I might break my covenant which I had made with this people And it was broken in that day and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the Word of the Lord. 2. This will dispose you to that Mourning and weeping which we have now need to attend upon God with We have reason to make this day yea these dayes wherein God is afflicting us and these years wherein we are seeing evil to be times of Mourning and Sorrow The Lord God calls to weeping that we look over our sins look unto Christ whom we have peirced by our sins and look and goe after God in attendance to His word weeping and mourning 3. This will spirit and dispose you to embrace and practise all those counsels have been given you in the Lord's Name and from his Word To attend all those Duties the Lord requires of you If the Question be ask't What does God now look for from us The Answer is in Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all His wayes and to love Him and to serve the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart and with all thy soul. You need not look for any thing in particular from me now Much hath been plainly spoken from God to this people again and again God hath told us his mind fully what He would have us doe and where our life lies Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life And if we had but this spirit that I am now pleading for we should then be ready to rise up to doe the words of the Lord which we have heard from Him and thereupon to engage in a saving and lasting work of Reformation It would raise us to an excellent temper in Christianity to be high in worth but low in spirit to doe much for God and think little of our selves 4. This will give us access to and acceptance with God in prayer Psal. 10. 12. Arise O Lord O God lift up thine hand forforget not the humble ver 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thy ear to hear God sometimes denies to hear His own people's prayers when their spirits are no so low as they should be And how often hath God refused to hear our prayers But here is a way to have certain Audience at the Throne of Grace Psal. 102. 16 17. When the Lord shall build up Zion He shall appear in His glory He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not 〈◊〉 their prayer New England had never more need of importunate earnest praying Wo to us if we be wanting now in importuning mercy from heaven A People or person become speechless in this respect is near to death Pray therefore we must and ought and if we would be heard and accepted we must get our hearts and spirits thus meekly and humbly disposed God could not over-look them when thus humbly praying Ier. 31. 18 19 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustom'd to the yoke Turn thou mee and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented And after that I was instructed I sâ—…ote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child For since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. 5. This will dispose us to Patience and enduring under all Sufferings The heart that is not truly broken and meek'ned finds it harder to comport with and bear quietly that which is contrary to him without flinching one way or other either on the one hand by succuâ—…bing and yielding to the Temptation or on the other by dâ—…sorderly flying out beyond his Duty The Historian gives that as the reason why Origen faultred under the Temptation quia virtutum omnium parente summissione et humilitate excidisset because he had lost or wanted the Mother of all virtues Humility and lowliness But the Contrary is observed of Athanasius as the cause of his Constancy that steel'd him against all his Adversaries and Sufferings that he was Ypselas tois ergois tapeinos de to phronemati He was as truly low in heart as really high in worth He had great attainments but was very humble and lowly under all By this humble meek frame of spirit we shall be enabled with Patience to endure under all Tryalls whatever we may meet with 6. This will give ground for and further our Faith and Reliance on the Lord. The humble Centurion had great Faith Mat. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my Roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed The more humble we are the more we shall be disposed to believe aright without any mixture of presumption and the more ground we shall have to beleeve Let New-England be humble and New-England shan't fail to be happy It is only the contrary hereto that will undoe us If we be poor and low in our selves we may trust in the Lord for His Salvation Zeph. 3. 12. an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust Isai. 14. 32. the poor of His People shall trust God will have His time to appear for the joy of those that tremble at His Word Isai. 66. 5. To make the first-born of the poor to feed and the needy to ly down in safety Chapt. 14. 30. To make the meek to encrease their joy in the Lord and the poor among men to rejoice in the Holy ONE of Israel Cap. 29. 19. yea to tread down the lofty Chapt. 26. 5. 6. And God can easily make the designes and hopes of such as would or have already in heart swallowed the poor of His people to be but empty dreames Chapt. 29. 8. If we be truly humble God's Ax shall not cut us down but His hand shall lift us up in due time 1. Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time God knowes how to make distinction between the humble and the proud when his Wrath makes the greatest confusion in the world When we are once brought to this Frame of Spirit we may look for good tofollow The more humility and less Pride in Christians the nearer we may suppose good times We cannot saith One expect those glorious days which are to commence upon the fall of Antichrist till we see all Christians sincerely set upon destroying what is Antichristian in themselves And a spirit of Self-exaltation is such They
〈…〉 That True 〈…〉 Word is the 〈…〉 of Divine 〈…〉 As it was made 〈…〉 General Assembly 〈◊〉 Massachusetts 〈…〉 NEW-ENGLAND May 27. 1685. 〈…〉 ELECTION there By Mr. WILLIAM ADAMS Mat. 3. 9. Think not to say within your selves We have Abraham 〈◊〉 our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low but Honour shall 〈◊〉 hold the humble in spirit Zeph. 3. 12. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and 〈◊〉 people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. BOSTON in NEW 〈…〉 Printed by Richard 〈…〉 Isai. 66. 