MOses the Servant of the Lord, having finished his course, and condu­cted Israel out of E­gypt, and led them through the red Sea, and the Wil­derness, being not permitted to go into Canaan, (though he seriously begged it of God) receives the sen­tence [Page 2] of Death, with particular com­mand to go up into Mount Nebo, and dye: Though he strugled a little in this, and would fain have gotten a Dispensation to go over into Canaan; yet perceiving that God had other­wise determined concerning him, he lets fall his suit, and he chearfully sets himself to obey the Command of God, when he had first taken care for his Successor, and prayed for, and blest his people. In this Chapter we have Moses his farwel; he takes leave of Israel, as Christ did of his Disciples; his last words are as full of Love and Consolation as possibly they could be. He deals out a bles­sing to every Tribe in particular, and then blesses them in the whole lump, and not only them, but all the people of God. And being lifted up in his spirit, he hath a far better prospect than he had of Canaan upon Mount Nebo: he takes a view of what God had done, and of what he had promi­sed [Page 3] to do for them; and he breaks out in consideration of this, into a serious admiration at their happy e­state, in these words, Happy art thou, O Israel; Who is like unto thee, Oh people saved by the Lord? In which we have,

First, Moses his judgement con­cerning Israel's state, Happy art thou O Israel.

Secondly, The confirmation of this, in which he notes the eminen­cy and singularity of their happi­ness, Who is like to thee? (i. e.) there is none like to thee: Thy Priviledg and Blessing is remarkable, because thou enjoyest it alone; none can boast of it but thy self.

Thirdly, He explains this his as­sertion, and shews wherein the hap­piness of God's Israel lies, in these words, Saved of the Lord.

The Reason why Moses pronoun­ces them happy, is, Because God hath such a special care of them, to [Page 4] keep them and save them in all times of trouble and danger.

The words might be broken into many Propositions, but they may be best taken in this one Proposition.

Doct. Gods peculiar Care and Providence toward his people, is their peculiar happiness. Or, It is the hap­piness of the people of God alone, that they are under the special Care and Providence of God; he hath a p cu­liar regard to them, they are the sa­ved of the Lord, for whose safety he provides above all others; and in comparison of whom, he cares for none in the world besides.

To make this Proposition clear, I am to prove,

First, That God hath a people of whom he hath a special Care.

Secondly, The people who are the subjects of this peculiar Care and Providence, are happy above all o­thers.

But I know if I prove the former, the latter will be granted; all men agreeing in this, That Preservation and Safety, in time of private or publick danger, is a great happiness; and I think all men that have not gi­ven up themselves to gross Atheism, will agree, That the best Security that a man can have against all kind of Evils, is an Interest in Divine Providence.

I shall therefore endeavour to shew you, That God hath a peculiar Care of his People in all conditions, to save them from the many evils that they are compassed about withall; this being the only thing that needs any proof. In prosecution of this, I shall shew you,

First, Some instances of this Care and Providence, both in refer­ence to the Church in general, and to particular persons.

Secondly, How this is exprest; what terms the Holy Ghost uses to [Page 6] communicate the notions of it to us, that our conceptions of it may be regulated.

Thirdly, Wherein this Care for the safety of God's people, is ex­prest; how it appears in its particu­lars, and is proved by actions as well as words.

Fourthly, Some Reasons for this, That though this be far above what we can rationally expect, consider­ing our unworthiness; yet there is no­thing built more reasonably upon Scripture Suppositions.

Fifthly, The improvement that may be made of this Truth.

First, Then, for the instances which may be given of this Truth: We may see it in the Care that he takes of his whole Church, when it was confined to the people of Is­rael.

What Care did God take of them in Egypt, when they were near to ruine? Pharoah and his people had [Page 7] consulted and determined their de­struction. But what sayes God? Exo. 3.7. I have seen their affliction, and heard their cry, and know their sor­row. It is a great evidence of his Care, that he observed and weighed their sufferings.

Secondly, When he begins to work for their deliverance, and stret­ches out his hand to bring his sore Judgments upon their Oppressors, he does not send his Judgments upon the whole Land promiscuously, but he separates betwixt the Egyptians and the Israelites.

Thirdly, When Pharoah begins so far to yeild, as to admit of a Trea­ty, never did any stand stricter upon terms, than he; he would abate no­thing of his demand; never was the Interest of any people better de­fended, or more carefully provided for, than theirs: he would not leave a hoof behind, Exod. 10.26. he would make no composition with [Page 8] Pharoah, all Israel, and all that was Israels, must be delivered.

Fourthly, When he had brought them thence, and they were come out, according to his demands, what care did he take of their preservati­on at the Red Sea, when they were compassed in on every side, the Sea before, the Mountains on both sides, and the Egyptians behind them; yet he led them through the Sea, as on dry Land; and as he left none be­hind in Egypt, so he lost none here.

Fifthly, When they were in the Wilderness, what care does he take to lead them in their way, by a Cloud and Pillar of Fire; and to provide for them in that desolate place, so that they had not only bread and water, food and raiment; but, as the Psalmist sayes, They had Angels food.

Sixthly, View them in the Land of Canaan, and you shall find won­ders of Providence, in their preser­vation [Page 9] from dangers, and deliver­ance out of them, when they had brought themselves in trouble by their provocations

Seventhly, God had assured them of his Providential Care of them, while they walked in his Com­mands; nay, he had given them one special Command, which they could not observe without a very great de­pendance upon his Providence. He had commanded all the Miles from all parts to appear before him thrice every year. Now this must needs be dangerous, and against all the Rules of policy, if they had not had a se­curity in Divine Providence: It might seem a very inconsiderate thing to go up, and leave all their Countrey naked, their Wives and Children to defend themselves in the midst of Enemies, who must needs know the times of their going up to Jerusalem: But God undertook to guard their Countrey in the mean [Page 10] time, and he kept the enemy not only from invading, but also from de­siring it, Exod. 34.24.

Eighthly, Lastly, View them in their Captivity, when they had pro­voked the Lord to give them up into the hands of their Enemies; yet the Lord hath a special care of them, to preserve them under the evils which he brought upon them for their sins; we may see this evidently, Isa. 42.24, 25. and Isa. 43.1, 2. Who gave Jacob to the spoil, and Israel to the Robbers? Did not the Lord, he a­gainst whom they have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, nei­ther were they obedient to his Law; therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battel, and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. But now, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel; fear not, for I [Page 11] have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy Name, thou art mine, When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

If ever God would leave his peo­ple in time of trouble, it would be in such a case as this when they were under the trouble which he had brought upon them, and that for their sin; yea, when they behaved them­selves very ill under the hand of God which was upon them: Israel had so provoked the Lord, that he could not spare them; yet in their afflictions he could not forsake them. He would go with them thorow fire and water. VVe have very remark­able passages of Gods Providence to that people in their Captivity, to preserve them from being cut off; we may read it at large in the Book [Page 12] of Hester; when mischief was in­tended against them, and they were designed for ruine, then must Hester by a strange Providence be brought to the Crown, and Mordecai as strangely and as seasonably prefer'd to Honour. For though be had done the King Service before by discover­ing the Plot, which was laid against him; yet the King takes no notice of this till such time as the Jews were in extream danger to be cut off; and Haman must be used to help to raise Mordecai to Honour, who had designed not only his, but the ruine of all the Jews.

