In commenting upon Psalm 16:8, “I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” Calvin writes
We must look to him with other eyes than those of the flesh, for we shall seldom be able to perceive him unless we elevate our minds above the world; and faith prevents us from turning our back upon him. The meaning, therefore, is, that David kept his mind so intently fixed upon the providence of God, as to be fully persuaded, that whenever any difficulty or distress should befall him, God would be always at hand to assist him. He adds, also, continually, to show us how he constantly depended upon the assistance of God, so that, amidst the various conflicts with which he was agitated, no fear of danger could make him turn his eyes to any other quarter than to God in search of succour. And thus we ought so to depend upon God as to continue to be fully persuaded of his being near to us, even when he seems to be removed to the greatest distance from us. When we shall have thus turned our eyes towards him, the masks and the vain illusions of this world will no longer deceive us.
This is an interesting thing: God is the context in which I understand the world and it’s dealings. He is not claiming an esoteric knowledge, because he is looking at world in terms of providence not a prophetic word. It is an interpretative presupposition through which to understand what is taking place.
This makes sense then of how we can continue to believe God is directing events even when God seems absent. If we begin with the presupposition of God’s Providence at all times, we can persist in the confidence even when things do seem lacking in control. It is a sort of mental habit.
This is not to say he is here denying the work of God for it is God who is acting through Providence and God maintains the discipline of the thought and its resulting effect, “he constantly depended upon the assistance of God.”
Summary: If all things are mine, then what is the full number of things. What are the endless relationships between all things? How does each part influence the rest?
Notes:
The individual lines present no real problem beyond the first line, “How many things are there now, who display’th?” The difficulty is with the word “who”: it could be God who “displays” all things. But more likely the “who” is being used as we would use “what” or “which”. Thus, the sense would be, “How many things are there displayed in the world?”
For the sense of “display” we have the image from Calvin (likely known to Taylor) that the creation is the theater of God’s glory. Thus, the objects in the creation are displays of God.
How many acts each thing doth here dispense?
How many influences each thing hath?
How many contraries each influence?
These are scientific questions which were very much “live” at the time of Taylor. There was enormous curiosity into how the various objects in the world interrelated. When we think of the various conflicts with supposed witches, we also need to realize that the conceptions of witchcraft as influence at a distance is in effect bad science. Things which we confidently “know” would have been bare possibilities.
Who can show? Who knows the answer.
In tone, the stanza has a feel for the book of Job, particularly the concluding section wherein God asks Job a number of questions about the natural world, which Job is unable to answer in any form. The effect of this questioning in the poem is put the reader into a place where he (or she) must admit, “I do not know the answer. I do know the whole of the world, or the relationships between all things therein. How can show? Only God would know that answer.”
Stanza Four
How glorious then is he that doth all raise
Rule and dispose and make them all conspire
In their jars, junctures, good-bad ways
To meliorate the self-same objection higher?
Earth, water, fire, winds, herbs, trees, beasts and men,
Angels, and devils, bliss, blasts, advance one stem?
Stanza Five
Hell, earth, and heath with their whole troops, come
Contrary winds, grace, and disgrace, sour, sweet,
Wealth, want, health, sickness, to conclude in sum
All providences work in this good meet?
Who, who can do’t, but thou my Lord? And thou
Dost do this thing; yea, thou performst it now.
Summary: In a flurry of nouns and images, are poured out. The effect is an overwhelming jumble of events, all seeming to move in contrary purpose to one-another. Hell versus earth, contrary winds; water and fire; and so on. The important part comes in the middle of stanza five: “conclude in a sum”. God has knowledge of all things and in his providence brings all things for his glory: And thus will lead to the conclusion of how “all things are mine” can be a blessing.
Notes:
How glorious then is he that doth all raise
Rule and dispose and make them all conspire
Since it is impossible to know all things that are, it is a greater wonder that God can have sovereignty over all things: He rules, disposes of, and holds them in a conspiracy, they “conspire” toward a common end.
The doctrine of providence, which is asserted in these stanzas was of great importance to the Puritan world:
The doctrine of a special providence in disposing of all events, whether good or evil, is of great importance; it forms a fundamental truth in our holy religion; it is the strong pillar of the believer’s faith, it is the cardinal point in Christian experience, and contains one main ground of practical godliness.
