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.
all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree have exalted the low tree have dried up the green tree and have made the dry tree to flourish I the LORD have spoken and have done it The Yearly seasons also Seed-time and Harvest Summer and Winter binding up and covering the earth with Frost Ice and Snow and the releasing and renewing of the face of the Earth again it 's His work Psal. 147. 15 18. He sendeth forth His Commandment upon earth His Word runneth very swiftly He giveth Snow like wool He scattereth the hoar frost like ashes He casteth forth his ice like morsels who can stand before His cold He sendeth out His Word and melteth them He causeth His wind to blow and the waters flow Psal. 104. 29 30. Thou hidest thy face they are troubled Thou takest away their breath they dye and return to their dust Thou sendest forth thy spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the Earth These as all other great works whatsoever they are the Lords Nothing is done without Him Laâ—… 3. 37. Who is he that saith and it comes to pass when the LORD commands it not Psal. 136. 4. To Him who alone does great Wonders Hence in consideration of this let the Lord's People say as they Ier. 14. 22. Art thou not He O LORD our GOD therefore we will wait upon thee for Thou hast made all these things Concl. II. God's Dispensations many times to this or that People are very Signal Plain Demonstrations of His Favour Kind-Kindness Grace and good Will to them He does more for one Nation or People many times a great deal than He does for another Psal. 147. 19. 20. He sheweth His Word unto Iacob His Statutes and His Iudgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation He not only prospers them in the World above others but makes known and gives forth more of Himself as to visible Dispensations and outward meanes and advantages for Heaven than He does to others Thus signally did God dispence to Seth in whose Family and Race the Worship of God and the visible Adoption and Covenant was continued Genes 4. 26. And to Seth to him also there was born a son then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord. Or to be distinguished by calling upon or being called by the Name of the Lord Religious Worship being especially attended in Seth's Family when lost by others hence those of his posterity though they afterward Degenerated are called the Sons of God and so distinguished from the Daughters of men Genes 6. 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men Thus signally did God dispense to Noah who when all the World besides were overthrown with a deluge of waters found grace in the eyes of the Lord and is saved with his house in the Ark Genes 6. 8. and 7. 23. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground both man and cattel and the creeping things and the fowl of the heaven and they were destroyed from the earth and Noah only remained alive and they that were with him in the Ark To Abraham also whom God separated from his idolatrous kindred revealed Himself most graciously to made of him a great Nation appropriated Blessing to him and to them that should bless him and Cursing to them that should curse him Gen. 12. 1 2 3. Now the Lord had said unto Abraham Get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy kindred and from thy Father's house unto a land that I will shew thee And I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a Blessing And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed Josh. 24. 2 3. Your father 's dwelt on the other side of the floud in old time even Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor and they served other Gods And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac Most signal were the Dispensations of God to the Children of Israel whom God chose out of all People to be a peculiar people to Himself to bear His Name in the world to dwell in His presence to be betrusted with all the Ordinances of His House and visible Kingdom to have God nigh to them in all that which they called upon him for to work wonderfully and gloriously for them in all their necessities and difficulties Exod. 19. 3 6. And Moses went up unto God and the Lord called to him out of the mountain saying Thus shalt thou say to the house of Iacob and tell the Children of Israel Yâ—… have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto My Self Now therefore if ye obey My voice indeed and keep My Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the Earth is Mine And ye shall be unto Me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation Deut. 26. 18. 19. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as He hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all His Commandments And to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in Praise and in Name and in Honour and that thou mayst be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as He hath spoken Deut. 4. 7. For what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for Signal also were the Lord's Dispensations to and so the priviledges and Advantages of those places where our Lord Jesus in the dayes of His flesh did mostly converse preach and do his mighty works viz. the Region of Galilee and Cities thereabout Mat. 4. 23. And Iesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of Disease among the people The like favour was afterwards shown to those places where Christ's Apostles and Evangelists were sent in His Name by His order and with His Authority to publish and preach the Gospel of salyation beginning at Ierusalem and passing through the Regions of Iudeâ—… and Samaria to Cesarea Damascus Ioppa Lydda and Saron Cyprus Derbe Lâ—…stra Icomuâ—… and Anâ—…och and a great part of Asia and at length in Europe to Macedonia Thessalonica Berea Corinth c. And since the Apostles dayes some Nations and several counâ—…â—…s and Bodies of People have been by Divine Dispensation 〈◊〉 only priviledged with the Gospel but God hath to maâ—…â—…aces and people wrought wonderfully for the bringing of 〈◊〉 to or settling them under the enjoyment of it or for the Continuance of
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
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
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