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Dependence upon God.

JOHN LIGHTFOOT, D.D.

NEED I to divide the theme before us, and prove apart that our dependence is upon God for our preservation, and that we are to be sensible of this dependence? We can hardly find a place in Scripture that proves the one, but it proves both together; and none there are hardly but if they acknowledge the truth of the thing, that men's dependence is upon God for their preservation, but they acknowledge also their sense of it, and that they so own their preservation.

I might instance multitudes of places; but do I need, when there is not a holy man through all the Bible that speaks of his own preservation, but he owns it to have been from God, and shows himself to have been sensible of it? "Thou hast given me life, and Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit;""It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed;" and "Having obtained help of God." There is not a person in Scripture that takes notice of the preserving of his life and person but he always turns it that way, to own God the author of it; unless it be such a fool as he that bids "Soul, take thine ease;" or as he, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built?" or they that say, "To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and buy and sell, and get gain," and never mention God or His providence in the bargain. I hope I need not prove that all our lives, persons, and the preservation of both, are in the hand of God, and at His disposal; but I may sum up all in this challenge and appeal, Dare any defy God's providence and preservation, and take upon you your own preservation, and to maintain your life and person, of yourselves?

But let not such a thing be once mentioned among Christians; but the great business is, that Christians would become rightly sensible of their dependence upon God.

The acknowledgment that it is God that doth preserve our life and being may be of the tongue only, and nothing but words, or bare conviction of the truth of the thing, and but little more than words neither. But a feeling acknowledgment of God's preservation is such a thing as speaks itself by some evident demonstration. It is the apostle's saying, that "Saving faith worketh by love:" we may say the like of historical faith; if it work at all, it worketh by some evidence or demonstration of action; and such evidences or demonstrations, in this case, are various.

1. Such a person, who owns and feelingly believes his dependence upon God for his preservation, is careful to commit himself to God's protection and His preserving providence the best he can. We read of persons being under the wings of the Almighty, and putting themselves under His wings; and they are there because they put themselves there." He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust.' How comes he there? He puts himself there by committing himself to God's providence, as he ought to do, as Ruth did, chap. ii., 12. "Thou savest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore shall the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings." There is a general providence that preserves man and beast, but a peculiar protection for them that put themselves under the shadow of His wings.

Can we say that man is under God's protection that never put himself under God's protection? Can we say God keeps that that was never committed to Him? Such a one is a worldling, an epicure, that minds not God, nor his duty of committing himself to Him. Yes, you will say, for this man lives, and is preserved as well as the best; he

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is kept out of danger as well as the holiest; he is in health, wealth, and a thriving condition, as well as another man, and, therefore, sure God keeps him as well as another. "He preserves, indeed, man and beast," as the psalmist tells us, and so he is preserved, as beasts are preserved; but he owns not God in his preservation no more than they.

A man that rightly owns his dependence upon God commits himself to God by prayer, beseeching Him to take him to His care and charge. Thus the saints of God have ever put themselves under His wings. "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be feared; and. so shall I be saved from mine enemies." This was David's way to be in safety and preservation continually; and it is according to God's direction, "Call upon Me in the time of trouble, and I will deliver thee." So Jacob commits himself to God's protection, when he is going for Syria, by prayer, and a vow, "If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on," &c. And such another copy you have of Jabez, "And Jabez called upon the Lord God of Israel, saying, O that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested." This is the way to engage God to our preservation, when we thus cast ourselves upon Him and implore His care of us.

2. They that own their dependence upon God for preservation and protection put themselves under His protection in the way of His protection. Do you think that God's merciful protection dwells everywhere, and that a man may promise himself to meet with it everywhere; in an idle temple or lewd company? He that walks in a wicked course of life, can he expect God's merciful providence will meet with him here? The apostle tells us how to put ourselves under God's protection, "To commit the keeping of our souls to Him in well-doing." And David, long before, "Do good, and, verily, thou shalt be fed." Keep in His ways, and He will keep thee; be doing His work, and

He will take care of thee; but canst thou expect His protection and care when thou art in the ways of the devil and doing the work of the devil? A Christian should always be doing of that as that he may lawfully and warrantably beg God's blessing upon him while he is doing it. Join prayer and well-doing together, and thou art sure to speed well.

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3. He that owns his dependence upon God aims that his preservation be to the service of Him that preserves him. As he owns that he lives upon God, so he aims to live to Him. This use of God's preserving providence Jacob aimed at, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way, so that I come again to my Father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God." And David, "For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." And it pinched Job that he should any way have failed of it, "I have sinned; what shall I do unto Thee, oh, Thou preserver of men?" Hast Thou preserved me? and do I sin against Thee contrary to the end I should have aimed at under Thy preservation ? Reason and the very light of nature may argue to such a purpose, that in all equity and justice he that is maintained by God should be serviceable to God. We look for service of our servants and beasts; and all the reason in the world God should have it from men.

4. He that owns his dependence upon God observes God's constant preserving providence, and counts nothing in preserving providence small. No sin is to be accounted little, because it is against a great God; and no good providence is little, because it is exercised towards sinful men. A true owner of his dependence upon God looks upon God's preserving mercy towards him through this double multiplying glass-his own brittleness and his own unworthiness; that God should preserve a thing so brittle and so ill-deserving.

What are we better than another? Yes; I have more

estate than another; I go braver: such a one, a poor pitiful fellow, not to be compared with me. Aye, but he is God's workmanship as well as thou. Ye are twins, so like that ye cannot be known asunder. Yea, God Himself knows no difference betwixt you. Hast thou an immortal soul? so hath he. Hath he a mortal body so hast thou. Hast thou a soul that is made in the image of God? są he. Hath he a body that is but dust and ashes? so hast thou What is added by the world, as we say, of wealth, and honour, and clothes, are such things as will once be clean stripped off; and where is the difference then?

And who hath made the difference as to their outward condition? Answer the apostle's question, "What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received it, why boastest thou thyself, as if thou hadst not received it?" When we see a person in worse state than ourselves we commonly look upon ourselves as somebody; whereas we should look up to Him that hath made the difference. And do we see a poor miserable creature, and look upon him with scorn? And do we not rather think, Might not God have made me as poor and miserable as this poor wretch? He might have clothed me with rags, as well as this poor beggar. He might have made me as silly as this poor idiot. Down, great heart, and proud, and learn to ascribe all the comforts and benefits that thou hast above any other poor soul where it is due, and to ascribe nothing to thyself but guilt and sinfulness.

If we desire to be esteemed, what is it to be esteemed by God? He hath set all at one rate, as men are in the lump; if we desire to be of a better value, it is wisdom to labour to be so in His eyes that so values all. To esteem ourselves is but a folly; to labour to have others esteem us is but folly, unless it be in an estimation that God will say Amen to it also. Remember that of the apostle, "It is not he whom man approveth, but whom God approveth." If we would be thought to be beautiful, let it shine in the image of God; if rarely decked, let it be with His ornaments; if to be learned, remember that "He that honoureth me I will honour."

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