Thus you see the Providence of God cures the Church in general. Will you see it towards particular persons? Consider it then in these few, for instances, of many that might be given, without number.

VVhat provision did God make for Noah, and the safety of him and his Family, because he was righteous [Page 13] in that generation, Gen. 6.14. There­fore God directs him to make an Ark that he might escape that common destruction. After he had made the Ark by Gods direction, God takes care to call him into the same when the time was come, that the encrease of the waters might not prevent him, Gen. 7.1. VVhen he had call'd him in, he is careful to shut him in, to secure him from the waters, Gen. 7.16. God would hereby express the great care that he had of Noah, that he would not trust to his care in making every place fast where the water might come in to annoy him; he might for want of skill, being not acquainted with such a Vessel for­merly, or for want of sufficient care, not knowing what danger he should be in, nor yet understanding the force of the waters, have left open some cranny, at least, whereat the water might have broken in upon him. God therefore would shut eve­ry [Page 14] door himself, and by a secret power he did also fortifie the several parts of the Ark against the force of the waters.

VVhen God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah by fire, See what care he takes of Lot, because he had a righteous Soul that was vex­ed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites, Gen. 19. where we see, first, God sends his Angels to call him out, and to bring out all that he had in it, v. 12. VVhen the danger is eminent, and the time draws nigh to destroy the City, they hasten him, v. 15. when language will not do it, they pluck him out of his own house, and out of the City, and the destru­ction of it, v. 16. nay, that he may not perish out of the City, they grant him a City to flye unto. God shut Noah into the Ark to keep dan­ger from him, and he pulls Lot out, to keep him from the danger.

Read but the stories of Abraham, Jacob, Elijah and David, in their Pilgrimage, and you cannot but acknowledg a special providence of God attending them in all conditi­ons. VVhen Abraham was in dan­ger, and the weakness of his faith ap­peared in it, how does God take care to bring him off with safety and ho­nour! He afflicts Abimelech's Fami­ly, and then acquaints him with the reason of it, Gen. 20.3.

See his care of Jacob when he fled from his Brother Esau; he pro­vides for him, first, in his Uncles house; and when the time is come, the same Providence which brought him thither, and kept him there, must make way for his Return, to bring him off safely; for his place of en­tertainment, was become his Prison; his Wealth too great a Booty to let go; but God meets Laban, Gen. 31.24. before he overtakes Jacob, and prevents him from doing the injury he intended.

After he had escaped the hands of Laban, he must fall into the hands of Esau, who had long since threatned his death, and hath now the oppor­tunity that he had looked for to cut him off; yet God turns his heart, and makes him kind to Jacob; so that he might well say, Gen. 33.4. I have seen thy face, as if I had seen the face of God; for he might see Gods face in his. It was God that made Esau kind to Jacob; it was a recon­ciled God, that made a reconciled Brother.

Consider but the care that God takes of Elijah, when he w s distres­sed by Famine on the one hand, and the persecution of Jezabel on the other. He feeds him by an Angel, by the Ravens, and by the Widow of Sareptah. We must needs confess him to be a great instance of Gods Providence.

The like we have in David, whom Saul had appointed to death, how [Page 17] did he persecute him, and hunt him like a Partridge on the Mountains; yet God raises up some to save him: One while his Wife deceives her Father, when he would have slain him in his bed. Another while Jo­nothan is of his Council, and gives him intelligence when danger is near him, and he was fain to flye to save himself, and is closely pursued in the Wilderness, and in great danger to be taken; he is preserved by an In­vasion made upon the Land by the Philistines, 1 Sam. 23.26, 27. And David made hast to get away for fea of Saul, for Saul and his men compassed Daved and his men round about to take them. But there came a Messenger unto Saul, saying, Hast thee, and come, forth Philistines have invaded the Land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David. Saul never came out with greater resolution, with better prepa­ration, than now: He was resolved [Page 18] to make a search for him through the whole Land, and to find him where ever he should conceal himself, ver. 23. If he be in the Land, sayes he, I will search him out, thorough out all the thousands of Iudah. For pre­paration, he had correspondence with the Ziphites, who knew those parts where David was, and had in­struction to search out every lurking place of his; and for strength, he had men enough to inclose David and all his men in the Wildernesse. Saul in all this confidence, is not­withstanding disappointed; God had otherwise provided to secure David, and divert Saul by a way that neither thought of. These may serve for instances of this Truth: A farther proof of it may be,

Secondly, By considering the ex­pressions by which this Providence of God is set forth in Scripture; and they are such as note a very tender and special care of them, and [Page 19] they are chiefly these three.

1. Keeping or covering them under his wings.

Deut. 32.11, 12. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead them.

The Providence of God which is sometimes compared to the Hens gathering of her Chickens under her wings, is here set forth by the Eagles care of her young ones, which is the noblest, the wisest, and strongest of Birds, and for tenderness to hers, falls short of none. She doth not onely keep them in the Nest, but she car­ries them also with her from the Nest, and that, not with her Talons, as she does her prey, lest she should hurt them; but, on her wings. David praying for help in time of his trou­ble, uses this expression, Psal. 17.8, 9. Hide me under the shadow of thy [Page 20] wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who com­pass me about. David knew well e­nough, That under this shadow he should be secret and safe from his e­nemies, how many or how strong so­ever: And the security of such a person he does elsewhere strongly assert, especially against that Evil which no other strength or skill can protect us from, I mean the destroy­ing Pestilence, see Psal. 91. in ver. 1, 4. he alludes to this expression, and in the following verses he shews the fruit of this, in a freedom both from the fear of the Judgment, and of the Judgment it self. V. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the sha­dow of the Almighty. V. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust. But what advantage shall this be to him? See in the following verses, v. 5, 6. He shall not be afraid of the terror [Page 21] by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the Pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the De­struction that wasteth at noon-day.

Now though this be not an abso­lute promise of freeing every godly person from this noisom disease, yet it is a ground for their hope; the peo­ple of God may take hold of this promise, and plead it with God for their preservation; and if they be found in their duties, acting faith up­on God, there is very much spoken in these words for their security; For God hath given his Angels charge o­ver them, to keep them in all their ways, especially if we make the Most High our Habitation. If we would have the benefit of Divine Protection, we must be sure to put our selves under it, by a particular act of Faith.

