cxxxviii.

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

II. Thing I proposed to speak to, and which I intend chiefly to infift upon, viz. The argument which the apostle here useth 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 apostle speaks this to them, not only as men, but as Chriftians. And thus the pfalmift, from whom these words feem to be taken, does apply and limit this promife; "Caft thy bur"then upon the LORD, and he fhall fuftain thee; "he fhall 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 disposeth 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 short discourse, and hath a great deal of nicety and difficulty in it; and though it be a fundamental principle of religion, and hath been almost generally entertained and believed by mankind, and that upon very good

reafon;

reafon; yet because the vindication of many particu- S ERM. lar appearances of providence, does in a great meafure depend upon a full view and comprehenfion of the whole defign, therefore we must neceffarily refer ourselves, for full fatisfaction, as to feveral difficulties and objections, to the other world, when we shall see God's works, together with the relation of every part to the whole design, and then many particular paffages, which may now feem odd and crooked, as we look upon them by themselves, will, in relation to the whole, appear to have a great deal of reason 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 observed 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 difpute of his providence; for it would be vain to argue about the providence of GoD, with those who queftion his being, and whether "the world

was made by him:" But fupposing these two principles, "that God is," and " that he made the "world," it is very credible that he should take care of the government of it, and especially 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 raifing 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

SER M. fo foon as he had perfected it, forfake his own workcxxxviii. manship, and take no farther care of it; especially

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 wisdom, and power, can do all things with all imaginable ease, knows all things, and can do all things, without any disturbance of it's own happiness.

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 pleaseth, interposes in the affairs of it. It 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 unwil-ling to incur the danger of fo odious an opinion, they were content, for fashion fake, to own his being, provided they might take away the best and most substantial 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 pleases, he takes care of particular persons, and their leffer concernments; but many of them thought that God did generally neglect the fmaller and more inconfiderable affairs of the world, Dii minora negligunt neque agellos fingulorum & viticulas perfequuntur, "the gods overlook finaller matters, and "do not mind every man's little field and vine.” Such imperfect apprehenfions had they of the provi

dence

cxxxviii.

dence of GOD. And though they would feem here- SER M. by to confult the dignity and ease of the Deity, by exempting him from the care and trouble of leffer matters, yet, in truth and reality, they caft a difhonourable reflection upon him, as if it were a bur then 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 leaft and most inconfiderable creatures; " to the grafs of the "field, which to day is, and to morrow is caft in"to the oven," Mat. vi. 30. "To the fowls of "the air," and that to the leaft of them, even to "the fparrows, 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 least thing that belongs to us, " to the very hairs "of our head, which are all numbered;" the lowest instance that can be thought on.

So that the light of nature owns a more general providence; and divine revelation hath rectified those imperfect apprehenfions which men had about it, and hath fatisfied us, that it extends itself to all particulars, and even to the leaft 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 ease 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 VOL. VIII. from

K

cxxxviii.

SER M. from the evils they fear, because they believe that he always regards and hears them. Men therefore make confcience of their duty, because they believe GoD obferves 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 ourfelves of one of the greatest comforts, and best refuges in the afflictions and calamities of this life, and of all our hopes of happiness in the next.

And though there be many disorders 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 flate 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 dces 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 thofe irregularities which are in the world, and fuffer the fates of good and bad men to be fo crofs 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 fetting all things ftrait, and no man fhall have reafon then, either to glory