THEY are the sublime Words of Zophar concerning the Ever-glo­rious and most Blessed GOD. He had said very severe and harsh Things of Job in the preceeding Verses, wherein we cannot justifie him: but now that he comes to speak of GOD, His Greatness and Glory, it is in the best Manner [Page 2]that can be, and we cannot but admire him. Yet the Sum of all that he at last says of GOD is only this; That the Great GOD is Unsearchable and Incomprehensible in His Being and in His Works.

THESE infinitely exceed the Capacity of our Understandings. Canst thou by searching find out GOD? No: What canst thou do, what canst thou know? The Interrogation vehemently and ele­gantly rebukes the vain Pretences of any mortal Men; tho' never so Sagacious, Inquisitive and In­dustrious. ‘We may by a humble, diligent Search find out something of GOD, but cannot ever find Him out unto Perfection. We may apprehend Him, but cannot comprehend Him. We may know that He is, but not what He is. The Eye may see the Ocean but not over it. ^*.’ The unmeasurable Dimensions which the great Apostle ascribes to the Divine Love, Zophar here attributes to the Divine Essence and Operations. The Breadth and Length, the Height and Depth of them passes Knowledge. The Heavens, Earth and Sea have their Bounds, but GOD has none.

HAVING after our poor Manner medi­tated how unsearchable and incompre­hensible GOD is in his Essence; I am now with Humility and Reverence to go on and say,

II. GOD is Incomprehensible in his Works. In these his Greatness does sensibly appear to us, but they are unsearchably Great too. He doth great Things and unsearchable, marvellous Things with­out Number, said Eliphaz, Job 5.9. To which Job fully agreed, 9, 10. He doth great Things past finding out, and Wonders without Number. Elihu leaves it in Charge upon us, 36 Chap. 24. Verse. See that thou magnify his Work which Men behold; every Man may see it; Man may behold it afar off: Behold, GOD is Great, and we know him not.

[Page 30] THIS is a very great Article of Christian Devo­tion. The holy Psalmist of old abounded in the Meditation: Among the Gods there is none like to thee OLORD, nor are there any Works like unto thy Works: for thou art Great, and doest wondrous Things, thou art GOD alone. This also is a part of the Song of the Lamb, (what Saints on Earth, and those in Heaven, will never cease to men­tion) Rev. 15.3. Great and marvellous are thy Works, LORD GOD Almighty.

THE Works of GOD are Three; Creation, Pro­vidence and Redemption. I shall attempt to say a little of each of them in their order.

1. GOD is unsearchable and incomprehensible in his Works of Creation. The invisible things of GOD, his eternal Power and Godhead, are clear­ly seen from the thing that are made. But when we survey them all, how unsearchable are they to us? As the great GOD condescended to enquire and argue with his Servant Job, 38 Chap. init. Where wast thou when I laid the Foundation of the Earth? declare if thou hast Understanding? Who has laid the Measures thereof, if thou knowest & or who hath stretched the Line upon it! Hast thou entered into the Spring of the Sea? or hast thou walked in search of the Depth? Where is the Way where Light dwelleth? and as for Darkness where is the Place thereof? that thou shouldest take it to the Bound thereof, and know that Path to the House thereof? What can be more elegant and con­victive than this condescending and yet disdainful Expostulation?

[Page 31] LET us contemplate a little,

• 1. The Universe together.
• 2. Our Globe of Earth and Sea more particularly.

1. HOW unsearchable is the Universe; its Space and Limits! Who knows the Extent of the Crea­tion? how many Worlds there are? or even the Measure of our own System? those Spaces which our Eyes and Glasses do after some manner reach. It is the fixt Opinion now of learned Men, from what they do see and know of the Creation by Tellescopes, that there may be, and in all proba­bility are, many such Worlds as this which we behold; many such Circles as this which our Eyes view, when we take the Compass of the Heavens with them. And if it be so, how does it enlarge the Creation to us, and the Greatness of the Crea­tor? If our Heavens and Air, the Sun, Moon and Planets in our vast Circle, are but one single World, equal or superior to which there may be many o­thers; to which our Sun is but a Star as theirs to us: I say, supposing this to be the Truth of the Universe, how does it magnify the Work of GOD, and extend our poor Conceptions of his Greatness?

How soon should I lose my self in speaking of what we call the Sky, containing as we imagine vulgarly the Sun, Moon and Stars. It would on­ly astonish and amaze most of you, if I should re­peat what Philosophy has advanced about 'em, by the best Observations, and nicest Calculation. The Learned think that the fixt Stars, abundance whereof are invisible to us, and seen only with the help of Glasses, do not belong to our System; [Page 32]but are Suns to other Worlds, like what the Sun (in our Heaven, we say) it to our World. And to come within our own certain Limits, they tell us such inconceivable Things of the Distances and Magnitude of the Sun and Planets within our own Circle, that it quite astonishes a common Mind.

So that supposing our own System, which we see thro' but very darkly, to be indeed the Uni­verse, yet is it demonstrably such a Space as we know not scarce how to speak of, but as Immense, Infinite, &c. tho' in Truth and strictly Speaking multiply this Space a Million times over, and those again Millions of Millions, all together would have a Limit at last, and not be properly Immense. However, to abide by the Word in the Text, it is a Space properly unsearchable, while we lose our selves in Numbers.

THE Almighty put it to Job, 38.18. Hast thou perceived the Breadth of the Earth? Declare if thou knowest it all. So far our Moderns dare I suppose to answer, just now in the Ends of the Word, having attained, as they think, to mea­sure our Earth and Planetary World. And what do they tell us of its Vastness? I'm afraid truly to repeat in a common Audience what they count themselves pretty certain of. If it were not to glorify the CREATOR to you, and let you see how unsearchable his Works are, I would not hint them to you.

THE Diameter of the Earth is computed to be thout Eight Thousand Miles. The Diameter of [Page 33] Jupiter ^* (the Star so called) Fifty Two Thousand. But (to name no more) the Diameter of the Sun 494,000. See then how much vaster than our Earth other Orbs are that belong to our World, and which look so small to us. The Reason of their appearing so small to us is, because of their wonderful Distance from us.

WE are calculated to be Fifty Four Million Miles ^‖ distant from the Sun. And yet there are other Planets unspeakably further from it than we are: For Instance, The Star Saturn (which is tho't to be ^† Forty Three Thousand Miles Diame­ter, when our Earth is but Eight Thousand) is also supposed distant from the Sun, Five Hundred and Thirteen millions of Miles. ^*

THESE things theys tell us, who should best know the System of the Creation, after a profound Study, and laborious Search thereinto. In all which, supposing them at last to err and be mista­ken, what is the Consequent thereform but the Truth I am upon; scil. That GOD and his Works are unsearchable to the most improved, diligent and enlarged Minds on Earth.

BUT if this sould be some pretty just Measure of the World we belong to, then say, how great the LORD GOD is! Does it not magnify the Creator to you? Don't it raise and extend your narrow Thoughts of him? And will you not be [Page 34]constrained thereby to admire, reverence and fear him the more? And to worship him with the more Humility, and Awe, and Fervor of Devo­tion.

BEFORE I descend from these mighty Circles which my Meditations wou'd have been compas­sing; let us pass one Thought on Comets in their unknown, but it is likely no less regular Courses; tho' they seem wandring as well as blazing Stars to us, passing from World to World; ‘The frightful Ministers it's probable of divine Jus­tice ^* that may have brought, and may still bring about the great Catastrophees of our Sy­stem; by lending us their noxious Vapours, by raising our Waters, changing the Figures and Positions of the Planets, and the very Nature of the Orbits themselves. Or are they the first Rudiments of Planets not yet bro't into any Sy­stem? Or father the Ruins of them banish'd thence? And so the Habitations of Creatures in a State of Punishment? ^†’

BUT whither have I wandred after these por­tentous Prodigies! Yet having gone so far, let me take yet one Step higher, and think—

WHAT must the Dimensions of the highest Heavens be? The Heavens of Heavens—which as Solomon says, cannot contain GOD; how much less our Earth and visible Heavens? How spacious [Page 35]as well as glorious (think you) is that World of Light and Bliss, where is the Throne of GOD and of the Lamb, and where the highest created Intel­ligences dwell, and whither all holy Spirits are at last gather'd? How many thousand Kinds of ra­tional Creatures there may be in the Creation of GOD, equal or superior to our Selves in our first State, GOD only knows, known unto whom are all his Works. But this we know, that there are innumerable Myriads of holy Angels, bright Morn­ing Stars, and heavenly Hosts, who excel in Wis­dom and in Strength, who see the Face of GOD, and minister in his Presence; the happy Objects of his Complacency and Love. Now how supe­rior these Realms of Light are to our dark World, and how spacious this Palace of the eternal King of Glory; no Eye has seen nor can see. 1 Tim. 6.16. The blessed and only Potentate, who only hath Immortality; dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto; whom no Man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be Honour and Power ever­lasting. Amen.

LEAVING then the angelical Nature to their native Heaven; that and their Orders and Capa­cities and Bliss unknown; let us descend to our sublunary World, and observe,

II. HOW unsearchable our Globe of Earth and Sea is to us who inhabit it, and over which GOD has given us the Dominion.

And,

1. HOW mysterious is it to think, What this and the other mighty Orbs di hang on, or roll [Page 36]in? ^* How do they keep their Places, Distances and Motions in such Constancy and Celerity, for so many thousand Years together? The Word of GOD has fixt 'em so; and at last we must submit to say with Job, 26.7. He stretcheth forth the North over the empty Place, and hangeth the Earth upon nothing. It has no visible Foundations, but is like a Ball hanging in the Air, we know not how.

THE Almighty put this among his Queries to Job, 38.6. Where upon are the Foundations there­of fastned? or who laid the Corner-Stone thereof? or who shut up the Sea with Doors, and brake up for it it's decreed Place? How unsearchable is the Law of it's Center or Gravitation, whereon it is fixt? He has founded it upon the Seas, says the Psalmist, and established it upon the Floods. But these Expressions do but confess and amplify upon the Mystery of its Scituation and Consistence where it is. Psal. 104.5. He laid the Foundation of the Earth that it should not be removed for ever; he cover'd it with the Deep as with a Garment. This is all that GOD sees good to tell us of the matter. Psal. 33 8. Let all the Earth fear the Lord; let all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of him: for he spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast.

2 HOW unsearchable are the Clouds which water the Earth. I will not go back again so far as [Page 37]the Moon, which is a Body inferior to our Earth; nor speak of its mysterious Dominion over the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, the Juices of Plants and Trees, the Humours of our Bodies, and those of o­ther Animals. But to ascend no higher than the Clouds, which in Storms of Rain and Thunder do often descend lower than the Tops of our Moun­tains and Hills; — what a Mystery are they to us? Let us meditate them with Eliba, Job 36. 26, 29. Behold, GOD is great, end we know him not; he maketh small the Drops of Water, they pour down Rain according to the Vapour thereof!— Can any understand the Spreading of the Clouds, or the Noise of his Tabernacle? Behold, he spreadeth his Light upon it, and by the Terrors of his Light­nings he judgeth the People. Read on in the 37th Chap. At this also my Heart trembleth and is moved out of his Place. Hear attentively the Noise of his Voice, and the Sound that goeth out of his Mouth. He directeth it under the whole Heaven, and his Lightning unto the Ends of the Earth: Af­ter it a Voice roareth, — GOD thundreth mar­velously —; Great things deeth he which we can­not compretend. — Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous Works of GOD. — Dost thou know the Ballancings of the Clouds, the wondrous Work of Him that is perfect in Knowledge?

3. EVERY Creature here on Earth, even to the lowest Degrees of Life, are mysterious and un­searchable. So is the very Grass we tread on, and every Weed in the Field, as well as the green Herb and painted Flower in the Garden. We are ignorant how these grow, and what dies and [Page 38]colours them, so that Solomon in all his Glory was never in any like Array. But then the living Creatures in the Air, Earth and Sea are an inex­pressible Variety of divine Workmanship, both for Beauty and Use. So are the Furrs of the Beasts, the gaudy Feathers of the Birds, and the silver Scales of the Fish. Innumerable Wonders fill the Land and Sea and Air. The most com­mon Creatures wear 'em; whether we discern it in 'em as we might and should, or not. The Al­mighty therefore sent Job to consider the wild Goats of the Rocks, and the wild Asses of the bar­ren Wilderness.

THREE Things are unsearchable in the Crea­tures, which I would select out of the many thou­sand Instances that might be given.

1. THE Minuteness of some of the wonderful Works of GOD is unsearchable. The Discoveries of this kind made by Microscopes are astonishing. In less far than a Grain of Sand we find as curious Workmanship, Proportions, Imbroideries, Parts and Figures, as you see in any of the greater Creatures. No Man alive can say how small a Dust may be animated, and be a perfect living Creature. But then how incomprehensibly fine are the Parts and Proportions of that animated Mite? The Wing of a Moth is seen to contain as perfect and gay Feathers, as do the goodly Wings of the Peacock. This we see with our Eyes by the help of Glasses. The Grain of a common Chip of Wood, and more of a piece of Cork or Spunge, and more yet the Wing of a Fly, are all such delicate Embroideries as the Necks [Page 39]of Queens never wear. The Crowns of Princes are nothing so magnificent as what GOD has set on the Head of a Fly: nor their polish'd Armour to be compar'd to the silver Studds wherein the Body of this despicable Creature is incas'd.

THUS the smallest Insect is full of Wonders. The Greatness of the Creator is seen in the least Things, as much as in the greater: but the Mini­mum quod sit can never be known by us. It was the Saying of the religious and learned Judge Hale; That if a Man should spend his whole Life in the Study of one poor Fly, he could not with the most singular Wit discover one Half of the Wonders therein. The Great GOD, out of the infinite Riches and Fulness of his Perfection, crouds unsearchable Treasures into the Compass of a Grain of Sand.

2. ON the other Hand, How unsearchable are the Wonders of divine Power and Majesty, in the Creatures of greater Bulk and Magnitude? There are not wanting huge and vaster Creatures, as well as smaller and more minute; together with innumerable intervening Kinds and Degrees, be­tween the Humm-Bird and the Ostritch, between the Mite and the Elephant, between the Shrimp and the Whale. The Almighty instances to Job in the greater Creatures of one Kind and of ano­ther; the Ostrich, the Horse, the Elephant, and the Crocodile. These are some of the chief of the Ways of GOD Hear the Words of GOD con­cerning the last of them: Job 41.12. &c. I will not conceal his Parts, nor his Power, nor his comely Proportion; who can open the Doors of his Face? [Page 40]his Teeth are terrible round about. — When be raiseth up himself the Mighty are afraid: — be esteemeth Iron as Straw, and Brass as rotten Wood: — he makes the Deep to boil as a Pot, (to swell and foam by his strong Motion.)— Upon Earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. When Job had heard this magnificent De­scription of this single Creature, he immediately reply'd to GOD with the utmost Abasement; I know that thou canst do every Thing, and that no Tho't can be withbolden from thee: — Now mine Eye seeth thee, in thy Works, wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in Dust and Ashes. I had tho't also to have said.

