What Comfort is in it? yes much; In- | Judgment, filling the Cup of many defirmities alone are Infirmities indeed Nay, but Infirmities in me, and Strength in Jefus; Weakness in me, and Strength dwelling in me, these make up one per fect Work, that could as little want the Infirmities as the Strength; the Glory of God, and our Well and Confolation requires the one, as well as the other, it could not be complete without any of them. What do ye think of the Times now? Are England's Apoftacy, and Ireland's Defolation perfect Works? That great Work of Reformation, that feemed to be above our Shoulders, 'tis now razed to the Ground, and the very Foundations removed. Is Deformation a perfect Work? Certainly, if we look on these Things in the Scripture's Light, and confider them in Relation to him who is the chief Builder, and doth in Heaven and Earth what he pleafeth; that Deformation is a perfect Work, tho' not a perfect Reformation; tho' we could not inform you of the Perfection of it, yet the general might filence us; all this fhall be no Mifs, no Marr in the End. His Work at the End of Accounts fhall appear fo complete, as if it had never had Interruption. He is wife, and knows what he doth; if this were not for his Glory and his Peoples Good, certainly it should not be. Was not the Peoples wandering in the Wilderness forty Years a moft ftrange Work? a longer Interruption of the expected and begun Voyage out of Egypt? What human Reafon would have filed this Work with Perfection? Did they not often murmur against it? yet Mofes calls this a perfect Work alfo. What if the Lord be digging the Ground deeper in England, that the Foundation may be the furer? What if he be on a Work of luded Blafphemers, that he may have another Cup of Wrath prepared? What if this be his great Purpose, to execute Vengeance upon a prophane Generation, that will not abide the very Name and Form of Godliness, by these who pretend to the Name of it as their Honour? What if the Lord hath defaced all that this Kingdom was inftrumental in building of in England, that he alone may have the Glory in a fecond Temple more glorious? Many Things there may be in his Mind, and be is in one Mind, and who can turn him? and what his Soul defireth, even that he doth; and this may be enough to fatisfy us, He fees and knows all bis Works from the Beginning. And without all Contro verly he hath provided it fo, that the Reproach of his Name fhall be inade up with the more thinning of his Glory, and the Afflictions of his People fhall be compenfed with Songs of Deliverance. May ye not give him fo much Credit, as ye would give to a skilful Man in his own Trade? Ye know it is his Name, Excellent in Counfel, and wonderful in Working; then take his Work, expound it according to his Word, and not your Apprehenfion. It may be his Work appears not excellent; nay, but if ye knew his Counfel, ye would think it fo. His wonderful Counsel makes all his Works excellent; and therefore do not take upon you to judge his Works, unless ye could wade the Depth of his Counfels, elfe ye declare yourselves to be both ignorant and prefumptuous. There is a Time to build, and a Time to caft down, a Time for every Thing. faith the wife Man; now, I fay, he knows the Time and Seafon, he does every Thing in his Time. If ye come by Flock's Sake; and if these were gathered, all thefe fhall have an End, and the Flock alone abide for ever. And all bis Ways are Judgment] This is to the fame Purpose, his Ways and his Works are one; and this is the Perfection of his Work, that it is all right and equal; whether they be in Juftice or Mercy, they are all righteous and holy, no Iniquity in them, his Ways are ftraight and equal, exact as if they were measured by an exact even Rule; but because we make Application of a crooked Rule to them, we do imagine that they are crooked; as the blind Man judges no Light to be, because he sees it not. How may the Lord contend and plead with us, as with that People, Ezek. xviii. 