Several discourses concerning the actual Providence of God. Divided into three parts. The first, treating concerning the notion of it, establshing the doctrine of it, opening the principal acts of it, preservation and government of created beings. With the particular acts, by which it so preserveth and governeth them. The second, concerning the specialities of it, the unseachable things of it, and several observable things in its motions. The third, concerning the dysnoēta, or hard chapters of it, in which an attempt is made to solve several appearances of difficulty in the motions of Providence, and to vindicate the justice, wisdom, and holiness of God, with the reasonableness of his dealing in such motions. / By John Collinges ...

SERMON XXIV.

Psalm CVII. 43.

Whoso is wise, and will observe these things: even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.

I Am still communicating to you, some Observations which I have made, concerning the motions of Divine Providence, not only for your instruction, but to quicken you also to make Observations your selves upon the motion of it, that you may increase in spiritual Wisdom. I proceed to a Tenth Obser∣vation.

Observ. 10. That the Providence of God is eminently seen in the preservation and protection of his faithful Ministers; and such, both amongst them, and other orders of men, who keeping them∣selves within the latitude of their duty, have been great adven∣turers for God in their generations.

1. The Providence of God preserveth both man and beast; it is God that upholdeth our souls in life, and there is no man but in him lives, moves, and hath his being.

2. Nor is there any man that liveth any considerable time in the world, and keepeth any ordinary record of his life; but will see reason, as to say (with David) O Lord! I am fearfully and won∣derfully made; so also, Lord, I have been fearfully and wonderfully preserved. But yet (as I have shewed you) there are special∣ties of Divine Providence: some persons that the Lord seemeth to carry upon eagles wings, and to preserve in a more eminent and special manner; sometimes in a way of miraculous Provi∣dence, sometimes in a way of extraordinary Providence, in a way beyond other men. Now I have long since hinted you three sorts of men, whom God thus preserveth.

1. Such as are Gods Vicegerents, Magistrates, and Rulers of others. This I have abundantly shewed you, when I shewed

you how eminently the Providence of God is seen, both in dis∣covering, and bringing to light; and also in punishing such sins, as tend to the eminent disturbance of humane Societies.

2. Such as God useth for the Ministers of his Word. 3. Such as make the boldest adventures for God, and in his service, keep∣ing themselves within the latitude of their duty. I am to justifie now this Observation to you. I will open it, and prove it, then shew you the reasonableness of Divine Providence in these extra∣ordinary motions. And lastly, I shall make some Applications. First, let me open it to you.

1. It is to be understood of godly, faithful, and painful Mini∣sters, and mostly of such, of whom God hath made, or doth make, or intend to make an eminent use in his Church. As there are no persons more justly a hatred in the house of God, abominable to all men of any sobriety, then leud, or lazy Ministers; so there is nothing of any special Providence promised to them, and it is more than I have observed, if God, as to their issues in the con∣cerns of this world, hath not left them to a common share with others; and if there hath been any difference made by his Pro∣vidence, it hath been to their disadvantage; they are more vile than others, and dishonour God more than others; and God often makes them and their families to smart more than others. It is that which God hath said in the case, Them that honour me, I will honour: and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed, 1 Sam. 2.30. We have had a great deal of enquiry in the times wherein we live, into the causes of the contempt of the Clergy, Lev. 10.2, 3, 4; one hath guest this thing, another that; for my own part, I have been young, and am growing old, I never yet knew a painful able preacher, living an holy and exemplary life, be his perswasion what it would, under a greater contempt than other men: there are some Sons of Belial will contemn all that are not as much Atheists as themselves. If Ministers will regard nothing but striking their flesh-hook with three teeth into the Lords pot, to feed themselves; if they will heap up parsonage upon parsonage, till there be no room left in the Earth; and grasp more souls than they can manage, putting out some to pitiful nurses, where they are starved, and affording the other but dry beasts; if they will make themselves vile, like Hophni and Phineas; it is no wonder if they be contemned by men of any sobriety. The Psalmist, Psal. 15.4. makes it the mark of one

that shall dwell in Gods holy hill, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord; for others, God secureth their honour eminently.