2. For aâ—… thoâ—… 〈◊〉 hath my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all saith the Loâ—… but to â—…is 〈◊〉 will I 〈◊〉 and of a 〈◊〉 â—…rit and 〈◊〉 â—…th at my 〈◊〉 THis Chapter and the foregoing contain the last and 〈◊〉 ing Sâ—… on of this Prophet in the publick Aâ—…ce oâ—… 〈◊〉 Iews 〈◊〉 that did concern and was proposed to the General â—…dy of that People in which Discourse the Lord does by the Prophet declare the Removal of the Glory and of his Kingdom from them to another People and withal mentions thâ—…â—…rticular sins and their Obstinacy in them for which he would 〈◊〉 deal with them in removing from and rejecting of them But yet notwithstanding to evidence his Love and Faithfulness to this people that had been so near him and that he had so graciously manifested Himself to the Lord promises to preserve a Remnaâ—… in this calamity whom He would follow with signal favours where ever they should be cast and reserve to better times In the finishing and making up of his Prophecy the Prophet intermixes many things by way of Comfort to the godly and Threatning to the wicked under all the great Revolutions of Providence that should happen in the accomplishment of what was here fore-told And because this people of the Iews both good and bad did too much confide in the Temple and the external Rites and Ordinances of God's worship attended among them while in the mean time they were not suitably spirited nor did suitably carry themselves The Prophet in the beginning of this Chapter beats them off from that carnal confidence and shews them the true way of obtaining and re-taining Divine Favour declaring â—…hat it would be vain Confidence to rest in any external â—…gns of Gods prâ—…e or be constantly and certainly depended upon But to this mâ—… 〈◊〉 look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleâ—… at my Word Concerning the former part of the words there a rise two Questions QUST I. What is the Antecedant to the Relative those those things which its said God had made and that they had been ANSW Some refer it to the Heaven and Earth mentioned in the beginning of the first verse Them and whatsoever is contained in them all the works of Creation which we behold above or below in the Sky or Heavens or on the earth Others refer it tâ—… the House that had been built unto God that had been the place of His rest viz. the Temple mentioned in the latter part of the first verse it is not inconsistent or impossible but both may be referred to having been just before both mentioned and the repeating of the Relative is not unlikely but doth intimate so much All those things hath My hand made 〈◊〉 the works of Creation And all those things have been viz. â—…t have pertained to my Temple House Rest and Abode among you QUEST II. What is the scope and drift of these words to what end 〈◊〉 they thus exprest For all those things hath mine hand made c. ANSW They may import either 1. Seeing that God is HE who has given being to all things one and another He cannot be supposed to have any need of to receive benefit by or be engaged unto Man for any service he hath done Him And so they respect and may be joyned with the following words after this manner q. d. Although I who AM the Authour and Creator of all things whatsoever cannot therefore need or be engaged to any creature yet I will condescend to shew grace to such who are of 〈◊〉 truly humble mind and do fear before Me. My Greatness shall not hinder Me dwelling with and regarding the lowly in spirit Or else 2. It may be as if the Lord should say It s true My Temple My House My Rest My Worship Order and Ordinances have been among you All these things have been But the bare Being of these is no certain Sign of My continuing Presence and Favour There may be many things that may drive Me away notwithstanding all that may have been of this nature But here I give you a certain mark by which you may try and be assured of My Favour Viz. if these following properties be found in you That you be poor contrite in spirit and tremble at My Word But to this man will I look even to him that is poor c. I shall a little open this latter part of the words But to this man scil To every such man man or woman and therefore to any Company or Society of such men as shall be so spirited To any people that are in such a frame What agrees to Individuals will also agree to the whole that is made up of such Individuals Will I look Verbs of Sense denote also suitable and proportionable affections It imports therefore To look with favour and acceptation to respect regard take notice and take care of to accept with good Will to embrace with Favour and Love So Exod. 2. 25. God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect to them Numb 16. 15. Moses was very wroth and said to the Lord respect not thou their offering Psal. 11. 7. His countenance doth behold the upright Amos 5. 22. Your meat-offerings I will not accept neither will I regard which is the same word â—…th this here in the Text. Even to him that is poor The word sometimes signifies those which are outwardly poor and afflicted and such frequently is the condition of those in this world who find most Favour with God But here it is to be understood of such who are spiritually poor or poor in their own sight and esteem poor in spirit as they are called Mat. 5. 3. that think modestly lowly meanly of themselves They are meek and humble that feel their need of divine answers to their cries and of divine Help All men indeed are poor in spiritual regards but it is the man that does duly sense his spiritual poverty who understands himself to be and bears himself as a poor man that is here meant Qui nihil altum de se sapit His heart is not haughty nor his eye lofty and he feels and believes that there is no cause they should And of a contrite spirit The word properly signifies smitten in spirit and intends one
People of God though indeed too sadly declined and degenerate and therefore You are to take care to manage them so as may set and leave them under the highest degree of Divine Acceptation that is to be as humble and trembling under the word of God as may be What therefore may be done to convince of and deter and recover this people from Sin of all kinds and what may be done to encourage Draw on to and settle this People under a careful attendance to all good works in the Reverential â—…ear of God This is Your Work In which the LORD guide prosper and long continue You. II. This Exhortation may be proposed To the Lord's servants in the Ministry Fathers and Brethren suffer this word of Exhortation from the unworthiest of your Order or rather from your Lord Jesus Christ Shâ—…w your selves Patterns as in other things so in the Humility and meekness of your spirits the contrition and brokenness of your hearts awful trembling at God's Word and in the Administration of His Worship and labour to promote this frame in the Lord's people by shewing them their sins in the vileness desert of them by setting before them the Majesty and Glory of God When God hath eminently improved succeeded and honoured to the last any of his servants in the work of the Ministry He hath given them a good measure of His Spirit Our Work is to receive the Word from God's mouth and to give His people warning from Him To both which a large measure of this spirit is necessary so much as is not easily or presently attained It was some time before Elijah's spirit at Horeb the mount of God was sufficiently prepared to an awful regard of the Divine presence and to the receiving the Lord's message First a great and strong Wind rends ' the mountains breaks in peices the Rocks before the Lord after the wind an earth-quake and after the Earth-quake a Fire and after all these the Lord appears in a small still voice and then Elijah wrâ—… his face in his mantle and in that awful posture receives the mind of God 1. King 19. 11 12 13. To Isaiah the Lord appears in such glorious manner as makes him cry out Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and then He gives him and sends him upon his special errand to his people Iâ—…ai 6. This spirit also is needful for the due delivery of the Lords mind to His people 2. Tim. 2. 