our condition? cannot we wait under his prefent difpenfations? Let us think how we may approach unto his prefence, or stand before his glorious Majefty. Will not the dread of his excellency fall upon us? Will not this terror make us afraid? Shall we not think his way beft, and his time beft, and that our duty is to be filent before him? And the like manifestation hath he made of his glory, as the great Judge of all, upon the throne, unto fundry of the Prophets; as unto Ifaiah, chap. vi. 1, 2, 3, 4. to Ezekiel, chap. i. to Daniel, chap. vii. 9, 10. to John, Rev. i. Read the places attentively, and learn to tremble before him. These are not things that are foreign unto us. This God is our God. The fame throne of his greatnefs and majefty is ftill established in the heavens. Let us then, in all our haftes and heats, that our fpirits in any condition are prone unto, prefent ourfelves before this throne of God, and then confider what will be best for us to fay or do; what frame of heart and spirit will become us, and be safest for us. All this glory doth encompass us every moment, altho❜ we perceive it not. And it will be but a few days before all the vails and fhades that are about us, fhall be taken away and depart. And then shall all this glory appear unto us unto endless blifs, or everlafting woe. Let us therefore know, that nothing in our dealings with him doth better become us, than filently for to wait for him, and what he will fpeak unto us in our depths and ftraits.

5. It is good to confider the inftances that God hath given of this his infinite greatnefs, power, majefty, and glory. Such was his mighty work of creating all things out of nothing. We dwell on little mole-hills in the earth, and yet we know the leaft part of the exellency of that spot of ground which is given us for our habitation here below. But what is it unto the whole habita. ble world, and the fulness thereof? And what an amazing thing is its greatnefs, with the wide and large fea, with all forts of creatures therein! The least of these > hath a beauty, a glory, an excellency, that the utmost of

our

our enquiries end in admiration of. And all this is but the earth, the lower depreffed part of the world. What fhall we fay concerning the heavens over us, and all thofe creatures of light that have their habitations in them? Who can conceive the beauty, order, use and courfe of them? The cor fideration hereof caused the Pfalmift to cry out, Lord, our Lord, how excellent and glorious art thou? Pfal. viii. 1. And what is the rife, fpring, and caufe of these things? Are they not all the effect of the word of the power of this glorious God? And doth he not in them, and by them, fpeak us into a reverence of his greatnefs? The like alfo may be faid concerning his mighty and ftrange works of providence in the rule of the world. Is not this he who brought the flood of old upon the world of ungodly men? is it not he who confumed Sodom and Gommorah with fire from heaven, fettingthem forth as examples unto them that should afterwards live ungodly, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire? Is it not he who deftroyed Egypt with his plagues, and drowned Pharoah with his hoft in the red fea? Is it not he, one of whofe fervants flew an hundred and fourfcore and five thoufand in Senacherib's army in one night? That opened the earth to fwallow up Dathan and Abiram? And fent out fire from the altar to devour Nadab and Abihu? And have not all ages been filled with fuch inftances of his greatnefs and power?

The end why I have infifted on these things, is, to fhew the reasonablenefs of the duty which we are preffing unto; namely, to wait on God quietly and pati ently in every condition of diftrefs. For what elfe becomes us when we have to do with this great and holy One? A due confideration of thefe things will exceedingly influence our minds thereunto.

SECONDLY, This waiting for God refpecteth the whole of the condition expreffed in the Pfalm, and this containeth not only fpiritual depths about fin, which we have at large infifted on, but alfo providential depths, depths of trouble or affliction: that we may be exercifed

withal in the holy wife providence of God. In reference alfo unto thefe, waiting in patience and filence is our duty. And there are two confiderations that will affift us in this duty with refpect unto fuch depths, that is, of trouble or affliction. And the first of these, is, the confideration of thofe properties of God, which he exerciseth in an efpecial manner in all his dealings with us, and which in all our troubles we are principally to regard. The fecond is, the confideration of ourselves, what we are, and what we have deferved.