3. How unsearchable the Instinct of the Crea­tures is? which is to them instead of Reason; and whereby even some of the least and vilest of them do act with that Art, Prudence, Sagacity and Foresight as may instruct, shame and astonish Man­kind. Such is the Wisdom and Diligence of the Ant and Bee, the Spiders Webb, the Wasps Nest, and the Beavers House: these and other Things are little upon Earth, but exceeding wise. Inimi­table their Works. The most despised things hath GOD chosen to vie with all human Under­standing and Discretion. Thus in all Creatures, even to the lowest Degrees of Life, we see the unsearchable Greatness of GOD.

2. To have done with these Instances in the vi­sible Creation, and to rise the highest in them on the Earth, We our Selves are unsearchable to our Selves; both in the Formation of our Bodies, & in the Nature and Faculties of our immortal Spirits.

[Page 41] 1. OUR Bodies are a stupendous Piece of divine Workmanship. We are fearfully and wonder­fully made: Psal. 139.13. yet originally of the Clay. But who knows the Mystery of his own Formation? or can dissect and anatomize himself? So as to display the Wonders of every Vessel, Artery and Fibre in his Flesh? Our Sustentation also is next to miraculous, our Life hanging on so many fine Threads. Confider the Elegance of the whole Form, the Harmony and Use of every Part, and how the Frame answers the Ends of a rational Nature, in respect of Dominion over the Creatures, Society, Discourse and Worshipping GOD; and we must needs see much of the Great­ness of GOD in these Bodies of Clay.

2. How much more unsearchable are our Sculs, the more immediate Offspring & express Image of the Father of Spirits. Indeed we have but poor and confus'd Ideas of our own Souls; but that we have Souls we feel and know, being endowed with such Faculties as can in no wise agree to Matter in it self alone, but only to a spiritual Nature. We find in our selves the Powers of thinking, reasoning, remembring, willing, choosing, desiring, loathing, self-judging, &c. We can easily argue that these do not belong to dull and stupid Mat­ter, and therefore that there is in us a Spirit, which tho' united to this Body is yet distinct from it, and performs these noble and superior Opera­tions, and by its vital Union enlivens and uses the Body in its various Offices and Actions of Life, to whose Service therefore the Body is a­dapted. It is the living Soul that gives the Body [Page 42]its Life, Majesty, Beauty, Vigour: without this it becomes a Carcase, unsightly, gastly, noisome. The Soul sits on the Eye, and issues out its Will at the Lips, and all the Members are under its Authority.

MOST wonderful is the strict Union of Soul and Body, in which Union both do delight inexpressi­bly, and by a most tender Sympathy share in each others Joys and Sufferings. But what Art or Power could join Spirit and Matter thus toge­ther? and make them so natural that their Ease and Pain, their Pleasure and their Grief should be one and the same! What has so endear'd Things so widely different in their Natures!

THUS are we a Mystery to our selves, and find that within our selves which we know not how to describe: A Mind, a Will, a Conscience, Desires and Affections, which how they are, and how we received them, and how we exercise'em we know very imperfectly: but that we have 'em, and that we exercise 'em we are very sure. We know we have Souls by their Operations, but what they are, or where seated in the Body, or how united to it, or how they suffer from it, or it from them, is all inconceivable to us.

THE Soul of Man is a most wonderful thing; the Light is not brighter nor swister than its Mo­tion; it surveys the visible World in a Moment of Time, and forms Images of infinite invisible Things. It is made to rule, to rule the Body, and over the lower Creatures, yea and one single Mind over mighty Nations. It is nobly endow'd, [Page 43]and form'd for great things. A sovereign Power resides in it: high are its Attainments: Itascends to GOD and Heaven, can know much of him who is invisible, be like him, honour and glorify him: which is more than to say, that it can dive into the Secrets of Nature, take the Rule of the Universe, and enjoy the Good of every Thing in it. How transcendently Great and Glorious is the Father and Former of these noble Beings, the Spi­rits of Men.

Now if we know not our little Selves, how shall we conceive of GOD? if we are puzled in our Searches into the Nature of a finite Spirit, the Perfection and Powers of an Angel or human Soul, how shall we understand Him who is the infinite and eternal Spirit!

To Conclude, If the Creatures be unsearcha­ble, much more is the CREATOR incomprehensi­ble. If such dazling Wisdom and Perfection shines forth in the things that are made, what then is the Light wherein GOD dwells? Whom no Man hath seen nor can see.

ALL this while I have omitted to speak of that first and most wondrous Work of GOD, the Light: by which we see all other Things, and the eter­nal GODHEAD clearly in them, but least of all is it seen it self. ^‖ ‘It is the great Beauty and Blessing of the Universe; and like the first-horn it doth of all Bodies most resemble its great Parent, the Father of Light and Glory; in Purity, Brightness, Beneficence, and Spiritu­ality; [Page 44]for of all things visible Light comes the nearest to the Nature of a Spirit.’ There is nothing more excellent and admirable in the vi­sible Creation of GOD. An immense flowing Tide of Glory.

^* Etherial Stream! thy Fountain who can tell? "Before the Sun, before the Heavens thou wert. The Velocity of the Rays of Light is ama­zing, and so the infinite endless Emissions of ma­ny Millions of them every Moment of Time, for so many thousand Years together, without any sensible Diminution. What a vast Globe of Flame must it be, and how extreamly small and fine the Particles of Light! Immense the Benefit also of its Effusions to all the distant rolling Worlds, in the Center of which it stands. It was it may be the most excusable of all the Pagan Idolatries to wor­ship the Sun.

BUT after all, where is the Way where Light dwelleth? and by what Way is the Light parted? that thou shouldest take it to the Bound thereof, and know the Parth to the House thereof? Job 38. 19, 20. All our Hypotheses of the Light are full of Darkness and Obsecurity. We are lost and struck blind with the Excess of Radiancy and Lustre. But how much more doth GOD dwell in Light unapproachable, and full of Glory!

GIVE me leave to add upon the whole,

1. UNSEARCHABLE is the Power of GOD that thines forth in the Work of Creation. To crease [Page 45]is the Top of almighty Power. By a Word to command all things into Being, out of Nothing. How great is it to do this! Rev. 4.11. Thine is the Power, — for thou hast created all things. psal. 150 Praise him in the Firmament of his Power: (i. e. for here is the admirable Evidence of it, within the Compass of the Firmament, where­in are so many vast Effects of it to be seen:) Praise him for his mighty Acts; praise him for his excellent Greatness.

HERE God began to shew his Greatness and his mighty Hand, and what GOD is there that can do according to these Works and this Might? Moses his Account of the Creation is the most au­gust, absolute and worthy of GOD that can be: And GOD said, Let there Light, and there was Light: Let a Firmament be, and it was, Let the Warers bring forth abundantly, &c. How easy is every thing to this powerful Will and Word? He spake and it was done, he commanded and things were! By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Hosts of them by the Breath of his Mouth, Psal. 33.6.

AN instantaneous Production by a Word was incomprehensible to the old Philosopher Aristotle; he chose therefore to allow the Eternity of Mat­ter and of the World. He err'd not knowing the Scriptures and the Power of GOD. By Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the World of GOD. Heb. 11.3. He commanded and they were created. Psal. 148. 5. Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, the GOD of Israel,—I have made the Earth, the Man and the Beast that are [Page 46]Upon the Ground, by my great Power, and by my stretched-out Arm, Jerr. 27.5.

2. UNSEARCHABLE is the Knowledge and Wis­dom of GOD display'd in the Works of Creation. This is legible in the whole Frame of the Universe. Prov. 3.19, 20. The LORD by Wisdom bath frounded the Earth, by Understanding bath be esta­blished the Heavens, by his Knowledge the Depths were broken up. Every Creature bears the Sig­natures of manifold Wisdom. Psal. 104.24. O LORD, how manifold are thy Works! in Wisdom thou hast made them all.

WHAT Beauty, Variety and Harmony is there in each distinctly, and in all conjunctly? What Art in their Composition, and what wise Design in their Uses, Subordinations, and mutual Services? The World by Wisdom know not GOD; to its re­proach be it spoken, for it might easily and should have surely done so by the infinite Variety and Depths of Wisdom in the Works of Nature.

OUR Understandings serve to the Contemplation of the divine Wisdom, in the Form, Order, Mo­tions and Creatures of the Universe, and when we see a little into these Things we are lost in Admiration. Wisdom and Strength are his, he is mighty in Strength and Wisdom, Job 36.5.

HOW soon are the truly knowing and wise con­vinced of their own Ignorance? How soon do they confess with Amazement that they know nothing at all! that they are lost in their Searches into the least Creature? The brutish Person knows not, [Page 47]neither does the Fool understand this: He over­looks the admirable Effects of divine Wisdom that encompasses him on every Side, in a wretched Carelessness and sottish Inconsideration! Whereas would Men but open their Eyes and see, would they give their Minds to contemplate GOD in his Works, would they use their Reason and survey the same Things that daily occur to them; wou'd they but seriously set themselves to think of what they behold every Day with their Eyes; the Wisdom of GOD would necesarily appear ravish­ing to their Minds, and in its exquisite Beauty captivate their Souls.

BUT at last put all together that has ever been seen or said, by philosophical and devout Persons, the Learned and Religious of all Ages, concern­ing the Wisdom of the Creation, and it infinitely falls short of the Truth of the glorious Subject. After all we must say of it, as the wise Queen of Sheba did to Solomon when she had seen his Works, and heard his Wisdom; not Half has been told us, nor ever can be. That Queen of the South felt her Spirit fail her, and there was no more Strength left in her, when she did but behold the Art and Elegance of Solomon's Architecture, and the Ascent by which he went up to the House of the LORD: But behold, a greater than Solomon is here, and how much greater a Fabrick than his Temple! The Builder and Maker of it is GOD, and un­searchable is the Wisdom in the Design and Fi­nishing hereof. Job 11.5. O that God would speak, and open his Lips unto thee, and that he would shew thee the Secrets of Wisdom; that they are doable to that which is!

[Page 48] 3. UNSEARCHABLE is the Goodness of GOD that appears in the Works of Creation. All Be­ings flow'd from the meer Good-Will and Boun­ty of the first Cause, who only is good. "He was eternally possess'd of infinite Felicity in himself, and had no need of the Existence of any thing. He created the reasonable Creature to communi­cate of Blessedness unto them. He design'd infi­nete Communications of Good unto them, when he stampt his Image on them. He knew himself to be eno' to make 'em everlastingly happy, and therefore he created them. He stor'd the Earth with an unsearchable Variety of Bounties and Delights, and then he brought forth Man upon it. As are our Desires, Wishes, Hopes, and far beyond the Conceptions of any Creatures, so is the Goodness of GOD. He has endow'd us so richly that he may replenish and fill us.

LOOK thro' the visible Creation, and see the Provision made thro'our it all for the Entertain­ment of Man, his Soul and Body! Immense Stores from the divine Fulness and Munificence! What Wonders of Wisdom for our muring Minds? What Beauties for our gozing Fyes? What pleasing Sounds for our Ears? What De­licacy of Food for our Palates? What a Para­dise the Earth—if by our Sins we had not blasted it? and GOD Himself for our Souls if we had not apostatiz'd and cut our selves off from Him?

GOODNESS form'd our Body for the Soul, and Goodness breath'd the heaven-born Spirit into the Body. Goodness furnish'd the World for our [Page 33]Sustenance, and Goodness made us for GOD and Immortality. Goodness made all Things very Good, and fills them with their proper Good of every Kind, and in every Measure. But who can trace the eternal Spring of the divine Munificence, thro' every Stream of it? We know not how to speak of it suitably and adore it. He is the One GOD and Father of all, who is above all, and thro' all, and in all.

USE 1. See the Use and End of all the Crea­tures, of one part of the Creation of GOD and ano­ther; Namely, to shew forth the Greatness, the unsearchable Gratness of the CREATOR. The Universe can have no greater Design, nor any more worthy Use than this. Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive Glory and Honour and Power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy Pleasure they are and were created. What other Reason or Motive could there be for the creating any thing? Surely GOD has made all things for Himself. Of him, and thro' him, and to him are all things. All Creatures look to GOD, and lead us to him, and speak to us of him, and call upon us to glorify him. The Heavens de­clare his Glory, and the Firmament sheweth his Handy-Work: Day unto Day uttereth speech, and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge: There is no speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard. The Creation in all its Parts unite in that Acclamation, and in a manner an­swer and fulfil that Vision, Rev. 19.6. And I heard as it were the Voice of a great Multitude, and as the Voice of many Waters, and as the Voice [Page 40]of mighty Thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the LORD GOD omnipotent reigneth.

THE highest Creatures can have no higher End than this, to serve unto the Creator's Glory: and the leust of Creatures can have no less an End, and in their Places do as truly serve thereunto as the best and greatest. Man's chief End is to glo­rify GOD, and the End of any Worm or Insect is his Glory also: only the one is to serve hereunto in a free and active Way, the other in a more passive; the one is to give GOD the Glory of the other Isai. 43.20, 21. The Beasts of the Field shall honour me, the Dragons and the Owls:— this People also have I formed for my self, they shall shew forth my Paraise.

