride on the high places of the earth, that He might eat the increase of the fields. And He made Him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock, butter of kind and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of basian and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat. And thou didst drink the pure blood of the great, but Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. Thou art waxen fat, thou art young thick, thou art covered with fatness. Then he forsook God which made him, and rightly esteemed the rock of his salvation. Deuteronomy 32, verses 13-15. Of the rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful, and hath forgotten God that formed thee. Verse 18. There is little stench of sacrifice on the altars of the rich. Impossibility is abused to sensuality, and merely serves as fuel to maintain fleshly lust. It is not sanctified. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Job 21, verses 11-13. It is a sign that prosperity is not sanctified to men, when it swells the heart with pride and self-conceitedness. At the end of twelve months, he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty? Daniel 4, verses 29-30. That success is not sanctified to men, which takes them from off their duty. And makes them wholly negligent, or very much indisposed to it. O generation, see ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We are lords, we will come no more unto thee. Jeremiah 2, verses 31. Nor can we think that prosperity sanctified, which wholly swallows up the souls of men in their own enjoyments, and makes them regardless of public miseries or sins. They lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall. They chant to the sound of the vial, and invent to themselves instruments of music like David. They drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments. But they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph. Amos 6, verses 4-6. Number two, positive. Those mercies and comforts are undoubtedly sanctified to men, which humble their souls kindly before God in the sense of their own vileness and unworthiness of them. And Jacob said, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shown unto thy servant. Genesis 32, verses 9 and 10. Sanctified mercies are commonly turned into cautions against sin. Ezra 9.13. There are so many bands of restraint upon the soul that has them to make them shun sin. They will engage a man's heart in love to the God of his mercies. Psalm 18, verse 1, and also the title. They never satisfy a man as his portion, nor will the soul accept all the prosperity in the world upon that score. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Hebrews 11, verse 26. Nor do they make men regardless of public sins or miseries. Nehemiah 2, verses 1 through 3, compared with Acts 7, verse 23. It is a sure sign that mercies are sanctified when they make the soul more ready and enlarged for God in duty. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat's presence, and he had riches and honor in abundance, and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord. 2 Chronicles, chapter 17, verses 5 and 6. That which is obtained by prayer and returned to God again in due praise carries its own testimonials with it, that it came from the love of God and is a sanctified mercy to the soul. And so much for this third case. How may we attain an evenness and steadiness of spirit under the changes and contrary aspects of providence upon us? Three things are supposed in this case. Number one, that providence has various and contrary aspects upon the people of God. Number two, that it is a common thing with them to experience great disorders of spirit under those changes of providence. Number three, that these disorders may be, at least in a great measure, prevented by the due use and application of those rules and helps that God has given us in such cases. That providence has various, yea, contrary aspects upon the people of God is a case so plain that it needs no more than the mentioning to commend it to all our understandings. Which of all the people of God have not felt this truth? Providence brings the changes all over the world. He increases the nations and destroys them. He enlarges the nations and straightens them again. Job 12, verse 23. The same it does with persons. Thou hast lifted me up and cast me down. Psalm 102, verse 10. See what a sad alteration providence made upon the church. How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people? How is she become as a widow, she that was great among the nations and princess among the provinces? How is she become tributary? Lamentations 1.1 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto you, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Verse 12. And how great an instance was Job of this truth. Job 29 and 30 compared. How many thousands have complained with Naomi, whose condition has been so strangely altered that others have said, as the people of Bethlehem did of her, Is this Naomi? Ruth 1.19 These vicissitudes of providence commonly cause great disorders of spirit in the best of men. As intense heat and cold try the strength and soundness of the constitution of our bodies, so the alterations made by providence upon our conditions try the strength of our graces and too often reveal the weaknesses and corruption of holy men. Hezekiah was a good man, but yet his weakness and corruption was betrayed by the alterations providence made upon his conditions. When sickness and pains summoned him to the grave, what bitter complaints and despondencies are recorded? Isaiah 38. And when providence lifted him up again into a prosperous condition, what ostentation and vain glory did he show? Isaiah 39.2 David had more than a common stock of inherent grace, yet not enough to keep him in an evenness of spirit under great alterations. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. Psalm 30 verses 6 and 7. Is it not every man that can say with Paul, I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound, everywhere and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4 verse 12. He is truly rich in grace, whose riches or poverty neither hinders the acting nor impoverishes the stock of his graces. Though the best men are subject to such disorders of heart under the changes of providence, yet these disorders may in a great measure be prevented by the due application of such rules and helps as God has given us in such cases, and these shall be considered accordingly. How may we attain to an evenness and steadiness of heart under the comfortable aspects of providence upon us? Under providences of this kind, the great danger is lest the heart be lifted up with pride and vanity and fall into a drowsy and remiss condition. To prevent this, we had need urge humbling and awakening considerations upon our own hearts such as the following. These gifts of providence are common to the worst of men and are no special distinguishing fruits of God's love. The vilest of men have been filled even to fullness with these things. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. Think how unstable and changeable all these things are. What you glory in today may be none of yours tomorrow. For riches certainly make themselves wings. They fly away as an eagle towards heaven. As the wings of a fowl grow out of the substance of its body, so the cause of the creature's transitoryness is in itself. It is subjected to vanity, and that vanity like wings carries it away. They are but fading flowers. James 1.10 The change of providences is never nearer to the people of God than when their hearts are lifted up or grown secure by prosperity. Does Hezekiah glory in his treasures? The next news he hears is of an impoverishing providence at hand. Isaiah 39.2-7 Others may be left to perish in unsanctified prosperity, but you shall not. This is a great revelation of the carnality and corruption that is in your heart. It argues a heart little set upon God, little mortified to the world, little acquainted with the vanity and ensnaring nature of these things. Oh, you do not know what hearts you have till such providences try them. And is not such a discovery matter of deep humiliation? Was it not better with you in a low condition than it is now? Reflect and compare state with state and time with time. How is the frame of your hearts altered with the alteration of your condition? So God complains of Israel, I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. According to their pasture so were they filled. They were filled, and their heart was exalted. Therefore have they forgotten me. Isaiah 13.5-6 As much as to say, you and I were better acquainted formerly when you were in a low condition. Prosperity has estranged you and altered the case. How sad it is that God's mercies should be the occasion of our estrangement from Him. How may our hearts be established and kept steady under calamitous and adverse providences? Here we are in equal danger of the other extreme, that is, despondency and sinking under the frowns and strokes of contrary providences. Now to support and establish the heart in this case, consider the following. Afflictive providences are of great use to the people of God. They cannot live without them. The earth does not need more chastening frosts and mellowing snows than our hearts do nipping providences. Let the best Christian be but a few years without them, and he will be aware of the need of them. He will find a sad remissness and declining upon all his graces. No stroke of calamity upon the people of God can separate them from Christ. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Romans 8.35 There was a time when Job could call nothing in this world his own but trouble. He could not say, My estate, my honor, my health, my children, for all these were gone. Yet then he could say, My Redeemer. Chapter 19, verse 25 Well then, there is no cause to sink while interest in Christ remains sure to us. All your calamities will have an end shortly. The longest day of the saints' troubles has an end, and then no more troubles forever. The troubles of the wicked will be to eternity, but you shall suffer but a little while. 1 Peter 5.10 If a thousand troubles are appointed for you, they will come to one at last, and after that no more. Yea, and though our light afflictions are but for a moment, yet they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4.17 Let that support your hearts under all your sufferings. Next, let us consider what may be useful to support and quiet our hearts under doubtful providences when our dear concerns hang in a doubtful suspense before us, and we do not know which way the providence of God will cast and determine them. Now the best hearts are apt to grow concerned and pensive, distracted with anxiety about the event and outcome. To relieve and settle us in this case, the following considerations are very useful. Let us consider the vanity and uselessness of such anxiety. Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature? Matthew 6.27 We may break our peace and waste our spirits, but not alter the case. We cannot turn God out of His way. He is in one mind. Job 23.13 We may, by struggling against God, increase, but not avoid or lighten our troubles. How often do we afflict and torment ourselves by our own restless thoughts when there is no real cause or ground for so doing, and have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy, and where is the fury of the oppressor? Isaiah 51.13 Oh, what abundance of disquiet and trouble might we prevent by waiting quietly till we see the issues of providence, and not bringing, as we do, the evils of the morrow upon today. How great a ground of quietness it is that the whole disposal and management of all our affairs and concerns is in the hand of our own God and Father. No creature can touch us without His commission or permission. Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. John 19.11 Neither men nor devils can do anything without God's leave, and be sure He will sign no order to your prejudice. How great satisfaction must it be to all that believe the divine authority of the Scripture that the faithfulness of God stands engaged for every line and syllable found therein. And how many blessed lines in the Bible may we mark that respect even our outward concerns and the happy issue of them all. Upon these two grounds, that is, that our outward concerns with their steady direction to a blessed end is found in the Word, and this Word being of divine authority, the faithfulness and honor of God stands good for every tittle that is found there. I say these are grounds of such stability that our minds may repose with the greatest security and confidence upon them even in the cloudiest day of trouble. Not only your eternal salvation, but your temporal interests are there secured. Be quiet, therefore, in the confidence of a blessed outcome. How great and sure a means have the saints ever found it to their own peace to commit all doubtful outcomes of providence to the Lord, and devolve all their cares upon Him. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16.3 By works he means any doubtful, intricate, perplexing business about which our thoughts are wracked and tortured. Roll all these upon the Lord by faith. Leave them with Him, and the present immediate benefit you shall have by it, besides the comfort in the last issue, shall be tranquility and peace in your thoughts. And who is there of any standing or experience in religion that has not found it so? How may a Christian work his heart into resignation to the will of God when sad providences approach him and forebode great troubles and afflictions coming on toward him? For the right stating and resolving of this important case, it will be needful to show what is not included and intended in the question, what it does suppose and include in it, and what help and directions are necessary for the due performance of this great and difficult duty. It must be premised that the question does not suppose the heart or will of a Christian to be at his own command and disposal in this matter. We cannot resign it and subject it to the will of God whenever we desire so to do. The duty indeed is ours, but the power by which alone we perform it is God's. We act as we are acted upon by the Spirit. It is with our hearts, as with meteors hanging in the air by the influence of the sun. While that continues, they abide above, but when it fails, they fall to the earth. We can do this and all things else, however difficult, through Christ that strengthens us. Philippians 4.13 But without him we can do nothing. John 15.5 He does not say, Without me ye can do but little, or without me ye can do nothing but with great difficulty, or without me ye can do nothing perfectly, but without me ye can do nothing at all. And every Christian has a witness in his own breast to attest this truth, for there are cases frequently occurring in the methods of providence in which, notwithstanding all their prayers and desires, all their reasonings and strivings, they cannot quiet their hearts fully in the disposal and will of God, but on the contrary they find all their endeavors in this matter to be but as the rolling of a returning stone against the hill. Till God say to the heart, Be still, and to the will, Give up, nothing can be done. Let us consider what this case does suppose and include in it, and we shall find that it supposes the people of God to have a foresight of troubles and distresses approaching and drawing near to them. I confess it is not always so, for many of our afflictions as well as comforts come upon us by way of surprise, but often we have forewarning of troubles both public and personal before we feel them. As the weather may be discerned by the face of the sky, when we see a morning sky red and lowering, this is a natural sign of a foul and rainy day. Matthew 16 verse 3 So there are as certain signs of the times by which we may discern when trouble is near, even at the door. And these forewarnings are given by the Lord to awaken us to our duties, by which they may either be prevented, or sanctified and sweetened to us when they come. These signs and notices of approaching troubles are gathered partly from the observation and collation of parallel scripture cases and examples, God generally holding one tenor and steady course in the administrations of his providence in all ages, and partly