Having proved the concerns of the people of God to be conducted by the care of special Providence, and given various instances to show what influence Providence hath upon those interests and concerns of theirs among the rest; we come, in the next place, to prove it to be the duty of the people of God to reflect upon these performances of Providence for them at all times, but especially in times of straits and troubles,
This I will evidence to be your unquestionable duty, by the following particulars:
1. This is our duty, because God hath expressly commanded it, and called his people to make the most serious reflections upon his works, whether of mercy or judgment. So, when that most dreadful of all judgments was executed upon his professing people, for their apostasy from Godand God had removed the symbols of his presence from among them, the rest are bid to go, that is, by their meditations, (to send at least their thoughts,) to Shiloh, and see what God did to it,” Jer. vii. 12. So for mercies, God calls us to consider and review them. Remember, O, my people, from” Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the faithfulness of the Lord,” Mic. vi. 5, as if he had said, If you reflect not upon that signal providence, my faithfulness will be covered, and your unfaithfulness discovered. So, for God’s works of providence about the creatures, we are called to consider them, that we may prop up our faith by those considerations, for our own supplies; consider the fowls and the lilies,” Matt. 2. It is plain that this is our duty, because the neglect of it is every where in Scripture condemned as a sin. To be of a heedless, unobservant temper, 1s very displeasing to God; and so much appears from this Scripture, Lord, when thy hand is lifted up they will not see,” Isa, xxvi. 11. Nay, it is a sin which God threatens and denounces woe against in his word, Psal. xxviii. 4, 5, and Isa. v. 12, 13, yea, God not only threatens, but smites men with visible judgments for this sin, Job xxxiv. 26, 27.
3. For this end and purpose it is that the Holy Ghost hath affixed those notes of attention to the narrative of the works of Providence, in Scripture, all which invite and call men to a due and clear observation of them. So in that great and celebrated work of Providence, in delivering Israel out of Egyptian bondage, you find a note of attention twice affixed to it, Exod. iii. 2, 9. So, when that daring enemy Rabshakeh, who put Hezekiah and all the people into such a consternation, was defeated by Providence, there is a note of attention prefixed to that providence: Behold I will send a blast upon him,” &e. 2 Kings, xix. 7. So when God glorifies his wisdom and power, in delivering his people from their enemies, and ensnaring them in the works of their own hands, a double note of attention is affixed to that double work of Providence, Higgaion; Selah,” Psal. ix. 16. So, at the opening of every seal, which contains a remarkable series or branch of Providence, how particularly is attention commanded to every one of them! Come and see, come and see,” Rev. vi. 1.—7, &c. All these are very useless and superfluous additions in Scripture, if no such duty lies upon us. See Psal. lxvi. 5,
4. Without due observation of the work of Providence, no praise can be rendered to God for any of them. Praise and thanksgiving for mercies depend upon this act of observation of them, and cannot be performed without it, Psalm cvii. is spent in narratives of God’s providential care of men: to his people in straits, ver. 4—6, to prisoners in their bonds, ver. 10—12, to men that lie languishing in beds of sickness, ver. 17—19, to seamen upon the stormy ocean, ver. 23, &c. to men in times of famine, ver. 33—38, yea, his Providence 1s displayed in all those changes that fall out in the world, debasing the high and exalting the low, ver. 40, 41, and, at every paragraph, men are still called upon to praise God for each of these provi dences; but ver. 43, shows you what a necessary ingredient to that duty observation is: Whoso is wise, and will observe those things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord:’ 50 that, of necessity, God must be defrauded of his praise, if this duty be neglected.:
5. Without this, we lose the usefulness and benefit of all the works of God for us or others, which would be an unspeakable loss indeed to us. This is the food our faith lives upon in days of distress. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness,” Psal. xxiv. 14, that is, food to their faith, From providences past, saints used to argue for fresh and new ones to come. So David expresses himself: The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of. the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine,” 1 Sam. xvii. 37. So Paul, Who hath delivered, and in whom also we trust that he will yet deliver,” 2 Cor. 1. 10. If these be forgotten, or not considered, the hands of faith hang down. How is it that ye do not remember, neither consider 2’ Muu. xvi, 9. This is a topic from which the saints had used to draw their arguments in prayer for new mercies. As Moses, when he prays for continued or new pardons for the people, he argues from what was past, “as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt until now,” Numb. xiv. 19, so the church argues for new providences upon the same ground as Moses pleaded for new pardons, Isa. li. 9, 10.
6. It is a vile slighting of God not to observe what of himself he manifests in his providences; for, in all providences, especially in some, he comes nigh to us. He doth so in his judgments: “I will come nigh to you in judgment,” Mal. iii. 5. He comes nigh in mercies also: The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him,” &e. Psal. exlv. 18, yea, he is said to visit us by his providence when he corrects, Hos. ix. 7, and when he saves and delivers, Psal. evi. 4. These visitations of God preserve our spirits, Job x. 12, and it is a wonderful condescension in the great God to visit us so often, every morning and every moment,”’ Job vii. 18. But not to take notice of it, is a vile and brutish contempt of God, Isa. i. 3, and Zeph. iii. 2. You would not do so by a man for whom you have any respect. Itis the character of the wicked not to regard God’s favours, Isa. xxvi, 10, or frowns, Jer. v. 3.
7. In a word, men can never order their addresses to God in prayer, suitably to their conditions, without due observation of his providences. Your prayers are to be suitable to your conditions; sometimes we are called to praise, sometimes to humiliation. In the way of his judgments you are to wait for him, Isa. xxvi. 8, to prepare to meet him, Zeph. ii. 1, 2. Amos iv. 12. Now your business is to turn away his anger, which you see approaching; and sometimes you are called to praise him for mercies received, Isa. xii. 1, 2, but then you must observe them.
Thus you find the matter of David’s psalms still varied according to the providences that befell him; but an inobservant, heedless spirit can never do it. And thus you have the grounds of the duty briefly represented. jp