2. LET us infer the Duty of the raitional Crea­ture, resulting from the visible Creation, to con­template GOD in his Works, and to give him Ado­rations and Praises on account of them. The rational Mind, the Eyes and Tongues of Men were certainly made for this. At the Formation of the Earth the Morning Stars sang together, and all the Sons of GOD shouted the Praises of the CREATOR. The stupid Mass, out of which our Bodies were formed, and the Creatures brought forth, could not praise him: but Angels beheld these Worlds of ours come into Being, and then into Order, and gave him the Glory due unto his Name. So neither can the World that now is, the Earth and Sea, with the dumb Creatures in them, know and laud the Creator; but We have Understanding and Speech to do it for them and from them, and from us the Almighty expects [Page 51]the Tribute. The Heathen Poet this and said, Os Homini sublime dedit, &c. The Creator gave to Man this Face and Eye, that he should behold the Heavens, and look thro' the spacious Worlds, and give the Maker of them Glory. And this Date of Contemplation, and consequent Admiration and Worship is abundantly pressed on us in the Holy Scriptures. A Duty which Man­kind are sadly wanting in, tho' why has GOD made us wiser than the Beasts of the Field, and than the Fowls of Heaven, but for this! Why are the Beasts dumb, and we speak? Why look they down, and we up and abroad thro' the Uni­verse? Sorely 'tis to see GOD in his Works, and adore his Greatness in them. We ought fre­quently to consider with David, GOD's Heavens, the Work of his Fingers, the Moon and the Stars which he has created; and while we do so we ought to be making our devotional Reflections on the Greatness, Glory, Wisdom, Goodness and Power of the great CREATOR. The Works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have Pleasure therein. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole Heart, I will show forth all thy marvellows Works. Among the Gods there are none like unto thee, O LORD, neither any Works like unto thy Works: All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O LORD, and shall glorify the Name: for thou art Great, and doest wondrous Things, thou art GOD alone. Thus ought the great GOD to be greatly reverenc'd and honoured by his reasonable Creatures. And indeed the very Heathens are left inexcusable in their Idolatries and gross Immoralities, from what GOD has shewn us of his Greatness and Glory in [Page 52]his Works. Excellent is the Strain of Argument and Reasoning to this purpose in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. No Man that will use his Senses, and observe the Heavens and the Earth, can without forfeiting his Reason, and the highest Contradiction to it, worship a Stock and Stone, or the Image of Heaven; for if he will but think he must easily know that all these things have some glorious Maker, whose Creature he himself is also, and whom only he must therefore Worship If a Heathen will not thus use his Reason, he despises his Maker, and dishonours and abuses his own Nature: or if he violates his Understand­ing and Conscience, lives like a Brute or worships a brutal Form, he does despight unto GOD and is guilty before him as truly, tho' not so heinously, as we Christians are if we perish under the writ­ten Law. The Law of Nature is a very sacred Law, and the Light of Nature a very great Light: to live up to it is a very great Thing; and to quench it by Lust, or wilfully to Sin against it is a very high Guilt.

3, and lastly, NONE of the Creatures of GOD are in themselves vile or diminutive; but how little a Creature is Man in the Universe and be­fore his MAKER? We cannot lightly esteem the least Creature, nor may we vilify any one, be­cause the least and meanest are unsearchable. All are admirable: Much of GOD, his Wisdom, Power, Goodness and Dominion is to be seen in each, and in all of them. GOD who knows his own Work treats them all with a Regard. Not a Sparrow misses it, and even the Hairs of our [Page 53]Heads are numbred by him. He has given Man the Dominion over and Use of the inferior Crea­tures, and put them under our Feet; but it be­comes us not to trample, either in Pride or Care­lessness, on a very Worm; which as no Man can form, nor eno' admire the Formation of, so the great GOD that made it feeds it and cares for it. We should look upon every Creature we use with Wonder, and while for our Necessities and Conveniences, Comfort and Delight, GOD hath subjected them to us, let us neither needlesly ra­vage and destroy them, nor abuse them to Wan­tonness and Lust. Let the Work of GOD be al­ways honourable and glorious to us; and as GOD has put the Honour of a superior Nature on us, crowning us with his own Image and Likeness; so let us reverence our selves and debase neither Soul nor Body from those rational and religious Servi­ces, which the LORD our GOD has design'd us for.

BUT at the same time, in the midst of this vast Creation, LORD, what is Man! What Reasons for Humiliation and Abasement in our own Eyes may we fetch from the Unsearchableness of GOD in his Works? How little is it that any single Person possesses of this vast Creation? The Kings and Princes of the Earth parcel it out among themselves, but what have they at last to be proud of? Like some Master-Ant upon his Hillock, com­pared to the wide Extent of the Creation round about them! What have the richest Mortals to cast into the Treasury of the GOD of Nature, but a Widow's Mite. How soon must Man be dispos­sess'd of his Earth, and return to his Dust? And [Page 54]when he's gone, the Earth misses him not, the World keeps on its Course, as if he never had been.

AGAIN, HOW little can Man command of the Things he sees and is conversant with? Will the Winds and Seas obey him? Can he lift up his Voice to the Clouds, that abundance of Waters should cover him? Hast thou commanded the Morning since thy Day? Or shall the Earth be removed out of its Place for thee?

TO have done, How little is Mans Knowledge after he has search'd into the vast Works of GOD! What seems he then to himself but Ignorance and Darkness! even as a Beast before GOD! He that's Half-learned may Conceit that he knows a great deal, and they that are truly Learned among Men do so compared with their unread or tho't­less Nei'bours; but he that knows most here below sees most his own Defects and Incapacity, and the unsearchable Riches of Knowledge, which he cannot now attain unto. We are of Yesterday, and know nothing.

HAVING in some little Manner medita­ted the unsearchable Greatness of GOD in his Works of Creation, I pass on now to the second Instance.

II. GOD's Works of Providence.

THAT there is a glorious Providence exercised over all things, whereby in all their Motions and Actions all Creatures are upheld and govern'd, in a most holy wise and powerful Manner, is one of the first Doctrines of natural Religion. As sure as the Being of a GOD, and the Creation of the World, so sure is the Doctrine of his Providence. If GOD created it, he must uphold it. The Pre­servation of Things in their beautiful and useful Order requires the same Power and Wisdom which gave them their Being and Use. If GOD made [Page 56]the World it can neither be below him, nor diffi­cult to him to govern it: Nay, it must be neces­sary to his Glory, and part of his Felicity to do so. Can it be his Dishonour to be the Governor of the Universe? the LORD over all, in the actual Exer­cise of Rule? or can it be a Burthen to the infinite Mind, to the almighty Word, to which all Things are alike easy? A Million as One! and the Great­est as the Least!

IN short, I shall now take it for granted that there is an all-disposing Providence, and thereup­on I have only to say—How unsearchable the Greatness of GOD is appearing in it! in the Order, Sustentation and Disposition of every thing which we behold.

IN general: How unsearchable is the Univer­sality of a Providence! A sufficient Care had to all Things, infinitely various, however distant, however opposite in their Nature; at the same Time, for Ever-more, and with infinite Ease! What a glorious Mind is it that does this! Every Species and Kind preserv'd, and in all their Indi­viduals supply'd, in their constant Succession, from the Beginning of the World unto this Day! and all over-rul'd and directed to the wisest and best Ends, by his sovereign Influence and Will! So that in the infinite Variety and Contrariety of Creatures, they are all made together to serve unto the general Good of the Universe, the mutual Benefit of one another, and the high Glory of the CREATOR ultimately. Here is perfect Order in seeming wild Confusions, and perfect Harmony in all present seeming Discords and Jarrings. [Page 57]But the mean while it is perfect Mystery and an unsearchable Conduct. Eccl. 3 11. He has made every Thing beautiful in his Time, also he hath set the World in their Heart, ("given a whole World of Matter for the Hearts of Men copious­ly to meditate on) yet so that no Man can find out the Work that GOD maketh from the Beginning to the End.

BUT to be more particular in our Meditations on the Mysteries of Providence.

• 1. Over the Highest and Greatest of the Works of GOD.
• 2. Over the Least and Lowest of Creatures.
• 3. Over what we call Chance and Accident.

I. UNSEARCHABLE is the Greatness and Ma­jesty of GOD in that Providence which he exer­cises over the highest and greatest of his Works: whether Things, Creatures, Persons and Intelli­gencies.

1. THE greatest Things. By which I mean the visible Orbs and Globes; the vast planetary Bodies, whereof our Earth is one. What a migh­ty Being is HE, who has assign'd to these their Distances, Places, Motions, Center, Magnetism, and they inviolably obey the Law he gave them for Ever-more, in their exact Revolutions. If the great GOD did not govern these in our Favour, how soon wou'd the Earth sink under us, and the Pit open and swallow us quick; or the Sea drown us! If the Sun should roll near to us it would soon scorch us to Death; or if the Earth should roll further from it we should be as soon frozen stiff with Cold: if the Moon should leave us and [Page 58]wander away, the stagnated Sea would soon poison us; or if it should roll on nearer to us 'twould raise the Tides so high that they would run over our Houses. Now how great is that Providence which keeps these vast Bodies in their Places, and makes 'em so kindly minister to one another thro' every Generation? So that Day and Night, Sum­mer and Winter; Tides, Dews and Rains do not fail us; but vital Heat and Moisture and Respira­tion is provided for and preserved unto us and all the living Creatures!

BUT to keep to our own Limits a little more,

1. IT is the unsearchable Power of GOD that commands the Winds, and infinite is the Goodness and Wisdom which orders that mild or wild Ele­ment the Air. How thin, and light, and soft and yielding an Element in its Calm? how strong, and fierce, and raging, spreading wide Desolations, when GOD bids it storm? How much is the World govern'd by the Ministrations thereof? GOD uses it, raises and stills it as he please. His Way is in the Whirlwind, and in the Storm, and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet! His Fury is pour'd out like Fire, and the Rocks are thrown down by him. He gathers the Wind in his Hand, and when he lets them sly, how do they roar and tear? Di­vine Majesty and Wrath rides upon its Wings; the Earth shakes and the Hills move under its Force and Weight; A Smoke goes out of his No­strils, and Fire out of his Mouth devours; Dark­ness is under his Feet, and at his Brightness the thick Cloud passes, Hail-Stones and Coals of Fine. Psal. 18.10, 12.

[Page 59] THUS GOD looks to the Ends of the Earth, and seeth under the whole Heavens, to make the Weight for the Winds, and to weigh the Wa­ters by Measure; to give Decrees to the Rain, and to make a Way for the Lightning and Thun­der; he sees it and declares it, he prepares it and searches it out; which none beside him can do. He causeth it to come whether for Correction or Mercy. Now out of the South comes the Whirl­wind, and Cold out of the North, and Frost is the Breath of GOD: Presently again he quieteth is the Earth by the same South Wind, and we know not how our Garments grow warm upon us. Now he persecutes a guilty World by his Tempests, and makes them afraid by his Storm; again he merci­fully fanns and purges the Air for us, by bring­ing the Winds out of his Treasures, and the pleas'd Mariners improve the welcome Gale, the Ships stagger under their Courses, and are driven with their rich Freight to their Port. Thus the Great­ness and Goodness of GOD is seen in the blowing of the Wind.

2. No less is it in the Ruling and Ordering of the Sea: in commanding the Waters, the vast Deep and Abyss wherein our Earth seems to float, and with which it is wash'd, by which it is also in a great Measure stock'd and enrich'd. The Crea­tures in it, and the Dwellers upon it, are beyond Number; and what a mighty Providence is it that watcheth over them all! There go the Ships, and there plays Leviathan! Let us look and dive a little into this wide and great Sea, wherein are Things creeping innumerable, both small and great Beasts, which do all wait upon GOD, as [Page 60]much as the Creatures on the Land do, and he gives them their Meat in due Season, they are filled with Good, Psal. 104.25, &c. At the same time Men go down to this Sea in Ships, do­ing Business on these mighty Waters; they see the Works of GOD and his Wonders on the Deep: Sometimes to their Terror and great Danger he commandeth and raiseth the stormy Wind, which lifteth up the Waves; they mount up to the Hea­vens, they go down again to the Depths, their Souls melt for Trouble, they reel to and fro, they stag­ger like drunken Men, and are at their Wits end: then they cry unto the LORD in their Trou­ble (to Him that made the Sea and rules it, and is the Confidence of all that are afar off upon it) they cry to him as from the Belly of Hell, and he bring­eth them out of their Distresses: He maketh the Storm a Calm, the Waves are still, the Mariners Hearts at ease and glad, so he bringeth them un­to their desir'd Haven, Psal. 107.23. &c. Now what Manner of Word and Rule is this, which e­ven the Winds and Seas obey? The eternal Word as it were awaked in the Storm and rebuking it: saying—Peace be still—and there is a great Calm! O that Men would praise the LORD for his Greatness, and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men! Let them exalt him also in the Congregation of the People, and praise him in the Assembly of the Elders.

THIS is no small part of the divine Dominion, from Sea to Sea. His Way is in the Sea, & his Paths in the great Waters, and his Footsteps are not know, Psal. 77.19. He rules the raging of it, when the Waves arise he stilleth them: O who is [Page 61]a strong LORD like unto him, or to his Faithful­ness round about him! Psal. 89.8, 9. The Floods may lift up their Voice and their Waves, but the LORD on high is mightier than the Noise of many Waters, yea than the mighty Waves of the Sea.

3. THE dry Land, our habitable Earth, is un­der a most wonderful, wise, gracious and power­ful Preservation and Government. How is it stock'd with Creatures, and not a Species lost! How is it cloath'd with Grass, and cover'd with Corn, and water'd with Springs and Rivers, which run in the Valleys, yea ascend up into the Hills! What a rich yearly Provision is made for the li­ving Creatures, and in them for us? What rich and vast Stores of Vapours are daily ascendings, and by Night descending in Dews on us? Why does not the Earth sink in the vast Abyss, how does it swim so even in it, and so safely in the stormy Day? Or rather what Power restrains the foaming Waters in its spacious Womb? What saves us from desolating Earthquakes, and who is it that now and then creates that new and rare thing; when the Earth opens its Mouth and swal­lows up Cities; Multitudes go down together quick and alive into the Pit. "He removeth the Mountains at his Pleasure, and they know it not, he overturneth them in his Anger; he shaketh the Earth our her Place, and the Pillars thereof tremble, Job 9.5, 6. But the ordinary Course of his Providence is gracicus and bountiful, a tender Car: and Mercy to us: "By his Strongth he set­teth fast the Mountains, being girded with Power; be makes the Morning and Evening to rejoice; he [Page 62]visits the Earth and waters it and greatly inriches it; he blesses the springing thereof, and crowns the Year with his Goodness; the Pastures are cloathed with Flocks, and the Valleys are laden with Corn. Thus the Earth is full of the Riches of divine Bounty, and satisfied with the Fruit of his Works.

AND thus I have in the Phrase of Scripture meditated the divine Providence and Government respecting the greater Parts of the Creation; the Orbs and Globes we see in our World, and parti­cularly our own Air and Earth and Sea.

2. UNSEARCHABLE is the Work of Provi­dence in the Supply and Government of the living Creatures in all these: which are mighty Hosts for number, of every Kind; yet GOD feeds them all, lays in a daily Provision for them, and by Instinct guides them to provide for themselves, both as to Defence and Sustenance. He giveth to the Beast his Food, and to the Ravens which cry to him: the young Lions seek their Meat of him while they roar after the Prey: and the Shoals of Fish in the Sea, both the small and great there, wait on him to gather what he scatters among them with a full Hand.

