God's Providence in Placing Men in Their Respective Stations and Conditions Asserted and Showed

p. 1An Election SERMON.

PSALM LXXV. 7.

But GOD is the Judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.

ONE Objection made against the goodness of divine Providence which a late Learned Writer [Dr. Sherlock's Discourse of the Divine Providence. Pag. 324. Edit. 4.] takes notice of, is, God's Partial & unequal Care of his creatures; the foundation of which Objection is; that there are various Ranks & Conditions of men in the world; Rich and Poor, High and Low, Princes and Subjects, &c. But however atheistical wits may argue from the variety of mens Conditions, certain it is that the various Ranks and degrees of men are for the advantage and benefit of mankind in General, in as much as without this variety, & ◊f all mens Conditions were alike, men would want some Motives and Encouragements to p. 2Vertue & Restraint from Vice, that now they have; and there could be no such thing as Government in the world, which is a thing so necessary to the well-being of it, that any thing conducive hereunto Rather argues a good Providence over the world, than the Contrary.

Government is a great Blessing to this Sinful & Miserable world, & if it should be destitute thereof, it would soon become a heap of Confusion, a stage of mournful Tragedies, a Theater of woful Spectacles; the whole world might fitly be called, Aceldama, a field of Blood; or Golgotha, a place of a Scull. One man would be as a wolf to another, the wicked would devour the man that is more Righteous than he, men would be as the fishes of the Sea, & as the creeping things, that have no Ruler over them, as the Prophet speaks▪ Hab. 1▪ 13. What God saith of the old world. Gen. 6▪ 13▪ The Earth is filled with violence▪ would soon become true of the world now if destitute of Government.

Government being so great a Blessing, and consequently the variety of mens conditions in the world, and their subordination one to another, which is necessary to the very being of it; The most High God, who will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to graven Images, Isa. 42. 8. hath sufficiently taught us in his p. 3word, to whom we are beholding for it; & that it hath an higher & more Excellent Original, than only the pride, ambition, & Crafty designs of some aspiring mortals, that affect a Superiority over others and can bear to be second to none in honour and power; Even his own wise and gracious providence over the world.

p. 3To this End we are Taught, that there 〈…〉 no power but of God, that the powers that be are ordained of God. Rom. 13. 1. That by him Kings Reign, and princes decree justice. That by him princes Rule & nobles, Even all the Judges of the Earth▪ Prov. 8. 15, 16. That he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings. Dan. 2. 21. And besides many other places that might be mentioned, we are Taught this Lesson in our Text and Context▪ viz. that promotion cometh not from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South; but God is the Judge he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Concerning the Penman and occasion of this psalm wherein our Text is, there is variety of opinions amongst Expositors, (as may be seen by Mr Pool's Collections in his Critica Sacra, and his English Annotations▪) Some being of opinion that it was composed in the Babylonish Captivity & written in form of a Dialogue, tho' there be no mention made of the persons speaking therein. Others that i◊ p. 4was composed by Asaph in Davids time, and in his name and person, as it is not unusual for poets to bring in princes speaking in their poems. Others that it was composed by David himself, and with this opinion the Learned Ames [Ames. Lectiones in Psalmes in Loc.] concurs.

The Psalm seems to Relate to the time when Saul & other of Davids Enemies were overthrown, and he had Entered upon the Kingdom of Israel, altho' he had not Gotten full possession of it. And herein David in the name of other pious persons professeth his Thankfulness unto God for his wonderful providence over all things, and in special towards himself v. 1. Unto thee, O God do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works do declare. And then he makes a promise agreeable to such a frame of spirit, Even that he would do the duty of a Just & pious Ruler. v. 2. When I shall receive the Congregation, I will Judge uprightly. This general Promise he seems more particularly to Explain, in the following verses, in that he Promises to Endeavour to Restore the Decayed state of Things in his Kingdom v. 3. The Earth and all the Inhabitants of it are Dissolved: I bear up the Pillars of it, Selah. or—I will bear up &c. as Tremellius & Junius Render p. 5it. And as a means to this Restitution of things in his Kingdom, that he would suppress the Madness & Haughtiness of the wicked. v. 4, 5. I said unto the fools deal not so foolishly; & to the wicked, lift not up the horn Lift ◊ot up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. And the more Effectually to Suppress their haughtiness, he refutes & condemns one great Errour of theirs, about the Exaltation or depression of this or that man. Shewing that it is not to be ascribed to chance, or humane policy & power, but to that wise & powerful providence which God Exerciseth over the world. v. 6, 7 For promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South. But God is the Judge: he putteth down one, & setteth up another.

p. 5In the verse now Read, we may Observe