Having given directions for the due management of this great and important duty, what remains, but that we now set our hearts to it, and make it the constant work of every day throughout our lives? Oh what peace, what pleasure, what stability, what holy courage and confidence would result from such an observation of Providence, as hath been directed to! But alas! we may say, with reference to the voices of Divine Providence, God speaketh once, yea twice. yet man perceiveth it not,” Job xxxiii. 14. Many a time Providence hath spoken instruction in duty, conviction for iniquity, encouragement under despondency; but we regard it not. How greatly are we all wanting to our duty and comfort by this neglect! It will be but needful therefore to spread before you the loveliness and excellency of walking with God in due and daily observation of his providences, that our souls may be fully engaged to it.
First motive. And first, let me offer this as a moving argument to all gracious souls: That by this means you maintain sweet and sensible communion with God from day to day. And what is there desirable in this world in comparison therewith! ‘I’hou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands,” Psal. xcii. 4; your hearts may be as sweetly and sensibly refreshed by the works of God’s hands, as by the words of his mouth. Psalm civ. is spent in the consideration of the works of Providence, which so filled the psalmist’s heart, that, by way of ejaculation, he thus expresses the effect of it: My meditation of him shall be sweet,’’ ver, 34,
Communion with God, properly and strictly taken, consists in two things, namely, God’s manifestation of himself to the soul, and the soul’s answerable returns to God. This is that fellowship we have here with God. Now God manifests himself to his people by providences as well as ordinances; neither is there any grace in a sanctified soul hid from the gracious influences of his providential manifestations. Sometimes the Lord manifests his displeasure and anger against the sins of his people in correcting and rebuking providences. His rods have a chiding voice: Hear the rod, and who hath appointed it,” Micah vi. 9. This discovery of God’s anger kindly melts and thaws a gracious soul, and produces a double sweet effect upon it, namely, repentance for sins past, and due caution against future sins.
It thaws and melts the heart for sins committed. Thus David’s heart was melted for his sin when the hand of God was heavy upon him in affliction, Psal. xxxii. 4, 5. Thus the captive church, upon whom fell the saddest and most dismal providence that ever befell any of God’s people in any age of the world, see how their hearts are broken for sin under this severe rebuke, Lam. ii. 17—19. And then, in the next place, for caution against sin for the time to come. It is plain, that the rebukes of Providence leave that effect also upon gracious hearts, Ezra ix. 13, 14; Psal. lxxxv. 8.
Sometimes he cheers and comforts the hearts of his people with smiling and reviving providences, both public and personal. There are times of lifting up as well as casting down by the hand of Providence. The scene changes; the aspects of Providence are very cheerful and encouraging, their winter seems to be over; they put off their garments of mourning; and then, ah! what sweet returns are made to Heaven by gracious souls! Doth God lift them up by prosperity? They will also lift up their God by praises. See Psal. xviii. 1—3. So Moses, and the people with him, Exod. xv., when God had delivered them from Pharaoh, how do they exalt him in a song of thanksgiving, which, for the elegance and spirituality of it, is made an emblem of the doxologies given to God in glory by the saints, Rev. xv. 3.
Upon the whole, whatever effects our communion with God, in any of his ordinances, doth use to produce upon our hearts, the same we may observe to follow our conversing with him, in his providences. For,
1. It is usually found, in the experience of all the saints, that, in what ordinance or duty soever they have any sensible communion with God, it naturally produces in their spirits a deep abasement and humiliation from the sense of divine condescensions to such vile, poor worms as we are. Thus Abraham, I am but dust and ashes,” Gen.
xviii. 27. The same effect follows our converse with God in his providences. Thus when God had, in the way of his providences, prospered Jacob, how doth he lay himself at the feet of God, as a man overwhelmed with the sense of mercy! “And Jacob said, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed thy servant; for, with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands,” Gen. xxxii. 9, 10. Thus also it was with David, Who am I, and what is my father’s house, that thou hast brought me hitherto 7’ 2 Sam. vii. 18. And I doubt not but some of you have found the like frame of heart upon you that these holy men here expressed. Can you not remember, when God lifted you up by providence, how you cast down yourselves before him, and have been viler in your own eyes than ever? Why, thus do all gracious hearts: what am I that the Lord should do thus and thus for me? Oh that ever so great and holy a God should be thus concerned for so vile and sinful a worm!