NEITHER is there any Creature so vast but GOD rules it; none so strong as to be Masterless. Tho' the Bones of Behemoth be as pieces of Brass, and as Bars of Iron (one of the Chief of the Works of GOD) yet he that made him, can make his Sword to enter into him: tho' the huge Creature drinketh up a River, and trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his Mouth; yet Providence [Page 63] fills him with Grass, and finds him drink end for his mighty Thirst. Again, the Leviathan that huge and fearless King of the Sea obeys and reve­rently ministers at the command of GOD: for in­stance, when Jonah (the LORD's Prophet) was cast into the Sea, and the Whale carefully took the Charge of him, and hid him in a Corner of its spacious Jaw, that the Sea should not suffocate him, nor would the Monster devour him himself: only to show Jonah the Greatness of GOD who had sent him, down he flounc'd with him to the Bottom of the Mountains, and sported with him as his Prey; while Jonah pray'd and cry'd, as out of the Belly of Hell, to the GOD of Heaven; and the LORD spake unto the Fish, and he rose and vomited him out upon the dry Land. ^‖

ALMIGHTY Providence easily commands the dumb Creature, and they forget their Instinct, and go against their Nature. Voracious Ravens are made to feed Elijah at one time, and Angels them­selves do it at another. The Fish croud into the Net at the Call of Christ, as proud which should first obey and feast their Maker, and declare his Glory to the dull Sons of Men. The hungry Lions show reverence to his Prophet, while they pant for the Blood of his Enemies. The Lion slew the disobedient Prophet at GOD's Word, but to shew that it was meerly and Act of Obedience, and not of his savage Nature, he stood by the Carcase and by the Ass & touched neither of 'em any more: [Page 64]as tame now after the Execution as a Home-Ma­stiff: Nay, the Passengers go by him safe and he stirs not after them: nor yet touched he the old Prophet himself, when he came to bring away the Body of his Brother; a Boldness in the wretched Man which I can scarce think how to account for! For how cou'd he look on the Corps but as the Ghost of him whom his Lies had murder'd? And how could he see the Lion and not fear himself to be his next Morsel? Yet did not the Beast, the Minister of the divine Justice that Day, harm him at all, not having the Commission from GOD.

To name no more: When the Philistines weary of the Ark had put it in a New Cart, and their Sin-offering with it, to be drawn by two Milch-kine that had never before been yok'd, put­ting all the late Dispensations of Providence to­ward them upon this Issue: 1 Sam. 6.9. If it goeth up by the Way of its own Course, (i e. in the Road and streight Highway toward the Land of Israel, a Road that the Creatures had never gone, nor indeed had they ever drawn at all in a Yoke) then hath the GOD of Israel done us this great Evil; but if not, then shall we know that it was not his Hand that smote us, but it was a Chance that hapned to us. Providence agreed and join'd Issue on the Event, and both the Philistines and Israel saw the Glory of JEHOVAH, the only true and living GOD. For immediately the Kine took the streight Way to Bethshemesh, the next Bor­der of Israel, lowing as they went, (scil. after their Calves which they left behind, yet con­strained to go on by an invisible Power againft the strong Inclinations of Nature) they turn'd [Page 65]not aside to the right Hand nor to the left; and the Lords of the Philistines went gazing and won­dring after them; convinc'd by the dumb Beasts, but not converted.

NOW what an unsearchable Government is this over the living Creatures and brute Animals, besides their usual abundant Services to Man. But to pass from the greater Things and Creatures; unto Persons and Intelligences created.

3. UNSEARCHABLE is the Providence of GOD in its Government of intelligent and rational Crea­tures: whether in Heaven, Earth or Hell; An­gels, Men and Devils.

1. As to the boly Angels and their high Orders, we know by Revelation that they are a noble Part of GOD's Dominion. We read of their ready Obedience, Subjection and Ministrations. "They excel in Strength, and do his Command­ments, hearkning unto the Voice of his Word: Are they not ministring Spirits, sent forth? And do they not gladly come, pleas'd in the lowest Ser­vices to Men? They humbly own themselves the Fellow-Servants of Prophets and holy Saints. They worship and adore GOD the CREATOR, and the Lamb our SAVIOUR with more Abase­ment, as well as Fervour and Delight, than we on Earth can attain unto. They cover their Faces, tho' so bright, and cry—Holy, Holy, Holy, LORD GOD of Hosts! the whole Earth is full of thy Glory.

[Page 66] AT the same time these Thrones and Dominions in the Heavens are such high and potent Beings, that the Empire over a few of these we may think more glorious to the CREATOR, than the Subjec­tion of all the Nations of the Earth. They seem, some of them, to have a Presidency as Princes o­ver the Empires here below; but however that be, we know them to be so mighty Beings, that a single One, by the divine Commission, could slay Nations in a Day.

2. DEVILS that fell from Heaven, yet have not made their Escape from the divine Dominion and Government. When some of the Hosts of Angels revolted from GOD, how easily were they cast down to Hell? And shall be shut up there for ever in a Pit and Prison, together with the weaker wretched Ghosts of ungodly Men. This infernal Prison shews the Greatness and Dominion of Providence, as well as the Palace of Heaven: Here the Triumphs of Grace, and there those of Justice. Read the Power of GOD over Devils: Rev. 20.1, 2. And I saw an Angel come down from Heaven, having the Key of the bottomless Pit, and a great Chain in his Hand; and he laid hold on the Dragon, that old Serpent the Devil and Satan, and bound him—, and cast him into the Pit, and shut him up, and set a Scal upon him.

INDEED evil Spirits have a Range permitted to them, and are us'd too by Providence in judi­cial Executions, as in Ahab's Seduction, and Judas his tragical End. But they are under Restraints, and Frustrations; are limited, and over-rul'd to good, as well as wicked Men. The Devil could [Page 67]not touch Job nor his Substance till GOD suffer'd him: nor enter into the Herd of Swine without our SAVIOUR's Permission; at whose Sight he trembled also and lay groveling in Torment. In their malicious Desires and Designs against GOD and our Souls, they are often made Instrumental to the Salvation of Souls; as eminently in the Crucifixion of our Saviour. It is the Greatness and Glory of GOD to have these "Slaves at the "Oar, while Providence steers the World.

3. GREAT is the Providence of GOD in the Government of Mankind. In his Hand is the Soul of every living Thing, and the Breath of all Mankind, Job 12.9. He ruleth by his Power for ever, his Eyes behold the Nations, Psal 66.7. Let us here contemplate:

• 1. The Greatness of Providence in the Disposal and Government of the Princes and Kingdoms of the Earth.
• 2. Of every individual Person.

1. THE Greatness of Providence is illustrious in its Government of Nations, Kingdoms and Pro­vinces. By GOD Kings rule and Princes decree Justice; yea, even the inferior Judges of the Earth are ordained by him. He setteth up Kings and removeth them, he exalts and abases them; he enlarges the Nations and diminishes them again. GOD is the King of all the Earth: GOD reigneth over the Heathen; GOD sitteth upon the Throne of his Holiness: the Shields of the Earth belong un­to GOD; he is greatly exalted, Psal. 47.9.

HE has ordained Government for the Good of the World. He permits Tyrants for a Scourge [Page 68]and Punishment of it. He uses the Powers on Earth to serve his Church and Truth, when they know it not nor mean it. Cyrus was his Shepherd, the Assyrian was his Rod. Daniel's four Beasts in their rice, ravages and final Destruction, were each under the strict notice of Providence: and so is the little Horn, which yet keeps boasting of its Power from Heaven, to bind Kings themselves and the Consciences of their People.

PROVIDENCE restrains the proud Powers on Earth, and takes its time to punish them. It decks it self now with Majesty and Excellency, and ar­rays it self with Glory and Beauty: It casts abroad the Rage of its Wrath, and beholds every one that is proud to abase him. It treads down the wicked in the Dust; and it is gloriously seen that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will.

AGAIN, He giveth Salvation unto Kings; takes their Persons and Lives under a more special Care and Guard, and their Counsels under a special gra­cious Influence. He turns their Hearts, which are deep, as the Rivers of Waters, and by spiri­ting or dispiriting, infatuating or directing them, be brings about what Revolutions he pleases with the utmost Ease and Certainty: A single Spirit in his Hand being as the Helm in the Pilots, to go­vern the vastest Bodies of People, either in Mercy or in Judgment. At the Council-Board divine Providence presides, frustrating the Oracles of Ahithophel, and he hangs himself for Madness; and circumventing the deep Designs of Haman, and hangs him on the Gallows which he had rear'd [Page 69]for another. Job 12.16—23. With him is Strength and Wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth Counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the Judges fools. He looseth the Bond of Kings, and girdeth their Loins with a Girdle. He leadeth Princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the Mighty. He removeth away the Speech of the trusly, and taketh away the Understanding of the Aged. He poureth Contempt upon Princes, and weakneth the Strength of the Mighty. He discovereth deep Things out of Darkness, and bringeth out to Light the Shadow of Death. Now if this be the Domi­nion of GOD over Kings and Governments, what must we say of it but as Nebuchadnezzar did, I bless the most High, and I praise and honour him that liveth for ever, whose Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, and his Kingdom is from Generation to Generation: — I extol the King of Heaven, all whose Works are Truth, and his Ways Judgment, and those that walk in Pride he is able to abase.

2. UNSEARCHABLE is the Providence of GOD in its governing, ordering and disposing the Cir­cumstances of every individual Person, Man, Wo­man and Child, thro' every Generation: the Care that extends to all, the Power that protects, the Goodness that supplies all, and the Wisdom that orders the Concerns of all, in the best manner, for all together, and for each distinctly. This we must needs believe, but it is too mysterious to see clearly thro' it now.

1. UNSEARCHABLE is GOD's Empire over the Souls of Men, their Mind, Thoughts, Consciences, Wills, Desires, Purposes. The LORD searcheth [Page 70]all Hearts, and knows all Thoughts: He gave Solomon his Wisdom and Largeness of Heart, David his Courage and Art for War, Abithophel and Hushai their Spirit of Counsel and Judgment; and Absalom's Rashness and Fickleness was also from his Dominion over the Spirit. As to Men's Desires he restrains them when he will, even a­gainst their own Will: as he with-held Abimelech from touching Sarab, how fierce soever his Love, and his Soul inflam'd by her Beauty. Mens Pas­sions and Wrath he lays, as he does the raging of the Sea and the noise of its Waves; so the Tumult of the People. Even the Spirits of the mutinous Multitude he governs, in all their wild Projects and Executions. He turns the Heart in a Mo­ment from Hatred to Love, as Esau's to Jacob: and from Revenge into Endearment, as David's before the wise Abigail; and again from Envy in­to Admiration & Esteem, as Saul when he stopp'd in the midst of his pursuit at the Voice of David, and turn'd back praising and blessing him. In like manner when the Soldiers in the heat of Fight and flush'd with Victory were rushing upon Jeboshaphat, the good King did but cry to the LORD and they turn'd from him. I might also speak here of GOD's Empire over Conscience, making Men a Terror to themselves when he pleases, as Cain, Saul and Judas. In these and many other ways GOD appears the Governor and the Judge of the Spirits of all Flesh.

2. GREAT is the Empire of Providence in per­mitting and over-ruling the Lusts and Sins of Men to its own Glory, and abundance of Good sometimes to Themselves and Others. It is a Mystery in Pro­vidence, [Page 71]which only Revelation can unfold to us and enlighten us in, that so much Sin and Con­fusion therefrom is permitted to be in the World. But as Man bro't Sin and Misery upon himself, being made by GOD at first holy and happy; so the great GOD lets the fallen Creature see his Glory and Greatness in that he can yet govern Him, and his very Sins, and all the Mis­chiefs and Disorders that attend the same, unto most wise and great and holy Ends; to his own Glory, to the Good of others, and even to the Salvation of Sinners themselves. Joseph's Bre­thren sinn'd in selling him, his Mistress also in her foul and false Accusation of him; they glutted their Hatred and Spite, and tho't they had ruin'd him for ever: but all the while they were the In­struments of Providence toward his Advancement, and the saving of Egypt and Canaan and Them­selves from Famine. Haman meditated his own Revenge, and the satiating his bloody Hatred of the Jews, but Providence made it the very means of their Peace & Enlargement. Pharaob's Hard­ness gave GOD and his Israel those Triumphs, which will be celebrated in the Church for ever. The Jews and Romans, Herod and Pilate united against the LORD CHRIST and crucify'd him; but it was to do what the Hand and Counsel of GOD had before determined for the Salvation of the World, Acts 4.26, 28. Yea, Mens foul Sins have been made the Means of their own Conversion: O mysterious Providence, and unsearchable Grace! Thus are Sinners sometimes effectually awakened to see their own exceeding Vileness, and Sins sin­fulness. ‘Thus Medicines are made of Poisons, [Page 72]and the Flesh of the Scorpion a Cure for the Bite of it.’

3. UNSEARCHABLE is the Mystery of GOD's governing Providence in the present unequal Dis­pensations of Prosperity and Adversity. This from the Days of Old has been a Wonder in Providence, if not an Objection against it. Job in his Adora­tions spake of it, as well as Asaph in his Insirmity complain'd of it. But it is easy to clear the Ju­stice, Wisdom and Goodness of Providence in this Disposition of Things, from the Consideration of GOD's Sovereignty, our own Sins and Deserts, the distinguishing Judgments we see at times inflicted on singular Sinners, and the Knowledge we have of a future State, and a just Recompence then to every one according to his Works done here in the Body. Yet nothing is more Mysterious and Unsearchable than this Conduct of Providence in a thousand particular Instances, if we consider them by themselves. Thus for Instance, Job's Trial was an unsearchable Thing; amazing to himself, as well as confounding to his wise and religious Friends. And so very often have the Dispensa­tions of Providence been dark and mysterious to­ward the Church. Isai. 31.2. He also is wise and will bring Evil. 45.15. Verily thou art a GOD that hidest thy self, O GOD of Israel the Saviour. Psal. 36.6. Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains, thy Judgments are a great deep; O LORD thou preservest Man and Beast.

THUS I have very briefly consider'd the Great­ness and Majesty of GOD in that Providence, which HE exercises over the Highest and Greatest of his [Page 73]Works: whether Things, Animals, or Persons. This is his high Dominion, and full of incomprehensible Mystery, but bright with dazling Glory.

TWO Words remain still on this Subject, besides those infinite Researches which I shall not enter at all into; scil. The Government of Providence over the least and lowest Creatures, and over Ac­cidents and Chance as we call it.