2. A second expression by which this Providence is exprest, is his hi­ding his people in time of danger, [Page 22] Psal 27.5. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavillion; in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me: And Psal. 31.20. Thou shalt hide me in the secret of thy presence, from the pride of men, thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavillion from the strife of tongues. This is another way by which we express the care we take for those we love, when we fear to be overpowered or opprest, we hide that which we would keep; where we suspect our strength to pro­tect what we desire to preserve, we make up that defect by care and skill. Thus Rahab hid the Spyes, whom she could not protect from the fury of the King of Jericho. And Obadiah had no other way to protect the Prophets from Jezabel's fury, and the raging Famine, but to hide them by fifties in Caves. Now the Lord uses this way of expressing his care for his people, not because there is any defect in him of power [Page 23] to defend and secure them against all the force and opposition of men, for he can defend them from all their enemies, as he did Elijah on the top of the Mountain, from the Captains of Ahaziah, and their fifties. But the Lord uses this to shew us, That his care for his, is no way short of our care for ours; what course we take to preserve any thing dear to us, that doth God take for the security of his; his Wisdom as well as his Power, is seen in saving them in time of danger.

3. A third expression of his Care is, Keeping them as the Apple of the Eye. God's Care of Israel is exprest thus, Deut. 32.10. He found him in a desart Land, and in the wast howl­ing wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the ap­ple of his eye. Now we know that no part of mans body is kept with more care and tenderness than the eye, not only because it is of so much [Page 24] use, and so great an ornament to the body, but also because it is so sensi­ble of the least touch and is offend­ed with that which other parts feel not; therefore sayes God, Zach. 2.8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. As the Eye, so God is not only sensible of blows, but of touches; not only great, but small injuries done to the people of God, do affect him; and as men keep out dust or hairs out of the eye, so does the Lord keep off all Evils from his people; therefore says he, Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine anoint­ed, and do my Prophets no harm. Therefore David calling upon Di­vine Providence, bespeaks it in these words, Psal. 17.8. Keep me as the ap­ple of the eye. Lay these three ex­pressions together, and tell what can be possibly added to express the ten­der care and watchfulness of Divine Providence over the people of God; He that believes this to be true, can [Page 25] say nothing less than Moses does here, Who is like to thee, oh Israel, a people sav d by the Lord? Thus I have shewn you how this Divine care is exprest in Scripture-Language; the next thing is, To shew wherein this is exprest in deed, and matter of fact: Which is

Thirdly, The Third Particular; Wherein does God express his Care of his People? His Actions as well as his Word speak it out plain, if we consider,

1. He hath a special Care of them when he sends his Judgments abroad into the World; and this Care al­wayes precedes the Judgment; he consults and provides always for their safety, before he sends his Judgments forth. As we see in Noah, provision is made for his safety before the World is drowned; And Lot must be pluckt out of Sodom before it is burnt. And the Mourners in Jerusu­salem must be marked, before the de­stroying [Page 26] Angels are sent out, Ez. 9.4, 5.

And the four Angels must not go forth to hurt the Earth, till the ser­vants of God are sealed, Rev. 7.2, 3.

Now the Care that God takes of his people in time of publick Judg­ments, respects either their bodies or souls.

His care of their persons is some­times to preserve them from those Evils which are coming upon the World. Thus he kept Noah and Lot, and the Mourners in Jerusalem; the Angels had a charge not to come nigh them. Or,

2dly, If he suffer any of those Judgments to reach them, yet he sup­ports them under them. Thus when God brought a Famine upon the Land of Canaan, he provided bread for Jacob in Egypt; and when it fell upon Israel in Ahabs time, the Lord provided for Elijah and the Pro­phets, that they were kept alive. And [Page 27] this was one great act of God's Pro­vidence, to keep Israel alive so many years in a Wilderness, of which Mo­ses speaking in this Chapter, sayes, v. 27. The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are everlasting Arms. God's Care is as much seen in keep­ing his people under trouble, as in keeping them from trouble.

Secondly, God's Care of his Peo­ple under Publick Evils, respects their souls; and that also appears in two particulars.

1. He hath a great Care of the Comforts of his People; he provides for These, as well as for their Lives and Eternal Estates; he would not have their Spirits sink under any trou­ble that befalls them. Therefore it is observable, when God was about to send Judgments upon the earth, espe­cially such as may seem to reach all, good and bad; he did use to give some warning before hand, and he first denounc't these Judgments to [Page 28] awaken the wicked; now lest the godly should be discouraged by these, he did usually interweave those Threatnings with some of the sweet­est Promises: For instance, read o­ver these few, instead of many, Jer. 30.12, 17. Ezek. 14.22. & 16.60. Hos. 1.10. & 2.14. Nah. 1.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Hab. 3.5-13. In all which God is represented very terrible in his Judgments, so that it may be said of the House of Israel, as of Eli's House, The ears of him that heareth such things, must needs tingle. Yet you shall not find sweeter Promises in all the Book of God, than in these places where he hath so bitterly de­nounced his Judgments. This must needs be in favour of his people, whose hearts he would not have made sad. And it is remarkable, when the Prophet Nahum had made such a terrible description of God in his Power and Wrath, in the first six verses, which might make the heart [Page 29] of a Moses to shake, or an Elijah to cover himself with his Mantle; he adds ver. 7. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Neither is that forementioned of Habbakkuk less observable, who ha­ving given the like dreadful account of God's coming forth to execute Judgment, in which he says, Hab. 3.5. Before him went the Pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet: Lest his people should fear and flye from him also, he adds, ver. 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people; And because this might seem incredible, that God should go forth in such a way as this, to save his people, nothing could be expect­ed but death from such a Providence; he therefore doubles the expression, Even for salvation with thine Anoin­ted: As if he would bespeak the comfort of his people in this, What ever you see doing in the World, or [Page 30] how terrible soever God appears in the way of his Judgments, yet be not you discouraged, for he intends no hurt to you in all this, in the lat­ter end; but rather lift up your heads, because the day of your Re­demption draws nigh.

2. As he hath a Care of them, to comfort them against the coming of a Judgment; so when he hath brought it, and it reaches them, he takes care to sanctifie it to them: Whatever they sustain or suffer in their Bodies, Names or Estates, it is made up in the communication of the Divine Nature, and the encrease of Grace, that is made by these things.

The Author to the Hebrews tells us plainly, That the End of God in afflicting his people, is their profit, Heb. 12.10. But what profit is it that comes by these? He tells us, it is the partaking of his Holinesse. When we are made partakers of the [Page 31] Life of God, we are gainers, though we should lose our own lives in the inquest of it. Therefore the Apo­stle counsels the Saints to rejoice in their afflictions, Jam. 1.2, 3. My Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, knowing this, That the trial of your Faith worketh patience. Never be sad for what you suffer, for if you get no­thing but patience, you will be gain­ers by all your sufferings. Now Faith and Patience are as much tryed and improved by what we suffer from God, as what we suffer from men. And though it be hard upon this ac­count to rejoice under afflictions, yet the people of God do often rejoice after them, for the good they have received by them, as David, Psal. 119.71. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy Sta­tutes: For he had said before, v. 67. Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word. Thus [Page 32] you see the Providence of God ap­pears towards his people, either in keeping them from the evils which fall upon others, or the sanctifying them to them, and turning them into good.

Secondly, He hath a special Care of his people to preserve them from those Evils which their Enemies in­tend and design against them, whe­ther it be the Devil or wicked men.