24 25. The servant of the Lord must be gentle patient in meeknâ—…ss instructing c. Whatever message we have whether of Mercy or Judgment our souls should be feelingly and heart-breakingly concerned for those to whom we speak In the discharge of our Trust as we are special servants of Jesus Christ we should have much of His spirit who could not denounce Judgment against Ierusalem without many tears and heart-breakings for them Luk. â—…9 41 44. And when he was come near he beheld the city and â—…ept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes For the day shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trâ—…nch about thee c. I need not say what present â—…ause there is for the Lord 's faithful Watch-men to be alike affected for Zion And in all our Administrations we be carried forth with a full sense of our own weakness worthiness What a nothing does the great Apostle Pauâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…f himself in the whole of his ministerial conversation I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the graee of God which was with me 1. Cor. 15. 10. In nothing am I behind the very chiefest of the Apostles though I be nothing 2. Cor. 12. 11. III. Finally this Exhortation is proposed to all the People of the Land You are a professing People and do something in Religion externally but all your Profession and all that you doe will signifie and come to nothing if this spirit be wanting What One sayes of Thanks is true of all Worship and Service performed to God The value of it resolves it self wholly into the frame and Disposition of the heart You have the more need to be jealous of your selves for many times Christ's own Disciples don't know their own spirits There is a height of spirit sometimes that under a Zeal for the Lord's work and glory grows insensibly upon them notwithstanding their converse with and constant attendance upon the Lord insomuch that they doe hence expose themselves to the Lords rebuke Luk. 9. 54 55. And when his Disciples Iames and Iohn saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did But he turned and rebuked them and said ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of O therefore look to your hearts take heed to your spirits that there be no Pride Loftiness or sinful Discomposure lodging there Labour to be within that promise which makes over the great Blessing of the Kingdom of Heaven of Comfort and an Inheritance on the earth to the poor in spirit that mourn and are meek Mat. 5. 3 4 5. As for your outward concerns those of this Day and the like seeing you have opportunity and so long as you shall have opportunity to be managing of them I wish you may shew your selves meek humble patient self denying forgiving supposed errors and wrongs Laying aside inconvenient or unreasonable disgusts not leting Anger to rest in your bosomes and that however God may further try you in these things that a spirit of patience and quiet submission to any such Dispensation as is according to God's Will may ever possess you while you both render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's and to God the things which are God's But your great business is with God and the most proper advice I have to offer therein is Get and be of a poor and contrite spirit and trembling at the Word of God Let your hearts come down and lye low before God and as the sheep of His hand hear his voice Psal. 95. 6 7 8. O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker For he is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of his hand to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your heart as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the Wilderness It is hardness and haughtiness of mens hearts that makes all Divine Exhortations ineffectual Oh beware of it in the least degâ—…e of it Consider what God hath done to stain the glory of all flesh He will have no flesh to glory in his presence Consideâ—… the ax is now laid to the root of the tree Mat. 3 10. If we wilâ—… not lower to bring forth the fruit of true Humiliation and Râ—… pentance we shall be laid low even to the ground But thosâ—… that tâ—…ble when the Ax is at the root of the tree when Judg ment is gathering in the Cloud God will look to them that thâ—… Ax shall not cut them down nor the storm sweep theâ—… away Goâ—… will be to them a Sanctuary Isai. 8. 13. 14. Sanctifie the Lorâ—… of hosts Himself and let Him be your fear and let Him be yoâ—… dread and He shall be for a sanctuary And they shall have rest iâ—… the day of trouble either by escaping or having full suppoâ—… under it Hab. 3. 15 16. Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk through the sea wiâ—… thy horses through the heap of great 〈◊〉 When I heard my beâ—… trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into 〈◊〉 bones and I trembled in my self that I 〈◊〉 rest in the day of troublâ—… We should therefore stand trembling before God under tâ—… sense and apprehension of present and impending Dispensation but more especially under the sense of whatsoever evils havâ—… kindled the Lords Displeasure and made Him threateâ—… 〈◊〉 Dâ—… parture from us Ezra 9. 4. and 10. 9. Let our whole Course Garb Guise Converse and Spirit speaâ—… Humility and Humiliation in so humbling a time as this is Carry it in all things as becomes a poor and an afflicted people I aâ—… sure you will be thereby better Disposed to trust in the Naâ—… of the LORD and have firmer ground to believe in His Saâ—… vation The Subject therefore I have been discoursing is I trust throâ—… Grace a suitable word from the Lord as I was desired to pâ—… pare for this Occasion I have not designed to graâ—… or 〈◊〉 anâ—… have aimed to speak what may fall upon the consciences of us all aâ—… we are more or less guilty and I fear we have been 〈◊〉 in thâ—… thing one way or other most of us of whaâ—…soever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prehension Oh that we might now list up our sâ—…es no 〈◊〉 Thâ—… we might now lay our hands upon our mouths and put ouâ—… 〈◊〉 in the dust if so be there may be hope Famous remarkable aâ—… admirable might the Lord 's providential operations then be 〈◊〉 us in the eyes of others as well as comfortable to our sâ—… Isai. 14. 2. What shall Oâ—… then answer the messengers of the 〈◊〉 That the Lord hath founded Zion and the poor of his people shall 〈◊〉 it Acclamations of joy for the Lord's Grace as in â—…aying thâ—… Foundation of so in strengthning defending carrying on and 〈◊〉 Temple-work among us should not be wanting It would â—…n be well yea it could not be otherwise At the worst though all passages for Comfort and Relief on Earth were block't up yet Heaven would be open to you whence you might receive Help And whatever should threaten yet you might say with him when demanded where he would be then if such a thing as was threatned should come to pass that you shall be aut in Coelo aut sub Coelo either in Heaven or under Heaven either under Heavens Protection while you live or in Heavens Possession if you should be moved out of this world FINIS Strong of Covenants page 26. Sâ—… Mr. Oakes his 〈◊〉 Sâ—…rm p. 25. Charnock Attrib page 657. Watson Niceph. p. 730. * Glanvil Cathol Charity * Arrowsmith Engl. Eben-iz p. 28.
