IV. The next remarkable performance of Providence for the people of God, which I will instance, shall be with respect to its ordering the occasions, instruments, and means of their conversion.
In nothing doth Providence shine forth more gloriously in this world, than it doth in this performance for the people of God. How curiously soever its hand had moulded your bodies, how tenderly soever it had preserved them, and how bountifully soever it had provided for them; if it had not also ordered some means or other for your conversion, all the former favours and benefits it had done for you had signified litle. This, oh this, is the most excellent benefit you ever received from its hand! You are more beholden to it for this, than for all your other mercies. Andin opening this performance of Providence, I cannot but think your hearts must be deeply affected. This is a subject, which every gracious heart loves to steep its thoughtsin. It is certainly the sweetest history that ever they repeated; they love to think and talk of it. The places where, and instruments by whom this work was wrought, are exceedingly endeared to them for the work’s sake; yea, endeared to that degree, that, for many years after, their hearts have melted, when” they have but passed occasionally by those places, or but seen the faces of those persons, who were used as instruments, in the hand of Providence, for their good. As no doubt but Jacob’s Bethel was ever after that night sweet to his thoughts, so other saints have had their Bethels as well as he. Oh blessed places, times, and instruments! Oh the deep, the sweet impressions, never to be razed out of the memory or heart, that this providence has made upon those on whom it wrought this blessed effect at years of discretion, and in a more sensible way!
But lest any poor soul should be discouraged under the display of this providence, because he cannot remember the time, place, instruments, and manner wherein, and by which conversion-work was wrought, 1 will therefore premise this necessary distinction, to prevent injury to some, whilst I design benefit to others. Conversion, as to the subject of it, may be considered two ways; either as it is more sensibly wrought in persons of riper years, who, in their youthful days, were more profane and vile; or upon persons in their tender years, into whose hearts grace was more insensibly and indiscernibly instilled by God’s blessing upon pious education. In the former sort, the distinct acts of the Spirit, as illuminating, convincing, humbling, drawing them to Christ, and sealing them, are more evident and discernible; in the latter, more obscure and confused, they can remember that God gave them an esteem and liking of godly persons, care of duty, and conscience of sin; but as to the time, place, instruments, and manner of the work, they can give but a slender account of them. However, if the work be savingly wrought in them, there is no reason they should be troubled because the ecircumstances of it are not so evident to them as they are to others. Let the substance and reality of the work appear, and there is no reason to afflict yourselves, because the evidence of such circumstances is wanting.
But, yet, where the circumstances as well as substance are clear to men; when we can call to remembrance the time when, the place where, the instrument by whom that work was wrought, it must needs be exceedingly sweet; and they cannot but yield a fresh delight to the soul, every time they are reflected upon.
There are many of the following occasions which, it may be, we took for stragglers, when they first befell us; but they proved scouts sent out from the main body of providence, which they make way for.
Now there are divers things in those providences, that are connected with this work, are exceedingly sweet and taking; as,
1. The wonderful strangeness and unaccountableness of this work of Providence in casting us into the way, and ordering the occasions, yea, the minutest circumstances about this work, This you find in Acts viii. 26—30, &c. The eunuch, at that very instant when he was reading the prophet Isaiah, hath an interpreter, one among a thousand, that joins his chariot just as his mind was, by a fit occasion, prepared to receive the first light of the knowledge of Christ.
And how strange was that change, how far soever it went, upon Naaman the Syrian! recorded 2 Kings v. 1—4, that the Syrians, in their incursions, should bring away this girl, (likely her beauty was the inducement,) and she must be presented to Naaman’s wife, and relate to her the power of God, that accompanied the prophet; though you find in that particular case there had never been an instance given before, Luke iv. 27. Doubtless the whole of this affair was guided by the signal direction of Providence.
So for the conversion of the Samaritans it is observed, John iv. 4, Christ must needs go that way, because it lay just in the road betwixt Judea and Galilee, and that at the sixth hour, that is, high noon, he rests himself upon Jacob’s well, still seeming to have no other design but his own refreshment, by sitting and drinking there; but, oh! what a train of blessed providences follows this, which seemed but an accidental thing! First, the woman of Samaria, and then, many more in that city, are brought to believe in Christ, as you find in ver. 29 and 41.