1. God hath so great a care of his people, that the Devil (their ad­versary) who goeth about like a roar­ing Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, yet cannot touch them without leave of God; as we see in the case of Job 1.10. The Devil ac­knowledges that Job was so well de­fended by the Hedg that God had made about him, that there was no touching of him; there was no gap in that Hedg, and it was too high and strong to break over it; God must open a door, and let him in, or he could do nothing to Job.

[Page 33]2. His Providence appears great­ly in preserving them in the World, in the midst of their Enemies, the Sons of Belial, and that several ways.

1. He sometimes restraines their Enemies, and over-rules their Counsels, that they cannot speedily resolve upon, or effectually execute what they design. Thus he withheld Balaam from cursing Israel, and re­strained Laban from hurting Jacob.

2dly, He stirs up secret friends to favour and to shelter his people when danger is near them. Thus he raised up Obadiah in Ahab's Court, to favour the Prophets of the Lord, and to hide and feed them in the persecution of Jezabel, and the sore Famine that was upon the Land.

3dly, He somtimes converts their Enemies, and makes use of those to build the Church, who had before destroyed it: Thus he did by Paul, who breathed out threatnings against the Church of God.

[Page 34]4thly, He sometimes changes their minds, though he convert them not; as he dealt by Esau, whom the Lord made kind to his Brother Ja­cob, though he continued the same man he was.

5thly, God some times takes them out of the way, as he did Herod, Matt. 1.20. who sought after Christ in his Infancy, to cut him off. Thus the Lord preserves his people from the evils which might fall on them from men.

Thirdly, His Providence is seen in keeping them from those evils which they are prone to run themselves into through ignorance or inadvertency. God preserves his people from many secret and unseen dangers, which they are not sensible of, such as they did not foresee, and therefore could not prevent. He hath given his An­gels charge concerning them, to keep them in all their ways, who shall bear them in their hands, lest they [Page 35] should dash their feet against a stone, Psal. 91.11, 12. They have a charge from God to watch over his people, and they are faithful and affectionate to preserve them from those evils which they observe not, and are prone to overlook.

Fourthly, God's Providence ap­pears toward his people in this, That when he sends any Judgment upon the Earth, that is to be executed by an unseen hand, he will not trust it in the hands of the Evil Angels, but employs the Good Angels, who are Friends and Guardians to his people, and of the Family with them of the first-born. This we see in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, he sends the Angels about this Work, who might secure Lot in the destruction of it, Gen. 19.1. And when the great Plague was sent upon Israel, which destroyed Seventy Thousand men in three days, 2 Sam. 24.15. it was ex­ecuted by a good Angel. Doubtless [Page 36] the Devil would have been glad of such an Employment, but God would not for his peoples sakes trust him with any such power.

Fifthly, God's Care for his peo­ple is so great, that it is without any intermission, Psal. 121.3, 4. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; he that keepeth thee will not slumber: Be­hold, he that keepeth Israel, shall nei­ther slumber nor sleep. God's Care of his people is a constant, uninter­mitted Care, it leaves no door open for the vigilant Enemy. Saul thought himself safe when he slept amongst his Captains and Souldiers, who had a special charge to watch for their Kings Life; but while his numerous Guard were all asleep, David went out into his camp, and took away Sauls Spear, which was at his Bol­ster, and with it might have taken away his Life, 1 Sam. 26.12.

But God's Providence for his Peo­ple neither sleeps nor slumbers; [Page 37] therefore their Enemies can take no such advantage of them.

Sixthly, So great is the Lord's Care for his People, that their pre­servation in the world was the great thing which lay upon the heart of Christ when he was going out of the world. And we all know, that mens affections are then discovered; those whom we love, we provide for then. John 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them that thou hast given me out of the world. ver. 15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil. The whole Chapter is full of the ex­pressions of his wonderful Love and tender Care for his People, which he uttered at that time, as he himself tells them, that they might have his Joy fulfilled in themselves, that all the people of God might know how his heart in Heaven, is affected to­wards them on Earth. Thus you see [Page 38] wherein God expresses his Care of his people; next follow the Reasons that may be assigned for this, and they are,

Reas. 1. They are his Children; they stand in such a Relation to him, as engages him to be careful of them. They are born unto him by Regene­ration. Now we cannot think that the God of Nature, who hath im­printed this upon every Creature, to take care of its own, will himself be found wanting in this.

The tenderness and care of men and beasts to their little ones, is all derived from him; and will not then his Love and Care much more exceed theirs? He tells us himself, that the Mother may forget the Son of her Womb, that she should not have compassion on him; but the Lord will not forget his people, Isa. 49.15

Reas. 2. They are his Jewels, of the greatest price to him, his peculiar Treasure, Exod. 19.5. He sets a high­er [Page 39] price upon them, than he does upon all the world beside. This he confirms by actions, and renders as the reason of some remarkable Pro­vidences of his, Psal. 105.14. He suffered no man to do them wrong; yea, he reproved Kings for their sakes. He values their Ransome at a higher rate, for he gives whole Countries and Kingdoms for them, Isa. 43.3. I gave Egypt for thy ransome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. This is a sufficient proof of the high esteem that God hath of them; and things which we highly prize, we tenderly care for.

Reas. 3. They are his Portion, his Inheritance, all that he hath set apart for himself in the World, Psal. 4.3. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, Deut. 32.9. The Lords portion is his people; Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance. These are mighty expressions, enough to asto­nish us, That God who is Lord of of all the World, who hath Heaven [Page 40] and Earth, and all that is therein, should, as it were, quit his Interest in all the rest, and count it inconsidera­ble and little worth, in comparison of a few that he hath chosen out of it, who were as bad as the rest, excep­ting in what they are beholding to him for, and are made better by his choice.

Reas. 4. His Honor depends up­on these, they are the only people that lay his Concernments to heart, and take care of his glory; others do serve, and help forward his de­signs in the world, but they do it not out of design, they mind only their own things; but his people design to serve and honor him, and mind his glory as their greatest interest in the world, Phil. 1.20, 21. As always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death; for to me to live is Christ, and to dye is gain. The glory of Christ is that which a Christian aims at in life and [Page 41] death; yea, he makes every particu­lar action subservient to this, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Now it is no wonder if God take care for those who take care for him; if they design his glory, much more does he their preservation.

Reas. 5. Because he hath dearly purchased them, he hath bought them at a dear rate, he hath bought them at first with a great price, not of fil­ver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Be­side this, he oftentimes makes a pro­vidential purchase of them, by gi­ving men and people for them, Isa. 43, 3. Now we know, that the things which we purchase dearly, we lay up safely, and keep them care­fully, because we will not lose the cost and charge we have been at. Thus God reasons from former mer­cies, to future preservations, Isa 43.4. Since thou hast been precious in [Page 42] my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Reas. 6. He is careful of them, because they love him; these are the people of all the world, that love God; therefore they are the people that he minds above all the world; he hath their hearts, and therefore they have his. Psal. 91.14. When God had spoken of his care of his people, and their safety from the Pestilence, he adds this as the Reason, Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him.