Let us begin with the former; and there are four things in God's difpenfations towards us, and dealing with us, that in this matter we fhould confider, all fuited to work in us the end aimed at. The firft is his fovereignty: This he declares, this we are to acknowledge and fubmit unto in all the great and dreadful difpenfations of his providence, in all his dealings with our fouls. May he not do what he will with his own? Who fhall fay unto him, What doft thou? Or if they do fo, what fhall give them countenance in their fo doing? He. made all this world of nothing, and could have made another, more, or all things quite otherwife than they are. It would not fubfift one moment without his omnipotent fupportment. Nothing would be continued in its place, courfe, ufe, without his effectual influence and countenance. If any thing can be, live, or act a moment without him, we may take free leave to difpute its difpofal with him, and to hafte unto the accomplishment of our defires; but from the angels in heaven to the worms of the earth, and the grafs of the field, all depend on him and his power continually. Why was this part of the creation an angel, that a worm, this a man, that a brute beast? Is it from their own choice, defigning, or contrivance, or brought about by their own wifdom? Or is it merely from the fovereign will and pleasure of God? And what a madness is it, to repine against what he doth, feeing all things are, as he makes them, and difpofeth them, nor can be otherwise: Even the repiner

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himfelf hath his being and fubfiftence upon his mere pleasure. This fovereignty of God, Elihu pleads in his dealings with Job, chap. xxxiii, 8, 9, 10, 11. He apprehended that Job had reafoned againft God's fevere difpenfations towards him, and that he did not humble himfelf under his mighty hand wherewith he was exercifed, nor wait for him in a due manner; and therefore what doth he propofe unto him, to bring him unto this duty? what doth he reply unto his reafonings and complaints? Behold (faith he, verse 12.) in this thou art not just, I will answer thee; God is greater than man. Verfe 13. Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. Be it that in other things thou art juft and innocent, that thou art free from the things wherewith thy friends have charged thee; yet in this matter thou art not juft; it is neither juft nor equal, that any man fhould complain of, or repine against any of God's difpenfations: Yea, but I fuppofe that these dealings of God are very grievous, very dreadful, fuch as he hath, it may be, fcarce exercised towards any from the foundation of the world; to be utterly destroyed, and confumed in a day, in all relations and enjoyments, and that at a time and feafon, when no fuch thing was looked for, or provided against; to have a fenfe of fin revived on the confcience after pardon obtained, as it is with me; all is one, faith he, if thou complaineft thou art not juft; And what reafon doth he give thereof; Why, God is greater than man; infinitely fo, in proper and fovereign glory; he is fo abfolutely therein, that he giveth no account of any of his matters; and what folly, what injuftice, is it to complain of his proceedings. Confider his abfolute dominion over the works of his hands, over thyfelf, and all that thou haft; his infinite distance from thee, and greatnefs above thee, aud then fee whether it be just or no to repine against what he doth. And he purfues the fame confideration, chap. 7 xxxiv. 18, 19. If when kings and princes rule in righteoufnefs, it is a contempt of their authority to fay unto them, they are wicked and ungodly, then wilt thou

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fpeak against him, contend with him, that accepteth not the perfons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of his hands? and verfe 29. When he giveth quietness, who can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: All is one, whatever God doth, and towards whomfoever, be they many or few, an whole nation or city, or one fingle perfon, be they high or low, rich or poor, good or bad, all are the works of his hands, and he may deal with them, as feems good unto him. And thi man alone, as God afterwards declares, made ufe of the right and proper mediums to take off Job from complaining, and to compofe his fpirit to reft and peace, and to bring him to wait patiently on God: For whereas his other friends injuriously charged him with hypocrify, and that he had in an efpecial manner above other men deferved thofe judgments of God which he was exercised withal; he who was confcious unto his own integrity, was only provoked and exafperated by their arguings, and ftirred up to plead his own innocency and uprightnefs. But this man allowing him the plea of his integrity, calls him to the confideration of the greatness and fovereignty of God, againft which there is no rifing up. And this God himself afterwards calls him unto.

Deep and ferious thoughts of God's fovereignty, and abfolute dominion and authority over all the works of his hands, are an effectual means to work the foul unto this duty. Yea, this is that which we are to bring our fouls to. Let us confider with whom we have to do; are not we, and all concernments, in his hands, as the clay in the hand of the potter? and may he not do what he will with his own? thall we call him unto an account? is not what he doth good and holy, because he doth it? do any repining thoughts against the works of God arife in our hearts? are any complaints ready to break out of our mouths? Let us lay our hands on our hearts, and our mouths in the duft, with thoughts of his greatness

and