It is noted by Melchior Adam, in the life of Junius, how very an atheist he grew in his younger years; but, in order to his conversion to God, first a wonderful preservation of his life, in a public tumult at Lyons, in France, must make way, which forces from him the acknowledgment of a Deity; then his father sends for him home, and with much gentleness persuades him to read the Scriptures; he lights upon the first of John, and with it, he sensibly feels a divine, supernatural majesty and power seizing his soul, which brought him over by a complete conversion to Jesus Christ. Thus, as the woman of ‘Fekoa told David, doth God devise means to bring back his banished.”
Lavater tells us, that many Spanish soldiers, going into the wars of Germany, were there converted to Christ, by falling into the cities and towns inhabited by godly ministers and Christians.
Mr. Robert Bolton, though an excellent scholar, yet in his younger years was a very irreligious person, and a jeerer of holy men; but, being east into the company of the godly Mr. Peacock, was, by him, brought to repentance, and proved a famous instrument in the church of ChristA scrap of paper accidentally coming to view hath been used as an occasion of conversion. This was the case of a minister in Wales, who had two livings, but took little care of either. He being at a fair, bought something at a pedlar’s standing, and rent off a leaf of Mr. Perkin’s catechism to wrap it in, and reading a line or two in it, God set it home s0 as it did the work. —_
The marriage of a godly man, into a carnal family, hath been ordered by Providence for the conversion and salvation of many therein. Thus we read, in the life of that renowned English worthy, Mr. John Bruen, that, in his second match, it was agreed that he should have one year’s diet in his mother-in-law’s house; during his abode there that year, (saith Mr. Clark,) the Lord was pleased, by his means, graciously to work upon her soul, as i) also upon his wife’s sister, and half sister, their brothers, Mr. William and Mr. Thomas Fox, with one or two of the servants in that family.
The reading of a good book hath been the means of bringing others to Christ. And thus we find many of the German divines converted by reading Luther’s books. Yea, and what is more strange, Mr. Sleyden, in his Commentary, tells us, that Vergerias, though he were present an eye and ear witness to that doleful case of Spira, which one would think should move a stone, yet still continued so firm to the pope’s interest, that when he fell into some suspicion among the cardinals, he resolved to purge himself by writing a book against the German apostates; but, whilst he read the protestant books, out of no other design but to confute them, whilst he is weighing the arguments, is himself convinced and brought to Christ. He, finding himself thus overcome by the truth, imparts his conviction to his brother, a zealous papist also; this brother deplores the misery of his case, and seeks to reclaim him; but Vergerius, entreating him to weigh well the protestant arguments, he also yields; and so both immediately betook themselves to preach justification, by the free grace of God, through the blood of Christ.
Yea, not only the reading of a book, or hearing of a minister, but, which is most remarkable, the very mistake or forgetfulness of a minister hath been improved by Providence for this end and purpose. Augustine, once preaching to his congregation, forgot the argument which he first proposed, and fell upon the errors of the Manichees, beside his first intention; by which discourse, he converted one Firmus, his auditor, who fell down at his feet weeping, and confessing he had lived a
Manichee many years. Another I knew, who, going to preach, took up another Bible than that he designed, in which, not only missing his notes, but the chapter also in which his text lay, was put to some loss thereby; but, after a short pause, he resolved to speak to any other Scripture that might be presented to him, and accordingly, read the text, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,” 2 Pet. iii. 9, and though he had nothing prepared, yet the Lord helped him to speak both methodically and pertinently from it; by which discourse a gracious change was wrought upon one in the congregation, who hath since given good evidence of a sound conversion, and acknowledged this sermon to be the first and only means thereof.
The accompanying of others, in a neighbourly, civil visit, hath been overruled to the same end. Thus many of the Jews accompanied Mary into Bethany, designing only to manifest their civil respect, but there they met Christ, saw the things which he did, and believed on him, John xi. 45.