Reas. 7. The Reason of all Rea­sons is, He hath set his love upon them, Psal. 146.8. The Lord loveth the righteous. John 16.27. The Fa­ther himself loveth you. Nay, so great is the Love of God to his people, that he is called Love, 1 John 4.16. Now those whom we love, we take care of; we consider [Page 43] not so much their merit or demerit, if they be in danger; but we feel in our selves what they suffer; and we can no more forbear to prevent an evil that we see coming upon them, or labour to remove it when it is come, than we can forbear to seek out for help for our selves, if we were in the same case. God's Love makes him sympathize with his peo­ple in all their sufferings, therefore he sayes by the Prophet, Isa. 63.9. In all their afflictions I was afflicted with them; wonder not then at what follows, the Angel of his presence sa­ved them, in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the dayes of old. Where Love is so powerful to cause such a sense of affliction, it must needs awaken our care, and stir up all our circumspection to prevent or re­move the evil which fall upon us, in falling upon those we love.

Thus I have endeavoured to make this Truth clear; yet before I im­prove it, I must remove some obje­ctions out of the way.

Obj. 1. How does the Care of God appear for his people, seeing we find that they have often been made a prey to the wicked, and the Scripture gives an account of hard things that they have suffered under them?

Ans. The Scripture which gives us account of their sufferings, tells us also of their preservation under those troubles, so that rightly consi­dered, they do not darken, but clear the Providence of God. How did God preserve Israel in Egypt, Exod. 3.2. though the bush burned with fire, it was not consumed? And as the Apostle says concerning himself and the Primitive Christians, 2 Cor. 4.9. Though they were persecuted, yet they were not forsaken.

[Page 45]2. God's Care of his people ap­pears in this, That he encreased them by their Troubles, as well as preserv­ed them under them, Exod. 1.12. the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew; and it hath been the experience of the Christian Church, That the blood of the Mar­tyrs hath been the Seed of the Church.

3. His Care appears greatly in ca­ring for their souls; he sanctifies these troubles to them, and does them a great deal of good in the trying and strengthening of their Graces, 1 Pet. 1.7. The tryal of your Faith being much more precious than Gold, Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. We glory in tribu­lation, knowing that tribulation work­eth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. Nay, he does not only do them good at present, but makes way for glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more ex­ceeding and eternal weight of glory.

[Page 46]4. Though he hath often given them up into the hands of wicked men, that they might shew their ma­lice and hatred against them; yet he never gave them up to the wills of such; he hath not left wicked men at their own liberty, to do as they pleased; but God hath reserved to himself the ordering and proportion­ing of their troubles, to their strength; he hath appointed what they shall suffer, for number, how many blows they shall bear; for weight, how heavy they shall be; and for time, how long they shall conti­nue.

5. God hath always had such a Care of them, that they have never perished under their afflictions. Though they have fallen, yet they have not perished. They have laid down their lives, but they have not lost them: Their lives have not been taken away, but upon such terms as they have been willing to part with [Page 47] them, and in which they are gainers, Phil. 1.21. He that could say, To him to live was Christ, could also say, to dye is gain; therefore he comfort­ed himself in this, That though he might lay down his life in those troubles which he underwent at Rome, yet he should have a consider­able value for it, for Christ should be manifested in his body, whether it were by life or death.

Obj. 2. Scripture and Experience both tell us, That all things fall alike to all, Eccles. 9.2, 3. so that love or hatred is not to be known by any thing before us.

Ans. 1. This must be understood of outward things only thus far, That wicked men have their shares in the good things of this life; and good men have their part in the evil things of it: There is no outward good, but the wicked have enjoy'd; nor [Page 48] no outward trouble and affliction but hath befallen the righteous; and as they have their shares of these, so they have but a share of them; the good have not all the evil, nor the wicked all the good of this world; and there is reason for this, because the wicked have their good things here, and the good have their evil things.

2. Though all things do fall alike to all, yet all things do not work alike to all. God's care is seen in ordering those things which befall his people for their good, in making those things good in the conclusion, which are evil in themselves; whereas those things which are good in them­selves, or at least reputed so among men, are for the hurt of those who enjoy them, when they fall into the hands of wicked men, Psal. 11.6. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares. There is nothing that such a one en­joys, but it is a snare to him, to en­tangle [Page 49] and hold him fast till God cast him into Hell; whereas the same things are helps to a good man to bring him to Heaven, Rom. 8.28. All things work together for good to those that love God. So that although Good and Evil be dispensed promiscuously among good and bad, and they seem to fare all alike; yet does God under these carry on di­stinct and different works of Mercy and Judgment; of Mercy to the good for their Salvation; and of Judgment to the wicked for their hardning: So that herein is seen the Providence of God towards his people, that he furthers their Sal­vation by those things which are an occasion of hardening others; and by those Providences which are common to them and others, he carries on a special design of Grace and Mercy to them. So that there is a vast difference betwixt those things which seem to be the same. For [Page 50] though the godly have all the troubles in the World which any other do meet withall, yet they have not the Wrath and Displeasure of God in them, but a secret assistance and support under them; and though the wicked have all the outward blessings that God be­stows upon his own, yet they have not the Love of God in and through them, and his Blessing with them, as the godly have.

3. Though outward things are not sufficient to discover Love or Hatred, they alone are not proofs of one or other; yet it is unque­stionably true, That the Love and Hatred of God do run thorough these things also: God orders and disposes outward things in his love to the Godly; and though sense cannot discern his Love by these, yet Faith can often see it thorow them; and the outward Providen­ces of God speak his displeasure to [Page 51] the wicked; yea, he often times gives them those things in wrath, in which they blessed themselves; and when they have both finished their races, and they shall both look back upon their lives from E­ternity, they will both agree in this, That they were in nothing more unlike, than in that in which they seemed to be alike.

Obj. 3. But we see that not only the godly do partake of the same Judge­ments which befall the wicked, but the wicked also do share in the same mercies and preservations with the righteous; they also are preserved in time of danger with the other, no judgement, but takes away as good as it leaves behind it; and leaves as bad as it takes away; where then is seen God's care of his people?

Ans. There is a great difference betwixt the Judgments and Mercies [Page 52] of the good and bad, though they seem to be the same, and to sence without difference.

For the Mercies of the godly are indeed sent in Mercy to his people; he orders one Mercy towards ano­ther, a temporal Mercy towards a spiritual one, and one Mercy is a pledg of another; so that a good man can say often times by Faith, as Leah did, Gen. 30.11. Behold a troop cometh. And as David reasoned from his deliverance from the Lyon and the Bear, to his deliverance from the Philistins; so can a good man reason from one Mercy of a­ny kind to another; but if God give any thing to a wicked man that seems a Mercy, it is but to prevent a greater Mercy, a Tem­poral to prevent a Spiritual; he gives them temporal Rewards here for any service they do him, to take off their claim to any hereaf­ter.

