Spiritual PerfeC!ion. Confequcnce, that the Divine Providence, that reaches to the f~iling of a SparrO\v, is much more concern'd for his People; accordin~ly cnco .ur~ges his Difcipfes, Fe~r not , 1~ 4rt of more "..alue than many SparroWs . God tJ the Savzo11r of a/i Mm , efpectal!J of tlio(e who believe. Now as when the reafon of a Command has a direa afpea upon us, it more flrongly binds us to obey God; fo when the rea fon of a Promife has a peculiar refpefr ro us, it engages God more flrongly ro prelerve us. God has a Right to all Mankind by a general Tenure, but a fpwal lnterefl in the Godly. He is the King of Nations, and t he King of Saints : 'Tis his dearef! Title, above all the Tides of Majefiy a{Cribcd to him. They are precious in his etl~em, his Treafure, hiJ Yeweli, Exod. r9. . the moll valuable pa.rt of his Tr e~fi.Jre, the 1ewels ~f htJ Crown, the mort. ~ad i Jnt an? ~~t ~· rich Je we ls. l'ropnety and Prec10ufnefS engage htS powerful and propu10us Prov_t- 1 dcnce for their Good. They are expoled to many Evils for their Relation ro !urn thm Heavenly l'at her, and for his Image fhining in t hem : For thy fake .ve art killed all the daJ long , They are hke a flock of Sheep amon~ Wolves and Tigers, unable to defend rhemfdve~ . Hi l cornpl ffionate Love excites h1s Power for their prefervation. The 'Z,:al of the L ord of Hojls {ball do this. His Love inclines him, and his Promife engages him never to leave· nor forfake them: When they are ready to defpair, he is ready to del iver Now the firm belief of the univerfal Providence of God, and his fpecial Care for his People, is like a Rudder to a Ship, without which 'tis conltrained to yield to every Storm; but guided by it, fails with every Wind to its deogn'd Port. When God enter' cl into a Covenant with Ahraham, he affures him, I am the almif!.hty Gen. r7 r. God, walk before mt and be per{eff. Every defleaion from our Duty, proceeds either from t he hope of obtaining fome temporal Good, or the fear of incurring fame temporal Evil: Tbcfe_ Paffions are very forcible in Mens Breafls. We fee how powerful they are in fenfittve Creatures ; even in a Greyhound's couding a Hare, Hope adds Wings to the Feet of the one, and Fear adds Wings to the Feet of the other: Men without Faith in God, will break through his Laws, when Temptations work on their Hope or Fear; for they are under the dominion of Seofe : But the belief of God's Allfufficienc y, t hat he is a Sun to [ttpply us with all truly defirable good things, a Shield to {<cure us from all deflruaive Evils, confirms our Dependance on him, and ingages our Obed ience to him. 1 This conduces to our prefent Peace, and future BleffednefS. There are fecret fprings of Providence that work fomedmes ~n an extraordinary manner for the preferving his People. 'Joftph was railed from a Pnfon to a Principality. The poor Prophet was fed by a Raven, when the wicked King was like to flarve in his Palace. The malicious deogn of Haman , to deflroy the whole Nation of the 'Jtws, was fruflrated, and reflexively pernicious to himfelf, by a flrange concurrence of Circumflances, ordered by Divine Providence. The faithful Companions of Danitl, who reogn'd themlelves to his Will and Wifdom, were refcued from the Furnace and Fury of the proud King by an Ange l. But many times the Saints of God are involved in common Calamities: Inundations, Earthquakes, the Peftilemial Air, Sword, Famine, mah:e no difference between the in~ nocent and the guilty: Tht S11n rifes upon the tvil, and t!Jt good; the Thunder falls on the good and evil: Nay, as our Sav10ur tel~s his Difc iples, Thq {hail weep and la · John ns. ~d. ment, rvhm the ff!orld rejoices: But he comforts them with the atTurance, that their Sorrorv{ha/1 be t11rnd into Joy. The Apollle declares, MTt knorv all things wgrk togethtr Rom. s. ~s . for good to them that lovt God. There are myfierious depths in the Oeconomy of Providence, that the fhort Line of our Reafon cannot found: But we may rely upon the Promi f< of God, who can bring Light out of Darknef. · We have an illuflrious proof of his univerfal. Providence,_ in the regular difpofal of Nat.ural Caules, fuperior, middle, and lowefl, tn fuch a umon, that from the mfuperable D1fcord of Natures, the infuperable Concord of Operattons proceeds, for the preferving of the World. The AffiiClions of the Sa ints are med ici nal to prevent or recover them from Sin: And wha t Man of Underflmd ing does not elteem his Phyfician, that prefcribes bitter Remedies for his Health, before a Cool<, that prepares things pleafant to his Tafle. Faith fees the Love of a Father through a Cloud of Tears ; and that he is as gracious when he correas us f~r our Tranfgreffions, as when he incourages us in his Service. In the Sufferings of h1s People from the wickednefS and wills of their Enemies, his Wifdom and Power appear in ordering them for excellent Eff'eEts : For the fame things that increafc the Gu il e and Puni01mcr.t of their Enemies, increafe the Graces and Reward of the Saints. 7h~fe light Alflitiiom th4t are b4t for A moment, work OM for them an exceea'ing eternal 2 Cor. i • 1 • rmght of Glory. . When all the Fol?s of Providence fhall be opened, we lhall cl ea rly und_erltand every D1fpenfauon was as 1t ought to be, and for the bell. The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=