posing of the things and concernments of men in the world, that require this humbling of ourselves to him, as being no way able to grapple with him: (1st.) Visible confusion; (2dly.) Unspeakable variety; (3dly.) Sudden alterations ; (4thly.) Deep distresses.

(1st.) Visible confusion, like that mentioned, Isa. viii. 22. He that takes a view of the general state of things in the world, will see nothing but trouble, darkness, and anguish ;;

yea, darkness cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.' The oppression of tyrants, wasting of nations, destruction of men and beasts, fury and desolations, make up the things of the past and present ages. The greatest and choicest parts of the earth, in the meantime inhabited by them that know not God, that hate him, that fill and reple→ nish the world with habitations of cruelty, sporting themselves in mischief, like the leviathan in the sea. In respect hereof God is said to make darkness his secret place and his pavilion, Psal. xviii. 11. and to dwell in the thick darkness, 2 Chron. vi. 1. and to wait for the issue of this dispensation; to humble themselves to the law of it, is the patience and wisdom of the saints. See Hab. ii. 1..

(2dly.) Unspeakable variety. Not to insist on particulars; the case of the saints throughout the world, is the only instance I shall mention, and that on a twofold ae

count.

[1st.] Compared among themselves, in what unspeakable variety are they dealt withal? some under persecution always, some always at peace, some in dungeons and prisons, some at liberty in their own houses; the saints of one nation under great oppression for many ages, of another in quietness; in the same places some poor, in great distress, put hard to it for daily bread all their lives; others abounding in all things; some full of various afflictions, going softly and mourning all their days; others spared and scarce touched with the rod at all: and yet commonly the advantage of holiness, and close walking with God, lying on the distressed side. How doth God deal also with families in respect of grace, while he takes one whole family into covenant, and leaves out another whole family, whose heads and springs are no less holy? He comes into a house, and takes one, and leaves another; takes a despised outcast, and leaves a darling. Of

them also, some are wise, endowed with great gifts and abilities; others weak to contempt and reproach. Who can now with an eye of reason look upon them, and say, they are all the children of one father, and that he loves them all alike? Should you come into a great house, and see some children in scarlet, having all things needful, others hewing wood, and drawing water, you would conclude that they are not all children, but some children, some slaves; but when it shall be told you, that they are all one man's children, and that the hewers of wood that live on the bread and water of affliction, and go in tattered rags, are as dear to him as the other, and that he intends to leave them as good an inheritance as any of the rest; if you intend not to question the wisdom and goodness of the father of the family, you must resolve to submit to his authority with a quiet subjection of mind. So is it in the great family of God; nothing will quiet our souls, but humbling ourselves to the law of his providence.

[2dly.] Comparing them with others was the hard case of old; the pleading whereof, by Job, David, Jeremiah, and Habbakuk, is so known, that I shall not need farther to insist upon it.

I shall not farther manifest this from the variety which is in the dispensations of God towards the men of the world, which the wisest of men can reduce to no rule of righteousness, as things pass among us. Solomon acquaints us with it, Eccles. ix. 11. Things are disposed of according to no rule that we may fix our expectations on; which ruined the reason of that mirror of mankind, in a natural condition, Marcus Brutus, and made him cry out, & TAñμov ȧρeτý.

(3dly.) Sudden alterations. As in the case of Job, God takes a man whom he hath blessed with choice of blessings, in the midst of a course of obedience and close walking with himself, when he expected to die in his nest, and to see good all his days; ruins him in a moment; blasts his name, that he who was esteemed a choice saint, shall not be able to deliver himself from the common esteem of a hypocrite; slays his children; takes away his rest, health; and every thing that is desirable to him. This amazes the soul, it knows not what God is doing, nor why he pleads with it in so much bitterness. A man that either is, or may fall into such a

condition, will find, that he will never be able to walk with God in it, without humbling himself to the law of his providence.

(4thly.) Great, deep, and abiding distresses have the same sffects with sudden alterations; of which more afterwards.

And these are in general some of the things in God's. providential disposal of the things of men in this world, that are too hard and wonderful for flesh and blood, wherein his paths are in the deep, which are contrary to all rules of procedure that he hath given us to judge by, who are to judge of things but once, he being to call all things to a second

account.

[2.] Having given these two observations, I return to what I first proposed, namely, the duty of humbling ourselves to the law of the providence of God, so far as it concerns us in particular.

I do not intend merely that men in general should be content with the dealings of God in the world, but that we should humble our hearts to him in what falls to be our share therein, though it come under any one or more of the heads of difficulty before mentioned. Our lots are various in this world: how they may be farther different before they go out of it we know not. Some are in one condition, some in another; that we envy not one another, nor any in the world, that we repine not at God, nor charge him foolishly, is that I aim at. A thing sufficiently necessary in these days, wherein good men are too little able to bear their own condition, if in any thing it differs from others.

