'Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?" How often are mens towering hopes levelled with the ground in a moment? Their projects are laid with all the wit and industry they are capable of, managed with all diligence and circumspection, so that they cannot see how they can misgive, but must take effect according to their wish. But he that sits in heaven, in a moment looses a pin, and all the fabric falls to the ground, their projects are baffled, their measures disconcerted, some stroke of providence, which ungodly men call an unlucky accident, mars all. This was evident in Haman's case. Sometimes it is done by an invisible hand, whereby the wheels are taken off, that they can drive no farther, Job xx. 26. shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shalt con, sume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.' How often do men find their greatest cross where they looked for their greatest comfort! and things turn about quite the contrary way to what was their design.

'All darkness

(2.) Man's extremity is God's opportunity, Gen. xxii. 14. How often does the Lord begin his work where man ends his, and can do no more? When men know not what to do, God opens a door; and when they have no firm ground of their own left to stand upon, he sets their foot on a rock, Psal. cvii. 27, 28. 'They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. Their hopes are disappointed, but their fears and desperate conclusions are prevented. Something threatens them a stroke, which they see not how to escape; but an invisible arm wards off the blow; and what they look for their ruin in, there they find, by an over-ruling providence, healing and upmaking, Est. ix. 1. What is most unlikely is brought about, while the fairest hopes are made like the blossom that goes up as dust. Thus God baffles mens hopes on the one hand, and their fears on the other, that they may see, there is a wheel within a wheel that moves and guides all.

SECONDLY, We may consider providences with respect to their kinds, Psal. xl. 5. forecited. The wisdom of God is manifold 'wisdom, and produces works accordingly, Psal. civ. 24. And each of them is to be observed. I will instance in these three distinctions of providence.

First, Providences are either cross, or smiling and favourable. Both ought to be observed, and may be so profitably.

1. We should observe cross providences that we or others meet with. They come not by chance, but under the guidance of a holy sovereign God, Job v. 6. Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground.' Amos. iii. 6. 'Shall there be an evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" God makes himself known by them, his justice, truth, holiness, wisdom, and power, Psal. ix. 16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth.' And he requires us to observe them, Micah vi. 9. 'Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.' And it is a horrible provocation not to observe them, Isa. xxvi. 11. forecited, and not to comply with the design of them; to murmur, but not kindly mourn under them, Job xxxv. 9, 10. and xxxvi. 13. Sometimes men meet with crosses in the way of their duty, Gal. vi. 17. and sometimes in the way of sin, as Jonah. The design of both is to purge away sin, Isa. xxvii. 9. But, without observations, the plaister is not applied to the sore.

2. Smiling and favourable providences towards ourselves or others, Psal. xl. 5. Many, in their observations of providence, are like the flies that pass over the sound places, and swarm about the sores. They are still complaining of their crosses and sorrows, and will nicely reckon them up: but as to their mercies, they will not go the length of the unjust steward, of a hundred to set down fifty, Luke xvi. 6. They have their language, but it cannot be understood without observation, Rom. ii. 4. Dependence on God, and humility of heart, would teach us carefully to observe our mercies, Lam. iii. 22. Gen. xxxii. 10. even when we are meeting with heavy crosses, Job i. 21.

Secondly, There are great lines and small lines of providence. And,

1. We should observe the great lines of providence in signal events. Some dispensations bear such a signature of a divine hand, and so flash like lightning on mens face, that one can hardly miss to observe, but must say, as Exod. viii. 19. 'This is the finger of God.' 2 Chron. xvi. 19, 20. • Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand, to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests looked upon him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence, yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him,' It is rare that God leaves himself without a witness, by some such signal providences; yet such is the perverseness of the heart of man, that as the blind cannot observe the flash of lightning, even these are lightly looked at, 1 Sam. vi. 9.

2. The small lines of providence. The most minute things are guided by the all-ruling hand, Matth. x. 29, 30, And if God do manage them, it becomes us to notice them. All the king's coin, from the massiest piece of gold to the smallest penny, bears the king's image and superscription, and therefore the least as well as the greatest is current in trade. So the smallest lines of providence pass current with those that keep a trade with heaven. Gideon notices his hearing a fellow tell a dream, Judges vii. 13, &c. Heman, the removing of an acquaintance, Psal. Ixxxviii. 8. and Jacob, a kind word, the shew of his brother's countenance, Gen. xxxiii. 10.

Thirdly, There are common and uncommon providences.