25. Is it poffible that any can challenge him and clear themselves, who will be juftified of all when be is judged, and before whom no Flefb can by a Work-man that is cafting down a Houfe that in your Appearance feems good, would ye condemn him presently? No, but ftay till ye fee what he will do next, wait till the due Time, and when ye fee a better Piece of Workmanship on that Ground, ye shall abfolve him. Tho' God often change his Work, do not think he changes his Counsel and Purposes as Men do; no, he is in one Mind, and who can turn him? therefore he had that Change in his Mind when he made the Work; when he erected fuch a Throne, he had this in his Mind to caft it down within fuch a Space, and fo his Change, his throwing down is as perfect in his Mind, as his building up. Ye have large and big Apprehenfions of temporal Kingdoms and Crowns of Government, and fuch like, as if they were great, yea only Things: But they are not fo to him; all this World and its Standing, all the King-be juftified? And yet behold the Inidoms and their Affairs are not his great Work and Business; he hath a great Work, the bringing of many Sons to Glory, and the compleating of Jefus Chrift, building of that glorious myftical Building, the holy Temple made up of living Stones, of which Chrift is the Foundation and chief Corner-ftone both: And 'tis this that he attends to moft. Other Works among Men, tho' they have more Noise, they are lefs concerned; all thefe are but in the By, and fubfervient to his great Defign, and like the Scaffolds of a Building, that are, it may be, fometimes very needful: Nay, but when the Building is compleated, he fhall remove all these, he hath no more Ufe of them; Kings fhall be thy Nurse fathers, Kings shall bow to thee. He is not much concerned in Government nor in Governors, but for his little quity of Mens Hearts; there is a fecret Reflection of our Spirits upon his Majefty, as if his Ways were not equal, whenever we repine against them, and. when we do not take with our Iniquity, and stop our Mouths with Duft. Behold, the Lord will affert his own Ways, and plead with all Flesh this Controverfy, that all his Proceedings are full of Equity; he walks according to a Rule, tho' he be not tied to a Rule; he walks according to the Rules of Wisdom, Juftice and Mercy, tho' his illimited Soveraignty might be a fufficient Ground of clearing of all his Proceedings: But we walk not according to a Rule, tho' we be bound to a Rule, and a Rule full of Equity. Here is the Equity and Juftnefs of his Ways, the Gofpel holds it forth in a twofold Confideration. First, If any Man turn turn from his Iniquity, and flee unto my Son as the City of Refuge, be fball live, he bath eternal Life; Iniquity fhall not be his Ruin, altho' he hath done Iniquity. O, who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity? Is not this complete Mercy? Whatever Iniquity hath been, aggravate it as ye can, tho' it could have ruined a World, yet it could not have ruined thee, that turns in to Jefus Chrift from Iniquity. What Exception can all the World have against this, or his walking according to it? And on the other Hand, whofoever continueth in Sin, tho' he appear to himself and others never fo righteous; if he entertain and love any known Sin, and will not part with it for Jefus Chrift, fball not he die in bis Iniquity? Is there any Iniquity in this, that he receive the Wages of his Works, his Reward? that he eat of the Fruit of this own Ways? and drink of his own Devices? But how many Hearts cenfure this Way as a rigid and ftrict severe Dealing: The Multitude think it Cruelty to condemn any chriftned Soul, to put fo many in Hell; the civil Man will think 'tis too hard Measure that he should be ranked in Hell with the Prophane. But certainly, all Mouths fhall be foped one Day, and be fhall be juflified when be judges; ye that will not juftify him in his Sayings, and fet to your Seal to the Truth of the Word, you fhall be conftrained to juftify him, when he executes that Sentence, ye fhall precipitate your own Sentence, and rather wonder at his Clemency in fuffering you fo long. This Way of the Lord is equal and right in itself, but it is not fo to every one; the juft Man fball walk in if, and not fumble, as in an even Way, nothing hall offend him, Hof. xiv. laft Ver. Yet for as equal and ftraight as it is, many other Tranfgreffors fhall fall therein; they tumble even in the Noonday and High-way, where no Offence is. Tis true, often his own People stumble in it, as David, Pfal. Ixxiii. and xciv. David's Foot was flipping, yet a secret Hold was by Mercy. It often requires a wife and prudent Man to understand it, because bis Footsteps are in the deep Waters, Pfal. lxxvii. 