whose heart smites him for his Sins and sinfulness whose spirit is grieved and wounded under his guilt and pollution who is in bitternes by looking on his Lord whom he has pierced by his sins and his heart yeilds and falls under the Lords threatning of and sentence against his sin And trembleth at my word i. e. That hath a filial fear of God wrought in his heart by the Word so as to stand in aw of the Word and with Reverence to receive and attend it This Trembling according to the use of the word Hharad imports 1. An Aw of the Word of God that it commands stills the hearâ—… that there is a fear of the threatnings a fear of incurring the penalty of unbelief of and disobedience to the Word A fear of neglecting the Commands and losing the Reward proposed in the Word Amos 3. 6 8. Shall a trumpet to which the voice of the Lords Prophet convincing of sin by the word is compared Isai. 58. 1. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression be blown in the City and the people not be afraid The Lion hath roared i. e. the Invincible irresistable GOD hath threatned judgment by His word who will not fear It is expected such Reproofs and Threatnings by the word should work an Aw 2. A careful solicitude to attend the Direction and Prescript of the Word of God To give it due entertainment to have it flourish and prosper In this sence the word is used 2. King 4. 13. Behold thou hast been careful for us with all this care It is such a trembling not as makes men fly from God but as makes them most careful to subject to the will of God reveaâ—…d in his Word as makes them busie themselves to perform and doe what Gods Word requires 3. A making hast to attend the commands of Gods Word Makeing speed without delay to obey the word of God as that which we are afraid to put off or neglect at all So the word sometimes signifieth to run in haste or to run in fear or with trembling Thus God here gives the character of those whom He will in favour and mercy look to or upon And this is to be understood as exclusive of all others scil that they are these only that God is engaged thus to look upon He has something else to say to those of a contrary spirit and frame Psal. 138. 6. Though the Lord be high yet hath He respect to the lowly but the proud he knoweth afarr off And this the Seventy do directly point to in their rendring this latter clause thus Ki epi tina epiblepso all' e epi ton tapeinon c. And upon whom should I look but upon or unto him that is poor c. And I have seen an old English Translation that renders the words in like manner q. d. Whom else can it be thought I should regard with Favour and set My heart upon but such as are here characterized But these I will Whence we may observe DOCT. That whatever may have been the great Works of God in the World or his signal Dispensations toward any people yet the standing Tryal of a person's and so a peoples Acceptation with God is their being of a poor and contrite spirit and trembling at His Word See this further confirmed Isai. 57. 15. For thus saith the High and Lofty Oâ—… that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is HOLY I dwell in the High and Holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the Humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Hos. 14. 3. In Thee the fatherless findâ—…h mercy Prov. 3. 34. He giveth grace to the lowly Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise I shall endeavour to lead you to the plain and clear understanding of this Truth by these following Conclusions Concl. I. All the great Things done in the world they are the work of God His hand has made and framed the whole Fabrick of Heaven Earth He hath hung out the Globe of this World hung the Earth upon nothing drawn over the Canopy of the Heavens laid the foundation of the earth in its place Created that Fountain and Center of Light Heat Influence in this lower World the Sun together with all the lesser light Bodies which are for Times for Signs for Seasons the Moon Stars and He hath set settled the Ordinances for them all Psal. 102. 25. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth the Heavens are the work of thy hands Jer. 31. 35. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the moon of the stars for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roar The Lord of Hosts is his Name The Seas the vast Mountains also and the Wind so undiscernable in its motions and other strange Meteors they are His Work Amos 4. 13. For lo He that formeth the mountains and createth the wind and declareth unto man what is his thought that maketh the morning darkness and treads upon the high places of the earth the Lord the God of Hosts is His Name Job 37. with 38. Chap. The continued Creation of those Beings that are ever coming up and going off the Stage of this world by a perpetual orderly Succession and propagation they are also His Work Psal. 104. The whole Administration of Providence in the Upholding and Government of all created Beings in a way of highest Wisdom and exact Order it is all His work All great Revolutions signal and remarkable Dispensations Things beyond the ordinary Course and power of Nature or such as do shew forth the highest strains of Wisdom Power Grace or Justice He doeth them all Psal. 74. 12 17. For GOD is my King of old working salvation in the midst of the earth Thou didst divide the sea by Thy strength Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters Thou brakest the heads of the Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the Wilderness Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood thou driedst up mighty rivers The day is thine and the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light anâ—… the Sun Thou hast set all the borders of the earth thou hast made summer and winter Those notable changes in the World in the promoting or suppressing exalting or bringing down of Kingdoms Nations Provinces or Persons they are all wrought by Him Psal. 75. 6 7 8. For promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Iudge He puâ—…teth down one and setteth up another For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup the wine is red It is full of mixture He poureth out of the same Ezek. 17 24. And
it to them Ecclesiastical history may give us many instances of this nature And we in New-England who should if God perswade us so look upon our selves as less than the least of all God's sincere people haâ—…e been behind but few in the signalness of God's dispensations to us in these respects as this Place and these Solemnityes have often born us witness I mean not only that the solemnityes themselves have been witnesses but also that upon them frequent plain and full Reports have been made of the Lords wonderful and gracious 〈…〉 â—…eople Ps. 77. 14. 15. 19. 20. and 111. 6. 〈…〉 â—…eople the power of his works that He may give 〈…〉 heathen 〈…〉 â—…orks and Dispensations of GOD though admiraâ—… 〈…〉 men yet they are no certain Evidence of 〈…〉 special and entire Acceptance with God As 〈…〉 â—…eation and external Providence the beneâ—… 〈…〉 â—…n to all the inhabitants of the World God 〈…〉 on the evil on the good and sendeth rain 〈…〉 â—…ust Mat. 5. 45. It s true the Lord doth 〈…〉 â—…ss the righteous and blast the wicked but 〈…〉 â—…t and perpetual as that any man can meerly 〈…〉 know love or hatred to be in God to 〈…〉 before him Things fall out alike to all 〈…〉 one event to the righteous and to the wicâ—… 〈…〉 And as to signal dispensations of visible 〈…〉 priviledges what God hath done or is 〈…〉 â—…d continuing his Gospel Worship and Orâ—… 〈…〉 â—…h a great advantage and hopeful token yet 〈…〉 concluding mark of special favour and of the 〈…〉 â—…e Salvation For 1. They may be abused by the corruptions and sinful neglects of men True grace in a Saint is not subject to a total abuse but every other thing even the most glorious Enjoyments and Priviledges men have in this life may be abused Men may and would to God there were none here that did so live under the most clear Gospel Light in the pure peaceable free Enjoyment of Gospel Order and Ordinances be obliged by manifold Kindnesses from God themselves have great Knowledge in Religion and make high profession with much Criticalness therein and yet live in some sin openly or secretly be enslaved to some base defiling lust wherewith they may not only pollute themselves but others also Let the Heaven hear and the Earth give ear let them be astonished at it be horribly afraid and be very desolate for it may be found that they whom God hath nourished and brought up as His children do rebel against Him that the Lord 's own people do forsake Him the Fountain of living waters and goe to empty or muddy Cisterns As the Lord emphatically complains of them in Isai. 1. 2. and Ier. 2. 