Mr. Firmin, in his Real Christian,” tells us of one who had lived many years in a town where Christ had been as clearly and as long preached as in any town in England. “This man, when he was about seventy-six years of age, went to visita sick neighbour. A Christian friend of mine,” saith my author came to see him also; and finding this old man there, whom we judged to be one that lived upon his own stock, civility, good works, &c., he purposely fell into that discourse, to show how many persons lived upon their duties, but never came to Christ. The old man, sitting by the bed-side, heard him, and God was pleased to convince him, that he was such a person, who had lived upon himself, without Christ, to that day; and would say afterwards, had I died before threescore and sixteen, I had perished, for I knew not Christ.”
The committing of a godly man to prison hath been the method of Providence to save the soul of a poor keeper. So Paul was made a prisoner, to make his keeper a spiritual freeman, Acts xvi. 27. The like success had Dr. Barnes, in Queen Mary’s days, who celebrated the Lord’s Supper in prison with his converted keeper.
The scattering of ministers and Christians, by persecution, from cities and towns, into the ignorant and barbarous parts of the country, hath been the way of Providence to find out and bring home some lost sheep that were found there to Jesus Christ, Acts viii. 1. 4. The like signal event hath since followed upon the like scattering of godly ministers, whereof there are many pregnant instances at this day.
A servant running away from his master, likely upon no other design but to live an idle life, yet falling into such places and companies as Providence ordered in a design to him unknown, hath thereby been brought to be the servant of Christ. This was the very case of Onesimus, who ran away from his master Philemon, to Rome, where, by a strange providence, (possibly a mere curiosity to see the prisoners,) he falls into Paul’s hands, who begat him to Christ in his bonds, Philemon, 10—16.
Going to hear a sermon in jest hath proved some men’s conversion in earnest. The abovenamed Mr. Firman, in the fore-cited book, tells us of a notorious drunkard, whom the drunkards called father, that one day would needs go to hear what Wilson said, out of no other design, it seems, but to scoff at that holy man: but, in the prayer before sermon, his heart began to thaw, and when he read his text, which was, “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee,” John v. 14, he could not contain; and in that sermon the Lord changed his heart, though so bitter an enemy, that the minister, on lecture days, was afraid to go to church before his shop door. Lo, these are parts of his ways, but how small a portion is known of him!”’ d
The dropping of some grave and weighty word, accidentally, in the presence of vain, carnal persons; the death of a husband, wife, or child; a fit of sickness, with a thousand other such like occasions, have been thus improved, by Providence, to the conversion of souls.
Aud no less remarkable and wonderful are the designs of Providence, in ordering the removes, and governing the motions of ministers, from place to place, in order unto the conversion of souls. Thus, oftentimes, it carries them to places where they intended not to go; God having, unknown to them, some elect vessels there, who must be called by the gospel. =~ =
Thus Paul and Timothy, a sweet and lovely pair, when they were travelling through Phrygia and Galatia, were forbid to preach the word in Asia, to which probably their minds inclined, Acts xvi 6, and when they essayed to go into Bithynia, the Spirit suffered them not, ver. 7, but 2 man of Macedonia, that is an angel in the shape or habit of a man of that country, appeared to Paul in a vision, and prayed him, saving, ‘ Come over into Macedonia, and help us,” ver. 9, and there did God open the heart of Lydia.
I knew a pious minister, now with God, who, falling in his study upon a very rousing subject, intended for his own congregation, was strongly moved, when he had finished it, to go to a rude, vile, profane people, about five miles off, and first preach it to them. After many wrestlings with himself, not being willing to quench any motion that might be supposed to come from the Spirit of God, he obeyed and went to this people, who had then no minister of their own, and few durst come among them; and there did the Lord, beyond all expectation, open a door, and several profane ones received Christ in that place, and engaged this minister 10 a weekly lecture among then, in which many souls were won to God. =~ -
The same holy man, at another time, being upon a journey, passed by a company of vain persons, who were wrestling upon a green near the road; and just as he came against the place, one of them had thrown his antagonist, and stood triumphing in his strength and activity. This good man rode up to them, and turning his speech to this person, told him, Friend, I see you are a strong man, but let not the strong man glory in his strength: you must know, that you are not to wrestle with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses: how sad will it be, that Satan should at last trip up the heels of your hope, and give you an eternal overthrow! And, after about a quarter of an hour’s serious discourse upon this subject, he left them, and went on his journey; but this discourse made such an impression, that the person had no rest till he opened his trouble to a godly minister, who, wisely following the work upon his soul, saw at last the blessed issue thereof in the gracious change of the person, whereof he afterwards gave the minister a joyful account. Oh! how unsearchable are the methods of Providence in this matter.