Again, if he send any Judgment upon his people, it is not to destroy, but to prevent destruction; he sends temporal judgments to prevent spiri­tual; he afflicts them here, that they might not perish with the World; but to the wicked he sends one judg­ment to make way for another; thus all the Judgments which fell on the Egyptians in their own Land, made way for their overthrow at the Red Sea: For this must be observed, That though publike Judgments do spare bad as well as good, and both seem to be alike wonderfully delivered from it; yet it is with a great differ­ence, One is a preservation from the Evil, and the other a reservati­on for some greater Evil. We read, That the Mourners in Jerusalem were marked, Ezek. 9 4. that they might be preserved from the destru­ction which God was bringing upon the City. We find also, that Cain was marked, that he might not be [Page 54] slain, the first was doubtless in mer­cy, but most Interpreters agree in this, That Cain's was a Judgment upon him, a trembling of his heart and head, which imply'd his guilt, and was a terror to others, as well as to himself.

Here then may arise a great and weighty Question worthy of the serious consideration of those whom the late Judgment of Pestilence hath spared.

Quest. How shall I know whether my preservation from this Judgment be a special Mercy, or a fruit of Com­mon Providence? Or whether it be not worse, a reservation unto evil?

Ans. You shall know three ways. First, By some things which go be­fore such a preservation. Secondly, By some things which accompany it. Thirdly, By some things which fol­low it.

First, Some things go before such Deliverances as these, when they are in Mercy; and they are such as these.

First, A sense of the danger that we are in, that so we may be taken off from all self-confidence, and fitted for the observing and honour­ing of Divine Goodness: Thus it was with Paul, 2 Cor. 1.9. We had the sentence of death in our selves, that we should not trust in our selves, but in God which raiseth the dead. He was as a dead man in his own ap­prehensions, and was taken off from all hopes and dependencies upon creatures, and had nothing to hold by, but this, That God was able to raise the dead: This sense of danger ushered in a great deliverance, and made way for the magnifying of the Mercy of God; and indeed when God intends to bless and sanctifie any deliverance to a man, he pre­pares him by the sense of his danger, [Page 56] for a thankful reception of the Mer­cy.

Secondly, As there is commonly a sense of the danger, so there is also of our own unworthiness of that mercy which we desire, and of that which we enjoy already, and of our ill deserving in respect of the evil that we fear. Thus it was with Ja­cob when he was in danger of falling into his Brothers hands, Gen. 32.10, 11. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy ser­vant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my Brother. A sense of our unworthiness of what we have already received of the Lord, is a great argument that God intends us more.

Thirdly, A Spirit of Prayer; to be earnest, and strive with God for the mercy. God seldom gives any [Page 57] thing to his people in mercy, but he sends a Spirit of Prayer to usher it in. When God would deliver Jacob from the hands of Esau, he pours out a mighty Spirit of Prayer, and he wrestled with God all the night, Gen. 32.24. Now what was his wrest­ling? the Prophet Hosea expounds it, Hos. 12.4. He had power over the Angel, and prevailed; he wept and made supplication to him. And what did Jacob pray for this night? he told us before, Gen. 32.11. Deli­ver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my Brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the Mother with the Children. Jacob saw that his whole Family lay at stake now, there was but a step betwixt them and death; therefore he bestirs himself, and will not give over till he gets the victory, and prevail with God; he will not leave praying till he carry away a per­swasion that his prayers are answered.

Fourthly, An humble Spirit, to submit to the hand of God under that affliction and danger which we pray to be delivered from. It is no contradiction to pray against an af­fliction, and yet submit to the will of God. A man may pray a­gainst the evil, and yet submit to the will of God; and this is very ac­ceptable unto God, it is a fore-run­ner of deliverance from trouble al­ready come, and may well be a sign of preservation from danger ap­proaching, Lev. 26.41, 42. If their uncircumcised hearts shall be humb­led, and they then accept of the pun­ishment of their iniquity, then will I remember my Covenant with Israel. This frame of Spirit was found in David, when that heavy affliction befel him, that his own Son rebelled against him, 2 Sam. 16.11, 12. Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. David stoop­ed under God's hand in this afflicti­on, [Page 59] and this was an argument that God would deliver him out of that trouble, as we see he did.

Fifthly, Mourning for those evils which we see God is about to pun­ish. When God finds us mourning for our own and other mens sins, whether he spare us or take us away in the judgment that is coming, ei­ther is in mercy. If he spare us, it is to see better days, and to enjoy bet­ter things; if he take us away, it is from the evil that is to come; but commonly God hath a care of such to preserve them from the evil, as we see he did the Mourners in Jerusa­lem, when a general judgment was come upon the City, Ezek. 9.4, 5, 6.

Now it is our work to reflect up­on our hearts, and consider, how we have found them under the appre­hensions of this judgment of the Pe­stilence approaching; if we have found such impressions as these, we [Page 60] may conclude that our lives have been given us in mercy, and that they are the fruits of Gods special providence and goodness.

Secondly, You shall know by some things which did accompany this preservation. While this judg­ment from which you are preserved did hang over your heads, you had some such impressions as these upon your spirits.

First, A resolution to depend up­on God, in the mid'st of trouble, un­till the calamity be over-past. When God intends to give in a mercy of this kind, he commonly draws forth Faith to act for it, at least a Faith of dependance, though not a Faith of assurance; and though there may be many fears, yet these may serve to quicken and stir up Faith of adhe­rence to depend upon God.

This is the meaning of entring in­to thy chambers, Isa. 26.20. Which doth not deny a prudent [Page 61] use of means to prevent evil and dan­ger, but imply a trusting more to God to preserve us, then to the means we use. Prov. 3.5, 6. Trust to the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledg him, and he shall direct thy paths. A man is not for­bidden to use his own understand­ing, but to lean to it. There may be not only a care to prevent danger, but a fear of it; when we have used means, and yet a dependance upon God, a casting of our selves upon him for help, with a resolution to rely upon him, and particularly in this case of the Pestilence, preserva­tion is promised only upon condition of a Faith of reliance and dependance upon God. As we may see in the connexion of the 1, 2, 3 verses, of the 91. Psal. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall a­bide under the shaddow of the Almigh­ty. What is the meaning of this, but [Page 60] [...] [Page 61] [...] [Page 62] that he that makes God his refuge in danger, shall be safe under his pro­tection; from this general propositi­on David takes up a particular reso­lution to depend upon God, I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in him will I trust. And from thence he infers for his own, the comfort of all that do thus. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome Pestilence.

The connexion of the 9. & 10. verses of this Psalm, are no less con­siderable than these. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my re­fuge, even the most high, thy habita­tion there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall the Plague come nigh thy dwelling. Where such a particular act of Faith goes before, preserva­tion from the evil commonly fol­lows; and this is always the fruit of special grace.