12 13. Priviledged professors Professors in New-England may be discovered to be sinners some to be proud haughty high-minded supercilious self-exalting arrogant others to be sensual intemperate corrupt fleshly lascivious some to be Company-keepers to sit and spend time with vain persons others to be covetous unjust oppressing defrauding and over-reaching others some to be revilers railers ungoverned in their speeches and expressions others to be despisers of that whiâ—…h is good c. Moreover There may be under such Enjoyments Grievous and horrible Neglects receiving the Grace of God in Gospel offers and means of Salvation in vain Woful formality and slightiness in holy Duties men not stiring up themselves to seek GOD resting in a name to live Carnal confidence in priviledges and former visible enjoyments of Divine Favour Ier. 7. 4. Want of Zeal for GOD His Service and Glory against Sin Too great Indulgence to Sin and Sinners in compliance with the Laxness Loosness and spirit of the Times Unaffectedness with and Unreclaimedness under the loud-speaking voice of God's Dispensations Zeph. 3. 1. 2 5 6 7. Wo to her that â—…lihy â—…lthy and polluted to the oppressing City She obeyed not the voice she received not Correction she trusted not in the LORD she drew not near to her God The just Lord is in the midst thereof every morning doth He bring His Iudgments to light He faileth not but the unjust knoweth no shame I have out off the Nations I said surely thou wilt fear mee thou wilt receive instruction but they arose early and corrupted all their doings 2. Such offences in a people are not secured from provoking God's Displeasure and drawing down punishment by any signal Dispensations such a people have been under However near any have been lift up to Heaven by mercyes this endon to kakon this Sin within will tumble them down again Obad. 3. 4. And the Holy Oracles of Truth tell us that Corruptions and Neglects after and under such signal Dispensations 1. They do more provoke Divine displasâ—… God is more offended with the miscarriages of such as He hath brought near to Himself than with others It is in God's account an aggravation of sin Deut. 32. 19. And when the Lord saw it He abhorred them because of the provoking of His sons and of His daughters And therefore 2. They do expose to greater and sorer punishment Thus Christ told Capernaum Chorazin and Bethsaidah Mat. 11. 〈…〉 God 's favour and fell under the severe effects of His displeasure As their case is lamentably described and you may read in Lam. 2. 3. 9. The Churches of Asia also and other Churches among whom as golden Candlesticks the Son of man sometimes gloriously walked through their degeneracy and sin have lost all been overthrown and sunk into Ruine Concl. 4. There is that which is a certain Evidence and standing tryal of a person and people's Acceptation with God God has not left men altogether in the dark and at uncertainty in this matter But has told us to whom He will look in favour and with mercy Tho. Priviledges will not yet there are Qualifications which will infallibly evidence special Favour We need not be at a loss if we will consult and study the Divine Will what wee may depend upon for His Acceptation and Salvation The spiritually wise do understand and the prudent do know these things what course is to be taken that they may stand before the Lord have His presence with and grace towards them If men be so qualified as the Word of God declaâ—…s and requires He will save them from trouble or at least He will be with them when in outward trouble and support them therein and He will everlastingly save them There are a number or sort of people whom God does bear a Favour to to whom good belongs who shall rejoice with gladness and shall glory Psal. 106. 4 5. Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy Salvation that I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation that I may glory with thine Inheritance Whom God will bless and compass with Favour as a shield Psal. 5. 12. For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with Favour wilt
thou compass him as with a shield Concl. 5. The standing tryal of a person's and so a peoples Acceptation with God is their being of a poor and contrit spirite and trembling at His Word The Text is plain and peremptory for this from the Lords own mouth What is signified by these expressions was shown in the opening of the words In summe they imply the meek humble and lowly the evangelically poor contrite and tremblers at God's Word Here may be considered I. Who are they that are poor contrite and humble II. Whence it is that God accepts of and respects such III. How God doth accept and look upon them I. Who they are that are poor contrite and humble meek and lowly Or when a person or people may be said to bear the Character of the Text. And they are and doe so 1. When they are poor contrite and lowly in their Spirits and esteem of themselves Prov. 16. 19. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly when their spirits are humble Unto which Contrition and lowliness of spirit there is requisite the sense and acknowledgement 1. Of the infinite Distance and Disproportion that is betwixt GOD and them That they are wormes to the LORD Psal. 22. 6. But I am a worm If the nations be as the drop of a bucket and as the small dust which wo'nt turn the Ballance Isai. 40. 15. what then is a small handful of people and what are single persons to Him 2. Of their Guiltiness and Pollution by Sâ—… The heart of the contrite-spirited person smites him and is wounded for his â—…in as its contrary to God's Will and Holiness His sins are before him Psal. 5. 1. 3. My sin is ever before me The sense of them in their numbers and aggravations take hold upon him and make his heart even to fail Psal. 40 12. For innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my 〈◊〉 faileth me And He is doubtful and afraid of unseen errours and faults Psal. 19. 12. Who can understand his errors Cleanse thou me from secret faults He trembles to think how many Words of God he hath cast behind his back and how prone he is stil so to doe For the less Corruption any one hath remaining iâ—… him the greater burden it is to him As on the Contrary they who have most Corruption in them feel it least 3. Of their Unworthiness to receive the least favour and mercy from God Genes 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Luke 15. 19. and am no more worthy to be called thy son Look themselves through and through they can find nothing to build any claim upon to the smallest mercy All their righteousnesses they know are but filthy raggs Isai. 64. 6. Though they pray earnestly and ca'nt take a denial yet it is with a sense of their unworthiness to receive Dan. 9. 18 19. O my God encline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and behold our Desolations and the City which is called by thy Name for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great Mercies O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord â—…earken and doe defer not for thine own Sake 4. Of their Forfeiture of all that which they have received from God already and Desert of the greatest Evil. That they deserve as to receive nothing further so to be stript of all that which they already have And therefore under all afflictions and bereavements when God comes out snarply against them they can heartily say He has punished us less then our iniquities deserve and It is thâ—… Lord's mercies that we are not consumed Ezra 9. 13. Lam. 3. 22. They know they live upon sparing Mercy and long-suffering and that if God should mark their iniquity they could not stand Psal. 130. 3. And therefore they humbly acknowledge that God has not dealt with them after their sins nor rewarded them according to their iniquities Psal. 103. 10. Theâ—… have not taken so slight a view of themselves and their sins as to imagine that Justice can demand no more of them 5. Of their absolute need of Divine help and grace upon all accounts That they cannot live but are most certainly undone without God's Grace and help in Christ. Their help all their help and their only help is in the Lord. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Wee have no might neither know wee what to doe but our eyes are upon thee 2. When they are lowly in their Carriage and behaviour of themselves The poor and contrite-spirited person 1. He ingenuously confesses all he knowes and is sensible of by himself unto God He does not seek to cover or cloak any of his weakness or wretchedness but openly acknowledges all he is willing to speak plain truth of himself before and unto God And the forementioned things which his heart knowes to be Truths concerning him with respect to God he subscribes to them all Luke 15. 