They are called sμ©, □unho, Meffengers, Heb. i. 14.

They are very many, Dan. vii. 10.

But many of them finned, 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jud. vl. 2. Man. Created after the Image of God, Gen. i. 26. whofe Production was last, because all other Things were made for him, and he was to be xenou, confifting of a Spirit and Body.

USE.

1. This should humble us under the Hand of Almighty God, Pfal. viii. 3, 4.

2. This fhould teach us Obedience. He being our Creator, for all other Creatures ferve him, sa. lxviii. 13. Ifa. xl. 26. He commanded the Stars to fight, the Sun to ftand ftill, the Ravens to feed Elias, the Fish to keep Jonas, and they did it: yea Pfal. cxlviii. 7, 8. Ifa. i. 2, 3.

3. This fhould fupport us in all Preffures, that he which made the World is our God Pfal. cxlvi. 5, 6, Pfal. cxxi. 2, 3.

4. This fhould make us to fear and dread him, Ifa. viii. 13. Matt. x. 28.

5. Then blefs and magnifie his Name, and fo fulfill his End in making the World, Neh. 9. 5, 6. Pfal. cxlviii. 2, 5. Revel, iv. II.

JOHN

JOHN V. 17.

My Father worketh hitherto, and 1 work.

"Hat is, altho' he refted upon the Seventh Day from the Works of Creation, yet he is ftill working continually, and doing good every Day.

I. What Work doth he Work?

He preferves, infpects, governs, and dif pofeth all Things.

1. He preferveth all Things.

1. That he does fo, appears,

1. From Scripture, Neb. ix. 6. Heb. i. 3. Acts xvii. 25, 28.

2. From Reason.

1. He is the firft Cause of all Things, now as well as he was at firft, and therefore all other Caufes and Things must need depend upon him.

2. As great Power is required to our Prefervation as was at firft to the Creation of all Things; for Prefervatio nihil aliud eft quam continuata Creatio. Again, No finite Power can preferve all Things, for it felf, being but a Creature, needs Prefervation. An independent Creature is a Contradiction. Hence fhould not God fupport us in our Beings, we fhould fall down to nothing, Job vi. 9.

Creatoris omnipotentia eft caufa fubfiftendi omni creaturæ: quæ virtus fi ab iis quæ condidit regendis aliquando ceffaret, fimul omnium rerum Species & natura concideret. Aug.

II. How

L

IL. How doth God preferve all Things?

Either,

1. Immediately from himfelf: As the Angels, Sun, and fixed Stars, Apoc. iv. 11. Kai' da To inad જલન ii9nf.

2. Mediately, as all other Creatures in Heaven and Earth, by fecondary Caufes, who with himself concurs.

Which he preferves thus; partly,

1. By Propagation of the Kind or Species, whereby all Creatures, even of the fhorteft Continuance, fucceffively are preferved to the End of the World, Gen. vii. 3: Pfal. xxxvi. 6.

2. By Continuation and maintaining of Individuals.

1. Giving them fuch Food as he hath appointed for their Nourishment and Subfiftence, Pfal. civ. 27, 28, 29, 30. Pfal. cxlv. 15, 16. Pfal. cxlvii. 8, 9. Matt. xxvi. 16.

2. Giving a Bleffing to it; that so it may preferve them, Matt. iv. 4. Deut. viii. 3, 4. Dan. i. 12, 13, 15. 1 Reg. xix. 6,7, 8. Mark vi. 38, 42. Hos. ii. 21, 22,

3. He infpects, takes notice of, and obferves every Thing that is done, or that is in the World.

1. All Things whatsoever, whether in Heaven or in Earth.

He knows all the Stars,Pfal. cxlvii. 4. Ifa. xl. 26.
The Number of the Sands; the Weight of all
the Mountains, Ifa. xl. 12.

The Hairs of every Man's Head, Matt. x. 38.
A&ts xxvii. 34.

2. He takes particular Notice of every Thing that is done by Mankind, Pfal. xiv. 2. Pfal. xxxiii. 13, 14, 15..

Particularly he takes fpecial Notice of, 1. Your Thoughts and Imaginations, all and every one of them, Gen. vi. 5. Fer. iv. 14. Pfal. cxxxix. 2. and therefore he infpects all your Purposes, Defigns, and Opinions. 2. Your Hearts and Affections, Prov. xxiv. 12. c. xxi. 2.

Defires, Ezek. xxxiii. 31.

Love, John v. 42. John xxi. 17.

3. Your Words, Pfal. cxxxix. 4. Matt. xii. 36. 4. Your Actions, Pfal. cxxxix. 2, 3, 4. Apoc. ii. 2, 9.

5. Hence he takes fpecial Notice of all and every Sin you commit, Pfal. lvi. 8. Pfal. 1. 17, 18, 21. Apoc. ii. 14. 2 Reg. v. 26.

6. Your Repentance of them, fo as to count the very Tears you fhed for them,Pfal. lvi. 8. Fer. viii. 6.

7. Your good Works, Gen.xviii. 19. Ifa.xxxviii 3. Matt. xxv. 34. Apoc. xiv. 13.,

III. He rules and governs all Things; fo that there is nothing falls out in the World, without his Will and Pleasure, either effecting, or else permitting it.

1. Not only the greateft and nobleft Parts of the Creation, but the leaft, the vileft, the most despicable Things that be, are fubject to his Will, and wholly governed by his Providence ;

4

The young Ravens, Pfal. cxlvii. 9.
The Sparrows, yea, the very Hairs of
our Head, Matt. x. 29, 30.

It

It was an Heathen, Cicero, that faid, Dii magna curant, parva negligunt.

A Chriftian muft believe, that God takes Care of the one as well as the other: For he created all.

9.

But doth God take Care for Oxen? 1 Cor. ix. Yes. Where St. Paul only faith, that the Law, Deut. xxv. 4. is fo to be understood, that it ought to mind us of our Duty to all fuch whose Ministry we use, especially the Minifters of the Gofpel. If of Oxen, much more of Men, much more of his own Ministers.

2. All natural Things too.

It is he that causeth the Sun to rife, and the Rain to come down, Matt. V. 45.

That causeth the Grafs to grow, Pfal. cxlvii. 8. Pfal. civ. 13, 14, 15.

That caufeth the Snow, Hail, Thunder, Winds, and every Thing in the Air, Pfal. cxlvii. 16, 17. Jer. x. 13. Job xxxvii. 10, 11, 12.

That maketh the Ground fruitful, Deut. xi. 12. That gives both Hearing and Deafness, Sight and Blindness, Exod. iv. II.

That giveth Children or with-holdeth them, that encreaseth Families or diminisheth them, as he fees good, Gen. XXX. 2. Deut. x. 22.

3. All fuch Things as are contingent and acsidental in refpect of us, are yet ordered and governed by God, even Lots themfelves, Prov. xvi. 33.

So Achan, Joshua vii. 16, 17, 18.

Jonathan, 1 Sam. xiv. 41, 42.

Matthias, Acts i. 24, 26.

Hopbni and Phineas, tho' flain in Battel, 1 Sam. iv. 11. yet are said to be flain by the Lord, 1 Sam. ii. 25.

A Man