An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

They whose business and labours lie in fields, the Plough-men and the Vine-dressers, he would have them know his works, as ⟨p. 481⟩those special works of his, the Snow and the Rain, so his works in general. The meanest of men cannot excuse their ignorance of the works of God, seeing the Text and Point tell us, God drives them many times out of the field, home to their houses, and will not let them do a stroke of work more abroad, on purpose that they might know his work.

They whose business and labours lie in fields, the Plow-men and the Vine-dressers, he would have them know his works, as ⟨p. 481⟩those special works of his, the Snow and the Rain, so his works in general. The meanest of men cannot excuse their ignorance of the works of God, seing the Text and Point tell us, God drives them many times out of the field, home to their houses, and will not let them do a stroak of work more abroad, on purpose that they might know his work.

Hence note, Thirdly; The aim and intendment of God in keeping us at any time from our work, is that we may know more of his works.

It is a great part of our wisdom to answer the designs of God in all his providences to us. We seldom think what God intends by a wet day, by a rainy day, by a tempestuous day, we little think the aim of God in calling us from our works, is to call us to the consideration of his work. Some men would never find a time to bestow their thoughts upon the works of God, if God did not take them off from their own work; they would never be at leisure, if he did not give them a leisure, a vacation time, and as here in this text, seal up their hand. God hath various ways to take men off from the hottest pursuits of their own works; he takes many off from them by sickness, he binds them as prisoners to their beds; others are taken off from their own business by proper imprisonment, and restraint of liberty; and why? what is the reason of this? is it not that they may know his work, that they may well consider the dealings of God with them? A sick bed is a School, and so is a Prison, where we should study both the Word and Works of God. Let us remember, when-ever God takes us off from our Callings by sickness, or restraineth our liberty by imprisonment, his gracious purpose is, that we may know his work. Possibly when we had liberty to go about our own work, we could find little, or would not find much leisure to meditate upon the works of God. Well, saith God, I see I must take you off from your works, else you will never be Students in mine. That's the effect of Snow and Rain, with reference to man, He sealeth up the hand of every ma that all men may know his work.