from the reflections Christians make upon the attitude and disposition of their own hearts, which greatly need awakening, humbling, and purging providences. For let a Christian be but a few years or months without a rod, and how formal, earthly, dead in vain will his heart grow. And such a disposition presages affliction to them that are beloved of the Lord, as really as the giving or sweating of the stones does rain. Lastly, the ordering and disposing of the next causes into a posture and preparation for our trouble, plainly warns us that trouble is at the door. Thus when the symptoms of sickness begin to appear on our own bodies, the wife of our bosom, or our children, that are as our own souls, providence herein awakens our expectations of death and doleful separations. So when enemies combine together and plot the ruin of our liberties, estates, or lives, and God seems to lose the bridle of restraint upon our neck, we cannot but be alarmed with the near approach of troubles, especially when at the same time our conscience reflects upon the abuse and non-improvement of these, our threatened comforts. The case before us supposes that these premonitions and forerunners of affliction do usually very much disturb the order and break the peace of our souls. They put the mind under great discomposure, the thoughts under much distraction, and the affections into tumult and rebellion. Ah, how unwilling we are to surrender to the Lord the loan which He lent us, to be disquieted by troubles when at ease in our enjoyments! How unwelcome are the messengers of affliction to the best of men! We are ready to say to them, as the widow to Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? And this arises partly from the remains of corruption in the best of souls, for though every sanctified person is come by his own consent into the kingdom, and under the government and scepter of Christ, and every thought of his heart by right must be subjected to him, yet in fact the conquest and power of grace is but incomplete and in part, and natural corruption, like Jeroboam with his vain men, rises up against it and causes many mutinies in the soul, while grace, like young Abijah, is weak-handed and cannot resist them, and partly from the advantage Satan makes upon the season to irritate and assist our corruptions. He knows that what is already in motion is the more easily moved. In this confusion and hurry of thoughts he undiscerningly slips in his temptations, sometimes aggravating the evils which we fear with all the thinking and overwhelming circumstances imaginable, sometimes divining and forecasting such events and evils as happily never fall out, sometimes repining at the disposals of God as more severe to us than others, and sometimes reflecting with very unbelieving and unworthy thoughts upon the promises of God and his faithfulness in them, by all which the affliction is made to sink deep into the soul before it actually comes. The thoughts are so disordered that duty cannot be duly performed, and the soul is really weakened and disabled to bear its trial when it comes indeed, just as if a man should be kept waking and restless all the night, with the thoughts of his hard journey which he must travel tomorrow, and so when tomorrow is come he faints midway on his journey for want of rest. It is here supposed to be the Christian's great duty, under the apprehensions of approaching troubles, to resign his will to God's and quietly commit the events and their outcome to him, whatever they may prove. Thus did David in the like case and circumstances. And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it and his habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. 2 Samuel 15 verses 25 and 26 O lovely and truly Christian attitude! As much as to say, Go, Zadok, return with the ark to its place, though I have not the symbol, yet I hope I shall have the real presence of God with me in this sad journey. How he will dispose the events of this sad and doubtful providence I know not. Either I shall return again to Jerusalem, or I shall not. If I do, then I shall see it again, and enjoy the Lord in his ordinances there. If I do not, then I shall go to that place where there is no need or use of those things. And either way it will be well for me. I am content to refer all to the divine pleasure, and commit the issue, be it whatever it will, to the Lord. Until our hearts come to the like resolve, we can have no peace within. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16 verse 3 By works he means not only every enterprise and business we undertake, but every puzzling, intricate, and doubtful event we fear. These being once committed by an act of faith, and our wills resigned to his, besides the comfort we shall have in the issue, we shall have the present advantage of a well composed and peaceful spirit. But this resignation is the difficulty. There is no doubt of peace. Could we once bring our hearts to that? And therefore, I shall here give such helps and directions as may, through God's blessing, and in the faithful use of them, assist and facilitate this great and difficult work. Labor to work into your hearts a deep and fixed sense of the infinite wisdom of God, and your own folly and ignorance. This will make resignation easy to you. Whatsoever the Lord does is by counsel. Ephesians 1.11 His understanding is infinite. Psalm 147 verse 5 His thoughts are very deep. Psalm 92 verse 5 But as for man, yea, the wisest among men, how