2. Nor is it to be extended to every godly Minister, and at all times. The best of Ministers have their personal sin, for which God may punish them by the common fate of others; God eminently shewed himself for Moses and Aaron in the case of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram: he made the Earth to open its mouth, and to swallow up their opposers; but when they had provoked the Lord at the waters of Meribah, they took their common fate with the rest of the Israelites, and dyed in the wilderness, when they had had no more than a prospect of the promised land. Several instances might be given of eminent Prophets of old, and Ministers of the Gospel, that have perished in common judgments: more especially when it hath pleased God to pick out some of them for Martyrs, and to make them witnesses with their blood, to seal the Truths they have preached. And indeed this special Providence of God hath been most re∣markable, in times, when God hath been beginning some great work, which was the case of the Apostles in the first Plantation of the Gospel; and of those eminent servants of God, which since that time he hath made use of in the reformation of the Church, or upholding the interest of pure and true Religion in a time of great Apostacy and defection.

3. The special Providence of God hath not been seen uniformly in those cases, but several ways.

1. Sometimes in providing food for them, and theirs, whereas otherwise they must have starved, or at least been so employed, as they could not have attended the work of God upon their hands.

2. Sometimes in keeping them from such dangers, which have been very near to them, plucking them as brands out of the fire.

3. Sometimes in the delivering of them out of their Enemies hands, rescuing them from the Lyon, when they have been in his paws: sometimes one way, sometimes another, accordingly as it hath pleased the infinite wisdom of God to work for them.

1. The Providence of God hath been eminently seen in the pro∣viding of necessaries for his Ministers. I need not tell you what special Laws God made in the case of his Ministry among the

Jews; his Priests and Levites were particularly taken care of: but this being the setled maintenance for those that were em∣ployed about the Tabernacle, and the Temple, when the Priests were generally corrupted, and God to uphold a faithful Mini∣stry amongst his people, raised up some extraordinary Prophets, that should faithfully reveal his will unto people, they had little or no advantage, but the Lord never failed to provide for them. He provideth a Shunamite, 2 King. 4.10, that provideth a little chamber, a bed, a table, a stool, and a candle-stick for Elisha. And another widow for Elijah, that had faith enough to believe, that in the time of famine her little meal should not fail from her bar∣rel, nor her oyl from her cruse: He commanded the Ravens to feed the same Prophet by the brook Chereth, 1 King. 17.14. & 4.6. When the brook was dried up, then the Lord commanded the widow to sustain him, vers. 9. The whole time of the Kingdom of Israel, from the time that Jeroboam revolted, until they were carried away captive, was a sad time to faithful Ministers; for all such stood for the instituted worship of God, in opposi∣tion to that at Dan and Bethel; but of all that time, the time of Ahabs reign was the most perillous time: but then God had provided an Obadiah, who took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water, 1 King. 18.5. Under the Gospel, God also declared his will for the main∣tenance of his Ministers. That tythes under the Gospel are due, jure divino, to the Minister, I dare not say; but that a cer∣tain and honourable maintenance is due to them, the Apostle puts beyond all dispute, 1 Cor. 9. And if the government of a nation settleth it by way of tythes, there is no question to be made of the lawfulness, either of giving or taking them: but as the best establishments are subject to mens corruptions; so is this.

The story of Merline, a French Minister, is a known story; being forced several days to save his life, by hiding himself in a hay∣mow, God sends an Hen every day, that laid an egg by him, upon which he lived. The story of Junius I told you, relieved by a Taylor, when he was put to work in the Town-ditch for a livelihood: God raised up a rich Matron to provide for Origen and his family. But what need we look back so far for instan∣ces, of which all Ecclesiastical story is full; when we have such

a plentiful testimony at home. There is no order of men, that God in all ages of the Church hath so strangely and (miracu∣lously almost) provided for, as to the necessaries of life, as for such who have been faithful and painful labourers in the work of his Gospel; they have not been forsaken, their seed have in no scandalous manner begged their bread: but this is but one particular.

2. A second head of instances, which I shall give you to prove this specialty of Divine Providence, shall be the preventing Pro∣vidences of God, warning them some way or other, of evil that hath been towards them, so as they have been able timely to pre∣vent or escape it. Elijah was you know an eminent Prophet of the Lords, and his life was often in danger; but God hid him one while at the brook Cherith, 1 King. 17, after he had deli∣vered that unpleasing Prophecy to Ahab; another time, at Beer∣sheba, after he had made such an havock amongst the Priests of Baal, Chap. 18, 19. God gave him warning of his dangers, and prevented Jezebel's designs. A boy overhears Pauls Enemies conspiring his death, and revealeth it, and he is sent away: at another time he is let down in a basket. Infinite instances might be given you out of other story. Athanasius amongst the an∣cients, and Luther amongst more modern Divines, were emi∣nent instances of this nature. God indeed (as I told you be∣fore) doth not make all his Ministers in times of dangers, such instances of special Providence, but only such as he hath designed to make great and eminent use of.