19. His Way is in the Depths of the Sea, bis Paths in great Waters, fo that Men must wait till the Lord expound his own Ways, till he come out of the Waters, and make them a dry Plain; and this is our Advantage, the Words fays, He is near thee, in thy Mouth, and neither above nor beneath in the Depths, that thou needs neither descend nor afcend to know it, Deut. XXX. 11, 12, 13, 14. But his Way is in the Depths, and his Footsteps are not known, fo that we ought to hold us by the Word till he expound his Work; his Word will teach us our Duty, and we may commit unto him his own Way, the Word is a Commentary to expound his Ways. David loft the Sight of God's Footsteps, and was like to wander, till he came to the Sanctuary; and this fhined as a Candle in a dark Place, he learned there to know the unknown Footsteps and to follow them. By all Means embrace the Word, and be fatisfied with it, when ye do not comprehend his Work; it teaches as much in general, as may put us to Quietnefs; all his Ways are Judgment, just and true in all his Ways is the King of Saints. If I do not comprehend how it is, no wonder, for he makes Darkness his Covering, he spreads over his moft curious Engines and Pieces of Workmanfhip, a Vail of Darkness for a Season, and and who can be bold him when he bides | Ways are above our Thoughts and bimself, fays Job; and tho' he withdraw Ways, as Heaven above the Earth, the Covering, yet what am I? Who can Ifa. Iv. And therefore, O Grafhopper in by fearching find out God? If I hall the Earth, that dwells in Tabernacles of examine his Way, what Rule fhall I take Clay, do not prefume to model his to try it by? If I measure by my fhal Ways according to thy Conceptions. low Capacity, or by my crooked Way, One Thing is certain, this is enough for fhall I have any juft Account of it? Faith, All his Ways are Mercy and Will my Arm measure the Heavens as Truth to thefe that keep bis Covenant his doth? If I examine it, or try it by and his Teftimonies, Pfal. xxv. 10% himself, He is high as Heaven and And there is no Way or Path of God unfearchable. Therefore it becomes us fo far above our Reach, and unfearchto hearken to his Word, and believe its able, as his Mercy in pardoning Sin; and Sentence of his Work, when Reason can- this is only the fatisfying Answer to all not comprehend it. your Objections and Scruples, in these ye do but vent your own Thoughts: But fays the Lord, my Thoughts are above your Thoughts, as Heaven above Earth. Ye but fpeak of your own Ways, but my Ways are far above yours, they are not measured by your Iniquity; and therefore, David fubjoins, Pfal. xxv. Ver. 11. Pardon my Iniquity, for it is great, One Thing (if it were deeply engraven on our Hearts) would be a Principle of fettling our Spirits, in all the Myfteries and Riddles of Providence, the Knowledge and Faith of his Soveraignty, of his Highness, and of his Wifdom; fhould he give Account of his Matters to us? He is wife and knows his Works, but is he bound to make us know them? His SER 506 ་་་་་་་་、 SERMON III. Deut. xxxii. 4, 5. He is the Rock, his Work is perfect: For all his Ways are Judgment: A God of Truth, and without Iniquity, juft and Right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their Spot is not the Spot of his Children: They are a perverse and crooked Generation. ALL his Ways are Judgment, both the wait and hope and keep Silence. How then must that Spirit be miferable, that ftands crofs unto God's Difpenfations, and would limit the holy One? Do not our Hearts often fay, I do well to be angry, why is it thus with me? But, who batb bardened bimfelf against bim and profpered? His Counsel_must ftand; and you may vex yourself, and difquiet your Soul in the mean Time by Impatience, but you cannot by your Thoughts add one Cubit to your Sta ture; you may make your Cafe worke Ways of his Commandments and the Ways of his Providence, both his Word which he hath given as a Lanthorn to Mens Paths, and his Works anong Men. And this were the Blef fedness of Men, to be found both walking in his Ways, and waiting on him in his Ways, having refpect to all his Commandments, and refpect to himself in all his Works: We all know in general that he doth all well, and that all his Commandments are holy and juft; nay, but our Practice and Affections bely our Know-nor Providence hath made it, but you ledge; and for the most Part, we ftand crofs in our Humours and Affections and Conversation, both to his Word and Providence, and this is our Mifery, Great Peace have they that love thy Law. What Peace then can keep that Heart and Mind, that is daily at Variance with his Statutes and Judgments? When the Heart would wifh fuch a Command were not, when it is an Eye fore to look upon it. Blessed are the Meek; it is good for a Man, both quietly to cannot make it better by fo doing, fo that at length, you must bow to him or be broken; Oh then that this were engraven on our Hearts with the Point of a Diamond! All bis Ways are Judg ment; that ye might be overcome with the Equity of his Command and Dif penfation, and your Heart and Tongue might not move against them. It was enough of old with the Saints, It is the Lord, let bim do what seems Good in bis Eyes; God's Soveraignty alone роп |