and pride of Absalom, the cursed counsels of Ahitophel, and the impudent revilings of Shimei, to punish King David for his great transgressions in the matter of Uriah. In like manner he made use of the haughtiness and ambition of the Assyrians, to humble his own people Israel; and of the Babylonians, to chastise Judah; and then again, by the same Babylonians, to crush the insolent Assyrians; and of the Persians to humble Babylon, and so on. God makes use of wicked men as scourges to chastise others; and afterwards raises up others to scourge them; especially if they assume and grow proud upon their success, and take it all to themselves, while instruments only in the whole thing. It is worth observing, how Almighty God, by his prophet Isaiah, reproved the proud Assyrian for his insolence in that kind. "I will punish the fruit (the vani"ty) of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the "glory of his high looks h." "Shall the ax boast itself "against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw "magnify itself against him that shaketh it?" The Prophet here compares the proud Assyrian to an ax, or a saw, in the hand of a workman: and such are all wicked men in the hands of God, whenever he is pleased to use them as instruments to execute his vengeance upon sinners, or his discipline upon good men. I shall mention but one case more; a most famous one it is, where God made use of wicked instruments to effect his purposes: it was in the happy redemption of mankind by the death of Christ. God made use of the malice of the Jews, and the treachery of Judas, to bring it about; while, notwithstanding, he took most exemplary vengeance both upon Judas and them, for their unparalleled wickedness in doing it. For their part in the thing was base, vile, and execrable; and the good that was in it was all God's.

But some perhaps may be bold to ask, whether God's making use of the sins of men does not look like concurring with and countenancing their iniquities? No, by no

means. For herein chiefly is seen the marvellous perfection of Divine wisdom, to make such use of sinners, undefiled with their sins to serve himself of their impurities, remaining all the while infinitely pure. It is not that he needs men's sins, or makes them; for he could bring about his all-wise purposes without such instruments : but as men, by abusing their liberty of choice, (proper to free agents,) will of course commit sins, which in their own nature and tendency are most pernicious, threatening nothing but destruction and misery to the world; in this case, God himself undertakes so to control, curb, and regulate this mischievous quality, that it shall not disturb the peace and harmony of the world farther than is useful for the ends of discipline; but shall be so directed and governed, as to prove, in the event, serviceable and beneficial to the world; and shall at length be hurtful to none, but to the authors and contrivers of it, who must suffer for it. Such is the admirable and most adorable conduct of Divine Providence in bringing good out of evil, and turning the rankest poisons into wholesome and salutary medicines. The sum then is, that all things whatever, and even moral agents, and the greatest sinners, are under the secret control of Divine Providence. God governs the world at all times: he would not have made such creatures, but that he well knew how to curb and manage them. He has them all under his command, as much as he has the waves of the sea or the tempests of the air. He sets bounds and compass to the exorbitances of the wicked. He bridles them by laws and government, and by the incessant labours of good men; and yet, more immediately, by his secret power over their hearts and wills, and over all their faculties; as well as over all occurrences, and all second causes through the whole universe: and if he still affords them compass enough to range in; yet, notwithstanding, he rules over them with so strict and steady a hand, that they cannot move a step but by his leave, nor do a single act but what shall be turned to good effect, and shall be made to serve some wise and beneficial

purpose of Divine justice or Divine mercy and grace in the end. So much for this article. The explaining of this important matter has carried me so far, that I have no room left to do justice to my second head of discourse; wherein I proposed to show the practical use and improvement of the present meditation: and that also is important, and well deserving a distinct inquiry at large; wherefore I shall wave it for the present, and, in the mean while, leave the subject to your own reflections.

SERMON VI.

Wicked Men, the providential Instruments of
Good.

The Second Sermon on this Subject.

PROV. xvi. 4.

The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

IN a former discourse upon these words, I showed their

meaning to be this: that as God made all things by his power, so he governs all things by his providence; and that he serves his own wise ends and uses of all things and all men; yea, even of wicked men, whom he makes the ministers of his wrath and the executioners of his vengeance in his day of visitation, when he comes to punish bad men; or else of his discipline, when he designs only to prove and exercise good men. Having thus opened the general meaning of the text, I next proposed, in the further prosecution of it,

I. To open and illustrate the general doctrine, by a more particular explication.

II. To show the practical use and improvement of it. In treating of the first, I showed, by an enumeration of particulars, how the whole universe, with all things in it, are in God's hands, and all second causes steered and conducted by his overruling providence. But because the most material consideration of all, which the text itself lays the greatest emphasis upon, and which most wanted

explaining, was the Divine conduct, with respect to the thoughts, words, or actions of wicked men; I therefore dwelt more particularly upon that article, endeavouring both to prove the thing by reason and by examples; and next to account in some measure for it. I proceed to the second thing proposed; namely, to show the practical use and improvement of the doctrine before proved.

II.

1. I will begin with a practical inference which Solomon himself mentions in the verse before my text, and for the sake of which he subjoined the text itself. The practical inference which I mean, in his words runs thus: "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts "shall be established a," For if it be God that governs the world, and if all things depend upon his wise and good providence; it is very manifest, that it is both our duty and interest to submit all our concerns to him, upon whom all success and every blessing depend. If we would have our designs take, and our schemes prosper; the way certainly is to make an interest to him who alone can prosper them, and who alone can blast them. We ought in every undertaking to implore the Divine blessing, and to commit the care of it, and the success, to him; who, if he approves of it, will bring it to pass; or if he be against it, not all the powers in heaven or in hell can effect it.

But here perhaps a question may arise about the use of means, and the necessity or serviceableness of human care or industry, for the compassing any honest and just designs. For it may seem, at first view, that, if God has determined to bring the thing to effect, human care and industry are superseded: or, if God has determined otherwise, then all endeavours are fruitless and vain.

But to this I answer, that miracles are not to be expected in the ordinary course of affairs; neither does God

Prov. xvi. 3.