3. I might also give you as large a proof of this special Pro∣vidence of God, for the Ministers of his Gospel, in his delive∣rance of them out of trouble, when they have been within the paws of the Lyon, and ready to be devoured. And this not always in the same method, nor by the same way and means; sometimes miraculously, as in the case of Elisha, and Elijah, more than once, striking their Enemies with blindness, causing fire to come down from Heaven, and to destroy their Enemies. In the case of Daniel, stopping the mouths of the Lyons. In the case of Peter, the very night before that Herod was fully intended to have murthered him. In later story we have infinite instances

of Gods strange deliverance of faithful Ministers (whom it af∣terward appeared, God designed to make eminent use of) out of their Enemies hands. I remember in the History of the perse∣cution of the Church of Bohemia, we read of an Edict made by Ferdinand, to apprehend all the Protestant-Ministers; upon which many fled into Moravia, and hid themselves; three were taken and kept prisoners in a deep dungeon at Prague: but God by his Providence wrought the escape of one of them, whom he made use of to plant, not less than twenty Protestant-Churches afterwards in Poland. But there would be no end, if I should begin to recite to you all we find in his story of this nature; there can be none so meanly acquainted with Scripture or Histo∣ry, but may confirm himself in this observation. But I added, That the Providence of God hath been also eminently seen in the preservation of those, who have been great adventurers in the cause of God, within the latitude of their duty. A man may adven∣ture in the cause of God, and miscarry in his adventure, and that in two cases: 1. When he adventures without a call from God. 2. When he governeth not himself in his adventure, by the reasonable rules of prudence. Peter made an adventure, when he drew out the sword, and cut off the highest Priest's servants ear: But our Saviour bid him put up the sword into its sheath again; for he that draweth the sword (being a private person) shall perish by the sword. Peter had no call to use the sword in the case: The Magistrate hath a call to use the sword in the execution of just laws. The Minister hath a call to use another sword, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Every Christian hath a call to serve and obey Magistrates, in what is just and lawful, and to perform those duties, which in his private capacity he oweth unto God; to worship God in his family, and to meet often together in the congregation of Gods People, to hear the word, to partake of the Ordinances of God, &c. Now there are times when a godly Magistrate cannot do his duty in punishing of sin, without the adventure of his reputation in a wicked world; the adventure of his estate, his life: when the Minister of the Gospel cannot do his duty, nor the people theirs, without the like adventures: but you shall observe this very ordinary in the Providence of God, he strangely watcheth over, and protecteth such as have a spirit to make boldest adventures, and as strangely rewardeth such. You see it in the whole story

of Scripture, Moses and Aaron were called to go in to Pharaoh, and to demand the dismission of the Israelites; God suffereth not Pharaoh, nor any of his Courtiers (notwithstanding their threats) to do them any hurt. Caleb and Joshuah adventure to bring up a good report of the land of Canaan, God pro∣tecteth them from the mutiny of the people, and they are the only two are suffered to go over into the promised land, Numb. 14.6, 7, 10, 24. Elijah, the three children, and Daniel were great adventurers in the case of God: so was Esther in her go∣ing in to the King, to speak for the Jews: so were the Apostles in the first Plantation of the Gospel. The Providence of God strangely watched over them, and delivered them, as you read in the story of their Acts. A man cannot be too bold, if he keeps within the latitude of his duty. Indeed we read of some whom God strangely watched over, in the doing of some actions, that we cannot evince to have been their duty, as that of Phine∣has, Numb. 25.7, 8. in killing the Moabitish-woman, and the Israelite in the act of adultery. That of Elijah's killing Baals Priests, 1 King. 18; yet God protected them, and rewarded them; there are many things said in the defence of Phinehas and Elijah, to reduce their actions to the ordinary rule of Justice. It is certain, that by the Laws of God, the adulterers ought to have dyed, so also the false Prophets; but for the persons that executed the vengeance of God upon them, all that we can say, is this: Their call was doubtless clear to themselves, their actions were most certainly approved by God: he protects them upon the doing of them, he rewards them for doing of them; but non fue••unt ordinaria, sed facta quaedam extra usum, & ordinem com∣munem; they were not ordinary actions, but depended upon a special call of God. By vertue of such a call too, it doubtless was, that Moses slew the Egyptian, for which St. Stephen justifieth him, Acts 7. But a man cannot be too bold for God, if he keeps within the latitude of his certain duty.