Indeed, till we have given to this doctrine, not a cold assent of the head, but a cordial reception in the heart, it will be impossible for us to live as we ought in any condition, and specially in a scene so shifting as the present; we may content ourselves for a while, but we have no lasting or solid basis whereon to rest; we can never be thankful for present mercies, nor be patient under any troubles, nor cherish a scriptural hope of deliverance out of them.
Thomas Watson, Spiritual Life Delineated; With the Detection and Exposure of Some of the Popular Errors of the Day (London: R. B. Seeley and W. Burnside, 1838), 233. Upon the basis of a knowledge of God’s providence, one can be contented and see that all events which take place are for good. As Thomas Boston was to write, “That the dispensations of providence are altogether perfect and faultless, however they appear to our carnal hearts.” Thomas Boston, The Whole Works of Thomas Boston: Sixty-Six Sermons, ed. Samuel M‘Millan, vol. 9 (Aberdeen: George and Robert King, 1851), 62. Boston will go ahead and argue the point.
To make sense of this, we must realize that what is good is not always what is immediately pleasant. Sometimes what it good is also what is evil: Jesus was murdered on false charges and for political expedience, and yet the result of the good of humanity, the conquering of death, his exaltation as King.
Taylor is anxious to exalt this contrary working of God
to conclude in sum
All providences work in this good meet?
Who, who can do’t, but thou my Lord?
Only God could strike a straight line with a crooked stick. This is a continual theme among Taylor co-religionists. Thomas Boston’s series of sermons, The Crook in the Lot consider this at length.
The language of these stanzas seems suggested by Psalms such as 148:
Psalm 148:7–10 (AV)
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: 8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: 9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: 10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
The previous post on this sermon may be found here
He then concludes with the use of this doctrine that the graces, the worship of the Church is accepted (“Christ’s acceptation”).
First, as it common in Sibbes he notes the comfort and encouragement this brings:
Use 1. If so be that God accepts the performances and graces, especially the prayers of his children, let it be an argument to encourage us to be much in all holy duties.
Sibbes then makes an interesting observation about human psychology and motivation:
It would dead the heart of any man to perform service where it should not be accepted, and the eye turned aside, not vouchsafing a gracious look upon it. This would be a killing of all comfortable endeavours.
As I consider this observation, it may be that a tacit belief that our prayer has been valueless weakens our resolve to pray. And that, perhaps, stems from a defective theology and understanding of prayer:
James 4:3 (AV)
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Sibbes makes a related observation about why our prayers misfire:
But when all that is good is accepted, and what is amiss is pardoned, when a broken desire, a cup of cold water shall not go unrespected, nay, unrewarded, Mat. 10:42, what can we desire more? It is infidelity which is dishonourable to God and uncomfortable to ourselves, that makes us so barren and cold in duties.
Sibbes then comes to the second observation — which is related to his questioning of why our worship may “fail.” If we do hope to have our worship acceptable, then our lives must be kept clear of sin:
Use 2. Only let our care be to approve our hearts unto Christ. When our hearts are right, we cannot but think comfortably of Christ. Those that have offended some great persons are afraid, when they hear from them, because they think they are in a state displeasing to them. So a soul that is under the guilt of any sin is so far from thinking that God accepts of it, that it looks to hear nothing from him but some message of anger and displeasure. But one that preserves acquaintance, due distance, and respect to a great person, hears from him with comfort. Before he breaks open a letter, or sees anything, he supposes it comes from a friend, one that loves him. So, as we would desire to hear nothing but good news from heaven, and acceptation of all that we do, let us be careful to preserve ourselves in a good estate, or else our souls will tremble upon any discovery of God’s wrath. The guilty conscience argues, what can God shew to me, being such a wretch? The heart of such an one cannot but misgive, as, where peace is made, it will speak comfort. It is said of Daniel that he was a man of God’s desires, Dan. 9:23; 10:11, 19; and of St John, that Christ so loved him that he leaned on his breast, John 21:20. Every one cannot be a Daniel, nor one that leans on Christ’s bosom. There are degrees of favour and love; but there is no child of God but he is beloved and accepted of him in some degree.