1. We should observe common and ordinary dispensations, such as fall out every day in the common road of providence. These, because they are common, lie neglected: yet the 104th Psalm is penned on that subject. I have observed to you already, how providence appears in the constant revolutions of seasons, day and night; by the one the weary earth is refreshed, and by the other weary man, the night being fit for rest. The subjection of the beast, to man, by virtue of that divine word, Gen. ix, 2. forecited, without which man could not have his necessary designs served. I add, that wonderful diversity of faces and features, without which the man could not know his wife, nor the parents their own children, nor the judge the criminal; so that without this there could be no orderly society, no government, commerce, &c. These are a sample of common providences, which studied might be of great use.

2. Uncommon and unordinary providences, as miracles, which are beyond the power of nature; extraordinary deli

verances, judgments, discoveries of secret crimes; which are bright spots here and there interspersed in the web of providence, and challenge a peculiar regard.

THIRDLY, we may consider providences with respect to the time of their falling out. The works of providence run parallel with the line of time, and the continuance of the world, John v. 17.

1. We should observe the past dispensations of providence, Psal. lxxvii. 5. ' I have considered the days of old, (says Asaph), the years of ancient times. An observer of providence must look off unto others, look into himself, and, with respect to himself and others, look back also.

(1.) Past providences towards others afford a large field for observation, reaching from the creation till now, Psal. cxliii. 5. ' I remember the days of old,' says David. He remembered how the Lord dealt with Nimrod, Abimelech, Pharaoh, &c. What a chain of wise providences has encompassed the world in the several generations thereof? what a beautiful mixture of providences has always appeared towards the church, while the mystery of God, not yet finished, has been a carrying on! What very remarkable things have fallen out in the life and death of particular persons! From all the particulars of these we might draw something for our spiritual advantage, as the bee from every flower extracts her honey.

(2.) Past providences towards ourselves in particular afford also a large field, reaching from our first being till now. Look back and consider that wonderful providence that framed thee in the womb, Job x. 10, 11. The Psalmist finds himself in a transport of wonder upon this reflection, Psal. cxxxix. 14, &c Consider how the same kind providence brought thee safe out of the womb, that the womb was not made thy grave, or that thou wast not stifled in the birth, Psal. xxii. 9. How thou wast provided for and preserved from the dangers in infancy, by the same kind providence, whilst thou couldest do nothing for thyself, Psal. xxii. 9, 10. Observe the providences of God towards thee in thy childhood, youth, middle age, and forward to the present time; and thou must say, as old Jacob, Gen. xlviii. 15. 'God fed me all my life long unto this day;' and with the Psalmist, Psal. lxxi. 17. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth.' Observe how God gave thee such and

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such education, ordered thy lot in such and such a place in his earth, and in such sort as he has done, how he brought thee into such and such company, saved thee from such and such dangers, &c.

2. We should observe the present dispensations of provi. dence towards ourselves and others, Zech. vi. 1, 2. It is a stream that still runs by us, like those rivers that bring down the golden ore, Psal. lxv: 11. By day nor night it ceaseth not, Psal. xix. 2. Providence with the one hand bids us stoop and take on the day's load of benefits, Psal. Ixviii. 19. and with the other hand lays on the day's burden of evils, Matth. vi. ult. And therefore that is our duty, Psal iv. 4. 'Commune with your own hearts upon your bed, and be still;' that having made our observations through the day, we may cast up our accounts against night.

Thus far of the objects on which we are to make observations.

III. The next general head is, to shew what we are to observe in providences. It is not enough to observe the work itself, but we must be as particular as we can about it. This is like the bruizing of the spices, and the pouring out of the ointinent, whereby their fragrancy is best perceived. There are these nine things I recommend to your observation.

1. The timing of providences, the great weight of a dispensation sometimes lies in this very circumstance, that then it came, and neither sooner nor later. And O the admirable wisdom that appears in thus jointing of them! Gen. xxiv. 45. Abraham's servant prays to be guided to the woman appointed to be Isaac's wife; and in the very time Rebekah comes. Gideon, in the very time when he comes near the enemy's camp, hears one of them telling his dream, Judges vii. 13, &c. Uzziah is smitten in the very time when he is attempting to offer incense upon the altar of incense. And here particularly observe the timing of providences,

(1.) With respect to the frame of our spirit; for much lies in observing what frame of spirit a mercy or stroke overtakes us in. So the church observes the timing of her deliverance, that it came when they were not looking for it, Psal. cxxvi. 1. And that made it look the greater. Job observes, that his trouble came on him when he was far