WHEREFORE:

II. THE Greatness and Majesty of GOD is un­searchable in that Providence which he exercises over the least and lowest of his Creatures. For it is most certain that the preserving and govern­ing Providence of GOD extends to the meanest and most minute Things which he has made: Nor can this look little in the supream Majesty of Hea­ven, but it is his true and infinite Greatness. It is not like the contemptible Idleness and Childish­ness of the Roman Emperor, who was trifling and catching Flies when he should have been at the Council-Board, bearing and directing the weighty Affairs of the Empire. GOD neglects none of his Creatures, and least of all do the greater Affairs of the World escape him. His general and com­mon Care is to the least, a more special Providence is over the greatest.

THE narrow Mind of Man can attend but to a few Things at a time, and therefore they had need always be the greater and weightier: but the infinite GOD with the same Ease governs and cares for a Million of Creatures as One; and ten [Page 74]Million swarms of Gnats, as a Family of Men. Nor is it below him, any more than it was to create the Insect, which all the Art and Powers of Creatures can't do. Nay, the Things which GOD has seen good to make, he must needs take care of, for they are the Work of his Hand.

"Do you see thousands of little Motes and Atoms wandring up and down in a Sun-Beam? (says Bishop Hopkins) it is GOD that so peoples it: He guides their in numerable and irregular Stray­ings: Not a Dust flies in the beaten Road, but its uncertain Motion is guided, and the Storm shall not carry it further than its appointed Place.

OUR SAVIOUR tells us that the Hairs of our Head are numbred, and that tho' two Sparrows be but the Price of a Farthing, yet not one of them falls to the Ground without our Father in Heaven, Matth. 10.29, 30. The great GOD also was pleased to magnify himself to his Servant Job, from the Care he takes of the wild Goats of the Rocks, and the wild Asses of the Wilderness. David ce­lebrates his Maker likewise from his Care of the Birds of the Air, and the Shoals of small Fish in the Sea. It is the Honour and Glory of GOD thus to extend his Care to the most minute of his Works.

FOR how great would that King be tho't, who were able to know and supply every Want of the least of his Subjects, and could daily serve them with the Fruits of his royal Bounty? It is record­ed to the Honour of the Grecian Prince, that he could callevery one of his vast Army by Name; and [Page 75]is it not the Glory of GOD to know and provide for the least of all his Hosts? That as it is said of Moses, so in a Sense it may be of every Creature, — I know thee by Name, and thou hast found Grace in my Sight, so far as the Necessities of thy Na­ture and Place in my Creation requires. Or as it is said of the Stars, so may it be of a Fly or a Mote, Psal. 147.4. He telleth the Number of them all, he calleth them all by their Names: Great is our LORD, and of great Power, his Understanding is infinite.

MOREOVER, We know also how GOD uses the smallest Creatures in his wise Providence to the greatest Effects, and in unsearchable Manner to the Preservation or Destruction of Mankind. How many gross and noxious Attoms do the Flics, the Spiders, the Toads, &c, suck in and deliver us from? And so GOD's Care of them is his Care of us: Their ministry to us is unknown. Again, GOD brings forth his great Armies of Caterpillars, Locusts, Canker-Worms, and Palmer-Worms, and how do the Inhabitants of the Earth tremble and fail before them? Thus Pharaoh and his King­doms were plagued with Lice, and beaten by Frogs and Flies.

III To multiply no further Instances: The Greatness of Providence is unsearchable in its Cog­nizance, Disposing and Government of what we call Accident and Chance, Fortuitous and Casual. Many things are so to us, but nothing is so to GOD. They are his Counsel, tho' to us Contingent. The Divine Mind directs in all casual Motions and Events. There is no Goddess Fortune to be found [Page 76] in Heaven, however the blind Heathen Poet wou'd have plac'd her there. It suits only the Mouth of a Philistine to say, A Chance has hapned unto us. There is no such Thing to an Omniscient Mind, an all-disposing Providence.

THE Lot is cast into the Lap, but the whole disposing it is of GOD, Prov. 16.33 Thus A­chan was accurately selected out of the many thousands of Israel. It was an Appeal to the di­vine Providence to discover the Sinner and his accursed Thing. So Jonathan was taken, or ra­ther his rash Father for his unadvised Adjuration. Hence the use of Lottery has been by many e­steemed too sacred to be made common; because the LORD only can give a perfect Lot. To be sure the religious and solemn Use of it supposes the Government of divine Providence in those things that are most contingent with us.

DISGUIZED Ahab was thus singled out, not by the Soldier, but by Providence in the Battel. He drew a Bow at a venture, but the Arrow enter'd between the Joints of the Harness of the King of Israel. Accidental to their own Intention Men often accomplish special Purposes of GOD; and are Instrumental of much undesigned Good in their occasional Actions; Natural, Civil and Political. Pharaoh's Dau'ter came accidentally to the River to take up Moses, and give him a Princely Edu­cation, to be in time the Deliverer of Israel. Au­gustus his Taxing the World fulfilled the glorious Prophecy of the Messiah's Birth at Betblehem. Saul by wandring after his Asses is led to a Crown. When a Man shoots after Game and kills his [Page 77]Nei'bour whom he saw not, or if a Man be fel­ling a Tree and the Head of his Ax fly off and kill his Nei'bour, in these Cases the LORD is said to deliver the one and the other into his Nei'bours Hand.

IN short:

WHATEVER is done by Design, or wherein the Wills of Men are pursued, is by do means done at last without the Will of GOD over-ruling them: And whatever is effected without or against the Mind of Creatures, has the Counsel and Di­rection of GOD in it.

AND now let us make a pause a little, and con­template the unsearchable Perfection shining forth in this Government of the World! What Wisdom and Knowledge! What Goodress, Care and Bounty! What Power! and in all what Greatness!

1. WISDOM and Knowledge. So Ezekiel in Vision saw the Wheels (the Globes and Orbs of the Universe, rolling like Balls) on their four Sides; the Rim of them high and dreadful, and full of Eyes round about. The Eye of Providence is on the whole Circle of Creatures, and all their Motions are wisely directed thereby; as if every Orb had a Million of Eyes, and each of them a wise Intelligence for its Guidance.

2. GOODNESS to the least and to the worst of Creatures: rich, free and sovereign Goodness! Never weary, never failing! never short or scan­ty! But abundantly sufficient, and super-abundant [Page 78]to all the Numbers, and all the wide Extents, and all the capacious Natures in the Universe. The Earth is full of his Riches. The World swims in it as in a boundless Ocean; and its Streams run circling thro' all its habitable Parts to water them: the River of GOD which is full of Water! all Creature daily drink thereof and are filled. The divine Bounty that supplies us Day by Day is like the Manna every Morning about our Dwel­lings; and the Flights of Quails of old might soon­er far be numbred than the Supplies of every Evening. The Earth is the LORD's, and the Fulness thereof: It's Stores are divided among the Children of Men with a munificent Hand.

3. UNSEARCHABLE Power is display'd in the Exercise of a Providence over all Things. The Eyes of the LORD run to and fro, thro' the whole Earth, to show himself STRONG, 2 Chron. 16.9. There is no Government without Power, to com­mand, constrain & punish. Much less can the U­niverse be govern'd without supream, absolute and irresistible Power. No Creature has Power to pre­serve it self, and less can any one uphold another in Being and Action. Equal is the Power of God seen, whether in keeping to the ordinary Course of Nature, or in preter-natural Effects: Whether when he keeps on in the usual Course of Mercy to a sinful World; or when he changes the Face of Providence and comes forth in ways of Judg­ment. He equally shows the Might of his Arm, when he casts down the Mighty from their Seat, or when he exalts the Humble: when he showers down Blessings, or when he pours down Hail and Fire: when he uses a Fly as when he uses an An­gel [Page 79]to minister unto his Will. For which is great­est? to effect great Things by small Means, or to use those which he has greatly endowed, and made in some Measure equal to the Effect produced. In either the Greatness of Providence doth equal­ly appear. Joh 42.2. I know that thou canst do every Thing, and that no Thought can be withholden from thee.

THE Use shall be in three Words only: name­ly, to teach us Resignation, Adoration and Obe­dience.

I. RESIGNATION to the great GOD in all his unsearchable Providences: whether of a personal and private Reference, or of a publick Nature and Concern. However GOD dispose of us or our Families, or whatever he order concerning Nations and Kingdoms of the Earth, or how dark soever his Providence may look with respect to his Church, his Cause & Interest thro' the World; we must be still and know that He is GOD; who will be exalted in the Earth. The highest Crea­tures owe an absolute Submission to the Will of the unsearchable GOD. Eccl. 3.14. For I know that whatsoever GOD doeth it shall be for ever: no­thing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and GOD doeth it that Men should fear before him.

IT is not for us to Doubt or Question the Good­ness, Righteousness or Wisdom of GOD. What­ever the Sins of Persons and Times are, or what­ever Calamities come upon a sinful World; let it quiet and silence us to remember that GOD go­verns. [Page 80]We must adore Him that dwells in the thick Darkness: Psal. 97.2. Clouds and Dark­ness are round about him, but Righteousness and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne.

‘WHO has directed the Spirit of the LORD? or being his Counsellor has taught him? With whom took he Counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the Path of Judg­ment, and taught him Knowledge, and shewed to him the Way of Understanding? Behold the Nations are as a Drop of a Bucket, and are counted as the small Dust of the Ballance: Be­hold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing: — All Nations are before him as No­thing, and they are counted to him less than Nothing and Vanity, Isa. 40.13, &c.’

THE ALMIGHTY thus silenc'd Job, and stopt his complaining Tongue, and bro't him to his first Submissions and Worship: Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my Hand up­on my Mouth. How vainly had Job said before, that as a Prince he wou'd dare to go near even to his Judge, and come even to his Seat in the Con­science of his Integrity? No, when his Judge came and spake, and shew'd him his incompre­hensible Glory in his Works; the holy abased Man left off his arguing, and fell to worshiping as he began at first: I have uttered that I under­stood not, things too wonderful for me that I knew not: — Now mine Eye seeth thee, wherefore I ab­hor my self, and repent in Dust and Ashes.

[Page 81] WHEREFORE:

II. EXPRESS and awful Adoration, Prayer and Praise are a meet Acknowledgment of the unsearchable Providence of GOD. We must fall down and worship. And whence should we take our high Adorations of GOD'S excellent Greatness, but out of his Word? Words only worthy of Him­self, being his own Inspiration.

Psal 95 3—6. ‘For the LORD is a great GOD, and a great King above all gods. In his Hand are the deep Places of the Earth: the Strength of the Hills is his also. The Sea is his, for he made it; and his Hands formed the dry Land. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Ma­ker.’

Psal. 96. 3,—9. ‘Declare his Glory among Heathen, his Wonders among all People. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the Nations are Idols, but the LORD made the Heavens. Honour and Majesty are before him, Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary. Give unto the LORD, O ye Kin­dreds of the People; give unto the LORD Glo­ry and Strength. Give unto the LORD the Glory due unto his Name: bring an Offering and come into his Courts. O worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness: fear before him all the Earch. Say among the Heathen that the LORD reigneth: the World also shall be esta­blished that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the People righteously.’

[Page 82] Psal. 103.19,—22. ‘The Lord hath prepa­red his Throne in the Heavens, and his King­dom ruleth over all. Bless the LORD ye his Angels that excel in Strength; that do his Commandments, hearkning to the Voice of his Word. Bless ye the LORD all ye his Hosts, ye Ministers of his that do his Pleasure. Bless the LORD all his Works in all Places of his Dominion: Bless the LORD O my Soul.’

Psal. 104. ult. ‘The Glory of the Lord shall endure for ever, the LORD shall rejoice in his Works. He looketh on the Earth and it trem­bleth, he toucheth the Hills and they smoke. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live, I will sing praise unto my GOD while I have my Being. My Meditation of him shall be sweet, I will glad in the LORD.’

Psal. 136. ‘O give Thanks unto the GOD of gods! O give Thanks unto the LORD of lords!—To him who alone doeth great Won­ders; — To him that by Wisdom made the Heavens: To him that stretched out the Earth above the Waters; — To him that made great Lights: — The Sun to rule by Day, — the Moon and Stars to rule by Night: — Who giveth Food to all Flesh: for his Mercy endu­reth for ever: O give thanks unto the GOD of Heaven, for his Mercy endureth for ever.’

Psal 148. ‘Praise ye the LORD from the Heavens! Praise him in the Heights! Praise ye him all his Angels! Praise ye him all his Hosts! Praise him Sun and Moon! Praise him all ye [Page 83]Stars of Light! Praise him ye Heavens of Hea­vens, and ye Waters that be above the Hea­vens.’

‘PRAISE the LORD from the Earth, ye Dra­gons and all Deeps! Fire and Hail, Snow and. Vapour, stormy Wind fulfilling his Word! Mountains and all Hills, fruitful Trees and all Cedars! Beasts and all Cattel, creeping Things and slying Fowl! Kings of the Earth and all People! Princes and all Judges of the Earth! both young Men and Maidens, old Men and Children! let them praise the Name of the LORD, for his Name alone is excellent; his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven.’

III. GOD's unsearchable Greatness and Provi­dence do challenge from us the most reverential Obedience to his Will and Law. Universal Na­ture obeys him, and shall not We? The mighty Angels listen to his Word, and do his Pleasure! The Heavens, Earth and Sea mind his Decree, and keep the Orders he gives them! The Monsters of the Deep, and the fierce Beasts of the Wood, forego their Prey to obey him! Fire, Hail and Snow, Vapour and stormy Wind fulfill his Word! And shall We be the only Rebels & Disobedient? Shall we not learn of the Creatures a dutifui Ob­servance of the Will of GOD in our Places, Ac­tions and moral Conduct? Or if they were capa­ble of Learning, or needed to be taught Obedience, should not we be Examples to the inferior Crea­tures?

[Page 84] SHALL a Subject say to his Prince on Earth that he wont, when he commands what is Good! Shall his Word be scorn'd in his very Court, while he wisely directs with consummate Counsel? Yet this were a little Offence, and a small Presump­tion, compar'd with our Disobedience to the GOD of Heaven.

THIS is the Sanction to the divine Law: Ye shall keep my Statutes, I am the LORD! And this is the constraining Motive to the most careful and strict Observation of it: For the LORD your GOD is God of gods, and Lord of lords; a great GOD, a mighty, and a Terrible—.

IN some little manner we have been contemplating the great GOD in his unsearchable Essence and Works: His glorious Works of Creation and Providence have been considered; and now I go on in the third and last Place, and so finish my short Essay on this infinite and unsearchable Subject.

III. GOD is unsearchable and incomprehensible in the glorious Work of our REDEMPTION by the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THIS is by way of Eminence the Mystery. It is so to Angels as well as Men. Mysterious Grace! which we could never have conceived of, and which it had been high Presumption and Blasphe­my [Page 86]to have imagined, if it had not been revealed to us by GOD: And now it is revealed it is never to be comprehended, but to be studied and look'd into for ever (in the Church here, as it is in Hea­ven by Saints and Angels there) with Admiration, Astonishment and Praises.

