timed to a minute, that had they fallen out ever so little sooner or later, they had signified but little. Certainly it cannot be casualty, but counsel, that so exactly seizes the opportunity.

How remarkable to this purpose were the tidings brought to Saul, that the Philistines had invaded the land, just as he was ready to grasp the prey, 1 Sam, xxiii. 27. The angel calls to Abraham, and shows him another sacrifice, just when his hand was giving the fatal stroke to Isaac, Gen. xxii. 10, 11. A well of water is discovered to Hagar just when she had left the child, as not able to see his death, Gen. xxi. 16, 19. Rabshakeh meets with a blasting providence, hears a rumour that frustrated his design, just when ready to give the shock against Jerusalem, Isa. xxxvii. 7, 8. So when Haman's plot against the Jews was ripe, and all things ready for execution, on that night could not the king sleep," Esther vi. 1. If these things fell out casually, how is it they observed time so very exactly?

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VIII. Were these things casual and contingent, how can it be that they should fall out so immediately upon the prayers

of the saints, and agreeably to them; so that, in many providences, they are able to discern a very clear answer to their prayers, and are sure they have the petitions they asked of him?

The sea divided itself on Israel's cry to heaven, Exod. xiv. 10. A signal victory is given to Asa, immediately on his pathetic cry, "Help us, O Lord our God!" 2 Chron. xiv. 11, 12. Haman falls and his plot is broken, just on the fast kept by Mordecai and Esther, Esther iv. 16. Abraham's servant prayed for success; and see how it was answered, Gen. xxiv. 45. Peter was cast into prison, and prayer was made for him by the church, and see the event, Acts xii. 5, 12. I could easily add to these the wonderful examples of the return of prayers, which were observed by Luther and many more; but I judge it needless, because most Christians have a stock of experience of their own, and are well assured that many of the providences that befal them are and can be no other than the return of their prayers.

And now who can be dissatisfied in this point that wisely consider these things? Must we not conclude, that "the eyes of

the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him." His providences proclaim him to be a God hearing prayer.

CHAPTER II.

THE OPERATIONS OF PROVIDENCE.

HAVING proved, that the concerns of the saints in this world are certainly conducted by the wisdom and care of a special Providence, my next work is to show you, in what affairs and concerns of theirs the Providence of God doth more especially appear; or what are the most remarkable operations of Providence for them in this world.

I. Let us consider how well Providence has performed the first work that ever it did for us in our formation. And there are two things admirable in this performance of Providence for us-first, the rare structure and excellent composition of the body. "I am wonderfully

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made;" the vulgate renders it," painted as with a needle," richly embroidered with nerves and veins. O the curious workmanship that there is in that one part, the eye! How has it forced some to acknowledge a God on the examination of it!

Providence, when it went about this work, had its model or pattern before it, according to which it moulded every part; "In thy book were all my members written." Hast thou a fulness of members? It is because God wrote them all in his book, and limned out thy body, according to that exact model which he drew of thee in his own gracious purpose, before thou hadst a being. Had an eye, an ear, a hand, a foot, been wanting in the platform, thou hadst now been sadly sensible of the defect. If thou hast low thoughts of this mercy, ask the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the dumb, the value and worth of those mercies, and they will tell thee. There is a world of cost bestowed upon thy very body. Thou mightest have been cast into another mould, and created a worm or a toad. Luther tells us of two cardinals, riding in great pomp to the council of Constance, and by the way

they heard a man in the fields bitterly weeping and wailing: when they came to him, they found him intently viewing a toad; and asking him why he wept so bitterly, he told them that his heart was melted with this consideration, that God had not made him such a loathsome and deformed creature. Whereupon one of them cried out, The unlearned will rise and take heaven, and we, with all our learning, shall be cast into hell. Galen gave Epicurus a hundred years time to imagine a more commodious situation, configuration, or composition of any one member of a human body. And if all the angels had studied to this day, they could not have cast the body of man into a more curious mould.

And yet all this is but the enamelling of the case, or the polishing of the casket wherein the jewel lies. Providence hath not only built the house, but, secondly, brought the inhabitant, the soul, into the possession of it; a glorious piece, that bears the very image of God upon it. How noble are its faculties and affections. How quick, various, and indefatigable are its motions! How comprehensive