In the worship of the temple, there were various rules which dealt with “uncleanness”, those things which kept one from being able to come worship. When one was unclean, there were rituals prescribed which permitted the worship to be cleaned and thus come into the fellowship of worship.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul writes about coming to the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner:
1 Corinthians 11:27–34 (AV)
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
But with Christ there is always the offer of pardon and being made clean to enter into his presence:
1 John 1:5–10 (AV)
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
At this point, Sibbes but cannot help offer more encouragement to come to Christ.He does this by referring to something from the previous chapter:
But something of this before in the former chapter.
‘I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey,’ &c.
God not only accepts us, but delights in us:
That is, I have taken contentment in thy graces, together with acceptation. There is a delight, and God not only accepts, but he delights in the graces of his children. ‘All my delight,’ saith David, ‘is in those that are excellent,’ Ps. 16:3. But this is not all, Christ comes with an enlargement of what he finds.
He explains that Christ is the means by which the believer receives the blessing of God. All spiritual blessing is in Christ. The Spirit then communicates that blessing to those in union with Christ. And as that communion takes place, the capacity for the communion increases:
Those that have communion with Christ, therefore, have a comfortable communion, being sure to have it enlarged, for ‘to him that hath shall be given,’ Mat. 25:29.
And then there is the promise of future good when Christ comes at last:
It is not only true of his last coming, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, ‘I come, and my reward is with me,’ Rev. 22:12, but also of all his intermediate comings that are between.
Here is the real wonder: Christ accepts us and then lavishes good upon us. If we were permitted to visit the president or a king or queen or some other “important” person, we would think the honor of being accepted into their company honor enough. But when we come to Christ, he gives us his company and showers good upon us — and increases our capacity to receive the good:
When he comes to the soul, he comes not only to accept what is there, but still with his reward with him, the increase of grace, to recompense all that is good with the increase thereof. This made his presence so desired in the gospel with those that had gracious hearts. They knew all was the better for Christ, the company the better, for he never left any house or table where he was, but there was an increase of comfort, and of grace. And as it was in his personal, so it is in his spiritual presence. He never comes, but he increases grace and comfort.
What do we do with such information? We use it as encouragement to come to Christ:
Therefore, let us be stirred up to have communion with Christ, by this motive, that thus we shall have an increase of a further measure of grace. Let us labour to be such as Christ may delight in, for our graces are honey and spices to him, and where he tastes sweetness he will bring more with him.
Our present communion then fits us for future communion with him:
For, except there be a mutual joy in one another, there is not communion. Therefore Christ furnisheth his church with so much grace as is necessary for a state of absence here, that may fit her for communion with him for ever in heaven.
If we are receiving such good and comfort from Christ, how then should we respond? Joy. Paul says that we are to rejoice always. In what, that our name is written in the book of Life:
We ought to rejoice in the comforts and graces of others, and of ourselves.
He makes a subtle observation here: There are benefits we receive from the Spirit: (1) the grace he gives; and (2) the understanding, the realization of the grace he gives. It would be very disappointing to receive a great treasure and then never know that it was present. We become like Little-Faith of Pilgrim’s Progress who possessed a great jewel and yet lived in poverty, unless the Spirit give us knowledge of what we have:
He had need to stir her up to enjoy the comfort of her own grace; for they are two distinct benefits, to have grace, and to know that we have it, though one Spirit work both, 1 Cor. 2:12. The Spirit works grace, and shews us the things that God hath given us, yet sometimes it doth the one, and not the other. In the time of desertion and of temptation, we have grace, but we know it not; right to comfort, but we feel it not. There is no comfort of a secret, unknown treasure; but so it is with the church, she doth not always take notice of her own graces, and the right she hath to comfort.
We have need to have Christ’s Spirit to help us to know what good is in us.
At this point, Sibbes gives instruction which saves us from morbid introspection. We must examine ourselves. Some fail in this duty altogether. Others inspect, but only to find sorrow and sores, infection and failing. Sibbes gives different counsel:
And indeed a Christian should not only examine his heart for the evil that is in him, to be humbled; but what good there is, that he may joy and be thankful. And since Christ accepts the very first fruits, the earnest, and delights in them, we should know what he delights in, that we may go boldly to him; considering that it is not of ourselves, but of Christ, whatsoever is graciously good. Therefore we ought to know our own graces; for Christ, when he will have us comfortable indeed, will discover to us what cause we have to rejoice, and shew us what is the work of his own Spirit, and our right to all comfort.