WE read, Eph. 3.8. Of the unsearchable Riches of Christ. Riches imply abundance, and an abundance of those Things which are in them­selves of great intrinsic Worth, Price and Value. These are immensly to be found in Christ; the Treasures of Wisdom, and the Riches of Glory.

UNSEARCHABLE Riches! never to have been discovered by the Wit of Man, and incomprehen­sible to us now after the Discovery of them. The Mystery hid from Ages and Generations, but now made manifest to the Saints; (as the Apostle speaks to the Colossians) to whom GOD would make known the Riches of the Glory of it; which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory, Col. 1.27.

IT is a wonderful Passage in Eph. 3.10. To the Intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places, might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of GOD The Mystery of our Redemption was a secret to the glorious An­gels, who gradually have come into the Know­ledge of it by Revelation, and that mediately by the Church on Earth, as GOD has occasionally re­vealed it more and more to us. Hence the Apo­stle Peter tells us, that the Angels desire to look in­to these Things, 1 Pet. 1.12. They are ever seeking and ever gaining a more perfect Insight [Page 87]into this Mystery; and as they gaze on this Light of GOD's Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ, so grows their Admiration and Delight in their high State of Blessedness. Therefore were the Cherubims placed over the Mercy-Seat of old, Exod. 25.20. to fignify how Angels pry with Wonder and in­tent Admiration into the Mysteries of our Re­demption. "These sublime and transcendent Manifestations of the Glory of GOD are ravishing and transporting to adoring Angels. Their Eyes above are all turn'd toward, and fixt upon the Mercy-Seat: ‘They worship the Redeemer's Person; the Manner and Method of our Re­demption astonishes them; accurate and earnest is their Inspection, but their vast Capacities can never comprehend it.’

INDEED the Apostle to the Ephesians speaks of the Capacity of all Saints, GOD granting them according to the Riches of his Glory, to be strength­ned with Might by his Spirit in the inner Man, to comprehend what is the Breadth, and Length, and Depth, and Heighth, and to know the Love of Christ which passes Knowledge, being filled with all the Fulness of GOD. But these Words explain themselves, for there can be no proper Compre­hension of that which passeth Knowledge; where­fore the Apostle's meaning can be no more than this — Such a simple Apprehension and Belief of the mysterious Truths, such a clear and distinct Understanding of them, as to affect our Souls with the unsearchable Wisdom and Grace of GOD therein display'd.

[Page 88] BUT to be particular.

• 1. Unsearchable is the Mystery of the Redeemer's Person.
• 2. His Suffe­rings and Death.
• 3. His Benefits.
• 4. His King­dom and Works of Grace here in this World.
• 5. The infinite divine Perfections shining forth in all.

I. UNSEARCHABLE is the Mystery of our Re­demption in the Person of the REDEEMER. And that whether we consider Him in his eternal Gene­ration, the only-begotten of the Father; or in his Incarnation, God-Man.

1. How unsearchable is the Doctrine of the Re­deemer's eternal Generation and Sonship? His Di­vinity and God-head, the Sameness of Essence, and Equality in Glory with the Father, from Everlast­ing. This supposes the Doctrine of the Trinity, and is built on that Foundation. This eternal Communication of Essence is a thing ineffable, yet firmly to be believ'd by us in adoring Humility: scil. That there is a glorious second Person in the eternal GODHEAD, very GOD of very GOD, be­gotten not made. How unsearchable are all those mysterious, and yet plain positive Texts, which teach us this Truth? John 1.1. In the Beginning was the WORD, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD. John 5.26. As the FATHER hath Life in Himself, so hath he given to the SON to have Life in Himself. John 16.15. All that the Father hath is mine. John 10.30. I and my Father are One.

HERE is the divine Nature totally communi­cated; and so the Begotten the same divine Being [Page 89]with him that begetteth; in the Form of GOD, and without robbery equal to GOD: the Brightness of the Father's Glory, and the express Image of his Person, Phil. 2.6. Heb. 1.3.

HOW expressly are we told of our Saviour,— that the LORD possessed him in the Beginning, — that he was set up from Everlasting: and how ex­presly are we required to believe in the Name of the only-begotten Son of GOD? And how often is this Stile used to us—We beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father: — No Man hath seen GOD at any time, the Only-begotten which is in the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

BUT who shall conceive of or declare his Gene­ration? Wise Agur adores in the Meditation of this inconceivable Thing; and teaches us to do so too, and not break through unto the LORD to gaze: Prov. 30.2,—6. Surely I have not the Know­ledge of the Holy! What is his Name, and what is his Son's Name, if thou canst tell? Every Word of GOD is pure: add thou not unto his Words, lest he reprove thee and thou be found a Liar.

CHRIST truly was, and did exist before all Worlds: Yea the Worlds were made by him; therefore is he the CREATOR himself, and so es­sentially Divine. Yet was the divine Nature pos­sessed by him communicated from the FATHER, perfect and total, and so a proper Generation; incommunicable and utterly impossible to any Creature: for to which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this Day have I be­gotten [Page 90]thee?—but to the Son he saith, Thy Throne O GOD is for ever and ever: and when he bring­eth in the First-Begotten into the World he saith, And let all the Angels of GOD worship him, Heb. 1.5, 6.

Now who can unfold and explain this sublime Doctrine? This incomprehensible Person; the Image of the invisible GOD! Col. 1.15, 16. For by Him were all Things created, visible or invisible; whe­ther they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principali­ties, or Powers! all Things were created by him and for him; and he is before all Things, and by him all Things consist.

SEE then the Riches of the Glory of the GOD-HEAD in the Person of Christ: who it is that has given to Angels and Men all the Perfection of their Being, Life, Endowments, &c. Contem­plate the Treasures of creating Wisdom, Power and Goodness in Him and flowing from Him! HE together with the FATHER, the One infinite and everlasting over-flowing Fountain of all Be­ing and Perfection in the Creatures! The Author, End and Upholder of them all! "All Things were created by him and for him; he is before all Things, and by him all Things consist. Here is the Riches of the Deity, the Fulness of the GODHEAD in Christ, Heb. 1.2, 3. Col. 1.16.

2. How unsearchable is the Doctrine of the Incarnation of this divine Person? The personal Union of the divine and human Nature in him! "That he is GOD and Man in two distinct Na­tures, and one Person for ever. — Without Con­troversy [Page 91]great is this Mystery of Godliness; GOD manifested in the Flesh, by a miraculous Concep­tion of a Virgin! What new and single Thing is this which GOD hath created for our Redemption! his only Son assuming our Nature! The immense Being compassed in a Womb, and tabernacling in a House of Clay! A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, whose Name is Immanuel.

I will chuse the Words of the excellent Bishop Beveridge, wherein to lay this mysterious Doctrine before you ‘A personal Union of two distinct Natures: Not as if the divine Nature took up­on it a human Person, but a divine Person took upon him the human Nature: Not the divine Nature in general, without respect to the Per­sons, but one of the Persons in the divine Na­ture took upon him our Flesh. Yet not the divine Person abstracted or distinct from the di­vine Nature; but it was the divine Nature in that Person which thus took upon it the human. — Thus the Son of GOD, in the glorious Tri­nity, is become the Son of Man in a gracious Mystery: — Not leaving his Godhead to take upon him the Manhood; but he took the Man­hood to his Godhead. — The divine Person so assumed the human Nature as still to remain a divine Person; and the human Nature was so assumed into a divine Person as still to remain the human Nature. GOD therefore so became Man, as to be both perfectly GOD and perfect­ly Man, united together in one Person: — So that every Action which he did, and every Passion which he suffer'd, was done and suffer'd by him that was GOD as well as Man. And [Page 92]hence it is that CHRIST is so fit, yea only fit, to be our Redeemer, Mediator and Surety; be­cause he alone is both GOD and Man in one Person. If he was not Man he could not un­dertake that Office; if he was not GOD he could not perform it.—Man can suffer, but he cannot satisfy; GOD can satisfy but he cannot suffer: but CHRIST being both GOD and Man can both suffer and satisfy too; and so is perfectly fit both to suffer for Man, and to make Satisfaction un­to GOD; to reconcile GOD to Man, and Man to GOD.’

THUS unsearchable is the Incarnation of the Son of GOD, or his Assumption of our Nature. We must neither enquire from Doubting nor from Curiosity — How can these Things be? What is there too great or hard for the LORD? And who shall unfold his Work? We must sit down con­tent in the Angel's Words to the blessed Virgin; It is of the HOLY GHOST, and the Power of the Highest: which Power and its glorious Effects who can understand?

II. THE Humiliations, Sufferings and DEATH of the Son of GOD in our Nature, are an unsearch­able Mystery. If the Son of GOD were indeed to come in the Likeness of Flesh, yet tho't the Jews not in any Likeness of that Sin and Misery into which we are fallen. He cou'd not come (tho't they) in a low and humble Condition, in a poor, contemptible and afflicted State, to redeem us by Sufferings, and an accursed Death: No, said they, the Messiah will come as a triumphant King and Conqueror, in Power and Pomp, in [Page 93]worldly Grandeur and Splendor. Hence were they so offended, in spite of all their ancient Pro­phecies, at the mean Appearance of our Saviour. They could not take Him to be the Son of GOD, whom in the midst of all his divine Words and Works, they beheld in outward Appearance to be but a mortified holy Prophet: Astonish'd indeed at his Doctrine and Miracles, but stumbled at his Poverty and Cross: An enthron'd Messiah they look'd for, and behold a crucified One: This was such a Stone of Stumbling, and Rock of Offence to them, that they fell on it and were broken to pieces. But blessed are they whosoever are not offended at that, which they ought rather to admire with the most profound Veneration.

IT must needs be stupendous to us to meditate, the supream Lawgiver obeying and fulfilling the divine Law, to work out a Righteousness for the Justification of Sinners; and then bearing the Curse of the holy Law to expiate and atone for our Guilt in the Transgression thereof. What an amazing Tho't is it for the Most High GOD to take the Form of a Servant; and the Possessor of Hea­ven and Earth to appear in a destitute Estate, that we thro' his Poverty might be enrich'd! For the most blessed Being to subject himself to Sorrows, and HE who alone hath Immortality to Die! For the most holy One to be made Sin for us, and the most just One a Sacrifice to divine Justice! What Paradoxes are these Things, which break our Tho'ts in the Meditation of them, even as Nature was convuls'd at the Time of the Crucifixion of our LORD? Now it beclouds our Minds with Dark­ness, [Page 94]and then dazzles them with Light, 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. 2.6, —10.

III. UNSEARCHABLE are the Benefits of Re­demption. Who can comprehend, conceive of or utter what is the Price of GOD's pardoning Mercy, of sanctifying Grace, or of eternal Salva­tion?

1. The Worth of pardoning Mercy: Adoption in Christ, Justification thro' him, and Reconcilia­tion to God. That guilty, condemned, perishing Sinners, the Heirs of Death and Hell, should ob­tain the Remission of their Sins, become Righ­teous in the Eyes of the holy GOD, his Children by Faith in Christ Jesus, and his Soul have Plea­sure in them, even as tho' they had not been born nor liv'd in Sin! What manner of Love is this, which the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God? Let a convinced Sinner, a wounded Spirit say, what the Worth of a Pardon is: or let him that thro' Grace has the comfortable Sense of his sealed Pardon declare if he can the inestimable Price of it! Let Saints in Glory look down & tell it us in their smiling Joys! Or let us look down into the Pit below, and read it in the Anguishes and Wailings of the Damned. Psal. 32. 1, 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven, whose Sin is covered, &c.

HEAR the Triumphs of a justify'd State ‘— I know in whom I have believed—Behold, now are we the Sons of God—and if Children then Heirs—Ye know that ye have eternal Life— Who is it that condemneth, it is Christ that [Page 95]died—What shall separate us from the Love of GOD—Tho' now we see him not, yet believ­ing we rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory.’ O the unsearchable Riches of a Pardon!

2. So likewise of sanctifying Grace. By Nature we are now shapen and born in Sin, in a misera­ble Bondage to it, and Pollution from it. It is the mysterious Work of God to change and renew the Soul. It confounded the Master in Israel to hear of the Necessity of the New-Brith But un­searchable must the Price be of a renewed Heart and Mind: to have God's Image restored in us! To be made Partakers of his Holiness! From Slaves to Satan to become the Servants of God! and his holy Temples who were the Habitations of every unclean Lust! To have our blind Eyes o­pened! Our hard Hearts softned! Our depraved Affections purified! Our desiled Consciences pur­ged! The Law of Gof written in us, the Spirit of God dwelling in us! To have Christ formed in us, the Flesh crucified, the Spirit of Life acting us, Grace Growing in us, the Life of Jesus exhibited in this mortal Flesh, which naturally is in vile Subjection to Sin. O what does the great GOD work in and for the Souls of his Chosen in Christ! A Work marvellous and glorious as Man's first Creation in the Image of God! For in this new Creation there also is commanded Light out of Darkness, Order and Beauty out of a Chaos of Confusion and Emptiness.

3. WHO can search out Heaven, and the eter­nal Life by Jesus Christ, Salvation with eternal [Page 96]Glory! This is the Promise which he has promised; the Purchase of his Death, and the Gift of God thro' him. He has begotten us unto this lively Hopen by his Resurrection from the dead, and As­cention to Heaven; and thither where he is will he gather his Redeemed, and they shall behold his Glory, and be glorify'd with him. But what this future and heavenly Glory is, is to us unsearcha­ble. Now are we the Sons of GOD, if we believe in CHRIST the only-begotten Son, but it doth not appear what we shall be; only we know that we shall be like him, (inexpressibly Blessed in him) for we shall see him as he is.

READ over the Descriptions given us of the heavenly Felicity, and think what is the Hope of our Calling, and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints, Eph. 1.18. It is an Inheritance in Light: Incorruptible and Undefiled: A Crown of Glory that fadeth not away: A far exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory: A Ful­ness of Joy in the Presence of God, and Pleasures at his right Hand for evermore: Infinite and e­verlasting Happiness. We must comprehend GOD and Eternity, his Glory and Bliss, before we can conceive of all the Benefits of Christ. These Riches in Glory are past the Power of Numbers to cast up; they are past all Account or Reckoning: When we have risen to Millions of Millions, and Often multiplied them, there are the same Num­bers yet behind. The Benefits of Redemption have no Compass short of the infinite and eternal GOD. They are Immense like Him, wide as the Heavens, deep and long as Eternity! Things nei­ther lawful nor possible to be spoken.