21. Father I have sinned and am no more worthy He humbly receives his Doom and Sentence from the Word of God the Judgement it passes upon him To this practice of Humiliation God would have his sinning people brought to confess their trespasses and humbly declare their acceptance of the punishment of their iniquity justifying God therein Levit. 26. 40. 41. If they shall confess their iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers with their trespass which they trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me and that I also have walked contrary unto them and have brought them into the land of their Enemies if then their uncircumcised Hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquities then will I remember 2. He layes himself down before God to be dealt with as He â—…ees meet 2. Sam. 15. 26. But if He thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let Him doe to mee as seems good unto Him If He shall refuse to help and rescue him he justifies and clears Him If He does help it will be undeserved Mercy Therefore he puts his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope for him and he may receive any thing from God who is so far above him and of Whom he has so ill deserved Lam. 3. 29. He kisses the rod when laiâ—… in the dust and submits himself to God's sovereign disposal To this degree of practical humility and submission God brought His people before He afforded them Deliverance in a desperate case Iudg. 10. 15. And the Children of Israel said unto the Lord we have sinned dâ—…e thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee deliver us â—…s only we pray thee this day 3. He humbly accepts of offer'd Mercy by a Mediator and Surety
To be beholding to Him for all and to take all upon His Account He looks for Merit and Righteousnes that may procure him good els-where feeling he hath none in himself And therefore he prizes exceedingly the Hope set before him which he flâ—…es to Luke 18. 13. He would not so much as lift up his eyes to Heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner Which mercy to a sinner can be only through Jesus Christ the Mediator Thus a backsliding people when humbled pray the Lord's Favour for his Names sake Ier. 14. 7. O Lord tho' our iniquities testifie against us doe thou it for thy Names sake for our back-slidings are many 4. He subjects himself to be wholly ruled and ordered by the Will of his Lord. Let God command and dispose of him he will not withstand in the least but yield and comply He fears to stand against any Command of God Counsel or Warning from Him Thus when Israel under threatnings of God's departure were soundly humbled they seriously reformed themselves by the Word of God and found compassion in His sight Iudg. 10. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel 5. He behaves himself meekly humbly self-denyingly in all things at one whose proud spirit has been broken Ps. 131. 1 2. Lord mine heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned child He bears and carries himself as a poor meek and humble man not proudly confidently arrogantly c. His behaviour testifies his lowliness and meekness of spirit before and towards God and men as one that seeks not himself any way not to lift up himself not to set forth himself nor to set up himself But it is clearly another thing which he purely designs viz. the promoting the work and honour of Christ by all due wayes and meanes thinking meanly of and humbly behaving himself therein Act. 20. 19. Serving the Lord with all humility of mind This should be the carriage of all those that profess themselves to be the Lords people Phil. 2. 3 4. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others II. Whence is it that God accepts and respects the humble lowly It is indeed wonderful condescention in the Infinite GOD thus to vouchsafe His Regard to such low worms as the best of the children of men are That the Great GOD should look upon such nothings is a great stoop Psal. 138 6. Tho' the LORD be high yet He has Respect to the lowly These do'nt indeed redissentire but they do ratione They do'nt in Reality disagree 〈◊〉 for it is a truth that God doth respect such but they do in Reason for it 's admirable that the Highest and the lowest should thus meet Psal. 8. 3 4. When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him The reasons and grounds hereof are 1. Because It is the Lords's Free will and good pleasure This is the bottom cause He is pleas'd thus to doe wonderfully Mat. 11. 25 26. and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 1. Sam. 12. 22. Because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people 2. Because These do most truly respect the Lord. Therefore will the Lord so accept and look upon them above others The poor have their eyes unto and upon the Lord and therefore the Lord will have His eyes upon them In them there is the most free and open passage for the Lord to come into their souls with all His Power Authority Sovereignty Glory and Grace True Contrition Humiliation and Poverty of spirit opens the heart to God to let Him in to come and do all for the soul as belongs to a God to doe but on the Contrary Height of Spirit and Unbrokenness of heart with-holds that due reâ—…pect from God and so barrs His so full passage into full possession of and dominion over the soul. And God hath said that as men are disposed and carry to Him so he will carry Himself to them And therefore He will regard and save the afflicted and humble people Psal. 18. 25 26 27. With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful with an upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright with the pure thou wilt show thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward For thou wilt save the afflicted people but wilt bring down the high looks 3. Because Those do most gladly look to and depend upon the Mediator in whom God is well pleased Whence they thus improving and honouring Him God hath a gracious respect to them for His sake III. How God doth look upon and accept the humble and lowly It is with special and peculiar Grace He looks Favourably on them Such are the greatest Favourites in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18. 4. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven He takes pleasure in them Psal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him He will instruct them Psal. 25. 9. The meek will He guide in judgment the meek will He teach His way He will communicate His grace to them Iam. 4. 6. but gives Grace to the humble He will dwell with them Isai. 57 15. GOD will make His settled abode in the humble soul owne and use it as His special propriety place and dis-place what He sees meet there He will remember them in searching and trying Times Psal. 9. 12. When He makes inquisition for bloud He remembers them He forgets not the cry of the humble He will work for them arise for their Judgment Help and Salvation Psal. 76. 9. When God arose to judgement to save all the meek of the earth Psal. 147. 6 The Lord lifts up the meek Job 22. 29. And He shall save the humble person He will doe what is good what is indeed best for such as are indeed lowly and humble In the day when they cry He will answer them and if Hee do not give them outward deliverance yet He will strengthen them with strength in their souls with Faith patience and Courage to bear up and hold out under the Continuance of their pressures which will be as good and better to them than external deliverance Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul God will be near at