An introspection which can both see the need of repentance and the good grace of the Spirit’s work will improve rather than become discouraged.
And then we should look around and rejoice in the good work of God in other people, in other circumstances. We should look in Creation and rejoice and praise God for his good work. We should look to providence and give God glory for his provision and protection, There is a wealth of good lying about us in which we could rejoice, if we were to only look.
Look then at those around you. Give God glory for the repentance of our own sins and the sins of others; of the growing in grace in our heart and in others. Look to the sky and the sea and ground and rejoice at all that God has done. It is the Devil’s work to be discontented. It is the work of children to rejoice in their Father’s World.
Samuel Rutherford in Sermon 1 of the Trial and Triumph of Faith explains why we often do not understand what God is doing. First, we must understand that God’s Providence is complex: God uses even sin for His own ends:
The Providence of God hath two sides; one black and sad, another white and joyful. Heresy taketh strength, and is green before the sun; God’s clearing of necessary and seasonable truths, is a fair side of that same providence. Adam’s first sin, was the devil and hell digging a hole through the comely and beautiful frame of the creation of God; and that is the dark side of Providence: but the flower of Jesse springing up, to take away sin, and to paint out to men and angels the glory of a heaven, and a new world of free grace—that is a lightsome side of Providence
Second, we look upon only a portion of God’s work; it as of we judged the outcome of a story but stopped in the middle or sneered at house which was not complete;
—It is our fault, that we look upon God’s ways and works by halves and pieces; and so, we see often nothing but the black side, and the dark part of the moon. We mistake all, when we look upon men’s works by parts; a house in the building, lying in an hundred pieces; here timber, here a rafter, there a spar, there a stone; in another place, half a window, in another place, the side of a door: there is no beauty, no face of a house here. Have patience a little, and see them all by art compacted together in order, and you will see a fair building
We are impatient of our ease and want our heaven while we are upon earth.
The previous post in this series may be found here
The
Read Philippians 4:12: What are the categories of temptation which Paul lists?
What temptation to discontentment does Burroughs list on page 103?
Burroughs mentions two types of “trouble” on pages 103-4. What are they?
Read 1 Timothy 6:10. What sort of trouble does money bring?
What is the precise “root” – note the language used.
Look to the second half of 6:10: how does Paul further define the effect of money; what does it produce in a human being?
Contentment necessarily includes “having enough”. How then does money tempt one to be discontent? Is it possible to desire money and be content?
Read the definition of contentment on page 40 of the book and compare that to what Jesus says in Matthew 6:24. How does money directly attack contentment?
Stop and consider when or whether you have been tempted to discontentment desiring money? Has desire for money ever led you to sin? Have you been angry, covetous, envious, et cetera as a result of the desire for money?
In addition to discontent caused by the desire for money, Burroughs mentions the discontentment caused by the possession of money. He uses the image of a town which deceives one upon entry. Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19. How does money which you have tempt you to discontentment?
Read James 1:9-11: How does money possessed tempt one to sin?
Read Matthew 6:19-21: How does money possessed tempt one to sin?
Burroughs gives a picture of the effects of money possessed by discussing the behavior of insects around light or honey. He is explaining that money attracts temptations, like light or honey attract pests.
Now, most of us do not consider ourselves rich –rich people always have more money than us. Yet, the average life of a human in the West is far beyond what most people in the history of the world could imagine for themselves – and far beyond what most people in the world currently experience. Moreover, even small amount of property is sufficient to encourage sin – when Jesus preached, he primarily spoke to poor people. How then have you found yourself tempted to sin by the possession of money? Consider the examples given in 1 Timothy, James & Matthew.
On pages 105-6, Burroughs expands the weight of prosperity beyond just money. There is a prosperity of position which also brings along certain burdens. Look at the picture of Presidents on the day they were sworn into office and the day they retired. Consider persons who have positions that include a certain degree of respect or responsibility, what is the effect upon them? Or consider single people who think that if they had a spouse and children their life would be better – and then consider the difficulties which come with marriage & parenthood.