[Page 97] IV. UNSEARCHABLY great and glorious is the Administration of the Kingdom of Grace, and GOD's gracious Working on the Souls of Sinners by and with the Dispensation of his Word and ordinances. We sce the glorious Effect wro't, we feel the en­liv'ning refreshing Gale blow: The Thing is sensible, the Manner incomprehensible. John 3. 9. The Wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the Sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. He works arbitrarily, power­fully, mysteriously. Unaccountable it is—where, in whom, when, and in what manner he pleases to work. The Breathings of the HOLY SPIRIT are like the Wind upon us, both in respect of the Freeness and Variableness of its Motion. GOD blows out of his Treasuries upon us, from what Quarter, in what Measure,with what Continuance, with what Intermissions, with what Changes, more or less, as he pleases. ‘It is very secret and ex­ceeding various ^*. Various in the Method of working; some wro't upon by the Corrosives of the Law, others by the Lenitives of the Gos­pel. Various in the Manner and Means; on some by a powerful Odinance, on others by an awakening Providence. Yet the Work is one in all, the Effect the same, scil. Conformity to GOD, his holy Nature, and revealed Will, in Heart and Life.’

REGENERATION is the Riches of CHRIST. It is Christ formed in us: The Spirit of Christ given [Page 98]to us: The lmage of Christ restor'd in us. He has purchas'd this invaluable Gift for us: It is the Spirit of the Son sent forth into our Hearts; the Comforter whom 1 will send—said our ascending Saviour; be shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you: the Graces, the Comforts, the Glory which I have purchased for you, he shall produce in you, and prepare you for.

BUT to be more particular:

1. UNSEARCHABLE is the Administration of the Kingdom of Grace, in God's sending the Gospel to some and not to others; to one Country and Na­tion and not to another. It was altogether sove­reign and unaccountable, that first Abraham should be singled out from an idolatrous World, and the Church be shut up within the narrow Walls of his House, which by a Covenant of Peculiarity and Circumcision, as by a Wall of Partition, was se­parated from the rest of the World, for so many Ages and Generations. And now that the Gen­tiles are Fellow-Heirs and Partakers of the Promise in Christ by the Gospel, it is the unsearchable Conduct of divine Grace to leave great Empires, and vast Territories of the Earth in the Darkness of Nature and without a Revelation: to use the Words of Scripture,—without GOD in the World, aliens to the Covenant of Promise, afar off and without Hope; while other Places and People are made nigh, bro't near, and exalted high in spiri­tual Privileges.

WHAT a dark and melancholly Mystery is it, in Providence and in Grace, that so great a part [Page 99]of the known Earth is at this Day perishing in Pagan Idolatries, serving dumb Idols even as they are blindly led by Satan? Again, that so great a part of it lies sunk under the Mahometan Im­posture? and so great a part of Christendom also in the Romish Superstitions and Abominations? And why to us in these remote Regions should the Truth and Worship of GOD be sent, and preserved pure? A Mercy deny'd to Millions better than we! Why these late barbarous and salvage Places of the Earth be illuminated, and honoured to become the visible Kingdom of Christ, while the noble Em­pires of the East, China and others, are left in their deplorable Ignorance!

IT is not that we are greater or better than they, as was said to Israel by Moses when they were chosen, called and separated from the World: but altogether of the sovereign and unsearchable Will, Wisdom and Grace of GOD. As of old it was with the Seed of Abraham; not all of them were alike adopted; but in Isaac was his Seed cal­led: And again, when Rebecca had conceived, the Children not being yet born; neither having done either Good or Evil, that the Purpose of GOD ac­cording to Election might stand, not of Works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger; Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated, Rom. 9.10,—13. And what shall we say to this, save to adore the Sovereignty of the divine Will! As he saith to Moses, ‘I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have Compassion on whom I will have Compassion!’ To show his Wrath and to make his Power known, he rejects Places as well as Persons, [Page 100]fitted for Destruction, like the Cananites of old; and again to make known the Riches of his Mercy on those whom he hath ordained unto Glory, e­ven ‘us whom he hath called of the Gentiles; as he saith in Osee, I will call them my People which were not my People, and her beloved which was not beloved: And it is come to pass that in the Place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my People, there are they called the Children of the living GOD.’ In this Me­ditation it is, even of the Riches of the Gentile World, by the Fall and Diminishing of the Jews, that the Apostle crys out, Rom. 11.33. ‘O the Depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of GOD! how unsearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways past finding out! For who hath known the Mind of the LORD, or being his Counsellor hath taught him?’

2. UNSEARCHABLE it is that the same Means enjoy'd by many, are so efficacious upon some and not on others. The divine Election and Purpose of Merey makes here the like wonderful Difference between Persons, in respect of internal Efficocy, as the divine Providence does any where in respect of outward Call and Privilege. And the same Words us'd in that Case, are meant and applied in this too by the HOLY GHOST. It is not of him that wilieth, nor of him that runneth, but of GOD that sheweth Mercy. There is the same corrupt Nature in one and all, the same natural Enmity and Opposition to the almighty Grace of GOD, the same Inability both to will and to do in one and another: there is the same Guiltiness by Na­ture, and very often more increas'd by vicious [Page 101]Practice, where the divine Election is shown after all. We little know where GOD means to work; but it is often there where Man least expects, and where our Desires and Prayers have been less ex­press. Nor is it more admirable to any than to the happy Vessels of Mercy themselves, to find themselves singled out when sometimes they cou'd least of all have look'd for it: As the Apostle Paul was full of Adorations that he shou'd be called to preach the unsearchable Riches of Christ, in the very Heat and Act of his fierce Opposition to, and Persecution of the Name of JESUS.

IN short:

THERE is an Excellency of Power and Sove­reignty in these Things, that we may admire GOD in his free and effectual Calling whom he will, and working what, and how, and when, and where he will. He divideth to every Man severally as he will, and hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. To some of the same Congregation it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, to others it is not given. Jam. 1.18. Of his own Will begat be us by the Word of Truth. He cou'd of the same Mass of Pollution, and from the same Quarry of Stones, have raised up other Children to Abraham; yet here and not there have the purifying and softning Dews of the Word fell and abode, or the rending Flashes of it struck, and not there. Eph. 2.1,—7. ‘And you hath he quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins: wherein in time past ye walked according to the Course of this World—: Among whom also we all had our [Page 102]Conversation in time past, in the Lusts of our Flesh, fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and Mind, and were by Nature the Children of Wrath even as others: But GOD who is rich in Mercy, for his great Love wherewith he lo­ved us, even when we were dead in Sins, hath quickned us together with Christ, &c. — For by Grace ye are saved, thro' Faith, and that not of your selves, it is the Gift of GOD.’

EVERY Saint may look in upon himself, if he perce ves a saving Change wro't in him, and say, LORD, why me? And every Minister or obser­ving Christian will find frequent Reason to ad­mire with respect to others, and say (not from Complaint, but full of humble Adoration) Why here (blessed GOD) and not there! Why on this Soul, and not on that! Even so Father, because it pleases thee! O that Ishmael also might live in thy Sight.

3. UNSEARCHABLE is the Diversity of the Ways and Manner whereby it pleases GOD to work sa­vingly on the Souls of Men. These are many, and all mysterious, comparing the Means in them­selves unto the Glory and Greatness of the Effect. It is the Glory of GOD to use the smallest Means, to the most illustrious Effect; and sometimes to bring about his own great Ends by ways seeming­ly cross thereunto; that so his Hand may be the more signal, and the Event the more surprizing. As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are his Tho'ts above ours. The Variety here is plea­sant to contemplate, working with the most sweet Harmony to one blessed End. The Heart of one [Page 103]is softly opened, sweetly dilated and quickned by the silent Breath of the Almighty: Another is prick'd to the Heart, has his Conscience gash'd, and lies in Agonies of Spirit. Sometimes a Word does either of them; sometimes a gracious Providence the one, and an awakening Affliction the other. He worketh severally as he willeth. To name a few of his Ways,—And how little a Portion is heard of him!

1. IT is of the unsearchable Riches of Grace that the Foolishness of Preaching should save any. This the Apostle amplifies on as a strange but no­torious thing; the Effect and the Means not at all proportionate, 1 Cor. 1. 18,—21. It is the Won­der of the World, that the Doctrine of a crucified Saviour, and of the Cross to be taken up by his Disciples, should ever prevail over the Hearts of Men; their Hearts opposite to the Shames of the one, and to the Pains of the other! And that the naked Proposal of this divine Doctrine by Men of no Learning or Influence should so Triumph o­ver the Prejudices, Superstitions and Customs of People. Yea, the daily Efficacy of the preached Gospel, is to our own Times a living lasting Wonder.

CAN we speak to the Souls of Men, or can we reach their Hearts? And very often can the in­ferior Preacher? (whose Sermons and Composures are in the Wisdom and Judgment of Man yet more Foolishness) who yet is used by God most of all to enter into the Souls of Sinners! 2 Cor. 4. 7. For we have this Treasure in earthen Vessels, that the [Page 104]Excellency of the Power may be of GOD, and not of us.

IT pleases GOD for his own Glory to put a pre­cious Treasure in his poor Ministers, and to display his own Power in their weak Administrations. There is an Excellency of Power display'd in con­vincing and humbling the Souls of Sinners, in en­lightning, purifying and sanctifying them; in the Mortification of Sin and Lust in them, and in the Dominion of Grace upon its Expulsion. There is an Excellency of Power in reaching the Hearts and Consciencies of Men, and in a manifest Em­pire over the Thought and Will, Mind and Affec­tions.

WHO is sufficient for these Things? What Means or Instruments equal to them? Truly none: yet how easily is it all effected by the poor Labours of weak Men, ordained and blessed of GOD hereunto? The Effect equally wonderful if you thro'ly consider it, as when the Waters divi­ded against their Nature and Course at the Word of Elisha! Or as when the Midian Army was routed before the blast of a Trumpet, and the Lamps in their earthen Pitchers. Or as when the great Syrian Leper was cleansed by dipping in the Waters of Jordan.

AND since I have nam'd him, let it be the In­stance for the illustrating this Head. A little Israelite Girl was the first Means toward the clean­sing this noble Syrian: but when he came to the Prophet, and was bid to go and wash himself seven times in the River Jordan, how did he despise the [Page 105]thing? How did he pet and storm at the Direc­tion of Heaven? Were there not as good Rivers in Syria for him to have washed at? Had the Waters of Jordan any natural Virtue more than those? No, no more than the Lips of Ministers, or their Preaching has in it self a Power to purify the Heart. Yet was it soon found that the ordained Waters, like those of the Sanctuary, had the di­vine healing Power and Blessing with them: the Leper's Flesh was restored like a new-born Child, or a ruddy Youth's for Purity and Beauty; he was a new Creature, as one form'd and born anew: He admir'd the wondrous Renovation, ador'd the Power and Mercy of GOD in the Change wro't, declar'd that there is no GOD beside him in all the Earth, would needs have some of the consecra­ted Earth of Israel to build an Altar in his own Country, and vow'd that he wou'd never worship or do sacrifice to any dumb Idol of Syria any more. Truly the Ordinances of the Gospel are as won­derful in their Effects upon the Soul, as the Wa­ters of Israel were in their Effects upon the Body of Naaman. John 15.3. Now are ye clean thro' the Word that I have spoken to you. Heb. 4.12, 13. Psal. 45.3, 5. 1 Cor. 1.21,—28.

2. THE Operations of the divine Grace on our Souls by particular Providences, both merciful and afflictive, are equally unsearchable. These in themselves are equally ineffectual, as thousands do experience, as the Teachings out of GOD's Law. Both Mercies and Judgments are lost on Multi­tudes. Yet when and where GOD pleases to work by either, they have (both one and other) an ir­resistible Constraint; the one to allure and draw [Page 106]and bind the Soul by the Bands of Love, the other to compel and force and drive us to GOD, not a­gainst the Will, but by a potent Conquest & turn­ing of it.

UNSEARCHABLE are the Purposes of Mercy, and the evident Proofs thereof in the End, in ma­ny terrible Dispensations of Providence to parti­cular Persons and Families. The greatest out­ward Rebukes prove not seldom the greatest spiri­tual Mercies, and surest Consolations of their Lives. However Nature may groan and cry out under the Operation, yet the Life and Health of the Soul is graciously consulted, and marvellously com­passed. We often see People take on grievously now, at those things which they will rejoice in for ever, with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. All that seems sadly against them, which is making marvellously for their everlasting good.

IN what Anguish cry'd the poor Mother to the Prophet, O Man of GOD! art thou come to call my Sins to remembrance, and to stay my Son? Ah, blessed Mean of a more effectual Calling her Sins to Remembrance, and working her up unto a more full Repentance, and a future Life of more Faith in GOD, and Devotedness unto him. Heaven will unriddle many of the dark Works of GOD's Grace now.

3. UNSEARCHABLE is the Conduct of divine Grace in making the very Sins of Men, and their foul Falls into Sin, to be the Occasion very often, and effectual Means of their Conversion and Sal­vation Happy the Sinner that is bro't to see the [Page 107] Sinfulness of Sin, and his own exceeding Vileness. But it is a melancholy Way to Conviction, by some Over-Wickedness to raise a hideous Guilt, to glare us in the Face, and fright us to our Knees. ‘By one Sin breaking out GOD often discovers to a Person more Sin in himself; as if you stir a Pool of Water the Mud and Filth of the Bot­tom rises and shews it self.’ Conscience is made tender by its Wound, and watchful by its Fall and Bruise. GOD sometimes mercifully shames Souls into a saving Humiliation by a serious Re­flection on their Scandals; they see their own Deformity in the Glass of GOD's Word, and are covered with Blushes and deep Confusion before GOD and Man. They are frighted to see their own Faces, and asham'd to be seen of others. From loathing a particular Fact they come to the loath­ing all Manner of Sin, as such. I have sinned, said David, and into what a glorious Exercise of Repentance did it cast him? Psal. 51. Peter by his Fall learn'd Humility and Fear, and so gain'd a future Stability. Paul doubled his Industry and Adorations of GOD, when he remembred his old persecuting the Saints. No Good can possibly be in Sin, and yet saving Good is bro't out of it. Ma­ny a Saint looking unto Means must be forc'd to say—I had perish'd if I had never fell heinously. The Blow that might have stunn'd Persons, or dash'd 'em to Pieces, has sometimes thro' Grace only awakened them out of their previous Stupor, and Security in Sin. O the Riches of Grace to such a Soul! by plunging in the Ditch so that his own Cloaths have abhorr'd him, he came to see his Pollution and need of Cleansing.