Nay, what is yet more wonderful, the providence of God hath sometimes ordered the very malice of Satan and the wickedness of men, as an occasion of eternal good to their souls. A very memorable example whereof I shall here give the reader, faithfully relating what not many years past fell out in my own observation in this place, to the astonishment of many spectators.
In the year 1673, there came into this port a ship of Poole, in her return from Virginia; in which ship was one of that place, a lusty young man, of twenty-three years of age, who was surgeon in the ship. This person, in the voyage, fell into a deep melancholy, which the devil greatly improved, to serve his own design for the ruin of this poor man; however, it pleased the Lord to restrain him from any attempts upon his own life, until he arrived here. But, shortly after his arrival, upon the Lord’s day, early in the morning, being in bed with his brother, he took a knife prepared for that purpose, and cut his own throat, and withal leaped out of the bed; and though the wound was deep and large, yet thinking it might not soon enough despatch his wretched life, desperately thrust it into his stomach, and so lay wallowing in his own blood, till his brother awaking, made a cry for help: hereupon a physician and a surgeon coming in, found the wound in his throat mortal; and all they could do at present was only to stitch it, and apply a plaster, with a design rather to enable him to speak for a little while, than with any expectation of cure; for, before that,
ri he breathed through the wound, and his voice was inarticulate.
In this condition, I found him that merning, and apprehending him to be within a few minutes of eternity, I laboured to work upon his heart the sense of his condition, telling him I had but litle time to do any thing for him, and therefore desired him to let me know what his own apprehensions of his present condition were. He told me, he hoped in God for eternal life. I replied, that I feared his hopes were ungrounded, for that the Scripture tells us, No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him,” and insisting upon the aggravation and heinousness of the fact, I perceived his vain confidence began to fall, and some meltings of heart appeared in him. He then began to lament, with many tears, his sin and misery, and asked me if there might yet be hope for one that had destroyed himself, and shed his own blood. I replied, The sin indeed is great, but not unpardonable; and if the Lord gave him repentance unto life, and faith to apply to Jesus Christ, it should be certainly pardoned to him; and, finding him unacquainted with these things, I opened to him the nature and necessity of faith and repentance, which he greedily sucked in, and with great vehemency cried to God that he would work them upon his soul, and entreated me also to pray with him, and for him, that it might be so. I prayed with him, and the Lord thawed his heart exceedingly in that duty: loth he was to part with me; but the duties of the day necessitating me to leave him, I briefly summed up what was most necessary in my parting counsel to him, and took my leave, never expecting to see him more in this world.
va - DIVINE CONDUCT; OR, But beyond my own, and all men’s expectations, he continued all that day, and panted most ardently after Jesus Christ; no discourses pleased him but Christ and faith; and in this frame I found him in the evening. He rejoiced greatly to see me again, and entreated me to continue my discourses upon these subjects; and, after all, he told me, Sir, the Lord hath given me repentance for this sin; yea, and for every other sin. I see the evil of sin now, so as I never saw it before. Oh! I loathe myself; I am a vile creature in my own eyes; I do also believe; Lord, help my unbelief.” TI am heartily willing to take Christ upon his own terms. One thing only troubles me, I doubt this bloody sin will not be pardoned. Will Jesus Christ, saith he, apply his blood to me, that have shed my own blood? T told him, Christ shed his blood even for them that with wicked hands had shed the blood of Christ; and that was a sin of deeper guilt than his. Well, saith he, I will cast myself upon Christ; let him do by me what he will. And so I parted with him that night.
Next morning, the wounds were to be opened; and then the opinion of the surgeons was, he would immediately expire.
Accordingly, at his desire, I came that morning, and found him in a most serious frame. I prayed with him, aud then the wound in his stomach was opened, but, by this time, the ventricle itself was swollen out of the orifice of the wound, and lay like a livid, discoloured tripe upon the body, and was also cut through; so that all concluded it was impossible for him to live; however, they stitched the wound in the stomach, enlarged the orifice, and fomented it, and wrought it again into his body, and so stitching up the skin, left him to the disposal of Providence.