2. Provided secondly, He keepeth to reasonable rules of pru∣dence: our rule obligeth us to be wise as serpents. But I will not enlarge upon this Theme; for the truth is, the Providence of God strangely watcheth over bold adventurers in his cause and service, who have acted under such circumstances, as are hardly reconcileable to what our reason calls Prudence; yet certainly, that will not warrant a rash and imprudent managery

of a good cause. I need not give you more instances than I have done, to justifie this Observation in sacred History. Moses and Aaron, Caleb and Joshuah, Elijah and Elisha, Esther, Daniel, the three Children, all the Apostles afford a plentiful proof of this Observation; and in other stories the instances are without number. Luthers whole life was an instance of this, the Archers shot sorely at him, he ventured as high as any in opposition to them; yet his bow abode in his strength, Luther dyed in his bed in peace.

Nor doth this seem an unreasonable motion of Divine Provi∣dence, if we either consider how far the honour of God is con∣cerned in the upholding and maintaining his Embassadors, and rewarding his servants; or the faithfulness of God in justifying his promises, or the further use that God will make of men in the accomplishment of his designs in the world.

1. Let us but consider the relation wherein the Ministers of Christ stand to him, they are his Missionaries, be hath sent them; as the father hath sent him, so he hath sent them; nay, they are no ordinary servants, they are the Lords Embassadors, they come in Christs name, and as in Christs stead they intreat men to be reconciled unto God. It is beneath the honour of a Prince to suffer an Embassador to starve, or any way to perish for want of that protection which he is able to afford him; indeed, if any run before they are sent, or instead of Gods work to their own, Gods honour is not concerned in them, unless to chastise their presumption, and to take vengeance upon them, as in such a case, no Prince would think himself further concerned: but supposing Ministers of the Gospel to be sent by him, and to be ready faithfully to deliver their masters messages (and this we must suppose and believe, or disown the Scriptures, which ex∣presly assert this), God is highly concerned in point of honour (having power in his hand, and the command of all the hearts of men) to provide for his faithful Ministers, and they shall not want.

2. God (secondly) is not only concerned in honour, as a great King and God above all; but as a God of truth and faithfulness, that can sooner suffer Heaven and Earth to pass away, then a word to fail of what he hath spoken: he hath made many pro∣mises to his faithful servants in the Ministry, and to those that he hath employed in hazardous employments for him; he of old

promised to satiate the souls of his priests with fatness, Jer. 31.14. He of old appointed no inheritance to the sons of Levi, amongst their brethren, because he was their inheritance, as he had pro∣mised them, Deut. 10.9. he hath told them he will cloath them with salvation, Psal. 132.16. he told Jeremiah and Ezekiel he would be with them to deliver them, Jer. 1.7, 8, 18, 19. Ezek. 2.6. He hath told Gospel Ministers, he will be with them to the end of the world, Matth. 28. he hath bidden them take no thought what they should eat, drink, or put on, when he sent out the twelve, Matth. 10.9, 10. he bid them to provide, neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in their purses, nor scrip for their journey, nor two coats, nor shooes, for the workman is worthy of his meat. Now after all this, if God should suffer his Ministers to want bread to sustain their lives, or their families, what would men say of the faithfulness of God?

3. Lastly, Let us but consider God, as having many designs yet to accomplish, a great deal of work yet to be done in the world, to be done by the hands of men, who can imagine God should not emi∣nently protect, and provide for those that are, and have been faithful? who would work for that Master, that will not find them bread? What subject would be free to go as an Embassadour for that Prince, that would never protect him in the faithful discharge of his trust, or reward him proportionably to his af∣fronts or losses? Now God knows that we are flesh, and much led by our sense and reason, and must not be encouraged to our duty only by rewards, which are the objects of our faith; but by sensible rewards, at least to such a proportion as is ne∣cessary to uphold us to our work. It is therefore not to be wondred at, that God should in a way of special Providence, eminently take care of the Ministers of his Gospel: he hath call'd them, and sent them to his work, he hath by that call taken them off from that pursuit of the world, by which others procure them∣selves a livelihood; he hath told them they should live upon his Altar; he hath told us, 1 Cor. 9.7. That no man goeth to a war∣fare at his own charge, none planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof, nor feedeth a flock, and eateth not the milk there∣of: he seeth them out of obedience and conscience to him, re∣fusing the bread they might have: men will not provide for them, he will; Ravens shall bring them meat every day, but they shall

be fed. This is but a reasonable motion of Divine Providence. I shall make a short Application of this discourse.

