Jacob did in blessing the sons of Joseph, and orders quite contrary issues and events. Such was the mighty power and deep policy used by Pharaoh to destroy God's Israel, that to the eye of reason it was as impossible to survive them, as for crackling thorns to abide unconsumed amidst devouring flames; by which emblem, their miraculous preservation is exprest, Exod. iii. 2. The heathen Roman emperors, who made the world tremble, and subdued the nations under them, employed all their power and policy against the poor defenceless church, to ruin it; yet they could not accomplish it, Rev. xii. 3, 4. O the seas of blood that heathen Rome shed in the ten persecutions! Yet the church lives, and the gates, the powers and polices, of hell cannot prevail against it. How ma nifest is the care and power of Providence herein! Had half the power been employed against any other people, it had certainly swallowed them up! or in the hundredth part of the time worn them out.

On the contrary, how successful have weak and contemptible means been made for the good of the church! Thus in the first planting of Christianity in the world,

by what weak instruments was it done! Christ did not choose eloquent orators, or men of authority in the courts of kings and emperors, but twelve poor mechanics and fishermen ; and these not sent together in a troop, but some to take one country to conquer it, and some another-the most ridiculous course, in appearance, that could be imagined; and yet in how short a time was the gospel spread, and churches planted by them in the several kingdoms of the world! This the psalmist foresaw by the spirit of prophecy, when he said, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, to still the enemy and the avenger," Psalm viii. 2. At the sound of rams' horns Jericho is delivered into the hands of Israel, Josh. vi. 20. By three hundred men with their pitchers and lamps, the huge host of Midian is discomfited, Judges vii. 19. And as weak and improbable means have been blessed with success to the church in general, so to the preservation of its particular members also. Examples might be easily multiplied in this case; but the truth is too plain and obvious to need them.

IV. If all things are governed by the

course of nature and the force of natural causes, how then comes it to pass that men are turned out of the way of evil, to which they were driving on with full speed?

Good men have been engaged in the way to their own ruin, and knew it not; but Providence has met them in the way, and preserved them by strange diversions, the meaning of which they understood not, until the event discovered it. Paul lies bound at Cæsarea: the high priest and chief of the Jews request Festus, that he might be brought bound to Jerusalem, having laid wait in the way to kill him; but Festus, though ignorant of the plot, utterly refuses his consent, and chooses rather to go with him to Cæsarea, and judge him there. By this measure, their bloody design is frustrated, Acts xxv.3,4. Possidonius, in the life of Augustine, tells us, that the good father going to teach the people of a certain town, took a guide with him, to show him the way. The guide mistook the usual road, and ignorantly fell into a by-path, by which means he escaped ruin by the hands of a bloody Donatist, who, knowing his intention, had way-laid him, to kill him in the road.

And as memorable and wonderful are those diversions with which wicked men have met in the way of perpetrating the evils conceived and intended in their own hearts. Laban and Esau come against Jacob with mischievous purposes; but no sooner are they come nigh him, than the shackles of restraint are immediately placed on them both, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprizes. Balaam runs greedily for reward to curse Israel; but he meets with an unexpected check at his very out-set, and though that stopt him not, but he essayed every way to do them mischief, yet he still finds himself fettered by an effectual bond of restraint, that he can no way skake off, Num. xxii. 25, 38. Saul breathes out threatenings against the church, and goes with a bloody commission towards Damascus, to hale the poor flock of Christ to the slaughter; but when he comes nigh the place, he meets an unexpected stop in the way, by which the mischief is not only diverted, but himself converted to Christ. Who can but see the finger of God in these things?

V. If there is not an over-ruling Providence ordering all things for the good of

God's people, how comes it to pass, that the good and evil which is done to them in this world, is repaid into the bosoms of those who are instrumental therein ?

How clear is it to every man's observation, that the kindnesses and benefits any have done to the Lord's people, have been rewarded with full measure into their bosoms! The Egyptian midwives refused to obey Pharaoh's inhuman command, and saved the male-children of Israel; for this the Lord dealt well with them, and built them houses, Exod. i. 21. The Shunamite was hospitable and careful for Elisha, and God recompensed it with the desirable enjoyment of a son, 2 Kings iv. 9, 17, 37. Rahab hid the spies, and was exempted from the common destruction for it, Heb. xi. 31. Publius, the chief man of the island Melita, courteously received and lodged Paul after his shipwreck; the Lord speedily repaid him for that kindness, and healed his father, who lay sick at that time of a fever, Acts xxviii. 7, 8.

In like manner, we find the evils done to God's people have been repaid, by a just retribution, to their enemies. Pha