But so it was, thatboth the deep wound in his throat, and this in his stomach, healed; and the more dangerous wound sin had made upon his soul, was, 1 trust, effectually healed also. I spent many hours with him in that sickness; and, after his return home, received this account from Mr. Samuel Hardy, a minister in that town; part whereof I shall transcribe.: Tg
“Dear Sir:—I was much troubled at the sad providence in your town, but did much rejoice that he fell into such hands for his body and soul. You have taken much pains with him, and, I hope, to good purpose. I think, if ever a great and thorough work were done in such a way, it is now; and if never the like, I am persuaded now itis. Never grow weary of such good works. One such instance is, methinks, enough to make you to abound in the work of the Lord all your days,” &ec.
Oh, how unsearchable are the ways of Providence in leading men to Christ! Let none be encouraged by this to sin, that grace may abound. These are rare and singular instances of the mercy of God, and such as no presumptuous sinner can expect to find. It is only recited here to the honour of Providence, which works for the recovery of sinners in ways that we understand not, Oh, what a fetch hath Providence beyond our understandings! A 3 2. And as Providence orders very strange occasions to awaken and rouse our souls at first, so it works no less wonderfully in carrying on the work to perfection; and this it doth two ways:
(1.) By quickening and reviving dying convictions and troubles for sin. Souls, after their first awakening, are apt to lose the sense and impression of their first troubles for sin; but Providence is vigilant to prevent it, and doth effectually prevent it, sometimes by directing the minister to some discourse or passage that shall fall as pat as if the case of such a person had been studied by him, and designedly spoken to. How often have I found this in the cases of many souls, who have professed they have stood amazed to hear the very thoughts of their hearts discovered by the preacher, who knew nothing of them! Sometimes by directing them to some proper rousing Scripture that suits their present case; and semetimes by suffering them to fall into some new sin, which shall awaken all their former troubles again, and put a new efficacy and activity into the conscience. The world is full of instances of all these cases, and because most Christians have experience of these things in themselves, it will be needless to recite them here. Search but few years back, and you may remember that, according to this account, at least in some particulars, Providence ordered the matter with you. Have you not found some rod or other prepared by Providence to rouse you out of your security? Why this is so common a thing with Christians, that they many times presage an affliction coming from the frames they find their own hearts in.
(2.) It gives also great assistance to the work of the Spirit upon the soul, by ordering, supporting, relieving, and cheering means, to prop up and comfort the soul, when it is overburdened, and ready to sink in the deeps of troubles. I remember Mr. Bolton gives us one instance which fits both these cases, the reviving of convictions, and seasonable supports in the deeps of troubles; and it is of a person that, by convictions, had been fetched off from his wicked companions, and entered into a reformed course of life; but after this, through the enticement of his old companions, the subtlety of Satan, and corruption of his own heart, did again relapse into the ways of sin: then was providentially brought to his view that Scripture, Prov. i. 24—26, &c.: this renewed his trouble, yea, aggravated it to a greater height than ever, insomuch that he could scarcely think, as it seems by the relation, his sin could be pardoned. But, in this plunge, the following text was presented to him, which sweetly settled him in a sure and glorious peace. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him,” Luke xvii. 4.
Nor can we here forget that miraculous work of Providence, in a time of great extremity, which was wrought for that good gentlewoman, Mrs. Honeywood, and is somewhere mentioned by the same author, who, under a deep and sad desertion, refused and put off” all comfort, seeming to despair utterly of the grace and mercy of God. A worthy minister being one day with her, and reasoning against her desperate conclusions, she took a Venice glass from the table, and said, Sir, I am as sure to be damned as this glass is to be broken, and therewith threw it forcibly to the ground; but, to the astonishment of both, the glass remained whole and sound, which the minister taking up with admiration, rebuked her presumption, and showed her what a wonder Providence had wrought for her satisfaction, and it greatly altered the temper of her mind. Oh how unsearchable are his judgments! and his ways past finding out!” Rom. xi. 33. “Lo! these are parts of his ways; but how small a portion do we know of him!” Job. xxvi. 14.