hand to support and save them in and out of the flouds or Fires of Affliction and calamity Psal. 34. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit I. USE It is of solemn Conviction and Humiliation to us this day That we have not been that we are no more such as God hath declared His Acceptance of and Respect to That we have been and are no more poor contrite and trembling at His Word Alas that this people hath lain no more low before God Let the Prophets of the Lord and all the Lord's people mourn and their souls weep for the Pride of New-England as he Ier. 13. 17. But if ye will not hear iâ—… my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lord's 〈◊〉 is carried away captive O that we could so take reproof from God as to make this place and this day a Bochim As they Iudg. 2. 4 5. And it came to pass when the Angel of the Lord spake these words viz. words of Conviction and Reproof â—…e have not obeyed my voice why have ye done this ver 2. and words of Threatning I will not drive them out before you but they shall be as thorns in your sides unto all the Children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept and they called the name of that place Bochim They were deeply affected and greatly mourned under that Divine Reproof Hath not God spoken as plainly and directly to us of our neglect to obey His voice and in particular of the pride and Lordliness of of hearts by that and many other words Ier. 2. 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto Israel a land of darknesâ—… Wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no more unto thee Had we not been stout against the Lord we could never have stood out against so many solemn counsels and warnings upon these and other occasions as we have done Oh that as it is said of Hezekiah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem 2. Chron 32. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart both he and the inhabitants of Ierusalem so all our Rulers and all the people would humble themselves for the Pride of their hearts This would be a meanes to keep wrath off the Land even that which has been threatned Here Consider 1. What we have done 2. What we have suffered for want of this humble spirit Both which should convince and abase us I. What we have done for want of this spirit The want of this has been the cause of all our errors of all provoking errors in Doctrine Worship in Administration both Civil and Ecclesiastical and in Conversation The Pride and Unbrokenness of our hearts hath caused us in many Instances to wander from the path-way of Wisdom and understanding In general 1. Hence we have with-hold from God His Right what was due to Him viz. The full honour of His Sovereignty Power Authority and Command over us This has not been fully and practically acknowledged by us which yet hath been due from us Mal. 1. 6. A son honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I be a Father where is 〈◊〉 honour and if I be a Master where is my Fear saith the Lord of Hosts unto you that despise my Name 2. Hence We have taken to our selves more than our Right More than becomes not so much creatures as those who profess utmost Reverence Subjection Obsequiousness to and Dependance upon the Lord our Creator and Redeemer as we have done 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 7 8. why 〈◊〉 thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us Particularly 1. Hence it is that we have no more duly sought God Hence we have sought Him No more fully according to His Order There has been much Ignorance and Mistake in and about the things of God's House and Kingdom Some Ordinances of Christ laid by and thrown aside by many if not despised and reproached Too much baulking also of known Institutions and Commands Men have not been willing throughly to subject themselves to God's Ordinances and Institutions especially when any thing of their own hath come at any time to be thwarted by them Inst gr It hath been too much-in New-England that the Discipline of Christ in His Churches hath been in great part neglected or attended according as it suited with or happned to the humours affections interests or relations of some men and so the Ordinance of Christ that ought to be attended and administred without partiality prostrated to mens lusts No more sincerely and uprightly But with so much Formality Hypocrisie carelesness and indifferency in the Ordinances that have been attended And all neglect of seeking God at all or in due order it arises from pride Ps. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God Though not alwayes from the pride of a wicked person but sometimes from unmortified pride in a righteous man 2. Hence we have been contentious The wise man tells us what is the only cause of Contention Prov. 13. 10. Only by pride comes contention And how much of this together with the evil concomitants of it Jealousies reproaches Slanders Alienations of spirit c. has there been in Churches and other Societies The Remembrance of those woful Contentions that have been in many Churches may justly humble us this day as also the Dissentions Heart-risings and counter-actings that have been in Courts and civil Assemblyes while we were otherwise at quiet Oh how high have we been in our Contests with and Censures one of another And it is lamentable to consider what Mis-understandings Jealousies Animosityes Prejudices and evil eyes have been between Rulers and People or some among either On which side in our late Differences of apprehension about the management of publick affairs which did rise so high there was most blame I shall not affirm Only I wish that everâ—… one of whatsoever Opinion or Apprehension might be sensible of every particular wherein they have been out of the way and too blame in that or any other controversy which has at any time unhappily spread among us It is not so much difference of apprehension that is common to men and the best of men in this world about Circumstantials and non-fundamentals as vehemency and bitterness of spirit and the like evils arising from and accompanying such differences which sucks away the vital spirits of Gospel-charity that has wounded us Whatever provocations therefore there may have been at any Mâ—…ssah or Meribah of ours let every one concerned take heed that he do not suffer any bitterness of spirit then taken to ly and rankle into any Malignity on one side or other for I intend not one
lifted us up in our minds wherein we have violated that solemn caution God left with His People to be minded by them when in a riseing condition in the World Deut. 8. 12. 13 14. Beware lest when tâ—…ou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly Houses and dwelt therein And when thy Herds and thy Flocks multiply and thy Silver and thy Gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is multiplied Then thy heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God Truly here is our main wound and the great cause of God's Controversie with us that we are declined and gone off so much from God from the life and power of Grace and Godliness from keeping our hearts and walking with God and have suffered other inferior things to take up fill and take away our hearts Rev. 2. 4. Nevertheless notwithstanding all that was commendable among them in purity of Doctrin Worship and travel in God's work and service I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love These inward soul-declensions and decayes and goings off of the heart from God were very offensive to him as Ezek. 6. 9. Because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their Idols In like manner it is not unlikely but we haâ—…e abused the most glorious priviledges of the Gospel here afforded to be in some degree and too much haughty because of God's holy Mountain Zeph. 3. 11. So does want of true humility and poverty of spirit expose us to abuse the best things And if there be any other particular wherein this people have incurred like guilt I had much rather they should take notice of it themselves than hear it from mee Whatever it be that men have their eyes upon whether any thing they suppose in themselves or any thing that hath been done for them or any priviledge bestowed upon them these cannot give them rest and security in God's Favour and it will be an error to have recourse to or depend upon them for divine Protection while we neglect true humility poverty of spirit and trembling at God's Word There is many a tall Eliaâ—… that even some Samuels may think to be assuredly favoured of God which yet God will reject But the true spirit of David which we have in Psal. 131. Lord my heart is not haughty c. He never will reject 7. Hence We have been Impatient of Reproof though necessary orderly and without Reflection Too much uncircumcised in heart and cars resisting or turning away from the Holy Ghost speaking to us in and by his Word The form of Religion to many lifted up therewith is as One speaks a Bâ—… Coat to their sins to turn the sharpest reproofs that can be levelled against them It was so with that people Zech. 7. 11. 12. They refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone lest they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in His spirit by the former Prophets And we have reason to acknowledge be humbled that it has been too much so with us that so much unwillingness to impatience of and incorrigibleness under the Reproofs of God's Word hath shown it self among us II. Consider What we have suffered for want of this humble spirit This hath been the procurer of all our sorrows that we have been no more humble and submissive unto God For this we have been threatned It was said upon a like Occasion now twelve years agone Probable it is that it must be some sharp affliction some smarting Rod or sore Tryal that must come upon these Churches to reduce them generally to their old trembling frame of spirit at the Word of God Whether the whole of what God intended by and like words be come upon us is yet a question but much we have suffered which we may justly reckon to this account God has brought many of our fears upon us because we have been too high to answer His Calls and we know not what He may doe more therein Isai. 66. 