The next thing then is to consider, how, and wherein we are to humble ourselves to the law of the providence of God. There are things on this account which our souls are to be humbled unto.

1. His sovereignty. May he not do what he will with his own? This is so argued out in Job, that I shall need to go no farther for the confirmation of it. See chap. xxxiii. 8—11. The words are the sum of what was, or was apprehended to be the complaint of Job; that in the midst of his innocency and course of obedience, God dealt hardly with him, and brought him into great distresses. What is the reply hereunto? ver. 12. Behold, in this thou art not just.' It is a

most unequal thing, for any man to make any such com→ plaints. Whether Job did so or not, may be disputed; but for any one to do so is certainly most unjust. But on what ground is that asserted? See the words following: ‹ God is greater than man, why strivest thou with him? It is to no purpose to contend with him, that is mightier than thou. And it is likewise unjust to do it with him, who is infinitely and incomparably so upon the account of his absolute dominion and sovereignty. For, saith he,' He giveth no account of his matters.' He disposeth of all things as he will, and as he pleaseth. This is pursued to the utmost, chap. xxxiv. 18, 19. Men will not be forward openly to revile or repine against their governors. And what shall be said of God, who is infinitely exalted above them? Hence you have the conclusion of the whole matter, ver. 31-33.

This, I say, is the first thing that we are to humble ourselves unto. Let us lay our mouths in the dust, and ourselves on the ground, and say, It is the Lord, I will be silent because he hath done it; he is of one mind, and who can turn him? He doth whatever he pleaseth. Am not I in his

hand, as clay in the hand of the potter? May he not make what kind of vessel he pleases? When I was not, he brought me out of nothing by his word. What I am, or have, is merely of his pleasure. Oh, let my heart and thoughts be full of deep subjection to his supreme dominion and uncontrollable sovereignty over me. This quieted Aaron in his great distress, and David in his, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26. and Job in his. It is pleaded by the Lord, Jer. x. Rom. ix. 11. and innumerable other places. If we intend to walk with God, we must humble ourselves to this, and therein we shall find rest.

2. His wisdom. He is wise also, as he speaks in derision of men's pretending to be so. Indeed God is only

all things work to

wise; now he hath undertaken to make gether for good to them that love him;' Rom. viii. 28. That we shall not be in heaviness unless it be needful; 1 Pet. i. 6. In many dispensations of his providence we are at á loss; we cannot measure them by that rule. We see not how this state or condition can be good for the church in general, or us in particular. We suppose it would be more for his glory, and our advantage, if things were otherwise disposed. Innumerable are the reasonings of the hearts of

the sons of men, on this account; we know not the thoughts of our own souls herein, how vile they are. God will have us humble ourselves to his wisdom in all his dispensations; and to captivate our understandings thereunto. So Isa. xl. 27, 28. This is that which our hearts are to rest in, when ready to repine. There is no end of his understanding; he sees all things, in all their causes, effects, cireumstances, in their utmost reach, tendency, and correspondency. We walk in a shade, and know nothing of what is before us; the day will come when we shall see one thing set against another, and infinite wisdom shining out in them all; that all things were done in number, weight, and measure; that nothing could have been otherwise than it is disposed of, without the abridgment of the glory of God, and the good of his church. Yea, I dare say, that there is no saint of God, that is distressed by any dispensation of providence, but that if he will seriously and impartially consider his own state and condition, the frame of his heart, his temptations, and ways, with so much of the aims and ends of the Lord as will assuredly be discovered to faith and prayer, but he will have some rays and beams of infinite wisdom shining in it, tempered with love, goodness, and faithfulness. But whether for the present we have this light or not, or are left unto darkness, this is the haven and rest of our tossed souls, the ark and bosom of our peace, to humble our souls to the infinite wisdom of God in all his procedure; and on that account quietly to commit all things to his management.

(3.) His righteousness. Though God will have us acquiesce in his sovereignty, when we can see nothing else; yet he will have us know, that all his ways are equal and righteous. The holy God will do no iniquity. That he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, is pleaded as much as any thing that he hath discovered of himself. 'Shall not the judge of all the world do right?' Is God unjust who inflicteth vengeance? God forbid. The righteousness of God, all which springeth from, and is reduced to the universal rectitude of his nature, in respect of the works that he doth, is manifold. It is that which is called 'Justitia regiminis,' his righteousness in rule or government, în the dispensation of rewards and punishments, that I am speaking of. Now, because we are not able to discern it in