little does his understanding penetrate the works and designs of providence. And how often we are forced to retract our rash opinions, and confess our mistakes, and to acknowledge that if providence had not seen with better eyes than ours, and looked farther than we did, we had precipitated ourselves into a thousand mischiefs, which by its wisdom and care we have escaped. It is well for us that the seven eyes of providence are ever awake, and looking out for our good. Now if one creature can and ought to be guided and governed by another that is more wise and skillful than himself, as the client by his learned counsel, the patient by his skillful physician, much more should every one give up his weak reason and shallow understanding to the infinite and omniscient God. It is nothing but our pride and arrogance, overvaluing our own understandings, that makes resignation so hard. Carnal reason seems to itself a wise disputant about the concerns of the flesh. But how often has providence baffled it. The more humility, the more resignation. How few of our mercies and comforts have been foreseen by us. Our own projects have come to nothing, and that which we never thought of or contrived has taken place. Not our choice of the ground, nor skill in weighing and delivering the bowl, but some unforeseen providence, like a rub in the green, was that which made the cast. Deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your own thoughts about the issues of doubtful providences. There is much sin in so doing, for all our anxious and agitated emotions, what are they other than the immediate outcome and fruits of pride and unbelief? There is not a greater display of pride in the world than in the contest of our wills with the will of God. It is a presumptuous invading of God's prerogative to dictate to his providence and prescribe to his wisdom. There is a great deal of vanity in it. All the thoughtfulness in the world will not make one hair white or black. All our discontents will not prevail with God to call back, or as the word may be rendered, make void his word. Isaiah 31 verse 2 He is in one mind. Job 23 verse 13 The thoughts of his mind are from everlasting. Psalm 33 verse 11 Set before you those choice scripture patterns of submission to the Lord's will, in as deep, yea, much deeper points of self-denial than this before you, and shame yourselves out of this quarreling attitude with providence. You know what a close trial that providence was to Abraham that called him from his native country and father's house to go he knew not where. And yet it is said that he came to God's foot, as readily obeying his call as a servant when his master knocks for him with his foot. Isaiah 41 verse 2 Paul's voyage to Jerusalem had a dismal aspect upon himself. He could expect nothing but bonds and prisons, as he tells us. Acts 20 verse 23 And a great trial it was to the saints, who could not tell how to give up such a minister. Yet he resigns up his will to God. Chapter 20 verse 22 And so do they. The will of the Lord be done. Chapter 21 verse 14 But far beyond these and all other patterns, what an example has our dear Lord Jesus set before us in the deepest point of self-denial that ever was in the world. When the Father gave the cup of sufferings into his hands in the garden, a cup of wrath, the wrath of the great and terrible God, and that without mixture, the very taste of which put nature into an agony and astonishment, a sore amazement, a bloody sweat, and forced from him that vehement and sad cry, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee. Take away this cup from me, yet still with submission. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. Mark 14 verse 36 O blessed pattern of obedience and resignation to the pleasure of God, what is your case in comparison to this? Study the singular benefits and advantages of a will resigned up and melted into the will of God. Such a spirit has a continual Sabbath within itself. The thoughts are established, Proverbs 16 verse 3, and truly till a man comes to this, he does but too much resemble the devil, who is a restless spirit seeking rest, but finding none. It was an excellent expression of Luther to one that was much perplexed in his spirit about the doubtful events of some affairs of his that were then depending. The Lord shall do all for thee, and thou shalt do nothing, but be the Sabbath of Christ. It is by this means that the Lord giveth his beloved sleep. Psalm 127 verse 2 He does not mean the sleep of the body, but of the spirit. As one has said on this verse, Though believers live in the midst of many troubles here, yet with quiet and composed minds they keep themselves in the silence of faith, as though they were asleep. Besides, it fits a man's spirit for communion with God in all his afflictions, and this alleviates and sweetens them beyond anything in the world. And surely a man is never nearer the mercy he desires, or the deliverance he expects, as one truly observes, than when his soul is brought into a submissive attitude. David was never nearer the kingdom than when he became as a weaned child. Think how repugnant and unsubmissive attitude is both to your prayers and professions. You pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and yet when it seems contrary to your will or interest, you struggle or fret against it. You profess to have committed your souls to his keeping, and to leave your eternal concerns in his hands, yet cannot commit these infinitely