Secondly, Where preservation is [Page 63] in mercy, there is found an accep­tance of life, and liberty, and peace; and what ever we enjoy in this as from the hand of God, taking all from him. Faith is a Grace that fet­ches all from God, and gives all to him; it hath to do with God in e­very thing, and looks over, and be­yond every creature and means, to him; if Faith apprehend a danger, it takes its preservation from it, as well as its deliverance out of it, e­qually from God. This we see in David, Psal. 18.2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deli­verer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my Salvation, and my high tower. David gives God all those titles which we give to those things from whence we expect or receive help; whatever men fly too, or depend upon in time of danger, that is God unto David; therefore he ascribes all the deliverance that he had from [Page 64] trouble, to the Lord alone; he takes his life as given him by the Lord, ver. 16.17. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my strong ene­my. And as he acknowledges his preservation from danger, so he al­so confesses all the good that he in­joys to be peculiarly from the Lord. Psal. 23.5. Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine ene­mies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over: Thus where God gives any thing in mercy, he gives a heart to acknowledg the mer­cy to be from him, and to eye God particularly in it.

Thirdly, A high esteem of the mercy that comes in such a way. The season and the conveyance of the mercy, do much advance the price of it. To live in dying times, to be safe when others are in danger, to be in peace when others are in trouble, is a mercy to be highly pri­zed.

To have all these at such a time, is much; but to have them in answer to prayer, to have them through the Promise and Covenant of Grace, is a great deal more. To have these, not as the fruit of common provi­dence, but of special grace and fa­therly care' sets a great lustre upon the mercy, and makes it very preci­ous in the esteem of the soul. We see David was much affected with deliverance that the Lord gave him, Psal. 116. Because it was in a time of great trouble and danger. v. 3. The sorrows of death compassed me. And because he saw the hand of God emi­nently in it, v. 6. The Lord pre­serveth the simple, I was brought low and he helped me. He prized it the more because it came as an answer to his prayers. v. 1. I love the Lord be­cause he hath heard my voice and my supplications. And cheifly, because through all this, he saw that God had a singular care of him, and a [Page 66] high esteem of his life; and not on­ly of his, but of all those that fear him, ver. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.

Fourthly, Then preservation from danger comes in special mer­cy to us, when the same impressi­ons are found upon our spirits, which the affliction sanctified should have wrought upon us. When the keeping off of an Evil, doth work the same things, that this should have produced, if it had come, and had been sanctified to the soul, then the preservation from this, is in mer­cy to the soul. As for example, Art thou in health, when others are sick? Art thou free, when others are shut up? Hast thou life and strength, when others are upon beds of lan­guishing? Then enquire, Dost thou find those workings of thy heart as are suitable to a gracious spirit upon a sick bed? Dost thou see the vanity [Page 67] of the World, the shortness of time? Dost thou mourn for the loss of time, as they do who are going into Eter­nity? And art thou careful to call thy Evidences together? Dost thou see the preciousness of thy soul, the weight of Eternity, the excel­lency of Christ, and of an Interest in God, as if thou wert upon a Death-bed? Oh then thy preserva­tion is a mercy to thee; for these should have been the gracious fruits of such a condition, if thou hadst been brought into it; for God hath done that good by keeping off the affliction, which he should have done thee by it, if it had fallen upon thee, and had been blest unto thee.

Fifthly, Then Preservation is in love, when it is accompanied with a singular love to God. Thou wilt find thy heart not only in love with God, but thou wilt call upon thy heart more and more to love God. This was David's care, to engage his heart [Page 68] to God, because of that singular pro­vidence of his over him, Psal. 116.1. He is also much affected with the goodness of God towards his people, he therefore stirs up others to love him in respect of his Providence, Psal. 31.19, 20,, 23. Oh how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence, from the pride of men; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilli­on, from the strife of tongues. Hence he takes occasion, ver. 23. to call upon men to love God: O love the Lord, all ye Saints, for the Lord pre­serveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. It is but reasonable that when we see more of God's love in any Providence, it should engage us to put in more of our love into every duty. We should be full of affection and zeal for the [Page 69] glory of that God, who we see cares for us.

Thirdly, We shall know whether this Preservation be in mercy, by those things which follow it.

First, If there be found in us a care to keep those impressions alive which were made upon our hearts in the time of danger and trouble, and our preservation under it. Many men have some sence of the Mercy and Goodness of God in time of great danger, and seem to be affected with their deliverance; but these are only made by some extraordinary Provi­dence, these things do not abide up­on their spirits; whereas a good man labours to keep all the impressions that are made upon his heart, either under affliction, or by any Mercy, fresh and lively, that so the frame of his heart may be bettered, and that he may get a sound and good consti­tution of soul.

Secondly, There will be found in us a great care to live up to the en­gagements of such a condition, as we see it was in David, Psal. 116.8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17. Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. What follows the sense of this Mercy? see in the following verses: I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his be­nefits towards me? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the pre­sence of all his people. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Thus we see David's mercies had an influence upon his whole life, as his outward condition is better'd so his whole life is better'd, made more holy, and conform to the will of God. He considered not only [Page 71] what engagements God had laid up­on him by his deliverance; but also what engagements he had upon him­self: For there are duties which spring out of the Mercies which we have received, and there are du­ties which arise out of the promises which we have made to God, upon condition of deliverance; and a good man considers both these.

David had an eye to the former, when he said, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? And he had respect to the latter, when he sayes, I will pay my vows unto the Lord: And God expects it at our hands, that we should call to mind the Promises that we make in time of trouble; snd the best of God's People have need to be min­ded of them; for we are apter to make them, than to keep them: We may see this in Jacob, who was ready to make a vow in his affliction, Gen. 28.20, 21, 22. And Jacob vowed a [Page 72] vow, saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my fathers house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be Gods house. But when God had given him not only food and raiment, but had multiplied him greatly, he must be called upon to make good this vow, Gen. 35.1. And God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an Al­tar unto God that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy Brother. We should learn of the Mariners in Jonah, who made vows after they were deli­vered; Many will make them be­fore, and forget them afterward; but a good man either makes them after deliverance, or makes good those that he made before. It is [Page 73] good to take up our vows when our troubles are ceased, and to turn them into Resolutions, to confirm and strengthen them, as our Mercies are perfected. Psal. 23.6. From the experience that David had of the Mercy and Good­ness of God, he takes up a resolu­tion to follow God as long as he lived; he determines to stick close to God in his prosperity, who stuck to him in his affliction.

Thirdly, There will be an en­quiry after work and service for God, how he may be serviceable in his generation. He is not satis­fied with general service neither, but is ready to enquire, Whether God hath any particular service for him to do in the World, un­to which he hath preserved him. God had a peculiar Work to em­ploy Moses in; therefore he won­derfully preserved him in that time of common Calamity, and brought [Page 74] him up in Pharoah's Court. And when a man that understands God's wayes and ends, meets with sin­gular preservations, he is ready to ask, What hath God to do for me in the World, that he thus preserves me, when many others are taken away? and he labours to find out that Work, if there be any such.