And now suffer me to expostulate a little with thy soul, reader. Hast thou been duly sensible of thy obligation to Providence for this inestimable favour? Oh what hath it done for thee! there are divers kinds of mercies conveyed to men by the hand of Providence, but none like this; in all the treasury of its benefits, none is found like this. Did it cast thee into the way of conversion, and order the means and occasions of it for thee, when thou little thoughtest of any such thing? How dear and sweet should the remembrance of it be to thy soul! Methinks it should astonish and melt you every time you reflect upon it. Such mercies should never grow stale, or look like common things to you: for, do but consider the following particulars:
[L.] How surprising the mercy was which it performed for you in that day. Providence had a design upon you for your eternal good, which you understood not. The time of mercy was now fully come; the decree was now ready to bring forth that mercy with which it had gone big from eternity; and its gracious design must be executed by the hand of Providence, so far as concerned the external means and instruments; and how aptly did it cause all things to fall in with that design, though you knew not the meaning of it! Look over all the before-mentioned examples, and you shall see the blessed work of conversion begun upon those souls, when they minded it no more than Saul did a kingdom that morning he went out i to seek his father’s asses, 1 Sam. ix. 3. 20. Providence might truly have said to you in that day, as Christ said to Peter, What I do thou knowest not now, but hereafter thou shalt know it,” John xiii. 7.” God’s thoughts are not as our thoughts; but, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his thoughts higher than ours, and his ways than our ways,” Isa. lv. 8, 9. Little did Zaccheus think, when he climbed up into the sycamore tree to see Christ as he passed that way, what a design of mercy Christ had upon him, who took thence the occasion -of becoming both his guest and Saviour, Luke xix. 5—10. And as little did some of you think, what the aim of Providence was when you went, some out of custom, others out of curiosity, if not worse ends, to hear such a sermon. Oh how stupendous are the ways of God! i
[2.] What a distinguishing and seasonable mercy was ushered in by Providence on that day. It brought you to the means of salvation in a good hour. At that very point of time, when the angel troubled the waters, you were brought to the pool; to allude to that, John v. 4. Now the accepted day was come, the Spirit was in the ordinance, or providence, that converted you, and you were set in the way of it. It may be, you had heard many hundred sermons before, but nothing would stick till now, because the hour was not come. The Lord did, as it were, call in the word for such a man, such a woman; and Providence said, Lord, here he is! I have brought him before thee! There were many others under that sermon, who received no such mercy. You yourselves have heard many before, but not to that advantage as it 1s said, Luke iv. 27. “There were many lepers in Israel in the days of Eliseus, but to none of them was the prophet sent, save unto Naaman, the Syrian.” So there were many poor, unconverted souls beside you under the word that day, and 1t may be, to none of them was salvation sent that day but to you. Oh blessed Providence! that set you in the way of mercy at that time!
What a weighty and important mercy was providentially directed to your souls that day. There are mercies of all sizes and kinds, in the hands of Providence, to dispense to the sons of men: its left hand is full of blessing, as well as its right. It hath health and riches, honours and pleasures, as well as Christ and salvation, to dispense. The world is full of its left-hand favours; but the blessings of its right-hand are invaluably precious, and few there be that receive them. It doth thousands of kind offices for men; but among them all, this is the chief—to lead and direct them to Christ. For, consider, 1. Of all mercies this comes through most and greatest difficulties, Eph. 1. 19, 20. 2. This is a spiritual mercy, excelling, in dignity of nature, all others, more than gold excels the dirt under your feet, Rev. iii. 18. One such gift is worth thousands of other mercies. 3. This is a mercy immediately flowing out of the fountain of God’s electing love, a mercy never dropped into any but an elect vessel, 1 Thess. i. 4,5. 4. This is a mercy that infallibly secures salvation; for, as we may argue from conversion to election, looking back; so from conversion to salvation, looking forward, Heb. vi. 9. 5. This is an eternal mercy, that which will stick by you when your father, mother, wife, children, estate, honour, health, and life shall fail you, John iv. 14.
0. therefore, set a special mark upon that providence that set you in the way of this mercy. It hath performed that for thee, which all the ministers on earth and angels in heaven could never have performed. This is a mercy that puts weight and value into the smallest circumstance that relates to it.