Ʋse 1. This in the first place lets you see the fountain of that bounty, which the many painful and faithful servants of Christ have experienced in all times, and even in the days wherein we live. It hath pleased God in all times to raise up friends to his faithful Ministers. I remember when Abigail came to meet David, coming against her husband, and had stopt his journey, Da∣vid saith unto her, 1 Sam. 25.32. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee to meet me this day: and blessed be thy ad∣vice, and blessed be thou, &c. First, he blesseth God, then he blesseth her; the faithful servants of God, yea the Churches of God, who by this means enjoy any thing of the labours of their shepherds, have reason to bless those whom God hath made his instruments to support those upon whom others had no pity. Yea verily, and what our Saviour said of the woman that spent her box of Oynt∣ment upon him, I think I may apply here, Wherever the Gospel is preached, what they have done shall be told for a memorial of them. If a cup of cold-water for a thirsty Prophet shall obtain a Prophets reward, the greater kindnesses of many shall certainly be re∣warded; they have but put a little money into the bank which God keeps in Heaven. But we have more reason to look upward to him, who hath the hearts of all men in his hand, and openeth them as he pleaseth. God hath in it shewed his special Providence for his faithful Ministers; let us therefore say, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath stirred them up. It was the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches in Macedonia, which taught them in a great tryal of affliction, and deep poverty, to abound in riches of libe∣rality, and willingly of themselves to give to their power, yea and above their power. Let it be written to posterity, for a memorial of the people in England, that for so many years together, in the midst of a devouring pestilence, many consuming fires, expensive wars, and a deadness of trade, they have refreshed the bowels of so many hundreds (if not thousands) of Gods messengers; but let God have all the glory, who hath given the heart, though their hands distri∣buted the money.

Ʋse 2. In the second place, Let me cry out, O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: O house of Levi, trust in the Lord: Trust in the

Lord, and do good (saith David) so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed, Psal. 37.3. Let us be faithful to our ma∣sters service, and do the work which he hath given us to do, and verily we shall be fed. I cannot say God will provide Coaches, and delicate things for us; but necessaries we shall not want. Herein let us exercise our selves to keep a conscience void of offence, both towards God, and towards men; and as to other things, we may trust a Providebit Deus, God will provide for us and ours. The experience of these times, if wistly attended to, certainly is enough to keep any from being tempted through fear of want, to debauch their consciences, by doing any thing which is apparently sinful, or but so judged and suspected by them. We see some fed with great provisions, faring deliciously every day, whiles others (like Daniel and his partners) have been fed with little more than pulse and water; and at the end of some years it appeareth, they look fairer, as to worldly cir∣cumstances, than those who have had far better commons.

Ʋse 3. Lastly, This observation commendeth confidence and courage to all in the Lords work, in opposition to fear and cowar∣dise. I would not be mistaken, be sure in the first place you be in Gods work, that which by his word appeareth to be the duty of one in thy circumstances: nothing but the conscience of ha∣ving been surprised in the way of our duty, will bear us up un∣der sufferings; be therefore in that point well satisfied: having done that, observe those rules of Prudence which reason directs thee in such cases: this done, fear nothing. Remember the Providence of God most eminently watcheth over the boldest adventurers in the way of their duty. They are the words of our blessed Lord, Mar. 8.35. Whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, and the Gos∣pel, shall save it. They observe in war, that the soldier that turns his back, and flyes, is in much more danger, than he who stands to it; and that nothing makes a conqueror, so much as re∣solution, and bold adventuring: it is so in our spiritual fight with the world; be then of good courage in it, and quit your selves like men; remember God is with you, and if so, there's more with you, than can be against you. God indeed in our com∣bats with the world, doth not always keep us shot-free, and bring us off without a scratch; but those whom he doth bring

off, are ordinarily those who are most valiant and adventurous: however, it is better to fall valiantly, than cowardly; and our Lord hath told us, That if a man will save his life, he shall lose it; if he hath such a mind to sleep in a whole skin, that he will neglect his duty, and do that which his heart condemneth him for doing, he shall lose what he hoped to save by it, be it life, reputation, estate, &c. It speaketh great unbelief, and distrust in God, to be cowards in plain and certain duties. Be prudent, but take heed of forbearing necessary duty out of prudence, or being faint in the performance of it. That can be no prudence: If a man fainteth in the day of adversity, Solomon saith, that his strength is but small, his faith is but small, and his observation of Gods Providence in such cases hath been very small too. But I shall add no more upon this Argument.

Notes

• 2 Cor. 8.1, 2, 3.