On pages 106-7, Burroughs mentions the particular burdens which come with ministry. This was something Burroughs knew very well: When he was a poor and little known pastor and when he was a well-known pastor he experienced a great deal of trouble. In fact, he wrote The Rare Jewel when he was apparently prospering in ministry because he realized the difficulties and temptations.
Consider all of the ways in which God has prospered you. Now, consider: What duties does your prosperity and position require of you?
After you consider you duties, how do you think you will do when it comes time for you to give an account to God as to whether you have fulfilled your duties?
On page 109, Burroughs states the “most dreadful evil”; what is it?
How often have you been discontent because God has not given you what you most desire?
Do you think that you are desiring the “most dreadful evil”?
How is your heart’s desire the “most dreadful evil”?
At the bottom of page 109, Burroughs lists the greatest sign of God’s wrath: What is it?
Middle of page 110, how does God “convey the plague of his curse”?
Do you believe Burroughs on this point? Are you tempted to think he got it wrong?
On the bottom of page 110, Burroughs sets out worst sort of judgments. What is the worst form of judgment from God? Why do we tend to think that material prosperity is the greatest sort of good? Romans 1:21-25.
What is the ninth and last lesson of contentment?
Question 11 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism (which would express Burroughs’ position) reads as follows: “Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.” In short, God is sovereign over everything that happens. You also must know that this does not mean that human beings have no ability to make decisions. We do exactly what we want to do, and it is always what God has determined. That is very confusing, but Burroughs who have believed both to be true.
On the top of page 112, Burroughs explains the scope of providence. How does knowing the scope of providence affect contentment? If it helps, look back at the definition on page 40?
If God is completely sovereign and you are discontent, then you must believe what about God?
In the middle of page 112, Burroughs explains the foolishness of raging against providence: what does he say?
Page 113, what don’t we understand about providence when we are angry at what God has done?
An example of providence is included at the end.
What is the foolishness of discontentment when viewed in light of God’s Providence?
On page 114, Burroughs identifies a reason that Christians often have difficulty taking comfort in God’s providence: what is it?
What is the usual way that God deals with His people in this world? Page 115.
If God doesn’t deal with you in this way, what might it mean? Hebrews 12:8.
To whom does God give His greatest mercies?
What is the way of God working? Page 117.
Take a matter in which you are discontent. Then quickly run over the nine lessons for contentment given by Burroughs. After you examine your discontentment in light of these lessons, explain why you are right in continuing to be discontent.
A recent example of providence:
Crisis of War Turned to Gospel Opportunity in Ukraine
We pass along this recent experience of Dr. Bob Provost, President of SGA and TMS Board Member as told by Bruce Alvord (M.Div.’92, Th.M.’98):
“Traveling through Kiev, Dr. Robert Provost told us what he had seen in another city of Ukraine. There is a people group in Crimea called the Tartars, who are Russian-speaking Muslims and were persecuted by Stalin. As a result of the recent Russian invasion of Crimea, some of these Tartars have fled north to other parts of Ukraine. In the city that Dr. Provost was in, the director of a Baptist bible college asked the students if they would vacate their dorm rooms for the refugee families and sleep on mats on the classroom floors. They did.
Sixty Muslim refugees came – twenty adults (including an Imam – a Muslim mosque leader) and forty children. When the realized they were being taken for refuge to a Christian place, they were afraid. They feared there would be icons on the walls (which they would have to cover, believing them to be evil) and that they would have to hide their women from drunken, adulterous ‘priests.’ However, having no other option, they stayed. To their surprise, they found themselves and their children being treated kindly and sleeping in their hosts’ beds. They were shocked. They told the students, ‘If our places were switched, we would never do this for you. Why are you helping us?!’ After hearing the explanation, the Imam became interested in reading the Bible, but only under two conditions: the Bible couldn’t have a cross on it, and it had to have study notes explaining the text! Dr. Provost said, “Well, we happen to have just such a Bible here.” The Russian translation of the MacArthur Study Bible had been completed and didn’t have a cross on the cover!”
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