This is certain, that God doth nothing in vain; he still proposeth an end to himself, and his ends are the promoting his own glory and interest in the World: And doubtless his peculiar Works have peculiar Ends: And commonly, what God chiefly intends, that he sets upon our hearts to seek af­ter, or to comply with when it is offered unto us; as we see in Mo­ses, God had preserved him for the deliverance of his people out of E­gypt: And see how it was upon his heart before ever the Lord appear­ed [Page 75] to him, Exod. 2.12. Nothing doth more bespeak our lives to be given us in Mercy, than when we value our Lives by our Work; when we can say with Paul, To me to live is Christ. I know no­thing worth a living for, but Christ; I am resolved while I live, to labour for him, and to apply my self to that peculiar Work to which he hath appointed me, and for which he hath so often preserv­ed me.

Fourthly, A holy confidence in God for time to come; a dependance on him, and resolution to trust in him in all the straits that we shall meet withall. Faith grows stronger by all the answers and rerurns of prayer: If God give in any thing as a mercy, by special preservati­on, it fortifies the soul against doubts and difficulties for time to come, and a man is able then to rea­son from experience, as Paul does, [Page 76] 2 Cor. 1.9, 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves, that we might not trust in our selves, but in God which raiseth the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust that he will deliver. By these and such like Experiences you shall be assured that your preservations are the fruit of Divine Love, and that there was more then a common Pro­vidence in your safety. You are the saved of the Lord, and happy upon this account. But if the work­ings of thy heart have been contra­ry to these, suspend thy joy, thou hast less cause than thou art aware of, to rejoice in thy preservation from this wasting Judgment. It may be but a reservation for some greater evil. But you will say, Can there be a worse Evil than this? I tell thee, Yes; Perhaps God may reserve thee for some judgment that may take thee away when [Page 77] thou art less aware of it; Nay, if God only suffer thee to live and to be vile and prophane after such a deliverance, to abuse his patience and long suffering, and fill up the measure of thy sins: This will be a greater judgment then the Pesti­lence which thou hast escaped. The Apostle speaks to such an one as thou art, Rom. 2.4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance, and long suffe­ring, not knowing that the good­ness of God leadeth thee to repen­tance? Mark what is the issue of such a frame as this is. ver. 3. But after thine hard and impenitent heart, treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath. It had been better for thee that thou hadst been taken a­way and sent to hell long ago, then thou shouldst live to treasure up more wrath, against that day of wrath, and to make thy eternal condition so much the more intol­lerable [Page 78] Let me therefore perswade thee to look back again and again, how it hath been with thee under this dreadful visitation; and consi­der thy self, how hath it left thee? Did it find thee stupid and insensible of danger as many have been? or timerous? if so, Whether did thy fears drive thee only to the Physiti­an, to their directions for thy secu­rity, and not unto God? And now the danger is something blown o­ver, thou art left as vain, as unfruit­ful, yea as prophane as before; thou sayst in effect as they did, Jer. 7.10. We are delivered to do all these abomi­nations. If this be thy case, thou art amiserable man or woman; thou art none of those whom Moses magni­fies in this place, whom he admires as a happy people. And if thou be­lievest this to be a truth, stir up thy self to seek after an interest in this divine providence: Labour for a life suitable to a saved one, then [Page 79] shalt thou indeed have cause to re­joyce in thy deliverance; for the good of providence is not seen by the visible effects of it, but is legi­ble in the hearts and lives of the saved.

The Use that you should make of this truth, all you that are under these gracious impressions of provi­dence, or sincerely labouring after them, should be,

First, Look upon your mercies as they are, be sure to acknowledg God in all that you have, and enjoy; give him the glory of his goodness and truth, take your lives out of his hand, and say, it is the Lord that hath saved me alive this day; Set up your Eben-Ezer, hitherto the Lord hath helped me: Call nothing common that you have, though your lives and preservations may seem common mercies, because ma­ny have been preserved as well as [Page 80] you; yet, if you consider what hath been said, you will find cause to account your lives singular and spe­cial mercies, because there is more in them than there is in others; you have been preserved by a gracious providence; whereas others have e­scaped by a general providence; you have been saved in mercy; whereas others have been reserved in judgment. Nothing will conduce more to the quickning of your spi­rits, and to raise them up to live like your selves, than a true estimate of your mercies; for this will make you sensible of your engagements; and these considered, will quicken you to your duties.

Secondly, Love God. There is nothing more natural than this, that we shall love those who love us, and take the most care of us in our greatest dangers. This is that which David urges upon all the people of God, not onely to love him every [Page 81] one for the care that God hath of him, but every one to love him for the care that he hath of all the faithful. Psal. 31.23. Oh love ye the Lord, all ye his Saints, for the Lord preserveth the faithful. And let it seem but a reasonable thing to you, to grant [...] God a peculiar interest in your hearts and lives, who have a special interest in his pro­vidence.

Thirdly, Be careful to pay your vows that you have made to the Lord in the time of danger. Con­sider as well the duties which spring out of your promises made to God, as those which arise out of his providence towards you, and make conscience of both. Time was, when you valued your lives and the lives of your relations at a great rate; you offered freely and large­ly for your selves and them when trouble was near; O do not under­value them now; think that enjoy­ment [Page 82] of them now, to be as much worth as ever you did esteem them; Seeing God has taken you at your word, and has given you what you de­sired, be sure you make your word good, and give him what you pro­mised.

Fourthly [...], Be of good courage, strengthen your selves in God, from the experience that you have had of his goodness and truth; and live in a constant dependance up­on him, and hope in him for the time to come; that will be an evi­dence, that you believe this truth; and it will be an honouring of Gods providence.

Nothing can be more rationally deduced from this truth, than a comfortable reliance upon God; It is the inference of the Holy Ghost from the Premises, Psal. 31.24. When he had asserted the Providence of God over his people, in these Words (The Lord [Page 83] preserveth the Faithful) He ex­horts or infers this, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your hearts, all ye that hope in the Lord.

Last of all, This truth speaks to every man after this manner. You see nothing can make a man happy which cannot render him safe, a great part of our happiness in this life lying in a freedom from evil, rather than in the enjoyment of good, which [...] the happiness of the life to come. And there is no­thing so much contributes to our safety, as an interest in Divine pro­vidence: Can riches, honours, art, interest in men, say thus to thee, and make it good, Psal. 91.5.6. Thou shalt not be afraid of the terrour by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day, nor for the Pe­stilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that walketh at noon-day.

But God can speak thus to thy soul, and cause thee to walk with­out fear in the valley of the shaddow of death.

Make hast then, and interest thy self in God, and improve this by Faith and prayer; it is the best pre­servative thou canst provide for thy self and Family. Prov. 18.10. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righteous runneth into it, and is Safe. Nay here is shelter for Thine as well as Thee. Prov. 14 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confi­dence, and his Children shall have a place of Refuge. Would'st thou be good to thy self and to thy Family, make God thine, That thou mayest dwell in the secret of the Lord and abide under the shaddow of the Almighty. And time and ex­perience will confirm thee in this truth, that they are safe whom God keeps, and happy whom he saves; [Page 85] and with David thou wilt con­clude, Psal. 144. verse 15. Hap­py is that people that is in such a case; Yea happy is that peo­ple whose God is the Lord.