[Page 108] 4. And lastly, UNSEARCHABLE is the Method of Grace also in making the great Temptations, Assaults and Terrors of Satan, not seldom the Means of the Conversion and Salvation of them that suffer by 'em. The Purgatory (I may say) thro' which elect and chosen Vessels are often made to pass, and by which they are refined and prepa­red for Glory. It looks all to be of Wrath, and the Blackness or Flames of Hell about the Soul; but in the End it is found full of the In­tention of Love and utmost Compassion. As were the kind and tender Tho'ts of Heaven to holy Job, while the Devil for his Trial and Increase of Grace had Permission to fright and scare him.

HOW mysterious is it to see gracious Persons annoy'd with impure, diabolical, cursed, blasphe­mous Tho'ts, which they loath and detest, and fly from; but are haunted and pursued by, as by some hideous Spectre or unclean Spirit, which terrifies because it seems to pollute them. It looks to them even as Satan's Possession of them, when indeed it is the Means of his utter Ejection, and of the souls being cleans'd and swept from all Impurity and Defilement, and becoming a Temple and Man­sion for the Holy Ghost.

THESE hellish Assaults have often driven Souls to Christ, the impregnable Reck: these foul Sug­gestions have left no Ordure of Hell behind them; but bro't the poor Soul to see and loath its natu­ral Pollution and Defilement, and hastned its Flight to the open Fountain for Cleansing in the Blood of Christ. These cursed Blasphemics, hated as they are to the suffering Heart, have only fix'd [Page 109]and raised it in the Reverence and Love of GOD, and in the Spirit of Devotion. These Amaze­ments and Disquiets have only establish'd the Soul in a sober Fear, and a composed, humble, watch­ful, prayerful, steddy Course of Obedience & Trust in GOD.

IT is in the Works of Grace as it is in those of Providence: As Jacob's Sorrows and Joseph's Suf­ferings were but the wise and happy Means of their future Honour, Safety and Comfort; so is the Malice and Envy, the Rage and Fury of Sa­tan, and the inexpressible Sufferings of Souls there­from, often the sure Means of their eternal Sal­vation, Felicity and Glory. We may apply in this Case that Exhortation and Consolation: Phil. 1. 28. ‘And in nothing terrified by your Ad­versaries, which is to them an evident Token of Perdition, but to you of Salvation, and that of GOD.’

THUS GOD has many mysterious Ways where­by to work savingly on the Souls of Sinners. May we but Experience any, even the darkest, of these Ways of divine Mercy, that we know how to adore GOD therein and magnify his Work; and that the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his Kind­ness to us thro' JesusChrist may be exemplify'd and admir'd for ever in us.

I am now arriv'd unto the last Head propound­ed, which is,

V. UNSEARCHABLE are the divine Persections shining forth in the Work of Redemption. The [Page 110] Harmony ^† of the divine Attributes in Man's Re­demption is a sweet, a copious and a celebrated Subject. Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Justice, So­vereignty, Goodness, Mercy and Grace do all meet and unite, and are all exalted and glorify'd together in this last and highest of GOD's Works.

1. UNSEARCHABLE is the WISDOM of GOD in the great Work of our Redemotion. The ma­nifold Wisdom of GOD made known in Christ. Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are hid in him, and in him bro't to Light. The Riches of Understanding is requisite to the Acknowledgment of the Mystery of the Father, and of Christ. How vast the Stores of the most precious and enriching Knowledge! salutary and saving Knowledge! of the last Necessity and Efficacy to make us happy.

IN this Work of Redemption GOD is said to have abounded to us in all Wisdom and Prudence. In all his Works much of his Wisdom appears, in this it abounds. That Justice and Mercy, Righteous­ness and Peace, Truth and Grace shou'd be bro't to meet and unite in our Redemption! "The most different Interests be reconcil'd, the most di­stant Ends accomplish'd; and in the untho't of, yet most perfect. Way that can be! How does it astonish and yet charm the Mind that attentive­ly and graciously considers it!

HOW wonderful a REDEEMER has GOD pro­vided for us? How suitable a Mediator between [Page 111]himself and us! for his own infinite Honour, and our sure Salvation! That HE should have where­with to offer and wherewith to satisfy! be able to suffer and yet able too to save! able to stand be­tween Sinners and the consuming Fire of GOD's Wrath, in our weak Nature, and not be consum'd, but bear and appease that Wrath at once! Here is a more admirable Work of GOD in the Person of Christ, than in all Angels and all Men put to­gether! A more astonishing Effect in one Life and Death, than in the laying the Foundations of the Earth, or than the spreading forth the Hea­vens over us. Such an High-Priest became us, who should be so near to us, and yet as near to GOD; cloathed in our Infirmities, and yet array'd in the Glories of the GODHEAD.

"A Nature wherein to suffer, and a Nature whereby to sanctify those Sufferings, and give an infinite Worth and Merit to them. ‘GOD in our Nature to conquer Sin and Satan for us! the Image of the invisible GOD a visible Pat­tern to us! the Law answer'd for us both in the Precept and Penalty!’ The Command­ments of it perfectly obeyed, the Fighteoasness of it fulfilled, and the Curse of it punctually exceu­ted! What a Display of divine Wisdom is here?

2 UNSEARCHABLE is the POWER of GOD dis­play'd in the Work of our Redemption. CHRIST the Power of GOD, and the Wisdom of GOD, 1 Cor. 1.24. The Mighty GOD and the Prince of Peace are One. Our Salvation was a mighty Work to undertake and perform: to bear the Wrath of the infinite GOD for us! to make Attonement [Page 112]for our Sins, and to bring in an everlasting Righ­teousness for us! to overturn the Kingdom and Power of Satan, to bestow sanctifying Grace and eternal Life! The whole Work of our Redemp­tion from first to last, both in the Impetration and Application of it, is a Work of unsearchable Power. Eph. 1. 10. ‘And what is the exceed­ing Greatness of his Power us-ward, who be­lieve, according to the Working of his mighty Power, which he wro't in Christ, &c.’ What was so blasphemously said by the deluded People of Simon the Sorcerer, is religiously to be ascrib'd to CHRIST, and to Him only, This Man is the great Power of GOD.

IN his ineffable Conception, that new and singu­lar Creation of GOD, it was the Power of the High­est over-shadowing. The same Power was glori­ous in the mighty Works of his Life, in the Man­ner of his Death, in his Resurrection and Ascention. He endued his Apostles with like Power from on High, and they went forth in his Might and Spi­rit, and converted the World. And what Means did they use? Did they gather Armies? Form Leagues, inspire Princes to arm for them? or Peo­ple to Mutiny and Rebel? Did they preach up Force and Blood like Mahomet? or a holy War like Antichrist? No, the Weapons of this War­fare were not carnal, but altogether spiritual, and mighty thro' GOD, to the pulling down the strong Holds of Sin, casting down Imaginations, and every high Thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of GOD, and bringing into Captivity e­very Tho't to the Obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4. The naked Doctrines of the Cross were preached, [Page 113]no inticing Words of Man's Wisdom used, the Philosophy of the Schools and the Idolatries of the Nations were decried, Mens Lust sorbidden and condemned, the Mortification of the Flesh and Self-Denial were requir'd, and in spite of the Rage of the Jews, and Contempt of the Gentiles this holy Doctrine establish'd it self, in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power.

IN a Word: The same Power that command­ed the Light to shine out of Darkness, shines into and illuminates the Sinner's Heart. The same Power that raiseth the dead quickens them that are dead in Trespasses and Sins. The same Power that smote and broke the Rock softens the stony Hearts of Sinners. The Power that divided the Sea, turns the Sinner's Heart against the Violence of natural Inclination. The Power that gave Sampson his wondrous Strength to drive the Armies of Philistines and slay Heaps upon Heaps; to snap asunder the strongest Cords, to pluck up and bear away the City Gates, and to bow together the mighty Pillars of a vast Fabrick; the same divine Power (and a greater) is it that arms a Soul a­gainst its own Lusts, and the Worlds Temptations and the Legions of Hell; that breaks the native Dominion and inveterate Habits of Sin, and pulls down its strong Holds. Look not on Men in your Amazement at these Things, as the wondring People once did on the Apostles, as if by any Power or Virtue of theirs these Things are done; No, GOD has glorified his Son JESUS, and this is His Power whereby he subdues all Things to him­self.

[Page 114] 3. UNSEARCHABLE is the HOLINESS and JU­STICE of GOD in the Work of our Redemption. The infinite Sanctity of GOD has more shone forth in the Satisfaction for Sin in the Death of Christ, than even in the Severity of the Law con­demning and threatning it. Herein eminently is the LORD of Hests exalted in Judgment, and GOD that is Holy is sanctified in Righteousness. What Hatred of Sin, and Vengeance against it, appears in the Sacrifice of the Son of GOD, and his shedding his precious Blood? A Life worth more than the Blood of all Men, and the Life of Myriads of Angels added to them! Where does GOD appear so glorious in Holiness, so irreconcile­able to Sin, and so full of the Detestation of it, as in this Demand of his Justice, and Oblation to it. That Holiness might not suffer, CHRIST did: ra­ther than spare Sin GOD spared not his own Son, and was inexorable to the strong Crying and Tears of his everlasting Love.

THE Glory of Holiness and Mercy together was the End of our Saviour's Death; the glorious Design & Fruit of Redemption. HE, the HOLY ONE of GOD, sanctifies whom he saves. The Faith in Him that justifies us, purifies us also. The Elect are chosen in Him unto Sanctification, and called to be Saints.

WHAT will not GOD sacrifice to the Honour of his Holiness! What Myriads of apostate An­gels! What Worlds of impenitent Sinners! What are these compared with the Offering of his own Son?

[Page 115] I need not add:

4. THAT the divine GRACE and MERCY are Unsearchable in the Work of Redemption. The Height and Depth of the Love of GOD herein ex­pressed passeth Knowledge. It is his great Love wherewith he loved us: to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the Beloved.

"GOODNESS was the Spring of our Redemp­tion: the Motive to it was meer Love: the Bene­fits thereof are an infinite Variety of eternal Mer­cy. It was free Grace against Desert: the Riches of Grace to supply our infinite Wants: Distin­guishing Mercy that regarded us when it passed by Angels.

THIS is but a very transient and general View of the unsearchable Glories of the divine Perfections, shining forth in the Work of Redemption. Let us pause here and recollect, what unspeakable Things GOD has done for it! What inestimable Treasures he has expended on it! What un­searchable Things he has provided in CHRIST for poor Sinners! What has he not given for us, what has he not given to us! It surmounts all Tho't, surpasses all Conception and Admiration! We can never in any equal or fitting Manner adore, praise, extol the Mercies and Benignity of our gracious GOD toward us Cou'd we Think with all the Swistness and Intenseness of Angels, and speak with their Tongues, and should we spend our whole Life here and Eternity hereafter, in looking into and magnifying the divine Wisdom, Power, Holiness and Mercy in our Redemption, yet at last it were ineffable.

[Page 116] LET us reflect on what hath been said, & infer:

1. THE incomprehensible Glory of our SAVIOUR. His Glory is great in our Salvation; Honour and Majesty does it put upon him: it declares him most Blessed for ever: His Name shall continue as the Sun; and Men shall be blessed in him; all Na­tions shall call him Blessed. His Dignity and Ex­cellency, Merits and Benefits fill the whole Earth with his Glory.

2. THE Reproach of the CROSS ceaseth. A Glory dwells upon it: The King of Glory hung upon it. No more let it be called the cursed Tree, but the Tree of Life; like that in the midst of the Paradice of GOD, yielding all manner of rich and precious Fruit. With what Garlands and Tro­phies is the triumphant Standard hung? Yea, with Crowns of Glory for them that are not ashamed of his Reproach! Worthy to be esteemed greater Riches than the Treasures of the Indies!

BUT when I speak of the CROSS you know how to take me right, of the meritorious Sacrifice of­fered thereon, by our Saviour, and the most blessed Effects of that Offering. Men may magnify the material Cross to gross Idolatry, and abuse the Sign of it to Superstition; but the Virtues of a crucified Saviour, the Merits and Power of his Death, can't be too much honoured by us.

3. FROM all the incomprehensible Things al­ready spoken of we may well infer, What is not an Interest in Christ worth? A Relation to him, a Fortion in him, a Name among his redeemed! O [Page 117]unsearchable Blessedness! O immense Felicity! How little do Men consider what is offer'd to 'em daily in the Tenders of Salvation! How great are the Things which we hear so carelefly of, which we so easily neglect, and set so light by? O if thou knewest the Gift of GOD! GOD forgive us our Madness and Frenzy, for we know not what we do. That when the Offers of Salvation by CHRIST are daily made to us, and we are pray'd in his Name to accept of the great Redemption thro' him, yet we despise it as if it were the most mi­nute, contemptible, despicable Thing! The mean­est Trash and Dung in our Way! Whereas all Things should be so to us for the Excellency here­of!

4. SEE the Guilt and Sin of Unbelief and Im­penitence under the Gospel. What a high Indigni­ty and Provocation is it to redeeming Mercy! A most astonishing Baseness as well as Madness! That when the immense Grace of GOD is revealed to us, it should be but as a Pearl cast before Swine, who are ready to crucify afresh, to turn again and rend the Son of GOD. ‘Our Slight of a Saviour is (as Dr. Bates expresses it) a Sin of that tran­scendent Height, that all the Abominations of Sodom are not equal to it. It exasperates Mercy it self, that dear and tender Attribute, the on­ly Advocate in GOD's Bosom for us. It is to strike at the Heart, and kick at the Bowels of a Saviour.’

5. LET what we have heard beget in us the highest Confidence and Trust in Christ as an alsuffi­cient Saviour. He is able to supply all our Needs, [Page 118]and to do for us beyond all that we can ask or think. Nothing is too great for him to do; no­thing can be wanting in him. There are no Bounds to be set, how far he can pardon & save; ‘He is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto GOD by him.’

6, And lastly, LET us learn Humility and Mo­desly in our Researches into the deep Things of GOD, and let us believe and adore where GOD has re­vealed those Things which we cannot now com­prehend. GOD is Unsearchable,—therefore we must submit to the Revelation which he makes of Himself. Our Reason is by no Means the Mea­sure of Truth. ‘No Man hath seen GOD at any time; the Only-Begotten of the Father he hath revealed him. The Glory of GOD is now to be seen in the Face of Jesus Christ. He that hath seen Him hath seen the Father.’ Our Faith must stand in the Wisdom of GOD, and his plain Declarations concerning himself, who is Truth, and who is Incomprehensible, by a Necessity of Nature.

‘Now to the only-wise GOD our SAVIOUR, be Glory, and Majesty, Dominion and Power, both now and ever. Amen.’

‘WORTHY is the LAMB that was slain to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing.’