A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

But that is not all; it is not enough we discover that, but also our Submission to his wise and powerful Government, when we refer the Matter to his disposal, and can see that he can work out his own Ends, out of all the Confusions which happen there, out of Sins, Errors, Wars, Blood. Psal. 76. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee; the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain. In the Septuagint it is, the Wrath of Man shall keep Holy-Day to thee, shall increase a Festival for thee. God many times gets up in the World, upon Satan's Shoulders. When Matters are ravelled and disordered, he can find out the right End of the Thread, and how to disentangle us again; and when we have spoiled a Business, he can dispose it for good, and make an Advantage of those things which seem to obscure the Glory of his Name.

But that is not all; it is not enough we discover that, but also our Submission to his wise and powerful Government, when we refer the Matter to his disposal, and can see that he can work out his own Ends, out of all the Confusions which happen there, out of Sins, Errors, Wars, Blood. Psal. 76. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee; the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain. In the Septuagint it is, the Wrath of Man shall keep Holy-Day to thee, shall increase a Festival for thee. God many times gets up in the World, upon Satan's Shoulders. When Matters are ravell'd and disordered, he can find out the right End of the Thread, and how to disentangle us again; and when we have spoil'd a Business, he can dispose it for good, and make an Advantage of those things which seem to obscure the Glory of his Name.

By the way, both these must go together; our Love to his Glory, and our Submission to his Providence. Our Love to his Glory; for we should not be altogether wretchless and careless how Things go; and yet not carking, because of the Wisdom and Power of his Providence. The truth is, we should be more solicitous about Duties, than Events. The Glory of Events belongeth to God himself, and we are not to take his Work out of his hand, but mind him in it. Look as some would learn their School-fellows Lesson better than their own; so, we would have Things carried thus and thus: And so by murmuring we tax Providence, rather than adore it, and we eclipse the Glory of God. Yet we must be sensible of the Reproaches cast upon God, and must pray the Lord to vindicate and right his Name, to take the Way and Means into his own hands.