less valuable unto him. How contradictory are these things! You profess as Christians to be led by the Spirit, but this practice shows you follow the perverse counsels of your own spirits. O then, regret no more, dispute no more, but lie down meekly at your Father's feet, and say in all cases and at all times, The will of the Lord be done. And this I have, through the aid of providence, performed what I design to speak from this scripture. I acknowledge that my performances have been accompanied with much weakness, yet I have endeavored to speak of providence the things that are right. Blessed be the Lord who has thus far assisted and protected me in this work. How providence will dispose of my life, liberty, and labors for time to come I know not, but I cheerfully commit all to him who has hitherto performed all things for me. Psalm 57 verse 2 Chapter 13 The Advantages of Recording Our Experiences of Providence In consideration of the great and manifold advantages resulting from a humble and careful observation of providence, I cannot but judge it the concern of Christians that have time and ability for such a work, to keep written memorials or journals of providence by them, for their own and others' use and benefit. For want of collecting and communicating such observations, not only ourselves, but the Church of God is greatly impoverished. Some say the art of medicine was acquired and perfected thus. When anyone had met with some rare medicinal herb and accidentally discovered the virtues of it, he would post it up in some public place, and so the physician attained his skill by a collection of those posted experiments and recipes. I am not for posting up all that a Christian knows or meets with in his experience, for, as I have said before, religion does not lay all open. Yet there is a prudent, humble, and seasonable communication of our experiences and observations of providence, which is exceedingly beneficial both to ourselves and our brethren. If Christians, in reading the Scriptures, would judiciously collect and record the providences they shall meet with there, and its destitute of other helps, but add those that have fallen out in their own time and experience, oh, what a precious treasure would these make! What an antidote would it be to their souls against the spreading atheism of these days, and satisfy them beyond what many other arguments can do, that the Lord, He is the God, the Lord, He is the God. 1 Kings 18 verse 39 While this work was under my hand, I was both delighted and assisted by a pious and youthful essay of an unknown author, who has to a very good purpose used many scriptural passages of providence, which seem to lie out of the road of common observation. Some passages I have noted out of it have been sweet to me. Oh, that Christians would everywhere set themselves to such a work! Providence carries our lives, liberties, and concerns in its hand every moment. Your bread is in its cupboard, your money in its purse, your safety in its unfolding arms, and surely it is the least part of what you owe to record the favors you receive at its hands. Do not trust your slippery memories with such a multitude of remarkable passages of providence as you have, and shall meet with in your way to heaven. It is true things that greatly affect us are not easily forgotten by us, and yet how ordinary is it for new impressions to raise out former ones. It was a saying of that worthy man, Dr. Harris, My memory never failed me in all my life, for indeed, I dare not trust it. Written memorials secure us against that hazard, and besides, make them useful to others when we are gone, so that you do not carry away all your treasure to heaven with you, but leave those choice legacies to your surviving friends. Certainly were it not so great a loss to lose your silver, your goods, and properties, as it is to lose your experiences which God has this way given you in this world. Take heed of clasping up those rich treasures in a book, and thanking it enough to have noted them there, but have frequent recourse to them as oft as new needs, fears, or difficulties arise and assault you. Now it is reasonable to consider and reflect, Was I never so distressed before? Is this the first plunge that ever befell me? Let me consider the days of old, the years of ancient times, as Asaph did. Psalm 77 verse 5 Beware of slighting former straits and dangers in comparison with present ones. That which is next to us always appears greatest to us, and as time removes us farther and farther from our former mercies or dangers, so they grow less in our eyes, just as the land does from those who sail. Know that your dangers have been as great, and your fears no less formerly than now. Make it as much your business to preserve the sense and value as the memory of former providences and the fruit will be sweet to you. This is the end of the book. www.swrb.com We can also be reached by email at swrb at swrb.com by phone at 780-450-3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6L3T5 You may also request a free printed catalog. Remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 7.31, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to his commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship, in which they absurdly exercise themselves, would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying his word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind. As though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.