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.