4. and will bring their fears upon them because when I called none did answer when I spake they did not hear but they did evil before mine eyes and chose that in which I delighted not God hath drawn out His sword against us and hath given it a charge to devour round about our Coasts and many have fallen down slain by it God hath blown upon the Labour of our hands by Blastings Flouds Droughts and losses by Ship-wrecks and otherwayes and of what hath remained he hath found out continual waies for disbursment to make and keep us empty God hath sent sore Sicknesses and Pestilential diseases upon us which have sorely wasted us God hath again and again contended by terrible Fires which have eat up a great part of our pleasant Enjoyments He has also frustrated our expectations and hopes many wayes as it is Ier. 8. 15. We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health and behold trouble Now all these things God hath done to humble us for we are His covenant People we have not been therefore humble enough The Lord's goodness would not have suffered Him to doe thus if our badness did not force Him to it Ier. 9. 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts behold I will melt them and try them for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people q. d. What other course can I take but this according to the nature of man The Gold-smith hath no other way to seperate the dross from the mettal but by melting it down It s when the impurities and unhumbledness of His people necessitate Him to this proceeding that God sits as a Refiner and brings humbling dispensations upon them All that we have suffered and been threatned with it has been but necessary for us less would not bring us to tremble before God and in our selves And Oh that this might God could yet and doubtless would save us give us favour with Himself and what wee should need elswhere for the continuance of our mercies our precious pleasant enjoyments II. USE Exhort Let this people and every person of us get and keep in this frame of spirit mention'd in the Text and Doctrine to be poor and contrite in spirit and tremble at GOD's Word That which you are now exhorted to is to be true and through Christians and to keep alwayes in a Christian frame of spirit or to be eminent in the exercise of Christianity For this real poverty and contrition of spirit and trembling at God's Word is to be found no where else but where true grace is and where the spirit of Christ dwels and Rules You are herein exhorted to be Christs true Scholars and followers Mat. 11. 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Phil. 2. 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Iesus To be and carry like Christians indeed I. Motive Consider the disadvantage of being without this spirit In several respects 1. The Word you hear will doe you no good Pride is an enemy to profiting It is observed that the ground whereon the Peacock that proud bird sits is barren the heart where Pride sits is barren The Word must be received in meekness that it may be savingly efficacious Ia. 1. 21. While men remain in the pride and unhumbledness of their hearts whatever their professions be and whatever they may doe the best counsels cautions will not work kindly upon them A People will never be brought to do their business throughly with God in compliance with His Word till they be brought to such a trembling frame Ezra 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away according to the counsel of my Lord and of those that tremble at the Commandment of our God and let it be done according to the Law There must be an awful sanctifying reverential fiducial fear in all our Transactions with God otherwise they will be but formal Hypocritical vain and ludicrous there will be no good effect of the Word of God upon us The Lord's Words will indeed do good and come to something in those that walk uprightly Mich. 2. 7. But it is expresly declared that his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Hab. 2. 4. Therefore such will doe nothing to purpose with God in attending to His Word let it be spoken never so plainly closely solemnly and frequently Neither will the Word spoken go down with an unhumbled people unless it be such as suits them they not so much desiring that their wills should be brought to the Word as that the Word should be brought to their wills A sad Instance we have of this Ier. 43. 1. 2. And it came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God for which the Lord their God had sent him to them even all these Words Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah and Johanan the son of Kareah and all the proud men saying unto Jeremiah thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say goe not c. Notwithstanding their solemn profession Chapt. 42. 5 6. Then they said to Jeremiah The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us if we doe not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether it be good or whether it be evil we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send thee that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God 2. This will make men that they will not be afraid when God is displeased with themselves or others When sin is committed or Judgement threatned Ier. 36. 23. 24. And it came to pass that when Iehudi had read three or four leaves he cut it with the penknife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth yet they were not afraid nor rent their garments neither the King nor any of his servants that heard all these Words This is from an inward stoutness and unsubduedness of heart Hence many a professor can be loose in his walk formal and flighty in Religious duties careless of the Sabbath indulge his corruptions comply far with some sins of the times neglect the trust and charge committed to him and yet his heart not smite him the thoughts hereof do not trouble him nor make him afraid And this is a dangerous thing 3. This will expose us to Misery and Destruction If we should have no other Molestation come upon us any way yet if we be without this spirit of awful fear and trembling before God we shall be like enough quickly to sink in our own ruines under the weight of our pride and other corruptions Ier. 44. 10 11. They are not humbled even to this day neither have they feared nor walked in my Law nor in my Statutes that I set before you and before your Fathers Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Behold I will set my face against you for evil and to cut off all Iudah For in setting up our selves we reject and forsake God And this People have been told that if they forsake God God will cast them off for ever 1. Chron 28. 9. Uzziah's self-exaltation emboldned him to venturre upon such things as were the occasion of his destruction 2. Chron. 26. 16. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense A heart not duly subdued will expose men to venture upon such things as will tend to wound their consciences dishonour Religion and procure their calamity All the world can never keep that man up that never seeks to 〈◊〉 his own spirit low GOD has not been wont to prosper any People long however good they were or however good their cause were if their spirits have been high and so shown more of themselves than of the spirit of Christ as it is too often with God's people So true is it which the Holy Ghost saith Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low and Chapt. 16. 18. Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall If Hezekiah's heart be lifted up there is a Dispensation of wrath near 2. Chron. 32. 25. for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Iudah and Ierusalem The loftiness of man shall be made low God will have it so Isai. 2. 11. 17. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the LORD of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low c. II. Mot. Consider the Advantage of being of this poor contrite and trembling spirit It will be exceeding beneficial many wayes 1. This will dispose you to acknowledge and sanctifie the Name of God under all Dispensations under all visitations To see and own how God is fulfilling His Word making good His threatthreatnings and executing His Judgements He hath foretold and so to give Him the glory of His work Zech. 11. 9 10 11. Then said I I will not feed you that that dyeth let it dye and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another And I took my staff even Beauty and cut it asunder that